Smoke Into Oblivion

Fuente Fuente Forbidden X Heart of the Bull 1957

2012-01-12T18:17:00.001-08:00

FUENTE FUENTE FORBIDDEN X HEART OF THE BULL 1957
5 1/4 x50

2012 marks a big year for the Arturo Fuente cigar making family. They have been in business for 100 years now, and certainly few can make that claim, even fewer are more worthy of 100 years of success than the Fuentes. In their hundred years they have suffered as much great tragedy as they have enjoyed great success, from hurricanes to large scale fires, and humble beginnings to top rated blends. In addition to their success as a business, and a cigar maker, the Fuentes play a key role (ie. half partners) in the Cigar Family Charitable Foundation, a joint effort with the J.C. Newman family brand, that has done wonders in Fuente's base country of the Dominican Republic to help children in need, from schooling, to clothing and feeding them. A few weeks ago, word starting appearing around the web of 13 count boxes of Forbidden X cigars in new sizes, with names worthy of chapters from the Egyptian Book of the Dead (ie. LONG) showing up at some of the top Fuente accounts. The cigars are packed in large, varnished boxes, and in addition to the standard Forbidden X band, they have a second, smaller band depicting the same clock shown on the Don Arturo bands (Roman numerals around the edges, arabic numeral 1 and 3 as the "hands" of the clock).

The Heart of the Bull 1957 is a roughly Robusto sized cigar, with a slight box press to it, and a dark, chocolate brown wrapper (not a maduro presumably, but easily categorized as Colorado Maduro or darker). The construction is flawless, showing tight seams, and a clean looking triple cap. The foot bares a couple of fat looking veins, but none that look as though they may be problems. The cold aroma is very pungent, offering a well defined raisin and cinnamon combination, with a little bit of fresh baked, yeasty bread, and, to a lesser extent, some leather. The cold draw shows just a touch of resistance, and tastes of the same pungent cinnamon and raisin, as well as a surprising blast of spicy pepper.

Lit at 4:30pm.

Right away, the flavor profile is surprising, combining a dusty cocoa powder, oily leather, and an interesting raisin note, the spice I expected is not really prominent at this point, and the body isn't quite as big as I figured it would be either. There also isn't any sweetness really at all. It is a very dry profile in that regard. These may well still be a touch wet, as lighting took a little more effort than cigars stored in my preferred humidor conditions take. Smoke production is awesome, putting off billowing clouds of white smoke. The flavor profile rounds out a bit after about 1/4 inch, with things getting heavier and oilier on the palate. The burn line is a little funky too, but again, these may well be a bit wet still. Additionally, by about a half inch in, the expected spiciness has arrived in spades. Not overwhelming, but leaves a pleasant heat lingering in the rear on each draw, that works wonders to balance out the other nuances present. One thing that is really impressive is how slowly the Heart of the Bull is burning. At 30 minutes, I have probably only burned 3/4 of an inch, almost an inch at most.

The ash holds through the entire first third, and actually almost to the smaller secondary band before falling, which is impressive. Getting into the second third, the flavor profile has taken on a bit of bitterness as an undertone, which again points to wetness to me. Hopefully this will either go full on as a coffee flavor with some down time, or fade out. Regardless, as it stands, the flavors continue to be combination a baker's cocoa, leather, raisins, and even a dark wood, like oak, now. The burn line that was off initially has sorted itself out well, and now is perfect.

Throughout the final third not much changes. The cinnamon that was so powerful in the cold draw and aroma builds to play a significant role in the finish, and the wet bitterness becomes more noticeable, but otherwise, things stay pretty much the same as the second third. Ended at 6:25, with about an inch left. This was a very enjoyable stick, with a fair amount of complexity, that I think will only improve as rough edges are ironed out over time, and flavors that are muddled a bit now become more defined with time. I think it is safe to say that the 2012 Forbidden X cigars will be sought after for a good while to come, and that if they are all smoking this well right now, they will be classics some day...

Rafael Gonzalez Corona Extra

2011-12-18T20:14:00.000-08:00

RAFAEL GONZALEZ CORONA EXTRA
5 5/8 x 46
JUN 08

Rafael Gonzalez is a marca I literally have NO experience with. I know very little about the brand, and before receiving this particular stick as a gift recently, I had never even seen in real life. That, for me, is enough to have sparked interest and excitement, but more than that, Rafael Gonzalez is an old brand, and sadly is one that has gotten no love of late from Habanos (the Corona Extra was actually cancelled in 2010, leaving only a handful of sizes remaining in the line, much like other classic brands that are categorized as "Local Brands" in the Habanos portfolio). The Corona Extra is a classic corona gorda in size, and was first introduced before the Revolution. The marca itself has been around since the late 1920's, though according to Trevor's "Cuban Cigar Website" (http://www.cubancigarwebsite.com) production actually stopped on the RG brand from the early 60's until 1965 when it was reinstated. I hate to turn these opening paragraphs into rants as often as I do, but Habanos treating classic brands, that have a century, or more in some cases, of history the way they do, cutting sizes, whittling brands down to nothing, is just shameful. The Cuban cigar industry is one of phenomenal HISTORY, though it seems lately, all Habanos S.A. cares to do it hop trends, slashing classic lines to bits in order to add a hot new 3x60 piece of maduro trash to one of the major share brands (read: Cohiba or Montecristo), that may appeal to the casual smoker, or the uninitiated, but is downright offensive to those who have a vested interest in "old school" "old world" classic Cuban cigars, which certainly does not have room for the junk trends that the American market is eating up right now.

Anyway, the Rafael Gonzalez Corona Extra I have here in my hand features a very reddish brown, almost clay colored wrapper, well oiled, with only very fine veins visible. The stick has taken on a slight box press from its presentation and packing in the unique looking Rafael Gonzalez dress box. The band is one of my favorites, a simple light brown strip with no decoration, only straight forward white text that tells everything you need to know... the name of the marca "MARQUEZ FLOR DE RAFAEL GONZALEZ" and the origin "HABANA". These simple brown bands (with similar designs found on several other classic cigar brands) have long been favorites of mine, in their understated simplicity, and rustic old world design. This cigar to me is about the tobacco, not the fancy-pants frills and dressings. The seams are tight, and the triple cap is flawless in its application. The bunching feels even and just slightly firm, though the cigar itself does not feel particularly heavy in the hand. The cold aroma from the foot is a toasted bread, slightly sweet, and a very subtle herbal note. The cold draw is a touch tight, but offers a very sweet vegetal tobacco note. The sweetness is like molasses. Hopefully the draw will open up a bit once lit.

Lit at 2:30pm

Right out of the gate, the Rafael Gonzalez offers a bit of burnt toast, black coffee, and sweet cream. There is no spice whatsoever, and the body is a delicate mild to low medium. Smoke production is awesome, and the draw, despite feeling a bit snug, is actually plenty productive, and works out fine. Maybe 3/4 of an inch in, a little tang (that Cuban "twang" I guess) works its way into the mix which balances the sweetness already present. The burn line isn't perfect, but it actually is performing better, from a technical standpoint, than the Behike I smoked a few days ago.

Over the course of about the last half inch, a milk chocolate sweetness (not bitter sweet, but milky sweet) has arrived, and now plays a major role alongside creamed coffee, burnt toast, and a slight herbal flavor. I'm not sure if this flavor combination is my favorite necessarily, but it has been nothing short of very interesting so far. Performance through to at least the halfway mark remains great, not a razor sharp burn, but good enough. The smoke production, and draw is now pretty much flawless, despite having been a bit tight at the start.

Getting into the final third, unfortunately there isn't much to say that hasn't already been said. Nothing has really changed after the addition of the milk chocolate flavor early in the second third. The herbal quality as well as the 'Cuban twang' have both intensified a bit, and the sweetness of the chocolate and cream have fallen off. The toasted bread flavor has pretty much remained consistent the entire way through. This may not have been the most complex, or in your face cigar in the HSA portfolio, but what it lacks there, it more than makes up for in interesting, unique character, and old school, rustic charm. This is a cigar that I would love to have in my regular rotation to mix it up from time to time, and I would love to see how it pairs with a few different spirits (especially heavily peated Islay Whisky, or a very floral Irish whiskey).

Let this one go out at 3:55pm, so it lasted for an hour and a half, which is about what I expect from a Corona Gorda that burns at the right pace. I really found this enjoyable. Thanks for readin'.

Cohiba Behike BHK52

2011-12-03T22:04:00.000-08:00

COHIBA BEHIKE BHK 52
4.7 x 52

The Cohiba Behike... Ahh... the name rings true with prestige, scarcity, quality. Originally the Behike name was used for the Cohiba 40th anniversary cigar, a 7.6x52 mammoth, rolled entirely by one roller, packaged in gorgeous custom humidors of 40 cigars, with only 100 humidors total being made. These cigars fetch well over $1,000 US EACH today. Starting in 2010 however, Habanos released an entirely new line of regular (albeit annually limited) production cigars under the Cohiba marca, the Behike BHK series. Available in three sizes, the BHK line makes use of the Medio Tiempo leaf, a small pair of leaves that sometimes (and not always) appear at the very top of a tobacco plant, apparently imbuing the BHK with a unique flavor element. The Medio Tiempo is a component that had fallen out of use in Cuban cigar production, often sorted in with the rest of the ligero, or discarded entirely, because it is small, and only occasionally appears on a plant. The folks responsible for the BHK came upon the medio tiempo in old blend books, and decided to reinstate it, and thus the Behike BHK was born. The BHK 52, the smallest size, was named Cigar Aficionado's cigar of the year for 2010, and has received great praise (or hype?) since coming to market in early 2010. Having just celebrated a birthday, I figured it was as good an excuse as any to light one, and give it a really close, in depth look.

This particular example of the BHK 52 features a caramel brown wrapper, with a dusting of tooth, and almost no visible veins. The flag tailed cap is beautifully, evenly applied, and the general construction, as Cohiba should be, is pretty much flawless to look at. In the hand it is fully packed, but light, firm to squeeze, but not hard. The aroma from the foot is a gentle toasty tobacco, with just a slight hay and dirt to it. The draw offers just a slight snug resistance, and tastes of hay, cream, almonds, and a very slight honey. A quick bit about the band, which is absolutely gorgeous, in its intense contrasting black and white, with beautiful gold accents and lettering, as well as the holograms which not only serve as aesthetic embellishment, but also as a counterfeiting deterrent.

Lit at 2:40pm

Right away the flavors explode on the palate, though it is not an overly strong cigar, or full in body, the tastebuds are greeted with a dark caramel and sweet hay, followed by leather, and finally a little cinnamon spice, that lingers through a long, cedar and almond finish. This particular stick may be just a TOUCH under humidified, as the wrapper seems a little delicate. The burn ran a touch for the first few draws but within about 10 minutes everything has sorted itself out to an even line. The draw is great, and smoke production is... voluminous. The finish seems to have actually gotten spicier, more heat involved, just over the course of the first third. The ash is dark, mostly black, and dense. It has held already for over an inch, and not yet fallen.

Getting near the halfway mark the mouthfeel has gotten thicker, like a fresh, whipped cream. The flavor profile has also taken on a woodier, nuttier character than was present at the beginning. There is still a sweet cream and honey on the draw, but they quickly move into a slightly tangy cedar, and roasted almond, with a cinnamon and pepper on the finish that is maybe just a little rougher around the edges than I expected. That said, these are still not very old cigars (September 2010), and Cohiba as a rule seems to benefit from at least two or three years, so I would say this is actually performing wonderfully.

Moving to the final third, things sort of ramp up a bit. The flavor profile gets darker, with caramel getting a touch burnt, the cream and honey fading, a bit of leather becoming more apparent, and the almonds getting roasted a little darker. A little dark chocolate also joins the mix for good measure seemingly, which is a nice addition, and adds some certain complexity to things. The draw remains open but firm, and smoke production continues to be outstanding. The burn line throughout the cigar has wavered at times, getting crazy for a few draws before eventually evening back out. The ash continues to hold for pretty much an entire third of the cigar at a time. The finish has gotten significantly spicier, a little bit of hot pepper, balanced by cinnamon and/or nutmeg at times, really bringing everything together.

In the end the only thing I can think is that I wish I had more of these on hand, to really be able to see where they go in a year, or three, or five. The BHK 52 is smoking beautifully right now, with a touch of youth popping up here and there, but ultimately, it already has achieved a phenomenal balance of flavor, body, and feel, and in my opinion has the potential to only get better from here. I only pray that they continue to maintain this level of quality in the future. Ended at 4pm on the dot, for a total smoke time of one hour twenty minutes. I wish that maybe it had burned slower, but it is also a little cold out today, so my finger tips are glad it is a shorter vitola.

A. Fuente Don Carlos Lancero

2011-11-15T07:29:00.000-08:00

A. Fuente Don Carlos Lancero
7 1/2x41 "Phantom"

There isn't a whole lot of information out there about the Don Carlos Lancero (or "Phantom" as the Fuentes call their lanceros). The fact of the matter is, the Don Carlos Lance is one of those cigars that the Fuentes seem to produce intermittently, to hand out at events, as part of special humidor releases, and occasionally to sell at Casa Fuente in Las Vegas. Regardless, the consensus seems to be that these are just the regular Don Carlos blend, adapted to the lancero vitola. Carlito has said that the lancero is the "best cigar [he] makes", meaning the vitola in general across the several lines it is available in. As for the blend, again not a whole lot of information, other than Dominican tobacco, with a Cameroon wrapper. Cameroon tends to be a kind of ugly wrapper, but the Don Carlos line seems to get some of the better Cameroon the Fuentes source, so that probably won't be an issue here. Other than that, they tend to be secretive about actual blend information.

The Don Carlos Lancero comes wrapped in a cedar sleeve with a black band on the foot, a combination usually denoting a sungrown wrapper, which is not the case here. Removing the cedar sleeve reveals a really consistently colored, milk chocolate brown wrapper, with tight seams, and very small veins. The head features a flag tailed triple cap, which does not appear to have any of the excess glue that sometimes comes with Fuente cigars. The band is the new black bottomed design, used on current production Hemingways, Don Carlos, and Sungrown cigars. The cigar is fairly firm to the touch, pretty tightly packed. The aroma off the body of the cigar is a really distinct nutmeg and sweet cedar (cedar from the piece of wood it was wrapped in, no doubt). The foot offers a creamy coffee and nutmeg combination. Clipping the cap opens a snug draw that offers sweet cinnamon and raisin flavors, along with a little milky coffee.

Lit at 4:21pm

Right away the DC Lancero bombards the palate with a combination of toasted almonds and dessert spices (cinnamon and nutmeg especially, specifically). The draw that felt firm is indeed firm, but is producing massive amounts of smoke. The small ring gauge only takes a brief second to toast up evenly, and that prevents any scorching from taking place, leaving the flavor at the start untainted. The finish brings a tangy, sour cedar, but no heat. The ash holds firm for over an inch, a miracle at 40 ring gauge, and is tight, flakeless.

As the DC Lancero burns down further, the draw opens up a bit, and the flavors get a little darker with a dark coffee joining the roasted nuts and spices. The technical performance here is outstanding. Between the length which the ash hold firm, the razor sharp burn line, and the amount of smoke being produced... just flawless. The complex combination of flavors helps too... The ash holds for well over an inch the second time it falls as well. It is a shame these are hard to find, and pricey when you do.

Anyone who knows me knows I am a lover of Arturo Fuente cigars, and one thing they do well is use Cameroon wrappers. Well, in the lancero vitola, the Don Carlos blend, which uses the Cameroon wrapper famously well, really shines, and I think that the ratio of filler and binder being so large to the filler is what causes this. The flavors present are nothing unusual for Fuente cigars, but in this size they are really concentrated, and powerful. Anyone who says they cannot pick out specific flavors, I challenge you to (well first find one and then) smoke one of these, and tell me you don't taste, specifically, cinnamon, and nutmeg, and roasted nuts here. I tend to speak highly of balance in cigars, and this too is an exemplary example of that very trait. No one flavor of characteristic is overwhelming here. Nothing is subtle about it, that is for sure (except maybe the strength, which is nearly non-existent, body is medium at most, and there is no nicotine present), but all of the bold, complex flavors here work in harmony with one another.

Getting close to the final third a little heat becomes apparent through the nose, and an oily leather joins the array of flavors on the draw. The coffee flavor that developed during the second third becomes more predominant, and the sweet spices and cedar fall off a bit. The roasted nut flavor continues to play a major role though, something that I attribute to that gorgeous Cameroon wrapper.

With about 3/4 of an inch left, it is time to let this one go out, though I regret doing so. The Don Carlos lancero really shines. One of those cigars where everything comes together to turn a melody into a symphony of flavor and just downright pleasant smoking. Ended at 6:18pm, so almost two hours. If you find yourself in Las Vegas at Casa Fuente, or at one of the few big events the Fuentes host every year, and these are present, do yourself a big favor and get one, or a few, or if you can swing a box (which seem to be boxes of 37, a strange number), don't hesitate. Just make sure that when you light one, you have time, and the right setting, to really enjoy it, and pay attention to all of the little nuances and treasures it has to offer.

Padron 45th Natural

2011-11-14T12:18:00.000-08:00

PADRON FAMILY RESERVE 45 YEARS NATURAL
6x52
"The Little Hammer"

The Padron Family Reserve series was originally conceived of and produced as a cigar to be smoked at Padron hosted dinners, and special events that members of the Padron family attended. This is actually how the Padron Family Reserve 44th came to be, and was originally distributed. Eventually, I think the family realized how special the cigar was that they had created, and decided that they had to share it with the public, so the 44th was born, and sold in Humidors containing the cigar, and eventually also in boxes. Annually since then, the Padrons have released another size in this line commemorating another year in the industry. These cigars have gotten some serious praise, being named in the Top 5 cigars of the year by the Lifestyle magazine, and being among the top cigars of the year on a lot of the big blogs. Today we are looking at the 45th, released in late 2009, in a box pressed (as all Padron cigars are) toro, in two different wrappers (again as the Padrons do), a Natural and a Maduro. The tobaccos used in this Nicaraguan puro are said to have been aged 10 years before being rolled, which is a pretty impressive length of time.

The 45th Natural features a caramel brown colored wrapper, with a very small, fine vein structure, and a few wrinkles here and there (as is typical of the Padron box press for whatever reason). The seams are tight, nearly invisible, and the pack is dense and firm. Frankly the only complaint I have about the appearance or construction of this cigar is the same complaint I have about all Padrons... the single cap. Why on earth they would make such a flawless looking (and expensive cigar) without giving it at least a double cap (though I would prefer even more, a triple cap please), is beyond me. But they do it that way, and it works I guess. The aroma from the body of the cigar is a tangy cedar and earthiness, while the foot offers the addition of a sweet creamy coffee with that tangy cedar. The cold draw offers a concentrated blast of Nicaraguan tobacco... dark, bitter coffee and cocoa, and dirty earthiness, and on top of that a musty, musky, old leather (that truly aged tobacco flavor). The draw is not as free as many Padrons, but this thing is jam packed with tobacco... and it isn't problematically tight at all. As expected the cutting of the cap was precarious, given its singularity, but the resulting mess should hold.

Lit at 1:22pm.

The cigar opens with a big blast of pepper heat across the tongue, accompanying a core of chewy, oily leather, and a touch of cedar. I mean a serious layer of spiciness. It just coats the tongue, and lays there. After about 1/4 inch this heat dials back a few notches, and becomes a long, low finish. I can't help but make note of the fact that the ambient smoke in the air smells strongly of raisins. I know that sounds like BS, but I assure it is not. The flavor profile at this point, now that it has calmed down from the light, consists of a stiff black coffee, that mingles in and out with some bitter dark chocolate, followed by a really oily, musty leather, and finally a finish that combines that low and slow pepper heat, with a sweet wooden (cedar I think) note. Really great complexity, and definition of flavor.

The burn line, as is my luck with box pressed cigars, is a little uneven, favoring one side more than the other. A quick touch up fixes this, but also causes the ash to fall for the first time (no problem, held solid for over an inch). Getting a little further in, into the second third, the retrohale takes on a sweet, milk chocolate aroma/flavor, and the flavors across the palate become noticeably sweeter. At a recent seminar I attended that included tasting this cigar, the speaker noted that he felt the natural wrapped version was actually sweeter than the maduro. I'm not sure I agree with this, but there is definitely more sweetness than I expected from a version of this cigar that lacks the natural sugar the maduro process produces.

By the halfway mark, the burn line is completely sorted out, razor sharp. The ash holds solid for a little over an inch at a time. The flavor continues to just be a really well defined series of bold coffee, chocolate, and pepper/wood finish. To mix things up, right around the time it burned to the first band, I poured a small dram of Highland Park 12 year old Scotch, to see how the two work together, and was pleasantly surprised. Well, not surprised so much, as I had a sneaking suspicion the two would be great together, but pleased for sure. The Scotch has a bit more body than many Highlanders, and certainly more than the Speysiders I drink so much of, with a bit more peat and smoke, and earthy character to it, that really hold up well to, and compliments the earthy character in the Padron. Unfortunately there seems to be a bit much glue applied to this smaller, first band, and removing it takes a little wrapper with it. I am kind of surprised how thin the wrapper seems to be, something I hadn't noticed until now, almost like Shade grown tobacco, rather than the hearty sungrown stuff it seemed to be. Not a problem though, and no smoke is leaking or anything as a result of the small tear.

Getting down towards the nub, the strength and body starts to kick up, and I am starting to feel it in my gut, despite having eaten a decent lunch before lighting up. There are no two ways about it, this ten year old tobacco still has balls, or rather has me by the balls. The flavor has started to fall off a little bit with about an inch and a half left, turning towards a sort of muted leather, and not much else. Symptoms of it being time to let this one go gracefully in the ashtray. Ended at 3:18pm, so just shy of two hours of smoking enjoyment from this one. I think balance is the key here. There weren't a ton of different flavors present, but the handful that were presented themselves in such a way that they were bold, defined, and balanced. They played together well, and in the end made this a fantastic cigar.

Rocky Patel Fifty

2011-11-12T19:54:00.000-08:00

ROCKY PATEL FIFTY
6 1/2 x 52 Toro

Anyone who knows me knows that I talk a lot of trash. I probably also talk a lot of trash about Rocky Patel. What I cannot, no matter what, deny is his success. The guy is a beast in the industry. He makes a million cigars, sells a million cigars, and makes millions in revenue. No matter what I think or say, people dig Rocky Patel. I recently had the pleasure of attending the CA Big Smoke in Las Vegas, and a lunch hosted by Rocky Patel and family was a part of that trip. As a part of that lunch, we were given a gorgeous box containing four cigars from the Rocky Patel co. world, including this newest cigar, the FIFTY, which is being produced to commemorate Mr. Patel's fiftieth birthday (where the 15th and Decade were made to commemorate years in the industry... no, Rocky has not been in the cigar biz since he was a neonate). According to the info received there, the cigar is made up of Nicaraguan filler, Nicaraguan binder, contained within an Ecuador Habano Oscuro wrapper, all made at Rocky's newest facility, in Nicaragua.

It really is a great looking cigar. The wrapper has a great oil sheen, a dark reddish chocolate brown color, and almost no visible veins. The cigar has a fairly extreme box press to it ("Nimish sat on the mold"). The bands are complex pieces of orange, gold, and silver artwork. It is a fairly firm cigar when squeezed, with no soft spots whatsoever, though just a tiny bit of give to it here and there. The cold aroma from the body of the cigar is just a touch of coffee and wood, while to foot has a touch of burned cedar (that specifically pungent tang), along with some black coffee. The cold draw... WOW. I would almost swear this cigar was in some way infused. It has such a strong milk chocolate flavor to it. It might have just a touch of ammonia to it as well unfortunately. There is something chemical underneath. Hopefully that is just a hint that will fade once lit. The draw itself is a touch firmer than I usually think of Rocky Patel cigars as being. He claims that literally every single cigar they make is draw tested, where most factories only draw test cigars randomly... Who knows, but if true, that is an impressive claim.

Lit at 4:28pm.

The Rocky Patel Fifty lights up easily, and produces a ton of smoke right off the bat, though the burn line almost instantly goes wonky on the underside of the cigar. I kind of attribute this to the box press, which in my experience tends to cause funny burn lines more often than not. Nothing that has any negative effect on smoking experience though. The flavor profile is right away a medium to full bodied, rich, and dark animal. There is a milk chocolate sweetness with a mildly floral perfume to it that dominates, with some wet burnt wood not far behind, and a pretty heavily peppered finish that lingers for a few minutes across the palate.

Interestingly, by about the one inch mark, all of the spice has faded away, and what is left is a sort of syrupy thick, bittersweet, wet, dark wood flavor. The burn line moves very slowly though, which is a plus for anyone who pays MSRP for these cigars ($21.00 for the Toro...). I'm kind of disappointed that things fell off so quickly from a start that was so intense and bold. Hopefully it comes back.

The ash is a little flakey, and falls for the first time at around an inch and a bit. The flavor profile by the two inch range has turned to what I associate with cigars that are just downright too wet from rolling. It is a bitterness that I associate with my job (in a pharmaceutical compounding lab, where I often get tiny particles of substances like quinine in my mouth, which for those who are unaware, is palate-ruiningly bitter) actually. It is not that great bitterness you get from coffee, it is not a coffee flavor... it is a wet, green flavor, and it has taken over this cigar that started with such great promise. It is a damned shame, but for science, I smoke on!

I am happy to report that the intensity of the bitterness fades past the halfway mark, and things take a turn towards dark coffee and that same old burnt, wet wood. So the transitional complexity comes just from the arrival and departure of a horrible bitterness, but at least it includes a departure. At this point, flavors are just what I think of a solid, core Nicaraguan tobacco flavors. Earthy, dirty, and dark. The hot finish has made a return of sorts... in a slow, mellow heat that lingers after each draw.

And things really don't change again, at all, through the end. This cigar was a bit of a roller coaster, and unfortunately, I can't report that it was one of the great thrill rides of my cigar smoking experience... it was more like jumping off the top of the highest point of a roller coaster with no bungee cord or anything to pull you back up. It started wonderfully, big, strong, concentrated, bold flavors, complexity and exciting... and then it quickly turned into a soft, bitter, muddy mess, and stayed that way for an hour and a half.

Ended at 6:10pm, and honestly, for $21.00 I will be passing on these in the future. I still have another single in the humidor that will smoke at some time in the future, just to make sure this wasn't some fluke. I feel like I gave this cigar a fair shot, especially since I will admit that I am no Rocky Patel fan... It just did not deliver what it promises. In the future when I want to spend more than twenty dollars on a box pressed Nicaraguan toro, there is a cigar with a hammer on the band that will be getting my hard earned dollars.

Tatuaje Wolfman

2011-10-17T20:18:00.000-07:00

TATUAJE THE WOLFMAN
7 1/2x52 Box Pressed Torpedo

Alright! That time of year is here again. No, not Halloween... Tatuaje Monster series time! The time of year when everyone gets their panties in a twist for a few weeks, worrying about scoring a box or three, and then in the end everyone chills the F out, and realizes there are plenty of sticks to go around... after all of the name calling and trash talking are said and done. This year the cigar is an ode to possibly my favorite of classic movie monsters, The Wolfman. The cigar is a rustic box pressed torpedo with a sort of ugly Sumatra wrapper, and a blend based on the Cojonu series, with an uncut foot (about a half inch of filler and binder protrude beyond the wrapper). It's a good looking stick, and as with previous years, it does a good job representing the monster it pays tribute to, with its shaggy hairy foot, and pointy fang head. While doing this review, I'm putting on the classic 1941 Universal pictures version of the tale, starring Lon Chaney, jr. and Claude Rains.

This particular stick is packaged in cellophane, and came from a 10 count boite-nature. It has a great looking brown and red band that suits the theme well. The pack feels a touch soft, at least in a few spots. The filler seems to be beautifully bunched, with the different tobaccos being clearly visible in the foot. The seams and cap are flawlessly applied, tightly, and evenly. The foot gives off a slightly spicy aroma of peanut, wood, and cinnamon, a combination that I have come to associate very closely with several cigars Pepin has made in the past. Took a decent but off the head with my scissors, and have a nice, free draw, offering similarly nutty dry flavors, with a bit of black pepper across the tongue. Very pleased with the draw, as box pressed torpedos tend to give me hell, but this is nice and open. Not getting much sweetness, which I was kind of looking for from the wrapper. It is nice and spicy on the lips however, which is pleasant.

Lit at 7:55pm.

