tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-50081702012-02-09T21:59:28.418-06:00Craig Childs Cigar ReviewsThis blog is where I record my personal cigar reviews... because, let's face it, half the time I can't remember what I smoked or what I liked.craigdchilds@yahoo.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01881602537045502526noreply@blogger.comBlogger1811100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5008170.post-7591531089151434562011-12-21T15:38:00.005-06:002012-01-01T20:19:41.652-06:00State of the Humidor - Jan 1, 2012 New cigars to try in 2011: Tampa Sweetheart #85 (second to Fuente 8-5-8), Joya de Nicaragua Fuerte (Yes, these were the same two cigars I listed last year. I am aging a bundle of JdN Fuerte and I plan to finally get around to the Tampa Sweethearts in 2012).Last cigar of 2011: Padron ChurchillFirst cigar of 2012: Padron ChurchillBest cigar of 2011: El Titan de craigdchilds@yahoo.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01881602537045502526noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5008170.post-71790245134831651632011-12-20T11:38:00.005-06:002011-12-20T11:57:28.562-06:00Flor de Baloney RobustoSize: 5 x 52Tobacco: Ecuador (Sumatra wrapper), fillers from Nicaragua, Honduras, DRPrice: $5.00According to Lew Rothman, this was one of the worst experiments in JR Cigars history. I guess it was about 5 years ago, JR purchased a bunch of quality cigars from the Villazon factory in Honduras (supposedly these were firsts of Hoyo de Monterrey) and decided to sell them undercraigdchilds@yahoo.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01881602537045502526noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5008170.post-60176610562225152682011-12-20T11:30:00.002-06:002011-12-20T11:33:36.777-06:005 Vegas Miami ToroSize: 6 x 48 Tobacco: Nicaragua (corojo wrapper)Price: $5How did I smoke a full box of these cigars and somehow forget to write a review? I don't know. I aged them two years, then consumed them between March and July of 2011. They all have dark, glossy, oily wrappers. Prelight aroma is dense and pungent. They follow the famiiliar pattern of Don Pepin cigars: initial blast ofcraigdchilds@yahoo.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01881602537045502526noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5008170.post-29925062716368414932011-12-20T11:29:00.002-06:002011-12-20T11:33:59.410-06:00Royal NighisI can't find any information about this cigar online. It's a house label for a small cigar store I ducked into off Bourbon Street during my visit there in October. The band is white with silver (or gold?) lettering. It has a picture of a large plantation house and the words "New Orleans" written on either side. The cigar sported a dark brown wrapper. I don't remember much about craigdchilds@yahoo.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01881602537045502526noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5008170.post-4164596557599926082011-12-20T11:28:00.006-06:002011-12-20T11:35:35.084-06:00Partagas Diciembre (Winter Blend)Size: 5.5 x 49 Tobacco: Honduran sun-grown wrapper, Nicaraguan fillers, rolled in DRPrice: $5.75I found this cigar in my humidor. I don't know how long I've had it, or where it came from. It must have been a sampler. The cigar wrapper was very dark, and it featured flavors and smells that often accompany sun-grown wrappers: an oily pungent aroma; an almost craigdchilds@yahoo.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01881602537045502526noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5008170.post-22455961524114104732011-12-20T11:28:00.005-06:002011-12-20T11:34:56.810-06:00JR Alternative to Rocky Patel EdgeSize: 6.5 x 52 (Toro)Tobacco: HondurasPrice: $2.15I've been smoking the heck out of this bundle, which only has 10 months of age on it. I read on a message board several years back that the Honduran JR Alts are rolled in the same factory as the Rocky Patel Edge, so the JR Alt to RP Edge is probably in fact the same cigar. I don't know if this is true, but I cancraigdchilds@yahoo.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01881602537045502526noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5008170.post-33777950439761236982011-11-21T17:07:00.004-06:002011-11-21T17:41:07.893-06:00La Gloria Cubana Charlemagne vs JR Alternative to La Gloria CubanaSize: 7.5 x 52Tobacco: DR/NicaraguaPrice: $6.28"The LSU Cigar"18 months ago, I bought a bundle of JR Alternatives to La Gloria Cubana, and JR threw in a couple of real LGC's for comparison. I aged them all for a little over one year, then took my time working through the bundle over a span of six months. In general, I think JR craigdchilds@yahoo.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01881602537045502526noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5008170.post-67566399792497758402011-08-11T21:50:00.003-05:002011-08-11T21:54:53.094-05:00
Don Kiki Brown Label Churchill
Size: 7 x 52
Tobacco: Nicaraguan puro (sun-grown criollo wrapper)
Price: $4.80
Some cigars you love at first puff, but then quickly tire of. Other cigars underwhelm you at first, but then grow on you over time. Don Kiki Brown Label fits into this second category.
The cigar features a dark toothy sungrown wrapper. The aroma is rich and heady. The cigar craigdchilds@yahoo.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01881602537045502526noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5008170.post-12900814383608015242011-07-14T12:43:00.003-05:002011-07-14T12:49:32.674-05:00CI Legends by Graycliff (Purple Label)*updated opinions*Size: 5.7" by 54Tobacco: Dominican, Nicaragua, Brazil, Indonesian wrapperPrice: $3.50In May 2008, I reviewed this cigar on the basis of a several sticks loaned from a friend. I was impressed, but it took me a full year to purchase a box of my own. I aged it 20 months, then carried them down to Jamaica on vacation this year. I finished the craigdchilds@yahoo.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01881602537045502526noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5008170.post-91261075377026162232011-06-29T22:29:00.004-05:002011-06-29T22:42:45.540-05:00Padilla Hybrid Robusto (updated opinions)Size: 5 x 50Wrapper: Ecuador (hybrid of a cuban-seed and a Connecticut seed)Filler: Nicaragua, DR, PeruPrice: $3.50In August 2008, I reviewed this cigar on the basis of a single stick from a sampler pack. I purchased a box of 20 robustos for $40 in Feb 2009, aged it nearly two years. I have almost finished the box and thought it might be fun to revisit craigdchilds@yahoo.