I am back in the pocket with a review of something new to the market. This cigar has some back story about being some famous maker's personal blend and blah, blah, blah, blah... I never put any stock or faith into these garbage stories about a cigar's lineage for two reasons. One, I'm not that dumb, these companies have marketing people and if you think I am gifted in the arts of metaphorical embellishment you should meet some of those folks. Two, I could give a crap about a cigar's particular bona fides, I want to smoke it and see for myself what it is all about I don't really care where it came from. These companies can fill a brochure with rhetoric about cigar greatness and you know what? Most of these verbally oversold cigars send me running for the vomit bag. Enough said about the current marketing of cigars.
This cigar was given to me in sample form in an individual cardboard coffin, the cigar wrapped en cello. After I fight it out of the packaging, it was a bit tight in the cardboard coffin, I am ready to get started. The cigar itself is bold looking. The wrapper is hearty and dark, it has some prominent veins, but after closely inspecting them I believe they are just on the surface and shouldn't cause too many problems. The construction seems too tight to me and I am hoping it does not cause any issues with the performance. The pre light aroma is odd, it seems almost wet to me, like wet earth with some spice. The pre light draw is tight but shows some earthy flavors.
The cigar opens with a profile that is all earth; dark, loamy and wet earth. This is not a flavor that you want in a cigar at anytime in my experience and I am not pleased with this opening salvo. The flavor that is present seems heavy to me and it coats the palate in a smoke remnant that seems almost humid or swampy. At the back of the palate there are some mineral flavors that are showing up and maybe a touch of anise. No matter how I cut this opening it is just not good. The draw is tight and I am getting smoke, but it is not the usual level that I expect or have become accustomed to. The burn is solid to this point, which is the only quality worth anything at this point.
The first half of the cigar continues to wallow in the deep end of the pool of disgust. The core profile is still heavy and wet smacking of loamy earth. There might be some woody notes trying to creep in here, but they are smacked down repeatedly with the blanket of wet earth that holds down the whole experience. The back of the palate is still showing a metallic mineral flavor and there are still some anise and other spice notes here, but they can't stand up and really do anything for this cigar. The draw is still too tight, but I am getting more than I was earlier. The burn is still the highlight of the smoke at this point.
The final half of the cigar is actually not awful, but it is still bad. The core profile has become more woody, but there are still some hints of the wet earth that are coming through here. I catch maybe just a bit of coffee here and there, but I wanted so much more. The back of the palate still shows mineral flavors, but there are more spice notes coming through now and the anise flavor is definitely on the verge of being a star but never gets home. The draw stays too tight for me throughout. The burn performs well to the end.
The finish was short and harsh with scorched earthy flavors.
Appearance- 88 a nice looking cigar, the positives ended there
Taste- 77 just too many inferior flavors here
Construction- 81 the tight draw throughout the cigar hurt this score
Strength- 80 not sure if this is medium or full, but there is nothing complementary to the profile in the strength
Overall- 80.75 a very inferior cigar in my summation
Thursday, May 24, 2012
Tuesday, May 22, 2012
Esteban Carreras 211 Torpedo (6.75x52)
As Esteban Carreras is the new manufacturer sponsor of the show I co-host, I thought it only fitting that I take a crack at smoking and reviewing their latest blend. It is well known that I am no fan of torpedoes, so this cigar already has some strikes against it. I have enjoyed almost all of the blends from this manufacturer before, with the exception of the Connecticut offering, so I am thinking this one might be worthy of some praise as well. Alas, one can never tell until flame hits leaf.
The cigar is nice looking, aside from the vitola, it is a very light brown and it is not festooned with crazy band work or other gadgetry that makes me want to toss my lunch. Instead this cigar gets credit for being simple and elegant in appearance as it only has a small band around the foot of the smoke. It is presented, box and small band, in white. I have always heard that white is a danger color in the cigar industry, but I think it is regal looking, besides who can argue with the success of Davidoff or Illusione? Both of those cigars are presented with white bands and they do well. Sometimes this industry makes me giggle. The wrapper looks nice, but the cap is sloppy and there is one very large vein in the middle third that is giving me the hairy eyeball as I give it the same. The pre light aroma is bready with some vanilla tones. The pre light draw shows cedar flavors that border on being sharp.
The cigar opens with a profile that is unexpected but not necessarily profound. The flavor core has some nice notes of sweet vanilla and some floral tones, but the presentation seems thin to me at this point and I am straining to find something deeper. The back of the palate contains a dry cedar tone that is leeching moisture from my mouth and threatening to derail the experience. There is also a dusty texture to the smoke that leaves a filmy coat of cedar remnant on the tongue. This is not the most pleasant open to a cigar that I have ever head, but neither is it the most unpleasant which is all I can say in the way of an endorsement at this point. The draw is a bit tight, as I find most vitolas of this nature to be, but it is not causing me any huge concerns. The burn is solid in the opening third.
