Wednesday, March 28, 2012

F1, Cars, and Cigars

A couple of month's ago I joined the West Valley Cigar Club. I finally managed to attend one of their meet-ups. Held outside on the patio, at  Johnny Fox's Public House, it was a great time and I will definitely be making this part of my becoming a true Cigar Aficionado (sic).  The smoke I chose for this particular evening was the Alec Bradley Black Market, which I paired with a couple of Guinness Drafts and Fish & Chips.  By the way this place apparently has All You Can Eat corned beef and cabbage til 6pm every Thursday!



Sunday, me and a few of my closest friends held a Formula One Viewing Party at Ye Olde Pipe and Tobacco  in, the Biltmore Arcadia area, of Phoenix.  F1 Races, once you get the past the pre-race BS, usually have a 2 hour time limit. Racing in Malaysia is always sketchy, and due to the fact that the track is in a freakin rain forrest, this one had a 50 minute red flag for a torrential downpour!  My intent was to select a cigar that would last the entire race!  In theory it worked!  The cigar I smoked was the Padron Series Magnum Maduro,  50 x 9! 




I love cars! Yesterday while out and and about, in Scottsdale,  I came across this bad boy!  A Lingenfelter Corvette, with 650 HP to the rear wheels I referred to this car as Flat Black, Bad Ass and Wicked Fast


Last evening I found myself wondering aimlessly around the humidor at Ambassador Fine Cigars.  The photo is ONLY half of the humidor and  I was in there for a good 10 minutes.  Randy popped to make sure I was OK.  My response was yeah I'm just meandering.   About 5 minutes after Shelly popped in and....




...handed me this, the Viaje White Label Project Candela. The White Label Project,a according to Viaje, is  a series of small experimental releases that don’t fall into Andre Farkas’ various series of limited release lines.  This little gem was was actually created for St. Patricks Day!

Thursday, March 22, 2012

I Got Nothing


Ah a vacation day, and I am sicker than a dog.  What was the old NyQuil commercial stuffy head fever can't rest? Yeah that's this guy... I figured I play some catch-up, yes I'm playing catch-up again.

We all know I love the international flavor of F1 and the American LeMans Series (BTW their TV package SUCKS 2 hours of highlights from the 12 hrs of Sebring)  so based on a recommendation from Chris Davidson I searched high and low for this cigar, the Hammer + Sickle Moscow City....Great flavor, I mean great flavor, but lousy construction!

Happy St. Patricks Day from the Hillbilly Hilton Guiness and an Alec Bradley Family Blend.





 

St. Patricks Day also called for a Gurkha Vintage Shaggy. After all it is Shaggy Saturday!Oh and Say hello to Chip The Furlough Puppy...






 
Wow it got cold over night,  we had a terrific night out celebrating Mark and Lori's wedding, Saturday night the winds kicked up and  dropped the temperatures damn near 30 degree's! It made smoking outside a tad uncomfortable, but we muddled through.  The smoke is an Tatuaje Havana VI,  the Beer Negra Modelo which interestingly enough STAYED COLD



Monday, March 12, 2012

Playing Catch Up

I have apparently failed at my quest...OK I suffer from ADD, with some hyper activity, I gave up lost track or lost interest in the top 25 Cigars of 2011.  So here's what I have been enjoying.

At right is the Arturo Fuente Rosado Sungrown Magnum R Vitola “Fifty-Four” this is a nice little smoke...



To the left is a Tatuaje SW Riserva I'm a huge Tatuaje fan! Huge fan! I probably smoke more Tatuajes that any other cigar. The Black Label Petite Lancer, La Riqueza, Riserva SW, El Triunfador, and the Cabaiguan Guapos are some of my favorite cigars day in and day out. OK Pete Johnson does a great job with all of his blends. 
                                                                                           
Luis Tiant, El Tiante, a Pitcher for the Boston Red Sox, who finished his career with my NY Yankees.  Recently, with his son Daniel workin alongside, El Tiante has gotten into the cigar business.

I took great pride in telling Daniel of the Day in 1979 where at Yankee Stadium El Tiante, his father, signed my glove.

At right, is the stronger of the two cigars, the Habano Oscuro.






At left is  is the milder Habano Rosado...

Hard to find in the PHX  (only Fine Ash Cigars in Avondale, The Scottsdale Cigar Club, Goodfella's Cigar Lounge in Phoenixm, and  Mojito Cigar Lounge in Cave Creek...But its worth the effort







 My favorite place to enjoy a Cigar is Ambassador Fine Cigars  recently Vartan Seferian, aka the Ambassador, opend a second location close to home.  I stopped by his past Saturday, spent some time in the Embassy Club, the Private Members Club of Ambassador Fine Cigars

Ah the Cigar, at Right is a Vartan Zoravar, this cigar is made for Ambassador Fine Cigar by Davidoff. It is one of the finest cigars made today.






At Left is photo take from the seating area, the lounge boasts a full kitchen, two (2) 60" Flat Screens with Direct TV, a poker table and lockers for the Members...






Finally, we are caught up....Sunday was spent outside enjoying a beautiful Arizona afternoon watchin NASCAR, side note I can't wait until Saturday night when F1 starts, followed by the ALMS and Indy Car the following weekend.

As we know I am huge Alec Bradley fan, from the Prensado, to the Family Blend, Black Market, and the Fine and Rate.  Sundays afternoon smoke was  The Tempus Maduro.  Great stick, full bodied, screwed up with the beverage though should have paired it with a Negra Modelo, or even a Guiness!

I will close with a quote from my friend "the Ambassador"

"Have a Smoking Day."