DogWatch Cigar Radio Podcast Episode #383 - Group Effort

This week, Bob and Dale talk about the latest legislative update from Cigar Rights of America, smoking in your car, the origins of Father's Day (thanks to Ron Barker of Cigar Volante for providing this info) and the upcoming DogWatch Herf in July. In the 'We've Got Mail' segment, Josh Freitas asks about Cuban cigar flavors; Roger Miller wants to know the ins and outs of storing sealed boxes of cigars and cellophane wrapped cigars; RH shares his recent experience with "tar leakage"; Shawn and his wife are expecting their first child and want to know Dale's and Bob's choices for a box purchase to distribute on the big day; and Steve Dorau  asks about brown stains on his hands and lips from a recent cigar.  Big Pete from Australia joins Bob and Dale to review the Cigar of the Week (COW), the Emilio AF2 Robusto. A big thank you to Tranquilo Cigars for providing this week's COW. David Zach and Dan Crouch join the live show to review this week's unbanded cigar, the Gran Habano  Blue Label (thank you Dan for providing the unbanded). 

Check out the live show and interact through the chatroom!  Watch the show live on u-Tube or on Livestream every Friday night at 9 pm Eastern or view it later at your leisure:

• u-Tube:  http://www.youtube.com/channel/UCZKYCBKVIKVIWa9VqEvpBaQ?feature=mhee   
• Livestream:  http://www.cigarmedia.tv/live/ 

DogWatch Cigar Radio cedar spills - You can now purchase your own DWCR bundle from CommonWealth Cedar Spills (http://shop.cedarspills.com/).

GET YOUR TICKETS NOW! You don't want to miss DogWatch Cigar Radio's first herf. Join us on July 27th starting at 6 pm for a live taping of the show and on July 28th from 10 am to 6 pm at Tranquilo Cigars in Melbourne Florida (about 1 hour's drive from Orlando, 2 hour's drive from Tampa and 3 hour's drive from Miami). Tickets are $35 and only 25 spots are available for this intimate gathering. Friday night will feature a live DWCR show with everyone in the crowd experiencing the Cigar of the Week and the Unbanded cigar. Saturday we will have a Tasting Seminar, meetings with manufacturers, lunch and door prizes. So far we have Monte Pascoal, Miami Cigar & Company, CigarVolante and Panacea Cigars, La Tradicion Cubana, Winston’s Humidor and Lou Rodriquez Cigars signed on to participate in the herf in some way. Also sponsoring the herf is Cigar Journal, Cigar Tourism and the Humidity Bead System (Cigarmony.com, Mark Neff). Special celebrity guest Frank Torre (he played for the Milwaukee Braves (1956–60) and the Philadelphia Phillies (1962–63) will also be on hand. Each registrant will receive a gift bag worth more than the $35 admission fee. To reserve your spot now, email Liz@cigarmedia.tv.

NEW RULES FOR THE PALIO CONTEST: Enter June's Palio contest to win a black Palio cutter by sending an email with a cigar fact or question to theshow@cigarmedia.tv. (Don't forget to include your mailing address and type "Palio" on the subject line.) All questions and facts will be discussed on the DogWatch show and one will be randomly selected as the winner. Remember you must re-enter each month to be eligible to win. May's contest winner of a black Palio cutter was Officer Paul.

Cigar of the Week -Emilio AF-2 Robusto

The AF2 blend, produced and blended by A.J. Fernandez is crafted from rich Nicaraguan fillers combined with the strength of Pennsylvania ligero and a beautiful Ecuadoran Habano Oscuro wrapper.  These cigars are available in cabinet boxes of 20 in four sizes:  Robusto, Toro, Torpedo, and BMF.

What else have you been smokin' Dale?

Rocky Patel Burn Special Reserve Robusto - 5” x 50 - First released in late Feb., the Burn by RP was developed for sale in all RP Lounges and is made at the Tobacalera Villa Cuba factory. Named for the Burn by Rocky Patel Lounges & dressed with two bands, the cigar is as attractive as it is delicious. A darkly fermented Ecuadorian grown Sumatra wrapper covers fillers & binder from Nicaragua. A rumor, as yet unconfirmed by this reporter yet from a good source, says that Dion Giolito helped with the blending of the cigar. It also comes in Toro (6” x 52)  and a Titan (8.5” x 60) sizes. Lots of earthy, dark & rich flavors with more sweetness than one might expect. I found cocoa, cedar, molasses, stewed plums and nutmeg spice. Full bodied, full flavored and very well balanced. A luxurious cigar!

