An Interview with Paul Bush, Owner of Flatbed Cigar Company

I was really pleased to be introduced to the Panacea line of cigars by some BOTLs from one of the forum sites that I frequent. What intrigued me about this particular line of cigars is that they are located in Bucks County Pennsylvania. As many of you may know, Pennsylvania was once a hot bed for cigar production. In fact, the term "Stogie" was coined as an abbreviation of the word Conestoga, which is a town near Lancaster, Pennsylvania, but is also the name given to the wagons that originated in this area. Many of the drivers of these wagons were given or were able to purchase relatively inexpensive cigars. Eventually, the term "stogie" came to represent these cigars.

But you didn't come here for a history lesson, did you? Well, too bad... okay, seriously, though, there is a method to my madness. Paul Bush, the owner of Flatbed Cigar Company, is a huge proponent of keeping things simple, old-school, and bringing back the storied history of a state that once produced more cigars than Cuba.

The great thing about Paul is that he's a very down-to-earth and accessible fellow. After being introduced to the Panacea line, I e-mailed him and asked if he would be interested in answering some interview questions. He said he'd be happy to, and within a few days, I had sent him questions and he had answered them. So, without further ado, I'd like to introduce you all to Paul Bush, owner of the Flatbed Cigar Company.

Puffs and Pints: I noticed in a previous interview that you mentioned the CAO MX2 as one of your favorite cigars. What is it that draws you to a particular cigar if it’s not your own blend?

Paul Bush: With this cigar I had just met with Cano and was interested in trying all their cigars. However, many cigars I just simply pick up off the shelf and try. Some are recommended, others are tucked in the corner of a shop looking lonely. I don't have a methodology to "trying". I do look for unknowns and new, but also will try the "mainstream" cigars. Cigars are fun. That should always be front and foremast in the minds of manufacturers and retailers. Cigar are celebratory; graduation, births, promotions, victories, etc. So, in my opinion the deep science that is sometimes applied is OK, but needs to remain light. The CAO MX2 was simply one that I was exposed to, smoked, and really liked.

P&P: In today’s economy and with the negativity that surrounds tobacco products (specifically the new warnings on cigarette packages) and the possibility of the FDA trying to control your product at an even higher level, what prompted you to start up the Flatbed Cigar Company?

PB: I grew up on a farm in New England. The son of two immigrants I learned to do with little, maintain what you had, and fix what was broken. Education was also a big focus in my family. It's the "perfect storm" , if you will, for entrepreneurs. I worked in corporate America for 17 years before starting Flatbed Cigar Company. There certainly were less regulated industries to get involved with, but this is the one that felt right to me. There is farming, retail, wholesale, marketing, advertising, etc. Everything that I have been exposed to since my days in Massachusetts. The agricultural aspect is what most appealed to me. We will just have to see what lies ahead w/r/t all the possible regulation.

P&P: Okay, this next one is a long one, I apologize for that, but I think it’s important to a lot of cigar smokers, today.

Many “informational” Web sites try to equate cigars with cigarettes and point at the danger inherent to smoking. As a cigar smoker myself, I know the differences between what goes into a cigarette vs. what goes into a cigar, especially regarding the chemicals used not only to enhance tobacco growth, but also in the actual processing and manipulation of the product. Flatbed Cigar Co. espouses taking the “old school” approach to growing tobacco. From an agricultural standpoint, what does “old school” mean to you and for your product? Specifically, are you taking a more organic approach to growing tobacco?

PB: We are not strategically approaching our processes as organic. We simply manufacture our cigars the way others have done for many decades...what I call "old school". That means we are not manipulating the leaf in any way...no coloring, flavoring, etc. We simply; plant, pick, nurture, and roll!

