The Palmetto Puff!

[Glass Half Full]

...So, I'm going to a first cigar event locally here in Charleston, SC in the US.  It's called the Palmetto Puff.  For any who are in the area, it's this Thursday, 27th May, at both a local set of cigar stores and a restaurant, Edmund's Oast, who is sponsoring it.  Carlos ("Carlito") Fuente is attending to present some of Arturo Fuente's newest lines.  Certainly feels like fun after this past year!!

I have next to no knowledge of AF cigars (or most any NC's) so thought, "Why not?!?"  

Tonight, in preparation, I'm sampling an AF Casa Cuba vs a Bolivar Belicosos Fino.  I'm ready to grant that it's an unfair comparison as the BBF is from 2018, and (I suspect) the AF is not as aged.  That said, the blend in the AF is not bad at all.  ...So far, it's just that the BBF is much more complex and subtle (if you can imagine a BBF being subtle :)

Also (perhaps to the AF's disadvantage) I keep everything I have at 65% so it's possible that is not the most flattering RH for an NC.  (I have no idea, what's best for NC's ...though I thought it best to try a variety of AF cigars before this coming Thursday's event.  Their self-published story certainly makes you want to cheer for them. :)

Looking fwd, all the same, and thought I'd share in case any others have some views that will help educate us all...

They are to "release" a variety of special AF cigars before the event, so would welcome any suggestions or ideas.  

More to follow RE: my current comparison...

- All the best, Glass Half Full

[Glass Half Full]

The draw on the AF Casa Cuba is very good (better even than the 2018 BBF), and the ash is a beautiful and sturdy thing.  

 

That said, the complexity of flavors in the Bolivar (to me) still stands out, and there’s more change in the cigar from third to third.  (The BBF seems to be smoking a bit faster …though perhaps it’s me

 

Again, this may be an unfair comparison.  Just wanted to understand the differences myself, thought some others might want to chime in. 

 

 

Well, the AF Casa Cuba was a worthy competitor -- beautiful draw through the end, ...though (for me) the BBF remained the clear winner for flavours all around.  

That said, I welcome the chance to meet Carlito, and sample some of what they want to bring to our area.  ...In the meantime, I remain a CC fan through and through. 

If any of you all end up at EO this Thursday, please let me know if you're going.  (They have a special table for cigar smokers out in the courtyard, and the selection is great.)

 

Am on the nub for the BBF.  (no surprise I guess.)

[Kevin48438]

As you may already know, the OpusX lines are their premium, flagship lines.  I like all of them, but the Angels Share version is my favorite.

In my opinion, Fuente is best at Cameroon wrappers.   They have a sweet, cinnamon kind of note.   The lines that they appear are the Don Carlos, Hemmingway, God of Fire (Carlito embossed on secondary band).  Their Rosado Sungrown wrappers are awesome too   Has to be the rosado, not just sungrown.   Quite rare though.  But if Carlito is there, who know what he may bring.

The Casa Cuba is their mid level, decent cigar.   I like them on the golf course.  Hardly fair to put one up against a BBF, which is one of my (and many others) favorite CCs.   More comparable to something like a Rafael Gonzalez or San Cristobal.

Their lower-priced cigars that come in dress boxes, I would pass on.  Unless it’s the Rosado Sungrown.   Go with the wooden ones.

Another place Fuente stands out is with some creative vitolas   They have some awesome rollers.  You can google and see some cool OpusX shapes.   They are pricey though.   Overall construction Fuente is head and shoulders above Cuba   Not really even close.

So in short, if you want to prep, get a Don Carlos (skinnier is better) and a Hemmingway Short Story (it’ll smoke longer than you think).

Please take pictures and share here.   Especially anything they bring that they are calling special.   You’ll have fun!

 

Oh, and 65% is just fine for NCs.  I don’t think they are as temperamental as CCs.  Anything 65-70% works well.

The best brand NCs are better than Cubans in every way except that Cuba grows the best tobacco.  And cigars are made 100% of tobacco.... so that part is important.

