I’ve been saying it for a while: If you’ve gotta make a 6 x 60, make it in a shape that’s comfortable to smoke. Say for example, a flattened box press, or in the case of the Padilla Studio Tobac Special Edition Figurado collaboration, a girthy figurado. Heck, I’d even try a cigar with the dimensions of a tuba, provided the the head tapered down appropriately. (Once, anyway. Somebody should get on that. You could call it “El Abuelo”. Or “Hewitt”.)

Ordinarily I avoid reviewing cigars that aren’t readily available, but I’m making an exception here, because I found these late, and still see them around. Ernesto Padilla handled the distribution and has confirmed that they’re sold out now, but there are still some to be had if you look hard enough. Also, they’re good looking cigars and I felt like taking some pictures of them. As long as I have the camera out, I might as well do a review.

Here for few of the details, are excerpts from the March 2011 press release:

Today Studio Tobac’s Jose Oliva announced that The Studio will make a cigar for The Padilla Cigars Company. The cigar will be a full bodied, Nicaraguan puro. It will be a figurado shape grown from Habano seed. Production will be strictly limited to 1000 boxes of 10 cigars each.

“I’ve closely watched Studio Tobac’s work for the last few years; going all the way back to the launch of Nub in 2008” said Ernesto Padilla. “I’ve been very impressed with Nub, Cain, and Studio Tobac’s general ability to bring real, lasting innovation to the premium cigar industry.”

Studio Tobac’s Jose Oliva commented: “Ernie Padilla approaced the Studio Tobac Executive Board to collaborate on a limited release Nicaraguan Habano. After much deliberation, The Board approved the release of a figurado limited to 10,000 cigars…”

Studio Tobac’s John Gazerro states “Even though we’ve existed for the last few years, Studio Tobac just became know to the public; so we’re very protective of the brand. This type of joint venture isn’t something we take lightly, and we’re not getting in the business of making private label cigars for anyone. Working with Ernie (Padilla) makes sense because he has been a friend of Studio Tobac for years…”

…the goal is to have the cigars released by August of 2011. Expect pricing to be about $14 per stick. As with all Studio Tobac brands, the cigars will be maufactured by The Oliva Family Of Cigars. For this project only, distribution will be handled by The Padilla Cigars Company.

Before I get into the review, a couple of things. The first being that between the press release date and actual release of the cigars (a little later in the year than August, I believe), they changed their mind about the Special Edition Figurado being a Nicaraguan puro. The end product features an Ecuadoran Habano wrapper. Also there have been rumors of further collaborations between Padilla and Studio Tobac in the future. The press release certainly doesn’t rule it out. Maybe we’ll find out more as we near IPCPR.

Cigar Stats:
Size: 6 x 60
Wrapper: Ecuadoran Habano
Binder: Nicaragua
Filler: Nicaragua
Smoking Time: 2 1/4 hours
Beverage: Water
Source: Purchased by reviewer
Price: MSRP $14

The Pre-Smoke
The Special Edition Figurado is a great looking smoke, even if the bands seem a little mismatched. (Which I suspect is meant to highlight the collaborative nature of the cigar.) The milk chocolate colored wrapper is traced with mostly finer veins, and has an attractive sheen. Once in the hand, the cigar is consistently very firm, and heavy feeling. I only found a couple flaws in the sticks I smoked for this review: the nippled end of one had split and unraveled slightly, and there was a small nick in another just below the bands.

The wrappers had an interesting aroma, chocolate, hay, and maybe a touch of fruit sweetness. Though there wasn’t much of a cold draw (which isn’t a surprise considering the shape), I was able to pick up an interesting combination of flavors, including chocolate, leather, hay and molasses.

The Burn
For the most part, the Special Edition Figurado burned like a champ. I saw a lot of solid, even, immaculate long ashes, a good draw, and a decent volume of smoke. There were a few occasions where the cigar burned unevenly, but it usually corrected itself. The only problem I had reminded me of why I’m not a fan of cigars with a special foot. No matter how well I lit the nippled end, most of the time it went out as it began to burn into the bulbous end.

The Flavor
The Special Edition Figurado started off pretty leathery and earthy, as it burned through the nipple and up the rounded end. As to be expected, the profile blossomed as cigar burned into it’s widest point. I began to pick up a syrupy sweetness, pronounced almond, cedar and even a little pepper in addition the leather that started things off.

