Where to find more words from Penny World

And! I took a really cool picture for the story!
All by myself!

What's that? You don't think you're getting enough of my magical and wonderful word arrangements?

Then you should go here and check out the first of my weekly columns for iRobusto.com!*



*Valentino would surely like me to tell you** that he's my awesome editor and calls "Bullshit!" when I'm coasting through a writing project rather than giving it my all.

**He's off fishing with Caballero #2 in a state I'd be hard-pressed to find on a map, so he doesn't get the chance to speak for himself for the next week. Wheeee!

This is no pig in a poke Or: These Flying Pigs landed right in our humidor

When a friend who knows umpity-gajillion things about cigars texts and says he has something super special in his work humidor that you might just want, you don't say, "Hmmm. Let me think about that and get back to you." You say, "Fuck yeah. I'll be in Friday."

That's what happened with our friend Jake, Jake from Ale House. He was the texter, in case you weren't following our precise line of reasoning.

It's Jake. Jake from Ale House.

So now we own this:

Open sesame.

 

Ooooh. Purty.

Surely I can't possibly tell you anything you don't already know about this pen of pigs, 
like the San Andrés Negro wrapper, the Connecticut River Valley Stalk Cut and Cured Sun Grown Habano binder, and the Brazilian Mata Fina and Nicaraguan Habano filler.

A sexy 4 1/8 x 60

Or its super sassy shape. So, in case there are three of you in the world (and I was one of them not too long ago, thus making four) who don't know, Flying Pig is a shape, not just a fun name to say and imagine.

We were all ready to share, in our own words, because that's the right thing to do, the Undercrown Flying Pig info with you.  But the story of its inception is so fantabulous that paraphrasing didn't do it justice. So here, swiped from the Drew Estate website, is...not really the rest of the story,* but the whole story:

"In early 2009 we asked our torcedores to smoke less Liga Privada cigars because they were leaving too few to be exported. This request was met with the disappointment you would expect, but rather than being disgruntled they responded by blending their own signature liga.

"Incorporating many of the same rare tobaccos, but of different vintages and primings, the cigar they created was no mere replacement. Rather it is an exceptional smoking experience of uncompromising quality and flavor that deserves to be smoked by all.

"It is always the master makers who are heralded, but the reality is that great cigars are the product of many talented people, most of whom toil in factories with no publicity ever. They are the uncelebrated heroes who make all of our lives more pleasurable with the cigars they craft. And therefore, it is with great pleasure that we are now sharing their factory floor creation with you as Undercrown, borne of our worker’s ingenuity, resourcefulness and passion for a great cigar."

This short, stout perfecto was initially released in the Netherlands and the world (except the Netherlandiers? Is that a word?) had the sad. But in June 2012 and again in August 2014, they became US citizens--and were summarily sucked up (and sucked in) quickly, which is why we were all "fuck yeah" when Jake beckoned.

Why the drooling cigar smokers jousting for the rogue box? Why can't there be a pig in every pot--or humidor?

Because the rolling process is completed by two mere mortals only.** "Described by many as one of the best and most satisfying Ligas ever produced (Undercrown or not), the Undercrown Flying Pig is a rare treat that every cigar enthusiast and collector alike should strive to have in their humidor." [source]

Valentino couldn't light it up fast enough and made sure Caballero #2 laid his hands on a couple also.*** When the hero of our story revved it up and the smoke started billowing, man, oh, man it wafted chocolate, vanilla, and coffee right smack dab into my sensory receptors. Honestly, the people who make faces and bitch about cigar smoke need to 1. Actually wake up and smell the smoke and 2. Shut the fuck up.****

Cabellero #2 partakes.

Of course, when we answered the Call of the Undercrown, we didn't just walk out with that one product. There were more purchasing shenanigans. Read about them here! You won't be sorry. Annoyed, maybe. Probably even bored. But sorry? Nope. See you there!

P.S. As a return favor, I worked some magic for Jake, Jake from Ale House. Well, not really magic--more like put my research savant skills to work for him.  He told Valentino about a cigar he loved but hadn't been able to find. Fingers ablaze, I found those motherfuckers***** for him, sent him links, and said "You're welcome." Boom. Mic drop.

