Wishful thinking for a cigar maven

 If you enjoy a stash of Cuban beauties here there are

Keep smoking

Hold it tight or loose.

One of my cigar crew sent me this poster on how you hold your cigar. You can read into it if you want.

Keep smoking

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Mostly hits the mark

I imagine crafting a radio show is very similar to crafting a cigar.  Different pieces need to fit in order to make it all work. The finished product could be a big hit or more realistically , not everything is to your subjective  liking. The 90 rated cigar are a small minority but that does not mean you can't enjoy the other cigars of the world.

I was introduced to the @CigarGuysRadioShow through Twitter.  Finally cleared some time and listened to one full show and several excerpts from 4 others. The show is broadcast live from Atlanta on AM 920 every Sunday from 11 AM to 1 pm EST.   The show is also available on podcast which is the way I listened.

The two affable hosts are Gary "Doc" Laden and Alan " The Cigar Savant". Both gentleman have a easy going way about them and they know their cigar lore. Topics range from interviews from those in the business, reviews of cigars, call in from listeners and quirky subjects about cigars. 

On one show the listeners were asked to name three cigars they would bring with them if they were stuck on a deserted island. Fun topic with interesting takes of what listeners would bring. 

On another show  the question was what are good quality cigars which run under $6?

The overall show is very appealing with a reasonable mix of cigar insiders, cigar lifestyle folks and cigar smokers. Sometimes the interviews runs a bit long, the products may not be of interest to you but overall the show moves. Of course if you don't like what you hear, you can always turn the show off. I don't think that is necessary as there are than enough items in the world of cigars to talk about.

The show is well produced, very professional and if you like cigars you will truly enjoy the show and the hosts.

Their tag line , " Smooth Draws" could be likened to a cigar with a pleasant Connecticut wrapper. Not overpowering on your palate but will get will keep you interested for the duration. 

Give the show a listen, put it in your humidor for a leisurely couple of hours.

Keep  smoking. 

 

Was it worth the wait?

I have been storing an El Rico Habano  Churchill in my humidor for over 5 years. It's not as I waiting for a special reason to smoke it. Basically I just never got around to doing it. So today happens to be the day and here is the review. 

El Rico Habano 7 x 54 with an Ecuadorian wrapper, Nicaragua binder and filler. Used an Xikar cutter and smoked in Los Angeles. 

Impressive dark wrapper with an oily feel and sheen. Construction solid, firm texture with a few veins which did not distract from the appearance. If looks tell the story the cigar appears to be a powerful smoke.

Somewhat uneven initial burn, had hints of cocoa and nuts. Flavor was a it muddled with no clear distinction where this was going to go. After 30 minutes I was surprised the smoke was pretty mild almost bland. My expectation it was going to be a kick in the pants blend.

Ash was light grey and was sustained well without any burn issues . Steady, slow draw and remained this integrity throughout the 1.5 hours of smoking time.

My overall thoughts were of a good quality cigar, decent enough and can be has for a reasonable price point Milder  than I thought it was going to be but more in the medium range. It was not a waste of time but was hoping for a stronger blend. Perhaps being in my humidor for 5 plus years took off some of the edge. I would buy several again but in different shapes to see what would happen. 

My rating would be:  appearance and construction 4 out of 5,  flavor: 3.5 out of 5,smoking characteristics: 3.5 out of 5 and overall 3.8 out of 5. 

A good cigar but not top tier.

Keep smoking. 

It's tough to light a cigar without accessories - Xikar products

There are many methods that are used to light up your beloved stogie. Just to name a few we have cutters of all types, lighters of infinite variety. 

Some of the cigar brethren prefer matches, cheap Bics or even using their teeth to get the smoke started. Through the years my lighter and cigar cutter collection have approached an astronomical number. The brands and types of lighters and cutters  are too numerous to list.

For the last several years my product line has focused on Xikar , a line based in Kansas City. Many of my friends also use their accessories from lighters  to cutters. I have not tried their cigars

Here is my take on them. They have products they fit the budgets for all price points. You can go on the "cheap" for a very serviceable lighter or cutter.  For those who like to burn a little more cash, they have higher end products that will suit your fancy.

Without going into detail on each product, here is the overall impression of what my history is.

The good: nice design with strong flame control of the lighters. The cutters have a great sharp cutting edge with clean cutting. They are good looking and do what they are designed to do. 

Now the not so good: I have had structural failures on most of their products. I do not abuse my lighters or cutters. I keep them in the original packaging and they have the protective covers that are available for each device. I am not sure if the problems are due to manufacturing defects or the stress points need to re enforced . For example , the red wood cutter has had the wood fallen off that I needed to super glue it back on so it would stay.

The Stratosphere lighter top clip which keeps its secure has broken off in the same spot each time it has been replaced with a new lighter.

Xikar has a great repair or replacement policy which is 100 percent guaranteed . They honor their commitment so I give the company kudos for their integrity. 

So this leaves me somewhat confused. I like their products and the backing of what they make.I don't know why they do not last very long. 

As a comparison I owned a DuPont max lighter which lasted without fail for ten years. The cost of that lighter was $150 so I received a good bang for the buck. 

My rating for my experiences with Xikar looks light this

For design 4 out of 5, price point 4 out of 5, for manufacturers guarantee 5 out of 5, for structural integrity 2 out of 5.

I am hoping this number can be pushed up.

Smoke well.