Produced in Honduras, both lines are are available in four frontmarks: No. 13 (5 ½ by 52 Cuban Corona), No. 3 (4 ¾ by 50 Robusto), No. 7 (5 ¾ by 50 Toro), and No. 9 (6 ¾ by 50 Churchill). The No. 3, 7, and 9 come packaged in 19 count jars ranging in price from $53.95 to $68.95 for the Sacrifice and $56.99 to $61.98 for the Dark. The No. 13 Cuban Corona is offered in 13 count bundles for $34.99. It is my understanding that bundle refills will be available for the jars at a reduced price.

Vudu Dark can be purchased directly from Famous Smoke Shop HERE and Vudu Sacrifice can be found HERE.

The Facts

Vudu Sacrifice
Samples Provided by Famous Smoke Shop
Vitola: No. 3 Robusto
Size: 4 ¾ by 50
Wrapper: Nicaraguan Corojo
Binder/Filler: Nicaraguan and Honduran

Vudu Dark
Samples Provided by Famous Smoke Shop
Vitola: No. 3 Robusto
Size: 4 ¾ by 50
Wrapper: Pennsylvanian Sun Grown
Binder: Nicaraguan
Filler: Nicaraguan

Pre-light

Sacrifice: Removing the Vudu Sacrifice from Famous Smoke Shop from its cellophane, there a deep pungent aroma of vinegar and dark fruit notes. The foot shows off graham cracker, chocolate, cedar, and some spice. The medium tan Nicaraguan Corojo wrapper has some oils that are easily felt on the fingertips. About halfway down, the cigar feels soft when lightly pinched. The veins are tiny and hardly any bumps are on the wrapper. Clipping through the double cap that has a small tear or crack, the draw is firmer than preferred, delivering notes of cedar, clove, cinnamon, and chocolate.

Dark: The oily, dark brown, almost oscuro Pennsylvanian Sun Grown wrapper is consistent in color other than two small patches that have been added to cover up small tears in the leaf. Two medium veins run the course of the cigar, with the other veins being hardly noticeable. The wrapper has an aroma of barnyard and red pepper flakes, with much of the same found on the foot along with a light cocoa and earthiness. The neatly applied double cap clips easily revealing an almost perfect draw. Cold draw flavors are more subdued than the Sacrifice with some rich notes of cedar and clove.

First Third

Sacrifice: Once lit, the first thing that jumps out at me is the mouthfeel of the smoke that is thick and chewy. Big notes of black pepper, deep pencil-shavings, and earth/diesel are unexpected but enjoyable. A dark, red fruit sweetness is moving forward in profile. Oils are raising from the wrapper as the cigar burns even with its thick, eyeliner burn. The first ash made it through the entire first third before dropping.

Dark: Dark flavors of earth, unsweetened cocoa, and a tartness are first to greet my palate. While the flavors fall on the darker end of the spectrum, they are coming across mild on the palate with not a whole lot of body. A sugar-like sweetness is pushing its way into the profile and some spice is noticeable in the sinuses. A light grey ash is formed as the cigar burns thin with just a small wave.

Middle Third

Sacrifice: The dark fruit sweetness is playing a more dominant role complementing the flavors noted in the previous third. Pushing the smoke through the sinuses there is a pepper sting but not overwhelming.

Dark: The flavors build to medium with the earthiness and coffee at the front and the flavors are rich. There is a sharp, acidic citrus quality and the pepper transitions from the retrohale into the flavor profile. As the citrus departs, the sweetness is once again perceivable. The burn-line is thin but remains wavy.

Final Third

Sacrifice: Transitioning into the last third, char and toasted bread notes make an introduction. The other flavors have gotten pushed back but can still be discerned. The pencil-shaving flavor makes one last strong push into the profile. The thin burn line is even as I put the cigar down for its final rest.

Dark: The Vudu Dark is being carried along by its deep earth and cocoa flavor with some newly found toasted notes and a buttery popcorn flavor. The smoke production is satisfying and the cigar continues to perform above par.