Another cigar to try if you can find one is their Añejo line.  Awesome cigar.  Again, skinnier is better (46 is my fave).   NCs have more wrapper types available and the best feature that.  Hence why I like skinny.  Better ratio within the cigar.

And just like CCs, NCs age well also.  Hardly fair to compare a 10 year old CC to a 6 month old NC.  And Fuente’s premiums age great too.

Thanks for helping me decide my next cigar!  I’m gonna have a 9+ year old OpusX Angels Share.

[Meesterjojo]

Fuente back 30 years ago was always a solid go to smoke, and it still is. I keep several boxes of short stories, regular and Maduro, on hand. I've never had a bad Fuente. Love em.

 

I've also never had an opus X. They were new around the time I had to stop smoking for work. 

 

If you enjoy them I'd recommended checking out Tampa sweethearts. It's the only Fuente owned and operated store. In person smoking lounge. Online store. Check them out.

[Kevin48438]

  On 5/24/2021 at 3:04 AM, Meesterjojo said:

Fuente back 30 years ago was always a solid go to smoke, and it still is. I keep several boxes of short stories, regular and Maduro, on hand. I've never had a bad Fuente. Love em.

 

I've also never had an opus X. They were new around the time I had to stop smoking for work. 

 

If you enjoy them I'd recommended checking out Tampa sweethearts. It's the only Fuente owned and operated store. In person smoking lounge. Online store. Check them out.

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I think they have a place in Las Vegas too.  Don’t know if they still have it, but last time I was there about 5 years ago it was an awesome place.

[Meesterjojo]

  On 5/24/2021 at 3:13 AM, Kevin48438 said:

I think they have a place in Las Vegas too.  Don’t know if they still have it, but last time I was there about 5 years ago it was an awesome place.

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That's right. I've heard they have some custom and exclusive under the counter type rolls there.

 

Haven't been to Vegas since the Excalibur was new. Hah.

[Glass Half Full]

Thank you Kevin (and All) for the helpful comments and suggestions.  I did try to pick up an Opus and a Short Story to prepare with but they were no where to be found.  I find an AF Magnum R Rosado Gran Reserva, which was wonderful though surprisingly mild.  The ring gauge on that one was 60 (!) -- a bit large for my liking.  

Your suggestions will be a big help -- will keep an eye out for Angels Share, Opus, and other suggested (and for the thinner gauges :)  

Thanks again!  

[Glass Half Full]

Today met with fellow FOH Member rjake100 who VERY kindly gifted an AF Short Story and several other AF cigars.  It was a very welcome bit of preparation for tomorrow's AF events, some of which start early.  (Never smoked a cigar before noon.  We shall see    

The Short Story was remarkable piece of rolling, much like a Secreto but with a bit more flair from the Torcedor.  

Will report more.  Just wanted to share -- and express my thanks to fellow FOH member Jake. 

Sincerely, 

-Cliff

Glass Half Full

[ElLoboLoco]

Sounds like a great event, Edmunds Oast has some great NEIPA beers.

I would not draw any conclusions to one cigar. I used to love Bolivar BBF and had a few stinkers along the way. Lol

They don’t have the omph I look for these days. So many choices. :)

[Glass Half Full]

Wow!  So, the Palmetto Puff!  Here we go… 

Yesterday was a good day in Charleston!  

Well, started the day waiting in line (and that’s supposed to be good?!?) at a local cigar store, King’s Leaf at 8:50 a.m. (?!?)  …All because of the unusual Arturo Fuente products being brought in for the “Palmetto Puff”event.  I thought I'd gotten there early, and arrived to find at least forty people had gotten there earlier.  …And here are the good parts…

Fortunately, had pre-planned to share with fellow FoH member RJake and friends (now, soon-to-be FoH members:)  Special purchases were limited to only one box per customer.  (Pic below)  Nevertheless, here’s a list of some of what we found (much of which were new to me, but thanks to FOH recommendations (thanks again Kevin48438) it was easier sailing)…

