CigarAsh reviews the 1876 Reserve

1876 Reserve

Origins: Dominican Republic

Filler: Dominican

Wrapper: Connecticut

Binder: Sumatra

Size: 6 x 50

Shape: Toro

Strength: Mild

 Here is another one from the Budget Bundle Brigade. It’s the 1876 Reserve; this one is going to be short and to the point ….DON’T Do IT!

 

This is a very Mild Dominican and by very mild I am saying it is like smoking air! They come in a Bundle of 20 and in one catalog I have seen them listed as a “2fer” 2 bundles for between $49.99 and $59.99. They are about a buck a stick and they taste like you should get change back from your dollar.

 Despite them being handmade with 100% long leaf filler the ash is flakey so it is all over you when you smoke, the feel to the wrapper is smooth to the touch, but feels as light as they taste and it is so bland looking it should be over looked!

I have gone to great lengths for you my loyal readers I bought a bundle of Robusto’s 5x50 and a Bundle of Toro’s 6 x 50 and let me just say That if my wife reads this and sees how crappy I say they are and that I bought more than one bundle she may reduce my cigar fund.

 

The only people who should smoke these truly bad boys of the Budget Bundle Brigade are the folks that are just starting out smoking cigars because they are inexpensive, not harsh and it will show them what not to buy ever again.

This one rates 1 out of 10

Thanks for reading – Remember keep your Cigars moist.

B.O.T.L.

CigarAsh14

P.S. They have a Maduro version of this cigar now and it isn’t any better than its predecessor.

CigarAsh looks at 1844 – Anejado 50-xtra

                         1844 – Anejado 50-xtra

Origin: Nicaragua

Shape: Perfecto

Size: 6 x 50

Wrapper: San Andres

Filler: Nicaragua

Strength: Medium-Full

 

 

This is the my first experience with the 1844 brand and all I can say is wow…This is a medium to full bodied cigar leaning more to the full than medium, but not so strong you get light headed despite the long leaf Nicaraguan filler with a strong San Andres maduro wrapper. You get an earthy flavor to it with a small peppery flavor and a hint of a cedar finish.

 The 1844 is now in my regular rotation, the smoke is dark and a bit heavy, the ash is a dark grey ash with no flaking at all, the cigar produces a heavy ash so it may burn a bit hot at times. The constructions is perfect, chunky and with the small rolled tip at the end makes it is easy to light and helps for an even burn, the “perfecto” style shape feels great in your hand and in your mouth.

The size that I have chosen was a No.50 xtra which is a 6 x 50. I have seen these cigars in a local “brick and mortar” as well in multiple mail order catalogs so they are not real hard to find.

 I think the only bad thing I found with this cigar is it is only packaged in a box of 18, but still that will not sway this cheep bastard from purchasing them on a regular basis. The average price for this one is $50.00 U.S. and as of the past month I have seen them listed at sale prices of $40.00 bucks a box… Time to stock up on this one.

I would have to rate this stick a happy 6 1/2 out of 10.

B.T.O.L.

~Cigar Ash~

Cigar Ash Looks at the Puros Indios Reserva’ Maxima ‘03

Puros Indios Reserva’ Maxima ‘03

What can I say about this brand besides, it is one of the most consistent brands I have had the pleasure of smoking. It may not me the highest on the Cigar Brand totem pole, but it is far from the bottom.

 The brand does have one blemish on their reputation with their Puros Indious Vejeo, but that is a review for another time.

 So here is the skinny on these sticks. This Blend of Puros Indios is the brain child of Rolando Reyes Jr. and his 70 years of experience. This specially aged puros is called “Anejado 2003” and has a blending of Brazilian, Nicaragua and Dominican longleaf tobaccos’ with a Ecuador wrapper that is just a great tasting smoke. 

 Five years the cigars aged in boxes and I have to say that I would buy these often and keep them in stock. They are inexpensive at $29.95 for the Rothschild, $34.95 for the Toro and $39.95 for the Churchill.

