Crooked Burn: Cigar Reviews From the Ground Up

J. Fuego 777 Corojo “Paka”

noreply@blogger.com (Dan Reeve) — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 17:10:00 +0000

Tonight's review is a cigar that traveled a long distance to get to me. The J. Fuego 777 Corojo “Paka” is a special size of the 777 blend produced specifically for Tamura's Fine Wine and Liquors B&M in Hawaii.

A quote from Tamura's Fine Wine and Liquors website: At our last smoker event with Jesus Fuego back in April, Jesus decided to create an "Exclusive" smoke for us at Tamura's. The "Paka" is based off the 777 Corojo blend, but was kicked up a little to add some more spice. It has a pig tail cap and a "closed" foot. The purpose of the closed foot is so the smoker can get a little more taste from the wrapper leaf when they first light the cigar. A limited batch was made to test it out, so if you're curious, get your stick today!

A regular patron of Tamura's confirmed that there were only 200 boxes of these made. My friend Jon (Fia on the BOLT message board) sent me this stick and I want to give him a very grateful thanks because I don't think I would have managed to get my hands on one any other way. On to the review.

Vitola: Robusto
Length: 4.5
Ring Gauge: 52
Wrapper: Nicaraguan Corojo
Binder: Nicaraguan Corojo
Filler: Nicaraguan Corojo
Price: $5.99
Smoking Location: New Havana Cigars
Beverage: Water

Pre-Light

Just like the last review, I want to say this was a great size and shape cigar. The 52 ring gauge actually felt smaller and the closed foot at one end, and pigtail at the other, gave this stick a great look. The wrapper was a medium to light brown with a lot of oils. Interestingly, the cigar gave off almost no odor at the pre-light; a very slight smell of tobacco, but other than that, nothing. The pigtail clipped easily but the cold draw was nonexistent due to the closed foot. The flavor I did get from the tobacco on the head was very potpourri-ish.

First Third

After torching a lot of the closed foot tobacco away, the cigar opened up nicely. I was a little nervous because this was one really "closed foot" and I thought the draw would be tough. Luckily I was proven wrong. The initial flavors I got were a lot of dry earthy tastes on the front with a sticky sweetness on the finish. Burning about an inch into the stick, I also started to get just a bit of pepper mixing with the sweet end. At this point, it was no where near the category of a spicy cigar, but there was a little pepper. The overall strength fell into the mild range.

Second Third

The only real change in the second third of my J. Fuego 777 Corojo “Paka”was on the front of the profile. The earthy flavors form the first third changed into more of a leather taste. For me this is a good thing because I prefer this flavor in cigars over earthy notes. The finish was still very sweet, with just a hint of pepper to knock it down. Still, at this point the cigar was in the mild strength range. If this was to be a beefed up version of the J. Fuego 777 Corojo it was not showing for me.

Final Third and Final Thoughts

The final third of my J. Fuego 777 Corojo “Paka” had nothing new to add to the table. The flavors were the same as the second third and the strength also continued on in the mild range. I do want to point out how well this cigar was constructed. I only ashed this cigar three times and each of those was me knocking it off and not it falling off naturally. I never had to relight this stick and I never had any burning or tunneling issues.

My final thoughts on The J. Fuego 777 Corojo “Paka”? This was a solid but average cigar. The flavor profile was there and the finish had a great balance, but it just didn't do much for me. It's a great cigar for people who like mild smokes or for people who are just getting into cigars because it is very easy on the body. That said, other than the cool shape, I don't really see any difference between this release and others in the J. Fuego 777 Corojo line. So seeking out this limited release would be more for the treasure hunt experience than the actual smoking experience you get from finding one, in my opinion.

Would I buy it again? This is not my type of cigar, so I would not.

Would I buy a box? See above.

Dan

Undercrown Corona ¡Viva! by Drew Estate (pre-release)

noreply@blogger.com (Dan Reeve) — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 01:26:00 +0000

Last Friday, Governors Smoke Shop (@GovernorsSmokes on twitter), a relatively new shop in the Columbus area, hosted a large Drew Estate event. Our local sales rep Sam Smerkol was there holding down the fort, as well as special guest David Lafferty Regional Manager East Coast for Drew Estate. If you have met David before, you will know that fun and craziness follows this guy around.

Here is a video we shot of the event:
Video - Event: Drew Estate Mega Event - Governor Smoke Shop, Westerville Ohio - Cigar Explorer from Cigar Explorer on Vimeo.

Sometime during the event, David handed me a new size of the Undercrown by Drew Estate called the "Corona ¡Viva!" to be released this spring. A quick Google search found this quote from Steve Saka President of Drew Estate regarding this new size: Corona ¡Viva! - 5 5/8 x 46 - slightly tweaked blend to increase the octane just a wee bit... did this figuring the guys most likely to desire this format are those with more experience and would desire a slightly stronger cigar (ME... lol) Keep in mind though the tweak keeps the UC blend intact, we didn't want to overshadow the natural sweetness or the creaminess of the core UC, so this is minor adjustment that I suspect many may not even notice. We probably won't even tell people... at least formally. (Source BOTL Website)

Undercrown has done very well and received much praise from the cigar blog world (if you want the whole story on how this cigar came about visit Tony's site here. It's got all the info you need and I won't need to repost it.) I've smoked well over a handful of Undercrowns, from samples at the tradeshow, to sticks from my B&M. Some I have liked, others I have not. Let's see how this new size held up.

Vitola: Corona ¡Viva!
Length: 5 5/8
Ring Gauge: 46
Wrapper: Mexican San Andrés Negro
Binder: Connecticut Habano
Filler: Nicaraguan & Brazilian
Price: $?
Smoking Location: New Havana Cigars
Beverage: Water

Pre-Light

First off, I loved the size of this cigar. The classic Cuban corona size just really sat well in my hand and was a nice change from the big ring gauge cigars that seem to be dominating the market right now. The wrapper was a very dark brown color, almost black in some places, with a lot of oils that shimmered in the light. There were a few small veins but nothing that took away from the brilliant dark color. The pre-lit aroma had sweetness mixed in with some floral notes. The cap clipped easily and the cold draw tasted nutty and leathery.

First Third

The first thing anyone smoking this cigar will notice right away is the amount of smoke this stick puts off. I've heard others say that Undercrown's "smolder". The Corona ¡Viva! is a perfect example of that. The resting smoke quickly filled the area of the lounge I was sitting in. The flavors in the first third were a little weak on the front with just some muted leather and sweetness, but the finish was powerful with lots of dry cocoa. There was almost no spice in the cigar at this point, which I found interesting because I remember some other Undercrowns having some. The construction was perfect and the cigar's burn created a nice tight, compact ash. I would put the strength of the cigar in the solid medium range.

Second Third

The second third of my Undercrown Corona ¡Viva! is where things started to really get interesting. And by interesting, I mean awesome. On the front of each draw, I was met with a very different sweet flavor that had a bit of a twang to it. I wracked my brain over and over about what this flavor could be and the best I could come up with is it was almost candy like. Not sickeningly sweet candy (this is tobacco we're talking about, after all) but twangy with almost some tartness. I know to my readers that might sound crazy/dumb, but it's the best way I can describe it. The finish flavor was still a strong dry cocoa which, even with its strength in flavor, it faded away nicely to leave my palate feeling clean. Still no sign of any problems with the construction or draw. Just like the first third, I would say the nicotine strength was in the medium range.

Final Third and Final Thoughts

The final third of my Undercrown Corona ¡Viva! continued on like the second third, but only increased in flavor strength. Once again, the front of the profile was dominated by the sweet tangy flavor which actually started to creep into the finish as well. It did not overpower the cocoa taste, but it was in there. I burned this cigar as far as I could and I can honestly say that even with how much I love the size, I wished it was longer. I did notice that the nicotine strength started to pick up toward the end of the cigar and I could feel my heart rate pick up a bit, so I guess I would put the final third in the medium to medium-full range.

My final thoughts on The Undercrown Corona ¡Viva! by Drew Estate? This is a game changer for the Undercrown line. Like I said in the intro, I've had hit or miss experiences with this brand, but this was not just a hit...it was a home run. Once this cigar got heated up, the sweet twangy flavor was unique and popped on every draw and the dark cocoa finish ended the flavor experience cleanly. If the full release in the spring is anything like this sample, I just might have a new favorite from Drew Estate

Would I buy it again? Yes

Would I buy a box? This is for sure a box purchase cigar.

Dan

Bonita's 18th Anniversary Blend Cigar

noreply@blogger.com (Dan Reeve) — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 02:47:00 +0000

Tonight's cigar is a release to celebrate the 18th Anniversary of business for Bonita Smoke Shop in Bonita Springs, Florida. If you are not familiar with Bonita Smoke Shop, (website: http://www.bonitasmokeshop.com ) they are one of the finest online retailers and when it comes to social media and customer service, they might be at the very top for involvement. Jackie (@Bonitasmokeshop on twitter) has always been lightning fast to answer questions with me and I can't recommend them high enough. With that said, let's find out what this cigar is all about...

Quote and video from the Bonita Smoke shop webpage: Bonita's 18th Anniversary cigars epitomizes all that is desired in a high quality premium hand rolled cigar. Custom blended of the finest tobacco and made expressly for Bonita Smoke Shop. Available in Limited Short Runs at our store and online. Enjoy one soon! Our sincere gratitude to Willie Herrera of ETB Cigars for helping us create a cigar that we are honored to put our name on. Bonita's 18th Anniversary cigar is an extremely well balanced cigar, with a delicious crescendo of flavor, in the medium flavor profile range.

They aren't many names as popular right now as Willie Herrera, so I can't wait to try another one of his custom blends.

Vitola: Robusto
Length: 6
Ring Gauge: 50
Wrapper: Ecuadorian Sumatra
Binder: Nicaraguan
Filler: Nicaraguan & Dominican
Price: $6.95
Smoking Location: New Havana Cigars
Beverage: Water

Pre-Light

I've smoked a lot of cigars this year with Ecuadorian Sumatra wrappers and I don't think a single one had been this light in color. It was a light peanut butter colored wrapper with just a few small veins. The construction was very nice, especially at the cap, which was perfectly applied. No sloppy glue or uneven application here. The pre-lit aroma smelled strongly of walnuts. I've been picking this up a lot recently and I relate it to the big bag of walnuts my mother-in-law got me for Christmas that I'm still working my way through. The pre-lit draw also had a nutty taste, mixed with some sweetness.

First Third

My Bonita's 18th lit up very easily and produced very thick clouds of smoke. I had to turn on an extra fan in the smoking lounge just to clear the air a bit. The initial flavors were wonderful with lots of black pepper (hitting hard on the taste buds in the middle of my tongue) in the front of the profile, with a very interesting plum, or dark pitted fruit finish. Unlike the walnuts from the pre-light, this is not a flavor I pick up a lot in cigars and not something that eat a lot of in my monthly diet. So for me, it was definitely surprising. The burn and draw were just fine and cigar was easy to smoke. The strength through the first third was in the medium range.

Second Third

The second third of my Bonita's 18th saw the black pepper move away from the front of the profile and become a staple on the finish. I was kind of bummed to see the plum/jam flavor leave the cigar altogether, but if it were going to go away, a spicy finish is a good replacement because it's what I typically prefer in cigars. The front of each draw had a new flavor now and it was graham cracker. I know a lot of people who are a fan of this graham/pepper combo and I am one, too. The construction was just as good as the first third and the strength still a solid medium.

Final Third and Final Thoughts

The final third of my Bonita's 18th was pretty much a clone of the second third albeit a little milder in taste. I still got the graham cracker flavor front with the pepper kick on the finish, but it wasn't nearly as in your face as the second third. A little flat, but still enjoyable. I'm not sure if the cigar is designed this way, but in the final third when the flavor was getting mild, the nicotine punch of the cigar was ramping up. The cigar finished in the full strength range for me. Not a head spinner, but a lot stronger finish than what I was expecting.

My final thoughts on Bonita's 18th Anniversary Blend? I'll be 100% honest: this cigar surprised me a lot. I'm not sure why, but I wasn't expecting a lot and a lot was what I got. The flavors in the first and second third were right in my wheelhouse for what I reach for every time I'm at a shop or open my humidor. Before you blow this off and think I wrote a good review because I consider Bonita a friend or because they are a sponsor of this site, please do yourself a solid and try one of these. If you're a peppery cigar fan, I'd be shocked if you didn't like it.

