I had been hearing about this cigar from BOTL's recently and I must say the ratings from some of them seemed to good to be true. As is often the case I never take anyone's word for anything, and I decided that this cigar would need to be put before the hairy eyeball of cigar scrutiny forthwith.
The cigar presents in a slightly box pressed form. As a side note, I have never understood the purposes of the box press and I can't come up with a single reason why it should be done. However, I have smoked many excellent box pressed smokes and this one looks spectacular. The wrapper has deep brown tones and looks lustrous. There are very few veins and the oils are nearly dripping off this smoke. Even the band work is simple and elegant, something many companies forget about these days. I examine the cigar closely, I always spend more time in this area with a box pressed smoke, because in my opinion the pressing can exacerbate flaws. In this smoke I detect nary an area for concern. The pre light aroma is light and fresh, showing a nose of coffee, earth and crisp tobacco. The pre light draw seems a bit tight to me, but there is flow so I am not overly concerned. I detect some essence of chocolate and mint on the trial puffs.
The cigar opens with a profile that is nothing short of excellent. There are some fabulous arrays of coffee, chocolate and dark fruit in the opening moments and the profile is deep and complex. I am stunned by the early offerings of this smoke and I am settling in for an experience. At the back of the palate there are some very pleasing flavors of dark wood and earth that complement and mull the sweetness of the front of the profile. The draw is a little tight for me, I prefer them to be more open. The burn is a little wobbly to start, but I do not think that it will cause any issues.
The first half of the cigar performs well, but loses some of the promise of the opening moments. There are some hints of coffee and chocolate here, but a more straightforward presentation of tobacco has started to come in. I still find this to be very enjoyable, but not as complex as the opening few minutes. At the back of the palate there are still some tastes of dark wood, but the earthy components have taken over here. Somewhere in the one third to one half point of this cigar it picks up in strength and begins to rear back with some hidden power. The draw continues to perform, but I am still waiting for it to open a bit. The burn has corrected itself well.
The final half of the cigar continues to show some surprising strength that I find to be very interesting. This cigar showed no signals in the early minutes that it would strengthen in this way. The profile has morphed into a real in your face presentation of tobacco and coffee that lacks some depth and complexity, but is still enjoyable. At the back of the palate some odd floral sweetness has shown up, but it plays well against an earthy backdrop. The draw opens slightly in the final minutes of the smoke and the burn continues to be solid.
The finish has some sweet floral hints with an earthy overtone.
I must say that this is the best cigar I have smoked in some weeks and I will point out what most already know. Knowledgeable BOTL's are worth listening to sometimes.
Appearance- 92 a very attractive smoke
Taste- 91 a very nice profile that kept my interest, but could have been more complex
Construction- 90 some deductions for tightness in the draw early on
Strength- 92 a very surprising strength profile that complemented the profile in a big way
Overall- 91 a very solid performance from this smoke
Tuesday, November 16, 2010
Monday, November 15, 2010
Tatuaje Monster Series "The Face" (6.375x56)
Every year Pete Johnson brings us the Monster Series cigar sometime around Halloween. This year's version is a very large offering and it sports a band made of tobacco that is supposed to resemble Leatherface of Texas Chainsaw Massacre fame. The cigar also shows an unfinished foot, I always find this affectation to be gimmicky, and in some cases I have had an unfinished foot hinder early combustion and cause smoking issues that could have been avoided. Gimmicks aside, I have always enjoyed the Monster Series smokes and I will live with the strange and affected once per year.
The smoke itself is very large and thick. I am not a big ring guy, but in this case it seems right to me. The tobacco as a band idea has some cache and provides and interesting visual experience, plus it saves labor as I usually remove the band right away. An examination of the cigar reveals no issues, but I do notice that the wrapper seems a bit dry to me. There are very few veins, and aside from some visual dryness as well, the cigar seems well made. The pre light aroma is very strange, but pleasing, showing some sweet wheaty aromas. The pre light draw is very smooth, which indicates to me the unfinished foot will not be an issue, it shows some strong notes of tobacco and light spice.
