Life Goes On

If you appreciate fine coffee like I do, here's another superb sample that I was lucky enough to get my hands on. The flavors of this Carmen Geisha Panama were sweet and bright with a crisp, lively mouthfeel. Is this another "top shelf" coffee? Let's find out... Details Kuma Coffee Seattle, WA Carmen Geisha Panama Roast: Medium - City + Brewing method: Pour-over Sample from: Bean Box Aroma From the bag the Geisha supplied prominent notes of coffee and sweet tangerine. Once ground the aroma was reminiscent of sweet, yet tart Meyer lemon. The pour-over created yet another shift in the aroma that reminded me of raspberry jam.  Mouthfeel Extraction on this pour-over was perfect. The first sips of Carmen Geisha Panama were bright, clean and full of life, with a cleansing palate wash. As the coffee cooled, a light syrupiness developed, yet it still had the same mouthwatering effect across the palate and a lingering sweet aftertaste.  Flavor Not

Fort Lauderdale, FL - In keeping with consumer demand, Gurkha Cigars, known internationally as much for their super premium luxury cigars as well as for their innovation, has created their first Lancero-sized cigar in The Classic Cigar: Havana Blend. "Gurkha Cigars has a reputation for out-of-the-box thinking," said National Sales Manager Juan Lopez. "We follow the market closely and listen to what consumers and our clientele are asking for. The Classic Cigar: Havana Blend Lancero fulfills that demand." The Classic Cigar: Havana Blend created by Lopez and CEO Kaizad Hansotia is part of the company's East India Trading Company line. "After a few years of searching for the right wrapper and combination of tobaccos, we created this beautiful Nicaraguan masterpiece," said Hansotia. It has a Mexican San Andres wrapper over Nicaraguan binder and fillers. It's medium bodied and full flavored with earthy, nutty undertones. It retails for $8

When looking at this New World Virrey (a 6 x 58 Gordo), from  A.J. Fernandez Cigars , "outstanding" is the first word that come to mind. The New World Gordo is has two nice looking bands, it's box pressed, plus the dark, Nicaraguan Oscuro colored wrapper is rolled on with seamless care and it's practically vein free. When checking the cold aromas, there sweet floral notes to the nose from the foot and the free draw has notes of toasted fermented tobacco. Once burning the filler blend of ligeros from Esteli, Condega and Ometepe produce a nice volume of medium bodied smoke with flavor notes of toast, brown sugar and nuts. As the burn enters the cigar's second third there are added notes of caramel, oak and molasses while the body moves toward  the full range. Near the cigar's mid point the burn took off a bit and the cigar needed a quick correction. By the final third the body moved into the full range as the flavors shifted again. The tasty brown sug

Once in a while I misjudge a cigar and this Inferno 3rd Degree from Oliva Cigars   really caught me off guard. With the first whiffs from the cold foot I could tell this was a full bodied cigar, but the initial aroma mix had some bold spice. Spice in the cold aroma mix, Inferno for the name? I thought, "oh oh, pepper bomb".  That assumption was totally wrong. Once burning I discovered it wasn't a pepper bomb at all. What I did experience from the Famous Smoke Shop exclusive Inferno 3rd Degree cigar  was sixty-five minutes of full bodied, full flavored bliss.  The Inferno 3rd Degree contains all triple-fermented Nicaraguan tobaccos covered in a stout Maduro colored Habano Nicaraguan wrapper that's nearly vien free. From the cold foot the rich aroma contains notes of raisins, cocoa and spice, while the firm cold draw has flavors of bold spiced fruit.  Once burning the first puffs of meaty, chewy, full bodied smoke had delicious flavors of coffee, cocoa a

Bright and crisp, yet soft and supple, this Costa Rica Geisha brewed into one of the finest cups I've had the pleasure to sip.  Zoka Coffee Company Seattle, WA Costa Rica Geisha Origin: Costa Rica Region: Tarrazu Roast: Medium - City + Brewing method: Pour-over Sample from: Bean Box After first cracking the bag open, I knew this Costa Rica Geisha was going to brew into a great cup. The aroma of ripe tree fruit hit me instantly and after grinding, the aromas really bloomed. When hot water saturated the ground coffee in the pour-over cone, the aromas changed slightly with added notes of light spice and toast. With the pour-over complete an enticing aroma of sweet toffee radiated from the hot cup to greet my nose. Extraction on this pour-over was spot-on, the first sips were light, bright and crisp, but at the same time smooth, mouthwatering and perfectly balanced. After the coffee cools a bit the brightness builds a little, but it's still delightful, wel

