Da Daily Drumbeat

[Mad Oshea]

I told You on post #16, --- On # 3 was no cap, no band and no end band. and no name exept the third grim. I used a butcher knife on all of the rolls and Lindas block and pizza cutter, then My stainless plate when I got caught doing it.--- Now what I will tell You as promised, is that when fiered up -They will change in flavor as You smoke them. Keeps My smokes in order. When done, You can chew the stump and enjoy it. (I am a chewer as well as pipes and snus. I don't throw My stumps Sir. Nor should You) LOL That is a Roll!- Rolling is not only the roll, and how, but what is in them when You want the burst of flavor after the fire has hit each spot to make it a great smoke. That is why they are the five brothers grim. I roll all of My cigars in levels of the flame to tast ratio. Not all of the way down the same. Some leaf will give the other leaf a complement after the smoke has been past it giveing the next a pop. The FIVE BROUTHERS GRIM Mad- Now Sir, I need to tend the Cavendish that is on (pipe stuff) and takeing Linda to the area- 13 spot block party's we were invited to here in our hood. The folks here in Our neighborhood can play well. I think I will pull out the flapper You sent Me to enjoy after, with a cold beer and My 12 sting, and Enjoy Your Roll.... Mad- Now , web- Give it to Me buddy? What is next? And ask what It is. I got you buddy.. Happy birthday. And THANKS TO ALL OF THE GUYS THAT HELPED! You will be mad when the GRIMS are gone....

 

[webmost]

A year ago, I couldn't roll a newspaper tight enough to swat a fly. When I rolled a cigar, it looked like this contest entry from Roland:

Rough enough for ya? You should see it up close:

Looks like a dreadful skin condition.

But here is the thing: None of that makes it un-smokable.



Roland used the entubado method:

He rolled it loose, loose, and loose. I make mine way too tight tight tight now; and I'm working on trying to get a draw. No such prob here. I had to cut the back end off so it would light, it was so loose. No need to tell you this cigar had a free draw. It also lit up easy enough, of course. And the smoke was plentiful and tasty. It had better be tasty, cause Roland made it out of good Whole Leaf Tobacco, where the FTT contestants mostly roll out of leaves they grew themselves. I don't know what the wrapper was he used; cause I ran short on the wrapper and had to send people some Aleman and Oscuro and such. I would guess this was Aleman. A little bit of mood, but not much flavor. The dom seco is not my favorite filler; but that's just a matter of taste, and I'm more of a Nicaraguan guy. A woody taste to this. It was hard to keep it lit, being it was too loose to get a good cherry going. I had to keep puffing all the way through. But it re-lit just fine; never made that hard crispy foul critter that cigars do when they go out mid-stream. I smoked it right down to the hot place. Never a harsh spot. Fine job.


Roland signed up here at FTT now, and he has a beginner sampler pack to roll from, and some tools, and is studying some videos and such. I fully expect that by the time he rolls his way through the sampler pack he will have real respectable results. It doesn't take that long to learn. Gdaddy's new series of vids are the best ever.


I am way way behind on the daily drumbeat. Sorry. Other projects, other cigars, what can I say. When you see my number one project revealed next week, you will understand why. I have notes for three more reviews I have to find time to format the pics for and write up. Eventually.

 

[webmost]

I've been anxious to get to Mad O'Shea's Grims. Each one a different blend, he tells me. First Grim I toted to the garage man cave for immolation and evaluation was the one dead center in his neat box:

This Grim had a hard hard skin. Hard. A shell. You wouldn't think it was leaf. You'd think it was armor. A knobby appearance. Veins spiraling round about. No cap. Despite how hard it felt, the draw was super easy. That's something I need to figure out, is how to get my cigars tight and still have an easy draw. I couldn't make out the odor, unfortunately, cause fresh cut grass in the back yard had me all sneezy at the moment. Lit up easily enough. Tasted like the good old fashioned honest flavor cigarettes used to taste, back when they were made of real tobacco. Chesterfields. Something like that. I could not get enough of this cigar. No, literally; I could not get enough. In fact, I could not keep Grim 1 lit for two puffs in a row.

