DogWatch Cigar Radio Episode #290 - Orphaned by Fire
09-5-2010 
This week Colin Ganley of CigarTourism.com and Bob talk about the January 2011 trip to Nicaragua in which Bob will be participating. Also this week, the debut of "What's Hot, What's Not, What's Next" - Cigar retailers from around the country share buyer passions and passes and let us know what new releases are on order. This week Michael Herklots from Davidoff of Geneva, New York city stores (Madison Avenue and The Shops at Columbus Circle); Heather Haddad from Fumee Cigar Lounge in Austin, Texas; and Doug Fiore from Winston's Humidor in Midlothian, Virginia share their insights.
Cigar of the Week - Esteban Carreras 5150 -
The Esteban Carreras 5150 series is a medium bodied Corojo with an Ecuadorian grown Sumatra wrapper and Nicaraguan fillers and binder.
Dark Side - RAMON ALLONES SMALL CLUB CORONAS
Length: 110
Ring: 42
Format: Minuto
Ramón Allones is one of the big names in the history of Habanos. Founded in 1837, it is also one of the oldest brands in production. A Galician by birth, Ramón Allones was the first cigar manufacturer to pack his cigars in boxes decorated with labels and stamped with his brand's emblem. He was the pioneer of the packaging that we know today. All of the Ramon Allones cigars are filled with a blend of tobaccos from the Vuelta Abajo region, characterised by their intense and complex taste.
What else have you been smokin' Colin?
Cruzado Mario
What else have you been smokin' Dale?
Torano Single Region Serie Jalapa Robusto 5 x 52 - One of the most exciting releases from IPCPR if you are into understanding how tobacco from one specific region tastes. In this case, all the tobacco in the Jalapa series comes from one farm in the Jalapa area of Nicaragua. It's very hard to make a deep, rich, complex blend from just one area, but Torano has done it with this cigar! Well balanced in strength, roundness and body, with earthy flavors & natural sweetness. The room aroma is a touch spicy and intoxicating! Try one of these to sample the character of Jalapa tobacco.
Don Francisco Lancero - A gift to me from ER Doc during his visit last month, this cigar was perhaps the most flavorful cigar I smoked this week. Layer upon layer of tastes kept building, providing one of the most complex cigars I've had in a long time. Superb construction allowed a slow, cool smoke. Full bodied and medium in strength, the list of flavors noted is way long, but in the main; nuts, citrus, espresso, cedar and vanilla were the highlights.
Casa Magna Colorado and Casa Magna Sungrown
What else have you been smokin' Bob?
CAO La Traviata Maduro - La Traviata Maduro is everything the La Traviata cigar should have been last year; why it took CAO a year to make the right cigar is beyond me. They ruined the Brazillia by making it in a monster 60 rg; however, this cigar makes up for it. The La Traviata Maduro proves that CAO can make good cigars without going all Hollywood.
Torano Master - New blend from the Torano family. Carlos Torano has broken the mold at Torano CIgars and produced a slightly more full flavored cigar that is complex and pleasing. An outstanding cigar with complex flavor and great construction. Year after year the Torano family continues to put out fine cigars and now they are once again in charge of their own distribution. If you thought they only did mild-medium cigars, smoke this and you will change your mind.
Macanudo Cru Royale - For me this was the biggest surprise of the IPCPR; it has flavor; it has style; and it has great construction. I want more of these. The Cru Royale demonstrates that General Cigar is not stuck in the past nor are they afraid to take a chance. I was disappointed in the results of using Ometepe tobacco in their other blends and this cigar shows you don't need trickery or gimmicks to make an excellent cigar. The PUNCH Upper Cut was a bland result of too many taste tests and committee work that resulted in a bland and disappointing cigar. The Cru Royale landed a hook on the Uppercut to put it on the mat.
What's My Band? - #921 from Liz
H. Upmann Reserve Maduro 5x50 Robusto with wonderful pre-smoke barnyard aromas.
August Palio Cutter Contest Winner: Dave Wallace won a gold Palio Cutter. Enter the September contest to win a classic black Palio Cutter.
Herf Line Reviews - If you call and leave a cigar review on the herf line and it is played on the show, you will receive a DogWatch Cigar Radio patch! You can reach the Herfline at 321-594-4373 - or cigar.radio on Skype. You can also send email to theshow@cigarmedia.tv.
Origin of the term HERF: From Cigar Craig, http://cigarcraig.wordpress.com/2009/09/29/the-origin-of-the-word-herf/
Do you have a suggestion for the unbanded cigar of the week? Every week Bob and Dale include an “unbanded cigar” segment in their show in which they smoke a cigar without any markings and give their honest opinions. Bob then opens a sealed envelope and discovers the cigar’s name and manufacturer. If you have suggestions for the "What's My Band?" segment, please send them to liz@cigarmedia.tv.
Music provided by the Figurados from their new album, "Lesson Two," and The Surfonics.
Reader Comments (1)
Hi Bob,
The What's hot... segment was quite good, but I found having three in a row a bit too much to listen to. Maybe you could have one per episode over three weeks in the future?
Cheers
Magnus