Graycliff 1666
Size: 7.0 x 48 (Presidente), 6.0 x 52 (Pirate-torpedo)
Wrapper: Japaltec, Mexico
Binder: Ecuadorian Sumatra
Filler: Peruvian, Columbian, Brazilian, and Mexican
Price: $10

1666 is Graycliff's newest line, named to commemorate the year a church was built on the land that now holds the Graycliff Hotel.

Other than Casa Magna, I can't think of another cigar in the last two years that has generated as much debate as this one. A cursory internet search yields all kinds of opinions all over the map. I've seen several "best cigar I've ever had" reviews. One of my favorite cigar sites StogieGuys.com rated the Pirate (torpedo) at 4/5 stogies, comparing it to OpusX. On the other hand, I've also seen several complaints about construction. A lot of people seem to label all Graycliff cigars "chump sticks" because of their ridiculously high prices. Others point to the 1666 as proof that Graycliff has finally "sold out", primarily because it's the first cigar not rolled at the Graycliff resort in Naussau.

So what did I think?

I'm not usually very fond of maduros. First, they have an oddly bittersweet, almost chemical taste that I don't enjoy. Second, they veer towards coffee flavors rather than spicy flavors. The 1666 is no exception, although I must note, in its favor, that the unpleasant maduro tastes faded quickly after the first inch and the cigar assumes a very rich, creamy profile with a unique taste of raisins.

I enjoyed several of these floating my new swimming pool. They burned slow. I never encountered a significant construction issue. They pair well with either Yuengling lager or Willet's single-barrel Kentucky bourbon.

They're not worth MSRP, obviously, but I've been lucky enough to to buy about 10 of them for around $2/stick in various CigarBid samplers.

I still prefer a more rough-and-tumble, peppery, full-bodied Nicaraguan puro wrapped in a corojo or criollo leaf. But as far as maduros go, these were top-notch.

La Flor de Cano
Size: 5 x 54 (Selectos)
Wrapper: Ecuadorian Sumatra (maduro)
Filler: Mexico, Honduras, Nicaragua
Price: $3.50

First registered in Cuba in 1884, La Flor de Cano is one of the oldest registered marks in the cigar industry, being essentially a brand that has been handed down generation to generation for over 120 years. In 2007 the small brand expanded beyond Cuba and is now also made in Danli, Honduras where a blend was crafted to cater to the US cigar market.

I've had three or four of these, thanks to Shaun, who picked them up on CBid for $1.50 apiece. For such an inexpensive cigar, they are surprisingly well-made: razor-sharp burn line, lasts for 90 minutes or more, medium-body with a flavor that alternates between wood and coffee. They work particularly well on the golf course or while floating in the pool.

I'd say they're not quite exciting enough to make for an after-dinner celebration, but they fit the bill to be the 2nd cigar of the evening.

Vegas de Fonseca
Size: 5.4" x 50 (Sobrino)
Wrapper: African Cameroon
Filler: Nicaragua and Dominican
Price: $3.65 (online), $5.25 (B&M)

Vegas de Fonseca is unique for being aged in palm bark known as tercios. Translated "The Fields of Fonseca", it was introduced in 2004, promptly receiving a '92' rating from Cigar Insider and the #14 spot in Cigar Aficionado's Top 25 Cigars for 2004!

Since then, they seem to have largely fallen off the radar. I guess it's an indication of how fickle the cigar community can be that I'd never even heard of this extension of the Fonseca brand until I discovered a bunch of them hidden at the bottom of my humidor. I know I picked up two as part of a "Fonseca Delectable Dozen" sampler from Cigars International a year ago, but I have no idea how the others got in there. Possibly through some impulse CBid sampler.

I didn't have high expectations for Vegas de Fonseca, given my previous disappointments with the regular Fonseca and the MATASA 30th Anniversary cigar. The cigar features a dark, dry, veiny cameroon wrapper with only a faint prelight aroma. Nothing to promise much excitement.

Of the three I've smoked so far, one was noticeably much drier than the others. This is odd, since they've all been stored under the same conditions, in the same humidor, for the same length of time (11-12 months). The two wetter cigars were medium-bodied. They started with a core of woody, earthy flavors and then progressed into a grassy, almost floral phase. While the taste was fairly typical for this type cigar, the finish was really quite good, with a pepper spice that hits the back of the tongue and resonates in the mouth for a while.

The drier cigar had the same tendencies, but the earthy flavors were more pronounced, pushing into a medium-to-full body; the floral phase was not present; and the spicy finish was stronger and lasted longer. Moral of the story: Much more interesting when aged at a lower RH.

I'd say this cigar is something of a cross between a Hoyo de Monterrey and a Punch Gran Puro -- although not quite as good as either. It lacks the smooth character of the HdM or the out-and-out raw flavor of the Punch. Even at $2.75, which is what I paid with the Delectable Dozen promotion, this is a cigar I would willingly smoke again, but won't go out of my way to purchase.

Dona Elba (Verdadero Organic)
Size: 6.5 x 50
Tobacco: Nicaragua (with Ecuadorian Connecticut wrapper)

Eleanor Herron gifted me a unique cigar when she returned from her vacation to Nicaragua, where she told me she toured an organic tobacco factory between Grenada and Managua. The cigar featured a light brown wrapper with a sharp, but faint pre-light aroma. It had a pink band with yellow lettering and a somewhat fuzzy picture of a lady that looked like it had come off someone's home printer.

I found two small beetle holes underneath the band when I peeled it back. (Fortunately, the cigar was sheaved in cellophane, so hopefully nothing in my humidor was affected). This weakened the draw a little, but I found I could restore it by holding my finger over the holes when I puffed.

The taste was very interesting. Not at all like what I've come to expect from a Nicaraguan cigar. It was smooth and crisp, brimming with a sort of lemon-grass flavor. A couple online reviews noted the taste of raisins, but to me it was definitely more of a citrus nuance. Despite the Connecticut wrapper, it almost reminded me of a Cameroon. No spice. Medium body and strength. It had a noticeable tartness on the tongue, but with an airy finish and virtually no aftertaste. Paired well with a Yuengling lager, late in the afternoon, while grilling burgers over open charcoal.

A little internet research yielded a few interesting facts:
1. The Dona Elba Cigar Factory is owned by a man named Silvio Reyes. (He ran for mayer of Granada last year; I don't know if he won.)

2. Dona Elba cigars are sold in the United States under the brand name Verdadero Organic.

3. Organic cigars are grown with no pesticides, chemicals, or flavor enhancers. The soil that produces this organic tobacco has never been utilized to grow any other vegetation.

I think the concept of an organic cigar is strange. After all, aren't all cigars 100% organic? I can understand the use of pesticides (to get rid of the beetles, perhaps), but aren't most cigars free of chemicals and flavor enhancers?

But there's no denying this Dona Elba/Verdadero Organic is a different animal. It's fun to think that when the European settlers discovered tobacco in the New World, this is what it must have tasted like.

Ashton Benchmade Churchill
Size: 7.0 x 50
Tobacco: Nicaraguan puro
Price: $3.25

Pepin is the Clint Eastwood of cigars: he may play the same character over and over, but it's always fun to watch.

I happened to stop by the Tinder Box in Collierville on the way home from work. I was in the mood for something to smoke on the drive home, but didn't want to spend much money, so I picked up the cheapest thing they had: Ashton Benchmade. (Tinder Box was having an "Ashton event" with free with hors d'oeuvres).

Benchmade is a sandwich cigar blended by Don Pepin. I paid $3 for mine; they are available online for around $50-65 for a box of 25.

The first thing I noticed about this cigar was the pigtail cap. The wrapper was extremely dark and toothy but also splotchy with a lot of veins. The head of the cigar was a little soft, not uncommon with sandwich cigars. Despite the lack of long filler tobacco, it burned with no problems at all. The draw was loose without being hot. It even stayed lit when I sat it down for 10 minutes to go into another store.

The taste was vintage Pepin. Very spicy and peppery at the beginning and the end. In the middle, the strength abated and was supplemented by notes of leather. Not complex, but good nonetheless. Tasted very similar to every other Pepin cigar I've had.

The biggest drawback of Benchmade, however, was the little flakes of tobacco that kept falling into my mouth. I remembered why I don't like sandwich cigars to begin with.

Rocky Patel Sun Grown Toro
Size: 6.5 x 52
Wrapper: 5 Year Old Ecuadorian Sun Grown Sumatra
Binder: Nicaragua
Filler: Dominican & Nicaraguan
Price: $7.50

These four cigars came from my friends at CigarsDirect.com as part of two free Rocky Patel samplers. I reviewed the Original Sun Grown (or "OSG") a year ago and I was interested in seeing how this one stacked up against it. I know RP Sun Grown gets a lot of positive reviews on the internet.

Appearance: RP Sun Grown looks great in a glass-top humidor. With that dark thick wrapper, almost a maduro color, highlighted by two flashy red bands, it looks elegant and expensive. The wrapper is oily and smooth. The cigar itself feels hefty in your hand. The prelight aroma is sharp and promises a full, pungent, spicy experience.

Burn/Construction: They burned straight and didn't need relights, but I was surprised at how quickly these cigars burned. Cigars of this size should last 90 minutes or more, but I usually had to slow down just to wring out an hour. The draw was full and easy.

Taste: These cigars are billed on various advertisements as full and robust, but I would actually classify them as medium-strength and medium-body. The intial few puffs deliver on the promise of spice and strength, but the cigar quickly settles into earthy, almost leathery notes that are, in fact, very reminiscent of Rocky's Indian Tabac lines. After that initial flourish at the beginning, the flavors don't vary much as the cigar speeds (literally speeds) to a very pedestrian climax.

Overall: As much as I wanted to really like this cigar, I didn't find them very special at all. They are well-constructed, and certainly tasty, but also very average. You can get better flavors from some of Rocky's other cigars that cost a thid of the price. This "premium" certainly does not live up to Rocky's Edge and Old Worlde Reserve.

Score: 6/10.

La Tradicion Cabinet Series Perdomo Reserve Cameroon R
Size: 5 x 54 (Robusto)
Tobacco: African Cameroon (wrapper), Nicaragua (filler)
Price: $7.00

I initially had low expectations of these two cigars, which I got in a CBid sampler for about $2 each. First, I'd never had a Perdomo. Secondly, I have a bias against cigars with long redundant names. This brand is sometimes known as "La Tradicion", or "Perdomo Reserve" or "Perdomo Cabinet Series" or some combination thereof. It wasn't until I ran across these in The Tinder Box and saw they retailed for $7 apiece that my curiosity was piqued. I found out this line of Perdomo was rated "91" (Outstanding) in two consecutive issues of Cigar Aficionado and honored as "Cigar or the Year" by the Robb Report and the European Cigar Cult Journal.

Still, the appearance of this cigar didn't help my skepticism: it had numerous long prominent veins. The head of the cigar felt dry and was packed noticeably tigher than the foot. The wrapper had small bluish splotches all over it, which couldn't be seen through the cellophane but became noticeable in the sunlight.

However, my impression turned once I lit this cigar. It started off strong for about five minutes, with tastes of pepper and leather. It mellowed somewhat after its initial blast; there was no mistaking either the tang imparted by the cameroon wrapper or the Nicaraguan flavor of the filler tobacco. This cigar remained on the full side of medium for nearly two hours. It had a good draw, with a slight tendency to canoe, and a robust finish that stayed with me. It paired well with a belgian-style Pale Ale and lasted me throughout a 150-page novella I was reading. By the end, I was very very impressed. How have I missed this brand?

I had a second one two weeks later and it was just as good, if not better when paired with a single malt.

La Invicta Corona
Size: 5.5 x 40
Tobacco: Honduran puro
Price: $1.60

Before last night, I had never heard of this small cigar with a bumpy brown wrapper. Shaun got a good deal on them from Cigar Bid. It is a fairly nondescript stick; it comes in a plain wooden box with just a simple green band. They smoke ok, with a loose draw that benefits the narrow ring gauge. I tasted notes of earth and a light lingering spice on the finish. Pairs well with a bourbon-- but I don't recommend the Four Roses we drank. In a larger ring gauge, La Invicta could compete favorably with other medium-bodied value brands, such 5 Vegas or a Gran Habano #3.

I was surprised to read this review on StogieGuys. Their opinion was similar to mine.

Apparently, this cigar is very popular in the UK. Online British sites sell bundles of these coronas for over $200USD. I know European tastes are different, and they pay more in taxes, but I am wondering this morning: How does an $8 cigar over there, sell for less than $2 over here?

Perdomo Fresh-Rolled Double Corona
Size: 7.0 x 50
Tobacco: Nicaraguan puro
Price: $1.98

I have a friend Holt who loves to chew cigars. He rarely smokes them, sometimes he doesn't even bother to light them. He just chews and spits, chews and spits, for hours. I've never really understood the appeal of it, until now. Because if ever there was a stogie made for chewing, the Perdomo Fresh Rolled is it.

This cigar is sold exclusively through Cigars International. According to their copy, the idea resulted from the fact that, during various marketing events, Perdomo employs a beautiful young woman to hand-roll free cigars for the customers. The customers can watch the cigar as it is "born" and then smoke it, still-wet, while the sales guys hawk Perdomo's more coventional, higher quality, higher margin products. But the fresh cigars were so popular that CI decided to sell them directly to the public. They are sold in "cuban wheels" of 50, with no box, no bands, just tied together by a small brown ribbon. The CI price for an entire wheel: $99.

Of course, like most of the things you read at CI, this story isn't quite true. According to several magazine articles, Perdomo first started selling fresh-rolled cigars back in 2003, under the moniker Perdomo Fresco. Back then, they came in decorative boxes with a trading card featuring the name and likeness of the roller. Each cigar sold for about $4 apiece.

These churchills have all the problems you would expect from wet tobacco: erratic draw, prone to canoe, goes out if you leave them unattended. This is probably why they're so cheap (plus, Perdomo can reduce working capital if they don't have to store them in inventory during the 6-month aging process). Interestingly enough, no matter how many times I've had to relight, these cigars don't become bitter or harsh: no need to purge.

But here's the real rub: Despite the construction issues (which may calm down in time), they actually taste good, they never taste cheap. They're Nicaraguan puros, burn very slow (90-120 minutes), full of hearty earthy flavors. But they don't taste like any other Nic puro I've had. They are dense, rich, and woody. Lots of flavor on the draw, but no aftertaste. The adjective that keeps coming to mind is doughy. Like as a kid, when I would eat mom's biscuit batter out of the mixing bowl.

I've had a couple of these so far, and every time I am done, I didn't feel satiated, like I do with a Pepin or a Fuente, but instead I want to immediately chew on another one.

I'd definitely give this a thumbs-up in both taste and value. It will be interesting to see what happens after 6 months of aging.

Today's reviews come from the back porch, lounging by the pool, while smoking the last of my Flor de A. Allones bellicosos. This cigar, with 10 months age on it, has grown richer and spicier. A definite winner.

Before I commence with my latest batch of reviews, I wanted to post my latest internet cigar haul. I just bought a 300-ct glass-top humidor and this is how I plan to fill it up:

from Cigar Bid
1 Box 5 Vegas Miami by Pepin Garcia ($57)
1 Box Sol Cubano Cuban Cabinet by Oliva ($51)
1 Box Gran Habano #3 Corojo ($45)
1 Box Padilla Hybrid ($43)
1 "cuban wheel" Perdomo Fresh-Rolled ($69)
-- i.e, 50 puros that have not been aged, with no bands, no box, no cellopane

from JR Cigars
1 Box Flor de Murias ($39.50)

from Cuban Crafters
1 Box-Don Kiki Brown Churchill ($54)
1 Bundle-Teo Pepe ($34)

That's 205 stogies, at an average price of $1.92. All are well-known premium brands, except Flor de Murias and Teo Pepe. (All prices include shipping).

I need to win two more auctions to make sure the humidor is set for a year: a box of Legends by Pepin and a 60-ct chest of Omar Ortez Originals. Unfortunately, it's getting harder to find the really cheap steals. Everybody is stocking up because in two months, the new $0.40 federal cigar tax is coming.

Update 03-15-09: I added a crate of 60 Omar Ortez Originals ($130) and a box of Ramon Allones Reserve ($43). I didn't win the Pepins. But this gives me 285 cigars in the new humidor, plus my current inventory (about 115 cigars). My goal is to let most of them age for 9 months. At current rate of consumption, this should give me enough smoking supply to last until late 2011.




Africa by Don Lino
Size: 5 x 50 (the "Duma")
Tobacco: Africa, Honduras, Nicaragua, DR
Price: $6.00

Each size in the Africa by Don Lino line has been ascribed the Maasi tribal name for a famous exotic animal on the continent. In addition to Duma, there is Kiboko, Kifaro, Kuro, Punda Milio, and Tembo.

The cigar is very attractive, with a shiny, oily dark brown wrapper, for the most part free from veins or bumps. It has a soft earthy pre-light aroma, with almost no pre-light taste. The draw is smooth, the burn slow and precise. It is medium in both body and taste. In the first half, the primary flavor is earthy with a slight spicy bite on the finish. In the second half, the spiciness is replaced by a dominate coffee flavor

I smoked this one last night over at Shaun's house. I was loopy from some cold medicine I had taken, so I did not pair it with any drink. It was a solid, enjoyable cigar; it didn't blow me away by any means, but I would certainly smoke one again.



La Herencia Cubana
Wrapper: Ecuadorian Sumatra
Filler: Nicaragua (regions: Jalapa, Condega, Esteli)
Price: $5-$7

I bought a 20-cigar sampler of this brand on CigarBid for around $36, that included the robusto, lonsdale, toro, and torpedo sizes. I don't know that I would have ever noticed this little boutique cigar from AJ Fernandez, until I read this glowing review on another blog.

This cigar is a very good everyday, after-dinner treat. It is fairly one-dimensional, but has a lot of pepper-spice flavor with a healthy finish. Pairs well with scotches, bourbons, and lagers. I've never had any problems with the draw or the construction. Despite having a Sumatra wrapper and being (nearly) a Nicaraguan puro, it does not have the same rich flavor as other Nicaraguan puros like Padron and Omar Ortez Originals. There is a very faint, bitter, almost acidic, undercurrent while you smoke it. Hard to describe and very unique; I'm not sure I've ever tasted it before.

It is, indeed, similar to some of Pepin Garcia's stuff -- at a fraction of the price. Something tells me the CBid samplers won't be going for $2/stick very long.



Omar Ortez Original Bellicoso
Size: 6.12 x 52
Tobacco: Nicaraguan Puro
Price: $5 (Tobacco Corner in Memphis)

I don't know who Omar Ortez is, but his namesake cigar is, right now, my new favorite cigar in all the world. It started, I'm sure, as Altadis' answer to the ever-popular Edge brand. Like Edge, the Omar Ortez Originals came unbanded in massive crates of 60 cigars. Once Rocky Patel started putting a foot band on his Edge, then Omar Ortez came out with a similar-looking foot band as well. This was clearly supposed to be a knock-off product. But here's the kicker: it's better than Edge. A lot better.

I smoked my first one about a year ago, and loved it. But I didn't have room to buy a box of 60. I remember back then, some of those crates sold on CigarBid for $80-90. However, the word is now out. Now that I have the storage capacity, those same crates never go for less than $136. JR Cigars sells them for $160. SeriousCigars sell them for $142.

This is one of the ugliest cigars I've ever seen on the market. The dark brown wrapper that is covered, head to foot, with "tooth" and veins. The pre-light taste of the wrapper is nondescript, leading you to think maybe it is not a strong cigar. But when you light this puro, the initial blast is strong, spicy, and harsh. Very "Pepin-esque" (although I hate that term). After a few minutes, though, the harshness subsides and then this cigar becomes very similar in taste to a Padron-- a lot of spice, a lot of earth, a little coffee perhaps, but never dull and never bland. The only negative to this cigar, if there is one, is an overly loose draw.

If I can get this cigar at around $2-$2.50 on CigarBid, this will become my staple after-dinner smoke. And my posts to this blog will decrease. Because once you've found what you're looking for... why keep looking?

Postscript 03-20-09: I recently learned the Omar Ortez Originals are named after a prominent tobacco grower who has survived and prospered in Nicaragua under both the sandinistas and the current government. They are manufactured in the NATSA (Nicaraguan American Tobaccos S.A) factory in Esteli, Nicaragua. The factory is jointly owned by Lew Rothman of JR Cigars and the Oliva family in Tampa.

Punch Magnum
Size: 5.25 x 54
Tobacco: Dominican, Nicaraguan, Honduran
Price: $5.00 (retail), $3.00 (online)

I've reviewed Punch cigars before, so I'm not going to belabor the point today. These cigars are consistent, well-constructed, and fall somewhere between the medium and full end of the taste spectrum. Similar to other cigars made by Villazon, including Bolivar, Hoyo de Monterrey, and Flor de A. Allones. One thing I learned with this latest 5-pack was how much a Punch cigar will improve with age. The first three I smoked were bland and had a tight draw. But after six months of aging at 67% RH, the draw was perfect and a captivating spicy flavor had emerged. Highly recommended.

Gran Habano #1 Connecticut Robusto
Size: 5 x 52
Wrapper: Connecticut
Tobacco: Nicaraguan (Habano)
Price: $4.50

I realize I panned Gran Habano in my first review (Sept 2007), but I've really come to like the #5 blend. After a few months in the humidor, the harshness and strength subside to reveal a very spicy, complex cigar. Likewise, the #3 (reviewed May 2008)is a satisfying medium-bodied smoke that goes well with a lager or light Islay scotch.

I was hoping for something similar with the #1, a very light, airy cigar that is slightly sweet on the tongue but slightly bitter on the finish. I've smoked two of them--one with breakfast in a forest cabin, the other while watching my daughter chase the dog around the backyard. I'm not usually a fan of mild cigars, but this one is actually pretty good in the morning.

Fonseca 5-50
Size: 5 x 50
Tobacco: Dominican with Connecticut wrapper and Mexican binder
Price: $5.25 (retail), $3.00 (online)

Fonseca is a widely available, established brand crafted by Manuel Quesada and comprised of tobaccos grown in the Cibao Valley of the Dominican Republic. I've been aging a couple in the humidor for several months. Even though it was a tad chilly this afternoon, I decided to light one up after returning from the Youth Villages Annual Soup Sunday fund raiser.

The cigar featured a very light brown wrapper, with no veins or imperfections except for a small tear just below the neck of the band. It burned like a champ, with no need for touch-ups and infrequent ashing. Unfortunately, there wasn't much going on in the taste department. Very mild, with hints of nuts and earth flavors, but supremely uninteresting. Probably not a cigar I will ever consider purchasing again.

Hoyo de Monterrey
Sizes: Governor (6.12 x 50), Robusto (5.5 x 54)
Wrapper: Ecuadoran Sumatra
Filler: Blend of Honduran, Nicaraguan, and Dominican
Price: $4.50

This Honduran-made version of Hoyo de Monterrey has been around since the 1970’s, when (or so the story goes) Jose Gener smuggled tobacco seeds out of Cuba in a diplomatic pouch to escape Castro’s grasp. These cigars are manufactured in the Villazon factory, under the guidance of Estelo Padron. The cigar is now owned/distributed by General Cigar Co. and is marketed as “heavy-bodied” and “Cuban-esque”.

I picked up a box of 10 Governors from JRCigars, with a free 5-pack of robustos, on sale for around $30. (They usually go for $4-5 at my local B&Ms).