P&P: One of your releases is the Panacea Black 760 in natural or maduro wrapper. I’m incredibly happy about this because I love the larger ring gauge and longer length in a maduro wrapper. A lot of companies are releasing these types of sticks, and one that comes to mind is Drew Estate’s “My Uzi Weighs a Ton.” For cigar smokers that might compare these two cigars, what is it that sets the 760 apart from other blends in sticks of this size?

PB: I have not smoked the enthusiast so I can't comment on that blend. What I can say about our large ring gauge cigars is they are not grenades...meaning even the novice cigar enthusiast can enjoy them. Our Panacea Grande line is comprised of all large cigars, where our Panacea Classic line is all, well....classic sizes. However, because they are large in size does not mean they are unbalanced, over-powering blends. In fact, they are the same blends as our classic line. The larger ring gauge simply allows for more filler ignition so the shapes will smoke differently from the sister cigars in the Classic line.

P&P: In your mind, what is it that makes a cigar great?

PB: Oh, there are many things. Age, soil, sun, rain, the wood in the barn, wind, rollers, tools, temperature....the list goes on. However, at the end of the list it all comes down to "balance". When all is done you have a bunch of leaf in front of you....the sun is down, the tractor is off, and time has passed. Now you have to make something great out of what is there in your lap. So get to blending something that is great from start to finish. What and how you place the leaf means a lot. Balance.

P&P: What was your first great smoke and what is it about the smoke that you feel made it great?

PB: A Phillies Tip! It was great because I was about 10 or 11, and my buddy and I thought we were now cool like our Dads.

P&P: What is your all-time favorite cigar?

PB: My Red label Habano is my favorite cigar. I enjoy it in the Perfecto shape. To me, it is perfectly balanced. Nice creamy, full smoke, a little bit of spice, molasses...just a great blend.

P&P: If you would, tell us a bit about the process you go through to come up with blends and what it is that makes a great blend.

PB:This is very subjective. We all have very different taste buds/pallets. However, I think we do all share some common buds....if you will. I like to start out with a leaf that I think is "down the middle", or "middle of the road". Then layer in the leaf you know will add the distinctive characteristics. All of our cigars share a "jumping off point" but they land in very different places.

P&P: Final question, but before that, thanks very much for taking the time to do this interview. I have no doubt that there will be a lot of readers from Puff.com who will be interested in seeing what you have to say and purchasing your cigars. Are there any things in the hopper that you have planned that you can tell us about? Perhaps even an exclusive look at what’s coming down the pike for the Flatbed Cigar Company?

PB: Thank you for the opportunity, and I hope your readers find something of value in my responses.
I can share some news with you. I have a new blend coming out later this year....Panacea Blue. A Cameroon with a blend of Dominican, Nicaraguan, and Pennsylvania! I slipped a few out over the last year to customers and the feedback was great. So, we put it into production. As with all our releases, we do a limited number and then ramp up as we see necessary. Blue will first be out in Grande form, then later in our Classic line.

Thanks again.

Paul
Mellow on ahead.......

There you have it ladies and gents. Paul is a class act and I want to thank him not only for this interview opportunity, but for also sending me some great smokes to review for this blog.

That's all for now.

Drew Estate - Liga Privada No. 9 Robusto Oscuro 127mm x 54

Every once in a while, you come across a product that turns your head and lives in a world beyond the hype. Products like the Barlow pocket knife, Harley Davidson motorcycles, or Remington firearms. These items are produced with care and craftsmanship, and you rarely find disappointment with consumers who purchase them. For me, Drew Estate has achieved this with its Liga Privada No. 9 line.

Now, before anyone goes off thinking that I've been paid off by DE or that I receive free cigars from them, I want to put out a disclaimer: The only free items I've received from DE are a cap and a guillotine cutter. The Liga that I'm reviewing in this article was purchased at Outlaw Smokes in Kansas City, and my review of it is based on smoking it from foot to nub. Before reading further, I'm going to just let the cat out of the bag and state that it's a good review and if you can purchase these cigars, do so, without hesitation.