Gobs of smoke, over-the-top construction, a nice burn time and a sweet fermented tobacco flavor mix, what more can you ask for in a cigar? Well that's just what I found smoking this  La Aurora Cigars Puro Vintage 2006 Edicion III Aniversario Salomon. This La Aurora Puro Vintage 2006 Edicion III Aniversario Salomon is a pretty special cigar. All the tobacco leaves in the blend were harvested in 2006 and production was limited to 1500 numbered 1906 replica boxes.  Looking at the overall construction, it's very nice. The Colorado Maduro colored wrapper is rolled on seamlessly and there are only the finest of veins present.  The cigar is packed well full length and the combination of an Ecuadorian wrapper, Brazilian binder over Dominican, Nicaraguan, and Brazilian fillers produce a pleasant aroma of spicy fermented tobacco from the cold foot.  After clipping the end, the free cold draw again has notes of well fermented spicy tobacco, but there are added hints of swe

Superb construction and a complex flavor mix contributed to a great overall smoking experience from this Sabor de Esteli Robusto by  Guayacan Cigars . Construction of the Sabor de Esteli is nothing short of top notch. A binder and fillers from Nicaragua are wrapped in a Colorado colored San Andreas wrapper that's nearly vein free. From the cold foot there are light notes of fruit to the nose while the free cold draw has notes of sweet fruit.  Once burning the first medium bodied puffs were flavorful with a mix of toast, mild tree fruit and light brown sugar. As the burn progressed up the body more flavors jumped in. There were hints of white pepper, nuts, cocoa, oak and espresso. In the final third the body moves into the full range and the cigar finishes it's fifty minute burn with nice notes of fermented tobacco, toast, caramel and a sweet lingering aftertaste on the palate. Overall this Sabor de Esteli Robusto was a real treat to smoke. If you have the

Oily, aromatic and evenly roasted, this looks like a great sample. Just looking at this Uganda Bugisu whole bean coffee from Buna Mobile Roasting Company   as I take the picture it   makes my mouth water with anticipation.  Buna Mobile Roasting Company Uganda Bugisu Roast: Vienna Light French Brewing method: Pour-over Once the bag is opened the first thing you notice, besides the dark, rich and oily appearance of the beans, are the bold aromatic aromas of toast, cocoa and coffee. Along the way I found grinding these whole beans enhances the nice aroma they produce.  As hot water is introduced during the pour-over process the wet coffee radiates pleasant cocoa and floral notes to the nose.  With the pour-over complete, the aroma changes dramatically as there are notes of cloves and sweet pecans coming from the cupped brew.  The first sips are bright and there are deep rich notes of toasted walnuts. The coffee leaves behind slightly pungent aftertaste and the li

Today we're taking a look at the  Davidoff Cigars  Nicaragua Tubo Robusto. Although I reviewed this cigar last year, that cigar came from a non-tubo promo pack included with humidor I won from Davidoff Cigars  in 2014. Construction wise the two cigars are identical, but of course they should be. The Colorado Claro colored Nicaraguan Rosado wrapper is flawless with smooth, nearly invisible seams and only the finest of veins. Under the wrapper of this well packed cigar there's a Jalapa binder covering long fillers from Esteli, Condega, and Ometepe. From the cold foot there are notes of toasty fermented tobacco to the nose and the cold draw produces sweet notes of tree fruit with just an added hint of spice.  Once burning the cigar produced nice mouthfuls of mild bodied smoke with notes of toasted oak and a bit of spicy cedar. As the razor sharp burn moved up the body, notes of nuts, brown sugar and caramel joined the mix. Just past the halfway point the strength m

