“Off the Beaten Path”: Clints Cigars
When the term “badass” comes to mind, the first image that pops into my head is of Clint Eastwood sitting in the desert with an arrow stuck in his shoulder. Cigar in mouth, and without a wince of intolerable pain, Clint manages to still maintain his ultimate “badass” status while Sister Sarah pulls the menacing arrow from his shoulder. Two Mules for Sister Sarah is only one of many movies that features the man himself with a gnarly, small ringed stogie clinched in his teeth. And, if my calculations are correct, Clint is a badass in almost every movie.
What if you could re-create that feeling? Well, except for the whole arrow in the shoulder thing. The majority of modern cigars these days have these trendy 54 and up ring gauges that absolutely hinder any chance of just letting your smoke hang in your teeth. Unless, of course, you are a fan of lancero’s and you don’t mind your friends looking at you like you are smoking a Virginia Slim. That’s where Clints Cigars comes in to the picture.
“We just make the one cigar.” That’s a slogan that can’t possibly have any more truth to it. Seriously, they only make one cigar. At about four inches long, Clints Cigars are loosely rolled into a tapered torpedo shape. The foot measures at an approximate 40 ring gauge, and the stick tapers to a very small and un-capped head. A thin veined Sumatran wrapper hugs a secret blend of Dominican tobaccos that leave a pleasantly sweet taste on your lips. With cigar clinched in teeth, I catch myself saying “Do you feel lucky, punk?”.
Ok. So let’s set all the fun Clint Eastwood references aside, and let’s begin analyzing the crap out of Clints Cigars. They only have one cigar to review, so there is plenty of white space for me to express my feelings about it.
The sheer fact that a company can sell one single product, and generate positive revenue year after year, speaks volume for the product they sling. When you visit www.ClintsCigars.com, you will immediately see that they are very proud of their product. Testimonials, Biker Magazine features, and even a satisfaction guarantee pepper the site in an act of shameless self-promotion. They offer the ability to easily purchase their product directly on the site, and there are purchase quantities available from 3 to 300 sticks. Thanks to Tim from Clints, I received a 3 count sample pack containing a coupon for free shipping on my first order of either a half a box, or a full box. Thanks Tim.
When you open your pack of Clints Cigars, you will immediately notice the sweet aroma that punches you right in the nose. The aroma reminded me of my college days when we used to purchase cheap gas-station cigars, simply to gut them and fill them back up with “a different kind of tobacco”. Now, I am certainly not stating that a Clints Cigar is a cheap gas-station cigar. However, I am firmly stating that this cigar is flavored or infused. Upon personal questioning of my suspicions with Tim himself, he managed to tactfully answer my questions in a manner that neither confirmed nor denied my allegation. As the reader, it’s your right to choose whether or not you trust my spider senses, or you can just buy some and figure it out for yourself.
During my research, I personally smoked two of the three. The other smoke, I offered to a life-long friend to gather his opinion. In one phrase, Daniel managed to sum this smoke up better than I could have ever imagined. “This cigar is the perfect smoke for when you don’t have the time to tackle a larger cigar.” It’s a fact. With a smoke time of about 15-20 minutes, it’s ideal for a lunch break, morning smoke, or a commuter smoke. The flavor is smooth and malty, but not overwhelming. Mellow notes of rum, chocolate, bitter toffee, and coffee carry throughout the entire smoke. Tim states, “Since our beginning in 1993, only one person has told me they didn’t like Clints and when it was taken out of their mouth…they gave me the money rather than give up their cigar.” Add me to the list. I like it.
In conclusion, this is not an aficionado’s cigar. It is, however, an “any man’s” cigar. Personally, I plan to keep a 10 pack in my humidor. When you enjoy your first Clints Cigar, try to remember that it’s designed for a different type of experience. It’s not going to blow your mind, but it’s also not going to let you down. Simply, it’s one of those cigars that you let hang out of your mouth while you mow the lawn or rake leaves. The only suggestion I have for the folks at Clints, improve the appearance of your packaging and find your market.
Rating: 8.5 / 10
