Quick report - just smoked a Tennessee Waltz sent to me by WNYTony - it's a very nice cigar - but not measurably better than other recent Crowned Heads releases - I prefer the Las Calaveras - but it is still a really good smoke. Not posting to knock the cigar - quite the contrary - but the "hoopla" about regional releases and resultant price increases is a little silly. The Jericho Hills are just as tasty and regular production that you can buy at lower prices and much more easily. Other people can do the review mumbo-jumbo - I liked the smoke and it is clearly a product of Pepin Garcia - and it will be interesting to see how the other four age. So, if you didn't get any - don't feel bad - get some Jericho's instead and you will be just as happy IMHO.
Tennessee Fox Trot
- Thread starter GVH
- Start date
GVH - Ok...I usually refrain from commenting on opinions about our cigars--but I'm gonna make an exception here (LOL).
If you weren't "posting to knock the cigar" what's with calling it "Tennessee Fox Trot" when the name is "Tennessee Waltz"--sorry, but it was a thinly veiled 'knock' in my opinion.
Comparing Waltz to either Las Calaveras or Jericho Hill is like comparing a Petite Sirah to a Cab or a Zin--apples to oranges. Each of the 3 blends you referenced have different wrappers/tobaccos: Waltz is a CT Broadleaf wrapper, Las Calaveras EL 2014 was Ecuador Habano, and Jericho Hill is a Mexican San Andres. All different flavor profiles, and yes, different costs associated with each wrapper varietal. So what's up with the "resultant price increases" comment? Crowned Heads has not had ONE price increase since we began shipping our first cigars back in November 2011.
Waltz was a very 'personal' project to me. It was our first CT Broadleaf blend, it was made specially as a 'thank you' to our home state B&Ms, and the backstory behind it is /very/ personal to me. So pardon me for 'jumping in' here, but I take all of our cigars 'personally.' Maybe that's a fault of mine, but I can't separate my emotions from our products. Period.
Cheers.
Jon Huber
Crowned Heads
If you weren't "posting to knock the cigar" what's with calling it "Tennessee Fox Trot" when the name is "Tennessee Waltz"--sorry, but it was a thinly veiled 'knock' in my opinion.
Comparing Waltz to either Las Calaveras or Jericho Hill is like comparing a Petite Sirah to a Cab or a Zin--apples to oranges. Each of the 3 blends you referenced have different wrappers/tobaccos: Waltz is a CT Broadleaf wrapper, Las Calaveras EL 2014 was Ecuador Habano, and Jericho Hill is a Mexican San Andres. All different flavor profiles, and yes, different costs associated with each wrapper varietal. So what's up with the "resultant price increases" comment? Crowned Heads has not had ONE price increase since we began shipping our first cigars back in November 2011.
Waltz was a very 'personal' project to me. It was our first CT Broadleaf blend, it was made specially as a 'thank you' to our home state B&Ms, and the backstory behind it is /very/ personal to me. So pardon me for 'jumping in' here, but I take all of our cigars 'personally.' Maybe that's a fault of mine, but I can't separate my emotions from our products. Period.
Cheers.
Jon Huber
Crowned Heads
irratebass
www.blindmanspuff.com
I can't wait to try one of mine.
Jon that is why I can't wait to try this cigar. You find me another maker as passionate about their product than Jon and I will take the effort to get them to Australia. I have every one of the crowned heads and am never disappointed. I don't want 5 cigars that taste the same. So I can't wait for this or mason Dixie or henco. Hats of to you Jon
I was lucky enough to receive one of these as a gift today. Can't wait to try it. Jon, your passion for what you do is amazing. Keep up the great work and thank you for being such an active member of BOTL!
King Kill 33
BoM Dec '13
Smoked on the other night and thought it was fantastic. It had a striking dry note to it that usually disappoints but in this cigar, did not. Like Bombay Sapphire compared to cheapo Beefeater. The body became very sharp in the last half where the flavors popped out. Also the construction was near perfect. Im usually a smaller RG guy but I can honestly say that this is near the top of the list of big ring smokes right up there with one of my favorites, the UF-13. I'm very eager to smoke both Mason-Dixons as a result.
Also, I am glad to see Jon post here in defense of George's comments. Goes to show the level of pride and dedication he puts into his blends. Much appreciated Mr. Huber.
Also, I am glad to see Jon post here in defense of George's comments. Goes to show the level of pride and dedication he puts into his blends. Much appreciated Mr. Huber.
Had one right out of the box and thought it was a great smoke. Can't wait to try one after a little rest.