The first two or so draws offer an interesting experience, burning only the binder and filler, something I always find interesting, since it gives you the chance to taste the addition of the wrapper. Without the wrapper, I certainly taste dry cedar, and some peanut, and pepper. Once the wrapper ignites though, there is a great oaky sweetness that brings a balance to things. Along with this is a little bit of milky chocolate, and a hint of bitterness. All of the flavors I have come to expect at various times from either a Cojonu or a Sumatra wrapped Brown Label... pretty impressive start here, and the transition from wrapperless to wrappered make for a cool touch of complexity in flavor right there at the beginning.

The ash holds for the first segment for a little past an inch, taking its place all over my shirt while drawing... Great. It was a good, banded light and dark gray in color, and somewhat flakey in texture (though no flakes fell off prematurely). Smoke production is ideal from this cigar, tons of thick, dense smoke on the draw, and almost none while idling in the ash tray between draws. The burn line is not particularly sharp, but these cigars only arrived today, and while they were packed with a Boveda, who knows what their trip was like(?), so the burn may be attributed to that. Hasn't needed a touch up or anything though, so not problematic, just a little erratic. Complexity continues to develop on the palate here, with the flavors remaining largely a dry cedar on the draw that moves into a sweet oak and smoked nut core, followed by a bit of bitterness, and a slow, smouldering heat on the finish. Digging it so far. I will say that even at this point, I am sort of surprised by how quickly it seems to be burning. Time wise, it is actually about right, but just watching the burn line as I draw, it seems to jump fairly quickly.

I think the strongest point that the Wolfman has going for it right now flavor wise is the sweet, earthy, oak, or maybe even maple that comes in after the draw. It really coats the palate, and makes for a wonderful balance between the dry woody character and the slight bitterness that follows. I'm only at the halfway mark right now, but I think it is fair to say that the Wolfman offers the most balance and complexity so early in its life (ie. just released) of the Monsters I have had the pleasure to smoke young. It also has enough body (albeit, only medium full at most) to suggest that it has the potential to really blossom with some down time, like... maybe by next Halloween it may evolve into a true gem, loved and praised (and sought after) like the Frank or Boris.

As the stick has progressed, it has only gotten sweeter. Not cloying, or artificial in its sweetness, but rather a thick, maple syrup, and earthiness that really coats the mouth, and contrasts beautifully as the peppery finish starts to burn its way down the back of the throat. The peppery finish is not a powerful, overwhelming one, but a smooth mellow spice that just simmers, with a fair amount of longevity after the draw. Really nice. Another cool element of the peppery finish is that it comes and goes. Not every draw is concluded with heat, just every once in a while.

Alright. I knew it was too good to be true. With about 2 and a half inches left, I just took a nice big draw... and BAM. What is that AWFUL taste? Yes ladies and gents, Tar. I got tar balled. A nice, brown, gooey, BP oil spill to the tongue. Now, I have found that wet cigars, with maybe too shallow a cut, and an already tapered head (torpedo) are more prone to this, so Hopefully it is just a symptom of my not cutting enough, and not letting these sticks rest adequately before lighting one. A small snip from the head (1/8 of an inch or so more) clears this up totally though, so it was fortunately a one time problem. It happens, let us move on. One good thing as a result of the extra cut... the draw has opened up even more. I hadn't really noticed, but it had tightened up as it had burned, but now it is wide open.

Through the last third things are starting to get a little less sweet, less syrupy, and more of a dark earth takes over. The bitterness also becomes more prominent, in a burnt coffee bean kind of way. Finally became too hot and soft at 9:54pm, so pretty much 2 hours exactly... Despite seeming to burn quickly, this isn't the case at all and it burns for a good long time. Really impressed with this cigar, especially right out of the box like this. I can only imagine how well these will progress with time and proper storage. This is going to be a hit, so get them while they are out there, and get them quickly! The shaggy foot also makes for a great little transition (or more appropriately... transformation!) right at the start. The flavors are bold, and there are lots of them, while the body, despite being based on the Cojonu blend, remains medium full even at the end. I know there is a lot of "hype" built up around these cigars, but they really do deliver.

"The way you walked was thorny, through no fault of your own, but as the rain enters the soil, the river enters the sea, so tears run to a predestined end. Your suffering is over, My son. Now you will find peace."

Fuente Fuente OpusX The Lost City

2011-10-09T19:47:00.000-07:00

FUENTE FUENTE OPUS X THE LOST CITY
6.75x48 "Toro"

During the production of Andy Garcia's 2005 film, The Lost City, about life in Havana before and around the time of the Revolution, there came a request to the Fuentes to allow the shooting of scenes to be set in a tobacco field on their vast farm, Chateau de la Fuente, home of the world famous Opus X wrapper leaf... Problem was, at the time shooting was to occur, the crop would have already been harvested, and there would be no plants to shoot among, thus destroying the beautiful mise-en-scène on which the entire sequence rests... Lucky for Mr. Garcia, he has been a friend of the Fuente family for a while, so they planted a special off season crop such that the plants would be the perfect size for the shooting date... Lucky for us, they harvested this crop, and aged it, and found it was pretty darn good, so they decided to roll some special Opus X cigars using this tobacco, and called it The Lost City line to commemorate this special off season growing and filming. As with all Fuente products the blend is pretty secretive, but it is obviously similar to the regular Opus X blend, but uses the off season crop grown for the film. Beyond that, I can find no details regarding the difference in blend. Due to the finite amount of tobacco harvested in that given year, this is obviously a limited production cigar, having now been released in the early winter of both 2009 and 2010 in quantities of several thousand boxes spread over seven vitolas. There seems to be disagreement regarding whether or not certain vitolas actually use the Lost City crop, or are simply double banded Opus X cigars in irregular vitolas (given that the Lancero and Love Affair are the sizes in question, and neither is a regular, large release Opus X vitola... The debate remains, though plenty of discussion and argument can be found on the subject on various Cigar forums).

The appearance of this cigar is nothing less than stunning. It features a variation on the infamous Forbidden band, black and coppery gold in color, with splashed red accents here and there, as well as a second band bearing the Lost City icon, as well as the line "Directed by Andy Garcia at Chateau do le Fuente, July 2004". The wrapper leaf itself is a dark, chocolate brown color, with less red than the normal Opus X Rosado wrapper. It also has a less sun-grown appearance, a slightly smoother texture than the regular Opus wrapper leaf. The pack seems great, with no soft spots, and a generally firm feel. It has only a few noticeable veins. The seams are tight and clean, and the triple cap is flawlessly applied. The body of the cigar has a powdery chocolate aroma to it, which reminds me very much of (yes, you can laugh) Cocoa Puffs cereal. The foot of the cigar gives a sweet woody character, with a touch of that same cocoa powder, and an overripe almost spoiled fruit aroma that I commonly find in good Dominican tobacco. The cap cuts very easily to reveal a lightly snug draw, and flavors of dry cedar, powdery cocoa, and leather, all very dry on the palate. There is also just a hint of spicy pepper on the tongue.

Lit at 2:40pm

Right away, after toasting and lighting, the flavor profile consists of a thick, oak wood flavor, that moves into some oily leather, and finishes with a long, slow, medium pepper that just gently smoulders at the back of the palate. The draw is a little tight, but not problematically so at this point. The burn looks good too, so far. Smoke production isn't anything to write home about, but it also isn't a problem or anything. The one thing I think every time I smoke one of these is how it feels like half the blend is regular Opus X, and the other half is a blend that delivers just a really thick, syrupy, dark, sweet oak wood flavor, which dominates. So far, that is holding true for this example. The ash through the first third is a brilliant, bright white color, almost completely solid, no breaks. It hold for well over an inch before falling as well.

Heading into the second third, the flavor profile has sort of thickened. The spicy pepper continues to make up the long, lingering finish, and the draw brings first a slightly tangy, bittersweet charred oak flavor. This is a departure from the "typical" Opus X profile, in that it has none of the cinnamon and fruit that I associate with the regular like. Instead this is a darker, both more bitter and sweeter cigar. The burn on this stick is perfect, almost razo sharp, and the ash is firm, again, holding over an inch at least each time it falls. The body and strength on this cigar are lighter than the regular Opus X. That isn't to say this is a mild cigar, it is full of flavor, and does have some strength to it, but it falls more in the medium-full area rather than the full on balls to the wall range you might expect. A bit over the halfway mark the draw suddenly opens up, and I am getting great mouthfuls of billowing, white smoke.

I think the strongest aspect of this cigar is the balance and way the sweetness plays off the bitterness, one after the other. The flavor profile is not overly complex, or subtle, but what it lacks on that front it makes up for in bold, defined character. A little past the band point some cinnamon joins the sweet oak flavor on the draw, which makes for a nice change to a profile that has otherwise been pretty much consistent.

Ended at 4:20pm for a total smoke time of an hour and 40 minutes, which for a toro is great, but I maybe was hoping for a longer burn given the price point on these cigars (actually, honestly, even if it burned for 24 hours straight and came with a bottle of Dom Perignon, it still might be a bit pricey). That might be a bit harsh actually, as the Lost City offers big flavors, in a well balanced package that definitely feels and tastes special, even if the blend isn't as complex or powerful as its regular production counterpart. For me these represent an interesting experiment in agriculture, and it is a success. For those looking for the high octane nicotine and spice punch combo of the Opus X, look elsewhere, Lost City is not for you. Lost City offers a smoother, darker, sweeter aspect of Chateau de la Fuente. What will really be interesting is to see how this particular vintage of tobacco ages over the next decade... Only time will tell.

La Gloria Cubana Medaille D'or No. 1

2011-09-11T20:31:00.000-07:00

La Gloria Cubana Medaille D'or No. 1
7.3x36 Delicados Extra
Code: OSU JUL 02

Alright, I'll be the first to admit that any cigar with this kind of age on it is a treat, regardless of origin, blend, brand, etc. For a cigar to survive, properly stored, and cared for, without being smoked, for almost a decade is awesome. When that cigar is one of my favorite sizes (or close to it at least), from one of my favorite Marcas, it becomes something exciting every time I light one. This cigar is one of those cigars. La Gloria Cubana is a brand established in Cuba in the 1880's, and sadly, is one of the many smaller Marcas in the Habanos S.A. portfolio which seems to be suffering more and more cuts every year. In fact, La Gloria Cubana consists of only two cigars as of 2011, The M.D.O. no. 2 and the M.D.O. no. 4. (The churchill sized Tainos was recently announced as a deletion for this year, tragically, and the other Medaille D'or sizes were cut in 2010). To me, the removal of these cigars represents two negative trends in Habanos marketing strategy... the cutting of classic sizes from classic marcas, and the cutting of long or thin cigars from any marca, in favor of a move towards the Americanized, short and fat is better, who cares if you can taste the wrapper, and who cares if it burns well, as long as it is an 85 ring gauge behemoth attitude.

Anyway, enough about the politics of cigars, and on to this excellent example of an aged Cuban long and skinny... The first thing I notice is obviously the size. At 7.3 by 36 ring, this is a little shorter, and a little thinner than a classic lancero, a size that has fortunately gotten a fair amount of attention among connoisseurs lately. It features a lightly toothed, butterscotch colored wrapper, with no large veins, but what I would consider a fairly visible vein structure. The construction is great, though when squeezed, it is a touch spongy (a common occurrence among cigars of this size). The seams are tight, the wrapper does not appear to have been stretched at all, and the triple cap is well applied. The aroma from the body of the cigar is just a mild earthy note, while the foot gives a strong nutty character, with a touch of a floral scent, like rose blossoms. The cold draw reveals just a slight resistance, which is a relief, since this cigar was rolled coming right beyond the time period when Cuban cigars were notoriously poorly constructed, with some smokers anecdotally referring to boxes in which half of the cigars contained within would be plugged too tight to draw from at all. The flavors present on the cold draw are more robust than I would have first expected, given the mild reputation that the LGC marca has, presenting a combination of citrus peel, cedar, wet earth, roasted almonds, and again that rose blossom/wet garden note.

Lit at 9:30pm.

Right away the flavor profile is a smooth, heavily creamed coffee core, with roasted nuts and a tart citrus peel on the outside, and a sweet cedar that runs through the finish. I will admit that the burn is wild. It is wavy as can be. I'd say choppy waves even. That said, from draw to draw, each area that is behind catches up, so with each draw it kind of keeps pace with itself. The smoke production is great, not overwhelming, and between draws it doesn't continue like a chimney, which is a good thing (I hate nothing more than setting my cigar down, only to choke on an inadvertently inhaled gulp of smoke coming from a cigar sitting two feet away on the table!). There is a sweetness that sort of coats the mouth, and lingers. The ash holds on for about 3/4 of an inch, which is fine for so small a ring gauge, you just have to be attentive. With flavor like this though, it is hard NOT to pay attention.

Around the two inch mark, maybe a little past, the profile starts to transition, with the creamy coffee lessening, and a burnt wood taking over as the core flavor on the draw. Citrus, sweet cedar, and roasted nuts continue to make themselves known here and there, but they are notes on the edges. On the finish a long, syrupy caramel (and I mean the kind you get from actually burning raw sugar in a pan at home) lingers long after each draw. This is a solid, medium bodied smoke. No strength, but the robust flavors and heavy mouth feel serve to bolster it.

Even at this point, maybe 3 inches in, I am impressed by the legs I think this cigar has left to age into. Often, by this point in the aging process, a cigar has gone beyond its peak, or is close to it, but frankly, for a brand generally billed as mild, this cigar still has years left in it before I think it will have really mellowed out beyond its prime, and I am not even half way through smoking it. The flavor profile continues much the same, burnt, wet, smokey wood on the draw, followed by a dazzling array of floral, citrus, and nutty notes, with a thick, caramel sweet finish, and maybe a touch of twang and spice in the back of the throat now. The wild burn line has also sorted itself out after an inch or two, now staying relatively even all the way around.

On to about the band point nothing further changes, but the complex intermingling of various flavors just continues to keep this a very interesting smoke. I typically watch a film, or read a book while smoking, even when reviewing cigars like this, stopping now and then to take note of further developments, but in the hour and a half I have been smoking this cigar, I have only watched 37 minutes of the film I have on (Kurosawa's late masterpiece, KAGEMUSHA), which serves as a testament to how engaging this blend is. Perhaps the only downside is that when cigars of this size get hot, they do so quickly, and are hard to save. A short way past the band, it becomes hard to keep this one from getting hot, and alas, it is time to set her down and let her die with dignity.

One thing is for sure, this stick still has potential to age for years to come, and what I hope will happen is that the floral, nutty, and citrus type notes will continue to develop, while the dark burnt earth and wood mellows out, and the caramel syrup sweetness maybe becomes more delicate and refined, but sweeter. This is just what I hope, and I am glad I was fortunate enough to get a full box of these when I did, because I very much look forward to seeing where they are in another 3, 5, 9, or more years. Also, haters be damned, Rob Ayala is on to something when he says that cigars of this size just make him "feel smarter". Maybe he feels smarter for having learned just what phenomenal complexity and richness of flavor these tiny ring gauge cigars can offer! If you come across these, grab as many as you can, send me some, smoke a few for yourself, and lay the remainder down for a few more years. They are something special!

Alec Bradley American Classic Blend

2011-09-05T19:48:00.000-07:00

ALEC BRADLEY AMERICAN CLASSIC BLEND
5x50 Robusto

Not actually using any American grown tobacco, the American Classic Blend seems to be an attempt to create an old school, American "style" blend, in this case, probably considered as such due to the use of a Connecticut seed wrapper (albeit, a dark Connecticut, grown in Honduras), around Nicaraguan fillers from Esteli and Condega, and a Nicaraguan binder. Conceived also as a bit of a budget cigar, like many others in this price range, it is made at the Plascencia factory, in Esteli, where most of Alec Bradley's cigars are made at Raices Cubanas in Honduras. A complex, and interesting combination of tobaccos, hopefully it will deliver. The only thing that turns me off about this cigar is the band, and artwork in general. I am not generally a fan of overly stylized bands, and especially those with catch phrases on them... Anything more than the name of the cigar, the name of the brand, and maybe at most the name of the factory location... fine... but the American Classic blend has such tacky phrasing as: "LIBERTAS" "AEQUITAS" and "LIVE TRUE" emblazoned around it, along with an American pastoral scene, and a mountainous Southwestern image.

The cigar itself is an attractive medium brown, with a smooth velvet feel, like lighter shade grown Connecticut, a moderate vein structure, and a good looking, even double cap. The packing of the foot looks alright, but the cut appears a little uneven. The smell from the foot is a simple wood character primarily, along with just the slightest nuttiness. The cold draw is just a touch firm, not tight, just a little snug, and offers a rustic, earthy core, with a peanut butter element that, actually, I associate with Honduran tobacco more than anything else. Underneath that, there is just a little bit of a sour funk, like rotten fruit. Hopefully that will not come through once lit.

Lit at 8:57pm

There is considerably less MMph! behind this blend than I expected, given the Nicaraguan guts, and Honduran wrapper, and heavy, earthy prelight flavors. In fact, once lit it goes straight into... mild. Core flavors are a delicate cedar, a toasty tobacco, and just the slightest black pepper through the finish. Mostly, a straight forward, medium, toasty tobacco dominates. There is a very little bit of earthy character, but nothing near what I expected. Burn, draw, and smoke production are all satisfactory here at the beginning, so to be honest... I have no complaints. Just straight forward as can be...

Ash holds well, through most of the first third. The flavor profile remains much the same except that as the burn progresses, the peppery spice gradually builds a bit more, leaving some heat in the back of the throat through the finish, likely a symptom of the Nicaraguan fillers in this blend. The mouthfeel is a touch oily, maybe a little harsh at times as well. The balance of flavor though, from a soft cedar, gradually getting heavier to the spice on the finish is a nice progression with each draw.

A little beyond the halfway point a leathery character, as well as what I can only describe as the musty old lady's handbag (maybe a touch of mothball) jumps in here and there. The leathery note is good, and fits perfectly with the generally earth and wood profile... but the mothball is not cool. Not cool at all. The burn and draw however continue to be great. The construction seems just fantastic on this stick, which is awesome for such a budget priced cigar.

Not much happens through the end of the cigar. I know this is a pretty short review, but this just isn't an overly complex cigar. It has a straight forward, earthy, woody flavor profile, that aside from a few additions and subtractions of notes here and there, is pretty consistent from start to finish. Ended at 10:26, so the robusto lasted me an hour and a half, which is about normal for me and a well built 5x50. I will be smoking more of these in the future, and look forward to seeing if the slight harshness dissipates with time. I definitely think this is a great, wonderfully priced cigar for guys looking to get that earthy flavor, in a mild/medium bodied smoke that they can enjoy while doing something else. Definitely not a yard 'gar, or maybe the best yard 'gar... Box worthy? Maybe. For me there are a few other similarly priced cigars I would buy a box of first, but these are definitely worth trying.

Man O' War Puro Authentico

2011-08-14T21:13:00.000-07:00

MAN O' WAR PURO AUTHENTICOS
5x42

The Man O' War Puro Authentico is a mareva made by A.J. Fernandez in Nicaragua, using all Nicaraguan filler, and a Habano wrapper, grown in Esteli, was originally conceived as Abdel's personal, day to day smoke. It features a neat little pig tail cap, and a closed foot (wrapper extends beyond, and folds over the foot). This Particular example features a slightly reddish, chocolate brown wrapper, with almost no visible veins, and tight seams. The cap seems expertly applied as well. The band is a simple glossy black, with a simple gold helmet (the same style used on the other Man O' war bands). The aroma from the foot is spicy, with a mix of woody notes, and barnyard type smells. The cold draw reveals a strong sweet cocoa flavor, a touch bitter, with a fair amount of spice. In fact, the wrapper itself gives off some heat on the lips and tongue. The draw itself offers a touch of resistance, just right.

Lit at 10:30pm

The first few puffs bring not a lot of complexity, but certainly big, bold flavor. There is a woody, very slightly sweet core, a touch dirty, with a long, very spicy, hot, black pepper finish. This is one tough, cute little cookie. The draw is perfect, and smoke production is outstanding. The mouth feel is oily and thick, befitting a strong, full bodied Nicaraguan powerhouse, even if it is in a small package. In fact, I might go so far as to say this is the spiciest cigar I have had in quite some time. One must be careful retrohaling nasally with this one, as just a very small amount of smoke brings a substantial scorching heat.

The ash holds for the first segment for just shy of an inch, falling in a solid chunk into the tray. The flavor profile doesn't change a whole lot in the first few inches, with the only variant being the coming and going of sweetness and bitterness. The bitterness is not acrid, rather more of a coffee bitterness, though I can't say there is much coffee flavor. The spicy finish remains impressively potent, not something that often happens. Most spicy cigars mellow out after the first inch or so, but the Puro Authentico keeps the heat cranked up. The body is equally heavy, as is the strength. By the two inch mark, I am feeling it in my gut a bit.

Ash holds for the second time for closer to an inch and a half. Through this period, noticeably, things get a bit earthier, and darker. I cannot honestly say that this is an overly complex cigar so far, but the boldness, strength, flavor, and body all are making for an interesting, if rustic, and maybe a little rough around the edge... combination. Construction and performance as relates to it have been virtually perfect. The burn line is straight, the ash tight, the draw perfect, and smoke production bountiful. The flavor profile reminds me quite a bit actually of a recently popular sort of chocolate bar, one that combines 72% dark chocolate and hot chili pepper. An odd combination that actually works very well, and I would say is well represented here.

There is almost no change from that point to the end, though that can hardly be called a bad thing, as pleasant as the combination of flavors, sweet cocoa and wood, with an earthy core feel and taste, and a long, slow hot pepper finish, has been. The burn line, draw, and smoke all remain wonderful through the final inch or so, when heat and squishiness forced me to end this cigar. The strength remains a constant factor through almost the entire cigar, and it is quite full in strength, so not a cigar for those who do not care for a little kick from the nicotine factor. Of note is that weather present while I smoked this stick. A recent review on one of the more popular review sites mentioned humidity as a major potential factor in tar and color bleed from this stick... Well, it was raining off and on (100% humidity...) as I smoked, and the temperature was in the high 80s fahrenheit, and I suffered no such problems, nor have I ever had any such issues with the handful of these cigars I have previously smoked, and enjoyed. I think this may be an example of the necessity of smoking several samples for a review, as a dud is not unheard of in cigar production.

Ended at 11:42pm, for a total smoke time of one hour, 12 minutes, which for a petit corona is a fantastic burn time. This is not a cigar for the lover of mild cigars. It is however a fantastic, rustic, earthy, spicy powerhouse, suited well to those who like strong cigars, but not the recent trend towards behemoth vitolas. The price, and presentation also both make the MOW Puro Authentico a cigar quickly working its way into my "regular" rotation, as they are in no short supply, are readily available at a couple of the big online houses, and come conveniently packaged in inexpensive boxes of 10 (great looking boxes too, I might add). For me, and this is where personal opinion comes into these reviews, these cigars represent a great way to enjoy a strong, rustic, straight forward smoke, suited to reading a book, or watching a film while enjoying good flavor that doesn't necessarily require one's full attention to appreciate a plethora of transition. Great smoke.

Davidoff Classic No. 2

2011-07-20T17:27:00.000-07:00

DAVIDOFF CLASSIC No.2
6x38 Panetela

A truly classic size, in the classic Davidoff line, and apparently Zino Davidoff's vitola of choice. One of the original sizes, originally a Cuban Puro, Davidoff moved to the Dominican Republic, and stopped using Cuban tobacco in 1991. Davidoff represents, as a brand, the finer things in life. Davidoff does not make inexpensive cigars, but they also don't make cigars of low quality. Davidoff, and the other brands made at Tabadom, their factory, are well known for their quality control, which is extremely meticulous. Davidoff also does not make large ring cigars. They make cigars in classic, traditional Cuban sizes, Lanceros, Rothschilds, Coronas, and of course, the descendent of the famous Davidoff Dom Perignon, in a Churchill size. This classic panetela is a prime example of the kind of cigars Davidoff makes... thin, elegant cigars.

This particular cigar, which came packaged in a cedar lined aluminum tube, featured a delicate, medium brown Ecuador grown Connecticut seed wrapper, around Dominican filler and binder. The construction is impeccable, with tight, even seams, a balanced, firm, but not too firm pack, and a tightly rolled pigtail cap. Not to mention the band, that famous white band, with its simple gold script. The aroma from the body and foot offer the musk that Henke Kelner (master blender at Tabadom) is known for blending into his cigars. There is also a delicate oily leather scent, and a touch of wood. The cold draw offers a similar musky, aged tobacco, with a wood and leather core. While the wrapper doesn't appear particularly oily, it feels very oily on the lips. Pre-light, the draw is a little snug. I will cut more off later if this proves to be an issue at any point.

Lit at 10:28, with cedar spills.

I only really take the time to light with cedar spills when a cigar is something special, and as my experience with Davidoff has been great (and the pricetag is... big), it seemed appropriate to light this slender, elegant cigar in the most elegant way possible. Right away, the flavor profile is smooth, and delicate, a mild sweet wood flavor making up the core, with a musky "old" flavor/aroma through the nose. There is no pepper or spice to speak of at this point, and I would be surprised if any appears. Davidoff generally produces mild to medium bodied cigars, of lighter strength, and initially here, the Classic blend is sticking to that. The blend is so gentle in fact, that I am able to cycle all of the smoke from a draw through my nose, with no harshness or burning sensation. Don't get me wrong though, just because the cigar is mild, and I keep using adjectives like delicate and gentle, the flavor profile is big, and bold... but smooth.

The ash holds for surprisingly long given the small ring gauge, over an inch before falling in my ashtray. The burnline is straight, and relatively slow. Smoke production is great, despite a firm draw. In fact, the smoke is quite thick, and oily in the mouth, and linger beautifully in the air. The flavor profile towards the end of the first third starts to change a bit adding a substantial sweetness, though it is still a wood flavor at its core. The wood flavor is cedar, very sweet cedar. Through the nose things remain musky, and now slightly floral. The ash is a gorgeous dark gray color, with a great stacked... well, dimes appearance (not quarters, given the ring gauge)

The body has gradually increased over the last two inches, moving towards the final third, moving well into the medium range. Still no nicotine strength to speak of, but the general mouth feel and profile has gotten a bit darker, and heavier, with a touch of black pepper becoming apparent in the finish, towards the back of the throat. This increase in body is kind of a surprise, but an interesting and pleasant one.

In the final third, the flavor continues to progress similarly, getting a bit earthy, and with the black pepper becoming stronger. The musky aged tobacco remains, but the sweet cedar has pretty much disappeared. Nothing else really changes though through the final third.

Ended at 11:38 for a total burn time of one hour ten minutes. For the size, this is about how long I expected. What a cigar! Delicacy, elegance, and complexity all are fit to describe this cigar. I see why Zino Davidoff smoked this cigar personally. The length and ring gauge offer a complex, flavorful experience from the beautiful Ecuadoran Connecticut wrapper. I highly recommend this cigar to fans of small rings, mild cigars, and big flavors. I also think this would be a fantastic cigar for those who have any preconceived notions about either Davidoff or mild cigars.

Man O' War Armada

2011-07-06T19:28:00.000-07:00

MAN O'WAR ARMADA
6.5x56 'Toro Grande'

The MOW Armada seems to be the CI camp's attempt to enter the super-premium cigar market, one that they otherwise don't usually compete with, staying more in the bargain/discount 3-5$ range. At 20$ for a single, or 500$ for a "box" (actually a humidor of 32 sticks), the Armada strays far from the other Man O'War lines. It features an Ecuador Sumatra seed Maduro wrapper, around fillers that I can't find info on anywhere. The Armada is offered in 2 sizes that I know of, a 6.5x56 "toro grande", and a 5x44 petite corona (not on the website, I have only heard about it, and had it offered via emails). The Armada may be available in other sizes in samplers from CI and Cigar.com, but I'm not positive on that.

What I am positive about is how great this massive cigar looks. I'm a devoted fan of tiny ring gauges, so the 56 ring is a bit beyond my comfort zone and preference, but the wrapper leaf, with its reddish dark chocolate color, and heavy tooth, is enough to make me look past the girth. The construction looks good as well, though for 20$/stick, a triple cap would be nice (a complaint I also have with Padron...) The seams look great, though the cap is a bit lopsided. The pack is even, and firm, and looking at the foot, the different leaves are clearly identifiable (lots of ligero...). The aroma from the foot is not overly complex, just a meaty, rich tobacco, with a slightly musty character to it. The cold draw however is awesome. One of the most defined chocolate flavors I have ever gotten. Not a bitter cocoa, but straight milk chocolate. There is also a wet, earthiness to it, that reminds me of really dark, nutrient rich potting soil. Surprisingly, there is just a touch of spice, not the overwhelming heat I expected.

Lit at 1:25pm.

