The good life: most of us have an idea what it’s about.

Rapper Jay Z knows what the good life looks like–and it includes cigars.

From Jay-Z Plans To Get Fat:

Revealing his retirement plans, Jay said he wants to live on a private island, where he’ll spend his days drinking fine wines, smoking cigars and getting fat thanks to the meals his “genius chef” will cook.

“That’s what I enjoy. That’s the payback for all the hard work,” the Run This Town rapper – who is buying Beyonce a yacht – told Q, adding to the magazine: “Beyonce will be on the island too. But I don’t think she plan to get as fat as me. I’m gonna be fat.”

Okay, so the good life includes a private island, being married to Beyonce and cigars.

The first two are out of reach for most of us, but the last item is shared by millionaires and common folk alike.

by Mondo

Rod Blogojevich just got convicted on one count of lying to the FBI and is going to be retried on 23 other counts in federal court.

But, he wants the world to know, “I don’t smoke cigars.”

From Rod Blagojevich: I Have A Political Future:

Former Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich continued his “I’m-vindicated” media tour on Sunday, less than a week after a federal grand jury found him guilty of making false statements but failed to reach a verdict on 23 other counts.

Dreams of a political renaissance have compelled Blagojevich to compare himself to another pol who rose from the dead: Winston Churchill. On Sunday, however, he chose to downplay his similarities to the revered British premiere, telling Fox News: “I don’t smoke cigars, [drink] scotch, and I think I can run faster than him.”

The former Illinois governor might not smoke cigars, but he can run faster than Winston Churchill–who is dead.

So he does have that going for him.

by Mondo Frazier
image: hollywood gossip

Mayor Michael Bloomberg continues his anti-smoking jihad in New York City. This time, the Tiny Titan is planning to outlaw smoking in outdoor parks.

NYC Obergruppenführer, Michael Bloomber, is hoping to add another bit of New York City to his smoke-free regime. This time Bloomberg has his sights set on outdoor parks and other areas.

From Staten Island smokers brace as park ban looms:

Having already eradicated smoking from public buildings, subways and buses, restaurants and playgrounds, Mayor Michael Bloomberg is ready to ban smoking at thousands of public parks and beaches — facilities that Staten Island has in abundance.

Bloomberg planned a press conference earlier this week to announce his support of a comprehensive parks smoking ban, along with City Council Speaker Christine Quinn, but the event was pushed back due to scheduling conflicts, sources familiar with the plan told the Advance.

The smoking ban bill also was on a docket given to Council leadership after the budget was finalized in June. The docket previews some of the key legislation the body plans to take up during its next session.

MORE: DBKP Library of Smoke & Health Nazi articles
* German Nazis, Smoke Nazis: Anti-Smokers Use Hitler’s Blueprint, how American anti-smoking fascists have followed Hitler’s blueprint to ban smoking in German.

However, trans-fats, salt and smoking bans are squeezing the life out of the place. Even 1936 Berlin didn’t have as many restrictions.

It’s all in a day’s work for Mayor Michael Bloomberg, who apparently feels that because he’s made a little dough, it’s given him the supreme wisdom to monitor millions of his citizens’ personal choices.

You heard it here first: next up will be forbidding perfumes and colognes.

Last one out of NYC, turn out the lights.

by Mondo Frazier
image: dbkp file

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We audition La Floridita Limited cigars and sally forth with our considered opinion on their worth.

CIGAR BISTRO Review
La Floridita Limited
Vital Statistics:
Country: Handmade, Honduras
Size: Robusto – 5 x 50
Wrapper: Maduro
Binder: Indonesian
Filler: Nicaraguan and Mexico
Strength: Full

The Feel: The La Floridita Limited is very firm and solid to the touch. The wrapper is rich, dark with that special oily feel that promises a good Maduro smoke.
The Smell: Before lighting, La Floridita is heavenly for those of us who like a heavy tobacco smell. After it was lit, La Floridita is rich and bold, almost from the moment it’s lit.
The Cap: The cap was firmly attached and cut easily.
The Draw: The draw of this La Floridita was excellent for the entire smoke.

Regular readers know that I prefer heavier tasting, heavier smoking cigars, so La Floridita Limited was exactly what I look for in a rich, heavy, full cigar smoke.

It was enjoyable even before I lit it. The aroma made me want to light up, but I made sure to put that off a few minutes to savor it. The feel of a good Maduro wrapper, ummmmm….

The La Flordita didn’t disappoint.

The heavy, rich tobacco aroma surrounded me after lighting and I enjoyed the smoke all of the way through. It’s the kind of smoke that’s better if you take your time with it; rolling the smoke in your mouth, feeling and smelling the aromas as breathe it out.

