Of all the clients that I write for, Alberto Medina, has turned out to be one of the biggest hearted guys I've ever dealt with. I have a standard cigar review introduction that I send stores and manufacturers that explains what I can do for them and why. The why explains that I'm dead broke. At 61, I've been out of work for over 2 years. And my wife and I lost everything and live in my daughter's basement. No one is hiring a 61 year old man...not even Walmart.
Alberto and I exchange emails all the time and he's a real master of the pep talk and is full of empathy. It just amazes me that he feels the pain of a complete stranger.
Something incredible happened recently.
I live in Milwaukee. Alberto told me he had an event in Chicago and asked if I could somehow get down there?
I had a deposition in Chicago that same day. I was taking photos at a job rehab in Chicago and the roof ladder flipped and threw me to the lower roof, impaling my hand on rebar.
This was Sept 2007 and the depositions have been canceled over and over. Now it was actually happening. I have crap lawyers. I have the only sharks in the business with little tiny teeth. Not an iota of aggressiveness in them. Just fed up with them
I asked Alberto if we could meet before or after my deposition? He agreed. Before would be fine. His event was in the afternoon so timing was perfect. He also told me he had a present for me.
We met at a Starbucks. A couple of his guys were with him.
I need to go back. Alberto sent me 3 PIO Resurrections. My M.O. for writing a review is to sweep the internet looking for other reviews to see what other people thing of a stick. And I was shocked that some reviewers gave this cigar a so-so review. What? Did they smoke the same cigar I smoked?
I had smoked two of them and while they would benefit from some aging, they are shipped without cellos and ready to go.
He sent me the torpedo...6 x 52.
The binder and fillers are Dominican, Ecuadorian, and Nicaraguan. The wrapper is a beautiful Connecticut Broadleaf maduro. The box pressed stick has a deep, dark chocolate hue. Construction is excellent. Solid and firm. No soft spots.
The box press is magnificent! The band is gorgeous and compliments the cigar hue perfectly.
The cigar is billed as a medium-full bodied stick. That is right on the money.
The prelight aroma is full of good stuff....there's a slight floral aroma along with an earthy and nutty aroma. The foot was stronger with coffee and and dark chocolate.
I lit up. I got an earthy taste. Along with a sweet tobacco flavor.
I'm not a fan of torpedoes. It seems that the tobacco is always packed too tight near the head. But I used my cigar ice pick and got it maybe an inch in and the draw became perfect.
The first inch had notes of spice, nuts, coffee, and earth.
I took my time with it. The first third maintained this profile. But the second third began to open up. I got the dark coffee flavor with sweet tobacco. The previous flavors were there as well.
The halfway point got stronger in both flavors and strength. So I slowed down. I didn't have much in my gut to counteract the strength. Didn't want the spins.
But it was the last third that the cigar came into its own. A huge swath of creaminess filled my mouth...along with a wonderful sweetness. The espresso and cocoa moved to the back.
The creaminess was so powerful, I had to force myself to smoke slowly. I could have easily sucked it to the point that my wife would be calling for a back hoe to pick me up from the floor.
I smoked this to the nub because of the power of the creaminess. It took me about 90 minutes to finish it.
Back to the story....After about 45 minutes with Alberto at Starbucks, I felt comfortable enough to ask for a favor. Come with me to my deposition. At first, he wanted nothing to do with it and couldn't stop laughing at the idea. I explained that I would introduce him as my consultant.
His guys said there was time but they'd have to keep an eye on their watches.
We get to the attorney's office. Alberto's guys stayed outside in the car.
The suits flooded the room. My junk attorneys looked shocked that I brought someone. I introduced Alberto as my consultant. My lawyers were not pleased but this was my case and I insisted.
The dep started and Alberto sat next to me the whole time and said nothing. The defendant's lawyers kept giving him the stink eye. They didn't know who he was and one thing lawyers don't like is not having all of the info.
The deposition was short...maybe 45 minutes. At the end, we got up and Alberto handed out cigars to everyone. I completely fell apart. I continued to keep his identity a secret.
I'm sure the defendant's lawyers were befuddled and I hoped the presence of Alberto put a little fear into them. I'm waiting to see if we settle or go to court....in 3 years.
Thank you Alberto for being there for me. A sweet man and a bassist. Like me. We only had a few minutes outside the building but spoke briefly about music. His life is also about playing, like me. You musicians out there know exactly what I'm talking about.
Oh yeah...Alberto brought with him, a gift, of a box of PIO Resurrections for me.
I smoked two of them on the way home to Milwaukee.
Go to
http://www.piocigar.com/cigars_resurrection_pio_002.htm to se his line.
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