The massive Armada lights easily enough under my torch, but once fully lit, the smoke production is not all that enthusiastic. Kind of disappointed by that. The flavor however, is awesome. I'm getting everything from milk chocolate, to hot peppers, and even a unique smoked pepper flavor, that reminds me of Mexican spices. Very strange, but awesome. About a half inch in, the burn line is a little crazy, but that could either be because of the big ring gauge, or the humidity here near the James River in Virginia in the summer (steamy, swampy, etc.).

The ash is pretty impressive, probably because of the size, and has held so far for almost 2 inches and is a mottled white and gray. The burn line has evened out by the end of the first third. The flavors have also shifted, now producing a more bitter chocolate, rather than the milky character initially present. The spicy heat has also picked up actually, and sticks around for a long time, mingling with some sweetness on the finish, which as I said, is impressive and really long.

Some strength starts to become apparent to me around the halfway mark, which is also about an hour in. It isn't overwhelming, but just enough nicotine to know it is present. The high ligero content, and the fact that (after doing some research while smoking), the wrapper is actually apparently a ligero leaf, is probably the culprit. Not unpleasant, just lets you know it is there. The sweetness remains, mingling well with the spicy finish. The specific flavors I'm picking out at the halfway point still include interesting dried chili peppers, bitter chocolate, and now a bit of coffee bean.

At the band point, the only adjective that immediately springs to mind is wet. The flavor profile, mouth feel, all of it, everything has taken on a wet, dark character. Like when you throw a wet log into the fire. There is a little bit of mushroom character as well becoming apparent. Removing the band (which comes off easily, and cleanly, reveals a small crack in the wrapper, maybe 1/4 inch long. It doesn't seem to be problematic at this point though.

Approaching the end, a big blast of cinnamon comes out of no where. The complexity present here is, I have to admit, a little surprising. For the price, I am glad it is present, but for a brand sold exclusively through... well anyone, it is something special. I know it is produced by AJ Fernandez though, and he has made some awesome cigars (though not everything he has done has been gold, there are some real gems in his portfolio), so I guess I shouldn't be entirely surprised. Great blender using great tobacco... bound to work, right? In this final third a surprisingly hot spice also kicks up through the nose. Up until now, the spice has mostly been the kind that jumps around, mostly in the back of the throat though, while through the nose it has been mellow, smooth... now hot and spicy (significant "burn"). The crack in the wrapper burns through just fine, without a hitch. Actually, the performance has been great, considering that about halfway through, the weather went all fucked up, and it starting storming, raining, the works out here.

Ended at 3:20pm for a total smoke time just shy of 2 hours. I think I pretty much have summarized my feelings already, but for those who skip to the last paragraph... what a great amount of complexity! Also, I will admit to a bit of nicotine sickness for almost 30 minutes after finishing smoking this. The Armada is a strong smoke, no doubt about it... but the flavor and complexity, as well as the great performance make it worth a little suffering after the fact in my opinion.

Tatuaje Boris

2011-06-14T18:11:00.000-07:00

TATUAJE BORIS
7 1/8 x 49

The first, and to date, only cigar to be released in the Monster series "Out of costume" line, the Boris has gained some notoriety, and popularity, and is currently a highly sought after, much loved, much hyped, now virtually impossible to find rarity, in the world of limited, special, holiday, single store release, region edition, whatever... cigars. As a horror movie fanatic (the classic stuff, not SAW, but that is a different entry for a different blog...) I love the concept behind both the Monsters and the Actor cigars. I hope that Pete does more of these monster out of costume cigars (which now could be Bela Lugosi, or Gunnar Hansen) sometime, based just on the concept. The Boris, name for Boris Karloff, the actor who probably most famously portrayed Frankenstein's monster in the 1931 Universal classic Frankenstein, features an Ecuador grown Sumatra Rosado wrapper around Nicaraguan fillers and binder. It is a slightly fat Churchill vitola, with a simple white version of the classic Tatuaje band.

This particular stick has a slightly more vein-heavy wrapper than I would have expected, that is sort of a medium chocolate brown, almost a Cameroon wrapper color actually, despite being Ecuador Sumatra. As with most everything Pepin makes, the construction is spot on, triple cap, tight, straight, even seams, even pack, not too full, not underfilled. The aroma from the foot is a sweet, floral tobacco. I have heard this cigar described as having a very specific minty flavor and aroma to it, but at the moment, I'm not getting that, at least from the cold aroma. Cold draw... ah, there it is, that gentle hint of mint. Not the dominant flavor, though, as some reviewers would have you believe. Certainly present, but delicate, not dominant. The cold draw offers, primarily, a floral, mild tobacco, with a round, oily, nutty core flavor, with just a touch of mint on the tongue. the cold draw is perfect, by the way, offering just a touch of resistance.

Lit at 2:15pm.

Interesting. Smoke production isn't great here at the beginning. The flavor profile is surprisingly delicate as well. Light, and floral tobacco, still that touch of mint, almost no pepper, which is a big surprise from a Pepin/Tatuaje/Pete Johnson cigar. Some of this subdued character may be a result of age, as these cigars were released in 2009, making them well over a year old now.

By about the half inch mark, the smoke production has picked up to what I would consider normal. I am unsure of the cause for the early lack of smoke, but it is fine now, so no worries. The flavor profile hasn't changed any yet though, still a gentle, floral tobacco, maybe a little herbal even, with that sweet minty note, and just the slightest pepper on the otherwise gentle finish. I am frankly... downright shocked at the personality of this cigar. I have long heard about how good it is, but never really about how smooth and refined it is. Body at this point is right smack dab in the middle of medium. The smoke is oily, and thick on the palate, but there isn't a ton of strength behind it. I'm already sad that this isn't a regular production cigar, and that finding more of these would both be quite a task, and cost a pretty penny.

The ash is thick, and firm, holding for a good bit over an inch so far. The pepper blast I expected at the beginning, as is characteristic of Tatuaje, has sort of gradually built up, to a smooth, rounded pepper tingle and flavor over the course of this first third, now taking a seat as the primary flavor and sensation lasting through the finish, following the still smooth, delicate, floral tobacco core, with that sweet, herbal, mint dancing around in the middle. What a combination!

Not a huge deal, but worth mentioning due to how it reflects on construction... the ash has now held on firm for the entire first third, which on a 7 1/8" cigar, is a big ash! Had to hit it with a touch up at about the halfway point to get it burning properly again (wanted to go out), but that may have been a result of my slow pace today. The progression of flavor through this cigar so far hasn't been one of dramatic change, but rather just a slow, subtle darkening, with the light floral tobacco flavor taking on a gradually more earthy, and rich flavor, still floral, but less delicate, less subtle. The burn itself has also slowed down as it has progressed, which to me is a sign of quality construction and perfectly cured tobacco. At a time when limited release cigars are a dime a dozen, with many of them seeming rushed, and not particularly special, this cigar definitely is showing the high-end quality that one would expect from a truly "special" cigar.

The construction and performance continue to be fantastic, with the ash holding on basically for 1/3 of the cigar at a time. The flavors remain phenomenal as well. Complex, subtle, smooth, and delicious. One thing I will admit, that could potentially be seen as a flaw, is the attention that the cigar now seems to demand. If not drawn on at least one per minute it seems to want to try to go out. That said, it tastes great, so it isn't like I don't want to draw more often!

As the flavor profile gradually gets heavier, and darker, so does the strength, which has now moved into more of the medium-full area. More pepper, and even a little coffee start to dominate, as the earthy tobacco just gets richer, and darker. Still a fantastic combination, and profile as a whole. Sweetness has gradually subsided throughout the cigar.

Ended at 4:20 for a total smoke time of 2 hours 5 minutes, which for a cigar this size is great, and admittedly was pleasant, and enjoyable the entire time. I cannot stress how enjoyable this cigar was. It has some of the characteristics that one thinks of as being typical of Tatuaje cigars (especially further into the stick), with the addition of a lot of subtlety and smoothness not normally present from the typically bold and strong brand. It is a damned shame that this was a limited release, because it is by far my favorite cigar I have had from this brand. Highly, highly recommended. If you see them, buy them... for me.

Fonseca KDT Cadetes

2011-06-10T18:32:00.000-07:00

FONSECA KDT CADETES
4.5x36 Short Panetela

The KDT Cadetes (which is a name that I don't really understand... if anyone knows what the KDT means, please tell me!) is a tiny little cigar, packaged wrapped in white tissue paper, with the band holding it in place. It is a handmade, longfiller cigar (the other cigar in the Fonseca line of a similar size, the Delicias, is a shortfiller cigar), billed as being mild, as is the rest of the line. Fonseca is not a cigar I have any experience with, so this will be a report of my first experience with the brand.

This particular cigar, after removing the tissue paper, which frankly feels more like the material dryer sheets are made of, reveals a caramel brown wrapper that has a slightly ugly, somewhat veiny wrapper. The seams look good though, and the triple cap is actually great looking. The foot reveals a great looking construction, and the pack feels even, if a bit firm. In fact, the entire cigar feels just a touch hard. The cold draw is firm and reveals just a light, toasty tobacco, with a touch of barnyard hay. The aroma from the foot is just a very faint, sweet tobacco.

Lit at 7:30pm.

Flavors present at the beginning are a straight forward oily old leather core, with a dry toasty tobacco. It is definitely smooth, and subtle, and I say this in a good way. The burn line, only a short bit in is acting up a little, running in one spot in particular.

Settling into the first third a little ways, the flavor profile is starting to remind me of a few specific, high priced Dominican made mild cigars, with a musty, toasted tobacco and hay flavor dominating, with oily leather continuing to present itself through the finish, which produces just a touch of spice. The burn line continues to act wild, but keeps up with itself every few draws, not requiring a touch up or anything. Just a delicate, mild to medium little smoke so far. Nothing to go wild over, but certainly pleasant and enjoyable. The draw has improved since lighting, dramatically. It was not problematic initially, but definitely tighter than I prefer. It now features just the right amount of thickness to it. The smoke production is great, putting out great billows of white smoke with little effort.

Given the size of this cigar breaking it down into thirds (which is afterall the only way to review cigars, obviously) isn't really worth bothering with. Passing the halfway mark, not much of anything has changed. On one draw I got a touch of tar on my lips, kind of gross, but it has only happened once, so I call fluke. The ash holds for about 3/4 of an inch before needing to be rolled, or falling on its own.

Finally put this one down for the last time at 8:40pm, meaning that it lasted a hair over an hour, and about 30 minutes longer than I ever expected it to last. Not complex. Not bold. Not exciting. No. However, the Fonseca KDT Cadetes IS a cigar I very much look forward to enjoying again in the future, because it tastes good, performs great, and has that smooth, oily, delicious, subtle combination where everything works together to make an enjoyable smoking experience without having to be earth shatteringly complex, bold, powerful, whatever. Recommended smoking, indeed.

Trinidad Reyes

2011-06-01T12:25:00.000-07:00

TRINIDAD REYES
4.3x40
OSU SEP 09

The Trinidad marca is one that has a particularly interesting history, tied directly as it is, to the communist government in Cuba, produced first as a cigar produced at El Laguito (the famous Cohiba factory), exclusively as diplomatic gifts from Castro (according to some sources, more exclusive than the Diplomatic Cohiba, and according to other sources, a less exclusive cigar... regardless). First released publically in 1998, they were available only in a single size, the Fundadores, a Laguito Especial (the original Trinidads, the diplomatic cigars, were an Laguito No. 1, a lancero, the public release was the slightly thicker 40 ring gauge, Laguito Especial). Since then, several other sizes have been added to the line, as well as a few Limited Editions, special humidors, etc.

The Reyes is the smallest cigar in the Trinidad portfolio, a tres petite corona, with a pigtail cap. This particular example has a very oily wrapper, somewhat darker in color than other Trinidad cigars I have had. The wrapper also has almost no visible veins, and a rather impressive amount of tooth to it, more than any other Cuban wrapper I can remember seeing. The seams are tight, the packing feels even, and just a little firm, and the cap is flawlessly applied. The wrapper has a subtle aroma, just a slight, sweet tobacco, while the foot offers the same sweet tobacco with a mix of tea and cinnamon. The cold draw is just a touch snug, and tastes of the same tea, plus creamy coffee, and a touch of spice. There is, in this example, an uncharacteristic barnyard element present as well. Not a bad thing though.

Lit at 2:10pm

At the beginning, flavor profile consists of toasty tobacco, bitter coffee, some floral tea, and a touch of spice on the finish. Draw is great, and it lit easily enough.

The burn line about an inch in is a little wavy, with some runs here and there. The ash is tight, and dark gray in color. Flavor profile has settled into a creamy sweet tobacco, a bitter coffee, and the same herbal, floral tea character. It is a delicious combination, just perfectly balanced. There is also a musty note through the nose, reminds me of Hendrik Kelner's blends actually.

At the halfway point, a sweet, milk chocolate flavor develops, and complements the tea and coffee flavors present already quite well. The mouthfeel is downright creamy, and smooth. In fact, the whole cigar has been creamy and smooth. The touch of spice on the finish, which has been pretty consistent the whole way through, is a good mix of tingle across the palate, and a cinnamon flavor through the nose, which is interesting with the musty tobacco also present through the nose.

Ended at 3:00pm for a total time of 50 minutes. Not many transitions, but the complexity, and subtle notes that are present through out the cigar make this one of the most interesting blends I have had, especially out of Cuba. It burns well, draws well, and tastes great. It also isn't overly expensive (I paid around 85$ for a box of 12) when compared to other cigars in the marca.

Illusione ~mk~

2011-05-22T12:12:00.000-07:00

ILLUSIONE ~MK~
5 1/8 x 42

Not part of the original "Original Document" line from Illusione, the ~MK~ is a petite corona, blended with Corojo '99, Criollo '98, and the Cafe Colorado wrapper used on all of Dion's Illusione cigars. Despite being one of the smaller sizes in the line, it is billed as being among the strongest of the line. The brand's website specifically mentions the sweetness brought on by the high quality Viso used in the blend.

This particular ~mk~ has an oily, chocolate brown wrapper, with just a touch of red to it. It has a fairly heavy vein structure, more than I expected from this brand. Still an attractive wrapper though. The filler looks and feels great, and well packed. The whole stick has just the right amount of give to it. The aroma from the wrapper is just a gentle tobacco, and a somewhat musty note to it. The foot, however, offers a potent mix of dusty chocolate, the same musty tobacco from the wrapper, and leather. The cold draw is free, and tastes of chocolate, leather, and a slight earthy vegetal note. It also offers just a tingle of spice across the tongue.

Lit at 1:45pm.

The immediate flavor profile is sweet and savory all at once, combining sweet cocoa, that really lingers, with a spicy pepper and leather on the finish. There is a strong floral character, as well as a touch of dark fruit as well. Here's hoping this level of complexity this early is a sign of great things to follow.

The ash on this cigar is a brilliant, bright white, and is somewhat flakey. This is something I have noticed with the O.D. Illusione cigars previously, in several vitolas, so you have to be careful. The ash falls for the first time, for example, and a little less than 3/4 of an inch... in my lap. D'oh! There also appears to be just a touch of tunneling going on in one spot, so I will have to keep an eye on that. The flavor profile a little way into the first third here has gotten a bit heavier. At its core it features now a thick, oily leather, with just a nuance of that dusty sweet cocoa, and floral, dark fruit. The peppery finish has come down a touch, and is now a lingering, smooth flavor and sensation that sits in the back of the throat. The burn line is not razor sharp by any means, but keeps fine pace with itself, catching up within a few draws, before going weird again... and then catching up just fine.

Just a hair past the halfway point the Black Cherry flavor that people talk about with Illusione has just, all of the sudden, become very apparent. It isn't even just a subtle touch of Black Cherry. It is a heavy, sweet, dense flavor, that is strangely awesome with the leather that remains the core. The peppery finish has all but diminished completely. I have had to be careful, as I find myself almost smoking too slowly. For some reason this cigar is burning like a smaller ring gauge than it is, requiring a bit more attention to keep it going properly. Just something to keep in mind.

With about an inch and a half left, the flavor profile shifts yet again, with a sweet, earthy dark chocolate taking the forefront, and the spicy finish once again returning, much the same as it was in the beginning. Burn line has been pretty straight for a few inches now. Smoke production throughout the entire cigar has been great. Tons of thick, white smoke.

Ended at 3:00 pm for a total smoke time of one hour fifteen minutes. Great length of time for this size, and boy does it deliver on the flavor front. This level of complexity is just very satisfying, and is one example of what makes smoking cigars such an enjoyable experience for me, personally. I see this cigar taking its place as one I will revisit often (box worthy for sure). Performs wonderfully as well. Despite a weird burn line at times, and a tendency to want to go out if not given enough attention, it never was problematic at all. Highly recommended.

Arturo Fuente Anejo 50

2011-05-19T19:31:00.000-07:00

ARTURO FUENTE ANEJO
5 1/4 x 50 "No. 50"

Tonight I am smoking a stick I have enjoyed on several occasions in the past, the Arturo Fuente Anejo. Tonight I am smoking the robusto sized Number 50. The story behind the Anejo is that a little over a decade ago a hurricane wiped out the crop for the Opus X wrappers. A few years later it resulted in a shortage, so Carlito used the extra Opus fillers, tweaked the blend, and wrapped it in a Connecticut Broadleaf maduro wrapper, aged five years, part of that in a Cognac barrel. It has a unique flavor profile, and an impressive lineage. The Anejo is not a regularly available line, released only a couple of times each year (I have read quarterly, and at father's day/Christmas, what is correct, I'm not positive). Regardless, they are something special, and are a cigar that some people have been known to age for years and years before smoking.

This particular example comes from the Winter 2010 release. I have had it for around 6 months now. This stick features a very dark, almost black wrapper with minimal veins, and a lot of tooth. The pack feels even, but very firm. The aroma from the foot has a very distinct combination of cinnamon and raisin, and is very sweet. The cold draw has a decent resistance (not quite firm though), and tastes of the same raisin/dried fruit, plus cinnamon sweetness, with just a touch of vanilla bean, and a hint of spice. Complex pre-light, let's hope it stays that way once burning. I have a feeling it will.

Lit at 8:07pm.

Once lit evenly, it has an even draw, with a good amount of cedar (not a huge surprise since these come wrapped in cedar), coffee sweetness, and a heavy hot pepper spice on the finish, which lingers for a good time. Smoke production is awesome. Great start.

Getting about an inch in, the ash is a bright white color, showing tons of little bubbles from the toothy wrapper, and holds very firmly. The burn line is razor sharp. The flavor profile consists of a burnt wood sweetness, a very oaky flavor, followed by a touch of black coffee bitterness, and a long spicy finish. Through the nose there is a meaty quality, black pepper and, well, roasted meat. The performance is flawless, and the flavors are great. So far, so very, very good.

Approaching the halfway mark, the sweetness has subsided a bit, while the dark, coffee flavor has become more prominent. The black pepper remains strong, especially through the nose. The strength has been medium, maybe medium-full at most, but the body is definitely up there. Just a rich, dark, heaviness to this cigar overall.

Closing in on the band point, the mouthfeel is downright syrupy. The smoke is chewy and rich. The flavor profile remains a combination of black coffee and peppery meat. The initial cinnamon flavor has also come back in a big way. The complexity of this flavor profile is really something special, and is, so far, one of the finest examples of a maduro wrapped cigar.

Ended at 9:45 for a total smoke time of one hour 38 minutes. This is a pretty typical length of time for a well built robusto in my experience. Through this time it performed nothing short of flawlessly. The burn line remained razor sharp, the draw was perfect, and the ash held for several inches before falling each time. The flavor profile is complex, and changes several times as it burns down.

CroMagnon EMH

2011-05-15T18:38:00.000-07:00

CROMAGNON EMH
5x56 "Early Modern Human"

This evening I'm going to be lighting up the second vitola in the CroMagnon taxonomy... The EMH, or Early Modern Human. This cigar is a 5x56 Robusto Extra, a fat, stout beast indeed. It features, as I have previously noted with the CroMagnon cigars, a very very oily wrapper leaf. For a bit of info about the line itself, see my previous review or the CroMagnon Mandible (I see no point in repeating essentially the same paragraph...)

This particular example is part of a sampler I purchased from Hava Cigar shop. It features a somewhat lighter colored wrapper than some of the others that I have. That said, it lacks none of the slick oily appearance. It has a somewhat rustic, veiny appearance, appropriate for the theme that this line carries. The aroma from the wrapper is a simple dirty tobacco. The foot offers the same earthy character, with the addition of some cocoa sweetness, and a tangy spice, like cumin. The cold draw is free, and offers a heavy, dark earth core, with a significant amount of spice across the palate. One thing it does not have is any of the significant sweetness the other size I have smoked had.

Lit at 6:44pm.

Immediately the flavor profile has an earthy, charred wood core, and accompanying oak sweetness, with a significant blast of pepper spice that lingers through the finish. It's a good thing I at a @ChiefHava sized burger for lunch today, because the strength is already apparent within the first few draws. This is going to be a strong one.

About 3/4 of an inch in, and things are progressing nicely on the flavor front. Continues to deliver a dark earthy core, with a great wood flavor, and a heavy pepper heat through the finish. The problem I am encountering, and this is something I noticed with the last one as well, is that the wrapper burns fairly unevenly, and has already required a pretty good touch up. Not something that is going to keep me from enjoying the cigar (I have a lighter with me afterall, thus, touch ups aren't some huge issue) but just a slight annoyance.

Just past the one inch mark, I'm starting to get a bitter, roasted coffee bean flavor, which is a nice development. It is one of those flavors that is interesting as it transitions into the hot pepper finish. The burn continues to be a little awkward, but the draw and smoke production are fantastic. I'm not sure if it is the humidity outside, or the cigar itself, but it takes a couple of puffs each time I draw to really get this one going. Given the similar issues I had with the last one, it may well be the cigar.

Regardless of burn issues, the flavors continue to be bold, and strong. The body and strength are pretty... bold as well. Feeling this one already at the halfway mark. Also starting to see some flavor shifts at this point, with the sweetness initially present dropping off almost completely. A musty, old leather character takes over though, and is nice with the bitter coffee, and peppery finish. The spicy finish is one thing that has me sort of impressed. Normally when cigars have a lot of spice up front early on, it drops off through the middle, and doesn't come back until the end. Not the EMH. It has been consistently hot (and I don't mean it is burning hot) all the way.

Getting down towards the end things are getting a little hot and muddled, and I have a little bit of tunneling going on. The flavor starts to become less defined as well. Not a huge issue though, and something that happens with plenty of sticks.

Ended at 8:15pm for a total smoke time of and hour and a half. Flavorwise, this is yet another example of complexity that is bold and in your face, with more than enough strength and body to back it up. I look forward, as with the Mandible, to seeing how these progress with some age. They certainly have the oil, body, and flavor to benefit from some serious down time.

Ashton ESG

2011-05-14T18:46:00.000-07:00

ASHTON ESG
6 3/4 x 49 "20 Year Salute"

The Estate Sun Grown is the most expensive, supposedly hardest to find cigar in the regular Ashton portfolio. It represents a combined effort between Robert Levin, founder of Ashton, and Carlos Fuente Jr., the man behind Fuente's Opus X among other triumphs. This cigar was conceived as a celebration of 20 years in the industry for Ashton, and the pedigree that the blend carries certainly seems worthy of it. It features a tweaked VSG filler blend, contained within a sungrown variant of the Opus X Rosado wrapper. It is now available in 4 sizes, with one vitola being added to the line annually following the original release, the "20 Year Salute" (also available are a large robusto, a torpedo, and a toro).

The particular example I have today is the 20 Year Salute, which is close to a Churchill in dimensions, and features a gorgeous burnt caramel colored wrapper, with a slightly dusty tooh to it, and that soaked up oil look. The veins in the wrapper leaf are visible, but smooth to the touch, and as is typical of high end Fuente productions, the construction appears impeccable, triple cap, tight seams, even, full packing... And the band is a true work of art, that rivals the Opus X for intricacy. It features plenty of gold leaf work, flowers, and two painted scenes of tropical life. This is a Dominican puro, though the aroma from the wrapper and foot don't really suggest that. It has a smell that reminds me of shortbread from the wrapper, with an additional element of spice and toasty tobacco at the foot. Removing the cap reveals a snug draw full of spicy, earthy tobacco, a touch of floral sweetness, and a musty leather. Given the blend, and the MSRP on these, I have high expectations. So far they are being met...

Lit at 5:50pm.

The initial profile is not really what I expected. It offers a mild, toasty tobacco, and just a touch of peppery spice that lingers gently on the finish. There is just a touch of a leather flavor on the draw as well. Despite having a ight draw, smoke production is great, and the burn seems to be moving evenly as well.

Getting about an inch in, I am still surprised by how smooth and honestly... mild this cigar has been. It has a musty leather core, with just a touch of pepper spice on the finish, and through the nose a delicate floral sweetness. These are all delicious flavors, perfectly blended, and absolutely not at all what I expected. The ash falls off for the first time after about an inch and a half, revealing a perfect burn underneath. The draw at this time remains tighter than I prefer.

Around the halfway mark the body is starting to come up a bit, as is the strength, and flavor. Mouthfeel has gotten heavier as well. The draw is opening up too. Makes me wonder if there was something in the filler that I burned through... Anyway, flavor profile is now sweeter, and spicier. Sweeter on the draw, still a sweet woody flavor, with musty leather at the core, with a spicy finish that is a bit more substantial than before. At this point it is becoming a bit more like what I expected this cigar to be.

Smoking almost to the band point (granted the band is pretty large on this one) everything is starting to remind me more of the Opus X cigars that, in a way, this stick shares a wrapper with (albeit this is a sungrown version). It has a cinnamon spice with the sweet wood flavor, a musty old leather core that ties everything together, and finally a spicy, peppery finish. That said, despite the substantial increase in heavier flavor and overall feel, the nicotine strength has only increased marginally. I'm sort of taken aback by the dramatic change that this cigar has made. I one thing worth noting however is that this change occured gradually, over the course of maybe an inch or two, which makes it an interesting, positive development in my book. I'm not sure, as this is the only ESG I have ever smoked, if this transition is typical, or if I got an oddball stick. I sort of hope it is intentional though, as it makes this a unique, and interesting cigar in the portfolio of "Opus-related/wrapper sharing/whatever" cigars, which are personally some of my favorites, generally.

As the final third takes fire, the strength has started to come up, and I am feeling it in my empty stomach. Oops. The flavor profile continues to get richer, and heavier. The smoke itself is getting spicy, and chewy. As I get closer to the end the strength only continues to build, maybe a little bit too much in fact. By the end it is definitely a pretty full bodied smoke.

Ended at 8:00pm, for a total smoke time of just over 2 hours. Despite a sort of slow start, by the end this became a really impressive, complex smoke. The price is a bit high on these, compared to other, similar cigars, but it certainly performs just as well as any other high end cigars.

CroMagnon Mandible

2011-05-11T20:20:00.000-07:00

CROMAGNON
4.5x60 "MANDIBLE"

I don't really know the whole story behind the CroMagnon brand, other than the fact that Twitter cigar magnate Skip Martin aka. @ChiefHava and Adrian's have teamed up to produce a dark, rustic, powerful cigar that based on what I know of Skip's smoking habits, pretty much is a combination of the common elements in the cigars he seems to smoke a lot of. I recently picked up a sampler of the lineup (the "taxonomy", they call it), and while the vitolas are pretty far from what I normally smoke (mostly larger rings, where I smoke mostly coronas and lonsdales), this time the marketing got to me, and I had to give it a shot. Up first is the Mandible, the size I am least looking forward to, a so called "petite gordo", in other words, a NUB size, 4.5x60. The blend is interesting, using Nicaraguan filler, a Cameroon binder (which contributes a very specific flavor and even aroma in my experience), and a gorgeous Broadleaf wrapper.

The first thing I noticed when I took these sticks out of the box was the amazing wrappers. They are a dark chocolate brown maduro, with the heaviest, slickest oil sheen I have ever seen on a cigar. I mean these things look like they have been treated with Soul Glo, Afro Sheen, the works... And they smell great too. The wrapper gives off a musty, old barn smell, while the foot offers the same, with the addition of a sweet floral note, and a bit of a bready smell. The cold draw is a little tight, and offers a profile of dusty cocoa powder, medium tobacco, and just an overall earthy density. I just cannot get over the wrapper... The only thing that I can think of that is remotely similar is the wrapper on the LFD DL Maduros.

Lit at 9:33 pm.

The initial flavor profile is rich, combining a sweet dark chocolate, with a slightly fruity note, like black cherry, and a dark, black pepper finish that lingers, and comes on slowly.... lumbering like a caveman even... Despite a tight draw, this thing is already smoking easily, producing plenty of oily, chewy, clinging smoke. Burn line is a little iffy... hoping it will straighten out. Good start.