For those of you who are still with me, let's just dive into the review.

Cigar Facts (taken directly from the DE Web site):
Capa: Connecticut Broadleaf #1 Darks
Capote: Plantation Grown Brazilian Mata Fina
Tripa: Select Honduran and Nicaraguan Cuban Seed

Strength: Medium - Full
Size: 127mm x 54 (5 x 54) (Some sites list the Robusto Oscuro at 5 x 52)

Price: $10/stick

Paired With: Sweet Tea

Appearance and Construction:

This cigar is exquisitely constructed. Overall, it's tightly rolled, no soft spots and has a firmness to it that gives it a very solid feel when rolled between thumb and forefinger. The maduro wrapper has beautiful, consistent color from foot to head, light veins along the length of the body and even seams that are camouflaged nicely. This is truly a masterfully rolled cigar. A bit of research on the DE site digs up the interesting little factoid that there are only four rollers allowed to roll this cigar and that they are only allowed to produce 250 of these sticks per day. In my opinion, if this is what it takes, then keep doing it the way you're doing it. Another fact about this cigar that you'll find on nearly every site that sells them, is that the Liga Privada No.9 line was created exclusively for DE President Steve Saka and that the blend is created from tobacco from seven different farms. We're fortunate that Steve is a generous man, because if it had been me, the Liga Privada No. 9 would never have been released for the cigar smoking masses. Yes, folks, it is THAT good.

Pre-light:

The aroma of the tobacco is earthy with a hint of spice. The cold draw is medium to tight and the flavors of tobacco, earth, and sweet spice are prevalent.

Smoking Characteristics:

Light up is at 10:39am. I'm finding the initial draw to be medium to tight and I'm concerned about this because I truly want to experience all that this cigar has to offer. My hope is that as it warms up, the draw will loosen up a bit. The initial flavor profile on the first couple of draws are leather, earth, light spice, a hint of pepper and toasted oak barrel flavor. Between draws, there's a nice continuous wisp of smoke from the foot. Each puff creates copious amounts of aromatic smoke. A retrohale helps intensify the pepper flavor, but it's not overwhelming. Each draw also seems to enhance the earth, tobacco, and toasted oak barrel.

Halfway through the first third there is a subtle peanut flavor that develops over the rest of the flavors, which have settled into leather, toasted oak barrel, light pepper, and earthiness. I'm very excited to take each puff, but I don't want to overdo it. At this point, it's very tempting to just sit and smoke this cigar straight through without resting between draws. There is absolutely zero harshness and the smoke aroma is beyond belief. The nut flavor that I earlier tasted is being complemented by light sesame and these two flavors are blending incredibly well with the other flavors. I'm also detecting hints of cocoa. The draw has loosened up to just under medium and I can't find anything to say about this cigar that isn't good. Even the burn is perfectly even with a dense white ash that has a slight flakiness to it.

As I finish the first third, the peanut, sesame, and oak are developing nicely. I honestly believe that I could smoke this cigar in the house and no one would complain. It's "cigar aromatic" in a very good way. Not the harsh yuck smell you might generally associate with latent cigar smoke. There's a nice oiliness from the wrapper on my lips that is adding a textural dimension to this smoke. This cigar is an example of a blender who understands exactly what he or she is doing and who treats the cigar like a meal prepared by a five-star chef. The flavors meld perfectly, and I could smoke this cigar all day. As I begin the second third of this stick, I'm noticing cedar in the retrohale.

At this point, I'm completely sold on this cigar. I firmly believe that the Liga Privada No. 9 should be a standard by which other blends are measured.If I could be a cigar, I would want to be an LP9. If Willy Wonka were to make "The Never Ending Cigar", I'd want it to be an LP9. Can I make it any more clear that this cigar is nothing short of amazing?

