Cigar Accessories for the Working Man

The Redneck Rest

If you follow the cigar community on the social media site Instagram there's a good chance you've already come across one or more of the products made by Redneck Fabrications.  Redneck Fabrications designs and creates virtually unbreakable cigar accessories made of steel to hold your cigar while you handle your other manly tasks.

The most popular item made by Redneck Fab is pictured above, the Redneck Rest.  The Rest looks great on the hood of a car, the seat of a fishing boat, sitting next to you on the gun range, on your dashboard helping you survive traffic without going to prison, in your Humvee while you impose your will, on your tool bench, next to your BBQ or smoker... You can let your imagination take over.  If you leave it outdoors it will begin to rust, which looks amazing, adding more character to your rest.  You can also throw a coat of paint on any of your Redneck Fab products to personalize them or just to make them look even 'badder'.

The man behind it all is Kevin Taylor who, wielding a welding torch like a broadsword, designs and creates all of the products available through Redneck Fab.  I've met Kevin and he is definitely a man worthy of your support.  He is very friendly and a good businessman and, on top of that, the gear is amazing.

  Ability to multitask like a boss: Check.

The Redneck Shortie

The item I purchased is the Redneck Shortie which is exactly what it looks like - a mobile cigar rest you can attach to your car/boat/Harrier Jet/Batmobile keys.  This is a cleverly designed item I really like because it's always on my person; it's practical and easily transportable which means I will never be without some type of ash tray (a situation I have found myself in on more than one occasion).  This inexpensive item is a great way to check out the Redneck Fab equipment to see if it fits your lifestyle.  

If you're interested in picking up your own, American made, Redneck Fab items, you should drop everything (children included) and head to the company website Redneckfab.com. Follow Kevin on Instagram @itskmft and check out the Redneck Fab products already in use by the global cigar community by searching the hash tags #redneckfab and #redneckrest.  

Now if you'll excuse me I have to go fight off a bear while rebuilding an engine - good thing I have my Redneck Shortie to hold my cigar.

Cheers,

Charles

Whiskey Review - Auchentoshan Classic

Here is what my reviews have been missing - some 'Lowland Love'.  It's not hard to overlook the Lowland region; at the time of this writing there are only three distilleries in the area that have whisky ready for consumption (but there are two more that have some aging, to be opened in several years).  The Lowland distilleries have a nickname that I am not sure if they are proud of or not, "The Lowland Ladies".  No, it isn't a jab at their manliness or their decor, rather they got that name for producing mild, gentle, floral whisky; the kind of whisky the Lowlands are known for.  

The gentle whisky can be attributed to several factors but one that stands out is that most whisky in this region is triple-distilled, producing a very smooth and clean spirit.  Also, distilleries in this region are located inland, away from the sea and its elements.  Lastly, there is no peat used in creating Lowland whiskies, avoiding the smokiness of whisky from other regions.  

For the inaugural Lowland review I chose the whisky that you are, by far, the most likely to come across when you are out and about the town, Auchentoshan (Ah-ken-tosh-en) Classic.  There is no age statement on the bottle so the assumption can be made that this is a younger spirit.  It is a fact that any Scotch has to be over 36 months old but how far past that this goes I am not certain.  Do not let that dissuade you though, most people my age and older will tell you that "age is just a number". 

Auchentoshan Classic (formerly Auchentoshan Select) is produced at the (drumroll) Auchentoshan Distillery, located near Glasgow.  Auchentoshan, which is Gaelic, means "corner of the field" and their whisky has been called "the breakfast whisky" (for you hardcore fans out there that start early) due to the gentle expressions they produce. The distillery was founded by Irish refugees in 1825 which leads me to speculate that it is the Irish background that is responsible for the triple distillation.  On to the whisky!

The whisky has a nice, bright gold color and a great looking consistency with nice legs.  The aroma is light and mild but very pleasant; I picked up faint hints of citrus and 'sweetness'.  It tastes sweet with a very faint hint of fruit.  This may sound a bit crazy but I picked up the faintest hint of watermelon.  The gentleman I was sipping with said he detected pineapple.  Either way, you're in for a bit of a treat; this could be an interesting one to try and see what you find.  The whisky has a nice finish as well, super smooth and lasting.  

Rating: 4.0 out of 5 Casks

Reason: Just a very nice, sweet, mild whisky.  I can see why it has been called breakfast whisky.  The absence of ocean salinity and smoky peat help this to be a very easy-going sipping whisky.  Pairs well with a cigar with a Connecticut wrapper (The San Lotano Lancero went great).  This is another one of those whiskies that I would recommend to drinkers of both sexes and all 'levels'.  To cap it off, the price is great at around 35.00 a bottle.  For that price, you really should grab a bottle and give it a go.  

Cheers!

Charles

Oliva Serie O Double Toro

The Oliva Serie O Double Toro measures 6x60 featuring a very smooth, oily Maduro wrapper. For this particular cigar, Oliva took the Cuban-Seed Habano tobaccos and grew them in different areas of Nicaragua, which created an incredibly rich and complex cigar. Let's get it lit up.

When you get the cigar lit up, you can tell right away that this cigar is going to be very complex. The first rush you get is a blend of creamy wood and deep leather. A slight spice on the finish, nothing overpowering. This stick has a very even burn through the 1/3 point, a tight draw, and decent smoke output.

