LFD Mysterioso: Ask and ye shall receive (with a valid credit card)

You can get anything on the mighty mighty internets (except that La Gloria Cubana Serie R Esteli).*

As you may remember, I fell in love with these:

The La Flor Dominicana 7 x 55 perfecto is about as lovely as a cigar can get, with its Connecticut Broadleaf Oscuro & Ecuadoran Connecticut (for the accents) wrapper. Created for the 2013 holiday season, the collectors edition popped onto my radar almost too late.  Almost, because I scored and ha ha ha yay!

I searched the internets long and far and wide and deep. Nothing. Just a lot of "Sold out" messages.  I had the sad. Then on facebook Saturday evening Broadway Cigars in Providence, RI said they had some, but customers were limited to two each. I figured I could run in and out of the store, purchasing two each time. (Of course I would be sure to change my disguise, like a kid anxious for the most candy on Halloween.)

All Sunday, while I sanded furniture, I kept thinking "I've got to get to Broadway!" even more desperately than an aging actor dreaming of The Great White Way. So Monday morning, bright and early (for me) we went! Huzzah!

I've only been to Broadway Cigars once before. That time, while Valentino and our friend Rob chatted with some guys watching a football game, I discussed one of my favorite plays, A Doll's House, with one of the smokers preparing for a lit class exam. I love the diversity of folks you find in a cigar lounge.

This time, we spent a bunch of time chatting with Brenda, who knows as much, if not more, about cigars and the cigar business as anyone I've ever met--from rep to journalist.  If I owned a cigar shop or lounge, I'd steal her away from Broadway in a nanosecond. True story.

Luckily, she didn't make us run in and out of the store, doing quick changes.  We made off with the last seven Mysterioso barberpoles (one box of five and two loose sticks) with one swipe of the credit card.

I own you now! (Gosh, aren't they gorgeous?)

Of course, all this was done with a plan. The two caballeros had a date at Habanos lounge that night for some serious debauchery. Well, as much as one can be while drinking high-end liquor and chatting with friends. So, yeah.

I'm terrible at keeping secrets, so the minute the second caballero came in, I got antsy and handed him one of the Mysteriosos (Mysteriosoii? Mysteriosoes?). Valentino and I thought it would be fun for the two of them to try the cigar together. Naturally, I had to be there in order to participate in my own special way--flirting and second-hand smoking.

There are no words...
How is it possible this much awesome can fit into one picture frame?

 

I have to admit, I did hold my breath when they each cut the cap.  It was so gorgeous!  Don't destroy it! But then we moved on to the next round of gorgeousness. Once the foot was toasted and they respectively began the experience, one of the fine gentlemen said, "One of the best smokes I've had in a long time." The other agreed.  Me too! (Well, you know what I mean.) As in the past, I sat between them so I could have a full assault of delicious. The smell of coffee and a little bit of citrus milled about in the air.  As I continue to learn about cigars, I'm distinguishing the different notes as it burns. Of course, then I go and research other reviews, to see if I'm even close.  Once again, not only was I close, I hit the bullseye! Check out Cigar Coop's review!

 

You can tell they want to get back to smoking more than anything.

Because they only come five in a box (and, in case you didn't know, the box costs many, many dollars--between 85-95 smackaroos), we figured this would be a cigar that would be rationed more than Spam during a war, especially since we only had five left! Five cigars, not five cans of Spam.** And the internets were not helping me find them...until!! Until!! I scored a couple boxes from Corona Cigars.  Wahoo! Have I mentioned how much I love the mighty, mighty internets?



*Case in point: That's where I got Valentino! (For only the cost of one month of match.com!)

**I suddenly have a hankering for pan-fried Spam. Yummmm.  (Pardon me while my white trash is showing.)

The Two Caballeros: The second adventure (Part the first)

I had to be an adult yesterday and dress like a normal human being (not like a writer in the throes of summertime, although I still wore Converse sneakers--you'll never get all of me!)* and eat food with other adults and have actual conversation appropriate in public spaces (mostly). I promised my friend Shelagh I would not throw any food, but that was the only promise I made.  Being a grown-up is hard.

