I reached into the humidor this week and a relatively new addition came out, a Camacho SLR Maduro Rothschild. You may have noticed that Camacho has launched a new and zippier ad campaign in an effort to create a new image. Whether or not their new “image” will be a success, I can’t say, but one thing is undeniable: they have good tobacco and, as the SLR Rothschild demonstrates, a workmanship that can be pitted against the best.

The SLR Maduros may look a bit rough on the wrapper side, but the dark cacao and sweet spice aromas it yields are delicate and subtle. The draw just can’t be better. The combustion is very good and keeps the cigar evenly lit with a decent smoke volume all the way to the nub.

The cigar starts out with a predominant white pepper note along other roasted flavors. There are definitely some faint nuts in the background as well at the onset. The evolution into the first half also sees a decrease in the pepper and surfacing dark bitter chocolate.

Contrary to other “powerhouse” cigars, the SLR Maduro is not linear or flat past the half way mark. I found that if smoked cool, the smoke continues to develop; it temporarily moves away from a roasted profile to more salty mineral notes. I found this very interesting, though I realize it may not be everyone’s preference.

Sweet wood and cedar notes begin to appear past the 2/3 mark and, as if in a reprise, the bitter cacao and spices join the very intense flavors right before the end. I enjoyed the medium finish and the beautiful musky aroma it left in my lounge.

I give this cigar good marks for maintaining a certain level of complexity that is often absent from the stronger maduro sticks. If you enjoy a heavy, full-bodied maduro, you will certainly appreciate what the Camacho SLR has to offer.

For more information on this and other SLRs, you may click on any image above or head over to Cigars Direct where I got this excellent lot.

Iwas curiously watching a 1964 episode of a children’s comedy show when I suddenly realized how, even as a cigar enthusiast, I have been influenced by the anti-smoking movement.

In the episode, two thieves that have just escaped from prison proceed to steal two cigars from a gentleman’s pocket. Happy with their new acquisition they go on to gleefully light up right in front of a group of children and begin to converse with them as they puff on.

Although the scene was funny, something within me was alarmed to see two adults smoking cigars in a children’s show! Yes, I admit to doing a definite double take, but then it also hit me: How did we ever survive for hundreds of years without all the anti-this and anti-that movements? For goodness sake, I grew up watching Tom and Jerry smoking stogies and even cigarettes without ever even noticing it. I didn’t even begin smoking cigars until my 30’s, after going on a Caribbean cruise where I finally had my first.

The point to me was clear though. The anti-smoking lobby has been effective and relentless over the years while the rest of us were either apathetic or unaware how much things are changing. Frankly, its alarming.

I read an article today in the Spanish newspaper El Mundo, where they interviewed a top global anti-tobacco spokeswoman. Doctor Judith Mackay, who has been named among TIMES’ most influential people of the year, states her dream in the headline’s subtitle: “to have a tobacco free world”. As to how they would achieve such a dream, she stated, there is only one way: to impose dramatic taxes and tariffs on all tobacco products and force people to give up purchasing them. She went on to assure the reporter that the global anti-tobacco campaign is just beginning.

Couple this with the looming SCHIP bill, still being fought for in congress and you know that this piece of legislation has nothing to do with children’s health care. What this bill is, is the latest attempt by the anti-tobacco Nazis to surreptitiously push their agenda forward by masking it with a “Children’s Health Care” headline.

There are many ways to take care of children’s health care that don’t involve a crippling tobacco tax! But there’s only one way to mask an ideologically motivated dramatic tax hike these days; you have to link it to some sympathetic cause. The fact is that as a children’s health bill, the SCHIP expansion doesn’t even make sense and in more ways than one is self defeating. The measure is only good for one thing: to put everyone to sleep while they push an aggressive anti-cigar measure.

But the SCHIP bill was vetoed and that was that, right? Wrong! They have continued reworking many aspects of the bill in an attempt to bring on board the more liberal Republicans who supported the President in previous votes, and the latest headlines indicate that an agreement is close at hand. Without removing the mega tax on cigars, they are managing to accrue enough support in other areas of the bill to override the all but certain Presidential veto.

On other fronts, the anti-tobacco lobby has been successful at shutting down cigar lounges and clubs, and even passing laws that make it illegal to smoke a cigar in the privacy of your own home. In Europe, cigar magazines are being sued by anti-tobacco forces for “glorifying cigar smoking as a fine pleasure” and for “distribution of propaganda in favor of tobacco”, and private cigar club websites are being required to display annoying popup reminders that “tobacco kills”.

Yet, as much as we are under assault, it seems that there is no mobilization in the cigar industry or in aficionado circles to put up a good fight. I have personally written to my representatives as I know many others have as well, but before this is all over, more will have to be done, and I hope we’re all up for a good fight.

After all, the only thing worse than a crushing defeat, is a crushing defeat with the added shame of inaction.

With the exception of the Robusto Extra, which I found much too bland, monochromatic and linear, I have always enjoyed a good Trinidad. They are pricey, but here, in my opinion, you pay for something very special and very hard to duplicate. They are mild to medium bodied, and yet have darker notes that you wouldn’t necessarily expect in a milder smoke, and a good evolution of flavor and aroma that are unique and tantalizing no matter who you are.

The construction is perfect one hundred percent of the time, from pigtail to foot. There’s nothing like that kind of predictability in a cigar to make you want to buy it by the box. The wrapper is free of kinks or spots and sweetly scented with notes of spices and cacao butter. The draw too is predictably on spot.

I lit a Trini Reyes while watching the New England – Indianapolis game. I figured a great game deserves something worthy to accompany it. Thick, complex and very aromatic, the smoke that oozes from the foot on these is rewarding immediately upon lighting.

The texture of the smoke is actually quite creamy, and begins to evolve after about half an inch. Sweet spices and cacao butter, at the onset, yield to more musky vanilla and nuts. I distinctly pick up walnuts here, but some of my friends say it’s almonds… whatever the case, we all agree it’s a very delicate and elegant evolution.

Finally, the cigar settles on darker caramel notes laced with licorice and sweet wood. I’m not sure I would go so far as to pair this up with a single malt or a brandy. Keep from overpowering this by pairing it with champagne, or an oaky white wine. In my case, I had a nice bottle of Amontillao, a semi-dry golden sherry I drew from the oak barrels just three weeks ago.

I admit to being disappointed at the Patriots’ winning that game, but I had a hell of a great cigar in hand to see me through.

Whenever I restock my liquor cabinet, aside from picking up my old favorites, I can never resist the temptation of trying something new, which I guess means that my collection is always expanding.

I am particularly delighted with my latest pick: The Balvenie Double Wood 12 Year single malt. This stuff is actually matured in two different kinds of wood, hence the name. The first cask is the traditional whisky oak and the second is actually sherry oak, and I must say it really works wonders into this Scotch, making it a particularly good companion for a good cigar.

The color is rich with a deep amber hue. The nose is quite prominent and has recognizable notes of Oloroso sherry, vanilla, some honey and some underlying tobacco.

The palate is ever so smooth. Sweet notes of nuts and spices dominate early on with caramel and vanilla surfacing before the end with a good note of sherry. The finish is long, smoky and warm.

I paired this with the new Cuban Cohiba Maduro 5 and I sank into my leather chair like an old man into a warm bath.