Wednesday, August 22, 2007

Oliva Master Blends 3 Torpedo

Size: 6" X 52
Wrapper: Broadleaf Sun Grown
Binder: Nicaraguan Habano
Filler: Nicaraguan Ligero

Appearance: This is one seriously pretty looking cigar. Examining this stogie, the fact that it is similar in construction to the Padron Anniversary Series comes to mind. This is a great compliment. Wrapped in a very beautiful veinless cocoa wrapper is one firmly packed beautifully balanced looking cigar.

Pre-Light: Clip was a breeze with the Credo Synchro Cutter, just a quick snip and you have a nice even surface. Pre light test was promising, should draw just fine. The pre light draw was rich and tasted of a lovely slow burning cedar.
Burn/Draw: The burn was just spot on, a sign of the fabulous construction mentioned earlier. The burn line was straight all the way down, and did not need a touch up. the ash was firm and a really light grey, which contrasted beautifully with the wrapper (see pictures above and below). The draw was just fine, and volumes of tasty blue grey cool smoke were produced.Flavors: This is one enthralling cigar. The dominant underlying flavor was a smokey cedar note that smelled kind of like if someone in the distance was using cedar in a campfire on a brisk October night. That might sound overly romantic but that's exactly the thought that hit me as soon as I experienced it. Over that beautiful base, that was there the entire length of the cigar, other great flavors drifted. Over the first third you get a tasty coffee note. At about the halfway point it sweetens a bit to what is more like a dark chocolate note. Over the last third some spiciness creeps in. this cigar is medium-full bodied and just past medium in strength. Overall it is an enchanting experience I can heartily recommend.

TomC

The New Texas (Ranger) Massacre!

Thanks to this Source.

BALTIMORE -- The Texas Rangers rounded the bases at a dizzying pace, touching the plate so often it became almost embarrassing to make an out.

The Rangers became the first team in 110 years to score 30 runs in a game, setting an American League record Wednesday in a 30-3 rout of the Baltimore Orioles.

Trailing 3-0 in the opener of a doubleheader, Texas scored five runs in the fourth inning, nine in the sixth, 10 in the eighth and six in the ninth.

It was the ninth time a major league team scored 30 runs, the first since the Chicago Colts set the major league mark in a 36-7 rout of Louisville in a National League game on June 28, 1897, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.

"When you're on this end of it," said Marlon Byrd, who hit one of two Texas grand slams, "you don't want to be the one to make the out. You feel like you have to get a hit every time up."

Hours after announcing manager Dave Trembley would return for the 2008 season, the Orioles absorbed the most lopsided loss in franchise history and set a team record for hits allowed in a game (29).

The Rangers had totaled 28 runs in their previous nine games, including two runs on seven hits in their last two.

I knew we'd get the bats going, but I never expected anything like this," Texas manager Ron Washington said. "When the faucet is on, you want it to stay on. You never want to cut it off."

The Rangers set a team record for runs scored in a doubleheader -- before the second game even started.

"This is something freaky. You won't see anything like this again for a long, long time. I am glad I was on this end of it," Byrd said.

Travis Metcalf also hit a grand slam for the Rangers. Jarrod Saltalamacchia and Ramon Vazquez, the bottom two batters in Texas' lineup, each homered twice and finished with seven RBI.

"That was ridiculous. I have never been in anything like that in my life," said Saltalamacchia, who went 4-for-6 with a walk and scored five runs. He came in batting .179 and finished at .262.

David Murphy had five of the Rangers' 29 hits, the most by a major league team since Milwaukee had 31 in a 22-2 victory over Toronto on Aug. 28, 1992, according to Elias.

"It was AMAZING in capital letters," said Metcalf, who was called up from Triple-A Oklahoma earlier in the day.

Texas had 57 at-bats, tying the AL record for a nine-inning game set by Milwaukee in its 1992 rout of Toronto.

The Rangers added five points to their team batting average, raising it to .258. They finished with more runs than outs made (27).

Baltimore went from seventh in the AL with a 4.39 ERA to 11th at 4.60.

Asked how to handle such a devastating defeat, Trembley replied, "You have a real short memory and you let it go."

Kason Gabbard (6-1) allowed three runs and seven hits over six innings. He is 2-1 in six starts since Texas acquired him from Boston on July 31.

Even with the one-sided score, there was a save. Wes Littleton earned his second career save and first this season by pitching three scoreless innings.

The game was a bit of redemption in an awful season for the Rangers.

"We set a record for something on the good side of baseball," Washington said.

Texas erased a 3-0 deficit by batting around in a five-run fourth. A walk to Byrd and an infield hit by Jason Botts preceded a two-run single by Saltalamacchia. After a visit from pitching coach Leo Mazzone, Daniel Cabrera (9-13) gave up a go-ahead, three-run homer to Vazquez.

Texas made it 14-3 by scoring nine runs on 10 hits in the sixth. The 10 hits matched a club record for one inning and were three more than the Rangers totaled in their previous two games.

Cabrera left after serving up a home run to Saltalamacchia. Brian Burres yielded two singles and a walk before Byrd hit his third career slam. Saltalamacchia, Vazquez, Frank Catalanotto and Ian Kinsler added RBI singles.

Texas recorded seven hits in the eighth. Metcalf hit his first career slam and Saltalamacchia added a three-run shot.

Vazquez's second homer highlighted a six-run ninth.


All I can say is DAMN! If you are an Oriole, that one has to be tough to shake. . .

TomC