Wrap-up

Sacrifice: Right of the bat, the Sacrifice delivered full-flavors that were full in body and medium in strength. I have absolutely no complaints in the performance department. While the draw was stiff at the pre-light, once lit, the draw was fine and the burn and ash was exceptional for a cigar less than $3.00. Not overly complex, but highly enjoyable smoke that I could see picking up in the evening and standing up to fuller body beverages.

Dark: The Vudu Dark is my cup of tea. The flavors of earth, cocoa, and pepper suited my palate with an evolving strength that moved from mild to medium/full throughout the smoke. Compared to the Sacrifice, the burn-line was not nearly as even, but was of no concern. I actually ordered up a jar of No. 7s, and I believe you may be hard-pressed to find a better cigar for the price.

The post Doubleheader: J. Fuego Cigar Co. – Vudu Sacrifice & Dark, Famous Smoke Shop Exclusives appeared first on Cigar Reviews | Beer Pairings | Casas Fumando.

Drew Estate

Even with their 2013 releases (Nica Rustica and Kentucky Fire Cured) delayed, the Drew Estate table had no problem drawing the crowds, men and women alike, throughout the day.  With the No. 9, T52, Undercrown, Herrera Esteli, infused lines and Joya de Nicaragua products available, there was something for everyone. Fabian Ziegler, national sales director for Drew Estate, represented the company for their first appearance at Foxtoberfext.

Knowing it would be a full day of cigar smoking, I grabbed a Herrera Esteli to kick off the day.  The more I visit the Herrera Esteli the more I enjoy it. Tony mentioned to me that during his trip to Esteli earlier this year that he smoked a Herrera Esteli each morning. Something about the profile and the way it compliments a cup of Joe makes it a great morning stick.

It was a great event at a great location with lots of happy smokers.  I enjoy hanging and smoking with people who truly enjoy both the simpleness and complexity of a cigar. – Fabian Ziegler

 

J. Fuego Cigars

Jesus Fuego arrived at the event looking like he just finished a deep-sea fishing excursion. Whether on purpose or accident, his apparel was quite fitting since a box purchase of the Edicion de Familia could land you on a deep-sea fishing trip with Jesus. As Tony and I made our way around to Jesus’ table, he introduced us to his new Connoisseur line. My immediate reaction was to reach for the Original size but he insisted that we smoke the Gordo 5 by 60. He couldn’t have been more right. While still uncomfortable in the mouth, the cigar delivered in the flavor department. Unlike my past two experiences with the Connoisseur Originals, the Gordo did not become a dud at the halfway point.

As the end of the event drew near, I made my way back to the table to purchase a brick of the Sangre de Toro Originals as I did last year. Under $2 bucks a stick, I do not think there is a better deal on the market.

Rocky Patel Premium Cigars

Nish Patel attended Foxtoberfest in place of Rocky Patel this year. With a smile as bright as his head, Nish Patel lit up the event. One of the first cigar we were handed  was the Rocky Patel Royale. The Royale was one of several cigars released by Rocky Patel Premium Cigars this year and wears an Ecuadorian Sumatra wrapper over Honduran and Nicaraguan tobaccos.

As I mentioned in Post 1 of Foxtoberfest, Matt Booth really enjoyed his brief visit to El Paso. Well, Nish had only good things to say about El Paso as well and he will be making another appearance on November 6th at a local shop.

My Father Cigars

Everyone in attendance could agree that the true celebrity of Foxtoberfest was Sparky D’Lighter. Only making a few brief appearance during the event, we were able to capture a moment between Sparky and Jose Ortega. Along with being Sparky’s personal handler, Jose Ortega is the Vice President of Sales for My Father Cigars. You can follow Sparky D’Lighter’s adventures on Twitter, @SparkyDLighter.

Boutique Blends

Rafael Alejandro of Boutique Blends proudly displayed and promoted their Aging Room Maduro that was released at the 2013 IPCPR Trade Show. Since its release, the AR Maduro has been making a lot of noise in social media and cigar review sites. After smoking the Aging Room Small Batch M356 back in February, I have been intrigued with Boutique Blends and keeping an eye out on their cigars.