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01881602537045502526noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5008170.post-745940598716846022011-06-29T22:16:00.003-05:002011-06-29T22:23:05.868-05:00Sol Cubano Cuban Cabinet Size: 6 x 50 (Magnum/Toro)Wrapper: Ecuador HabanoFiller: Nicaraguan/HonduranPrice: $5.50This cigar is manufactured by Oliva and blended by AJ Fernandez (the creative force behind Man o War, La Herencia Cubana, Indian Tabac 10th Anniversary, Padilla Habano, RP Fusion, and several others). I aged this box nearly two years at a high RH (70-80%), then moved it to lower RH (craigdchilds@yahoo.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01881602537045502526noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5008170.post-63158917298724621662011-05-03T23:07:00.006-05:002011-05-05T17:54:43.518-05:00Perdomo Slow Aged #826 GloriosoSize: 6 x 52Tobacco: Nicaraguan with a Connecticut wrapperPrice: $2.50Labor Day Weekend, 2009. Michelle and I went to Gulf Shores Beach, AL with the Brannens and Friedmans. It was a great trip. Fond memories include:1. Sitting on our 14th floor balcony, drinking beer, watching a small shark try to eat a small child on an inflatable raft.2. Bama coming from craigdchilds@yahoo.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01881602537045502526noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5008170.post-43374707754233251302011-04-21T22:05:00.002-05:002011-04-21T22:18:50.266-05:00A few random musings...Yesterday, I finished my last Omar Ortez Original (aged 2 yrs, 1 mo.) from the original box of 60 (well, technically I left one in my Lost Sticks Tray that I'll probably fire up in 2013 or so). These were strong, pungent nicaraguan puros. They lacked complexity but made up for it with blunt force. My only complaint about these cigars were they could not be left craigdchilds@yahoo.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01881602537045502526noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5008170.post-5871657066401163112011-04-12T20:16:00.009-05:002011-04-12T20:45:19.490-05:00 El Titan de Bronze Redemption Sun Grown HabanoSize: 6 x 52Tobacco: Nicaragua (with an Ecuadorian wrapper)Price: ?Shaun B. gave me this cigar a year and a half ago, in 2009, from his last trip to Miami. Of course, El Titan de Bronze was the same cigar shop we visited the night before our summer 2008 Carribbean cruise--and the Redemption line was what we smoked on Saturday night in South Beach craigdchilds@yahoo.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01881602537045502526noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5008170.post-44900257767979713492011-04-11T22:26:00.003-05:002011-05-03T23:16:30.319-05:00Bahia Blue 500 (Robusto)Size: 5 x 50Tobacco: Nicaraguan puroPrice: $6After 23 months aging in my humidor, I finally got around to smoking this little known brand from Cigars International. Supposedly, they retail for $6 apiece, but I think they are a CI house blend, where they sell for $1.50 each. I have enjoyed five of them over the last three weeks, most of them while reading Letters of C.S. craigdchilds@yahoo.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01881602537045502526noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5008170.post-3438544533164952162011-03-17T21:27:00.004-05:002011-03-17T21:45:30.002-05:00Leon Jimenes #1Size: 7.25 x 50Wrapper: ConnecticutBinder/Filler: DominicanPrice: $4I inherited two of these Leon Jimenes churchills from Paul Shook early in 2010. I had never heard of this brand, but it is made by La Aurora. According to www.laaurora.com.do, all the tobaccos used in this cigar are aged 3 years before the cigar is rolled. (There is an extension to this line called Leon Jimenes craigdchilds@yahoo.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01881602537045502526noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5008170.post-1117817108662119032011-03-03T20:41:00.004-06:002011-03-03T20:54:37.709-06:00El Mejor Expresso RobustoSize: 5.5 x 50Tobacco:Honduran filler, with Mexican maduro wrapperPrice: $2I picked up 3 or 4 of these cigars from Paul Shook over a year ago. I am fond of the original El Mejor Emerald (green label), a decent value-priced medium-body corojo cigar with a cedar sleeve and a shaggy foot. However, the maduros have been slightly disappointing. First, the wrapper is craigdchilds@yahoo.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01881602537045502526noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5008170.post-49119453193557672652011-02-08T21:28:00.008-06:002011-02-15T20:45:19.628-06:00Tonight, I bring a Tale of Two Maduros:Montecristo Media Noche EdmundoSize: 5 x 55Wrapper: Connecticut Broadleaf Filler: Nicaragua, Peru, DominicanPrice: $16.25I got 4 of these cigars from Paul Shook. They've been aging for 12 months at 67-70% RH. The wrapper seemed a little too dark and uniform in color to be natural, so I did perform the wet finger test (I was so recently burned by a bad craigdchilds@yahoo.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01881602537045502526noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5008170.post-5025695324832516632011-02-05T17:06:00.003-06:002011-02-05T17:27:19.047-06:00Rocky Patel Corojo Especial RobustoSize: 5 x 50Tobacco: NicaraguaPrice: $2.00-$2.75I dropped Kedron off at a birthday party this afternoon, then had about an hour to grab a pint of Yuengling at Fox & the Hound. I chose a new Rocky Patel offering, the Corojo Especial, for the occasion. I got this cigar free from a Rocky Patel rep on the last day of my trip to Illinois last year. In fact, I aged craigdchilds@yahoo.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01881602537045502526noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5008170.post-14927139196730271452011-02-05T10:52:00.003-06:002011-02-05T17:28:27.092-06:00To cold for cigars this weekend, but thought I'd mention I made a couple of very low-rent pick ups this week. Boardwalk from Holts ($30), Flor de Baloney and RP Edge Alternatives from JRCigars ($73).That's 70 cigars for $1.47 each.I'm not sure why I did this, as I could have gotten a wheel of 50 SLRs on JRCigar Auctions for the same $100 (and I know I would love them). But sometimes I just get craigdchilds@yahoo.