11:15 - The subtle peppery notes are back. I'm at the halfway point and butter cream has joined the flavor mix. Pepper really begins making a comeback at this point, however, unlike some cigars where pepper begins to dominate, it blends so well with the peanut, sesame, leather, and oak, it's as if I'm eating a gourmet meal that features the perfect blend of herbs and spices. If I had a choice of something to eat whith this cigar, I would do filet mignon, pan seared with butter (not much, just enough to impart the butter flavor), then I'd flavor it lightly with salt, pepper, and basil.

Dropped ash at 11:30, roughly 2-inches.

At this point, I'm enjoying smoke that is thick in my mouth, creamy, and almost edible. The butter cream flavor has taken a slight lead among the others. Peanut and sesame complement. Pepper has taken a backseat again. It's as if there are layers of flavor in each draw that have been blended so perfectly that they complement the dominant flavor.

As I draw into the final third, there are slight coffee notes and cocoa on the backend. Oak, creaminess, butter, and peanut are the current entrees. Pepper is gone at this point and the burn continues to be perfect. There is a slight nic hit, but it's nice and buzzy, but not overwhelming. I would describe it as pleasant.

I removed the band at 11:45, and was hit with the original aroma of the cigar wrapper. As I took a draw, I could smell it so clearly, it was as if I'd set fire to a new cigar. Going into this final third, I'm having mixed emotions between happy and sad. Happiness is the fact that I am smoking one of the best cigars of my life. Sadness is that it's near the end, but more happiness is that I will be able to purchase more of these (and I already have, one box should be arriving at my doorstep within a few days!)

The smoke is warm at this point, which is to be expected, however, the flavors are not harsh. Strength has increased the current flavors, and to my surprise, a new flavor has entered the picture. Smoked beef has introduced itself to the mix. Imagine this, as you read, as a quality cut of beef smoked with bourbon barrel oak chips. The LP9 finishes with strength near the end and flavors of smoked beef, pepper accents, and hints of butter cream.

Finish is at 12;25pm.

Final Thoughts:

The Liga Privada No. 9 appears to be about subtlety and complementary savory flavors. It's easily a medium-bodied cigar that I would highly recommend to anyone who enjoys quality cigars. Beg, borrow, buy (but don't steal) them. My goal is to build up my stash with as many of these cigars as I can afford to purchase. Additionally, as someone who believes in God and in heaven, my wish is that if I'm able to smoke cigars there, that it'll be the LP9 that I have with me eternally in the afterlife. If I had to choose only one line of cigars to smoke for the rest of my life, the Liga Privada No. 9 would be it.

Rating:

Excellent with five out of five puffs.

Pair it with: Just about anything, because it'll make it better.

If you have some of these cigars and you don't like them, please feel free to send them my way.

That's all for now.

Flatbed Cigar Co. - Panacea Red 660PTS

As are many of you, I'm a huge fan of great customer service. Oddly enough, I've found that within the cigar industry, there are numerous cigar making companies and cigar selling businesses who offer some of the best customer service. In fact, I've noticed that customer service in the cigar industry tends to be heads above nearly all other industries.

However, even within the world of cigars, there are stand outs, and the Flatbed Cigar Company, owned by Paul Bush, is one of them. I contacted Paul a couple of months ago after hearing about his company on Puff.com. Surprisingly, he e-mailed me back within hours. I asked if he would mind sending out a few cigars for review since I was unable to find any samplers on his Web site. He immediately said he would, but then, I later e-mailed him (having found the samplers) and told him it wasn't necessary because I had purchased a couple of samplers and I would review them. He replied that he was sending the samples anyway and that I should enjoy them.

After I received the samples and my own samplers, I e-mailed Paul again and asked if he would mind doing an e-mail interview. He said he'd be happy to do that. So, I sent him my questions, and he promptly answered them. That particular interview will be published after this review, and I will also be reviewing the two other sample cigars that Paul sent.

Disclosure: The Panacea Red 660 in this review was a gift from Paul Bush of Flatbed Cigar Co. However, that does not affect the review in any way.

