20 October 2008

Benito vs. the Cigar: Camacho Tasting

I attended a Camacho cigar tasting at Cigar Depot out at Poplar and Forest Hill Irene. A cigar tasting is somewhat different from a wine tasting. I can generally try about 25 wines before my palate shuts down, but what on earth are you supposed to do for a cigar tasting? Pass around a few stogies to let everyone try various blends?

It's a lot simpler and a lot more relaxed than that. A representative from the cigar company shows up with a sampler box and hands out cigars to whomever is in the shop. I got a free Camacho SLR Natural Corona that I enjoyed in store, hanging out with a couple of guys and watching the ups and downs of the market on CNBC. I spoke to the rep a few times, and purchased a Camacho Corojo 10th Anniversary cigar on the way out. It's a 6"/60 ring gauge monster made out of fine Honduran tobacco. Despite the huge size (and box press shape, which flattens it into a sort of rectangle cross section), it was a smooth and cool smoke with cherry and black tea notes to it. I enjoyed it on a lovely crisp Saturday evening with a glass of Penfolds Club Port.

The 10th Anniversary Camacho is pictured on my friend Paul's copy of The Undercover Economist by Tim Harford, a great companion work to Freakonomics if you enjoy that sort of unorthodox viewpoint of how money moves around the economy.

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