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01881602537045502526noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5008170.post-60895343622941170582011-01-30T16:49:00.002-06:002011-01-30T17:02:59.141-06:00Fire Maduro Double Corona by Rocky PatelSize: 7 x 49Wrapper: Costa RicoFiller: Nicaragua, HondurasPrice: $2This is the maduro version of the "triple fermented" Fire line by Indian Tabac/Rocky Patel. (My cigar must be older, since it featured a different band than the one shown above.) I reviewed the corojo version back in May 2006. These cigars can still be found on the internet (craigdchilds@yahoo.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01881602537045502526noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5008170.post-15534754107892382692011-01-29T14:35:00.006-06:002011-01-29T14:58:55.413-06:00Don Diego Aniversario Lord Rothchilde Size: 5 x 52Wrapper: Ecuadorian SumatraFiller: Nicaragua, Dominican, PeruvianPrice: $6Despite two snowfalls in the past 7 days, the weather today is nearly 70 degrees with no wind--a perfect time to dig out a lost treat from the bottom of the humidor. I don't know when I acquired this cigar, possibly from Paul Shook last year when he gave up smoking, but craigdchilds@yahoo.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01881602537045502526noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5008170.post-26984516427489854952011-01-29T00:00:00.003-06:002011-01-29T00:39:30.894-06:00State of the Humidor - Jan 2011New cigars to try in 2011: Tampa Sweetheart #85 (second to Fuente 8-5-8), Joya de Nicaragua FuerteLast cigar of 2010: OpusXFirst cigar of 2011: CAO AmericaBest (new) cigar of 2010: Ashton ESG ChurchillWorst (new) cigar of 2010: Hand-rolled Guatemalans New cigars I tried in 2010, that I would purchase again in the future: King Corona Ybor Handmades, El Sol Parejos 6Xcraigdchilds@yahoo.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01881602537045502526noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5008170.post-91822421128709929672010-10-30T11:26:00.002-05:002010-10-30T11:37:21.632-05:00No new reviews today, just a quick note. It's Saturday morning, Oct 30, 70 degrees and sunny outside. I'm watching SC vs Tennessee on the laptop and smoking a Tio Pepe churchill. 19 months in the humidor has solved all the burn problems with these cigars. They're a decent medium-bodied smoke, but still no where as good as the Perdomo Fresh-Rolled, which has become my standard recently when I craigdchilds@yahoo.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01881602537045502526noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5008170.post-73065206314951319742010-10-22T11:18:00.008-05:002010-10-23T11:48:50.779-05:00A few quick reviews from my trip to Columbia, SC, where Alabama's dream run at a repeat National Championship was crushed by a very physical South Caroline Gamecock team. The game was bad, but the tailgating and cigars were still a lot of fun. I only wish I had paid more attention (and perhaps drank a little less) so I could give these stogies proper reviews.1. Quesada TributoThis is a new craigdchilds@yahoo.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01881602537045502526noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5008170.post-42204422245673343562010-10-22T11:08:00.003-05:002010-10-22T11:17:58.565-05:00Ashton ESG ChurchillSize: 6.75 x 49Tobacco: Dominican puroPrice: $16.36 (CigarsDirect), $19 (retail)CigarsDirect sent me two of these cigars, a churchill and a bellicoso. Shaun B. was down in Memphis for his son’s baptism so we celebrated with a glass of 18-year Balvenie and the ESG’s. They were good-looking cigars with no blemishes or veins. The wrapper is a dark sun-grown Dominican. craigdchilds@yahoo.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01881602537045502526noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5008170.post-47812187705623224892010-08-22T10:05:00.006-05:002011-03-03T20:40:52.047-06:00I am catching up with my cigar reviews. This morning, I reflect on a pair of $1 "bargain" sticks from CigarsInternational.com that I plan to avoid in the future.Bucanero Red ToroSize: 6 x 50Tobacco: UnsurePrice: approx. $1It has been a while since I finished a 5-pack of these cigars from CigarBid.com. Bucanero is a boutique brand founded during the mid-1990's cigar boom, and it has received craigdchilds@yahoo.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01881602537045502526noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5008170.post-14377574048931794282010-08-17T19:24:00.004-05:002010-08-21T20:27:28.026-05:00La Flor de Murias EpicureSize: 5.5 x 50Tobacco: Dominican, Mexican (shade-grown USA Connecticut wrapper)Price: $2.10The full name of this cigar is La Flor de Jose Suarez Murias y Ca. The inscription on the band comes from the original verbiage that was on the Cuban cigar of the same name. It reads Tabacos Superiores de las Mejores Vegas de Vuelta-Abajo Hechos Espresamente Para Personas de Gustocraigdchilds@yahoo.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01881602537045502526noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5008170.post-72428708868618600312010-08-13T15:40:00.002-05:002010-08-13T15:44:28.057-05:005 Vegas Triple-ASize: 5 x 56Tobacco: Nicaraguan, with a Broadleaf maduro wrapperPrice: $5.60Thanks to CigarsDirect, who sent me this cigar to review. The Triple-A is a new extension of the 5 Vegas Series 'A' line, featuring a new blend and size (note the jaw-breaking ring gauge). It sports the traditional Series 'A' band on its head, while there is a foot band with the AAA moniker.I reviewed 5 craigdchilds@yahoo.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01881602537045502526noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5008170.post-27111137340926304772010-08-13T15:38:00.001-05:002010-08-13T15:40:27.005-05:00Private Stock Medium Filler by DavidoffSize: 5.1 x 50Tobacco: UnknownPrice: $3.70These cigars are widely supposed to be 2nds made from the trimmings of Davidoff Classic (White Label), which sell for about $17 apiece. I picked up a 5-pack at some point, I don't remember when or how much I paid for them. The wrapper appears to be a light, shade-grown leaf around firmly-packed filler. While I'm craigdchilds@yahoo.