The first half of the cigar does show some development. The core profile becomes a more deep and concentrated presentation of vanilla, bread and some floral tones and they have a nice balance, all though I would like some spice to take down some of the sweet impressions here. The back of the palate continues to show a strong cedar presence, but there is a nice crisp tobacco note here that is taking some of the sharpness out the cedar notes. The draw continues to be slightly laborious, but I am trudging onward like a good cigar soldier. The burn is still sharp and there are no areas on concern it that arena.
The final half of the smoke is flat. I really look for development in the home stretch and this cigar just does not deliver the goods for some reason. The profile is locked in stasis. The core maintains vanilla, bread and light floral tastes and I still find myself yearning for some spice to punch up the interest and take out some sweetness, but it never arrives and I end up with a smoke that is too sweet for me. The back of the palate again sharpens into a strong cedar presentation, but at least this time it's not as dry as on the first pass. The draw does open up in the final third, which is nice, but I would have liked it to happen much sooner. The burn is acceptable right to the end.
The finish smacks of cedar and leaves the palate a little bit too dry for my tastes.
Appearance- 87 a nice looking smoke
Taste- 86 just too short in the complexity and depth department, but there were some nice flavors here
Construction- 84 the draw was too tight for me
Strength- 88 a very nice medium
Overall- 85.75 slightly above average, but not my favorite blend from this manufacturer
The cigar is nice looking, aside from the vitola, it is a very light brown and it is not festooned with crazy band work or other gadgetry that makes me want to toss my lunch. Instead this cigar gets credit for being simple and elegant in appearance as it only has a small band around the foot of the smoke. It is presented, box and small band, in white. I have always heard that white is a danger color in the cigar industry, but I think it is regal looking, besides who can argue with the success of Davidoff or Illusione? Both of those cigars are presented with white bands and they do well. Sometimes this industry makes me giggle. The wrapper looks nice, but the cap is sloppy and there is one very large vein in the middle third that is giving me the hairy eyeball as I give it the same. The pre light aroma is bready with some vanilla tones. The pre light draw shows cedar flavors that border on being sharp.
The cigar opens with a profile that is unexpected but not necessarily profound. The flavor core has some nice notes of sweet vanilla and some floral tones, but the presentation seems thin to me at this point and I am straining to find something deeper. The back of the palate contains a dry cedar tone that is leeching moisture from my mouth and threatening to derail the experience. There is also a dusty texture to the smoke that leaves a filmy coat of cedar remnant on the tongue. This is not the most pleasant open to a cigar that I have ever head, but neither is it the most unpleasant which is all I can say in the way of an endorsement at this point. The draw is a bit tight, as I find most vitolas of this nature to be, but it is not causing me any huge concerns. The burn is solid in the opening third.
The first half of the cigar does show some development. The core profile becomes a more deep and concentrated presentation of vanilla, bread and some floral tones and they have a nice balance, all though I would like some spice to take down some of the sweet impressions here. The back of the palate continues to show a strong cedar presence, but there is a nice crisp tobacco note here that is taking some of the sharpness out the cedar notes. The draw continues to be slightly laborious, but I am trudging onward like a good cigar soldier. The burn is still sharp and there are no areas on concern it that arena.
The final half of the smoke is flat. I really look for development in the home stretch and this cigar just does not deliver the goods for some reason. The profile is locked in stasis. The core maintains vanilla, bread and light floral tastes and I still find myself yearning for some spice to punch up the interest and take out some sweetness, but it never arrives and I end up with a smoke that is too sweet for me. The back of the palate again sharpens into a strong cedar presentation, but at least this time it's not as dry as on the first pass. The draw does open up in the final third, which is nice, but I would have liked it to happen much sooner. The burn is acceptable right to the end.
The finish smacks of cedar and leaves the palate a little bit too dry for my tastes.