Progressing a little further, the flavor profile has changed a few times (or rather a few flavors have come and gone) including an oaky wood flavor, wet and sweet, and a bread flavor, like what I got on the cold draw. About 3/4 of an inch in, and things have pretty much settled into dusty cocoa on the draw, followed by a floral/fruit note, like cherry and... well something floral, and a long, black pepper finish. Already, the strength is noticeable. I am not a smoker of a lot of really strong cigars, so that may have something to do with it, but I also am somewhat aware of the smoking habits of the man who is responsible for this cigar, and well, he is a smoker of the full stuff. The fullest stuff even. This cigar is advertised as being rustic and strong... well, it is. I ate a good dinner maybe 30 minutes before lighting up, and my stomach is feeling it. The ash is flowering just a little bit. In all fairness, these just arrived in the mail today, but were only shipped the day before yesterday, and were shipped with a 69% Boveda pack (classy!) It's also possible that I am just not used to smoking a cigar in this massive ring gauge. I typically smoke stuff in the 38-46 range... not 60's. Takes a different pace just to keep this guy burning properly.

The mouthfeel is really something with this cigar, realllly heavy, and oily. Almost has a syrupy quality to it, like smoking maple syrup. Flavor profile hasn't changed for about an inch now, still cocoa powder and a long pepper finish.

By the halfway point the strength has continued to steadily rise, as has the body, while the flavor has really not changed much. It's heavy and dark, pretty straight forward sweetness and strong pepper finish. It's a good flavor, but doesn't really offer much in the way of complexity or subtlety. Through the nose, the fruity character still is present though, which is certainly a plus for me.

Getting into the final third, the flavor profile takes on a bit of a leathery character. The sweetness has also fallen off a bit. The spice is also a bit more pronounced, less of a slow black pepper, and more of a sharp, hot pepper burn, further forward on the palate. The finish remains long a spicy though.

In the last inch the flavor pretty much drops off entirely, turning into a hot... mess. The strength has ramped up more than I like, and the flavor is just a hot, burnt wood. Ended at 11:00 exactly.

Total smoke time was an hour and a half, which is about what I expected from this size. Aside from a troubled burn line, and the downward direction of the flavor in the last third or so, this was a really enjoyable cigar, far more enjoyable than I expected from a cigar in a vitola I generally don't care for, touting strength that normally would turn me off, and just not really being a cigar blended the way I typically like them. The fruity floral notes, and sweet cocoa, combined with the strong pepper finish, all of which remain pretty consistently through the entire cigar really make this one that I look forward to revisiting, and even allowing to age. I think this has the potential, in time, to become a much more balanced, hopefully more nuanced cigar. For now it remains an interesting, tasty entry in the full body/full strength realm. Definitely something worth checking out for you guys that like 'em potent.

San Lotano Maduro

2011-05-02T20:20:00.000-07:00

SAN LOTANO MADURO
5x52 Box Pressed Robusto

This first thing that anyone is gonna notice about this cigar is the box press. It isn't just a slight press, it isn't just a regular box press... it is REALLY box pressed. Like, this thing has SHARP corners. Anyway, San Lotano is A.J. Fernandez's first brand of his own, having made his name blending and producing cigars for other people (primarily online houses, CI in particular comes to mind). The San Lotano brand is a family brand, going back to his family in Cuba, back in the day, blah blah. Fernandez is a protege of Alejandro Robaina, the master of Cuban tobacco, God rest his soul, and has become known for his full bodied, Habano wrapped blends. The San Lotano brand comes in three wrapper variations, each available in 4 vitolas (Habano, Maduro, Connecticut). The Maduro I will be reviewing today is the robusto, which features a Mexican San Andreas Maduro wrapper, Honduran binder, and a mix of fillers from various countries.

This particular example features a dark chocolate wrapper, with a slightly mottled color to it, and a toothy matte finish. The look of this cigar actually is somewhat reminiscent of the Padron x000 series. The band is something I have to *** about, as an artsy fartsy type myself... It looks like it was designed with MS Paint or something. No graphic designer should or would be proud to be responsible for this band. That said, I don't smoke cigar bands, so aside from looking weak, it doesn't matter... The cold aroma is wet, and earthy, with a touch of musty tobacco. The cold draw is sweet and creamy, and offers primarily a dark chocolate flavor, the source of the sweetness. The draw itself is a bit firm, likely owing to the ridiculous box pressing going on. The wrapper itself looks great, no veins (all smushed in the box pressing process, no doubt), and applied masterfully, with a good enough looking double cap and tight seams. The pack itself is full... this thing feels like a brick, and has almost no give to it when squeezed...

Lit at 7:47pm.

At first light, this is a somewhat lighter, softer smoke than I expected, offering a dry, soft mouthfeel, and a simple, sweet tobacco flavor, with just a touch of spice on the finish, that gradually builds as it moves across the palate. Smoke production is not great at this point, probably as a result of the slightly snug draw. The burn, after just a few draws is already a little wacky, due to the hard edges from the box pressing. Hoping these little nuisances will correct themselves as things progress.

The first third is going well, and the tight draw has actually probably kept my pace slow, which is good. The flavor profile offers a dark chocolate bitterness, and a creamy sweetness, which contrast nicely. The finish has a mild spice to it that moves around the mouth a bit, and lingers for a good length of time. There is a heaviness developing through the mouth-feel of this cigar. The smoke is dense, and oily, where it started much lighter. Burn line has also worked itself out, requiring only a pair of quick touch ups.

Ash falls for the first time just a bit into the second third. The flavor profile continues to contain a great spread of sweet, dark flavors, now with an almost oaky character mingling on on a few draws. This is not an overly strong cigar, like some of those that AJ Fernandez makes, and not as complex as some, but it offers great flavors so far, with no issues, and a balance that is superb on the palate.

Throughout the final third, unfortunately the only further development is a bit more bitterness that eventually becomes hot, and unpleasant... but only really at the end. From start to finish this is a great, inexpensive, sweet, rich, maybe not overly complex, but pleasant cigar that really delivers what I think of as the flavors I look for in a maduro wrapped cigar. Perhaps the only negative thing I could say about this cigar is that the draw remained a bit too tight the whole time, but that is something that can vary a good deal from stick to stick, so I don't put much stock in it. if this is what we can expect from AJ Fernandez in the future, I will certainly continue to pay attention. Lasted a total of 1 hour 35 minutes approximately.

Cohiba Siglo I

2011-02-19T11:50:00.000-08:00

COHIBA SIGLO I
4x40 Half Corona

It is a fantastic day outside, and I have decided to smoke something sort of special to enjoy it, the Cohiba Siglo I. In all fairness, this will be my first experience with the Cuban Cohiba brand. Needless to say, I'm excited to see if this little minuto lives up to the brand name hype. The Cohiba brand is certainly one of, if not the most, well known cigar marcas to come out of Cuba. The Siglo line is a series of 6 sizes, ranging from this half corona up to the massive canonazo Siglo VI, with pretty much everything in between filling out the other 4 sizes.

This cigar features a golden caramel colored wrapper, with a fine hairy tooth all over it, and a slick oil sheen to it. The wrapper features only a fine network of veins, and no blemishes or sunspots. The construction is fantastic, featuring a well lined triple cap, and tight, straight seams. The foot offers a fine, bready toast aroma, with just a slight floral nuance, as well as a hearty tobacco scent. The cold draw is just slightly snug, and offers a wide range of subtlety, from acidic citrus and grass flavors, to smooth cream and chocolate.

Lit at 1:40pm

The Siglo I lights very easily, toasting in mere seconds, and immediately offers a big blast of smoke, and flavors of sweet cream, dark chocolate, and a touch of citrus and grass, with a dash of a spice bite on the finish. This cigar is impressively well balanced even right here at the start.

The first third brings cocoa and black coffee core flavors, with citrus and floral dashes here and there (especially through the nose), and a delicate cream undertone to everything ties it all together. The burn is fantastic, never wavering. The draw is just a hair tighter than medium, and produces massive amounts of smoke. The ash holds well for just about the entire first third, and falls, leaving a clean, straight line, in a big chunk into the ash tray.

Getting a few draws into the second third, the basic flavor profile remains the same coffee and cocoa core, with floral and citrus notes, but with the addition of a dark, woody element. The creamy texture, flavor, and overall feel to this cigar still serves to just accentuate the subtle nuances, and really set this one a bit beyond other cigars it's size, which in many cases just do not have time to achieve this sort of complexity. The spicy finish initially present sort of comes and goes, never lingering for long, but popping in just to make sure you are still paying attention every once in a few draws.

In the final third, the only real change is that the stick starts to get a little hot which is likely just due to the size, ring gauge specifically. The burn and draw have remained consistently great throughout, and the flavor profile, while not changing a whole lot, has retained a level of complexity that I have never gotten, and never expected to get, from a cigar of this vitola.

Ended at 2:40, for a total smoke time of an hour. This, admittedly, was smoking pretty slowly, likely slower than many people would smoke a cigar of this size.

Perhaps the only real downside to this cigar is the cost. At 7 or 8 dollars each, they are a bit steep for the size, and resulting smoke time. For me personally, however, the vitola is actually one of my favorites, and the cost is worth it to have some of these on hand for when I want something special, but small.

Liga Privada T-52 Flying Pig

2011-02-13T15:33:00.000-08:00

LIGA PRIVADA T-52 FLYING PIG
4x60 figurado

One of those (unfortunately) limited release cigars that has gotten a lot of buzz in the last year or two (including the No.9 Flying Pig), the T-52 Flying Pig is certainly a perfect example of what has allowed Drew Estate to really move in and take a position of influence in the traditional cigar world (where before they were known for their infused cigars, the Liga Privada lines, which the Flying Pig is a limited edition portion of, have really put Drew Estate on the map among smokers of... normal cigars)

The T-52 blend features a stalk cut Habano wrapper, a Brazilian binder, and a mix of Nicaraguan and Dominican fillers. As I have noticed with the other LP cigars, the Flying Pig is dark, oily, and toothy, and has a distinct sweet aroma, mixing floral and chocolate notes. The construction on this chubby perfecto is flawless, with a cool tightly wound pig tail cap, and a pig nose foot. The cold draw is free, and gives flavors of sweet chocolate, and a considerable earthy pepper spice. Even the cold draw leaves your palate oily, which really says something about the wrapper leaf used for the T-52.

Lit at 3:55pm.

Right away the flavor profile is spicy and meaty. It literally has a seared meat flavor, as well as an underlying sweetness that balances nicely with the considerable spice kick. The loose draw would be a problem, but smoke production is so impressive that it actually doesn't matter that the draw is almost too loose. Sitting idle in the ashtray, huge puffs of smoke come off the foot. This cigar was built to burn well. Even the tapered foot is burning really easily, and surprisingly evenly for the shape.

Burning just past the rounded foot, the flavor profile starts to change a little bit. The spice has come back a bit, just a gentle tickle that sits in the back of the throat, while the draw offers sweet cocoa, and bitter dark coffee notes. The seared meat flavor is more leathery now. The mouth feel is extremely oily and dense, and the almost overwhelming smoke production only serves to accentuate that.

The ash is firm, and a light grey color, with a ton of tooth visible in little blobs and pockets. The burn line, while not RAZOR sharp, is just shy of it. Draw remains free, and produces massive amounts of rich oily smoke. The flavor profile, just hitting the second third has become even darker, black coffee and earthy cocoa. The spice continues much the same, lingering at the back of the throat.

Just passing the halfway mark, and the ash is still there. It hasn't fallen once, which is likely a combination of the large ring gauge, and the great construction. It's very cool, regardless of the reason, especially so because of the shape. The flavor profile remains the same, black coffee, a bit of bitter dark chocolate, and an earthy leather and pepper finish. Through the nose a floral note, like the one present before lighting is there, sort of in and out, but it is delicate, and doesn't really stand up to the bold powerful flavors that dominate otherwise.

Ash still is holding on at the band point, something that never happens, regardless of what cigar we are talking about, at least in my experience. Flavor profile just gets richer and darker as it burns. Flavors are basically the same as the regular T-52, but accentuated, elevated, richer, bolder... Not something that you would typically think to be the case when the ring gauge is LARGER on a cigar from other sizes in the line, as typically larger rings mean less potency. Another thing that impresses me is just how big and full the body and flavor are on this cigar, without the strength being above medium, maybe medium-full, unlike the regular T-52, which I think of as being a good bit stronger.

Ended at 5:35 for a total smoke time of one hour and forty minutes, which is a long time for any 4 inch cigar, and is great when it is this good. Highly recommended for anyone who has enjoyed any of the Liga Privada cigars in the past. For me, this might be a better release even than the much praised Dirty Rat, released around the same time.

Don Carlos Edicion de Anniversario

2011-01-30T14:32:00.000-08:00

DON CARLOS EDICION DE ANNIVERSARIO
5.2x50 Robusto

A very rare cigar, produced to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the Don Carlos line of Arturo Fuente cigars. Has to be special right? Certainly looks like it! Double banded, cedar and ribbon wrapped, this cigar has all the trimmings of a high end Fuente special release. It has the pedigree too. I can't find much info on the internal blend, but the cigar uses an aged Opus X wrapper, that Sungrown habano seed, Dominican wrapper that the Fuentes are so famous for. Taking off the sleeve and ribbon, this really is an impressive looking cigar, aside from the fancy dressings. The wrapper is a golden honey color, with an impressive amount of tooth to it. The construction is also flawless, in typical Fuente fashion. Triple cap, almost no visible veins, and invisible seams. The filler looks well bunched, and the overall heft of the cigar is impressive despite being the smallest size in the line. The cold aroma reminds me of the most pungent, aromatic Opus X cigars, leather and dried fruit, with a touch of cinnamon, but it has something else, a musty funk to it, manure/farm notes that sort of creep up after the punchy fruit and leather. Very impressive cold aroma. The cold draw is great, offering those same leather and fruit characteristics, as well as a bit of spice, and musty aged tobacco. This cigar is, afterall, around 5 years old now (initially released in 2006, then aged a further two years and released in smaller boxes in 2008) Really impressive before lighting. Lets see how she does once lit...

Lit at 3:15pm.

Wow. Takes a second to really get going, but once properly lit, and a few draws are down, it really has built into something impressive already. Powerful spice washes over the palate. The mouthfeel is dense, and oily, almost syrup-like. Only a few draws in that the ash looks awesome, with TONS of little oil pockets, or tooth, becoming visible. Smoke production is out of this world. Even when sitting in the ash tray, big tufts of white smoke are pouring out of the lit end. Good start!

Throughout the first third, the flavor profile does not change a whole lot. The draw initially offers a bit of peppery spice, followed by a smooth, really oily leather flavor, followed by a few assorted notes of vanilla bean, cinnamon sweetness, and raisins. These three flavors are not present on every draw, but sort of move around from draw to draw. Through the nose there is a prominent, well... I would call it dessert spice. Like vanilla bean, and cinnamon, but hot and spicy. A note on how well made this cigar is... my neighbor came over and was chatting me up for a few minutes, and unfortunately, the cigar went out. Within a few minutes, I was able to roll the ash, purge, and relight, and it was as if nothing had happened (what a relief). The burn and draw have also been perfect the whole time. I have seen this cigar labeled as one of those cigars that is essentially a tweaked Opus X blend (like the Casa Fuente, God of Fire, and other high-end Fuente made cigars), and this certainly, at this point, is apparent. It lacks the in your face strength that the Opus often has, but flavor wise, it is similar, but smoother, and a bit more subdued maybe. The strength is no-where above medium at this time. It does offer a good bit of that musty, aged tobacco flavor that I think of as being a key element of the regular Don Carlos line, which is a time tie in, given that this cigar was produced to celebrate the anniversary of that blend.

Impressively, the second ash (had to roll it the first time at about the one inch mark to re-light), holds all the way until the band point (admittedly, the band point comes at just past the halfway point. But regardless, the ash is firm, and bright white in color. Not a single burn issue so far. No draw issues either. Just the right amount of a tug required, and it produces more than enough smoke. Flavor profile has gotten slightly darker around the half point. Earthy dark. No distinct dark flavors. Still oily leather, with hints of musty tobacco, cinnamon, vanilla, and now even some cream flavor.

Upon removing the main band... finally something negative I can say. Fuente tends, in my experience, to be pretty liberal with their glue usage when applying bands, and the removal of this one takes a bit of wrapper with it, and leaves a sizeable flap of tobacco. Not a huge issue though, as a little yanking removes this piece, and the remainder burns through without issue.

In this final third, things sort of ramp up in strength, as I am now feeling it a bit in my head. Not stomach churning strength like the Opus X sometimes has, but it certainly has a fuller kick to it now that it did initially. Flavors remain similar, with maybe a slight shift from the oily leather and sweet fruit and spice, towards the darker, earthy character mentioned earlier. Complexity has its own form in this cigar... all at once, but not a lot of transition as it burns down.

Ended around 5pm, for a total burn time of one hour forty five minutes. Overall, I think this is an interesting cigar, falling somewhere right between the Don Carlos blend, and the Opus X blend. It has a smooth, musty, and laid back character, but has a lot of the flavors that the Opus X is known for, which I guess comes from the use of the Opus wrapper leaf. I'm not sure how I feel about the price of this cigar, as it truly does fetch a pretty penny(high 20$ range) even in this smaller size. The price, and relatively small production numbers on this stick would seem to dictate this as a special occasion type cigar, and while it certainly is a fine blend, I just think that if it sounds worth it to you, then yes, this is a cigar to have on hand. If nothing else, the fact that these probably won't be around forever is reason enough to pick some up if you see them. Performance is flawless, and flavor is great.

Cruzado Avalitos

2011-01-17T20:58:00.000-08:00

CRUZADO AVALITOS
4x46 'Petite Robusto'

This small robusto (petite corona gorda?) is my first experience with this line from Illusione mastermind, Dion Giolito. The Cruzado line makes use of seco filler rather than ligero, for a full flavored, but lighter bodied experience than the Illusione line. Cruzado uses primarily Criollo '98 seed, with one part Corojo 2006, according to the brand website. The Cruzado is available in six sizes, ranging from this petite robusto to a 7x47 Churchill (called Marios). The entire line features flagged triple caps, for a certainly special look. The band is gold and silver, without being overly flashy. It actually has a somewhat gothic appearance to it, which fits with the Cruzado name, and artwork. The wrapper on this particular example is a slightly reddish brown, like wet, muddy clay. It has a dry, matte look to it (though it is certainly not underhumidified). The filler appears well bunched, and the overall construction, including the seams, appears tight, and professional. The aroma from the foot is mild, not offering much other than a medium, wet tobacco aroma, maybe a little sweetness. Removal of the cap allows for a free draw, offering a bold pre-light profile of pungent burning cedar and a leather character, oily and rich.

Lit at 10:15 pm

First impression is of a heavy spice character, with a woody core flavor. Not overly complex. I have a feeling, based on the way this blend is billed, that this spice will diminish rather quickly. Within a few draws, just as I suspect, the spice tones itself down pretty significantly. There is a flavor that I cannot quite describe perfectly, but I am leaning towards licorice right now. Very interesting. Still a woody profile overall. Maybe raisin, but not that sweet cinnamon raisin pastry profile that I get from certain Dominican cigars... Incidentally, we are getting hit with freezing rain right now, so this small format is perfect for a smoke tonight. By the time I finish smoking it, I figure I will just be starting to get too cold to continue hanging out outside.

Cigar is starting to run on one side a little bit, getting down to the end of the first third (on one side, only about 1/3 of the first third burned on the other side.) Not sure of the cause here, but unless if doesn't catch up, I'm not overly worried given the somewhat funny size of the cigar. Flavor profile is as follows at this point: Slight spice on the draw, with a tangy cedar flavor, tasting like the aroma of burnt cedar spills, followed by a big oily leather flavor that coats the palate, and remains present through the smooth, slightly peppery finish. It is a toasty, medium bodied and flavored cigar. Not overly complex on the palate, but certainly is rich, and satisfying. In a small format, I like this sort of profile. Good, solid, well defined flavors, that deliver with very little subtlety, and maintain their vigor throughout. A small cigar like this doesn't really have time to be overly complex, and this cigar is a perfect example so far, of what a small cigar should do.

Just past the halfway point and things are taking a heavier turn on the palate, earthy coffee notes, slightly bitter and even musty are moving in, along with the oily leather. The strength is basically non-existent in this cigar, but flavor, and overall feel is heavier than it started. The burn has been great aside from the slight canoe in the first third, which corrected itself within probably 10-15 minutes. The smoke production on this cigar has been phenomenal, big clouds of white smoke, which is a sign of good construction and combustion in my mind.

Ended at 11:35 for a total smoke time of one hour twenty minutes. Probably could have gotten another 5 or 10 minutes from it, but left my nubber at home. This is a killer flavor bomb of a little cigar. Because of the lack of nicotine strength in this cigar, it would make one hell of a morning coffee smoke, but really I could see it being enjoyable any time, due to the richness.

Tatuaje Cojonu 2003

2010-12-12T20:52:00.000-08:00

TATUAJE COJONU 2003
6 1/2 x 52

This big ass toro was the first cigar released in Tatuaje's "Cojonu" line, which is a series of cigars started in 2003, with a new addition to the line every 3 years ('06 and '09 are here, '12 will be next). The concept seems to be power (Cojonu... cojones... ballsy...) So I am expecting a bit of a punch from this big ***. I'm not a huge fan of larger format cigars, but when I smoke them, I prefer that they not be much fatter than this, and instead make up for size in length, so for a huge smoke, this is right up my alley. The appearance is very nice. It has a molten milk chocolate wrapper, with a fair amount of mottling (which in my experience, while not even and aesthetically great, tends to mean amazing wrapper flavor) like a bunch of oil has soaked into the wrapper. The seams are tight, and the cap is perfectly applied. The pack feels a little light near the foot, but otherwise is even with just a slight give to it. The foot gives an aroma of earthy dark chocolate with a very slight black cherry aroma, that is pretty cool. Honestly, this cigar LOOKS ballsy, so I am going to be surprised if it doesn't deliver. The cold draw has just a slight tug of resistance, and gives an explosive dose of hot pepper flavor, like Serrano or Jalapeno peppers, and even leaves a tingle across the palette. There is also a good earthy tobacco flavor that lingers after the pepper is gone.

Lit at 3:30

Right away there is a burst of hot black pepper, and a dry leathery character on the draw. The finish is long and peppery... black pepper. The burn line isn't perfect, but I had a heck of a time getting this cigar lit (beautiful day, too windy for a soft flame, too bright to see my torch haha) It seems to want to burn better on one side than the other, so we'll see if it corrects itself.

(ladybug)

Something sweet has started to develop in the first third, like a bitter dark chocolate which is nice, and brings some complexity to the earlier pepper and leather combo. The ash is flaky, and showing a lot of tooth, which is interesting, since there wasn't an outright toothy quality to the wrapper before lighting (though it did have the appearance of leaf that had soaked up a lot of oil) The wrapper is still burning unevenly on one side, so it's looking like I may need to give it a hit from the touchup-torch. The ash is flaky, but hasn't fallen by the one inch mark. We shall see how long it holds... And in one of those awesome Nature moments, a ladybug just landed on the stick while it was sitting in the ashtray. Going to try to snap a quick photo before it runs off... Despite the size, this cigar seems to need a draw fairly often to keep from wanting to go out, at least once a minute, if not more often, which is a little fast for my normal smoking pace. Ash just fell... all over my lap. Looks like there might be a small tunnel shaping up in one spot, which isn't great. Hit it with a touch up after the ash fell, and everything seems to be going well now. The breeze out here might be affecting the burn as well.

Getting into the second third, things have settled nicely, and the burn has sorted itself out (for now). The flavor profile is big and bold, mixing leather and coffee on the draw, followed by sweet chocolate, and a black pepper finish, with what I can only describe as a light fruit flavor, like cherry, through the nose. The pepper finish is black pepper, and lasts a good long while, but isn't overpowering in terms of palette zing. Burn has definitely fixed itself, and it was definitely my fault that I was having problems. This cigar just needs more attention than most. Drawing more often definitely keeps things in check. My bad.

In the final third, just getting there, the sweetness is back in a big way, cedary in character, with continuing leather and bigger pepper. The body has also come up a bit. For the first half or so I couldn't feel any strength from this "ballsy" cigar, but here in the last third, the Ligero is starting to have a bit of an effect. Pepper is really ramping up as well, from black pepper to hot red pepper, burning like a wildfire across my tongue. Ouch.

Finished and let this bad boy go out around 5:15, for a total time of an hour and 45 minutes. Probably would have lasted a good while longer if not for the somewhat brisk pace this cigar required me to smoke at. It happens, and seems likely that it was just an example of inconsistency within a given blend. Not really anything to worry about. Overall, this didn't quite live up to the strength I was expecting to get, but it did deliver in the flavor and overall size of experience (in terms of having thick, round flavors, and great smoke production).

Fuente Fuente Opus X Petite Lancero

2010-12-05T06:53:00.000-08:00

FUENTE FUENTE OPUS X PETITE LANCERO
6 1/4x39

It is a well known fact that I love Arturo Fuente cigars, and of the Fuente cigars I have smoked, the Opus X is certainly the crowning achievement. With the right amount of sleep, and in a good size, they are unmatched, for my palette, in complexity and pure flavor, in my experience. Adorned in the famous Dominican Rosado wrapper grown at Chateau de la Fuente, the Opus X was the cigar that set off alarms across the cigar community upon its release, and since then has continued to be one of, if not THE, single most sought after cigars. And boy do they carry a price tag. With an MSRP in the $12-$16, these should be perfectly priced cigars, but most vendors mark the prices up almost two fold (going well into the high 20's into the 30's for singles). This particular example of the petite lancero, which is a figurado and a fattish panatela at the same time, is cloaked in a gorgeous caramel brown wrapper with just a slight reddish hue to it. The seams look great, not too tight, but tight enough. The cap is expertly applied, one thing that I am very picky about in figurados. There is a fair amount of tooth to the wrapper, and a light oil sheen. The pack is great, even from head to foot, with no soft spots, and just that perfect amount of give when squeezed gently. The aroma from the foot is spicy, tickling my nose hairs, and gives a strong aroma of raisins, and pastry, Slightly sweet as well. The cold draw is slightly restricted, but not really in a bad way. The flavor profile pre-light is a little spicy on the palette, white pepper, with cinnamon, raisins, and a little earthy character. Let's light...

Lit at 11:20pm.

The Opus X Petite Lancero lights easily, toasting up within a few short seconds. The flavor profile initially is heavy on hot spicy pepper, and an earthy leather character. Maybe a little sweet cedar in there, but it is quickly overwhelmed by pepper. Very strong start.

In the first third, the burn line is a little... wavy. Just ups and downs, consistently around the ring. Not a big deal though, as none of them get out of hand, and withing a few draws, they have fixed themselves, only to dip a little bit somewhere else. As far as age on this cigar, it is from the winter 2009 release, so it has close to a year, if not a year of age on it, which by all accounts is about when these cigars start to settle into a good smoking rhythm. The draw is still kind of tight, and is kind of getting on my nerves, as I prefer a little more open of a draw. If it becomes an actual problem I have plenty of room to give it another clip. The flavor profile at the 3/4 inch mark is very pleasant. Full bodied on the palette, with a high medium strength at this point. Flavors run from fruit and leather on the draw, to cedar and pepper on the finish. Not a pepper flavor, more a spicy sensation with a wood flavored accompaniment. The ambient smoke, incidentally, has an awesome, sweet almond kind of smell to it, which is very nice, and pleasant to be surrounded by. We are going to get hit by a massive rain storm here in a few hours, based on the radar, so I'm hoping this cigar lasts just long enough, and it doesn't start raining. The ash is also super toothy, and a bright white color. Very good looking, and shows signs of good nutrient delivery in the soil. Ash falls for the first time just over an inch in, which is not a surprise given the small ring gauge of this cigar. Perfectly respectable ash length for a 39 ring.

Burn line is getting a little crooked, causing the ash to lean funny, as I reach the end of the first third. Not a real problem though. A quick touch up from the lighter seems to sort the line out. The flavor profile is starting to take a darker turn at this point as well, giving more leathery, earthy notes, with a continuation of cinnamon spice and wood on the finish. Not sweet cedar any more though, more oaky. This profile is one that I have gotten in the past with the Petite Lancero, and a few other smaller ring gauge Opus X cigars. The larger ring Opuses tend to have a lighter, fruitier character, while the little guys are dark, leathery powerhouses. Very nice profile though. Strength is not yet really anything noticeable. It is present, but not above medium-full at most. And like clockwork, marking another inch and a quarter-inch and a half... my lap, and even my laptop get nailed with a big clump of ash. Damnit! Looking at the cherry, things seem to be burning well, and evenly though, despite the waves, and one touch up. No tunneling, or canoeing. Things have REALLLY slowed down in terms of burn speed here just past the halfway marker. This is where the Opus really gives you some bang for your buck if you ask me. Something in the blending allows a smaller ring like this one to still burn at the slower rate of a larger cigar. Boy I am having ZERO luck with ash on this cigar though. I have officially been hit by it twice in a row now. I'm 1 and 3 for getting the ash in the tray. This time, just as I move to roll it in the tray... BAM... right on my lap. Gonna have to do laundry tonight...