Would I buy it again? Yes

Would I buy a box? At that low a price, for me it's a no-brainer. Definitely box worthy.

Dan

Kristoff Corojo Limitada

noreply@blogger.com (Dan Reeve) — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 02:02:00 +0000

Up for review today was the newest offering from Kristoff Cigars the Corojo Limitada. I keep a nice supply of Kristoff products in my humidor because I have found that, when I have friends over, it's a brand that normally goes over well from the most experienced smokers to the new guys/gals.

From what I can find online, and from what Glen Case (owner of Kristoff cigars and all around one of the nicest guys you will meet in the cigar industry), told me the Corojo Limitada is the fullest in strength cigar they have in production at this time.

A quote from the Kristoff Cigars Official webpage "The new Corojo Limitada is for the fan of Nicaraguan tobacco. Nearly a puros Nicaraguan blend, this medium-full bodied cigar is loaded with spice, nutmeg, toasted nut and a sweet-spicy finish. Made with 100% Habano seed tobacco that is double and triple fermented, the Corojo Limitada maintains the Kristoff tradition of flavor and smoothness. The signature of Kristoff Cigars."

I tend to lean more towards Nicaraguan cigars in my personal taste, so the quote above sounded good. On to the review...

Vitola: Robusto
Length: 5.5
Ring Gauge: 54
Wrapper: Nicaraguan Corojo
Binder: Nicaraguan
Filler: Nicaraguan & Dominican
Price: $8
Smoking Location: New Havana Cigars
Beverage: Water

Pre-Light

The first thing I noticed when I got my hands on a Corojo Limitada was the expertly-constructed pig tail cap. Even though the cap has nothing really to do with how the cigar preforms, it's little finishes like this that I notice when walking in a B&M humidor with hundreds of brands to choose from. The other end of the cigar had a closed foot which was a rugged contrast to the cap. The wrapper color was a shiny medium brown that had some darker shades mixed in spots. All in all, it was a very natural processed leaf look. The un-lit aroma was mostly hay, but I did get some port wine scents. The cold draw was tight do to the unfinished foot with a simple, natural tobacco flavor.

First Third

My Corojo Limitada opened up with a lot of thick smoke with a dominate leather flavor. The flavor was present both on the front of the profile, which made it a little dry, and on the finish which actually smoothed things out. It was kind of strange to have the same flavor, but two distinct textures all in one draw, but hey, that's what I got. The construction was excellent and the cigar draw and burn had zero issues. The thing that was a bit surprising to me was the strength of the cigar. I would put it at this point in the mild to lower-medium range; not typical for what I normally expect from Nicaraguan tobacco.

Second Third

The second third of my Corojo Limitada still had a lot of the leather flavor on the front of each puff and on the finish. What did change and come into play was a nice little pepper kick at the absolute back of each draw. I liked this addition because it took what was really a one-dimensional cigar up until now to a new level. The pepper was in no way a front runner in the flavor profile, but just a side note. The strength in the cigar continued to be in the mild to lower medium.

Final Third and Final Thoughts

Finishing off my Corojo Limitada i was greeted yet again with another small change in the flavor profile. Each draw I took now had some sweet cedar on the front, though leather was still the most dominate flavor all over this stick This little difference here, and the little pepper difference in the second third, changed things up a bit. The construction throughout was perfect, and I was able to nub this cigar with ease. The strength of the cigar toward the end was a solid medium.

My final thoughts on Kristoff Corojo Limitada? While it's not the strong cigar I thought I was getting, it was still a very entertaining cigar. After burning an inch in, I thought to myself that this might be kind of boring, but I was wrong when met with the pepper in the second and the cedar in the third. Like I mentioned in my intro to this post, I would say this is another blend from Kristoff that a hardcore smoker or someone new to the hobby could smoke and enjoy.

Would I buy it again? Yes, I will keep some of these around.

Would I buy a box? This is not my personal favorite in terms of flavor profile, so I would pass on a full box.

Event: Smoke Inn presents The Great Smoke

noreply@blogger.com (Dan Reeve) — Sat, 21 Jan 2012 19:54:00 +0000

Hey everyone. I am not able to attend this event this year (I actually will be in Miami the day after it, hard luck I know). But I wanted to give a plug for it because I went last year and had an absolute blast. In my opinion this is the best event of it's kind and should be attended at least once if you are a serious cigar fan.Cigarfest and Big Smoke have nothing on what the guys from Smoke Inn put on every year. Below are details about the event, and this years features.

If you go tell them Dan sent you.

Details:
This February Smoke Inn will be hosting their 6th Annual The Great Smoke event at their West Palm Beach location. The Great Smoke event has grown to include forty of the industry’s top manufacturers with attendees receiving a cigar from each, along with the opportunity to meet the faces behind their favorite brands. In addition to a duffel bag full of cigars, the event offers catered food and beverages, live music, along with copious specials and giveaways.

Smoke Inn proprietor Abe Dababneh has even come up with a major promotion that guarantees to make The Great Smoke 2012 the most memorable yet – he’s giving away a 2011 Chevrolet Camaro! In honor of Smoke Inn’s 15th anniversary, Abe had 300 limited edition humidors specially made by Altadis, each containing 50 premium cigars including; Romeo y Julieta, Montecristo, Trinidad, H Upmann, and Warlock. Each box comes with a detachable token that serves as the buyer’s entry into the raffle for the Camaro, and each box buyer also gets a base ticket toThe Great Smoke event (a $150 value) included with their box purchase! The Cigars have a $500 retail value, but Abe is offering the box at only $350. There is no better way to join in on The Great Smoke then to get a 15th Anniversary box with your ticket and a chance to win a shiny 2011 Chevy Camaro!

The Great Smoke is held at Smoke Inn, West Palm Beach. The date of the event is February 18, 2012, from 1pm – 5pm. Tickets start at $150, with VIP tickets available for $200. VIP guests get valet parking, early access to the event starting at 12 noon, special seating with an additional bar, and an attendant wait staff for anything they desire.

More information is available at www.thegreatsmoke.com where you can see the lineup of manufacturers, purchase tickets and browse photos of previous The Great Smoke events.

Liga Privada Unico Serie Feral Flying Pig

noreply@blogger.com (Dan Reeve) — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 01:44:00 +0000

Today's cigar for review is the next installment from Drew Estate in the Flying Pig line. The Feral Flying Pig is a departure in size from the previous two pig releases (the Flying Pig #9 and the Flying Pig T52) and is quite a bit bigger. As well as the size being different, Jonathan Drew has posted online that it is a completely different blend than the other releases and that it is significantly stronger. Steve Saka (President of Of Drew Estate) has also been quoted saying this is the best Flying Pig release yet.

In this video that we did back in June of 2011 Jonathan speaks briefly about the stick (at the 6:58 mark)
Video - Interview: Jonathan Drew, My Uzi Weighs A Ton - Burning Leaf, Chicago Illinois - Cigar Explorer from Cigar Explorer on Vimeo.

I'd heard a lot of hype for this stick for the last few months, so I was excited to finally get my hands on some because, currently, they don't seem to easy to come by. Now, on to the review...

Vitola: Big flying pig :)
Length: 5.375
Ring Gauge: 60 (at it's fattest point)
Wrapper: Connecticut broadleaf
Binder: Brazilian Mata Fina
Filler: Nicaraguan
Price: $17 and some change in Ohio
Smoking Location: New Havana Cigars
Beverage: Water

Pre-Light

First off, I want to say that the Feral Pig was a hefty cigar to hold in my hand. Not that the length or ring gauge felt overly beefy, but the weight was significant. There was a lot of thick tobacco rolled into this and I could tell. The wrapper was a very dark brown almost black coffee color with a few small veins, but nothing too ugly. For broadleaf, I'd say it was a pretty good looking leaf. The cigar feels expertly rolled and was finished off with the signature pig tail cap. The pre-lit aroma had what I would now consider the classic Liga Privada smell, consisting of a lot of sweetness, mixed in with floral notes. The cold draw was nice and free (more on that in a second) and tasted raw sweetness and orange peel. I mention the draw again because what I find very interesting and distinct about these sticks is you don't actually have to clip them to get a draw. You just tear the pig tail off the head of the cigar and you're good to go. That simple removal of the pigtail creates the prefect amount of air flow to get full puffs of smoke out of it. Nice fun feature.

First Third

Lighting up this stick was very simple and the first few puffs on my Feral Flying Pig created a lot of flavors. On the front I tasted and felt a peppery warm spice coat parts of my palate as well as some espresso bitter bite. The finish of each puffs had tons of floral flavors and, even more noticeably, out the nose. At this point in the cigar, I'd say this was easily as complex as anything I have had in the Liga Privada line. The cigar put off a ton of resting smoke and burned at a very slow pace. The construction was excellent and even though the burn was a little wavy, I did not have to touch it up with my lighter. The strength was in the upper medium to lower full range.

Second Third

The second third of my Feral Flying Pig really really ramped up in strength. Just a few puffs into this part of my cigar I could already start to feel my heart beat pick up and my head get a little dizzy. I slowed my smoking rate down and that took care of any woozy feelings. During this part, the flavors seemed to back off a bit and most of the peppery spice and floral notes had died away. The main flavor now both on the front and the finish was the bitter espresso from the first third. I say bitter, but it was a nice bitter and not a bad flavor. It's also worth mentioning that the finish was very dry and left my mouth feeling dry but not dirty. Again the construction was excellent and the burn had no issues. The ash was also something worth noting because, as you can see in the photos, it held on all the way to the final third.

Final Third and Final Thoughts

Getting to the end of my Feral Flying Pig saw some of that complexity from the first third start to pick up again. I started getting more spice on the front of each puff, which created a more balanced flavor with the espresso. I was really enjoying this stick again at this point, but I was also only drawing on the stick maybe once every five minutes. By this time my body was full up with nicotine and, while it wasn't overly uncomfortable or sickening in anyway, I knew not to push my limits. I smoked it to the nub and it never got hot or had any burn issues.

My final thoughts on the Liga Privada Unico Serie Feral Flying Pig? This cigar delivers exactly what is advertised when it comes to strength. This is not one for the light weights or even the medium strength smokers. I think it's the strongest thing I've ever had from Drew Estate. The the complexity of the first third was very impressive and the fact that it started to return at the end made for a very enjoyable start and finish to the smoking experience. I do think the cigar fell a little flat in the middle of the stick, but maybe with a bit of time that will change. Does it take the place of the Dirty Rat as my favorite Drew Estate cigar? No and it's a completely different type of cigar...but I would say it's now second on the list for me.

Would I buy it again? If I can find more I will pick some up.

Would I buy a box? I'd be up for a split with someone.

Dan

La Flor Dominicana Factory Press IV

noreply@blogger.com (Dan Reeve) — Sat, 07 Jan 2012 17:10:00 +0000

Today's review comes from a brand that I don't smoke all that often, but one of which I have had my fair share. Although I am a fan of a few of the La Flor Dominicana blends (more specifically the Limitado IV), I had never had one of their cigars blow me away.

The LFD Factory Press IV was released in November of 2011. The Factory Press line has been a pretty big hit for La Flor Dominicana and I wasn't surprised that a new version of this stick had hit the shelves.

A quote from Litto Gomez of La Flor Dominicana. (Taken from their Facebook page) "For years I have been fascinated with our cigar box-pressing system. Many times I have thought how great it would be to share the process with our fans. That is why I'm offering a very special cigar shipped in the actual factory press. Because the concept is so special we needed to blend a cigar that will be totally unique to La Flor Dominicana"

Like I said above, for me, La Flor Dominicana has had some winners and some losers. I was eager to find out how this particular stick fares.

