Ave Maria Ark of the Covenant Cigar Review

Winter has halted my cigar smoking because I don't smoke in the house and it has kept me from doing so in my backyard or front porch. I'm not a big fan of cigar lounges because of the extra incurred cost or minimum required purchases, in most cases. I rather just not smoke. It's the first week where temperatures have reached 90(F) degrees here in New York City and summer has not even officially began.

I was pondering as I sat back with my cheeseburger pairing in hand and re-thought of why I smoke cigars knowing of all the terrible damage it can do to my body. Let's put it this way, reiterating from past comments: I am not a habitual smoker, I enjoy it and it has helped me hone in on varying taste.

The first cigar I pulled out of my humidor after 8 months of not smoking anything is the vitola size: Ark of the Covenant, an Ave Maria.

Vitola: Gordo (4.5" x 60RG)

Price: $4 stick

Wrapper: Ecuador (Habana)

Binder: Nicaragua

Filler: Nicaragua

Aged in Humidor: 9 months

Appearance and Construction:

The band is the most impressive and one can be lured in by that marketing aspect of it.

The cigar looks like every other Habano wrapper toned cigar I have smoked:caramel brown. It is constructed smooth with no veins and no blemishes. It seems I have aged it well for 9 months. I don't feel any dampness or softness or dry areas. The cap is even with the body, nothing coming apart. I aged it in the cellophane wrapping. I toast it evenly with my Ave Maria torch.

Draw: Not tight, not loose, right in the middle

Aroma: Medium to Strong, average, stronger if brought 4" to nose

Ash: Not very nice looking with irregular tone, freckly grey and black

Fumes: Only when lit initially or relighting, it produces an even stream for the first third and begins to fade after

Burn: Uneven and inconsistent, but only by a little. Maybe it was my sticks but the wrapper burnt uneven and though it did not go out it got almost to that point where I had to torch it up again and again

Boldness: Medium to slightly above mid-range
Harshness: Two short "considerable" points throughout the entire cigar
Strength: Medium
Complexity: Not very much so

Tasting Notes:

The scent that it emits out of the hole on the foot while the cigar is still in the clear cellophane cover is of tobacco leaf, one would say barnyard like. The cold draw is similar with a tea note. On lighting, it produces notes of brownie and raisin.

1 cm in: charcoal, it is reminding me of grilled meat. With the charcoal note, is a hint of bitterness but not in a bad way.

1 inch in: like it's original light, at this point a retrohale like a slightly over baked brownie note.

The first third consists of neutral to medium dark brownie like tasting profile. In the range of change I could also detect a hint of similar to a raisin cookie note along side the brownie like tasting profile. Seeing that this is not a very long cigar, only at 4.5", somewhere at the end of the first third, I began removing the band and that's when the first of the ash dropped.

The second third had a bit of harsh bitterness but lasted only a few seconds. Overall, same as the first third but also detected a tiny bit of spice in between the first and second third. In it's changing profile, I also detected notes of: dark oak, another wood-like profile, a very distinctive cigar tobacco from that region and a raisin in the mix.

By the final third, like most cigars, it began to mellow out. Many of those tasting notes went away and profile at this point became neutral. It retained it's medium boldness, though. It's the best part, not getting so much brownie, but the profile is still there and it's turning into what a decent cigar should be. I didn't nub this cigar, I only smoked to a little under two inches left because I had to go but I didn't want to, I had to drop it. It took about an hour and thirty minutes, if I had finished it, I would guess a little short of two hours.

My opinion is that since the Ave Maria Ark of the Covenant only had two points in the entire cigar with slightly harsh bitterness and the questionable coming and going of those raisin-like notes which is a profile of preference (I can go either way of liking or disliking that raisin-like note), I give it a liking in my book, though I can't give this a 90+ rating. I've enjoyed far better and this wasn't the first of the Ark of the Covenant. So I am not rating this 87 cigar based on one smoke. I have a few more so we shall see. The band is gives this smoke an example of where the cover is better than the reading material.

Security Hinders Freedom

...But security maintains order.