The Two Caballeros and their fabulous female companions headed out to dinner at one of our favorite restaurants on Federal Hill last night. Insert frowny face here because the food wasn't as good as normal and service was blech. How embarrassing! Pinky swear that the experience is usually waaay better.

But afterwards I did get a lemon coconut cupcake at the bakery on the square, so all food faux pas were instantly redeemed with sugar, as well they should be.

Moving on... (I was setting the scene.)

After dinner, we took a walk along Atwells Ave., which you know I love to do.

Valentino smoked the Drew Estate Liga Privada T52 that was so tight** "I could only smoke half of it and then I put it down," he said, as we recapped the evening's festivities.



Was it good? Not sure. Maybe? I'll let you know with the next one.

Lots of folks on one of our favorite Facebook groups have been raving about the T52, so we were both anxious to stick our faces in the smoke. Or stick the smoke in his face. Whatever.

According to the Drew Estate website, "Meticulously blended over a period of two years to be a worthy humidor companion to our much heralded Liga Privada No. 9 recipe. With notes of black pepper and spice, it is our choice when desiring a stronger, more robust smoke. Like its predecessor, it is a complex marriage of seven distinct aged tobaccos handcrafted by only our absolute best torcedors. Each cigar is guaranteed to be flawless in construction, flavor and character…without exception." Apparently, there was an exception and we were the proud owners.

Honestly, he may have enjoyed it more if he didn't have to work so hard to keep it lit. I will say, it was a pretty strong smoke, or pretty strong second-hand smoke, but I liked the smell--not as harsh as I'd expected. There were lots of notes in there, but I couldn't focus on any of them for sure because I couldn't get any consistency.  "The Drew Estate Liga Privada T52 is tits, its [sic] gangsta and I can’t tell you how refreshing it is to smoke a cigar that perfectly balances out its strength with an rich array of flavors," stated the folks at Stogie Review. How can I not want to give it another shot after hearing/reading that???

There's another in the humidor, so as the Magic 8-Ball says,

[source]

His partner-in-crime, Doc, had the J. Grotto Reserve Lancero**** Limitado, made by our friend Paul Joyal. We had picked them up when at his shop a few days earlier, with the intention of (hopefully) me second-hand smoking it.  And it happened!

I forgot to take an action shot. Too much sangria? Maybe.
Too much off-key singing on the plaza? Probably.
So I stole this picture from here.

According to the Stogie Guys review, "Once lit, I find a flavor profile dominated by clove and nutmeg. There’s also earth and roast cashew, with just a hint of cedary spice on the finish, the only spice the cigar demonstrates. Construction is excellent, with no ill effects from the seemingly loose draw."

Halfwheel says, "Lancero all-hand-made cigars use three-year aged select tobaccos … a Nicaragua-grown Criollo 99 wrapper and Criollo 98 binder, plus a filler of Honduran-grown ligero and Jalapa leaves. Like all J. Grotto cigars, it is entubado-bunched for smooth, easy draw and uniform burn. Its pigtail-capped head enhances its distinctively traditional look."

I say it smelled earthily-delish, and I'm looking forward to the J. Grotto Lancero Silk, since we both already love the smell and taste of the 6 x 60 gordo--in fact, it's one of Valentino's favorite cigars! All day those lancero Silks sat in the store, a mere twenty or so miles away, taunting us with their Siren call, but lawns had to be mowed and furniture needed to be sanded today. Insert another frowny face here.  Being a grown-up stinks sometimes.

NOTE: Stay tuned for more adventures from this evening. I need a before-bed snack.


*Almost five years into our charmed partnership, I only learned this past week that sports bras are not flattering and I should probably not wear them.  I was about to protest when he told me this, but honestly, I wasn't doing anything sporty, except some quick typing, so yeah.