Just getting to the start of the final third, and the spice is really coming on strong again. Hot pepper feel, with a leathery, black pepper taste on the draw. Earthy and dark continues to be the overall feel. Very nice, powerful blend. Also get a cinnamon, and now raisin flavor through the nose, which is a cool development reminiscent of a lot of high end Fuente cigars. Such complexity! Just removed the band... and a good piece of wrapper too, unfortunately. This is one complaint I have about Fuente as a whole... their band application team seems to get a little over-zealous with the glue sometimes. Not a big deal though, as the binder is doing its job just fine. Still getting lots of spicy heat. And here comes the strength. At the one hour and 40 minute mark, I am really getting kicked in the head by the nicotine. I don't really mind though, as there is about an inch and 3/4 remaining, so I got off easy for a good 4 and a half inches. For the entire cigar, smoke production has been fantastic. Lots of thick, creamy, white smoke. Very nice. And as with my few previous Opus X experiences, the strength sort of disproportionately ramps up in the last inch and a half, to, for me, an unpleasant level. I don't smoke many cigars with this kind of strength, and for me, the huge dose of nicotine at the end isn't my favorite way to end things. That said, everything up to that point is an absolute joy.

Ended at 1:08am, for a total smoke time of one hour and 48 minutes, which is outstanding given the size of this cigar. Even if the flavor profile was just good, not great as it is, there would be some great value in these cigars, given the price, because of the exorbitant smoke times you can get from them. That amount of time would be fine from a Churchill sized cigar, much less a panatela of any kind. Overall, the complexity, with multiple transitions, and bold flavors, plus pretty great performance from start to finish make the Fuente Fuente Opus X a favorite of mine, and even better when you can get them close to MSRP. As it stands, for the high prices, these are among the best "special occasion" or "once in a while" cigars on the market. Highly recommended.

Fuente God of Fire by Carlito (2006)

2010-11-29T14:13:00.000-08:00

2006 FUENTE GOD OF FIRE BY CARLITO
5 3/4x50 Double Robusto

Smoke Into Oblivion... The Birthday edition! I am 23 years old today, and am smoking a cigar I have hidden in the bottom of my aging humidor for almost a year now. I am not positive how the aging on the God of Fire cigars work, but I am going to assume that this cigar was rolled in 2006, making it at least 4 years old. The wrapper shows evidence of this, with a slight pluming having crystallized, which is a real treat. The construction on this cigar is absolutely flawless, like most of the high end Fuente made products. The Carlito blend, one of two God of Fire blends, the other by his father, Don Carlos Fuente, uses a Cameroon wrapper, around a high quality filler of Dominican tobacco. I cannot find information regarding the binder at the moment, but if and when I do, I will update this entry. The wrapper has a golden brown hue to it, and, as I said, is actually showing a little plume. The seams are tight, and the triple cap is perfectly applied. There appears to be a bit of excess glue near the joints of the bands, which I find on a lot of Fuente cigars, so I'm going to leave those alone for fear of damaging this awesome wrapper leaf. Veins are almost non-existent. Color is basically Colorado/Colorado Maduro. The aroma at cold is rich, floral, and spicy (like cinnamon and nutmeg). The cold draw is just above medium, towards firm, and gives a blast of sweet fruit, like apple and raisins, with a touch of cinnamon spice. This is a cigar that even at cold, reminds me of French Apple Pie, or good Strudel.

Lit at 2:20pm.

It turns out to be a bit windy today to use my soft flame, so I have to resort to the torch, which quickly lights this cigar. Right from the start the flavor profile moves from cedar, slightly sweet, on the draw, to a leathery body, and a peppery finish. The leather reminds me of the leather character that the Opus X is famous for. Smoke production is awesome, despite a slightly tight draw. The burn line also looks good at this point.

In the first third, I am not about 3/4 of an inch in, and the ash looks gorgeous. It is a solid white, not even any rings, and looks tough, like it will hold well. Flavors have settled nicely. On the draw there is a sweet cedar, followed by a little bit of leather, and quickly moves into a sweetly spicy finish, like cinnamon sugar on toast. Nice complexity for so early in the cigar. The burn is performing great as well, just slight waves. One thing worth noting is how easy this smoke is so far. It requires little to no attention. There is a slight breeze out today, but I am sitting this cigar down for MINUTES at a time without drawing sometimes, and when I come back to it, it behaves as if I just set it down. Definitely a sign of great construction. Ash is still holding well at an inch and a half, so that's good.

The smoke is very creamy, and rich on the palette, which only lends to the dessert like element. Woody to dessert like, is a great transition for me. Starting to get a little nutty flavor too, like almond, which continues to be in line with the constantly evolving profile. The only surprise is that I have not gotten any fruit flavors, which I tend to get from good Dominican/Cameroon cigars. Regardless, this is shaping up to be a wonderful smoke. Just before hitting the first band, a dark espresso note hits right before the finish, and it hits hard. Slightly bitter, but rich and earthy. Very interesting change, not quite in line with the sweet nutty flavors that have dominated up until now.

Just removed the main band, and have found something that is a potential bummer. There is a hole in the wrapper, likely from a glue happy band applier, with a crack about 1/4 of an inch coming off each side of it. Drawing normally though, it does not seem to be leaking, so the binder is doing its job. And ladies and gentlemen... We have tar. Great oozing, BP oil spill going on at the foot right now. Wiped it away, and took a small cut from the foot, and everything seems clean and clear again, and the flavor profile has actually cleaned up immediately. Now I am getting nuts, cinnamon, pepper, leather, and even a hint of that Cameroon fruitiness I was hoping to get. Really interesting how bitter and dark a little tar can make a cigar. Surprised I had this problem with this particular stick, but it seems to have been easy to clear up, so I'm not too worried about it. The draw has also opened up quite a bit, which leads me to believe I may not have cut off enough on the first go around. Oh well. Too late to worry about that now.

Ended at 4:16, for just shy of two hours of smoking, which is awesome, and appropriately long for such an expensive cigar. As I see it, the price is the ONLY drawback to these sticks, and even that is debatable. As a special cigar, to have a couple of for celebratory purposes, I think these really fit the bill perfectly. Just a great, complex, slow burning, perfectly performing cigar. Highly recommended, especially for fans of other high end Fuente product.

CAO La Traviata

2010-11-22T15:55:00.000-08:00

CAO LA TRAVIATA
5x50 "Divino"

A CAO cigar. Not something you'll likely see that many of here on Smoke Into Oblivion. I love a few of CAO's smokes, but for the most part, the majority of their cigars are not favorites of mine, and I spend my smoking time elsewhere. That said, the La Traviata is one cigar that has gotten a lot of positive press, that I have been looking forward to trying for a while now. lcpleel at the Cigar.com forums hooked me up with a Divino in a PIF package a short time back, and I figured that tonight would be as good of a time as any to kill it with fire. The La Traviata is a newer line from CAO, released in 2009 at IPCPR, with a really low price point ($5-$6 range) and an interesting "anatomy" (Ecuadoran grown Habano see wrapper, a Cameroon binder, and a mix of Nicaraguan and Dominican filler). What a combination. Can't wait to see what that wide variety of tobacco tastes like together. In much the same fashion as Pete Johnson's resurrection of El Triunfador and El Fausto, La Traviata began life as a Cuban brand, a century ago. The La Traviata features a slightly reddish Colorado shade wrapper, heavy and slick with oil (no tooth to speak of though, just shiny and oily). The veins are visible basically all over the wrapper leaf, but there is only one that I can really feel, and it is only tangible for a small length of the cigar. The seams and cap both look great, and the packing seems even from head to foot. The aroma off the foot reminds of vaguely of smelling a Chai latte from across the room. Very faint, but a distinct aroma. The cold draw gives a decent resistance, but seems to be drawing well enough, and has a flavor of earthy spice, and black pepper.

Lit at 1:25am.

The immediate flavors present are a cedar, a slightly funky barnyard hay flavor, and a distinct black pepper. It has a good bite to it. Nice tingle, and a distinct flavor of black pepper, not just a sensation. Very nice start.

Despite a firm draw, smoke production is not a problem at all. Quite the contrary actually. It is impressive. Burn line is not straight, but not anything more than a little wavy. Flavor a little way into the first third has developed a sweet cocoa on the draw that mingles nicely with a leathery earth, and the great black pepper finish, which is fairly lengthy.

In the second third the entire profile shifts, becoming heavy on oily, fresh leather, with a loss of the sweet cocoa, leaving things dry and earthy. The pepper has mellowed, not so much in flavor as in bite. Not a sharp hot sensation with it anymore, just a smooth tingle.

Getting into the final third there is a resurgence of the cedar flavor I got initially, sweet, but not the same as the cocoa sweetness present in the latter half of the first third. This is a rich wood flavor, with that tangy sweetness that cedar offers. Very nice. Mouth feel has been, and continues to be oily and heavy. Smoke production, despite a consistently tight draw remains fantastic. Burn is also maintenance free, requiring no touch ups so far. Any dips and waves have been completely self correcting within a handful of draws. This smoke also requires very little fuss, allowing up to several minutes of ambient time without a draw, and no threat of going out.

Ended at 2:55am for a total time of one hour and thirty minutes exactly, which personally, is pretty much right on target for what I want out of a good robusto sized cigar. Not a single complaint from my end. This is a great, inexpensive cigar with some interesting transitions and an interesting flavor profile. Not something I always comment on, but the band for the La Traviata is pretty nice. The design evokes images of early 1900s World's Fair type artwork. Vintage. Not vintage cigar vintage, but a distinct Art Nouveau style. Overall, this is a great smoke.

Davidoff Grand-Cru

2010-11-18T20:45:00.000-08:00

DAVIDOFF GRAND-CRU
5x44 No.3

This classic corona sized cigar is part of the Grand-Cru line, a series created to pay homage to the original cigars Zino Davidoff sold when he started in the Cigar business. They feature an Ecuador grown Connecticut wrapper, with a mix of Dominican fillers and binder. This particular cigar looks fantastic. It is immaculately constructed, as is typical of Davidoff (and as they should be at their price point). The wrapper is a golden caramel color, with almost no veins visible, and certainly none that can be felt. The seams are not overly tight, but do not look loose or anything. The cap is perfectly applied, as is the band (no excess glue visible) The cigar seems to be well packed, with just the right amount of give, and is balanced from head to foot. The aroma from the foot is of a nice barnyardy tobacco, with a hint of hay, and a light nut smell. The cold draw is just the tiniest bit snug, with a rich, dry, woody character... Cedar, but not exactly sweet, but definitely warm in character. There is also a tiny peppery tickle on the cold draw that is interesting.

Lit at 11:55pm.

On the first few draws there is a fantastic, smooth tobacco flavor, with a creamy mouthfeel, and a nutty tang to it, followed by a good cedar, again, dry, not sweet, and then a light, peppery finish.

In the first third, the burn line is RAZOR sharp, and the draw is perfect, despite being a little tight pre-light. The flavor profile has rounded out nicely. The draw remains initially a dry mild tobacco, with a nutty, slightly bitter flavor, like roasted nuts. Cedar, tasting a bit like what cedar spills smell like when burned, is also present, lingering sort of. The finish is long, tobacco, and a good white pepper tingle. Very pleasant. Ash holds well for about an inch, which at this ring gauge is not anything out of the ordinary, and is about as it should be. Smoke production is great as well. One thing worth mentioning is that this cigar needs a bit of attention. One draw every 45 seconds or so seems to be about the right pace, otherwise it wants to start going out.

Oops. Sorry for that. Hideous isn't it? Deep in thought and tasting, or hard at work watching TV? I can't remember.

In the second third, things stay much the same, except for the addition of a sort of cinnamon like spice that plays around the cedar, in the middle of the draw. Nice development. Still most certainly a mild cigar, in terms of strength, and overall feel, but the complexity is increasing steadily in a way that is very appealing. This cigar is interesting in that it lacks a lot of the fruity characteristics I get from a lot of primarily Dominican cigars, many of which are stronger smokes than this one. What it lacks in those fruity, sweet characteristics, it makes up for in woody, earthy elements, and a strong, mellow, natural tobacco flavor.

Just getting into the final third, the flavor profile has not changed any further, but it has gotten bolder. The cedar is getting stronger, the cinnamon is slightly sweet, and the peppery finish lasts much longer, and has a good deal more bite to it. Very nice progression. Really hitting the sweet spot with about one and 3/4 inches remaining.

Ended at 1:17am for a total smoke time of one hour and twenty two minutes. What a fantastic example of what a mild cigar can be when done well. Great complexity in flavor profile, deliciously bold, earthy and slightly spicy, without being overly powerful or heavy. At no point does this cigar have any sort of strength to it, but it is full flavored from start to finish.

Cabaiguan

2010-11-08T14:50:00.000-08:00

CABAIGUAN
7x47 "Imperiales"

The Cabaiguan line is Pete Johnson's "mild" Tatuaje extension. It features a Connecticut shade wrapper grown in Ecuador, around a Nicaraguan filler and binder. I am fairly certain it was the first additional line Johnson created with Pepin Garcia after the Tatuaje cigars that started it all. This particular Cabaiguan, the Imperiales, is a gorgeous Churchill sized cigar, with a smooth, light caramel brown colored wrapper, no veins, and an impressive oiliness to it. Most Connecticut wrappers tend to have a slick silky feel, but not oily. This particular example is even a little toothy! The aroma from the foot is of mild tobacco, slight cedar, and a little nuttiness, like pecans. The cold draw is wonderful, a slightly sweet cedar, mellow smooth tobacco, and a tangy floral note that is delicate, but interesting. The pack is even. Unfortunately there is a slight tear in the wrapper from the foot upwards, about once inch. Hopefully this will burn through without issue.

Lit at 4:55pm.

Right away there is significantly more presence than I expected. This is most certainly a solid medium right out of the gate. There is a heavy oaky wood flavor, a smooth medium tobacco, a toasty nut flavor, and a significant white pepper finish. Not at all what I expected, but certainly a nice surprise!

Getting a little way into the first third, the split portion of the wrapper is not causing any problems, a sign of a good binder no doubt. The flavor has settled into a nice charred oak, a slight leather, and a creamy sweetness. The finish is smooth and mild, with none of the pepper that was initially present. The ash is a beautiful, evenly ringed white and gray color. It holds firmly for a bit over an inch before falling in a big ol' clump into the ash tray.

In the second third a slight way, the performance of this cigar continues much the same. Smooth, and mellow, woody especially. The pepper continues to hide, while the is a continued leathery character. The floral element present on the cold draw has reared it's sweet head here through the nose especially. The progression of flavor currently is something like this... Oak on the draw, creamy tobacco, floral through the nose, and a sweet cedar and leather finish that lasts a very long time. Smoke production is wonderful, and the draw is easy. The burn line has been slightly crooked for a while now, leaning to one side slightly. Not a problem however.

In the final third things are starting to get heavier, richer, creamier on the palette. The second third was fairly mild, in strength at least. The pepper has now made a reappearance in a smooth way on the finish. The draw is still woody. the floral note has disappeared. The cedar flavor is stronger, and sweeter now, lingering from about the mid point through the finish. This is certainly a very characterful "mild" cigar, and does not have any of the bite or grassy flavors so common in mild sticks. The burn line has straightened out perfectly, and is now razor sharp. The only negative thing I have encountered with this cigar is that is is starting to get hot a little early. The cigar itself is cool up to the burn line, but the smoke it getting warm with 2 inches left, rather than at the nub. Continued smoking to about the one inch, maybe one and one quarter inch mark.

Ended at 7pm, for a total smoke time of two hours and five minutes. This was a surprisingly robust, and full flavored cigar, despite being billed as a milder entry in the Tatuaje catalog. Strength wise, it never really gets above medium, but the flavors present are certainly more in the medium-full realm, which was a nice surprise. There are several transitions that are nice, especially in this large size. Great cigar to sit back and spend an afternoon enjoying.

Joya de Nicaragua Celebracion

2010-11-01T19:19:00.000-07:00

JOYA DE NICARAGUA CELEBRACION
6x50 Toro

The Celebracion is a line extension from JdN, following the success of the Antano lines. It features a similar blend of Nicaraguan tobaccos in the binder and filler, and uses a great looking Criollo wrapper. It has a classic simplicity to its appearance that appeals to my personal taste. It is also flawlessly constructed though still very obviously hand made. It is slightly lumpy, but has invisible seams, literally undetectable. So much so that I am going to need a magnifying glass to properly cut the cap! The body of the cigar itself has a very good aroma to it, pungent and full of barnyard elements. I am impressed by the strength of this aroma coming from the length of the cigar, and not the foot! The foot has a smell reminiscent of spicy pastries, filled with fruit, cinnamon, and nutmeg. The cold draw has only a slight resistance, and it rich with sweet raisin and vanilla bean flavor, with a slight hint of cedar.

Lit at 6:00pm.

Initial flavors include a sweet tobacco, a light cedar, maybe a mild fruit note, and a smooth peppery finish. Took to flame wonderfully, etc. Good start.

In the first third, the Celebracion performs wonderfully. The flavor is mostly of creamy, sweet tobacco, with a slight spice like nutmeg and raisins. There is a cedar element that follows. The flavor lingers on the front of the tongue. The smoke production is good, not overwhelming, but certainly not weak. The ash is holding firm over an inch at this point. The burn line has needed to attention, and while not razor sharp, it certainly corrects itself as it burns.

After rolling the ash for the first time a little over an inch in, a bold cinnamon flavor comes on the draw wonderfully, and compliments the raisin and nutmeg flavors that were (mildly) present already. This is certainly a cigar that I would call pastry like. It reminds me of french apple pie, or a good Strudel.

In the second third the flavors sort of move around on the palette. The sweet and spicy taste receptors on the palette continue to be the most heavily stimulated. The burn is also really slow, which is nice. It has been over 45 minutes now, and I am MAYBE an inch into the second third. Mouth feel has gotten increasingly smooth and creamy. It was always good and full feeling, but there is a decadent creamy element that is just very nice.

The strength has come up significantly, where it was not even noticeable up to this point. I'm starting to feel it a little bit in my stomach, so something sweet to drink might be necessary to quell the queasiness.

By the band point, things have turned a little bit spicier in terms of pepper heat on the palette. The finish consists now of a continuing creamy cinnamon sweetness and a peppery tingle on the tip of the tongue, moving in waves to the rear of the throat.

With about an inch and a half left, the flavor is getting a little bitter, and the physical body of the stick is getting kind of soft. I thought that the head end of the cigar felt a little squishy before I started smoking it, and now that it is getting so soft, I think that sort of confirms my suspicion that it wasn't perfectly packed at this end. No big deal. This thing has burned for so long so far that to just be having a construction issue now is sort of insignificant. Not keeping me from smoking though...

In the last inch and a half the wrapper has sort of split opened from the burn line down a little way. Binder is still doing its job though, so no leaking. Continues fine to the last nub.

Ended at 8:00pm. because it was an even time. I could have probably smoked for another 5 minutes, but it was starting to get harsh and hot, so it seemed right to let it go ahead and die. Over all the flavor profile on this cigar was very unique, which I have found to be the case with a good number of JdN cigars I've had recently. Very pleased with how this one turned out. The price is also very low on these, so get them while and when you have a chance. Great smoke to have on hand to enjoy. I will be interested to see how these pair with different beverages in the future, I can imagine a lot of rums and bourbons would go well with the pastry like profile this cigar has for the majority of the length of burn. Good smoke!

AVO Classic

2010-10-25T11:25:00.000-07:00

AVO No.9
4 3/4 x 48

This Dominican made, Connecticut wrapped classic is the original, core line from world renowned musician, and cigar "Composer" Avo Uvezian. The AVO classic line, as well as the other AVO lines are produced at the Tabadom factory in the DR, through Davidoff of Geneva, which certainly gives an immediate sense of elegance and class to the AVO brand. This small robusto/corona extra features a silky smooth, almost vein free Connecticut wrapper, with tight seams, and a good looking, if slightly lop-sided double cap. It has a fairly firm pack, becoming slightly softer near the foot. The color is a medium caramel brown, even and neat looking. The raw aroma is of mild tobacco, with both hints of barnyard hay, and a slight soapy aroma. Not often that I get the soap smell, but it is always interesting. The cold draw is a little grassy, mild tobacco, and a hint of that musty aged smell.

Lit at 11:15pm

Initial impression is a soft, smooth tobacco flavor, with a light earthy feel to it. Not much else, but it is a very mellow, relaxed profile that I quite enjoy already.

About 3/4 of an inch in now, and there is a light white pepper finish, preceded by a mild, dry cedar and tobacco on the draw. Burn line is flawless, draw is perfect, and the ash is a beautiful, chunky, bright white. Even through the nose this is a very mellow, pleasant smoke. I could probably exhale an entire draw through my nose, and suffer no ill effects as a result. The mouthfeel is creamy, but no cream flavor is present. Towards the end of the first third there is a toasty nut flavor, like cashews, that makes an appearance briefly on each draw.

In the second third things get a little more robust. Cedar gets a little stronger, rounder on the palette. The tobacco flavor becomes less grassy, and more rich. The pepper on the finish is also a little more apparent. Good tingling feel over the tongue. Interesting development, as this is where most sticks seem at their mildest.

Hitting the final third, the musty tobacco that I could smell before the light is now present on the finish, along with the white pepper. Mellow tobacco, robust cedar and now musty aged tobacco are all present. The draw and burn continue perfectly. The ash falls at one inch intervals, as it has from the beginning. The ash is still an attractive, bright white color.

Ended at 12:40. As you can see I really smoked this one as far as humanly possible. Just a really great, balanced, mild, mellow profile. Straight forward flavors, no strength to speak of, but nothing bad. Balanced really is the word I would use to describe this cigar. Perfectly balanced. Good smoke.

Arturo Fuente Flor Fina 8-5-8 Candela

2010-10-18T20:23:00.000-07:00

ARTURO FUENTE FLOR FINA 8-5-8 CANDELA
6x47

This is a first for me. A candela wrapped cigar. I have never smoked one myself, and have honestly not read much about them either. I know that at one point in time the Candela wrapper was enormously popular in America, but today only a very select few manufacturers even offer a cigar with a Candela wrapper. Recently there has been a little buzz about this unique leaf, so I decided to give one a shot. The AF FF 8-5-8 Candela is a fairly inexpensive cigar, weighing in at just over $5.00 US at my local, and on many websites. It features a fantastic olive green wrapper, with a slick velvet feel to it, reminiscent of many Connecticut shade wrappers in terms of feel, but ultimately very different. There are almost no veins on the entire length of this cigar. The filler seems perfectly bunched, and is even from one end to the other. The body of the cigar has a somewhat fruit like smell, while the foot gives off a grassy, mild tobacco aroma. The cold draw is just slightly loose, evidence of that great Fuente construction we all know and love. There is a heavy grass flavor, with a mild peppery finish present on the pre-light draw. It reminds me of very young tobacco, but without any "sick" qualities, and an added pepper complexity. Very interesting.

Lit at 10:55pm.

Right away there is a grassy tobacco flavor that also has a hint of wood in it. There is a flavor that sort of flies through the palette quickly that I can't quite pin down yet as well... Something herbal. There is also a surprisingly potent black pepper finish that is pretty nice.

About 3/4 of an inch into this cigar, and it is really showing its unique profile. The flavor is still grassy, mild tobacco, with a peppery finish, but I have determined that the unknown element present from the beginning was, and still is, an herbal tea like flavor. Very interesting. Hope this profile keeps up. The pepper has mellowed slightly, and everything is just smooth sailing at this point. The ambient smoke coming from the foot is sweet and grassy, slightly biting (not harsh, just a sharp aroma), while, to borrow a term usually applied to alcoholic beverages, the actual palette smoke and flavor is very dry. No sweetness to be found here. Ash falls for the first time at about one inch.

Really getting into the swing of things, and everything is smooth, and mild, but flavorful. This is definitely a mild cigar, and an interesting one at that. The wrapper seems to add such a unique element... The grassy flavor is very interesting. Normally a grassy flavor isn't something I enjoy, and it is also usually accompanied by a good deal of bitterness. Instead this is a dry, earthy grass flavor, that is unlike any other I have had before, and shows no signs of poor treatment of tobacco.

Just two draws before the ash falls for a second time, there is the addition of an earthy, wood flavor, not sweet like cedar, more moist, and almost oak like. This slight fortification of flavor is certainly a welcome addition. Unfortunately, a split has developed in the wrapper, in the shape of a Y, from the burn line down about 1/4 of an inch. Hopefully it will just burn through without issue.

At the halfway point I have given it a little touch up with my torch to help it burn neatly past the crack in the wrapper. Flavor remains the same, grassy on the draw, followed by an herbal/tea flavor briefly, with a drawn out oak wood flavor, and a smooth black pepper finish. All of these elements combine very nicely to make a great mild smoke so far.

In the final third I am starting to get a little sweetness becoming apparent. Not like a maduro, but just a faint, floral sweetness. It is nice with the grass and tea flavors. The oak flavor is still here as well, and rounds things out nicely, giving a little more depth to the feel of this smoke.

Ended at 12:45am. Pretty long smoke. I'm going to just say this in summary... Don't be afraid of the green wrapper. At least in the case of the Fuente candela, it makes for a fantastic alternative for a mild smoke. Dry, earthy, and floral. Great smoke.

Tatuaje Petite Cazadores Reserva

2010-10-12T19:38:00.000-07:00

Apologies for the lack of updates over the last week or so... I have a few reviews written up and ready to post, so expect them all to show up in the next few days...

TATUAJE PETITE CAZADORES RESERVA
4x40

This little corona/small cigar is one of two 4x40 vitolas that Pete Johnson and Tatuaje Cigar debuted at IPCPR this year. The other is the Verocru no.5, an extension on the Verocru Havana VI extension. Cigar lines can become a little complicated, but hopefully these are clear enough. The Petite Cazadores Reserva is a new, regular production in the Reserva line, a segment of the Brown Label line that forms the core of Tatuaje cigars, and constitute less limited releases of special cigars from Tatuaje (the Cojonu series, the RC cigars, etc.) In this case, the Petite Cazadores Reserva is designated 'Reserva' due to its use of the awe inspiring, dark as night Connecticut Broadleaf Maduro wrapper which is very highly regarded. In color it is, as I mentioned, a smooth dark chocolate. There are no really large veins visible. The seams are tight, and the triple cap is fantastic. An interesting little element of this small smoke is the closed foot, which Johnson seems to like, using it on his personal blend, the Tatuaje Black Label, and now this. The aroma is slight, and chocolate like. The closed foot prevents much of a smell, and not much feel for the cold draw either. There is a slight sweet tobacco flavor, and a hint of cocoa on the pre-light draw. Need to light it for it to open up.

Lit at 11:00pm.

The draw here at the beginning is a little firm, but smoke production isn't bad, so we'll see how that pans out. Flavor initially is a pure black coffee taste, with a slight sweetness on the draw, followed by a dry leather and pepper finish. Great start.

The ash is a beautiful dark gray color, with very heavy white tooth to it. The ring structure often present in cigar ash is displayed here flawlessly. Very attractive. About a fourth of the way in the ash is holding tight. Flavor remains sweet tobacco, black coffee a slight leather, and a smooth pepper on the finish. This is billed as being a powerful blend, but really it reminds me of a miniature version of the 7th Reserva, minus any boldness. More a smooth relaxed overall feel, rather than any biting power like so many of Pepin and Pete Johnson's blends have. As a small cigar, so far this is perfect for a relaxing escape.

Rolled the ash off at about an inch and a quarter. Burn line has been flawless to this point. Flavor remains pretty consistent. Not really anything I wouldn't expect in a small stick like this. Delicious flavor so far though. Draw has remained really tight. I see what looks like a fat stem right in the middle. Pulled it out. Unfortunately it seems to have run the entire length of the cigar. After removal the draw is flawless. Just a slight tug of resistance. Fortunately, the removal of this little plug isn't so traumatic as to affect anything other than to improve the draw. That's a relief. I have smoked 5 of these prior to this write up, and I can say with almost absolute certainty that this little hiccup is just that, a one time fluke.