Appearance- 87 a nice looking smoke
Taste- 86 just too short in the complexity and depth department, but there were some nice flavors here
Construction- 84 the draw was too tight for me
Strength- 88 a very nice medium
Overall- 85.75 slightly above average, but not my favorite blend from this manufacturer
Monday, May 21, 2012
Oliva Master Blends 3 Robusto (5x50)
Travelling for work has kept me from entertaining all of you with hard hitting reviews recently, I am just being kept down by the man it seems. Some of you may be surprised to see that I have chosen this particular cigar to review. I usually keep my reviews to new items and boutique trends, but if any of you listen to the radio show I co-host every Saturday (shameless plug coming), on 1280 AM in the Sarasota area or on wtmy.com, you know that my partner and I often talk about something called a cigar evolution. I have long held that most cigar smokers go through periods of refinement in their palate and often find themselves enjoying cigars they thought they never would, or enjoying a cigar that they had tried before but discarded as not for them. This process is what I call the cigar evolution and in nearly 24 years of cigar smoking I have had several personal evolutions of my own. I hold up the cigar being reviewed here as evidence of said evolution. I have smoked these before and I was not able to get my head around the super premium price for what I considered an average cigar. In recent years my palate has begun to appreciate more subtle flavors and less strength as I search for cigar nuance so I figured giving this cigar another try might be interesting.
The cigar presents very well, I have always thought these were some very attractive smokes. The wrapper just bathes the senses in a warm glow of finely tuned tobacco that looks dark and rich. There are some prominent veins here, but I don't feel as though they will be an issue. An inspection of the smoke does not show me any areas of concern and the construction looks and feels sturdy without being too tight. The band work is nice to look at as well, so I will give it a nod in the visual department. The pre light aroma is full of rich tobacco and coffee essence. The pre light draw has some subtle cocoa flavors and some light mint that I find very interesting.
The cigar opens with an opus of flavors that I do not recall experiencing in my prior Master Blends endeavors. The profile is awash with bold textures and flavors of tobacco, coffee, cocoa, dark wood and mint. I am stunned by this early profile extravaganza and I am wondering how I could have missed this when I smoked it before. At the back of the palate there is an earthiness that is heavy but not overwhelming, and while it lacks complexity, it can stand alone as the flavor in the backdrop and serves as a wonderful platform for the early flavors. The draw is a little tight for me, but I am drawing a decent amount of smoke so I am not overly concerned. The burn is solid and a crisp gray/white ash is forming nicely.
The first half of the cigar continues to be a paragon of my cigar evolution virtues. It is subtle, balanced, complex and flavorful and I am realizing that I could not have enjoyed this smoke two or three years ago because I was a dolt, an ignoramus if you will, about the intricacies of the cigar world. The core profile is booming right along while showing coffee and cocoa as the main actors in this cigar aria, but there is a fantastic rip of dark wood that keeps laying in some rustic qualities to a cigar that wants to show off so much refinement. At the back of the palate the earthy flavors remain, but there are some fantastic runs of pepper here as well that is knocking up the spice quotient into the full bodied range. The draw is still a bit too tight for me, but I am moving along with eager longing for the last half. The burn is still very solid and there is not a single issue.
The final half of the cigar actually sags a bit for me, but after the open and the first half it really had nowhere to go but down or it may have gotten a 99 or 100 from me. As it is, it is still a fabulous smoke that I enjoy right to the end. The core profile becomes a less subtle array of flavors as some strength is brought into the mix. There is a slight flavor of tannin here that could be mineral in nature, but there are still some excellent coffee flavors coming through. At the back of the palate there are still some nice earth tones and the dark wood is showing through here with some pepper remnant that I would have like more of. The draw stays just a hair tight to the end for me, but it will not lead to a huge downgrade from me. The burn is solid to the end.
The finish was full of pepper and dark wood for many minutes. This is a prime example of cigar evolution at its finest in my book.
Appearance- 93 a very nice looking cigar
Taste- 95 an excellent array of flavors, particularly in the first half
Construction- 92 some tightness in the draw leads to slight reductions
Strength- 97 a fabulous medium/full that complements the flavor profile in a profound way
Overall- 94 a near classic experience and a wonderful cigar
The cigar presents very well, I have always thought these were some very attractive smokes. The wrapper just bathes the senses in a warm glow of finely tuned tobacco that looks dark and rich. There are some prominent veins here, but I don't feel as though they will be an issue. An inspection of the smoke does not show me any areas of concern and the construction looks and feels sturdy without being too tight. The band work is nice to look at as well, so I will give it a nod in the visual department. The pre light aroma is full of rich tobacco and coffee essence. The pre light draw has some subtle cocoa flavors and some light mint that I find very interesting.
The cigar opens with an opus of flavors that I do not recall experiencing in my prior Master Blends endeavors. The profile is awash with bold textures and flavors of tobacco, coffee, cocoa, dark wood and mint. I am stunned by this early profile extravaganza and I am wondering how I could have missed this when I smoked it before. At the back of the palate there is an earthiness that is heavy but not overwhelming, and while it lacks complexity, it can stand alone as the flavor in the backdrop and serves as a wonderful platform for the early flavors. The draw is a little tight for me, but I am drawing a decent amount of smoke so I am not overly concerned. The burn is solid and a crisp gray/white ash is forming nicely.