I liked these cigars, especially the Robustos, which are noticeably spicier and more aromatic than the longer, thinner Governors. It would seem, based on internet reviews and blogs, that the maduro version of this smoke is more popular, but I chose the EMS which I usually prefer. The cigar is light brown in color and tastes earthy and woody. It has a lingering spice on the finish, but I would consider this medium, not full-bodied. They have average construction: No burn problems but do occasionally require relights. I found HdM similar in construction, body, aroma and taste to Punch, which is not surprising since they originate from the same factory.

This is certainly better than your average $2 cigar, but not in the same league as some of the other brands I’ve enjoyed recently. They don’t have the richness of Gurkha Master Select, the complexity of 5 Vegas Limitada, or the power of DPG Cuban Classic and Gran Habano #5 Corojo.

But the best time to enjoy HdM is on a lazy Saturday afternoon, paired with a dram of Old Pulteney, a salty coastal scotch from the northernmost tip of the Scottish Highlands. The Old Pulteney can complement the cigar, without overpowering it, and together they will certainly enrich a few relaxing hours on the back porch reading or preparing a Sunday School lesson.

5 Vegas Limitada 2007
Size: 6.5 x 52 (bellicoso)
Tobacco: Nicaraguan (wrapper), filler blend consists of Dominican, Nicaraguan, and Peruvian
Price: $6.00

Every year, usually in early fall, 5 Vegas introduces a limited production run of a one-of-a-kind blend. In 2007, the production run was limited to the smallest batch yet: only 500 numbered boxes. Since 2005, I’ve tried each of the Limitada blends, and for the most part, I’ve been impressed. However, 2007 was hands-down the best one yet. I bought a 5-pack in Feb ‘08, smoked three in October (aged 8 mos), gifted one to a friend, and then saved the last one until Jan ’09 (aged 11 mos).

The first two were the most memorable, perhaps because it was a long, relaxing weekend in a state park cabin, or maybe because I smoked them to celebrate Alabama’s victory over Tennessee on the Third Saturday in October. The game was a blowout, propelled Alabama to the top of the AP poll, and signaled the end of the Phillip Fulmer era in Knoxville. Yes, it was definitely the game…

The cigar itself featured a sun-grown, medium-brown Nicaraguan wrapper with a wood-and-floral prelight aroma. According to its press release, the tobaccos in this cigar were aged 7 years, so I was expected something mellow. I was surprised at how spicy and flavorable it tasted, waxing and waning in intensity as the flavors shifted between pepper in the beginning to a sweet, pungent “hoppy” taste near the end. The burn was consistent, the draw easy but not loose. Paired well with both Yuengling lager and single-malt scotch.

The only disappointment was the last cigar, the one with the most age on it. I’m not sure why, but it had mellowed considerably, and traded its spicy notes for a nondescript woody flavor. Construction was still ok, and it burned for over an hour, but it never hit the high notes I remembered.

I bought a 5-er of the 2008 blend last month but I doubt it can live up to the 2007 blend. The 2008 is an oscuro, which I don’t usually prefer, but I’ll give it 6 months to age, then give it a try…

State of the Humidor - Jan 2009

2008 was a strange year. I spent most of it waiting... waiting for my house to sell, waiting for new projects at work, waiting to find the outcome of my dad's job situation, waiting for my wife to get pregnant (ok, not really waiting, I was much more of an active participant in the last one). But it ended in a flurry of activity: new house, kid #2 on the way, and suddenly very busy in my career.

I enjoyed a lot of cigars this year and, thanks in large part to CigarsDirect who occasionally sends me free goodies for review, I was able to really upgrade this year. It's time for my annual State of the Humidor address:

Here’s my list of new cigars to try in 2009: 5 Vegas Miami, Don Kiki Brown Label, Tampa Sweetheart #85 (second to Fuente 8-5-8)

In 2008, I smoked an average of cigars 4.17 cigars per week.

Last cigar of 2008: Graycliff Profesionale Presidente
First cigar of 2009: Don Pepin Garcia Cuban Classic 1979

Best cigar of 2008: God of Fire Carlito 2005 Double Robusto
Worst cigar of 2008: Victor Sinclair Triple Corojo

New cigars I tried in 2008, that I would purchase again in the future: Joya de Nicaragua Celebracion, Gispert, Padron 7000, Arturo Fuente Flor Fina 8-5-8 Maduro, Arturo Fuente Sun Grown (Chateau & King B), Arturo Fuente Hemingway (Short Story, Signature Maduro, & Untold Story Maduro), God of Fire Carlito 2005, Fuente Fuente OpusX, Indian Tabac Super Fuerte Natural, CI Legends by Graycliff (Purple Label), CI Legends by Rocky Patel (Orange Label), CI Legends by Pepin Garcia (Yellow Label), Punch Gran Puro, Vibe Corojo, La Flor Dominicana Ligero, La Flor Dominicana Double Ligero, El Mejor Elmerald, Padilla Hybrid, El Titan de Bronze Redemption Sungrown Habano, Bolivar, Flor de A.Allones, La Rosa Especial, Maria Mancini, Omar Ortiz, Gran Habano #1, Gran Habano #3, Rocky Patel Olde World Reserve Maduro, Omar Ortez Originals, DPG Black Label, Hoyo de Monterrey, 5 Vegas Limitada 2007, Partagas Spanish Rosado

New cigars I tried in 2008, that I would not purchase again: Power by Felipe Gregorio, CI Legends by Cusano (Gray Label), Rocky Patel Original Sun Grown, Victor Sinclair Triple Corojo Torpedo, Camacho 1962, Famous Nicaraguan 1000, Don Carlos Edicion de Aniversario, Olor del Cibao, Padilla Obsidian, Blue Label, Belinda, MATASA 30TH Anniversary, Leoninos by La Aurora, Cremosa, El Rey del Mundo, Bock y CA, San Cristobal, Rocky Patel Sungrown

I'm running four small (less than 100ct) humidors right now. Here is the complete list of their contents::
• La Herencia Cubana (13 – all sizes)
• Gran Habano #5 Robusto (10)
• Hoyo de Monterrey Governor (10)
• Gran Habano #1 Robusto (9)
• Gran Habano #3 Robusto (8)
• Rocky Patel Edge Torpedo (8)
• Famous Dominican 1000 Double Corona (7)
• Graycliff 1666 PGX (7)
• Rocky Patel Vintage 1990 Toro (7)
• Rocky Patel Olde World Reserve Toro (6)
• 5 Vegas Limitada 2008 Torpedo (5)
• Don Pepin Garcia Cuban Classic 1979 (5)
• Gurkha Master Select #4 (5)
• Gurkha Regent Toro (4)
• Vegas de Fonseca Sobrinos (4)
• 5 Vegas Limitada 2007 Torpedo (3)
• Maria Mancini De Gaulle (3)
• 5 Vegas Torpedo (2)
• Carlos Torano 1916 Toro (2)
• Flor de A. Allones Bellicoso (2)
• Fonseca 5-50 (2)
• Fonseca Habana Selección Invictos (2)
• Fonseca Serie F Robusto (2)
• Fonseca Vintage Robusto (2)
• Gispert Churchill (2)
• Leoninos Torpedo (2)
• Perdomo Reserve Cameroon Torpedo (2)
• Arturo Fuente Lonsdale (1)
• Camacho 1962 Churchill (1)
• CAO Gold Maduro Churchill (1)
• Don Diego 10th Anniversary Toro (1)
• Montecristo White Churchill (1)
• Padron 2000 (1)
• Punch Magnum (1)
• Rocky Patel Sungrown Toro (1)
• Romeo y Julieta 1875 Churchill (1)
• Romeo y Julieta 1875 Cedro Deluxe (1)

Pending reviews: Omar Ortez Originals, Rocky Patel Sungrown, Gran habano #1, 5 Vegas Limitada 2007, Hoyo de Monterrey, RP Olde World Reserve Maduro, Punch Magnum

Three By “Don” Pepin Garcia

Pepin Garcia is the new “it” guy in the cigar-blending world (he took over that mantle from Rocky Patel about two years ago). His cigars command top dollar in stores, whether they are made in his El Rey de los Habanos factory, or one of the many house blends he created for just about every large cigar retailer. He is probably most famous for his early blends, including Padilla Miami 8&11 and Tatuaje. His cigars are generally known for their spicy, bold flavors.

San Cristobal Toro
Size: 6 x 50
Tobacco: Nicaraguan
Price: $9

Back in April, I bought two San Cristobals at Tinder Box. These cigars were blended by Pepin Garcia and manufactured by Ashton. With their colorful bands and dark, oily corojo wrappers, they have quickly become that company’s most popular product. The plan was to age them five months, then Shaun and I were going to smoke them on the first Saturday of college football season, relaxing on the beach at Gulf Shores, if Alabama won its game against Clemson.

Well, we did win. Shaun said his victory San Cristobal tasted great and burned like a champ. Mine tasted good—very spicy with rich nutty flavors-- but the draw was terrible. It was so tight it was like trying to suck a milkshake through a coffee straw. I'd love to try another one, because I think I'd really like the cigar, but at $9 a pop, I doubt I'll ever risk the money again.

CI Legends by Pepin (Yellow Label)
Size: 5.7 x 54
Tobacco: Nicaraguan
Price: $3.75

Thanks to Shaun for letting me sample a couple of these from his personal stock during football season. These are probably the least expensive cigars made by Pepin (excluding sandwich cigars). Like the San Cristobal, the overwhelming flavor is one of pepper. The corojo wrapper is not as dark and oily as the San Cristobal, and the bands lack that same multi-colored punch, but these cigars taste eerily similar, and without the draw problems. In fact, they are rolled very loose and smoke quickly.

Don Pepin Garcia Cuban Classic 1979
Aka Black Label
Size: 5 x 50
Tobacco: Nicaraguan
Price: $6.15

My 3rd outing with Pepin Garcia was remarkably similar to the first two. The Cuban Classic is one of three lines that bear the name “Don Pepin Garcia” instead of the byline by Don Pepin Garcia (The other two are DPG Blue Label and DPG Series JJ).

Like San Cristobal and CI Legends, this cigar comes dressed in a corojo wrapper and is dominated by (you guessed it!) flavors of pepper-spice and toasted nuts. I’d give this cigar a nod over the other two due to its construction. It is a very heavy, tightly packed robusto that burned with precision accuracy for an hour. (Paired well with a Christmas Black Ale)

Just a few quick thoughts today...

Shaun gave me two cigars recently that receive a thumbs down...


1) Cremosa from Cigars International. An 80-cent cigar that's not worth a plugged nickel. Heck, I'd pay somebody I don't like more than 80-cents to smoke one.


2) El Rey del Mundo. I remarked back in 2005 that I had a few disappointing ERDMs. Despite their popularity I thought they were harsh and not very flavorful. But you never know how your tastes might change over time, so I decided to try one of the cigars Shaun got in a "yellow cello" aged sampler. Nope. The harshness was gone, but the smoke had not improved any.

Still, I've recieved a lot of good cigars from the Brannen humidor during football season this year. Soon I'll post a review of the excellent CI Legends Series by Don Pepin.

Flor de A. Allones Belicoso
Size: 6.12 x 50
Tobacco: Honduras, with Ecuadorian Sumatra wrapper
Price: $3.83

This brand intrigued me when I first read about its history in a JR-Cigar catalogue (for my money, the JR catalog is the most professional and well-written, even though you can often get better deals from CI and you find more rare, highly-sought limited-releases at CigarsDirect)

Although I could not verify this fact, it seems very probable the cigar is named for prominent Spanish businessman Antonio Allones, who is best known for acquiring the El Rey Del Mundo trademark way back in 1892.

For several years, Flor de A. Allones existed only as a private-label crafted by Villazon (the makers of Punch, Excalibur, etc) for Alfred Dunhill, Ltd. I thought it was odd that Dunhill, a men’s apparel company, sold tobacco products, but a little research turned up the fact that its founder and namesake was an avid pipe smoker and was famous for designing the Dunhill pipe. In the early 20th century, he opened several cigar stores; two of his most famous customers were King George VI and Sir Winston Churchill. Today, there is even a Dunhill cigar named in Alfred’s honor. (Dunhill. Ltd. also sells high-end timepieces, luxury leather goods, and lighters.)

Lew Rothman (long before he sold JR Cigars to Altadis) liked Flor de A. Allones so much, it became the inspiration for his JR Ultimate line; not only do the Ultimates taste similar, they carry an almost identical logo. Lew tried to convince Villazon and Dunhill to let him sell Flor de A. Allones to the general public, but they refused. It took nearly 30 years to get exclusive distribution rights to sell this cigar.

I used a couple of gift certificates from Alie and Meredith to purchase a box of the belicosos--usually $95 but I got them on auction for $69. Unfortunately, I was out of humidor space at the time. The JR web site said the Spanish Cedar cabinets were suitable for long-term aging, so I threw a hydrostat tube in the box and left them alone for 8 weeks. Big mistake! The cabinets were not airtight and the uncellophaned cigars severely dried out. It took another 6 weeks in a humidor to bring them back to smoking condition, but even now some of the wrappers still look bumpy and stretched.

These cigars have a dark, almost maduro-colored wrapper leaf. They are not rolled very tightly, which gives them a loose, warm draw. It is a medium-to-full bodied, with a lean, leathery taste, notes of nuts and pepper, and a very long, satisfying, spicy finish.

This cigar perfectly illustrates the distinction between full flavor and full body. There is a lot of pepper/spice flavor; not as spicy as a Don Pepin Legends, but on par with a CAO Black or LFD Ligero. They are too spicy to be a morning cigar, but not quite heavy-bodied enough to satisfy after a really big meal. (For that, you might need something along the lines of a Padron or LGC Serie R). Flor de A. Allones finds its niche in the late autumn afternoon during football games or paired with a Yuengling lager after a light dinner.

I’ve been smoking FdA for four or five months now, and they keep getting better with age. However, I’ve loaned out some to friends, and no one else seems to be as impressed. I don’t understand why, but I’m not complaining: since it means more for me.

Maria Mancini De Gaulle

Size: 4.75 x 52

Tobacco: Costa Rica, Honduras, Nicaragua

Price: $2.10

I won a box of these cigars (named for the famous Italian courtesan who captured the heart of King Louis XIV) from JR Auctions at the ridiculous price of $27. I tried to pace myself, making the box last almost 7 months. The cigars have a sharp box press which makes the ring guage seem smaller than 52/60ths of an inch. It comes with a classic gold band over a dark brown EMS (English Market Selection) wrapper. StogieGuys described it this way: "This cigar [is] the kind you want to keep in a glass-topped humidor where you can show it off."

Maria Mancini wrappers are grown from the Costa Rican H2000 tobacco seed, which is a cross breed of the Cuban Corojo and Cuban-grown Connecticut Shade wrappers. Although reviews for H2000 wrappers are mixed, the wrapper is dry to the touch, with an almost velvet-like quality. The cigar has a slow, hot, even burn.

Every single time I've smoked one of these, someone has commented onthe wonderful sweet-and-spicy aroma. I found the taste to be a littleunderwhelming, though, featuring mostly nutty almond flavors. I think perhaps I could have enjoyed them more, if they hadn't all burned too hot.

Worth another try, but next time in a bigger size. Perhaps the Magic Mountain: 6.0 x 54.

La Rosa Especial Nikkoh

Size: 6.0 x 52

Tobacco: Mexican, Nicaraguan, Costa Rican, Honduran

Price: $1.50

La Rosa Especial cigars were introduced in the early 1990's as "The Strongest Cigar on Earth". They were popular at first, but as the Cigar Boom of the late 90's gave birth to hundreds of brands of cigars that were much stronger, sales of La Rosa Especial suffered until the line was discontinued.

JR Cigars reintroduced the brand in 2006 from Nestor Plasencia, but it never took off. I bought a box of 20 during a closeout sale for less than $1.50 apiece. These cigars sport a dark brown wrapper adorned with a cheaply printed band with a picture of cherubs. Several of my cigars had tiny mold spots on the wrapper and foot. (Fortunately, they wiped off easily. The mold had not penetrated between the tobacco leaves). I almost sent the box back, but...

I really, really liked the ways these cigars smoked. Excellent value. They are medium-to-full with some spice on the finish. They burn cool and slow, although they don't hold an ash for very long. I would really like to age them, to see what they do, but the presence of the mold bothers me. I have stored them in their original box, sans humidification, to dry them out some and make sure it can't spread to my other sticks. I'll probably consume them in the next few weeks, just to be safe.

La Aurora Leoninos Bellicoso
Size: 6.5 x 52
Filler: Piloto Cubano, Dominican Corojo, Bahía and Nicaragua
Binder: Dominican
Wrapper: Corojo
Price: $2.80-$4.60

I got a great deal on these cigars from CigarBid: 15 cigars for $24 (incl. shipping).

Leoninos is distinctive for two reasons:
1) It was the first cigar made with a Dominican corojo wrapper
2) It is the first La Aurora brand cigar I've ever tried (although I've enjoyed other brands from the same factory, like 5 Vegas)

For a sub-$2 smoke, these are very well made. Each cigar is wrapped in a reddish-brown leaf, all with consistent appearance free of veins, bumps, stretches, and tears. They do not tend to be rolled very tight, but allow for a rather loose draw. They rarely have burn problems or require touch-ups. They hold a decent inch of ash (but I've learned the hard way not too push the limit unless I want a mess).

The taste profile is also consistent. They have a fruity aroma and the slight taste of apples, or maybe cherries (something I've noticed before in corojos). There is also detectable coffee flavors throughout the cigar. The taste is a little rough around the edges, not smooth and creamy like I expected it to be. Kind of a cross between Black Pearl Rojo and El Credito maduro. Overall, its not my favorite taste profile in a cigar--I prefer the straight-up nuttiness of the 5 Vegas Classic-but certainly enjoyable nonetheless.

Fuente Hemingway Untold Story Maduro
Tobacco: Dominican
Price: $22

This cigar came to me from my friends at CigarsDirect.com. & wow, it did not disappoint. I enjoyed it during a boys' poker night last Friday, paired with Rusell's Reserve 10-year old bourbon.

According to Cigars.com: "The maduros in [the Hemingway] line are some of the hardest to find non-Cuban cigars in the world, particularly the Untold Story and the Between The Lines."

Appearance: This cigar features the unique perfecto shape common to all Fuente Hemingways, distinguishable by the little nipple at the foot of the cigar. The wrapper was a dark, lush shade of brown, with few veins and no blemishes. It was heavy, and obviously a well-constructed cigar.

Burn/Construction: I've never had a bad Hemingway, but this one set a new bar. This cigar burned slow and cool, with mouthfuls of smoke, for a whopping 3 1/2 hours! It held a great 2" ash, and didn't extinguish even when left alone for 10 minutes. It wasn't perfect: It did need a slight correction about 2 minutes in, as a small canoe was forming due to a hairline crack right at the foot. But I can't remember any cigar smoking as well, for as long, as this one did.

Taste: If there was a negative to this cigar, it was the taste profile. While many cigar aficionados love maduros, I prefer EMS, cameroon, and corojo wrappers. In particular, I enjoy the African cameroon wrappers on Hemingways because they are spicy and biting. This maduro was heavier, but also sweeter, more mellow, and with less finish. Excellent, but not the taste profile I enjoy the most.

Overall: I highly recommend this cigar. 8/10

Cigar Musings from my Eastern Carribbean Cruise

Michelle and I booked a 7-day Caribbean cruise aboard the Carnival Valor cruise ship out of Miami, Fla. last week (along with our friends, Shaun and Charity Brannen and Kim Sass). Other than one issue, described below, the cruise was great. We swam with dolphins in Nassau, snorkeled off the coast of St. Maarten, and enjoyed one of the world's Top 10 beaches in St. Thomas. The food was superb and the nightly entertainment (dancing, comedians, ventriloquists, jugglers) was fun.

But there was one bummer: We chose this ship, in large part, because it advertised on Carnival's web site a comfortable, fancy cigar bar that featured nightly live jazz. But my first night on the ship, as I was about to clip a Fuente 8-5-8 Flor Fina, I was told by the bartender that Winston's Cigar Lounge would no longer allow cigar smoking. I complained to our cruise director and learned that (starting last week), the Carnival corporate office had decided to test a new no-cigar policy on the Valor. If customer complaints aren't too high, they plan to enforce the new policy on their entire fleet.

Cigar smoking is still allowed on open decks (starboard side only), but not in any bar or lounge or casino... not even the Winston Cigar Bar. I thought this was extremely disappointing, not to mention a tad dishonest. If I had known about the new policy, I probably would have sailed with another cruise line....

Smoking cigars on the open deck proved to be a not-so-good alternative. 1) It was windy, and 2) it was difficult to enjoy conversation with friends, since the open deck movie theater was playing every night. (I don't fancy having to watch Bee Movie with my cigar and cognac.)

C'est la vie. Here are the fine cigars I enjoyed on the ship:

Saturday: El Titan de Bronze Redemption Sungrown Habano Toro
Monday: Graycliff Red Label
Tuesday: Leoninos by La Aurora
Wednesday: Boliver ("yello cello"), Hemingway Signature
Thurs: Fuente Curly Head, Flor de Allones
Fri: Fuente Double Chateau
Sat: Fuente Cuban Corona

The highlights included Graycliff Red Label (which Shaun picked up while touring the Graycliff resort) and an aged Bolivar in Megan's Bay, St. Thomas. But extra-special mention goes to the El Titan de Bronze.

I went to the El Titan de Bronze factory on 8th Street, Miami the day before the ship departed. I had wanted to go to LGC or the Pepin Garcia factory, but they were closed. The store is run by a very friendly, older gentleman named Carlos. He and I talked for about 45 minutes. All his cigars are made by 4 rollers right in the front of the shop. He showed me pictures of all his famous customers, then gave me an informal tour of the rooms where he stores his tobacco and then ages the cigars after they are rolled. You could tell that Carlos is very passionate about his work, and that passion is definitely evidenced in his cigars.

After dinner, I had the Redemption Sun Grown Habano, relaxing in South Beach, and it was very, very good. Spicy and bold, similar in taste and body to a La Flor Dominicana Ligero, but with an even better finish and draw. I still can't believe the world hasn't found out about these cigars.

MATASA 30TH ANNIVERSARY

SIZE: 6.5 X 52 (Toro)

WRAPPER: Dominican (maduro)

TOBACCO: Dominican & Nicaraguan

Price: $8 to $11

This cigar was one of the bigger disappointments I've had in a while. It tasted like leather, a little spongy (despite being stored in low RH) with a tight draw. It was strong, but not spicy and not very flavorful. Its appearance wasaverage, with a somewhat splotchy-looking wrapper.

Here's the PR spin on this cigar (which just goes to tell you not to believe everything you read):

MATASA stands for Manufactura de Tabacos, S.A., which is a factory begun in 1974 by Manuel Quesada in Santiago, DR. The Quesada family worked in Cuba for several generations, not as cigar-makers, but as tobacco leaf brokers. They settled in the DR after being forced out of Cuba at gunpoint by the Communists. The MATASA factory is today best-known for producing the many varieties of Fonseca cigars (they also make the bulk of JR alternatives).