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01881602537045502526noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5008170.post-27804555090712398342010-08-02T22:31:00.004-05:002010-08-04T20:02:59.260-05:00Padilla Signature 1932 RobustoSize: 5 x 50Tobacco: Nicaraguan puroPrice: 10.80Thank you, Cigars Direct! The Padilla Signature 1932 robusto is, hands down, the best Padilla cigar I've had. It has single-handedly restored my faith in the brand. Before tonight, I've always been slighly disappointed in Padilla cigars. The Special Edition Cedro was relaxing, but too mild. The Habano was boring. craigdchilds@yahoo.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01881602537045502526noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5008170.post-40049472524212367812010-07-20T12:35:00.005-05:002010-08-04T20:03:15.793-05:00La Flor Dominicana Double Ligero DL600Size: 5 1/4 x 52Wrapper: Ecuadorian sun grownFiller: Dominican Price: $7The most generous cigar store on earth, Cigars Direct, sent me the DL600 to review.The last time I reviewed an LFD Dbl Ligero (the DL700), it just about killed me -- my heart raced, I was sweating. It was as absolutely awesome as a powerhouse cigar can be.My taste buds have built up morecraigdchilds@yahoo.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01881602537045502526noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5008170.post-43622360148617130602010-07-20T12:15:00.002-05:002010-07-20T12:31:22.992-05:00Patel Brothers ToroSize: 6.5 x 52Wrapper: Pennsylvania Broadleaf maduroFiller: NicaraguanPrice: $10I bought this cigar from a Rocky Patel rep at the Cigars for Aficionados lounge in Springfield, IL. This was the best cigar lounge I've ever been to, with two smoking rooms, card table, multiple widescreen televisions, and a fully stocked fridge. The regulars were extremely easy-going and craigdchilds@yahoo.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01881602537045502526noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5008170.post-23057945773533220912010-05-28T15:31:00.004-05:002010-07-20T12:14:19.886-05:00Fuente OpusX RobustoSize: 5 1/4 x 50 Tobacco: Dominican puroPrice: $25 One of my most memorable cigars was the "skunk cigar" I reviewed in April 2008, an OpusX Super Belicoso, so-named because I was chased off the porch by an adventurous skunk while smoking. That cigar was characterized by an initial burst of pepper, followed by a series of alternating tastes that fluctuated between sweet, spicycraigdchilds@yahoo.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01881602537045502526noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5008170.post-40598431227652956712010-05-28T15:15:00.003-05:002010-05-28T15:29:35.455-05:00Padilla Habano ChurchillSize: 7 x 48 Tobacco: Nicaraguan puroPrice: $3.50How can you go wrong with a 90-rated puro with a 5-year old Cuban-seed wrapper? I don't know, but you can.I really want to say something nice about this cigar. It has a yummy dark brown wrapper. It's got a cool yellow band. It's a Nicaraguan puro. I bought two 5-packs a year ago, in May 2009. I've still got a few left.craigdchilds@yahoo.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01881602537045502526noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5008170.post-8058738477866409632010-05-28T14:44:00.007-05:002010-05-28T15:30:58.416-05:00Tio Pepe ChurchillSIze: 7.0 x 48Tobacco: Nicaraguan PuroPrice: $1 (Closeout)I just love the advertisement copy for this cigar (shown above). It reminds me of Joe R. Lansdale's novel The Magic Wagon about charlatans in the Old West who drove their clapboard stagecoach from town to town peddling cure-alls, potions, and salves for every possible ailment. Perfect Recession Cigar!Sweet Tobacco Taste craigdchilds@yahoo.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01881602537045502526noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5008170.post-29044629450177918302010-04-08T18:39:00.011-05:002010-08-22T10:04:43.655-05:00CIGAR REVIEWS FROM NCL CRUISE:1. Hand-rolled GuatemalansDuring the cruise, I got sick and was quarantined for two days in my room, so I completely missed the horseback riding excursion in Guatemala. When I was finally released from captivity, my friends had bought one of these beauties for me. I hate to pan a gift, but truthfully it tasted like smoking grass clippings from the backyard. This craigdchilds@yahoo.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01881602537045502526noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5008170.post-28445185215403894842010-04-08T18:30:00.005-05:002010-04-19T17:02:33.263-05:00I just got back from Tampa, where I was track chair for the SAP-Centric Conference this year. I spent Saturday afternoon strolling through Ybor City in search of good cigar shops. Ybor City Plus cigarsSize: 4.0 x 52 (torpedito)Price: $5After a delicious chicken paella at The Columbian Restaurant , I wandered to Ybor City Plus to watch a lady hand-rolling cigars. (Actually, the binder and craigdchilds@yahoo.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01881602537045502526noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5008170.post-32395620439975272162010-01-02T21:39:00.007-06:002010-04-19T17:03:37.538-05:00State of the Humidor - Jan 2010New cigars to try in 2010: Don Kiki Brown Label, Don Pepin Serie JJ, Don Pepin Blue, Sol Cubano, Flor de Murias, Tampa Sweetheart #85 (second to Fuente 8-5-8)Last cigar of 2009: My New Year's Eve lineup consisted of a Padron 1926 Anniversary robusto, paired with Maker's Mark, followed by an Omar Ortez Original belicoso. First cigar of 2010: DPG Series JJ Maduro (craigdchilds@yahoo.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01881602537045502526noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5008170.post-47774561284134281842009-12-27T17:12:00.004-06:002009-12-27T17:22:16.035-06:00Fonseca VintageSize: 5 x 50Tobacco: DominicanPrice: $6.75The Fonseca Vintage shares some traits with all the other Fonseca extensions I've tried: bland, boring, remarkably unremarkable. The Vintage gets its name from the fact that all the tobaccos have been aged in tercio bales for 5 years. My two cigars aged in my humidor for an additional 19 months. It did absolutely nothing to improve them.craigdchilds@yahoo.