Not being outdone by fellow manufacturers, Boutique Blends arrived at Foxtoberfest 2013 with a SWAG event exclusive cigar. Tony and I snagged a 5-pack of the SWAG exclusive and will be posting a review in the near future.

Ashton

I was introduced to Ashton’s La Aroma de Cuba Mi Amor Reserva line at last year’s Foxtoberfest which I instantly fell in love with , so I was excited to be one of the first to get their  hands on the new San Cristobal Revelation by Ashton. Tony previewed the cigar before the event and had this to say:  “This new release features an Ecuadorian Sumatran wrapper, the same wrapper used on Ashton’s Virgin Sun Grown of ‘VSG’ Cigar only using a lower “viso” priming wrapped around Nicaraguan binder and fillers. The cigar will come in 5 sizes, 3 of which are box-pressed and will carry a price point between $6.95 and $9.50 a cigar. This should be a regular production cigar and will come packaged in boxes of 24.”

262 Cigars

Clint Aaron made his second appearance at Foxtoberfest continuing to fight the good fight to bring lanceros back into fad. At the 2013 IPCPR Trade Show, 262 Cigars unveiled the Revere Lancero which was available at the event. While I did not grab one, this is a cigar I plan on hunting down soon. Along with the Revere line, the Ideology and Paradigm lines were also available. I am not sure if Cliff Coen was trying to punish Clint or was just looking for a little entertainment, but he stuck Clint right next to Matt Booth for the 8 hour event. I am sure Clint is seeking psychological help after that.

The folks at Fox seem to one-up themselves with each and every Foxtoberfest. I was honored to be in attendance again this year. Matt Booth frightened me though. It is true what they say, “Don’t feed the animal. – Clint Aaron

With all that was taking place throughout the day, we didn’t have a chance to visit the Xikar or Oliva Cigar Company representatives.

Below is a gallery containing all photos we took at the event. I know it may be a bit of a cumbersome gallery so if you’d like to view them on Facebook instead (no account required) click here.

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The post Foxtoberfest 2013 – Event Coverage (Post 2 of 2) appeared first on Cigar Reviews | Beer Pairings | Casas Fumando.

The Ashton Members Lounge is done up top-notch with leather chairs, ten flat panel TVs, private cigar lockers, and much, much more. According to Cliff Coen, owner of Fox Cigar Bar, the lounge is still a work in progress. The place already looks fantastic and I can’t wait to return to Fox Cigar Bar to see the final product.

Smoking our way into early Saturday morning with Wes Thornton of Crowned heads and Cliff, we headed back to the hotel to finally get some rest for the Saturday festivities. After a couple hours of rest, the wives were up ready to begin their shopping adventures and Tony and I were excited to get down to Fox Cigar Bar and enjoy what the day had offer.

Saturday was  turning out to be a beautiful day with the sun shining and the high being in the low 80’s.  At 1:00 manufacturers began to arrive and Fox Cigar Bar staff put up the final touches before the gates opened at 2:00 for Foxtoberfest 2013.

There was an unbelievable turnout at this year’s event. Those in attendance included Eddie Ortega from Ortega Cigar Company, Jose Ortega from My Father, Jesus Fuego from J. Fuego Cigars, Matt Booth from Room 101, Nish Patel from Rocky Patel, Fabian Ziegler from Drew Estate, Tony Gomez and Anthony Cantelmo from La Flor Dominicana, Rafael Alejandro from Boutique Blends, Wes Thornton from the Crowned Heads, Clint Aaron from 262 Cigars, David Fraser from Xikar, Meera Levin from Ashton, Terence Reilly from SAG Imports, Jeff Nolen from Oliva Cigars, and Glynn Loope from CRA.

Tony and I had an opportunity touch base with several manufacturers throughout the day.  Below, you will find highlights of the events but in no way does this encompass all of the day’s shenanigans.

