State of the Humidor - Jan 3, 2014 

I have shamelessly let this cigar blog lapse since last August.  It's going to bite me in the butt, too, because I've smoked a lot of good cigars and now I can't remember what they were. 

Here's the 2014 State of the Humidor:

New cigars to try in 2014:

1. E.P. Carillos Predelictos
2. Pinar Del Rio Small Batch Black Corojo Torpedo

Last cigar of 2013:

• Arturo Fuente Hemingway Short Story, while watching a Bears-Packers game with my brothers-in-law

First cigar of 2014:

• El Credito from the LGC factory in Miami, while watching Fiesta Bowl at Steve Laster's house

New cigars I tried in 2013, that I would purchase again in the future:

• Padilla Reserva Maduro Toro
• EP Carillo Core Natural
• Joya de Nicragua Antano 1970
• Dunhill Aged
• Cusano Habano LXI Sun Grown
• Pinar Del Rio Habano Sun Grown
• Casa de Fernandez Miami Toro
• Beale Street Maduro
• "My Uzi Weighs A Ton" Bait Fish
• Gran Habano Corojo Vintage 2002 (although I prefer the "non-vintage" version)
• Maria Guerrero Robusto
• Alec Bradley MAXX Brazil
• Cupido Criollo (but not the perfecto, due to persistent construction issues)
• Nat Sherman Timeless Collection #556

New cigars I tried in 2013, that I would not purchase again:  

• La Traviata by CAO
• Zino Platinum
• Gurkha Ghost
• Rocky Patel Private Cellar
• Dona Flor Robusto
• CAO Concert Churchill
• CLE Corojo

I'm running 3 humidors, and here is an approximate listing of their contents from memory:

• 5 Vegas Limitada 2011 Belicoso
• La Perla Habana Morado Toro
• La Habana Rojo Toro
• Famous Nicaraguan 3000 Torpedo
• 5 Vegas High Primings Double Corona
• 5 Vegas Miami Churchill
• Pinar del Rio (sampler of various blends)
• Oliveros Sun Grown Churchill
• Pinar Del Rio Small Batch Black Corojo Torpedo
• Legends Series - Camacho
• La Perla Habana Morado Belicoso
• Man O War seconds
• Pinar del Rio Sun Grown Dbl Corona (half box)
• E.P. Carillos Predelictos (5)
• Excalibur Legend Challengers (2)
• Padilla Achilles Toro (2)
• 5 Vegas Cask Strength Toro (single)
• Perdomo Patriarch Corojo (single)
• Perdomo Grand Cru Corojo (single)
• Perdomo 2 Limited Edition (single)
• Perdomo Lot 23 (single)

This doesn't count the Lost Sticks Cemetary, the top tray of my large humidor. I save the last cigar from each box and put it in this tray for long-term aging, just to see how some sticks will hold up for 3-5 years.

Here are several short reviews of cigars I got at the Big Smoke in Las Vegas last year:

Dunhill Aged

Size: Rothschild

Known informally as "blue label", this cigar features filler and binder leaves from the Cibao Valley in the Dominican Republic; the wrapper is a USA-grown Connecticut. This is a mild, creamy cigar with a straight burn and an easy draw. Perfect construction. Very reminiscent of a Montecristo White or a Gispert. Moderate amount of flavor, undistinguished nose and finish.

Joya de Nicragua Antano 1970

Size: Robusto

This is the pinnacle of the JdN line, a puro featuring a heavy blend of ligero filler with a thick, dark Nicaraguan wrapper. The name Antano means "yesteryear" in Spanish; and this blend is meant as a reincarnation of the famous JdN blend of the same name from the 1970's.

This was a potent cigar, but lacked the pepper/spice I was expecting. Very enjoyable nonetheless, but it fell short of my expectations, which were admittedly very high.

Rocky Patel Private Cellar

Trust me, this isn't Rocky's go-to cigar from some secret stash in a gold-plated humidor. Just another ho-hum medium-bodied maduro. Fine construction, but no power under the hood.

EP Carillo Core Natural

This was (perhaps) my favorite from the Big Smoke.

A few years ago Ernesto Perez-Carillo sold the company he founded, La Gloria Cubana Cigars, to one of the major conglomerates, then turned around and started a new company with all-new blends. I smoked the Regalias Real vitola (5 5/8 x 46).

It reminded me of the Flor de A. Allones. Lots of pepper-spice with a lean aroma and just a slight finish.

Gurkha Ghost

A jaw-breaking 6 x 60 behemoth. Started with some little spice, and quickly settled into a very average-tasting maduro. Not bad, but nothing to write home about (other than Gurkha's distinctively cool artwork).