Let me say here, I regret now that I promised to review the cigars I received as part of the drumstick contest. My FTT brothers appear to be taking my negatory remarks personally. But in all honesty what am I supposed to do when I snag on something like this:

See that deep crater? That's where the filler burnt into the center. See that charred outer shell? That's where I took this propane torch lighter that someone sent me, and I attempted to torch the skin of this Grim into flame. No dice. Flat out could not get that shell to burn. So despite the enticing flavor, I was out of luck. Couldn't get enough.

This picture looked clearer on my phone than it does here. I'll see if I can hunt that charred Grim up and take a better snap of it.

Second Grim soon followed. I'll write up that review next. I think if I were to go back and count, I prolly used the word "smooth" about fifteen times in the notes I took when I was burning Grim 2. Cause it was some smooooooth smokin.

 

[Mad Oshea]

Out of all the grim's, the same thing on the wraper and binder did the same for Me on the ones We sampled. I used 7 or 8 stick matches on the one I smoked, and the same thing on the one a buddy of Mine smoked. The binder and wraper was bullet proof. But one hell of a smoke. I gave it an 8 on the smoke and a 0 ont the burn ratio. Grim#2 had the same filler with Izmir, VG Gold and Bursa. I enjoyed that equaly as well with a different wraper. It burnt even all the way down. I miss that combo- Going to do another for knucks and My self. The stump by its self is a Mexican vanilla with old school Burley and a hint of mountain honey. Just threw that in for You. Some folks hate a sweet vanilla smoke. I like them fine. So be prepared. Add the Latakia that was in the lid to one of Your rolls. I put two in the grims. PS: The torpedo You sent (the flapper) Was very nice and smoked well. Very Very good. Not to hard and not a hard draw. It did have the plain flavor. But a good smoke. They would have a good place in My humidor. Mad-

 

[ArizonaDave]

Try the Turquoise next in the bunch I sent you!

 

[webmost]

The torpedo You sent (the flapper)

Okay. I give up. What's a flapper?

 

[webmost]

So. It's official. Indianamac is my blender.

I wish that I could tell you what blend of tobaccos Indianamac used in his Cofiero. Unfortunately, I am forbidden. Indianamac posted: "Cofiero = corojo/mata fina/ nic. ligero/ dom. binder/ criollo 98 wapper. Shhhh! don't tell everybody my secret blend...." So I must respect his wishes, I can't tell you what's in it.

This massive cigar measured a solid 60 ring at the head, and it had to be at least 80 ring at the fat part. Let's put it this way: The fat part got pressed flat on either side because it fit so tight in the mailer. The cap was as flat as an excuse, and perfectly perpendicular to the rest. The wrapper was folded over the foot, so that end had to be trimmed as well. The wrapper lay perfectly smooth. The cigar was looser in the foot and head than it was in the middle. It had a neutral odor -- dry, maybe woody. A very easy draw. A nice leathery taste unlit, with a sweet overtone.

This stick was so fat I had to use dos matcheros dobles to get it going. Of course, with a stick this big around, I got some tremendous volume. Right off the light, I got a woody sweet flavor, with a bit of a horehound tang. But as soon as it settled in, there was a smooth smooth cedar and nutmeg, with a hint of chocolate. I cannot remember smoking a corojo filler before. Wonderful construction. A steady slow burn. The aroma was especially beautiful -- chocolate, sweet, smooth smooth cedar and nutmeg, with a bit of earth -- soft and friendly. In the retrohale, soft chocolate and nutmeg. The finish was full of rich flavor as well.

I stopped taking notes here, pulled the lawn chair in front of the garage toob, watched cage fighting, sipped some rye whiskey, and thoroughly enjoyed this cigar for an hour and a half.

Just look at this beautiful ash about forty five minutes in:

Right now, I am still enjoying a super delicious stinkfinger and a lasting aftertaste.

I could wish it wasn't so fat, but other than that, I would smoke this cigar any day.

XLNT

 

[Indianamac]

So. It's official. Indianamac is my blender.



I wish that I could tell you what blend of tobaccos Indianamac used in his Cofiero. Unfortunately, I am forbidden. Indianamac posted: "Cofiero = corojo/mata fina/ nic. ligero/ dom. binder/ criollo 98 wapper. Shhhh! don't tell everybody my secret blend...." So I must respect his wishes, I can't tell you what's in it.

