Distinguished Ruffian

MoyaRuiz’s La Jugada Nunchuck

IMG_0639The La Jugada Nunchuck cigar from MoyaRuiz is their limited edition run to celebrate Cigar Dojo’s Birthday Herf. Although it was not released until later this year it was highly anticipated. Made in the La Zona factory in Nicaragua, like their other two cigars, it is a cigar that is troublesome to compare to anything else.

I got these sticks over a month ago and they felt quite firm to the touch so I decided to give them a little time in my humidor before smoking them. Like I’ve mentioned before, I like my cigars at a slightly higher humidity level (I prefer a constant 74% RH) since I have a tendency to chew the ends of mine and like a softer feel to my tobacco. When I took these out I noticed the feel had remained the same but rather then let it sit any longer I decided to go ahead and light it up.

The feel was firm to the touch and did not give when pressure was applied which worried me at first. I was concerned that the cigar was over filled and would not only be hard to smoke but would also crack and break under the stress of smoking it. I played around with the cigar and was happy to see that, unlike other people have stated, I found no dead spots. The roll was consistent and full through the whole body.

The overall look of the cigar was superb, clearly time had been taking in the production. The Habano wrapper had the color of well-aged leather and had very minimal veining, which was nice given the size of this cigar. The smell from the body was light and had notes of cedar, fruit, well used leather, and tobacco, loads and loads of tobacco. The foot shared the same odor with a slightly heavier fig smell.

It lit easily with a moderate draw. This was surprising given how full this cigar is I expected a much harder pull. Immediately a nice amount of smoke is given off that fills the pallet and rests heavily on the tongue. The taste of black coffee, pepper and tobacco are noticed with a hint of nuttiness. This continued through almost the first third of the cigar. Nearing the midway point the taste begins to mellow, but only for a short time. Once I reached the middle of the stick a large amount of spice could be tasted and everything else takes a back seat, except for the tobacco did I mention the tobacco.

As the cigar heats up the stick becomes more pliable and is easily manipulated between the fingers. With the exception of the moderate midpoint change the flavor holds consistent to the end with only a slight increase in spiciness as what’s left begins to heat up.

La Jugada Nunchuck Comes in one size. A hefty 7×54 and are being released in a limited amounts of 1,000 boxes. Each box has five nunchucks tethered together or a total of ten cigars each. If your looking for a nice full bodied cigar to smoke that will last you around two hours this is your cigar.

Wrapper: Nicaraguan Habano Oscuro

Binder: Nicaraguan

Filler: Nicaraguan

Brand: MoyaRuiz

Website: MoyaRuizcigars.com

Rating: 4.3 out of 5 pints

Benchmade’s Infidel

IMG_0293I’ve carried numerous out the front (OTF) knives in my day and they all seem to fall apart relatively quickly. While looking into a new one that would stand up to daily use I kept finding links to Benchmade’s Infidel. Although the price tag was a bit on the high side it was a great looking knife and met my needs so I decided to buy it. The Infidel is one of the sleekest, most aggressive looking OTF knives on the market but, can it do more than just look sexy? You bet it can.

With my work and life style I use a knife numerous times a day and need something that is reliable and holds an edge. I’ve had the knife for more than a year now and it has performed how I need it to everyday. The action and speed on the blade deployment and retraction is just as fast as the day I got it. The handle, made out of machined 6061 T-6 aluminum, is of ample size and the bi-directional tread pattern makes it easy to hold onto. The double edge dagger blade is made from a corrosion resistant D2 steel hardened to 60-62HRC. Its double auto blade action means that you have to commit to opening or closing it using the ambidextrous thumb slide. This double action lock style makes the chances of an IMG_0292accidental deployment while its clipped in your pocket nearly impossible. A deep pocket clip comes attached to the body but It also comes with a MOLLE compatible soft sheath in case you don’t want to use or choose to remove the clip.

While I was doing research on new knives I found some articles that had negative things to say about the Infidel. They complained about the spring configuration and the speed of the blade deployment. Since purchasing mine I have put this knife to the test against other OTF knives and the speed is just as fast as most of the other OTF knives and in some cases faster.

After having this knife for a fair amount of time and having used it on a daily basis it has quickly become one of my favorite every day carries. It opens and closes quickly and reliably, and stays sharp. While the price is a more than most OTF knives it’s well worth it and if you met the criteria Benchmade offers discounts to active military and law enforcement officers. If your looking for a new everyday OTF knife it would be hard to find one better than this.

Manufacturer: Benchmade

Website: www.benchmade.com

Rating: 4.4 out of 5 pints.

Sweet Water’s 420 Extra Pale Ale

IMG_0290While Sweet Water’s 420 Extra Pale Ale’s name first conjures images of those like Jay and Silent Bob, it gets its name from the day it was brewed. Originally created on April 20th 1997 it gets it’s amusing title.

Since 420 Extra Pale Ale is part of Sweet Water’s year round selection and their most popular so I picked up a sixer at the local liquor store and give it a try. It poured nicely with about two fingers worth of head at the end. There was an average amount of carbonation so the head vanished rather quickly. Do to the average carbonation the lacing on the glass was apparent but still minimal.

The color was a light gold to strawberry blonde. It has a full aroma of hops with hints of jasmine and a light citrus odor. The taste is light and clean, with the hops at the front and a bitter finish. Hidden in the mix is a light floral flavor, citrus and the taste of cut grass. Sweet Water describes it as “A tasty West Coast Style Pale Ale with a stimulating hop character and a crisp finish.”

There’s no shortage of Pale Ales out there and with most of them having no noticeable difference between them, it is nice to find one that has a fuller flavor to it. 420 would go nicely with most any activity and most foods. If you haven’t tried this beer yet I recommend giving it a try.

 

Brewer: Sweet Water Brewing Company

ABV: 5.4%

Rating: 4.1 pints out of 5