No (Smoking) Jacket Required: Iggy's Cigar Thread

[IggytheBorg]

This Saturday is the annual CI Cigarfest. I'm sooooo looking forward to this. My plan thus far is to complie a great batch of CD's to stick in the changer for the 1 1/2 hr ride each way (selections include SPringsteen's greatest hits, Floyd's Division Bell, Synchronicity, Company of STrangers by Colin Hay, and Excitable Boy by Warren Zevon. . . it's got Lawyers Guns and Money on it! ).

I will also light up a Gurkha Empire Series IV for the ride in, to get the day started properly. Purportedly mild but flavorful, this should be a perfect morning cigar. New car has a moon roof, which I purchased expressly for the purpose of cigar enjoyment. Haven't gotten around to trying it out yet, but I have high hopes that Iggy's Mobile Smoking Lounge (and - gayness incarnate, perhaps, but fuck it - I may even make up a banner bearing that legend & "Cigarfest or Bust!" and stick it on the side) will be in full effect, yo. I have been thinking about the perfect T shirt to wear to this thing (since I have no cigar related at the moment), and have decided just now that there can be no other but Leslie's award-winning BDR design. Pix of Rerb's unsolicited PR to follow. I'll even take the obligatory photo with Tim Ozgener of CAO, which will end up on CAO's website for all to see. Six pack of cold soda - perhaps a flavorful root beer - also a must.

We are top tier this year, baby, which means we get in at 11 AM, I think. I want to get there at 11 or as shortly thereafter as possible. After grabbing our doorbuster swag & coupon books, I intend to make a beeline for the beer vendors' booths (and the booze purveyors, if any are in attendance, as well). I wanna be part of the reason motherfuckers in the bottom 2 tiers - as I have been the last 2 years - get shorted on the Magic Hat this year. I figure, we got ALL DAY to walk around & gather our smokes, and we had no problems collecting all of them last year, even though we didn't get in until the last tier, at 3 PM. I will then exercise a little circumspection with regard to the first 'Fest smoke I decide to light up, rather than just spark the 1st stick I shove into my gob. Enjoy that one thoroughly, and perhaps after some grub, libations and enjoyment of the live band, spark another and enjoy the comaraderie with Potch and Nick (God) and his Dad. Libate some more, if possible, and then if they are worthy enjojy the last free smoke & booze of the day at the after party, using the last few hours to sober up for the ride home.

Gingerly, almost tenderly, place the 60+ free smokes I will end up with in the humi, and drift off to sleep with a beatific smile on my face. In short, I plan on having a Day with a Capital "D", man.

[Timothy225]

Iggy, Y U NO GO TO CHILLER AND HUG BORGNINE?

I kid, sounds like a hell of a Saturday, dude! Hope you have a blast, and get some outstanding smokes!

[V]

My congratulations to you, sir...

It's not often I meet a man who embraces his vices with the style and verve that you do.

As far as Zevon goes?

'Mutineer'... accept no substitutes.

[IggytheBorg]

[Returns salute] I thank you, sir! I shall check out the Zevon recommendation soon.

[IggytheBorg]

Cigarfest was awesome. As planned, we went in bright 'n' early, and we hit the purveyors of booze 1st thing. There were more breweries represented than ever before. The Sam Adams booth was also giving out - Martin, you ready for this? - ALL VARIETIES OF UNIBROUE. Fo' free. Filled up repeatedly on those. And on the Woodchuck ciders right across the aisle. Jersey's own Cricket Hill Brewing was there, as were the Bethlehem Brew Works, Weyerbacher and a couple others. A wine company, a whiskey company whose name I can't recall, and Crown Royal were also in attendance, and they all got hit up at least twice. By noon, we were feeling no pain. And then we started collecting the smokes. NICE fucking haul this year. Avo gave out a churchill. Many (perhaps most) of the vendors give out short robustos, so anyone giving out a churchill is much appreciated. Particularly an expensive brand like Avo. Graycliff gave out untrimmed red label Traditionals (& there were 1666's in the commemorative humidor). Oliveros gave out El Padrinos, 5 Vegas gave out Limitada 2011's, & Perdomo gave out a new version of their beloved Champagne Cabinet Series, w/ a maduro wrapper. And Gurkha gave out masive Warlord churchills. Among many, many others. I smoked the 1666, and this was delicious. I drank too much, I fear, to write a coherent review, but suffice to say it was medium and tasty as hell, and you can bet I'll be buying more of these eventually & writing a better one. I also smoked the Warlord. I had previously reviewed this smoke @ CHUD (medium bodied, nutty & slightly sweet from what I recall). And on the ride in Iggy's Mobile Smoking Lounge got broken in, as promised, with a Gurkha Empire V (one of the most awesome mild cigars ever). A lot like a Griffins or a Don Diego Playboy, but maybe just a little richer & fuller, which made it better, particularly than the latter. The moon roof works very well indeed, BTW. It don't get much better than that. I kind of got lazy & didn't make the banner (but there's always next year, hopefully), and Tim Ozgener apparently sold CAO to a foreign corporation, & was not in attendance (so no pic on the CAO website this year, unfortunately). I did take a really cool candid, and as soon as I figure out how to upload it (without asking my wife to show me; when you see it you'll see why) I'll put it up in the Pictures thread. Overall, probably the best Cigarfest experience experience ever (even if the after party sucked; it was sponsored by Rhino Energy Drink, and other than the band, they didn't give out anything free - including the fucking energy drink). The swag bag was even better looking than usual. To say a good time was had by all is the grossest of understatements.