Crowned Heads

Wes Thornton of Crowned Heads happened to be in the best shape when we arrived at Fox Cigar Bar Friday evening. While I am not sure of Wes’ official title, a blog post at crownedheads.com refers to his position as an ambassador of Crowned Heads who acts as a liaison between the company and their retail partners. Making our way to some open leather chairs, we sat down with Wes to shoot the bull and see what was in the works at Crowned Heads. One topic of discussion was the 2013 limited edition Headley Grange Drumstick. In Wes’ opinion, the Headley Grande Drumstick is the best cigar to come out of Crowned Heads to-date. The first shipment went out the previous Tuesday but had yet to arrive at Fox Cigar Bar the day of the festival.

The Crowned Heads booth showcased all three of their regular production brands: Four Kicks, Headley Grange, and J.D. Howard Reserve. A sampler made up of two cigars from each line above, named the 6 Shooter, was available for under $50.

Ortega Cigar Company

Making his second appearance at Foxtoberfest, Eddie Ortega, owner of Ortega Cigar Company, made quite the arrival with his Foxtoberfest exclusive cigar, appropriately named “The Fox”. Check out Tony’s review here. While The Fox was the talk of the event, the Ortega Serie “D” and Ortega Minis were also out on display. The Ortega Serie “D” has been a staple in my humidor since its release and I do not see that changing anytime soon considering the flavors and excellent price. And if you are looking for a great commuter cigar, I highly recommend trying out the Minis.

Tony and I were able to spend a good amount of time with the lady-killer throughout the day. While most conversation did not involve cigars, I did ask what his favorite cigar was in the Wild Bunch series. According to Eddie, Dandy McCoy (see Tony’s review here) ranks high up there. He even hinted of a possible continuation of the cigar after the completion of the Wild Bunch.

Cliff puts on a great yearly event and I’m very glad to be part of the manufacturers he invites. It was great event again this year, I think it just keeps growing and getting better every year. – Eddie Ortega

La Flor Dominicana

Tony Gomez and Anthony Cantelmo manned the LFD booth. For those unaware, Tony Gomez is Litto Gomez’s son. Also, you may be familiar with Anthony Cantelmo’s work at cigarbrief.com . Anthony was present at Foxtoberfest in 2012 but in a much different role, as an employee of Fox Cigar Bar. In Early 2013, he moved from Arizona to east Texas to start a new job with La Flor Dominicana as the Southwest Area Manager. Anthony must be a good salesman because he was able to get Tony Gomez to attend this year’s event. LFD has grabbed my attention this past year and I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to grab the La Flor Dominicana Foxtoberfest exclusive cigar. The cigar sports a Connecticut Broadleaf wrapper, Cameroon binder, and Dominican and Nicaraguan filler. Keep your eyes out for a review of this special cigar in the near future.

My impression was that it went really well and that the Folks at Fox are doing a fantastic job at creating a wonderful destination spot for cigar lovers in the Valley of the Sun. Our sales this year were great and we had a fantastic time making a special cigar to commemorate the festival. – Anthony  Cantelmo

I thought the event was just awesome. Mitch, Rob, Cliff, and the crew over there are top notch. You couldn’t ask for a better venue to enjoy a smoke & a cocktail with good company. It’s definitely an event worth going to. – Antonio Gomez

SAG Imports

Tony found his soul mate during the event, Mr. Terence Reilly of SAG imports.  Not only is Terence a cigar guys, but he is also a huge beer guy. As I smoked away, Tony and Terence lost themselves in conversation over beer. But for real, Terence is one of the most friendly, down to earth guys in the industry.

The SAG Imports table showcased the seasonally released Quesada Oktoberfest that first appeared in 2011. The cigar is blended to be paired with Marzen style beers that are enjoyed during fall season. Tony reviewed the 2011 release here and absolutely loved it. In conversation with Terence, he mentioned that while the 2011 and 2012 releases had very similar flavor profiles, he does note some profile difference in the 2013 release.

Foxtoberfest is an incredible event because it captures everything people enjoy about cigars. The store is incredible to begin with and has an amazing bar selection, and when you combine that with food music anda bunch of cigar lovers it creates an amazing atmosphere. – Terence Reilly

Room 101 Cigars

Just a few days before Foxtoberfest, Matt Booth of Room 101 was in our neck of the woods for an event at a local shop. It is extremely rare for El Paso to see individuals of his caliber from the cigar industry. Our busy schedules kept us from hanging out with Matt during his stay, but a couple of our smoking buddies stopped by. Chatting with Matt on Saturday, he mentioned that he really enjoyed El Paso. Hopefully, this is a first of many things to come for the cigar community in El Paso.