Getting to about the band point, performance is still perfect. Flavor remains the same, with a bit of a growth in the pepper, both flavor and tingling feel-wise. Put a nub clip in it (everyone calls it my roach clip, haha) to keep smoking as far as possible. For such a small stick, with less than an inch left, at 40 ring gauge, it is pretty impressive that it hasn't gotten hot at all.

Ended at 12:10am. Didn't expect that! Really long time for such a small cigar (one hour and ten minutes). Perfect performance aside from the tough draw initially. Great flavors, fantastic even. Smoke production has never been short of amazing. Leather, coffee, sweet tobacco, pepper. Great profile, and everything I have come to expect from Tatuaje cigars, especially those using the Connecticut Broadleaf wrapper. This is definitely a cigar I will be buying more of. They come in Cabs of 50 cigars, at a good price that works out to about $4/stick, which is cheap for any Brown Label cigar. Consider this a new addition to my regular smoke rotation.

Tatuaje The 7th Reserva

2010-10-05T21:34:00.000-07:00

TATUAJE THE 7TH RESERVA
5 5/8 x 46

This is the corona gorda that everyone has been waiting for. Corona Gordas have done very well in the other Tatuaje lines (The Hermosos in the Havana VI line, the Serie P P1, the La Riqueza and El Triunfador No. 3s, etc.) I, and certainly others, have been waiting with baited breath for a Corona Gorda from the Brown Label (La Seleccion de Cazador) line. For me, the Corona Gorda is a fantastic size because it has a smaller ring gauge than a Robusto, giving you a little more wrapper flavor, and a greater length, allowing you cooler smoke, among other benefits. The Robusto will probably always be the benchmark size in any line, but for me, the Corona Gorda usually ends up being my personal favorite vitola. On top of the pleasure of getting a Corona Gorda Brown Label, we get a Reserva version, with the always flavorful Connecticut Broadleaf wrapper, which is much loved on several sticks made by Pepin Garcia, and the My Father/DPG crew, including the famed and much sought after Noella Reserva, The Jaime Garcia Reserva Especial, and of course the super rare Frank Monster series cigar. To say that the Broadleaf Reserva Tatuajes hold a special place in the hearts and humidors of many smokers would be an understatement. So here we go...

The wrapper on this 7th Reserva is a dark chocolate color, not completely even in tone, but slightly splotchy, and extremely oily. There is a fine toothiness to the wrapper that you can't quite feel, but can certainly see. There are a few veins, only one of which is in any way pronounced. The seams are tight, straight, and even. The pack feels fantastic, having just the right amount of give to it, even from one end to the other, and showing no soft or hard spots. The triple cap, in obvious Garcia fashion, and perfect. I have yet to see a genuine Cuban cigar with a triple cap applied as well, flawlessly even, as most Garcia made cigars. The raw aroma is of sweet tobacco, with a slight hint of wood. Not particularly spicy or powerful on the nose. The cold draw is sweet, and earthy, with a slight mocha flavor. Mostly there is just a good earthy tobacco core. Maybe a very slight spice on the tongue and lips.

Lit at 11:35pm.

My initial impression is of a rich peppery spice, followed by an earthy tobacco. There is then a slight espresso, black as night, flavor that sort of dances around the palette, mostly to the rear, and the throat. A creeping, smooth pepper creeps up from the back of the throat and gradually, very slowly moves into the palette, lending itself to a very long, spicy finish. Great, complex start. Lets see how the rest goes...

The draw through the entire first third has been fantastic, almost no resistance, but producing massive amounts of smoke. If only everything smoked this easily. Ash is sort of flowering at the very foot, but not more than the first 1/4 inch, so I can't explain the cause. The rest of the ash holding is firm, tight even, and bright white in color, displaying tons of little tooth bumps. Burn line is straight and even. Flavor in the first third remains much the same as the initial profile. Pepper up front, followed by sweet earthy tobacco, a little black coffee, and then a smooth peppery spice that lingers. Through the nose I pick up just a little chocolate, as well as more pepper.

Getting a little way into the second third, the coffee flavor still is present in the middle, but a stronger cocoa has moved in on the finish. The pepper is mellowed a bit, which is not atypical when black pepper flavors are present. It is still here, just less powerful and biting. Overall I would describe the only changes in the second third as a mellowing, and smoothing of flavor, plus the addition of a cocoa note that is very nice. The burn line, and general performance continues to be flawless. The body is medium to full at present. Not feeling much in terms of nicotine right now, but the overall experience is fairly deep hitting, earthy and round.

Just prior to the start of the final third the smoke becomes suddenly, over the course of one of two draws, much bolder. The strength has come up a bit as well. Nothing unpleasant or a poor transition. The flavor remains mostly cocoa and coffee, with an earthy overall tone to it. Deep and powerful, but now bolder and more biting on the palette, the cocoa is sweeter, and coffee more bitter, and the pepper, still smooth but a little more... tingling. Performance remains flawless. Pete has said before that he doesn't care how a cigar burns, as long as it tastes great, well I for one am glad that Pepin and his rollers care, because a burn this perfect makes for a very laid back, relaxing smoke. I haven't had to touch my lighter once since the initial toasting and lighting, which is rare, even among the most high end cigars I have had.

With about an inch and a quarter remaining, I would call the sudden change... buttery, with a slight nuttiness. Coffee and cocoa are still present, but only in a sort of flighty, brief manner, followed by a creamy flavor, with a hot pepper on the finish.

Ended at 1:10am for a total smoke time of one hour and 35 minutes. I have to say, I am a fan of Tatuaje cigars in general, but this one is just so consistent, flavorful, and balanced that it certainly counts among my favorites. I am just glad I have some more in the humidor. Very good. I think this is a perfect example of a well blended cigar. Complex, not overwhelming, strong, but not too strong, and with a distinct, delicious flavor profile. Oh, and the PERFECT performance doesn't hurt either. As you can see, I smoked this one down to the very end.

Liga Privada T-52

2010-09-30T20:27:00.000-07:00

LIGA PRIVADA T-52
6x52 TORO

I feel it is only fair to start by admitting that my past experiences with the Liga Privada world have not exactly blown my socks off. There is a lot of chatter about these sticks, and having smoked a few No. 9s in the last, I wasn't really impressed. Good cigars, yes. But not quite worthy of the hype. I has been a few months though, and the Ligas are back on the shelves at the moment, so I'm going to give them another fair shot. This is my first experience with the T-52 blend, and at first glance, this is a really nice looking cigar. It has a super oily, super toothy wrapper that is applied with such correct technique that I am tempted to just photograph it, and frame it, rather than smoke it. Now, when I say the wrapper is super toothy, that isn't quite fair. It is beyond toothy. It almost has a hairy appearance. It is pretty wild actually. The seams are really tight, and the pack feels dense, and even. The cap is applied so well that I have to look really closely to see where the shoulder begins. The aroma is very unique, almost aromatic. I'm not talking about the oils and what not that Drew Estate uses for their ACID lines, but rather, it has a strong, earthy, floral character that is downright herbal in nature, and very interesting. Off the foot there is an added element of cocoa and spice that really rounds everything off nicely. The cold draw is PERFECT. Just a slight tug of resistance, and it gives a heavy chocolate flavor, with a slight spice following behind that is downright delicious. Maybe I was too quick to write off these cigars... We'll see...

Lit at 6:10pm

Initial flavors are a bold pepper and spice, followed by a smooth, steady lingering chocolate, sweet, not bitter. The finish is slow and smooth, leaving a tingling black pepper burn across the tongue, and down the throat. Definitely a powerful start. This thing also burns like a bonfire. Sitting on the edge of my ashtray, it burns steadily, giving off great tufts of blue smoke, as much as a minute and a half after the last draw taken.

Settling into a good rhythm in the first third, the chocolate has mellowed out a bit, and the flavors have become very meaty and leathery. Pepper still is present on the long, smooth finish, tingling still. The ash is a dark gray and black, with a loose look to it. Not tight and firmly packed, but rather, each ring (the stacked quarters effect is present) seems to want to pull apart from the next. Not a problem though, as one inch in, it doesn't look like it's going to fall. Through the nose there is a big black coffee flavor. Meaty and leathery on the draw, coffee through the nose, and pepper on the finish. Very complex and delicious.

Rolled the ash in the tray at the one and one half inch mark, out of fear that it was about to crash into my lap. The burn is not RAZOR sharp, but it is definitely straight enough to call straight. Still giving off massive amounts of ambient smoke. The flavor remains bold, like steak au poivre. Meaty, with a black pepper bite. Through the second third to just about the halfway point I have started to get hints of that cocoa coming back, with a touch of sweetness. The leathery, meatiness is still the dominant flavor, but it dances into a pleasant touch of chocolate, then jumps headlong into the black pepper bite that mellows evenly through the course of the finish.

Starting to get a hint of musty aged tobacco flavor on the lips near the start of the final third that is just one more step towards the overt complexity of this blend. Very enjoyable so far, as a smoke to sit down and pay close attention to. The flavors are starting to swing to a more coffee based profile, roasted beans, slight bitterness, and a deep earthy feel. The black pepper on the finish has increased, having smoothed out in the second third, now ramping up with a bit more heat. The ash has gone from a dark gray and black to a dark brown and black color. Not something I have seen before. Pretty cool.

Starting to get a bit of strength from this cigar with about an inch and a half left. It has been gradually building, medium at first, but now approaching the fuller side of the medium-full spectrum for sure. Not unpleasant or anything, but noticeable. Everything has sort of come full circle, and I'm getting a little bit of everything, leather, pepper, cocoa, coffee, all of it at once, mingling together. Nothing muted, and as such, a little overwhelming.

Ended at 7:46pm, when the nub finally became too hot and harsh to keep smoking. This is definitely an impressive, very complex smoke. Call me a skeptic going into it, but I am definitely now a believer. Very highly recommended.

Graycliff G2 Turbo

2010-09-26T14:05:00.000-07:00

GRAYCLIFF G2 TURBO
6x60 Torpedo

This big fat torp is a bit of a departure for Graycliff, as it was blended by, and is produced by A.J. Fernandez, and uses Nicaraguan tobacco, unlike the regular lines produced for the Graycliff company at the Graycliff resort in Nassau. The wrapper is billed as a maduro, which is mind boggling, as this cigar looks more like a light colored Cameroon wrapper. Maybe a Colorado Claro shade at most. Very strange... It has no heavy veins to it, and has a slick, velvety feel, that I most often associate with Connecticut Shade wrappers. The foot has a slightly barnyardy aroma, with a touch of cedar on top. The cold draw is slightly firm, and has a dry, woody flavor to it.

Lit at 1am.

The initial flavor is a powerful and very enjoyable cedar. It is fairly light on the palette, with no spice. It is a little on the sweet side. The finish has a slight pepper, red pepper.

In the first third, the burn is wavy, but not uneven on any particular side. The flavor remains woody, with a mild pepper finish. This is a surprisingly mild start for a cigar blended by AJ Fernandez, who tends to have a somewhat heavy handed approach to ligero and heat in his smokes. The mouthfeel is generally smooth, and creamy. There is a slight cream flavor actually becoming apparent about one inch in. Very pleasant. The draw and smoke production aren't great. A little firm, and not a lot of smoke. Ash at this time is firm, solid even, and a bright white in color.

Rolled the ash off in the ashtray a little over an inch in. It stays together in one big chunk. I decided to stick a poker a little way into the head and see if I might open the draw a little bit. Sure enough, between smoking a little way in, and hitting it with a poker, the draw has opened up very well. The smoke production increases a bit, and the draw is well enough loosened that it is much better generally now. The flavor remains creamy, and woody. Cedar flavor has taken a turn for the sweet. What has me most impressed at this point is that fact that despite being a 60 ring gauge cigar, it continues to burn evenly, and without the need of a single touch up or any other maintenance.

A shirt way into the final third there is a sweet spiciness that comes up on the draw following a brief cedar flavor. It is not quite cinnamon, but more like nutmeg with a peppery heat to it. This is definitely a good development on an otherwise less than exciting (but good in its simplicity) cigar.

Starting to get pretty hot and a little bitter with about an inch and a half left. Going to go ahead an end it, because it is sort of becoming unpleasant in its bitterness.

Ended at 2:39am for a total smoke time of one hour 39 minutes. Overall, this was a milder smoke than I expected, and not overly complex, however it has a few favors that are present and deliver in spades. I am shocked that I never felt any strength from this cigar at any point, despite its use of Nicaraguan tobacco, blended by AJ Fernandez. Overall I had a pleasant experience with this cigar, and needed to basically pay it no attention to have it perform perfectly (once the draw opened up). Good smoke!

Camacho Corojo

2010-09-23T20:48:00.000-07:00

CAMACHO COROJO
5 1/2 x 44 "Nacionales"

This gorgeous corona by all accounts seems to be the standard mainstay by which all Camacho products should be judged. While the limited releases like the Liberty and the P.E. garner a fair amount of hype and chatter, lines like this one are really what most of us are smoking from Camacho regularly, and with good reason. This Honduran masterpiece features a dark milk chocolate wrapper, with both an appearance and even texture reminiscent of cocoa powder in its raw form. There is a toothy roughness to the exterior of the wrapper that feels and looks great. The vein structure is only visible to a very scrutinizing gaze, and is certainly not able to be felt at all. There is a good hand-made lumpiness as I like to think of it to the pack of this cigar. It isn't overly firm, but seems properly balanced and built, with no soft or hard spots to be found. The aroma off the foot the really something to be savored, and reminds me of (I know this is nuts) a peanut butter and chocolate candy, something like a Reeses Peanut Butter Cup. The cold draw is perfect in terms of how tight or loose it is. Just a good resistance, but it draws well. The flavor pre-light is kind of a mix of cocoa and earth, with a little nuttiness. Makes sense with the peanut butter cup aroma. Delicious start!

Lit at 11:01 pm.

Initial flavor is heavy on espresso, toasted nuts, and pepper. There is a sweetness present with the espresso and nuts that fades as the powerful pepper comes on, and lasts for quite a long time. Great finish.

Through the first third, the flavor remains earthy, with a slight nuttiness, and cocoa sweetness. Pepper is still present after the draw, but has smoothed out a bit and is no longer as biting, rather it has a lingering tingling feel to it. The body is pretty big on this one. Small stick, but bold, and a noticeable strength even in this first section. The pepper flavor is black pepper, but lingers and zings more like red pepper, and even feels like it is going to give me heartburn later (ha!). Ash holds for about an inch before it starts to lean really far to the left and gets rolled into the ashtray for the sake of my lap.

Getting into the second third I surprised that I have to give the wrapper a touch up more than once to keep it burning evenly with the filler. Not something that I expected. Not a big deal though. Hopefully this is a one time thing here. At the half way mark something magical happens. For a few draws now, the peanut butter cup flavor present on the cold draw has become powerfully noticeable. Really great. Where both nuts and cocoa were present early on, this is more like a milk chocolate and peanut butter flavor that is dessert like as can be. Through the nose, a powerful spice is still dominant, and sort of overwhelms the delicate Reeses flavor. But on the draw it is awesome!

In the final third the flavor starts to get a little bitter and hot. Performing well still though. After a few touch ups in the second third, the burn has straightened itself out, and all tunneling has been avoided. In this third I am suddenly starting to really feel the strength. Not killing me, but I'm getting a little buzzed and sweaty. So this one will treat you full strength junkies well. Stomach might be doing some flips too.

Ended at 12:50pm for a total burn time of one hour 50 minutes. WOW. Really long time for a corona sized cigar. Despite a few burn issues in the middle, the overall experience is fantastic. Strength is full, especially in the last third. Flavors are just really interesting and unique. Very good.

Diesel Unholy Cocktail

2010-09-20T11:50:00.000-07:00

DIESEL UNHOLY COCKTAIL
5x56 Belicoso

This has been one of the most raved about blends from AJ Fernandez since he came into the spotlight recently. It is a strong Nicaraguan blend that focuses on body, and the super toothy, thick, nasty PA Broadleaf wrapper it makes use of. It has a rough, sandpaper look and feel to it, but is a dark chocolate in color, and even (to some extent) in aroma. The seams look great, visible, but tight and straight, and there are only a few small veins visible in this otherwise tooth coated wrapper leaf. The aroma off the foot is sweet and earthy. The pack seems even, and full, giving the stick an overall firm feel. The cold draw is a little firm, but not problematically so. It features a light pepper, and deep earthy tobacco flavor with a touch of sweetness.

Lit at 9:50pm.

Right away there is a great coffee flavor, roasted and nutty. There is a very very slight pepper that moves around on the finish.

In the first third the coffee notes of various types continue to dominate. There is a roasted nuttiness, and even a little bit of a mocha flavor. The finish is earthy and a little peppery. Nothing overpowering yet, just solid. About an inch in, and the ash is holding well. It is thick and white, mottled with black spots, and a lot of visible tooth. The strength has already become apparent, hitting me in the gut just a little. Flavor really does coat the palette, and is well balanced between the sweetness from the wrapper, and the slightly bitter, roasted coffee flavor. It works really well.

Just getting to the start of the second third, and a great chocolate flavor, like sweet milk chocolate (of a high quality) comes on through the nose really well, and it is great mixing with the coffee flavor. The burn line is slightly uneven, and has been off and on since the beginning. It corrects itself well, but as soon as one point straightens out, another point moves. Nothing problematic. Rolled the ash for the first time at about two inches for fear of getting nailed with it if it fell (which it seemed it would soon do) into my lap.

As the final third opens up, the finish has become a little spicier, and leathery. The sweetness has dropped a good deal, leaving everything earthy, rich, and heavy feeling. The mouthfeel has gone from oily and smooth to a little harsh, not unpleasantly so, just a sign of more strength to come. The coffee is still present in a bitter expression, which leaves things a little unbalanced, having lost the sweetness. The overall palette experience at this point of bold enough though that the lack of sweet stimulation isn't really bad, just a change.

Ended at 11:21 for a total smoke time of one hour 31 minutes, which is a perfectly good time for this size cigar. Nothing overly complex going on here, but it is certainly a flavorful, powerful smoke. Oh and did I mention that these run about $3 US in boxes of 30? Can't beat that price! These would make a fantastic every day smoke for fans of fuller bodied cigars, and the flavors present.

Joya de Nicaragua Cabinetta

2010-09-18T19:05:00.000-07:00

Apologies for the recent lack of updates. Taken ill in the sinus region... Back and smoking...

JOYA DE NICARAGUA CABINETTA
5x52

This is certainly a VERY unique cigar, being that it has two wrappers applied to it, an Ecuador grown Connecticut shade wrapper from foot to band, and from band to head, a Nicaraguan Criollo wrapper leaf. The Ecuador is light tan in color, very smooth, silky in texture with no tooth or veins visible. The Nica wrapper is, in contrast, dark, and very toothy, and leathery tough to the touch. This should prove to be an interesting combination. The foot smells like fruit and nuts, raisins particularly. Almost a pastry like quality to the aroma, which is very pleasant. The draw is fairly firm. Hopefully not problematically so. The cold draw flavor is sweet and spicy, and actually reminds me of some of the higher end Fuente sticks. There is a dessert spice flavor (ie. Nutmeg, cinnamon, and Sweet nuts like Hazelnut) element that is very nice.

Lit at 10:51pm.

Flavor initially is of rich sweet tobacco, with a very mild spice on the finish.

Through the nose there is a good cinnamon that lingers on the palette through the finish, mingling with the pepper. The burn line is great, not perfectly straight, but slightly wavy. Performing well so far. The mix of flavors typical of lighter milder sticks, characterized here by the Connecticut wrapper, including creamy nut flavors, and the dark Criollo wrapper, like rich earth and pepper is very interesting.The draw unfortunately is resulting in somewhat poor smoke production.

Currently the ash has held on through all of the first third and into half of the second third which is unbelievable frankly. The flavors have remained constant, but nthe mouth feel has gotten very creamy, literally leaving a sweet film like sensation coating the mouth, like drinking... well... cream.

At roughly the halfway point the draw has suddenly opened up significantly, with smoke production increasing appropriately. The pepper on the finish has also risen a bit, which I find slightly unusual for this point in the cigar. Usually pepper changes occur at the begging or end of smokes, in my experience.

The ash finally falls, in one big log, right at the band point, which basically means the ash held on for just shy of 4 inches, naturally, turned sideways, etc. Unbelieveable! As the burn line moves closer to the transition from light to dark wrapper, the taste also starts to change from caramel sweet to cocoa or even coffee flavor, which is no surprise.

In the final third this stick becomes a bit of a powerhouse. The strength ramps up a bit as the Criollo wrapper starts burning too. Looking closely, it is clear that the light wrapper actually covers the whole stick, and that the dark wrapper is simply applied to the final third OVER the light. Interesting what that does, as the nutty cream flavor present early on is still fully present despite the addition of some much heavier flavors, like the toasted coffee and cocoa that the Criollo delivers. Very delicious combination. I would be interested to see what a "double wrappered" cigar would do... The peppery finish is still getting stronger as it burns, but with the sweet cinnamon flavor, it has basically turned this stick into a tingly, spicy cinnamon bun, which is... decadent (haha!) This final third has really blown me away with its intensity of flavors, and is certainly the best part of this cigar, despite the jump in (nicotine) strength, which anyone who has read my previous write-ups knows I am not a huge fan of.

Ended at 12:35am, for a total smoke time of one hour 44 minutes, which is a really long time for a Robusto. Very interesting smoke, not initially overly complex, but as the second wrapper begins to have more effect, it becomes very rich, and definitely VERY complex on the palette. Highly recommended. I am pretty sure these are reasonably priced as well, which just makes this an even more appealing smoke. Amazing job!

Alec Bradley Prensado

2010-09-12T13:35:00.000-07:00

ALEC BRADLEY PRENSADO
5x50 Robusto

The Prensado is a new, all box pressed line from the makers of the enormously successful Tempus, Alan Rubin and his company, Alec Bradley. What first catches my eye is the very attractive band. Alec Bradley sticks can definitely be easily identified by their gorgeous graphic work on the bands, often very ornate, and refined looking. I am a big fan of their visual appeal, and the Prensado is no exception. The cigar itself seems to be beautifull constructed. A little firmer than many, but that seems likely a result of the box pressing process. The wrapper is a nice dark caramel brown, with a slightly reddish, ruddy hue to it, which is very nice. It is slightly oily, and is silky smooth. I actually even have a hard time finding any veins at all, much less large or ugly veins. The cap reminds me of the slightly wrinkly, ugly wrappers that the less expensive Padrons have (not a bad thing, purely an aesthetic observation) and it seems well applied. The seams are difficult to even see they are so tight and even. There is a spicy cedar and very... Nicaraguan aroma off the foot. My understanding is that the wrapper is Honduran Corojo seed, but the filler is mostly Nicaraguan, which makes sense, and sounds delicious. The pre-light draw is smooth and woody, with a slight pepper bite to it.

Lit at 12:00am

Initially present are flavors of chocolate, roasted coffee beans, and a little wood, followed by a medium pepper on the finish. The finish at this point is not particularly long or bold. Flavors are good though.

Burning a little fast here in the first third. Ash is a dark, almost black color, very cool looking. Flavors have simplified a little to a roasted mocha type flavor, with a pretty big, long, tingling pepper finish. Very delicious. Just before getting into the second third a small tear has developed in the wrapper, from the burn line towards the head, about 1/4 of an inch long. Hopefully not an issue. We'll see.

Shortly into the second third the mocha has diminished a little, replaced by an earthy wood flavor, not a sweet airy cedar, but a heavy oaky flavor. The peppery finish remains, and continues as before. The second third remains entirely consistent the whole way. The burn is great. The small tear burned through just fine. The flavor has been impressively bold.

Getting into the final third, a small split has developed rear the shoulder line. The wrapper is the only thing torn, not the binder though. No big deal. There is a heavy, oily quality to the smoke now, it has gotten just really deep and thick. A few draws later a great sweet chocolate flavor comes back, really rich and creamy.

Ended at 1:25am, for a total burn time of one hour 25 minutes exactly. I am impressed that I didn't have any real burn issues, which I ten to get fairly often with box pressed sticks, including the box pressed Tempus. This one, however, burned flawlessly to the end. Very good. Rich flavors of cocoa and earth dominate throughout. The strength has come to a medium-full by the end. Not unpleasant, but present. Overall I think this is a really solid smoke. If it were priced better than the Tempus, I would consider it a brilliant alternative, however, as it is priced about the same, I would say it equally good as a smoke of similar profile, in the same price range.

Sol Cubano Cuban Cabinet

2010-09-08T23:07:00.000-07:00

SOL CUBANO CUBAN CABINET
6 1/2x44 "No. 1"

The Sol Cubano Cuban Cabinet was one of the first blends that Abdel "A.J." Fernandez worked on upon departing Cuba and setting out to create a name for himself as a blender and producer of cigars. The idea (as seems to be a pretty common one these days...) was to mimic the profile of Cuban cigars from the golden age of Habano production. Whether or not this cigar has anything in common with classic Habanos remains to be seen, but it is rolled in quite a few classic vitolas, including the massive 'A' and the squirrely Culebra. The No. 1 is a lonsdale, with a light caramel colored wrapper that has a silky smooth feel to it. The vein structure looks good, with only one good sized vein running the length of the wrapper leaf. Shouldn't be a problem hopefully. The foot has an aroma that I would call cedary, but otherwise is mostly just a medium tobacco smell, with a slight spice to it. The cold draw is spicy and woody, very similar to the aroma (cedar, medium tobacco flavor, and tingly spiciness)

Lit at 10:44pm.

Immediately the flavors are strong and have a kick to them. There is a strong, sweet cedar flavor, followed by a good wash of hot pepper across the palette, finally resting and lingering on the back of the tongue. Lit without a hitch, though the burn line is a little wavy.

Through the majority of the first third, the flavor has remained consistently woody with a mellow pepper finish (after the first few draws, it fell back to a smoother pepper sensation and flavor). The burn line straightened out quickly, and has been pretty much straight ever since. Finish is not particularly long, but is satisfying enough. The draw is just fine, maybe a little tight. Overall, this stick is performing well, but just not blowing me away with flavor or anything. Ash holds just over and inch before falling. It is very tight and firm, and stays together after crashing into the glossy china tray. One interesting, though irrelevant note is that the ash seems to lean to one side as it burns. I'm not sure what causes this phenomenon, but it is certainly very obviously present in this cigar. Cedar flavor has really come up to the front, and has become very sweet just over two inches in.

In the middle of the second third (so I guess the halfway point of the cigar) the cedar flavor takes on a slight floral note through the nose that is very pleasant and adds some welcome complexity to this otherwise good, but not very exciting smoke. This faintly floral perfume continues through the rest of the second third. Cedar and pepper continue unabated.

As the burn approaches the band (which is large, gaudy, and kind of flat out ugly in that it is entirely metallic and glossy) there is a little cinnamon, which is pleasant but not very powerful. The cinnamon flavor fades gradually, and eventually the flavor remaining is simply cedar and pepper, with a little sweet tobacco.

Ended at 12:26am for a total smoke time of one hour forty minutes, which is a perfectly good time for this size. My final thoughts on this cigar as as follows... While lacking in complexity, the flavors here are pleasant, and consistent, and the price is downright piddly, so these would make for an excellent every day, or social smoke. The strength is medium full at most, and in this particular stick, closer to medium. The one real saving grace, and notable plus to this cigar is how flawlessly it performed. I could set it down for two or three minutes, and almost forget about it, and the following draw would still be perfect, which again, is why I think these would make great party smokes, or yard smokes.

Petite Tatuaje Reserva

2010-09-06T21:38:00.000-07:00

PETITE TATUAJE RESERVA
4.5x32

I am immediately surprised by how perfectly this stick is constructed. It is a small cigar, or even a large cigarillo in size, and has perfectly straight, tight seams, very few veins in the Connecticut Broadleaf wrapper, and even has a triple cap (it seems) applied on it, which is ridiculously amazing for a cigar this size. The foot has an aroma that is earthy, and slightly sweet, almost floral. The color is like dark chocolate. Fantastic. The pre-light draw is very smooth and sweet, with a very vegetable and herbal quality to it. Reminds me of the aroma from dried chopped herbs.

Lit at 10:53pm.

Very bold leather flavor, with a slight cinnamon, and a peppery finish dominate right away. Not going to break this review down into thirds, but rather, I will just break things up as flavors change. Smoke production is out of this world, producing as much or more than most larger ("full sized") cigars do or would.

Ash holds for half an inch, sometimes further. Pretty impressive. Hasn't gotten hot or anything. Draw is a little tight, but not bad. Ash looks beautiful as well. Burn line remains flawless. Leather and pepper continue to be the dominant flavors at the halfway point.

Kind of shocked how long this little cigar is lasting. Coming close to the end, there is a good deal of pepper tingling across the burn, and the mouth feel becomes increasingly creamy.

