All tagged Cigar Reviews

Gurkha Black Dragon - Four Pillars Chardonnay Barrel Gin - Arras Brut Elite

Gurkha Black Dragon - Four Pillars Chardonnay Barrel Gin - Arras Brut Elite

Ken Gargett
By Ken Gargett - 2019

I think that perhaps my favourite place for a cigar and a good drink is down on the northern NSW coast. Family has a place there - it is actually where an old fishing hut used to be, where Dad used to come well before I was born.

Roll the li-lo out, the beach down in front beyond the trees, the cigar du jour and a couple of drinks to match. Settle back with a cracking book. I have had a number of great afternoons there. Sadly, this was not one of them.

First, blowing a gale. Made it all a bit iffy.

Next, a land crab (seriously, there are times I feel like I am David Attenborough's alter ego and all the wildlife on the planet are…

Juan Lopez No 2 - Duchesse de Bourgogne Ale

Juan Lopez No 2 - Duchesse de Bourgogne Ale

Ken Gargett
By Ken Gargett - 2019

Coming to the end of the bundle of odds and sods of seconds Rob left with me for Kenfessions.

This JL2 looked far more like a fourth than a second, but I am not one to complain. The wrapper was torn and ragged. If this had been a mongrel puppy then sorry to say, it would have been put down by now – to digress, currently both mother-sitting and puppy sitting for the family. The puppy is an incredibly energetic, even more than usual for a puppy, Springer Spaniel. Great dog but needless to say, needing all manner of vet care. Has finally got rid of the cone to stop it doing stuff to stitches etc, although I am wondering why, as it still has “socks” for some reason.

Well, it manages to remove one of the socks. I go to put it back on but…

Por Larranaga Belicosos Extra Regional Release Asia Pacific 2008 (EMA JUL08) - Angostura No 1 Cask Collection ex-Bourbon Cask Rum

Por Larranaga Belicosos Extra Regional Release Asia Pacific 2008 (EMA JUL08) - Angostura No 1 Cask Collection ex-Bourbon Cask Rum

Ken Gargett
By Ken Gargett - 2019

I am embarrassed to say that this is now the fourth time I have paired the Por Larranaga Belicosos Extra RR Asia Pacific 2008 (EMA JUL08, from Box 19 of 7,400, which is not quite as good as Mini-Smithy shipping off Rob’s prized box, numbered 1 of 5000 of some RR or LE or other – never gets old), for Kenfessions. They have proved slightly variable, with the most recent, prior to here, the superstar of the bunch. The bottom line, if we may elevate it, is that this one was close but a slightly lesser cigar, with apologies to the old American fairgrounds where the phrase originated – for those who failed to win a prize…

Ramon Allones RR Estupendos Asia Pacific 2006 release – Colosia Amontillado - Oakridge Meunier Rose 2016

Ramon Allones RR Estupendos Asia Pacific 2006 release – Colosia Amontillado - Oakridge Meunier Rose 2016

Ken Gargett
By Ken Gargett - 2019

Is there a more popular cigar for Regional Releases than Ramon Allones? There are bucketloads of them. Why is that? Is it because the brand is not considered good enough for regular Limited Edition releases, so they make do with Regionals? And if so, does that mean that Havana ranks Regionals below Limited Editions? Who knows? 

I'd go so far as to venture that no other brand is used as often for Regionals as RA, which I suspect few would have guessed when the program started. Of course, I could sit down and go through and count the split between brands and find out just which of them is most used, but we all know I am not going to do that. And these days, when the idea of fact-checking for articles has become a farce, why bother? It is now in print, so it must be true…

Trinidad ‘La Trova’ - Wild Turkey ‘Master’s Keep’ ‘1894’

Trinidad ‘La Trova’ - Wild Turkey ‘Master’s Keep’ ‘1894’

Ken Gargett
By Ken Gargett - 2019

A little while since I tried one of these gorgeous cigars. Last time, with a cracking Yamazaki 12-Year-Old. This time, a terrific Bourbon, but we’ll get to that. 

The cigar, the Trinidad ‘La Trova’, is from a box coded RAG AGO 17. The first 2/3rds of the smoke were utterly glorious, though the last third, certainly not in any way a lesser smoke, was simply exhibiting signs suggesting it was too young. I'd hang off these for another year or two, if possible, but if not, you’ll still have a brilliant experience. And showing the requisite patience will not be an easy task…

Nudies No 1 Lonsdales/Last Drop 1971 Blended Scotch Whisky (and possibly some Flor de Cana 25-Year-Old Rum)

Nudies No 1 Lonsdales/Last Drop 1971 Blended Scotch Whisky (and possibly some Flor de Cana 25-Year-Old Rum)

Ken Gargett
By Ken Gargett - 2019

Couple of interesting things touched down at the swamp recently. I had been talking to the people behind a rare spirits company and they were going to flick through a sample for review. And Rob left me with a mystery cigar. No clues at all. 

The whisky sample turned up and it was, wait for it, a 10ml thimble. I thought how on earth does one get to taste anything from such a minute sample? I found out later that a full 700ml bottle comes in at around £4,000, so suddenly 10mls is looking very generous. And it was such a stand out, no issue at all…