Monday, March 25, 2013

Cease and Desist????

It's been a busy couple of weeks out on the Hillbilly Hilton, which by the way I figure that any day I will be getting a cease and desist letter from Conrad, Rick, Paris, Nicki and Barron any day now for disparaging the Hilton name. So I am taking suggestions for new name for my outdoor man cave.  But its not like the Hilton name has been disparaged, on numerous occasions, by both Paris and Barron.


(PHOTO: Courtesy of the LAPD)

In preparation for St. Patrick's Day, and also for Earth Day, I toasted a few candela's. First was the La Flor Dominicana Double Claro.  This is a not a mild cigar, it has some meat on it's bones and has some complexity to it.  However, these are not something I would smoke daily, yup that's right I smoke them only around St. Patrick's Day and, for kicks and giggles, Earth Day. 

The second candela that I picked up, from Fair Oaks Cigar, was the Filthy Hooligan from Alec Bradley.  This cigar was originally called the Dirty Hooligan. Word on the street is that out of respect for Jonathan Drew, of Drew Estates,  who uses the moniker "Dirty" in the name of several of cigars in the Liga Privada line, Alan Rubin changed the name of the cigar, to the Filthy Hooligan, even after having swag, bands etc, printed up!

This is an ultra-smooth, creamy smoke laced with hints of spice that finishes with a touch of sweetness.  Unfortunately. that rather large vein, that you can clearly see, became a bit problematic in the final third


Viaje Super Shot 12 Gauge, is a 3 1/4 x 53 that  tons of flavor in such a short smoke, and because it was a small offering it is a cigar that I can have in times when I am short on time. In this case it was a late evening smoke enjoyed out on the, soon to be renamed, Hillbilly Hilton.  


The Room 101 Daruma Papi Chulo was another late night evening smoke. I enjoyed this after steak dinner of which I set off the smoke alarm in the house!  My wife came out of her studio saying, well I guess dinner is done! This is 4 x 42 is a very well balanced and complex smoke.


I really enjoy the monthly meet-ups of the West Valley Cigar Club, this time of year we meet at Johnny Foxes Pubic House in Peoria.  For this meet-up I made a trip out to Goodfellas Cigar Lounge to pick up a few sticks for the evening. Wednesdays haul included  a Reagan 40th, an Emilio, AF2, and an Emilio Series-H. 

I wanted to tell the story of Ezra Zion Cigar Company which Nate McIntyre told during his visit earlier this month. Wednesday Morning I reached out to Nate, and he told me to call Chris Kelly. Chris then had me call Kyle Hoover.  This is the story they told me, I hope I don't screw it up.


Ezra Zion is more than a Nicaraguan Puro. It is a cigar company that was started by three (3) families (and three Brothers of the Leaf) who met at church and bonded over Family and Cigars. (Chris Kelly, Kyle Hoover, and Alan "The Don" Fonseca) The origin of the name Ezra Zion stems Kyle and his wife Tanya who  had a son, who passed away before birth, to be named Ezra, and for Chris and his  wife who lost a daughter, her name was Coco Zion.

The label incorporates several things. Two angels, which has two meanings one for each child lost, but also represents the two angels that are overlooking the ark of the covenant.  A flame which represents God and 12 stars, which represents the 12 tribes of Israel.


Simply put the goal of Ezra Zion is to produce the "Best Cigar You Ever Had".  This process starts with the philosophy rather than the cigar. The first cigar in the line was the Ja Mais Vu, formerly the Inception, which was 14 months in the blending.  The second cigar in the line, and first of the Honor Series, the Reagan was 12 months.

Here's what they want you to remember Chris, Kyle and Alan are cigar smokers just like us.


Goodfellas Cigar Lounge is becoming truly a House of Emilio, If memory serves me he has the AF Series, the La Musa, and just brought in the Series-H.  They also carry the Ezra Zion, Steve Ysidron's Epicurean Cigars, 1502, and Guayacan. My second cigar of the evening was the Emilio Series-H which I will describe as simply stupid good, full bodied and very complex.



This week, I'm looking forward to catching with Glen Case, of Kristoff Cigars, at Owl Ear Smoke Shop in Scottsdale, on Thursday night.

Until next time...

#KeepTightAsh



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