MORE on La Floridita Limited Cigars:

La Floridita Limited Edition Edition cigars present a more refined blend of our bestselling La Floridita bundles. Nestor Plasencia created these robust cigars using Nicaraguan and Mexican longfillers with an Indonesian binder, then rolled them in a dark, oily Brazilian Mata Fina. The result is a bold, aromatic, earthy smoke laced with sweet ‘n spicy complexities on the finish. If you seek a hearty, flavorful premium, this cigar is sure to please at a price that will leave you wondering how we did it.

FINAL VERDICT:

The La Floridita Robusto was exactly what you’re looking for if what you’re looking for is a full-flavored cigar. When you’re done smoking it, there will be no questions about whether or not you smoked a real cigar or one of those designer imitations.

FINAL CIGAR BISTRO SCORE:

Intangibles (Feel, Heft, Smell, Cap): 9.5
Wrapper: 9.5
Draw: 9.5
Flavor: 9
Aroma while Smoking: 9
Smoking Experience: 9
Value: 9.0

Total: 64.5/70

Make no mistake, even for someone who enjoys a heavy smoke, the La Floridita is not a cigar to be smoked regularly throughout the day. It’s more of that treat that you give yourself in the evening after smoking a mixture of lighter cigars. I found it not only a great smoke, but a good value. I can recommend it to even the pickiest of cigar aficionados.

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Rush Limbaugh drew a bulls-eye on Cuba for the declining quality of their cigars.

From Story #5: Even Cuba Recognizes Socialism Doesn’t Work

One of the most tragic things to happen, one of the most unfortunate things to happen when the Soviet Union gave up on giving $5 billion a year to the Castros is that Cuban cigars went to tank. Cuban cigars went to hell. They absolutely became nothing special. They started mass producing them to meet the global demand.

They stopped aging them. The care that was given to the growing of all three different kinds of tobacco for a cigar stopped. It just went to hell. It’s just one of the greatest shames (in addition to the human suffering, of course), but there were no better cigars in the world than those that came from Pinar del Rio. And now they’re just… Some people say they’re coming back, that they’re getting a little bit better, but they haven’t been what they were since the early nineties.

Limbaugh is right.

I smoked several Cubans in 1986 and they were heavenly. I smoked a couple more in 1998 and a couple more in 1999 and 2000. Those last five or six I smoked in the late 90s were utterly forgettable: over-priced and routine smokes.

The Cuban cigar’s drop-off in quality is one of the tragedies of cigar smoking in the last 20+ years.

Rush Limbaugh called it exactly right.

by Mondo Frazier

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CIGAR BISTRO Review
Olor Fuerte
Vital Statistics:
Country: Handmade, Honduras
Size: Corona – 5 1/2 x 42
Wrapper: Talanga Cubano
Binder: Mexican San Andreas
Filler: Dominican, Nicaraguan and Brazilian
Strength: Medium

The Feel: The Olor Fuerte Corona is solid and well-packed, with a good heft. The wrapper is dark brown with a very slightly oiled look and feel to it.
The Smell: The Olor Fuerte had an assertive tobacco smell, prior to lighting. When smelling the unlit tobacco, there’s no doubt this will be a tasty smoke. After it was lit, the Olor Fuerte’s aroma progressed through a series of delightful changes: from slightly sweet all the way to a robust luxury tobacco finish.
The Cap: The cap was firmly attached and cut easily.
The Draw: The draw of this Olor Fuerte was excellent during the entire smoke.

Olor Fuerte NOTES:

Even before lighting it, the Olor Fuerte was a smoke that I anticipated, due to the smooth, sheer smell of tobacco it emitted.

Readers know that I prefer heavier tasting cigars, and that’s one reason I enjoyed this cigar from start to finish: it was a solid “man’s smoke”, but not so much that it bit your tongue after I got into the halfway point.

The smoke got steadily more tasty–especially after about I’d smoked about a third of the Olor Fuerte. Some have described the cigar as having the taste of “cream.” I would say it is more “creamy” with a rich taste. I use the word “lightly-oiled” to describe such a flavor, but that’s a compliment. It’s a fine, rich medium smoke, especially after the cigar rounded the turn coming home.

We look forward to when next we renew our acquaintance with the Olor Fuerte.

MORE on Olor Fuerte cigars.

Olor Fuerte cigars are for cigar smokers who want that sweet ‘Old Havana’ flavor and aroma at a good price. Sporting a luscious, dark-natural Talanga Cubano wrapper and a rich 3-nation filler, the Corona is an especially bold, yet creamy-smooth smoke. Highly rated by Famous customers – a must try!

