A recent week away with the family and friends in north-eastern Spain, as well as being a great break with loads of food and wine, was a great chance to smoke several cigars.
I took a few with me but also found a good cigar man in the town of L’Escala which meant I could take advantage of the good pricing (30-40% cheaper) of Cigars in Spain and try a few new cigars. First up after lunch on the first day was a Cuaba Tradicionales, it had been a while since I had tried a Cuaba and sadly this was not a good start. The look and feel was fine but the construction was so tight at the head that I had to cut about an inch off to get it going, the eventual flavour was ok but by then the smoke was all but done…I have some more so will try again soon. On day two I thought I would put the Cuaba behind be so went for an old Favourite - Hoyo Epicure No2 (pictured) it was on its normal glorious form with some Tawny port after dinner, mellow but not dull. The wrapper was a bit pale and from the “sandpaper” category but flavour excellent. 
The following night we drove in land for a great dinner at our friends brothers house, rabbit on the bbq as well as more different types of sausages than I think I’ve ever had in one sitting. The wine flowed but at the end of it all it was time for a R&J Short Churchill (picture). This was a cigar I had heard mixed things about but never tried before. I was really impressed and will definitely be getting some more…very classy, a little spice, great construction and a good size (if silly name). The next day it rained proper cats and dogs all day so by the evening it somehow felt wrong to launch into a big cigar so I went for one of my favourites a Partagas Short, this was from a box I am trying to leave for a while but have already smoked 4 of, a slightly loose draw but all that spice and gorgeous Partagas character. I love this cigar as it is small but not a compromise. My mid-afternoon smoke, I was on holiday after all, the following day was the other smaller cigar that I am a massive fan of, the Trinidad Reyes, it is very different from the Partagas, as different as Bordeaux and Burgundy in wine, but as good. Creamier, latte coffee flavours but not too smooth. I have never had a Lancero from Trinidad but I must as I suppose it is the Reyes older brother. I can see those two smaller format cigars being cornerstones of my smoking in years to come, both can be smoked in 20mins or preferably a little longer. Next up after a hot day and large dinner was Partagas Serie P No 2, like the R&J this was a first and also a smoke I had heard mixed things about. This was my highlight of the week smoke wise, really dark oily wrapper I wondered if it was going to be a young monster but it was delicious from the off, dark chocolate but not harsh a real after dinner treat, very impressive and also nicely different from the Serie D No 4 in style…I like the size too, not a massive fan of pyramids but this longer one makes sense, 
I would love to lay some of these down for 2-5 years. The last but one day of the break saw me in the Cigar shop again to buy a few other sticks I had not tried before, two of which are mentioned after this next one which was a nostalgic choice, Toscanello (pictured), I had to buy a pack when I saw them. I last smoked a Toscanello on honeymoon 12 years ago when I first got into cigars and I remember loving these veined cheroot’s dark, rich, earthy, rustic flavours with Italian Espresso. This time I had it with normal coffee, it would be a great after lunch smoke when you had little time. 
The other two smokes I bought were Joya de Nicaragua Robusto and Vegas Robaina Famoso (pictured) the former was creamy and light, very easy to smoke, lots of thick smoke, a little one dimensional to be critical but a good smoke and a good choice for a larger ring gauge but at any time of day. The Robaina was disappointing, it had an overly tight draw which is always off putting but even so it smoked very plainly, nothing wrong with the flavours but not enough of anything or any development…I will give Robaina another chance at some stage but this was a shame…so now I can turn my mind to my next smoke which will probably be something like an HdM Epicure No1 I should think…
I took a few with me but also found a good cigar man in the town of L’Escala which meant I could take advantage of the good pricing (30-40% cheaper) of Cigars in Spain and try a few new cigars. First up after lunch on the first day was a Cuaba Tradicionales, it had been a while since I had tried a Cuaba and sadly this was not a good start. The look and feel was fine but the construction was so tight at the head that I had to cut about an inch off to get it going, the eventual flavour was ok but by then the smoke was all but done…I have some more so will try again soon. On day two I thought I would put the Cuaba behind be so went for an old Favourite - Hoyo Epicure No2 (pictured) it was on its normal glorious form with some Tawny port after dinner, mellow but not dull. The wrapper was a bit pale and from the “sandpaper” category but flavour excellent. 
The following night we drove in land for a great dinner at our friends brothers house, rabbit on the bbq as well as more different types of sausages than I think I’ve ever had in one sitting. The wine flowed but at the end of it all it was time for a R&J Short Churchill (picture). This was a cigar I had heard mixed things about but never tried before. I was really impressed and will definitely be getting some more…very classy, a little spice, great construction and a good size (if silly name). The next day it rained proper cats and dogs all day so by the evening it somehow felt wrong to launch into a big cigar so I went for one of my favourites a Partagas Short, this was from a box I am trying to leave for a while but have already smoked 4 of, a slightly loose draw but all that spice and gorgeous Partagas character. I love this cigar as it is small but not a compromise. My mid-afternoon smoke, I was on holiday after all, the following day was the other smaller cigar that I am a massive fan of, the Trinidad Reyes, it is very different from the Partagas, as different as Bordeaux and Burgundy in wine, but as good. Creamier, latte coffee flavours but not too smooth. I have never had a Lancero from Trinidad but I must as I suppose it is the Reyes older brother. I can see those two smaller format cigars being cornerstones of my smoking in years to come, both can be smoked in 20mins or preferably a little longer. Next up after a hot day and large dinner was Partagas Serie P No 2, like the R&J this was a first and also a smoke I had heard mixed things about. This was my highlight of the week smoke wise, really dark oily wrapper I wondered if it was going to be a young monster but it was delicious from the off, dark chocolate but not harsh a real after dinner treat, very impressive and also nicely different from the Serie D No 4 in style…I like the size too, not a massive fan of pyramids but this longer one makes sense, 
I would love to lay some of these down for 2-5 years. The last but one day of the break saw me in the Cigar shop again to buy a few other sticks I had not tried before, two of which are mentioned after this next one which was a nostalgic choice, Toscanello (pictured), I had to buy a pack when I saw them. I last smoked a Toscanello on honeymoon 12 years ago when I first got into cigars and I remember loving these veined cheroot’s dark, rich, earthy, rustic flavours with Italian Espresso. This time I had it with normal coffee, it would be a great after lunch smoke when you had little time. 
The other two smokes I bought were Joya de Nicaragua Robusto and Vegas Robaina Famoso (pictured) the former was creamy and light, very easy to smoke, lots of thick smoke, a little one dimensional to be critical but a good smoke and a good choice for a larger ring gauge but at any time of day. The Robaina was disappointing, it had an overly tight draw which is always off putting but even so it smoked very plainly, nothing wrong with the flavours but not enough of anything or any development…I will give Robaina another chance at some stage but this was a shame…so now I can turn my mind to my next smoke which will probably be something like an HdM Epicure No1 I should think… 
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