The first half of the cigar continues to be a paragon of my cigar evolution virtues. It is subtle, balanced, complex and flavorful and I am realizing that I could not have enjoyed this smoke two or three years ago because I was a dolt, an ignoramus if you will, about the intricacies of the cigar world. The core profile is booming right along while showing coffee and cocoa as the main actors in this cigar aria, but there is a fantastic rip of dark wood that keeps laying in some rustic qualities to a cigar that wants to show off so much refinement. At the back of the palate the earthy flavors remain, but there are some fantastic runs of pepper here as well that is knocking up the spice quotient into the full bodied range. The draw is still a bit too tight for me, but I am moving along with eager longing for the last half. The burn is still very solid and there is not a single issue.
The final half of the cigar actually sags a bit for me, but after the open and the first half it really had nowhere to go but down or it may have gotten a 99 or 100 from me. As it is, it is still a fabulous smoke that I enjoy right to the end. The core profile becomes a less subtle array of flavors as some strength is brought into the mix. There is a slight flavor of tannin here that could be mineral in nature, but there are still some excellent coffee flavors coming through. At the back of the palate there are still some nice earth tones and the dark wood is showing through here with some pepper remnant that I would have like more of. The draw stays just a hair tight to the end for me, but it will not lead to a huge downgrade from me. The burn is solid to the end.
The finish was full of pepper and dark wood for many minutes. This is a prime example of cigar evolution at its finest in my book.
Appearance- 93 a very nice looking cigar
Taste- 95 an excellent array of flavors, particularly in the first half
Construction- 92 some tightness in the draw leads to slight reductions
Strength- 97 a fabulous medium/full that complements the flavor profile in a profound way
Overall- 94 a near classic experience and a wonderful cigar
Friday, May 4, 2012
San Lotano Connecticut Toro (6x54)
I have reviewed the other San Lotano blends and I held the Connecticut back for a couple of reasons. First, I did not hear great things about this cigar, which was very surprising considering how much positive buzz there was about the Oval and the Habano blends. When I hear bad things I sometimes hesitate and hold a review until some of the negatives have died out and I can take a fair look at the cigar. The second reason, and really the more important one, is that Connecticut blends are usually not my favorites. If you look back over the history of this blog, Connecticut cigars have really not done well in my tastings (with the exception of Oliva and Pedro Martin).
This cigar presents nicely. The wrapper is silky smooth and has some light dusty characteristics in the texture that make me think of velvet. There are very few veins here, and I am liking what I am seeing so far. An inspection of the cigar reveals no areas of concern, as the bunch and roll seem to be very well done to me. The pre light aroma is bready and it has a nice sweet hint of cedar. The pre light draw has some light white pepper tones, but does not show much else.
The cigar opens with a profile that has more depth and complexity than I expected. The core profile has some wonderful hints of bread, cinnamon, vanilla and cedar. The overall impressions of this mix of flavors is very favorable and I am very happy with the profile dynamics that are being shown so early. At the back of the palate there is only one flavor, white pepper, and I don't feel like it has enough glue to hold this profile together for long but for right now it is ok. The draw is a little too tight for me early on, but it is not causing any performance issues at this point. The burn is solid at this point and a sturdy ash is forming.
The first half of the cigar shows some flavor retreating and I find myself disappointed by this development. The core profile is really showing some hard cedar flavors at this point and there is a strange sweet spice that takes some reflection to place, but I finally decide it is like a hard cider. At the back of the palate some pepper flavors continue, but there is a papery finish to the smoke here and it takes away from the experience. The draw is loosening some, but I still feel like it is too tight for my tastes, there is just the slightest bit of labor involved. The burn is right on the money and I don't anticipate any issues.
The final half of the cigar continues to slide downward in my view. The profile becomes more cedary still and that flavor becomes sharp and somewhat bitter. The cider essence has gone away at this point and that makes the sharp cedar flavors all the more in your face at this point. The back of the palate is still showing some light wisps of pepper, but the papery flavors are still present at this point. The draw is still too tight to the end of the smoke, but the burn was solid throughout.
The finish was papery, but had a strong cedar flavor as well.