 The Maxima ’03 has good construction with very minute if any blemishes and veins in the leaf. There is an earthy and light woody taste to it and so far after smoking 5 to 8 of them at this point I have not had one canoe or unravel. The Head of the cigar is nice and tight as well, I have used a Cigar punch and a V-notch on the cigar and the head of it has stated pretty much in tacked and had a nice smooth draw to it throughout the whole smoke. This cigar gives you a light aroma with a solid light grey ash not flaky at all.

 I would give this cigar a rating of 6 ½ out of 10 for Price, Taste and Quality. This is a perfect everyday cigar choice.

See you next time

B.O.T.L.

~Cigar Ash~

No rest for the wicked…

To rest or chew that is the question for many of us. I was told and taught by the powers that be that a cigar should rest between puff, in an ash tray, that way it doesn’t get to hot or bitter, or even so moist that it falls apart or goes out.

 However me being the average Joe cigar smoker, I usually just hold mine or keep it in my mouth. The brands and lines of cigars I smoke are affordable so that it doesn’t matter if it rests between puffs or not. I can’t afford to be smoking $200.00 to $300.00 boxes of cigars, so the case for resting my cigars is moot.

I have seen many amusing rest stops for cigars. Between the Pickets of a stockade fence, on the brick foundation of a bar, the rail of a fence and one time on my refrigerator door handle (that fat bastard). So I guess whether you use an ash tray and rest your cigars is a personal preference, do I have them yes, do I use them occasionally, would I use them if I smoke very, very expensive cigars? You bet your ash! there would be a cigar in every room resting in an ash tray because if I could smoke cigars that were that expensive I would be rich and would have nothing better to do than sit in every room of my domain and smoke and rest my cigars everywhere.

So I say to you, you upstart cigar Aficionados that push your cigar etiquette on others I will rest no cigar before its time…There is No rest for the wicked.  

This blog entry was inspired by a Fellow Cigar smoker who thinks that he knows what is better for your cigars and us as cigar smokers to the point of annoyance. It is all about enjoying cigars not being chastised because we do not stop and let our cigars rest, cigar Nazi.

Happy Smoking

 B.O.T.L.

~Cigar Ash~

Honored

 
I was honored to receive a very special gift this past weekend, something so special that it proves to me that I have exactly the right friends and family surrounding me.

 A quick background before I tell you about the gift. I had a best friend Justin, he and I got into so much stuff, we raced a stock car, started a blog, smoke cigars, we watched movies, Shot guns, fished and listen to music, all the usual stuff buddies did.

 He and I were friends all his life. I lost my friend 4 years ago to a motorcycle accident, as you can expect His family (and mine) as well as myself were crushed; the man was a shining star and had potential oozing out of every pour of his body.

 Now that you got the very brief background on to the gift, Justin has a younger brother his name is Bob. Bob Made Justin a 100 count humidor when he was in high school. It is beautiful and solid you would be hard pressed to find something made this sturdy.

 So It is Sunday morning I am sitting in my usual spot drinking coffee, smoking a cigar and having a gab-fest with a couple of friends when I see Bob come around the corner and he doesn’t say a word to me just kind stares at me and then smiles and puts this very same humidor on my lap. I recognize it immediately and feel a lump in my throat. I say “what’s this Bob-o”? And Bob replies “it’s for you, you will treat it better and it was made to be used and I knew you would appreciate it and put it to good use”

 That humidor will have a place of Honor on my shelf and after I season it and bring it back to the perfect humidity I am going to fill it with some of my favorite cigars and I will always have 1 in there in memory of my friend, brother and ying to my yang . . . Justin Robert Dilks.

Thank you Bob for a gift I will never forget, and I am honored to poses. I will think of him every time a get my cigar and it will be like he is having one with me like we used to do.

 Next time we get back to basics with Humidor 101 for the regular guy.
see you next time B.O.T.L.
~Cigar Ash