I'm Back - JR Cigars Alternative Montecristo Eduro Five Pack

Short version.

I drank myself into a wheelchair. I now have a new set of challenges. Blogging faded.

Now I've learned and adapted enough to appreciate a nice smoke again.

Along with eggs the price of cigars has climbed a good forty percent since 2016; the last time I was here. So I restart this blog with my search for inexpensive yet decent smokes. Right?

JR Cigars of North Carolina was carrying the least expensive cigars of five sites that I explored.

An  Alternative Montecristo Eduro Five Pack for $13.99 (tobacco tax & shipping - $25.42)

First is a pet peeve.
When you pack an item you surround it, all six side with packing material. Nowadays it is the practice to place the item in the container and then add packing material. Leaving one side in contact with the outer wall of the box subject to damage.

Secondly I feel $9.99 to ship five cigars a bit excessive.

The smoke is 5.25 x 54 - a fair size. Dark in color. It's ad states,
"They are medium to full in body and loaded with mouthwatering flavors that are reminiscent of the real thing; they’re as close as you're going to get to the real deal without breaking the bank. JR Cigar is the ultimate place to buy premium cigars online."

I taste coffee. It's thick and mellow. JR rated the strength as a five out of ten. Since I haven't had any nicotine in three years I expected a rush of nicotine poisoning. There's been none.

The wrap was sloppy and dried out, not unexpected in an inexpensive smoke in an unsealed plastic tube. I'll moisten the others before consuming.

It is also more air than leaf, the wrap is loose fitting. For five dollars and eight cents, it's exactly what I expected. Inexpensive which means flaws and yet tastes good, draws easily, stays lit with long periods of inactivity.

Would I buy them again, yes.
Would I subscribe, no. Another pet peeve, another column.

12/16/2024

Victor Sinclair 55 Series Blue Label Maduro Churchill

Strong aroma, earthy smells that are harder than usual to identify.

From another site, this description:
"These babies are handcrafted with a blend of premium long fillers from five different countries of origin, and all aged for five years. Maduro-wrapped, medium to full-bodied Blue is robust and complex with a light, fruity finish."

Light fruity finish is right! That's it. Fruit! And chocolate.
Wait...Antique Fruit? 5 Years old!
It is very strong, and yet not overpowering. Hefty, if I can apply the word.

About $4 if you can find them. ***

Victor Sinclair Connecticut Yankee Maduro (7.0”x50)

Moldy smell under the cellophane - strike one.
(There were three in the sampler - the second one was 100% better, not a hint of mold)

Spicy scent although very mild. Pepper on the tongue. Lots of pepper.

The wrapper is dark & mottled, almost rich in colors. As other sites would say, "oily."

The pack feels inconsistently tight here, loose there..
(Again, the second one was much better)

Not bad at all but not for $5...maybe $3?


About $5 ***

Victor Sinclair Vintage Select (6.0”x54)

Square pressed . The wrapper is very fragile. It tore when removing the ring and then the foot began to unroll. That takes a star away.

A mild smoke with a nutty flavor. They burn well and relight easily.

About $3 ***

Oh, and I have to say Trump and his supporters are insane, vapid, without shame, loony etc and so on.

Relighting

A faux pas among the cigar elite.
When you allow a smoke to go out the ash cools and hardens, the tobacco has begun to dry and the taste when restarting...well, just say it can be incredibly harsh.

Most, therefore do not relight smokes. They complete the cigar in one sitting or toss the remainder.

I am too cheap. When I pay $5 for a smoke I have difficulty throwing out half .

Step one - wait for it to go out completely.

Two - cut the ash head off entirely.

Three - light it.

I would not replace the smoke in your humidor. And I would not hold onto a half of a cigar more than a day or two.

The first puff may be a bit hard but within one or two puffs it will be, if it's a quality smoke the same as when you first lit it.

However your cool factor will be substantially diminished.

Torano Vega Dominicana Toro

A very tasty smoke. Chestnuts, wood, dark chocolate and pretty strong.
Nice construction, solid woody ash (stems?)  Stays lit well with a very nice aroma.

Yes, there are stems in the binder. The ash has voids and breaks that jut out from the edges. And the wrapper began to unravel halfway through.

I like this. Although I think the price is a bit too high for my tastes. I got this as part of an over run sampler, so my cost was closer to $3 - at that price I'd certainly buy more.


About $6 - $7.50

Pirate's Gold

Strong spicy smells out of the cellophane. Almost nutty. And it also smells of grass.
The wrapper is oily, enough to color the cellophane.

The name alone turned me off.
"Whatta gimmick."

Um, I guess not. The taste is deep without being overpowering. Very rich with a hint of dark chocolate. Robust. Chewy.

Construction is less than firm, but not too mushy unless you tend to bite a lot.
It stays lit and the ash is white & consumed. When you smoke a cigar down to a small stub there must be something drawing you in.

This is really good. Especially for a very inexpensive cigars.


$2 ****