 

 

*Anyone else still miss the late, great, Paul Harvey?

 

**And no superheroes

 

***You may start singing "That's what friends are for." You're welcome for the earworm.

 

****I'm very swearish today. Must be the prednisone talking. Or bitching.

 

*****Four swears

The Second Cabellero Makes a New Friend or: Make sure you read to the end.

(I don't know why that weird blooch is there or what it is. Move along, people. Nothing to see here.)

Last night (ha ha ha as if I would be timely. But my intentions were good.)

Anyway, "last" night, the Cabelleros and their respective Cabellierettes (<--It's a word now) went to dinner and later landed at one of our favorite places: Havana Cigar Club in West Warwick, RI.

They have a super spectacular humidor, in case you didn't know.

They have tons of cool things here!**

Apparently Caballero #2 came on our jaunt cigarless.* Weirdo.

So as we wandered around the delicious humidor like we were in the fanciest museum, he chose this:

Of course you recognize it: The Oliva Serie V Melanio, last year's Cigar of the Year, deemed so by Cigar Aficionado. In their article praising the cigar, they state, "One look at the sharply pressed corners and carefully curved head and foot of the Oliva Serie V Melanio Figurado tells you this is no ordinary cigar. The Nicaraguan smoke represents the pinnacle of achievement for Oliva Cigar Co."

"I can't believe I haven't had this yet," said Caballero #2 as he lifted the newly-sainted stick and made his way out to the smoking lounge, which looks a little something like this:

Except not this. This is the members' room. But very similar!**

Anyway, the Oliva Serie V Melanio Figurado...that's a hefty name, but we must address it by its full name, out of respect.

Hahaha. (Again.) Anyway, the Melanio, according to the Oliva website, "is hand rolled using expertly fermented ligero fillers, leaves known for their robust and rich flavor. Five years in the making, this special cigar is sure to exceed a premium cigar smoker's highest expectations.

"The Serie V is full flavored yet smooth. The long filler tobaccos are a blend of Oliva Nicaraguan Habano that emphasizes tobacco from the Jalapa region, an area known for a more nuanced leaf than the Esteli or Condega regions. This carefully aged Jalapa blend produces a particularly flavored smoke." 



Photo by Mrs. Caballero #2. Hi Cathie! 



Cabellero #2 dug the Melanio with its Ecuadorian wrapper, and Nicaraguan binder and filler. But even more impressive than the cigar itself? That it does tricks so well. (He probably had something to do with it too.)



Photo by Mrs. Caballero #2. Hi again!

Said the man who has umpity-gajillion cigars in his one billion humidors, "This is a damn good smoke." Dudes...if anyone would know, it's him. Oh. And Cigar Aficionado, would know too, I guess.

Valentino is sad because he doesn't have a place in this story, so here is a photo:

He is totally going to kill me for this. It'll be worth it!



*Are you as shocked at this twist as we were?

**Pictures stolen unabashedly from the Havana Cigar Club Facebook page.



 

Paper leaves of tobacco leaves: Tobacco Sheds, Vanishing Treasures of the Connecticut River Valley

I love books.

Hell, I love them so much, I write books.*

When I moved into Valentino's swanky bachelor pad**, lo those many years ago, I brought with me no less than one zillion books. Then I bought many many bookshelves to hold aforementioned books, thinking I'd have plenty of room.  I filled them.

He asked at one point, "What do you need all those books for?"***

"They're my friends," I said, without thinking about the thousand and thousands of paper leaves filling the books.

Speaking of leaves, (this is all going to come together in a second, so stay with us) this fall, we had a chance to tour a tobacco shed and hear about the drying and aging process.

The tour was part of an event put on by Connecticut Valley Tobacco Museum in conjunction with the lovely Karin Mills Tranghese and Cigar Room II in Agawam, MA.

Tino and tobacco

(Here's the connection we promised!) The other day we received this friend, Tobacco Sheds, Vanishing Treasures of the Connecticut River Valley, in the mail:

Paper leaves of tobacco leaves!
Hey book, could you be any more gorgeous?