This massive cigar measured a solid 60 ring at the head, and it had to be at least 80 ring at the fat part. Let's put it this way: The fat part got pressed flat on either side because it fit so tight in the mailer. The cap was as flat as an excuse, and perfectly perpendicular to the rest. The wrapper was folded over the foot, so that end had to be trimmed as well. The wrapper lay perfectly smooth. The cigar was looser in the foot and head than it was in the middle. It had a neutral odor -- dry, maybe woody. A very easy draw. A nice leathery taste unlit, with a sweet overtone.

This stick was so fat I had to use dos matcheros dobles to get it going. Of course, with a stick this big around, I got some tremendous volume. Right off the light, I got a woody sweet flavor, with a bit of a horehound tang. But as soon as it settled in, there was a smooth smooth cedar and nutmeg, with a hint of chocolate. I cannot remember smoking a corojo filler before. Wonderful construction. A steady slow burn. The aroma was especially beautiful -- chocolate, sweet, smooth smooth cedar and nutmeg, with a bit of earth -- soft and friendly. In the retrohale, soft chocolate and nutmeg. The finish was full of rich flavor as well.

I stopped taking notes here, pulled the lawn chair in front of the garage toob, watched cage fighting, sipped some rye whiskey, and thoroughly enjoyed this cigar for an hour and a half.

Just look at this beautiful ash about forty five minutes in:




Right now, I am still enjoying a super delicious stinkfinger and a lasting aftertaste.

I could wish it wasn't so fat, but other than that, I would smoke this cigar any day.

XLNT

Glad you enjoyed it Brother! Them cigars were strong, when I first rolled'em. After they sit in the humi abit, there turned out pretty good, I thought...

I think I'll celebrate your positive review, by burning another "Cofiero"... Thanks webby !!

 

[Mad Oshea]

A flaper is a sick that has a flap of leaf folded over after the roll is done. So a little glue fixes the little guy. Good smoke, And Indianamac- Great job on the blend. Now We can all set on the porch and burn up some lies... Mad-

 

[webmost]

AZ Dave's Turquoise reminds me of a Tuscorora, but mellower. Tuscorora is not my fave FXSS cigar. I prefer AZD's turquoise. Dave does a better job of it. Oak, hops, natural tobacco.

Has a natural tobacco flavor. Burns terrific. Good volume. Wish I could say more; but I was caught up in my project decorating uppowoc perfectos with die cut logos, so I didn't pay close attention. A pleasant smoke.

In the picture, you can see an Arizona horny toad peeking over Dave's cigar. Wonder what he thinks.

 

[webmost]

I kinda gave up on the drumbeat for awhile. Guys from cigar.com read somewhere how the wrapper ought to be damp, took it seriously, broke out the snorkel, and rolled their wads down at the bottom of the back yard pool, near as I can tell. The batch was smelling like ammonia from all the wet sticks in there. So I stuck them away in an old humi I scored off a guy from c.com named Kuzi, and lost interest.

Then three nights ago, I opened Kuzi's box and yanked out a fine stick labeled "blend # 2" from DIT Pete. Holy Hannah! Won't review it here cause it wasn't a drumstick contest entry and I already did that elsewhere here. These are some samurai sticks.

That motivated me to grab a drumstick from a c.com member calls himself Walt Basil. Shazam! Let me tell you bout this fine creation:

Two months' of age vastly improved WaltBasil's drumstick entry. What had started as a soppy soft wad before, had by now tightened up into a firm bodied cigar. Any diaper smell absorbed from Puff Dougie's wetty wet ones went away; and now you had an attractive woody aroma, from a very enjoyable smoke.

The wrapper was big-veined. Walt apparently cut a wide strip cut from the inner part of the leaf, rather than trimming a narrow band from the delicate outer edge. It's darn hard when you first start rolling to realize you may throw two thirds or three quarters of the wrapper leaf away. At least he laid veins inwards. But he made the veins spiral round the cigar, rather than laying them along the length of the cigar. These faults will make a cigar look coarse, but they also make it burn improperly. So the subsequent burn did hit some hitches at each fat vein. The middle of the cigar was packed tighter than either end. Especially the un-trimmed foot, all shaggy and near empty. There was no cap; just a twisted bit of leaf which I cut off. The wrapper tasted salty. Unlit draw was woody and mild.