The MATASA 30th Anniversary cigar by Fonseca was created to celebrate the founding of the company. Introduced in 2005, about 30,000 cigars were produced and promptly received the Robb Report honor "Best of the Best 2006". The wrappers are choice maduro leaf ("high priming Olor Dominicano" from the Cibao Valley), and the filler tobacco is aged over 10 years. Quesada described it as "the finest of old, noble leaf so that we would have the depth of some of the choicest aged Cuban-seed tobaccos, but without the hardened strength."

Padilla Hybrid Robusto

Size: 5 x 50

Wrapper: Ecuador (hybrid of a cuban-seed and a Connecticut seed)

Filler: Nicaragua, DR, Peru

Price: $3.50

At first, I wasn't sure I'd like this cigar. It had a light-brown wrapper with a faint,tart pre-light flavor. I couldn't tell if the tartness was just a property of this unique wrapper, or an indication of a young cigar with too much ammonia.But it burned very well for the better part of an hour, and held a terrific ash. Mild to medium, but gains in complexity as it burns. Paired with a lager, but I think it would go better with a single malt. I think with some aging this could be an excellent everyday cigar that would also hold up well on special occasions.

Belinda Exquisito (Cedar Wrapped)
Size: 6 x 50
Wrapper: Ecuador Sumatran
Filler: Dominican/Honduran
Price: $3.00

Belinda is an old Cuban brand that predates Castro and the US embargo. It may now be discontinued in Havana, but it still being made in Honduras by expatriate Estelo Padrón.

(Estelo is the brother of Jose Padron, who owns the Padron cigar company in Nicaragua. Apparently, the two brothers had a falling out decades ago, and Estelo went to work for Frank Llaneza as the master blender in his Honduran Villazon factory. Estelo is credited with many blends, including the non-cuban incarnation of Punch, Hoyo Excalibur, Sancho Panza, and El Rey del Mundo. Estelo prefers to keep a lower profile than the rest of his family. He doesn't grant interviews, saying "A cigarmaker belongs in his factory making cigars".)

The non-Cuban Belinda line does not appear to be very popular; there is not much information on the internet, nor many reviews in cigar blogs. Mine had some age on it; it came in a heavily yellowed cellophane wrapper. Despite a few minor nicks in the wrapper, it was in good condition. I removed the cedar wrap and discovered a strong, woody pre-light aroma.

The initial light was very flavorful, but the cigar quickly settled into a mild-medium taste with little finish. Very grassy, woody, and floral. It was somewhat overwhelmed by its accompinament: a smoky double shot of Talisker 18-yr single malt. The pair made for an enjoyable afternoon by the pool, but on its own merits, I would rate this a very average cigar. Something I may try again, but would decline to purchase. 5/10.

I don't know why it's worked out this way, since my humidor is overflowing right now, but I seem to have been bumming a lot of cigars from Shaun lately. As the scotch, smokes, and good times pile up, so do the reviews. Here's a batch of short reviews of cigars I didn't pay a cent to try:

Blue Label
Size: 6 x 44 (corona)
Tobacco: Nicaragua, Honduras, Dominican, with Habano wrapper
Price: $3.25

I mooched a couple of these, one at the casino and one by the pool. They’re made in the same factory as Gran Habano and sold through Cigars International. CI has been hawking them hard lately, and I think Shaun picked them up on the cheap as a daily special. If the two I smoked are any indication, they’ll stay cheap. Both cigars—even the one with two months age in the humidor—were bitter and harsh. Not at all recommended.


La Flor Dominicana Ligero L400
Size: 5.7 x 54
Tobacco: Dominican, with an Ecuadorian Sumatra wrapper
Price: $5

Like the Double Ligero I reviewed earlier, this is an excellent cigar. It’s does not have the same knock-you-down-and-stomp-on-your-nads powerhouse thing going on, but its spicy, full-bodied, and packs plenty of pepper flavors. It was very similar, I thought, to a San Luis Rey. Maybe a little stronger, because I had broken out into a small sweat by the time it was over (of course, that might have been because I was also losing all my chips in the friendly church poker game that night). Flawless construction, good draw, slow burn. If this was the only cigar I could smoke for the rest of my life, I’d be ok with that.

El Mejor Elmerald Toro
Size: 6.0 x 52
Tobacco: Nicaragua, with a Hondruan-grown Corojo wrapper
Price: $2.25

Shaun gave me this cigar one Saturday evening, to enjoy on his back porch with a single-malt libation. This line of cigars is blended and manufactured by Nestor Plasencia in his Honduras factory. Plasencia is most well-known for developing the Habana2000 wrapper (used in a variety of cigars, such as Maria Mancini ) and the popular blends for Rocky Patel's Edge and Sungrown lines. Despite a low price point and apparently being sold exclusively through Cigars International, Shaun and I were both impressed by this cigar.

Appearance: The cigars came dressed in cedar sleeves, which always add a nice aroma, even if I don’t notice that they changed the taste very much. These cigars also have a pigtail cap (like the CAO criollo) and an unwrapped “shaggy foot”. I’ve heard the shaggy foot is popular in Cuba, and I’ve seen these before, but this was my first time to smoke one. The shaggy foot smoked as well as the rest of the cigar, but it was a little harder to get lit evenly than a regular foot.

Taste: It had a loose draw with lots of leafy, oaky, grassy flavors. It started off with mediuim body and strength, but grew stronger and spicier as it burned. Despite only being in the humidor a few days, my cigar did not taste at all young or harsh. The online description states the cigar goes through six months of box aging and has a “core of rich, searing Ligero tobaccos”. I don’t know about “rich” and “searing” but you can definitely taste the ligero leaf. The finish was unremarkable.

Construction: Smooth, even burn. No problems whatsoever.

I”d rate this a 7 out of 10. Definitely a decent bargain. Would try again.

Padilla Obsidian Bellicoso
Size: 6 x 54
Tobacco: Honduran and Nicaraguan
Price: $3.50

The bands on these cigars announce exclusivity: it says “Padilla Limitado” and “Edicion Especial 2006”. The internet is littered with its praises. It certainly looks impressive, wrapped in a jet-black ligero leaf. Even though I’m not a big fan of most maduros, I wanted to give this one a try.

What can I say? Stay away… far, far away.

How did ye disappoint me? Let me count the ways:

Poor construction. Although I had a good initial light, this cigar went out on me twice. There was no wind to blame it on, and I gave it constant, steady attention. The cigar just went dead twice, due to places where the tobacco was very, very loose.

Lack of flavor. The cigar began ‘ok’ with smooth, mellow, earthy notes. As it burned, it got progressively stronger in terms of nicotine content, but the flavor petered out. It’s kind of odd to describe a full strength/weak flavor combination, but that’s what this cigar has.

Failed the wet finger test. Maduro tobacco is dark brown, but not black, unless it has been dyed. I licked my finger, ran it across the tip of the cigar, and sure enough, drew back a brown finger. I found the following posting on ClubStogie.com:


Originally Posted by nozero
…I won a Cbid on Padilla Edicion Especial ’Obsidian’ (belicoso). The first two had no problem, the third however stained my lower lip. I emailed Cbid customer service about this, and here is their reply.

"Customer service comment by: Tom Date: 6/25/2008 5:15 PM
I apologize for that sir, although they are maduro cigars, they are dyed to make them look even darker and sometimes the dye will come off. Thanks."

Romeo y Juliet 1875 Churchill

Size: 7 x 50

Tobacco: Dominican, with Indonesian Shade Grown wrapper

Price: $5.25

I saw this cigar laying on Bob Dean's kitchen counter several months ago when I dropped Kedron off for the day. I told him I hadn't realized he was a cigar aficionado. He assured me he wasn't; his son-in-law gave it to him to celebrate the birth of another grandchild. Bob insisted he was not going to smoke it, and he gave it to me.

I let it relax in my humidor for several months, then decided to give it a fitting send off last Tuesday, on my drive from Memphis to the Courtland Mill.

It tasted much like the Cedro Deluxe #2 I reviewed for Memorial Day: mild nutty taste, white ash, creamy smoke. The churchill does not come wrapped in cedar and has a looser, hotter draw. Other than that, the taste did not change much. Like the Montecristo (also owned by Altadis),the non-cuban RyJ brand suffers in comparison to its Havana namesake, but it is still an enjoyable experience.

La Flor Dominicana Double Ligero DL700 Maduro
Size: 6.5 x 60
Tobacco: Dominican, with Ecuadorian sun grown wrapper
Price: $6.79

Shaun brought me this imposing, dark monster of a cigar back from his favorite B&M in Birmingham. We enjoyed it on the back porch, sipping whiskey and watching a lightning storm for two hours. This cigar had us both in a heart-pounding sweat after about 20 minutes, it was so strong. Shaun finally gave up. I made it to the end, but only after laying it down twice.

La Flor Dominicana cigars are grown and manufactured by Litto Gomez. Their web site is very informative.

My cigar had a smooth, oily, very dark (almost black) wrapper. I was afraid at first it might be a dyed maduro, but it passed the wet finger test. Perhaps its color was a result of it being sun grown, rather than shade grown. It featured a bold, rich, spicy flavor, with an easy draw and a finish that lit my tongue on fire. Absolutely wonderful – although obviously not something I could handle every day.

Olor del Cibao

Size: 7 x 48

Tobacco: Dominican Republic (puro)

Price: $4 (US), $2 (in DR)

Anthony gave me an Olor Del Cibao cigar on his sailboat yesterday, that he brought back from his vacation to the DR. This cigar wins the award for the nastiest, messiest canoe I have ever seen. Despite a relative calm wind, the flame on this cigar burned through the top half of the tobacco wrapper like an out of control California wildfire, but the bottom half wouldn't catch at all despite several attempts with my lighter. The canoe trench snaked half-way around the circumference of the cigar for a good two inches, even after I tried to clip and relight. Finally, I got it straightened out, well past the half way mark, and salvaged what I could as the sun set on Lake Sardis, MS.

As for its other characteristics, the cigar sported a grayish-brown wrapper with lots (and I mean lots) of veins. There were a few minor tears and cracks near the foot. It had a mild, somewhat nondescript taste with hints of grass. The draw was tight, due to the aforementioned canoe.

These cigars are only available in the U.S. through http://www.texcigars.com/. The cigars sold in the U.S. have a black band, whereas the one I smoked had a red band. Also, the American verions of the Churchill seems to have a slightly larger ring guage.

Arturo Fuente Flor Fina 8-5-8 Maduro
Size: 6 x 47
Tobacco: Dominican with Connecticut Broadleaf wrapper
Price: $4.10 (B&M), $3.69 (box price)

CigarsDirect (a great online site that specializes in high-end superpremiums) gifted me one of these as a "thank you" for participating in their online NCAA Tournament Challenge.

With the exception of their sandwich cigars, Curly Head and Breva Royale, I can't say I've ever come across a bad offering from Arturo Fuente. Some I've liked more than others, of course, and I was extremely disappointed in the Don Carlos Anniversario a few weeks ago; but all the Fuente lines, from Montesino to Opus X, share common characteristics of quality ingredients and top-notch construction. The 8-5-8 natural is one of my favorite cigars. It features a sophisticated taste that evolves from sweet and nutty to spicy and full over the space of about 50 minutes.

The 8-5-8 maduro is also a very good cigar, but does not hold up to the repuatation of its counterpart. In general, I prefer naturals over maduros anyway, which I often find to be smoother but muted in flavor. The 8-5-8 maduro burns evenly, with a mid-range draw, and yields rich coffee flavors. While coffee is not my favorite taste in a tobacco, it can be enjoyable every once in a while. The 8-5-8 maduro was comparable in flavor to a CAO Black 'VR' (although I think the CAO was a little better, in this case). It paired well with a glass of Gentlemen Jack on a warm spring evening.

On the C&S rating scale, I award this 6.5 leaves out of a perfect 10.

Vibe Corojo Robusto
Size: 5 x 52
Tobacco: Nicaragua/Honduras
Price: $2.50

After reading good reviews online, I secured a 5-pack of these dark, loosely packed robustos on CigarBid.com for $10.95, including shipping. I dryboxed them for a week, then dropped them in the humidor. I was not expecting much, to be honest; they seem to be marketed as an almost-but-not-quite-Rocky Patel off-brand. I have been pleasantly surprised though. The cigars have smooth, dark brown wrappers, with solid construction and problem-free burn. I've tasted distinct coffee flavors throughout the smoke, coupled with a loose draw and robust aroma. The slightly sweet flavor of corojo is there at times, although fleeting. Stronger than I expected, falls somewhere between medium-full. One became bitter at the 1" mark, so I had to let it go sooner than I wanted, but I've nubbed the others.

I investigated the ownership of this brand and it is complicated. The cigars are owned by United Tobacco, a company that up until 2005 was only involved in cigar distribution, not private branding. In 2005, United Tobacco decided to get into the blending/rolling business and hired Rocky Patel to make some cigars in Nestor Plasencia's Honduran factory, where Indian Tabac products are rolled. This partnership produced Vibe and REO, two lines sold under the trademark name "EO Premium Brands". These two lines were be a big hit initially, so United Tobacco approached Pepin Garcia a year later to see what he could do--and thus, 601 Serie cigars were born. 601 has become so popular (along with everything else Pepin makes) it has completely eclipsed the earlier brands. In fact, the United Tobacco web site is now dedicated exclusively to 601 Serie and does not mention Vibe or REO at all. I won't be surprised if Vibe disappears soon, as neither United Tobacco nor Rocky Patel seem interested in promoting it.

If that happens, it will be a shame because Vibe is an worthwhile, underrated $2 cigar.

Arturo Fuente Sun Grown Chateau King B
Size: 6 x 55
Filler: Dominican
Wrapper: Ecuadorian Sun Grown "rosado" wrapper
Price: $6 (box price); $15 (single)

CigarsDirect (a great online site that specializes in high-end superpremiums) gifted me one of these as a "thank you" for participating in their online NCAA Tournament Challenge. I decided to give it a go at my monthly St. Andrews church poker game. Shaun and I both smoked ours that night, provoking much jealousy among our friends who did not participate in the bracket. It was a lucky stogie, since I won $120 at the table.

The cigar is named after an outdoor tavern in Ybor City, Florida named the "King B", where many of the Cuban immigrants gathered in the afternoon to share drinks and stogies after work.

Since I reviewed this same cigar in a smaller size three months ago, I'm just going to hit the highlights in an abbreviated review:

1. My earlier experience with the Fuente Sun Grown was no fluke: They take the Gran Reserva line to a whole new level. They have more flavor, more spice, and more body.


2. I thought I would enjoy the King B more than the Chateau because it is a larger cigar. Whereas the chateau felt like it burned too hot for so much flavor, I assumed a larger ring guage would taste more balanced. But in fact, the larger cigar had lots of complex, balanced, fun flavors at the beginning and at the end. But in the middle there was a letdown where the cigar seemed to become mild and very muted. Both Shaun and I remarked on it.

The Chateu rated a solid 8.0 leaves out of 10 in the C&S scale. We decided to award the King B a slightly lower 7.5/10.

Postscript April 10, 2009: Last night, my friend Daniel gave me a Fuente Double Chateau Sun Grown, which is longer than the King B (6.75 in) with a smaller ring guage (50). This proved to be the perfect size for the Fuente Sun Grown line. Perfect balance between spice and strength. Never burned too hot and never lost its flavor. I'd rate the Double Chateau Sun Grown a 9/10. Its only negative was a canoe at the very beginning, which is an anomaly in a Fuente product.

Don Carlos Edicion de Aniversario
Size: 5.2 x 50
Tobacco: Dominican
Price: $40 (single)

This cigar stands out as being, by far, the most expensive cigar I've ever smoked. Thank you Cigars Direct

History: 2006 marked the 30th anniversary of Don Carlos cigars, which were created in the Dominican Republic by the patriarch of the Fuente family, Carlos Fuente Sr. This unique anniversary edition was created by his son, Carlito, back in 2004 to commemorate his father's legacy in the cigar industry. Don Carlos Edicion de Aniversario was chosen as Best of the Best by Robb Report (June 2007). Only 24,000 cigars were released to the public; they are sold in humidor boxes that sell for $1,250 each.

Appearance: My cigar sported a smooth, milk-chocolate brown wrapper, with few veins. Its prelight taste was a tad spicy on the lips and the aroma seemed to indicate a medium flavored smoke.

Setting: I selected this cigar on the first day of my beach vacation in Ocean Isle, NC. One of my favorite places to enjoy a cigar is sitting on a beach in late afternoon listening to the surf as the tide rises. It was a very windy Monday afternoon, which was turned out to be unfortunate, because I had trouble getting the cigar lit and keeping an even burn.

Taste: Upon first light, I was rewarded with a full peppery flavor. But that quickly subsided into a medium-bodied, nutty flavor with little aftertaste or finish. The cigar picked up strength as it burned, making me a little light-headed near the end, but the flavor remained constant-- medium and nutty.

Overall impression: I wish I had chosen another day to light this cigar, because it is difficult to savor the complexities of a cigar when you are having to fight gusting wind just to sustain a decent draw. But even allowing for that, I just didn't "get" what was so special about this stogie: it had a decent but unremarkable taste. Not nearly as memorable as other Fuente offerings like OpusX, God of Fire, Hemingway, or Sun Grown.

On my 10-leaf scale, I can only give the Don Carlos Edicion de Aniversario a 6/10.

PUNCH GRAN PURO
Sizes:
1. 6 x 50 (Pico Bonito)
2. 5.5 x 54 (Rancho)
Wrapper: Sun Grown from San Augustin Valley in Honduras
Filler: Honduras
Price: approx. $3 (box price), $5 (single)

I figured I enjoy Nicaraguan puros so much, like Padrons, that I ought to give Honduran puros a chance as well. They sport thick, dark, toothy, veiny wrappers that look like they can beat you up and steal your milk money with brute force.

After smoking two cigars in different sizes, I am still on the fence. I can't decide if I really, really like them- or if I don't care for them at all, That may seem odd, but it's like a guy at the poker table once said to me, "From the look on your face, I'd say you're about to go all-in or else fold." (Funny how often that happens to me, and how easy I am to read).

StogieGuys.com said of this cigar: "I think old school smokers who prefer the raw taste of natural tobacco will enjoy Punch’s Gran Puro line more than those of us who grew up in the Rocky Patel era." The cigar's flavor is heavy, raw, and robust, although it seems to lessen as the cigar progresses rather than intensify. The taste certainly does not 'wow' you up front, ala RP Edge, or stay with you long afterwords. However, it's a dinstinctive taste that somehow I remember and respect.

CI Legends by Rocky Patel (Orange Label)
Size: 5.7" x 54
Tobacco: Honduran (Corojo wrapper)
Price: $3.00

A thick cigar with a slow, slightly tight burn. Good draw, good construction. Medium-to-full body with a distinct burnt coffee flavor, hints of spice on the finish. Very little aftertaste.

Recommended for warm nights when conversation with friends, not to mention single malt scotch, are flowing freely; this makes a very decent 2nd cigar, one of my favorite follow-ups to an RP Edge.



CI Legends by Graycliff (Purple Label)
Size: 5.7" by 54
Tobacco: Dominican, Nicaragua, Brazil, Indonesian wrapper
Price: $3.50

I had a Legends Purple (Graycliff). Tasted very similar to the Profesionale: yummy. good draw, no burn problems, medium body, lots of spice.

I thought the cigar was soft in spots, and I noticed some very small leaves near the cap when I clipped it. Made me think this might be a sandwich cigar, not long filler.

Easily the best of the CI Legends I've tried so far.











Famous Dominican 4000 Torpedo
Size: 6.5 x 50
Tobacco: DR, with Connecticut Wrapper
Price: $1.52

Two of these cigars were given to me by Triolent (Ian), a poster on the Club Stogie forum who responded to my post asking about Famous Smoke's house blends. The blend was created by Juan Rodriguez at Don Leoncio, a boutique tabacalera near Santiago, DR. This figurado was medium-bodied, with a clean, sharp taste and a spot-on precision burn. It held a nice 1.5" almost pure white ash.



Famous Honduran 1000 Double Corona
Size: 7 x 50
Tobacco: Honduras, with Connecticut wrapper
Price: $1.95

This cigar was also given to me by Triolent (Ian), a poster on the Club Stogie forum who responded to my post asking about Famous Smoke's house blends. Famous Honduran 1000 hails from Nestor Plasencia's factory in Honduras.

I was expecting this cigar to have a raw, pungent tobacco flavor like the Punch Grand Puro, the only true Honduran puro I've come across. What I got with this cigar was something entirely different--and surprisingly good. While medium in body, it was characterized by a slightly sweet taste on the lips and tongue, followed by a heavy, robust finish that stayed in the back of the mouth. Paired well with Lagavulin single malt on a cooler-than-expected night, reading on the back porch.

The best description I can come up with is actually one I happened to see for another cigar (the Evelio, also made in Plasencia's factory): It tastes almost like vanilla ice cream going down, then punches you in the gut at the bottom.


Updated 11-20-08: I purchased a bundle of these double coronas and, unfortunately, none of them have lived up to the first one. At just $1 per cigar, it's a decent mild smoke, but none have repeated that "heavy, robust finish" that I enjoyed so much.


Famous Nicaraguan 1000 Robusto
Size: 5 x 50
Tobacco: Nicaraguan with Indonesian wrapper
Price: $1.15

This cigar was also given to me by Triolent (Ian), a poster on the Club Stogie forum who responded to my post asking about Famous Smoke's house blends.

Well, what can I say? You can't win them all. This cigar sported a very light brown wrapper (it almost looked green, fooling me at first into thinking it might be a candela). It burned hot and very bitter. Not recommended.


Gran Habano #3 Pyramid
Size: 6 1/8 x 52
Tobacco: Nicaragua, Mexico, Costa Rica
Wrapper: Habano from Nicaragua
Price: $3.10 (single @ Tobacco Corner)

Although I was hoping for the complexity and taste of the Gran Habano #5 Corojo (without the superhuman strength), I was still satisfied with this blend. It was smooth, creamy, and a little nutty, with a easy draw. In fact, I thought this cigar is a dead ringer in taste to the 5 Vegas Classic (red label).

Postscript 04/20/2009:

Just want to amend my review (nearly a year later).

I've recently been smoking the GH#3 blend, in the robusto size, after 7 months aging in the humidor. As they've aged, these cigars have picked up strength and a spicy bite, especially near the beginning and end of each stick. Also, now noticing a nice array of flavors and aromas that weren't there before.

Funny about my comparison to 5 Vegas cigars, though, because 5 Vegas does the same thing as it ages.

Indian Tabac Super Fuerte Double Corona Natural
Size: 7.5 x 52
Tobacco: Costa Rico, Nicaragua, Honduras
Price: $2.80

I bought a 5-pack of the double coronas in September 2007 because I needed a large cigar that would last through a entire night of poker. The natural version of this cigar lacks the "kick" that the maduro showed a few years ago. Still, it's a serviceable medium to full-bodied cigar with a nice aroma and an easy draw. Can hold a half-inch ash, no problem.

Without doubt, the best cigar was the one I let rest in the humidor for 8 months, and then enjoyed while watching "Double Indemnity" on my laptop DVD player. After 8 months aging, this cigar picked up flavor and strength and developed into a smooth, well-balanced flavor, with a formidable finish. This cigar will never light the world on fire, but I've paid a lot more for worse smokes over the years. A great bargain.

