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posted June 24, 2014 11:20 AMJune 24, 2014 11:20 AM My next Cuban was, in fact, a Canadian one. Does that count? I don't care, honestly! It was made in Toronto at Frank Correnti cigars on 606 King Street West. I walked past this place twice before realizing where it was. It's down an alleyway between two restaurants. You look up, and it's the second storey of an old building that's been there for who knows how long. Walking up the stairs you see cut-out boxes from known brands like Montecristo and Romeo y Julietta. I open the first door and am greeted with a display case with many boxes of old cuban cigars. I look around and can't see anyone. I'm fairly creeped out. I turn left and keep walking. To my right seems like an old smoking lounge with a TV playing Sports Centre. The lounge looked antique. It's like wearing your favorite slippers. I wish we could light up in here. I walk further in. At this point, I'm about 40 feet from the door and still haven't seen anyone. Then a guy welcomes me. He's in his thirties with a backwards baseball cap. There are two women at the back working on decades-old rolling tables. What a throwback! I tell him I'm interested in the cigars he has and recommends the robusto. There's a whole stack of them freshly rolled today to his left. There are petite coronas and panetelas on the table as well. I opt for the robusto. It's a good size and a great way to enjoy a new brand. I chat with the guy. Who rolls cigars in Toronto anyways?! He tells me they've been in business for three generations. They order their tobacco from Cuba with their own blend and hand-roll cigars here. The phone rings and he picks up. A few minutes later he tells me that was the General Manager of the New York Rangers' secretary on the line. Apparently the boss wants to put in an order. There's tons of well-known people who order from them. The only way to get a legal cuban in the States, after all. On to the cigars. The first one was good. The construction was good, but not excellent. It wasn't the beautiful wrap of a top-quality cuban smoke. It was nicely packed though. Didn't smell much, but I drew that up to it being so fresh. I light up outside with a book and some water (I actually drink a lot of water when I smoke). I tasted that it was quality. It was a bit stronger, a good draw, but I felt something off. I had trouble with it and had a hard time keeping it lit. It also didn't burn right to me. I was a bit disappointed, but it cost next to nothing (11$ smoke for an hour and some). Three days later. The second one, I was sold. It rested three days in the humidor and whatever happened made it great. Excellent draw, even burn, beautiful smoke. Tasted fantastic. I mean it, FANTASTIC. I was at the nub and wanted more after an hour and fifteen minutes of utter bliss. If I wasn't convinced before, I was sold. Maybe it was the scotch and the Leffe I was drinking, maybe it was the good-looking girl I was chatting with the whole time. Either way, my yearning to try other cigars was the only thing stoping me from ordering a box right then and there