Vigilant Smoke Shop at Julio's Liquors

Ten times today I looked at an offer to purchase cigars online, and ten times I found myself side tracked to a work project that kept me from making the purchase.  At the end of the day I needed the instant gratification of a purchase, and pulled into Julio's Liquors, and more specifically the Vigilant Smoke Shop.

I have been spending some time in brick and mortar shops lately trying to identify good from bad, and by far Julio's Vigilant Smoke Shop is one of the good.  Located on Route 9 in Westborough, Massachusetts, Julio's Liquors is a full service beer, wine and liquor store with one of the best smoke shops in Metro West.  Inside the liquor store, and placed prominently at the front, Vigilant Smoke Shop boasts a great selection of cigars in their counter humidors, and has the bonus of a decent walk in humidor packed strategically with some of the best sticks available.  The prices for these cigars are far from unreasonable, and those prices are accompanied by a great tobacconist in Cullen Burke.

Upon approaching the counter I am greeted warmly by Cullen.  His simple question of "can I help you?" quickly flows into a great conversation about cigars, cigar accessories, and local shops that leaves me feeling absolute confidence in his skills as a tobacconists.  We discuss the true value of the Xikar travel humidor, with it's ability to preserve cigars for the short time one is away from home. We delved into the new technology in cigar humidification, discussing the DryMistat Tube and the Boveda humi packs.  He introduced to me the My Father Limited Edition Toro cigar in it's individual cedar box, and the special honor of this My Father being hand rolled by the master Jose Don Pepin Garcia himself.  And after admitting to Cullen my discomfort in the box pressed shape of cigars that have become so popular over the last few years, the adept tobacconists recommended a wonderful box pressed Alec Bradley Prensado Robusto that felt as comfortable in my hand as a traditional cylindrical cigar.

I purchased both the Alec Bradley Prensado ( my review of this splendid stick will be along shortly), and the My Father Limited Edition Toro (a gift that I will be giving as a Secret Santa on Ward B).  The cost of the purchase was more than I would have spent online, but had I made my purchase online I would not have discovered these great new cigars and I would have missed out on what makes the brick and mortar shops so valuable: the knowledge of a great tobacconist.  You can enjoy the same experience at the Vigilant Smoke Shop Monday through Saturday from 9 AM to 10 PM, and on Sunday noon to 6 PM.

L.J. Paretti Company- Great Selection

Boston is a great city, where a person can find almost everything they may need.  For me, that extends to finding a good selection of cigars, and I found it at L.J. Paretti Company.

Located at 2 1/2 Park Square in Boston, the L.J. Paretti Company has been a part of the city for the last 140 years.  As you walk through the door, you feel all those years of history open up around you.  On nearly every wall is a humidor, and the store has two walk in humidors in the back for the storage of tobacco and cigars (sorry, not open to patrons).  Only one wall is not lined with a humidor, and that one contains an impressive display of pipes and smoking accessories for sale to the public.  Above the humidors on the  high walls are the decor from years of selling tobacco, tastefully displayed and lightly aged from years of tobacco exposure.

As I browse through the humidors, one thing becomes clear; the proprietors of this shop take very good care of their products.  Their is not a dry cigar in the shop, and I was even able to note some bloom on more than a few.  Bloom is the result the essential oils of the cigar rising to the surface, which often appear as tiny crystals making the cigar look dusty.  More advanced bloom gives the cigar an opaque white look.  This is not harmful to the cigar, but is an indication that the cigars have  been maintained at 70+ RH for a long period of time.

I have already decided on a Brick House Churchill and potentially a Hemingway, when one of the tobacconists asks me if he can help me out.  Deciding that this would be a good opportunity to try something new, I tell the tobacconist my cigar mood, and he recommends an Ashton VSG.  I pay for the Brick House and the Ashton, and the tobacconist asks me if I want it cut.  The answer of course is yes, and I remove the cello and toast the foot.  A master of his trade, he has chosen for me just what I wanted.