Vitola: Box pressed Double Toro
Length: 6.5
Ring Gauge: 60
Wrapper: Mexican
Binder: Ecuadorian
Filler: Dominican
Price: $15 and up
Smoking Location: Governor's Smoke Shop
Beverage: Water

Pre-Light

If you've ever had the chance to smoke (or even to hold) a cigar in the Factory Press line from La Flor Dominicana, you will notice one thing immediately. This was the hardest box-pressed, most squared off cigar that I can think of in the premium cigar industry. I always tell people that I think they look like Lincoln logs and that you could build a barn out of them. The wrapper of this particular stick was a light brown color with medium-sized veining. Another thing to note was the head of the cigar, which seemed to have an abnormally large amount of glue on it. Most of the time (including this review) the glue (or pectin) adds zero flavor, so it's not something that really bothers me. The pre-lit bouquet was very faint and smelled only of tobacco. The cold draw was nice and free and had a raisin flavor to it.

First Third

My LFD Factory Press IV lit up easily and had a fantastic draw. I mention this mainly because, with such a odd shape, you never know how the construction will be. At this point the cigar had zero problems. The flavor on the front of the profile was a mild white pepper; not very spicy but just enough to tingle some taste buds. The finish was also very mild with dry cocoa flavor. The finish, however, was a bit unpleasant. After a minute or two between puffs, I got a very ashy flavor in my mouth. It wasn't horrible, nor was it the greatest taste. The strength of the cigar was in the upper mild- to lower-medium range.

Second Third

Before discussing the flavor of the second third, I want point out the ash on this stick. The ash was very white and flaky and would fall off with just a slight tap or breeze in the air. Be cautioned if you're wearing black.

As for the flavors, the profile changed a bit in the second third, as the pepper faded away and the dry cocoa really took over. I am guessing this flavor comes mostly from the Mexican wrapper on the cigar because I have taken note of other cigars with the same palate notes who also use that leaf. Yet another change for the better was that peculiar, ashy finishing taste I had in the first third had all but vanished. Now the finish on the cigar was very clean and almost a little short. The strength maintained in the upper mild-to-medium range.

Final Third and Final Thoughts

Rounding out the final third of my LFD Factory Press IV, the cocoa flavors continued to pour in. The smoke was now very thick and coated my palate completely. Toward the nub, I got a bit of harshness in the back of my throat, but that could be due to me smoking the stick too fast. The strength finishing off the cigar had pushed up to a solid medium. The construction from first puff to finish was great, without any draw or burn issues.

My final thoughts on La Flor Dominicana Factory Press IV? If you are a fan of medium strength cigars with a lot of cocoa and chocolate flavors, you will dig this. The construction was great and I didn't had to "babysit" the cigar at all. I thought the shape and size felt a little awkward and the flavor profile was not as complex as I would have liked.

Would I buy it again? This particular stick is not one that fits my preferences and I would rather not buy it again, as there are other sticks from LFD that I prefer over this one.

Would I buy a box? See above.

Dan

REVIEW: Trinidad Short Robusto T LE 2010 (Cuban)

noreply@blogger.com (Dan Reeve) — Wed, 28 Dec 2011 20:42:00 +0000

Happy Holidays everyone! For this special time of year, I thought I'd try something new for my site. Last year, and again this year, my friend from Japan Kenji Fukui (@madoqa on twitter and his blog http://shortash.blogspot.com/) sent me a nice little Christmas present consisting of some Cuban cigars. The difference between last year and this year is, after I sent him a thank you note, he responded with a "review them" request. SO Kenji, here is your review, and consequently my first Cuban cigar review posted on this site. I hope you enjoy it.

A brief history on Trinidad Cigars (From Wiki):
According to Adriano Martínez, a former executive of Habanos SA, in Min Ron Nee's Illustrated Encyclopedia of Post-Revolution Havana Cigars, the Trinidad brand was first produced in 1969 at the El Laguito factory in Havana. In the early 90's, the cigar received much attention in Cigar Aficionado after an interview with Avelino Lara (formerly the manager of El Laguito, and a producer of cigars for the Graycliff Hotel in Nassau, Bahamas until his death on October 27, 2009). In the 1992 interview, Lara claimed that Trinidad was an ultra-exclusive brand that only Fidel Castro was authorized to hand out as diplomatic gifts. Lara also claimed Trinidads were of a higher quality than the much-lauded Cohibas that had formerly been diplomatic exclusives before their mass-market release in 1982.

The cigar for today is the 2010 Limited Edition release from Trinidad and happens to be in one of my favorite sizes. (Due to the size of this cigar, this review is only in two parts instead of the traditional thirds.)

Specifics
Vitola: Short Robusto
Length: 4
Ring Gauge: 50
Wrapper: Cuba
Binder: Cuba
Filler: Cuba
Price: $15 and up
Smoking Location: New Havana Cigars
Beverage: Water

Pre-Light

The short robusto format is one of my favorite sizes in cigars and the Trinidad LE 2010 is a perfect example of the size. The one aspect of the cigar that stuck out the most visually was the tiny pigtail added to the head of the cigar to finish the cap. The wrapper of my Trinidad Short Robusto was a nice chocolate brown color with a few small veins. The prelit aroma was very faint with just a slight odor of mild tobacco. The cap clipped easily and the draw was nice with a flavor that tasted berry-like...a bit like a mixed berry compote.

First Half

The first half of my Trinidad Short Robusto had a two distinctly different flavors. It began with a very light/mild wood tone...not quite cedar, but something in that area. The smoke left a very cobwebby texture on my palate, which I tend to get almost every time I smoke a Cuban cigar. As I burned further into the first half, I started to pick up some coffee notes on the finish. It was mild, but very much there for the tasting. The construction was excellent and as you can see in the photos, the ash was solid as a rock. The strength was in the medium range.

Second Half and Final Thoughts

The second half of my Trinidad Short Robusto was very entertaining and enjoyable because it was quite a bit different than the first half. The flavors took a turn for the more spicy side and I picked up a powerful, yet refined white pepper. I hadn't expected this flavor at all because the first half was very mellow. The finish of the cigar still had just a hint of coffee, which made an interesting mix with the spicy front end. Again, the construction did not fail me and I was able to burn this cigar well into the hot-finger-tips zone.

Final thoughts on the Trinidad Short Robusto T LE 2010? This stick started out a little boring for me, but then turned it up a notch about half way through. The stick doesn't have a very strong "Cuban twang" that so many reviewers talk about when it comes to Cubans. Was it the best Cuban cigar I have ever smoked? No. Was it the worst? Not even close. Overall, I enjoyed the experience and want to say thank you again to Kenji for the wonderful present.

Would I buy it again? If I had to choose between this cigar and the regular Trinidad Robusto T, I think I'd go for the non LE edition. It's a similar smoking experience, but with even more flavor.

Would I buy a box? For the same reasons above I would not buy a box of these.

Dan

REVIEW: Casa Miranda by Miami Cigars

noreply@blogger.com (Dan Reeve) — Fri, 23 Dec 2011 14:49:00 +0000

Today's cigar review is on a stick I have had sitting in my humidor for awhile now. A few months back, I was sent a very generous package from Miami Cigars which , amongst some prototypes and some other new releases, included a pair of Casa Miranda robustos. I have no excuse as to why it took me so long to smoke this, other than there are so many new cigars coming out each week and once a stick goes into my humidor, it might not see the light of day again for weeks or months.

The official Press release from Miami Cigars about Casa Miranda: Rolled exclusively by level 9 rollers from world re-nown factories in Cuba. The cigar is being manufactured in historic Calle Ocho by Titan de Bronze blended by master blender Willy Herrera.

What makes this cigar special is that it is 100% handcrafted in Miami and will be Miami Cigar & Company’s first ultra boutique cigar with the tagline of “A new approach to an old school tradition.”

This was a good looking cigar that I really didn't know a lot about. I do know that they were on display at the 2011 IPCPR, but these are the first two that I've had the opportunity to smoke.
Specifics
Vitola: Robusto
Length: 5
Ring Gauge: 50
Wrapper: Ecuadorian Habano
Binder: Nicaraguan
Filler: Nicaraguan
Price: $10
Smoking Location: New Havana Cigars
Beverage: Water

Pre-Light

The wrapper on my Casa Miranda was medium to light brown in color with some large, thick veins. There was a little tooth present, but mostly the texture on the leaf had a waxy feel to it. The pre-lit aroma was of hay and natural tobacco. The cap clipped easily and the cold draw had a sweet taste to it with some hints of plum. I would also to mention the artwork on the band of this cigar because I think it's a bit different than what we normally see and I like it. It is a bold design with lots of different elements, but I don't feel it's over done or cheesey. Nice job.

First Third

Lighting up my Casa Miranda was an easy task and, right away, I started to get some enjoyable flavors. The front of the profile had a not-too-spicy, yet distinct black pepper. The finish was a little more interesting in that it had a strong taste of bread or oats. I am able to pick out this bready flavor in a lot of cigars, but this one was slightly different. Now that I think about it, it was more a raw grain taste than of baked bread. Interesting, to say the least. The burn was great and the draw had zero issues. I'd put the strength of the cigar in the medium range.

Second Third

The second third of my Casa Miranda was similar to the first third, but the black pepper flavor completely disappeared unless I pushed the smoke through my sinuses. I missed a bit of the spice from the first third, so I found myself reto-haling a lot during this portion of the cigar. The finish returned with the oats/grain taste which, although heavy, left my palate feeling clean. Toward the end of the second third, a bit of sweetness began to creep into the finish. The construction was still spot on and the strength maintained in the medium range.

Final Third and Final Thoughts

The final third smoked exactly how the second third left off all the way to the nub. The heavy grain with hints of pepper and sweetness dominated the palate from draw to exhale. Even though this stick burned quite quickly and produced a lot of smoke, it never got hot or harsh, not even toward the end of the smoking experience. Strength stayed consistently in the medium range.

My final thoughts on the Casa Miranda by Miami Cigars? This is a solid release from Miami cigars and I will go on record as saying that it may be the second best cigar they have ever made. (I'm still a big fan of a fresh La Sirena.) It's not crazy complex, but it's an easy cigar to smoke with some interesting flavors.

Would I buy it again? Yes, I would buy more of these. I think it's a great stick to share with friends because it has real cigar flavors, but will not kill any new smoker with nicotine.

Would I buy a box? I don't think I'd buy a whole box for myself, but I would go in on a split.

Dan

Dan's Best of 2011 Cigars

noreply@blogger.com (Dan Reeve) — Sun, 18 Dec 2011 22:03:00 +0000

Every year most blogs put out a end of the year "best of" list. I myself haven't ever done one before, so this is my first attempt. All of the opinions in this list are my own and do not reflect my partner's favorites of the year. Maybe I can talk Mario into making his own list but I can't make any promises. So here we go...my top five cigars of 2011.

#5 - My Father El Hijo

The My Father El Hijo was the third release in the Smoke Inn's Micro Blend series made exclusively for their shops in Florida. I was completely blown away by this cigar and I will write it again like I did in my full review: in my opinion, this is the best cigar ever made with the My Father brand name attached to it. Lots of spice, cedar and a robust caramel flavor fill this cigar's taste profile making it flavorful and unique. Full review here.

#4 - Emilio Cigars Grimalkin

I smoked two different blends from Emilio Cigars this year and, while both were decent sticks, the second one I tried (Grimalkin) gave me what probably was my biggest surprise of the year. I had heard about this cigar and the rumblings of who may or may not have made it, but I never felt any real urgency to smoke the samples I had. If I only knew then what I know now. The Grimalkin had a distinct vegetable-like flavor profile mixed with more traditional black pepper. My smoking partner and I both nubbed these and were equally stunned by our findings. Full review here.

#3 - Padron SI 15 Maduro

Just like my #5 cigar of the year, the Padron SI 15 comes from the Smoke Inn Micro Blend series. This stick proved just how wrong I could be about my constant proclaiming that smaller ring gauge cigars are always better. Coming in at a 6 x 60 vitola the Padron SI-15 is every bit as massive as it sounds, not only in physical size, but also in flavor. Dark chocolate and coffee notes dominate the flavor profile (and with a lot of strength to back it up.) I would put this stick up against any Padron Family Reserve release and say it would beat it. Full review here.

#2 - Illusione Epernay Le Taureau

For the last few years, every time I smoked any size of the Illusione Epernay I always asked myself, "Why don't I smoke more of these?" Well in 2011, I did just that and put the Epernay line into the front of my normal rotation of cigars. Toward the end of this year, New Havana Cigars got a small shipment of new sizes of the Epernay and I think one of them (the Le Taureau) is the best vitola yet in the line. This 56 ring gauge cigar has a ton of power, but even more than that, it has a ton of flavor. I will still hold to my statement in the review that the Epernay is the single-most balanced blend on the market today in premium cigars. Full review here.

