Today I enjoyed the lunch of a true Scotsman. Tuna sandwiches with way too much mayo, bottom of the bag BBQ potato chips and a shot of Ardbeg.

To my surprise, not only was there a perfect amount of mayo on my sandwiches, but the Ardbeg was fantastic.

The whisky provides a very strong peat taste (very similar to the one I get when I light up my Black & Mild at smoke break) on first sip.

My thoughts immediately turned to Old Tom Morris and pals enjoying a shot somewhere on the back nine on The Old Course at St Andrews.

The Ardbeg continued to warm my innards for a few more moments, without the lingering aftertaste left by lesser scotch.

Although the initial taste is one that must be acquired over time, I am willing to learn.

I am a very big fan this Isle of Islay whisky.

Rating: Four Stogies

When: Jan 22, 2010, 7:45 AM

Where: Bruegger’s Bagels, 1717 Woodruff Road, Greenville, SC‎, USA

Size: Small coffee, plain bagel with cream cheese

Cost: $4.09

 The Three Stogies have dubbed January 18-22, 2010 Coffee Week. During these five days we will review coffee selections from some of America’s favorite coffee joints. Tune in to find out what we drink and think.

Today is the final day of our Coffee Review week. We needed to find one more place that was available to the Three Stogies in both South Carolina and Michigan.

Bruegger’s Bagels was the selection.

After dropping Owen off at school, Evan and I made our way to the Bruegger’s drive through window.

I place my order for a small black coffee and a plain bagel with cream cheese.

Once I received the coffee, I noticed that the cup states Bruegger’s proudly serves Green Mountain Coffee. Great news I thought to myself.

Boy was I wrong.

Green Mountain Coffee is terrible. It had no real taste nor was the smell appealing.

Maybe this coffee was intended for a retirement home or hospice center?

For God’s sake, I’ve purchased better coffee from a vending machine!

Although it was swill, it was warm and I finished the coffee on my drive to work. What else was I to do?

Sadly, the bagel was disappointing too.

Once I arrived to the plant, I rinsed out my cup and refilled it will much tastier, better smelling, stronger office coffee.

Shame on you Brugger’s, shame on you!

Although not a cigar review, we will use the Three Stogie rating system for your reference.

Rating: One Stogie

Where: Troy, MI, USA

When: Jan 21, 2010, 7:45 AM

Misc: 30 degrees

Size: Large with cream and sugar

Cost: $1.90

The Three Stogies have dubbed January 18-22, 2010 Coffee Week. During these five days we will review coffee selections from some of America’s favorite coffee joints. Tune in to find out what we drink and think.

 Krispy Kreme is our day four choice. I was kind of dreading it because I am trying to watch what I eat and lose some weight (alright, a lot of weight… a ton of weight).

The Krispy Kreme by my office is a factory of sugary goodness. I pass by it daily and see the donuts are made fresh and the sign says it all… they’re hot.

This would be tough for me.

I entered the store and was forced to walk along the donut assembly line. During this stroll I was able to see the glazing process. (Let me admit that I imagined lying on the rollers and getting glazed. That would be cool to do at least once.) Needless to say my stomach was craving the hundreds of donuts traveling by.

When finally reached the counter I noticed the menu board and looked for the coffee selection. When I found my choice I turned toward the counter.

“Here you go, sir”. The lady behind the counter stated as she reached out toward me with a glazed donut in hand (wax paper around it of course).

I thought… did she read my mind? Did I order this? Is it free? Oh, I could eat this, and so on.

“No thank you”, I stated. I’ll have a “Large coffee with cream and sugar”.

“That’ll be right up”, she replied.

In about 2 seconds flat, the other woman behind the counter poured, stirred, and capped my coffee and then it was in my hand.

I cannot tell you how much I love speed of service.

When I got into the car, I took my first sip.

The flavor was a bit sweet, but dull. Maybe I was expecting it to be a Dunkin replica. Unfortunately it was not, but I continued on and respected it on its own merit.

The deeper I moved into the cup, the sweetness intensified and the coffee goodness I sought after was becoming diluted by cream and sugar. I began to wonder if adding the cream and sugar wasn’t fair to the coffee. Nevertheless, the coffee should hold up in any fashion it was ordered.