Cigar Facts:

Price - Free. However, on the Web site (www.flatbedcigarcompany.com), the Panacea Red 660 sells for about $7.00 per stick.

RH: 65% for 1 1/2 months

Origin: Dominican Republic
Wrapper: Brazilian
Filler: Dominican and Nicaraguan
Binder: Dominican Habano
Size: 6 x 60

Appearance and Construction:

The 660 sports a pig tail and shaggy foot at each end of its deep brown, semi-oily wrapper. There area  few veins on the stick, and the seams are clearly visible, but that doesn't take away from the ruggedly aesthetic craftsmanship that has gone into this cigar. Overall, it seems to be very well constructed. The entire stick is firm with no soft spots. It does have a few water droplet marks, slight tears around the foot, and a small patch across the shoulder and head.

Pre-light:

The pre-light aroma of this stick features both cigar tobacco and pipe tobacco. It's a very pleasant mixture and heightens my anticipation for smoking this cigar.

Smoking Characteristics:

I toasted the foot and lit the cigar with my trusty Ronson Jetlite at 2:40pm.  The initial draw is medium to tight with flavors of tobacco, oak, and cashew. There is a slight sweetness that is working its way into the mix. The burn is slightly wavy, but soon corrects itself and stays straight throughout the course of the smoke. The foot sports a nice half-inch ash that's dense and straight as a razor within about fifteen minutes. My retrohale amplifies the nuttiness of the cigar, and I really enjoy the slight oil from the wrapper on my lips. There is a slight pipe tobacco aftertaste that is not unpleasant at all.

Throughout the smoke, the Red produces continuous sinewy wisps of smoke as it sits between draws. After the first third, I have a nice dense and straight ash. There's a slight taste of maple that blends very nicely with the previously mentioned flavors. I've decided that this would be a nice smoke to take up to my Dad's farm and enjoy it on a good hike across his wooded property. This is a good solid cigar.

Halfway through the first third, there's a slight butternut cream flavor. The pipe tobacco aroma continues to be consistent. It's a very aromatic smell that lends itself to the idea of smoking this cigar in the fall or winter while out in the woods or other natural surroundings. By 3:05pm, I'm experiencing a slight earthiness and some nuances of cedar.

There is absolutely no harshness to this cigar at all. It's very smooth and well-blended. By this time, I have about a 1.5" ash and the butter cream flavor is becoming well pronounced.

At 3:15, I drop ash, which reveals a beautiful cone-shaped burn.

Halfway through the second third, the creaminess is still present, more defined pine, but the overall flavor profile has taken a step back. This was something I noticed when I smoked the Black 760. At the halfway point, the flavor seems to lose definition. There's a bit less smoke, and the draw has tightened. The pipe tobacco aroma maintains its presence.

I re-clipped the head at 3:24. That helped with the draw, and I noticed a new smokiness, somewhat reminiscent of smoked meat. This was mixed with a damp earthiness, somewhat like after a rain on a cool day. I'm very pleased that the creaminess of this stick is still balancing the other flavors. At this point, smoke production is probably about half of what it was to begin with.

Throughout the second-half of the smoke, there's been a very slight lemon zest aroma. It really complements the overall flavor profile and makes the smoke very pleasant to smell. There's even a subtle "bitter" lemon citrus flavor, however, it's not a bad thing. In fact, it's bitter in the same way that hops provides bitterness to beer. I'd probably pair this cigar with a good IPA to enhance this flavor. However, throughout the smoke, I kept thinking that it'd be really wonderful to have a cup of slightly sugared coffee while smoking this one.

The final third flavors have continued to be subtle, but very tasty. It's as if the cigar is teasing you, saying, "The flavors are here, but you can't have them all at once." It's very much like a woman flirting with a man. She teases, but never wholly gives everything away. The burn continues to be relatively straight. No tunneling or canoeing. Latent flavors sit on the tongue between draws and it begs for your attention in terms of how it gives you its flavor profile. Its as if the cigar expects you to pay attention to it for the entirety of the smoke.

