tx_tuff
08-09-2008, 04:44 AM
Ok so Sam was coming to do a Nub event in Houston at Serious Cigars this past Thursday 8-7-08. Well he was getting into town a couple days early so a few of us decided to meet uo with him Wednesday night for dinner and then some smokes.
We meet up at Lupe Tortilla Restaurant. We meet at the original one in Houston. This place is like a bunch of small old frame homes all hooked together. This isn't the classes joint in town but they have the best Fajitas. Don't believe me ask Sam! We was also joined by Bigfoot (Brian, CAO Rep). So we all pigged out and got fat fat full while BSing about anything we could think of. From your first box of cigars or what got you started, to how the Steelers and Cowboys suck LOL. Couldn't help it guys.
So after dinner we headed down the road to Robusto's so we could smoke it up! And that we did. Let me say first of all what a great bunch of guys we have here in the Houston area that love to get together and herf it up. Of course Brian is nothing new to the crew down here as he always comes by when he is in town from Dallas, and he is a great guy. Sam was alwesome! And I know he enjoyed being able to just set back and enjoy cigars and company without having to work or sale cigars! This guy is just a reg Joe like all the rest of us. Now don't get me wrong his passion for cigars runs deeper then most! We all set and talked about everything cigars, and other stuff as well. But it always lead back to cigars. About how small the busniess really is, how small the customer base really is. And how a company like Drew Estate with ACID cigars may not be to your liking but they are great for cigars because they bring many new people to the market.
The best part of the night was just listening to Sam talk about how he dove in head first to learn everything and anything he could about cigars and tobacco when he first got into the busniess. Learning everything he could from the factories and fields, from books and talking to people. It just wasn't enough for him. So on his own time at home how he started taking cigars apart, chaging wrappers on different cigars so he could tell what the wrapper does, how it taste from different plant to different plant. How much taste you get from a wrapper. Like how when you cover one up with another the first one kinds dissapears. Great stuff. And some stuff I have heard before but not in this much detail.
So I wanted to know more. How easy or hard is it to take off a wrapper? The same abot putting it back on another cigar. So Sam says well get a glass of water and I will show you. And that started what turned out to be 6 totally new cigars right then and there. First was a Oliva MB3 and Serie G which giot the wrappers switched. The MB3 with the Cammie wrapper as it turns out is one of Sam's fav switchs, so he had to share. Troy (boomerd35) got to smoke it and loved it. Next was a LIVE Blue that ended up with a Serie O wrapper that Brian enjoyed smoking. This one and the one I smoked was done after smoking some of the cigar before the new wrapper was put on, so we could taste the change. I was smoking (into the first 3rd) a Torano Exodus 1959 that was then transplanted with a Hoyo De Monterrey Habana wrapper (thanks to Brian for both cigars). Let me tell you that went from a good smoke to the best Torano I have ever smoked!
Sam it was great hanging out with you, getting to know you, about you, and learn from you. I know you miss your family very much as would any of us doing what you are. Be safe on the rest of your stops and get home as soon as you can, as I'm sure your are missed! And I will be doing some Frankenstein work on some cigars soon to see what I can learn. Will post some pics so keep an eye out!
Coming soon pics of the event the next day LOL
We meet up at Lupe Tortilla Restaurant. We meet at the original one in Houston. This place is like a bunch of small old frame homes all hooked together. This isn't the classes joint in town but they have the best Fajitas. Don't believe me ask Sam! We was also joined by Bigfoot (Brian, CAO Rep). So we all pigged out and got fat fat full while BSing about anything we could think of. From your first box of cigars or what got you started, to how the Steelers and Cowboys suck LOL. Couldn't help it guys.
So after dinner we headed down the road to Robusto's so we could smoke it up! And that we did. Let me say first of all what a great bunch of guys we have here in the Houston area that love to get together and herf it up. Of course Brian is nothing new to the crew down here as he always comes by when he is in town from Dallas, and he is a great guy. Sam was alwesome! And I know he enjoyed being able to just set back and enjoy cigars and company without having to work or sale cigars! This guy is just a reg Joe like all the rest of us. Now don't get me wrong his passion for cigars runs deeper then most! We all set and talked about everything cigars, and other stuff as well. But it always lead back to cigars. About how small the busniess really is, how small the customer base really is. And how a company like Drew Estate with ACID cigars may not be to your liking but they are great for cigars because they bring many new people to the market.
The best part of the night was just listening to Sam talk about how he dove in head first to learn everything and anything he could about cigars and tobacco when he first got into the busniess. Learning everything he could from the factories and fields, from books and talking to people. It just wasn't enough for him. So on his own time at home how he started taking cigars apart, chaging wrappers on different cigars so he could tell what the wrapper does, how it taste from different plant to different plant. How much taste you get from a wrapper. Like how when you cover one up with another the first one kinds dissapears. Great stuff. And some stuff I have heard before but not in this much detail.
So I wanted to know more. How easy or hard is it to take off a wrapper? The same abot putting it back on another cigar. So Sam says well get a glass of water and I will show you. And that started what turned out to be 6 totally new cigars right then and there. First was a Oliva MB3 and Serie G which giot the wrappers switched. The MB3 with the Cammie wrapper as it turns out is one of Sam's fav switchs, so he had to share. Troy (boomerd35) got to smoke it and loved it. Next was a LIVE Blue that ended up with a Serie O wrapper that Brian enjoyed smoking. This one and the one I smoked was done after smoking some of the cigar before the new wrapper was put on, so we could taste the change. I was smoking (into the first 3rd) a Torano Exodus 1959 that was then transplanted with a Hoyo De Monterrey Habana wrapper (thanks to Brian for both cigars). Let me tell you that went from a good smoke to the best Torano I have ever smoked!
Sam it was great hanging out with you, getting to know you, about you, and learn from you. I know you miss your family very much as would any of us doing what you are. Be safe on the rest of your stops and get home as soon as you can, as I'm sure your are missed! And I will be doing some Frankenstein work on some cigars soon to see what I can learn. Will post some pics so keep an eye out!
Coming soon pics of the event the next day LOL