Tennessee Fox Trot

[THEMISCHMAN]

Jon, please, please, please make a BOTL.org exclusive for us!!!!

That would be amazing and I would be in for a box!

 

[GVH]

GVH - Thanks for taking time to clear that up...now I 'get' the 'Fox Trot' allusion. And hey--No apology needed--I enjoy 'mixin it up' about our smokes from time to time.

I also get what you're trying to say about "similarities in blends," and "limited stocks of aged tobaccos"...but let me say the following to that point. I've visited many factories in my 18 years in the premium cigar industry, and you would be hard-pressed to find one as efficiently organized and operated as My Father Cigars. In my opinion, not only are they making some of the best cigars in the world, but they're also growing some of the best /tobacco/ in the world right now, as well. Last time I was there, the Garcias were up to 11 fincas that had some of the most amazing leaf I've ever seen. They're incredibly astute not only about the manufacturing and processing side, but on the agricultural side, as well. Having their own fields/tobaccos enables them to grow numerous seed varietals as well as interesting new 'hybrids,' as well.

On the surface, it'd be easy to say, "this cigar has a broadleaf wrapper and so does this one--so there can't be much difference in the flavor profiles." In my opinion, this is not the case. They're able to use the same wrapper leaf, but the binder/filler combinations and percentages of particular seco/viso/ligero blends is what differentiates the ultimate taste. Example: Tennessee Waltz utilizes a broadleaf wrapper, and so does the Mason-Dixon Project Northern Edition. But when you smoke them side-by-side, you will taste two very different flavor profiles. Waltz is more of a big-bold-in-your-face taste that gets to the point right away. MDP Northern, on the other hand, is more of the classic rich-round-sweet broadleaf profile with less 'pepper.' On the surface, they appear similar; however, the binder/filler tobaccos create two very different smoking experiences, imho.

In closing, THANK YOU for supporting what we do and for investing that $1,000+ of your hard-earned money in our cigars. I sincerely appreciate that, and also realize that without people such as yourself, we would be unable to do what we love to do for a living. So, THANK YOU.


Cheers.

Jon Huber
Crowned Heads

Jon - it's all good! After reading the posts that followed yours, i think the fox trot has morphed into a jitterbug! My info is that the Garcias get all of their CBL from a single farmer in Connecticut - and I can see why. Their Pelo d' Oro is amazing - I've loved their sticks that feature it. Don't they have enough of the wrapper binder and filler to make the Waltz a regular production smoke at some point? Maybe when you are done taking care of the TN brick and mortar stores, you could re-label part of the next shipment with "BOTL ONLY" bands and make them available to the members? Just a thought.

Oh, please do notice my avatar! The Calaveras river in Kalifornia runs right behind my house! El Dia de Los Muertos is the coolest holiday ever!

 

[GVH]

Jon - typing on my iphone last night was difficult. Hard to finish complete thoughts. As you pointed out - there are three dominant parts of the plant - ligero (corona), viso and seco. Where the plant grows is clearly a major factor in flavor - climate, soils - which is of course the reason that no other tobacco on earth tastes like good Cuban leaf from the Vuelta Abajo. The real masters of the art of fermentation - particularly fermentation of maduro leaves (i.e. Padron) make a huge difference along with aging. It's really cool that tobaccos from Brazil, Peru and Costa Rica are now being used in modern smokes - so I do believe lots of variation is possible and evident. Witness the rather vast difference between your original releases and the Pepin Garcia blends. Clearly, the Garcias are on top of the world right now - with so many different sticks and marques coming out of their factories. So, all of the foregoing is prefatory to a request - as a BOTL, I would love to know more about your sessions with Jaime Garcia that lead to the development of a new blend that you like - Tennessee Waltz, Mason-Dixon etc. I've heard Johnson's story about the origins of the first Tat blend by Don Pepin (Johnson gave him a Cuban cigar that he liked and asked Pepin to make "that") - but I think we would all like to know more of the details of the real work and art of you and Jaime tinkering with blends and how the tinkering happens. A little bit more of this and less of that? Let's try ligero from Esteli instead of Jalapa? You probably don't have time to "tell all" - but insight into the world of Artisanos de Tobacco would be fun for all of us cigar nuts!

 

[JonHuber]

GVH - Describing the 'process' is a whole lotta much, my friend....kinda have to 'be there' in the moment....

BOTL - On the subject of Tennessee Waltz...here're a coupla solid reviews to check out:

http://halfwheel.com/review-tennessee-waltz/71894

http://www.stogiereview.com/2014/10/14/crowned-heads-tennessee-waltz/


Cheers.

Jon Huber
Crowned Heads

 

[irratebass]

I smoked my 1st one yesterday, damn tasty Jon....great job.

 

[cigarblunk]

Just got mine in

 

[GVH]

GVH - Describing the 'process' is a whole lotta much, my friend....kinda have to 'be there' in the moment....

BOTL - On the subject of Tennessee Waltz...here're a coupla solid reviews to check out:

http://halfwheel.com/review-tennessee-waltz/71894

http://www.stogiereview.com/2014/10/14/crowned-heads-tennessee-waltz/


Cheers.

Jon Huber
Crowned Heads

Shucks Jon, I was hoping to be edified! The reviews are OK - I prefer Katman Kohn's reviews myself - the guy has the best palate on earth - and his reviews are hilarious. Thanks anyway - much luck to you guys in the future!

P.S. - from the halfwheel review:

"Things start out with a very interesting vegetal and wheat combination. The vegetal note is unlikely any I’ve had, much more like a cooked vegetable, as opposed to the unripe notes oftentimes found. There’s not a ton of sweetness, some saltiness and leather. It’s quick, aggressive and not very peppery. As the first third gets going the citrus note is dominant up front, although a grittiness lurks close behind with leathers and earth. "

I don't know what the reviewer ate or smoked before he smoked the Waltz, but I don't think he was describing tobacco products or anything I detected in the cigar. Cooked vegetables? Rutabagas?