Fort Lauderdale, FL – The world’s finest and most expensive cigar maker -- Gurkha Cigars –  remains at the top of the super-premium luxury cigar category with the release of the super-premium luxury cigar ‘Maharaja.’  While Gurkha’s original super premium luxury cigar the ‘His Majesty’s Reserve’ is infused with Remy’s Louis XIII Cognac at $2,400 a bottle, the ‘Maharaja’ is not infused. It is, however, a secret blend of the best quality tobaccos available. The beautiful maduro wrapper pairs Dominican binder and fillers to create a smooth and sweet taste on the lips.  To be enjoyed by true cigar connoisseurs, the Gurkha Maharaja is medium bodied and one of a kind. It retails for $2,000 a stick.   “The limited edition ‘Maharaja’ has set a new precedent for premium tobacco,” said Kaizad Hansotia, founder and CEO of Gurkha Cigars. “We’re excited to be able to pair these rare leaves in such a magnificent and flavorful way. It’s been a while since our first release of the ‘His Maj

LA AURORA TO UNLEASH UNTAMED EXTREME AT THE 2015 IPCPR IN NEW ORLEANS (Miami, Florida) July 14, 2015 – La Aurora is looking to up the ante at this year’s IPCPR with the Untamed Extreme. The original Untamed which debuted in 2014 received high marks from critics, and ultimately received the honor of a Five Star Rating, and Cigar of the Year for 2014 by The Dominican Cigar Review. La Aurora, known for producing perfectly balanced cigars successfully created the aggressive full-bodied Untamed while delicately keeping their signature balance, between flavor and strength. La Aurora’s Master Blender, Manuel Inoa, is now looking to push palates even further, with the Untamed Extreme. Guillermo León, president of La Aurora stated: "Our team created an incredible cigar. With Untamed, we went beyond our traditional products. Now with Untamed Extreme, we look forward to solidifying our position as a company, which can offer products to please those looking, for a more extreme

  (Miami, Florida) July 13, 2015— Miami Cigar & Company, one of the originators of the flavored premium cigar is ready to introduce Coffee Break by Tatiana.  Miami Cigar & Co. founder, Nestor Miranda created the Tatiana Flavored cigar in 1996. After receiving such positive feedback from testing this innovative aromatic cigar with family and friends, he named the cigar after his daughter, Tatiana, and created one of the most popular cigar brands in the industry. Now the company is ready to add a little coffee bean into the mix. The Coffee Break by Tatiana is a 100% handmade premium cigar, made in the Dominican Republic. The Coffee Break will come in three different flavor variations: CORRETTO Blended to perfection, with notes of espresso and nuances of grappa, Sambuca and brandy, this cigar is the ultimate indulgence for the worldly ones. CORTADO Blended to bring out the velvety rich flavors of a smooth latte, with a delectable hit of espresso, this cigar has a

You probably already know that I'm a huge fan of pretty much every cigar A. J. Fernandez has a hand in. This recently released New World Connecticut falls right in line.  This tasty morsel starts with a claro colored shade grown Connecticut wrapper over a San Andres binder with fillers from Nicaragua and Brazil.  Looking at the cigar overall, the wrapper is rolled on in seamless fashion and you have look closely to find anything but very fine, spider web type veins. From the cold foot there are notes to the nose of spicy Spanish cedar, toast and a hint of sweet fruit. Testing the free cold draw there were again notes of spice and fruit. After toasting and lighting the foot the New World Connecticut produced nice mouthfuls of mild bodied smoke with notes of nuts, toast and a hint of spice. Around the mid point the strength builds just a bit moving into the mild/medium range. At this point the flavor mix shifts a little as there are notes of white pepper, toasted

  (Miami, Florida) July 13, 2015— A.J. Fernandez Cigars, known for producing consistently highly rated and sought after cigars, is proud to unveil “Enclave” at the 2015 IPCPR in New Orleans. Following in the footsteps of the very popular New World cigar, the Enclave blend was a special collaboration between A.J. and his father Ismael Fernandez. The spirit of the Enclave cigar lies within the special brotherhood, created by those who enjoy a great cigar. In the dictionary, Enclave is defined as: a portion of territory within or surrounded by a larger territory whose inhabitants are culturally or ethnically distinct. Cigar smokers from every ethnic background, race, or creed, bond together daily to escape the everyday, while sharing a handcrafted premium cigar. A.J. Fernandez Cigars celebrates this brotherhood with the Enclave. A.J. Fernandez said: “There is no doubt that there is a special bond shared among those passionate about cigars. I experience it daily as I have

After a couple month hiatus, I am finally back and working again. I'm a bit behind, but I will get to everything that's stacked up, just not at the fast and furious pace set before. Things have slipped with Mom. Her dementia has tightened its grip and helping her on a day-to-day basis is much more time consuming than any time in the past two years. I finally have a better grip on the time constraints and have even smoked a couple cigars that are ready to write up.  If you would like the full story here's a link to my Alzheimer's blog that spells it all out in detail.  http://alz.dangumm.com/2015/07/where-have-i-been.html I'm happy to be back and I hope everyone has a great day!

