Michael D'Orazio's Cigar Tasting

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Introduction to cigars, and the Black Cat should die!!!!

It all started when I was hanging out at The Valley Forge Beef & Ale. Two guys were sitting at the bar smoking two fine cigars. I smelled the cigars, and told them that I liked the aroma that the cigars were putting out. I asked them the brands that they were smoking. They told me, and I don't remember what they were, but supposedly they were Cuban cigars. I told them that I had a cigar out in the car that I was waiting to smoke, and they got me in the mood for it. I had a Dutch Master Strawberry cigar, and I decided to smoke it. The two guys decided to heckle me for wasting my time on it. They said it smelled terrible. I have to say that I have fine taste in things, but you know for a dollar, a Dutch Master isn't really that bad. They told me that anything under 6 dollars was a waste of time. I asked them for a name, and they only gave me one to go out and buy, and that was Ashton VSG.

After I left the bar I decided to take a trip to the Black Cat Cigar shop in East Norriton. When I found it, I walked in the door, and the guy who worked there was like, "Do you know what you want, cause I am closing up". When I came in I expected this guy to be enthusiastic about his job, and let me in on what he thought was a good cigar. He gave me no info, and rushed me the fuck out of there as soon as he could. I finally told him that the name the guys gave me were Ashton VSG, and he gave me an Ashton, but it wasn't a VSG I believe. So on the way out he pushed me out the door like a ragged stranger, and I ended up backing up into some pole in the parking lot. I was so fucking stressed out to boot, after that I never wanted to step back into that place again.

I went back to the bar after I bought a ten dollar cigar, which wasn't what I may have wanted. I lit it up, and this mother fucking guy thats always a regular told me, "It smells dry". It was a tad bit dry, and wasn't very flavourful. I smoked it all the way down to the end anyway with a glass or two of merlot, and felt a nice relaxing effect afterward. I slept well that night.

After being frustrated with that Black Cat Cigar shop I decided to go to a different Cigar shop over on 724 toward Royersford, coming from Phoenixville. This time I wasn't going to ask for info. I decided to browse the shop for cigars that were reasonable, and looked fine to me. When I came in the shopkeeper was sitting in the back in the dark watching TV. I decided not to disturb him, and walked right into the the cigar room. There was many different brands and selections of cigars everywhere for different prices; different colors, different sizes. I had 25 dollars to spend. I directed my attention to the darker leaf cigars, preferring the ones that were 5 to 6 dollars. I picked out National brand, Alcazaar, Rocky Patel, Nording, and Perdomo, All of them were like 5.35, and one was 10 dollars. I left with 5 cigars.

I couldn't wait to try one of my new cigars, so I went to the bar after work, and decided to light it up. I chose the smallest one I had. It was National Brand. This cigar had a generic name, but I didn't let that skew my judgement. I ordered a glass of merlot, and puffed on the cigar with the utmost confidence, and realized that this was a tastee cigar. I would say that it had a nutty almond flavour, with a sort of pekoe smoothness. Thumbs up, for the price it was pleasant tasting, not too bold. I smoked it all the way, and afterward I was a little overwhelmed. I decided to span a little time before I tried the next one so I had a clean pallette and my body was free from smoke, and nicotene. I believe good cigars should be smoked when you are definitly in the mood, and not to make them a habit. There are times to smoke a good cigar, and times to smoke a cheap cigar, because good cigars are fuller in body, and heavier on the pallette. Just like sometimes you drink a glass of wine, and sometimes there are times to drink a lager.

One cigar for an anxious man...

(5/31/10)Yesterday I went to the Pickering Creek inn after my usual arguement with my family, and brought my Nording cigar. The Nording cigar is a shortee, kind of small in length. I was kind of in a state when I got there and ranted, and raved about my frustrations to some friends at the bar. I got the special which is a can of Pabst, and a shot of some cheap whiskey resembling the Jim Beam bottle. Me and friends decided to go out for a smoke, and I lit up my Nording. Not bad it wasn't as strong in flavour as the National, and it was kind of mild. I wasn't as impressed as the last cigar, but the lady I was hanging with told me she thought it was fine. We went back in the bar, and I talked some more, and then introduced my books, that I had to get out of the car. And bartered a special selling two Trixie, the Schizophrenic Girl Books. The bartender thought my books were amusing, and I kept feeding them to her. I went out to smoke more of the cigar, and decided to give her the last two inches of it to take home. I hope she enjoyed the remains.

