It had been one of those days. I came home from work tired, wanting nothing more to flop down in my recliner and watch something mindless on the Tivo. Sammy, though, wouldn’t allow it. He had been alone all day and he demanded a walk. Right now, dammit! (Sammy is a hundred pounds of fur and gristle, half black lab, half retriever and half crazy.)

I knew exactly what I needed to perk me up. I grabbed a Comancho from the humidor, snapped the leash on Sammy, and headed out for our walk.

If a regular cigar is a cup of coffee, the Comancho is a triple shot of double espresso. Some cigars are well suited for relaxing; this is a better choice to Wake You Up, immediately.

My buddy Brent sent me a box to celebrate finding a decent job after too many years of being underemployed. I usually smoke medium to strong cigars – Punch/Hoyo, La Gloria, EDRM and the like. But when I need a real kick in the pants this cigar does the job.

Sitting in the box, they look plain, unassuming. Even the label is unpretentious – just a small brown band dwarfed by the fat double corona. But there’s an intense surprise hiding under that plain brown wrapper. When you fire it up your taste buds scream at your brain, “Hey, you are smoking a cigar, buddy.” The first few puffs are incredibly spicy, and the smoke is thick and rich. (As an added bonus, the draw is effortless.) You get a powerful blast of flavor that really makes you sit up and take notice. After the first half inch or so it calms down just a bit, but the flavor never fades.

Far too many strong cigars are bitter, unpleasant affairs that almost dare you to finish them. Some start out tasty but then turn nasty half way down. Not this one. It never gets harsh or bitter. I only smoke these when I’m going to have enough time to nub the thing. It would be a shame to waste any of a cigar this good.

Thanks, Brent. I’m really enjoying these.