If you have ever met Matt you know he is quite the character with a quick wit. It was a good thing Tony had a few drinks in him because he was able to dish it back out. I on the other hand had to go hide in a corner.  For a $100, attendees could pick up a 10 pack of Room 101 cigars and an awesome ashtray. I don’t know what I was thinking, but I didn’t jump on the deal. I am kicking myself for that.

The cattle are dying, the answer is Room 101. – Matt Booth

Cigar Rights of America

Last year, Patrick Carr, Field Manager, managed the CRA booth single-handily. Whether it was from the great membership turnout the previous year or just not wanting to miss an awesome cigar and beer festival, Glynn Loope, Executive Director, made his way to Gilbert, AZ to enjoy the festivities, as well as represent an organization that is fighting for our rights to enjoy fine cigars.

If you are unaware, “Cigar Rights of America (CRA) is a national advocacy organization dedicated to protecting the rights of the Consumer, Retail Tobacconist, Supply Chain and Manufacturers of premium cigars. In an effort to combat the threats of enjoying, selling, and producing premium cigars, Cigar Rights of America serves as a voice at each level of government and with the public at-large on issues of significance to the industry as a whole, and the cigar consumers of America, specifically.”

I took the time to renew my membership at the event which only took a couple of minutes. The guys over at CRA were kind enough to throw in a travel humidor with the renewal. If you are not a member, I encourage you to sign up here.

CRA was well represented at this year’s Foxtoberfest, during the event we signed up over 75 new members and proceeds from the golf tournament also went to fight the battle to protect our rights to enjoy premium tobacco products. We would like to thank Fox Cigar Bar and its staff for allowing us to be part of this year’s event, Fox is a model B&M shop supporting CRA and our efforts to help protect our rights to enjoy premium cigars and keep our passion alive! – Patrick Carr, Field Manager

Below is a gallery containing all photos we took at the event. I know it may be a bit of a cumbersome gallery so if you’d like to view them on Facebook instead (no account required) click here.

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The post Foxtoberfest 2013 – Event Coverage (Post 1 of 2) appeared first on Cigar Reviews | Beer Pairings | Casas Fumando.

On Friday, Oktober (like the way I spelled that?) 18th you can spend the day sipping drinks, smoking cigars, and rubbing elbows at the golf course with Matt Booth from 101, Nish Patel from Rocky Patel, Fabian Ziegler from Drew Estate, Tony Gomez from La Flor Dominicana, Eddie Ortega from Ortega Cigars, Rafael Alejandro from Boutique Blends, Wes Thornton from the Crowned Heads, Clint Aaron from 262 Cigars, David Fraser from Xikar, Meera Levin from Ashton, Terence Reilly from Sag, Jeff Nolen from Oliva Cigars, and Glen Loope from CRA. If that isn’t enough, on Saturday you can hang out at the shop, enjoy some great beers and cigars while shooting the crap with these guys plus Jose Ortega from My Father Cigars and Jesus Fuego from J. Fuego Cigars. Cliff and Fox went HUGE on this one and I can honestly say that I am looking forward to the event. I could see this even becoming one of the premier cigar events in the southwest. Below is the full information on the event as well as pricing. If you plan on going buy your tickets ASAP cause they sold out crazy fast last year. You can keep up with any changes by follow Fox Cigar Bar on twitter, facebook, or through their website. We will provide you guys will full event coverage as well.

The post Fox Cigar Bar’s Foxtoberfest / Golf Classic 2013 appeared first on Cigar Reviews | Beer Pairings | Casas Fumando.

Now up until recently, I had not smoked too many Origens and the ones that I did have were usually the smaller unbanded sizes that come in the soft pack bags. If you’ve had some of those you already know they are some of the best priced quick cigars you can find that still actually taste like a real cigar. So I was pretty excited to see how this Toro compared to the small versions of the same stick and even other sticks in the line-up.