**I'm going to go ahead and let you put your own joke here; it's almost too easy.***

***That one too.

****I get giddy when lanceros are in the house. No, I don't know why. We'll dig into that issue another time.

A Special Federal Hill Second-hand Smoke

On Wednesday, I didn't feel like cooking.* My first thought of the day (not kidding)  was, "Yikes! I have a groupon that's going to expire soon! We need to go to Caffe Dolce Vita [on Federal Hill in Providence, RI] for lunch." Lunch turned into dinner because:

• I went back to sanding that darned furniture I'm refinishing.
• I got a splinter (that remains in my thumb because taking it out would cause more pain than leaving it in).
• I got distracted by shiny things.

But we finally got there, had delish calamari, eggplant parm, and chicken marsala, along with a nice chat with the owner of Dolce (and a good portion of the businesses on Federal Hill).**  Anyway, blah blah blah...

 

Let's get to the cigar!!

 

Hello, my Special friend. At Garibaldi Square on Federal Hill, looking out at La Pigna,
an arch featuring either a pineapple or pinecone, depending on who you ask. 

A while ago, we attended a cigar dinner on Federal Hill, sponsored by one of our favorite hangouts, Habanos Cigar Lounge in Pawtucket, RI, and featured My Father Cigars. (Hi to Jeremy Soares, our MFC go-to guy and New England rep!) (Also, I happen to right this second be wearing a t-shirt I won at the event! Today's story was meant to be!!)

 

There, in addition to others that were handed out, we received a My Father Cigar "S" Special, which actually can't be purchased singularly (sorry, kids) but is given out at events when a box is purchased. I've heard rumors that it actually can be purchased, but be aware that there are two different versions of this cigar. Read more about it here.

 

 

The 50 x 5 was released in 2011 and, according to halfwheel, "The My Father S Special seems wonderfully rolled, with a silky smooth medium brown wrapper that has almost the perfect give when squeezed. The wrapper smells wonderful, like a combination of dark chocolate, leather and sweet generic wood."

 

Here's some info about this Robusto cigar you may find interesting, or that might give you some credibility next time you're hanging out with your cigar-friends (the people, not the cigars themselves, which can also be considered friends).

 

"My Father cigars were introduced in 2008 by Jaime Garcia, son of the renowned Don Jose Pepin Garcia, at Jaime's My Father factory in Esteli, Nicaragua. These full-bodied cigars contain Nicaraguan longfillers and a hybrid Ecuadorian Habano Rosado/Criollo wrapper," according to the folks at Famous Smoke Shop. They also state, "The smoke's initial crack of pepper rounds out to reveal a complex brew of spice, wood, coffee, and a kiss of caramelized sweetness. If you thought his father made great cigars, wait til you try Jaime's. A must-smoke!"

 

Apparently, according to the House Specialist (Valentino), it had a really smooth draw. I noticed that sometimes it smelled sweet and sometimes not; the variation may have come from the aroma of delicious foods wafting directly into my nostrils as we passed a multitude of restaurants on our stroll. But he said that yes, the sweetness came and went, along with a toasted and spicy flavor.

 

As he worked through the final third, he mentioned its increasing strength. I don't remember exactly what he said, but I interpreted his words as, "Wow, I could use some sugar. Let's get gelato from Marissa at Venda Ravioli/Costantino's!!"

 

 

 

*Hahaha. I never feel like cooking.  In fact, I can't cook.  Well, I can but it really isn't very good ever. Except the shepherd's pie. I make a hell of a shepherds pie*** Valentino is the one who keeps us alive and (very) well-fed.

 

**Valentino actually did this part and I watched from our outdoor table, which made it seem like a mob-movie.  Apparently, secret, confidential documents were discussed, which made me feel very spy-like. Hmmm...I think I could use that in the mystery novel I'm writing when I'm not doing this. Or procrastinating.

 

***Valentino has pointed out, through his gagging noises from across the room, that he does not care for the shepherd's pie.