There are benches out front of the shop, but I decide to take one of the comfortable chairs inside.  There are ashtrays around within easy reach, and a few other patrons have decided to rest a bit with their own purchases.  Relaxing with my cigar, this is the first time I notice the light jazz music playing softly in the shop, a nice touch that adds beautifully to the afternoon in the city.

If you find yourself in Boston and are looking for a good selection of cigars, stop by L.J. Paretti Company.  They are open Monday through Friday 8:30 AM - 8:00 PM, Saturday from 8:30 AM to 7:00 PM, and on Sunday from noon to 5:00 PM.

Rocky Patel Edge Lite

It is a cool, overcast, fall afternoon in Massachusetts.  Kick-off of the Pats/Chargers game is about an hour away.  A good time to plug in the radio for a little pre-game banter, and of course some time for a cigar.  Today I have chosen the Rocky Patel Edge Lite Robusto.

As with most RP cigars, the pre-light inspection reveals quality.  The wrapper is natural, and glows with nice a nice sheen and very few noticeable veins.  The cigar is soft to the feel, but springs back when pressed.  The cut goes well, and the cigar takes a good coal from the toast.

The draw on the cigar is very smooth, with little effort needed to produce huge clouds of smoke.  The initial flavors are very light with some wood notes and a slight creamy smoothness attributed to the natural wrapper.  As the cigar burns through the first 3rd into the second 3rd, the burn remains sharp and a tight gray ash develops.  The flavors build a bit at this point, with strong wood and toasted nut dominating with a bit of a charcoal on the finish.

At the final 3rd of the cigar, the charcoal builds to be the dominant flavor; a bit unpleasent.  This can be mitigated a bit if you purge the cigar (to purge: blow out through the cigar to remove the standing smoke rather than continue to draw in), and after purging the cigar develops sweet threads in the wood and nut flavors making for a more complex pallet. 

Every RP cigar I have smoked needs to be drawn carefully during the final 3rd to avoid producing bitter flavors on both the flavor and finish, and this cigar is no different.  Having this knowledge has improved my experience with Rocky's cigars, and will help your experience as well.  As for this stick; a good smoke with strong flavors, and one I would recommend to both the amateur and aficionado.

Churchill's Lounge at David P. Ehrlich Co.- A Place to Relax

While wondering around Boston, MA on a warm fall afternoon, I decided that it would be nice to find a nice cigar bar for a little break.  Standing in Quincy Market, my choice was to visit Churchill's Lounge at David P. Ehrlich Co. at 40 North Street.

Upon entering the door, patrons find themselves facing a large walk-in humidor.  I checked the door, and it was locked.  Before I could even turn to ask for help, the proprietor, Barry Macdonald, was there with the key.  He unlocked the door with a smile and offered a hello, then returned to his place behind the bar.  I went in and viewed the selection, not entirely sure what I was looking for.  The selection was not the largest I had seen, but after browsing through and assessing the inventory I found it to be of high quality with selections for nearly every smoker.

I picked out a cigar, and head to the bar to pay for the stick.  Greeted with a smile, Barry process my purchase quickly.  He tells me that Churchill's has been in business for about 11 years, and judging by the look of the establishment it has been a successful 11 years.  A comfortable half-moon bar with tall high back stools is the start of the location.  The room then opens up and is filled with an array of comfortable leather furniture, and inviting cafe tables.  In the back is a set of humidor lockers, though shamefully I admit I did not get around to inquiring about rental.

I did not get to stay long, as I was in town for a training and only had an hour for lunch.  If you find yourself in town, and looking for a relaxing spot to enjoy a beer and a cigar, stop down to Churchill's Lounge- you will not be disappointed.  They are open from 9 AM to midnight on Monday and Tuesday, 9 AM to 1 AM Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, 10 AM to 1 AM on Saturday, and noon to midnight on Sunday.