-       Chateau de Fuente Fuente Opus X

-       8-5-8

-       Opus X Angels’ Share

-       Rare Pink Hemingway 1600 Series 

-       Reserva Shark No 77 Xtra Viejo Maduros

-       …And (because it helped us pick up an extra box of the above) a box of “Regular” Hemingway Short Story’s (which I now appreciate as a light Secreto substitute)

 

Yesterday evening, at the Edmund’s Oast Dinner Event, our hosts generously provided us all with sets of three singles, as follows:  

-       a Reserva Don Carlos Personal Reserve NT

-       a Rare Pink Signature (beautiful cigar)

-       and a Fuente Fuente Opus X Shark (which I ended up saving as I was concerned I wouldn’t fully appreciate it by that time in the evening

 

I imagine the pictures will speak better than my writing, though I wanted to highlight two things… 

-     First and foremost:  Carlito is the genuine article.  He’s a gifted speaker and thoughtful listener, sincerely taking time with his guests throughout the evening.  He was both generous to and very appreciative of those who wanted to appreciate his family’s cigars.  For example, in the middle of the dinner, he and his team gifted each person a fourth(!) cigar – a Don Carlos Opus X “20 Years” – which perhaps shows his gift at entrepreneurship too :)  …As another example, the Fuente Family clearly gives back to community too – the evening ended with an auction benefiting the “Cigar Family Charitable Foundation,” (a US-based of 501-C3 non-profit) for which, he said, all proceeds from the auction (100%) would be used to fund charitable causes.  (Apparently, the Fuente family pays for the Foundation’s administrative expenses.)

(The auction had some rarities, I’m told, including the BBMF (“Big Bad MF” is as much as I can write here), the 10-year old Lancero (made famous in Halfwheel), and others with names perhaps best not to print – all raising bids in excess of $300 per stick.  Pictures of some auction items and the auction itself also follow.) 

-     Secondly, the Edmunds Oast folks taught a lot of us that food and cigars can, in fact, go together wonderfully.  (Until last evening, it never occurred to me to smoke a cigar along with a meal, always before or after.)  A picture of the menu is shown below too, which also lists the drinks and cigar pairings.  

Yesterday’s “Fuente experience” was a “wake-up” for me.  Before the past two weeks (when I started trying some Fuente’s to prepare for the dinner), I really only smoked Habanos and never gave NC’s much thought.  While I still love CC’s best (I think …and as my humidors – and FOH purchases can attest – I was certainly struck by some of yesterday’s cigars – and was impressed by Mr. Fuente and his team.  

As Carlito said throughout the day and evening, “All this – it’s all about the people!  …about family!” …Of course his cigars were inspiring too.

Pics to follow…

Hope this is helpful, 

-Cliff

[Glass Half Full]

 

 

 

 

 

Can't wait for the next one!  (Or maybe that trip suggested by El Presidente!

[Wetduck79]

Very nice, looks like a great time.  I am really coming to appreciate fuente cigars.

[Kevin48438]

That’s awesome!   Glad you had a good time. Fuentes are some good people and good cigars.

Is this an annual event?   If so, I’m going to the next one.  It’s worth traveling for.

Kinda cool to see those OpusXs in bundles like that.  They usually come in beautiful, ornate boxes.  Of course unnecessary when passing out as singles.  But I’ve seen those “A” size ones trade for about $100 per stick.

[Glass Half Full]

  On 5/28/2021 at 4:55 PM, Kevin48438 said:

That’s awesome!   Glad you had a good time. Fuentes are some good people and good cigars.

Is this an annual event?   If so, I’m going to the next one.  It’s worth traveling for.

Kinda cool to see those OpusXs in bundles like that.  They usually come in beautiful, ornate boxes.  Of course unnecessary when passing out as singles.  But I’ve seen those “A” size ones trade for about $100 per stick.

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Just learned that the Fuente people were so happy with the event, that they want to come back next year.  So, an annual event, at least for 2022!  

(I'm told they raised $18k for the Cigar Family Foundation (in just 45 minutes at 10pm on a Thursday) from last night's auction of private stock, single cigars.)  

Maybe El Presidente's group trip could take off from here???