Around the beginning of the second third, there were pleasant notes of sweet cinnamon, and even some graham. The cigar continued to be both very leathery and syrupy sweet. The almond flavor lingered and there were elusive puffs of dark chocolate. A little way in, the sweetness developed into caramel.

As the cigar burned into its final third, I began to notice it had a little kick that sneaks up on you, especially if smoked on an empty stomach. By now the majority of the sweetness has faded, and an earthiness moved into it’s place. The leather was once again prominent, but almond, cinnamon and cedar still played minor roles.

The Price
It’s a spendy one, particularly for an Oliva product, though not as much for a Padilla cigar. But it bares mention that this stick is both a limited edition and a large, hard to roll vitola. I don’t feel shortchanged, but if it were a few bucks cheaper, they’d be a lot harder to find right now.

The Verdict
The Padilla Studio Tobac Special Edition Figurado is a great smoke that really shines if you take your time with it. In fact, time is an important consideration, it’s a slow burner, and if you try to rush it to fit in with a schedule, you’ll only be cheating yourself some of the cigar’s complexity. As for me, I’d love to smoke more of them, and the next time I see them, I’ll definitely pick up a few sticks. And who knows, if I came across a full box, I might even spring for that. (The fact that they’re only ten to a box makes the decision easier.) If you have the chance, and the time to indulge, pick one up and let me know what you think.

Liked It: Yes
Buy It Again: Yes
Recommend It: Yes

Tower of Burn
Here for your viewing pleasure is my trademark Tower of Burn.

This is the second of three videos for the CAO Last Stick Standing contest. Basically there are three cigars, the one with the most votes, wins and becomes a future release sometime in 2013. Walt, Brian, Charlie and I all received a container of the three contenders and we wondered what the best way to present all of our opinions. We thought about centering a YQMA style video where we all smoke the cigar at the same time but in the end we decided on this format where each of us record a short video separately and then the videos are spliced into one video. Recording separately was thought best so that no one influenced anyone else’s opinion.

Video runs a little over 15 minutes. Unlike with the “C” our take on the “A” wasn’t unanimous. The majority of us liked the “A” much more than the “C” and some of us had some construction problems with the thin, delicate wrapper.

Welcome to the CI Legends Orange Label by Rocky Patel review.

Starting out there is a natural tobacco scent on the wrapper, the foot has natural tobacco and some hay and the cold draw gives a little bit of spice with the natural tobacco taste.

Right off the bat there is a nice woody spice flavor with the spice being in the front.

Cigar starts off about a low medium strength wise but full flavor.

Into the cigar a bit and I notice the spice in lingering on the palette for quite a while after the smoke is exhaled. It is a nice taste and something that is enjoyable.

Around the third mark there is a citrus note that comes into play along with the woody notes but the spice is still the front runner. The spice also is a little rough on the retrohale right now.

Cigar turns to a medium at around the halfway point.

Just around the halfway point the flavors really started to meld together well and everything just seemed to click. I had this happen before halfway on one I smoked but most were at halfway or just a tiny bit after.

That is really about all there is to say. Flavor stayed pretty consistent throughout but really made me take notice when everything just came together around the halfway point. I am curious if any sort of aging on these would make that flavor melding happen sooner or not.

This cigar stayed pleasant through the nub also.

Would I buy it again? Yes. I wold not smoke it daily, unless that melding of flavors would happen sooner, but it was enjoyable.

The cold shiver that just ran down Matt Booth’s spine means I’m back with another Room 101 cigar review. (Don’t worry, I’ll be on my best behavior.) This time I’m taking a look at the recently released Room 101 San Andres, or “Serie SA” as noted on the band. And has been my custom lately, I turn you over to the official press release for all the juicy details.

As a follow-up to the highly rated OSOK limited edition, Room101 & Camacho are proud to announce the newest member of the 101 core line, Room101 San Andres. This latest installment is wrapped in a natural San Andres wrapper, which is grown by the Turrent family in Mexico. Medium in strength, this new blend is a departure from the taste profile normally associated with the existing Room101 lines. Moving away from the use of Dominican fillers, we focused on using some of the best raw material that the El Corojo farms had to offer. Ultimately, our choices narrowed and we decided on using Corojo and Criollo for the guts of the blend. The end result was more than we bargained for and as a result, an incredibly complex and diverse new addition was born.

The San Andres is available in 25 or 50-count boxes in the following vitolas, all but one named for area codes of major cities: Papi Chulo (4 x 42), 213 (5 1/2 x 44), 305 (5 x 50), 615 (7 x 48) and 808 (6 x 60). It’s interesting that there’s no San Andres 404, which is an Atlanta area code and the first three digits you’d punch call me if I used a land line. I sense a conspiracy.