Camacho 1962 (Sampler Pack)
Sizes:
1. 7.0 x 48 (churchill)
2. 6.0 x 43 (corona)
3. 4.5 x 50 (perfecto)
4. 5.0 x 50 (robusto)
5. 6.0 x 54 (torpedo)

Wrapper: Criollo
Tobacco: Honduran (cuban seed)
Price: $5-$6.0

I read somewhere the Camacho 1962 was unveiled at the Retail Tobacco Dealers Association annual conference in 2006 and was expected to be a big hit. B&Ms sold most of them at or above their $6 MSRP. When I saw a sampler listed on CigarsInternational six months ago, containing four of each vitola, for less than $40 shipped, I imagined the spiciness of a CAO Criollo, paired with the rich "cuban dirt flavor" of the Camacho CI Legends and the potency of the Camacho Coroylar Puro. I aged these cigars all winter, deciding to wait until the first day of Spring to test them out.

Boy, was I disappointed. At least a third of these cigars had significant construction problems--usually, the tobacco was rolled loose which caused a very hot draw and lots of annoying canoes. Not a single cigar in the whole sampler was able to hold an ash past a quarter inch; in the past month, I've dropped more ash in my lap than in the ashtray with these cigars, especially from the perfectos.

Even the cigars that weren't plagued with shoddy craftsmanship did not taste very good. They did have that distinctive Camacho flavor that isn't found in any other brand, but they lacked any sophistication or richness at all. They were no where near the quality of the SLR or CI Legends. In fact, the tobacco in the 1962 tasted cheap. There were a few exceptions---namely the first torpedo and the last two robustos had a nice spice profile and I caught something similar to the grassy, oily taste I miss from my beloved, now-defunct Peterson cigars.

I smoked them with scotch, with beer, with water... anything to find some way to pair them to bring out any hidden qualities... But all in all, I'm sorry to say these cigars were an almost complete waste of time and money.

Postcript April 2009: I aged my last churchill 16 months, hoping the extra humi time would improve these dog rockets. That last cigar didn't have any construction problems, and the flavors were a little more prominent. But it wasn't any better, the cigar had a bitter aftertaste like rotten brussell sprouts.

Victor Sinclair Triple Corojo Torpedo
Size: 6.5 x 54
Tobacco: Dominican Republic puro
Price: $6-MSRP; $2.25-internet

Despite my less-than-stellar impressions of Victor Sinclair in the past, I allowed myself some hope for this Triple Corojo that Shaun Brannen gave me at tonight's St. Andrews guys poker game. The cigar derives its name from the fact that the wrapper, binder, and filler are all made from corojo tobacco.

This cigar had a pleasant prelight smell. That was the only good thing about it. After I lit it, everything went downhill. What started as a bland, slightly unpleasant bitter taste quickly degenerated into something akin to smoking a cardboard box. Shaun complained repeatedly that his cigar tasted like soap. We both abandoned our sticks before the halfway point.

Unfortunately, my follow-up cigar turned out to be no better. But hey, at least I won $55 at the poker table.

Fuente Fuente OpusX Super Belicoso

Size: 5.5 x 52

Tobacco: Dominican Puro

Price: $15-$50

To rest of the world, the Fuente Fuente OpusX is considered one of the rarest and most prestigious non-Cuban cigars on the market. To me, it will always be the "skunk cigar". While I was smoking it in Los Pines, Texas a skunk wandered out of the woods and right underneath my chair. My companion looked at me and said, in a very calm voice, "Uh uh, you better clip your cigar and get inside. That thing looks ready to spray." Needless to say, I wasn't about to ruin the cigar-- but I did haul butt off the porch and headed as fast as I could in the opposite direction. I stood by an open fire pit for half an hour, waiting for the skunk to leave, before I could retrieve my forgotten beer.

Cigar History: Although it needs no introduction, this cigar gained its reputation for its Dominican Rosado wrapper. Dominican puros are rare, primarily because the climate does not make it easy to grow good wrappers. Both Fuentes--Carlos Sr. and Jr.--developed the cigar in the 1990's and each year they release a limited batch for the holidays. OpusX are not difficult to locate (CigarsDirect has them here!) and when they are, they go in the $40 and up range. I know in Memphis, at least one B&M sells them for $15, but only to loyal customers--a kind of "thank you" for doing business with them throughout the year.

Appearance: A shiny, glossy wrapper. No defects or noticeable veins. A heady aroma and spicy prelight taste on the tongue.

How did it taste?: When I lit this cigar, I was first surprised by the full, peppery taste. I had not heard that OpusX were considered to be strong cigars and this began very much similar to the Fuente God of Fire. However, the strength/spice quickly abated and was replaced by something interesting: alternating tastes that reminded me, in turns, of a Fuente Hemingway, an Indian Tabac Fire, and a Punch Gran Puro. It was like taking the best characteristics of many different types of cigars and rolling them into one very unique and hard-to-describe experience. It was exceptionally balanced, smooth, and never boring.

Although I almost hate to award such a high score (especially not twice in 10 days), I have to give this a perfect 10-Leaf rating.

(For the first time, I have opened this blog to the following guest review from Shaun Brannen)

Ashton Estate Sun Grown (aka Ashton ESG)
Size: 6.75 X 49
Tobacco: Dominican
Price: 29.95

Last night I had the opportunity to smoke THE ASHTON ESG. This was by far one of the very best cigars that I have ever smoked.

History: The Ashton brand has now been around for 21 years and during this tenure Ashton has grown its reputation to become one of the best super premium cigar names on the market. The quality that goes into every Ashton cigar has turned the brand into a name that is known by all connoisseurs and this quality has led to brand growth every year since the inception of the Ashton name. To celebrate this huge milestone Robert Levin and Carlos Fuente Jr. decided to create the Ashton ESG. What makes this cigar so special? Carlos Fuente Jr. actually created a new blend of tobacco for the wrapper, grown on the Chateau de la Fuente farm, which has never been used before, and is solely used in the production of the ESG. Because there is a very limited amount of the tobacco that is used to create this phenomenal cigar it will only be released in small batch quantities once a year. Every year for the next 10 Ashton will release a new size in the ESG line, and only after ten years will the entire line be available.

Appearance: The overall appearance of the ESG was exquisite, the wrapper was smooth, and there was only one vein that was even noticeable on the stick. During my examination of this perfectly constructed cigar I gave it a pre-light aroma test and I new that I was about to smoke one of the greats, the type of cigar that a true aficionado dreams about at night. If I thought the pre-light aroma was great the pre-light taste test blew my socks off with a rich spicy taste exploding in my mouth.

First Impressions: As I lit the cigar the first thing that I noticed was the spiciness and amount of smoke that filled my mouth with each draw (and currently spicy cigars are my favorite). After about a third of the cigar the spicy flavor started to mellow out and I started to get a complex taste and aroma that had a somewhat nutty flavor. During the 1.5 hours it took to truly enjoy this cigar it burned with a perfect razors edge, and it never once had a disappointing draw.

Overall Experience: This full-bodied cigar was one of the best, if not the very best cigar that I have ever had the opportunity to smoke. Sticks like these should be saved for people who really understand what a good cigar is and can appreciate the workmanship that goes into creating such a great smoke. If you consider yourself a cigar aficionado and have never experience the Ashton ESG you are missing out on one of the greatest blends that has been created. I would recommend that you go to cigarsdirect.com anytime you are in the market for any super premium cigar such as the ESG.

C&S 10 Leaf Scale: Obviously from my review this cigar merits a 10 leaf rating.

God of Fire Carlito 2005 Double Robusto

Size: 5.7 x 50

Tobacco: Dominican (with Cameroon wrapper)

Price: $20-$24

Billy Ferriolo, from CigarsDirect (a great online site that specializes in high-end superpremiums), gifted me this cigar, which I enjoyed with a glass of Glennfiddich 12-Year Old at Swig's martini bar, right off Beale Street in Memphis. I was celebrating my NCAA championship tournament bracket, which was a perfect 8-0 in the Sweet 16. (I am currently 2nd place in the CigarsDirect bracket competition. The winner gets a Padilla humidor, filled with cigars valued at $1500!)

Cigar Background: God of Fire is made annually by The Arturo Fuente Company, in extremely limited quantities which seem to be released around Christmas every year. They tend to be hard to find and sell out quickly, putting them in the same category as OpusX in terms of its ability to generate word-of-mouth buzz. The cigar comes in 2 blends, one by Don Carlos and the other by his son Carlito. The Don Carlos blends are said to be smooth and full-flavored; the son's blends are spicier and stronger.

Appearance: The cigar sports a cool multicolored band depicting a famous scene from Prometheus Bound, where Prometheus is held captive by the Greek gods for giving the secret of fire to mortals. Every day vultures come and peck out his liver. The cigar itself is wrapped in a medium-brown wrapper that is as near to perfect as I've ever seen: shiny, tight, no veins or visual defects--it almost appears to be a single intact leaf.

Prelight: I detected no prelight aroma. When I tasted the cigar cap, I was surprised at a definite sweetness in the wrapper, which often indicates a mild cigar. After clipping the head, though, I could easily taste the pepper spice in the filler tobacco. The sweet wrapper was intended to soften, just a bit, the full onslaught of flavor that was to come.

The Experience: All I can say is... wow! I have never tasted a cigar like this before. It was loaded with pepper spice from the first puff until I nubbed it in the ashtray. Yet, even with all that strength, it never became harsh or overpowering (I immediately think of Camacho Coyolar Puro or Gran Habano #5!). The burn was razor sharp, the ash tight, and the draw was just perfect. In fact, I've not had any cigar since Cuban Montecristo #2 that burned as exceptionally as this one.

The spice abated slightly in the middle third of the cigar. If there was anything disappointing in this cigar, it was that middle section where I thought a new flavor should have made itself known (similar to what happens in a Padron 1926). But I'm nitpicking here... I like spice, and that's what this cigar was all about. I don't know if it was the excitement of the evening or the heavy nicotine content, but my heart was racing during the last half of this beauty.

Final Thoughts: God of Fire ranks easily in the Top 5 cigars I've ever tried. Perhaps the Top 3-right next to Padron 1926 and Cuban Monte #2.

On my 10-Leaf scale, I'm awarding this one a perfect 10!

Partagas Spanish Rosado Sabroso
Size: 5.88 x 44
Wrapper: Honduran
Filler: Dominican/Mexican/Honduran
Price: $5.95 (retail-single) / $3.40 (internet-box price)

My only previous experience with Partagas was a wretched Partagas Black in August 2005, possibly the worst cigar I've ever smoked. I vowed back then never to give Partagas another chance, even though I've continued to read a lot of good things about this classic brand. I was in a local B&M a few days ago, looking to try something different, and I figured "What the heck?" I risked six dollars on the uniquely named Spanish Rosado. (What I really wanted was the Fuente Sun Grown Double Chateau, but I thought $12 was just obscenely expensive).

This cigar turned out to be a great investment. It had a dark reddish-brown wrapper, with a few veins but no visible blemishes. I sniffed but could not discern any prelight aroma. I was enticed by a unique, almost fruity taste.

After lighting up on my drive home from work, I soon realized this was going to a very sophisticated smoke. The aroma was odd, with a vague scent of fruits--or was it tea? The taste was very dry and dusty, although lightened by occasional draughts of sweetness, medium in body. The finish and aftertaste was heavy and full and slightly bitter, which of course made a great contrast with the sweet fruitiness of the initial taste on each draw.

I didn't want to waste this cigar, so I pulled my car over in Shelby Farms, turned up some blues music on public radio, and spent 15 minutes just savoring the first day of Spring. I have no doubt this cigar will get a second look in the near future--though probably in larger ring gauge.

By the way, General Cigar's website http://www.cigarworld.com calls the Spanish Rosado "the richest cigar in the world". The name is derived from the spicy cameroon wrapper that is grown exclusively for General Cigar in the San Agustin Valley in Honduras.

Rocky Patel Original Sun Grown
Size: 6.2 x 52
Wrapper/Filler: Honduran
Price: $2.22

I bid on a 5-pack of these cigars on CigarBid.com after reading the following story about their origin:

In 2002, Rocky Patel began making his Sun Grown blend. The manufacturer for this cigar was the UST factory in Honduras, which is now owned by General Cigar Company, makers of big-name brands like Macanudo and Punch. Around 145,000 cigars were produced just before the project was put on hold in order to fully introduce the Vintage series. After focusing on the Vintage, Rocky went back to making the Sun Grown, but in Nestor Plasencia’s El Paraiso factory. Long story short, Rocky needed to unload the UST cigars, and we were there to help... These cigars will never be produced again.

At times, I guess I'm just a sucker for the concept of "limited edition" and "once in a lifetime", although I knew full well the real reason Rocky stopped production at UST probably had to do with poor quality or high cost.

I tried the first ‘OSG’ while sitting on the back porch, watching the movie Pathfinder on my laptop dvd. It began with lots of cedar flavors, that progressed slowly into earthy, nutty flavors with liberal spicy, peppery notes. Razor-sharp burn, decent draw. Medium body, with a sweet aroma and a mild finish. Despite being chilly that night, I was very impressed with the cigar.

I smoked the next one during a poker game, gifted two to friends, and finished the 5-pack on a lazy Sunday afternoon with friends. Unfortunately, the others did not live up to the impression of the first one. They were ok, but seemed milder and never developed those spicy flavors near the end.

Arturo Fuente Hemingway Signature Maduro
Size: 6.00 x 47
Tobacco: Dominican Republic
Price: $14.00

This weekend, my friend Shaun and I sampled two Hemingway Signature Maduros.

The Hemingway line, named after the famous American author, probably needs no introduction to most cigar enthusiasts. It was Arturo Fuente's first limited edition extension to their regular Gran Reserva line. They are made with tobacco aged four years and rolled only by experts who are limited to a production quantity of 75 cigars per day. Each cigar is rolled in a perfecto shape. Hemingways can be notoriously difficult to find, and many local B&Ms, especially here in Memphis, limit the number that can be purchased.

The maduro version of the Hemingway is even rarer than the Cameroon. In fact, while the cameroons can usually be found under $10, the maduros sell for considerably more. Most online sites don't even carry them. I got mine from CigarsDirect, a good site for superpremium smokes.

Appearance: Our cigars sported toothy wrappers a deep shade of coffee-brown. The wrapper felt thick to the fingers, and mine was unblemished except for a single vein on the underside that ran from the cap all the way to the foot. The aroma was mild, but the pre-light taste was unmistakably maduro. It was not the flavor of young maduro (like a Partagas Black or a Montecruz Negro), but was balanced and nuanced.

First impressions: Like the cameroon version of this cigar, the immediate taste upon lighting was mild and sweetish. I remembered the cameroon increased in complexity as it burned, picking up spice and pepper, and gradually turned into a full-bodied experience. I expected the same flavor profile here, too. Unlike the cameroon, I tasted distinct notes of nuts and coffee.

Overall experience: What can I say? Flawless construction. A razor straight burn that never varied for an hour. It held an inch-long white ash that never flaked or fell. The draw was perfect for this size ring guage. I was disappointed, however, that the cigar never built any spice or pepper. It remained rather one-dimensional (dare I say it, bland?), medium in taste and body. The potential of those balanced, nuanced pre-light flavors never materialized. I had a slight nicotine rush when I stood up at the end, indicating this cigar managed to be potent without being full-flavored.

On the C&S (Craig & Shaun) 10-Leaf scale, we awarded this cigar 6 Leaves out of 10. If you are a big fan of maduros, you owe it to yourself to give this smoke a try, just to experience its expert craftsmanship. But if you prefer a full spicy taste, then you would fare better with the Hemingway Cameroon or the Fuente Sungrown.

CAO Brazilia Samba
Size: 6.0 x 52
Wrapper: Brazilian
Filler: Nicaraguan, Honduran
Price: $6.75 (box price)

My sister Laura gave me this cigar (along with a Padron 7000) for Christmas. After two months of patient aging, I finally decided to enjoy it yesterday, during my three hour drive to Florence, AL. The temperature was in the mid-70's, I listened to my NIV on CD, and this turned out to be a great contemplative driving smoke. I've had two other sizes of the CAO Brazilia--the Lambada (6 x 50) and the Piranha (4.5 x 46)--and this was my favorite. This cigar, like the others, had an intoxicating sweet aroma. Unlike the others, the wrapper was toothy, not smooth. The flavors, while not complex, were medium-full and satisfying. The cigar had very little finish, which is a disappointing trait in a smaller cigar, but works to the advantage of a larger cigar because it doesn't overpower you over the course of 90-minutes. My only complaint was that the draw weakened substantially in the final two inches, causing me to ditch it out the window a little earlier than expected.

Arturo Fuente Hemingway Short Story
Size: 4 x 48 (perfecto)
Tobacco: Dominican filler, Cameroon wrapper
Price: $5

Billy Ferriolo, from CigarsDirect (a great online site that specializes in high-end superpremiums), gifted me two of these cigars. I first reviewed them seven months ago, and was pleased that my experience this time was equally as good.

Appearance: Perfecto-shaped cigars are supposedly the most difficult vitola to create, and this line is crafted by the most skilled Fuente veterans. At first glance, it appears to be a short, skinny cigar that probably will last half an hour. The wrapper looks flawless and is slick to the touch. The prelight aroma, which is subtle and tangy, belies the spicy strength of the cigar.

Overall impression: The taste profile is identical to the Hemingway Signature, starting out mild-to-medium, and then steadily picking up spice and strength: a very complex smoke that you can nub to your fingers without ever feeling satiated. The spicy flavor settles on the back of the tongue and lingers for hours after the cigar is extinguished. It pairs great with a glass of single malt scotch. Even if you follow it with a lesser cigar (as I did on a lazy Sunday afternoon), the flavor of the Hemingway stays with you. What's particularly astonishing is that, for such a small cigar, it burns incredibly slow, almost an hour, without becoming too hot. Burn is straight as an arrow. I wrote seven months ago "The Hemingway may be the best non-Cuban cigar on the planet." I am now retracting that statement, but only because in comparison to the less expensive Sun Grown Fuente, the Hemingway Short Story never quite reaches the same level of complexity.

I score this a 7.5/10 .

Arturo Fuente Sun Grown Chateau
Size: 4.5 x 50
Filler: Dominican
Wrapper: Ecuadorian Sun Grown
Price: $3.85 (box price)

Billy Ferriolo, from CigarsDirect (a great online site that specializes in high-end superpremiums), gifted me three of these very popular cigars. You can tell a Fuente Sungrown apart from its shade grown siblings based on the colors on the band. The sun grown has a black ribbon under the Fuente logo. The others have a green ribbon.

My only prior experience with sun grown cigars were the Carlos Torano Signature, 5 Vegas Limitada, and Punch Gran Puro. The term "sun grown" is applied to tobacco that is grown in open fields with direct exposure to sunlight, which causes the leaves to become thicker, oiler, and produces pronounced veins. They are often used as wrappers for full-bodied cigars, although they are not usually as full as maduros. These cigars are often distinguished from "shade grown" wrappers which are grown under fine gauze sheets called tapados; shade grown wrappers are usually thinner, more attractive, and have more subtle nuanced flavors.

Appearance: The cigar comes dressed in a cedar wrapper. It is dark brown, the color being somewhere between a natural and a maduro. The cigar is smooth and heavy, with densely packed tobacco. It has a spicy prelight aroma.

First impressions: Don't get me wrong, I still love the Fuente 858 (the best of the Gran Reserva line, tastes like a Hemingway)... but this takes Gran Reserva to a whole new level. It has more flavor and more body. It should be enjoyed on a full stomach, paired with a strong single malt scotch. It's not an everyday cigar; it needs to be chosen to fit a certain mood, reserved for times when you can savor the experience.

Overall experience: It features the two best qualities I like in a cigar: lots of spice, and complex flavors. It has a smoky, dry draw. Tastes shift throughout the experience, from hot and bitter at first, then slowly transitioning to smoky and sweet. It is very similar to a JdN, but with a better finish that stays with you for hours after the cigar is finished.

The only drawback--and it is a big one-- is size. At 4.5 inches, this cigar needs a larger ring guage to keep it from getting too hot. I felt like the flavors were fighting with the heat for my attention. Small ring gauges are fine for mild smokes, but they can intensify a strong cigar too much. A better size for this blend would be the Chateau King B (6 x 55).

C&S: 8 / 10.

Padron 7000 Maduro
Size: 6.25 x 60
Tobacco: Nicaraguan Puro
Price: $6.23 (box price)

This weekend, my friend Shaun and I worked our way through three Padron 7000 Maduros resting in my humidor. My sister Laura gave me one of them for my 32nd birthday. The other two were gifted by Billy Ferriolo, from CigarsDirect (a great online site that specializes in high-end superpremiums).

I approached these cigars with great expectation for two reasons. 1) Padron is one of my favorite brands because of its consistent quality and unique taste that I don't find in any other cigar (I smoked a box of Padron 2000 maduros last year and got hooked for life). 2) I've never tried a 60 ring gauge before.

Appearance: I noticed great discrepancy in outward appearance. Two had very dark wrappers, while the third was a much lighter brown. All three had noticeable veins, but one was very toothy (bumpy) while the others were relatively smooth.

First impressions: Usually I am immediately hit with a strong, pungent taste when I first light a Padron, so I was disappointed when the 7000 only yielded a hot, smoky, bland taste. This was due to the thick ring guage that increases the draw and mutes the initial flavors. Fortunately, after a very short time, the smoke cooled; Shaun and I both remarked on the spice flavors that we detected early in the cigar. The spice, in turn, was eventually balanced by notes of nuts and cedar (very different from the hickory and coffee flavors in the 2000 maduro).

Overall experience: One of the cigars had a crack near the head that caused burn inconsistency, but the other two burned with near perfect precision. The flavors were well-balanced, despite the loose draw, and paired well with both Newcastle Ale and red wine. They kept an outstanding ash. I expected the cigar to get too hot as it shortened, but surprisingly the longer we smoked, the cooler it burned, so that I was able to smoke them until they burned my fingers. Unfortunately, the flavors became muted near the end; they never reached the full crescendo I was expecting.

On the C&S (Craig & Shaun) 10-Leaf scale, we awarded this cigar 7 Leaves out of 10. Great taste and adequate construction, but we both prefer the profile associated with a smaller (52-54) ring gauge.

Don Kiki Red Label Toro
Size: 6 x 52
Tobacco: Nicaraguan Puro
Price: $4 (retail), $1.80 (online)

Henry Kiki Berger is well known in the cigar industry for creating a completely vertically integrated company. He owns the tobacco fields, the rolling factories, and controls his own sales and distribution. In particular, his Don Kiki Brown and Cuban Crafters brands consistently get good reviews at sites like StogieGuys.com and ClubStogie.com. I bought a bundle of Don Kiki Reds during a sale at Berger's site www.cubancrafters.com.

Even though the Don Kiki Reds do not seem to get the same sort of praise and attention as his more expensive lines, Berger claimed in this May 2006 interview that it is his favorite cigar. But what caught my attention was snippet about the relationship between 5 Vegas and Red Label. Berger resurrected 5 Vegas (an old Cuban brand) in Esteli, Nicaragua in the 1990’s during the Cigar Boom. 5 Vegas was eventually moved to the La Aurora factory, but Kiki continues to sell his blend under the private label Don Kiki Red. (There is also a Green, a Brown , and a White in the line).

