What can I say? I smoked a lot of gars on my week off, including CAOs, Arturo Fuentes, TTT Trinidads, Perdomos, Montecristos, Rocky Patels, Sancho Panzas, S.T. Duponts, Cusanos, just to name a few brands. Truly a great week off. While I don’t have time to review every gar I smoked (estimated at a total of 40), I am going to review the gars purchased specifically for the occassion. In no particular order they are:

1. CAO Italia Gondola (Torpedo) - still a great smoke, but I prefer this blend in the robusto size (Caio). But after smoking approximately 10 of these in the past 5 months, I’m starting to think they could use more depth. Of the five I smoked during this week, the best was the first one I had: as soon as I left work with a whole week off ahead of me.

2. Leon Jimenes Don Fernando (Corona) - this is quite possibly the most over-hyped, over-priced cigar I’ve ever had. I paid an even $10.00 for this thing, and it lasted for only 15 minutes. Still, I spent the better part of the week trying to figure out why it’s so damn expensive. And I still don’t get it. Flavor and burn were good, but not great. In short: Nothing special and criminally expensive. I’ve got to stop listening to the guys at cigar.com

3. Padron 1964 Anniversary Principe (Corona Gorda) - truly a masterpiece. I smoked this one with Brother Dicksbain during HudGar 2006 version 1.5 (Wednesday), while he had an Imperiale. This gar is like eating lobster. Buttery, sweet, full of flavor. I was glad to find these for sale at the Classic Vendome because now I can buy them at will. Prices were good, too: about $12.99 for the Exclusivo.

4. La Aurora 1495 Churchill - good depth and decent flavor, but terrible draw and burn. So bad I had to put this one out early, which was severly dissappointing given that I paid $11.95 for this gar. After smoking this, I came to the conclusion that the Churchill is the worst size for gars.

5. Don Lino Africa Kifaro (Torpedo) - another great smoke in SLO, this gar was like smoking a piece of dark chocolate. Utterly unique, and very spicy, I will definitely be ordering some more of these. Great draw and burn and a good value, too.

6. Pryme (Robusto) - A nice mild-bodied cigar with floral notes and hints of peppermint. I bought one of these on a whim, and I’m glad I did. They are a bit overpriced, probably due to their limited production, but they are worth trying if you can find them. Draw was acceptable after the first third or so.

7. Arturo Fuente Don Carlos Double Robusto - A mammoth-Fuente enjoyed during Dominican Mornings on 8/12/06 in place of the CAO Odyssey (which we never smoked, see below). Fantastic in every respect except for draw. Had to suck the hell out of it to get any smoke. Terrific nutmeg flavor and great burn. A satisfying smoke if you’ve got the time and the muscle for it.

Cigars purchased but NOT smoked:

A. La Aurora 100 Anniversary Robusto - a great looking gar that will only get better with time, and I want to save it for a special occasion. I have a few occasions in mind, and I’m sure it won’t last more than three months.

B. CAO Odyssey Odyssey - Brother Dicksbain and I decided not to smoke these on account of the horrible reviews on top25cigars.com. No one seems to have ever enjoyed this gar. Add to that its high price, and the fact that it looks great just sitting in the humidor, we decided to hang on to them indefinitely.

C. CAO 65th Anniversary Tonto - Another CAO specialty gar that I was looking forward to, but ultimately decided to save because of its poor reviews, yet high-quality appearance. I guess some gars are better to look at than to smoke.
HudGar 2006 version 1.5 / Dominican Mornings:
During my time off, Brother Dicksbain and I spent a lot of time playing Battlefield Vietnam. When we weren’t playing, we discussed (and at times, even debated) just about everything, from Eve Online to housing prices, to relationships, to computer games, to wireless routers, to what we’ve done in the past three years, to the future–and of course, we discussed gars, gars, gars. Some great moments, as always.

