A few weeks ago when I did the inaugural LGAR post, I reviewed the Macanudo Hyde Park. I wasn’t overly impressed with that cigar and I rated it a 6 / 10. Unfortunately for me, JRCIGAR tossed in a JR Alternative with the shipment to try and lure me into buying their branded sticks. So I fired it up for today’s lunch time break to decide if it was at a 6.

I’ve had a few brushes with the JR Alts before. I’ve never been overly impressed with there taste. There OK for bargain cigars, but don’t fool yourself ever thinking that the JR Alt of a CAO Gold will be able to stand proudly next to the real thing. In fact I believe most of the JR Alts tastes the same, despite JR offering 204 different varities. They’re generally good construction, decent burn, and good draw…but they lack the heart of the their true counterparts. The subtle tasting notes that make a great cigar are always absent. Sure, it’s a flaming stick of tobacco that you paid pennies for, but that doesn’t make it the same. I’ve also noticed that they don’t disclose the origin of the wrapper, binder, or filler…so it’s hard to think of a Pardon alternative that is made in Mexico having the same taste.

Specifically, the JR Alt Macanudo surprised me at first. It wasn’t a bad cigar. It was nothing like the original. It had a really bitter after taste all the way through. It burned very hot no matter how long I let it rest. I made it to the half way point and pitched it. Life is too short for alternatives.

Leafytimes LGAR Rating: 2

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Today I smoked the mild and tasty Dunhill Conado at lunch in the ongoing LGAR series.  I wasn’t expecting much from this cigar for some reason.  Perhaps because I hadn’t really heard any rave reviews about them that I could recall.

I was plesantly suprised.  The Connecticut Shade wrapper on this near Dominican puro (It’s all dominican with a bit of brazillan filler thrown in) was veiny and bit rough.  The contruction was great.  Burn and draw were flawless throughout the entire cigar.

It’s a mild cigar that left a slightly bitter taste on the tounge.  The aromas were floral at points and herby anise was present towards the end.  I enjoyed this cigar throughout the duration.

So when I got back to my office to write this review, I thought I’d look up what these puppies cost.  JR stocks them at $164.95 for a box of 25.  That makes these $6.60 a piece when purchased in bulk.  Although I liked this cigar while smoking it, it wasn’t good enough to justify the price.  There are plenty of other cigars out there in the $6 - $7 price range that I would recommend.  So that’s gonna drive the rating down on this cigar.  I guess you’re paying for the brand name…

Leafytimes LGAR Rating: 6

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Happy Dominican Mornings.  We had a lot of good smokes this weekend and played Guild Wars at length (special event weekend).  We’re both doing well, generally, but itching for a break — i.e., HudGar2008.  It’s a good thing it’s only a month away.  Too bad work just won’t just step aside until then.

Topics Discussed:
HudGar2008
Guild Wars - Underworld Run (again), and UncleMoneybags’ Tank Build
TeamFortress 2 and Portal - more great games
Garage furniture
Work woes
Spruce days
GW Nightfall purchase?

Gars Smoked:
Aston VSG Carona Gorda (amazing smoke - arguably as good as an OpusX)
Oliva Serie V Double Ligero Belicoso (getting better every month)
CAO Gold Robusto (probably the best value, everyday smoke around)
Arturo Fuente Single Chateau Fuente
Don Lino Africa Dumas (chocolaty and sweet, with earthy overtones, an amazing smoke)

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No, I didn’t smoke a leather chair during lunch today.  But I thought my new chair was more noteworthy than the CAO black I smoked and we already reviewed.  I got this chair and ottoman set for a mere $70 from neighbor that was having a garage sale (on a Thursday!).  It’s a $800 set from the now out-of-business Bombay Company.  Having a big, luxurious chair to relax in while smoking a fine cigar is what life is all about.  It’s really tough once you’ve sat at an upscale cigar bar in a nice leather chair to go home and sit on a $9 plastic chair in the garage. . .  Sure, it has a little minor wear, but it’ll be perfect in my garage for smoking cigars.  My current thought is to get a massive heater for the garage so I can continue to smoke during the bitter Ohio winters.

