FOH'ers Daily Smoke

[Hotboxx]

[daleighan]

2014 Bolivar Petit Corona

[Trimming]

[inter4alia]

Switching it up tonight - - fireside My Father No. 4. Not pictured beverage pairing, Weller Antique 107. Good night. 

[potvin]

[jtfrizzy]

Bourbon barrel aged Kolsch?? Wow that sounds amazing. I have never heard of anything like that for Kolsch before

Yeah I know me neither until i saw this at the local beer store on tap and got a 25.4 ox crowler of it. Needless to say i bought too little of it and hope they have more because it is delicious. Light and crisp as you'd expect a Kolsch to be, yet packed with flavor. CR Brewing is a little craft brewery in New Castle, PA im going to do a little research on it and see if the bottle or can it. If so I'll let you know.

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[KnightsAnole]

Poderosos

[Thirds]

16 hours ago, FatherOfPugs said:

Rough day today. Spent 6 hours in the ER with my 7 month old......he is doing ok thank God. My current set up this evening and much needed stress relief. 

Glad to hear everything is ok.  ??

[mbflash80]

2014 pyramid extra with a tasting of Islays...CFB playoffs on...good day!

[dangolf18]

Really great cigar

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[CptGoodTimes]

Game day! PURrrrrr DIC16 with a Founders Breakfast Stout

[JohnS]

Cuaba Distinguidos LGR Nov 2018

Cuaba. Just the name alone incites all manner of reactions from cigar enthusiasts ranging from derision to novelty acceptance. But how did we get to this point? If you aren't familiar with the full story behind the Cuaba marca, please read on. It all makes for an interesting story!

Firstly, let me quote the Brand Notes Status from Cuban Cigar Website, prepared initially by Trevor and recently updated by Alex...

Cuaba is a current post-Revolution brand introduced in 1996, specifically to produce Figurado shaped cigars. It is classified in Habanos SA's 'Other' group of their portfolio bands. In the pre-2019 classification system it was a niche brand. When first introduced, Cuaba was considered to be a premium brand, alongside Cohiba and Trinidad, and frequently appeared in exotic commemorative releases. Over the years it appears to have slipped, and today only receives occasional special releases. Unlike other 'Other' category brands, Cuaba does not appear to be eligible for Regional Editions.

Source: https://www.cubancigarwebsite.com/brand/cuaba#distinguidos

So, let me explain further. Cuaba was introduced in 1996 as a 'premium' brand. In 1998, Trinidad was similarly marketed as a 'premium' brand. Cohiba was the other up-market brand that Habanos S.A was banking on in the 1990s to revive the Cuban cigar industry. History has since proved that Cuaba never reached these indented lofty heights. Under the previous classification of brands, Trinidad, Cuaba and San Cristobal were 'niche' brands. This meant that these three brands never received Regional Edition releases. Now that the marcas have been re-branded in 2019, it's interesting to note that San Cristobal now has a Regional Edition release slated for late-2019 for Cuba. Trinidad has been re-branded as a 'Value' brand alongside Punch (2), Bolivar (3) and Ramon Allones (3) and all three of these marcas have had not only plenty of Regional Edition releases but also some Limited Edition releases (the amount of Limited Edition releases has been listed numerically within this paragraph in parentheses).

Trinidad also has had three Limited Edition releases and since re-branding it has had additional regular production cigars added to its line-up. Cuaba? It has only had a few special releases since its inception and and one critically-favoured Limited Edition in 2008. Cuaba therefore remains the only marca, outside the budget brands, to not have a Regional Edition release. Let me re-state that...the only one! But why? Is it the blend of the marca? Or is it something else?

In 2016, Simon Chase wrote (as per usual) an excellent article for Cigar Journal in regards to the Cuaba marca and its double figurado shape, or perfecto as some of us prefer to label the twin-tapered shape of Cuaba cigars at the head and the foot. I think it's best to re-quote it in its entirety below...

A special Shape – The History of the Double Figurado

The other day I decided to smoke a Cuban Distinguido. Apart from its attractive mid-brown wrapper and superb tailoring all along its 162 mm (63⁄8 inch) length, it was the shape that caught my eye. Resembling one of those airships you see occasionally advertising car tires, it stood out amongst the mostly straight-sided, or parejo, cigars in my humidor.