Vacation Highlights:
During my time off, I played through “The Bard’s Tale,” which I purchased lawfully from the Classic Fry’s Electronics in Anaheim. I went to the OC twice, the Classic Circle-K and Del Taco, and then to SLO for two days. While in SLO, I went for long walks through campus and downtown, met up with an old friend and smoked some great gars, and hand-waxed my car in Morro Bay (while smoking a Rocky Patel). The rest of the week, I took it easy at home and had a root canal (sucked). I am dreading going back to work tomorrow, but I believe things will be better now that I’ve had a little break. Only time will tell.Viva cigars!

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We had so much fun at Hudgar 2006, that we decided we needed to have another, condensed or “extreme” version of this wonderful event. Today will be marked with smoking some ultra premium cigars, good conversation, and even another Angels vs Indians baseball game to cap it off. We might even get a few rounds of BF:V in.

Here’s the starting lineup:

Dicksbain

1. CAO Odyssey Odyssey, 6.7 X 55
2. Arturo Fuente OpusX XXX, 4.63 X 48
3. Padron 1964 Anniversary Imperial, 6 X 54

Uncle Moneybag$

1. CAO Italia Gondola (Torpedo), 6.25 X 54
2. Leon Jimenes Don Fernando #4, 5.5 X 42
3. Padron 1964 Anniversary Principe, 4.5 X 46
4. La Aurora 1495 Churchill, 7 X 50
5. Don Lino Africa Kifaro, 6.25 X 52
6. Pryme, 5.15 X 52
7. Arturo Fuente Don Carlos Don Carlos Double Robusto, 5.75 X 52
8. La Aurora 100 Anniversary Robusto, 5 X 50
9. CAO Odyssey Odyssey, 6.7 X 55
10. CAO 65th Anniversary Tonton, 5 X 50

Uncle Moneybag$ unofficially started Hugar v1.5 on Saturday as he begun his condensed week long “sabbatical” from work. Hence his disportionate number of premium smokes.

Reviews, topics, and fun fun fun to follow!

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Thursday, June 1, 2006 (Day One)

[arrival]

Padron 1964 Exclusivo – An amazing smoke. Undoubtedly in the top 5 of all time, easily the best Nicaraguan, and perhaps the best smoke ever. Lively and creamy, with tons of flavor and no harshness. If all the Nicaraguans were this good, there would be no Dominican Republic. A perfect way to start HudGar06

[dinner]

CAO Brazillia Gol! – A solid, surprise-hit smoke that brassy and loud with hints of pine tar. This gar has great draw and tons of flavor. Hated by women everywhere, this is a perfect cigar if you’re looking for something out there. Previously predicted by Brother Delonne to be the throwaway of the CAO sampler, this was perhaps the best of the bunch.

CAO Gold Robusto – A good Dominican smoke with creamy, blonde notes. A good third gar when the music’s flowing and you’ve got a long night ahead of you.

ISOM (by Perdomo) Lancero – A good, slim stick that hints of its long lost big brother. Better than expected, but still no Torpedo. A good smoke when you’re worried about supplies or looking to relive something truly magical.

Tabantillas Romeros – With bad draw and uneven burn, this gar tastes a bit like light, sweet crude–maybe this is where all the oil is going? A good fifth smoke for when you don’t want wake up the next day regretting you smoke something you couldn’t enjoy because you were so wasted.

[bed]

Friday, June 2, 2006 (Day Two)

CAO Criollo Pato – A decent smoke that ultimately fails to live up to the Bomba. Hot and peppery with earthy tones, this is not a good morning gar after a hard night’s drinking.

CAO Black Storm – A very good smoke with cedar notes and peppery taste. The “lost” CAO that started it all. A good addition to HudGar06

[lunch]

Perdomo Perfecto Cameroon – A very good smoke that burns well, but suffers from classic Cameroon bitterness. Loads of flavor, but too harsh on the palate

Litto Gomez Diez Chisle Puro – A decent Dominican smoke (the first of HudGar06), this cigar started strong but ended weak. A decent smoke with a great chisel head. But ultimately, not worth the $13.75. Not even close. Litto Gomez = little disaster

CAO Cameroon Robusto – Still an amazing smoke with good draw and decent burn. Has hints of flowers and spice.

