Hi All,
This really isn't a cigar blog (I know - I've really been slacking!), but more of a personal update. There have been quite a few changes in my life as of late - and fortunately for me, most of them have been quite positive. First and foremost I would like to thank you all for your support over the last two months. It was a trying time of unemployment, but I'm quite proud to report that I am now gainfully employed and just finished my first week of work in the field of Human Resources. I'm thrilled about this new challenge and my co-workers seem genuinely happy that I have joined their team.
Friday, April 1, 2011
Friday, February 18, 2011
Cigar Therapy
Happy Friday!
Last night I had the pleasure to attend Cigar Therapy at Outman Cigar and Martini Bar. It was a BLAST! Needless to say I had a fantastic time. I met a lot of great people and it truly proved to be therapeutic. Hell, what's more therapeutic than cigars, libations, and great people? Any way, I digress. Today's review will focus on Carlos Torano's "Master." I received this cigar by being a part of the Cigar Dave Officer's Club. It's always nice to receive a package in the mail once a month with various, and often newly released, cigars.
Carlos Torano "Master"
Toro
Cost: $7's
Wrapper: Ecuadorian Habano
Filler: Nicaragua (Esteli/Jalapa)
Binder: Nicuaragua (Esteli)
Upon receiving this cigar I was pleasantly surprised because most Torano bands are typically ornate and very detailed. However, this band is very simple and only consists of two colors: stark black and rich cream.
The cigar cut and lit easily with no loose tobacco. The condition of the wrapper was nearly flawless as the cigar only possessed small veins and no blemishes worth noting.
The pre-light draw was pleasant in that it was not too tight, but offered a bit of resistance. Throughout the first third the cigar was very mild but possessed a great deal of creaminess along with nutty undertones, which I quite enjoyed. As I continued to enjoy the cigar a distinct sweetness began to present itself. The sweetness resembled a mild chocolate cocoa along with a hint of nutmeg.
Unlike many other cigars I've previously smoked, this cigar required no re-lighting or "babysitting" which made the overall experience fantastic.
This cigar most certainly has a place in my humidor. This is a reasonably priced cigar with complex yet pleasant flavors. It's a real winner!
Last night I had the pleasure to attend Cigar Therapy at Outman Cigar and Martini Bar. It was a BLAST! Needless to say I had a fantastic time. I met a lot of great people and it truly proved to be therapeutic. Hell, what's more therapeutic than cigars, libations, and great people? Any way, I digress. Today's review will focus on Carlos Torano's "Master." I received this cigar by being a part of the Cigar Dave Officer's Club. It's always nice to receive a package in the mail once a month with various, and often newly released, cigars.
Carlos Torano "Master"
Toro
Cost: $7's
Wrapper: Ecuadorian Habano
Filler: Nicaragua (Esteli/Jalapa)
Binder: Nicuaragua (Esteli)
Upon receiving this cigar I was pleasantly surprised because most Torano bands are typically ornate and very detailed. However, this band is very simple and only consists of two colors: stark black and rich cream.
The cigar cut and lit easily with no loose tobacco. The condition of the wrapper was nearly flawless as the cigar only possessed small veins and no blemishes worth noting.
The pre-light draw was pleasant in that it was not too tight, but offered a bit of resistance. Throughout the first third the cigar was very mild but possessed a great deal of creaminess along with nutty undertones, which I quite enjoyed. As I continued to enjoy the cigar a distinct sweetness began to present itself. The sweetness resembled a mild chocolate cocoa along with a hint of nutmeg.
Unlike many other cigars I've previously smoked, this cigar required no re-lighting or "babysitting" which made the overall experience fantastic.
This cigar most certainly has a place in my humidor. This is a reasonably priced cigar with complex yet pleasant flavors. It's a real winner!
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
Perdomo Grand Cru
Andrew and I are just getting over being sick for about a week, but I'm pleased to report that we have finally made a full recovery!
That being said...I was able to smoke a Perdomo Grand Cru yesterday at Outman Cigars.