Mr. Booth (if that is his real name) has been on a winning streak lately and a blend featuring San Andres, corojo and criollo tobaccos bodes well. Let’s see if the San Andres keeps the streak alive.

Cigar Stats:
Size: 5 x 50
Wrapper: Mexican San Andres
Binder: Honduran Corojo
Filler: Honduran and Dominican Criollo and Corojo
Smoking Time: 1 1/2 hours
Beverage: Water
Source: Purchased by reviewer
Price: MSRP $6.00

The Pre-Smoke
The Room 101 San Andres 305 is a good looking smoke, with generally fine veins, a consistent darker brown color that falls somewhere between milk and dark chocolate and a slick golden “Fu” band. My experience wasn’t without its flaws though. One of the review sticks had a sizeable crack in the middle. Less importantly, I noted small water spots on another.

The tactile inspection revealed no soft spots, only a firm consistency in each stick. The wrapper had a pungent and slightly musty cheese aroma, and the cold taste reminded me of raisinets (or chocolate covered raisins for those unfamiliar with American movie theater candy).

The Burn
I’m not going to dip it in chocolate, the San Andres 305 had ugly looking burn. Though the lighter-colored ash made a nice contrast against the dark wrapper, the burn line was often very uneven (or “rocking the tidal wave” as I described it in my notes), the ash cracked and flaked and several lighter interventions were required per smoke. But the most important aspect, but draw, was flawless, even when the one cigar was cracked so badly I thought it would unravel. (It didn’t, and I was still able to smoke it.)

The Flavor
The San Andres 305 started off a little earthy, with some wood notes but quickly developed the rich, and often dusty chocolate sauce flavor that would carry through until the end of the smoke. At times I picked up the raisinet-like flavor I noted in the cold draw.

Pleasant salt caramel joined the mix around the the beginning of the second third, and at times I picked up a little pepper and mocha. There was a mild heat to the smoke, and when combined with chocolate and growing savoriness of the profile, it reminded me a little of a mole sauce.

In the final act, the cigar made a small transition toward leather, though the rich chocolate sauce and some of the caramel remained. There was some strength to the San Andres 305, but I suspect it may have been amplified somewhat by the added heat of frequent torch work.

The Price
The price is great. At six bucks it’s almost be a crime not to try it out.

The Verdict
Mr. Booth conspired to make a good San Andres cigar and great price and he succeeded. The words “rich” and “decadent” kept coming to mind as I smoked it and my enjoyment effectively negated any ill will generated by the burn problems. I have no doubt I’ll be smoking more of them in the future, and I would imagine this cigar will go over well with anyone who enjoys Mexican San Andres tobacco. And at six bucks, it’s worth finding out if you aren’t sure. My recommendation is skip dessert and smoke a Room 101 San Andres 305 instead. It’s just as good, and has none of the calories.

Liked It: Yes
Buy It Again: Yes
Recommend It: Yes

Tower of Burn
Here for your viewing pleasure is my trademark Tower of Burn.

Here’s a recap of some of the cigars I’ve smoked since my last Month in Smoke, in addition to any I evaluated for a full review or featured first impressions. Some of these cigars may have already been reviewed by myself or another member of the Stogie Review crew, while others just might make it into a full-length review sometime in the future. Enjoy!

Partagas (Red Label) – I picked up this stick as part of a special at the Benji Menendez event hosted by W. Curtis Draper last year, and pulled it out of my coolidor in preparation for the impending launch of the Partagas 1845. The wrapper appeared quite rustic, but it sported a clean roll and no veins. Right off the bat, I got leather, coffee & cream, and lots of cinnamon — something I’ve been picking up very often lately for some reason. It produced a good volume of thin smoke. The cream continued throughout, while I noted a sweetness with some tanginess towards the end… almost citrusy like grapefruit.

Perdomo Reserve Ltd Champagne Noir – This one was the weird little figurado (4.75×56) from the popular line. Every time I see this vitola, it reminds me of a large-bore rifle cartridge. Anyhow, the draw was perfect and put out tons of dense smoke, although the ash only held on for a half-inch at a time. I tasted coffee & cream with a distinct nuttiness, and as the cigar developed, I also picked up a nice meaty/umami flavor. It burned quite well, despite some small cracks hidden under the band.

