“Our sincere apologies in advance to Peabo Bryson…”
Let’s imagine a scenario together, shall we? What would happen if an atypically handsome podcast host selected two movies for the show’s nightly film discussion that divided the podcast crew to such extremes that it changed the course, the future, of the podcast forever? Wouldn’t that be fucking crazy? Yeah, yeah it would. Links to the audio and video versions of this monumental episode are located at the bottom of this page. Enjoy.
THE CIGAR – FLATHEAD RESONATOR by CAO
Size: 8 x 60
Wrapper: Connecticut broadleaf
Binder: Connecticut habano
Filler: Dominican Republic & Nicaragua
Price: $12.79 (while these samples were submitted for review, please remember when purchasing your CAO cigars or other fine premium stogies from FamousSmokeShop.com to use your new favorite promo code TNCC20 at checkout where it will knock $20 off your purchase of $100 or more)
CAO’s automotive-inspired Flathead lineup first began in 2015, there’s been several releases since, and this latest entry – the Resonator – is named after a part of a vehicle’s or a MOTORCYCLE’S exhaust system. Our movies tonight feature motorcycles so here we are, smoking this perfectly-paired bigass stogie…
The Resonator’s broadleaf wrapper features some noticeable surface oils and the cold draw reveals some red licorice and earthiness. Upon ignition, there is a white pepper presence immediately detected through the nose while light cedar is the primary flavor via the draw. That profile continues as-is for the first thirtieth section of this ginormous cigar before the pepper begins to fade and a more earthy note with leathery undertones takes dominance moving forward. The Resonator unfortunately features a difficult draw* that had us relighting quite frequently and sucking on this beast way too hard. Get your head out of the gutter!
There’s also a cardboard, pizza box note that arises at some point and the strength picks up somewhere around the halfway point. And that’s it. SO much tobacco was utilized to construct this monstrosity and for what? Generic earth and muted leather flavors.
TNCC FINAL SCORE = 72
Quite frankly, this is more cigar than any reasonable person would ever want or let alone need. It’s crazy to me that the bigger ring gauges of these giant cigars produce such little in the way of complexity or, honestly, overall enjoyment. It’s a whole lot of nothing. But if you’re just looking for something to stick in your mouth and light on fire (repeatedly) while you watch an entire football game (including triple overtime), well, this unremarkable cigar may be for you.
THE BOOZE
Once again folks, usually (before the mini apocalypse was thrust upon all of us in 2020) we would carefully – some of you have said “expertly” – pair our evening’s adult beverage with the cigar and movie and we’d all sit around the table and drink that same beer and compare notes. But since the whole COVID-19 shitshow went down, each member of the TNCC is now solely responsible for risking their lives out in the wild and acquiring their own hootch for each episode… usually with very interesting results.
TUT’S BEER – SMALLTIME LAGER by AUSTIN BEER WORKS
This cold can of wimp juice comes in at 3% ABV which is a record low for a beer featured on our show. And, of course, it’s Tut who’s drinking it. And we thought The Doctor’s wheat ales were embarrassing! I mean, I guess this could be a good breakfast beer selection, something to grab out of the fridge on your way to work perhaps… Anyhoo, technically this is a beer and Tut drank it. Also, in no way whatsoever did this lager interfere with Tut experiencing the two enticing boring flavors found in tonight’s cigar. I’d say that Tut’s pairing skills are smalltime but that’d be giving him far too much credit.
TUT’S PAIRING GRADE = F – –
THE DOCTOR’S BEER – FIRE ANT FUNERAL AMBER ALE by TEXAS ALE PROJECT
In his own words, The Doctor selected this particular beer because “After watching tonight’s two movies, I wished I was at my own funeral.” Hilarious, Doc has jokes! This product of Dallas, Texas clocks in at 6% ABV so it’s already more respectable than Tut’s can of water. The Doctor wasn’t impressed but after a few cans went down the hatch he decided that is was okay…
DOC’S PAIRING GRADE = F – – –
YAK BOY’S BEER – JUICY LITTLE THING HAZY IPA by SIERRA NEVADA
A refreshing “fruit salad in a can”, as Yaks called it, this 6.5% IPA features 35 IBUs. While Yak Boy’s pathetic attempt to tie-in this beer with tonight’s movie was just as laughable as The Doctor’s, he did enjoy the Juicy Little Thing Hazy so that’s nice.
YAK’S PAIRING GRADE = F
CADE’S WINE – THE BIKER by FOUR VINES
Once again, it was time for me to show these dudes how it’s done. This 2022 Zinfandel comes straight outta Pasa Robles and the 14.5% wine’s peppery spice, blackberry jam, and oak-heavy flavors paired phenomenally with what little the cigar was actually giving me. Both of our films tonight feature BIKERS so… yeah, that’s how it’s done.
CADE’S PAIRING GRADE = A ++++
CADE’S BEER – HOP SPROCKET HAZY IPA by REAL ALE BREWING COMPANY
Motorcycle engines use sprockets to transfer power from the engine to the rear wheel. I used the Hop Sprocket Hazy IPA to wash the taste of tonight’s cigar from my mouth. At 7.3% and 20 only IBUs this beer suffers from a dank fruity profile and such low bitterness that we all questioned Real Ale’s use of the word “Hop” in the name. Fortunately, or unfortunately rather, The Doctor and Tut provided more than enough bitterness tonight to make up for it. We’ve had much better offerings from this brewery, so I won’t be wasting my time or money on this particular beer again.
CADE’S PAIRING GRADE = A +
THE 1st FILM – THE LAST RIDERS (1992)
So the director of tonight’s first film (cowritten with Ray Garmon and Addison Randall) is a Syrian fellow by the name of Joseph Mehri who produced an impressive number of movies that the TNCC has previously featured such as:
Bikini Summer 1, 2, & 3
Shotgun Jones
Land of the Free
and finally To The Limit & Skyscraper from our now classic Anna Nicole Smith centric episodes. So out of 168 episodes, this dude produced at least 6 of the flicks we’ve talked about! That’s quite a pedigree… So 168 episodes and not one Meryl Streep film but we managed to squeeze two Anna Nicole projects in there and this is our 3rd Erik Estrada movie. Nice!
Well, I alone thought it was nice as yours truly sat alone on his island all night long…
THE 2nd FILM – HELL RIDERS (1984)
After The TNCC crew’s abysmal reaction to our first film, I began the discussion of our second movie with this mission statement, “If Hell Riders is the last movie we ever talk about here on the show, let’s do it right!” Little did I know how foretelling that quote would be… links below…
THE NUB
Sayonara Motherfuckers?
Y’all need to remember that real gangsta-ass podcasters don’t flex nuts ‘cause real gangsta-ass podcasters know they got ’em. Having said that, please leave us comments on the YouTube episode page and subscribe while you’re there, provide us with a review on iTunes, or be a real stud and do both! All these seemingly small gestures would be greatly appreciated as they let us know exactly what you’re thinking about this sweat-soaked tidal wave of hardbodied insanity we like to call The Tuesday Night Cigar Club.
Below is tonight’s full episode for both your viewing and listening pleasure. Thank you for checking out The Tuesday Night Cigar Club and we’ll see you next time when we review another cigar, adult beverage, and film. May the wings of liberty never lose a feather…
*Editor’s Note: I wasn’t about to smoke another of these cigars in order to take proper photos for this episode page. The images above were taken over the course of 5 minutes earlier this morning. After photographing the unlit cigar, I cut the Resonator in half and puffed on it just enough to get an ash going and took a pic, then I cut the cigar again so I could get a nub pic. I can’t remember if there was ever a time I didn’t smoke the show cigar again for photos.
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