Here's what I found:
Perdomo Grand Cru
Robusto
Cost: $6 ish
Wrapper: Nicuaraguan Cuban Seed/Semilla Habano
Filler: Nicuaraguan Cuban Seed/Semilla Habano
Binder: Nicuaraguan Cuban Seed/Semilla Habano
2004 Stock
First I'll start by saying that I'm a pretty big Perdomo fan. I find their cigars pleasant but also consistent, which is why I go back for them time and time again. The label is a simple, yet elegant label with the colors: clay, black, and white.
The maduro wrapper gave the cigar a dark, rich, and oily look to this full-bodied smoke. The cigar cut easily with little to no loose tobacco. I saw no obvious blemishes in the wrapper. As easy as it was to cut, it was equally easy to light (and stay lit).
The draw of the cigar throughout the smoke was easy, but offered just the right amount of resistance. The Grand Cru also offered a bountiful amount of smoke, which always adds positively to the experience.
Various flavors presented themselves during this smoke. Some included: molasses, brown sugar, and a bit of cinnamon. I found it to be a sweeter cigar, but the sweetness was very pleasant.
Overall experience: Excellent, pleasant, and easy going. This is a great cigar that will most certainly have a place in my humidor. Big bang for the buck!
Other news:
On Saturday night Andrew and I got to meet Rocky Patel. It was a great event and we had a wonderful time! In addition to meeting Rocky, we met some other great cigar smokers, as always. The best people are always at cigar events!
That being said...I was able to smoke a Perdomo Grand Cru yesterday at Outman Cigars.
Here's what I found:
Perdomo Grand Cru
Robusto
Cost: $6 ish
Wrapper: Nicuaraguan Cuban Seed/Semilla Habano
Filler: Nicuaraguan Cuban Seed/Semilla Habano
Binder: Nicuaraguan Cuban Seed/Semilla Habano
2004 Stock
First I'll start by saying that I'm a pretty big Perdomo fan. I find their cigars pleasant but also consistent, which is why I go back for them time and time again. The label is a simple, yet elegant label with the colors: clay, black, and white.
The maduro wrapper gave the cigar a dark, rich, and oily look to this full-bodied smoke. The cigar cut easily with little to no loose tobacco. I saw no obvious blemishes in the wrapper. As easy as it was to cut, it was equally easy to light (and stay lit).
The draw of the cigar throughout the smoke was easy, but offered just the right amount of resistance. The Grand Cru also offered a bountiful amount of smoke, which always adds positively to the experience.
Various flavors presented themselves during this smoke. Some included: molasses, brown sugar, and a bit of cinnamon. I found it to be a sweeter cigar, but the sweetness was very pleasant.
Overall experience: Excellent, pleasant, and easy going. This is a great cigar that will most certainly have a place in my humidor. Big bang for the buck!
Other news:
On Saturday night Andrew and I got to meet Rocky Patel. It was a great event and we had a wonderful time! In addition to meeting Rocky, we met some other great cigar smokers, as always. The best people are always at cigar events!
Friday, February 4, 2011
A Long Road
Hi again - sorry for the lapse in posting. I've been going through some difficult changes over the last few weeks. The changes have been positive thus far, and I hope they stay that way.
Cigar:
Liga Privada No. 9
Toro
Cost: $12ish
Wrapper : Connecticut Broadleaf Ligero Oscuro
Filler : Honduran/Dominican
Binder : Brazil
First of all I'd like to say one word: Damn. I was mildly hesitant about this cigar, but after talking with many cigar passionado's I know I just had to try this car. Needless to say I am extremely impressed. The cigar was easy to cut and had a fantastic (damn near perfect) draw. I am extremely picky about how a cigar draws because I have experienced migraines after smoking on over packed/tight cigars.
The flavors of the cigar were very interesting. Initially there was a bit of sweetness right near the soft palate of the tongue, which was surprising because many Drew Estate Cigars are peppery. The cigar was not "barn-yardy" at all and presented an earthy undertone that was fairly present throughout the entire smoke. One of my favorite aspects of this cigar was that it produced a great deal of smoke. I truly like cigars that provide a lot of smoke when exhaling - I feel this really contributes positively to the cigar smoking experience.