Designed to appeal to the tastes of cigar smokers who want a good medium-to-full-bodied smoke, we went all out on Olor Fuerte. This heartier Olor blend consists of robust Dominican, Nicaraguan and Brazilian fillers with a Mexican San Andreas binder surrounded by a zesty, dark-natural Talanga Cubano wrapper. The result is a remarkably smooth and complex cigar with lots of sweet, creamy smoke that’s hearty, yet not overpowering. Try a box and you may agree with what we said: ‘Oh Lord!’

FINAL VERDICT:

The Olor Fuerte was a fine smoke. We smoked three total,lighting up two of them in a row. The entire time we smoked through those two Olor Fuertes, we can honestly say we enjoyed every minute of them.

I’d recommend the Olor Fuerte to anyone who’s looking for a cigar that’s a stage below a truly “heavy” smoke.

FINAL CIGAR BISTRO SCORE:

Intangibles (Feel, Heft, Smell, Cap): 9.5
Wrapper: 9
Draw: 9.5
Flavor: 8.5
Aroma while Smoking: 8.5
Smoking Experience: 9
Value: 7

Total: 61/70

The Olor Fuerte goes onto my list as a “enjoyably-dependable cigar for occasional smoking.”

One final look at the Olor Fuerte’s luxurious wrapper.

Ummmmm…

by Mondo Frazier
images: DBKP Cigar Bistro; Famous Smoke Shop Olor Fuerte Cigar
Two Olor Fuerte cigars obtained through: Trinity Insight LLC; One purchased from Tobacco Warehouse.

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CIGAR BISTRO Review
Rockey Patel American Market Selection
Vital Statistics:
Country: Handmade, Honduras
Size: Corona – 5 1/2 x 42
Wrapper: Ecuadorian Connecticut
Binder: Nicaraguan & Honduran combination
Filler: Nicaragua, Honduras
Strength: Mild

The Feel: The Rocky Patel AMS Corona is solid and well-packed, but lighter than it appears. The wrapper is tan/light brown and smooth.
The Smell: The RP AMS had a mild tobacco smell, prior to lighting. and others have described as “caramel.” After it was lit, the RP AMS had a smooth “woodsy” flavor, with more of a “heavy cream” flavor after the halfway point.
The Cap: The cap was well-attached and cut easily.
The Draw: The draw of this Rocky Patel AMS was excellent.

Rockey Patel American Market Selection NOTES:

The RP AMS was a mild smoke. In fact, after first lighting this cigar, I struggled to taste all of the flavor.

I prefer heavier tasting cigars, so the fact that the Rocky Patel American Market Selection got “tastier” after the first 10 minutes or so–around the one-quarter smoked mark–made this corona more personally enjoyable after that point was reached.

Holding the smoke and slowly exhaling it, the flavors alternated between woodsy–some have called it “cedar-like”–and a smooth heavy cream taste. The flavors became became more distinct and enjoyable after the three-quarters mark–but that is just a personal preference.

One note to enjoying this cigar: take some extra between draws.

MORE on Rocky Patel American Market Selection Cigars.

Lush, mellow-smoking cigars from Rocky Patel in an affordably-priced ‘American Market Selection.’ Also referred to as ‘AMS,’ the term comes from the mild, light-colored wrappers that were preferred by American smokers early in the 20th Century. Blended with long-aged Nicaraguan & Honduran longfillers rolled in silky, Ecuadorian Connecticut wrappers, the smoke is medium-bodied, creamy, and very aromatic with subtle flavors of sweet cedar and spice throughout. A *must-smoke* and a great buy!

FINAL VERDICT:

The RP American Market Selection was a good smoke. Was it a spectacular smoking event like some other cigars I’ve experienced? I can’t honestly say that it was.

However, if you are looking for a mild, solid cigar–as I sometimes am–to smoke in between a couple of “heavy hitters,” this Rocky Patel might just be the palate cleanser you’re looking for.

FINAL CIGAR BISTRO SCORE:

Intangibles (Feel, Heft, Smell, Cap): 7.5
Wrapper: 8.5
Draw: 9.5
Flavor: 7.5
Aroma while Smoking: 8.5
Smoking Experience: 8
Value: 6

Total: 55.5/70

I smoked the Rocky Patel AMS corona twice: the first time after another mild-medium smoke; and, the second time, after a full-flavored cigar with a Maduro wrapper. Personally speaking, the second time was the more memorable of the two smokes.

by Mondo Frazier
images: DBKP Cigar Bistro;stoogie review; Famous Smoke Shop
Rocky Patel American Market Selection cigars obtained through: Trinity Insight LLC

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What is the best way to store your cigars?