In this small aspect: The company I work for has two main entrances: the front and back. Each entrance has a building front desk receptionist and would be security officer manned at the location. All the other side entrances are locked. I'm sure this is the case for all buildings. On a working weekday, people who work in the building can enter and exit at both entrances. However, on the weekends the back entrance is locked because of staffing is only provided infront. I work weekends also and I drive to work. The back entrance is where all the parking is located. It's locked, so on weekends I have to walk all the way around the building with very long streets in order to get into the building. Unfortunate for everyone else that works weekends also has to walk all the way around the building, about two and a half long streets just because of those security (or we can be blame it on staffing) reasons. The fact that the back entrance is locked on the weekends is a deterent that is a hassle to me.

Mid range aspect: About two and a half years ago, I owned a BMW. All modern German (that goes for a handful of other countries as well) cars are required to have an Immobiliser installed. An Immobiliser is basically a electronic device in the car that won't start it if a code in the key doesn't match the encryption in the electronic device in the car. I fount this out the hard way when the Immobiliser light went on as the battery died one winter and I couldn't get a new battery installed for a few days. Basically after a few days when I got the new battery installed the car not having a charge for a few days set off the BMW's Immobiliser. Fortunately for me, the light did go away. However, I have read stories where people could not start their car because of this issue. They had to go to the mandatory trouble of going to the dealer to have a copy of an encrypted key sent from Germany in order to hopefully get their car started again. It's purpose is to deter theft. Yet, sophisticated thieves have fount a way around it. So does the troublesome aspect out weigh the benefit of it's intent? I think it does.

Mass aspect: Airport security can be a bit of a nuisance if you don't learn to keep it simple. I once had a bottle of 32oz Cocoa Butter in my carry-on because I was traveling with a healing injury. The security lady delayed my bag and sent it through again, then explained in a very rude way that such a larger liquid item was not allowed. Yes, the situation wasn't an ordeal but a minor hassle. This was years ago but everyone once in a while, I read in the news of a similar incident where people are harassed or violated of their rights because it doesn't fit into security protocol.

I understand the need for safety to filter out what shouldn't be there but security features only hinder and block freedom to be as we are.

"Als je niet het gebruikt, je verliest het."

"If you don't use it, you lose it."

It seems I spent the later half of my Junior High School, all of High School and early years of College learning Spanish and French, I failed to master it. I could not grasp French well and I managed to be able to read and write in Spanish but never got the speaking in a normal conversation. I could get a few sentences in and understand a few verbal words but it never took. After a few years after not caring to learn any more and not using, much has faded. The most I retained from learning Spanish is from the Taco Bell commercials: Yo Quiero Taco Bell. And French, forget it, all I know is: Oui. I can't for the life of me do the rolling of the tongue to do Rrrrrr, as in Rrrrrromeo. When I roll the Rrrrrr, nine out of ten times it sounds like I am about to gargle out some phlegm. Sad is I.

I use to love Russian and Ukraine culture mainly due to ex-girlfriends from those countries and being exposed to their culture when I use to work in Brooklyn. So, when I had the chance to visit Moscow for a few days, I did. This is just speaking of Europe. I am now a big fan of the Dutch lifestyle ever since my first visit to Amsterdam (then the broader outskirts into The Netherlands, meaning not just the Center of Amsterdam). It surely has broaden my view on things. And I have been back so many times not caring to visit many other countries (for the moment). There's a part of me that wants to stay there. With that comes an interest to browse a few other countries that sound interesting: Portugal, Hungary, The Czech Republic, Belgium and a curiosity of the smaller Eastern block countries.

American English has different sounding syllables than the European counterpart. Some of these syllables vary from cut short or to let the sound of the syllable roll. The American grammatical sequence do not follow the same as the European structure. Words do not match up in the way it is written from it's pronunciation. And at times you have to change the whole structure of the way you normally speak (or write) to adapt to the language you are trying to learn. How come -sometimes- a noun will come before the verb, and then sometimes it doesn't? And why in all my years of education did no one teach me what a Finite or Infinitive verb are? My job entails working with people from all over the world. I currently work with business owners. And one should know people come to America from everywhere around the world and open up shop. But my trying to learn another language has nothing to do with it. There's a reason why I am attempting this particular language. I find learning another language has much to do with memory, comparing to your own and just trying to adapt as to how the other culture flows naturally. So, how's this? Foreigners forgive me when I come to your country and I chop up the grammar in your language and I will forgive you when you come to America and tell me "I no understand, I no speakie much English". I think it should be a given, not to be laughed at, maybe humored by. There should be fun in learning and jest in cultural differences not mockery.