Overall the experience I had while smoking this cigar was great. I felt relaxed, satisfied, and very pleased with the cigar. This cigar certainly has a permanent place in my humidor.
Cigar:
Liga Privada No. 9
Toro
Cost: $12ish
Wrapper : Connecticut Broadleaf Ligero Oscuro
Filler : Honduran/Dominican
Binder : Brazil
First of all I'd like to say one word: Damn. I was mildly hesitant about this cigar, but after talking with many cigar passionado's I know I just had to try this car. Needless to say I am extremely impressed. The cigar was easy to cut and had a fantastic (damn near perfect) draw. I am extremely picky about how a cigar draws because I have experienced migraines after smoking on over packed/tight cigars.
The flavors of the cigar were very interesting. Initially there was a bit of sweetness right near the soft palate of the tongue, which was surprising because many Drew Estate Cigars are peppery. The cigar was not "barn-yardy" at all and presented an earthy undertone that was fairly present throughout the entire smoke. One of my favorite aspects of this cigar was that it produced a great deal of smoke. I truly like cigars that provide a lot of smoke when exhaling - I feel this really contributes positively to the cigar smoking experience.
Overall the experience I had while smoking this cigar was great. I felt relaxed, satisfied, and very pleased with the cigar. This cigar certainly has a permanent place in my humidor.
Sunday, January 2, 2011
Two in Two Days - I'm on a roll.
I’ll get right to it.
Liga Privada T52
Belicoso
Cost: $13.90
Wrapper: Stalk Cut Habano Wrapper
Binder and Filler: Dominican, Nicaraguan, and Honduran
After various pictures of fellow cigars smokers papered the e-wall of Twitter, I knew I had to see what all the rage was about. The T52 is a nice looking cigar with a simple, yet elegant band. I enjoy the color of the cigar when paired with the band which is an off-white band with both camel brown and black writing. The cigar is smooth, but not very oily (unfortunately). The veins of the cigar are small and the wrapper in good condition with no obvious blemishes. The pre-light aroma is barnyard like. It is strong and instills an outdoorsy sense. It cut very well leaving no cigar particles and lit with easy. Both the pre-light draw and draw (while smoking) were good with the appropriate amount of resistance offered from the cigar. I feel that unlike a lot of cigars, the leaves were not over packed, which allowed for a nice firm cigar, but with no soft spots.
The flavor of the cigar offered a great amount of texture as it appealed to various spots within the mouth. The tip and outer portions of my tongue tingled with hints of pepper, while the center portion and roof of my mouth detected honey. Also, the back of my throat also experienced a great amount of peppery flavor – which was long lasting, and frankly shadowed other flavors that might have been presented.
The T52 is overall an OK smoke. I feel that this cigar should be more in the $7-9 price range as opposed to $10+. I won’t be keeping many of these around, especially at that price point.
Saturday, January 1, 2011
Fulfilling a New Year’s Resolution: Step 1
I know it’s been a really long while (a really, really long while), since I’ve blogged, but I assure you I will be blogging more this year. There have been many changes in our lives since my last blog. Changes like: I finished my M.S., I got a new job, we got a new steam cleaner, and etc. Although I am finished with school (for now), I haven’t really felt like I’ve had much time to do anything I’ve wanted (like blog) because of the holidays. However, I’m back at it and plan to blog consistently starting…now.
Andrew and I were off work for the last two weeks, which gave us the opportunity to smoke a few cigars. I’ll share two of them with you today.
1st: San Cristobal Selección Del Sol
Toro
Purchased: Buckhead Cigar: Atlanta, GA
Cost: $7.50 (I think, can’t quite remember)
Wrapper: Nicaraguan Sun Grown
Filler: Nicaraguan Filler
Upon first glance of this cigar’s band, I thought it to be overly whimsical and didn’t really take it seriously. Once I discovered this cigar was developed by master blender and roller Don Pepin Garcia of El Rey de los Habanos, Inc of Miami, FL, my initial assumptions about the cigar changed quite a bit.