I think Flatbed Cigar Company is evolving into a very good boutique cigar co. The Panacea line is on the verge of being excellent. I give it a huge plus on the smoothness. This has been the case with each Panacea I've smoked, as well. The description on the Web site places the Panacea Red 660 at a medium- to full-body level, but I would have to say that it sits at medium and rests quite comfortably there.

Finish: 4:00pm

Final Thoughts:

The Panacea Red 660 is a good, solid cigar. It gives you the feeling of a rustic setting, but teases you with beautifully blended hints of its flavor profile. It's very consistent throughout the smoke, and I personally think that this cigar would go very well with a nice hike in the woods with no distractions, because it forces you to really concentrate on what you're tasting.

Rating:

I give this cigar 4 out of 5 puffs and a "Very Good" rating. I'll definitely be purchasing this cigar in the future, and I'd suggest that any of you reading this review do the same.

Pair this stick with a good IPA or a steaming hot cup of sugared coffee. I'd shy away from it as a morning smoke simply due to the amount of time you'll need to dedicate to it.

That's all for now.

Hopz Cigar from Ted's Cigars

Disclaimer: This cigar review features a cigar that was provided at no charge to the reviewer by Ted's Cigars (http://www.tedscigars.com/), makers of the Maker's Mark cigar. However, this in no way has affected the review of this cigar.

Every once in awhile, someone comes out with something intriguing. The Hopz cigar is one of those "intriguing things." A couple months ago, I came across a thread on Puff.com about a cigar that was "seasoned" with hops. So, after a quick Google search, I came across Ted's Cigars and the Hopz cigar, which is, according to the Web site, seasoned with Centennial hops.

Those who know me know that I'm a beer lover and that I'm a huge fan of IPA's. So, when a cigar comes along that has one of my favorite beer ingredients in it, I get a bit excited.

I contacted the customer service people at Ted's and asked if it would be possible to get one of the Hopz cigars for review. They were kind enough to send two and a wicked cool bottle opener. So, plus one for customer service guys, that's a great way to start a review off!

The cigars that Ted's sent were two in tubos, and are hermetically sealed, so they require no humidification. I threw them in my coolidoor, anyway because it was convenient and let them sit for a month or so. So, let's get on with this review and find out whether or not the Hopz cigar is the new black in the cigar world.

Cigar Facts:
Hopz Cigar from Ted's Cigars
Vitola - Petit Corona
Size - 5 x 38
Wrapper - Cameroon
Binder - U.S. Connecticut
Filler - Dominican Republic

Price: Unknown

Appearance and Construction

The Hopz cigar is shipped in a hermetically sealed tubo. When you open it up, you can smell the Centennial hops right out of the gate. It's a great smell for us hop heads and I was excited to get hit by it right away. Underlying the hops, you can also smell the wonderful smell of tobacco. One small issue for me is that the band is "upside down" compared to how other cigar bands are placed on a cigar. I understand that this is a marketing thing so that the band's position matches the position of the band on the outside of the tubos.

The cap is relatively small and barely covers the shoulders. When I saw this, I was concerned that after I cut, it would unravel. This fear, however, was unfounded as the cigar held together quite nicely.

The cigar is fairly veiny with evident seams. As I roll this stick between my fingers, it feels fairly soft. My guess is that it's fairly loosely rolled with a limited amount of tobacco, which would be normal for a petit corona. I normally like a tighter, more solid roll. The wrapper is a gorgeous light brown, but it has a small water spot on the foot.

Pre-light
The pre-light draw is easy, almost loose. The flavor of the Centennial hops is very evident. There is a slight sour/bitterness (hops bitterness) to the cold draw. Underneath you can taste tobacco and light earth.

