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.

[nggallery id=4]

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.

[nggallery id=4]

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.

The Good Stuff: My Father’s Flor de las Antillas is the Cuba-born Pepin families’ tribute blend to Cuba. As stated by vice president of sales Jose Ortega: “The name was chosen to honor Cuba, which has always been referred to as the flower of the Antilles”. The cigar is a Nicaraguan puro, composed of various Sun Grown, Cuban seen tobacco and hand rolled at the My Father Cigars S.A. factory in Esteli, Nicaragua. This blend was not only created in order to celebrate their Cuban heritage, but also to complete the My Father portfolio with a more subtle, mid-range cigar. That’s right, this won’t be the everyday powerhouse we have came to expect from the Pepin Family. The cigar comes n four box-pressed sizes: Robusto (5 x 50), Belicoso (5 1/2 x 52), Toro (6 x 52) and Toro Gordo (6 1/2 by 56). They will be packaged in boxes of 20 and retail for between $6.60 and $8.70 a stick. These are starting to hit shops already, I got mine from the amazing people over at Bonita Smoke Shop!

 Size: 5 ½ x 52  –  Wrapper: Nicaraguan Sun Grown  –  Binder/Filler: Nicaraguan  –  Body: Med/Full

Prelight: The My Father Flor de las Antillas starts off with a beautifully consistent, dark, milky brown wrapper. The wrapper is extremely thick, and smooth to the touch while the shine boasts of the oils the wrapper contains. There are only a few minor veins running through the box-pressed body up to the triple, torpedo style cap. One that I have always loved about My Father Cigars is the elegant designs they choose for their bands and the Flor de las Antillas is a perfect example of that. The band is manila in color with a huge painting style crest of two women in a garden surrounded by roses and a pink, maroon, and gold embossed crest. The top of the crest has the cigar’s name “Flor de las Antillas” while the bottom of the crest modestly states “My Father Cigars”. The back of the band also has “Sun Grown” printed in black ink. To top it off, there is a nice maroon ribbon style foot band on this cigar that really pull sit all together. Outside if the design, the construction is just spot on with no signs of flaws or soft spots at all.

The wrapper of the cigar gives off a very modest sweet tobacco aroma while the foot only carries this strong leathery scent with hints of black pepper. The cap cut very easily using my Palio Double bladed cutter. Usually I have a bit of trouble with torpedos, but this one clipped right off. The cold draw produces are really tart, sweet, earthy and leathery flavor.

First Smoke: The draw on this Flor de las Antillas is just spectacular. Every little puff produces a massive cloud of thick white smoke. The flavor profile started out with just a touch of pepper which, given the maker surprised me. Usually I brace myself for strong peppery starts to all my Pepin cigars.  The most dominant flavor in the mash-up is some very sweet tobacco along with some bittersweet chocolate mixed in with some leather, spice, honey, earth tones, and this nice mild tartness. The Flor de las Antillas gives off a whole ton of very spicy/sweet smelling stationary smoke. The burnline is razor sharp and dead even leaving behind a thick, compacted white and dark grey ash that held on for a little over an inch before giving way.

Halfway There: Into the second third of this My Father Flor de las Antillas and the flavor profile has remained very similar to the first with the exception of a ramp up in the tart flavors, and the absence of the slight pepper I picked up at the beginning. The cigar is going down very smooth. The retrohale is great and just as smooth coating my nasal passage with some very strong wet-wood and spice aromas. The burnline is still dead even with no touch ups or relights. I am only feeling a very slight bit of nicotine at this point.

Finish: Again, the final third of the Flor de las Antillas is almost identical to the second third. The only difference this time is the bittersweet chocolate is shining through a little more than it did in the first and second third. The flavor profile is still tart, sweet tobacco, chocolate, leather, and a bit of honey. It’s a great profile, but I wish the cigar had a bit more to it. This cigar finished seriously smooth, just as smooth as the first third with no harshness and only a slight bit of nicotine even down to the final inch. The cigar took a little over an hour to smoke and required absolutely no touch ups or relights the entire time.

Overview: While I enjoyed My Father’s Flor de las Antillas, it left me craving for more. The cigar is rock solid in everything from the construction to the flavors, but it does lack in complexity. The start of the cigar was almost identical to the finish, while some people enjoy the consistency I really enjoy cigars that change-up and keep my on my toes. I really do think this is a good cigar and I think the Pepin’s hit the nail on the head when they added it to their portfolio. As stated, Flor de las Antillas was added to their portfolio to satisfy the smoker looking for a mid-range, consistent, premium cigar. And the cigar fits the bill to a tee. Although this isn’t a cigar I will smoke too often, I will be picking a few more up for the times when I crave a great, milder experience.

Pairing: Switching it up a bit, I decided to par this My Father Flor de las Antillas with a Belgian-style, domestically created brew, Samuel Adam’s Belgian Session. Brewed by the Boston Beer Company in Massachusetts, this 4.25% ABV Belgian Pale Ale is the epitome of a perfect summer beer. With it’s light orange color, the Belgian Session boasts of caramel, honey, tart, citrus and malty flavors all with a sweet aftertaste. I have to say, being a Belgian beer fanatic, the only thing that Sam Adams misses the mark on is the aftertaste. Most Belgian beers have a very strong, bitter sweet aftertaste while this one is just slightly tart with an almost pilsner after taste. The beer not only paired perfectly with the hot weather we have here in El Paso, but the beer really helped the cigar along as well. The hops and wheat added a little bit of dimension the cigar really needed. The Flor de las Antillas would also pair great with a tripel, or some nice, dark, sweet tea.

The post My Father – Flor de las Antillas appeared first on Cigar Reviews | Beer Pairings | Casas Fumando.