#1 - Tatuaje La Vérité 2009

Taking the number one spot for me this year (and on my first ever top 5 list) will come as no surprise if you have talked to me about cigars in the last 6 months, have seen some of my twitter updates when people are talking "best of", or if you happened to catch my guest spot on Kiss My Ash Radio. I've not been able to stop praising this cigar and I honestly think it is well deserved. The Tatuaje Vérité 2009 is clearly the stand out cigar of the year. The blend is extremely complex in flavor and the experience of smoking one of these makes you feel like you are enjoying something special. Pete Johnson and the team at My Father cigars outdid themselves on this one and I am very happy that I have a decent supply. I can't begin to express how much I am looking forward to the 2010 version. Full review here.

Well that's it. Thanks for reading my top five cigars for 2011. I hope that you agree with some and maybe disagree with others. Please leave a comment and tell me what you think. I'll wrap up this post with a few honorable mentions that just barely missed the list.

Honorable Mentions:
Surrogates Cigars Bone Crusher - Very strong cigar that is perfect when looking for something heavy. Not in limited quantities like a lot of other releases this year, which is a plus. (review)

Subculture Studios MY UZI WEIGHS A TON - Another 6 x 60 sized cigar, but another easily enjoyed. Easy to smoke and solid medium strength, flavorful cigar. (review)

Illusione MK Ultra - This is the cigar I was most excited to be released this year and it delivered. Classic Illusione taste ramped up into a more powerful cigar. (review)

Dan

REVIEW: Padron Family Reserve 85th

noreply@blogger.com (Dan Reeve) — Wed, 14 Dec 2011 01:40:00 +0000

Every year there are a couple annual releases I really look forward to smoking. Like I've mentioned before, the Monster series from Tatuaje, the Holiday Blend from Viaje, and the Opus X are always on the list. With that said, the release that might top this year's list is the Family Reserve from Padron. Everyone has heard of Padron cigars. Padron has been a staple in the industry for producing extremely high quality cigars for decades. The Family Reserve line is their crème de la crème cigar each year.

Quote from Jessica Padron about this release: The Padrón 85th was released to commemorate my grandfather's 85th birthday. Jose O. Padrón founded Padrón Cigars on September 8th 1964. Recently, we celebrated our 47th year in business. We hope you enjoy this cigar along with the history and tradition behind Padrón Cigars.

Two years ago, the Padron Family Reserve 45th was awarded the Cigar of the Year title from Cigar Aficionado magazine. I thought last year's release the Padron Family Reserve 46 (which I reviewed here) was even better. Now on to the smoke...

Specifics
Vitola: Robusto
Length: 5 1/4
Ring Gauge: 50
Wrapper: Nicaraguan
Binder: Nicaraguan
Filler: Nicaraguan
Price: $20.00
Smoking Location: House of Cigar
Beverage: Water

Pre-Light

I've been lucky enough to smoke my fair share of the previous Family Reserve releases and the thing that stuck me right away when finally getting to hold an 85th is just how much smaller it is than years' past. The 5.25 by 50 slightly box-pressed stick is a great size but took me a little off guard. The wrapper leaf was a very dark brown color with tons of tooth -- definitely the most tooth I've seen on a wrapper in awhile and perhaps all year. There were some visible veins here and there, but nothing too dramatic or overly ugly. The pre-lit aroma consisted mostly of hay, but had some hints of coffee as well. The cold draw had a strong oak flavor.

First Third

My Padron Family Reserve 85th started out with a very strong blast of spicy black pepper. It was very strong and tasted like I'd just chewed on a peppercorn or taken a teaspoon of fresh grinds and poured it on the center of my tongue. This cigar wakes you up right away. The nicotine strength was also noticeable from the start and I would say it was in the lower full range. After burning around an inch, I started to pick up some coffee notes on the finish that mixed in with the spice, which was still very strong, but at this point, some flavor profile changes were starting to happen.

Second Third

The second third took a dramatic turn in flavor and lost almost all of that very strong black pepper. It was a nice change because, although I love a spicy cigar, it was getting pretty one-dimensional and I generally expect more from a Family Reserve release. The flavors now took on a very rich dark cocoa on the front of each puff with black bitter coffee on the finish. The two complimented one other, creating a nice flavor combination. The strength of the cigar seemed to keep increasing and was now, even though only halfway through the stick, well into the full range. I could feel it in my chest as my heart beat picked up a little.

Final Third and Final Thoughts

The final third was delicious, but man it beat me up a bit with the power. The full strength of this cigar hit me pretty hard during the final third and made me think I should have had a bigger dinner. The flavor profile, however, was not secondary to the strength and the mixture of dark cocoa and coffee was still very enjoyable. I didn't mention before because it almost goes without saying, but the construction was perfect and the burn/smoke volume was precisely what one would expect of a Padron release.

My final thoughts on the Padron Family Reserve 85th? This is a strong in power and strong in flavor cigar that ranks right up there with the other Family Reserve line releases. Would I say it's better than the 46 or 45th? I'm not sure I'd go that far, but it's close. The new size format is really pleasant and I would love to see Padron keep this trend going with these releases and stay away from the bigger sticks. It keeps the price a little lower and makes it easier to find the time to smoke one.

Would I buy it again? I will pick up a few more of these when I can find them.

Would I buy a box? This is way out of my price range for a box purchase. But if you have the scratch, it's worth it.

Dan

REVIEW: MUWAT BAIT FISH by Subculture Studios

noreply@blogger.com (Dan Reeve) — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 16:31:00 +0000

Up for review today is a brand new cigar from Subculture Studios (a subsidiary of Drew Estate) that has been discussed in length on many cigar message boards. Instead of restating all of the info about this release, I'm going to copy and paste a quote from Jonathan Drew that he posted on the BOTL website that sums it all up nicely:

Quote Jonathan Drew: MUWAT "BAIT FISH", is a 4x44 in the MUWAT "EF" Collection. The EF represents Fuerte due to the increase in strength from the other BAIT FISH blends that we worked on AND the regular 60 RG collection that the brand is released in.

Please remember that the MUWAT brand itself, as originally released, is supposed to be truly medium bodied (seems to be a bit over medium). So when we began working on the BAIT FISH samples the blend was tweaked up from the beginning, to "M" and "F". The finished blend that was selected was the F, so I thought it would be logical to call this SPECIAL, EXCLUSIVE selection "EF" cause its got Extra from the Original MUWAT.

As I was introduced to Dan at NHC at this year's IPCPR we were able to spend a little while getting to know each other a bit better. I have been watching him as a truly passionate retailer and one who prides himself on good quality, special cigars in a boutique environment - I offered Dan the Exclusive for BAIT FISH. He seemed pretty jazzed about the concept, and we began to review blends.

I'm looking forward to the introduction of the 4x44 into the MUWAT line just as the weather gets cold. It should be 30 to 40 minutes of happiness for the people in the freezing areas. I hope that some of you guys enjoy them.

Now that we know more about this release, let's move onto the review to see how it held up.

(Due to the size of this cigar, this review is only in two parts instead of the traditional thirds.)

Specifics
Vitola: Petit Corona
Length: 4
Ring Gauge: 44
Wrapper: Mexican San Andreas
Binder: Connecticut Shade
Filler: Brazilian, Nicaraguan
Price: $6.10
Smoking Location: New Havana Cigars
Beverage: nothing

Before I begin the smoking experience portion of the review, I want to mention the packaging for this release because it would be a shame to not at least touch on it. These sticks come packed in 5 count paper-wrapped bundles with the Bait Fish logo screen printed on the front. The design is so simple, yet comes off truly creative and different from what you would normally get in a premium cigar release. The pack is the perfect size to stick in a shirt or pants pocket, so carrying them to the park or while walking the dog will be a breeze. Kudos to Subculture Studios for the great packaging design.

The cigar itself had a very dark wrapper with an oily sheen to it. There was really only one visual line on the stick and it was from the edge of the wrapper leaf. Squeezing the body of the cigar, I could tell it was evenly packed but not tight or anything close to hard. The pre-lit aroma was of fresh tobacco which reminded me of the smell of a rolling floor at a cigar factory. The cold draw was sweet with hints of cedar and nuts.

First Half

The first thing that came to mind a few puffs into my Bait Fish was just how smooth the start of the cigar was. I normally smoke a lot of black peppery sticks that sort of hit you in the face right away and that was not the case here. It was very relaxing and an easy to smoke start. The main flavors I picked up were oak notes on the front, mixed with some warm cinnamon spice on the finish. The cinnamon was most noticeable on the roof of my mouth. The cigar tasted very clean and didn't leave any film on my teeth or tongue. The burn and the draw were great and it was easy to pull large amounts of smoke, which was nice from such a small vitola. I would put the strength of the cigar in a solid medium.

Second Half and Final Thoughts

The second half of my Bait Fish is where the strength that is advertised in the promos for this cigar started to show. It was not a knock your head of strong nicotine buzz, but it was significantly stronger than the first half. The flavors of the second half also changed up and I finally got a taste of what many others have written about but I had never experienced before...I would say the main flavor now was very meaty and dark. It was so meaty that I almost felt like I should be able to chew the smoke. Again this is a new taste for me, so I'm not that well versed in describing it. I'm sure some others who pick this up a lot will have a better way of putting it, but I will say I was enjoying it. This flavor was dominant both on the front and the finish, but even with such a strong taste, the finish was very clean. I smoked this cigar all the way to the nub and it never got hot which is what I normally experience in small sticks at the end. Full strength now.

My final thoughts on the MUWAT BAIT FISH by Subculture Studios? I was like a lot of other people with the original MUWAT release in that I liked it, but wished it was smaller and a bit stronger. Well that is exactly what the Bait Fish was, with the meaty flavor added in as a twist. If you're a fan of the MUWAT line you are going to love this. For this time of year, when the weather is cold up here in Ohio, this is a perfect smoke.

Would I buy it again? This is going straight into my small winter cigar rotation. I will be buying a lot more of these.

Would I buy a box? Bundles of 25 sticks for $130 bucks? This is a no-brainer to me. I will grab more than one bundle.

Side Note: These are a New Havana Cigars exclusive release and will go on sale this Wednesday, December 7th in the evening. I'm not sure what the special is, but Jonathan Drew and Dan Welsh (owner of NHC) told me that there will be some sort of promotion pack that will come with these cigars on release day.

REVIEW: Illusione Epernay Le Taureau

noreply@blogger.com (Dan Reeve) — Mon, 28 Nov 2011 19:14:00 +0000

Today's review is a cigar blend that has received outstanding feedback from almost everyone who has smoked it, but in a size that has seemed to fly under the radar a bit. The Illusione Epernay Le Taureau was released around two months ago and is the second release of a box-pressed shape in this line. I've smoked my fair share the La Matin (the first box-pressed release) and have loved every one.

Quote from Dion owner of Illusion Cigars about the new release: These new sizes were supposed to be a store-only exclusive cigar for my shop. I decided to let them out to others after I was sure the blend would perform well. As with all my new releases, I make very small quantities to ensure the blend is perfect before going in to larger production #'s.

I saw that this stick was recently rated a whopping 93 by Cigar Insider. Let's see how the Le Taureau treats me. (Who am I kidding, we know this is going to be awesome!)

Specifics
Vitola: Robusto +
Length: 5 1/2
Ring Gauge: 56
Wrapper: Nicaraguan Café Rosado
Binder: Nicaraguan
Filler: Nicaraguan
Price: $? on a single but a 3 pack of the 3 new sizes is $34.75
Smoking Location: New Havana Cigars
Beverage: Water

Pre-Light

The first thing noticed when I held my Epernay Le Taureau was the nice shape. I am not normally a big box-pressed cigar guy, but this press wasn't overdone like so many others which feel a little like smoking a Lincoln Log. The wrapper was a medium to medium dark brown in color with some spalting effects in various places. The veins were minimal and it felt very smooth to the touch. The pre-lit aroma was a mixture of sweetness and natural tobacco with the cold draw picking up a strong hazelnut flavor.