Smoking Characteristics
Light up is at 2:50 pm. I'm expecting a relatively short, enjoyable smoke. Initial flavor profile is nice and hoppy. Oddly enough, it's not a bad taste. However, I am an avid fan of IPA's, so my palate may be biased.

On each puff, there is a good amount of smoke, but the bitterness of the hops is actually almost overwhelming the other cigar flavors. The burn is even. Slight peppery flavor begins to come forward and the hops moves back, but never leaves the dance floor. The hops flavors are very evident in the aftertaste between draws. There is even a slight butterscotch sweetness and light creaminess.

The ash is fairly loose and it lets go about every half-inch down the cigar as I smoke. This confirms my initial thought that the cigar is constructed loosely and with less tobacco than other petit coronas.

There is continued pepper and slight butterscotch through the first third and near the end of the first third, the burn begins to canoe slightly, but is easily corrected.

As I burn through into the second third, the smoke is thinner. I'm not getting a lot of smoke on the draw. As the second third begins, I get a very light taste of young oak, like a sapling. Pepper stays consistent, creaminess and butterscotch is still hanging out at the dance, but the hops flavor is actually gone at this point.

About halfway through the second third, the hops makes a comeback. The overall flavor profile is herbaceous or even fern-like. Ash continues to fall apart every half-inch or so. There are some slight floral notes, but not the type of floral notes you would expect from hops.

As the burn creeps into the final third, the wrapper begins to crack. Pepper and young oak sapling are still working within this blend. There is no nic hit, the cigar stays very light-bodied throughout.

As the final third burns, something strange happens. Normally, as the smoke heats up, a cigar can become harsh, or in some cases it enhances the flavors to a completely new level. Unfortunately, with this cigar, this is not the case. In fact, it begins to completely lose most of the existing flavor profile. The cigar becomes very soft, and the only real flavor left is a light cream flavor and maybe oak. It's as if the two final flavors in this smoke are trading back and forth before fading out completely.

By 3:20, I'm finished with the stick.

Final Thoughts
The Hopz cigar begins with a hops profile. The Web site states that you should enjoy this cigar with a good IPA. However, for this review, I wanted to concentrate solely on the cigar, so my libation was water. It has a good overall burn and it stays lit. This tells me that the humidification inside the sealed tubo is spot on.

Here's the bottom line. I don't believe that this is a "cigar smoker's" cigar. In fact, I honestly wouldn't recommend it to someone who I consider to be an aficionado. That being said, if I'm with some of my friends who enjoy quality beer, microbrews or homebrews, I would definitely consider offering them this cigar as a gateway into the world of cigars. I think the idea of a hops infused cigar would intrigue them and possible make them consider looking at other smokes.

My biggest disappointment is how the cigar ends. The loss of flavor was really unexpected.

Rating
I'm going to give this cigar a 3.5 out of 5 puffs because I can use it as an introduction to cigars for the uninitiated beer drinker. I believe it's a novelty-type cigar that seems to be focused more on a marketing gimmick than actually appealing to the serious cigar smoker.

Drew Estate Cap and Cutter Review... Sort of...

Okay, so this isn't really going to be a review of a cap and a cutter. It could be, but the review would be pretty simple: The cap is wicked cool, fits my head and I like it and it's my new favorite cap. The cutter is outstanding. Heavy stainless steel construction, blades sharper than Ginsu through an aluminum can (surely you remember the old Ginsu infomercials!), and the gorgeous Liga Privada logo on the back in gold on black. The cutter is unique in that it has what I call a backstop, which allows you to place the cigar between the blades, but stops it at just the right depth for a perfect cut. I don't know how well it would work on a torpedo, but I guarantee you that you'll never cut too much of the cap off when you use this cutter.

But onward into the real reason why I'm writing this review.