The pre-light aroma of the cigar is quite mild and offers undertones of Jasmine flowers (a sweet smell) along with a creamy heavy cream like fragrance. The cigar cut perfectly with Andrew’s Xikar cutter (which he received from me at Christmas), and no evidence of loose tobacco was seen. The cigar offered a pre-light draw that was perfect and offered just the right amount of resistance. In addition, the cigar burned evenly when lit, and maintained a fairly sturdy, white ash throughout the smoking process. Throughout smoking, the cigar presented flavors of cocoa, honey, and a mild woodsy like taste. The cigar is most definitely one I would consider mild to medium.
Although I often find myself smoking more medium to full bodied cigars, I truly enjoyed the flavor nuances, billows of smoke, and effortless smoking process this cigar offered. I can most certainly say that our humidor will always have room for this cigar.
2nd: Avo Uvezian LE 10
Super Robusto
Purchased: Buckhead Cigar: Atlanta, GA
Cost: Around $15
Wrapper: Ecuadorian Sun Grown
Binder: Mexican Grown
Filler: Dominican Ligero
According to a press release from Davidoff of Geneva, the AVO LE10 was introduced to celebrate Avo Uvezian’s 84th birthday. Uvezian, a “legendary cigar composer,” was born in Beirut, Lebanon to a family of musicians. After smoking this cigar, it is apparently that Uvezian is indeed a master cigar “composer.”
Truth be told: this is my first AVO ever (and I’m quite ashamed of this)! However, there is a good reason. Unfortunately no retail tobacconists carry AVO cigars in my area, which is why this cigar was purchased in Atlanta, GA.
The condition of the cigar is pristine with a very oily texture and only small veins throughout the wrapper. The pre-light of the aroma was very mild, but quite pleasant. The LE10 cut perfectly, with only one loose piece of tobacco presenting itself. It was very easy to light and the draw was extremely easy. Typically I enjoy extremely easy draws, but this draw presented no resistance, and that was a bit hard to get used to at first. The cigar burned OK with minimal “canoeing,” though I did expect better from a Davidoff product. To my surprise, the cigar was extremely mild and very sweet and oaky. I felt that the first portion (typically 1/3) of this cigar was very sweet, which was then followed by a more oaky/woodsy flavor (although still very mild). The last portion of the cigar returned to a mild sweet flavor, which probably was enhanced by the chocolate I was eating.
Overall I felt this cigar was good. I can’t promise that I’ll purchase the LE10 regularly, as I do like medium to full bodied cigar, but the sensation this cigar provided due to the high nicotine content, invoked a pleasurable cigar smoking experience.
Cheers to the New Year! Have a great 2011!
Wednesday, September 15, 2010
Best Buy: A Horrible Customer Service Experience
The following is a letter I wrote to Best Buy on behalf of my local store here in Greenville, SC.
To Whom It May Concern, Wednesday, September 15, 2010
My name is Jessica Bayne and I have been a loyal customer of Best Buy for many years. I have spent thousands of dollars on computers, computer equipment, DVDs, and the like at Best Buy. Unfortunately after the recent experiences at my local Best Buy store, I will no longer make purchases at Best Buy. Their general lack of concern for customers is astonishing. Over the course of the last few weeks I have called Best Buy various times to receive information regarding the status of service on my computer.
There are two instances in general that I would like to make you aware. I called once to receive information regarding the repair of my computer, but unfortunately no one picked up the phone. I tried to call numerous times after this incident. The Loss Prevention Agent, Ron, transferred me to the Geek Squad time after time. On the fourth attempted transfer I asked to speak to the manager on duty. Ron attempted to transfer me to the manager on duty (MOD) but the MOD did not pick up. Ron picked up the phone again and tried to transfer me to the MOD once again. Fortunately for me the MOD did pick up this time, identified himself as Josh, and asked me what I needed assistance with. I informed him and he was able to resolve my problem, but did not seem to consider the inconvenience this organization had caused me.