Appearance- 91 a very nice looking smoke
Taste- 86 some very nice early flavors, but the last half took away some valuable points
Construction- 87 the draw was too tight, but the burn was exceptional
Strength- 88 a very nice mild/medium that could have used more pop
Overall- 87.5 slightly above average, could have been excellent with less flavor loss late in the smoke
This cigar presents nicely. The wrapper is silky smooth and has some light dusty characteristics in the texture that make me think of velvet. There are very few veins here, and I am liking what I am seeing so far. An inspection of the cigar reveals no areas of concern, as the bunch and roll seem to be very well done to me. The pre light aroma is bready and it has a nice sweet hint of cedar. The pre light draw has some light white pepper tones, but does not show much else.
The cigar opens with a profile that has more depth and complexity than I expected. The core profile has some wonderful hints of bread, cinnamon, vanilla and cedar. The overall impressions of this mix of flavors is very favorable and I am very happy with the profile dynamics that are being shown so early. At the back of the palate there is only one flavor, white pepper, and I don't feel like it has enough glue to hold this profile together for long but for right now it is ok. The draw is a little too tight for me early on, but it is not causing any performance issues at this point. The burn is solid at this point and a sturdy ash is forming.
The first half of the cigar shows some flavor retreating and I find myself disappointed by this development. The core profile is really showing some hard cedar flavors at this point and there is a strange sweet spice that takes some reflection to place, but I finally decide it is like a hard cider. At the back of the palate some pepper flavors continue, but there is a papery finish to the smoke here and it takes away from the experience. The draw is loosening some, but I still feel like it is too tight for my tastes, there is just the slightest bit of labor involved. The burn is right on the money and I don't anticipate any issues.
The final half of the cigar continues to slide downward in my view. The profile becomes more cedary still and that flavor becomes sharp and somewhat bitter. The cider essence has gone away at this point and that makes the sharp cedar flavors all the more in your face at this point. The back of the palate is still showing some light wisps of pepper, but the papery flavors are still present at this point. The draw is still too tight to the end of the smoke, but the burn was solid throughout.
The finish was papery, but had a strong cedar flavor as well.
Appearance- 91 a very nice looking smoke
Taste- 86 some very nice early flavors, but the last half took away some valuable points
Construction- 87 the draw was too tight, but the burn was exceptional
Strength- 88 a very nice mild/medium that could have used more pop
Overall- 87.5 slightly above average, could have been excellent with less flavor loss late in the smoke
Thursday, April 26, 2012
Swag Quickie (5.5x42)
Swag is normally short for Stuff We All Get, or in some cases is used to describe someone with incredible personal flair. In this case it has been chosen for a cigar, I can only think they meant it as the second definition I outlined above, as if this cigar has some swanky flair to it. Heck, maybe the makers believe that it is so good that everyone will go out to get some, thus living up to the Stuff We All Get moniker. Your guess is as good as mine.
The cigar presents in some pretty serious coverings that make me wonder what the maker is trying to hide. When a maker covers an entire cigar in anything other than cedar I am always very, very wary because as a consumer I can't look at the cigar before I buy it. In my view this is a tactical error on the part of the manufacturer as it removes part of the visual and tactile experience in selecting a cigar. The cigar itself, once I free it from the cumbersome outer wrappings, seems dry to me and it has a very odd reddish hue. I love the size, these smaller cigars are some of my favorites right now. It seems to be made well, as I don't detect any areas of concern. The pre light aroma is sharp and full of cedar notes. The pre light draw is tight and has some light tobacco flavor and full blasts of cedar.
The cigar opens with a profile that I can only describe as bloody awful. The core flavors are horrid, showing grass and sharp, bitter wood flavors that assail the palate with constant salvos of crappy flavor. I would sooner suck a lemon or drink paint thinner than experience this ever again. Making the experience even more unbearable is the back of the profile. There are some real bile churning events going on here as I am assaulted with more grass and tastes of bitter vegetation. The draw is way too tight for me, but maybe that is a blessing in disguise as it keeps me fully experiencing this cigar holocaust. The burn is right on the money and I can only hope that some accelerant has been put in the wrapper so this horror show moves faster. At this point I am thinking a better name for this cigar would have been Snew, for Stuff Nobody Ever Wants.
The first half of the cigar continues on towards a personal Armageddon for me. The flavor profile becomes so awful that I seriously contemplate chucking this cigar and heading for something more tasty, like a spoonful of alum or maybe a couple of shots of brake fluid. I'm not sure that I want to continue describing this sorry excuse but in the interest of my readers I will trudge on. The core profile is still of sour and bitter wood and sharp grassy flavors. The back of the palate is not better as an ashy and charred presentation of vegetation takes over as the main flavor. The draw is still too tight, but the burn is still right on the money. Still in consideration of new names mode I am now leaning towards Stan, for Stuff That Advances Nausea.
