Vintage Vuelta Abajo

I was recently gifted a fine selection of cigars by Scott Shilala, many of you know of his reputation for generosity and ingenuity.

One of the cigars, the Flor Extra Fina passed through Scott's hands via Joe, lenguamor.

Scott writes,

"I can only imagine a handful of people that might enjoy the opportunity to try something like this in a way that I'd hope they would. I think you'll have a lot of fun burning that old thing up, and I think you'll be able to see it from a unique perspective that truly does the experience justice.… If you' do one thing for me, please don't delay in smoking that old rocket. Carpe Diem, brother."

It just so happens that as the webmaster of the local cigar club website I had recently added a section called "Grindstone Vintage", featuring photos that I have scanned and restored. Several of these are photos of the Golden Eagle Cigar Store in Redding with John Bartosh, owner and one of the original Grindstone Cigar club founders standing proudly in his shop. John purchased the shop in 1907.


That's John on the left, he was a roller at the shop when he was a boy.

So when I received my weekly email notifying me that the Friday gathering of the Grindstone Cigar Club was "on" I responded with the following.

Gentlemen,

I was recently gifted a group of cigars that included a Cuban sold between 1910-1917. For those of you that have viewed the Grindstone web page titled Vintage you might have noticed the old photos on the Golden Eagle Cigar Store in Redding with John Bartosh standing proudly in his shop. Although a quick scan of the counter does not reveal the Sunkist brand this gift when lit will create a smokey bridge to those early days of the Golden Eagle Cigar Store and John Bartosh.

If all is in order won't you please join me for a puff of this extreme vintage cigar during the early part of our next Grindstone Club gathering?

Sunkist Brand, private-labeled for Chapin Grocery in Springfield Mass. They are foil-wrapped and handmade with Cuban tobacco from the Vuelta Abajo region, where the finest tobacco in the world grows.

The following set of photos share that gathering of cigar lovers and the fulfillment of a 100 year old promise.

But first let me provide a small review of this cigar that had journeyed far and waited so long to go up in smoke.

The initial pre-light aroma was one of cardboard and dry basement. This mild beauty had that look you sometimes see in a much older person's eyes, that tells you that in their day…

Once we got past the first half inch of the cigar the flavor had strained hints of toasted bread. It was not until the last inch and a half did some real flavor make it to the party. Those last few draws had smoked mocha/coffee going on.

Let the following photos tell the rest of the story.