The cup provided insulation and had a top very similar to Starbucks. It felt stable in my hand and allows for me to doodle on it while on a conference call. This was enjoyed.

Overall, I would say that I wouldn’t go out of my way to stop at a KK in the future for coffee. If I were getting a “HOT NOW” donut… I would order again.

Although not a cigar review, we will use the Three Stogie rating system for your reference.

Rating: Two and a Half Stogies

Where: Troy, MI, USA

When: Jan 20, 2010, 8:00 AM

Misc.: 27 degrees

Size: Medium

Cost: $3.00+

The Three Stogies have dubbed January 18-22, 2010 Coffee Week. During these five days we will review coffee selections from some of America’s favorite coffee joints. Tune in to find out what we drink and think.

Last year I heard a report about Starbucks sales being down something like 77%, a shocking number. With that I thought, where did all of the drinkers go? Did everyone stop drinking coffee? Nah.

Within a couple of days I’d heard a second story and my question was answered. The story reported that McDonald’s had increased their coffee sales and that they now accounted for roughly 5% of all their sales.

5% may not sound like much, but in McDonald’s terms, it equals billions and certainly can account for some of the impact Starbucks is facing.

At any rate, today we review the new coffee mogul in the country, McDonald’s. Our product of choice is their Mocha.

Since there is about 5 McDonald’s that I pass on my way into work, it certainly is an easy pick up for me. I’ll admit that I regularly stop for a coffee, but have never had one of their mochas.

I stopped at the last McDonald’s closest to my office. I did this to ensure the mocha would remain hot and perfect for a review.

It took about 3 minutes from order to receipt. I like that a lot.

Now in the office at my desk, I took my first sip. The only way to convey what it was like is to say that it was the equivalent of diving off a cherry into a giant chocolate sundae. It was rich and sweet and syrupy. A true dessert fans dream. I only wish the coffee flavor was a bit more intense.

Admittingly, I gulped it down in a short time and enjoyed it.

Another thing I liked about the product is the cups and lids that McDonald’s uses. The cups are insulated and the lid does assist with keeping the contents hot. All of us can appreciate that.

As a whole my experience with the McDonald’s mocha was a pleasant one. The only knock would be that I didn’t feel like I got enough coffee flavors. It literally felt like I drank a warm chocolate shake… not that that is a bad thing.

Would I do it again? Absolutely, but next time it would be as a dessert choice. Way too much sugar me in the morning.

Good job McDonald’s.

Although not a cigar review, we will use the Three Stogie rating system for your reference.

Rating: Three and a Half Stogies

When: January 20, 2010, 12:55 PM

Purchased: McDonald’s, 3620 Pelham Road, Greenville, SC, USA

Location: Inside restaurant

The Three Stogies have dubbed January 18-22, 2010 Coffee Week. During these five days we will review coffee selections from some of America’s favorite coffee joints. Tune in to find out what we drink and think.

Due to a standing Wednesday 11:00am meeting, I was not able to make it to McDonald’s until nearly 1:00pm. My lunch stomach was grumbling.

During my drive, I decided my lunch would consist of a Big Mac (less pickles) and a large mocha. Although a big fan of McD’s french fries, today they would be skipped.

I placed my order and waited for my meal. Once received, I found a comfortable seat and tuned my iPhone into the Rush Limbaugh show.

The first thing I did was open the Big Mac. I took a bite. It was delicious!

The two all beef patties, special sauce, lettuce, cheese, no pickles, onion on a sesame seed bun never tasted better.

Next was the mocha. I peeled back to top and looked inside. Whipped cream and chocolate syrup was everywhere. I took a sip. It was delicious as well!

For the next five minutes bit and sipped, chomped and slurped, chewed and drank… until the Big Mac was gone.

I then re-focused myself on the half finished mocha. It was still very hot, even without its lid.

I finished my drink during my drive back to work.

Although the McDonald’s mocha was outstanding, no way could it be an everyday drinker. It is too sweet.

Nonetheless it would be a very good choice on a cool winter day.

Although not a cigar review, we will use the Three Stogie rating system for your reference.

