My birthday comes July 8th. A scant two months away. I will be 66, and finally collect Social Security. To celebrate, I propose a contest. I have this fresh batch of hand rolled perfectos drying out and shaping up right now:
A simple recipe: Criollo 98 filler inside a Dominican binder inside an Ecuadorian maduro wrapper. Smooth medium body no bite.
I am still far from mastering the small perfecto shape. I recently came to the conclusion that when I try real hard to be careful, all that I accomplish is it takes for freaking ever and comes out misshapen. So this my first batch of the year I just rolled them quick as I can. I figure if I have to roll a thousand perfectos before I master this double pointy thing, then I'd better get on with it, or I'll never reach a thou. Before the contest is over, I'm sure I'll have completed a half dozen more batches. This particular blend will probably hold out for another batch of ten at least. Then I'll move to other blends, until my baccy is all gone.
They smell absolutely delicious, this blend. Whole Leaf Tobacco leaf rocks, is all I can say. I'm not just saying that cause Don runs the joint, either. I have bought leaf from Leaf Only, and those guys leaf sucked donkey dongles compared to WLT leaf. No lie. But I digress.
Now take a gander at this:
You are looking at a Punch Champion. Punch / Hoyo is the brand; champion is what they call their oddball vitola. I call it a drumstick. Four and a half inches long by 60 ring gauge. Odd shape, yes. Chicken drumstick. But there is a method behind their madness. You light this fat end here:
You taste this coffee, bitter maduro flavor. In a matter of fifteen minutes, that lit end climbs up to the bulb:
... and the flavor exPLODEs. Your simple cup of coffee becomes a great big mug of creamy wonderful espresso. So, the drumstick shape engineers a crescendo of flavor which the tapered end funnels into your mouth. It's actually a great idea. I am convinced they put a different leaf inside that bulb to make it bulbous, too; though I have not dissected one to say for certain. The funnel could stand to be less narrow at the head, cause you have to whack it back to get a better draw; but that might also be because the only examples of champions that I have are seconds, meaning the roller might have made the cone part too tight to pass inspection, for all I know.
Here is the challenge: You make one.
You think you have the golden hands? You think you can roll a cigar? Try this.
First ten or twelve guys who commit to attempt this trick (cause my supply of drumsticks is down to about fifteen) I will mail each of you a package, containing one Punch champion to serve as your example stick, one of my perfectos to smoke (they are fresh off the table, so I would let them age a month or two, if I were you), and two of my favorite Smithdales from FX Smiths' Sons 150 year old cigar factory in McSherrystown PA (which I think are one of the best kept secrets in the cigar world). This is a contest you cannot lose, cause it starts right out with free cigars for you. You commit to roll me your best drumstick and send it back. I will compare your champ to one of the example champs I retain. The roller who best approximates what we are looking at here, I will award a truly resplendent prize consisting of all premium hand made cigars. In case of a tie, I'll smoke the two and award the best flavor explosion. Results are judged on July 8th, so you have plenty of time.
For a big close-up view, click on http://laterdudette.com/images/drumroll5.jpg
Shoot me a private message with your address if you are up for this contest.
I post this contest here first, because you guys are the hands on types. In a couple days, I will post this contest on a couple other cigar forums if I don't get enough takers. So claim your spot early.
A simple recipe: Criollo 98 filler inside a Dominican binder inside an Ecuadorian maduro wrapper. Smooth medium body no bite.
I am still far from mastering the small perfecto shape. I recently came to the conclusion that when I try real hard to be careful, all that I accomplish is it takes for freaking ever and comes out misshapen. So this my first batch of the year I just rolled them quick as I can. I figure if I have to roll a thousand perfectos before I master this double pointy thing, then I'd better get on with it, or I'll never reach a thou. Before the contest is over, I'm sure I'll have completed a half dozen more batches. This particular blend will probably hold out for another batch of ten at least. Then I'll move to other blends, until my baccy is all gone.
They smell absolutely delicious, this blend. Whole Leaf Tobacco leaf rocks, is all I can say. I'm not just saying that cause Don runs the joint, either. I have bought leaf from Leaf Only, and those guys leaf sucked donkey dongles compared to WLT leaf. No lie. But I digress.
Now take a gander at this:
You are looking at a Punch Champion. Punch / Hoyo is the brand; champion is what they call their oddball vitola. I call it a drumstick. Four and a half inches long by 60 ring gauge. Odd shape, yes. Chicken drumstick. But there is a method behind their madness. You light this fat end here:
You taste this coffee, bitter maduro flavor. In a matter of fifteen minutes, that lit end climbs up to the bulb:
... and the flavor exPLODEs. Your simple cup of coffee becomes a great big mug of creamy wonderful espresso. So, the drumstick shape engineers a crescendo of flavor which the tapered end funnels into your mouth. It's actually a great idea. I am convinced they put a different leaf inside that bulb to make it bulbous, too; though I have not dissected one to say for certain. The funnel could stand to be less narrow at the head, cause you have to whack it back to get a better draw; but that might also be because the only examples of champions that I have are seconds, meaning the roller might have made the cone part too tight to pass inspection, for all I know.
Here is the challenge: You make one.
You think you have the golden hands? You think you can roll a cigar? Try this.
First ten or twelve guys who commit to attempt this trick (cause my supply of drumsticks is down to about fifteen) I will mail each of you a package, containing one Punch champion to serve as your example stick, one of my perfectos to smoke (they are fresh off the table, so I would let them age a month or two, if I were you), and two of my favorite Smithdales from FX Smiths' Sons 150 year old cigar factory in McSherrystown PA (which I think are one of the best kept secrets in the cigar world). This is a contest you cannot lose, cause it starts right out with free cigars for you. You commit to roll me your best drumstick and send it back. I will compare your champ to one of the example champs I retain. The roller who best approximates what we are looking at here, I will award a truly resplendent prize consisting of all premium hand made cigars. In case of a tie, I'll smoke the two and award the best flavor explosion. Results are judged on July 8th, so you have plenty of time.
For a big close-up view, click on http://laterdudette.com/images/drumroll5.jpg
Shoot me a private message with your address if you are up for this contest.
I post this contest here first, because you guys are the hands on types. In a couple days, I will post this contest on a couple other cigar forums if I don't get enough takers. So claim your spot early.