Ik probeer Nederlands te leren.

or

Ik ben Nederlands aan het leren


Sound travels in frequencies is a subject I learned in my college courses. That's how waves hit our ears. I never realized this when they were testing my acuity to tone when in my Elementary School's music class. I've fount learning another language applies to this frequency in which we communicate. And in linguistic classes, I learned not having a lazy mouth emphasized the pronunciation of a syllable better. When you speak, move your mouth.

Think about when you were taught the alphabet in your native language. It's the basics of how to communicate in a particular language. By making the simplest sound of a letter in the alphabet, you're learning the cultures language fundamentals. (Going off topic a little here, as I always do) The education of grade school, then college, work experiences and life experiences are phases in development and change. Specifically speaking of a culture's language, I think in every life cycle, we get about four to five stages, if given the opportunity: birth to early twenties, early twenties to mid thirties, mid thirties to forties and fifties to sixties and there onward to be content or wonder on with learning (this can be applied to language as one subject matter). Heck, even when I was learning Visual Basics is an example. It formulates in every stage of life and is past onward to build a particular culture or language. It can change, need adapting to, when something is created by the freedom of the mind (or our ever so evolving humanity) or preserved in the name of learning from history. Learning another language or it's culture is like tuning into another frequency, it doesn't always sync, you just try to make it relevant to understanding it the best you can.

Think about the way you listened how to pronounce things so you can communicate with your guardians as a child. Think about how you phrase things based on the language around you, they aren't always grammatically attuned to the culture's formal language, "word, son"? Foreigners learning your language, are guest trying to tune in to your frequency. Can it be methodical as much as memory is involved to learning or must one be raised in it to be affluent. It takes years of these communicating in frequencies to build a certain culture's language. Learning a language is like a a frequency. And not every language has the same frequency. There are differences in the wave length or amplitude in how a sound comes out (or way it is written).

I never understood why my father never cared to learn different things. He is a very simple man. He's a fanatic basketball watcher, enjoys a narrow range of foods and never really bothered in other cultures except when he needed to. As a small example of one of my father's attributes: I fount one reason why he might behave this way. I learned from an economist: our actions are based on rewards. My father did learn a few sentences and words for certain things in Spanish in order to adapt based on his work. The reward to learning Spanish is to aide in his former career. The one that allowed to provide for in part for my development. Meaning closed minds don't get fed. So why am I reattempting to try and learn another language? It's because culture interests me so much, I just love it. What is my reward? I need language to fit into the culture aspect. It's mainly not for my job. Why do so many non-Asian people eat Asian food (or vice versa) if reasons not for being: cheap (say the cost are the same), having variety in diet or taste (if you can omit this as a reason). What is the reward in trying another cultures food? E.g.: A hamburger (German/American) and a meatball (Italian) are made of the same or similar, right? Why eat one oppose to the other. Every new thing I learn from another uncommon culture is like the YouTube videos of a kitten just in their natural cute behavior, learning another cultures language hits a similar part of my brain.

I like stepping stones, it has created what we call stairs.

Hope

Definition (From Google):

A feeling of expectation and desire for a certain thing to happen.


Our hopes are irrelevant for what is expected to actually happen, or are they? Are hopes tangible? Our hopes are like going to a psychic for a prediction from cards or a globe. It's like acts of divination. Is it realistic? Only if you put action into it. And that is a gamble or decision you cannot control much. Then there are those things that just cannot happen no matter how much you hope.

Hope isn't so much a single point of view: your own. It is a two sided street and it depends. It depends if what you hope for is plausible, controllable or far fetched

e.g.

