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I've yet to find anyone on this forum who shares my love of a good cigar... but dedicating a thread to the subject is as good a way to check for fellow enthusiasts as any. I smoked one Saturday night and one tonight... and here are my thoughts on the cigars (complete with scanned labels). Both of this weekend's cigars came in sampler packs.
Last night I had a Gurkha Blue Steel. It comes in a Maduro wrapper and is hailed as a cool, mellow but flavorful cigar. It did not disappoint, and the flavor remained steady throughout. This perfecto-shaped cigar was tightly packed and a bit tough to draw on, but never grew bitter. A quality smoke that I thoroughly enjoyed -- I will be purchasing a box when my humidors get a bit less full.
Tonight I sampled a Nica Libre while reading on my balcony. It had a perfecto shape, much like the Gurkha, and as always I checked its moisture by rolling it between my fingers. My initial puffs, and the first fifteen minutes of the smoke, it tasted a earthy and rich, a pleasant flavor overall. The trouble began upon removal of the label, as evidently it was glued too tightly to the wrapper, pulling a little bit up with it. No matter. After fifteen minutes, however, the cigar began burning rather unevenly, an annoyance that despite all my attempts could not be rectified. The flavor changed a bit, too... it became more dry. These problems continued, and I began to wish I had some rum on hand to moisten my palate. Nevertheless, it was still a decent smoke, decent enough to keep me outside on a frigid night.
Though the Gurkha and Nica Libre sat in my humidor for over a week, I've begun to believe that perhaps the Nica Libre needed a bit more time to soak in moisture. I have a second cigar of each... and will wait a few more weeks before attempting either again.
Last night I had a Gurkha Blue Steel. It comes in a Maduro wrapper and is hailed as a cool, mellow but flavorful cigar. It did not disappoint, and the flavor remained steady throughout. This perfecto-shaped cigar was tightly packed and a bit tough to draw on, but never grew bitter. A quality smoke that I thoroughly enjoyed -- I will be purchasing a box when my humidors get a bit less full.
Tonight I sampled a Nica Libre while reading on my balcony. It had a perfecto shape, much like the Gurkha, and as always I checked its moisture by rolling it between my fingers. My initial puffs, and the first fifteen minutes of the smoke, it tasted a earthy and rich, a pleasant flavor overall. The trouble began upon removal of the label, as evidently it was glued too tightly to the wrapper, pulling a little bit up with it. No matter. After fifteen minutes, however, the cigar began burning rather unevenly, an annoyance that despite all my attempts could not be rectified. The flavor changed a bit, too... it became more dry. These problems continued, and I began to wish I had some rum on hand to moisten my palate. Nevertheless, it was still a decent smoke, decent enough to keep me outside on a frigid night.
Though the Gurkha and Nica Libre sat in my humidor for over a week, I've begun to believe that perhaps the Nica Libre needed a bit more time to soak in moisture. I have a second cigar of each... and will wait a few more weeks before attempting either again.