First Third

Right out of the gate I felt like I was smoking an elegant cigar. The initial flavors were a mild peppery spice, especially on the finish with a warm, sweet raw honey taste on the front. The flavors were fantastic, but to me, the thing that set this cigar apart was the flavor balance. Neither of the flavors dominated the other and both showed their full potential on every draw. The construction was great and the burn razor straight. The strength of the cigar at this point was in the medium to lower-full range.

Second Third

The second third of my Epernay Le Taureau saw some changes in the flavor profile, but many on the finish, with the departure of the peppery spice and the arrival of some cedar. The front of each puff was still very sweet, but I would say it was more like a burnt sugar taste than a honey flavor. Again, the balance of the smoke and flavors were perfect and wonderfully enjoyable. Something else I want to add is how clean the smoke left your palate. This is a big cigar and it produced a lot of smoke, but at no point did I ever feel like my mouth was dirty or burnt. Toward the end of the second third, the strength started to show its teeth and I would say it was well into the full range.

Final Third and Final Thoughts

The final third of my Epernay Le Taureau was a clone of the second third with the flavors, but the strength bumped up even more. At this point I would say to anyone that this is a strong cigar and make sure you eat first. With that said, it is not overwhelmingly strong or sickening, just be careful to plan ahead. Everything else in the final third was perfect and I smoked this stick down until my fingers started to burn.

My final thoughts on the Illusione Epernay Le Taureau? I've said this a lot recently, but this is a Top 5 cigar of the year for me (sooner or later I'll have to make that list.) It's not the most complex flavor profile you will ever smoke and it's not the flashiest release of the year, but what it is, in my opinion, is the most well-balanced blend on the market today. The Le Taureau is just another perfect example of this blend. If you can find another cigar that has a more perfect marriage of spice and sweetness than the Epernay, please leave a comment and let me know what it is.

Would I buy it again? All day every day. Lucky for me the only place that has them currently is New havana cigars which is located in my home town. I spoke to Dan (@nhcdan on twitter) about these cigars and he said he still had some left, but this first shipment was very small.

Would I buy a box? This is a high priced cigar, but 100% box worthy cigar.

Dan

REVIEW: San Lotano Oval

noreply@blogger.com (Dan Reeve) — Mon, 21 Nov 2011 20:05:00 +0000

The excitement around the cigar up for review today would be deafening if the internet could scream. The San Lotano Oval from AJ Fernandez has been reviewed now on many sites and I have personally heard from a few fellow cigar bloggers that this cigar could be their #1 cigar of the year. Those are some big words because I know these guys pretty well and I know they smoke A LOT of different cigars. These cigars are being made at AJ's factory Tabacalera Fernandez in Estelí, Nicaragua, just like the rest of his San Lotano line.

A quote from the AJ Fernandez website: The prestigious San Lotano Oval from AJ Fernandez presents in a highly unique oval shape. The key to an enhanced smoking experience: ultra-premium aged tobacco. The new Oval affords a truly distinguished balance like no other.

I was pretty excited to try this cigar, having heard so much about it. Now, on to the review:

Specifics
Vitola: Robusto Extra
Length: 5.5
Ring Gauge: 52
Wrapper: Ecuadorian Habano
Binder: Nicaraguan
Filler: Nicaragua, Honduras, AJ Fernandez Secret Filler
Price: $8.30
Smoking Location: New Havana Cigars
Beverage: Water

Pre-Light

The San Lotano Oval is just that -- an oval. I honestly didn't think this would be that different than the typical round shape of a cigar, but when held, it does feel kind of weird. My cigar was heavily packed and had some significant weight to it. The wrapper was a medium brown color with some veins that were much lighter (almost white) in color. The veins looked like cracks in the wrapper because they were such a different color, but there were no cracks. The pre-lit aroma had some almond scents mixed with a woody characteristic. The cold draw was nice and free, tasting of sweet, natural tobacco.

First Third

Lighting up my San Lotano Oval took a significant amount of time because, like I said, this stick was jam-packed full of tobacco. Once I got a nice burn going, the initial flavors were a bit rough. I got some unrefined white pepper on the front with a leathery, almost waxy flavor on the finish. The finish also left some unpleasant harshness on the back of my throat. At this point, I was confused as to why so many people were praising this cigar so highly because I was not enjoying it at all. The positives, however, were the construction and the draw. I was able to pull lots of smoke form the cigar without much effort and the burn was nice and straight. The ash is also worth mentioning because it was solid as a rock and held on well over an inch. The cigar strength fell in the medium range.

Second Third

The second third of my San Lotano was completely different then the first third, and I have to say that I'm glad it was, because I was debating putting this cigar down. The rough starting flavors changed into a more balanced woodiness on the front with a polished peppery spice on the finish. The finish was very clean and lacked all harshness from before. Again, the construction was perfect and the draw excellent. I found that if I really wanted to wake my taste buds up, I could push a little bit of the smoke through my sinuses and it created a strong zing of pepper. At this point I'd put the cigar in the medium to lower full range in strength.

Final Third and Final Thoughts

The final third of my San Lotano Oval was the same as the second third with maybe just a bit more balance going on between the wood flavor and the spice. I had commented to my smoking partner that this was a very smoothly smoking portion of the cigar and he agreed. Getting down to the nub, the strength of the cigar picked up even more and I would definitely rank it full strength. Even with the unconventional shape, the cigar never needed any relighting and was easy to smoke.

My final thoughts on the San Lotano Oval? I'm glad I didn't let the harsh start to the cigar turn me off right away because once I was past it, I had a great experience. The balance and smoothness of this cigar is what really shines and makes me think that quite a bit of testing went into this stick to get it just right. If anyone else gets a rough start to one of these, just give it time. I think you will enjoy what it turns out to be.

Would I buy it again? Yes I would buy more of these.

Would I buy a box? This is a box worthy cigar. I'd love to see what some age does to them.

Dan

REVIEW: Emilio Cigars Grimalkin

noreply@blogger.com (Dan Reeve) — Tue, 15 Nov 2011 01:25:00 +0000

Today's review is another new cigar from Gary Griffith of Emilio Cigars. (You can read the review I did of the AF1 here.) There is not a lot of information online about this cigar, but I do know that it is being made in Esteli, Nicaragua and that it is rumored to be produced at the My Father factory. Like I said, that's just a rumor and Gary Griffith neither confirmed or denied it. If an under-the-radar cigar from My Father doesn't get the cigar geek in you excited, I don't know what will.

Quote from the Emilio Cigars Website: Grimalkin is a unique blend, produced in Esteli, Nicaragua from carefully selected tobaccos. This cigar will be limited in quantity based on harvest conditions. A true masterpiece in the finest tradition. Medium bodied and complex, Grimalkin is designed for the refined palate with an appreciation of subtle nuance in texture and flavor of the smoke.

On to the review...

Specifics
Vitola: Robusto
Length: 5
Ring Gauge: 50
Wrapper: ?
Binder: ?
Filler: ?
Price: $8.30
Smoking Location: New Havana Cigars
Beverage: Water

Pre-Light

OK. I'm just going to get it out of the way before I start to get into the meaningful part of the review: this has to be one of, if not the ugliest cigar bands on the market. I understand that Grimalkin means evil cat or something, but wow...there has to be a better way to portray that then a poor man's Cheshire cat eyes. I didn't smoke the band, so I'm glad there are other details to review this cigar on because judging this cigar's graphics...that was an epic fail in my opinion. Looking past the band, the wrapper was quite nice and had a reddish hue to it. The pre-lit aroma was very woody and the cold draw had a similar taste, but also had some hints of dried fruit. The draw was nice and free.

First Third

I didn't know what to expect out of my Grimalkin so I was pleasantly surprised when the cigar opened up with some very unique flavors. On the front, there was a tangy vegetable taste that was enjoyable. It's the flavor I best describe by what you smell when you walk in a well-made green house. The finish had a lot of spicy black pepper that was very Pepin/My Father reminiscent. Both were very strong in taste and each brought a different aspect to the cigar making it far from boring. The burn on my stick was pretty straight and had a very dark "eyeliner" burn line. The power range of the smoke was in the medium range.

Second Third

The second third of my Grimalkin was similar to the first third except the front of the profile picked up some leather flavor notes. It sounds like a strange mix of flavor with vegetable and leather, but somehow it worked and worked well. The finish was still strong black pepper that, even with its strength, finished clean without leaving my mouth feeling dirty or burnt. The construction was top notch, never needing a relight. The strength got more into the full range at this point, but still nothing overwhelming.

Final Third and Final Thoughts

The final third of my Grimalkin was fantastic. The front of each puff had that lovely (and again, very unique) veggy/leather mix, but the finish changed up into a balance of spice and sweet. The black pepper was still there and roaring, but I picked up some lovely raw sweetness to it that seemed to only get stronger as I got closer to the nub. When you talk about flavor balance in a cigar, this is a perfect example. Like before, the construction was great never getting above the lower-end of full strength.

My final thoughts on the Emilio Cigars Grimalkin? I'm stunned by this cigar and I'm stunned there isn't more hype about it. For me, this is in the Top 10 if not the Top 5 sticks I've smoked this year. I can only guess that the hype isn't there because, when you first see this stick on the shelf or in pictures, the band makes it look like a cheap bundle cigar. I would not pick up this cigar in a shop blindly and I would obviously be missing out. If anyone from Emilio Cigars reads this...you have a fantastic cigar. Don't let people walk past it because of it's look.

Would I buy it again? I already have started my hunt for more.

Would I buy a box? This is a box worthy cigar.

Dan

REVIEW: Quesada Oktoberfest

noreply@blogger.com (Dan Reeve) — Fri, 04 Nov 2011 19:28:00 +0000

So I'm a little late on this review as October is officially over, but I'm going to post it anyway...the Quesada Oktoberfest. I saw these sticks on display at this past year's IPCPR tradeshow and I was immediately drawn to the design and the dark wrapper. Germany holds a special place in my heart, as it is the country I was born in, as well as a country I have visited many times growing up. To see the German flag incorporated very nicely into the cigar band was an instant attraction for me.

Quesada is a relatively new company to me as I have only smoked two of their other blends. One I liked a lot, one I hated, so I'll leave it at that. Time to light up another Oktoberfest and see what it brings.

Specifics
Vitola: Robusto Extra
Length: 5.5
Ring Gauge: 52
Wrapper: Dominican Cibao Valley
Binder: Domincan
Filler: Domincan
Price: $8
Smoking Location: New Havana Cigars
Beverage: Water

Pre-Light

Just like I said above about the attractive band design on this cigar, the stick itself holds up well on the eye test also. The wrapper is VERY oily and has a ton of tooth to it. If you like the look of dark cigars, you're going to love this one. The stick was firm when I squeezed it, but not to hard, so I figured it would draw well. The pre-lit aroma contained cedar and earthy scents and the cold draw tasted as such also.

First Third

My Quesada Oktoberfest opened up a little rough with the first few puffs being quite bitter. After the bitterness subsided, my flavor palate started to pick up what I would describe as some very dark flavors. Think of burnt coffee and earthy musk and you'd be on the right path. The finish was slightly different and had some charred wood notes to it. If those flavors sound good to you then you will be very happy with how this cigar starts off because they are strong in flavor. For me it's not really my cup of tea and I was having a hard time enjoying it. The strength of the cigar's nicotine was in the medium range.

Second Third

The second third of my My Quesada Oktoberfest was pretty much the same as the first third except for the charred wood flavors on the finish seemed to intensify and creep into the front of each draw. It was kind of camp fire-y to me and again, was not really what I was looking for. The other flavors of burnt coffee and earth were still prevalent but started to fade off a bit. I should also mention that my particular stick needed a few touch ups along the way to keep the burn straight. I'd guess that might have something to do with how oily this wrapper is. The strength was the same as the first third; a solid medium.

Final Third and Final Thoughts

I'm not having much luck with final thirds on my reviews recently and this one kept the streak going. During the final third of my Quesada Oktoberfest, the cigar started to make my mouth feel very dirty. The smoke was thick and hot, not thick and mellow like I've written about in reviews past. The flavors stayed the same and were very in your face right until I put the stick down (again, if this dark flavor is the profile you enjoy, and I know many do, make sure you try this cigar for yourself.) Just as consistent as the first two thirds, the strength was solid medium.