Lighting this thick beast was a challenge. The fact the foot was soft prevented it from making an ember. Had to suck hard to light it. But as soon as it got going, there was a fine big volume of fine tasting smoke. I don't remember exactly what tobaccos I sent to each contestant; but this filler I am sure must have consisted in good part of Dominican Seco. Had that typical Dom Seco flavor of graham cracker, oak, and cream. I did not distinguish any ligero sting. Just smooth and mild. Could probably have stood to have some volado, cause up until I pulled the fire up to the tighter middle portion, I still had to puff rather frequently. But the flavor was excellent. Rather like a poor man's Don Benigno. A very creditable smoke.

So kudos to Walt Basil for a very smokeable roll.

... plus he's got that highly prized two toned barber pole thing going on

Now that these drumsticks are finally ready to rock and roll, I gotta put some fire to them. Gonna select one right now, in fact. Go out and smoke it while I roll.

 

[Brown Thumb]

Very Nice, You made me Thirsty for a Cigar.

 

[webmost]

Take the paint store, as an example, where they have that custom color mixer. First, you select a base, according to what you are going to cover. Outdoor, indoor; satin, gloss; latex, oil. Then you select your color card, the paint girl squirts measured traces of this or that pigment into your base, caps the can, chocks it in the mixer, and away you go. That's how I go about blending. After some experimentation, I settled on two and a half leaves Criollo filler, bound by Sumatra, wrapped in Habano. Then I selected a color card, and added a leaf of Piloto Cubano for color, tried it, toned it down to half a leaf, rolled a box full of them, and salted them away to age. Five to one base to color. Next blend, my color was Mata Fina. These leaves are small; so, one leaf Mata Fina, two and a half Criollo is probably around four to one base to color. I've got a box half full now. Ready to stash a box of these soon. A good base with a dash of color. That's the ticket.

Not Indianamac. He goes all Hawaiian shirt on you. Ransacks the paint store, rips the pigment machine right off the counter, runs home and splashes the walls. Here's the result:

Indy did a hell of a job rolling this drumstick. Had he tapered the head more and rounded it he might have stood a real good chance of winning the drumstick competition. However, taking his stick as it is, it's a fine shape. The flat cap is black, whereas the rest is about as dark a brown as you could hope for. There was a barn odor in the foot. The wrapper had a peanut butter taste. Thing was hard as a bobby's nightstick end to end. Made me wonder if it would draw. So I cut the cap off. Looks like a drumhead. The draw was firm, but not cheek sucking firm. I tasted barn and spice.

It lit with one match well enough. Medium smoke volume. The smoke would cling round my face. I was busy binding three Uppowoc Perfectos at the time, so I set Indy's stick down to burn in while I worked. What a very nice burn. Slow as forgiveness, straight as a die, moody aromatic. Every now and then I would hit the thing, exclaim "Dayum!", set it in Dan Reyes' stogie stand, wave the cloud away from my face, and set back to work. Time it took me to bind three UPs, I don't think that stick burnt a quarter inch. Slow burn.

By that time I just had to sit down there in the garage with Indy's cigar in my hand and watch some football. Piloto Cubano comes from the DR, grown "cuban style" the name claims, a bit of sting, lots of earth, nuts, and a deep moodiness. Mata Fina comes from Brazil, is chocolate, sweet, aromatic, woody, smooth, and again deep. The two combined will put you in the lawn chair in front of the garage TV with your eyelids at half mast. One half later, game over, I found some MMA. That ended, four bouts later I watched the post fight jabbering heads. Time Bearswatter returned from her daughter's house, I was more than two hours into this cigar, and I still had a third left!

Now, that's a slow smoke.

Stuck the end of that stick in the nub jar with regret. Had to step inside and sit on the couch to do my connubial duty, by pretending to listen to the gal who has the inestimable privilege of laundering my skid marks tell me all the dire gossip of her and daughter's day. But all I could think was:

Dayum!

 

[BarG]

I like a natural finish on my cigars.

 

[Mad Oshea]

I was going to roll a jade Claro on one, but that leaf has the grassy tast to it. Not realy fond of green leaf. I just cant find a good blend for it yet. Easy to make and cure, but hard to blend for Me. A stick rolled in Candela would look cool in a Puro.