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01881602537045502526noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5008170.post-57904690508263585412009-12-25T18:46:00.004-06:002009-12-25T18:53:38.675-06:00A couple of short reviews on Christmas afternoon… Oliva Serie ‘O’Size: 5 x 50Tobacco: Nicaraguan puro, sun-grown habano wrapper Price: $7It’s been a while since I smoked this one. I picked it up during a promotional event at Tinderbox in Collierville. It was spicy and full-bodied, with rich earthy, sweet-and-spicy tastes. I enjoyed it sitting outside, shooting the breeze with a couple FedEx craigdchilds@yahoo.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01881602537045502526noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5008170.post-78259204444230013322009-10-23T21:24:00.003-05:002009-10-23T21:55:15.515-05:00Man O' War ToroSize: 6.5 x 52Tobacco: Nicaraguan, with Habano Ecuador wrapperPrice: $5.81Man O' War was crafted by Abdel "AJ" Fernandez in Esteli, Nicaragua. Fernandez is also the creator of La Herencia Cubana, of which I am an increasingly ardent fan. Man O' War kicks it up a notch. Begins with rich, blunt spicy flavors, then mellows into floral flavors remiscent of LHC, then kicks into high craigdchilds@yahoo.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01881602537045502526noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5008170.post-75791581197998194502009-10-23T21:15:00.003-05:002009-10-23T21:23:50.430-05:00(This review was written on Sept. 16, 2009)Medina 1959 Miami Edition TorpedoSize: 6.5 x 52 Tobacco: NicaraguaPrice: $9I bumped into a Cuban Crafters sales rep while on vacation in Gulf Shores and, inspired by that conversation, decided to splurge on one of their higher-priced offerings. Medina 1959 are hand-rolled at the Cuban Crafters Miami factory by their namesake, Manuel Medina, and his craigdchilds@yahoo.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01881602537045502526noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5008170.post-18955632046466717282009-09-10T17:17:00.004-05:002009-09-10T17:26:16.409-05:00Gran Habano 3 SiglosSize: 7.0 x 50Tobacco: Nicaragua, Costa Rica, and Columbia Price: $7-8 (retail), $3 (online)I've read such great reviews of this cigar on Puff.com, I thought 3 Siglos was Gran Habano's top-of-the-line offering. However, I read today that a trademark dispute is forcing the company to discontinue this line. They're selling for $3 over at CigarsInternational, which is less thancraigdchilds@yahoo.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01881602537045502526noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5008170.post-4473889723614036072009-09-04T11:56:00.006-05:002009-09-10T17:37:10.808-05:00Cuesta Rey Centro Fino SungrownSize: 7.0 x 49Tobacco: Dominican with Sumatran wrapper from EcuadorPrice: $9 My friend Brian bought a round of cigars at Our Cigar Bar (Diamond Crown) yesterday during our Gulf Shores vacation. Brian had a Romeo y Juliet Reserve; Shaun picked the Diamond Crown Maximo; and I chose the mild-to-(maybe) medium premium Cuesta Rey. Cuesta Rey is one of the pricier craigdchilds@yahoo.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01881602537045502526noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5008170.post-78310026050683532802009-08-16T21:27:00.004-05:002009-08-16T21:34:17.934-05:00Rocky Patel Olde World Reserve Size: 6.5 x 52 (Toro)Tobacco: Nicaragua (filler), Honduras (binder), Costa Rica (wrapper)Price: $9.90Special thanks to my favorite cigar company CigarsDirect for sendingme 4 Olde World Reserve cigars to try and review.I first saw this particular cigar back in 2006 while visiting a local B&M named Cigar Depot. The box of OWR was sitting right next to a box of Padron craigdchilds@yahoo.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01881602537045502526noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5008170.post-41278048475270592952009-07-26T13:58:00.003-05:002009-07-26T14:27:49.936-05:00Ramon Allones Reserve Corona GordaSize: 6.12 x 50Wrapper: Ecuador SumatraTobacco: Honduras, Nicaragua, Dominican RepublicPrice: $5.50I picked up a box of 20 Ramon Allones Reserve cigars on CBid for $43, including shipping. It was a gamble; I had never tried one before, but I was hopeful since they are made by Villazon and come in the same dark Sumatra wrapper that made the Flor de Allones so craigdchilds@yahoo.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01881602537045502526noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5008170.post-71823598281060348742009-07-25T21:32:00.003-05:002009-07-25T21:51:55.526-05:00The Edge Maduro by Rocky PatelSize: 6.0 x 52Tobacco: ?? (Rocky keeps it a secret!)Price: $6.00CigarsDirect sent me two free Rocky Patel Samplers in September 2008. I reviewed the Sun Growns in April 2009, and I'm still sitting on an unfinished review of the Olde World Reserves that should be forthcoming soon (I'm waiting to smoke the last one, hoping the corojos will improve to the level of the craigdchilds@yahoo.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01881602537045502526noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5008170.post-87228230085853023312009-07-25T20:56:00.003-05:002009-07-25T21:24:08.089-05:00Casa Magna Colorado RobustoSize: 5.5" x 52Tobacco: Nicaraguan PuroPrice: $5.25Casa Magna cigars are made and sold by Manuel Quesada (MATASA & Fonseca) in a factory owned by Nestor Plascencia (Joya de Nicaragua); it is rumored to have been a replacement for the JdN Antano 1970. The Robusto took the cigar world by storm after it was voted Cigar of the Year in 2008 by Cigar Aficionado magazine. Evercraigdchilds@yahoo.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01881602537045502526noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5008170.post-66631982532541216512009-06-30T17:52:00.004-05:002009-07-05T21:14:17.157-05:00Graycliff 1666 Size: 7.0 x 48 (Presidente), 6.0 x 52 (Pirate-torpedo)Wrapper: Japaltec, MexicoBinder: Ecuadorian Sumatra Filler: Peruvian, Columbian, Brazilian, and MexicanPrice: $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 craigdchilds@yahoo.