Davidoff Special "R"

One of the most important aspects of any cigar is the quality of the construction.  Manufacturers that miss this important step can leave the customer frustrated when the stick unravels and loses the edge.  Davidoff proves proves that they are above all a producer of quality in the focus on construction.

The Davidoff Special "R" is a beautiful cigar.  The Connecticut wrapper is bright and inviting, and the simple white band sets off the color wonderfully.  The stick cuts perfectly with no evidence of shredding.  The foot toasts smoothly taking a solid coal very quickly.  The draw is smooth, and the edge remains razor sharp from begging to end.

The cigar is mild to medium in strength, and displays notes of wood throughout the smoke.  As I move into the second 3rd of the smoke, the ash is tight and uniform in color, again a solid statement on the quality of Davidoff's construction.  The smoke starts to develop hints of sweetness on the fringes of the pallet, a trait that I enjoy in many cigars but one that fails to fully develop in the Special "R".  This finish on the smoke is still quite strong in wood flavors, remaining at this one dimension through to the end of the smoke.

The superb construction of this cigar, matched with the mild strength and low complexity make this cigar a great choice for those who smoke infrequently.  It is also a fitting choice for anytime a seasoned aficionado is seeking something a bit more simple but still of high quality.

Fonseca Cubano Limitado Belicoso Corto

Sometimes when you walk into a cigar shop, you look around at all there is to offer, and you take a chance. I found myself in such a position this week, and I quickly grabbed a Fonseca Cubano Limitado Belicoso Corto.

The cigar is Cuban seed, from the Nicaraguan and Dominican fillers to the Honduran wrapper. This is not to say it is a Cuban cigar, but it does provide a set of flavors that I have not yet experienced in a cigar. Toasting the foot goes quickly, and the draw is smooth and easy, producing nice clouds of smoke. The initial flavors are light leather with a strong hit of spice. The spice fades out quickly, long before the first 3rd is finished, and what is left is a building leather on the pallet with a faint sweetness on the edges of the finish.

The smoke produces a nice tight ash that holds on through the first half of the cigar, with only a second ash occurring during the smoke. As I move from the second 3rd into the final 3rd, the flavors begin to intensify with the smoke moving from a medium strength into something much more full. The stick finishes out nicely, having provided a very enjoyable hour.

The Fonseca Cubano Limitado is an attractive stick providing a smooth smoke, without any hint of harshness at all. A definite must smoke for any enthusiast.

Let's Talk About Cigar Size

I was asked the question a few weeks ago on Ward B at Cigar World "what size cigar do you prefer?" A valid question, but before I could truly answer the question I had to figure out what cigar sizes existed.

Surprisingly there are many different cigar sizes. First, the basics: A cigar is measured by the length, often in inches, and by the ring gauge which is a measurement of how many 64ths of an inch the cigar measures in it's diameter. For example, the Punch Gran Cru is a 5 1/4 x 50, meaning it is 5 1/4 inches long and 50/64 inches in diameter.

Roughly, cigar sizes range as follows:

-Half Corona: 4 1/4 x 42
-Rothschild: 4 1/2 x 50
-Robusto: 5 x 50
-Corona: 5 1/2 x 42
-Toro: 6 x 50
-Torpedo: 6 1/4 x 52
-Lonsdale: 6 1/2 x 44
-Churchill: 7 x 48
-Double Corona: 7 1/2 x 54
-President: 8 1/2 x 52

Please remember that this list is very basic and not all inclusive. There are numerous custom sizes for individual cigar producers, and there is also some variance around the measurements listed above (for example, a Brick House Churchill measures 7 1/4 x 50, and a Rocky Patel 1990 Vintage Churchill measures 7 x 48, while a Padron Maduro Churchill comes in at 6 x 46). One must remember that this is the Cigar Amateur, and therefore we are only aiming to approach proficiency, not to define the complete boundaries of the cigar world.

As you venture through the numerous offerings of the cigar world, try different sizes to find what you like. Understand the time needed for each individual size, and allow yourself that time to enjoy the smoke. If you do not, it is not fair to you or the stick.