As a family, Fran, Charlie and I escaped with lots of wine - good solid bottles rather than the "family silver" - and some great friends up to my parents place in Norfolk for the Jubilee weekend. Other than eating way too much and drinking well one of the things I love up there is that fact that it is about a mile or so of a walk to the local (Brancaster) beach. This means a good guaranteed 60-120 minutes outdoors which means Cigar Time. I like to be considerate with smoking so prefer to do so when out of confined spaces if with others. Favourite spots being while golfing (rare) or horse racing, unless I am lone in the garden at home.As we were away 4 days and I had a good feeling that we'd be walking everyday I took 4 smokes.
1) Montecristo Petit Edmundo (MBA Oct2010) - This is is number 8 of a 10 box. One early on was a bit over the top on the nicotine front (headspin). But since then they have been great. Basically a slightly short Robusto it is 35-45 mins of smoking and as far as I am concerned is the cigar equivalent of the Double espresso, all dark chocolate (80% cocoa and upwards) and coffee bean. I don't think it is a smoke I would reach for that often but definilty worth having in the humidor (88-89).
2) "Blind" Churchill - This was part of a 3 cigar blind tasting competition that I am doing at the moment, I am Zero from two for the first two smokes but I am happy with how I tasted, wrong for the right reasons etc. This had an opening that was mellow and good, vanilla and subtle caramel...hay also. The middle third had a little more spice, settling into a nice stride, well balanced. Then the final third was plagued with a tricky draw and I gave up in the end...86-88...I guessed it may be Quai d'Orsay, there aren't that many marques that have a churchill in their line ups these days.
3) Partagas Serie D No4 (Dic2008) - This is the last of a 10 box that I have had for a little while, the factory code shows they from 2008 and that little bit of age is a great thing as with wine. They have all been good to this point and I was a little sad to be having the last one but then the sun was out and they are there to be enjoyed. It started very well, gorgeous first third, hay, mellow tobacco and caramel shortbread...perfect firm draw too. I was enjoying it so much from that point that I didn't really make many more notes, it didn't seem to need it...there was a little more spice but essentially it was just a very good smoke, 91-93. The PSDN4 can vary a lot,it is one of the biggest selling Cubans, if they could all be this good it would be amazing. Picture at the top.
4) Trinidad Reyes (OUS Sep2009)- On the last day I smoked this little gem of a cigar and as with the SDN4 it was the last from a box, this time a 12 box. For the size of them (40x110) they are expensive, lots has been written on the "positioning" of the marque, but I wouldn't dream of criticising the quality of these little smokes. Along with the Partagas short they are essential in anyone's rotation (like a "cellar" for Cigars). The profile is medium bodied and low in spice but very rich in a savoury honey (if such a think exists) a little bit of creamy coffee too.
And that ended a very enjoyable weekends smoking!
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