La Aroma de Cuba Edicion Especial (5.5 x 52)

The term going “up north” is a colloquialism both unique and familiar to most Michigan natives. Simply put, it means heading from a southern part of the state to a northern part of the state; usually for recreational or vacation purposes. Depending on where you are from and where you are headed, there exist myriad interpretations as to what exactly constitutes “up north”. Since I live in the suburban metro Detroit area, by my estimation it means anything farther north than West Branch; or beyond parallel to the tip of the thumb for any of you non-Michiganders reading this.

Last weekend I was fortunate enough to get an invitation to my friend’s cottage on Otsego Lake; located in Michigan’s central Lower Peninsula, about four hours north of Detroit. After the long drive - which included a scenic ninety-minute rural detour due to a traffic accident that shut down the Interstate - I was in need of a stiff drink and a good cigar. I arrived at the cottage just as the sun was setting and the campfire crackling to life. With salutations exchanged and a “hail fellow” shot of Jim Beam, I stowed my gear and fished the travel humi out of my BAD brand duffel bag*. I brought along eight soldiers – more than was needed – because I wanted a variety from which to choose. (Also, altruist that I am, I like to travel with a few spare sticks on the odd chance I run into any fellow “brothers of the leaf”.) Since the smoke from a campfire tends to dull the olfactory senses, I decided to smoke a robust cigar that would cut through all the haze. I settled on a La Aroma de Cuba Edicion Especial #5 Belicoso. The La Aroma de Cuba Edicion Especial was rated the number-four cigar of 2008 by Cigar Aficionado magazine (for whatever that’s worth.) I have smoked La Aroma de Cuba in the past and found them to be an excellent cigar, so much so that I always like to keep a couple in the humidor.

Pre-cut/pre-light consideration revealed a solidly-built pumpkin-colored Belicoso with plenty of oils and a soft sheen. Other than some slight veining the wrapper was seamless. The band is a royal affair, utilizing the original Cuban artwork (two Renaissance women commiserating about something-or-other) with several modifications and enhancements, plus extensive gold embossing and rich colors – another beauty for my cigar band journal. This cigar is made for and distributed by Ashton and manufactured in Nicaragua by master cigar maker Jose "Pepin" Garcia. Per their website copy: “The seamless wrappers embrace an enchanting Cuban-esque blend of rich, well-aged Nicaraguan tobaccos, cultivated in Ecuador under direct sunlight from Cuban seeds.” Nice! My trusty Montecristo Samurai travel cutter sliced a perfect mini dunce-like cap off the head. A pre-light whiff greeted me with an alluring cedar-and-leather broth of a medium-to-full-strength cigar. The cold draw was easy and offered a big, chocolate-like flavor, albeit delivered smoothly and with refinement. Fresh beer in hand I settled in and lit the fuse…

Ah sweet nectar, once again I suckle at your teat™! With the foot slowly toasted, preliminary puffs greeted me with a hearty dose of earth and cedar; an appropriate flavor considering the woodsy surroundings. Into the mid-stick sweet spot I sailed, and lighter notes of cinnamon and white pepper tickled my olfactory receptors. The burn was sharp and even and produced a compact grey-white ash that held fast. I was thoroughly enjoying this cigar, and a nice comfortable glow settled over me as I felt the day’s tensions ebb from my body. The home stretch continued to impress with subtle layers of leather, cocoa and coffee notes. Down to the nub, and as often happens when I finish a great cigar I chastised myself for not bringing the two-hour-plus 7x49 Churchill. Beyond the glow of the campfire Otsego Lake was a sheet of glass, broken only intermittently by the odd fish leaping for a late-night snack. The fire slowly reduced itself to fading embers, and with my sleeping bag beckoning I savored the final puffs in peaceful repose. To me, moments like this are what cigar smoking is all about.

To sum up: As mentioned, I have smoked this cigar in the past and it has quickly skyrocketed onto my top-ten list. Well-made and with an effortless draw, the La Aroma de Cuba Edicion Especial No. 5 was a complex cigar with a chocolate earthiness that lasted throughout. The restrained undertones of the bottom-notes complimented – as opposed to confused – the flavor profile; the hallmark of a good cigar in my estimation. At about $9.00 a stick, I give the La Aroma de Cuba Edicion Especial my resounding recommendation.

Grade: A

Good day sirs!

*If there's one piece of gear I love and obsess over it's my duffel bags. I like having a secure place for my stuff when I travel. Whether it's for an overnight stay, a long weekend, or a two-week vacation, I get just as excited packing for a trip as I do being on the trip itself. (Weird, I know). Anyway, over the years I have amassed a wide variety of duffel bags, of various shapes and sizes, for all occasions. But the one company which makes the best duffel bag for my money is BAD Bags out of Seattle, WA. I bought my first BAD (for Best American Duffel) Bag back in the mid-90's, and I can assure you as a person who demands quality from his products they more than live up to their reputation. My BAD Bags have been all over the country with me, and let me tell you these rugged bags can take a beating. I have since added several other sizes of their seminal duffel bag to my arsenal, and recently purchased two of their newer rolling duffels. Their duffel bags come in a variety of sizes and colors, and as mentioned they make several rigid-body rolling duffels, including a carry-on size.

Now I could go on and on, and bore you with statistics from the BAD Bag website; like their 6,000-pound break-strength seat-belt webbing, or the beefy #10 YKK zippers. But do yourself a favor and check it out...

http://www.badbags.com/