Nestor Miranda Art Deco Gran Toro (6x60)

Yeah, I know, it's been a while. More than a year, and sadly no one is to blame except myself. I got busy blogging elsewhere and quite honestly it became an obsession with me and as a result this site suffered. I'm back, I'm committed, and I'm still enjoying some really great cigars that I want to share with you here.

Two weeks ago my Mom called and offered to take the kids on a Saturday night. Knowing that my wife was heading out of town for the following weekend we took her up on the offer and headed out on a date night for ourselves. The evening started at a local Mexican joint, we had already eaten dinner so the plan was she'd eat chips and salsa and sip on a Margarita while I had fried ice cream. The plan was coming together beautifully.

In the same shopping center was a new cigar bar that had recently opened, the Nolensville Cigar Bar. I had been wanting to check out the humidor to see what selections might be new to me that I could try, so after ice cream and chips, salsa and margaritas we ventured a few doors down to the Cigar Bar.

A little tangent here, the owners of this cigar bar have not been able yet to get a license to sell beer that can be drank on site, so you are limited to a selection of soft drinks, coffee or bottled water. The stupidity that the elected officials in this town show is amazing, it's like a 2-man show to drive any source of business revenue to other locales as a few miserable old fogies just don't want this sort of establishment in their dumpy little town. Enough said, I hope the owners are able to get their license as I know a lot of money went into opening this place, and it has potential to be a great hangout.

Alright, back to the important stuff. I entered the humidor and was immediately met with a decent selection of cigars, most of which I have had in the past. I wanted something new that I hadn't tried and I was drawn to the Nestor Miranda Art Deco Gran Toro (6x60). This is a big cigar, make no mistake, but the night was young and the will was willing.

After purchasing the cigar and a Ginger Ale to go with it (not my normal Woodchuck which I prefer to smoke cigars with) we had to impossible task of choosing which empty table/chair combination to sit at.

WE WERE THE ONLY NON-FAMILY/FRIEND OF THE FAMILY in the place, and as a result probably the only paying customers. It's funny, no selection of adult beverages means folks who want a beer to wind down with MUST go elsewhere. But again, I digress.

I used a punch to open up the head of the Art Deco and started to toast the foot. I noticed almost immediately what appeared to be an uneven burn most likely caused by an uneven distribution of tobacco in the cigar. Upon pulling the first draw I was met with a powerful spicy pepper taste that was a combination of the 2 binder types used in the cigar coupled with the fact that the cigar was burning hotter than I'd like.

The pepper and spice quickly settled down and the rich boldness relaxed itself as the cigar settled into a rich full bodied, but not overpowering smoke. I was a little put off that the cigar did burn unevenly and required a constant draw on it or else portions of the foot quickly extinguished itself causing me to have to relight it multiple times during the hour or so I smoked this cigar.

After about the first inch or so of the cigar it really developed a pleasant overtone of leather on the palate, however it make my mouth dry causing me to drink the ginger ale, which quite frankly was too sweet to be drank with this cigar. I'm not a big beer drinker, but I think this cigar would have gone really well with a ice cold beer, or even a decent red wine like a Merlot.

I smoked this cigar down to about the last 2 inches before deciding to retire it to the ash tray. All in all it was a decent cigar, however I don't think it was worth the $8 that I paid for it. I know that it does come in smaller sizes like a 5x54, and perhaps if I stumble upon that size I might give it a try as the tobaccos were well balanced and offered decent flavor.

I've have some really phenomenal smokes since the last time we met that I plan to start sharing with you here. This Art Deco in my opinion doesn't make the list for phenomenal, but like the struggling cigar bar it was smoked at, I'm sure it might deserve a second look in the future.

Until we smoke again...