Ended at 11:31pm, for a total burn time of 38 minutes, which is absolutely shocking. I expected this to be a 20 minute smoke, tops, but this cigar burns slower than some cigars many times its size. Very good value, and great flavors.

Viaje Oro Chico

2010-09-04T15:28:00.000-07:00

VIAJE ORO
5 1/2x44 "Chico"

This chubby corona will be my first experience with Viaje cigars, though their reputation and much hyped blends are certainly the reason that I jumped when a local B&M was getting rid of these at a low low price. Construction looks great. Almost invisible seams, only a few medium sized veins protruding, and a classy looking triple cap on top. The wrapper leaf is a fairly dark Corojo '99 that is slick and oily to the touch, and smells faintly spicy and woody. The foot has an aroma of chocolate, sweet tobacco, and a mild spice. The cold draw is smooth, and earthy, with a slight sweetness. It has just the right amount of resistance, maybe slightly loose.

Lit at 12:35.

Initially there is a deep earthy sweetness very reminiscent of cocoa, slightly raw and bitter. Smoke is voluminous, and oily on the palette. The finish is lengthy and features alternating chocolate and pepper flavors and sensations. Burn looks good within a few draws. Good start.

In the first inch or so the taste is rich, full of chocolate earth flavors. There is a considerable pepper zing, and flavor which lasts a very long time on the finish. The mouth feel continues to be oily and full. The smoke production has increased further. The ash is mostly black, with a little bit of gray and white here and there. It holds for 3/4 of an inch or so.

Just entering the second third the burn line needs a slight touch up, as it seems the wrapper is not burning quite fast enough to keep up with the filler unfortunately. Not a big deal. One touch up seems to have fixed this just fine. Flavors are still oily and rich, quite earthy in their overall impression. The cocoa is complimented by a slight espresso bitterness, still followed by a considerable peppery finish that continues to linger for quite some time still. Consistent in flavors perhaps, but certainly not lacking in boldness. Flavors have also become more refined, where things sort of blended into one another in the first third, they are starting to become more defined and singular in their presentation, which is nice, and adds a complexity to the overall taste that I was not expecting based my early impressions.

And just as soon as Stellan Skarsgård begins talking about cinnamon in Von Trier's film DOGVILLE (which I am watching while smoking), a bit of sweet spice, not unlike cinnamon creeps in on the draw, and especially through the nose, which is a pretty funny, and interesting coincidence. Delicious none-the-less!

As the final third draws in there I have just noticed a slight musty aged flavor that is left on my lips, sort of reminds me of a flavor I have gotten from some of the Tatuaje brown label cigars. The strength is also starting to come up a bit, not hitting me in the stomach so much, but rather just a slightly buzzy nicotine flutter. Not overly unpleasant or anything, but hopefully, as a non-fan of nicotine, it won't grow... The cocoa flavor has become slightly muted, while the pepper has become bolder. It stays this way through the finish.

Ended at 2:10am. Total burn time of one hour thirty five minutes. Good time, great strong, full flavors, and a good deal of body overall. Not overly complex, but certainly a good cigar. I hear the limited releases from Viaje are even better, so they will certainly be on deck for future smokes.

Arturo Fuente Sun Grown

2010-09-02T22:34:00.000-07:00

ARTURO FUENTE SUNGROWN
4.5x50 "Chateau Fuente"

This Rothschild sized cigar, I will admit from the get go, is one of my favorites from Fuente before even going into this review. It has been my experience that for the price they are a fantastic every day kind of smoke, that lasts just the right amount of time for my usual smoking period in the evening. It features a Sungrown sumatran wrapper from Ecuador, which gives it a bit more strength than the regular Fuente lines, which is fine by me. The wrapper is slightly oily, and very toothy as a result of the sungrowing process, which allows the leaf to spend more time sucking up nutrients from the soil and the sun, uninhibited by the half shade that a lot of wrapper is grown under. Construction is, as expected from A. Fuente, flawless. Veins are nice and smooth. The aroma off the foot is earthy, and slightly spicy. There is a strong cedar smell too, as the sungrown line comes cedar wrapped. The cold draw is smooth, and woody, with just a slight tug of resistance that is nice. The pack is firm, with just a slight give to it.

Lit at 6:21pm.

Initially there is a strong cedar wood flavor, with a slight earthiness to it, followed by a mellow pepper zing on the finish, which is not particularly long.

About an inch into the first third the burn line is kind of crooked, leaning to one side. Draw is perfect, smoke production is great. Flavors have strengthened as it has burned down, including a bold cedar wood flavor, and a deep earthy pepper that lingers in the back of the throat. Ash holds, but is slightly flaky, falling for the first time around 1.5 inches in. Just prior to the start of the second third there is a strong cinnamon flavor on the finish, towards the front of the palette, which goes wonderfully with the pepper that lingers on the back of the palette.

In the second third the flavors have not changed at all yet, still an earthy cedar, with a cinnamon and pepper that linger on the finish. The finish was short initially but has become quite long and creamy, lingering, and moving around on the palette a good deal. No real changes develop in the second third. It remains consistently creamy and woody.

One thing that I've noticed as I get just into the final third is that the strength normally present in sungrown wrapped cigars is not really apparent yet, which surprises me a little bit. I recall other Fuente SGs being stronger (though not this vitola specifically.) With a little over an inch left it is starting to get pretty soft and warm. The pepper has jumped massively, but not much else is going on anymore.

Ended at 7:30 for a total smoke time of one hour nine minutes. Not a short smoke like a cigarillo or anything, but certainly not a lengthy one by any stretch. This is about the same as the smoke times I have gotten from this vitola in the past. Overall, not a super complex cigar, but a well made, and tasty smoke, that is surprisingly inexpensive, and definitely perfect for a lunch hour smoke. Good stuff.

Don Pepin Garcia Blue Label

2010-08-29T13:52:00.000-07:00

DON PEPIN GARCIA BLUE LABEL
6x50 "Generosos"

This well known toro size cigar features a good looking dark brown wrapper, with a few rough looking veins scattered about. The seams are straight and tight, and the triple cap which Garcia has become known for using on everything he makes looks absolutely perfect. All three lines are literally razor sharp. The leaf is toothy but not really at all oily. It has a tough, dry leathery feel to it that I kind of like. It has a wonderful earthy and floral aroma off the foot, with a little spice to make my nose tickle if I sniff too deeply of it. The pack is perfect, having just the right amount of soft give to it, with no particularly soft spots, and certainly no areas that feel hard to the touch. Let's get her cut and see what she tastes like. Cold draw is perfect. Just a slight resistance. Taste is floral, earthy, and has a mild cocoa sweetness.

Lit at 2:55

Initially there is a big blast of pepper, followed by cocoa and sweet tobacco, and then a lot of pepper comes back on the finish, and lingers for a good long while. Draw is great, and produces a respectable amount of smoke.

In the first third, the ash holds well, and is a bright white color. The burn line isn't razor sharp, but it is definitely straight. The flavors aren't super complex or changing at all at this point, but they are good and bold. There is a nice bitter cocoa and coffee flavor, leaving a good deal of sweetness on the palette going into the spicy pepper finish. Ash falls for the first time about one inch in.

Just prior to the beginning of the second third, the sweetness has come up a little and the pepper has gotten slightly milder. There is a woody note that has developed on the draw that compliments the sweet cocoa nicely. Another inch into the second third and there is a hint of cinnamon dancing around, which is delicious with the cocoa. I'm starting to feel a tiny amount of strength, nothing unpleasant, but it is definitely there.

Getting into the final third everything is getting creamy, and thick feeling in the mouth. The cocoa is lessened a bit, but there is a sweet earthy tobacco, and the pepper still lingers smoothly on the finish. The cinnamon is still noticeable, but has never become more than a faint hint here and there. A roasted nutty flavor that is a little bitter dominates through the nose. Not sure if it is just a symptom of the stick getting hot, or if it is the tobacco itself.

Ended at 4:15pm, for a total smoke time of one hour twenty minutes. Perhaps my only complaint about this stick is the rate at which it burned, which was a little fast. That said, these cigars are almost bargain bin priced (I've seen them as low as $5 US each) which is absolutely outstanding for a great tasting, perfectly constructed cigar that certainly deserves to bear the name it does. The strength is a little full, but for most smokers these days, full bodied smokes are nothing new or unusual. Highly recommended, and at the right price this would be more than an outstanding daily type cigar.

Pinar Del Rio Oscuro

2010-08-28T19:30:00.000-07:00

PINAR DEL RIO OSCURO
5x50 Robusto

The PDR Oscuro features a Dominican Habano seed Oscuro wrapper. It is one of the oiliest and toothiest wrappers I have ever seen on any stick. It has a very deep dark chocolate color to it that appears totally natural (it is very dark... but not black!) It has a very slick looking oil sheen to it that is also quite nice looking. The seams appear tight. The double cap looks good and solid as well. There are no real veins tangible. I say tangible because all cigar wrappers are going to have veins, but it is the big protruding veins that you can really touch and feel that cause problems, not the tiny network of smaller veins that run over every leaf regardless of quality. The foot gives off a deep earthy aroma with a bit of peppery spice as well. Cold draw is slightly loose, in a good way, and full of chocolate and sweet, mellow tobacco.

Lit at 5:41pm

From the get go there is a good sweet tobacco flavor, and a mellow pepper. The mouth feel is very oily and thick. The smoke production is good, very easy going with a loose draw. There might be a little coffee somewhere, but it isn't really defined enough yet.

In the first third the burn line is pretty wavy. No real problem areas yet, but something to keep an eye on. The ash displays every last little toothy bump that was present on the wrapper, which is cool. The pepper on the finish has come up a little bit, providing a nice counterpoint to the sweet, dessert like tobacco taste that dominates otherwise. The smoke production has steadily gotten better as well, and you would never know how loose the draw is, based on the major amounts of smoke this cigar spews forth.

As things progress into the second third, the ash has fallen for the first time, at close to two inches, which is impressive. Pepper has continued to grow gradually and now makes for a lengthy, spicy finish, after a sweet leathery tobacco from the draw. The mouthfeel is still impressively thick and oily. Some cocoa washes in and out over the course of the finish as well. It is a creamy sweet taste. The burn line has also straightened out well. The heat near the burn has made all sorts of oils and tooth become even more apparent near the surface. Yum!

The flavors so far have been pretty straight forward, but very rich, and enjoyable. Not a lot of changes, but rather, consistent in a very good way. Not boring, but rather quite bold and dessert like (I know I already said that, but it is true) in how it feels overall. Ash has continued to hold on, getting into the final third it has only fallen once so far. Impressive. Of course as soon as I type that the ash falls (about an inch and a half of it) all over my shirt and lap. Karma.

Ended at 7:20pm for a total smoke time of One hour and thirty-nine minutes, which is about perfect for a robusto. No problems with construction or performance. Overall this was a great stick, really deep flavor and feel to it that would make it a wonderful choice for a smoke after a hearty dinner, or to wind down after a big day. Good stuff

Nestor Miranda Special Selection Oscuro

2010-08-26T21:54:00.000-07:00

NESTOR MIRANDA SPECIAL SELECTION

4 1/2x50 "Coffee Break"

Cigar Aficionado, the "lifestyle" zine that catches a lot of heat, named this the #25 best cigar of 2009. Regardless of anyone's personal opinions of CA, their top 25 lists usually contain some damn fine cigars. This small robusto features a really dark wrapper, with a perfect triple cap (this cigar, coincidentally, is made my Don Pepin Garcia at the My Father factory in Nicaragua), and great seams. There are a few large veins on the surface that are a little ugly. Hopefully they will not be a problem, and are purely an aesthetic problem. The foot has a woody, spicy aroma that reminds me of a few other cigars that Don Pepin makes. It is a very rich, and meaty aroma. The pack is firm, and has no soft spots. The cold draw is spicy, and dirty, with a fair amount of earthy and wet wood flavors.

Lit at 10:58pm.

The spicy cold draw belies the earthy, cocoa and roasted nuttiness of the initial flavors. There is a light, smooth pepper on the finish, that moves slyly over the palette, never becoming more than a hint of a sensation. Smoke production is phenomenal, producing great tufts of billowing white smoke.

Through the first third the burn line has some waves, with a bit of a canoe starting on one side. A quick touch up fixed that. Ironically, the canoe started on the side completely opposite from the largest vein visible, thus proving that veins are not the only cause of such burn oddities. Flavors are smooth, and creamy on the palette. Earthy wood and roasted nuts are the predominant flavors I am tasting at this point. There is a slight sweetness as well. Not exactly cocoa, but earthy, and possibly a little bit of a sweet cedar. The finish is long and combines a sweetness with a smooth, mellow pepper tingle. Very pleasant, easy going, but rich cigar. Ash has held on for over an inch now, almost through the entire third, but it starting to split from top to bottom, like it wants to flower. I will probably be rolling it within the next few draws anyway, so no matter.

In the second third, things are still slightly sweet, but getting sweeter. The roasted nut flavor is becoming particularly pronounced, and has a very creamy feel to it that is really nice. So far this would be a great dessert stick. Things have stayed very smooth, and continue to do so. For a rich, earthy cigar, this thing is as comfortable to smoke as any super premium mild cigar.

As the final third begins, what was a deep earthy flavor becomes head on cocoa, sweet, and slightly bitter like fine dark chocolate. The spice on the finish still lingers smoothy, and lasts for a while. Put my usual clip in it to keep smoking once it gets too small to hold. I only wish this thing was a bigger stick!

Ended at 12:02 for a smoke time of exactly one hour. Perhaps this should be renamed the "Lunch Hour" vitola. Fantastic smoke. Lots of flavor packed into a perfectly built little package. Strength is not really noticeable, in nicotine terms. Spice is noticeable, but not overwhelming. Lots of great dessert like qualities to be found here. This cigar will definitely be earning a spot in my personal humidor.

Padron 1964 Anniversary Natural

2010-08-23T15:19:00.000-07:00

PADRON 1964 ANNIVERSARY NATURAL
4.5x46 "Principe"

This small, well box pressed cigar is one of those sticks that everyone knows and is a classic smoke by many standards. The wrapper leaf, in typical Padron fashion, is oddly wrinkled, and honestly kind of ugly. It is a dark caramel color, and has no real visible veins without very close inspection. The seams are virtually invisible, as is the shoulder line. The pack is very dense, and despite being a pretty small stick, it has some definite heft to it. The feel is firm, and has no hard or soft spots, or lumps. The band is attractive, and well... classic, given the reputation that this cigar has. The aroma off the unlit cigar is a very rich, old humidor smell. Lots of aged, cured tobacco. The pre-light draw is slightly loose, and tastes heavily of old tobacco and wood. This cigar tastes how your Grandfather's old cigars smelled when you were a little kid digging around in his humidor...

Lit at 4:51pm

Right away there is a rich earthy tobacco flavor, accompanied by a pepper that sits far back on the tongue. Smoke production is out of this world, especially for a stick that is pretty small. Finish is impressive and lengthy.

Getting about ten minutes into the first third, the pepper is really heavy, with a strong tingling burn that moves in waves across the palette. The flavor is still an earthy, rich tobacco. The finish lasts forever, lingering, tingling, pepper and spice through the entire ambient non-draw period. Burn line is wavy and generally uneven, which in my experience seems to be a symptom typical of heavily box-pressed cigars like this one. It hasn't required a touch up yet, but may soon. Ash is chunky and dark, and looks awesome. The "stacks" are very visible, and particularly thick.

Ash fell for the first time just prior to the start of the second third, shy of an inch and a half. Flavors have started to change a little as well. Pepper has come down significantly, and is now just one element of a more complex profile, that includes nuts, wood, spice, and aged tobacco. The burn line has straightened itself out quite a bit as well. Shortly past the half way point, the mouth feel has gone from heavy and chewy to slightly creamy, with the addition of a little bit of vanilla flavor.

In the final third things are getting a little warm temperature wise, but the flavor is just out of this world. Nothing really new coming forward yet, but everything is just getting heavier, and richer, and more dessert-like in decadent quality. Put a clip in it to hold it and keep smoking at the one hour point.

Ended at 6:00pm, for a total burn time of one hour 9 minutes. Not particularly long, but given the box press, this cigar was actually probably smaller than the 46 ring gauge it began life as. Draw remained perfect the entire time. Flavors never took a down turn and only got more intense and complex as it progressed. I definitely recommend this cigar to anyone and everyone who wants a good, short cigar to relax with.

Joya de Nicaragua Antaño

2010-08-20T21:56:00.000-07:00

JOYA de NICARAGUA ANTANO DARK COROJO
4.7x60 "Pesadilla" Belicoso

This short, fat belicoso... that looks extremely short and fat, features an appropriately dark corojo habano seed wrapper that is just seeped in oil. It has a smooth surface, with very little vein structure visible. The pack is pretty good, with a few spongy spots, but overall it feels fairly dense, and is definitely heavy as heck. The regular Antano line is apparently descended from the original JdN Antano, and was the first cigar produced in a factory commercially in Nicaragua. The Dark Corojo has an extra fermented Corojo wrapper, and it actually SMELLS spicy which bodes well for the strength and robustness of this little guy. The foot has a spicy, earthy aroma that reminds me of Old Bay seasoning actually which is cool. The cold draw is spicy as heck, with both cedar and cocoa present.

Lit at 11:10pm.

The really large ring gauge made for a slightly clumsy light. Once everything is even and burning, the draw is perfect. Just a slight resistance. Smoke production is great as well, and there is even a fair amount of ambient smoke off the foot. The flavors right off the bat are deep and earthy. There is a sort of mocha flavor, combining both bitter dark chocolate and bitter roasted coffee bean. It's not a sour flavor, but a bitter bite. The finish is woody with a lingering smooth spice over the palette.

In the first third the cocoa flavor has diminished a bit, replaced by a rich woody flavor, and a continued peppery finish. Not a burning, hot pepper, but a smooth mellow white pepper across the palette. The finish is somewhat dry, but the mouthfeel is heavy and oily. It makes me want to take a sip of water after almost every draw. As I sort of expected, the huge ring gauge is making for some funny burning, and will probably require a few touch ups to keep everything going smoothly. So far I have hit one spot quickly with the lighter, but nothing bad. About an inch in the ash is flowering a little bit, but that isn't a problem, just a pure aesthetic complaint on my part as a picky old sourpuss.

Since the start of the second third things have been getting steadily spicier. The flavor is primarily a sweet earthy tobacco, with a slight coffee bitterness, and an increasingly peppery finish. Interesting. In my experience, when pepper and spice comes back in most sticks it is towards the end if it was present initially and then disappeared. This stick is getting stronger and spicier much earlier than most. I like! I have found that this cigar also likes to either be drawn on more often, or with a series of quick back to back draws in order to get the wrapper burning all the way around its fat foot. This particular vitola would be very forgiving to the faster smoker, or someone who tends to draw more often than they should. Ash holds on for roughly an inch, and falls off in a big, fat, firm clump that remains pristine even after falling onto the ashtray.

A quarter inch past the halfway point a pretty large tear has suddenly developed from about a half inch from the head up for almost an inch. It seems to be only the wrapper that has been compromised, so it isn't affecting the smoke at all. Hopefully it won't cause any problems. Having now smoked into the torn area, it isn't causing any problems with the draw or smoke, but the stick is sort of swelling up making the tear get wider. There isn't but about an inch and a half left so I'm not worried about it, and it isn't affecting the flavor or anything. Strength has ramped up a good deal in this last third as well. For the first two thirds the strength was not noticeable really, or was overwhelmed by the flavor and general heaviness of the smoke. Now in the final third it is finally getting up there.

Ended at 12:40am, for a total burn time of one hour thirty minutes. Overall this was a great example of a typical Nicaraguan powerhouse. Lots of earthy richness and heavy on the peppery spice. Oily mouthfeel and thick smoke make this a good full experience. I would like to see how a smaller ring gauge would affect the burn and flavor. Not overly complex, but what is present is very good. Good smoke.

La Riqueza #3

2010-08-19T21:27:00.000-07:00

LA RIQUEZA
5.6x46 "#3"

Another line offered from Pete Johnson and Tatuaje, produced under the watchful eye of Don Pepin Garcia, La Riqueza is also another mark saved from the wrath of history, an ancient Cuban brand, resurrected by Johnson and his apparent love of all things old, cuban, and made of tobacco.

This corona gorda sized stick features a matte dark chocolate wrapper, with very few veins, and a tough leathery feel to it. The coloration is not exactly flawless or even, but the construction looks great. Solid triple cap, smooth, tight seams, and... actually it does feel a little light, like it may be slightly underfilled. The aroma is both chocolatey and spicy... almost like cumin. Pre-light draw is initially sweet, but also has hints of spice, and leaves a little zing on the tongue.

Lit at 10:34pm.

Right away the flavors are earthy, with a little cocoa and espresso, followed by a big peppery finish that really slaps you across the mouth.

Smoke production in the first third is sort of unimpressive. I think this is in largepart due to the looseness of the draw. The flavors are very thick, earthy and chewy. There is even a musty old leather flavor through the nose that is very nice. Not something I taste very often, but when I do, it is a good sign. The pepper on the finish of most cigars would have slowed down by now, but this suck is still like chewing hot wings even at an inch or more in. Ash looks choppy and flakey but has held on so far.

Getting into the second third I'm noticing that despite not exactly being a small ring, this cigar needs to be babied and smoked in much the same way as many smaller cigars, requiring more frequent, but less drastic draws to stay lit properly. With the right balance though, it is still proving to be very rewarding. The burn line is wavy, but not bad. The flavors in the second third are fairly dry on the palette, no oil or creaminess. Woody, earthy, and spicy are all still the adjectives on the board for this guy right now. Draw has firmed up a little, and smoke production has taken a directly related stance.

Around the start of the final third things are getting a little bitter on the palette. Still mostly earthy and spicy, but there is a bitterness on the draw that isn't the best flavor... The ash has also been kind of a pain in the rear, making a bit of a mess when it doesn't quite make it to the ash tray. The flakiness of it also results in random bit and pieces dropping off at nonsensical intervals. I have had to touch the burn line up a few times to prevent tunneling or canoeing also. With about an inch and a half left a huge wave of pepper comes onto the finish, unlike the medium, smooth pepper previously present. ZING.

Ended at 12:13am, for a total burn time of almost one hour forty minutes. Good time for a corona gorda. Unfortunately I just cannot justify this cigar based on cost next to other blends in the Tatuaje lineup. If this were a $5 or $6 smoke, it would be perfect, but at $9 it just does not perform the way it should in my opinion. Decent flavors, but nothing too complex. This cigar also has some strength to it. Nothing unwieldy, but it is noticeable. Over all, good, not great.

Partagas Serie D. No. 4

2010-08-16T22:44:00.000-07:00

PARTAGAS SERIE D. No. 4.
4 7/8x50 Robusto

This is my first CC/ISOM/Habano/whatever other name you want to use for them. I am excited, but have also decided to try to keep my expectations reasonable. This is more a special cigar because of certain well known issues. It is actually a fairly reasonably priced, and actually even inexpensive cigar for it's country of origin. I have no idea of the box code or date for this particular stick, so I have decided to just go ahead and burn one, and save the rest for later, so I have a starting point for future comparison on this batch.

The PSDN4 features a caramel brown wrapper with slight stretching marks, and minimal veins. The foot gives an aroma of grass and hay, with a slight sweet tobacco, and a faint barnyard quality. The cold draw is full of cedar, earth, and a slight grass. Draw is medium, not too loose, but certainly not full, which is a relief, given the horror stories I have heard about Habanos having draw issues.

Lit at 11:01pm.

Right away there is a great mix of cedar, very rich in character, and earthy as well, with a spicy finish. The cedar isn't exactly like any I have previously tasted, as it has a fuller, less sweet, more earthy character to it.

Things are progressing nicely in the first third. The burn line is even. Not razor sharp, but slightly wavy, with no major dips or peaks. Ash is a cool looking grey and black... lots of black. More than on any cigar I've smoked before. Apparently, based on my research, Cuban tobacco tends to burn blacker than most. Interesting. There is a slight "young" character to this cigar. The flavors, aside from the earthy cedar, are a little grassy, and I'm not sure if that is a result of not having enough box age, or if the PSDN4 is just a little grassy in general. The spice on the finish is great, and full, but right there in the middle, between the draw, and the onset of the spicy finish is a slight grassiness that I can't quite place. Not a bad thing though, just interesting.

Ash rolled for the first time before getting to the second third. Held on for over an inch, and held well when rolled off. Mouthfeel is creamy and the smoke itself is somewhat sultry. Smoke production is great. A light "sip" of a draw results in a pretty sizable plume. The creamy mouth feel is starting to translate into a slight vanilla bean flavor. I say vanilla bean, because there is a slight nuttiness to the vanilla flavor. Spicy heat on the finish has sort of disappeared.

Around the half way mark there is a small crack in the wrapper that is causing a little bit of a weird burn as a result in that spot. Just before the final third starts there is a flavor that reminds me of roasted almonds that is really heavy on the back of the palette coming in. It is downright awesome.

In the final third, the burn line requires a couple of touch ups to keep the wrapper going properly for some reason. The spice on the finish has ramped up a little as well. Getting into the last inch and a half, everything has sort of come full circle. Cedar, spice, and nuts dominate at the end, all very rich and creamy.

Ended at 12:36am for a total burn time of exactly one hour thirty-five minutes. For a Habano that I have no idea of the age on, I was impressed with how this guy performed. Great flavors, no real issues with construction or burn, and all in all, a fantastic, well rounded cigar. Very excited to see where these go with a year, two years, etc. on them.

Kristoff Criollo Ligero

2010-08-15T19:07:00.000-07:00

KRISTOFF CRIOLLO LIGERO
7x50 Churchill

The massive Kristoff Ligero Churchill is certainly an imposing smoke to look at. It has an interesting shaggy closed foot, and a very tightly wound pigtail. The wrapper is very oily, almost leaving a slick residue on your fingertips when holding it. The veins are all smooth and well distributed. Seams all look good too. Despite the pigtail, I have opted for a regular guillotine cut, for the sake of consistent reviewing conditions.

The foot gives off less aroma due to the closed style it takes, but has a faintly salty element to it that is interesting. The cold draw is firm, and gives hints of cedar and sweet tobacco.

Lit at 6:39pm.

Right away the flavors present are bold. There is a solid, sweet tobacco, with a hint of smooth cedar, followed by a big peppery blast on the finish that is very fulfilling. The closed foot has caused some weird burning for about the first half inch, but past that it has smoothed out. The draw is also a little tight, but I think that too has to do with the wrapping. When sitting idle, this monster stick just burns away, jetting off cool looking wisps of blue and white smoke. Very good start.

Based on the rate this guy is burning, it's going to last over 2 hours at least, which I hope for... About an inch and a half in, everything is going well. Pepper has settled back to a dull hint on the finish, which is long an very oily. Ash is tight, and dark in color... sort of brown actually. Interesting.

By the end of the first third it is clear that this is a strong smoke. Already feeling it in my gut and my head, though the smoke itself is very smooth. The mouth feel is still really oily, and the flavors are still very wood-centric.

In the second third a sweet nutty flavor dominates so far. It is almond like in nature, with a slight bitterness on the finish. The burn line has progressed swimmingly, requiring only one touch up so far.

Just want to go ahead and mention the rate this thing is burning again... It is now 8:15pm, and I am only just past the halfway point of this cigar. It's a good thing I have nothing to do this fine Sunday evening. I was planning to cook dinner when I finished this thing, figuring it would be a little after 8 when it finally wound down... not the case by a long shot. Everything is also still going fine. Flavor is still cedar, with an oily feel, and a cool nut flavor.

At this point my laptop actually was going to die, it had been off the charger for so long, so I grabbed a sketch I had in the truck, and took notes on the bottom of the page until the end...

Around the middle of the final third a really strong, aromatic cedar is taking over through the nose, and the mouth feel has gone from oily to almost creamy in texture. Everything has gotten richer, and the body has ramped up significantly. The draw finally opened up a bit in the final third as well. It was never problematic but it was just a solid firm the whole way up to this point. Overall the ash has become very flaky as/when it falls, shattering into a million pieces as it hits the ashtray. And finally, the best part of the entire cigar, perhaps, arrives in the last 2.5 inches or so... a very powerful, salty spice. Salty is not an adjective I often find myself using when describing cigars, but this one has it. Very cool.

Everything finally got hot and mushy (and I started to feel nicotine sick) at 9:18 pm which is utterly ridiculous for a cigar. Two hours and thirty-nine minutes total burn time. If nothing else, this cigar more than pays for itself in smoke time. There are also some good flavors to be had here. If you are looking for a full bodied smoke, and a salty taste on the palette (oh, and almost three hours of smoking) I definitely recommend you check out the Kristoff Criollo Ligero Churchill! Sayonara!