Joey has parents who are not wealthy. His mom earns less than minimum wage and father earns just enough to pay the bills. But his parents love Joey and want him to have things. Joey feels this love downward and loves his parents back for their hard work. Joey wants to be like all his, more well off, friends and wants the hottest new toys and game station for Christmas. So Joey is playing every card in the book with his parents to get these gifts, including striving for good grades and volunteering to do the dishes every night. Christmas comes around and Joey is given three different gifts from his parents. Just as you are the third person point of view reader and I the narrator (though I, not part of the story), I will tell you each gift is neither any of the hottest new toys or a gaming station. But Joey has hope. He opens one gift at a time, just the first two and leaves the third until after supper in anticipation of the first two let downs, Joey still has hope, but we both already know Joey is not getting the hottest new toy or the gaming station he anticipates. So what is hope?

e.g.

Every once in a while, I get a sense of something is going to happen that is good, just a whim sense predicting a possibility. I buy the lotto on those days. One time I got a few of those scratch off tickets and I delay scratching final areas off on the ticket because I am hoping, just maybe if I delay scratching I will get three matching figures.There is always that possibility one day one day I will get all three matching, I hope. But it is possible. So what is hope?

e.g.

I am not a gambling man by nature but my dad is. My mom was worst, full of superstition and rituals from old beliefs. But isn't that like religion? In Christianity isn't hope part of the belief. So what is hope?

5 Vegas Series 'A' Atomic Cigar Review

I originally tried one of these cigars back in the beginning of November 2012 right when I got them and didn't like the cigar very much, maybe I was expecting better characteristics from it in comparison to all the Cubans and finer brands I had enjoyed that month. I had gifted a handful away and had one more left, so here I am puffing away at it before dinner out.





Maybe two months of rest did the cigar some good or maybe it was the mood or timing. But I enjoyed it a little bit more this time but had some of the same characteristics from two months ago.





Vitola: Robusto Gordo (4.5" x 54RG)
Price: I managed to grab my cigars at $2 a stick but read they can go for $3-$4

Wrapper: Costa Rican (Maduro)
Binder: Honduran
Filler: Honduran

Aged in Humidor: 2 months


Appearance and Construction:

Very presentable packaging, but I am not a marketable person. Presentation means very little if the material inside of the book's cover is bland. The band is golden with black and white tones. There is a thin piece of cedar wrapped on the foot of the cigar. The wrapper is toothy and deep dark, true Maduro. The cap blends right into the body like a fat reminder of R2D2's (from Star Wars) head.

Draw: Smooth, just right
Aroma: When burning it smells like grilled meat or charred meat, not strong, you'll have to bring it close to the nose
Ash: Dark grey and holds an ashy cone that falls right on end of 1st third and doesn't develop long afterwards
Fumes: Somewhere in the middle of light and medium
Burn: Even throughout
Boldness: Very
Harshness: 3 short spots throughout
Strength: Medium
Complexity: Not much

Tasting Notes:

The wrapper gives off a lightly sweet cinnamony note on hay incorporating a dark chocolate earthy scent. The cold draw is of earthy hay. I remember the first one I smoked to have very dark notes, as a matter fact it started with a bit of bitterness and tangy leather. This one initially gave off dark earthy notes followed by the following: light hints of sweet earthy spice, very little hints of coffee, sweet nice leather (not the harsh kind), liquorice, cocoa hit once and never appeared again in the first third. Just because I mentioned subtle changes the cigar is not very complex.

The second half evolves only slightly composing of the following interchanging or mixed nuances of: hints of tobacco, hints of coffee, hints of toffee, occasional sweet leather but mostly sweet yet dark earthy notes.

The final third stays the same composing of dark earthy notes but still includes tang, not spice. There's a natural cocoa nuance (not Dutch cocoa) one time appearance and then never again. Several notes of sweet leather hit and basically earthy, coffee, dark notes.

Basically if you like a Maduro this is for you: bold, deep, dark and strong notes but I didn't find it strong. In terms of complexity not much so even though my taste buds sensed the subtle changes here and there throughout the portions of the cigar. In terms of harshness it's all about one's taste, I like dark notes that aren't harsh. I did find three minor points of harshness but they were not extensive. I liked this cigar. Smoke time is short, only an hour and a half. It is great for the price. I am rating it a 88 out of 100.