Ok, on to the CAO Black.  The cigar started out bitter and off.  But for me, that normally indicates that it’s going to be a good cigar.  I’ll explain that theory in a later post.  As expected, this flavor bomb opened up about 1/3 through and delivered.  Bountiful smoke, great cedar and almond tastes.  A fine afternoon cigar to test out my new chair.

Leafytimes LGAR Rating: 8.0

Where do you sit when smoking a cigar?  Drop us a comment and let us know.

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Today’s lunch included a turkey sandwich, my new book The Hutt Gambit (Star Wars: The Han Solo Trilogy, Vol. 2), and a Playboy Double Corona by Don Diego.  If you haven’t been able to tell by the other LGAR reviews so far, the trend has been mild cigars.  This is due mostly in part to a JR Weekly special I purchased a few week back.

The Playboy Don Diego edition is being retired and replaced with a bold, less mild new version.   I found the Don Diego version to be the best mild cigar I’ve had in a long while.  Not being a fan of mild smokes, I still can say I enjoyed this cigar enough to recommend it to friends (you, the leafytimes reader of course!).

Construction, burn, and draw - All up to Playboys and my standards.  Taste - Smooth, mild nuts and honey is the best I can describe it.  I have a hard time picking up aromas in mild cigars other than cardboard and paper…so that makes this cigar noteworthy.

LeafyTimes LGAR Rating: 8.5

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Dominican Mornings got off to a late start today, but it was fun as always.  We’re both looking forward to HudGar2008.  In the meantime, things are shitty at work, but manageable for now.  Generally we’re doing OK otherwise.  Looking forward to a solid weekend of gaming, with various car and home improvement projects in between.

Topics Discussed:
HudGar 2008 - The Return
Car Battery for Explorer - Dead
Garage improvement projects - Gladiator install during Hudgar?
Dog door installation for Uncle Moneybags’ new dog (he doesn’t like it).
Super expensive vet bullshit - nickle and dime, nickle and dime
BF:2 - still at it
Guild Wars - Four Horsemen, the impossible mission?
Company visiting Dicksbain = no Friday games
Killer deal on 100 Anos La Aurora at Famous-smokes.com this week (missed out)

Plus: Cigar-loving Governor/Moviestar/General Badass Schwarzenegger speaks out against Hollywood’s anti-smoking BS.  At least someone has the balls to say anti-smoking has gone too far….

Gars Smoked:
1964 Maduro Exclusivo
Arturo Fuente Single Chateau
Diablo Picantes

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Honestly, I don’t remember which Montecristo I purchased.  It was part of a JRCigar grab bag.  So this review will be short and relatively pointless.

Size appeared to be a Robusto.  Close to 4.5 x 48.  Perhaps a 444.  It almost tasted like an Monte Afrique, but I’m pretty convinced it was either a 444 standard or robusto.

Typical Montecristo cigar for me.  Good construction, good draw, good burn.  Taste was nothing exciting.  Hints of coffee and spice.  Finish was bitter.  Overall, an OK smoke but I wouldn’t go buying a box of whatever these are…

I’ll try to get my facts straight for future LGAR posts!

Leafytimes Mystery Rating: 5.0

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A few days ago, my brother suggested we start a series of short posts where we review our LGARs.  The first question you probably have is “What the heck is a LGAR“.   In short, it’s a cigar that is smoked during the business week during the lunch break.  While we’re dedicated cigar smokers, we both have jobs that don’t exactly let us puff away all day long.  It’s a rare treat to sneak out for a nice long cigar break right in the middle of the work day.  It’s almost like cheating the system by having a small piece of the weekend slammed right into the hectic week.  I’m starting Round I with the perennial classic: The Macanudo Hyde Park.

I was actually just at the real Hyde Park in London a few weeks ago.  Unfortunately, I didn’t smoke a cigar during my visit.  But this cigar’s name and in fact this entire Macanudo line always takes me back to these historic spots in England.  I sat back in my car at the back of the office parking lot, opened my current book Allegiance (Star Wars) and proceeded to enjoy this mild smoke.

