Week in Smoke – TGT Edition posted on February 9th, 2012
Episode 7 – Your Questions My Answers
In this episode Walt and I talk about:
Special occassion cigars
Different parts of the tobacco plant and how they are used
Rotating Your Cigars
Lew Rothman and the Cuban Embargo
Marketing Cigars that claim to have Pre Embargo tobacco
Cigar smoking etiquette
Must have Cigar Media (magazines, books, & DVD)
Video runs around 50 minutes for your enjoyment inbetween Easter egg hunts and Easter dinner. Happy Easter & Happy Passover for my Jewish brothers (believe it or not, there is a Jewish side to my Filipino family).
What’s with the dogwatch stuff in the middle of the second question?
…but otherwise another great Y.Q.M.A. video!
By the way, pre-embargo cigars / tobacco / anything is exempt from the ban.
Not that it bothers me, I’m from London!
Ha ha!
oops…blame the idiot video editor on the placement of that DWSC voice over. Was supposed to go towards the end and not after the second question. My bad…but if you’re not listening to the Dogwatch Cigar Radio you’re definitely missing out. Bob & Dale are our idols!
Great show guys. The Pre Embargo Pinars you referenced are, in my opinion, awful. I agree with Jerry that Cuban cigars are, for the most part, over rated. There are alot of great cigars available without having to resort to the whole ISOM thing.
I smoked an ’04 Torano Tribute yesterday and couldn’t have been happier. Cuban, Schmooban.
Keep up the good work!
I agree with you guys on the whole cuban thing. I have a decent stash of them and I hardly smoke them. There are alot of good cigars out there from other countries. I believe when the emargo ends, the cigars with will be made with quantity in mind and not quality. Jerry, I go down to Florida twice a year and I hit Corona Cigars everyday. A few years back they had pre-castro MonteCristo #2′s. They were going for 300 bucks a stick. That’s friggin nuts!! I can buy a shitload of cigars for 300 bucks. The guy working there swore up and down that the cigar smoked as if it were rolled yesterday. Great review!
Just wanted to let you guys know I’ve had a couple of the Pinar cigars blended made with some of the “discovered” pre-embargo Cuban tobacco. They were just barely average cigars. I don’t think any solid generalities can be made about Cuban tobacco from those cigars however. The percentage of Cuban tobacco in the blend is unknown (at least to me), the storage condition of the tobacco can not be verified and just because the tobacco was grown in Cuba doesn’t mean it was really representative of “most” (whatever that is) Cuban tobacco.
As we’ve discussed frequently, the Cuban Cigar “fantasy” is just that. Sure, they taste different from Domincan, Nicaruguan or Honduran cigars, pretty much like a Pinot Noir grape from France tastes different from one grown in Calif, Chili or Spain. I think the best thing that will happen when the embargo does end (I agree it is likely many years off) is that after the initial 3-6 month flurry of everyone (who does not already smoke them) in the USA buying some to try dies off, the demand for them will fall back to a level not much higher than currently. As well, those who have been smoking them for years will not have the cloak of “superiority” to hide behind, and most folks will just realize that Cuban cigars are like all others – several great brands, some average brands and a few they don’t like at all. Of course, there will always be those folks who smoke a cigar for the band, not for the taste. I say that leaves more really good cigars for the rest of us!
If the embargo ends it will certainly make a lot of lawyers rich. The legal battles over who owns the old line Cuban cigar brand names will be a battle royal. It will be fun just to sit back and watch until the prices on everything goes up to pay the legal fees. Is this a great country, or what?!
Another solid episode guys! I learn so much from these things. My cigar enjoyment has definitely improved since these episodes started.
Hi guys, another great video, keep up the great work. I was wondering if you had an opinion on British cigar smoking culture, as in Britain there are very few cigar shops and cigar smokers are mainly upper class. Why do you think this is and why do you think that Americas cigar culture is MUCH more developed than Britians.
Thanks and congratulation to Walt on his wedding and also i hope Jerry’s father in law makes a speedy recovery Best wishes Josh
A great video, as always. I think one major impact on cigars when/if the embargo ever ends will be the blending of Cuban tobacco with other tobaccos, whether that’s done in Cuba or elsewhere. Its hard to imagine the extraordinary cigars that great blenders like Torano, Pepin Garcia and others could come up with adding Cuban tobacco to their palette!
Another thought provoking episode guys. Definitely need to record later in the dad so Brian can join in on the fun. I thought Episode 6 was the best one to date.
Hi Guys,
Just wanted to let you know a little about the La Unica you talked about briefly. I smoked these a lot in the mid 90s when I first started smoking. It is a Fuente made cigar with a very mild taste profile. It was a bundle cigar until this year when the price was raised a buck a stick and they were packaged in a box. They also make a Cameroon wrapper version at a slightly higher price tag. I have not smoked one in years, and don’t plan to. Great Q and A session can’t wait till the next
long time no comment…lol. i’ve been pretty busy with work ect. i always enjoy these q&a’s because you never know what other herfer’s ponder over.
Walt..about the DOUBLE LIGERO you are about to review. i went to my local b&m and asked for the fullest bodied cigar he had…he laughed and put that one in my hand and recommended a steak and potato dinner before i smoked it. WOW he wasn’t kidding. it almost got the best of me. Congrats on both your wedding and Jerry’s bundle of joy. and best wishes to your father in law Jerry!!! keep up the good work!