Rating: Three and a Half Stogies

Where: Madison Heights & Troy, MI, USA

When: Jan 19, 2010, 7:00 AM and 12:00 PM

Misc: 25-35 degrees

Size: Small coffee vs. Columbia instant VIA®

Cost: $2.95 for VIA® (3 Servings), $1.85 for small coffee

Today is all about the challenge of old school coffee making versus instant gratification, or what a marketing campaign calls mobile anytime enjoyment.

The coffee subject for this challenge is Starbucks and their in-store brewed coffees compared to the instant VIA® Columbia. Since they claim they’ve found a way to make a “perfect cup” in an instant form. I guess, we’ll be the judge of that.

The challenge began with a morning stop at Starbucks. I wandered into the store half asleep, but quickly awoke with the freshly brewed scent of their coffees enveloping me. Since most everyone was in the drive thru, I only had to wait a minute for a couple of people ahead of me in line.

“I’ll have a small coffee”, I stated.

Like a pit crew the coffee was in my hand in about 20 seconds. This I very much appreciated.

With my small coffee in tow I headed to the office.

The Starbucks cup is paper and requires a cardboard sleeve to keep the heat off your hands while holding.

Though I must admit, I did continue to get hot fingers because I didn’t always stay on the sleeve.

The lid is a basic solo covering and is the spout is open. This I did not appreciate because in combination with a paper cup allows the heat to dissipate much quicker.

From the first sip it was unmistakable what I was drinking. Starbucks has a deep richness of flavors that do not disappoint. It’s almost as if you get the full story from the coffee each time you taste it and left me wanting more and more.

When my cup was empty, I was eager to see how the instant VIA® Columbia would compare.

Three Stogies Andy and I planned to meet around noon at the Cigar Factory for the second leg of the challenge. Of course while there we might as well pair the coffee with a cigar and truly dedicate ourselves to the review.

When I arrived, Andy and I went into the walk-in in search of a nice accompaniment. Because of the vast choices it was tough to make a decision, but we ended up with CAO La Traviata Divino (a review of this cigar will definite be coming).

With our cigar choice completed we settled in for the VIA® Columbia review. Three Stogies Concert Guy Kurt Goetzke would also be joining us to interview us during the process.

The VIA® comes in a small narrow packet that tears open to allow you to dispense the powder into hot or cold water (ours was hot). After tearing it open, which was easy, I began to pour the powder into my water.

Unfortunately it took some coaxing to get it all out.

When I finally had all of the powder in my water I needed something mix them together, because nothing was at hand I simply folded the VIA® page in half and used it as a stir stick. Funny enough, it worked effectively.

My first sip of the VIA® was a bit disappointing. The taste was not a broad as the store brewed coffee. It still provided the Starbucks flavors that I know, just a little watered down.

The cigar & coffee combination did possibly help the VIA® cause be adding to the pleasant nutty flavors. But as time went on my attention was much more dedicated to enjoying the stogie.

In the end, without question the hands-down winner was the store brewed cup.

Though not a cigar review, I will still use the Three Stogies rating system for your reference.

Store Brewed Rating: Four and a Half Stogies

VIA® Columbia Rating: Three Stogies

When: January 18, 2010, 3:00 PM

Purchased: Dunkin’ Donuts, 1779 Woodruff Road, Greenville, SC, USA

Enjoyed: Home, Simpsonville, SC, USA

Location: Outside on back deck

Cost: $1.69 (less $0.40 due to coffee/donut combo)

The Three Stogies have dubbed January 18-22, 2010 Coffee Week. During these five days we will review coffee selections from some of America’s favorite coffee joints. Tune in to find out what we drink and think.

Due to the MLK day holiday, there was no need for me to be out and about early this morning. I decided that it would be best to conduct today’s coffee review in the afternoon, plus my afternoon palette would a bit more sensitive than in the morning.

Around 3:00pm, I kissed the wife and kids goodbye and headed to the local Dunkin’ Donuts.

The closest Dunkin’ to our home is also the worst run store I’ve ever visited, but nonetheless that is where I went (due to laziness).

I ordered a medium black coffee and an Apple Fritter (I would have rather had something else, but piss poor donut selection handcuffed me) for myself, 10 powdered sugar donut holes for the boys, and a large iced coffee with double cream and two Splenda’s for the wife.

During the drive home, the unmistakable Dunkin’ coffee smell filled the car. I really wanted to take a sip, but knowing that DD pride themselves on having the hottest temperature coffee this side of the sun, I waited until I got home.