Davidoff introduces a new line of complex Winston Churchill short cigars to delight aficionados who are short on time Basel, June 2015.  Davidoff announces the addition of two short cigars in a Belicoso and Petit Panetela format to the recently introduced line of Davidoff Winston Churchill cigars bearing the name of the world’s most iconic cigar aficionado – Sir Winston Churchill. A man whose many facets and complexity added up to a personality which set him apart. A man who was the very embodiment of “Time Beautifully Filled”. “These two new short formats have been designed to delight aficionados with an exceptionally complex cigar when time is a luxury. Like other cigars in the Davidoff Winston Churchill range, they are inspired by two of Winston Churchill’s complex character facets: a man of great speeches and write ups – The ‘Raconteur’, and a man who explored the world – The ‘Traveller’,” says Charles Awad, Senior Vice President Global Marketing and Innovat

Fort Lauderdale, FL – While Gurkha is known throughout the world for making super premium luxury cigars, CEO Kaizad Hansotia knows that change is key in the cigar business and it’s critical for growth to develop new brands. Now, just in time for the International Premium Cigar & Pipe Retailers show, IPCPR, Gurkha has released three new blended cigars that are expected to become blockbusters. They are the Cellar Reserve Platinum Edition, Heritage and The Cask Blend. The Cellar Reserve Platinum Edition is Gurkha’s first Nicaraguan blended cigar in the prestigious Cellar Reserve line. It has an Eduadorian oscuro wrapper and a Nicaraguan binder and 12-year-old fillers from Condega, Esteli, and Jalapa. It’s medium bodied and comes in two three sizes; Krakean 6 x 60, Hedonism 6x58, and Solara 5 x 58. It is specifically blended to deliver the richest characteristics and complexity that comes from Nicaraguan aged tobaccos. It retails for $8.99 - $10.99 a cigar.  “When developing t

DURAN CIGARS TO RELEASE THE “SANTO” CARDENAS EDITION OF THE ROBERTO P. DURAN SIGNATURE SERIES (Miami, Florida) July 8, 2015— Duran Cigars will be unveiling the Limited Edition Roberto P Duran Salomon rolled by Master Roller Crisanto “Santo”  Cardenas at the 2015 IPCPR in New Orleans. The 7¼ x 57  Salomon comes in individual, hand signed and numbered, cedar coffins housed in 5 count boxes.  All 3000 cigars have been personally rolled by Santo at our Nicatabaco factory in Esteli, Nicaragua.   This limited edition cigar features the same Ecuadorian Habano Criollo wrapper of the Roberto P Duran Signature line with the blend slightly altered to Santo’s liking. Roberto Pelayo Duran, owner of Duran cigars said this about the new project:  " Anyone that follows the history of the Cuban Cigar industry is well aware  that Santo Cardenas is one of the very top Cuban Cigar rollers of all times.  When it comes to the Salomon vitola, he is perhaps second to none. Santo has been

Old Brand, New Style DALLAS,TX  –  Acme Cigar Company announces the launch of the company and its three new lines – Acme Premier Ecuador, Acme Premier San Andres and Acme Route 66.  The company and its new lines will be at the International Premium Cigar and Pipe Retailers show in New Orleans July 17- 21. (Booths 12225, 12226) The name Acme Cigar Company comes from an old U-S brand that was began in the late 19 th century.  The idea was to reinvent an old tradition for modern tastes. The cigars are being made at Nicaragua’s second oldest factory and one of the nation’s largest operations, Nicaraguan American Cigars SA, or NACSA, founded by legendary cigar maker Frank Llaneza, and the tobaccos come from Oliva Tobacco Company which has been in tobacco since 1934 and growing its own tobacco for cigars since 1959.  The company owns one farm in Nicaragua and four farms in Ecuador and contracts many other growers who work exclusively for Oliva.   According to Acme Cigar C