Macanudo Café

After a long day of working, I opted to go for a lighter cigar from my humidor.  The Macanudo Café grabbed my eye for it’s slightly flashy cigar ring and it’s lighter wrapper.  This stick was part of the sampler sent by my Brother-in-Law as a 90+ rated cigar. I remember a few folks in college who liked Macanudo cigars.  This was before I started down the Path of the Leaf.  As that was a young crowd, that might explain the appeal of a lighter leaf.

Macanudo Café

Before lighting, this cigar smelled faintly of leather with some floral and honey notes.  It cut nicely, and after lighting, the aroma was definitely on the floral side, with nuances of honey and hay.  I feel my palate has gotten too accustomed to darker (and I mean generally medium body when I say darker) cigars and for the spicier notes of my preferred tobacco.  While I’m sure this is a much more appreciated cigar for those who enjoy a lighter smoke, this was really just okay in my book. It wasn’t awful, but I wouldn’t rate this as an amazing smoke, personally.

Macanudo Foot

To the Macanudo credit, this cigar did smoke easy and smoothly.  I had no trouble keeping a nice foot going, in fact I took a few different pictures as I kept wondering when the ash would break. Much to my surprise, I actually made a rather impressive foot on this cigar, but hadn’t photographed it.  I don’t always trust my gracefulness (especially as there is a distinct lack of grace, but pretty decent reflexes) ash properly when a foot gets large, so I tend to probably ash too soon.

I know this is a beloved brand, and even considered a highly rated cigar. However, it’s just not for me as it’s simply too… bland. I feel like this is a cigar that is smoked to say one smokes a cigar and by folks who don’t generally really get into cigars as quality moments in life.  I didn’t get any unique flavors, I can say I wouldn’t call it awful, but there was nothing to draw me in to really examine what I was smoking. I had this with sparkling water, perhaps if I had smoked this with something more potent I would like it more.

Asylum 13 at King Corona

It was an odd rainy day that kept the power flickering in Ybor City, one of Tampa’s historic districts.  I’d met a friend for lunch at Hamburger Mary’s Pub, and we wandered down to King Corona Cigars after. King Corona is a Tampa icon– it’s directly on the ‘main strip’ of Ybor, and I would recommend them as a stopping point for any cigar aficionado.  The building is ancient and decorated as such, but the staff at King Corona are passionate about their work– both for their humidor and on the cafe side.

In other trips, I have savored their Cuban coffee with my selection of stick, but this go around, a power outage had struck King Corona   The stalwart staff of the humidor and cafe weren’t daunted by a lack of electricity, they just asked for cash only and explained that the espresso and cappuccino machines were down.  In answer to my, “Y’all still have wine, right?” was a glass of house Merlot, generously poured and a glass of water with what ice cubes they had left.

Ya'all got wine, right?

I’ve been to King Corona with enough frequency that the humidor associates usually have no trouble recommending a cigar to me.  And I can certainly say that while they may not have the largest or most diverse humidor in the Tampa area, I have never had a disappointing cigar selected for me. But the odd weather put me in the mood to have one of the cigars I consider one of my staples, an Asylum 13.

Asylum13

The Asylum line in general is quite good, but the 13 has that really simple but eye catching ring and the perfect amount of pepperiness that I love so much.  On a strangely cool rainy day, the Asylum smoked like an old friend. The draw is smooth and easy, and the cigar starts with a dark brew coffee aroma and ends with that gorgeous dark pepper finish that I love so much. My friend and I sat and people watched as we savored our cigars and our beverages, with the King Corona staff attentive and mindful of our drinks and bringing us another cigar ashtray, even as they were working on getting the power restored. A fine way to spend a Sunday.