Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious* MonteChristmaso!

Having something big and amazing to look forward to?
Super good. Especially when it's a Very Big Thing (VBT).

Having other things to look forward on the way to that bigger thing?
This:

We have something super big we're looking forward to at the end of the month--no, not Christmas. We'll tell you what at the end of the post. Don't read ahead!

That's the joy of December: parties galore! And more! Stuff to look forward to on the way to the VBT.

The first of these came yesterday--the end of the semester at one of the places I teach.**

Tonight, the second super fun thing we looked forward to for a couple of weeks: We're hanging with our friends at Broadway Cigars for some Christmas party action with a super-sized side of Montecristo event.

I took this picture all by myself!!

 

Valentino started the night with this baby, the Montecristo Espada. Speaking of things to look forward to, this stick of awesome will make its way into the rotation of frequently-smoked cigars.***  He is doing the social butterfly thing that he does so well (and, as we've discussed, I do so poorly--which is why I'm writing this while the party goes on around me), so I'm not getting a chance to fully enjoy the cigar.

But here's what I've picked up so far, as he makes his way back to me and drinks my Diet Coke. As an aside, it's a good thing 1. I love him**** and 2. He took Good Will away hunting***** for a week.

Will: You seem like a decent fellow. I hate to kill you.
Valentino: You seem like a decent fellow. I hate to die.
(I love The Princess Bride. Don't you?
Will does. Are you really going to cross an owl with a sword?)

Anyway, what I have loved about the Espada, released in July of this year, thus far: some spiciness, oak, and coffee, different flavors during different passes by. BUT! The underlying awesome through it all? Maple. I KNOW! I was like, um, did I drop some maple syrup on my shirt at breakfast this morning?****** But no! I mean, yes, but not this shirt, because I changed!

This might just be the first time I've come across that taste in all my second hand smoking. Or at least that I can remember. For what that's worth.

Anyway, Espada means "sword," which given the threat against Valentino's life by Will, is quite apropos.

According to Cigar Aficionado, "Montecristo Espada is described by Altadis as a spicy cigar that owes its strong, piquant character to a variety of growing regions in Nicaragua. Featuring a Cuban-seed Habano wrapper and binder from Jalapa, the cigar combines several different Nicaraguan tobaccos in the filler from Jalapa, Ometepe and Condega."

I don't even have to remind you, although I will, about how much I love love love an interesting story. Here's one, from Cigars International: "The story of Montecristo Espada is seriously interesting. Not long ago, Montecristo and famed tobacco grower and cigar maker Nestor Plasencia struck a deal. This deal would gave Montecristo’s blending team, known as the ‘Grupo de Maestros,’ unrestricted access to Plasencia’s world-renowned library of tobaccos and state of the art factory. There, the Grupo de Maestro’s went to work, spending months creating the perfect blend. A blend that’s unlike any other Montecristo ever before. A Nicaraguan puro that’s overflowing with flavor. A cigar that’s as near perfect as they come. A cigar that’s easily fitting of the Montecristo name, but with a level of flavor that’s surprising and welcomed. In short, Montecristo Espada is exceptional."

The Counts of Montecristo:
Bobby Ianiero, Montecristo rep John Troiano, JV, and our hero.

Valentino doesn't know this, because he's off somewhere in this giant room, but I'm going to get additional Espadas so they can make it into full rotation. Shhh.

So super cool thing to look forward to, but then the thing always finishes and I'm a little bit sad. But again, thanks December, we have lots more fun stuff to do.  All working up to the VBT, which happens in 20 days!



*Yes, I checked the spelling. It had the red line under it. And then when I fixed the spelling, the red line went away! It's in the Word dictionary.  Somehow, my life feels a little more compete.

**Valentino hates when I say I teach. "You're a professor!" Urgh. Fine. At one of the places I profess.

***The list varies from time to time, but the always-seens include the Joel Sherman, Padron '64, and La Palina Goldie.

****Ewwww. Mushy, girly stuff!

*****Get it?

******This is not inconceivable.

[source]

4th of July Second-hand Smoke!

Taken at Habanos Cigar Lounge in East Providence, RI,
accompanied by a Stella Artois (him) and margarita (me).

Apparently, this La Palina Goldie Lancero was one of the best smokes he's ever had. Definitely one of the beat second-hand smokes I've had the pleasure of mooching!

 

You may not know this about me, but I love a good story. And the La Palina Goldie line has an amaze-balls story.  One lady, Maria Sierra, rolls each and every one of the Goldie-line cigars. Every. Single. One.  There were 2500 boxes of these Lanceros created. There are ten cigars in each box. That means this one lady rolled 25,000 (yes, I used the calculator) this time around for you to enjoy. Well, you can't enjoy all of them because you'll have to fight the cigar masses to lay your hands on them. Released in May, these boxes, like the other Goldie limited releases, are going to go quickly.

 

Maria Sierra at work. [source]

But wait! There's more! Ms. Sierra is one of the first women trained to roll cigars in Cuba and she worked for 32 years at Villa El Laguito. Maria is a 95 rated, category 9 roller trained by Fidel Castro’s personal roller, Eduard Rivera Irizarri.  "[Sierra] retired from cigar making in Cuba in 2011, but returned to it after moving to Miami to be near her daughter." [source]

And!  "Goldie Drell Paley for whom this cigar is named after was the wife of Samuel Paley who founded the company in 1896. Bill Paley, the current owner is his grandson. The Goldie was created to celebrate the history and contributions of women in the cigar industry." [source]

 

Want to know more about this amazing lady? Check out this article from Reuters.

 

Deets:

Cigar: La Palina Goldie
Size: 7 x 40 (Lancero)
Wrapper: Ecuador Habano
Binder: Ecuador
Filler: Dominican Republic & Nicaragua
Strength: Medium-Full

 

Check out these other articles!

Woman-Made Cigar from Cigar Journal

The Lady's Cigar from World's Luxury Guide

 

And this video!

 

Hi! ::waves::

• I know this sounds weird, but I love the smell of cigars and the taste in the back of my throat, but I have wonky taste buds, so actually smoking cigars would be a waste. So I second-hand smoke them and take pleasure in watching my guy and our friends enjoy the sticks. 
  
  
  Oh, I'm not just a dumb old hanger-on, secretly hating the smoke but hoping I'll get bonus girlfriend points for appearing supportive, so don't go getting that impression. 
•  

  

  Mecca (Cigars International in Hamburg, PA)

  
  
  I just went to Cigars International in Hamburg and Bethlehem, PA this week and I spent many, many dollars on Drew Estate Pigs and Rats with some of my super faves, like a box of La Palina Goldie Lanceros and '64 Padrons (torpedoes). I also purchased a boat load of Nica Rusticas recently because I adore their smokey goodness! 
  
  
  In fact, I'm also writing a book about the cigar culture--honestly, cigar smokers are the best, kindest, and most generous people I have ever met. (Please don't tell my writer friends I said that--they're an awesome group too!)
  
  
  So, that's me.  And this is my place to share all my cigar stuff--thoughts, finds, and metaphorical sparkly things.  (Okay, probably some real sparkly things too, because that's how I roll.)