Ever hear that? I have far too many times. For those of you that are new to the cigar lifestyle, flavored cigars are cigars that have been infused with something. That something can be liquor, vanilla, chocolate, etc. I'm not talking about those drug store or corner store "Black N Mild" flavored cigars, I'm talking about premium handmade flavored cigars. It's a labor of love and truly an art for those manufacturers who produce them. It's a time consuming process, that has to be done just right or the finished product won't be something you'd want to enjoy.
Like unflavored cigars, the process of cultivating the tobacco, rolling and finishing the cigars are just about the same with flavored cigars, with the exception of the flavoring being added during the process. Some producers flavor the leafs during the aging process, and others add the flavoring as the actual cigar is being rolled. You may have heard of the ACID line by Drew Estate http://www.drewestate.com/. No, if you smoke one of those sticks you won't have a 70's style trip, there is NO acid in the cigars. ACID is actually a acronym, and it comes from one of the founders of the line. Jonathan Drew (part-owner and creator of Drew Estate) has a friend Scott Chester that's an industrial designer (he's the guy on the ACID box standing by the motorcycle with the dreadlocks), when they were talking about creating something different to "shake" the cigar world they came up with an infused blend and needed a name that would also grab the attention of the cigar world. Scott's daughter's name is Arielle, so the cigar line was named after his daughter and his company, Arielle Chester Industrial Design, ACID.
These cigars are infused with a highly secret infusion of several things. I've done some research and what I have come up with is that over one hundred aromatic oils, herbal essences and spices are used in Acid cigar production, with many tobaccos from all over the world. At some point in the making, the leaves are also aged a few months in red wine. The entire process is the secret part. These cigars are very aromatic and produce all kinds of wonderful aromas, almost incense like. But don't be fooled. They are still cigars, and the strength ranges from mild to very full bodied. Drew Estate also produces other lines of "traditional" cigars to include one of my favorites, the Liga Privada and a really popular infused blend called Java, which of course is coffee infused.
Now as I've said before, your taste is your taste and you like what you like, but don't just "throw the baby out with the bath water" (what the hell does that mean), give these cigars a try. In the ACID line I particularly like the Kuba Kuba, especially after a good meal. It's a medium to full bodied cigar, but its also a great dessert cigar with the infusion and sweetness of the cigar. I have a feeling a lot of the traditionalists enjoy an infused cigar every now and then, but they do it in hiding then say how they don't like infused cigars, and that's fine, but you be the judge, don't let somebody else tell you what not to try.
Another plus with most infused cigars is the aroma. Of course with botanical flavors and the like inside of the cigar, that's typically the aroma you get, and those who typically would frown at the smell of a cigar have a different attitude. I've enjoyed ACID cigars out and about and it never fails somebody always ask "what kind of cigar is that" especially women. They love the pleasant and different aroma from infused cigars. That in itself, is a reason to give infused cigars a try. Now if you decide to try this type of cigar while enjoying a drink, I would recommend you have something straight. For instance don't try a Java with a cup of coffee as you won't get the full enjoyment of the cigar, because once again, it's infused with coffee. Or if you try an ACID, and have a sweet type drink you'll truly miss all of those botanical flavors the cigar has.
As mentioned earlier in this blog a lot of infused cigars contain alcohol. No they won't make you tipsy or drunk, but it's enough infusion for you to taste the liquor. You'll find bourbon, rum, cognac and even tequila. Maker's Mark has a infused cigar that;s wonderful as well as Gurkha http://www.gurkhacigars.com/ who infuses one of their cigars with Louis XIII Cognac which is a very fine and expensive cognac. It's a pricey cigar, with prices as low at $20 a stick to as much as $50 a stick (depending on size and where you purchase them). And unless you're a billionaire, it's not a everyday cigar. The Louis XIII is a special occasion cigar. I've had a few in my day and for me, they're okay, but not something I would just buy all the time. On the other hand, the Maker's Mark http://www.tedscigars.com/makers-mark-cigars/ bourbon infused cigar is a definite winner. The same Maker's Mark bourbon you drink is used to infuse this cigar. There's the regular version and the 10th anniversary version. You can tell the difference by the color of the wax on the glass tube the cigar comes in. The regular version has the red wax and the anniversary has silver wax. Reasonably priced, well blended and constructed, these cigars compliment a steak dinner extremely well. I would classify them as medium bodied sticks, that are now overpowering, has little aftertaste and are quite aromatic.
So, the next time you visit your tobacconist or order from your favorite online store, try a infused cigar or two, you really might just be surprised. By the way, at one time the Drew Estate ACID line was the number one selling cigar in the world, so somebody has to be smoking them, even my friends the "traditionalist" (code word for snobs). Once you try one or two, come back and let me know what you think. It might not be for you, but then again.... Until next time, sCLP (clip, light and puff). (___@______]]]]~~~
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