[V]

I did take a really cool candid, and as soon as I figure out how to upload it (without asking my wife to show me; when you see it you'll see why)

You did something lewd with a cigar girl, didn't you?

Sweet!

[IggytheBorg]

You did something lewd with a cigar and a girl, didn't you?

Sweet!

Fixed

[IggytheBorg]

Been gettin' a little behind on the reviews. Sorry for that.

Yesterday, on a long ride back to the office from the Middlesex County Courthouse, I smoked a Patel Bros. 1961. This was quite good. a nice medium-full body, with some hearty spice over a toasty, smooth core, it had an enjoyable note of sweetness on the finish. Be worth trying again. One of this year's Cigarfest freebies.

Today, on the same car ride, I smoked a Pepin Garcia San Cristobal. KInd of blah, I think. Started out a bit harsh, it mellowed a bit after the 1st 1/2", & remained pretty consistent. It had maybe a faint trace of sweetness on the aftertaste, but was otherwise lacking in depth, IMO. It was hearty but smooth, and there was nothing disagreebale about it, I just didn't find it nuanced enough to be interesting is all. Also an '11 Fest Freebie.

[IggytheBorg]

This morning I smoked a CI Legends Maroon Label by Nestor plascencia. Not very impressed. It was a straightforward full bodied smoke, with hearty spices evident at times. The full body was delivered in a smooth manner (aside from a slightly harsh opening). Not disagreeable in any sense, just not nuanced or layered enough to be very interesting. Don't imagine I'll be buying more of these.

I am now smoking a Drew Estates Natural Irish Hops. I may have been incorrect in my earlier assertion that Naturals are not infused. I guess it depends on the smoke, as this one most certainly is. But it's still really tasty. Reminds me a bit of a Wafe or Kuba Kuba, but the aromatics are a tad more subdued, and the tobacco milder. Very layered & complex, with caramel notes evident at times on the aftertaste. These I DO see myself buying more of. Recommended for mild or infused fans. I think I like these better than Kuba Kubas (the CT version, anyway; the maduro might be as good as these).

[IggytheBorg]

Smoking a Rocky Patel Sun Grown right now. Really fucking good. Has a nice medium toasty core, with plenty of sun grown wrapper sweetness on top of it. They ran a limited edition called the original Sun Grown (Rocky originally made them, for a very short time - not even a complete 1st production run - in a different factory in a different country), which wasn't nearly as good. Kind of turned me of to these for awhile, but I kept reading CI blurbs that made them sound good, so I figured I'd give the regular Sun Grown a try. Damned glad I did. Patel products vary widely in their palate characteristics, so there have been some I've loved, and some I've hated. But these are definitely winners. Recommended.

[IggytheBorg]

Smoked a Nub Connecticut last night. Really, really good. Mild but flavorful, redolent of cedar & sweet cream. The high end of mild, close to medium in body, with a nice slow even burn and consistent flavor throughout. This could be the best in the series.

[Lola]

The manner in which you write your reviews makes ME want to enjoy a cigar also...

[V]

The manner in which you write your reviews makes ME want to enjoy a cigar also...

Seriously!

[IggytheBorg]

Youse're - oh, sorry - YA'LL're makin' me blush.

[V]

Nice backpedal...