by Tim Rolins
I am not a fan of hot weather and the last few days have been miserable. Temperatures in the 100 degree range mean I stay indoors and keep the A/C company, but this also means a lack of things to get into! I decided to take an old antique cuckoo clock down that hasn’t worked in years to see if I could do something with it. This is a beautiful old German clock thats older than I am. When I was around 10 years old, I would go to the coast to spend a week with an aunt and uncle who had been for years in SAC in many countries. While in Germany they had made friends with an older couple and they gave them this clock that had been in their family for years, and it was given to me around 20 years ago.
Before starting, I selected from the humi a E.P. Carrillo New Wave Connecticut. I know I am known as a maduro fan but this is one beautiful cigar, with a delicate wrapper that has a mild toasty aroma with a raw nutty smell mixed in. The cap is very nice and deciding against a clip, used my punch cutter on it which worked like a champ.Torching up the delightful cigar, the initial thrilling smoke had flavors of spice with a noticeable velvety feel to the smoke that gave hints of buttered and toasted French bread. An inch in, and the toasted buttered French bread continued with a mix of parched nuts ever so mildly with hints of a sweet flavor I had yet to put my finger on. As I delved into the cigar, I started on the clock, at first cleaning the years of build up dust from the many cuts and creases that decorated the clock in a myriad of hand carved woodwork.
You can see in the work how the artist took great care with his tools in the intricate detail. Looking at the masterful work involved, I noticed a date on the bottom which said 1930., which told me much about the time this person lived in. I proceeded to the internal parts to see if I could find what was preventing this master piece from working and doing so, came to the middle of this cigar. A smokey, woody flavor somewhat akin to hickory that had been aged was mixing effortlessly with a grand array of tastes including spice and every so often hints of leather, but with the continued presence of parched nuts. The sweetness I detected earlier now seemed much like sweet light syrup, which, combined with the ever present velvety smoke makes the palate awake at each puff. Getting into the inner workings, there was a noticeable amount of dust that had crept in over the decades of use.
Taking a very small model vacuum, I carefully cleaned the mechanisms from top to bottom, applying a little lubricant where I thought needed. As I cleaned, I noticed a small chain that seemed to be off some sort of runner, and with a pair of tweezers put it back in place. Once back together, I carefully rubbed the wood to a shine with some wood care oil, making it look almost new but still having the look of its well aged construction. Putting the clock back on the wall, I set the time and pulled the long cords to set it in motion, and to my delight it began to work just as I remembered. Sitting back in my chair to wait for the grand entrance of the yellow and white bird hidden within, I finished my cigar, which at the close brought to my joy a great mix of leather, the wood, spice mix and the sweetness which gave a enjoyable finish to a wonderful smoking cigar.
As I finish this review, I am hearing in the background that wonderful “Cuuuuckoooo” that I heard as a child. The E.P. Carrillo New Wave Connecticut is one that should be tried and if your like me, will be kept in supply in the humi.