Smoke Blog: Hoyo de Monterrey

Bliss.

Maybe it’s because I haven’t had a cigar in several weeks, but I really enjoyed the Hoyo de Monterrey Ecalibur 1066 Merlin I smoked the other night. I’ve smoked the Excalibur 1066 line before and have never had a bad experience with them. They have a smooth, dense flavor and an even draw. No burn problems, and no acrid taste from overheating. I believe the Merlin is just a name for the size, and in this case I selected the Merlin because it’s a bit smaller than the others and I knew I’d be smoking it in the cold. Nevertheless, it lasted a good hour, a good return on the price.

I also haven’t had so much peace in a while. A fog hung over everything, the kind of fog that makes you feel like your vision is blurred. It cut down on the light and diffused the orange wash of the sodium lamps across the fields. Its density cut down on noise as well, softening sounds and obfuscating their direction.

I think that’s what I miss most about being able to sneak out for a smoke: it’s the best way to guarantee I’ll be alone with my own thoughts. Full courses of dialog for Wounded Gods came unbidden, followed by plot points for my untitled collaboration with Bryan Baugh and a new spin on a novella I’d set aside a long time ago.

I really need to do this more often.