This and That

It has been a great couple of weeks here at MySideOfTheBar. We have attended a few events and spent some time in the lab trying new cocktails as well as sampling some great cigars. Here are just a few of the happenings from the last couple of weeks.
A couple of weeks back we attended the Ashton Cigar Event – Challenge Your Palate at Fidel’s. This was far from  your normal Cigar Event and I have had the pleasure of attending this event in the past. It is by ticket only and as  you present your ticket you receive a 3 stick sampler based on your taste in cigars, Mild/Medium, Medium or Rich Full Body. You also received a very nice Ashton ashtray, and you can never have enough ash trays. I choose the Full Body sticks for me and the Mild/Medium for Central Patti.
The Professor, Central Patti and Bill from Ashton
The host for this event was Bill Rectenwald of Ashton and Bill is without a doubt the most knowledgeable Cigar aficionado in the business today. He is very passionate about not only Ashton Cigars, but Cigars in general.  He had the room all start with the first stick from your sampler and explained the different tastes and how the Cigars would interact with both food and drink. He then had every taste an almond and passed out bottles of water to cleanse the palate and repeated the process as you enjoyed your second Cigar. I am not going to go through the entire process and you can read more about it at the Ashton Website, but I did learn a few things (such as Ashton is  a Cigar maker and not a tobacco grower. And I did purchase a box of the San Cristobal Seleccion Del Sol. By the way the ticket price could be deducted from the purchase you made that night. Score!
Comacho and Room 101 Cigars Event

The next event we attended was the Comacho and Room 101 Cigars Event again at Fidel’s. I had never sampled any of this companies products and I will say I have some mixed reviews. I am going to share them after I sample a few more sticks just to be fair. The highlight of the evening was when my friend D. brought out a 1.75 liter bottle of Gray Goose and six of us proceeded to finish it in under two hours. Or and I did win a nice door prize, a sample pack of three sticks along with a cutter and a tube of Comacho matches for my collection.

Cigar Contest

Speaking of Cigars a couple of weeks back Ed at SmokesandBooze tweeted a contest courtesy of Urban Cigars and I won a box (Thanks Ed). I have sampled two thus far and I am impressed. The box was Hoyo de Monterrey Resosado These Cigars are aged three months in cedar and it is very evident as you smoke them. (Review to follow at a Blog near you) And if you are one of the Cigar Usual Suspects look for a stick coming to an ashtry near you.



And as Music is as much a part of MySideOfTheBar  as Smokes and Cocktails I have to comment on a DVD Set I just watched. It was a Concert for George from The Royal Albert Hall from November 29, 2002. (yes that date should be familiar to most music fans) I usually am not impressed by these DVD’s, but this one was very, very special.  It is hard to believe that it has been 10 years since George’s passing, but as the song goes “All Things Must Pass.” Highlights to me were, George’s son, who looks exactly like his father, playing on stage with all the great names. Jools Holland and Sam Brown performing “Horse to Water” and the introduction of Ringo and Paul, which brought the house down. The Beatles are truly Rock and Roll Royalty and I do not care what anyone says, the Stones and the Who (both great) do not even come close to the type of Royalty that the extant members of the Beatles carry with them.

I want to say thank you to my friend and neighbor from the lake, B.K. for the loan.

Well that is enough for a week and be sure to follow @mysideofthebar on Twitter for daily updates.

Cheers
The Professor

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