James Suckling

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A Double at the Bar

Posted: 06:49 AM ET, August 14, 2007

I smoked a 1996 Partagas Lusitania from a cedar cabinet box of 50 last night in a small hipster wine bar in Hong Kong called Bar Aedes. This is a place a lot of the wine and restaurant trade hang in, and they don’t mind smoking. So cool…

Anyway, the Lusi was one of the best double coronas I have had in a long, long time. Wine and cigar merchant Thomas Bohrer brought them to the bar. The cigar was very flavorful, yet refined, with cedar, dried flower and nutty character. I gave it 93 points last night.

I hadn’t smoked a double corona for ages and neither had Thomas. I just don’t seem to find the time to smoke one anymore. And I have to admit that they are a bit ostentatious. I have even had people get aggressive when I have smoked one. I guess it’s something like “my cigar is bigger than your cigar.”

Luckily, there was none of that last night. And we just enjoyed what was a great cigar, with a few glasses of wine.

(5 comments on this post) Submit your comments >

Reader Comments

User Name: Edward Kobesky Posted: 11:41 AM ET, August 14, 2007

I know I'm in the minority, but I smoke double coronas on a regular basis -- as many as two or three a week, actually. I don't completely buy the argument that consumers are looking for quicker smokes because they're short on time. Some people are, but I see many others buying robustos and corona gordas so they can smoke two or three different cigars in one sitting instead of one large cigar. That's a testament to the sheer variety of product out there and maybe an endorsement as well...so much of it is good, it's hard for some people to make a choice. A lot of people tell me that they simply don't have the attention span for large cigars, to which I say, if a blend can't hold your interest in a large format, then why bother with it in a smaller size?

User Name: James Suckling Posted: 10:55 AM ET, August 15, 2007

Edward: Very good points. Thanks man.

User Name: Robert Funk, California Posted: 10:27 PM ET, August 15, 2007

I love the double corona and churchill format. To me it is a cigar that goes on and on. I find that cigar somking requires patience and if you love it, why not have a longer smoke. I always find time to enjoy my passions. If you don't have time to enjoy the things in life you love, then what are you enjoying? besides, the longer formats tend to change in character quite a bit from start to finish, for the most part. They are interesting.

User Name: Tanner K, New Canaan, CT Posted: 02:52 PM ET, August 16, 2007

In response to Edward's comments above, I am inclined to agree. I think that if people want to smoke a larger cigar, they will make the time to do so. I think it has more to do with tolerance than anything. There are plenty of cigar smokers that smoke on a semi-regular basis that may find it difficult to finish a Double Corona or a Churchill. But hey... that's just my two cents on it!

User Name: price bennett, CA Posted: 01:44 PM ET, August 20, 2007

i can't believe the reference to some people getting "aggressive" when you light up a nice dc. that kind of insecurity would make freud sing. you might as well get angry if the guy next to you at the deli gets a bigger sandwich. someone like that is not worthy to smell your secondhand smoke. i suppose it goes to show a good smoking buddy is a precious thing. think i'll go fire up a nice habano hoyo dc, one of my fav's.

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