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01881602537045502526noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5008170.post-45689856044604033012009-06-30T17:43:00.004-05:002009-07-05T21:16:51.950-05:00La Flor de CanoSize: 5 x 54 (Selectos) Wrapper: Ecuadorian Sumatra (maduro)Filler: Mexico, Honduras, NicaraguaPrice: $3.50First 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 incraigdchilds@yahoo.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01881602537045502526noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5008170.post-91365589120940045902009-05-12T16:18:00.002-05:002009-05-12T16:27:43.769-05:00Vegas de Fonseca Size: 5.4" x 50 (Sobrino)Wrapper: African CameroonFiller: Nicaragua and DominicanPrice: $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, theycraigdchilds@yahoo.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01881602537045502526noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5008170.post-15539867392641197152009-04-29T22:32:00.003-05:002009-05-03T16:26:23.113-05:00Dona 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 letteringcraigdchilds@yahoo.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01881602537045502526noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5008170.post-41480082956738911692009-04-21T20:29:00.006-05:002009-04-21T21:00:38.423-05:00Ashton Benchmade ChurchillSize: 7.0 x 50Tobacco: Nicaraguan puroPrice: $3.25Pepin 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 craigdchilds@yahoo.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01881602537045502526noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5008170.post-15741494169592807292009-04-08T22:00:00.002-05:002009-04-08T22:40:12.321-05:00Rocky Patel Sun Grown ToroSize: 6.5 x 52Wrapper: 5 Year Old Ecuadorian Sun Grown SumatraBinder: NicaraguaFiller: Dominican & NicaraguanPrice: $7.50These 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 acraigdchilds@yahoo.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01881602537045502526noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5008170.post-15710925527959216362009-03-30T20:07:00.004-05:002009-04-02T15:39:24.469-05:00La Tradicion Cabinet Series Perdomo Reserve Cameroon RSize: 5 x 54 (Robusto)Tobacco: African Cameroon (wrapper), Nicaragua (filler)Price: $7.00I 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 "craigdchilds@yahoo.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01881602537045502526noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5008170.post-86476582633108196842009-03-21T12:26:00.004-05:002009-03-21T12:40:01.521-05:00La Invicta CoronaSize: 5.5 x 40Tobacco: Honduran puroPrice: $1.60Before 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 craigdchilds@yahoo.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01881602537045502526noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5008170.post-16051053457533884062009-03-21T11:32:00.002-05:002009-03-21T11:38:10.761-05:00Perdomo Fresh-Rolled Double CoronaSize: 7.0 x 50Tobacco: Nicaraguan puroPrice: $1.98I 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 craigdchilds@yahoo.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01881602537045502526noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5008170.post-82944164135959076892009-03-07T15:50:00.013-06:002009-03-21T12:10:52.550-05:00Today'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 Cigarcraigdchilds@yahoo.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01881602537045502526noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5008170.post-67996959621741601282009-02-22T22:20:00.005-06:002009-03-15T11:13:24.761-05:00Punch MagnumSize: 5.25 x 54Tobacco: Dominican, Nicaraguan, HonduranPrice: $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 craigdchilds@yahoo.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01881602537045502526noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5008170.post-89829898724871045162009-02-22T19:04:00.004-06:002009-03-15T11:13:42.431-05:00Gran Habano #1 Connecticut RobustoSize: 5 x 52Wrapper: ConnecticutTobacco: 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 craigdchilds@yahoo.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01881602537045502526noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5008170.post-29163241265198772702009-02-22T18:27:00.007-06:002009-03-15T11:13:55.789-05:00Fonseca 5-50Size: 5 x 50Tobacco: Dominican with Connecticut wrapper and Mexican binderPrice: $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 craigdchilds@yahoo.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01881602537045502526noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5008170.post-8309018037316801372009-02-11T09:57:00.003-06:002009-03-15T11:17:46.118-05:00Hoyo de MonterreySizes: Governor (6.12 x 50), Robusto (5.5 x 54)Wrapper: Ecuadoran SumatraFiller: Blend of Honduran, Nicaraguan, and DominicanPrice: $4.50This 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 craigdchilds@yahoo.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01881602537045502526noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5008170.post-47113899598040429552009-01-29T23:15:00.003-06:002009-04-09T21:22:43.702-05:005 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 craigdchilds@yahoo.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01881602537045502526noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5008170.post-51039466030886035872009-01-09T16:58:00.006-06:002009-03-23T22:31:29.295-05:00State of the Humidor - Jan 20092008 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 craigdchilds@yahoo.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01881602537045502526noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5008170.post-64351617758452366412008-12-23T16:15:00.005-06:002009-03-15T11:27:59.413-05:00Three By “Don” Pepin GarciaPepin 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 craigdchilds@yahoo.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01881602537045502526noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5008170.post-76195417260615681262008-10-30T17:09:00.004-05:002009-03-19T20:21:55.393-05:00Just 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 craigdchilds@yahoo.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01881602537045502526noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5008170.post-21146603641817969092008-10-20T16:52:00.007-05:002009-03-15T11:29:06.419-05:00Flor de A. Allones BelicosoSize: 6.12 x 50Tobacco: Honduras, with Ecuadorian Sumatra wrapperPrice: $3.83This 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 couldcraigdchilds@yahoo.