I cut the head 3 mm from the point and was then confronted with an aperture to light that was no bigger than a cigarette. I touched it with the light and, as I drew on the cigar, a scimitar-shaped flame leapt skywards. The taste was intriguing. Most of the flavour came from the wrapper and what filler there was inside the conical foot made a sharp, dry impression on my palate. As the burn progressed to the widest part of this 52 ring gauge vitola, the taste became rounder and richer; much more like the medium-to-full-flavour billing given to Cuaba by Habanos S.A.

For me, it was not an entirely new experience, but I was reminded of the time I had to do a crash course in smoking cigars of this shape, almost exactly 20 years ago when Hunters & Frankau was chosen to launch Cuaba.

In the mid 1990s, the Cuban industry was still suffering from the after-effects of the collapse of the Soviet Union. Cigar production was at a 25-year low. Nevertheless, the cigar boom that had started in the United States was beginning to reach Europe, and Habanos S.A. had just been founded, bringing a new level of expertise to the time-honoured Havana trade. It was time for innovation.

The incentive for new ideas came from the very top. Fidel Castro was convinced that new brands were needed not only to enliven Cuba’s cigar portfolio, but also, given that one day the US trade embargo might end, to provide the industry with a chance to break into the US market where most of its brands were registered by competitive companies. Francisco Linares, Habanos S.A.’s president at the time, was given the task. His efforts saw Vegas Robaina and Vegueros launched in 1997, Trinidad in 1998 and San Cristóbal de la Habana in 1999, but the very first was Cuaba in 1996.

The concept of creating a brand that would consist entirely of Double Figurados, or Perfectos as some people call them, was one of many around at that time, but it was not the simplest. True, once upon a time, virtually all Habanos came in that shape, but that was in the 19th century. Old catalogues in Hunters & Frankau’s archive indicate that straight-sided surpassed Double Figurados in the mid 1930s, though many were still produced. By the 1990s there were just three vitolas left in the Cuban portfolio: Romeo y Julieta Celestiales Finos, Partagás Presidentes and Fonseca Invictos. As a result, there were hardly any torcedores (cigar rollers) working in the industry with the skills to roll such complicated shapes.

The project became feasible only because of the commitment of one man, a 60-year-old torcedor at the Romeo factory named Carlos Izquierdo. Generations of the Izquierdo family had worked at Romeo, and Carlos had started there in 1950, rising quickly to become a top-grade roller. The cigar he most loved to make was the Romeo y Julieta Romeo, which, incidentally, was exactly the same vitola as the Cuaba Distinguido. When it was discontinued in 1978, Carlos was so upset that he vowed that every time he met anyone from Habanos S.A., or Cubatabaco its predecessor, he would plead with them to reintroduce Double Figurados, which he viewed as the pinnacle of the cigars roller’s art.

Consequently, Linares knew exactly where to turn for help with his new brand. Overjoyed, Carlos set about training a special cadre of 14 cigar rollers at Romeo. I remember meeting them around that time and being surprised at how young they all were. Clearly, Carlos was determined to pass on his skills to an entirely new generation.

In 1995, Linares paid his first visit to England. He toured many of London’s top cigar merchants, where he saw their collections of old and rare cigars, but what stopped him in his tracks was one of Hunters & Frankau’s heirlooms. It is a gilded and glazed frame that contains the actual cigars made by La Corona in 1885, or thereabouts. As every cigar is a Double Figurado, Linares concluded that the only place to launch his fledgling Cuaba brand was London.

So it was that, on 19th November 1996, Francisco Linares, president of Habanos S.A., and Nicholas Freeman, chairman of Hunters & Frankau, hosted a black tie dinner for 200 guests at Claridge’s Hotel. Seated quietly at one of the tables, his bow tie slightly askew and looking as if he would prefer to be at his factory bench, was Carlos Izquierdo, the man who was most responsible for the event taking place at all.