[dinner]

CAO Cx2 Robusto – a fine addition to the CAO line, this cigar is a bolder than the traditional anniversary Cameroon Robusto, with earthy hints. It has some mild burn issues, but the draw is solid. A bit overpriced, and hard to fine.

Saturday, June 3, 2006 (Day Three)

Montecristo White Robusto – still the best morning gar ever. Amazingly, this gar actually cleanses your palate and satisfies you with thick, creamy Dominican smoke. A welcome change of pace from the Nicaraguan smokes that dominated HudGar06

[game]

CAO Criollo Pato (see above) – Still too bitter, this was Brother Delonne’s worst smoke of the whole festival. Smoked outside Jacobs Field in Cleveland, this gar was a complete failure

Punch Rare Corojo 2006 Robusto – A great, big, fat and lively box-pressed smoke with loads of flavor and lots of kick. Smoked during two “tall boy” beers inside the Jake, we missed the Angels “comeback” to tie the game 2-2 for this smoke. We also missed the Indians’ “answer,” that made the score 5-2. We made it back to our seats to see a Grand Slam and some other action that made the score 14-2 Indians. Turns out we had the right score, but went to the wrong game. The Angels went on to win Sunday’s game, 14-2. But the gar was right on, especially for the price.

Perdomo Estate Vintage 1991 Regente Nicaraguan – A wonderful, unique Nicaraguan. Creamy in flavor, with excellent draw and burn, this gar could use more depth. It stops just short of perfection. It had some grassy notes (though that was probably because we were mowing the lawn on the John Deere while smoking it)

S.T. Dupont Dominican Churchill – A perfect filler gar while barbequing, this cigar is full of classic Dominican flavor. Draw is a little tight.

[dinner]

Arturo Fuente Hemingway Work of Art – With tight draw and little-to-no flavor, this gar was a huge disappointment. Perhaps it was the funky shape.

CAO Brazillia Gol! (See above; another fine smoke by CAO)

ISOM Lancero (See above; a decent smoke)

Sunday, June 3, 2006 (Day Four)

CAO Cameroon Robusto – (see above) Another solid CAO.

[breakfast]

La Aurora Prefidero Limited Edition Robusto – A terrific smoke with loads of cocoa flavor and deep, smooth Dominican flavor. A few draw issues prevented this gar from beating out the Padron 1964 as the best gar of HudGar06. A good ending (even though it was a little rushed due to Brother Delonne’s flight schedule).

[Flight to Detroit]

Cusano 1997 Vintage Corojo – A great smoke with a rich aftertaste. Brother Delonne had enormous luck in finding a lighter at the airport to spark up this bad boy. The last break in what would become a grueling 13 hour trek home.

[Flight to Los Angeles]

Montecristo Serie V Mini Churchill – A tremendous smoke with loads of flavor and spice; a delight after a long flight home.

Rocky Patel Vintage 1990 Toro – Solid, but a bit grassy and dry with some tight draw and uneven burn. The last gar for Brother Delonne of HudGar06.

Total Gars Smoked: 24
Recap:
Best Gar: Padron 1964 (runner up: La Aurora)
Biggest Surprise: CAO Brazilla (runner up: Punch Rare Corojo)
Best Value: Padron 1964 (runner up: Punch Rare Corojo)
Worst Gar: CAO Criollo Pato (runner up: Fuente Work of Art)
Biggest Disappointment: Arturo Fuente Work of Art (runner up: Litto Gomez Diaz)
Biggest Ripoff: Litto Gomez Diaz (runner up: Arturo Fuente Work of Art)

Biggest Lesson Learned: More Dominicans and Hondurans next time. Too many Nicaraguans!

Special thanks to Brother Dicksbain for making all this possible! Can’t wait for HudGar07.

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Like most cigar lovers, there are about 20 different cigars I’d love to try but can’t quite bring myself to pony up the dough. Well no more, I say. That’s what Gar Fest 2006 is all about.

