I was going to start the new “5 Great” or “Top 5” list feature out by talking about 5 wonderful cigars from Davidoff…but then winter happened. On Christmas Day, it was 70+ degrees here in East Tennessee, bright and sunny and beautiful. We had already experienced some cool days and frigid nights, but nothing completely brutal. Then this past week we had our first snowfall (which wasn’t much to speak of), accompanied by a string of very cold days and nights (which is supposed to conclude soon). It made me think of the proverbial “short smoke” for cold weather and I decided to throw out a list of some of my current favorites.
What makes a great short smoke, especially for cold weather? First, the time element: when it’s 40 degrees outside (or colder!) who wants to spend an hour or two smoking a full-size cigar? I find that 15 to 30 minutes is pretty optimal, with allowances for slightly more time if the cigar justifies it. Second, cold weather brings dryness. That will rule out more delicate wrapper leaves, such as Connecticut Shade and Cameroon, as they will frequently break in such weather. That tends to leave behind milder cigars for the most part, too.
5. Davidoff Nicaragua Mini Cigarillos
There aren’t many mini cigarillos that I would give more than a passing thought to. Davidoff’s offerings in this category definitely belong on this list. The Nicaraguan blend is tasty with plenty of body, lasting right around 15 minutes if you puff slowly. The price is right, too…about $21 for a pack of 20 little smokes…and they don’t have to be humidified. The one difficulty…as with anything bearing the Davidoff name, they can be hard to find.
4. Don Pepin Garcia Original (Blue Label) Demi Tasse
The My Father Cigar Company has produced a lot of cigars under the DPG and MF labels over the last 12 years or so…and yet my favorite remains the Blue Label Original. Want an amazing medium-bodied hand-rolled cigar when you don’t have much time? A box of 6 DPG Blue Label Demi-Tasse will run you about $19-20 most places. And they burn longer than you’d expect. The first time I lit one of these up, I expected about 20 minutes and got more than 35. The only downside is that they have more than their share of tight draw issues…a function of their 32 ring gauge.
3. MUWAT Bait Fish by Drew Estate
I have to admit to not really caring for the original MUWAT (My Uzi Weighs a Ton) releases from Drew Estate. They were all 60 ring gauge, running 5, 6 or 7 inches in length. Whole lotta “meh!” on my part. Then the Bait Fish came along. Available only in 5-packs of 4” x 44 ring gauge sticks, for around $30 a pack, they aren’t exactly cheap…but the smaller size does intensify the flavors, build the body up, and delivers a great smoking experience for 30 to 45 minutes (depending on your own personal smoking speed).
2. Petite Cazadores Reserva by Tatuaje
My top two entries here both have Connecticut Broadleaf wrappers…imagine that! Tatuaje’s Petite Cazadores Reserva came out about 5 years ago and quickly became one of my favorites of Pete Johnson’s releases. I seem to remember that these were done to make use of the smaller wrapper leaf pieces available, but I’d vote for them to be made all the time regardless of scrap supply. Of course, that might make prices go up, so maybe that’s not such a good idea. If you like the Tat Brown Label series…and especially the Broadleaf Reserva versions…you will love this stick for a 35 minute smoke on a chilly evening. I personally have to fight one of my customers for a steady supply of these…he ends up taking a bunch of them every time he comes in!
1. Mi Querida Pequeño Pequeño by Dunbarton Tobacco & Trust
This is a new cigar to the marketplace and has swiftly become one of my favorite cold day smokes…it’s actually what I’m smoking right now as I put this list together! Based, as it is, on my “Cigar of the Year” for 2016, it shouldn’t be all that surprising that I rate this very highly. It shares much in common with the Fino Largo vitola of the Mi Querida…sweet, earthy, notes of cocoa powder, dark chocolate and espresso bean. What it does differently, though, is to really emphasize the Maduro wrapper leaf, making the body even fuller, while adding in additional coffee notes along with some anise that isn’t very evident in larger sizes. Steve Saka remarked that this size isn’t even on the price list and is reserved for “shops that know their shit.” Makes me very happy that he feels Burns in Chattanooga deserves to be on that list. I’ve asked our manager to order an extra box that I can buy. If you can find these, don’t expect them to be cheap, retailing for about $7 apiece…but I challenge you to find a better way to spend 45 minutes on a chilly afternoon.
So, what say you? What are your favorite short smokes for a very cold (or very hot) day? What have I missed? Share your thoughts in the comments section below.