Being an ex-Dunkin’ Donut employee for 10+ years, I’ve enjoyed more than a few cups of this brew.

The smell of it is unforgettable.

Once the coffee became drinkable, the taste of it was very pleasurable.

The most important thing with DD coffee is to drink it at the right temperature. If it is too hot, the taste is missed and mouth innards are burned. If too cold, it tastes horrible and smells bad.

When the optimal drinking temp is reached, the coffee produces a somewhat bitter taste.

My coffee was downed in three large gulps.

Damn, that was good.

Although not a cigar review, we will use the Three Stogie rating system for your reference.

Rating: Four Stogies

When: January 18, 2010, 8:00 AM

Where: Van Dyke, Warren, MI, USA

Misc: 27 degrees

Size: Medium

Cost: $1.49+

The Three Stogies have dubbed January 18-22, 2010 Coffee Week. During these five days we will review coffee selections from some of America’s favorite coffee joints. Tune in to find out what we drink and think.

The alarm clock was ignored this morning and provided me about another hour of sleep. But when I awoke I didn’t feel any more rested than usual. Since it was the first day of Coffee Week, I was eager to get the day started and reap some of the rewards of being a reviewer.

After the normal Monday morning routine I was on my way to work and a stop at the local Dunkin Donuts, the choice for day one’s review.

When I arrived at the local shop the drive thru line was full but I was confident it wouldn’t take long to order and be on my way. Luckily I was right.

My order was simple.

“Medium coffee please”, I said.

I soon received my travel cup and was off to work.

Within minutes I arrived at my office. After unpacking my laptop, firing up my desktop, and getting things in order, I was ready to begin my review.

Upon first inspection the Dunkin Donuts cup and lid is simple but perfectly designed. The cup is insulated to keep its content hot and the lid provided a spout area designed for easy sipping and drinking.

Another great feature is the cap that covers the spout. It can be uncapped and then locked into place on the other side so that it doesn’t affect your drinking pleasure.

When I removed my spout cap, I received my first hints of a rich coffee scent. I then took my first sip and was pleased with a deep coffee flavor without any unwanted acidity and bitterness.

The more I sipped and drank the coffee flavor intensified, which was appreciated. Another thing I appreciated is that the coffee remained warm until the finish.

For the money, it was definitely a solid cup of coffee and one that I will enjoy in the future.

Although not a cigar review, we will use the Three Stogie rating system for your reference.

Rating: Four Stogies

When: January 16, 2010, 12:00 PM

Where: Smokers Outlet of Warren III, 12 Mile & Mound, Warren, MI, USA

Misc: 70 degrees inside the shop lounge

Cost: $8.50+

It has been some time since my last review. In that time I my attention has been placed elsewhere, dealing with other projects and tasks. Needless to say, I have missed the review process.

On Saturday I found myself with a couple of hours of free time. I recalled that one of the local Smoke shops had a cigar lounge; I then grabbed my keys and headed off.

When I arrived, the place was fairly busy. I made my way to the walk in humidor and was greeted with the wonderful aroma of fine cigars. For about 10 minutes my eyes looked up, down, back and forth across the many varieties. My hand grabbing a few choice selections and I exited to see the cashier.

The gentlemen behind the counter asked me if I needed any of my selections cut. I replied absolutely, “please cut the Rocky Patel 1961”, as I was eager to give it a try.

When my transaction was completed, I made my way over to the lounge area that has 4 leather club chairs and a couple of bar height tables and leather appointed bar stools. Each of the tables has a large ash tray in the center. Also featured is an LCD on the wall, a nice touch.

I relaxed into one of the nice bar stools and unpackaged the 1961. The pre lit scent of this cigar was very appealing with subtle hints of citrus amid the broad range of leather and coffee.

I stuck a couple of wood matches and toasted the foot. Quickly the smoke began to surround me.

At first the taste was very powerful. A strong pepper and spice flavor was nearly overpowering. I was beginning to fear it may become harsh, but as soon as I let it rest a moment, the pepper began to ease and a deeps richness filled it’s place.

Now that the shop had cleared, the gentlemen running the place made his way over and introduced himself as “Al”. He asked my thoughts on the cigar and I commented on the rough start. He assured me that the full flavor I was now getting would be consistent thru the end.

