An Array of Arganese – An Aromatic Apocalyptic Analysis
Posted By Elvis on February 17, 2008
OK, so I tried to use all “A” words too much. But my review of all things Arganese really does shoot them to the top of the list….or as you Americans call it, top of the cigar Alphabet!
Over the last two weeks, I have smoked and enjoyed a huge array of Arganese cigars generously donated by the Arganese family. Look, the cigar market is damn tough to break into if your last name isn’t Macanudo or Montecristo and few have done it with such a big splash as I predict Arganese is going to do it in 2008 and beyond.
What will 2007 be remembered for? Some guy named Pepin. And don’t get me wrong…all his cigars he has a hand in are spicy and amped up with flavors. I loved them all and I’m not alone. From 601 to Tatuaje. Wow…no wonder he’s a Don in the cigar world.
But let me tell you about a man named Gene Arganese. This is a dude that had it all….millions of dollars and a thriving real estate business doing so well the guy even thought it would be a sweet idea to build an INDOOR NASCAR track! Now, I don’t know how many cigar smokers are NASCAR fans, but it doesn’t take a genius to see how big that would have been. After getting screwed on his idea by a bunch of politicians, he decided he would put some of his money into something much less frustrating. He would employ some Dominican cigar aficiandos to roll his own personal line of cigars because he knew the product currently out there could be improved upon. Well, he was getting screwed here too because he soon realized that as soon as he got a cigar that met his standards, the next one wouldn’t be as good. He soon realized that to make a cigar to meet his high standards, it would have to be consistent every single time and to guarantee that…well, hell…he would just have to purchase his own cigar factory and grow his own tobacco and hire his own own rollers and build his own aging barns and make his own boxes…….you get the idea. Gene soon spent millions to build up a cigar company from seed to smoke just to meet his own standards. And once he did, word got out and he had to ramp up production to sell to the world. This is a good problem to have and we are all going to benefit if we haven’t already on the very fine sticks Arganese cigar now produces.
I have smoked them all, and even though I know Ironmeden has already done a glance at the Maduro lines..both in the medium bodied Chairman and the amped up Presidente blends, I am now going to review them all in a single swoop.
First…here’s what Arganese offers….
1) Connecticut wrapper. Offers this in two strengths..the mildest Ambassador and the stronger Presidente. Now, personally, I am not a CT wrapper fan. It makes me think of smoking colored air…like anything named Macanudo. But my palate was soon redefined when I lit up the CT Presidente. Wow…what complex flavors!
2) Maduro…same here…two strengths…a medium Chairman and a stronger Presidente line.
3) The strong and slightly peppery Nicaraguan wrapper.
4) The glorious Medium bodied Double-Wrap. We small town folk call it a barber pole design.
5) I can’t talk about the 2008 upcoming blends, but these are what will put Arganese into every shop you visit…trust me!
So…here’s my review on every blend…every size…and every strength:
Creamy, Cool and quite the Collection!
Honestly, I’ve never smoked a creamier Maduro or Connecticut line of cigars.
They just give your mouth an incredible velvety feel full of flavors and giving you a super long finish. The Cool is also unique. When you take a long puff of anything Arganese you get almost a cold sensation from the smoke, yet when you blow it out you see thick voluminous smoke clouds. No more burning your tongue at the last inch of a stick. I don’t know how they do it, but throughout the smoke, it’s a refreshing sensation no matter the strength. Speaking of power, this is strength you feel in your entire body and not on your tongue or the back of your throat like the aforementioned Don Pepin. Maybe some of you enjoy this burning, but I much prefer the subtle creep-up-on-you kick that the Nicaraguan wrapper offers. And if you want to tease your palate with the back and forth flavors of spice and cream, try the barber pole which employs a Brazilian mata fina wrapper for the dark side to go with the complex CT side. Reminds of the old McDonalds Arch burger…it has both the hot side and keeps the cool side cool.
As far as a Collection…I am convinced that if you only stocked Arganese in your personal humidor you would have something solid for everyday you want to light up and there’s something for every mood you might be in. If you want a long enjoyable smoke with fruity and persuasive flavors, light up a CT Presidente Figurado. If you want complexity to go with your favorite wine or Scotch, light up the barber pole. If you want pure creamy enjoyment that compares to a Perdomo red label, take your pick of the medium or strong maduro line. And if you want your ass handed to you, then just wait a few months for the Arganese 2008 RTDA offering…this will be huge in the fall of 2008.
If your local shop doesn’t carry this impressive lineup, please ask them to ASAP!
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