The final half of the cigar got worse. That's right, WORSE! How could this be possible you may wonder? I don't have an answer, I still have not figured it out. The profile becomes nothing but bitter and sour flavors, I can't even decipher what was supposed to be there as the bitter and sour notes just plain overwhelmed my palate. The draw is still way too tight for me, but the burn does stay solid to the end.
The finish was, well, it was a blessed event of absolution for me, the smoker, as I was able to absolve myself of the horrific experience and begin looking forward to better things, like getting bamboo shoots shoved under my fingernails.
My final name for this cigar would be nothing clever or cute, it would simply be Sorry You Wasted Your Money.
Appearance- 78 once I got past the silly paper the cigar really didn't look that good
Taste- 70 the lowest possible score for the lowest I've ever been in my cigar smoking life
Construction- 75 some points for a nice burn, but the draw was terrible
Strength- 75 medium I guess, but there was nothing complementary happening here at all
Overall- 73.75 just plain terrible
The cigar presents in some pretty serious coverings that make me wonder what the maker is trying to hide. When a maker covers an entire cigar in anything other than cedar I am always very, very wary because as a consumer I can't look at the cigar before I buy it. In my view this is a tactical error on the part of the manufacturer as it removes part of the visual and tactile experience in selecting a cigar. The cigar itself, once I free it from the cumbersome outer wrappings, seems dry to me and it has a very odd reddish hue. I love the size, these smaller cigars are some of my favorites right now. It seems to be made well, as I don't detect any areas of concern. The pre light aroma is sharp and full of cedar notes. The pre light draw is tight and has some light tobacco flavor and full blasts of cedar.
The cigar opens with a profile that I can only describe as bloody awful. The core flavors are horrid, showing grass and sharp, bitter wood flavors that assail the palate with constant salvos of crappy flavor. I would sooner suck a lemon or drink paint thinner than experience this ever again. Making the experience even more unbearable is the back of the profile. There are some real bile churning events going on here as I am assaulted with more grass and tastes of bitter vegetation. The draw is way too tight for me, but maybe that is a blessing in disguise as it keeps me fully experiencing this cigar holocaust. The burn is right on the money and I can only hope that some accelerant has been put in the wrapper so this horror show moves faster. At this point I am thinking a better name for this cigar would have been Snew, for Stuff Nobody Ever Wants.
The first half of the cigar continues on towards a personal Armageddon for me. The flavor profile becomes so awful that I seriously contemplate chucking this cigar and heading for something more tasty, like a spoonful of alum or maybe a couple of shots of brake fluid. I'm not sure that I want to continue describing this sorry excuse but in the interest of my readers I will trudge on. The core profile is still of sour and bitter wood and sharp grassy flavors. The back of the palate is not better as an ashy and charred presentation of vegetation takes over as the main flavor. The draw is still too tight, but the burn is still right on the money. Still in consideration of new names mode I am now leaning towards Stan, for Stuff That Advances Nausea.
The final half of the cigar got worse. That's right, WORSE! How could this be possible you may wonder? I don't have an answer, I still have not figured it out. The profile becomes nothing but bitter and sour flavors, I can't even decipher what was supposed to be there as the bitter and sour notes just plain overwhelmed my palate. The draw is still way too tight for me, but the burn does stay solid to the end.
The finish was, well, it was a blessed event of absolution for me, the smoker, as I was able to absolve myself of the horrific experience and begin looking forward to better things, like getting bamboo shoots shoved under my fingernails.
My final name for this cigar would be nothing clever or cute, it would simply be Sorry You Wasted Your Money.
Appearance- 78 once I got past the silly paper the cigar really didn't look that good
Taste- 70 the lowest possible score for the lowest I've ever been in my cigar smoking life
Construction- 75 some points for a nice burn, but the draw was terrible
Strength- 75 medium I guess, but there was nothing complementary happening here at all
Overall- 73.75 just plain terrible
Monday, April 23, 2012
Room 101 La Serie C Robusto (5x50)
It is no secret that I am not a fan of Camacho, or the prior Room 101 cigars. I'm not even sure these cigars are still made by Camacho, I really didn't care enough to check if I'm being frank. I had not smoked a Room 101 in god only knows how long, and I'm not sure what made me decide to smoke this one, other than it was in fact a cigar and it was in fact sitting in my humidor, I usually don't need to many more reasons than that.