The cigar opens with a profile that is a touch too thin for me. There are some nice ideas of spice, tobacco and sugarcane here but they are not deep or complex. There is a touch of early pepper here as well, but it is dry and not helping the cause. At the back of the palate there are some very nice flavors of wood and leather, but again the flavors seem a bit too shallow for me at this point. The draw on this cigar is a dream, I am having no issue getting ample smoke from each pull and the resistance that is present is nearly perfect. The burn is slightly askew, but cigars with an unfinished foot often burn oddly early on.
The first half of the cigar is a lesson in duality. There are some areas that I really like and when the smoke is in these phases I am nearing cigar euphoria. However, there are some times in the first half when I am seriously considering getting rid of the whole shooting match. The profile is alternately of spice and tobacco followed by shifts to grass and dusty presentations of cedar. There are some areas where a hint of vanilla might be coming through, but they are not anything I can isolate. At the back of the palate there are still some notes of wood, but the front of the profile leaves the final impressions wanting. The draw continues to be excellent and the burn has evened out.
The final half of the cigar is where I expect some development, but there really is none. The presentation continues to be schizophrenic, alternately showing excellence and mediocrity. The main profile continues to waffle between notes of tobacco and spice to notes of vegetation and grass. There is an odd aftertaste creeping in here that is sugary, but charred. At the back of the palate there are still some notes of wood that are acceptable and adding to the experience in a positive way. The draw and burn continue to be most impressive.
The finish was interesting, showing some ideas of sugarcane, tobacco, grass and spice. Overall this was not the most impressive of the Monster Series smokes, look to last year's Boris or Drac for better experiences (if you can find any).
Appearance- 88 an interesting visual approach
Taste- 86 there was just too much happening here for it to be any higher
Construction- 92 aside from some early burn issues, this cigar performed magnificently
Strength- 87 a solid medium that was not unique in any way
Overall- 88.5 based on solid construction and average taste
The smoke itself is very large and thick. I am not a big ring guy, but in this case it seems right to me. The tobacco as a band idea has some cache and provides and interesting visual experience, plus it saves labor as I usually remove the band right away. An examination of the cigar reveals no issues, but I do notice that the wrapper seems a bit dry to me. There are very few veins, and aside from some visual dryness as well, the cigar seems well made. The pre light aroma is very strange, but pleasing, showing some sweet wheaty aromas. The pre light draw is very smooth, which indicates to me the unfinished foot will not be an issue, it shows some strong notes of tobacco and light spice.
The cigar opens with a profile that is a touch too thin for me. There are some nice ideas of spice, tobacco and sugarcane here but they are not deep or complex. There is a touch of early pepper here as well, but it is dry and not helping the cause. At the back of the palate there are some very nice flavors of wood and leather, but again the flavors seem a bit too shallow for me at this point. The draw on this cigar is a dream, I am having no issue getting ample smoke from each pull and the resistance that is present is nearly perfect. The burn is slightly askew, but cigars with an unfinished foot often burn oddly early on.
The first half of the cigar is a lesson in duality. There are some areas that I really like and when the smoke is in these phases I am nearing cigar euphoria. However, there are some times in the first half when I am seriously considering getting rid of the whole shooting match. The profile is alternately of spice and tobacco followed by shifts to grass and dusty presentations of cedar. There are some areas where a hint of vanilla might be coming through, but they are not anything I can isolate. At the back of the palate there are still some notes of wood, but the front of the profile leaves the final impressions wanting. The draw continues to be excellent and the burn has evened out.
The final half of the cigar is where I expect some development, but there really is none. The presentation continues to be schizophrenic, alternately showing excellence and mediocrity. The main profile continues to waffle between notes of tobacco and spice to notes of vegetation and grass. There is an odd aftertaste creeping in here that is sugary, but charred. At the back of the palate there are still some notes of wood that are acceptable and adding to the experience in a positive way. The draw and burn continue to be most impressive.
The finish was interesting, showing some ideas of sugarcane, tobacco, grass and spice. Overall this was not the most impressive of the Monster Series smokes, look to last year's Boris or Drac for better experiences (if you can find any).
