The Palomino Santa Ana Maduro

image-4If you haven’t heard of Palomino Cigars then you are missing out. The Palomino family has been making cigars in the Cibao Valley of the Santiago De Los Caballeros Province of the Dominican Republic since 1965. What makes them different from the rest of the companies is not only that they make a wide selection of quality sticks but they only sell factory direct. What this means for you is that not only do you get a great cigar but, instead of paying the $9 – $13 a piece you can pick theirs up for around $2 – $3.

Now I know what your thinking already, “how can a $3 stick be good?” The answer…most of what you smoke could probably be sold for around $3 a stick if they sold factory direct as well. For the other brands you are paying for their advertising cost, their sells reps pay, retail mark ups, and so on. So that being said on to the cigars.

Since I like a fuller flavored cigar I decided I would try the Santa Ana Maduro. Inspection shows a well-constructed stick covered in a nice oily wrapper with minimal veins and is in the dark chocolate color realm. It is firm to the touch but just pliable enough that it will not crack if you like to bite the end of yours like I do when you smoke. The odor from the body is of chocolate and old leather with a hint of cedar and fruit. The odor from the foot is the same just more intense.

It lit easily and the draw was even and smooth. The flavor was earthy with a bit of spice with coffee on the back end. The flavor held consistent throughout the cigar. The burn was even all the way through and did not have to be restarted at any point. The ash held well and was near white. The cigar created ample, thick smoke that looked heavy but felt light on the tongue.

When you first get these cigars you might be skeptical but after this smoke I bet you will have no qualms recommending these to anybody. In my opinion for the cost of these cigars they are a great value and could easily fetch between $9-$13 a stick at a brick and mortar store.

Brand: Silvo Palomino 

Web Address: www.palomino-cigars.com

Rating: 4.6 out of 5

Alibi American Whiskey: Good to the Last Drop

IMG_1171Greetings my fellow ruffians, today I’ve decided to give a quick review on one of my favorite libations…WHISKEY! Alibi whiskey to be exact.

For my birthday I was given one of few gifts a man can give another and surely be spot on, a bottle of Alibi whiskey. This instantly became one of my favorite go to drinks. If you are in need of a good three finger beverage to accompany your pipe or cigar or to just tune out the daily grind, then you should consider seeking salvation in this spirit.

When I first cracked the bottle open, I do what I always do and gave it a good sniff. It seemed to me that initially you get a light citrus like aroma along with just the right amount of sweetness and then BAM, the whiskey punch that we all know and love. I always make it a point when trying a new whiskey to put it on the rocks to help open the flavor of the liquor. With that being said the makers of Alibi surely did not disappoint nor did they skimp when it comes to taste.

The taste seemed to be the reverse from the smell, I got the nice whiskey punch with the sweet citrus on the back end, and to me it had just the faintest taste of raisin which threw me for an unexpected (but oh so delightful) loop. I typically save my whiskey drinking for the evening but Alibi could easily be a refreshing daytime cookout beverage. Personally, I feel you can’t go wrong with three parts Alibi and one part cranberry for a great cocktail that is both easy and delightful to drink.

The makers of Alibi truly held to their slogan that “Alibi American Whiskey is a smooth 90 proof American whiskey that is easy to drink, any way you want to drink it.” I will caution you ladies and gents, IT IS RIDICULOUSLY EASY TO DRINK! So as always, partake responsibly and enjoy.

If this review has peaked your interest and you’d like to pick up a bottle, head on over to your local wine and spirit store and treat yourself to a bottle, it’s very reasonably priced at $23.99 per bottle. Cheers mates

Brand: Alibi American Whiskey

Web Address: www.Alibiwhiskey.com

ABV: 45%

Rating: 4.75 pints out of 5

Juices Top 5 Ways to Determine What Gifts Your Girl Friend Really Wants

Afternoon Ruffians and welcome to the inaugural addition of my weekly Top 5.  Today I want to discuss one of the most frustrating tasks for any man especially for today’s Ruffian on the go: Buying a gift for your girlfriend.

