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Cigar Aficionado Top 25 Cigars of 2011

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Well, I’m back.  And I’m planning to start posting here more regularly also.

To kick-off my resurrection of this blog, I’ve posted the Top 25 Cigars from Cigar Aficionado below.  I did several Google searches for a list of the top 25, but all that I could find were the cigars each posted in a review and photo, usually 1 cigar per page.  No list formats.  So I built one myself below.  I plan to hyperlink each link below as I smoke the cigar, with the link pointed to my review of the cigar on this blog.  This year, I am going to make it a point to smoke all of them, except for the Cubans, of course.

  1. Alec Bradley Prensado Churchill
  2. La Aroma de Cuba Mi Amor Belicoso
  3. Illusione Epernay Le Taureau
  4. Partagás Serie P No. 2
  5. Padrón 1964 Anniversary Series Exclusivo Maduro
  6. Rocky Patel Fifteenth Anniversary Torpedo
  7. Cabaiguan Guapo
  8. Punch Double Corona
  9. Warlock Robusto
  10. Casa Magna Colorado Diadema
  11. Arturo Fuente Rosado Sungrown Magnum R Vitola “Fifty-Four”
  12. Casa Fernandez Miami Toro
  13. Ashton Estate Sun Grown 22-Year Salute
  14. E.P. Carrillo Golosos
  15. Hoyo de Monterrey Double Corona
  16. Aging Room Small Batch M356 Presto
  17. Winston Churchill Chartwell
  18. La Gloria Cubana Rabito de Cochino
  19. Dunhill Signed Range Toro
  20. La Reloba Selección Sumatra Torpedo
  21. H. Upmann No. 2
  22. Oliva Serie V Liga Especial Double Robusto
  23. La Flor Dominicana Air Bender Matatan
  24. Camacho Corojo Figurado
  25. Diamond Crown Julius Caeser Pyramid

Havana Mix Cigar Emporium, Memphis

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This weekend we took a trip to Memphis, so I looked up a few cigar shops. The first one I found was the Memphis Tobacco Bowl, which was the closest one to my hotel.  We walked down to the address listed on Google and the place was closed up.  Just a few blocks down from there was the next place on Google, called Havana Mix Cigar Emporium.

From the street, the shop looked more like one of those “smoke shops” with the bong pipes, cloves cigarettes and incense.  It had several lighted signs in the windows, and some advertisements from companies that you wouldn’t normally see in a Cigar Pub.  So I wasn’t very impressed by the curb appeal.

However, once inside, it was quite a nice atmosphere.  They had a walk-in humidor, some high tables with barstool-type chairs, a couple of vinyl couches and several matching chairs, and a table with more nice chairs around it.  At the end of the room there was a plasma TV hanging on the wall.

I grabbed a couple of  local cigars from them which I will be reviewing later on this blog.

I am somewhat surprised at the lack of  cigar shops in the downtown Memphis area.  Havana Mix seems to be a good hang-out spot, though.  It could deter an Aficionado that might come through the area, but once inside I am sure it is quite a nice place to lounge.  I might have to try and run back in there tonight and see what the nightlife is like.

My Top 5 List of Favorite Smokes

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I’ve made mention here and there in some blog posts about, “this is on my top 5” or “this is one on my list” but I never honestly have written this list down.  It has only been in my head for a year or 2, so I thought it was time to go ahead and write a post that details my top 5 favorite cigars.  Obviously in time, this list will change, as I try new cigars.  But for now, this is the list as I like it.

If anyone is ever wondering what to get me for Christmas, this would be a good place to start, 😛

  1. Arturo Fuente Anejo – By far, this is my top and most favorite cigar.  And it should be, they are released only once a year here in the US, and smokers purchase most of them up within a few days from all the local shops.
  2. 5 Vegas Series “A” – I honestly can’t believe that I have yet to write a blog post about these cigars.  Any time I see them come up on Joe’s Cigar I always buy a pack or 2.  The “A” series encompasses a variety of sizes and vitolas.  I like them all pretty much equally.
  3. Carlos Toraño Exodus 1959, Silver Edition – These are FANTIASTIC!  I tried one on a whim one day while I was at a liquor store, and looking for something to smoke.  They had a small walk-in humidor, and a very wide selection of Toraño cigars, so I picked this one up.  Wow, I am glad I did!
  4. Tatuaje Havana VI, Nobles – The Nobles is the specific vitola in my post here, but all of the Havana VI Red Label line sticks are quite good.  I think it has been too long since I had one of these, actually, so I might need to make a trip to the Cigar Store today. 😀
  5. Padron 2000, 3000, 4000 Naturals – For a $3.50-$4 cigar, these guys are quite good.  The only differences in the 2000, 3000, etc is the size.  Last I looked, they ranged up to 7000, which has a huge ring gauge.  But these are still some of my favorites.

Tobacconist Reviews

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I’ve added a new category to this blog labeled “Tobacconist Reviews”  I want to do reviews of online websites where I purchase cigars, and also of retail “brick-n-mortar” stores where I go.  I enjoy visiting Cigar Shops when I am out of town on vacation or traveling for work, so my desire is to try and visit as many as I can, when I travel, and log those reviews here as well.  I might even make a few road trips designated specifically for that purpose 🙂

I know that some readers who read this blog are cigar store owners.  If you come across this blog and want to be reviewed, drop me an email at jjohnston@aints.net

Thanks for participating and I look forward to some great cigar store reviews!

Perdomo 10 Year Anniversary, Robusto Champagne

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I decided to stop in one of my local cigar stores today and while browsing their selection, I saw the sign below on the Perdomo Cigars.  I do not recall ever smoking a Perdomo before, so I decided to try one based solely on the sign.

Their selection of Perdomos was quite large, they had several lines to choose from and several sizes within each line.  I chose this was because it was a 10th Anniversary Edition, so I was hoping for something a little “extra” in the smoke.

The cigar started off VERY spicy, with a peppery taste that might be overpowering for some.  I like pepper and spice in my foods, and sometimes in my cigars too, but this one seemed a bit much.  As I expected, however; it mellowed some after the first couple of minutes of being lit.  The cigar burned evenly and had a very white ash, the sign of quality tobacco.  The spice flavor remained through the entire smoke, but later I tasted hints of what I thought to be cinnamon.  I couldn’t pickup anymore tastes than this.  One aspect I did enjoy was the amount of smoke, it had a very smooth draw which produced plenty of smoke for me.  I’m interested in trying a few more lines of the Perdomos soon, so keep checking back!

image

Cigar Details:
Wrapper: Triple fermented Connecticut
Filler: Cuban-seed Nicaraguan blend
Size: Price: ~$6
Someone else’s review: Beer Review Dude

Romeo Y Julieta Aniversario – Robusto

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Today I picked this cigar out of my humidor which I had purchased some time ago.  I wanted a shorter smoke so this Robusto seemed like a good choice.  The smoke started lighter than I expected and was smooth and peppery.  I tasted hints of leather, but not much else.  This smoke is what I would describe as “gool ol’ cigar smoke flavor”.

This cigar is a good tasting cigar that would be good for an all-around regular day smoke.  The flavor was nice, the smoke was plentiful and the wrapper held together well and burned evenly.

Cigar Details:
Wrapper: Ecuador
Binder : USA/Connecticut
Filler : Dominican Republic, Nicaragua, Peru
Size: Price: ~$6
Someone else’s review: Cigar Inspector