This wrapper and blend is a new addition to the Origen line up that was just recently released last year. It’s surrounded by a toothy and tasty looking Brazilian Mata Fina wrapper followed by a Costa Rican Corojo binder and finished off with some Nicaraguan, Honduran and Mexican fillers. Right away you can pick up some sweet cocoa and spices off the wrapper and foot. After toasting the foot, I’m met with more of the spices and some smooth coffee flavors added to the bunch.

As I keep burning along, I’m also picking up some slight woodsy notes and the retrohale is finishing with some very nice creaminess that I’m really enjoying. There are a couple touch-ups here and there throughout the cigar but none are major. The coffee flavors slowly build up and turn to a nice espresso note which is pairing perfectly with the creamy and soft spice notes.

The whole experience wraps up nicely with no harshness and tons of flavor. I did not want to put this cigar down and nubbed it till my fingers were burning! I gotta find myself some more of these for sure, and you should too! Especially the soft packs which are great to have as a quick cigar when you are tight on time.

The post Quick Draw Episode 14 – J. Fuego Origen Maduro appeared first on Cigar Reviews | Beer Pairings | Casas Fumando.

I have been a huge fan of J. Fuego cigars, especially the Origen  in the Original size which I have been smoking by the brick.  With the awesome discounts they were offering at the event, I could not turn down a brick purchase of the J. Fuego soft packs.  I was set on purchasing a brick (12 soft packs) of the Sangre de Toro.  The sales representatives for J. Fuego informed me that I could mix and match any of the lines available in soft packs.  I ended up walking out with three soft packs from each line, Origen, Origen Maduro, Sangre de Toro, and Gran Reserva #1 Corojo, which I have been smoking the heck out of since.  I also was tempted to grab a box of the newly released Edicion de Familia, but hesitated since I had yet to fire one up.  Luckily enough, I ended up winning an Edicion de Familia 2012 through a giveaway cigarbrief.com was sponsoring a day later.  I’ve been looking forward to lighting this baby up since I received it back in November.  Based on my past experiences with J. Fuego cigars, I have high expectations for this Edicion de Familia 2012.

About J. Fuego Cigars:

The Fuego family has been in the business of growing, blending, and rolling cigars for five generations (since 1876 when J.Fuego was founded as a leaf growing company) in “El Corojo” farm, Cuba.

It was in 1995 when the family migrated to Central America. In 2006, after years growing, blending and making cigars for other companies, Jesus Fuego launched “Tabacos S.A.” with the release of the “J. Fuego” brand with his Natural and Gran Reserva lines. This, as a celebration of 130 years of his family in the cigar industry.

Since then Tabacos S.A. has introduced the J. Fuego Delirium, the 777 brand with Maduro, Corojo and Zero lines. The Origen brand was also introduced in 2010 with great acceptation from the consumers.

We are proud to offer a wide variety of flavors and prices in our cigar selection, made with tobaccos grown exclusively for Tabacos S.A. Enjoy. – jfuego.com

There is not much information available on the J. Fuego Edicion de Familia but you can find some background on it here at stogieguys.com.

The Facts
Price: Won from a Cigar Brief Giveaway
Format: Robusto Tubo
Size: 4 ⅞ by 49
Wrapper: Ecuadorian Sumatra
Binder: Nicaraguan
Filler: Nicaraguan and Honduran
Pairing: Club Soda

Pre-light

The J. Fuego Edicion de Familia sports two bands.  The primary band contains the common logo of the J. Fuego signature on top of a black tobacco leaf.  Additionally, the words “Edicion de Familia” are located at the bottom of the primary band.  The secondary band, located on the foot of the cigar, indicates the release year of the blend.  This one is of course the 2012 release.

My attention is immediately drawn to how rustic the wrapper appears.  Prominent and minor veins web across the entire cigar with several imperfections in the rusty brown color.    There are several bumps in the wrapper. This is something I have noticed with well aged cigars, especially aged Cubans, when the wrapper begins to form to the underneath binder. The cap has been neatly applied on the head of the cigar.  I am not able to pull much off the wrapper or foot of the cigar other than a mixture of manure, cedar, and a slight acidic note, possibly ammonia.  The cap clips easily but not much more is present on the cold draw.