There’s two schools of thought: wood and plastic. The article below favors a wood humidor (as do most places that sell such items).

From How to Store a Cigar:

Cigars must live in an environment, (warm and very humid); similar to where they were born and the best way to simulate that environment is with a humidor. A humidor will vary sizes from the small wooden boxes to the large wooden cabinets. Before purchasing a wooden humidor perform the “whoosh test” by lifting the lid about three inches, let it drop and listen for a “whoosh” of air escaping which prevents the lid from slamming. A “whoosh” means the humidor is crafted well enough to create a tight seal.

Another option, if for some reason you don’t want to purchase a nice wooden humidor, is to use a plastic container (Rubbermaid or Tupperware); however, plastic containers don’t allow your cigars to “breathe” and a modest amount of air flow is needed to help prevent mold and keeping your stogies fresh. Open the plastic container once a month to check for the proper moisture.

Cigars kept in a Ziploc bag are only good for a couple of weeks before they experience any ill effects. If you are looking for something similar with a greater lifespan, try our Fuente Humidor Bags for not only that freshness seal but also a scientifically engineered humidification packet.

Having a humidifier is also a good idea.

What about plastic?

In a book by the doctor who was the head of the Cuban cigar industry (it’s a small book and I couldn’t find it in my library), a plastic Tupperware container is touted. The doctor says that a air-tight plastic box was “the best way I’ve found to store cigars”.

Now that Cigar Bistro is up and running, I’ll have to run that book. It was small, but full of useful tips, pictures and personal cigar anecdotes.

Hope this information has been helpful.

image: http://www.adorini.com

Hours of smoking pleasure
House of Cigars
Wheeling, WV
Nov 16 2009

Rows of bundles of tasty cigars…
House of Cigars
Wheeling, WV
Nov 16 2009

Okay, this is more a “Beginner’s Guide to How to Light and Smoke a Cigar”.

BUT, you have to start somewhere, I suppose.

From Tips For Novices On How To Smoke Cigars:

Many novice smokers have embarrassed themselves trying to smoke a cigar with the same frantic, huff-and-puff energy that goes into cigarette smoking. But cigars aren’t cigarettes, any more than cheap beer is fine wine, and just as you’d never guzzle a fine Cabernet Sauvignon, you shouldn’t just inhale a cigar.

The site from which the article is quoted is named, oddly enough, “You Stop Smoking”?!?

Be that as it may, what follows are a few of the tips the article offers

ON LIGHTING A CIGAR

How to light? Steer clear of paper matches, which will only stay live long enough to light a small portion of the cigar. You need a full flame that will cover the entire head of the cigar. Wooden matches may work, though it’s recommended that you let the sulphur burn off the tip of the match before lighting.

Butane lighters are free of odor and taste and are the favorite method for many smokers, as are “torch” lighters. Whatever you prefer, make sure you turn the cigar as you light it (”turn and burn,” experienced smokers say), so that the entire cigar is lit. Some aficiandos believe it’s a bad idea to let the flame touch the cigar and prefer to use a lit cedar strip, but many American smokers argue that this is just a bit of unnecessary European pretension.

HOW TO SMOKE THE CIGAR

More from You Stop Smoking:

Inhaling the smoke is unnecessary and dangerous. Once again, cigars are not cigarettes. You pull the smoke into your mouth and, like a wine taster, allow its flavor to saturate your palate, without allowing the smoke into your lungs. For this reason, cigar smoking is more taste-oriented and less harmful to your health than cigarette-smoking.

The taste of the smoke varies depending on the tobacco type and the sorts of flavors added by the makers, as well as the age of the cigar, the conditions in which it’s been stored, and many other factors. Regardless, the taste is richer, fuller and subtler than that of cigarettes, and many people who don’t enjoy cigarette-smoking have found that they like the taste or odor of cigars.

More at the link above.

NOTE: Definitely agree with the “turn and burn” approach to lighting a cigar. If you take a few extra seconds to ensure the entire end of the cigar is burning, it saves a lot of grief later.

Two useful bits of information here though: how to light and smoke a cigar.

We always boiled it down to a few simple rules.
1-Make sure you have a cigar.
2-Make sure you have (or have the ability to bum) a lighter or match.
3-Fire it up!

Enjoy!

by Mondo Frazier
images:
* www.citizenofthemonth.com
* http://www.citycigarcompany.com
* womensmokingcigars.wordpress.com

DBKP’s Cigar Bistro is our corner where we will post about cigar care, maintenance, history, art, reviews, stories of interest, news and new products.

Give us a couple days and we’ll be up and running!