CIGAR REVIEWS: A FEELING OF EXISTENTIAL ANOMIE

You probably (correctly) picture me with a pipe in my mouth. Which is absolutely on target, especially because by and large I despise most of the cigar smokers with whom I am acquainted. Nasty puffed-up gits with too much self-worth, who smell bad and eat too much.

But sometimes I smoke cigars.

The boss came back from Mexico with stogies for everyone. And his wife, of course, felt that in return for this consideration we should review a few, providing feedback which would help them decide which to stock.

A reasonable request, and I am anything if not opinionated.

So, last night before the rain came pouring down, I wandered around Nob Hill with a cheroot in my mouth, which was the very last of the ones I chose to smoke in the near term.

I feel slightly dirty now.


NESTOR MIRANDA COROJO ROBUSTO

A dark resinous wrapper which smells earthy and deep. The pre-light draw reminds me of Camel non-filters, which is a positive memory-laden effect.
It is good to lick. The cigar itself is tightly rolled,and burns unevenly, to the extent that I gave up halfway through, despite the over all pleasant smoke.
It is spicy, sweet, but not very memorable. I really wanted to like it more than I did. The ash is lovely, flaky and veering on white.
It could be good. But I was disappointed.


ROMEO 505 NICARAGUA TORO

Medium-full bodied, with a lovely dark wrapper which is perfumy to the nose. The roll could be firmer and more uniform. Upon lighting it is very pleasant, but about a third of the way down it becomes far less enjoyable.
Not bad, mind you -- the tobaccos are probably excellent -- but just not a very interesting product. It looks better than it is.


ALEC BRADLEY SANCTUM ROBUSTO

Very well rolled. Medium brown wrapper, mildly veined, variegated, and silky. This is a complex cigar, but a little fussy. The ash fell apart easily. Rather than a sweetness on the tongue the beast seemed tangy.
Towards the end I was quite reminded of nutmeg.
It is visually more appealing than it tastes.
But it's not bad.


VILLIGER SAN'DORO COLORADO ROBUSTO

A bit peppery, goes well with black coffee. Or Bourbon. Becomes more complex and enjoyable about halfway in, sweet and perfumy toward the end. Probably one of the most interesting cigars I've tasted in a while.
The ash is medium grey.


SLAUGHTERHOUSE CHURCHILL

Veers between tasty, over the top, and nasty. It is badly made and burns irregularly. I'm convinced that this is meant for poker players and sold in shoeboxes. What the heck were they thinking naming it?
It's not good, and just not very interesting.
I gave up halfway through.


LFD RESERVA ESPECIAL ROBUSTO

Medium buff hue to the wrapper, is that Connecticut? It is a mild puppy, without any very great complexity, but quite satisfying. An almost creamy or velvety taste, building to a caramel finish. Worth smoking down to the last inch, and would go well with a Pinot Noir. Burnt slightly irregularly, but this is a cigar I would revisit.


GURKHA HARTFIELD -- "A BOURBON COUNTRY DISTILLERY"

Oh pulleeze! I didn't even bother taking it out of the fancy-shmancy glass tube, and I dare not smoke this at the Occidental for fear Curtis Post would bust a gut laughing and throw me out. You're kidding, right?
I'll smoke it after I've finished admiring the marketing snazzle.
Perhaps very late at night.



I returned home in a downpour, finished writing what I thought, and fired off the e-mail. Then I lit up a pipe and read Mencius till past twelve.
I am re-studying the master, whom I first discovered years ago.

齊宣王問曰：「湯放桀，武王伐紂，有諸？」
孟子對曰：「於傳有之。」
曰：「臣弒其君可乎？」
曰：「賊仁者謂之賊，賊義者謂之殘，殘賊之人謂之一夫。聞誅一夫紂矣，未聞弒君也。」

King Hsuen of Chai asked: "Tang replaced Git , King Mou subjugated Jau, is that correct?"
Mencius responded: "that's how it was recorded."
King Hsuen: "but how can a minister kill his prince?"
Mencius: "the malevolent is called an evil-doer, the unrighteous is a scoundrel. Both are commonly considered ruffians. I have heard that a ruffian was whacked, but NOT that a prince was killed."

One of the best passages. When the person at the top is a son-of-a-bitch, it is better that his reign be brought to a close.

This is relevant to the current age, but I hesitate to mention it at work, because too many cigar smokers are supporters of the regime.
And utterly bat shit besides.




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