Lining up Mason-Dixon to grab some of each of those.
Love everything you guys do Jon - hard to pick a favorite, I'd say it's between Las Calavares and Jericho Hill for me.
Keep up the great work !
Lining up Mason-Dixon to grab some of each of those.
Love everything you guys do Jon - hard to pick a favorite, I'd say it's between Las Calavares and Jericho Hill for me.
Keep up the great work !
Jon - ignore my failed attempt at humor and read what I wrote about the cigar. I liked it and said so, and the words "quite to the contrary" do have meaning - and went on to praise your Las Calaveras and Jericho Hills smokes, along with saying things like "it's a very nice cigar" and "I liked the smoke." You don't have to like my sense of humor, and I don't care if you do or don't. I like your cigars and have spent a small fortune buying them for my humidors - and plan to keep buying them. Now to explain why "Tennessee Fox Trot" was not a knock on the cigar - but was a knock on the whole "limited release" phenomenon we are seeing today. The Fox Trot to me symbolized the rather frantic attempts by my BOTL'S to get their hands on this stick - as opposed to a nice gentle Tennessee Waltz. So, to be clear, my comment was not about the cigar or Tennessee or anything personal to you - it was the proximate result of me feeling sorry for your dedicated fans who were scrambling to try and get a stick or two to enjoy. Even though I understood my point succinctly, as a gentleman I offer you my apology for any distress your reaction to it may have caused you. I do understand the different wrappers and other differences between the three cigars discussed - but let's be honest - there are great similarities between Don Pepin Garcia's blends given the tobaccos available to him - and, given the sheer number of blends he puts out these days, and the rather limited stocks of adequately aged tobaccos, the variations from one cigar to the next have to fall within a certain range of flavors. I own more of his sticks than any other maker - and for good reason - he is awesome at what he does. So are you and your crew.
So, you can read every post I've ever put-up on this forum and others about your smokes - and you will read nothing but positive remarks. I've never been critical of your efforts - and I've presently got over $1,000 invested in them. I suppose that speaks for itself. Best to you!
So, you can read every post I've ever put-up on this forum and others about your smokes - and you will read nothing but positive remarks. I've never been critical of your efforts - and I've presently got over $1,000 invested in them. I suppose that speaks for itself. Best to you!
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
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
dscl
BoM October '14
True story! I was amazed at their operation when I had the chance to visit it.
The "In your face broadleaf" you mention is an awesome way to word it. I smoked one the other night ROTT. How long do you think we are going to have to wait for the bitterness in the final third to cool off and not be so harsh?
Defetis - Am pretty sure I've smoked more Tennessee Waltz than anybody out there...and, personally, I've never found that 'bitterness/harsh' note in the finish that you're referring to(??). That said, you're entitled to your opinion and I respect that...
Let me let you in on a little TW 'back-story.' When I began working on the blend at My Father with Jaime, I was smoking through the samples and asked Jaime, "should I let these rest before I evaluate the blends?" I asked that because, typically, broadleaf is a big juicy leaf to work with and often needs time to 'dry out' a bit. He looked at me...kinda puzzled...and informed me that that particular leaf (which is used on TW) already had 2 years of age on it and was ready to go. In the end, the final TW blend blew me away--to this day, I think it's one of the best blends we've put out. Period.
What I'd say to you is, if you're finding a bitter note, put em down for a month or two and revisit them. A couple months do wonders for 'rounding out the edges'--but, for me, I think TW is ready to go ROTT.
Cheers.
Jon Huber
Crowned Heads
Let me let you in on a little TW 'back-story.' When I began working on the blend at My Father with Jaime, I was smoking through the samples and asked Jaime, "should I let these rest before I evaluate the blends?" I asked that because, typically, broadleaf is a big juicy leaf to work with and often needs time to 'dry out' a bit. He looked at me...kinda puzzled...and informed me that that particular leaf (which is used on TW) already had 2 years of age on it and was ready to go. In the end, the final TW blend blew me away--to this day, I think it's one of the best blends we've put out. Period.
What I'd say to you is, if you're finding a bitter note, put em down for a month or two and revisit them. A couple months do wonders for 'rounding out the edges'--but, for me, I think TW is ready to go ROTT.
Cheers.
Jon Huber
Crowned Heads
ChefBoyRG54
BoM Sept '14 & BoY 2014
i really wish you didn't say this...
I hear that. I have called 3 stores but all out. I am on 2 lists for the second shipment to get a call hopefully and get some.