The cigar itself is not visually entertaining. The wrapper is very pale in color, almost yellow and unhealthy looking really (if a cigar had a liver and it was failing it would be this color). There are some prominent veins here, but I don't detect any reasons why that would cause a problem. I will give a nod to some pretty cool bandwork though, so props for that. An inspection of the cigar leads me to believe that it might be a little too tight in the bunch, but that will be seen when flame hits leaf. The pre light aroma is light and dusty with some nice bready notes. The pre light draw is too tight, but shows some light pepper and soft tobacco flavors.
The cigar opens with a profile that is interesting, but not particularly complex or deep. The core profile shows some notes of light wood, bread and sweet floral tones but they are not particularly well developed at this point. At the back of the palate there are some cedar impressions, but there is a soft bitterness that I only hope stays soft or disappears all together as the smoke progresses. The draw is way too tight for me, and there is some struggle to get the right amount of smoke out of the experience in the opening moments. The burn is solid, but also slow due to the draw issues I'm sure.
The first half of the cigar is really a neurotic ride through some wild flavors at the front and back of the palate. The core profile is of light citrus fruit and bread however, there are also bitter and charred tobacco flavors here as well and it is throwing the cigar completely off balance. At the back of the palate a light white pepper presentation has taken over, but there are weird cedar notes here as well and they are sharp and off putting when considered against the rest of the smoke. The draw is still far too tight for the proper enjoyment quotient, but the burn is holding on despite a weak drawing performance.
The final half of the cigar does not further the cause for me in any way. The core profile has some charred tobacco and coffee notes and they are overwhelming anything else that might be there for the tasting. The back of the palate has become sharp and overtly peppery and I can't get hold of anything redeeming in the final third of the smoke. The draw was still too tight. The burn performed acceptably.
The finish was middling, but it did have a nice coffee tone to it.
Appearance- 86 I'll give the credit to the band here
Taste- 83 just really not all that good, I was disappointed
Construction- 78 the draw was very, very poor
Strength- 85 medium, but it did not complement the profile very well
Overall- 85.5 very, very ho hum
The cigar itself is not visually entertaining. The wrapper is very pale in color, almost yellow and unhealthy looking really (if a cigar had a liver and it was failing it would be this color). There are some prominent veins here, but I don't detect any reasons why that would cause a problem. I will give a nod to some pretty cool bandwork though, so props for that. An inspection of the cigar leads me to believe that it might be a little too tight in the bunch, but that will be seen when flame hits leaf. The pre light aroma is light and dusty with some nice bready notes. The pre light draw is too tight, but shows some light pepper and soft tobacco flavors.
The cigar opens with a profile that is interesting, but not particularly complex or deep. The core profile shows some notes of light wood, bread and sweet floral tones but they are not particularly well developed at this point. At the back of the palate there are some cedar impressions, but there is a soft bitterness that I only hope stays soft or disappears all together as the smoke progresses. The draw is way too tight for me, and there is some struggle to get the right amount of smoke out of the experience in the opening moments. The burn is solid, but also slow due to the draw issues I'm sure.
The first half of the cigar is really a neurotic ride through some wild flavors at the front and back of the palate. The core profile is of light citrus fruit and bread however, there are also bitter and charred tobacco flavors here as well and it is throwing the cigar completely off balance. At the back of the palate a light white pepper presentation has taken over, but there are weird cedar notes here as well and they are sharp and off putting when considered against the rest of the smoke. The draw is still far too tight for the proper enjoyment quotient, but the burn is holding on despite a weak drawing performance.
The final half of the cigar does not further the cause for me in any way. The core profile has some charred tobacco and coffee notes and they are overwhelming anything else that might be there for the tasting. The back of the palate has become sharp and overtly peppery and I can't get hold of anything redeeming in the final third of the smoke. The draw was still too tight. The burn performed acceptably.
The finish was middling, but it did have a nice coffee tone to it.
Appearance- 86 I'll give the credit to the band here
Taste- 83 just really not all that good, I was disappointed
Construction- 78 the draw was very, very poor
Strength- 85 medium, but it did not complement the profile very well
Overall- 85.5 very, very ho hum
Thursday, April 19, 2012
El Primer Mundo Liga Miami Toro (6x52)
Another cigar that you have probably never heard of, I know I hadn't when I stumbled across it at one of my favorite B&M's some months ago. It carries a hefty price at above ten bucks, but the proprietor heavily recommended it, so I grabbed one on a flyer and set it aside for a bit as I reviewed some other, more well known, cigars in recent months. I am always excited when I find cigars that I have never heard of. It is like finding a secret treasure, of course the value of said treasure could be nothing if the cigar turns out to be garbage. There is nothing like perusing the shelves of a chock full B&M humi and finding treats that you have never seen or heard of. I don't understand these guys that just smoke the same thing over and over and over again, there is no excitement in that. Expand your horizons! Try something new and different! Show some cigar courage, or balls, or cojones you choose the euphemism, just do it!