Sadly, nearly the same incident occurred again today. I received a call from Geek Squad stating that I needed to confirm that I wanted the data on my computer backed up. I attempted to return the call around 2:30 pm. I called once and received no answer. I called a second time and received no answer. I called a third time and received no answer and Ron the Loss Prevention Agent (LPA) picked up the phone. He transferred me to the Geek Squad and they did not pick up the phone and Ron answered the phone once again and I stated “it’s me again Ron.” He replied “You mean no one has called you?” “I stated no, and this time I’d like to speak to the manager on duty.” He attempted to transfer me to the MOD. The MOD did not pick up the phone. Ron picked up again and I again advised him that I’d like to speak to the MOD. Ron then transferred me to the MOD, and yet again the MOD did not pick up. Ron picked up the phone again and at this time I requested the name of the MOD and Ron replied “Josh.” I then requested the name of the district manager and Ron replied “Jacqueline (sorry if I butchered this spelling)” but could not give me any more information (which I understand). I thanked Ron and hung up the phone, but I had not been given the opportunity to authorize the data backup on my computer. I called again and Mindy answered. I explained to Mindy my plight and she worked to resolve my issues. I explained to her that I was highly frustrated and quite disappointed with the level of service I had received. She quickly had Geek Squad agent Jeff work on my data backup and profusely apologized time and time again about the poor service I had received. She informed me that she would pass my contact information on to Jacqueline and I was satisfied.
I am utterly disappointed in this organization. I have read various case studies regarding Best Buy and its outstanding customer service, but I have yet to experience any of this so-called outstanding customer service. I, as a loyal customer, deserve better.
Sincerely,
Jessica Bayne
To Whom It May Concern, Wednesday, September 15, 2010
My name is Jessica Bayne and I have been a loyal customer of Best Buy for many years. I have spent thousands of dollars on computers, computer equipment, DVDs, and the like at Best Buy. Unfortunately after the recent experiences at my local Best Buy store, I will no longer make purchases at Best Buy. Their general lack of concern for customers is astonishing. Over the course of the last few weeks I have called Best Buy various times to receive information regarding the status of service on my computer.
There are two instances in general that I would like to make you aware. I called once to receive information regarding the repair of my computer, but unfortunately no one picked up the phone. I tried to call numerous times after this incident. The Loss Prevention Agent, Ron, transferred me to the Geek Squad time after time. On the fourth attempted transfer I asked to speak to the manager on duty. Ron attempted to transfer me to the manager on duty (MOD) but the MOD did not pick up. Ron picked up the phone again and tried to transfer me to the MOD once again. Fortunately for me the MOD did pick up this time, identified himself as Josh, and asked me what I needed assistance with. I informed him and he was able to resolve my problem, but did not seem to consider the inconvenience this organization had caused me.
Sadly, nearly the same incident occurred again today. I received a call from Geek Squad stating that I needed to confirm that I wanted the data on my computer backed up. I attempted to return the call around 2:30 pm. I called once and received no answer. I called a second time and received no answer. I called a third time and received no answer and Ron the Loss Prevention Agent (LPA) picked up the phone. He transferred me to the Geek Squad and they did not pick up the phone and Ron answered the phone once again and I stated “it’s me again Ron.” He replied “You mean no one has called you?” “I stated no, and this time I’d like to speak to the manager on duty.” He attempted to transfer me to the MOD. The MOD did not pick up the phone. Ron picked up again and I again advised him that I’d like to speak to the MOD. Ron then transferred me to the MOD, and yet again the MOD did not pick up. Ron picked up the phone again and at this time I requested the name of the MOD and Ron replied “Josh.” I then requested the name of the district manager and Ron replied “Jacqueline (sorry if I butchered this spelling)” but could not give me any more information (which I understand). I thanked Ron and hung up the phone, but I had not been given the opportunity to authorize the data backup on my computer. I called again and Mindy answered. I explained to Mindy my plight and she worked to resolve my issues. I explained to her that I was highly frustrated and quite disappointed with the level of service I had received. She quickly had Geek Squad agent Jeff work on my data backup and profusely apologized time and time again about the poor service I had received. She informed me that she would pass my contact information on to Jacqueline and I was satisfied.
I am utterly disappointed in this organization. I have read various case studies regarding Best Buy and its outstanding customer service, but I have yet to experience any of this so-called outstanding customer service. I, as a loyal customer, deserve better.
Sincerely,
Jessica Bayne
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