Alcazaar cigar and the Stanley Cup...

Today I went to the bar with my Alcazaar cigar. It was dark and long. I couldn't resist the urge to indulge in one more cigar. I was kind of anxious, I don't know why, is it the warm weather, I don't know. All I knew is that I had to get out of the house. It is memorial day, and when I got to the bar it was practically empty. I wanted to show off this cigar to someone, but instead sat alone with hardly anyone to talk to while I indulged. The cigar was decent, well balanced, had a nice aroma, and was kind on the pallette. It was luxurious, along with a glass of merlot, and then a shot of raspberry vodka, chilled. I smoked half of the cigar, and decided to save the later half after I went home to spend time on the computer. Right now i communicate more with people digitally, then face to face. I guess it's safer. I went back out afterward hopping different bars, and ended up back at the Beef and Ale to watch the Flyers play for the Stanley cup. Unfortunatly they lost terribly. It was Chicago 2, and the Flyers 1. Everyone left the bar, and I finished the remnants of the cigar, and left the stub to be discarded by the bartender. The next morning I woke up with a slight nicotene hangover. I drank coffee to ease it, and now I feel better.

Good cigars and then back to the Cheapees!!!

(6/10/2010)Well I took a break on all of those expensive cigars, and reverted back to the Dutch Masters for a few smokes. I realize after smoking good cigars, it's hard to go back to the lighter cheapeas that I once enjoyed. I tried a Dutchee Honey cigar which I found to be hard on me. It must have been the additives, I don't know but I didn't finish it. I also tried a pack of Captain Black mini cigars, Taihitian Cherry. They weren't what I remembered. I smoked a few and THREW OUT THE WHOLE PACK!!!! I smoked one more Strawberry Cigar from Dutchmasters, and I still liked it. It is one of my faves. So I remember this one guy who introduced me to Backwood's Sweet Aromatic cigars. For the last few days, I enjoyed a whole pack of those. I usually will buy a pack, and give some out to acquaintances, because if they hang around too long, they dry out and get stale. If you ever get a pack of backwoods, and they are dry, take them right back as soon as possible. Alright!!!

I was roaming the bars in Phoenixville when I keep running into these younger kids. They tell me that their homeless???. Give me a break, they all come from good families, it's just that they are so bored, that they have to conjure this drama, to make them seem more interesting. I guess. Well it's was the last game between Chicago Hawks, and the Philly Flyers. It was sudden death at the beginning of the 4th period. The Chicago won, too bad. The Stanley Cup is theirs now.

The Summer Heat, Crablegs, then rudeness

(07/08/10)two days ago in the blistering heat I decided to bring my Rocky Patel cigar out with me along with some backwood cigars. I came to the Pickering Creek inn, and sat down at the bar next to Carmen(a nice local lady that lives upstairs). I ordered a lager, and offered to share my Rocky Patel with her, but she declined and I gave her a backwood to enjoy. The Rocky Patel I had for weeks now, and I was getting worried that it might dry out on me so I had to smoke it that day. It was a little dry as I expected, but I went outside in the blistering heat and puffed on it vigorously. Yes I was in sort of a rush, cause of the heat, and there was no one outside to socialize with so I decided to go out in sessions. The cigar was mild, not as strong in flavor as some of the other ones I tried. After the smoke I decided to get a Jack and Coke, and the 15 dollar crab legs, all you can eat special. It was a luxurious night. I took the remnants of the cigar and went to the Beef and Ale to get a Dewar's on the rocks, and smoke the rest. It was a very fine moment until this regular guy(low class)tells me it stinks. It's not uncommon for people to tell me that my cigars are unfavorable there, I don't know why these people waste there time being ignorant and rude, but what do you want from a low class neighborhood bar.

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