This is the book's description (Thanks, amazon.com!):

"In recent years, over one thousand tobacco sheds have disappeared from the Tobacco Valley. This important book systematically catalogues tobacco sheds from Putney, Vermont, to Portland, Connecticut, a span of just over one hundred miles. The photographs capture the beauty of these unique farm buildings and serve as a valuable record for these endangered barns. The text offers the agricultural history of each town, helping to connect sheds to their own unique region of New England. In addition, the book reinforces the need for preserving one of New England s most unusual farm structures.

"Many sheds in the Connecticut River Valley are still used to dry tobacco leaves that will wrap some of the world's most expensive cigars, but, sadly, some are being left to slowly deteriorate over time or are being torn down to make way for development. This book will be treasured by cigar smokers and architectural historians and preservationists alike."

I totally treasure this book. It's filled with gorgeous photographs and well-written text that tells the story behind these tobacco titans scattered across the Connecticut River Valley, both of which are gorgeous in their own right.

In case you're not sure where we're talking about. [source]

One of the book's pages!
And one of the region's tobacco sheds. Gorgeous, no?

 

Can I be honest here? Since we're BFFs and all? I've seen these buildings my whole life as my family road-tripped around New England. "Pretty," I'd think and then my thoughts would move along with the car.**** I honestly had no idea tobacco was not only a New England industry but a necessary and successful one.  In fact, the shed we toured produced the wrapper for a little cigar called Liga Privada, according to owner Steve Jarmoc; ever heard of it? (Hahaha!)

 

Ceiling of tobacco leaves during our tour.

The authors of Tobacco Sheds, Vanishing Treasures of the Connecticut River Valley, an eclectic husband and wife team, have created a visual masterpiece as gorgeous as the sheds themselves.

The Cahills! [source]

 

"Dale Cahill has been a sailor, farmhand, electronic technician, equipment maintenance technician, a life guard, has run an aquatics facility, and is both a father and a grandfather. He has worked at resorts and in factories, favors the outdoors and he loves skiing, mountain biking and photographing beautiful things. He plays mandolin and guitar and owns a ski bar in Vermont.

 

"Darcy Cahill has been a teacher, school counselor, reporter, and sheep dog breeder. She is a mother and grandmother. She plays fiddle and owns a ski bar with her husband. She also spends time writing, gardening, mountain biking, and skiing." [source]            

 

 

 

According to an article in Cigar Aficionado, "The new book Tobacco Sheds, Vanishing Treasures of the Connecticut River Valley, takes the reader on a journey through the Connecticut River Valley and goes behind-the-scenes to show what these majestic barns really are. Authors Dale and Darcy Cahill, who have made these barns their passion for many years now, traveled the length of the 400-mile valley, which touches four U.S. states. More than 1,000 have been lost to time, disrepair and changing fortunes over recent years, but they found sheds remaining in Vermont, Massachusetts and (of course) Connecticut. None remain, they said, in New Hampshire."

Keep an eye out next time you're driving around the Connecticut Valley. They aren't just cool barns off in the distance, as I'd imagined. Well, they kind of are, but they're way more than that. They're SUPER cool barns! And you might even be smoking that shed's wares.

By the way, if you do get a chance to visit a tobacco shed this coming season (and you totally should!), be sure to pick up a nice hat for yourself.

Cabellero #2 and his fab chapeau.

In the meantime, get Tobacco Sheds, Vanishing Treasures of the Connecticut River Valley and enjoy the world around you--or the world your cigar may have come from--while in your cozy, warm house.


*You should buy them all here.

**Read: Beautifully-decorated, huge house

***Obviously, he's not a book person.

****Back in the day when kids' minds wandered during road trips, as opposed to now when they don't even look out the windows because they're watching a video. These kids probably don't even know the joy of fighting with a sibling, unhindered by a seat-belt, during a road trip--or getting a weak slap from a parent on whatever part of your body they can reach as they're driving--or calling "Way back!" so you could sit in the back of the station wagon staring at the drivers behind you and annoying the crap out of said drivers. Annoying two cars of people was a special bonus. Poor kids these days, watching TV during the ride.

