My Trip To Leaf & Ale

The tobacco shop is a place to buy cigars. This is a pretty simple definition; however there are a few shops that are not that easy to define. Like the cigars they sell, they are complex and unique and the great ones keep you coming back for more. I am in the unfortunate situation in that I do not have the luxury of a local tobacco shop. I have to travel to some distance to get to a shop. The upside of my dilemma is that I have found some great places to buy my smokes. The most recent place I have discovered is Leaf and Ale in Knoxville. This place was awesome. I was greeted with a warm hello and a killer aroma of cigar smoke as soon as I walked in the door. A quick look around told me I was in the right place. The shop had plenty of things to look at, humidors, accessories and most of all people. There were quite a few folks in the lounge area smoking cigars, which is good to see anymore. The atmosphere alone was well worth the drive. The walk in humidor was very well stocked. I was very well pleased with the selection as well as the prices. Anything you could want, I think I spent an hour just in the humidor. I could not help but notice the amount of people coming in and picking up cigars. I also picked up on the fact that the staff called almost everybody by name, how cool is that. After a few trips around the humidor and the realization that I could not buy them all I made my selections and headed back out into the store. I took a minute to look around at the lagers and ales that they carried, again quite a large selection. They also had coffee, pipes and pipe accessories. Reluctant to leave I settled up and headed out. Leaf and Ale is definitely one really great shop. I will stop by anytime I am in Knoxville and I highly recommend that you do the same. If you would like to see what they carry and get more information check out their website www.leafandale.com. They are definitely worth the drive or the click. To see what I ended up with on my trip be sure to look at the new arrival section. The Regalo is Leaf and Ale’s house blend cigar, and I can’t wait to try it.
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The Duke of Devon

The boy and I decided that today would be the perfect day to finish up our Christmas Lights. The weather outside is pretty warm, which makes it perfect for a good smoke. Laura rounded up our supplies and I headed for the humidor. Too many choices for a Saturday. I thought for a moment and finally settled on one of the Macanudo Maduro Duke of Devons. This so far has become my favorite go to cigar. The 5 1/2 by 42 ring gauge corona, has a very mild and mellow taste, a staple for Macanudo. This particular cigar I have had in the humidor for almost two months, an experiment if you will. I bought it at the Tinder Box while on vacation at Myrtle Beach, and decided to age it awhile. Like a cat curiosity got the better of me. So I decided to fire it up.

The dark Connecticut Valley broad leaf wrapper is what makes this cigar distinct. It produces a very mellow flavor. Macanudos are know for their consistent flavor, and this one was no exception. The extra ripening time produces the dark oily wrapper. Upon initial inspection the cigar felt perfect. It cut great and lit properly. This assured me my humidor was doing what it was supposed to. I also picked up a hint of the cedar as well as.

The long white ash is common with the maduro wrapper. The aroma is great. It really doesn't overpower the cigar. The draw of the this cigar was perfect. A good cut does make a difference in the way your cigar burns. Too small of a cut and the cigar will not draw properly, while too large it will burn to hot and become bitter. You also run the risk of the wrapper unraveling. It does take some practice and luckily I cut this one right.







The taste of this cigar stayed consistent from start to finish. The medium body makes this cigar very enjoyable. The Macanudo Mudro's aroma reminds me of a smoke shop I visit in Lexington. It is a great way to spend an afternoon hanging Christmas lights with the family. As the next few pictures show one of the cool aspects of this cigar is the ash. The ash fell three times over the smoke. It took about an hour and a half from start to finish. This makes it ideal for those end of the day or hanging out with friends smokes. The time is really well spent with this one.
Well as you can see the cigar did finally come to an end and we did manage to get the lights up. All that is left to now is to head in for our camp on the couch night.

I highly recommend The Macanudo Maduro, and would love to know what you think about it. Try it out or let me know your favorite maduro, I am always looking to add to my favorites list!











Good To The Last Puff!

Twenty-Four Days and Counting

Well here we are, the Christmas clock is ticking and I have to get busy. This is my favorite time of the year. There are a lot of things to get done in a relatively short time, so a plan is a must.

Lets take a quick look at stage one, the time frame. The month is shaping up nicely so far. I have three vacation days left and with a little strategic planning I have been able to secure two three day weekends and the long five day break over Christmas. This should allow for plenty of time for shopping, wrapping, and relaxing with a few good cigars.

Stage Two is shopping. The boy is in full “I want that mode” so his list is increasing daily. We will be lucky if Santa can have all of his stuff taken care of by New Year’s. I have most of my shopping done for my wife, thanks to my Gift Consultants, Lisa and Theresa at The Pink Bee. So I only have a few things to pick up and the wife’s list will be complete. That just leaves my customers, and most of them I can take care of in stage three.

The next stage is vital, Stage Three: The shopping trip to Lexington or Knoxville. At this point I’m not really sure what the destination is, but I am sure that it will be a challenge. I’m not big on the malls and crowds. The Wife however is a champion. I am looking forward to a good meal and the trip to the smoke shop. Unfortunately, my little town of Somerset doesn’t have a cigar shop, so I try to stock up when I can. So that brings me to my holiday cigar and spirit list. Both are a must to get through the holidays.

I mentioned to my wife’s brother at Thanksgiving about bringing a few cigars to our Christmas Day gathering at my wife’s parents. Of course I have images of the guys standing around on the back patio enjoying a Maker’s Mark Bourbon Cigar with a glass of what else Maker’s Mark Bourbon. So Three Maker’s Cigars, I always have the bourbon. I have been itching to try Padron’s cigars. Two Padron’s. I know that I have to pick up a box of my favorite Macanudo Maduro. I have decided that if you are going to be the cigar guru of the group you need to be well stocked on both knowledge and smokes. The Maduro’s have a great balanced taste, and is one that I feel the guys will enjoy. One box of Macanudo Maduro. I will also have to pick up something in a flavored smoke for my girls at the Bee. When the gang gets together, a fine flavored cigar is a must. I will opt for either an Oliveros Cognac or maybe a few Acids. I will need at least five or six. I will have to pick up a fifth of Gentlemen’s Jack to round out the bar and I should be set.

Well now comes the hard part, the execution. I will have to be at the top of my game to pull this one off. The wife is smarter than I am so the smoke shop and liquor stores will be the last stops on out shopping trip, which means best behavior. No whining, no temper, or no stogies and booze. Who ever said Santa Claus’s rules were tough, must have never met my wife when we shop.