I've smoked about 20 of the 25 cigars in the bundle. They are all very ugly, with veiny, bumpy wrappers. They all share a nice peppery aroma. But in terms of flavor-- well, this cigar is consistently inconsistent. Some have been mild to the point of blandness, others have been very spicy and potent. Some have burned straight with a loose smoky draw; others have had burn problems. Some have had cracked wrappers. I've shared a few with friends, and their reactions (like mine) have ranged from "so-so" to "very good". I gave one friend two of them. After the second, he remarked: "That was very good, maybe because it didn't taste at all like the first one."

I've certainly enjoyed many of the cigars, but I would only expect this lack of consistency in a second. I doubt I'll purchase another bundle.

Legends Cusano- Gray Label
Size: 5.7 x 54
Tobacco: Dominican
Price: $3


My only other experience with Cusano was the forgettable P1 bundled sandwich cigar that I reviewed two years ago. This cigar was better, featuring a light brown Connecticut wrapper with some veins running the length of the cigar. There was nothing distinctive in the flavor. It was a little on the mild side of medium, with no finish to speak of, although it developed a slight creamy quality near the end. No problems with the construction or burn. Not bad for an early afternoon drive, but in the end not much to remember either.

It’s time for my 2nd annual State of the Humidor Address. Since my 1st address was actually posted at the end of January 2007, this address will cover Feb – December 2007.

• Here’s my list of new cigars to try in 2008: Flor de A. Allones, Tampa Sweethearts #85 (second to Fuente 8-5-8)
• Over the last 40 weeks, I smoked an average of 3.39 cigars per week.
• Last cigar of 2007: CAO Black Storm
• First cigar of 2008: Joya de Nicaragua Celebracion Consul
• 4 Best cigars of 2007 (because I couldn’t pick just one): Fuente Hemingway, Fuente 8-5-8, Graycliff Profesionale, Rocky Patel Edge
• Worst cigar of 2007: Don Paulo (It’s Polish..I should have known)
• Best values of 2007: Rocky Patel Counterfeit Edge ($2 on CBid), Peterson Gran Reserva ($2)
• Full list of new cigars I tried in 2007, that I would consider purchasing again in the future: CAO Criollo, Fuente Hemingway, CAO Black, Victor Sinclair Bohemian Black, Victor Sinclair Vintage Select, Fuente Hemingway Classic, Gurkha Gold Collector's Edition, Fuente Short Story, Rocky Patel Vintage 1990, The Edge by Rocky Patel, Edge Counterfeit, Island Prince, Fuente Flor Fina 8-5-8, Gran Habano #5 Corojo, Peterson Gran Reserva, CAO Black ‘VR’, Graycliff Profesionale, Montecristo White, Joya de Nicaragua Celebracion
• Full list of new cigars I tried in 2007, that I would not purchase again: Old Fashioned, Roly, Don Paulo, Victor Sinclair Primeros, Victor Sinclair Bohemian Red, Serie ‘55’ Maduro, Serie ‘55’ Corojo, Oliveros 1927, Duques, Trilogy Cameroon “Tri-Press”, Don Felo, Don Kiki Red Label, Legends Gray Label, Sancho Panza Double Maduro
• Here is a list of what is in my humidor right now: Camacho 1962 (full box), Don Kiki Red Label, JR Alternative-Excalibur Prensada, Peterson Gran Reserva, Don Paulo, 5 Vegas Classic, Gispert, Fonseca, Carlos Torano Signature, Rocky Patel Vintage 1990, Perdomo Cabinet Series, Romeo y Juliet Cedro Deluxe, Romeo y Juliet 1875, Gurkha Class Regent, Power by Felipe Gregorio, Indian Tabac Super Fuerte, Fire by Rocky Patel, CAO Brazilia Samba, Padron 4000 Maduro

Don Felo
Size: 4 3/4 x 32
Tobacco: Honduras
Price: $0.51

I don't know why I let Shaun talk me into smoking this cigarillo. Harsh, bitter, nasty. In short, an unsmokable piece of crap (sorry, Shaun!)

These cigars are made in the Tabacos Rancho Jamastran factory, which is owned by Christian Eiroa and is most known for production of Eiroa's premium Camacho brand. (But they also make National Brand cigars, so I guess you could say they have a track record of making unsmokable crap).

Seriously, this cigar has given me PTSD. I have to lie down now.

Trilogy Tri-Press Native Cameroon
Size: 5.0 x 50
Wrapper: African Cameroon
Filler: 5-country blend (including Nicaragua, Italy)
Price: $4.8

Alec Bradley still makes the Trilogy Native Cameroon brand, but it is no longer available in its original, unique triangular shape. Personally, I found the shape to be incredibly annoying and can’t believe anyone thought it would sell in the first place. However, the two cigars I tried were pretty good. They had a very mellow, mild flavor with subtle hints of that distinctive tang that I find in so many cameroon cigars. The draw was weak, but I put that down to the weird box press, not a lack of quality in the construction.

This is not a brand I would purchase in the future (tri-pressed or not) but I certainly would not refuse any that were gifted to me.

For my 32nd birthday, my friend Shaun bought me a Gurkha humidor filled with a selection of 20 cigars that were all rated 94 or better by Cigar Aficionado magazine. There are 10 different types of cigars showcased (2 of each brand). Most of them are new to me, although some I have reviewed before. As Shaun and I smoke them together throughout the year, I'll post my reviews in this section:

Graycliff Profesionale PGX
Size: 6.0 x 50 (toro)
Wrapper: Indonesian
Filler: Primarily Brazilian, with some Dominican and Nicaraguan
Price: $10

Date: 12/14/2007
Occasion: Poker night, in honor of my birthday

The ultra-expensive Graycliff cigars are rolled at the ultra-exclusive Graycliff resort in the Bahamas, where they are designed (according to http://www.graycliffcigars.com/) to be enjoyed with the "fine wine and cuisine" available only in ultra-chic Graycliff restaurants. These cigars retail from $7 to $38 per cigar at online discount sites (I've seen some for sale in B&Ms, usually in the $15-$20 range).

Most of the non-Cuban cigars I've tried at the $10 price point have been, at least to some extent, novelty items (Drew Estate Egg, Makers Mark, Island Prince). Others have been decent but laughably overpriced (Gurkha Class Regent, RP Vintage 1990, CAO CX2). So, I was suspicious that Graycliff would turn out to be all hype, little substance.

The cigar came dressed with an impressive blue label with the well-known gold "G" emblem. The wrapper was a nondescript light brown with a few noticeable veins. The pre-light aroma and taste told me unequivocally that there would be a lot of spice in this cigar. And, upon lighting, it certainly did not disappoint. In fact, the Graycliff Profesionale PGX hit the flavor profile I enjoy most in a cigar: medium body with a strong, spicy flavor. It immediately reminded me of a few other favorites, namely the Fuente Hemingway line and the Island Prince from Hawaii.

The cigar had flawless construction, as I nursed it through the first two hours of a Friday night poker game, paired with Whathen's Kentucky Bourbon. It kept a quarter- to half-inch salt-and-pepper ash and maintained a consistent taste until it burned past the band mark.

As an encore, I followed it with a slightly stronger Edge Counterfeit Corojo and a Lagavulin Single Malt Scotch. I even won $55 in the poker game -- all in all, a fairly extraordinary night.

Montecristo White Rothchilde
Size: 5 x 52
Wrapper: Ecuadorian Connecticut Shade
Filler: Dominican/Nicaraguan blend
Price: $8.50

Date: 12/28/2007
Occasion: Shaun's Birthday

In appearance, this cigar is very elegant in its simplicity. It has a light reddish-brown wrapper, flawless without veins, creases or bumps. The band depicts the famous Montecristo logo, but with an all-white background instead of the typical brown. I detected a very slight (but pleasant) prelight aroma. When I clipped the end and tasted the tobacco, there was no prelight flavor, which I knew indicated an extremely mild taste.

The stogie is very, very mild with a subtle taste of nuts. (In fact, it reminded me a lot of the Padilla Cedro, except substitute the flavor of nuts instead of grass). The body is light and the draw is medium. The finish was more noticeable on the palate than the initial draw because it left behind a slightly bitter taste. I could not decide if this was intentional or if the cigar was a little too wet (I have kept it stored about 70% humidity). I think it was intentional or else there wouldn't have been much to taste at all.

Because of the mild nature of the cigar, it is important to pair it with a good drink. It might go well with a domestic beer or a bottled water, but I found that Basil Hayden 8-year Kentucky bourbon enhanced the experience nicely.

I took a long time to decide if I really liked this cigar. I still don't know. My first instict was to write it off as simply an overpriced mild smoke (there are plenty of those on the market, from Macanudo to Royal Jamaica Gold). But at the same time, it is clear this cigar is excellently constructed and the tastes, while faint, are well-balanced. In the end, I decided that no ultra-mild cigar could be any better than this. Montecristo has perfected its product; I'm just not in the target audience.

Joya de Nicaragua Celebracion Consul
Size: 4.5 x 52
Wrapper: Criollo
Filler: Nicaraguan Puro
Price: $4

Occasion: New Year's Day 2008

Joya de Nicaragua cigars were first created in 1968 in the first tobacco factory in Central America. They have not always been available in the U.S., the victim of government instability and a complicated history of trademark ownership. Today, the brand is owed by Tabacos Puros de Nicaragua S.A and the cigars are onced again manufactured in Nicaragua and made entirely with Nicaraguan tobacco. The Celebracion itself was named one of the Top 25 Cigars of 2004.

I paired this cigar with a Yuengling lager on a chilly New Year's Day afternoon.

Featuring a dark brown criollo wrapper, the first thing I noticed about this cigar was a rich, full prelight aroma and a peppery taste on the tongue. When I toasted the foot with my lighter, I was surprised at how strong and spicy the cigar was, particularly since I had read that the Celebraction is viewed by many as the "milder cousin" of the Antano 1970 line. Based on online reviews, I was expecting tastes of cedar and nuts; instead I was pleasantly surprised to get notes of deep spice.

While the strength does abate somewhat, this could not be called anything except full-flavored and full-bodied. It reminded me a lot of the Padron 1926, except somewhat harsher. The only drawbacks were some inconsistent burning, a slight tendency to canoe at the halfway point, and a tight draw. None of these were severe problems, and I think they could have been alleviated by storing at a lower humidity (maybe around 66% or so).

I would definitely try this cigar again. However, I no longer have a desire to try the Antano 1970 line. If it's any stronger than the Celebracion, it will definitely be too strong.


Rocky Patel Vintage 1990
Occasion: 70 degrees in the middle of winter, felt like celebrating

I reviewed this cigar in a bigger ring guage several months back, so I won't retread my opinions all over again. This cigar had more tastes of nuts and coffee, and less spice. It was also fuller in body and finish. It paired very nicely with three fingers of Gentleman Jack. My overall impression of this cigar did not change. This is a very good cigar (it would be better without the hard box press). It's not worth the $10 price tag I usually see in B&Ms, but you can usually find bundles of 2nds online at substantially less cost.

Power by Felipe Gregorio
Size: 5.5 x 55
Wrapper: Cuban-seed Costa Rican
Filler: Nicaraguan
Price: $11

I usually like to research a new cigar before I smoke it. In this case, I did all my research after the fact, and I wonder if my perception would have been different if I'd read the hype before I smoked it.

According to http://www.felipegregorio.com/power.htm, the Felipe Power cigar features a wrapper derived from a strain of Cuban seed tobacco called Pelo del Oro ('Golden Hair') that has not been cultivated in Cuba since before Castro’s reign. It has earned ratings as high as ‘92’ by Cigar Aficionado. It is described on Cigars International as "med to full body with ample taste". It sells for over $10 at B&Ms and online stores.

My cigar started out unceremoniously when my rare pre-Castro Pelo del Oro ripped as I removed the band. Fortunately, the hole didn't seem to affect the smoking consistency very much. It had a strong, very sweet pre-light taste. After lighting it, I realized that "Power" must have been named after the characteristics it was missing. There was no punch at all to this cigar. I tasted a little earth, a little sweetness, and (if I closed my eyes and wished really hard) just a little spice.

On the whole, it was a mild, indistinct taste. Very little body or finish. The cigar wasn't bad by any means, just average. It reminded me of several $2 cigars I’ve enjoyed while mowing the lawn or driving around town. I was stunned when I found out later how much this cigar usually sells for.

Gispert Churchill
Size: 7 x 54
Wrapper: Ecudorian
Filler: Honduran, Nicaraguan
Price: $2.52

Occasion: Easter Celebration

I spend so much time looking for full-bodied, spicy cigars that sometimes I am surprised how much relaxation can be derived from a high-quality, well-balanced mild smoke. Gispert (pronounced his-pairt) definitely fit the bill tonight, chatting with friends and sipping on a sweet port wine. This cigar sported a golden wrapper, free of almost all veins and blemishes. Upon lighting it, I tasted hints of spice and nuts, and for a few minutes I thought it was going to be medium-bodied, but then it quickly settled into a light, sweet taste (no doubt greatly influenced by the port). The draw was firm, yielding mouthfuls of clean white smoke. The aroma was surprisingly robust for a such a mild taste. It certainly gave off a cedar-like smell, although I did not taste any cedar. The finish was light, with almost no aftertaste. It burned like a champ for over an hour and a half.

I did some research on the brand but did not turn up very much information. The cigar is made by Altadis, one of the two biggest cigar companies in the world, and its slogan is "A five star cigar without a five star price." It was named after a 19th century Cuban brand, and was once rated 90 by Cigar Aficionado.

Romeo y Julieta 1875 Cedro Deluxe #2
Size: 5.5 x 44
Tobacco: Dominican with Indonesian shade-grown wrapper
Price: $4.50 (B&M); $3.00 (box price)
Occasion: Memorial Day, 2008

I scoured my old cigar reviews today and was surprised to discover only three entries for Romeo y Juliet. The first one was the 8.5" Exhibicion #1 (New Year's Day, 2005), which I mentioned briefly but never wrote a full review. The other two were the Romeo #1 and #2, both of Cuban origin. Like the HdM Excalibur, it seems every B&M I've ever visited sells this brand, and I think I must have tried several in my "early days". It must have been prior to January 2003, when I started writing this blog in order to remember which brands I liked.

Shaun and I decided to pull these cigars out of our now-famous "Gurkha box" to celebrate Memorial Day-- although since I forgot to bring them to his Memorial Day party, we actually enjoyed them four days later as we polished off the last of my Lagavulin single malt scotch. We sat in the backyard with our wives, after a nice dinner at Bahama Breeze, and planned our cruise vacation to the Bahamas.

The non-Cuban incarnation of the Romeo y Julieta hasn't changed much over the years. It is a mild-flavored smoke, with a white ash and a weak (but not tight) draw. It comes wrapped in a cedar sleeve which imparts a relaxing aroma and a slightly nutty taste. It is always a good cigar, although not one that I would regularly go out of my way to procure; there are other equally good mild cigars that can be had for less.

Carlos Torano Signature
Size: 6 x 50 (Toro)
Wrapper: Sun Grown Brazilian Maduro
Filler: DR/Nicaragua
Price: $4.45

Occasion: 4th of July in Arkansas

I gave this cigar a poor review in Jan 2007, but I'm pleased to announce my sophomore encounter was much better. After almost seven months aging in the "gurkha box", Shaun and I enjoyed these relaxing on his parents’ back porch with our wives, overlooking a lake, sampling some Talisker 10-year. It was a great night and my overall enjoyment of the cigar increased. The nutty aroma and taste (with hints of coffee) were there, like I remember from last time, but this time they were more pronounced and consistent throughout the cigar. It is still a mild cigar that could use a burst of flavor, so I'm not ready to go buy a box of these just yet, but at least it salvaged my initial impression of the Torano brand.

CAO Black 'VR'
Size: 6.0 x 50 ("Moby")
Filler: Nicaragua, Mexico
Wrapper: Brazillian
Price: $5.30

I enjoyed this cigar as I fried my Thanksgiving turkey and sipped on a glass of Blanton's bourbon. (OK, I won't lie. Shaun did most of the frying, and I did most of the drinking.)

This cigar tasted nothing like the spicy CAO Black, which I gave a noteworthy review a few months ago. Instead, this jet-black maduro stogie had heavy, very coffee-like notes with a long finish. Flawless, slow burn. Even though my tastes have recently gravitated away from maduros, towards spicy cigars with corojo or natural wrappers, I must say this was a very good experience.

My only regret is that, since this would be a great cigar after a heavy meal, I should have waited until after the turkey to light up.

The Edge Counterfeits
Size: 6.0 x 52
Tobacco: ??
Price: $3.50

I bought a box of Edge Counterfeit Corojos on Cigarbid ($43 for a box of 20). The Edge Counterfeit is made by Rocky Patel, just like the regular Edge. "Counterfeit" Edge is made in Rocky's Nicaraguan factory; "real" Edge is made in Rocky's Honduran factory. According to Cigars International, both cigars employ the exact same multinational blend of tobacco. The Counterfeits are not exactly seconds; Rocky just got fed up with competitors mimicking his cigars, so he decided to beat them to the punch and mimic it himself.

Um, ok, whatever... sounds like Rocky just found a clever way to sell the same product to different customers at different price points. The Counterfeits are not usually sold in B&M stores, only by online discount retailers.

I've smoked 5 or 6 cigars from the box and so far I've noticed a lot of variability from stick to stick. Some of them have tasted identical to the "real" Edges I tried in Columbia a few months ago. A few others, while still good, have lacked that distinctive, spicy kick.

Still, for the price, you can't beat this cigar. One of my all-time Top 5.

Peterson Gran Reserva
Size: 6.1 x 52 (Bellicoso/Torpedo)
Tobacco: Nicaragua, Honduras
Price: $2.60

This cigar, which is rolled in the same Honduran factory as Saint Luis Rey, has an interesting story. Peterson is a well-established, respected pipe manufacturer, and they contracted with Ashton Cigars to produce a line of high-quality, long-filler handmade cigars under the Peterson brand name. The cigars were introduced in late 2004 and received a lot of acclaim, including a #16 ranking in Cigar Aficionado's Top 50 Cigars in the World, and a 91 rating by Cigar Insider. Unfortunately, sales never caught on, and the line has now been discontinued. I bought a box of these $7 smokes for around $2 each (after shipping).

Peterson Gran Reserva has a Cameroon wrapper, and (as usually happens to me) I've already ruined one cigar because cammies are just too dang fragile. They split and tear at the slightest disturbance.

Other than that one complaint, this cigar has been a winner for me. It has a medium-body with an easy, but perhaps a tad weak, draw. The aroma is very nice, reminiscent of some good pipe tobaccos, in fact. The taste is very oily and slippery (if that makes sense) with a hint of bitterness or tartness that makes it very memorable. I have enjoyed several of these treats while sailboating on Lake Sardis, MS on hot summer afternoons.

Gran Habano #5 Corojo
Size: 7 x 48
Tobacco: Nicaraguan
Price: $3.40

After I won a 5-pack on CigarBid, I read this cigar was named one of Cigar Aficionado's Top 50 Cigars of 2007. Despite a temptation to enjoy them as soon as possible, I persevered to age them for about two months in the humidor.I decided to give them a try during our Labor Day vacation to Gulf Shores.

These were very tasty cigars, with lots of complex hard-to-pinpoint pepper-and-spice flavors and a lingering, tart finish. Medium draw, heavy-bodied, minor burn issues (but I think those were caused by the sea winds).

Unfortunately, I discovered the hard way these cigars were too much for me. I smoked the first one at sunset on the beach before dinner, and it overpowered both my taste buds and my black-and-tan porter. The 2nd one I smoked after a heavy seafood meal and a whole pitcher of Yuengling, and it was so strong it made me feel briefly ill (although I reinforced myself with Gentleman Jack and managed to nub the stogie anyway, while Shaun and I watched a particularly frisky couple in the swimming pool below us!).

The 3rd cigar was the best. I smoked it after dinner but didn't mix it with alcohol. At times, the cigar still gave me the sweats, as if I'd eaten a habanero pepper.

My last hoo-rah with this smoke will probably be on the long drive back to Memphis from the Alabama-Arkansas game this Saturday, if we win.

Postcript, 09/27: In case anyone is wondering, I smoked my last Gran Habano #5 on the long ride from Tuscaloosa, AL to Memphis, TN after the Tide defeated Arkansas on a game-winning TD pass with 0:08 left on the clock.

This last cigar was the best of the pack. I was used to its strength this time, and I picked up lots of sweet flavors that I failed to detect earlier. Of course, the general euphoric atmosphere of lighting a victory cigar in gameday traffic, complete with crowds of cheering coeds and large grown men in houndstooth hats displaying body flesh tatooed with images of Bear Bryant, only added to the overall surreal experience.

Arturo Fuente Flor Fina 8-5-8 (natural)
Size: 6" x 47
Tobacco: DR
Price: $4.10

I picked up this cigar at the Tobacco Corner in Memphis. This cigar is the same size as the Fuente Hemingway Signature, which I reviewed a few weeks ago. Although the 858 is half the price of the Hemingway, I am convinced they are the exact same cigar (except the Hemingway is a perfecto, while the 8-5-8 is not). They both started off mild/medium, then picked up strength and that same unmistakable spicy/pepper taste. They burn for an hour and a half, getting better the longer you smoke them. Addictive. Like I said before, these may be the best Non-Cuban cigars on the planet.













Sancho Panza Double Maduro Quixote
Size: 4.5 x 50
Tobacco: Honduran, Nicaraguan, DR
Price: $3.35

I've read some rave reviews about Sancho Panza cigars on the internet, so I plucked this robusto out of the back corner of the Tobacco Corner humidor. I'm on a good run: that's two days in a row I've gotten off work early to kill an hour and a half talking to the regulars over there.

These cigars are pretty to look at, with their dark rough-hewn oscuro wrappers. But honestly, I don't know what all the fuss is about. Yes, they're inexpensive, but I can name half a dozen JR alternatives or bona-fide seconds that I'd prefer. Other than a typical heavy maduro flavor, there was nothing to this smoke. There was no complexity to the flavor, no lingering finish or pleasing aroma. It did not taste very good and it was dull to boot.

(At least the conversation at the B&M was worth the trip!)

Island Prince
Size: 5.75 x 50
Tobacco: Hawaiian
Price: $15

Shaun brought me back this puro from his vacation in Hawaii, which appears to be the only cigar in the world made from Hawaiian tobacco. The tobacco is grown on the island of Kauai, then exported to Nicaragua to be fermented, aged, and hand-rolled into cigars. The cigars are only sold in Hawaii and through the website http://www.coffeetimes.com/

(Side rant: What does that say about our economy? Apparently, it's more cost effective to ship the tobacco across the Pacific Ocean, make the cigars in Central America, then ship them back across the Pacific, rather than to pay American workers to do the same job!)

The company has an interesting website here.

I thought the cigar itself was very good. It had a medium body, with an easy-but-not-too-loose draw. I tasted distinct pepper/spice flavors that grew more intense as I nubbed it. They paired favorably with my drink of the night, a 12-year single malt. The flavors reminded me, actually, of a cross between a CAO Black and a Hemingway.

Granted, this is a ridiculously high price point for any cigar (we're close to Graycliff, Padron Anniversary, Opus X territory here), and it probably has a lot to do with the fact that these cigars are something of a novelty due to their origin and are sold mostly to tourists. Still, I really enjoyed the one I was given, and I'll make sure to pick up some more if I ever get that dream cruise to Hawaii.

