Friday nights are usually a special time for me. I usually go to the store after work, pick up a couple of nice steaks to grill, and various things to accompany them. I then come home, go directly to my coolerdor or humidor and pick out just the right cigar to cap the night off. Sometimes I pick this cigar days in advance.
Well, last night I had chosen an '05 Cuaba Salamone. What a gorgeous cigar. The wrapper looked like a well oiled dark brown leather jacket. It started off slow, was a little hard to keep lit, but I endured. Then, it started to run terribly, the draw sucked, and I could discern no real flavor to it. I chunked it and went back to the humidor.
Next, I thought I'd try something different, an Opus-X Chateau (I think, it's the one wrapped in cedar). I've had this cigar for over 6 years. When I removed the cedar sleeve, I could see the sparkling, oily deposits the cedar had left on the wrapper. They shined like little diamonds. Very promising I thought to myself. Draw was perfect, maybe a little loose, but I knew I would get something out of this one. A quarter of the way into it...NADA...almost no flavor whatsoever. A little hint of cedar, but for the most part, bland. I tossed it.
About this time, I was getting a little frustrated...so...back to the coolerdor I went. This time, a silky smooth, oily dark brown mottled wrapper spoke to me..."smoke me". It was a Ramon Allones DC. I pinned all my hope on this one. Decent draw, a little tight, but still very smokable, nice pre-light pull, toasted the foot, beautiful aroma. 1/3rd into it...BAM...no flavor, nothing, ZILCH! I s-canned it.
By now, one would have thought, forget it. Go inside and watch a movie, read a book, check out the forums...but NOOOOO, I went back in for yet another cigar.
THIS TIME, I had it all figured out. I would fire up one of my favorite, well aged, perfect every time Hoyo des Dieux's. How could I go wrong. Perfect draw, flawless wrapper, silky smooth...I was drooling. First impression, not too great, a little shy on flavor. 1/3rd into it...not much better. 1/2 into it...I hurled it into the neighbors vacant lot.
AHEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!
Has to be my sinuses. Must have another sinus breakdown coming. Maybe tonight will be better. Then again, I don't plan on wasting 4 or 5 cigars to figure it out. I'll start off with a Swisher, and if I can taste it...then back to the coolerdor.
Man, I'm sorry to hear about that. I really enjoy the cuaba's. This is why the winter sucks, it's hard to find a good night to enjoy a gar, much less enjoy it without sinus and/or throat problems.
"Quickly, Bring me a beaker of wine, so that I may wet my brain and say something clever!"
--Aristophanes
Posts: 952 | Location: El Paso, TX | Registered: April 08, 2006
You should probably send all of us a couple of cigars so we can do a little testing and diagnose any problems...sounds like bad cigars...give 'em all away, start over...
Really, your story sounds like the opening of a House episode, I kept waiting for the part where you collapsed and found a limping doctor with three politically correct subordinates staring at you...
jag
quote:
We should be too big to take offense and too noble to give it. ~ Abraham Lincoln
Posts: 1387 | Location: Moving in December | Registered: September 15, 2006
I too have had a cold the past week and have tried to smoke a few cigars but I ended up estinguishing them because I just could not take it. Good thing I did not decide to light up a premium cigar this week or I'd be crying my eyes out and making my congestion worse!
Tab I feel for ya. Winters do suck even though we are having a very mild winter in Arkansas (where I currently live)
I don't think it was the weather. It was a beautiful night with the temps hovering around 65.
It is absolutely the weirdest thing though. Earlier in the week I kept getting headaches,not as bad as one of my sinus headaches, but a smaller version thereof. I think I noticed it last Wednesday, when I stopped by my local cigar shop and shared a couple of RyJ Cedros Del. # 2's with him. I normally love these cigars with a cup of coffee, but not that day. My friend raved.
I use a corticosteriod nasal spray twice a day, and usually things are great. Oh well, this too shall pass.
In the meantime, I'll just UPS my big ol coolerdor to Doc for distribution to you all
I do not think this applies to you. I just wanted to note that I got severe migraine type headaches the day after each of the first 100 or so cigars that I smoked.
(You see...my body used to be sure pure, I guess, until I've corrupted it with all of that wonderful thick cigar smoke.) <g>
But now I can smoke any cigar and I feel great right after and no problems the next day.
And...at bit off subject...but I made a resoltuion this year to limit the number of cigars a week to maximum of 5. That's just my thing, as I really think that moderation is a major key to health.
Posts: 1884 | Location: San Francisco, CA, USA | Registered: August 20, 2003
I do not think this applies to you. I just wanted to note that I got severe migraine type headaches the day after each of the first 100 or so cigars that I smoked.
(You see...my body used to be sure pure, I guess, until I've corrupted it with all of that wonderful thick cigar smoke.) <g>
But now I can smoke any cigar and I feel great right after and no problems the next day.
And...at bit off subject...but I made a resoltuion this year to limit the number of cigars a week to maximum of 5. That's just my thing, as I really think that moderation is a major key to health.
Originally posted by Tabcon: I don't think it was the weather. It was a beautiful night with the temps hovering around 65.
It is absolutely the weirdest thing though. Earlier in the week I kept getting headaches,not as bad as one of my sinus headaches, but a smaller version thereof. I think I noticed it last Wednesday, when I stopped by my local cigar shop and shared a couple of RyJ Cedros Del. # 2's with him. I normally love these cigars with a cup of coffee, but not that day. My friend raved.
I use a corticosteriod nasal spray twice a day, and usually things are great. Oh well, this too shall pass.
In the meantime, I'll just UPS my big ol coolerdor to Doc for distribution to you all
Tab
Tab, remeber I had the sinus surgery as well; I only use the Rhinocort once a day-- are you overusing your spray? We need jmunro's expertise, perhaps.
______________________________
"People who enjoy meetings should not be in charge of anything."
I had some dissapointment today myself. I have my favorite smokes that never let me down but due to the fact I like to try new things I experiment with other brands as well. Case in point earlier this week I enjoyed a Casa Blanca and a La Gloria Cubana Series R, and I loved them to the point that I am going to pick up a box of each tomorrow. Today I tried a Joya De Nicaragua and I did not like it, I also tried a El Rey Del Mundo and didnt like it. I tried a Cuban Conterfiet and it was ok if left in the humi to age a couple of months would make it even better.
"He who chases monsters must be careful not to become one himself."
Posts: 249 | Location: Queens, NY | Registered: January 10, 2007
