DogWatch Cigar Radio Podcast Episode #338 - It's the Bomb!

This week Wes Gensel of Monte Pascoal Cigars talks about winning Cigar Journal's 2011 award for the best cigar from Brazil.  Bob and Dale smoke the San Cristobal Seleccion Del Sol as the Cigar of the Week.  Steve Morgan from Alabama is the July contest winner of a classic black Palio cutter.  Roger, a new cigar smoker from Texas, calls in on the herf line to talk about the show and the Mobile Stogie iPhone app.  Dale discusses his plans to attend the 2nd Annual Rocky Mountain Cigar Festival - Aug 28th in Boulder, Colorado. The cigar featured on the "What's My Band?" blind smoke test is the Cohiba Churchill 7 x 49. 

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. 

Cigar of the Week  - San Cristobal Seleccion Del Sol from Ashton

Crafted by Pepin Garcia in 2009, the del Sol features a sun-grown wrapper grown on the Garcia’s “Estrella” farm in Esteli, Nicaragua.  100% Nicaraguan tobacco makes these special cigars a special event for your palate.

• Wrapper: Nicaraguan
• Binder: Nicaraguan
• Filler: Nicaraguan
• Made In: Nicaragua
• Sizes:  Robusto - 5 x 52; Belicoso - 5.5 x 52; Toro - 6 x 52

What else have you been smokin' Dale?  

Cusano 18 Paired Maduro Robusto - 5” x 50   Manufactured in the Dom. Rep. using all Dominican filler. The wrapper is a Connecticut maduro,  and Brazilian Mata Fina maduro wrapper leaf is also added. Packaged 18 to a box, but the “18” refers to the claim that the Dominican Oro filler has been aged for 18 years. Medium bodied and flavorful, but just a touch of a bitter edge in the last 3rd that fights with the savory nature of the cigar. Up until then, a well balanced mix of nuttiness, coffee and some salt was the profile. Avail for around the $6 mark most places, MSRP is closer to $7.

Cusano 18 Double Connecticut Robusto - 5” x 50   A Connecticut shade wrapper and binder cover a filler blend of Dominican Piloto, San Vincente Olor and 18 yr old Dominican Oro. The first half of this cigar was very nice. Creamy herbal and citrus flavors in a medium bodied smoke. None of the dry, grassy bitterness I was expecting. However, just past the halfway point, the double layer of Connecticut shade tobacco jumped up and revealed it’s normal character. The cigar became harsh and bitter. Maybe Cusano cigars are meant to be smoked Davidoff style - only half way........

Illusione ~HL~ Maduro Lancero - 7.5” x 40  From the special run of maduro wrapped Holy Lance in 2010, leading up to the release last month at IPCPR of the original “numbers” line of Illusione in maduro for 2011.  It’s no secret that one of my preferred vitolas is the lancero. I also prefer maduro wrapper quite often. Add those to the Illusione line  of Nicaraguan puros and I’m in cigar heaven! This cigar is outstanding is all respects - construction, burn, flavors, room aroma, body - and provides one of those special smoking experiences. It has the pig-tail cap. The wrapper is full of tooth and oils. The cigar is complex, with earthy flavors and a semi-sweet chocolate tone. Also some dark fruit. I’ve enjoyed one of these occasionally over the past few months, and now look forward to trying many of the other sizes in the maduro capa.

What else have you been smokin' Bob?

Brickhouse - At $4.99 it is a value priced cigar. Although I did not enjoy the first few I tried, since it has received such high praise, I decided to try it again.  For this event I chose the Corona Largo at 6.25x46 (having previously smoked the robusto and Toro vitolas). I chose to smoke this cigar with a fresh palate and a cup of Black Dog Coffee by making it the first cigar of the day.  I immediately noticed a sweet fruit flavor, much like cranberries without the acidity. The cigar produced voluminous smoke and a slight spice tang as it burned smoothy and evenly.  The wrapper is a Habano Subido and the guts are pure Nicaraguan.  This turned out to be a decent smoke and I think I shall try some more.  The cigar does have a slightly harsh edge to the flavor so it may not always be appropriate but it does have its place.  It smokes very dry so I prefer it with a coffee or other non-sweet beverage.

La Reloba Seleccion Sumatra - A Pepin Garcia true value cigar with bigger-than-its-price flavors and construction.  Flavorful and not quite as powerful as other DPG creations, this is one fantastic smoke.  This cigar will let you drift away on a luxury liner while paying for a rowboat.  With suggested retail prices starting at $4.50 for the corona (which at 5 5/8 inches long by 46 ring gauge is very large for that vitola) and going as high as $6.50 for a Torpedo, which measures 6 1/8 by 52 ring. The brand comes in two other sizes, Robusto (5 by 50, $5.60) and Toro (6 1/4 by 52, $6.00) and in a Habano wrapper as well.

Cusano - I recently smoked 4 Cusano cigars of various styles and I disliked every one.  Harsh and not evenly constructed they do not showcase the best of the cigar maker's art.  The biggest surprise is I have liked these in the past.  So was it a bad batch, a bad retailer or has the brand slid downward since being consumed by Davidoff?  Based on the recent shakeup at Davidoff, it may be growing pains for what is surely a fine brand.

What's My Band? - this week's Unbanded Cigar, the Cohiba Churchill 7 x 49, was selected by executive producer, Liz. 

Palio Cutter Contest: Steve Morgan from Alabama is the July contest winner of a classic black Palio cutter. Enter the August contest now.    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. 

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• Friends of Habanos Cigar Forum: http://www.friendsofhabanos.com/forum/index.php
• La Palina: http://www.lapalinacigars.com/
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• Palio Cigar Cutters:http://paliocutters.com/
• Primer Mundo Cigars: http://www.primermundocigars.com
• Vanderburgh Humidors:  www.vanderburghhumidors.com

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