The Edge by Rocky Patel
Size: 6.0 x 52
Tobacco: ?? (Rocky keeps it a secret! I smoked the corojo wrapper, not the maduro)
Price: $5.65

On my last night in Columbia, SC I wanted to try a cigar at the Tobacco Merchant I had never tried before. I narrowed it down to Ashton VSG versus The Edge. I don't know why I chose this one. The store had two huge chests full of them-- and they were all very ugly cigars with veins and wrinkles all over. Maybe I chose them because I could buy two Edge for the price of a single Ashton VSG.

However, it is not an exaggeration to say this cigar ranks up there with the Fuente Hemingway as one of the best non-Cuban cigars I've ever smoked. I'd classify it as medium-to-full body with loads of that pepper/spice taste that I like so much. The cigar was slightly drier than I'm used to; it yielded mouthfuls of white smoke. Easily the "spiciest" cigar I've ever had-- although not as heavy as a Comacho Coroylar or a Montecruz.

If I were to list my Top 5 favorite non-Cuban cigars in no particular order (& off the top of my head, without looking at past notes): Fuente Hemingway, The Edge, Gurkha Master Select, Padron 1924, CAO Black.

(Note to self: Beware the Edge maduros. Many people on ClubStogie.com claim they are not maduros at all, but natural wrappers that were chemically dyed to make them look black.)

Rocky Patel Vintage 1990
Size: 7.0 x 60 ("The Sixty")
Tobacco: Honduras (wrapper), DR, and Nicaraguan Ligero
Price: $11.64

This cigar coincided with one of those penultimate smoking experiences that only stogie-lovers can relate to. I enjoyed it at The Tobacco Merchant in Columbia, SC while I was there on business last week. I struck up a conversation with another BOTL who was studying to become a Jewish chaplain in the Army. Over nearly two hours, we had a great conversation about Judaism, Christianity, politics, history, racism... one of those discussions that a man can only have with his closest friends or complete strangers he knows he will never meet again.

The cigar itself, while extremely good compared to 90% of what I smoke, underwhelmed me all the same. It was a smooth, slow-smoking medium-bodied cigar with a nice flavor of spice throughout. However, at this price point I guess I was expecting something that really floored me like the Fuente Hemingway, the CAO Black, or the Padron 1926. The RP Vintage was more on the level of a good $5 cigar; but I don't think I'd choose it over a Padron 6000 or a LGC Serie R.

Two nights later, I tried RP Edge... and I was truly astounded. The Edge was far superior to the RP Vintage in taste and price.

Oliveros 1927
Size: 6.2 x 50
Tobacco: Cuban-seed Nicaraguan and DR
Price: $2.25

Bob Arnold gave me one of these cigars during the 4th of July party at Shaun's house. The cigar was made specially for Cigars International retailer to commemorate the founding of the Oliveros brand in Cuba in 1927. It features a dark "toothy" Brazilian wrapper--I'm not sure how to describe the texture other than it feels somewhat fuzzy on the lips, similar (in my mind) to the wrapper on a CAO Cameroon. It was a pleasant smoke with a good draw, although very very mild.



Duques (pronounced "du-kay")
Size: 7.0 x 50
Tobacco: DR
Price: $1

I've yet to find that elusive $1 cigar that really sets my taste buds on fire. I've seen cigar chat-room aficionados who claim they are out there. I can't lay that claim on Duques either, but I will say for the price it was much better than I thought it would be. It lasted nearly two hours and although it started off too mild, it built up to a decent medium-body around the final quarter of the stick. Much better than the $1 Thompson brands I've had over the years.

Arturo Fuente Hemingway Short Story
Size: 4 x 48 (perfecto)
Tobacco: Dominican filler, Cameroon wrapper
Price: $5

I've already reviewed the Hemingway Signature, and the Short Story tastes very similar. A medium strength cigar, but filled with a spicy flavor that settles on the back of the tongue. I honestly think the Hemingway may be the best non-Cuban cigar on the planet right now.

What's particularly astonishing about the Short Story is that, for such a small cigar, it burns incredibly slowly and without becoming too hot. I bought mine to commemorate the official end of my recovery from two foot surgeries that has spanned over six months; the doctor discharged me this week. The cigar lasted nearly an hour with a glass of Glennfiddich 15-year old single malt.

Up until a few months ago, I never tried a Victor Sinclair cigar. Then I won a 20-cigar sampler on CBid featuring 10 Series '55', 10 Bohemians, and 5 Primeros -- all for about $2 each. Also, Shaun bought a box of Victor Sinclair Vintages around the same time. So, I've been immersed in Victor Sinclair for the last three or four months and I thought I'd post all my reviews at once.

Victor Sinclair cigars I like:

• Bohemian Black
• Vintage

Victor Sinclair cigars I don't like:

• Primeros
• Series '55' maduro
• Series '55' corojo
• Bohemian Red

Victor Sinclair Primeros
Size: 6.5 x 52
Tobacco: Grade 1 Connecticut shade wrapper;
Filler: Dominican Seco
Price: $2.50

This cigar is all tease, with no payoff. It starts with a complex savory pre-light aroma, like you find when you enter a good cigar and pipe shop, where all smells of many different kind of tobaccos mingle together. It has a pleasing golden brown appearance, although I have noticed on at least one stick splotches of green which indicates the wrapper has not been dried properly. Usually the first few puffs on the cigar reward me with a mild, nuanced flavor.

And, then, poof, it's gone... and all I'm left with is a stick of tobacco that tastes as bland as scented paper, just nice-smelling air. I've tried them with whisky, with rum, and with red wine. Nothing brings out any flavor. It's not just that they're mild, because I like CAO Golds and Padilla Cedros and Macanudo Crystal Cafes-- but the Primeros are just a waste of time.




Victor Sinclair Vintage Select
Size: 6 x 50 (Toro)
Wrapper: Brazilian maduro
Filler: Cuban-seed Dominican
Price: $2.25 (box purchase)

Shaun gave me a VS Vintage to enjoy with two glasses of Blanton's Whisky on a hot summer day. I don't know if it was the stogie, the spirits, or both, but it made for a great afternoon. The cigar was box pressed, medium bodied, mild-to-medium taste, and (like all Victor Sinclairs I've tried) a very slow even burn that was good for at least 90 minutes.

Note: This line is only available from Cigars International




Victor Sinclair 55 Blue Label (Maduro)
Size: 6.5 x 52
Tobacco: 5 country blend (includes Brazil, Dominican, Nicaraguan)
Price: $5.00 (box price)

The Series 55 line gets its name because each cigar uses a blend of tobacco aged 5 years from 5 countries. This is obviously supposed to be a premium, or even super-premium, smoke. They come packaged in 3-tray humidor boxes and have a gold tassel wrapped around the foot, as well as an ornate colored label at the head. The Blue Label cigar does indeed look impressive. I obtained a 5-pack off CBid a few months ago, and all of them had flawless, deep black maduro wrappers with a heavy pre-light aroma that promises explosions of spice and flavor. Frankly, it's hard to keep from drooling.

There are many things to like about this cigar: (1) I've never had the slightest burn problem, (2) They last about two hours each, perfect with a glass of wine watching my daughter chase the dog around the backyard as the sun sets, (3) The taste is consistent with every cigar.

Unfortunately, consistent taste is not the same thing as good taste. None of my cigars have lived up to expectation. While it doesn't exactly taste bad--perhaps somewhat vaguely similar to a 5 Vegas Series 'A', only much much milder-- "Mild", "Bland", and "Boring" are the adjectives that immediately spring to mind. If you think about it long enough, it boggles the intellect that you can blend tobacco from five separate countries and end up with a cigar that tastes so ordinary it could have come from any tobacco plantation anywhere in the world.

To sum up: It's not a cigar I would turn down if offered, but also not something I would ever purchase again.



Victor Sinclair Series 55 Red Label (Corojo)
Size: 6.5 x 52
Tobacco: 5 country blend (includes Brazil, Dominican, Nicaraguan)
Price: $5.00 (box price)

Another disappointing entry in the Series 55 line.

Like the maduro version, this cigar has great construction and tantalizing pre-light aroma, but it is too mild and just doesn't leave any lasting impression at all. I can't believe people pay $7 or more at retail stores for this smoke.



Victor Sinclair Bohemian Black (oscuro)
Size: 6 x 50
Tobacco: Dominican Republic
Price: $4.17 (box price)

I smoked my first Bohemian Black at Swig's martini bar downtime when Misty and Roger Potter came to visit. Roger didn't like his, but then he's a fireman and he says "Cigars just smell like a burning house to me." I thought this was a very good cigar. It has a pitch black, shiny, oily wrapper, with a pig-tail curl at the head. On first light, you notice a pronounced heavy maduro taste, which softens and then picks up more spice as you smoke it. The draw is easy and this cigar will last about an hour. Pairs equally well with Glennkitchie and Glennfiddich 15-Year Old scotch.



Victor Sinclair Bohemian Red (corojo)
Size: 6 x 50
Tobacco: Nicaragua, Brazil and the Dominican Republic
Price: $4.45 (box price)

This cigar is advertised as being fuller flavored and heavier bodied than the Bohemian Black. I've only smoked one of them so far--with 4 left in the humidor--but I thought it was milder than the black. It definitely lacked that spiciness that I enjoyed in the black. The Bohemian Red seemed mild and uneventful in comparison.

CAO Black Storm
Size: 5.0 x 50
Wrapper: Connecticut-Ecuador
Filler: Nicaragua, Honduras, Mexico
Price: $4.70

Location: Turkey fry at Shaun's House
Paired with: Blanton's whisky

Cedar-wrapped CAO Black cigars are made in limited quantities, and packaged in hand-painted, hand-numbered boxes. It was the best CAO I've had to date. It smoked cool, with lots of white smoke, and it tasted almost exactly as I remember the Fuente Hemingway from a few months ago-- lots and lots and lots of spice. But never harsh.

I was surprised to see a couple of online reviews that call this a mild cigar. I found it to be light-bodied, but full on flavor.

Definitely worth a repeat look.

Don Paulo by Tobacco Factory
Size: about 3.5" by 45
Tobacco: unsure (rolled in Posnan, Poland)
Price: $1 USD (3 Zty)

I recently stayed at the boarding house Milosna in Kwidzyn, Poland for two weeks (work trip - my first time to Eastern Europe). The lounge at the house had a humidor from which they sold a local brand of cigars I've never heard of - Tobacco Factory. The bartender told me he thinks they are Brazilian or Indonesian. Their website is http://www.cygara.pl/(if you can read Polish).

Since I'd never had a Polish cigar, I bought a 10-pack of the Don Paulo line, a small figurado cigar that averaged about $1 USD per stick. Unfortunately, I found there is a very good reason that Polish cigars do not have a global customer base.

First, the tobacco appears to be very poorly rolled, particularly the wrapper, so that you can see bumps, nicks, and overlapping leaves all over the cigar. Once lit, the leaves are way too loose, so that draw is not controlled at all.

2nd, the taste of the cigars is somewhat better than a machine-made such as Black and Mild or Swisher Sweet, but hardly the quality of even most seconds or rejects. I've passed out a few to unsuspecting friends (at great risk to my own reputation) and so far no one has managed to even finish one.

Arturo Fuente Hemingway Classic
Size: 7.0 x 48
Tobacco: DR
Price: $8.50

I enjoyed this cigar at the Tobacco Merchant in Columbia, SC. What a great way to enjoy a stogie! In addition to a large walk-in humidor, this establishment has several large recliners, a big-screen tv, and even wireless internet access for your laptop. It attracts a lot of repeat customers, who come and hang out a few hours every week just for the atmosphere. A few of the guys even bring their wives and dates. It's just about the best cigar haven you could hope for-- except they don't have a liquor license.

The Hemingway itself did not disappoint, either. Like Hemingway's best books (Old Man and the Sea), it seemed in some ways simple, understated, but in the end it packed one heck of a wallop. Started mild but got progressively stronger, with lots of intricate pepper flavors and a long, satisfying finish. Unlike some other full-bodied cigars, like Comacho and JR Ultimate (or 5 Vegas Series 'A', if it is young) , this one was very smooth, never harsh. In terms of its flavor profile, it was similar to some Padrons, but with less "earthy" flavors and more "spicy" flavors. The only negative was its unmemorable aroma.

According to Cigars International, the Hemingway cigars are made of 4-year old tobaccos and are only rolled by experts, who have a limited production quota of no more than 75 cigars a day.


Gurkha Gold Collector's Edition Robusto #4
Size: 6 x 50
Tobacco: DR

Soapbox time: This must be one of the dumbest names for a cigar I've ever run across.

1. There is no line of cigars known simply as "Gurkha Gold"- so how can you create a collector's edition to this line?
2. In any case, how can a cigar be a "collector's edition" at all? It's for smoking, not collecting!
3. How many robusto sizes do they sell that they need to give it the No. 4? Wouldn't "Gurkha Gold Robusto" have been sufficient?

My experience with Gurkhas has been hit-or-miss so far: I liked the Master Select; the Expedition was so-so; I disliked the Class Regent. The Gurkha Gold definitely landed on the plus side for me.

It sported a dark red Connecticut wrapper that had much more in common with a maduro than a corojo. The cigar was medium bodied, not mild as the Gold moniker usually implies. I would describe the taste as similar perhaps to licorice (but bear in mind the only adjectives I can ever think of to describe different types of tobacco are usually "earthy", "grassy", "pepper", and "licorice". Licorice being the least distinct of them all.)

It burned slow (over 90 minutes to smoke a robusto!) and paired excellent with the drink of the night - a 21-year Glennfiddich.

Roly by Sr. Rolando Reyes (Puros Indios second)
Size: 6 x 54

My travel humidor was running low during my trip to Poland, so I kept an eye out for cigar shops on my Saturday visit to Gdansk. The only thing I could find was a small liquor store with a table top humidor offering possibly the worst selection of cigars I've ever seen assembled in one place: Santa Clara 1830, Mocambo (Mexican), Mister B's, and Roly. The Mister B's were 3 Zlotys each (or about $1), while all the others were 17 zlotys ($6).

Because I was tired of shopping and really wanted to sit down in a cafe and soak up the ambience, I willingly overpaid for the the Roly. It featured a bumpy, light brown wrapper with several small tears near the base of the cap, but still it smoked with an easy draw. It had a very mild taste, similar to the Puros Indios Nacionales, which was somewhat unfortunate because I had paired it with a glass of Zywiec, a stout Polish lager, and the cigar was somewhat overwhelmed.

While the Roly is not something I would purchase again, I can't complain too much about it. It took over an hour to smoke, held a respectable ash without any touch ups, and allowed me to whittle away the late afternoon at the Old Town Hall watching the locals stroll past.

Old Fashioned #550
Size: 5 x 50
Origin: Dominican Republic
Price: $2.40

The Old Fashioned #550 is a second to Macanudo Hyde Park. This was an unpleasant cigar with an ugly, bumpy wrapper and a bitter taste.

CAO Criollo-Mancha
Size: 5.5 x 46
Wrapper: Nicaraguan Criollo
Filler: Nicaraguan Puro
Price: $6

Shaun gave me one of these, and the first thing I noticed was the small pigtail at the peak of the cap. Despite the frivolous appearance, it turned out to be one of the best CAO cigars I've had (much better than the Gold, Cameroon, or the CX2. On par, perhaps, with the Brazilia). Even though it only had a medium-body strength, this cigar has a very spicy taste. It reminded me of the other cigars I've tried with a criollo wrapper, the La Perla Habana Black Pearl Cobres. Except the CAO was much spicier on the tongue, without any alternating sweet flavors to balance it out. It blended fantastically with a glass of Glennfiddich 15-Year Old single malt. If there was a negative, the draw was just a tad too tight but this was a very minor annoyance that did not impede my experience at all.

After I smoked this, I began wondering, what is a criollo wrapper? It is a tobacco strain selectively developed by Cuban scientists in the Pinar del Rio region. It is aged four years, and is notoriously delicate to handle. (The CAO Criollo is Nicaraguan-grown Cuban-seed leaf). Interestingly, the popular Corojo (red) wrapper was developed in Cuba after the criollo because cigar makers were looking for a more durable, less expensive alternative.

State of the Humidor - Jan 2007

I've been reviewing cigars for four years now, and since the last few months have been a transition period for my humidor, and I thought I would post some random thoughts:

• Here's my list of new cigars to try in 2007: Rocky Patel Vintage, Fuente Hemingway, Fuente Short Story, Sancho Panza Quixote, Don Kiki Red Label (the original 5 Vegas blend, before the brand was sold to the La Aurora factory)
• I wish I was keeping up with how often I smoke cigars, because I suspect I'm up to an average of 3/week. How much is dangerous to my health? It hasn’t helped that cigars have become a cornerstone of my frendships with Anthony and Shaun.
• I've now smoked all the cigars from my initial JR / CigarBid frenzy in early 2006, plus a lot of singles that were gifted to me.
• Here is a list of the brands that are now gone, but I may purchase again in the future: Legends White Label, JR Limitada Edicion Alternative - Montecristo Edmundo, Black Pearl Cobre, Black Pearl Rojo, JR Alternative Excalibur, Indian Tabac Super Fuerte, 5 Vegas (all lines!), Fire, Padilla Special Edition Cedro, Gurkha Master Select, San Luis Rey Reserva Especial, Comacho Coyalar, HdM Excalibur, Fuente Gran Reserva, Padron 1926, Don Kiki Green Label, La Gloria Cubana Serie R, Padron 2000, CAO Brazilia
• These are the brands that are gone, never to return: CAO Cameroon, Indios Puros Nacionales, RP Vintage Euro, Indian Tabac Limited Reserve, Indian Tabac Cameroon Legend, JR Alternative Perdomo, JR Alternative Cohiba, JR Alternative Fuente, El Credito, Quorum, CAO CX2, Socorro, Montesino, Gurkha Class Regent, Gurkha Expedition, JR Alternative Ashton, Carlos Torano Signature, Royal Jamaica Gold, Royal Jamaica Gaucho, Mister B's
• I recently had to replace all the humidifying sponges in my humidor, after I noticed all the cigars were drying out. I bought two new devices, plus a small crystal pack for the travel humidor. Also, I got a new digital hygrometer from Radio Shack (unfortunately, there were out of the wireless ones!)
• Here is a list of what is in my humidor right now: Singles: Old Fashioned #550, Fuente Cuban Corona. 10 packs: JR Ultimates, Excalibur No. 1, Fire Double Corona, 5 Vegas Gold Double Corona, 5 Vegas Series 'A'

Carlos Torano Signature Collection
Size: 6 x 50 (Toro)
Wrapper: Sun Grown Brazilian Maduro
Filler: Dominican Republic / Nicaraguan
Price: $4.45

As this was my first Torano cigar, I gave it every chance to be successful. I smoked it with friends at a Memphis martini bar (Swig) and I paired it with a great single malt scotch (Glenkichie). At first, it did not disappoint. It featured a strong, sweet pre-light aroma. It lit evenly and burned slowly, tasting heavily of nuts with maybe a hint of coffee flavor. But after I smoked through the first third, the cigar turned very bland and even though it continued to smoke well, it became nearly tasteless after a while.

I tried everything I could think of: I slowed down my smoking rate. I switched to a new drink (vodka martini). But nothing could bring back the taste. A few hours later, I followed it up with a CI Legends White Label (by Comacho), and even though Legends is just an inexpensive house brand, it was a much more satisfying cigar.

My only condolence was that at least the Carlos Torano was free – I got it as part of an internet promotion.

Padron 2000 (Maduro)
Size: 5 x 50
Origin: Nicaraguan Puro (all grown in town of Esteli)
Price: $4

I enjoyed this cigar, which Laura gave me for my birthday, sitting outside on a cold Memphis afternoon with a Clive Cussler novel. I'd been cooped up inside for 5 days recovering from foot surgery and needed some fresh air.

This was another solid product in the Padron line. It burned slowly (nearly two hours!) and tasted of roasted hickory nuts and strong coffee. Like the other Padrons I've tried -- the Londres and 1926 series-- it had that same distinctive taste that I haven't encountered in any other brand. Maybe because Padrons are all puros; and they don't buy or sell tobacco or trade cigars with other manufacturers.

La Gloria Cubana Serie R No. 4 (Maduro)
Size: 4 7/8" x 52
Filler: Dominican/Nicaraguan
Wrapper: Ecuadorian
Price $5.25 (single), $77 (box of 25)

This was a spicy little robusto that I smoked at PF Chang's, while waiting on some business associates to arrive for a late dinner. It had a shiny, smooth, nearly black wrapper and was tightly packed with tobacco. It emitted a dense, subdued pre-light aroma, and I worried that it might lack flavor. But fortunately it did not disappoint. I tasted deep, rich, strong black coffee flavors that left me thoroughly satisfied.

I have wanted to try the "real" La Gloria Cubana , ever since I started working my way through a bundle of El Creditos last May. The El Creditos are seconds from the same factory and feature a lot of the same coffee flavors. However, my El Creditos are much milder and less distinctive. (Of course, being seconds, it is entirely possible that my bundle might have come from a different line of cigars, and another bundle in the future might have an entirely different taste profile)

LGC has been around since 1968, when they were originally made in Miami by Cuban expatriate Ernesto Perez-Carrillo Sr. The Serie R was introduced by his son in 1999 as a fuller, heavy bodied alternative to the regular line.

Don Kiki Green Label Limited Reserve
Size: 5 1/2 x 44 (Corona)
Tobacco: Nicaraguan Puro
Price: 3.99

I was browsing through a new B&M today and purchased a Don Kiki Green Label on impulse. The price was highway robbery: This store sold bundles of Don Kiki Green Labels for $32.99, but a single cost 3.99 + tax. I'd never had a Don Kiki and I don't know what attracted me to it, except it had a very nice pre-light aroma (ginger/cinnamon, perhaps?)

I had some construction problems. It canoed on me from the get-go, which in turn gave it a slightly tight draw, but I blame myself more than the cigar; I didn’t take time to light it properly before pulling out into heavy traffic.

Otherwise, I was impressed. It had an excellent mint/ginger/cinnamon aroma. The foretaste (on the tongue) was milder than I expected, but there was the surprising sting of pepper in finish (at the back of the throat). I don’t know much about the Don Kiki line yet, but this one is worth another look.

Padron 1926 Series
Size: 5 1/v x 56 ("No. 9")
Tobacco: Nicaraguan Puro
Price: $22.99 (at Cigar Depot in Memphis)

James and Laura put two of these beauties in my stocking for Christmas; the idea being that James and I could smoke them together, but the weather unfortunately did not cooperate. So, I smoked the first one a few days later, while watching Alabama lose the Independence Bowl (as I contemplated the smoldering ruins of the Mike Shula era), and I smoked the second while watching Ohio State play for the national championship (it was supposed to be an homage to James, until OSU lost to Florida, in a huge upset).

These cigars pack some serious flavors, and although I'm not good at detecting what they are, I would say I tasted a soft buttercreme flavor upon the first light, which progressed to a more nutty palate, which finally evolved into a taste both stronger and more acidic. Both cigars burned evenly and cool for just under an hour and had an excellent draw that yielded a very white, airy smoke with little aftertaste. They blend exceptionally well with single malt scotch or Yuengling beer.

The only drawback to this cigar is that it is box-pressed, which to me is more awkward to hold in my mouth than a traditional round cigar.