My final thoughts on the Quesada Oktoberfest? I smoked one one of these in early October that my friend Pat (@oneputter on twitter) hooked me up with at my football tailgate. It was outside and the air was slightly cool and after I finished smoking the stick I thought, "Hey this is a pretty good cigar." The one I smoked for this review was inside and with me fully paying attention to it and only it, and it was a different story. Maybe there are some consistency issues with this blend or maybe this cigar is just better for an open air environment? Either way this cigar was disappointing this time around.

Would I buy it again? I'll keep smoking Quesada products because I like what they are doing (especially the Espana line because it is awesome), but I think I will pass on buying any more of these.

Would I buy a box? At this point I would not buy a box.

Dan

REVIEW:: My Father Commemorative 9/11 blend 343

noreply@blogger.com (Dan Reeve) — Mon, 31 Oct 2011 19:46:00 +0000

I just received a few samples of this cigar from our friends at Top Quality Cigars. I first heard about them when my business partner Mario returned from a trip to Chicago where he hung out with some of the people involved in the project.

A quote about the project and the cigars form the Top Quality Cigars website: "This whole process has been very secretive; Jeffrey Holst, a Battalion Chief from Firehouse No. 1 in Lombard, IL brought to us the idea of doing something special to commemorate the 343 fallen Firefighters of 9/11. We approached Jaime Garcia with this idea and he graciously accepted to blend and create this highly special extremely limited cigar, each box will contain 9 Ecuadorian Habano Rosado wrapped cigars and 11 Nicaraguan Habano Oscuro wrapped cigars. The size best described as a Toro 5 1/2" x 54. This will be a special size created by Jaime just for this cigar. $40.00 from the sale of each box will be donated to a designated charity of the fallen heroes of 9/11, these cigars are rich complex with medium to full body, everyone will enjoy, so buy them while they last"

For this review I'm trying out the Habano Rosado wrapper version.

Specifics
Vitola: Robusto extra?
Length: 5.5
Ring Gauge: 54
Wrapper: Nicaraguan Habano Rosado
Binder: Undisclosed
Filler: Undisclosed
Price: $10.00
Smoking Location: my back deck
Beverage: Water

Pre-Light

The 54 ring gauge of this cigar was deceiving because when I held it in my hand it felt bigger. Maybe my hands are shrinking because I seem to be thinking that a lot lately. The wrapper was dry and very smooth with a few decent sized veins that didn't look as if they would have any impact on the burn. The color of the cigar was a medium to light brown with reddish tints. The pre-lit aroma was faint and smelled the most strongly at the open foot of fermented tobacco. Clipping the cap was no trouble and the cold draw had a strong black licorice taste.

First Third

When first lit I was blasted with a strong spicy black pepper that I have grown to love from My Father Cigars. The spice most most noticeable on the roof on my mouth and on the sides of my tongue. The finish on the profile was also full of black pepper but left a dry feeling on my palate, not unlike the dry feeling you get after drinking something like apple cider. The draw was great and the construction top notch. About an inch into the smoke, the lovely pepper was still going strong but I started to get some harshness on the finish in the back of my throat. This was not very pleasant. The strength was in the medium range.

Second Third

The second third of my My Father 9/11 was still dominated by black pepper on the front, but on the finish I got some slight hints of coffee. This was nice, but unfortunately with that coffee came some bitter taste that only added to the uncomfortable harshness on the end of each puff. I started to smoke the cigar slower than I normally would do and this seemed to tone down the harshness a lot, so I would recommend to anyone getting some unpleasantness from this cigar to take it slowly. Just like the first third, the draw was great and the construction perfect. I'd say the strength by this point was leaning more into the full area.

Final Third and Final Thoughts

It didn't get any better for me in the final third of my My Father 9/11. The pepper that I normally love was being overpowered by the bitterness from the finish and actually made each draw kind of rough to take. I continued to smoke the stick because every now and then I got some nice coffee tastes, but not enough to make me take it all the way to the nub. The strength was definitely in the full power mode and the amount of smoke the stick produced seemed to ramp up even more.

My final thoughts on the My Father Commemorative 9/11 blend 343? I'm not sure if these still have some aging to do or if I got a bad stick, but this was not the normal precision flavor blending that I know come out of the My Father camp. The cigar seemed unbalanced and rough around the edges. I have a sample of the Oscuro-wrapped version of this stick, so I look forward to seeing what that will bring and see if is more to my liking.

Would I buy it again? I would buy another single to see if the experience is the same or if something was just off with this particular stick

Would I buy a box? At this point I would not buy a box

Dan

General Cigar Company Blogger 2011 Dominican Republic trip

noreply@blogger.com (Dan Reeve) — Thu, 27 Oct 2011 00:28:00 +0000

Last week me and fifteen other cigar bloggers were invited down to the Dominican Republic by General Cigar Company to tour all assets of their operation. No stone was left unturned and we were treated to viewing every aspect of their cigar production from farming, aging, fermenting, to rolling and so on. It is no secret to General Cigar Company that most of us "geek" cigar smokers do not rave online about about most of their products on a weekly basis like we do with some of the other smaller boutique brands, yet they still treated us with the utmost respect and hospitality, wanting to share and teach us about what they have going on. If anyone from General Cigar Company is reading this, I commend you for reaching out to us.

Every person I met was extremely friendly and knowledgeable in the cigar business and I learned a lot. I would say that if there was one (unwarranted) opinion that changed for me about General Cigar Company from the last week, it's that they do NOT cut any corners in their cigar production. Everything they do is carefully planned and executed right down to the last leaf. Just because they sell over a 100 million cigars a year, it does not mean they rush any aspect of the process nor force anything until it is just right to them.

I could write up a day by day break down from the trip, but Bryan at http://cigarobsession.com/ nailed it so, I suggest you check out his site for the details. I would like, however, to share my favorite part of the trip: the intense blending session presented to us. The staff at General Cigar Co. laid out around fifteen different types of tobacco for us to sample and provided us with a expert roller to quickly whip up small cigars for us to try with tobaccos we had chosen. I think I tried around nine blends before I found one that I thought fit my flavor profile. To me it was good, but I don't think I'll be giving up my day job anytime soon.

In closing, I want to thank everyone from General Cigar Company for providing me with this opportunity and teaching me more about my passion for cigars. I especially want to thank Victoria McKee for providing us with anything we asked for and keeping us all in line (most of the time). I also want to thank all my fellow bloggers, some who I had met before and some for whom it was the first time. You guys feel like family and not just writers on the other side of the Internet. There really isn't very many better ways to spend a week than with 14 other guys who share the interests and drive that I do. The fact that we can talk for hours (and into the early hours of the morning) about cigars and tobacco issues is mind boggling. I hope there are many more of these trips and I hope to see you all again very soon.

Here is a link to my photos.

Dan

REVIEW: Tatuaje Wolfman (pre-release)

noreply@blogger.com (Dan Reeve) — Tue, 11 Oct 2011 14:57:00 +0000

It's my favorite time of year. The weather is getting cooler. The trees are starting to change color. College football is in full swing. I could go on and on. With autumn being my gem of a season, it's not a shocker that Halloween ranks at the top of my favorite holidays to celebrate. And with Halloween comes probably my most anticipated cigar line release of the year: the Tatuaje Monster Series. Some of them have been better releases than others in the line, but in my opinion, they have all been pretty solid. I'm happy to see that Pete (@tatuajecigars on twitter) has moved away from the Mexican wrapper of last year's THE FACE and gone with the Sumatra that did wonders on the Tatuaje The 7th Cappa Especial and the NHC Cappa Especial.

Quote from Pete Johnson about the Tatuaje Wolfman: This year's Monster was based on the Wolfman and I wanted it to have a slightly unfinished gnarly feel to it. It comes in dress coffin boxes of 13, or ten count boxes just like last year. The sticks are wrapped in foil... silver bullets.. get it?

With these shipping this week I thought it was time to light up my other sample from last July's trade show. I smoked one other sample of this stick a few months back, but it was after a long day of smoking many cigars. Let's see what the Wolfman can do to a fresh palate.

Specifics
Vitola: Box-pressed torpedo
Length: 7.5
Ring Gauge: 52
Wrapper: Ecuadorian Sumatra
Binder: Nicaraguan
Filler: Nicaraguan
Price: $13
Smoking Location: My Back Deck
Beverage: Water

Pre-Light

First thing I noticed when holding my Tatuaje Wolfman is how long the cigar feels. The short unfinished foot (longer than the El Hijo, but not as long as something we saw last summer from another company) adds some length, but I think it's the tapered head that gives the impression that it's even longer than a 7.5 cigar. The wrapper is a reddish brown color that has lighter shades of brown closer to the veins. There is a slight tooth to the wrapper, but it feels very smooth and has a waxy-like coat to it. The pre-lit aroma is very leathery with some black pepper at the open foot. The cold draw was excellent and tasted of cedar with hints of plum which added some sweetness.

First Third

I tend to torch my cigars pretty well so I only got one or two puffs off of the cigar before I started to burn into the wrapped part of the stick. The first few puffs of just filler/binder had a mild spice both on the front and the finish but not much else. The draw was perfect and the cigar produced a good amount of smoke. Once I was a inch or so into the main body of the cigar, the front of the profile got very woody in flavor. The finish still had the mild spice that I tasted mostly on the roof of my mouth. Burning even further into my cigar, the finish changed up and picked up a dry cocoa taste. This worked nicely with the mild spice from before. The strength was in the medium range.

Second Third

The second third of my Tatuaje Wolfman had a big change in flavor from the first third in the finish of the profile. Gone completely was any sign of spice and now I was getting a lot of sweetness that left my mouth feeling syrupy. It was very interesting to say the least. The front of each puff changed a little also, but not in flavor more in the balance of taste. The dry cocoa from the start had picked up and was now equally as strong as the woody cedar flavor. Just like the start of the cigar, the construction/draw was excellent and the strength was on the medium side.

Final Third and Final Thoughts

In the final third of my Tatuaje Wolfman, the front of the taste profile took a change like the finish did previously. Now on each draw, I was hit with a big bouquet of floral flavors that lasted well into the finish and added even more to the sweetness that was already there. There was no spice that I am use to with Tatuaje, but that didn't take away from my enjoyment. Just something to take note of if you are looking for that Tat pepper blast. It is not here. The strength of the cigar ramped up a little here and I would say it was in the lower end of full. I also only had a small dinner before smoking tonight, so that might have something to do with it. Perfect draw with just a slightly wavy burn all the way to the nub.

My final thoughts on the Tatuaje Wolfman? This is not what I was expecting from this release and I'm happy to say I am pleased anyway. This was a departure from what normally comes out from the Johnson/Pepin tandem and will throw some for a loop, but I like to think of it this way: It's a fun release that is not part of the core Tatuaje line. Why not change it up and go in a different direction? In my opinion it's a solid cigar and a nice addition to the Monster series

Would I buy it again? Unlike last year's release, where I was not really hunting too hard for more of the cigar even though I love Halloween and all things related, I'll be on the search for more these.

Would I buy a box? With a 10 (or if you're lucky, 13) count box this is not a huge investment. I would love to have a box and let them sit for awhile. I recently smoked a Tatuaje Boris (another Sumatra-wrapped cigar in the Monster Series) and it was phenomenal. I wonder if these can turn from good to great like those did?

Dan

REVIEW: Lou Rodriguez MF

noreply@blogger.com (Dan Reeve) — Wed, 21 Sep 2011 15:52:00 +0000

I'll be straight up. Until my business partner Mario got back from the Rocky Mountain Cigar Festival a few weeks ago, I had never heard of Lou Rodriguez cigars. I try to read as much as possible and talk to as many people as possible about cigars, but I'm sure more than a handful of cigar brands slip through the cracks of my knowledge. This was the case with Lou Rodriguez.

In the past few weeks I have tried several of the blends from this company and have found them to be quite a nice little surprise. Then Mario and I received a package in the mail of a limited edition stick from Lou called the Lou Rodriguez MF.