These are nice mild and smooth sticks.   Particularly mild actually.  The construction was great.  The wrapper was paper thin but held together nicely.  The burn and draw were also flawless (Surprising given that this stick came from JRCIGAR).  The taste was pleasant.  Hints of cardboard and paper are all I could really get out of this.  Perhaps my palette is just not ready for mild smokes.  I always find myself wanting MORE from them.  This cigar never really opened up for that “WOW” moment where we slap on a high rating and go buy a box.  This line of Macanudo’s will always be what our father called them “Nice, smooth cigars”.  Nothing more.  That said, I still enjoyed it…perhaps because I wasn’t working on a Tuesday afternoon in Sunny Ohio.

Leafy Times Offical LGAR Rating:
Another take [Maduro Version]: StogieGuys: For smooth flavor and dependable construction, the Macanudo Maduro Hyde Park receives three out of five stogies.

See also here and here.

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File this under cool stuff: CAO has released a “Ying Yang” sampler combining the Black and Black VR lines in a captivating sleeve of cigary-goodness.  While $39.95 (plus $5.95 for shipping) seems a little steep, I have to admit I’m tempted to buy one.

Check it out here.

Still, my favorite CAO sampler is the Soprano sampler, which features cigars shaped like a baseball bat and Champaign bottle (among other cool shapes).

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For those of you who think I believe every cigar is a rave, let this post be a message to you: El Mejors are terrible.  I recently received four El Mejor Expresso maduros in an otherwise outstanding bundle from Cigar International.  They were not only the worst in the bunch; they were the worst cigar I’ve had in a year.

Let’s start with the appearance.  A dark, overly box-pressed spear-shaped log with a dark, bland label.  And it’s all down hill from there.  The burn is uneven.  The draw merely acceptable.  And the flavor?  Blech.  True to its name, it’s like smoking used coffee grounds from five years ago–except that would probably taste better.  Avoid these cigars.  If they are part of a bundle, pretend they aren’t there while considering whether to buy the bundle.  Give them to a drunk friend.  Give them to your worst enemy.  Better yet, throw them away.

You get the idea.  And I’m not alone.

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While perusing the local Tobacco Barn for a smoke this weekend, I decided to forgo purchasing an Artuero Fuente Hemingway Best Seller in favor of a La Flor Dominica Chisel.  I’ve had three or four of the Chisels over the past two years, and while I’ve enjoyed them, they have not been one of my absolute favorites–in part because they are a bit more expensive than your average La Flor, and in part because the “double ligero” wrapper and filler make this cigar super-strong.  I must say, however, that the one I picked up this weekend was an absolute gem.  Nutty and woody in flavor, with licorice and caramel overtones, this cigar was by far the best Chisel I’ve had to date.  Maybe it took a little while for the blend to settle in.  Or maybe the La Flors have finally grown on me.  Either way, you can be sure this cigar will find its way into my hands again.

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The Brothers (and presumably Bill Clay) have an annual Christmas tradition where we watch one of the first two Die Hard movies together. We’ve done it for the past 9 years (at least), and it’s always a lot of fun. For years, we have talked about doing a Fourth of July Die Hard viewing to watch Die Hard: With A Vengeance (the third installment), which takes place around the Fourth of July (as opposed to Christmas, like the first two) and co-stars Jeremy “Genuine Class” Irons. This year there’s another Die Hard movie out on DVD: Live Free or Die Hard, released around the Fourth of July 2007 (and which Uncle Moneybags saw in a theater Hawaii on July 3 that year). After some deliberation–and after discovering that Amazon.com had LFoDH for just $7.99–we decided to buy and watch LFoDH. Plan is to start at 1:00 p.m. EDT.

Of course, one of the advantages to watching a movie at home is that you can have a nice stoggie while enjoying the show (damn Democrats and their “smoke free this” and “smoke free that“). I’m sure we’ll do a post or two to capture this event and the sweet cigars we smoke. Stay tuned.

Special Note from Brother Dicksbain: Hard to believe it was two years ago during this holiday weekend that we celebrated the first and only Figueroa Evenings.

Update: Well, we watched the movie; it was good; and even better, we smoked the Cuban Cohibas– which lasted an hour and a half each.  God bless America and God bless cigars. Have a great weekend.

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