DogWatch Cigar Radio Episode #337

This week's special guest is Colin Ganley of Cigar Journal magazine.  Colin gives some background on  Cigar Journal's 2011 industry awards.  He also  shares his impressions of the recently held  International Premium Cigar and Pipe Retailer (IPCPR) trade show and gives his cigar picks for best new releases of the show.   Bob and Dale smoke the HC Connecticut as the Cigar of the Week, while Colin smokes newly released La Casita Criolla by Tatuaje. Bob, Dale and Colin give their suggestions to new smoker Chris C., in response to his question about how to spend $50 and end up with a good variety of cigars. Jeff Curtis gets his question answered about aging tubo cigars.   Liz wants to thank Dan Crouch for the cigar featured on the "What's My Band?" blind smoke test, the Carlos Torano Cigar Rights of America (CRA) membership limited edition. (Don't forget the special CRA deal for DogWatch listeners: If you follow the CRA membership directions on our website, www.cigarmedia.tv, you will not only receive two free cigars, but also a free CRA t-shirt.)

Check out the live show!  Go to http://www.cigarmedia.tv/live/ where the show is broadcast live most Friday evenings at 9 PM EST. 

Bob's & Dale's Cigar of the Week  - HC Connecticut by J.Fuego.

A cigar 5 years in the making.  Jesus Fuego and XIKAR have been working to perfect this blend. Made with Ecuadorian Connecticut Shade, this blend proves to be slightly stronger than the average Connecticut Shade cigar, while staying true to a Connecticut's character!

Wrapper: Connecticut Shade -   Ecuador

Binder: Sumatra

Filler: Costa Rica, Mexico, Nicaragua

Robusto: 5 x 50; Lonsdale: 6 x 46; Belicoso: 6 x 52; Toro: 6.5 x 52; Grande: 6 x 60 

Colin's Cigar of the Week - La Casita Criolla by Tatuaje

This new line from Pete Johnson features 100% Broadleaf tobacco.  An homage to the broadleaf cigars made in the U.S. many years ago, this is a departure from the other Tatuaje lines. 

I was fortunate enough to smoke these on a factory trip to Nicaragua this year when they were being produced.  In fact, we smoked a ton of them.  One would expect 100% broadleaf to be sweet and chewy in flavor, and that it is.  While the factory buys a ton of great broadleaf to be used for wrapper leaf, there are filler leaves from the plant as well - seco and viso - and these are used in the blend.  They are not as dark in color as the wrapper leaves that you are used to on broadleaf wrapped vitolas, but don't be fooled by the normal looking filler - it is all broadleaf and it is unlike anything in the Tatuaje family to date. 

La Casita Criolla falls in the medium range, with a distinctly pleasant taste profile of sweetness.  An everyday, or multiples per day, smoke. 

HCB - Corona - 5 1/8 x 42; HCBC - Corona Gorda - 5 5/8 x 46; HCBF - Short Churchill - 6 1/2 x 48

$50 Cigar Shopping Spree - Bob, Dale and Colin answer a listener's question

I'm new to cigars, and I'd like to know what you would recommend. I try to get a good idea of the different kinds of cigars out there.  I've seen many people in forums talk of online retailers selling variety packs, but nobody is specific about what is good or not, etc.  Lets say that in a week I'm going to walk into my local B&M with about $50 in my pocket... what should I buy to get a good variety of cigars to try?  Chris C.

Colin's recommendations  

• La Reloba Sumatra
• Ashton Heritage Puro Sol
• Alec Bradley Family Blend
• Padron 3000
• Fonseca Classic
• Camacho Triple Maduro
• Punch After Dinner Maduro

Bob's recommendations

• $5 - Oliva G Cameroon
• $7 - Don Pepin Garcia Cuban Classic Black label
• $4 - Sancho Panza Double Maduro
• $6 - La Aurora 107
• $8 - E.P. Carrillo Short Run etc.
• $6 - Nestor Miranda Dominicano
• $7 - Padilla ‘68
• $2 - Padron 2000
• $4 - Perdomo Lot 23

Extras:

• Elogio
• Esencia
• Primer Mundo
• El Titan de Bronze
• Guillermo Leon
• Jameson Declaration

Dale's recommendations

Dale gives Chris choices from the Dominican Republic, Honduras, Brazil, Nicaragua and the U.S.A.  Click here to see his detailed list and his dialog with Chris as he developed the list.

Dominican Republic

• La Aurora
• Davidoff
• A. Fuente

Honduras

• Camacho
• Alec Bradley
• Casa Magna line from Quesada
• Nestor Miranda

Brazil

• Monte Pascoal

Nicaragua

• Oliva
• Joya de Nicaragua
• Ilusione
• Padron
• Brickhouse
• Anything by Don Pepin Garcia
• J. Fuego

U.S.A

• Tatuaje Cabinet line (brown label)
• Padilla Miami

What's My Band? - this week's Unbanded Cigar is the Carlos Torano Cigar Rights of America (CRA) membership limited edition.  A Big thank you to Dan Crouch for his generosity in providing this week's unbanded cigar.

Bob: Very tasty, just enough spice and a darkness to the flavors.  A little sourness in the mouth; retrohale is sour.

Palio Cutter Contest: The July contest winner of a classic black Palio cutter will be announced in next week's show.    Remember, you must re-enter each month to be eligible to win the featured Palio cutter.

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.

Do you have a Cigar Review?  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.

Music provided by the Figurados from their new album, "Lesson Two," and The Surfonics. 

Please visit our sponsors and let them know you heard about them from DogWatch!   

• Black Dog Coffee: http://www.blackdogcoffee.net/
• Cigar Tourism: http://cigartourism.com/ 
• Esencia Cigars: http://www.esenciacigar.com/
• Friends of Habanos Cigar Forum: http://www.friendsofhabanos.com/forum/index.php
• La Palina: http://www.lapalinacigars.com/
• La Tradicion Cubana: http://www.tradicion.com/
• Miami Cigar and Company: http://www.miamicigarandcompany.com/
• Monte Pascoal Cigars: http://www.montepascoalcigars.com/
• Palio Cigar Cutters:http://paliocutters.com/
• Primer Mundo Cigars: http://www.primermundocigars.com
• Vanderburgh Humidors:  www.vanderburghhumidors.com

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