First Third

I am a big fan of secondary bands on cigars for the visual impression they make on the shelf.  However, it gives more room to damage the wrapper.  I am happy to report that no damage was done on the removal of the band. The foot torches easily with my Zippo Z-Plus lighter, filling my mouth with a copious amount of smoke.  Instantly I am greeted with a bouquet of flavors that balance beautifully, making it hard to identify and pinpoint specific notes. As the cigar and my palate warm up, I note flavors of cedar, pencil shavings, salt, pepper, and a vegetal flavor.  The cedar is showcased in the retrohale.  The oils on the Ecuadorian Sumatra wrapper begin to come out next to the eye liner burn line.  The layering ash is holding strong as I close out the first third.  Flavors are medium at this point and I’m feeling no nicotine.

Middle Third

The ash finally dropped as I entered into the second third.   The cedar continues to be the most dominant flavor.  Charred meat and a peatiness enters the profile.   In the background there is mixture of the saltiness picked up in the first third complimented by a tad of sweetness.  This reminds me of eating French fries while drinking a milkshake.  Just not as in your face.  The burn line is absolutely perfect.    Flavors have moved up a notch, while the strength remains in the middle of the road.

Final Third

The main band comes unglued easily without any damage to the band or wrapper.  Being a cigar band collector, it is a minor annoyance when I have to tear the band to remove it without damaging the wrapper.  The cedar and earth notes have become much deeper, and a vegetal flavor remains behind the scenes.  As I nub the cigar, I once again welcome the balance and complexity of flavors I picked up on when I first lit up the Edicion de Familia.  It has been very rare in my limited smoking experiences for a cigar profile to return to the profile that began the journey.   I do not want to let this puppy go out.   The smoke has stayed cool and the burn has remained razor sharp to the very end.

Wrap-up

I do not have much experience with Sumatra wrappers, but if this stick is any indicator of the “Sumatra Profile” then I’ll be seeking more out.  The cedar core held strong till the very end with complimentary notes entering and departing from the flavor make-up.  Boxes were being snagged for $75 at the Foxtoberfest event.  If I had a few more bucks at the time, I would have picked up a box and now I regret not doing so.  Online the Edicion de Familia can be picked up for $10 for a single or $100 for the ten count box.  If you are ever in the Phoenix area, make arrangements to spend a day at Fox Cigar Bar.  Not only do they have an awesome cigar selection, but a bar stocked with tons of craft beers that rotate often.   I look forward to future visits to Fox Cigar Bar and I’ll definitely be grabbing a couple J. Fuego Edicion de Familia 2012 cigars, if they are still available.

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FOX CIGAR BAR PRESENTS: FOXTOBERFEST 2012

Cigar and Beer Festival – October 27th, 4pm – 10pm

Fox Cigar Bar in Gilbert, AZ is proud to announce our first annual Foxtoberfest Festival! Foxtoberfest will be packed with premium cigars, a wide variety of beer, Oktoberfest themed food and entertainment. Great cigars, amazing beer, traditional cuisine, all while raising money for a local scholarship fund!

Special Guests Include Cigar Manufacturers:

Jesus Fuego – J. Fuego Cigars
Eddie Ortega – Ortega Cigar Company
Matt Booth – Room 101 Cigar Company
Craig Cunningham – Esteban Carreras Cigar Company
Clint Aaron – 262 Cigar Company

Fox Cigar Bar has teamed up with local brewery Four Peaks Brewing Company to provide some specialty beer created just for Foxtoberfest. In addition, Fox Cigar Bar has selected some of the best craft beer breweries from around the country to bring you a wide variety of Oktoberfest and Pumpkin styled beers.

Entry to this event is free. However, VIP tickets are available that allow guests to participate in cigar seminars with the manufacturers, sample additional beers and walk away with some additional commemorative merchandise.

Tickets can be purchased in our lounge, online, or over the phone (480.917.3117). Tickets go on sale September 15th and can be purchased in advance or at the door the day of the event.

