The Three Stogies

[Slag]

RTDA is the event to go to, but it is hard to get into. You either have to have a cigar shop or get invited by someone who does. It is kinda like SEMA, and all of the big cigar companies are trying to sell you on a new product. They also have half naked girls lighting your stogie for you 

[♣ McKraut ♣]

i met someone from stafford and jones not that long ago... leslie jones.  it's up in richardson on plano road; anyone ever been there?  says on her card they have a 1000 sq ft smoking lounge.

[TresGatos]

Got home after the Westie Dinner and fired up a minimac, not bad but can't wait for Sat. @ Reds' to try the Padron 3000.

Smells good.  Man what a humidor at Tobacco Road!

[caffeinejunkee]

Man what a humidor at Tobacco Road!

You'll really like place on Main Street in Grapevine--three humidors. 

[RED]

You guys really know how to tickle RED's fancy by this thread. My first birth experiences relate to cigars. No mom didn't but grandad and all my uncles did. I was raised around cheap cigars though. I choose differently now a days.

Stogies is actually a brand of cigar that sold around the turn of last century in the northest during the industrial revolution. It was made from tobacco grown mostly in south Florida and Cuba (cuber to Democrats) and was sold to the constantenoga drivers before the trains came in. Hence the name 'Stogies'. They were cheap enough that the company hired floozies to service the coachelines when they arrived and departed then gave some to the drivers to smoke so the passengers would then smell the smoke and want to buy them. At 1 cent each to start they were a hit. They went to 5 cents later hence the '5 cent cigar'. Also this is the company was responsible for the creation of the wooden Indian. Big Chief's as they were known were originally made to cause people to look at the storefront and when they came closer and saw the cigars he was holding and how cheap they were they sold more. That was the first American cigar craze and birth marketing as we know it today.

I agree with CJ that one would be hardpressed to list only 3 fave smokes. Slag is right too in that after the cigar changed so did smokes that were sold here. I would have to say though that in the past 30 years cigars have gotten better to a degree. That is due to marketing and popularity during the Clinton eros era. When a cigar got to be more expensive than a 6-pack I had to slow down. But since then I have paid much more attention to quality and at times quantity. Recently I purchased a grocery store entire stock because the current manager didn't like cigars. I bought around 60 boxes of various upscale brand cigars for basically pennies on the dollar. Good deals can be found.

Back to the thread, since they opened up I have shopped TL almost exclusively either downtown or at the mall. I buy the bundles. I call them golf course smokes. I not only use them while playing to lay down while driving or putting but to work around the house and for general use. All the major brands sell them. I just purchased some at TL of Partagas 'seconds' as they call them. All they are is cigars that are rolled by the apprentices. I got the bundle for $2 bucks a stick. Smokes really nice. I also bought some Perdoma 'Fiesta' bundle ($3/stick). These I love. They are very well constructed and are 'fresh' to the touch which in my book tells me the smoke is in good shape. Nick (Perdoma) has been making leaf a relatively short time and has come very far in the quality department. My favorite of his first line of product though is a reserve called 'Lot 23' (5.50/stick) or something like that. I just know it has the palm tree on a paper bag colored wrapper that appeals to my Indy Jones Cuban panache side. It's a maduro so it's full of flavor and so easy to smoke. My all time favorite though has to be a Cuban early '70's era Romeo y Julieta Churchill ($30-40/stick) in a 7 or 8" length. These sticks will set you on your tail if you can find one. You definitely need to be sitting when you get about 2 inches from the end. That is one way of telling if you have a REAL Cuban or not. You can FEEL it.

I too went to one of the Dallas 'Big Smoke' events. I went to one at the Reunion Hotel. I think it was the first one in Dallas. I met the owners of Flor de Dominica, CAO, Carlos Fuentes and one other who escapes me at the moment. Fuentes was fun and very cordial to talk too. The Flor owner was downright a pleasure. He took the time to tell me how his plantations are run and how the rollers do it. He is a horse collector and likes to race them. The CAO bunch kept me at the booth a lot longer than I wanted because they each kept giving me cigar after cigar. I did think the daughter (at that time) was a pretty hot looking property too !!! The hotties were the girls walking around in all sorts of undress though. I loved the whole chauvinistic attitude of the whole day. Left with about $150 worth of cigs! All for free! I won the tickets on the radio!

Long-winded I know, but on this subject I can dwell. So, bring your best smokes and smoke up at the party Saturday.

RED

[TresGatos]

So far I've learned that I have been putting up with the Macanudo Portifino and mini-macs since I smoked the Partagas in the red lettered tube.  That was the first cigar that was enjoyable in flavor and draw.  Looked foreward to the Padron 3000, but maybe beyond my palette.  I will get some more Partagas and am interested in similar smokes.

The 3000 seemed harsh, the maduro wrapper? not sure.

[Slag]

I had one of the CAO double ligeros (do not remember the official name) yesterday. Great cigar  Not quite up to La Flor Dominicana standards, but pretty tasty 

[caffeinejunkee]

I was talking with Dan about this book last night and thought I post it here:

The Cigar Companion: The Connoisseur's Guide (Anwer Bati & Simon Chase) is a good resource. The chapters include the story of cigars; the cigar directory; & the buying and storing of cigars--good, basic stuff.

[Slag]

Would you believe that I am not familiar with this book    Looks like a good resource    The making of cigars is an interesting subject. These guys are passionate about their leaf!!

[Duc L'Smart]

I enjoyed the 1 I smoked last year (thanks again, Red!)

[sdlrodeo]

Ok, here are my TOP 3 (domestically legal):
Ashton ESG $22
Opus $12-16
Rocky Patel Decade Toro $9

Bargains:
Sancho Panza Extra Fuerte $4
La Aroma De Cuba corona $3.50
Padron 3000

Honorable mention should go to:
Davidoff Melinium Blend Lonsdale, Diamond Crown Maximus, Padron Anaversario 1926 or 1964, Rocky Patel Sungrown robusto, fuente sungrown cuban belicoso.

I too have plenty of wrappers from over the years. Sort of a sad reminder of money gone up in smoke that could've been spent on bikes, but also of good times had with friends.

I started going to Tobacco Lane on the square in FW. For the past few years I'd been going to Up In Smoke in Lewisville. Lately I've really cut back to about 1 cigar every two weeks or so and I too stick with quality over quantity.

Steve

[Slag]

I am going to have a cigar now 

I think that the Ashton VSG will be the victim 

[Samsonite]

I am going to have a cigar now 

I think that the Ashton VSG will be the victim 

I would puke if I smoked anything right now

[Cyclone]

I enjoyed the 1 I smoked last year (thanks again, Red!)

I enjoyed the 2 I smoked last year ( thanks again, CJ !) 

[Duc L'Smart]

I would puke if I smoked anything right now

eh, you'll prolly puke anyway