Long Ash Blog

So this is my first posting in what seems forever... Life has been a little nuts here in the Cigar City (Tampa Fl)... but today definitely needed a great finish.

List night happened to be perfect. My family and i are up here in the blue ridge mountains of North Carolina for a well deserved vacation ( finally). We spent the day detached from cell phone, eating may too much food, and hiking the beautiful trails scattered all through out this mountain.

Around 10pm last night the family went to sleep, bellies full from my herb crusted pork loin with Oktoberfest sauce, so i set out for out wrap-around porch. Picture this... no neighbors, beautiful pine trees, a chill 58 degrees, and more stars than you could hope to count.

I found the perfect rocking chair, opened my neglected humidor, and pulled out one of my favorites. the Rock Pattell Red Label Sun-grown. Just me and the intoxicating aromas of this perfectly crafted work of art.

Something about being here that just breeds relaxation... i know i have already reviewed this cigar is a past posting... but i could not recommend it enough.

I know i know it sounds like a mouth full... but as one of my favorite things to do when shopping for cigars, i like to try something new. To be honest i have not smoked much of Perdomo's line of cigars, but this beautiful lable, and delicious looking maduro wrapper seemed to be calling out to me.

It was last week, and a good friend of mine (Jeff) came over to talk about the new church we are starting, and of course what great conversation wouldn't be complete with out a really great cigar. A couple of weeks before Jeff had read this blog about one of my new favorites... Rocky Patel Sun grown... so he bought me a few...

So when he came over... it was only natural for him to to take the Rocky for a ride. While he was enjoying on of my favorites i tried a new stick the... Olivia Series O torpedo.

Now i have had all sorts of the Olivas before and for the most part had been completely satisfied... but maybe it was that Jeff was smoking a real winner of a cigar... or maybe i got bad egg... but i was not to impressed at all.

Here are my thoughts:

So i have a favorite cigar shop... or at least my favorite place to get those hard to find cigars... it just so happens to be in the most unlikely place of all... brandon fl.

One of my favorite ways to truly clear my mind, to get focused and really really is with a great cigar. Tonight i am learning the art of vacation... normally if i want to really unplug i have to leave town... but for this week i am here in town.

I guess it was Sunday night, my wife and i had just returned for the whirl wild family tour that happens every holiday (even more now that we have a kid), and i had way too much on my mind... and it was time to process.



For me, one of my favorite ways to clear my head, and sort through my soul is on my back lanai with a great cigar.



That night it was the Padron Londres (Maduro). I am an on again off again Padron fan, and to be honest with you i picked up a few of these Padrons to give to those friends of mine who do not yet fully appreciate a truly fine cigar.



With no real intention of smoking these, i reached in my humidor to find that these were all that was left! So i gave them a shot... and wow, was i surprised.



For a 3-4$ cigar i was really blown away with the even consistent burn, the smooth draw, and the great plume... All in all not a bad way to spend a few bucks.

Burn: Even and slow... for such a small cigar it smoked like the big boys

Draw: Even, not too tight- not too loose... to be honest, just right.

Flavor: Hints of leather and coffee

Plume: heavy, i was very surprised by this.

Overall: i would give it a 6.5 out of 10

Price: 3-4$

Label: Brown and white

This week just so happened to be the whirlwind birthday tour for the Triplett family. It started with my mom on the third, my wife on the 5th, and my father-in-law on the 8th. With our weekend completely packed with dinners and driving, nieces and sister-in-laws, and way too little down time.



So i took the most of a budding opportunity.



It was Friday night and me and the fam just arrived home from an incredible dinner at "Bonefish Grille". We put the baby to bed, got some energy out of our dog Rook, and sat out on the lanai all the while a torrential thunderstorm ragged around us.



I lit up an old stand by Romeo Y Julieta 1875 Aniversario Belicoso no.2 and sat listening to the pounding rain and the distant thunder. After 10 minutes or so Jill left me for the big leather couch, and it was just me and Romeo.



I was half way through the cigar when lightning struck not 20 feet from our lanai. Every hair went on end, and i have to be honest i have never moved so fast in my entire life. Needless to say i never got the opportunity to finish what started out to be a great smoke... but here are my thoughts none the less.

Burn: Even with a grey ash
Draw: Medium draw... pretty consistent
Flavor: Started with hints of Licorice and Cedar... finished like Caramel
Plume: Medium to lite... would have preferred it to be heavier
Overall: I would give it a 5.5 out of 10
Price: 6.50
Label: Black with Gold lettering and a white outline

This is the first installment of the LONG ASH BLOG, and i have to say i started it out right with a new smoke from one of my favorite labels ROCKY PATELL.

Now as you continue to read along, you will quickly recognize that i am a huge fan of the Maduro... and most everything will be a Robusto or Bigger... as far as the ring gage is concerned... closer to the 50 the better, at least in my opinion.

So it was a Thursday night, a cool Florida February evening, on my screened in lanai. My beautiful wife Jill was reading the latest Domino, and i was enjoying a fine new cigar. To me there is something magical that happens in the plume of a truly great cigar... dream rush to the forefront of your focus, conversations seem to flow effortlessly, and then there is this peace... where maybe for the first time all day, maybe even all week where you can actually wrap your head around them.

To me taking the time a couple times a months to enjoy one of natures sweetest treats is essential to breaking the stress, deepening conversations, and dreaming like we mean it.

Burn: Uneven at first... might have been due to the breeze. After 5 minutes it evened out.
Draw: Perfect... not to tight, but just the right about of pull.
Flavor: Hints of Cedar and Leather with a touch of deep honey.
Plume: medium had a good hang time.
Overall: I will give it a 7 out of 10... very nice surprise and a great buy!
Price: 7-9$
Label: Blood Red with Gold Lettering 2Banded.