Alec Bradley Black Market Vandal: It's a crime we can't get these everywhere!

"Where did we get this?" Valentino called from the living room, staring at the open door of the humidor as if it were a refrigerator and he wanted a snack.

As I was in the kitchen, I had a choice--beckon him to me or head in his direction. I decided on the latter, but we wound up meeting in the middle.* He held out this cigar:

Without the lovely background beverage.
That came later.

An Alec Bradley Black Market Vandal.

 

"CI," I said, reminding him of their location within the Cigars International Hamburg (PA) Superstore,** where we stopped on the way to visit my boy in West Virginia before Christmas. We'd bought it more for novelty purposes than anything else. Let's give this a shot and if we liked it, we'd get more from our lovely neighborhood Alec Bradley rep.

 

He lit it up this evening at Habanos and said, "This is fucking good." He posted this picture on facebook:

 

Know why this is a good picture? He took it.
Know why this is a good cigar? Keep reading.

"Very interesting!" said the Friendly Neighborhood Alec Bradley rep. (Hi Drinnan!) "Haven't yet had it: I'd be interested in hearing your thoughts on how it compares to the classic Black Market."

 

Valentino read that to me and we both made the "What the what?" face.

 

He took to his phone, for typing purposes only, naturally. "What? I'm smoking an AB that you haven't tried yet? It's marketed as full but it's smoother than the classic. If that's possible. Actually, it's quite good and even box worthy. You NEED to try it ASAP!!"

 

He hadn't tried it?? We panicked.  How could he not have tried it? Were they not available? Would we have to get them from the literal black market? "How many did you get?" I asked Valentino, taking in the second hand smoke and loving the familiar yet different taste--kind of like when someone makes your favorite dish but adds something just a little more special.

 

(This actually happened as I worried where the next Black Market Vandal would come from--the folks at Habanos are working on a new menu and they sent out some hummus --which I LOVE-- but with pomegranate arils peeking out from the chickpea and eggplant paste. I loved the hummus' smoothness [and the deep-fried pita chips didn't hurt either]--but that kick of sweetness added something really special to an established favorite. Serendipity*** that they occurred simultaneously.)

 

You can be jealous of my hummus and pita chips. And those delicious chocolatey cookies, too.

 

Before Valentino could even try to answer my rhetorical question, we saw the light, which came shining through a Facebook notification: "It's a CI exclusive. Which means it's not in my portfolio."

 

Now what were we going to do? We'd planned on hitting up aforementioned rep if we liked them. Yes, we know about the mighty, mighty internets and all they can bring us.**** Naturally, we prefer to purchase from B&Ms whenever possible--especially at events, when additional goodies can be had with specific purchases!

 

Usually when we purchase single sticks, we get at least two--one to smoke and one for the humidor.***** Sometimes, three--those other two, and another for Cabellero #2.  But this time? This time we bought one. One mere Alec Bradley Black Market Vandal cigar. One.

 

As he hit the cigar's halfway point, I had the sad upon that realization. One. Know why? Because it's So. Damn. Good.

 

About their cigar, CI says, "The components may look familiar [to the original Black Market we've all come to know and love] – 4-country blend of long-fillers, stimulating Sumatra binder, and hearty Nicaraguan wrapper leaf. This is all carried over from the original version. But here’s where things get interesting: included in that long-filler mix is a super-charged, super-secret, extra special tobacco leaf that ratchets up the intensity big time. Tremendous notes of spice and pepper explode on the palate, and culminate in a long, lingering finish."

 

The original. [source]

We've been long-time fans (well, since the release in 2011) of the AB Black Market. (I'm afraid to see how few are left from the last box we purchased.)  In fact, upon our first Black Market smoke, I believe we bowed in Alan Rubin's direction--or what we imagined to be his direction.