This year’s event is in Hudson, Ohio, and we’re pulling out all the stops (well, half of them): 10 ultra-primos with an average price per gar of just over $10.00. With prices like these, you can be sure we’ll savor every last draw. Be sure to check out the real-time reviews for each and every gar.

And so, without further ado, here’s the recommended gar list (with prices from www.cigar.com):

1. Opus X Perfecxion X (encedro) (6.25 x 48) = $32.95
2. La Aurora Preferido, Robusto (5×50) = $8.95
3. Fuente Hemmingway Work of Art (4.88 x60) = $11.50
4. La Aroma de Cuba Monarch (6 x 50) = $4.70
5. CAO Criollo Conquistador (6.13 x 52) = $7.25
6. CAO Cx2 Toro (6 x 54) = $10.11
7. Oliva “O” Classic Oasio (6.5 x 52) = $5.76
8. Padron 6000 Torpedo (5.5 x 52) = $7.95
9. Punch Rare Corojo 2006 Magnum (5 x 54) = $5.75
10. La Flor Dominicana Double Ligerio Chiselito (5 x 44) = $6.00

    Price = $100.92 + $5.95 S&H = $106.87

God Bless America.

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By March of 2005, having tried about 20 different gars, I was finally ready to order my first box. I settled on the Sancho Panza Extra Fuerte Barcelona (6.5×48). (Back then I often incorrectly referred to these as “Pancho Sanzas”.) With a silky wrapper and a nifty box press, this gar had consistently satisfied my newborn pallet, and I was about to reward its maker.

I received the box about a week after ordering it from JR Cigars. Although it smelled a bit like paint thinner, the gars inside looked great. And at $50.00 for 20 gars, my wallet was happy too. So much so that I pretty much smoked the entire box before I spent any money on anything else. This turned out to be a mistake. After about 15 of these gars in a row, I grew tired of them. I didn’t even smoke the last one until a few months ago. Today, I’m only interested in these gars for nostalgia purposes.

Regardless, there is something great about your first box of gars. I have ordered about 60 boxes since, but I still keep my first box of Panzas in plain sight, if only to remind me of a simpler time–when a box of Panzas was all I needed to keep a smile on my face.

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Toward the end of the Spruce days, I started buying Arturo Fuente Hemmingways for our Friday night after-work bashes in the garage. I’d usually pick up a bottle of Duvel or two as well, then just sit back, drink and smoke. Add to that a little punk music or some trance songs, and you’ve got a recipie for good times. A perfect end to a typically awful week at work. Truly great moments in gars.

There is something magical about the Hemmingway wrapper. It’s a little darker than the average cammie. I think it makes the gar more flavorful. Veiny but smooth, these gars go well with a super-light (but strong) beer like Duvel–which I find especially surprising, given that gars and beer rarely go well together. Of course, paying $12 for a single gar will qualify it as special almost by default, but once in a while, a gar is really worth that kind of money. Is the Hemmingway such a gar? Not quite. But it comes close enough to justify getting screwed a little.

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Like most people, when my brother and I were getting started with gars, we didn’t buy them online, in part because we didn’t know enough to risk buying a whole box of any one gar. Our solution: go to the local cigar shop Vendomes and try every kind of gar that was at least midly appealing and not outrageously expensive. We were into the bigger gars then. If you’re going to spend $7 for a robusto, then $8-9 for a “Presidente”-sized cigar is just good economics.

Enter the 1066 Excaliber Lancelot by Hoyo de Monterrey. At 7.25 inches and a 54 ring guage, this mammoth “Cammie” would hold us over for a least an hour, we thought, and for only nine bucks. Add to that the alluring box and attractive copperish band and we were sold. Turns out we loved the flavor even more. So much so that this was our favorite cigar for a short time. We even drove back to Vendome that very night and bought additional 1066 gars to smoke. Since that time, I’ve purchased two boxes of “Merlins” (5.25 x 50) and split a box of “Galahads” (6.75 x 47).

Today, we’ve outgrown these gars and moved on to more sophisticated sticks. But I haven’t forgotten about the 1066s. In fact, I keep two in my humidor, just in case my brother drops by and we want to re-live a truly classic gar moment.

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