Posts Categorized: Tobacco-Cigars

The Odd Couple: pairing a cigar with a Bloody Mary

Robustojoe's Bloody Mary

Sunday brunch is always a treat, especially when a cigar lover can smoke one of his/her favorite morning smokes. Coffee goes well with a mild cigar, and the leisurely pace of a long breakfast is conducive to the enjoyment of a fine puro. Plus, that first cigar of the day is exceptionally enjoyable. But what… Read More

PDR A. Flores Gran Reserva Sun Grown Robusto; a truly fine cigar.

A Flores Gran Reserva

Note: Although this cigar was reviewed in the most recent Cigar Committee round, I felt it worthy of further mention. After smoking half a box, I’ve grown to love this cigar. The word “fine” has evolved in meaning through generations of English speaking people. “I feel fine” means you don’t have aches and pains, and… Read More

Cigar Storage Solutions – dry boxing.

Cigar Caddie

On a recent vacation, I returned home to find my humidor at 74%. I was used to seeing it hovering around 70%, and was alarmed by the increase in RH (relative humidity). While I was away, the weather was quite humid, and the door to my humidor had been unopened for a week. These factors… Read More

Polls are closed, final tally is in!

Giveaway winners

It is February 1, 2014, and The Third Great Robustojoe Cigar Giveaway has ended.  All the votes are in, and you, the readers, have chosen your preferences. Now, I am pleased to announce, that the five cigars chosen for the Giveaway are: 1 – Aging Room Small Batch Quattro F55 Concerto 2 – La Flor Dominicana Mysterio… Read More

The Third Great Robustojoe Cigar Giveaway!

The season for giving is upon us.  So, in this spirit I announce The Third Great Robustojoe Cigar Giveaway.  As before, one member of the newsletter community will be chosen at random to win five outstanding cigars, delivered in a Herf-a-dor five cigar travel case.  But this time around, you get to choose which five… Read More

The Changing Face of Dominican Cigars, Part Three.

In Parts One and Two, we toured the factories of Davidoff, Matasa, La Flor Dominicana, and Aging Room.  At each stop, we sampled cigars of extraordinary flavor and strength.  Again and again, my preconception of Dominican cigars had been challenged.  In the case of LFD and Aging Room, strength was augmented by a spicy quality… Read More

The Changing Face of Dominican Cigars, Part Two.

  In Part One of The Changing Face of Dominican Cigars, we visited Davidoff and Matasa Cigars.  While there we sampled cigars of surprising strength, and flavor.  Only two days into the trip and we could already sense that the traditional Dominican cigar flavor profile was under a metamorphosis.  But in order to confirm this,… Read More

The Changing Face of Dominican Cigars.

Preface. This is a three-part article about my cigar adventure in the Dominican Republic.  Over the course of five days, I explored a number of cigar factories and visited a tobacco field at the beginning of harvest.  It was an enlightening trip, and one worth sharing with fellow “lovers of the leaf”.  I hope everyone… Read More

Field of Dreams: Cultivation of Dominican Tobacco

In January, 2013, I made a trip to Santiago, Dominican Republic.  Santiago is the epicenter of the Dominican cigar business.  Here you see photos I took of the tobacco fields that service La Flor Dominicana and Aging Room Cigars.  I hope you enjoy viewing this short slide show. Happy smokes, Joe