 

The man himself. Thanks, Alan,
for another thing to spend money on!
(You're welcome.) [source]

During the Great Vandal Facebook Discussion, our friend Jake, Hanley's Ale House Humidor Maestro (Hi Jake!) said, "I love the smoothness of the regular Black Market so if it's smoother, it's awesome." That seemed to be the consensus from folks in our general smoking vicinity.******

 

Because this is a CI exclusive, you won't find a plethora of reviews from reliable, established sources. You already know what a crazy mad researcher I am, so don't get all, "Penny's slipping--she barely has any sources on the Vandal here" because I totally searched.

 

So you're going to have to take our word for it: Dudes, the Alec Bradley Black Market Vandal is the bomb-diggity.

 

You're welcome.

 

 

 

*True love.

 

**I'm a shopping savant. Or a visual learner. Or both.

 

***One of my most favorite words.

 

****After all, that's how we found each other! (Hi, match.com!)

 

*****What I usually say is "One to smoke and one for the monster."

 

******This makes me wonder: If you're smoking an amazing cigar, should you charge for the second hand smoke, or is it considered a community service?

Happy New Year! (The rest of the story)

New Year's Eve is happening. Right this second.* Although by the time I post this, we could be in 2016.

So here's a brief rundown. 

Our hero, Cabellero #1:

I actually took a cool picture! Yay me!

The Cigar Formerly Known as Mysterioso!  Thanks LFD for bringing it back this year, even though some asshat was mad about the Mysterio/Mysterioso name. (::cough:: click on the link for details ::cough::)

Cabellero #2 takes on New Year's Eve

Cabellero #2, upon us handing him a cigar and demanding he smoke it, had a Kristoff 685, which we told you about recently.

Remember?

Our friend Jake, the Maestro of Hanley's Ale House, loved on this baby:

The ash perplexed us.

It's the darned LFD Salomon, about which Cigar Aficionado said, "La Flor Dominicana Salomon is beautiful, strong, and complex. The man behind the cigar is Litto Gomez, who has become one of the most intriguing and talented cigarmakers in the world today. This Salomon showcases his considerable talents. His blend of homegrown tobacco from La Canela, Dominican Republic, and a stunning, dark wrapper imported from Nicaragua combines to bombard the palate with bold flavor of black cherry, licorice and rich cocoa."   

Okay, so the other day,** we were at Cigars International's Hamburg Superstore and I bought two salomons, natural and maduro, for Cabelleros #1 and #2 to smoke on New Year's Eve.

And I left them at home, in the humidor. Boo! I had the sad. That just means another smoke-together! Wahoo!***

Our friend Deep Dish Dave, smoked this for Old Times' Sake:

Because Jake ordered them for him

And then we started the new year with a new moniker for him. Deep Dish Dave is now LFDave, because our other hangout ran out of the Deep Dish, known for its "Sumatra wrapper, velvety smoke, and toasty sweetness." He needed something, so I bought him an LFD Capitulo 2 and he was done for. A goner. At least until ::hint hint:: the new Drew Estate order comes in.

Our hero ended the evening with this:

 

...of which he said, "Everything about this cigar is amazing." Yep. That's an Opus X Lost City Lancero, the great white whale of the cigar world, and for good reason. According to CI, "The Opus X Lost City was made with rare tobaccos grown on Chateau de la Fuente during the off-season for crop production, tobaccos that have been aging for 5 years prior to production. Made with 100% Dominican-grown tobaccos, this puro features dark Dominican wrappers and an eventful blend of Dominican long-fillers. The result is a bold, creamy smoke with robust flavors delivered in a mild, and smooth fashion complemented by a deep, cedary aroma. Rare, no doubt. Pricey, but worth it. Special, absolutely."

Our friend Jarrid (Hi Jarrid!) gifted the cigar to Valentino. THAT was amazing. Thank you a million times over, friend. A perfect ending to an imperfect year.****

*Hahahaha. Two days ago.

**Like, two? Three? weeks ago.

***Which is the opposite of Boo!

****Ask me some time about how Valentino almost missed the "Happy New Year!" portion of the show. Damn you, Rolex.***** ::shakes fist::

*****Operator error, actually.