Appearance- 88 an interesting visual approach
Taste- 86 there was just too much happening here for it to be any higher
Construction- 92 aside from some early burn issues, this cigar performed magnificently
Strength- 87 a solid medium that was not unique in any way
Overall- 88.5 based on solid construction and average taste
Saturday, November 13, 2010
Rocky Patel 15th Anniversary Toro (6.5x52)
I was the recipient of a pair of these smokes at a launch party a couple of months ago. This cigar had much fanfare around it, I am assuming that is because the Decade was such a smashing success. To say that I am skeptical about this smoke would be an understatement, recent Rocky Patel fare has been substandard to say the least. I have found this turn of events to be disappointing, as I used to enjoy many of Rocky's offerings, but in recent years have departed as other makers continue to do new and better things. In my mind inconsistency has killed this particular front mark for me, I have just smoked too many bad Rocky's in recent years.
This particular smoke presents well, but has some prominent veining and a toothy feel to it. The construction appears to be solid and I can not detect any areas of concern. The pre light aroma has some barnyard essence to it, and some hints of earth and rich tobacco. The pre light draw is a bit thin, but shows some strange flavors of loamy earth and odd spice.
This cigar opens with a profile that is far too bitter and is similar to crushed aspirin, it is difficult to discern any other flavors in the opening moments. At the back of the palate there are some dry and harsh notes of wood, but again it is difficult to spot much else here. The lack of anything enjoyable here is very disturbing to me. The draw is a little thin for me, but it is not causing any issues aside from being the delivery mechanism of foul tasting smoke. The burn is sharp at this point and a solid ash is forming.
The first half of the cigar shows some blessed development. The profile is still not anything to write home about, but the bitterness has gone away. There are some notes of coffee here and some light tastes of tobacco and earth, but there is little depth or complexity to any of these presentations. At the back of the palate there are some odd floral touches here, but overall some of the bitterness still persists. The draw remains thin to this point, but is still not causing any issues. The burn continues to be strong at this point.
The final half of the cigar strengthens in terms of performance, but it is still too little too late. The profile has improved and shows some nice flavors of coffee, earth and cocoa. At the back of the palate a crisp note of wood is present, but it is hinging on being a bit too dry for me. Dry smoke is the kiss of death in any cigar I smoke, as I will not tolerate a sore throat after something I am trying to enjoy. The draw opens up in the final third, but it opens too quickly and some heat causes issues late in the experience. The burn stays solid throughout.
The finish was short and had some bitter qualities that lingered. I was again disappointed by a Rocky offering. What has happened to these blends?
Appearance- 88 a fine looking cigar
Taste- 82 a sub par effort, and the parts that were acceptable were not complex
Construction- 85 very average, below average draw with above average burn
Strength- 85 a very middling medium
Overall- 84.5 another poor effort
This particular smoke presents well, but has some prominent veining and a toothy feel to it. The construction appears to be solid and I can not detect any areas of concern. The pre light aroma has some barnyard essence to it, and some hints of earth and rich tobacco. The pre light draw is a bit thin, but shows some strange flavors of loamy earth and odd spice.
This cigar opens with a profile that is far too bitter and is similar to crushed aspirin, it is difficult to discern any other flavors in the opening moments. At the back of the palate there are some dry and harsh notes of wood, but again it is difficult to spot much else here. The lack of anything enjoyable here is very disturbing to me. The draw is a little thin for me, but it is not causing any issues aside from being the delivery mechanism of foul tasting smoke. The burn is sharp at this point and a solid ash is forming.
The first half of the cigar shows some blessed development. The profile is still not anything to write home about, but the bitterness has gone away. There are some notes of coffee here and some light tastes of tobacco and earth, but there is little depth or complexity to any of these presentations. At the back of the palate there are some odd floral touches here, but overall some of the bitterness still persists. The draw remains thin to this point, but is still not causing any issues. The burn continues to be strong at this point.