I started researching these cigars online and found out they are the "super" premiums of the Padron line and seem to have a cult following similar to OpusX, Anejo, God of Fire, and a few others. From www.cigar.com:

The Padron 1926 Anniversary debuted after the highly successful launch of the 1964 line. The Padron 1926 line was introduced to commemorate the 75th birthday of Jose O. Padron. It is the most limited and sought after cigar rolled at the Padron factory, with scarce distribution and an enormous demand by aficionados worldwide. The tobaccos used are aged for a full 5 years. Each cigar is individually numbered, as only a few hundred thousand are made each year.

Natural Egg by Drew Estate
Size 6" by 42/70/42
Country: Nicaragua
Shape: Perfecto (sort of... see picture)
Price: $10

Shaun brought me an "Egg" to smoke while tailgating at the 2006 Liberty Bowl in Memphis (South Carolina vs Houston). It was consumed immediately following an excellent meal of shish kabobs, venison tenderloin, and Kirin beer, all grilled in the parking lot under the stadium.

I cannot adequately describe this cigar without a picture, so I found this on the Drew Estate website:

My Egg had a slightly harsh taste to it, although I couldn't tell if it was due to low quality tobacco or if it was just too "wet" when I smoked it. Regardless, the novelty of this cigar is not so much in its taste, but in the looks we kept getting from other people as they passed by. It took no small amount of skill to keep it evenly lit as it progressed from a cool, weak draw at one end; then to an overpowering smoke machine at the bulb's thickest point; and finally back into a small hot firecracker at the near end of the bulb. Shaun had to attempt multiple re-lights on his Egg, but I was able to get through mine with just one small touch-up.

I have read some reviews of this cigar on the internet that panned it vehemently for its quality, taste, construction, etc. But, c'mon folks, that's like criticizing a James Bond movie for being unrealistic... some things just need to be accepted for what they are. & this cigar succeeds at what it wants to do: it causes people to stare and ask "What the heck are you smoking?"

Arturo Fuente Chateau Fuente
Size: 4.5 x 50
Filler: DR
Price: $4

Laura gifted me this cigar as part of my birthday present. I smoked it with Dexter Muller and Shaun Brannen around the fire pit at Shaun's birthday party, discussing casino poker and the general crime level associated with Memphis strip clubs. (Ok - I should explain that last bit. Dexter works for the city council and knew all the details about the recent FBI sting operation at the Platinum Plus Club near where I work)

The cigar was a short robusto with a light brown wrapper wrapped in a cedar sleeve. The wrapper was in good condition, although I noticed a few splits near the cap caused most likely because the tobacconist was storing it in a too-humid environment. Otherwise, the cigar was in perfect condition and had a soft, sweet pre-light aroma.

The Chateau had a smooth, light-to-medium wood flavor. Taste, burn, and draw were consistent throughout.

Fuentes are always enjoyable to me, since I rarely spring the cash for them (they are never sold at discount, not even through internet retailers). Although some of the lower-end sticks (Curly Head, Breva Royale, Montesino) haven't impressed me, the 'Gran Reserva' line (green label) seem to always be good quality tobacco and construction.

I have never tried the Hemingway line or the Anejo, but I hear they are even better.

HdM Excalibur No. 1
Size: 7.2 x 54
Filler: Honduras/Nicaragua
Price: $6 (retail); $3.65 (online)

Every B&M I've ever visited has sold the Excalibur cigar, either the original, the 1066 Dark Knight, or both. Until recently, I never pulled the trigger on this brand, although I had tried try a couple JR Alternative-Excaliburs, which I thought were some of the better JR Alts available. But a few weeks ago, I got 10 Excalibur No. 1s for just over $2 each as part of a sampler on CigarBid; they were paired with 10 5 Vegas Golds in the same size.

The cigar itself is a beauty, with a light golden brown wrapper and a consistent, firm texture throughout. The wrapper is prone to tiny tears, but that has never caused a bad burn. I usually notice some harshness in the first 1/4th of the stick, before it mellows into an exceptionally smooth smoke; followed occasionally by a small spicy kick in the final act.

Unfortunately, this cigar has a few things going against it right from the start: (A) It is too big. It takes nearly 2 hours to burn one, and after an hour I usually start to experience the law of diminishing returns on any smoke. (B) It is milder than I generally prefer.

However, even with these two strikes against it, I have grown to enjoy this cigar in certain settings, such as the 90-minute drive from Bowling Green to Sarasota, FL with the windows down and the sunroof open... or with three shots of Glennfiddich and a bowl game on a big screen tv. It is a good choice when you have want a prolonged, relaxing experience.

Paso Higueyano
Size: 5.5 x 45; 6 x 50
Wrapper/Filler: Dominican Republic (puro)
Price: $2 USD

During his vacation to the Dominican Republic this year, my friend Anthony took the opportunity to tour a small local cigar factory outside the city of Higuey. He watched the workers roll the tobacco, glue the caps, and trim the foot; and he got to meet the owner and talk about the industry.

These cigars are puros, meaning all the tobacco comes from the same country.

Anthony gifted me two cigars from the trip. Both had white bands, with gold lettering in Spanish. The wrappers were light brown with prominent veins throughout, and both were very tightly packed, although that did not lead to burn problems as I feared.

(1) The first was a vanilla-flavored corona. It was interesting, because I'd never tried a flavored cigar before. The cigar burned well, but the vanilla flavor completely masked the taste of tobacco and I couldn't tell if it was any good or not.

(2) The second was a torpedo, roughly the same size as a Monte #2. I enjoyed it on a cool December night, without spirits, reading Keith Dunnavant's book THE MISSING RING, about the 1966 Alabama football team. Other than a very slight canoe that self-corrected, the cigar burned smooth and cool all the way to the nub. It had an extremely mild taste, with an airy finish and insubstantial aftertaste. The tobacco was average but not premium quality-I'd say comparable to a Padilla Cedro, perhaps. Overall, a pleasant experience.

Camacho Coyolar Puro #1
Shape: Perfecto (tapered at both ends, like a double-sided torpedo)
Size: 4.5 x 50
Filler: Honduran, Cuban-seed ligero
Price: $4

This small cigar came to me as part of a gift bag that Laura sent for my birthday. I smoked it first, while watching Kedron play outside with the dog. I chose it primarily because I have not tried many perfecto-shaped cigars. It was interesting; the draw, heat, and taste varied throughout the 'life' of the cigar, correlating to the ring gauge at that point.

This cigar was also the first I've ever tried that was composed 100% of ligero leaf. Usually ligero is added as part of a blend to add "strength" or "body" to the flavor. I know the proprietor of JR Cigars went on record saying he didn't like this cigar because it took no skill to make it: it was just a gimmick to make the strongest cigar on the planet, no matter what it tastes like. But those criticisms notwithstanding, this cigar has already won one award from Cigar Cyclopedia and will likely win more.

Personally, I thought the taste was very, very good. It had that same strong, bitter afterthought that I noticed in the Camacho Havana and the Legends White Label, but this cigar had more lemon-sour than "Cuban dirt" in its flavor profile (which is how one guy reviewed the Legends White online). However, the taste was too overpowering and eventually gave me the hiccups and a nicotine buzz -- which I haven't experienced in a long time.

I like strong cigars, but this one may have been too much. I'll try these again -- but next time on a full stomach!

Makers Mark Bourbon Cigar
Size: 6" x 50
Tobacco: Cuban Seed, grown in Dominican Republic
Price: $12.50

Let me say, without preamble, that this cigar is worth purchasing once for the packaging alone. Each cigar comes in a glass tube sealed with Makers Mark red wax (like you find on their bottles of bourbon). I don't know if the wax justifies the hefty price tag, but it certainly makes you feel like you're indulging in a rich man's hobby.

The cigar itself is a novelty cigar that has been "infused" with the aroma and flavor of Makers Mark Bourbon. It is not technically a flavored cigar, because the tobacco leaves are not soaked in bourbon, but they are aged above open bourbon casks and they do indeed adopt the taste and smell of the whisky. I'm not generally a fan of flavored cigars because the flavoring masks the taste of tobacco (and that, after all, is why you smoke cigars in the first place), but in this case I have to make an exception... after all, next to single malt scotch, nothing goes with cigars like bourbon.

The cigar was perfectly constructed, with a great burn, although I was a tad disappointed in what I felt was a light draw.

I'll probably never buy this cigar, because it is overpriced (this one was gifted from Anthony), but I have to admit I was impressed with it, especially since I was afraid it would just be gimmicky: a bad cigar that tasted like whisky. But the Makers Mark cigar was clearly better tobacco and better construction than the one I followed it with -- an Excalibur. & Excalibur is certainly no slouch.

San Luis Rey Reserva Especial
Size: Rothchilde: 5" x 54
Filler: Mix of Honduran, Nicaraguan, Peru
Wrapper: Nicaraguan
Price - $3

The first time I heard of these cigars was at Eastover Paper Mill, when I ran into a mechanic smoking a cigar outside the training complex about 6:30 a.m. I asked him if the cigar was any good and he told me it was one of the best, a San Luis Rey. So, when I saw this one sitting in the humidor at a local B&M, I decided to put his judgement to the test.

It had a light brown wrapper, and burned slow with a good draw. The aroma and taste was reminiscent to me of a Padron cigar; nothing particularly distinctive but obviously well-constructed with high quality tobacco. A medium body with a light finish.

Unfortunately, I mis-timed how long it would take Shaun to grill dinner, and I had to extinguish this cigar midway. When I returned to it after dessert, the flavor was distintively more bitter (similar to what a Punch Corojo does after relight.)

Still, I noticed that JR Cigars is selling these for $2 apiece. Definitely worth another shot -- perhaps I'll use the gift card Alie gave me for my birthday!

ASSORTED JR ALTERNATIVES
Price: All about $1

Shaun has been sharing from his stash of JR Alternatives that he bought at the JR store in New York. He's shared three new blends with me:

1. Alt-Cohiba Robusto -- an easy smoke, but bland
2. Alt-Ashton -- dull and flavorless
3. Alt-Fuente Cuban Corona -- great taste, but the ones I've tried have been plagued with construction problems like an ultra-tight draw, or an inability to keep lit.














Further thoughts on 5 Vegas

Series "A"
After giving them a month or two to age, the 5 Vegas Series "A" has improved dramatically. I've been smoking them back-to-back with some JR Ultimates and I realize now the Series "A", while not as strong, has a creamier taste with a more lasting finish. It's sort of similar to how Bud Light can taste better than Killians Red when you first begin to drink, but Killians is more substantial, stays with you longer, and in the end is more satisfying.

Limitada 05
It's too bad the 2005s are all sold out, because I've had 3 more since my review, and none have disappointed. Layers of shifting flavors and no two cigars have been exactly the same. I want to try the 2006s, but I haven't found a good deal on them. They run about $5 apiece online.

Limitada 06 (updated 11/3/06)
I bit the bullet and paid nearly $20 (after shipping) for a 5-pack of these. As with the 05's, a well-constructed cigar, with medium draw and a slow, cool burn. The cigar retains its taste if you have to set it down for an hour and then relight it.

Unlike the 05's, these cigars start with a medium nutty taste and develop into a more peppery taste at the end. Not real strong, like the Series 'A', but definitely some "kick" at the end. I have to admit to being a tad disappointed, though , that the 06 was not as good as the 05. It still had the medium body, with the smooth soft pepper flavors, but it didn't have that curious citrus flavor that I enjoyed in all the 05's. I'm not complaining, mind you, but it lacked that little something extra. Just not quite as good as last year, IMO.

postscript 11/20/06: I've tried two more of the Limitada 2006s and I think I misclassified the "peppery" taste that I noticed at the end of these cigars. It's more of a "salty seawater" taste -- like the aftertaste that saltwater taffy leaves in your mouth after you swallow the sugar. It takes a little while to get used to, compared to the more immediate flavors in the 2005. The flavor comes out more when the cigar is paired with a single malt scotch (Glennfiddich 12- or 15-year) rather than with wine.

Gurkha is a bouquet brand by K. Hansotia & Co. The lowdown on these cigars is that they are high-priced super-premiums but since most of their sales come through the internet, you can often buy them at 50% of MSRP.

Gurkha Master Select Toro
Wrapper: Havana 2000
Filler: Honduran, Dominican
Size: 6.0 x 50
Price: $8.40 (MSRP), $5.00 (online)

Wow! I was very impressed with this one. Strong distinctive flavor... smooth and slightly sweet... Rated '91'. Out of the 5-pack I bought on CigarBid, the most memorable ones were the first two. The first I smoked while driving back to Memphis from Prattville, AL. It was a very hot spring day, with the windows on the Geo Tracker rolled down (I miss that car; it was perfect for smoking cigars on the open road!). Another one I smoked on the beach in North Carolina, and for that reason, this cigar always reminds me think of white sand, a deep blue ocean on a windy day, and clam chowder soup (which is what I ate for dinner that night).

These cigars have a rich brown wrapper, not too veiny, and usually burn very slow, with a butter-cream finish on the tongue. There were no constrution problems.







Gurkha Expedition
Wrapper: Connecticut Shade
Filler: Dominican
Size: 6.0 x 50
Price: $5.58 (MSRP), $3.75 (online)

These cigars have a pale brown wrapper, with very few veins, and come wrapped in a cedar sleeve. Very mild. Curiously, they do not inherit the cedar-y/nutty/grassy tastes and aromas like other cedar-wrapped sticks. Instead, they are characterized mostly by a bitter--almost acrid--taste. I've tasted that same bitterness in another cigar, long ago, but I can't remember which one.

This cigar goes very well with a glass of sangiovese du romana, while reading Sherlock Holmes stories on a warm summer evening. Unfortunately, on another night, it did not go as well with pinot noir and Sophocles.



Gurkha Class Regent
Wrapper: Havana 2000
Filler: Dominican Piloto
Size: 4.7 x 52 (Robusto)
Price: $10.10 (MSRP), $6.50 (online)

Rated '90' at least twice by Cigar Aficiondo, this cigar is supposed to be as "prestigous" as the Arturo Fuente OpusX. But I'm guessing sales aren't keeping up with marketing hype, because I won a five-pack from CigarBid at roughly $2.00 each. They were paired with five Indian Taback Super Fuertes and, frankly, it was no contest. Whereas the Super Fuertes were strong and aromatic, the box-pressed Class Regent was a dud. No "black cherry" spiciness or "long, leathery" finish, as advertised Just a rather boring, undistinctive taste.

OK, to be fair, I've only smoked two so far. The second one, which had aged in my humidor for 3 months, was perhaps slightly better than the first -- a little more "toothiness" at the start (for lack of a better adjective). But the flavor quickly dissipated within the first half-inch, and the cigar was very bland after that. It had a good draw, but its biggest characteristic was still the lack of flavor. I also sold one to a friend (his humidor was bare and he needed 10 smokes for vacation... don't worry, I gave him very generous prices) But he didn't like it either.

Postscript May 2009: I've probably smoked another half dozen Class Regents since I wrote this review three years ago; these Class Regents keep cropping up in CigarBid samplers. I still think they're boring, but several friends who've received them as gifts from me tell me it's one of their favorite cigars. I don't understand it.

MONTESINO DIPLOMATICOSize: 5.50 x 42
Wrapper: Connecticut Shade or Broadleaf, Filler: DR
Price: $3.15


Montesino was the flagship line of the Arturo Fuente family after they were driven from Cuba. I picked up a single at a local B&M just to try it out, and because I was out of smaller cigars for mowing the yard.

Location: Mowing the grass at 9:30 am, as the thermometer began to peep over 95 degrees.

Construction: A light golden wrapper (the same wrapper as the AF Breva Royale, I think). A nice even burn, but I had trouble keepting it lit (although I'm apt to be more forgiving since I had to put it down often to pull weeds, uproot bushes, swap tools, etc..)

Taste: Lacking a distinctive or pleasing aroma. But nice lingering finish on the tongue. 9 times out of 10 this cigar would have been too mild for me, but on such a blistering hot morning, this turned out to be the exact strength I wanted. A soft, nutty taste to the tobacco, too.

Final verdict: Probably not something I'll go looking for again, but it was the right cigar at the right time.

SOCORRO
Size: 5 x 50
Filler: unknown
Price: $1.00

My friend Shaun wanted to clean out his humidor, so he proferred a couple of these Thompson house brand cigars to me on the golf course and then at a pool party the next week. The box had come free with his humidor, and had been "aging" for 4 years -- they were very much dried out. These Socorros were not as good as JR house brands, but they were very mild and indistinct. Truth be told, they served their purpose on two very hot afternoons--and I was ok with that.

A TOUR THROUGH 5 VEGAS

The 5 Vegas (pronounced cinco vegas) brand was founded in Cuba in 1890. It was resurrected by cigar-man Kiki Berger in Esteli, Nicaragua, and is now maufactured by La Aurora. They consistently score in the upper 80’s to lower 90’s in blind taste tests.


(1) 5 VEGAS SERIES “A"
Size: 6.0 x 50 (Toro)
Wrapper: Costa Rica maduro, Filler: Nicaragua/Dominican Republic
Price: $3.50”

Location: Lounging on Anthony’s pool deck, after swimming but before dinner. Consumed with chips, salsa, and a strawberry daiquiri.

Construction: A deep chocolate-brown wrapper. A strong, striking aroma. Fairly loose draw, which burned hot but evenly.

Taste: Of the 5 Vegas line, I expected to like this cigar the best because it is the strongest and most flavorful blend. It began with strong spicy pepper tastes (very reminiscent of Comacho), which evolved to a milder chocolate flavor, but then quickly became hot and somewhat bitter in the final third as the draw loosened.

Final verdict:A decent full-bodied smoke but not as good as Comacho, IT Super Fuerte, JR Ultimate, or JR Limitada Edicion.



(2) 5 VEGAS GOLD
Size: 6.0 x 50 (Toro)
Wrapper: Connecticut Shade
Filler: Nicaragua/Dominican Republic (Aged 5 years)
Price: $3.50

Location: Lounging on Anthony’s pool deck (again), after dinner, playing poker. Consumed with a glass of chianti and vodka-soaked watermelons.

Construction: A flawless, light tan wrapper. Very light, sweet aroma. Slightly tight draw. A slow cool burn, with no problems.

Taste: A mild, creamy smoke that manages to keep enough flavor to avoid becoming bland or boring. Very similar to other cigars with the “gold” moniker—such as CAO Gold and Royal Jamaican Gold. As far as mild cigars go, this would rank above the CAO, RJ, and Padilla but probably not as high as Onyx Reserve or Macanudo Crystal Café.

Final Verdict: Even though I’m not usually a fan of mild cigars, I would still purchase again, to be enjoyed as a before-dinner smoke.



(3) 5 VEGAS LIMITADA 2005
Size: 6.25 x 52 (BELICOSO)
Wrapper: Ecuadorian Sun Grown
Filler: Cuban-seed, Nicaraguan, Peruvian, Corojo long-leaf fillers
Price: $5.50

Location: Lounging on Anthony’s pool deck, after dinner, playing poker. Consumed with a few glasses of chianti.

Construction: A few very, very minor tears in the wrapper, which did not affect the smoke. Medium draw, slow cool burn. No problems at all with the burn. I nubbed this cigar until it finally extinguished itself under the 1/4th” mark.

Taste: Easily the crowning jewel of the brand. The medium-bodied cigar began with soft hints of pepper, which progressed to a citrus tang, and finished strong with solid smooth flavors.

Final Verdict: Will purchase again (while supplies last)





(1) 5 VEGAS "CLASSIC"
Size: 6.25 x 52 (TORPEDO)
Wrapper: Sumatra Wrapper
Filler: Cuban-seed Nicaraguan and Dominican Republic
Price: $4.25

A creamy, medium-bodied cigar very reminiscent of the non-Cuban incarnations of the Montecristo #2 and Punch After Dinner -- but at a better price. It had a slow burn, a firm draw, and no construction deficiencies at all. It also sported a mellow but substantial flavor, a strong finish on the tongue, but perhaps a un-noteworthy bouquet.

I have been able to consistently win 5 Vegas cigars for around $2 from CigarBid.com, making this a great value.


5 VEGAS brands I have not tried:
Limitada '06 (not yet released)
Vintage (rare, soon to be re-released)

La Perla Habana Black Pearl Rojo
Size: 6.0 x 50 (Toro)
Wrapper: Habana Corojo
Filler: Nicaragua
Price: $4.50 (retail), or $3.00 (online discounter)

This is the sister cigar to the Black Pearl Cobre, which I've already reviewed. They are both medium- to full-bodied, but the corojo wrapper lends hints of a fruity-apple taste, rather than the alternating sweet-and-spice combination of the criollo wrapper. It really goes well with a glass of pinot noir after dinner. (It also tastes very similar to the Punch Rare Corojo).

Unfortunately, although 3 of the 5 I've tried so far have been excellent, the other two had serious problems with construction. One canoed on me from the start and just refused to play right, even after I had to re-clip and relight. Another one had a very dry wrapper, torn in multiple places. (It was so bad I thought maybe something had gone awry with my humidor. I threw it away and tried a 2nd one, which fortunately was in perfect condition.)

The Black Pearl Rojo recently scored a '90' in Cigar Aficionado.

CAO CX2 Toro
Size: 6.0 x 54
Wrapper/Binder: African Cameroon
Filler: Nicaraguan & Columbian
Price: $9.10

Introduced in 2005, I got to try the CX2 for free as part of an internet product launch. (It also came with a stylish knit cap, which I promptly lost jetboating in New Zealand.) The CX2 moniker means "Cameroon times two" because this cigar sports both a Cameroon wrapper and binder. Usually, I don't like "cammies" because they are too fragile, but maybe because of the double wrap, this one did not have problems with the ultra-thin leaf tearing or splitting. At any rate, it was a definite improvement over the CAO L'Anniversaire Cameroon, which I reviewed a few weeks ago.

CAO is perhaps the most successful of the johnny-come-lately cigar companies from the Big Boom (1990's). They have smothered the press magazines, catalogs, and internet sites with slick, trendy, urban ad campaigns. Their products score well in blind taste tests. They have a very high-profile tv tie-in with the Sopranos brand (although I read somewhere the cast of Sopranos actually smokes Macanudos on set). And every B&M I've visited has carried at least one CAO line.

CAO's are always overpriced, sometimes by a lot, but I can't resist the odd single every once in a while. So far, I've tried the Gold, Brazilia, Cameroon Legend, and CX2. The CX2 has a little more flavor--or character, if you will--then the Gold or Cameroon Legend, but it lacks the potent bouquet of the Brazilia. All CAO's seem to share some common traits: a mild flavor, near flawless construction, and a creamy-smooth smoking experience.

But the CX2 also fails where the others fail: no sophistication. From the touch of the flame to the snub in the ashtray, the CX2 was consistent almost to the point of mild blandness. It exhibited no subtle changes of flavor, no striking finish on the tongue, not even a small hot kick at the end.

So, to sum: CX2 is enjoyable, yes, but from a $9 cigar, I expect a little more uniqueness.

Quorum
Size: 5.5 x 43
Filler/Wrapper: Nicaragua
Price: $2.15

I picked up this little cigar at a local store, and realized later that I way overpaid. Pre-ship bundle price online comes out to less than $0.75 each. A very nondescript sandwich cigar, with a mild-ish taste, just a hint of spice on the air. A medium draw with no burn issues. The only thing I can really say in its favor is that it had an interesting salty aftertaste (kind of like boiled peanuts?) which reminded me of the Riata, a Honduran sandwich cigar.