Rocky Patel Decade Cigar Review

As the first cigar for 2013, I felt like grabbing the Rocky Patel Decade out of my humidor. This cigar was blended to mark the 10th year existence of Rocky Patel in the cigar industry. I have many other "anniversary" cigar blends in my humidor, many cigar companies produce a blend for these occasions, but I decided on this one because I received it recently and have a few more that I will let age. Hey, why not use it to bring in a new year. 

The Wikipedia page on the brand:

www.en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rocky_Patel_Premium_Cigars

As you can see, Cigar Aficionado rated it a 95 out of 100 in 2008.

Vitola: Robusto (5" x 50RG)

Price: $8-$10 stick

Wrapper: Ecuadorian Sumatra

Binder: Secret

Filler: Secret

Aged in Humidor: 1 month

Appearance and Construction:

The cigar looks vintage. Even the band has a yellowish hue with brown stars and lettering. The double bands below the cap were glued on tight. The wrapper is an oily black brown (almost oscuro), like a leather coat. It is constructed with noticeable veins right into the cap but it is rolled well. I love rustic toothy cigars like this that don't have this smooth mold look to the wrapper. My stick had no construction flaws. It wasn't bunched super tight and bounced back only slightly. It's squarish but not to proportion. Hey!, numerous retail vendors did not indicate it was box pressed, especially where I bought it. The only way I fount this out was a little further research after I noticed it's squarish shape.

Draw: Even and easy throughout

Aroma: From two or three feet away there is this sweet musky, slightly stinky aroma of wet leather, an unrefined wooden barrel of fermenting rum or skunk like scent

Ash: Very ashy throughout, not wavy or cone like

Fumes: The beginning had fumes coming out but once it got going it streamed only when lit and when puffed on, otherwise if left alone: mellow

Burn: Consistent and slow

Strength: Medium

Tasting Notes:

The scent that comes out of the foot while still in the cellophane cover is of a chocolate tea mix. The wrapper's scent is lightly cinnamony with oak and hay notes. The cold draw is a lighter version of that, like tangy hay.

On the initial light, I get a bit of ammonia but it quickly dissipates. Two flavors hit me as I give it a minute to burn: a milk chocolaty creaminess and dark tobacco. I get a mouthful of smoke.

1 cm in: the cigar has flavor notes of dark coffee, as I take a sip of my coffee, it matches. My first retrohale is very toasty.

1 inch in: I get toasty oak. 

By the end of the first third a chunk of the ash falls but a smidgen remains. Holding the cigar upward gives it a crown of ash. Along with toasty oak and the aforementioned notes, I got a lightly sweet tangy tasting profile I can't associate with anything, it's like an odd tasting floral spice.

The beginning of the second third I get a bold note of the wrapper's Maduro. I think it's because I scorch it just a little bit with my butane lighter to even out the little pieces of wrapper bits hanging. After a few minutes in: toasty bread followed by sweet tangy almost spicy good earthiness. By the middle of the 2nd third, the ash crown falls completely off. At this point I get notes of grilled meat and hints of wine like flavors. By the end of the second third the musky aroma disappears. This is when it begins to get really good.

Between the end of the second third and beginning of the final third, without the musky aroma and the notes of unrefined fermented flavor notes, the cigar comes together to smoke great. With light hints of sweetness, floral, tangy, oak, earth and grill-like notes, it is now tasty and creamy.

My final thoughts on the Rocky Patel Decade is I think the rest of those I have will need more aging for the profile to get a little better. I thought this was a great cigar except for the musky aroma that again smelled similar to at it's best burnt vanilla to an unrefined barrel of rum or reminiscent of skunk. This aroma was also present on other cigars I have smoked including being even stronger on the Ave Maria Lionheart (also a box pressed). So the first two thirds were enjoyable except for the aroma and the final third was just great.

Complexity: Just a little bit with changing tasting notes throughout

I rate this a 90 out of 100
It took me a little less than two hours to finish the cigar up to the final inch.
It gave me a mood for getting a cheeseburger.