Have you ever bought a knock out gift for your girlfriend only to be disappointed that it didn’t knock her off her feet? If so, think back to when you purchased that gift.  How did you determine this was what she really wanted?  Did you just think of things she likes and purchased accordingly? Maybe, you thought you knew your girlfriend so well that any gift you chose would work. These are common mistakes for most Ruffians. What I have listed below are some of my proven methods for ensuring I always get my girlfriend something that will pack a punch.

5. Shop With Her

As boring as this may be for most of us, shopping with your woman can be very beneficial in the ultimate hunt for a gift she will love.  A lot of times, they go in and out of stores trying on clothes or looking at purses and shoes that they don’t purchase at that time.  By keeping a mental snapshot of some of these items you will ultimately get her a gift that she would have purchased for herself.   If you are newer in your relationship, this can also work in identifying what types of things she doesn’t like.  This will save you tons of time in the future, helping you eliminate items immediately that she wouldn’t care for. More than anything, it will save you cash on purchases that she wouldn’t even value.

4.  Ask Her Friends

Unlike navigating to a destination, sometimes a man just needs a little help.   A often overlooked treasure trove of information can be a phone call away.  Your girlfriends friends are more in tune with what she would like (clothing, accessories, make up etc..) than you would be for the most part.  By using her friends for a covert gift mission, this strategy works on two levels for you. First, you get a guarantee that the gift the friend is choosing is something that your girlfriend has spoken to her about.  Second, the girlfriend’s friend gets to feel like she’s played a critical part in a significant moment in your relationship.  Now, I will warn you, this might involve some annoying conversations and some running around but it will be well worth it.

3.  Check Her Closet

This is one of the most readily available ways to determine what gifts she really wants, especially if you guys live together.  Just poke your head in the closet.  This little trick tells you the primary components you need for making a killer purchase, without even leaving the comforts of the bedroom.  What to look for when you take a peek in the closet is simple.

  • Brand
  • Purse Styles
  • Shoe Size and style
  • Clothing Sizes

 

These 4 simple things cover the basics of getting your lady any article of clothing.   You can never go wrong shopping her favorite labels and styles.  Those are the labels and styles she tends to wear anyways.  Whatever you do, do not set yourself up for failure by forgetting to get the sizes.  WRITE THEM DOWN.  This way there will be no spit balling the measurements and looking like a fool when you give her a saggy pair of those yoga pants we all enjoy.   Don’t be a fool, shop with confidence.

2. ETSY or Pinterest

This one takes a little sleuthing but nothing that a calabash pipe and cell phone can’t handle.  If you have a girlfriend that uses either one of these sites, then get your ass registered and log in.  Add your girlfriend as a friend on either site. You’ll see what items she “likes” automatically on your feed.  The reason I love this strategy is because it takes a good bit of the brain work out of the hunt.  Technically, she is telling you what she wants every time she taps a heart and it pops up on your feed. Bam! Hand delivered gift ideas to you on the regular.  It doesn’t get much easier than that.  The other reason both these sites are awesome, is they both offer unique items that would normally not be available for purchase in stores.  This will get you extra bonus points for thinking outside the box and getting an extraordinary gift.

1.  Listen to Her

The easiest but often the most difficult plan to execute;  My number 1 way to know what gifts you should get your girlfriend is to listen to her.  A lot of times your girlfriend will repeatedly mention what she wants using some key “buzz” phrases.  Some of them include, “it would be nice if…”, “Oh, that’s really cute”, or even as direct as “I’d love to have one of those.”   Often these phrases go in one ear and out of the other without a second thought.  By taking a couple of seconds to actually sit down and listen to what my girlfriend tells me, I have been able to grab insights on what items she really wants while masking it as general communication.  Like the great orator Les Brown says, “The plan is simple, but no, it is not easy”.  You got to make some time to talk to her and sometimes even bait the information out of her.  This will take 100% of your attention, so I am afraid to say, you will have to put down the Belvenie and the Undercrown and listen to exactly what she is telling you.  However, this exercise in listening, if done correctly, is the closest to a thing to a guaranteed great gift as you can get.  It’s not rocket science; get her what she tells you she wants.

Some of these ideas maybe new to you and some may be old but they are all guaranteed to work if done with the right attitude and end goal in mind. Hopefully this information helps you as much as it has helped me. So with that being said, keep your pipes hot, your beer cold and your women happy.  Stay Distinguished.