Not long ago, I was perusing my favorite cigar forum and came across a thread about the Liga Privada Flying Pig. It had some interesting photos and a description of a harrowing smoke. Basically, something had happened to this fine cigar that caused it to be spongy (enough that the thread poster could squeeze it in the middle and it looked like a squishy sausage). During the burn, he experienced what he called "small chunks of coal" lodged in the smoke.

I read through the thread at some of the replies to see what could have caused this. There were some decent explanations, but none that really were backed by any concrete evidence. However, I came across one post, a very LOOOONG post, that described in detail what the poster believed had happened to this gentleman's cigar. It was incredibly detailed and very apologetic. The post was posted by none other than Steve Saka, President of Drew Estate Cigars.

Steve explained that without actually being able to dissect the cigar himself, he could only guess at what the problem was, but based on the photos and description, he said that it was probable that "A 'bad' leaf of ligero..." had found its way into the cigar. He added that it wasn't actually a bad leaf, but a leaf that was "different than its sisters from the same crop and priming and/or texture. Different in that it, for whatever reason... resulted in it having a much higher natural resin level than other leafs of the same crop..." This, he said, was the reason for the black coals during the smoke.

Secondarily, Steve went on to talk about the possibility of the cigar missing one of the visos, but having an extra leaf of ligero in it, which would have caused the sponginess.

The post alone provided far more education about the process of creating a cigar than I have ever been privileged to read. I read through the entire post and wanted more. I'm an information whore, if you will, when it comes to cigars, and Steve's explanation and description of why was extremely informative. I would have been happy to read more.

But this wasn't even the beginning. Steve began the post (very first sentence) by apologizing for a "piss poor cigar" and in the same sentence stating, "I will personally replace the box of cigars from my personal stash since we have none left in inventory."

Did you guys and gals get that? "personally replace the box..."

I want to take a moment and reflect with everyone on this. This, my friends, is an example of pure gold customer service. Five-star, ten-out-of-ten puffs, keep me as a customer into the afterlife, customer service. So, the post shocked me from the start. It is so rare in this day and age to see customer service of this caliber. And this is what my post today is really about.

I was amazed by Steve's willingness to come into a forum of seasoned cigar smokers and not only apologize for the performance of a hand-made cigar (think about it... we're human and humans are the ones who blend and roll cigars... mistakes happen), but also make it right by sending out a box of replacements from his own stash.

At the end of his post, Steve left contact information. So, what did I do? I contacted the man. I had to. I felt he needed to hear from a customer that his actions had not only made me want to buy more of his product, but to make sure I was a customer for life, come hell or high water. So, I e-mailed him as much and I stated that I understood if he couldn't respond because I knew he was busy. I just wanted to let him know how much I appreciated what he had done.

The story doesn't end, there.

Within a few hours, my e-mail chimed. I checked it and lo-and-behold, the message was from Steve Saka. He was thankful for my words and talked a bit about what customer service means to Drew Estate and how important all of their customers are. At the end of the e-mail, he said he was going to send me a cap and cutter because "we can't have a 'customer for life' not sporting a DE hat!"

Shut the front door! (I've always wanted to say that in my blog) Don't even get me started. This guy blows my mind. I'm going to buy his cigars anyway and he's going to send me a cap and cutter to boot.

Long story short. I've since followed up with Steve and thanked him for his generosity. I also requested an e-mail interview with him. He has kindly said yes and the interview will be forthcoming and posted both here and at Puff.com.

As kind of a celebratory thing, I decided to smoke my first Liga Privada No. 9 and use my new cutter on it for its very first cut. The review will also be forthcoming, but let me tell you this... that cigar rocked my world. So much so, that if I were ever required to smoke only type of cigar for the rest of my life, the Liga Privada No. 9 tops my list to be that cigar at this point.

So, Steve Saka, thank you from the bottom of my heart. The cap kicks ass and the cutter is sharp as hell and Drew Estate will be seeing a lot of my business for the rest of my life. And guess what? If cigar smoking is allowed in the after life... you know what I'll be smoking.