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.

This week, I bring to you the La Aroma De Cuba Mi Amor Reserva, which was released at the 2012 IPCPR annual trade show. It is sad to say, but I have yet to smoke the regular Mi Amor cigar or any Ashton product for that matter. The Mi Amor Reserva is produced at the My Father Factory in Esteli, Nicaragua. According to a Halfwheel.com news article, the Mi Amor Reserva “features a Mexican oscuro wrapper, as opposed to the San Andrés maduro on the regular Mi Amor”.  The La Aroma De Cuba Mi Amor Reserva is available in four vitolas: Beso  (5 ⅝ by 48), Maximo (5 ½  by 54), Divino (6 ¼ by 52), and Romantico (6 ⅞  by 50).

The Facts

Price: Around $9.50
Vitola: Divino
Size: 6 ¼ by 52
Wrapper: Mexican Oscuro
Binder: Nicaraguan
Filler: Nicaraguan
Pairing: Water
Smoke Time: 1 Hour and 40 Minutes

Pre-light

The Mi Amor Reserva wears a dark chocolate wrapper that looks great against the colors of the ornate bands. Small veins crisscross down the Mexican Oscuro wrapper that is somewhat toothy.  The box pressed cigar is evenly and firmly packed. A beautiful cedar aroma comes right off of the wrapper followed by some barnyard and chocolate. The foot of the cigar is much more rich, with some different spices and cedar.

The cap rounds out the cigar nicely, and what appears to be a triple cap has been applied neatly.  The initial clip with my Xikar Xi cutter revealed a firm draw, but cutting a little deeper I am now presented with a workable draw with just a small amount of resistance. The tobacco is packed extremely tight under the cap. Instantly, chocolate, clove, and cinnamon hit my palate on the cold draw. The cold draw is very rich, similar to the foot aroma.

First Third

A sweetness hits the front of my palate and spice, cocoa, and earth notes come forth as the smoke moves to the back of my mouth.  The spice leaves a minor tingle in the back of my throat. The sweetness really lingers on the finish of the smoke, along with some cocoa. The retrohale is surprisingly smooth, which I was not expecting due to the intensity of the flavors. The flavors are balanced and full. The burn got off to a wavy start but I’m going to wait to see if it will correct itself on its own before pulling out my lighter. Just an inch in and the burn has almost completely self-corrected.  The white ash is on the flaky side but held to over an inch. .

Middle Third

I am still enjoying the sweetness I get on each puff.  For those of you that do not know this, I am huge coffee drinker, which may be tied to my Finnish heritage. This cigar is like drinking a perfectly brewed cup of black, Costa Rican, maybe Brazilian, coffee that offers complexity and a sweetness that balances out the profile. The smoke is very cool leaving no bite on the tongue. Flavors remain balanced and extremely refreshing.  My palate is ready for each puff.   The retrohale has moved up a notch as pepper is now leaving quite a sting in my sinuses. That will wake you up. The now layered ash continues to hold strong past an inch. The burn line is a little edgy but not of any concern. At the end of the second third, I am beginning to feel a little nicotine kick.

Final Third

As I enter the final third about an hour and fifteen minutes in, the cocoa and earth notes are playing a more significant role in the profile. The earthiness is somewhat dirt-like but not at all in a bad way.  The spice has also stepped up, warming my entire palate. The finish has become a dusty cocoa, leaving my palate a tad dry, which is quickly fixed with a sip of water.  The richness of the smoke is in full force in the final third. The smoke is just bellowing out of this La Aroma De Cuba Mi Amor Reserva. With an 1 ½ inch remaining, the cedar has come back around. This has to be one of the most enjoyable cedar flavors I have picked up on in a cigar. While the flavors remained full the entire stick, the strength crept up through each third. At the close of the Reserva, the strength is medium/full.

Wrap-up

If you could not tell from the review, I really, really enjoyed the La Aroma De Cuba Mi Amor Reserva. While the flavors were common, it was the balance and the shifts in flavors that made this a journey I would love to take again.  The burn line started off a little iffy but quickly fixed itself.  There is not much more to say other than stay on the lookout for the Mi Amor Reserva.  Our site sponsor, smokeinn.com, has all the sizes available and a five pack of the La Aroma De Cuba Mi Amor Reserva Divino will run you $48.75.  I believe they are well worth the price.

The post La Aroma De Cuba Mi Amor Reserva appeared first on Cigar Reviews | Beer Pairings | Casas Fumando.