This cigar will never win an appearance contest. The wrapper is drab and light brown. There are no real oils or other appealing visuals to the wrapper, it is just there. The band work is monotone and boring as well. This is not starting out well but, as I have told you many times before, we musn't judge a cigar by it's appearance alone (sadly though, many great cigars lose out because of visual issues and many people miss great cigars based on their own restrictive visual criteria). An examination of the cigar leads me to believe that it will perform well. It is appropriately spongy and there are no voids or tight areas in the bunch. The pre light aroma is full of tobacco notes. The pre light draw is showing some roasted nut and cinnamon flavors.
The cigar opens with a profile that is full of subtle and nuanced flavors. It may actually be too delicate for my palate to pick up all of the things happening here, but I like what I am getting in the opening moments. The core profile is full of graham cracker, cinnamon and light vanilla flavors that are appealing, but not particularly deep or satisfying. The back of the palate is showing a richer profile of crisp tobacco flavors with some nice cedar essence. The draw is excellent for me, there is just the right amount of resistance and ample smoke. The burn is solid and a nice ash forms quickly and seems very solid.
The first half of the cigar continues to show subtle balance and nuance, but I am still wishing for more depth. The core profile is lacing the palate with flavors of lemongrass, cinnamon and vanilla. I must admit that this is my first experience with a lemongrass presentation and it is appealing to me, though very subtle. At the back of the palate rich cedar flavors are booming across the experience and I find these flavors to be an interesting underlay for the main profile. The draw continues to perform very well. The burn is still solid and moving along as it should.
The final half of the cigar warms up a bit in the strength category, becoming a more convincing medium. The core profile becomes a more robust presentation of cinnamon and crisp tobacco flavors and while some of the nuance is gone, solid flavor that is full of depth remains which is an acceptable performance at this point in the cigar. The back of the palate becomes more peppery, but the cedar core remains and provides a nice undertone for the remaining experience.
The finish was long and smooth, showing notes of cinnamon long after the cigar goes cold.
Appearance- 85 very average looking
Taste- 89 I needed more depth and complexity early, but the cigar was still very, very good
Construction- 91 a very nice performance here
Strength- 88 a very nice mild that transitions to medium
Overall- 88.75 a very nice smoke, but for the price I expect 90+
This cigar will never win an appearance contest. The wrapper is drab and light brown. There are no real oils or other appealing visuals to the wrapper, it is just there. The band work is monotone and boring as well. This is not starting out well but, as I have told you many times before, we musn't judge a cigar by it's appearance alone (sadly though, many great cigars lose out because of visual issues and many people miss great cigars based on their own restrictive visual criteria). An examination of the cigar leads me to believe that it will perform well. It is appropriately spongy and there are no voids or tight areas in the bunch. The pre light aroma is full of tobacco notes. The pre light draw is showing some roasted nut and cinnamon flavors.
The cigar opens with a profile that is full of subtle and nuanced flavors. It may actually be too delicate for my palate to pick up all of the things happening here, but I like what I am getting in the opening moments. The core profile is full of graham cracker, cinnamon and light vanilla flavors that are appealing, but not particularly deep or satisfying. The back of the palate is showing a richer profile of crisp tobacco flavors with some nice cedar essence. The draw is excellent for me, there is just the right amount of resistance and ample smoke. The burn is solid and a nice ash forms quickly and seems very solid.
The first half of the cigar continues to show subtle balance and nuance, but I am still wishing for more depth. The core profile is lacing the palate with flavors of lemongrass, cinnamon and vanilla. I must admit that this is my first experience with a lemongrass presentation and it is appealing to me, though very subtle. At the back of the palate rich cedar flavors are booming across the experience and I find these flavors to be an interesting underlay for the main profile. The draw continues to perform very well. The burn is still solid and moving along as it should.
The final half of the cigar warms up a bit in the strength category, becoming a more convincing medium. The core profile becomes a more robust presentation of cinnamon and crisp tobacco flavors and while some of the nuance is gone, solid flavor that is full of depth remains which is an acceptable performance at this point in the cigar. The back of the palate becomes more peppery, but the cedar core remains and provides a nice undertone for the remaining experience.
The finish was long and smooth, showing notes of cinnamon long after the cigar goes cold.
Appearance- 85 very average looking
Taste- 89 I needed more depth and complexity early, but the cigar was still very, very good
Construction- 91 a very nice performance here
Strength- 88 a very nice mild that transitions to medium
Overall- 88.75 a very nice smoke, but for the price I expect 90+
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