Weekly Email – September 9th, 2015

You may be familiar with the venerable Henry Clay, a tasty Altadis cigar with a long history (and which was named after an American politician who ran for – and lost – the Presidency three times). In fact, we’ve just gotten some of the original Henry Clay back in stock by popular demand. This HC, however, is a little bit different. The Henry Clay Tattoo is a masterful reworking by none other thanPete Johnson of Tatuaje Cigars fame, who has always been a huge fan of the Henry Clay and was asked by Altadis to create his own version of the classic Dominican blend.A box-pressed 6″ x 52 toro, the HC Tattoo is comprised of a stunning array of tobaccos: The wrapper is 2010 Connecticut Broadleaf; the binder, Dominican Piloto Cubano (also 2010); and the fillers? Hold your breath: Dominican Olor and Piloto (both from 2012) and Nicaraguan Crillo Ometepe from 2013. A hearty, heady blend, and one that was snapped up eagerly at the recent IPCPR trade show in New Orleans (the show allotment sold out very quickly).

We’ve got a limited quantity of these on hand (and I mean limited…only 50,000 cigars were made, total). Get your hands on Henry’s Tattoo while you can, because they won’t be around for long!

Another old favorite that’s recently had a facelift: The MAXX by Alec Bradley, a delicious blend of Colombian, Nicaraguan, Honduran, and Mexican tobaccos encased in a rich Nicaraguan habano maduro wrapper. We’ve got two sizes in stock: the Nano (a 4″ x 46 petit) and the Culture (a 6″ x 54 toro). Come fall in love with Maxx all over again!

Another Autumn tradition is underway…this year’s Oktoberfest by Quesada Cigars has arrived, and it’s a doozy! The 2015 release – dubbed The Bavarian – is a meaty 5½” x 52 robusto, a Dominican puro featuring Cuban seed Criollo and Olor viso and ligero for strength and flavor, all in a wrapper of robust Cibao Valley leaf. Designed to be paired with traditional Marzen-style Oktoberfest beer, it’s a real treat and is only available for a brief period, so get your schnitzel over here and enjoy it while you can!

At last! The long-awaited Enclave by A. J. Fernandez has arrived…and it was well worth the wait. An incredible blend of Nicaraguan fillers and Piloto Cubano with a Cameroon binder and a wrapper of Ecuadorian Habano Rosado endows the Enclave with a flavor unlike anything you’ve ever experienced: a bold, peppery start which evolves into an exotic cedar/spice with pleasant floral notes that seem to appear almost at random and a citrusy retrohale.We’ve got two sizes in stock: the 5″ x 52 robusto and the 6″ x 52 toro. Try them both! It really is a remarkable new blend. (Hence my remarks.)

The summer may be winding down, but the heat is still cranking…and for pipe smokers who enjoy non-aromatic tobacco, a straight Virginia Flake is always a good warm-weather smoke. Capstan (blue) Navy Flakeis a Mac Baren tobacco product, and one of their finest (in the humble opinion of this reviewer).

Bright, mottled flakes greet the eyes when the square lid pops from the tin, and the olfactory senses are treated to a citrusy, plum-like note with some fresh hay in the mix. This is one flake that I almost always fold and stuff in my pipes; its consistency and moisture content are as near to perfect as a flake can get, and it’ll take the match beautifully.

Initial flavor notes on the front side of the bowl typically resemble a fresh, grassy hay with some sweetness creeping in as the bowl develops. Most straight Virginias leave me wanting to add a dash of Perique for some oomph and a flavor boost, but with its ever-changing flavor profile Capstan has plenty going on. It’s a straight-up, no-frills Virginia that delivers enough body to satisfy.

“Capstan” is an archaic nautical term for a spool-like fixture on the deck of old sailing vessels that was used to handle ropes and cables, allowing sailors who were manning the canvas sails the leverage they needed to battle the wind and waves. The traditional Navy cut of this fine flake has endured the test of time, as has the name. Many famous authors and world leaders have loaded their pipes with this fine old blend, and I highly recommend you do the same. You won’t be sorry.

Another 5-pipe rating this week, folks! Puff On!

I told the doctor I broke my leg in two places. He told me to quit going to those places.