...at Taps Fish House and Brewery. The year was 2006 and life was good. I had just purchased my home and met some new-old neighbors. Johnny used to live a few doors down from me back at our old condominium complex. We really hadn’t talked a whole lot; I had kids and worked all day, he didn’t have kids and worked graveyard for the railroad. He moved about a year before I did to an undisclosed location. It seamed that my new house was once again situated just a few doors down from Johnny, his wife, and their son. I guess it is a small world when the center of your universe is North Orange County!
Back to Taps. Johnny had told me once about a cigar and spirits(booze) store that had a fine selection of all things forbidden: booze and stogies! He was right. I began to be a frequent shopper at Vendome
on Yorba Linda Boulevard. They had been putting together some pretty neat tasting parties, one of which caught my attention. The flyer mentioned Ocean Vodka and Drew Estates Cigars. I had never tried either product but for the low sum of $25 dollars delivered in hand, I could try both and get dinner! Being a sucker for a deal, I signed up and told Johnny. The event was being held at Taps (where you can find an AWESOME juicy ribeye). 
We arrived early and found the reps from Ocean and Drew Estates already in place with samples. Without hesitation or forethought, we lit the cigars. The first was the Blondie. A funny name with for a small, light colored cigar that was sweet on the lips and easy on the tongue.
The Ocean Vodka was equally amazing. I took a sip of a screwdriver and complained that the dring was watery and didn’t have much of the vodka. The young lady pouring the cocktails told me to watch carefully. First, she filled a shot class with the clear elixir. Next, she made a screwdriver just like Mom does. Ok, Mom doesn’t make them but Dad does. She gave the glass a generous serving of the expensive vodka, giving the drink a watered down look. She handed both over and told me to sip the shot to make sure it was actually vodka. It was extremely smooth and light but I did detect a faint hint of alcohol. Next I sampled the screwdriver. Well I’ll be Bush-wacked! It was the real deal but is was so easy going on my palette that I hardly noticed… About three or four drinks later and several minutes, the effects were felt.
I was having a good time chatting with other connoisseurs when the Drew Estates brought out another cigar. This one was labeled Kuba Kuba. I’m not sure who labeled these or what they were smoking but the names work for their products. The Kuba was darker than the Blondie but was much the same. It was sweet at first kiss and then it was like a bouquet of flavors blossoming at once. A virtual potpourri of exotic and mystic flavors that were rich and dark without the usual bitterness that most large cigars take on. It was stogie perfection, or so I thought.
That was back in 2006 and here I am at the end of 2009 with the economy in the toilette, swirling around the bowl with whatever else might be. At $15+, the love is still their but the maintenance is just too much for me to bear. Instead of one or two a week, I have one a month, if I’m lucky and I’m not that lucky. So, next to Larry, I settle for the Kuba Kuba. On a side note, my other neighbor, Dave, has been subsidizing my stogie-licious love for the Drew Estates line by handing me a stick now and again. The camaraderie shared with Johnny and Dave over drinks and cigars is genuinely indispensable to my disposition. Thank God for friends…
Here are some links to the products mentioned:
http://www.oceanvodka.com/
http://www.tapsfishhouse.com/brea/index.html
http://www.vendomes.com/
http://www.drewestate.com/home.html
Please note that I have never been paid or compensated in any way by any vendor or manufacture for this or any portion of my blog. However, should any manufacturer or distributor wish to send me a product to sample and critique, please contact me via this blog.
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