-
How to Properly Prepare Twist Tobacco I have talked to a lot of people who want to smoke twist or rope tobaccos like Gawith Hoggarth’s Black or Brown Irish X but get frustrated with keeping it lit. I have been learning that the problem is often in how it is being prepared. When it comes
-
Since 2019, when Not Just Blowing Smoke began, I have shared my thoughts on the best new cigars and tobaccos of the year. On the one hand, the last thing the cigar/pipe world needs is another list of the best of 2024. But I am not just blowing smoke when I confess that some of
-
HU Makhuwa is a ribbon cut blend of Burley, Virginia, and Perique. The tin note includes figs, graham cracker, and a floral aroma. Upon lighting, it presents a bright floral aroma with notes of nuts, hints of cocoa, hay, lemon zest, wood, and tangy spice on the palate. The finish is smooth and creamy with
-
Wrapper: Ecuadorian HabanoBinder: PA BroadleafFiller: Nicaraguan, Honduran, DominicanSize: Toro 6 x 54 The H. Upmann 1844 Añejo Toro features a uniform and silky-smooth coffee brown wrapper with a light oily sheen. The cold draw brings notes of barnyard, hay, and leather. Upon lighting, the cigar opens with notes of nuts, buttery-sweetness, light coffee, leather, and cedar.
-
To celebrate our 34th anniversary, my wife and I enjoyed the Padron 50th Anniversary Maduro. This special cigar, originally released in limited edition 50-count humidors in 2014, is made to commemorate the company’s 50th anniversary. Refills are available annually to humidor owners. Origin: NicaraguaWrapper: NicaraguaBinder: NicaraguaFiller: NicaraguaSize: Toro 6 1/2 x 50 box-pressed The cigar features a slightly toothy, evenly
-
Rocky Patel has a large portfolio of cigars that seems to grow by two or three lines each year. This year, that includes the Year of the Dragon, the Rocky Patel Gold Label, and most recently, the subject of this review, the Emerald. The Emerald is a soft box-pressed cigar with a silky coffee-brown wrapper
-
The latest in G.L. Pease’s Zeitgeist series, Horizons is a flake of Turkish Latakia, Red Virginia, Bright Virginia, and Orientals. Smoky, sweet, and savory with notes of mesquite, steak sauce, earth, and leather, with occasional hints of citrus. The retrohale is smoky with a light pepper spice. The finish is rich with notes of leather,
-
“Summa” is the Latin word for a comprehensive summary or treatise, or total, or archetypal example. It is a word commonly used in theology and philosophy. In fact, the first thing that comes to mind when I see the word “summa” is St. Thomas Aquinas’ unfinished masterwork, Summa Theologica. So, I was intrigued when I
-
In recent years, several brands have introduced super-premium offerings to the market, and one of those is Rocky Patel’s Conviction. This cigar is made with tobacco that has been aging since 2014, from Rocky Patel’s first harvest, and it comes with a retail price of $100 before taxes. Wrapper: Mexican San AndresBinder: NicaraguanFiller: NicaraguanSize: Toro
-
The Kristoff Veinte line celebrates the 20th anniversary of Glen Case’s Kristoff Cigar company. Wrapper: Brazilian ArapiracaBinder: IndonesianFiller: Nicaraguan, PennsylvaniaSize: Perfecto 6 x 60 The Veinte is sharp-looking with black and silver dual bands over the dark coffee brown Arapiraca wrapper. It looks well-constructed and has no soft spots. The draw on it is excellent,
Not Just Blowing Smoke with Pastor Padron 