Source: https://www.cigarjournal.com/a-special-shape-the-history-of-the-double-figurado/

So, again, in summary what Simon is telling us is that the double figurado size was once the most popular size for Cuban cigars but by around the 1930s Parejo or straight-shaped cigars took over. Double figurados diminished in popularity and availability, mainly due to the skill required to produced quality constructed examples.

I think, therefore, that what has effected Cuaba's reputation over the years is a combination of the quality control due to the difficulty in rolling them and the blend too, in my opinion, has to be absolutely 'spot on' to support the shape of the cigar. This cigar today (that I smoked) was solid in its construction. Ash-length was perfect, clearly defined ridges per draw and a slight coning per ash, which was also consistent at a good length, was all plain to see but inexplicably I had to re-light the cigar once or twice. Flavour-wise, yes I got some wonderful roasted peanut and orange citrus essence combined with a nice shortbread but at points in this cigar it seemed that I got wafts of plain toasted tobacco and honestly this is what Cuaba can give you...an inconsistency that frustrates both in construction and flavour.

Overall, I did enjoy this Distinguidos but I have to admit that I've had better. The only issue is, I haven't had them better often enough. I hope you've now come to appreciate where and why Cuaba stands a marca, thanks to Cuban Cigar Website and the excellent research of Simon Chase (long may we remember him!).

[Trevor2118]

Congratulations on an excellent article John (@JohnS). 

I recently smoked a RyJ Aguilas from the 2005 RyJ Humidor,  a 50 x 143 double figurados (Perfecto).

For a 14 year old cigar, it was spectacular....a close second to the 2009 Cohiba Grand Reservas that John and I smoked earlier this year. 

I remember lamenting..."If only Cuaba could produce perfectos like this"

www.cubancigarwebsite.com/brand/romeo-y-julieta#130-aniversario-humidor

https://www.cubancigarwebsite.com/brand/cohiba#gran-reserva-cosecha-2003

[CampDelta369]

[Wookie]

[LLC]

UPE MAR 13 HU Noellas with an Americano. Excellent.


Reynaldo Sublimes while watching CFP’s.



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[Gamehawker]

On 12/27/2019 at 4:04 PM, FatherOfPugs said:

TOS DIC 15. Just phenomenal. Try one. You won't regret it.

The box code on my two full boxes is "TOR DIC 15".

Thanks for the encouragement and description of them. 

It is tempting but I think I will wait.

[Gamehawker]

On 12/27/2019 at 9:13 PM, FatherOfPugs said:

Rough day today. Spent 6 hours in the ER with my 7 month old......he is doing ok thank God. My current set up this evening and much needed stress relief. 

I am glad to hear your son is doing okay.

[Hotboxx]

2017 SIGLO VI    Didn’t want to stop to take the pic

 

[havanaclub]

Enjoying a La Trova ARS OCT 18

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[BoliDan]

Sig 2, one of my all time favorites. All the power of a sig I, but can last over an hour if you treat it right. Also PC is the perfect size for Colorado since its either 20 degrees or 110 degrees F. No inbetween this year. Hello snow, try to stop me!!! Paired with eagle rare.

[Trimming]

Freshie

 

 

Happy Sunday Gents 

 

[JohnS]

8 hours ago, Trevor2118 said:

Congratulations on an excellent article John (@JohnS). 

I recently smoked a RyJ Aguilas from the 2005 RyJ Humidor,  a 50 x 143 double figurados (Perfecto).

For a 14 year old cigar, it was spectacular....a close second to the 2009 Cohiba Grand Reservas that John and I smoked earlier this year. 

I remember lamenting..."If only Cuaba could produce perfectos like this"

www.cubancigarwebsite.com/brand/romeo-y-julieta#130-aniversario-humidor

https://www.cubancigarwebsite.com/brand/cohiba#gran-reserva-cosecha-2003

Thank you Trevor, for the accolade. Of course, I concur with your sentiments in regards to the Romeo y Julieta Aguilas too. Below is an image of the one I smoked from the same humidor from September 2017, for the benefit of our members who may not be familiar with the cigar...

[westg]

 

Trinidad Colonailes whith White Rabbit dark ale . Great pairing

 

[MigsG]

One of my last few Bolivar Tubos No. 1, ULA MAR 15.  A superb, complex Bolivar.