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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After a long drive up North to my old college stomping-ground, I pulled off an all-too-familiar exit on Highway 1 and headed to Morro Rock. There, in unseasonably warm weather, I walked out on the jetty and, when in complete isolation, fired up a Cusano 18 Robusto with a wonderful double Conneticut wrapper. I called my brother on the phone and kept asking if he could hear the waves. Sadly, he couldn’t. But the gar was lively and flavorful, and even though it burned a little too quickly, as solo-gar smoking experiences go, this was one of the best.

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An oily gar that has “sweet-and-light” written all over it. Well constructed, with some burn and draw issues. A good value. Increasingly hard to find given the pervasiveness of the “gold” line.

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The CAO Criollo Conquistador is a large cigar at 6.13 x 52. Much like the CAO Criollo Bomba I had early this weekend, this was a fine cigar.

Medium bodied, peppery cigar with slight earthy floral tones. And it’s distinctly Cuban-like.

I must say this line from CAO is fast becoming a staple of my humidor and is one of my favorites. Unfortunately, this was my very last CAO Criollo and it’s time to order more.

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Astonishing, full bodied, immaculate gem of a cigar. Hard to believe it is only $4 US. Great draw, good burn. Will definitely be ordering a box or two. 1997: a good year indeed.

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Better than the 1992 vintage, this cigar is sophisticated with a nutty and woody base and cinnamon overtones. Surprisingly mild, given the dark wrapper, this gar is perfect for long evenings. It has good draw, but has minor burn issues. The wrapper is prone to cracking.

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I’m not a fan of most maduro cigars, but this one was an exception. This being my third cigar today, I think my pallet was ready for a full bodied smoke.

Great burn, great full body flavor. Truly a top maduro from an unknown brand.

Leafy Rating: 7.5 / 10

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San Francisco Giants’ Barry Bonds (25) is greeted by a sign while playing against the Philadelphia Phillies in the fourth inning of their baseball game Friday, May 5, 2006, in Philadelphia.(AP Photo/Rusty Kennedy)

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Good mild cigar with no aftertaste. A clean smoke with classic, if forgettable, flavor. Good draw, minimal burn issues. A steal at $2 per gar.

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We, the brothers, started a tradition when I relocated to Ohio called Dominican Mornings. This was to set aside one day a week where we would smoke cigars and reflect back on the week. This ritual has expanded somewhat lately to include Dominican Fridays and Dominican Sundays.

We cover a variety of topics, this week included:

• Accessories
• New Cuban Crafters Cutters
  
• Humidification Devices
• Work Woes
• Leafytimes.com
• Memories of ValleyoftheDirtPeople.com

Cigars Smoked

• Nick - CAO Black Storm 5×50
• Max - CAO Criollo Bomba 6×52

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The original blend that started it all. A great smoke. Lively and complex in flavor, this cigar tastes as good as the CAO Cameroon without the flowery aftertaste. Has some burn and draw issues.

LT Rating: 8.5 / 10

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