Alec Bradley's Jam (Greek Mike)

Brand: Alec Bradley

Line: JAM

Length x Ring Gauge: 6 ½ x 52 Toro

Country of Origin: Nicaragua (filler, binder and wrapper)

Strength: Medium

Date: July 21, 2012

Notes:

            The cigar of the weekend was Alec Bradley’s Jam. I smoked this cigar at Studio Squared in Astoria. Studio Squared is another beer garden that a little more stylish than my beloved bohemian beer garden. The crowd is rather brusque than other places in Astoria, which is why I do not frequent it as much. The second time I tried this cigar was in a club that shall remain nameless (for obvious reasons).

            I tried this cigar with beer on both occasions. In all honesty, I feel a nice, rich red (read: cabernet sauvignon or even a spicy shiraz) would be more adequate. The cigar itself is very well constructed. The burn is even, giving off a rich plume and a nice long ash. The taste seemed rather immature. I didn’t detect any of the notes mentioned in other reviews. It seemed that this cigar should age very well in my humidor and develop a rich, complex taste. While it is a decent cigar right now, it should be phenomenal once it is aged.

Overall: 6 (grade pending on the age of the cigar)

Acid Opulence 3 (Greek Mike)

Take 1 boot and 1 cigar and call me in the morning.

Brand: Acid

Line: Opulence 3

Length x Ring Gauge: 6 x 54 Toro

Country of Origin: Filler and Binder: Nicaragua; Wrapper: Mexico.

Strength: Medium Bodied

Date: July 14, 2012

Notes:

     Plattsdeutche, "The place of Germans", is a beer garden located in Franklin Square, NY. They have an excellent open-air park where you have the freedom to smoke while enjoying beer and bratwurst. Last Friday, I had the pleasure of rediscovering Acid cigars (Complemented by a boot of Paulner Hefeweizen) at the Place of Germans.

    Acid Cigars are made by Drew Estates. They infuse their tobacco with botanical spices. These spices give the cigar a unique and characteristic bouquet (in the past, I have compared it to potpourri). Unfortunately, I have not had a great history with Acid cigars. In 2005, I tried the Acid Nasty. The cigar did live up to its name (its "botanical spice" may have been ass). I was heartbroken, disappointed and completely turned away. In a naive state of mind, I wrote off all Acid cigars until last week. I decided to be a little adventurous and try the Acid Opulence 3 (their rarest line). 

    You experience the Opulence 3 with all your senses. This medium body cigar was well constructed with a great draw and an even burn. It looked great. The plume was rich and thick, with a characteristic bouquet. Smoking the cigar left a sweet taste in your mouth with a buzz that was nice but not overpowering. Drinking the Paulner Hefeweizen did not take away from the cigar at all. I am not implying that it was like peanut butter and jelly, but the combo worked. Neither the beer nor the cigar overpowered one another.
   I would definitely recommend the Opulence 3 cigar on a warm summer evening while drinking your favorite beer. Acid cigar....welcome back!
Overall: 8.5 out of 10