Fox Cigar Bar is an 18 and over establishment that has a wide variety of premium cigars, craft beer, premium spirits and a comfortable atmosphere. Fox Cigar Bar has a large indoor smoking lounge as well as a outdoor patio area.

Fox Cigar Bar is located at: 1464 E. Williamsfield Rd. #105 Gilbert, Arizona 85295. Hours of Operation: Sunday – Thursday 10am – 12am * Friday & Saturday 10am – 2am

If you would like more information or to schedule an interview with Cliff Coen, please contact him at 480.917.3117 or via email at cigarcliff@gmail.com.

The post Foxtoberfest 2012 – Event Coverage appeared first on Cigar Reviews | Beer Pairings | Casas Fumando.

The Good Stuff: These cigars were graciously sent to us by J. Fuego himself. I really don’t know much about this blend other than the useful information that Brian Hewitt from Stogie Review was able to coax out of Mr. Fuego. The Blend will sport full Nicaraguan tobacco. Starting with the Nicaraguan Colorado wrapper, then onto the Nicaraguan Criollo Binder, before ending with the Nicaraguan Criollo and Corojo Filler. These cigars will run from $5.95 to $6.95 and will begin to hit stores early next month.

Size: 4 7/8 x 49  –  Wrapper: Nicaraguan Colorado  –  Binder/Filler: Criollo and Corojo

Prelight: Ever since I read Brian Hewitt, of Stogie Review’s take on this cigar I had been wanting to get home and see just how much this cigar really smells like a pickle. Yes, I couldn’t wait to get home so that I could smell a pickle. So what. Anywho, It’s just nuts that this cigar, really does give off a pickle scented aroma! Even more crazy is that Brian picked it up so quickly. Well done sir. Outside of the pickle aroma there is a slight floral mixed in, and only a slight tobacco scent coming off the foot. The wrapper of the cigar is a very dark, very consistent dark brown. There are a few veins, and no soft spots heading up to The Sangre De Toro’s round, triple cap.

The Sangre De Toro clipped clean and easy with my Palio double bladed cutter. The cold draw produces nothing more than a really natural tobacco flavor. I took a couple of extra draws, just to see if the pickle aroma transpired into the flavor. Luckily, no dice.

First Smoke: The Sangre De Toro starts out with a massive pepper boom.  With the strength of this pepper, I was very surprised when it faded away after just a few puffs. What was left was a very rich cashew and natural tobacco flavor with some slight chocolate mixed in. The draw is thick and plentiful giving off very little resistance, and a ton of stationary smoke. The burnline has some slight waves but nothing too concerning. The ash left behind is a very flaky, white and dark grey which held on for about

Halfway There: Two thirds into this Sangre De Toro and the pepper has started to sneak back into the mix. The Chocolate has also increased followed up by some nice espresso notes. There was mention of how flavorful this wrapper is, and its really starting to show. The burnline has completely corrected itself and is now burning dead even, and very thin. There is a bit of body coming off this cigar. With a name like “Bulls Blood” I shouldn’t be surprised, but most of Fuego’s cigars that I have had, have lacked in the body department. So far this stick is dead on. The retrohale is really sharp, and I don’t find myself doing to too often. The retrohale leaves a really spicy, peppery prime behind.

Finish: The Flavors in this Sangre De Toro just keep piling on. Early into the final third the main contenders was a ton of cashew and peanut, mixed with a very perfume type flavor, backed by some dark chocolate. I know I touched on the body of this cigar, but it really never got more powerful than a medium for me. I was expecting a bit more, but I am glad that it finished off so smoothly. No harshness, no dryness. Just a smooth finish.

Overview: This cigar was dead on. From the price,  to the burn, to the tons of flavor J. Fuego made yet another winner. This cigar is ideal for the seasoned smoker who doesn’t want to shell out a lot of cash. In the same rite, it’s a perfect step up for the novice smoker, and won’t break the bank. This is VERY box worthy and I know it will find a happy home in my everyday rotation. Sorry, no pairing this run. I had a bottled water. It was a spur of the moment review so I didn’t really have time to get some good brew going. But I’ll make it up next time I swear.

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