The final half of the cigar strengthens in terms of performance, but it is still too little too late. The profile has improved and shows some nice flavors of coffee, earth and cocoa. At the back of the palate a crisp note of wood is present, but it is hinging on being a bit too dry for me. Dry smoke is the kiss of death in any cigar I smoke, as I will not tolerate a sore throat after something I am trying to enjoy. The draw opens up in the final third, but it opens too quickly and some heat causes issues late in the experience. The burn stays solid throughout.
The finish was short and had some bitter qualities that lingered. I was again disappointed by a Rocky offering. What has happened to these blends?
Appearance- 88 a fine looking cigar
Taste- 82 a sub par effort, and the parts that were acceptable were not complex
Construction- 85 very average, below average draw with above average burn
Strength- 85 a very middling medium
Overall- 84.5 another poor effort
Wednesday, November 10, 2010
La Gloria Cubana Serie N Rojo (6.5x46)
I have always found the sister incarnation of this blend, the Serie R, to be very inconsistent. I have had some that I have rated as high as 92 and some that I have rated as low 83, that type of inconsistency can kill a cigar in an industry with ever more demanding consumers out there. I had heard some good things about the N and was looking forward to smoking it.
The cigar presents with a nearly jet black wrapper that has plenty of oils and some feint veins, for added effect there is a small N just below the band in the wrapper that I find to be unique visually. The pre light aroma is boring, but shows some earthy qualities. The pre light draw is sour, but has some hints of pepper as well.
The cigar opens with a straightforward profile of earth, tobacco and coffee. There is nothing particularly compelling about the flavors, as they lack depth and complexity. There is a nice balance, but it is a balance of mediocrity at this point. At the back of the palate there are some tastes of pepper, but there is a flat wooden overtone here that is out of place. The draw is too tight for and there is some labor in producing the right amount of smoke. The burn is off as well and I fear that there will be touch ups in the future.
The first half of the cigar continues to be lackluster. The profile is still balanced, but the flavors lack depth, nuance and complexity. There are some shows of earth and tobacco, but overall the presentation is flat. At the back of the palate a more woody array of flavors has taken hold and there is a sweetness creeping in that I would equate to molasses, but my overall impression of this cigar is still wanting. The draw is still too tight for my liking and the burn continues to deteriorate with a huge runner that I am avoiding touching up at all costs.
The final half of the smoke maintains a pedestrian character. The profile stays very average showing some ideas of earth, tobacco and some pepper. I am unimpressed with this effort and was hoping for so much more. At the back of the palate there are still some hints of sweetness, but the flat wood notes are returning as well. The burn and draw remain sub par through to the end.
The finish was short and showed some chemical flavors that were unappealing.
I was really disappointed in this because I expected more, but in the end I would say that this cigar was very average. Hopefully, like the Serie R, there are some gems out there. The two I smoked did not fit the bill.
Appearance- 92 a very attractive smoke
Taste- 85 very, very average
Construction- 78 bad draw and burn hurt this smoke
Strength- 83 a weak full that needs to complement the profile more effectively
Overall- 83.5 below average due to construction problems
The cigar presents with a nearly jet black wrapper that has plenty of oils and some feint veins, for added effect there is a small N just below the band in the wrapper that I find to be unique visually. The pre light aroma is boring, but shows some earthy qualities. The pre light draw is sour, but has some hints of pepper as well.
The cigar opens with a straightforward profile of earth, tobacco and coffee. There is nothing particularly compelling about the flavors, as they lack depth and complexity. There is a nice balance, but it is a balance of mediocrity at this point. At the back of the palate there are some tastes of pepper, but there is a flat wooden overtone here that is out of place. The draw is too tight for and there is some labor in producing the right amount of smoke. The burn is off as well and I fear that there will be touch ups in the future.
The first half of the cigar continues to be lackluster. The profile is still balanced, but the flavors lack depth, nuance and complexity. There are some shows of earth and tobacco, but overall the presentation is flat. At the back of the palate a more woody array of flavors has taken hold and there is a sweetness creeping in that I would equate to molasses, but my overall impression of this cigar is still wanting. The draw is still too tight for my liking and the burn continues to deteriorate with a huge runner that I am avoiding touching up at all costs.
