Cigar Review: Bering Casino
CA Rating: 79
Filler: Dom Rep, Honduras, Mexico, Nic
Size: 42 x 7 1/8 inches
Style: Lonsdale
MSRP: $2.90

I bought this cigar because it came in a neat glass tube with a cork top. Bering must have to spruce up the packaging to sell such a worthless cigar. It was a long, skinny cigar with a poor draw and an unattractive pale green wrapper. The end in my mouth became a soggy, gummy mess after a few minutes. Each puff brought only a thin stream of bitter smoke that grew more distasteful as the cigar shortened. This was barely on par with the National Brand I hated so much a few weeks ago.

Cigar Review: Bering: Dominican Hallmark Robusto
CA Rating: 80
Filler: Dominican Republic
Size: 50 x 4 1/2 inches
Style: Robusto
MSRP: $3.90

Had the same distinctive taste as the "regular" Bering Robusto -- a very heavy, woods-y flavor-- although the Hallmark was softer and less pungent. The best thing about this cigar was that the end in my mouth never became soggy or lost its shape (like the Bering Casino). There was one big drawback -- the cigar smoked fast and lasted no more than half an hour.


Cigar Review: Onxy Reserve #2 Bellicoso
CA Rating: 89
Filler: Dominican, Nicaragua, Peru
Size: 52 x 7 inches
Style: Double Corona
MSRP: $5.00

This was a very surprising cigar. It had a loose draw; a smooth, mild flavor; and lasted a long time. Every puff left me with a mouthful of almost-creamy smoke. In fact, the only negative comment I have is that once I smoked it past the 2/3 mark, it began to grow too hot and smoky. At over $5, this will be on my luxury cigar list.


Cigar Review: Punch Double Corona
CA Rating: 88
Filler: Dom Rep, Honduras, Nicaragua
Size: 48 x 6 3/4 inches
Style: Churchill
MSRP: $3.75

Not much different from the Punch Corona or After-Dinner cigar, only fatter. A nice cigar, although it suffered from comparison to the Onyx Reserve I smoked the night before. The taste and texture was rougher and nuttier.


Cigar Review: Padron Londres
CA Rating: 88
Filler: Nicaragua
Size: 42 x 5 1/2 inches
Style: Corona
MSRP: $2.15
A high quality, inexpensive, very small cigar. Good taste and texture. But didn't last very long. A good bargain for days when you do not have a lot of time to savor the experience.