Nestor Miranda Art Deco – Picking up this cigar, I detected a strong aroma of chocolate coming off the wrapper. The flavors, in contrast, were mostly black pepper and meat. The draw was good, but there wasn’t much smoke volume being produced. Along the way, I noted some bready notes, woodsiness, and nutty spice. The burn required a single relight, and the flavors seemed to fade away towards the end of this medium-full bodied stick.

EO Brands Murcielago – Although Eddie Ortega has since moved on to a solo project (which I regretfully still have not yet tried yet), I decided to pull this cigar out of my coolidor after it had been resting for some time. The wrapper was rustic and featured a chocolate aroma. Starting off, the flavors were quite nice: black pepper, coffee, and cherries. Again, it had a good draw, but not enough smoke volume. As time went on, I noticed some spiced bread, as the cigar built up a nice light-gray ash… hanging on for two inches in a stiff breeze. Unfortunately, things sort of took a turn for the worse, as it began to burn awful quickly for a toro grande, and then some tar developed as the flavors turned sour. DNF, sadly.

W. Curtis Draper 124th Anniversary Limited Edition Sumo Short Robusto by La Aurora – Although I didn’t attend last year’s anniversary event at Draper’s, Jerry was kind enough to share a couple of these limited edition cigars with me. Based on his notes, it featured the La Aurora 107 blend with the Guillermo León wrapper. Inspecting the cigar before lighting, I got a barnyard smell from the wrapper, dark cocoa from the foot, and a faint manure from the loose cold draw. Once lit, the flavors were nice and complex — I actually wrote “cinnamon toast crunch with a bit of black pepper” in my tasting notes. It was also very creamy and put out a good amount of smoke. The ash was nice & compact like a layered biscuit with just a few flakes. Near the end, I got red pepper and cinnamon, with some chocolate and Dominican twang.

W. Curtis Draper 125th Anniversary La Aurora 100 Años – The third of four limited edition cigars honoring the 125th anniversary of W. Curtis Draper, this special version of the 100 Años was launched by Guillermo León at an event last month. The wrapper gave off virtually no smell, while the foot offered some faint chocolate. Upon lighting, I was greeted by a rush of big, dry cedar and lots of thin, white smoke. The ash and burn were both excellent. As time went on, a creamy nutmeg flavor developed, not unlike egg nog. The draw was inconsistent: noticeably loose on one sample and a bit snug on another. Overall, it was very smooth and enjoyable, though a bit milder than I prefer.

Partagas 1845 – I picked up a handful of this latest release from General Cigar at the launch event hosted by Leesburg Cigar & Pipe last month with local General rep Dan Greenwald. The wrapper was a nice even brown color, with small veins and a “classic look.” As I held it to my lips, I could only describe it as “succulent” in the way that it seemed to deliver flavors through direct contact. The first third was dominated by a chocolately syrup, and although the chocolate faded over time, the sweetness continued to build while some spice could be found at the back of the palate. The burn was spot-on and the ash was a nice light gray that held on for about an inch and a half. The construction was absolutely perfect, as I also detected a mild Dominican twang from this decidedly medium-full bodied cigar. Although I generally prefer the corona extra format, I agree with Jerry that the robusto size is much better in this line. The smaller vitola just couldn’t deliver the same exceptional experience as its slightly larger sibling, and really only provided a salty chocolate flavor that faded into the “meh” zone and left me wondering if these were really even from the same line. I guess it just goes to show how seemingly minor details, such as the size difference between a 5.5×49 robusto and 4.5×46 corona extra, can make such a big difference.

Welcome to the next installment in the CI Legends series with the CI Legends Purple Label by Graycliff

This might be the shortest write up in history as this cigar did not have much complexity to it at all.

Starting off there was a sweet barnyard on the wrapper, sweet tobacco on the foot (although this one I did smell chocolate, it was the only one out of the five I smoked for the review) and tobacco on the cold draw.

Lit it with ease as I rambled on about getting informed before tickets sell out and people can’t take vacation to attend events as press.

Right off the bat there is a nice amount of mild smoke that gives a leather taste and a bit of sweetness underneath.

This is where the review gets super short.

Smoking around the halfway point and the cigar builds to a medium bod with some spice. Really the only thing that happens from here is the spice takes over and boots everything to the background.

Not very much happened with this cigar. I was a bit unimpressed.

Would I buy it again? Only in a sampler pack. Even then I would probably let them sit for a long time before trying them again.

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