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.

Alec Bradley MAXX Brazil

Size: 5 x 50

Tobacco: Brazilian, Colombian, Nicaraguan, Mexican, and Honduran

Price: $6.60

Heavy-bodied, earthy cigar with a Brazilian maduro wrapper.  Tastes nearly identical to the CAO Brazilia, including those same heady, rich, shifting aromas.  As a rule, I find Brazilan wrappers to be the most aromatic but with muted flavors.  Perfect draw with a lots of white smoke.  Good construction. Paired on a cool August night with Jimmy Buffet music and rye whiskey.

Maria Guerrero Robusto

Size: 5 x 54

Wrapper: African Cameroon 
Filler: Honduras, Nicaragua, Peru

Price: $7

This cigar represents a revival of a classic Cuban brand originally created to capitalize on the sensual beauty of the much-heralded Spanish stage actress María Guerrero.

I picked up an old Maria Guerrera at a cigar store in Terre Haute, IN.  The cellophane was a dark, musty yellow, and I would proffer a guess this cigar was at least 5 or more years old.  It had that soft, mellow flavor of a well-aged cigar (it reminded me of the Bolivar I smoked in Megan's Bay on St. Thomas).  This cigar was mild-to-medium; not my favorite taste profile, but I do feel that mild cigars age better than strong cigars.  I would definitely try this one again.

Gran Habano Corojo Vintage 2002

Size: Churchill 7 x 50

Tobacco: Nicaraguan & Honduran

Price: $7 

The Vintage line from CI is an aged version of the GH #5 Corojo; the wrapper is aged 8 years before it is rolled.  Very smooth, with a long finish, but the cigar loses some of its punch over time.  The wrapper loses its glossy, oily texture.  I actually think I prefer this cigar with only 1 year of age on it.