A quote from Lou Rodriguez about the MF:
Dan great speaking with you tonight. Just wanted to give you a little bit of info about what you were smoking tonight. It is the Lou Rodriguez MF (MF for Matafina). It is also been referred to as our secret cigar since we do not advertise this on our website or brochures. It is tobacco which I have set aside from long term aging from Nicaragua along with a Brazilian Matafina wrapper. We only rolled 2000 of which 1500 are for sale to exclusive retailers only. Each with a dated box to show the vintage.

It was nice to talk to you also Lou. Now, on to the review.

Specifics
Vitola: Box-pressed torpedo
Length: 6
Ring Gauge: 52
Wrapper: Brazilian Matafina
Binder: Nicaraguan
Filler: Nicaraguan
Price: $?
Smoking Location: House of Cigar
Beverage: Water

Pre-Light

First thing I noticed when holding my Lou Rodriguez MF was how nicely box pressed the cigar was. I'm not normally not a big fan of box pressed cigars, but for this vitola it seemed to work well. The second thing that really stood out was the elegant band design. I know who designed this band and I am a fan of his work. This is another good example of it. The cigar's wrapper had a medium brown color with some simple veins that were not too distracting form the over all look. The pre-lit aroma made my nose tingle and smelled like a barnyard. I used V-cut on this cigar (another thing I don't normally do) and the draw on the cigar was excellent. The flavor I got from the unlit cigar was a strong cedar taste.

First Third

Lighting up my Lou Rodriguez MF was very simple and and the draw pulled large amounts of smoke right from the beginning. Like I said above, I don't normally do V-cuts, but the draw it created on this cigar was so nice that I might do more of them in the future. The most prominent flavor I was picking up from this stick was not on the front of the profile but on the finish and that was a nice cinnamon note. If you've read any of my reviews before you will know that I love this flavor in cigars. What I did taste on the front of each draw was some slight cedar, but it was mostly muted and had just a creamy smoke taste. The cigar settled in right in the medium range. A good start.

Second Third

The second third of my Lou Rodriguez MF was pretty much a clone of the first third. I was still tasting a lot of cinnamon on the finish of the cigar and the front, mostly smoky cedar. If anything did change I would say that the flavors maybe got a little richer and deeper. That's an odd way to describe things, but for my fellow experienced cigar smokers, you will know what I mean. The construction was top notch and the ash held solid until I knocked it into the ashtray. The strength again was right in the medium range.

Final Third and Final Thoughts

I'm not sure what happened in the final third of my Lou Rodriguez, but it came out of left field. The flavor profile that I had been enjoying completely changed up. Gone was the smoky cedar-y flavor. Now on the front of each puff I was greeted with a white pepper spice mixing with some bitter cocoa. It was almost like I had a different cigar. It was so drastically different that I was wondering about my sanity. The finish still had some cinnamon flavor, but that also was mixing with the pepper from the front which added some more enjoyment. Another thing that really changed was the strength of the cigar. For the first two thirds this stick was a solid medium, in the last third we were well into the full range. Nothing overpowering, but I could feel it for sure. The draw was still dead on and the burn never needed any touch-ups.

My final thoughts on the Lou Rodriguez MF? This was a solid average cigar up until the final third where it really took off into something above average. The additional flavors in the final third added some complexity and really kept me interested in finishing the stick. The strength really sneaks up on you at the end also so be careful not to hoover it down.

Would I buy it again I have no idea how much these cost, but if the price was right, I'd pick up a few to smoke and a few to share.

Would I buy a box? Since it's a small box count of ten, I could see me grabbing a box. But again, a lot depends on the price.

Dan

Room 101 One Shot One Kill Pre-release

noreply@blogger.com (Dan Reeve) — Mon, 19 Sep 2011 00:36:00 +0000

A few weeks ago I attended one of the first stops on the Room 101 Cigars Cigarmaggedon tour at The Village Tobacconist in Fairlawn Ohio. (Here's some video Matt Booth (owner of Room 101) shot of me and my friend Dan.) I had a great time, as always, hanging out with the guys and smoking some new sticks. While I was there I was handed a sample of a new cigar still being tweeked by Matt Booth and still in pre-release stage named One Shot One Kill. At least that's what the band says, so I am guessing that will be the name. This is a pre-release so who knows. I asked Matt for a quote about the cigar or any specifics and here is his response.

Quote Matt Booth: "I refuse your request sir."

If you know Matt this will not come as a surprise to you because, I can assure you, he meant nothing harsh by that comment and that he's just being his normal joking self. So with all of that said, this review will be pretty much uninformed and just what I thought of the stick.

Due to the size of this cigar, this review is only in two parts instead of the traditional thirds.

Specifics
Vitola: small figurado
Length: 4.75ish
Ring Gauge: 50ish
Wrapper: ?
Binder: ?
Filler: ?
Price: $?
Smoking Location: My back deck
Beverage: Water

Pre-Light

What a fun little shape. Those are the words that first came to mind when sitting down to write this review. I have smoked other cigars with this similar size and shape in the past, but they are few and far between. The wrapper of my One Shot One kill was light brown with a very reddish hue to it. I'd guess some sort of rasado wrapper, but I'm not going to spend this whole review speculating what this cigar is made of. The cigar was overall well constructed except for the cap, which looked to be applied in a pretty sloppy fashion. Hey it's a pre-release. Who cares right? The pre-lit aroma smelled of straight natural tobacco, but the cold draw was a bit more interesting. The strong and somewhat robust flavors on the cold draw were of Brazil nuts and dried fruit. Interesting start.

First Half

I lit the foot of my One Shot One Kill with a soft flame lighter and the flavors started to bellow out in a very smooth and non-abrupt way. Again it's kind of hard to explain some smoking experiences in words, and this ease or mellowing into tasting the flavors is another one of those times. Anyway, the flavor profile consisted of warm allspice and orange peel on the front. On the finish, more allspice, but this time with more of a nutty kick mixed in. I can say right now that I loved it and you can stop reading the rest of the review if you like. The construction of the cigar was top notch and the amount of smoke I was easily able to pull from stick was pretty significant. Something also to mention is the strength of the ash on this little guy. I had to knock the ash of this stick before it fell naturally because it was windy outside and I didn't want to wear it. I think in a calm environment, this cigar's ash would hold past the band. The strength of the cigar was in the medium range.

Second Half and Final Thoughts

The second half of my One Shot One Kill was similar to the first half with really two major changes. The first change was in the flavor profile, but more specifically in the finish of the profile. The front still had a lot of warm allspice and orange peel, but the finish took on a very "bready" taste. At this part of the cigar I was thinking "wow, this is great cigar for fall" because it's short on time to smoke (could be cold outside) and it has flavors that remind me of that time of year. Like I said above, I loved it. The other major change was the strength of the cigar shot right up the ladder and well into the full range. I could really feel the nicotine in my system and my heart rate went up for sure. It was not too full power, but if it was larger vitola, I would have been wishing I had a bigger dinner. Full strength and full flavor all the way to the nub.

My final thoughts on the Room 101 One Shot One Kill? Matt Booth really has something rolling this year. The Namakubi release was my sleeper hit from the trade show. The Room 101 Connecticut didn't blow me away, but it's a solid release not to be overlooked. And now this little guy...this was the powerhouse of the group. I really enjoyed the spiciness that was unique and the balance between flavor and strength was perfect. If you're looking for a strong cigar in a short format, this should be your go to stick.

Would I buy it again? If the blend stays the same from pre-release to full production I will for sure be picking up more of these. I am a fan of small cigars and this is another great one to add to my rotation.

Would I buy a box? Depends on the price, but I would say it is box worthy.

Dan

REVIEW: Surrogates Cigars Bone Crusher.

noreply@blogger.com (Dan Reeve) — Thu, 01 Sep 2011 19:28:00 +0000

The news of Surrogates Cigars has finally hit the public! (cigarfeed press release here) Living in Columbus, Ohio, home of New Havana Cigars (who these cigars are made for), I was lucky enough to get the scoop and a couple samples of these a couple months ago. With that said, the "scoop" still contains a lot of mystery. Dan Welsh (owner of New Havana Cigars) is keeping a tight lip on where these cigars are coming from, what they are made of and who is making them.

Some history behind the Surrogates Concept.
Quote Dan Welsh: I was curious, given my business model, how much hype goes into our smoking and buying decisions. Although I am thoroughly an advocate of educating ourselves as to what we are smoking, eating or drinking - so as to develop our palate and make better decisions when choosing future things - I also think that when we try something new without the hype of a limited release, or a certain manufacturer or claims of aged tobacco or 100% ligero, etc., that we come across a more authentic tasting experience. So, being that it is not limited - this seemed like a great opportunity to tell everyone 'try it and decide'.

So as you can see Dan has put some considerable amount of thought into this release, and why he wants to do it this way. Time to review the mystery cigar...

Specifics
Vitola: Bone Crusher
Length: 5.25
Ring Gauge: 54
Wrapper: ? broadleaf
Binder: ?
Filler: ?
Price: $7.50
Smoking Location: New Havana Cigars
Beverage: Water

Pre-Light

Black band, dark wrapper and intimidating name. Those are the first three things that pop into my head when looking over my Surrogates Cigars Bone Crusher. On a lighter note, you know that candy that you can get at Halloween where each place is shaped like a different bone from a skeleton? For some reason the bone image on the band of this cigar takes my mind right to that. That's not scary right? The wrapper on my cigar was a very even, dark brown color with minimal veins. For broadleaf, it did not have that normal gnarly texture to it. The pre-lit aroma consisted of earthy sweet scents. The cap clipped clean and the cold draw was nice and free. The flavor on the cold draw was different and had a port wine element to it. I don't drink much port wine, but what I have had tasted similar to this.

First Third

POP! goes the black pepper in your face. Wow. The first couple puffs on my Bone Crusher were like taking a pepper mill and grinding some fresh pepper corns on my tongue. Both the front and the finish of the stick was pure spice. This cigar wakes you up right away for sure. (Also, take note that during this part of the cigar, if you retro-hale you will have very watery eyes lol) I tend to get this strong pepper on a lot of cigars for about the first three puffs, but on this stick it lasted almost the entire first third. The pepper kept pouring in and I was digging it. At the end of the first third, the stick did seem to back off a bit with the spice and I started to pick up a few other flavors. The strength was in the medium to full range. The construction was top notch and the burn line very even.

Second Third

Like I mentioned above, at the end of the first third and definitely into the second third, the flavors started to switch up. The front of the profile took on a very strong baking chocolate taste, but still with that black pepper kick mixing in. It was in interesting mix and was growing close to that hot chocolate ice cream I have mentioned in other reviews. The difference was this chocolate flavor was not very sweet and tasted much darker. The finish during this part of the cigar had a pretty much the same flavors as the front, but I have to mention how clean the finish left my mouth feeling. With a heavy strong cigar sometimes I get that "I'm going to taste this in the morning" thought. With this cigar, I could tell it wouldn't kill/dirty my taste buds after the smoking experience was over. One other thing worth mentioning in this part of the review was how, in the second third, the volume of smoke really picked up. My smoking partner and I were blowing huge clouds of smoke into his high-ceiling office. We joked that you could fill a car with smoke off of this stick in about 2 minutes. The strength was starting to pick up and I was starting to feel it more, but in no way was it overpowering.

Final Third and Final Thoughts

Two main changes happened in the final third of my Surrogates Cigars Bone Crusher. First, the smoke that I mentioned above was still in great volume on the draw and in the air, but it now took on a buttery feel on my palate. I'm not saying it felt dry before, but in the final third it definitely had a lot more body to it. Second, on the finish of the cigar I started to taste some vegetable garden sweetness. I never saw this coming and it made for a interesting twist toward the end of the smoke. The front was still powering along with the baking chocolate and black pepper flavor. I guess I should have said that there were three main changes, not two, because I would be crazy if I didn't mention that during the final third of this cigar the strength really ramped up. I was still in my high nicotine comfort level, but I could feel my heart beat pick up.

My final thoughts on the Surrogates Cigars Bone Crusher.? In my opinion this is how bold, strong cigars can still be full-power, but have balance and great flavor. From the first few puffs that hit you right between the eyes with pepper, to the mellowing down in the second half and the evolution of flavor, I was happy from start to finish. I'm not really into guessing who makes this or where it's from because there are so many people out there making good cigars these days, it would be so hard to tell, but I will say that if it's not primarily, or even fully Nicaraguan, I'd be surprised.

