TC the Terrible NOW Saber Squelch

A lot has been made of the Newman Family’s latest creation.  Probably the highest praise was Cigar Aficionado ranking it as the best value for the money in 2009.  I can’t argue with those guys.  Seriously, I can’t.

At this point I’ve bought and smoked nearly three boxes in the past six months.  For a guy that needs a Ritalin IV 24/7 that’s a big deal.  After all, I’ve been known to change my mind about dinner faster than my waiter can turn away from the table.

The sticks that I’ve bought have all been Rubustos (5”x50), if you’re buying a different size your mileage and results may vary.  And remember too that I’m smoking these in the Iraqi desert, where the humidity is something less than zero.  More on that later in my review.

For starters the construction is excellent.  This cigar has a nice firm feel when you pull it out of the box.  It is a solid tightly rolled cigar that feels firm on your fingers.  The wrapper has a slight feel of oil, but is not at all slick or sticky to the touch.  The cap doesn’t stand out, but you need to be careful when cutting it off.  I’ve had more than one Brick House try to unroll on me when I was a little off on my cut. 

The flavor is great.  From the first pull you can taste the earth flavors.  The first inch or so has a “stiffer” taste than the rest of the cigar.  I’m not sure if this is by design, or if the dry air has that much impact on the cigar.  As you get further into the cigar it begins to mellow out just a bit.  There is still a complex taste that I think of as a blend of strong coffee and spices.  There is nothing to complain about as you get to the band (and slightly beyond). 

The draw is smooth through out the smoke.  The dry air here does cause a few problems in this area.  Because the air is so dry you have to constantly work the cigar.  If you’re not drawing on it at least once a minute it will go out.  Re-lighting too often kills the great taste so much so that I’ve thrown away several in mid smoke.

Like almost every cigar I’ve had in Iraq over the past six months the burn has a tendency to be uneven.  Most of the time I’ll get a burn that races down one side.  On occasion the fire will burn like a reverse cone burying itself deep in the cigar.  Again, this is strictly a product of the dry, dry air.

One of my favorite parts of any cigar is the smoke.  This cigar has a great full smoke.  I love the grayish hues it produces.  It hangs in the air like it was drawn there before disappearing.  A very good thing in my opinion. 

Overall, I think you are going to enjoy this cigar.  At roughly $5 a stick you can’t go wrong.

Dry heat is still hot, or something like that.  The lack of humidity may make 118 degrees feel like something less than 100 degrees but it’s Hell on cigars.

Thanks to my Twitter buddies I’ve got a great stock of Boveda packets to keep my humidors balanced.  For the most part.  My travel case still requires me to keep water in the humidifier.  It’s a real struggle to keep that puppy at 70% or so despite the fact it is supposedly hermetically sealed.   The traditional wooden box humidor I keep in the office holds in moisture a little better but requires a charge on occasion too.  Basically the Boveda packs that should last nearly eight weeks are good for about four weeks in Iraq.

The problem with the air is how quick it dries out a cigar once I take it out of the humidor.  Even the best of my cigars fall victim to the dry air.  Normally a good cigar like a Nat Sherman, or a Nub will give me a great smooth burn.  Not here.  Even the best of cigars go out if I’m not constantly drawing on them.  They also have a very lop sided burn, often times one side will burn nearly an inch faster than the other.  The wrappers all crinkle and fall apart as I get close to the middle of my smokes.  Naturally all the puffing and re-lighting cause a burnt flavor.

There’s not a lot to do here that qualifies as relaxing or fun.  It’s a shame the lack of humidity takes away one of the few options that we have.

TC

I know that I was educated in a Bill Clinton Arkansas public school system, but this doesn’t add up even for me.