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01881602537045502526noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5008170.post-26296068187706245402008-10-14T15:02:00.003-05:002009-03-15T11:29:31.838-05:00Maria Mancini De GaulleSize: 4.75 x 52Tobacco: Costa Rica, Honduras, NicaraguaPrice: $2.10I 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 craigdchilds@yahoo.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01881602537045502526noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5008170.post-14980483219246669192008-09-20T09:09:00.007-05:002009-03-15T11:29:51.039-05:00 La Rosa Especial Nikkoh Size: 6.0 x 52Tobacco: Mexican, Nicaraguan, Costa Rican, HonduranPrice: $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 discontinuedcraigdchilds@yahoo.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01881602537045502526noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5008170.post-27192649133524369532008-08-20T17:10:00.003-05:002009-03-17T16:34:33.257-05:00La Aurora Leoninos BellicosoSize: 6.5 x 52Filler: Piloto Cubano, Dominican Corojo, Bahía and NicaraguaBinder: DominicanWrapper: CorojoPrice: $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 wrapper2) It is the first La Aurora brand cigar I've ever tried (craigdchilds@yahoo.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01881602537045502526noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5008170.post-70566780973527337332008-08-20T17:08:00.005-05:002009-03-17T16:35:27.839-05:00 Fuente Hemingway Untold Story MaduroTobacco: DominicanPrice: $22This 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 craigdchilds@yahoo.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01881602537045502526noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5008170.post-67985596649565764792008-08-10T16:57:00.005-05:002009-03-17T16:36:34.759-05:00Cigar Musings from my Eastern Carribbean CruiseMichelle 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 craigdchilds@yahoo.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01881602537045502526noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5008170.post-234938019039923182008-08-10T16:46:00.009-05:002009-03-17T16:37:21.935-05:00MATASA 30TH ANNIVERSARY SIZE: 6.5 X 52 (Toro)WRAPPER: Dominican (maduro)TOBACCO: Dominican & NicaraguanPrice: $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 craigdchilds@yahoo.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01881602537045502526noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5008170.post-63831412607336083022008-07-17T16:07:00.003-05:002009-03-17T16:37:52.222-05:00Belinda Exquisito (Cedar Wrapped)Size: 6 x 50Wrapper: Ecuador SumatranFiller: Dominican/HonduranPrice: $3.00Belinda 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 craigdchilds@yahoo.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01881602537045502526noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5008170.post-59686444323249105612008-07-01T16:09:00.007-05:002009-03-23T22:28:52.241-05:00I 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 LabelSize: 6 x 44 (corona)Tobacco: Nicaragua, Honduras, Dominican, with Habano wrapperPrice: $3.25I craigdchilds@yahoo.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01881602537045502526noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5008170.post-20272019174670230322008-06-20T14:18:00.004-05:002009-03-17T16:39:46.180-05:00Romeo y Juliet 1875 Churchill Size: 7 x 50Tobacco: Dominican, with Indonesian Shade Grown wrapperPrice: $5.25I 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 craigdchilds@yahoo.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01881602537045502526noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5008170.post-83098813597573745902008-06-19T16:45:00.005-05:002009-03-17T16:40:06.554-05:00La Flor Dominicana Double Ligero DL700 MaduroSize: 6.5 x 60Tobacco: Dominican, with Ecuadorian sun grown wrapperPrice: $6.79Shaun 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 socraigdchilds@yahoo.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01881602537045502526noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5008170.post-12046821753487613472008-06-09T15:37:00.007-05:002009-03-17T16:40:40.934-05:00Olor del Cibao Size: 7 x 48Tobacco: 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 craigdchilds@yahoo.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01881602537045502526noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5008170.post-55955303615804500162008-06-04T13:22:00.005-05:002009-03-17T16:43:34.119-05:00Arturo Fuente Flor Fina 8-5-8 MaduroSize: 6 x 47Tobacco: Dominican with Connecticut Broadleaf wrapperPrice: $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 craigdchilds@yahoo.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01881602537045502526noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5008170.post-86868649646450926792008-05-19T23:33:00.006-05:002009-03-17T16:42:02.739-05:00Vibe Corojo Robusto Size: 5 x 52Tobacco: Nicaragua/HondurasPrice: $2.50After 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 craigdchilds@yahoo.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01881602537045502526noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5008170.post-25325344155858475792008-05-19T23:00:00.013-05:002009-04-11T10:45:04.519-05:00 Arturo Fuente Sun Grown Chateau King BSize: 6 x 55Filler: Dominican Wrapper: Ecuadorian Sun Grown "rosado" wrapperPrice: $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 gamecraigdchilds@yahoo.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01881602537045502526noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5008170.post-64380929439647298282008-05-19T22:54:00.002-05:002009-03-17T16:42:52.175-05:00Don Carlos Edicion de Aniversario Size: 5.2 x 50Tobacco: DominicanPrice: $40 (single)This cigar stands out as being, by far, the most expensive cigar I've ever smoked. Thank you Cigars DirectHistory: 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 craigdchilds@yahoo.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01881602537045502526noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5008170.post-60456776343847796642008-05-06T15:25:00.009-05:002009-04-20T17:41:12.060-05:00PUNCH GRAN PUROSizes:1. 6 x 50 (Pico Bonito)2. 