EP Carrillo Short Run

2010-08-10T09:25:00.000-07:00

EP CARRILLO SHORT RUN
4 7/8 x 50 "Populares"

The EP Carrillo brand is a new small batch line of cigars from the original creator of the La Gloria Cubana mark, one of the classic habanos. The Short Run is a limited production (1500 boxes/vitola) stick featuring a fine smelling Sumatran wrapper. The overall construction on this cigar is flawless. The wrapper has small veins that are all flat and smooth. The leaf itself is silky smooth to the touch, and is a light caramel color. The whole thing is held together by a good looking triple cap. Seams overall look very tight. The pack is dense, giving this little robusto size stick some deceptive heft to it. The aroma off the body is a distinct and pungent barnyard stench, that I personally am a big fan of. The foot smells similarly of hay and manure. The cold draw is slightly sweet and fruity. Worth mentioning that the cut is absolutely perfect on this, which in my opinion has just as much to do with the packing of the cigar as it does the sharpness of the cutter. I know my cutter is sharp (it is a relatively new Palio) but a poorly packed cigar can still produce a funky cut regardless of the cutter. This one is flawless.

Lit at 11:09pm.

Right off the bat the flavors are heavy on cream and roasted nut impressions. There is a little bit of woodiness on the finish as well. A small spicy kick washes through briefly on the finish, and then the nuts come back. Draw is also perfect. Just the right amount of resistance.

In the first third flavors are still roasted nuts, with the addition of a good coffee bean through the nose. The spice on the finish is distinctly cinnamon filled. The ash holds firmly and rolls off in a solid chunk at a good bit over one inch. Closer to 1.5 inches probably. Not any changes really in flavor as I approach the end of this third, but the flavors present are delicious, and plenty rich.

Early in the second third the nasal retrohale is starting to produce a slightly fruit like flavor reminiscent of the aroma present from the cold draw before lighting. A little further into the second third and the ash fell for the second time (nailing me, my lap, and seemingly everything within ten feet!) Unfortunately I noticed that the wrapper seems to be cracking opened near the burn line, for about a half inch back. Not causing any problems, but it is a little unsightly.

Just into the final third and things are progressing wonderfully. The burn line has been a little wavy off and on until now, but it is razor sharp at the moment. The crack in the wrapper seems to have been a momentary fluke, as it burned fine past it, and did not crack further. This is definitely a sort of "dry" feeling smoke. The mouthfeel is rich, and full, but leaves me parched, needing a sip of water after almost every draw. Flavors in the final third have abandoned the roasted nut flavor in favor of coffee, cinnamon, and a sweet, earthy tobacco.

Getting down to the nub things are getting pretty hot, and bitter. Just in the last inch or so. Nothing unusual. Ended at 12:43am, for a total burn time of one hour and 34 minutes, which is a great time for a 4 7/8x50 stick, and is a sign, in my opinion of a wonderfully built cigar. As for strength, it definitely sits at the fuller side of medium. Not an all stops pulled knockout full, but I certainly had a little bit of a buzz and even a little queasiness for a few minutes afterward. Small cigar. Long burn. Great flavors. Two thumbs up on this one. Oh, and the price is definitely right, at under $7!

El Triunfador #4

2010-08-07T19:11:00.000-07:00

EL TRIUNFADOR
by Tatuaje
5x48 "#4"

As I understand it, El Triunfador was at one time a Cuban cigar brand... long ago. Pete Johnson has purchased the right to produce under that name, and has blended, with Don Pepin Garcia, a Nicaraguan puro (like most of the Tatuaje lines) to release with the name and artwork from the original Cuban El Triunfadors. Originally this line was smaller, I believe maybe only available as a lancero vitola. Now there is a full range, of 6 sizes, including a lancero, along with 5 other, smaller vitolas. The largest is 6.5x42, which is not all that large compared to the massive rings that are so popular today.

The El Triunfador #4 is a slightly box pressed robusto with a medium brown Rosado Habano wrapper that shows very few veins. The stick is held together with an expertly constructed triple cap, appropriate for a Cuban tribute like this seems to be. The pack is a little loose, though I suspect some of that has to do with the box pressing process. Compared to a lot of the Tatuaje lines, the El Triunfadors are fairly low priced, hanging in the $6 to $8 range, which if it proves to be great flavorwise, will likely lead this to be a regular daily smoke for many. The body does not give off much aroma, aside from a slight tobacco. The foot however has a bold spiciness that in my experience is a sign of powerful, high quality Nicaraguan leaves. Cold draw gives a slightly cinnamon and chili pepper flavor, as well as good earthy tobacco. The draw is fairly loose. Seems to have just the right amount of resistance.

Lit at 8:45pm.

Initial flavors are bold and stress heavily roasted coffee beans, creamy tobacco, and a good pepper blast across the tongue. The finish is spicy and lasts a good time, leaving the palette tingling from the pepper and spice.

Through the whole of the first third the flavors are similar to those present from the get-go, though the pepper blast gradually falls back a bit. Cinnamon, and earthy tobacco, with a slight leather that appears make up the entire profile, with a finish that consists mostly of pepper and a little cedar woodiness.

Getting just into the second third flavors haven't changed really, but I have started to notice that on the draw there is a sort of sweetness to everything that is pretty nice. This cigar is billed as a mild-medium, where most Tatuaje offerings are much fuller, and it certainly is living up to that... sort of. While the strength seems to be non-existent, the flavors are definitely plenty bold and hard hitting. Pepper, leather, earth, and spice are not flavors I personally think of often when considering "mild" cigars. The burn line isn't straight, but it isn't presenting any problems either. It is sort of wavy, off and on. Of note is the speed with which this stick burns. I am at the halfway point about 35 minutes in, which for a $7 cigar is a little quick.

At the start of the final third things are getting a little warm already. The pepper heat and flavor are also coming back in full force, scalding my tongue with each draw. At exactly one hour, the nub that remains is getting too hot to hold, so I stuck a clip in it to keep smoking.

Ended at 9:55 for a total smoke time of one hour ten minutes, which is longer than it looked like it would be, as this stick seemed to burn very fast. Overall, the flavors were very good, rich and creamy, without ever becoming too strong, and without any real nicotine effects, which I guess is where this stick gets the label of being a milder stick. I enjoyed it, and would definitely buy more to have around for shorter smokes that still deliver complexity and boldness.

Padilla Dominus

2010-08-06T23:14:00.000-07:00

PADILLA DOMINUS

5x50 Robusto

This stick is surely one of the most expensive extensions to the Padilla brand, which considers itself a true boutique company, releasing small numbers of high quality product with more concern for the product than the scale of production. Personally I am a fan of a lot of the cigars Padilla produces. I am sad to see that they have parted ways with Don Pepin Garcia, as he is certainly one of the great producers of fine premium cigars these days.

The Dominus features a very hearty, masculine presentation that is very appealing, even in this smaller size (though 5x50 is definitely one of my favorite vitolas, in any cigar) with its black, silver and red band, depicting a silver lion. The cigar itself is also very visually appealing. The wrapper is dark and oily with a fair amount of tooth visible. The veins are visible, and tangible, but none are bulbous enough to appear problematic. The head is a very tight, even triple cap... always a welcome addition, proving craftsmanship and careful construction.

The aroma off the body is mildly sweet. The foot offers an earthy spice and sweet tobacco smells that are positively tantalizing. The cold draw brings cedar, earth, and aged, smokey (earthy smokiness) tobacco flavors.

Lit at 11:20pm.

Initially there is a big blast of pepper and spice up front, followed by an earthy wood, almost sweet that lingers for a very long finish.

Getting into the first third a good ways there is a continuing cedar and earthiness along with a good pepper and heat. Through the nose cocoa and coffee bean sort of mingle and move around. The ash is dark grey, and holds on for right around an inch before falling in a solid clump into the ash tray.

In the second third the cocoa and coffee are still there in the nose. The flavors on the palette range from a dry leather to black pepper. The finish is still woody but also has a peppery spice to it, that leaves a tingling burn that coats the entire mouth. Finish flavors last 10 or so seconds, but the pepper burn lasts far longer than that. Pretty much the length between draws before it fades, so around a minute. Strength is medium-full at most at this point, despite the heavy pepper. Ash continues to fall at roughly one inch intervals.

Last third, and things are changing a good deal. The flavors have changed to leather and cinnamon mostly, with a spicy pepper finish that as before lingers for quite a while. There is a slight bitterness left on the lips that is a little offputting at times, so don't lick your lips, despite the delicious smoke flavors...

Ended at 12:40am, for a total burn time of one hour twenty minutes, which is perfectly respectable for a 5x50. Some great flavors here, and well represented and bold. Strength is nothing obscene, medium-full, maybe slightly more. Very enjoyable.

Gurkha Legend

2010-08-06T00:11:00.000-07:00

GURKHA LEGEND
6x60 Perfecto

This is one of the rarer, more expensive Gurkhas. I'll be the first to say that I have had very mixed experiences with Gurkha in the past, though that probably has as much to do with their massive number of production lines as anything. If you produce 50 different cigars, each in several sizes, you are bound to have some stinkers. Well, this is one of the higher end sticks they produce, and it shows in the construction and packaging. The band is ornate and attractive even amongst Gurkha bands, and Gurkha is known for their packing and presentation. The stick itself features a super-duper slick and oily maduro wrapper, with very few tangible veins. The foot and head both have well constructed shoulders (perfecto, remember) holding everything together. They seem rather large as well, which is good for the cutting and lighting process. I opted to cut a small amount off of BOTH ends for the sake of a smooth draw and an easier, more even burn. It has been my experience with past Gurkha perfectos (especially the Centurian) that they suffer from a very tight draw that takes away quite a bit from the experience without taking a bit off of both ends.

The aroma is chocolatey and sweet off the wrapper. The foot has a distinct (and pleasant) barnyard, almost straight manure aroma. The cold draw tastes like cocoa and cedar.

Lit at 12:01am.

Right from the get-go things are creamy and earthy. Chocolate and oak linger heavily on the palette, while there is a slight meatiness to the finish that is very strange. It is a spice of some sort that seems... meaty. The flavors present are VERY rich and hit very deep, and with a good balance on the palette. Hopefully this is a sign of good things to come... Because of the Perfecto shape, the band is very loose, and just keeps sliding around, so I have taken it off about a half inch in, for the sake of my sanity.

Through the first third roughly, the flavors sort of mellow out a little. Not as rich as they were initially, but continue to produce a mix of chocolate, oak, and spice that is very satisfying. The finish is very short, lasting only a few seconds after the draw. The burn line isn't perfect, but it doesn't require any touch ups. Ash is holding on very well for at least an inch and a half so far.

Around the halfway point the draw is getting a little tight. Not sure if it is tar or something else, but if it gets worse I'll stick it with a poker. There is a little bit of a slightly bitter burned coffee flavor on the finish now, followed by a sweetness that I can't quite peg. It's nice though. The ash on this one is really nice looking, mottled with white, grey, and black, in big flat chunks with a good toothy look.

Things have taken a turn for the harsh around the start of the final third. The flavors are a little rough around the edges, and I'm having a hard time not going into a coughing fit for some reason. The whole smoke is also warming up quite a bit, and sooner than normal. This seems logically to be a result of the firm draw. I have tried a poker, and it still seems constricted unfortunately. I will, for the sake of reviewing, soldier on however. The chocolate is gone. So is the coffee. Instead it has started to taste like... every other Gurkha maduro I have had previously. The only exception is a slightly fruity spice through the nose that reminds me of oranges and cloves, like you have at Christmas time. This is definitely something of a saving grace given the sudden failing of everything else positive.

Ended at 1:51am, for a total smoke time of one hour 50 minutes, which is a fantastic long smoke time. Unfortunately, past the second third, this one sort of peters out and doesn't have much to offer, especially for the price (the perfecto goes for over $15.00 US online regularly). Gurkha fans, definitely give it a shot. People who like the flavors described, certainly give it a try. I'd say it's a good smoke, but not worth the high price.

La Flor Dominicana Air Bender

2010-08-05T19:08:00.001-07:00

LA FLOR DOMINICANA AIR BENDER
5x50 "Matatan"

This standard robusto features a beautiful, very oily, milk chocolate colored wrapper. The band has an attractive, not overly complex, middle-eastern-invoking design, with a sort of "Greek Key" around the edge, and crossed scimitars on either side of the typical LFD logo.

The pack is very firm, with only a very few miniscule softer spots, on an otherwise rock hard stick. The seams are visible, but very tight, which I guess means a thicker wrapper leaf. The filler is bunched in a very attractive, uniform pattern, that reminds me of an accordion. The body gives off a smell of cedar and spice. The foot however, offers a very unique combination of raisins and toast, which I really hope are apparent in some way in the smoke.

Prelight draw brings a fruitiness, as well as a pretty heavy spice and pepper across the palette. Slight burn on the front of the tongue. There is also a dry oak flavor right on the draw.

Lit at 1:08pm.

Draw is fairly firm, right off the bat. Smoke production is light, but acceptable. There is a strong oak flavor, and a significant amount of pepper and heat on the palette. Had a little difficulty lighting, but that is mostly due to the fact that I am using a natural flame, and it is fairly windy out. Smoke is chewy and dark gray in color. Retrohale through the nose gives a little bit of cinnamon that was not noticeable otherwise.

Despite a crooked start, it has corrected itself to a perfect, razor sharp burn line by an inch in. Ash holds firm at over an inch and a half. Halfway through the first third the pepper and heat has all but disappeared. There is a fantastic leather flavor, as well as rich oak, which has only become more apparent as it burns. Strength is a medium at most, but the flavors are off the chart. Rarely have I smoked a cigar that is as rich on the palette. Going great so far.

Checking in at the halfway point, and the flavors haven't changed a whole lot. Still heavy on leather and oak, with a really rich finish. Lasts almost the entire time between draws. Ash is tight, and a beautiful, bright white, with even black rings about the thickness of a dime all the way around.

At the start of the first third, it is obvious that the filler is getting warm, as a creamy nut flavor and texture take over, with the wood and leather falling back to just be the dominating flavors on the finish, which is still a pretty lengthy one. Burn is getting a little wavy, requiring a few touch ups. Still drawing fine, still cool and smooth though. Strength has also ramped up a fair amount in the last third. Getting a little bit of that nicotine shakiness. Getting a little too hot to hold. Smoke is still not that hot. Put a clip in it to keep smoking at 2:52pm. Cannot believe how long this smoke is lasting. In addition to the creamy nut flavor there is an interesting toast flavor similar to the aroma the foot was giving off before lighting.

Finally ended at 3:00pm, for a total burn time just shy of two hours, which for a 5x50 blew me away. No problems during the entire smoke, and great flavors all around. Highly recommended. Can't wait to try some of the other vitolas. Will Definitely be grabbing a box.

Camacho Pre-Embargo

2010-08-05T19:08:00.000-07:00

CAMACHO PRE-EMBARGO
6x48

This controversial cigar (in other words... just how much of the filler is pre-embargo Cuban?) is one that I have had my eye on for a while, so I'm going to give it a shot. I've heard great things, so hopefully it delivers.

It is a slightly pressed 6x48 parejo, with a little pig tail on the cap, and a closed foot, which are both interesting little details that for me are appealing, and add to the visual attractiveness of the cigar. The wrapper is a milk chocolate brown, and looks a little on the haggard side, with a fairly lumpy appearance, that also looks a little dry (it isn't, but it looks like old stretched leather) It has two bands, one that looks like the regular Camacho 1962 band, and a foot band that says PE on it. The body has a medium tobacco aroma to it, with a slight mustiness. The foot on the other hand, despite being closed, smells very heavily of musty, musky, old tobacco. This aroma almost reminds me of heavily peated whisky. Assuming that Camacho is being honest with us, this very old tobacco smell is understandable, as it contains tobacco around 50 years old...

The prelight draw is pretty firm, but I bet that has to do with the closed foot. It offers a very deep earth, and musty tobacco flavor, more-so than anything else I have ever cold-drawn.

Lit at 2:00am

Right away there is a really rich, earthy tobacco. The finish is really long, and offers a good amount of pepper and wood. The cap is sort of falling apart after a few draws. The wrapper seems very thin and loose at the head. We'll see if it presents any problems.

Ash is smooth and white, but only holds on for about an inch, and falls to pieces. Strength is already apparent at an inch and a half in. The pepper is also really ramping up on the finish. This is definitely a very "dry" smoke. The mouthfeel is sort of unpleasant, leaving me thirsty, and well... dried out. Not an oily or creamy feel at all. Burn line is fairly wavy, but seems to correct itself off and on well enough to prevent any problems. Flavors halfway through the first third are basically musty old ass tobacco (which is awesome, and pretty unique), cedar, and a really heavy pepper. The finish also lasts for an inordinate amount of time. It offers an awesome black pepper flavor. I get pepper on tons of cigars, but not like this one. It has a level of black pepper flavor that outweighs anything else I can think of, as well as a burn on the palette that is exactly like having a mouthfull of fresh cracked black peppercorns.

Right around the start of the second third, I'm kind of let down by how quickly this cigar is burning. Every draw seems to eat away a massive amount. I can't usually watch a burn line progress as I draw, but this one sort of has a runaway-burn. The finish is a little smoother, with a sort of creamy cedar flavor sitting nicely on top of the black pepper taste and tingle, which is awesome.

Hit the halfway point at only 34 minutes in, which just shows you how quickly this sucker burns. I really have started noticing the scent from the ambient smoke off the foot. It smells heavily of wet, burning wood. Like burning wet oak, which is a great smell, and unique to my knowledge. Required a little touch up after the last time the ash fell, just to get the wrapper straight and caught up. Nothing major, and certainly nothing that affected the flavor. I am currently in awe of how long the pepper flavo is lasting, both in terms of how far down the stick I am still tasting it full on, and how long the flavor lasts in the mouth. Very good. The flavors otherwise are starting to get a little creamier, and less dry. Still musty tobacco, with a slight sweetness, plus cedar and pepper. The cedar is only sort of cedar... it is like cedar that is very old. It has a great earthy character to it. There might be a little bit of what I consider leather as well. I also am really feeling it now. Not a sick feeling, just a head rush and a little shakiness that has reared its ugly head. Fortunately it's nothing overwhelming.

The musty tobacco flavor is much like the aroma off the foot before lighting, with a heavy peat, and almost salty flavor to it, that reminds me of an Islay whisky.

In the last third everything has gotten very woody, with the pepper burn starting to sort of overwhelm everything else. The strength is also pretty heavy, leaving me slightly light headed. With about an inch and a half left it is starting to tunnel and get soft... and really hot.

Ended at 3:16am for a total burn time of one hour 16 minutes. Great flavors offered here, some of them pretty unique. That said, these sell for over $20 each regularly, with boxes retailing around $500. Worth that price? No way. They are seen every once in a while for closer to $10 a piece, at which I think they are certainly worth it, regardless of how much genuine PE Tobacco is in them. Good flavors, decent performance and construction, plus a heavy novelty factor make this a good buy when they are on sale. I am not sure how these will do with some rest time on them, but that sort of remains to be seen (for me). My biggest complaint is the rate at which they burn. I had to intentionally smoke even slower than I usually do (and I'm not a fast smoker by any means) to get a decent time out of them.

My Father No.1

2010-08-03T22:02:00.000-07:00

My Father no. 1
5.2x52 parejo

The My Father line has quickly earned a reputation as a great cigar from the Garcia family of cigar makers (Jose "Don Pepin" Garcia et al) but the My Father also has a sentimental story to it that adds to the experience. It also helps that the no.1 size was chosen as Cigar Aficionado's number 3 cigar of the year for 2009.

This robusto-ish stick features a dark caramel colored wrapper, with a visible network of small veins running over it (none of them pronounced or raised). It looks to have impeccable construction, featuring tight seams, and a crafty little triple cap giving nods to Pepin's Cuban past. The aroma from the wrapper is light giving a slightly grassy smell off. The foot on the other hand features a robust spicy aromatic tobacco, not sweet, more like chilis and maybe cinnamon. The cold draw is loose and packs a spicy wollop, with maybe a tiny bit of ammonia on the tongue that hopefully will not rear its ugly head later.

Lit at 11:29pm.

Despite the loose draw, smoke production is out of this world. Great billowing clouds of white smoke come off the foot, and the draw. flavors right off the bat are a heavy blast of spice and pepper, with a cedar finish. Not a light, sweet cedar, but a rich, overwhelming cedar.

About an inch in I'm really sort of remembering my past experiences with this cigar which is a good thing. Consistently performing this well is a good thing! The flavors are pretty powerful. Not a lot of flavors, just very powerful in their presentation. There is a pepper and spice blast on the draw, followed by a slighty creamy coffee bean flavor, and a continuing creamy cedar finish that lasts for a good length of time. The ash is holding on for an unusually long time. I got paranoid, and rolled it off just before the second third started, to avoid ashing my laptop.

Second third brings more of the same cedar, coffee, and spice, but the peppery heat is definitely lessened. The spicy flavors of pepper and cinnamon are still perfectly discernable, and very bold in the middle, but without the burn. Finish is very cedar filled. Of note is the burn. It isn't a razor sharp line, but it evens itself out with each draw. It also WANTS to burn. I have set this cigar down for well over a minute without drawing, and it still draws and burns perfectly when I remember it, and get it smouldering again.

The final third starts with a ramping up of cinnamon flavor, plus some other dessert like spices (maybe nutmeg?) that bring a little earthy sweetness. There is a heat coming back through the nose, and a sort of lingering "zing" on the back of the tongue. Smoke production continues to be massive. The band is very ornate, with lots of fine gold trim, and attractive colors. Unfortunately there is a sizeable blob of glue that takes some wrapper with it upon removal.

Smoked this one down to the last inch before it finally got a little hot. Oh, and as for strength... this one never gets above medium-full at most really, which personally I like. Ended at 12:55am for a total smoke time of one hour 26 minutes. Very satisfying time, and some great flavors! The Garcias definitely have a winner here.

Arturo Fuente Hemingway Signature

2010-08-02T23:43:00.000-07:00

ARTURO FUENTE HEMINGWAY SIGNATURE
6x47 Figurado

This famous line of cigars, named to honor one of the great man's men, and smokers,
Ernest Hemingway, a writer anyone reading this review should be familiar with,
offers a unique figurado shape, sort of a mix between a perfecto and a salomone.
The wrapper is a yellowish brown Cameroon wrapper, the wrapper the Fuentes are
so famous for using, covered in tooth, and slick with oil. The nipple shaped
foot doesn't offer much in the way of aroma, but the wrapper gives off a warm
spice and cedar combo that is very nice. Pre-light draw gives a sweet tobacco
and smooth cedar flavor, with a little spice thrown in for good measure. Very
nice.

Lit at 2:58pm.

Draw is unbearably firm at first, due to the almost closed foot. Only discernible
flavors are a light cedar, and a little hay. Getting the burn line up over the foot
shoulder is a little difficult, with the burn line going absolutely crazy. About
and inch in, the burn line has straightened out, and the draw is nice and loose.
Tooth from the wrapper is visible in the yellow/gray ash, which seems very tight.
Flavors I can taste of cedar and leather mostly. The mouthfeel is super oily,
coating the palette fully. There is also a slight sweetness, more a sweet wood
than anything like cocoa, somewhere in the middle.

Getting into the second third, the flavors are still milder than I expected. They
are noticeable, but nothing is really very deep or overwhelming. Mostly the
only flavors present are still cedar and leather, with a little pepper and spice
having come up on the finish, fortunately.

Well, ask and ye shall receive. No sooner do I get bored with a lack of boldness,
do I get a big blast of pepper and cinnamon through the nose. Not pepper heat,
but rather, flavor, as well a a strong cinnamon spice flavor that is absolutely
delicious. If there is one thing I have noticed in the last couple Fuente sticks
I've had, it is that they sometimes take a little while to really develop into
anything, and when they do it is really great usually.

Just shy of the final third everything is getting really rich and creamy. There
is a little vanilla, and a great sweetness, that tastes fantastic with the cedar
and cinnamon flavors that still dominate through the nose. Despite a shaky
start, I'm really loving this one now. I've had a fair number of cameroon wrapped
cigars in the past, and they all share similar flavors with this one, except
that this cigar in particular seems to have taken those flavors I usually associate
with Cameroon, and ramp them up tenfold. Absolutely delicious.

Ended at 4:13pm, for a total burn time of one hour fifteen minutes. Good time,
great cigar. Absolutely delicious.

Fuente Fuente Opus X Reserva D'Chateau

2010-08-02T22:17:00.000-07:00

OPUSX RESERVA D'CHATEAU
7x48

Well, it had to happen sometime. This is my first experience with the OpusX brand, and I am really excited. I have obviously heard amazing things over and over, and vacationing seemed an appropriate time to give one the death by fire. This particular stick is from last year's release, so it has a decent amount of time on it, which I have been told is crucial to the enjoyment of these.

This churchill sized stick has a gorgeous, oily, medium brown wrapper, with a visible, but not tactile, vein structure. The aroma off the wrapper smells strongly of cedar. The foot on the other hand is extremely rich, offering raisins, nutmeg, and cinnamon. This is a famously full bodied smoke, so we'll see how those flavors play out in terms of strength. The band, as I'm sure everyone reading this review already knows, is ridiculously complex and gorgeous. The pack is full, and heavy, making this a pretty firm stick, which is cool for what is also a fairly large one. Oh, and it has a perfectly constructed triple cap, and very tight seams.

The pre-light draw is pleasantly fruity, almost floral with a touch of the aforementioned
cinnamon, as well as a little bit of a zing over the palette.

Lit at 3:18pm.

The initial flavors are a really deep pepper, accompanied by a heavy tingling burn that washes over the palette. The burn line is a little wavy, so we'll see what happens with that. Through the nasal retrohale there is a smooth cedar flavor that sort of offsets the heat from the pepper nicely. Smoke production is good but nothing amazing. It certainly wants to burn, and smokes and smolders away between draws. This is a good thing, so I doubt I will have any major burn issues with it.

Just as I expected, 3/4 of an inch in, the burnline has gone razor sharp. At an inch in, the flavors I can taste are sweet tobacco, cedar, a slight fruit through the nose, and a good pepper wash on the finish. Very pleasant combination. Not sure that I'd call the strength very full right yet, but the flavors are very rich. Ash fell for the first time well over an inch and a half, and left a perfect slightly raised center. Smoke production has greatly increased, with each draw producing massive plumes of blue and white smoke. For all the hype this cigar gets, I think the flavor profile is great so far, but the fruit flavor, which for some reason I am having a hard time specifying any further, is really the thing that sets it apart for me. Worth $30 or however much this large size goes for usually? Not so far, but definitely well worth closer to MSRP. One thing worth noting is how slow the burn has become. It is even, perfect even, but moving really slowly. So at this rate, the smoke time will probably make it worth the cost alone. We'll see I guess.

There is a slight vanilla flavor that has appeared on the draw as well, which is awesome, and goes fantastically with the cedar and fruit. The pepper is a little milder now, around two inches in, producing more of a flavor than a sensation. Mouthfeel is creamy, and coats the mouth with the sweet tobacco flavor.

Well I've figured it out right around the start of the second third. When Fuente and Fuente blended this stick, they must have had "All American" in mind, because this is like smoking apple pie. Fruit, cinnamon sweetness, nutmeg, and creamy vanilla are all the dominant flavors, but with a wood and pepper finish that rounds it out nicely. I'd call this a medium to full body so far, with a very full bodied flavor profile.

A little bit into the last third, the flavors have gotten a little nutty, and the pepper is back a little harder. The fruit flavor is gone, but the cinnamon and cream are still there, and a bit deeper, and richer now, almost earthy. Body and strength have also ramped up significantly. Not overpowering, but certainly noticeable, making me a little dizzy even.

Ended at 5:35pm. Put it out a little sooner than I normally would end a cigar, only because the strength was becoming unpleasant. It really kicked my ass in the last inch and a half, leaving me sweaty and shaky. Total burn time was right around two hours 15 minutes, so you definitely get your money's worth in length. The flavors are also unique and delicious. I would like to try some of the smaller sizes to see how they compare. I hear the smaller ring gauges are where the Opus really shines, so I will definitely be trying those in the future. All in all, I definitely see why this cigar has the reputation for quality that is does. Great (expensive, special) cigar.

Welcome to Smoke Into Oblivion

2010-08-02T22:12:00.000-07:00

So instead of only posting my reviews and thoughts regarding my cigar experiences on various forums, and bombarding twitter with cigar related non-sense... I made a blog. Not going to be anything professional, but rather... a no frills, no-nonsense place for me to talk about cigars.