Al asked me if there was a game I cared to see, but nothing came to mind. We ended up with the Dayton v. Xavier game. But, over the next hour we talked about different cigars and I asked him if he had any suggestions. He relayed some of the favorites of his client base, most of which are from the GM Tech center and TACOM.

I ended up picking up a couple more cigars based upon those suggestions and will feature them in future review. Let’s hope they’re great.

The 1961 was very impressive after the rough start. It burned even without much attention and the draw was a slightly firm.

Some additional coffee notes arose as I sat back and enjoyed this smoke. It did remain smooth and full bodied thru the end.

Though the price would probably keep me looking elsewhere, I did appreciate the blend of this cigar and if given another chance would definitely smoke it again. The best application for this cigar would be on the golf course.

Rating: Three and a Half Stogies

Venue: The Palace, Auburn Hills, MI, USA

Date: Friday, November 13, 2009

On Friday night, I had the pleasure of taking in THE BOSS at the Palace of Auburn Hills. While not being a huge Bruce Springsteen fan, it brought back fond memories of my college days and therefore I was looking very much forward to the evening.

I invited my buddy Ted and he asked if it would be possible to take his parents. I thought this would be a nice gesture since it was his Dad’s 65th birthday and he has been suffering from Parkinson’s Disease for many years now and is in “failing” health.

We arrived for the 7:30pm show at around 6:45pm and promptly went down to the “Club 53”, a bar with very good access to our seats (Section 124, Row D). After about 3 Double Crown and Ginger’s, I was feeling fine.

We had gotten in a conversation with a couple guys and their wives and I came to find out that one of the guys used to work with Timmy “The Thumb” O’Connor at the Wayne County Jail Downtown.

After a few interesting stories, we noticed that it was 8:00pm and still no Bruce on stage. We decided we should get to the seats, so after downing a couple Washington Apple shots and getting a re-fill, it was off to the seats (after a bathroom break, of course).

As we were working our way to our seats, the lights went down and on came Bruce and the E-Street Band. Perfect timing!!!

He opened with a new song but then went into a “Prove it All Night” from the Darkness on the Edge of Town Album and then “Johnny 99” (Nebraska) and “Hungry Heart” (The River), always a crowd favorite.

Then came a great part of the show. The band did the BORN TO RUN album in its entirety. The rest of the show was sprinkled with old favorites (“The Rising”, “Badlands”, “Born in the USA”, “Dancing in the Dark”) and some Motown and local fair (“Ramblin’ Gamblin’ Man”, “Detroit Medley”) since he was in Detroit (although, on more than one occasion, he thought he was still performing in OHIO like he did three nights prior).

The show concluded with the classic “Rosalita” (The Wild, The Innocent, and the E-Street Shuffle) and then the song he has been concluding ever show with, “Higher and Higher” (and old Jackie Wilson tune).

There was no intermission, and the final song concluded at about 11:15pm.

For sake of review, I’d have to say that the sound quality was excellent and band was crisp and in tune. Bruce can still belt it out with the best of them and he refrained from too much political talk and stuck to the music.

My favorite songs of the evening were, in no particular order, “Hungry Heart”, “Thunder Road”, “Tenth Avenue Freeze-Out”, “Born to Run”, “Dancing in the Dark”, “Jungleland”, “The Rising”, “Badlands”, “Born in the USA”, and “Rosalita”.

Though not a stogie review, I would have to give this performance a solid 3 stogies rating. I would have given it 3½ if he didn’t think he was in Ohio.

Rating: Three Stogies

BONUS – Below is the complete set list.

Wrecking Ball, Prove It All Night, Johnny 99, Hungry Heart, Working On A Dream, Born To Run, Thunder Road, Tenth Avenue Freeze-Out, Night, Backstreets, Born To Run, She’s The One, Meeting Across The River, Jungleland, Working On The Highway, Waiting On A Sunny Day, Raise Your Hand, Ramblin’ Gamblin’ Man, Detroit Medley, Because The Night, Lonesome Day, The Rising, Badlands, Hard Times, Born In The USA, American Land, Dancing In The Dark, Rosalita, (Your Love Keeps Lifting Me) Higher & Higher