I could not find anything at all about the origins of this cigar on the internet. They are distributed in the US by JC Newman Cigar Company, which is also the sole distributor for A. Fuente cigars. This has led to the mistaken impression by some that Quorums are Fuente seconds, but this rumour has been more or less shot down as false. (Fuente does sell a short-filler cigar under the Tampa Sweethearts label).


Romeo y Julieta- Romeo #1 (Deluxe tubo)
Size: 5.6 x 42
Filler/Wrapper: Cuban
Price: $11.60 (US)

I wanted to buy a Cuban Monte #2 while I was in New Zealand, but after I saw the $20+ price tag, I suddenly remembered how much I enjoyed the Romeo #2 a few months ago. I decied to give the #1 a try as well, and save myself the extra $10.

I'll probably always remember this cigar, more because of where I smoked it than the cigar itself: Kaikoura, New Zealand overlooking the shores of the Pacific Ocean while the sun set to my left behind misty snow-covered mountains. It was a picture-perfect setting, but unfortunately the cold blustery winds muted the more subtle nuances of the cigar. I could not detect any of the intense, shifting flavors that I remember from the Romeo #2.

Despite being one-dimensional, this cigar was smooth and rich, with notes of burgundy. The draw was tighter than I like, but I don't know if it was because of the small ring size or the gale-like winds ripping the smoke out from between my lips.

EL Credito Apprentice Cigars
Size: 7" x 50
Price: $2

The El Credito factory, located in the Little Havana district of Miami, is owned by Cuban-expatriate Ernesto Carillo and produces cigars for sale under (4) brand names: La Gloria Cubana, La Hoja Selecta, El Rico Habano and Dos Gonzales.

LGC is, of course, the most well-known and popular, and it remains on my list of cigars to try the next time I buy singles from a brick-and-mortar.

The Apprentice cigars are rolled by new employees with less than six months experience on the job--suppposedly using the same quality tobacco and blends as the premium cigars. Of course, the cigars are unbanded, so there is no way to know which brand or blend you are going to find in a given bundle.

I fully expected these cigars to have burn or construction problems, or to have blemishes on the wrappers, but my bundle hasn't had any of these afflictions. They have had a tendency to grow tiny spots of white mold--or is that bloom? I can never tell-- but that's no big deal since it can be wiped off with my fingers and hasn't affected the taste. They have a medium-to-loose draw and the distinctive flavor of strong, black coffee.

Not a bad cigar by any means, but probably not one I'll seek out again. There are better bargains to be had.

Mi Cubano Maduro
Filler: Unknown
Size: Corona - exact dimensions unknown
Price: $5 - $8

This cigar was gifted to me by Mister MaDuroo from ClubStogie.com, along with two Indian Tabac Cameroon Legends. The Mi Cubano was my favorite -- a somewhat harsh cigar, with a moderate draw, slow burn, and a very robust, striking flavor. Even though I hate these sort of snobby food comparisons, I will say this cigar reminded me of slightly burnt pecans and dry burgundy.

I looked up the Mi Cubano brand online, and apparently they were popular during the cigar boom as a premium label. I think they were made by La Aurora, but they are hard to find now. A shame, because I would definitely try them again.

Mister MaDuroo says he bought a box of 25 for $60, but the few online vendors I found selling them were asking at least $5 per stick.

JR Alt - Perdomo Reserve #5
Size: 6.75" x 56
Price: $1.50

I bought a bundle of these for Anthony for his birthday. He wanted them because of the unique shape -- they are tapered at both ends. Unfortunately, neither of us liked them once they arrived. They smoke for a long time (2 hrs), but they have trouble staying lit and, frankly, they just don't taste very good.

Padilla Special-Edition Cedro
Size: 7.0 x 48
Price: $4.50

Padilla Cigar Company is a small producer in the Dominican Republic. The 90-rated Miami 8&11 series is probably what they are most known for, although I think that line is now discontinued. The Cedro is not mentioned at all on their websites, so it is probably only available through online discount brokers.

This cigar comes packaged in spanish cedar, and features a Connecticut wrapper. A very smooth, very mild cigar, with an even and loose draw. They are a little [I]too[/I] mild at first, but the flavors start to kick in about half way through the stick, as it begins to progressively burn hotter. If you are patient enough to nub it all the way to the fingers, you will be rewarded with a small punch of flavor at the very end. This was not a world-changer, but a nice relaxing cigar nonetheless.

I recommend it with Glennfiddich Caoran Reserve; the subtle nutty flavors blend well with notes of peat in this single malt scotch.

May 2006: A Tour of ROCKY PATEL and INDIAN TABAC

Indian Tabac is a line of Honduran cigars created by former product-liability lawyer Rocky Patel. Although Rocky is from India, his company licenses the name and logo--a Native American war chief in full headress--from Indian Motorcycle Company.

By Rocky's own admission, the Indian Tabac brand started as a barely average cigar with a slick marketing campaign to capitalize on the cigar boom in the early 1990's. However, Patel quickly became a rising star in the business, and began blending his products for high-end, sophisticated tastes. His Indian Tabac line has improved a lot since the early days, but still garners most of its sales through catalogs and online sites rather than traditional B&Ms. In 2003, Rocky turned over management of Indian Tabac to Swisher International to focus on a new "RP Vintage" line, which has since become very popular, scoring over '90' in many Cigar Aficionado taste tests.

Here are my reviews of some Indian Tabac and Rocky Patel products:



(1) Indian Tabac Cameroon Legend
Size: 6.1" x 54
Price: $6.00

Mister MaDuroo from ClubStogie sent me two Cameroon Legends after I posted a question in the online forum. He had warned me to be careful handling them, but of course I didn't listen, and I had to learn the hard way how fragile a cameroon wrapper can be. I dropped one of the cigars in the car as I was lighting it, and the entire wrapper split down the middle, completely seperating from the binder, ruining the cigar. (I found out you can't even light a cigar without its wrapper).

I was more careful the second time, and my drive to the paper mill in Courtland, AL was enhanced by this smooth, mild cigar with an interesting tangy taste. I might consider smoking them again, except the delicate-as-glass wrapper is probably a deal-breaker for me.



(2) Indian Tabac Limited Reserve
Size: Bear (5" x 50), Buffalo (7" x 47)
Price: $2

Boxes of Limited Reserve used to sell for $100, but they are now distributed solely through Cigars International for half that price. These cigars come individually wrapped in spanish cedar. They have a deep, rich aroma that always makes me think of pirate ships in the carribean. Unfortunately, they taste very mild/bland, with a slight bitter aftertaste. I won't buy them again.

However, I should note the Bear is the perfect size for driving home in rush hour traffic on I-240. I light it as I turn out of the office parking lot, and I finish it just as I'm pulling into my driveway.

(Update 07-23-07: I saw a box of IT Lmt Reserve on sale at Tobacco House in Memphis, for $5.36 per stick. I can't believe they sell for that much, but I guess they are no longer distributed solely through CI)

(3) Fire by Indian Tabac
Size: 6" x 50
Price: $3.50

These are sometimes also marketed as "Fire by Rocky Patel", which I'm sure is an attempt to position them at the upper-end of the market, closer to to the highly rated and more expensive "Vintage" lines.

They have a rich golden color, with a subtle if not spectacular aroma. They are made with triple-fermented wrapper and fillers, and the taste is both "heady" and "slightly sweet". Definitely worth a repeat look in the future. My only complaint is that I can't leave them unattended for more than two minutes without a relight.












(4) Indian Tabac Super Fuerte Corona Maduro
Size: 5.2 x 43
Price: $3.60

I won a "Friday night fights" sampler pack from CigarBid. The idea is to pit two similar cigars of competing brands in a head to head contest to see which one you like better. Mine contained 5 Super Fuerte coronas versus 5 Gurkha Regents. The price was $20 (after shipping) so I thought it was a good deal.

I was disappointed when I saw how small the Super Fuertes were; they're hardly any bigger than a Punch London Club. But, I must say, they have quickly become my favorite of the Indian Tabac brands; they pack a nice little punch -- full of flavor. They make a great cigar for doing something short like mowing the yard or trimming the shrubs.









(5) Rocky Patel Vintage 1990 "Euro"
Size: 5.5" x 42
Price: $5

The RP Vintage cigars never took off in Europe like they did in the U.S., so Rocky adjusted the formula by fermenting the tobacco less and removing some of the spicy ligero leaf from the filler. This new "Euro" blend is marketed as being lighter and milder.

I smoked one at sunset on Pensacola Beach and was very impressed. It is medium-bodied; and in fact made me want to try the original, stronger recipe. It lasted for over an hour, with virtually no construction or burn problems, despite a stiff ocean breeze that would have ruined lesser smokes.

Here are some of the Rocky Patel lines I have not tried yet:
1. RP Vintage
2. RP Sun Grown (Connecticut)
3. Indian Tabac Classic
4. The Edge

JR Alt - Excalibur II (Maduro)
Size: 6.45" x 48
Price: $1.48

JR Cigars has hit on something with its Excalibur Alternatives. This was a yummy blend, similar to but not quite as strong as the Prensada Alt. Lasted over 2 hrs.

This week was characterized by lots of driving with cigars:

(1) Padron Londres (Revisited).

I reviewed my first Londres in 2003, and I haven't had one since. But these are excellent driving-around-town smokes. They added color to two otherwise dull trips to grocery stores and ATM machines. I don't often smoke Padrons because I think they're usually a tad overpriced (this stick is barely larger than a Punch London Club and costs $2.50), but there's something very unique about their taste. I really like it.

(2) Legends - White Label Comacho.

OK, I've reviewed these before, but I just want to add they're perfect when driving four hours in the Geo Tracker, with the convertible top down on the interstate to Prattville. Times like that are not meant for savoring subtle aromas and textures; you need a cigar that's gonna kick you in the seat of your pants.

(3) Black Pearl.

A little sugar, a little spice.

(4) CAO Cameroon Robusto.

The more I smoke them, the more I dislike them. Great construction, but the taste doesn't do anything for me.

And now a brand new review...

Indos Purios Nacionales
Size: 6.5" x 43
Filler: Honduras
MSRP: $3
Puros Indios is the flagship line of Rolando Reyes, Sr , a widely regarded cigar blender who was trained in Cuba. Puros Indios are handmade in Danli, Honduras with Cuban-seed fillers. This blend has received scores up to ’90’ by Cigar Aficionado.

This was my first Puros Indios cigar, which I got as part of a Cbid sampler, for about $1.70 each. They had a very smooth, medium-bodied flavor, but I don't think I'll buy anymore Nacionales. I don't like the shape. They are too narrow (43 ring guage) for their length (6.5"), which gives a very tight draw. The first one I smoked had a bad tendency to canoe on me, although I had no problems with the second.

I did like the flavor, though, so I might try another size or even the Rolys (Puros Indios segundos) in the future.

(postscript 04-05-06: I must add that, in the absence of any Punch London Clubs, these Nacionales do make a decent yardwork cigar. I like the tight draw when I'm working.)

La Perla Black Pearl Cobre Robusto
Size: 4.7 x 52
Filler: Nicaraguan Wrapper: Ecuadorian-grown Connecticut
MSRP: $4.20

I won a couple of these as part of a CigarBid sampler. I smoked the first one during the 2nd half of the Alabama-TN basketball game at TJ Mulligans. My palate was already somewhat deadened by a strong JR Limitada Edicion in the first half, but my first blush at this cigar was that it was a mild stick, with a sweetish aroma. It burned well, lasted about 45 minutes, with not a lot of annoying smoke out the front, but still a very good draw. I smoked the 2nd one in the courtyard of a hotel in Eastover, SC. The sweetness was still present, but this time there was also a very definitive peppery taste. All in all, I was very pleased.

La Perla is a well-known boutique brand (www.laperlahabana.com). Made in the Carlos Tarano factory. Many of their other lines have scored '90' or above by Cigar Aficionado (I couldn't find a rating for the Cobre). The original Black Pearl, an oscuro, sells for $6-$7 apiece. I've also read good things about the Black Pearl Rojo

CAO Cameroon (also sold as, CAO L’Anniversaire Cameroon)
Size: 5 x 50
Filler: Nicaraguan
MSRP: $6

I won 5 of these as part of a sampler on CigarBid, and I was excited because I really enjoyed the CAO Gold and CAO Brazilia lines. Like those others, this also turned out to be very well constructed with an even, medium-rate burn. Very mild and relaxing.

But I have to be honest, I was dissapointed. I was expecting something special from the African Cameroon wrappers, but they did nothing for flavor; nor did they have the striking aroma of the Brazilian maduro wrappers or the visual appeal of the reddish Corojo leaf. And the rectangular box-pressing makes it awkward to hold the stick in the mouth. All in all, my final reluctant verdict is that this was just an overpriced mild smoke... nothing special.

JR Limitada Edicion Alternative - Montecristo Edmundo
Size: 5.25 x 54
Wrapper: Maduro
Filler: Nicaraguan


This is a serious medium-to-full bodied smoke, with just enough bite and zest to keep it interesting. The website describes them as "wrapped in a deep Colorado maduro wrapper and spiced up with potent ligero fillers from the Jamastran Valley". I'm not sure what all that means, but JR Cigars sells out of these bundles almost as fast as they arrive, and it's easy to see why. I've noticed a few minor problems with burn (a tendency to canoe, an occasional relight needed), and I gave one to Anthony which might have been plugged because he had a hard time keeping his lit.

But this blend has hit upon a magic formula for strength and flavor without bitterness. For now, this has topped the JR Cuban Alt-Monte #2 as my go-to "affordable" smoke.

Legends Series Comacho - White Label
Filler: Honduran
Wrapper: Habano
Size: 5.75 x 54
MSRP: $4

A few years ago, Cigars International (a large wholesaler) asked some of the best-known boutique (or small production) cigar manufacturers to create new blends that would serve as a sort of CI "house label" and would retail for $5 or under. All cigars had to be a large toro, 5.75"x54 in size. The idea was that the manufacturers would compete to see who could come up with the best blend.

The White Label is made by Christian and Julio Eiroa, makers of the Comacho brand (they also make Bacccarat and the very forgettable National Brand bundled cigar). In my opinion, this a very complex cigar. I've smoked five or six of them and they all start off very strong -- actually, the adjectives harsh, bitter, and overpowering come to mind. Then, they cool off , mellow out, before finally becoming stronger again a little over half-way through. (In this aspect, they are similar to the Comacho I reviewed a few weeks ago.)

They burn very evenly and slowly, usually lasting well over an hour, even though the draw seems rather loose. I won't say they taste good--not exactly--but they are very distinct and powerful. I honestly cannot explain the fact that on more than one occassion I have found myself craving them over other cigars that I usually like a lot more. Tonight, I passed over a CAO, Padron, Gurkha, and JR Alt-Monte in favor of this more rough-and-tumble variety. The more I smoke, the better I like them.

I got this box on CigarBid @ $1.62 per stick. If I can find similar deals in the future, I'd like to try some of the other Legends series, too.

No new review today. Last night’s cigar was a disappointing JR Alt-Monte #2. But the disappointment was my fault—not Lew’s. I had to let the cigar die 5 minutes in, because Kedron woke up from her nap early. When I returned an hour later, the wrapper started to unravel and split, which led to burn and draw problems. This marred an otherwise fine night of heads-up, no-money-wagered poker with Anthony on the back porch.

This brings me to tonight’s subject: I first became a fan of the JR Alternatives line in 2004, because they were the only quality hand-rolled, long-filler cigars that could be obtained for a buck. Yes, there are cheaper buys, but they are either segundos (which by their nature are inconsistent) or mixed-filler sandwich cigars, like Riata and Mister B’s. Back in 04, a bundle of JR Alt-Monte #2 cost $21.95, plus $2 shipping, or $1.20 per smoke.

But over time, Lew’s inventories dropped and shipping costs rose. Today, that same bundle costs $26.95, plus $2.63 shipping, or $1.48 per smoke. Still a great bargain for a very good smoke.

However, I recently found a site called CigarBid.com where boxes of name-brand cigars are routinely placed on the auction block at less than $10 and a feeding frenzy ensues. This site seems to specialize in new and boutique labels that became popular in the boom of the late 1990’s. I see more cigars with “by Rocky Patel” or “by Perdomo” in the name than Montecristo or Punch. Most boxes end up selling for 70% of retail; some even sell for higher than MSRP. But sometimes you can get a steal: I bought a box of Legends Series Camachos and a 20-cigar sampler of CAO, Gurkha, La Perla, and Puros Indios for almost the same price as the JR Alts ($1.68 per smoke, after shipping).

I’m excited about this, because it will mean more variety than what I find at JRCigars, at my present costs. I’ll post reviews soon.

Cusano P1
Size: 6" x 52
Origin: Dominican Republic
MSRP: $2 (single), $20 (bundle)

I really, really wanted a stogie on the way home from work (since I'd be babysitting tonight and wouldn't get any "back porch time"), and I didn't have anything on hand, so I stopped by a brick-and-mortor looking for something cheap (I can't afford another run of $5 cigars) but reputable. I recognized the Cusano name, because they make some popular premiums like Cusano 18 (which is made exclusively of 18-year-old leaf and scored a 91 by Cigar Afficionado) and Corojo 1997 (also scored 91).

Despite the lineage, this cigar was not in that league. It was just another mild-to-medium mixed filler bundle cigar with a too tight draw and sweetish overtones. Yes, it made the ride home in traffic a little more bearable, but that's about all I'll ever remember it for.

Royal Jamaica Gold Corona
Size: 55" x 44
Origin: Nicaraguan wrapper; Nicaraguan/Honduras/Jamaican filler
MSRP: $5.5

Another impulse buy, this one enjoyed at Partners Sports Bar during a college basketball game (Memphis over UAB by double digits). A very smooth, mild cigar. The flavor was nice, if not exactly memorable, but what stood out was the construction quality. I've smoked JR Alts for so long, I've forgotten how slow a premium cigar can burn, with perfect even precision. No canoes, no relights, and no touch-up trims.

If I'm not careful, my dalliances with Macanudo, CAO, Comacho, and Royal Jamaica could turn into real money drains.

Tonight's smoke: CAO Brazilia Lambada
Size: 6" x 50
Price: $5.75

Michelle and Kedron are in Greensboro tonight, so I treated myself to an hour and a half at the Fox N Hound, with another impulse purchase cigar. While I was there, I thoroughly enjoyed eavesdropping on the lady next to me explain to her friends how she discovered her boyfriend was cheating with a lesbian. Not full-fledged cheating, apparently ("pulling a Bill Clinton" she called it). Ah, the age-old question: Is it tragedy, or is it comedy?

I've tried the CAO Gold before, but never the Brazilia. I really liked this cigar. Had a sort of subtle strength to it. No burn problems and no touch-ups needed. Lasted over an hour. The flavor was consistent, if not very complex (two minutes into the smoke, and I knew all there was to know about what this cigar had to offer). And the aroma was downright intoxicating (maybe the Brazilian leaf wrapper, I don't know). Worth a repeat visit, for sure.

Romeo y Julieta – Romeo #2 (Cuban)
Size: 5 1/8 x 42
Price: 7.6 euros (approx. $9.35)

Mike Gross gave me this little cuban firecracker of a cigar last Saturday, which I smoked while grilling sirloins. It came in an aluminum tube, a little over 5 inches long, with ring size 42. I looked it up on the internet, and a box of 10 sells for 76 Euros.

I don't usually smoke small cigars because they burn hotter and that, to me, masks the flavor of the tobacco. However, this one was still pretty darn good. It definitely had a more 'complex' flavor than other cigars I've had of the same general size -- like the Punch London Club or the Padron Londres. In fact, the longer I smoked it, the more I appreciated its subtleties.

I made a few impulse buys at the Cigar Depot on Dexter Lane last week. I figured every once in a while I should pay retail price for some name brand cigars, just to abreast of what’s out there on the market today. I picked out brands I had heard of on some of the online cigar forums like HerfersParadise.net and ClubStogie.com.



Comacho Havana Churchill
Size: 7 x 48
Price: $4.5

I smoked this cigar on my back porch (a rather cool January evening in Memphis), with a glass of sangiovese (I wish now I had broken out the Glennfiddich, instead), while reading a primer on Calvinist theology (shorter westminster catechism).

Upon lighting the cigar, at first I feared I had made a big mistake. I didn't like the taste at all. The cigar was not strong, but it had a very bitter taste to it. Kind of like my experience with Montecruz cigars a few years ago. It also smoked too much and took a while to really "get going".

I smoked it quickly to get about a quarter inch of ash on the tip, then I sat it down for two minutes to let it cool off. When I picked it back up, there was a noticeable improvement. The bitter taste dissipated into a mellow, maybe even sweetish, flavor and proceeded to burn smoothly and evenly until the end. All in all, not a particularly distinctive cigar.

Not bad, but also not worth the $5 I paid for it -- I don't think I'd put in the same category as a CAO Gold or a Punch Rare Corojo, which are similarly priced.

Mister B's Handmade Cigars

You can't get many handmade cigars for $0.50 apiece, so I ordered a few bundles from JRCigars.com when they became available. Apparently, I'm not the only one who's had this epiphany, because more often then not these cigars are out of stock.

First, it just can't be ignored, these are some ugly stogies. The wrappers are often wrinkled, vein-y (is that a word?), and bumped. That's probably why they're sold at such low prices. But most of them smoke well, because as we all know, the wrapper rarely affects taste or burn. They are loosely wrapped concoctions, with fair but not great quality tobacco. On the plus side, they smoke fast when you don't have much time, but they also tend to go out quickly if you don't attend to them often. I don't particularly care for the taste of the naturals, but the maduros were smooth.

I may try them again, but for now I'd rather pay a little extra ($1.25) for the JR Alternatives






Macanudo Crystal Cafe

James and Laura gave me a box of 8 for my 30th birthday. & let me say, these are easily the best Macanudos I've ever had. Smooth, evenly rolled, slow-burning, perhaps a bit too mild -- but definitely a Ritzy cigar. They come in airtight glass tubes with foam-padded, gold-tasselled corks at the top. I probably can't justify the price (nearly $5 apiece), but a very good smoke. Redeemed the Macanudo brand name, in my opinion -- just don't give me anymore of those damn Hampton Courts!

















Excalibur Prensado (JR Alternative)

Another excellent heavy-bodied cigar from the JR Alternative line for the economically challenged. As good as -- if not maybe a tad better -- than the JR Ultimates.

Some miscellaneous reviews:

(1) Partagas Black

A $6 turd of a cigar. This one was packed so tight it was almost unsmokeable. And where was the famous Partagas flavor? Not nearly as complex as a JR Ultimate.








(2) JR Alternative – Montecristo #1

The same cigar as the Alternative Montecristo #2; just as good, only smaller.
























(3) Punch Rare Corojo Double Corona

This cigar started so wonderful. Smooth, strong, yet subtle... I had just lit this prize and was preparing to deal the first hand of Texas Hold 'Em, when a soured waitress made her rounds telling all smokers that cigars were not allowed in the main room of Fox 'N Hound. Of course, the three cigarette smokers at my table were welcome to continue killing us all with their secondhand Marlboro stench.

By the time the game was over and I re-lit this beauty, it had dried out, gone stale, and turned bitter. Never before have I mourned the loss of a stogie like this one...

OK, first the bad news:

JR Cigars has increased the price of a bundle of JR Alter