Would I buy it again That's the great thing. My last three posts when I've gotten to this section of my review and said something like, "good luck these are all gone." Well with Surrogates they will keep making them as long as we keep buying them. I will be picking up more.

Would I buy a box? I like this cigar enough to buy a box.

Dan

REVIEW: Viaje Late Harvest

noreply@blogger.com (Dan Reeve) — Thu, 01 Sep 2011 02:11:00 +0000

The Viaje Late Harvest is the final, new limited release coming out of IPCPR show. These cigars come in two sizes and, again, are a very limited quantity release. Andre explains the Late Harvest as a "passion project" for him that took about a year and a half to come to fruition.

Quote from Andre Farkas: What we did was take the last two primings of the plant and put them into the filler. Added a little bit of viso, and it's unlike any cigar I've ever produced. It has a buttery quality to it.

If you'd like to see the interview we did with Andre at IPCPR 2011 where he talks about Late Harvest and all of his other new projects, you can find that here http://vimeo.com/27041732.

Specifics

Vitola: Robusto
Length: 5
Ring Gauge: 50
Wrapper: Nicaraguan
Binder: Nicaraguan
Filler: Nicaraguan
Price: $??
Smoking Location: My Back Deck
Beverage: water

Pre-Light

The first thing that jumped out at me when looking over my Viaje Late Harvest was the additional graphics added to the band. I like what Andre went with there. It's a subtle change, but it added some interest while still looking classy. The wrapper on the cigar was a medium brown color with some hues of red thrown in. The texture of the leaf was pretty vein heavy and had a decent amount of tooth. The pre-lit aroma smelled like aged tobacco with some floral notes. The cap was a little difficult to cut with the type of perfect cutter I had been using due to the pigtail cap, but once I had it off, the draw was excellent. The flavor of the cold draw was a nutty tone, with a distinct Brazil nut taste.

First Third

My Viaje Late Harvest lit up easily and started out right away with an interesting mix of flavors. The front of the profile had a mild spice mixing with some clove. I've been a big fan of clove as long as I can remember, so I was happy with this start. The finish on the profile was also very different from what I have smoked recently; tasting like a sweet toffee with some woody notes. It sounds extremely strange, but I think that's the best way to describe what I was getting. It's a very unique flavor mash up, for sure. The cigar had perfect construction and was right in the medium strength range.

Second Third

The second third of my Viaje Late Harvest stayed pretty true on the front flavors (spice and clove), but took a different turn on the finish. As different as the finish flavors were in the first third, I'd say the second third was even harder to describe. The best way I can describe it at this point is a "twang" and when blown through your sinuses, it's an even stronger flavor. I was really digging it because it was an enjoyable "twang" and something I'm not sure I have ever tasted before in a cigar. Just like the first third, the construction was great and the burn never died out, even between a few longer resting moments. The strength was still medium.

Final Third and Final Thoughts

Something I should mention right away is this is a quick-burning cigar. It didn't take me very long to burn to the final third and I was by no means huffing down the stick. Now that I got that out of the way, the final third was completely taken over both on the front and the finish of the flavor profile by the "twang" from the second third. I wracked my brain for a better way to describe it and the best I can come up with is it's a non-specific tart citrus flavor. I've said this before in other reviews, but again, please. If someone else smokes this cigar and has a better explanation for this flavor, please post a comment because I'd love to know what you think. I know everyone will get this taste because it is very strong in the final third. The cigar was easy to nub and the strength never rose above medium.

My final thoughts on the Viaje Late Harvest? This cigar tasted extremely different to me and I enjoyed it. The flavor was strong and yet it still took a lot of brain power for me to try to characterize it in words. Aside from the marketing aspect of the "late Harvest", which seems a little too gimmicky for me, this is my favorite of the three new release from Viaje.

Would I buy it again? If I can find some more, I will pick some up.

Would I buy a box? These come in huge boxes of 35. I'm not sure what the MSRP was for this stick, but I'm going to guess it's way out of my price range in box quantities.

Dan

REVIEW: Viaje Skull and Bones Little Boy

noreply@blogger.com (Dan Reeve) — Mon, 29 Aug 2011 14:49:00 +0000

The Viaje Skull and Bones Little Boy is the second release of the "red banded" blend in this line from Andre Farkas. The Skull and Bones line is a little confusing so here is the info as I understand it. There are two different blends in the line, one with a white and black band and one with a red and black band. Either of these could come in different shapes and sizes depending on the specific release. There is to be two releases a year in the Skull and Bones line, one white and one red. The red is the stronger of the two blends. Then there is the Zombie release, but I'll not even get into that.

If you recall, I was blown away by the first "white" skull and bones release, but after that this line hasn't impressed me. The second white release was, in my opinion, not even close to ready, and the red line I've had before were straight power without much balance.

I still have high hopes for this line because of just how much loved the first release. Let's see how the Little Boy turns out.

Due to the size of this cigar, this review is only in two parts instead of the traditional thirds.

Specifics
Vitola: Petite Robusto
Length: 4.25
Ring Gauge: 52
Wrapper: Nicaraguan
Binder: Nicaraguan
Filler: Nicaraguan
Price: $9.20
Smoking Location: New Havana Cigars
Beverage: nothing

Pre-Light

The Viaje Skull and Bones Little Boy had a very oily wrapper that gave off a nice sheen in the sunlight. It also had a lot of texture to it with little bumps and veins running around the leaf. The shape of the vitola is something that Andre seems to be really into with both ends of the cigar receiving a triple cap. I'm not sure if he expects people to light one end still capped, or to clip both ends. I went with the clip both ends which might have been an issue (see below.) The aroma coming off of the stick was very pleasant and smelled of well-cured tobacco. The cold draw was also very nice and tasted of raisins with some bonus sweetness added in.

First Half

I lit the freshly clipped end of my cigar with a soft flame and right away had some problems with the wrapper unraveling. Luckily for me it didn't pop off all the way, and the bands lower on the cigar seemed to hold the wrapper close enough to the core of the cigar that it still burned. Maybe it would have been better to just burn through the cap? The flavors I got from the start were very lovely with some anise and cocoa on the front, followed by a warm black pepper on the finish. It was not a "bitey" pepper, but it definitely had some spice that was most most prevalent on the roof of my mouth. About half an inch into the cigar, I hit what I described as the wall of strength. Holy hell this cigar went from medium to full in the first 10 puffs or so, to a giant of power well into full. I immediately started to feel my blood pressure go up and my head start to spin. At this point, it was still in my range of comfort, but wow. It was up there. As you would guess with the wrapper problems I was having, the burn was not stellar and needed a few touch ups. Right at the half way point of the cigar, the flavors changed up and I started to get a lot of earthy and leathery notes both on the front and the finish.

Second Half and Final Thoughts

The second half of the cigar continued similar to the first half on the front, with the taste profile coming up in rich leather notes but the finish changed up once again. The cocoa from the first half came back strong on the finish and made for a nice flavor left to linger on my palate. By this point in the cigar, though, my nicotine tolerance level was maxed out. I could feel my heart beating heavily and my head was in a daze. I did manage to stick with the cigar all the way to the end, but I'm glad it was a small sized stick or I would have had to put it down early. The burn had problems because of my wrapper issue, but it never went out.

My final thoughts on the Viaje Little Boy? I smoke a lot of beefy, full strength cigars and this one was even too much for me. By the time I got to the nub, I felt like I just went twelve rounds with a heavyweight. With that said, I think the flavors in this stick were, by far, the best and most-pronounced in the red band releases of Skull and Bones to date. If you are more beastly cigar smoker than I, you'll dig this one.

Would I buy it again? Like my last Viaje review (and the one to come) these are pretty much sold out everywhere, so it would be hard to find some even if I loved it. I, personally, would prefer to spend that time trying to track down the Daisy Cutter release.

Would I buy a box? See above

Dan

REVIEW: Viaje Satori 2011 release

noreply@blogger.com (Dan Reeve) — Fri, 26 Aug 2011 15:29:00 +0000

This week I was fortunate enough to get my hands on some of this year's release of the Viaje Satori. I say fortunate because, as everyone knows when it comes to Viaje limited release products, there is a very small amount to go around and the demand is high. (I picked up a sampler of all of the new LEs from New Havana Cigars so you will more than likely see a few Viaje reviews coming in the next couple of weeks.) I spoke with Andre at this year's IPCPR tradeshow and the story behind the Satori is it's a release that can only be ordered at the show and is his way of "doing a favor" to the shops who were in attendance.

Andre took a lot of heat last year with this cigar because of how dark the wrapper was. Last year he stated it was a "super special Oscuro" wrapper that had all of us scratching our heads. This year there are less secrets and he is being upfront about the leaf.

Quote from Andre Farkas: We switched the wrapper this year. We are using San Andreas Maduro. I love the change and I think its even better than last year's version.

So even though it comes in the same name as last year's edition, it is a different cigar. The stick looked nice, so let's see how it smoked.

Specifics
Vitola: Robusto
Length: 5
Ring Gauge: 50
Wrapper: Mexican San Andreas
Binder: Nicaraguan
Filler: Nicaraguan
Price: $10.35
Smoking Location: New Havana Cigars
Beverage: Water

Pre-Light

As I mentioned above, the controversy last year (if you want to call it that) with this stick was the jet black wrapper it had. This years version is still very dark, but does not look nearly the same as far as texture and color consistency. The wrapper had some medium veins but felt very smooth. The pre-lit aroma was pretty mild until you got to the open foot where it smelled strongly of dried fruits, especially a (call me crazy) plum like scent. The cap clipped nicely and the cold draw also had some of the dried fruity notes to it. I like the artwork on the Satori. It's different enough to be fun, but not so much that it's cheesy. Also I think it would really catch your eye if you saw someone else in a shop smoking it.

First Third

The Viaje Satori lit very easily with a soft flame lighter and the draw was excellent. The flavors at the start were a mild espresso on the front with some wood like taste on the finish. The finish also had a spice that lingered long between puffs. Something definitely to note is the very interesting resting smoke this stick puts off. There was tons of smoke which filled the room and had a sweet floral smell to it. I wonder if you lit this in a room with a lot of other cigar smokers if they might look at you funny? About an inch into the cigar I was hit with a unpleasant build up of that lingering spice in the back of my throat. I had to get up and get some more water. The strength of the cigar was in the medium range.

Second Third

Burning into the second third of my Viaje Satori I'm very pleased to say that uncomfortable spice in my throat went completely away. I'm also very pleased to write about how the flavors changed and the stick overall got very complex. The front profile of the cigar now had a much sweeter flavor and had hints of the dried fruits from the cold draw. It also had a flavor in it that is very near and dear to my heart so go down this road with me for a moment. My family is right-off-the-boat English, so we have some different foods at holiday dinners that are not standard with American fair. One of them is mincemeat pies. If you click that link you will see there are many kinds of mincemeat but ours is one that does not contain actual meat, just beef suet. This cigar in the second third reminded me of this flavor. The finish on the profile was a standard black coffee flavor which was a nice way to end the craziness of the front. I did have a pretty wavy burn during this portion of the cigar and it did have to be corrected twice. The strength was like the first third, medium.

Final Third and Final Thoughts

Heavy is the best way to describe the final third of my Viaje Satori. The complex and interesting flavors from the second third started to tail off and I was left with a very rich dark coffee flavor that dominated the front and finish of the flavor profile. It was a nice flavor, but I was disappointed to see what was going on in the second third leave so quickly. Another thing to note is during the final third the strength of the cigar picked up quite a bit and I would put it more in the full range now; not too full, but I could feel it in my system.

My final thoughts on the Viaje Satori 2011 release? I'm not really sure what to write of an overall thought. This particular cigar had some really high highs, and some really rough low moments. The harshness I had in the beginning could be due to me smoking this right off the truck and I was happy to have that experience go away as fast as it came. The middle of the cigar is where the stick really shined. It was complex and had me very satisfied. The finish was good but left me wanting more of what I had just had. I guess I will write it up as...It's good, but not great yet, and has potential to be even better than great if those flavors in the middle of the stick balance out into the rest of the experience.

Would I buy it again? Here's the catch. Even if I wanted to, I'm pretty sure they are sold out, or will be sold out before the week is up. If you want them, start looking now.

Would I buy a box? See above.
Dan