Rocky Patel Vintage 1990 - What a disappointment after smoking the Burn a few days earlier! Not a bad cigar, but certainly not up to the high premium level of the Burn, in all categories. Construction was weak, as there was an underfilled portion about 2” in causing the cigar to tunnel. Flavors were OK, but not nearly as well balanced. The pepper was good, but far too strong over the core of leather, and masked most other minor flavors. The tobaccos didn’t seem nearly as well fermented. The cigar burned fast and tended to go out often.

Macanudo Cru Royale Robusto - In our What Else segment last week, Jerry Cruz talked about how the new Partagas 1845 was a hit, where as the more recent Macanudo offerings didn’t hit the mark. I wanted to go back and compare, so I smoked the Cru Royale this week again after having not smoked it for several months.

What else have you been smokin' Bob?

Man O War Armada - $500 for a box of cigars, even a box of 32 cigars, is beyond most people's reach,  including mine.  Can a cigar really be worth $20?  No, but the cigar and its accompanying box can be according to Man O’ War maker A.J. Fernandez and the pricing on the Armada.  In the finest tradition of Gurhka, AJ has produced a cigar that, while providing artistic packaging and exceptional flavors, is just not practical for most cigar smokers.  This cigar is a tasty elixir draped in a dark, toothy, Ecuador-Sumatra wrapper leaf that brings a full-frontal assault of flavor.  Would I recommend them? - Yes.  Would I buy them? - No.

Emilio Cigars Grimalkin - Grimalkin is a unique blend, produced in Esteli, Nicaragua from carefully selected tobaccos.  This cigar will be limited in quantity based on harvest conditions.   Grimalkin cigars are available in 3 sizes:  Robusto, Toro, and Torpedo, and come in cabinet style boxes of 25.  Medium bodied and complex, Grimalkin is a complex cigar with several nuance flavors.  It took me smoking a couple of them to really get the point but once I did I fell in love with them.  Notes of pepper, raisins and a citrus sweetness combined with the texture of the smoke (not chewy but textured like work leather) make this an outstanding cigar in the true tradition of boutique cigars.

What's my band?

Thank you to Dan Crouch for providing this week's unbanded cigar, the Gran Habano Blue Label.

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, or would like to provide 2-4 What's my Band? cigars, please email Executive Producer Liz at liz@cigarmedia.tv. Anyone providing samples will receive a DogWatch Cigar Radio pin and sticker!

Do you have a Cigar Review or a comment about the show? If you call and leave a cigar review or comment on the herfline and it is played on the show, you will receive a DogWatch Cigar Radio pin and sticker! 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 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/
• Cigar Journal: http://www.cigarjournal.co/
• Cuban Cigar Creation App: http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/cuban-cigar-creation/id441057146?mt=8
• Cigar Volante: http://www.cigarvolante.com/
• CommonWealth Cedar Spills: http://www.cedarspills.com/
• DogWatch Cigar Radio iTunes App: http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/dogwatch-cigar-radio-weekly/id338128296?mt=8&ign-mpt=uo%3D6
• DogWatch Cigar Radio Android App: http://www.appbrain.com/app/dogwatch-cigar-radio/tv.wizzard.android.dogwatchsocialclub850
• Esencia Cigars: http://www.esenciacigar.com/
• Flatbed Cigars, makers of Panacea Cigars: http://www.flatbedcigarcompany.com/
• La Palina: http://www.lapalinacigars.com/
• La Tradicion Cubana: http://www.tradicion.com/
• Miami Cigar and Company: http://www.miamicigarandcompany.com/
• Mobile Stogie Pro App: http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/mobile-stogie-by-cigar-research/id395661756?mt=8
• Mobile Stogie Ref App: http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/mobile-stogie-reference/id431376892?mt=8
• Monte Pascoal Cigars: http://www.montepascoalcigars.com/
• Palio Cigar Cutters:http://paliocutters.com/
• Scotch Pro App: http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/scotch-pro/id457390580?mt=8
• Tranquilo Cigars: http://www.tranquilocigars.com/
• Vanderburgh Humidors: www.vanderburghhumidors

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