The 2/3's point brings more flavors to the table. The creamy wood flavor is joined by a sweet cocoa mixed with some oak. I'm sure there are a ton of flavors packed in the cigar, but I'm only writing out the ones I picked up. On the finish, you have a nice mild spicy earth flavor. The burn is still flawless, the draw has been an issue for me so far... it's requiring a lot of work, and the smoke output is still good, even with a bad draw. *Side note: wrapper is tearing about halfway through the cigar.*

3/3's to the end of the cigar does not bring as many flavor changes as before. The wood flavor stays the same the whole smoke, the sweetness has gone away, and the finish is still a spicy earth flavor. That's about it for the flavor changes. A great smoke besides the construction problems. With hopes that you don't have the same construction problems, I recommend the stick.

Stogie Rite score: 88

Jaime Garcia Reserva Especial Toro

The Jaime Garcia Reserva Especial Toro measures 6x54 with a dark, oily Connecticut Broadleaf wrapper that has a dark chocolate aroma. The cigar features Nicaraguan binders and longfillers. This stick is created by My Father Cigars, a highly respected cigar company. Time to get it lit up for review.

When you get the cigar lit up, you get a nice sweet rush of cocoa/wood with medium strength spice on the finish. For the 1/3 point of the smoke, the flavors stay the same. This cigar has flawless construction, an even burn, nice draw, and nice smoke output. So far so good.

The 2/3's point brings a few flavor changes. A very deep earth comes in, and takes out the sweet wood and cocoa flavors. The cigar becomes somewhat bitter, but there is still hints of sweetness on the finish. The cigar still has an even burn, nice draw, and great smoke output.

3/3's to the end wraps up this smoke nicely. The sweet cocoa flavors come back taking away the bitter earth notes. The cigar was just around $7, so the cigar is well worth it. Perfect construction, nice draw, even burn, and great smoke output makes this cigar very enjoyable.

Stogie Rite score: 97

Partagas Benji Master Series Prominente Churchill

The Partagas Benji Master Series Prominente Churchill cigar measures 7x48 with a nice dark wrapper that's accompanied by a very deep earthy aroma. It consists of Dominican and Nicaraguan tobaccos wrapped in a nice Cameroon wrapper.This is the first Partagas I've had. Let's get it lit up for review.

When you get the cigar lit up, you get a nice smooth, sweet pepper flavor. On the finish you get a mild earthy flavor with no spice. A very smooth cigar at first. The stick has a very even draw, a nice burn, and decent smoke output. So far so good.

The 2/3's point still has the pepper flavors, but the earth notes on the finish are going away. Replacing the earthy flavor is light nut notes with a little spice on the lips. All these flavors are blending nicely. The burn is still razor sharp,  draw is still perfect, and the smoke output is getting better.

3/3's to the end brings another round of different flavors. A very creamy earth/tobacco flavor is coming in and the spice on the finish is getting stronger. Unlike most cigars, this one has a very intense ending. Overall, this cigar had a very nice blend of tobaccos and flavors. A high quality cigar at a good price makes it easy for me to recommend.

Stogie Rite score: 96

Perdomo Champagne Sun Grown Torpedo

The Perdomo Champagne Sun Grown Torpedo measures 7x54 with a nice dark wrapper with a very earthy aroma. The Sun Grown version of the Champagne series is new to Perdomo that's now available in shops around the country. This cigar features Cuban-Seed tobacco that's grown in high quality soil in Nicaragua. It's rolled in a U.S. Connecticut shade wrapper. The cigar is one of the nicest looking and smelling cigars out there today.

When you get the cigar lit up, you get a strong spice flavor with very creamy earthy notes added in. The other Champagne cigars made by Perdomo are also spicy, but with this stick, they have intensified it greatly. Construction wise, there are no flaws. The cigar has a nice draw, perfectly even burn, and nice smoke output. So far so good.

The 2/3's point of the stick really lets you know that it's full-bodied. New flavors are starting to blend in with the creamy earth/pepper flavors. You now get a sweet soil flavor, but keep the intense spice. Spicy cigars aren't my favorite, but if they are accompanied by a nice blend of flavors, then I don't mind. The cigar still has a nice draw, dead even burn, and nice smoke output. Let's see what the 3/3's point brings.

3/3's point to the end wraps up the smoke nicely. The creamy earth flavors come back and the sweetness leaves. The spice on the finish decreases in intensity which is a nice touch to end the cigar. Perdomo knocked this out of the park. One of the best cigars I've had.

Stogie Rite score: 98

Camacho Criollo

This is a new style of reviewing a cigar that I'm going to try. I'm basing it off of a seminar that Jose Blanco had in the La Aurora factory in the Dominican Republic. In the seminar he gives us the requirements for a perfect blend, and that's how I'm going to start rating cigars. I'll be judging by 1). Flavor 2). Strength 3). Aroma 4). Complexity 5). Balance and 6). Finish. I will add side notes to the different areas.

Flavor: 7/10

The flavor has a nice woody earth flavor at the beginning. Not too strong. It's around the halfway point when the cigar really changes flavor to a stronger pepper flavor. A really good stick for those who like lots of dark flavors.

Strength: 8/10

This cigar is very strong. Its' definitely full bodied with a lot of different flavors. The pricing is cheap so I didn't expect too many flavors. But, it has a good variety of flavors for what it goes for. 

Aroma: 5/10

The aroma is decent... nothing to go crazy about. It smells like a basic cigar when it's burning. Pre-light it has a light chocolate/pepper aroma.

Complexity: 5/10

Balance: 7/10

Finish: 6/10

The finish has a long spice to it at the beginning. It's an overpowering finish at the beginning, but as you get farther in the cigar, the finish mellows out, and it blends nicely with the flavor.

An overall good smoke. This cigar makes it look like Camacho is trying to re-brand themselves. It's an interesting look, but the inside is all that matters. 

Stogie Rite score: 85