5.5 x 54 (Rancho)Wrapper: Sun Grown from San Augustin Valley in HondurasFiller: HondurasPrice: 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 craigdchilds@yahoo.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01881602537045502526noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5008170.post-6781241279735783892008-04-25T22:46:00.004-05:002009-03-19T20:15:11.565-05:00Indian Tabac Super Fuerte Double Corona NaturalSize: 7.5 x 52Tobacco: Costa Rico, Nicaragua, HondurasPrice: $2.80I 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 craigdchilds@yahoo.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01881602537045502526noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5008170.post-1825614063148612452008-04-23T22:16:00.012-05:002009-04-09T21:06:44.581-05:00Camacho 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: CriolloTobacco: Honduran (cuban seed)Price: $5-$6.0I 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.craigdchilds@yahoo.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01881602537045502526noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5008170.post-91652547716235160352008-04-11T23:25:00.003-05:002009-03-21T11:41:01.872-05:00Victor Sinclair Triple Corojo TorpedoSize: 6.5 x 54 Tobacco: Dominican Republic puroPrice: $6-MSRP; $2.25-internetDespite 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 craigdchilds@yahoo.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01881602537045502526noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5008170.post-60027777995486108422008-04-08T22:47:00.005-05:002009-03-21T11:42:43.368-05:00Fuente Fuente OpusX Super BelicosoSize: 5.5 x 52Tobacco: Dominican PuroPrice: $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 craigdchilds@yahoo.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01881602537045502526noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5008170.post-24627945464781754372008-04-06T16:14:00.005-05:002009-03-21T11:41:59.216-05:00(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 49Tobacco: DominicanPrice: 29.95Last 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 craigdchilds@yahoo.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01881602537045502526noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5008170.post-73878100488058327092008-03-29T10:39:00.011-05:002009-03-21T11:43:07.442-05:00God of Fire Carlito 2005 Double RobustoSize: 5.7 x 50Tobacco: Dominican (with Cameroon wrapper)Price: $20-$24Billy 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 craigdchilds@yahoo.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01881602537045502526noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5008170.post-66162474838897347712008-03-20T18:32:00.004-05:002009-03-21T11:58:10.142-05:00Partagas Spanish Rosado SabrosoSize: 5.88 x 44Wrapper: HonduranFiller: Dominican/Mexican/HonduranPrice: $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 craigdchilds@yahoo.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01881602537045502526noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5008170.post-76440929150151148762008-03-16T19:22:00.005-05:002009-03-21T11:53:09.209-05:00Rocky Patel Original Sun GrownSize: 6.2 x 52 Wrapper/Filler: HonduranPrice: $2.22I 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.craigdchilds@yahoo.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01881602537045502526noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5008170.post-10963997323385401042008-03-09T17:31:00.009-05:002009-03-21T11:52:29.380-05:00Arturo Fuente Hemingway Signature MaduroSize: 6.00 x 47Tobacco: Dominican RepublicPrice: $14.00This 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 craigdchilds@yahoo.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01881602537045502526noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5008170.post-22321149056376346062008-03-04T20:43:00.007-06:002009-03-21T11:54:04.310-05:00CAO Brazilia SambaSize: 6.0 x 52Wrapper: BrazilianFiller: Nicaraguan, HonduranPrice: $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 craigdchilds@yahoo.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01881602537045502526noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5008170.post-87956212067630092982008-03-02T18:37:00.003-06:002009-03-23T22:12:44.275-05:00Arturo Fuente Hemingway Short StorySize: 4 x 48 (perfecto)Tobacco: Dominican filler, Cameroon wrapperPrice: $5Billy 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 craigdchilds@yahoo.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01881602537045502526noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5008170.post-87040118132023827142008-02-21T19:13:00.009-06:002009-03-23T22:25:57.696-05:00Arturo Fuente Sun Grown ChateauSize: 4.5 x 50Filler: DominicanWrapper: Ecuadorian Sun GrownPrice: $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 undercraigdchilds@yahoo.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01881602537045502526noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5008170.post-7378198871119578282008-02-17T18:09:00.005-06:002009-03-23T22:26:26.844-05:00Padron 7000 MaduroSize: 6.25 x 60Tobacco: Nicaraguan PuroPrice: $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 craigdchilds@yahoo.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01881602537045502526noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5008170.post-90643864684185013542008-01-13T22:47:00.001-06:002009-03-23T22:30:34.793-05:00Don Kiki Red Label ToroSize: 6 x 52Tobacco: Nicaraguan PuroPrice: $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 craigdchilds@yahoo.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01881602537045502526noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5008170.post-71212013916758779922008-01-02T18:03:00.001-06:002009-03-23T22:34:07.511-05:00Legends Cusano- Gray LabelSize: 5.7 x 54Tobacco: DominicanPrice: $3My 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 craigdchilds@yahoo.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01881602537045502526noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5008170.post-64566563863000534792007-12-31T12:02:00.001-06:002009-03-23T22:35:27.342-05:00It’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 StormFirst cigar ofcraigdchilds@yahoo.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01881602537045502526noreply@blogger.com0