The final half of the smoke maintains a pedestrian character. The profile stays very average showing some ideas of earth, tobacco and some pepper. I am unimpressed with this effort and was hoping for so much more. At the back of the palate there are still some hints of sweetness, but the flat wood notes are returning as well. The burn and draw remain sub par through to the end.
The finish was short and showed some chemical flavors that were unappealing.
I was really disappointed in this because I expected more, but in the end I would say that this cigar was very average. Hopefully, like the Serie R, there are some gems out there. The two I smoked did not fit the bill.
Appearance- 92 a very attractive smoke
Taste- 85 very, very average
Construction- 78 bad draw and burn hurt this smoke
Strength- 83 a weak full that needs to complement the profile more effectively
Overall- 83.5 below average due to construction problems
Thursday, November 4, 2010
Macanudo Cru Royale Robusto (5x50)
I know what you are all thinking...the Czar smoked a Macanudo!?!? I did my friends, I did. In order to keep you up to speed on what I am thinking I will leave no cigar unsmoked. I noticed these a week or so ago, but only got around to smoking it today. It is kind of like the milk in the fridge that is approaching it's use by date, you look at it and you say I have a couple of days left. Then all of a sudden you are out of time and milk gets put on everything for that day so you don't waste it. This cigar is kind of like that, it has been sitting there at my B&M and I have looked at it and looked at it, but always kept saying I have some time. Well today I decided the time was running out, and in the interest of keeping my reviews fresh and pertinent to new cigars in the industry I had to smoke and review it before someone else got to it.
The cigar itself is kind of rough looking, the wrapper is toothy and veiny and the head has an oddly rounded shape. An inspection shows me nothing out of the ordinary and I am relieved because many Macs of recent vintage have been rolled way too tight and have been nearly impossible to smoke. The pre light aroma has all of the barnyard qualities that only a cigar smoker can appreciate. The pre light draw is a little sour, but shows some coffee flavors.
The cigar opens with a profile that is not particularly deep or complex, but it does have some nice blasts of coffee and earth in the opening moments. At the back of the palate there is a bit of a chemical/metallic taste that is slight, but not what I am looking for. The draw is a dream, at least by recent Mac standards. The burn is even and a nice white ash is forming as it draws down.
The first half of the smoke shows little development. The main profile still has some coffee flavors, but they are becoming charred. There is still an earthy tone here that holds the weak profile together as well as it can. At the back of the palate some of the metallic notes have gone away, and a somewhat bland papery quality has come forward that is accompanied by inconsistent blasts of pepper. The draw continues to be above average and the burn is still strong.
The final half of the cigar is better, but still middling. The profile continues to have some coffee flavors, but there are thin presentations of earth and dark wood here as well. At the back of the palate there are still some papery flavors and pepper, but there is no cohesion to this area of the smoke. The draw and burn remained strong throughout.
The finish had a resurgence of metallic flavors, but there were some coffee remnants here as well. This cigar was by no means impressive, but it was not awful. Perhaps some aging would be beneficial. What I can say is, it appears that General may have solved some of their recent quality issues in terms of construction.
Appearance- 87 a rough looking smoke
Taste- 82 a below average taste experience
Construction- 91 this cigar smoked very well
Strength- 86 a middling medium that could use some more power
Overall- 86.5 slightly above average based on construction
The cigar itself is kind of rough looking, the wrapper is toothy and veiny and the head has an oddly rounded shape. An inspection shows me nothing out of the ordinary and I am relieved because many Macs of recent vintage have been rolled way too tight and have been nearly impossible to smoke. The pre light aroma has all of the barnyard qualities that only a cigar smoker can appreciate. The pre light draw is a little sour, but shows some coffee flavors.
The cigar opens with a profile that is not particularly deep or complex, but it does have some nice blasts of coffee and earth in the opening moments. At the back of the palate there is a bit of a chemical/metallic taste that is slight, but not what I am looking for. The draw is a dream, at least by recent Mac standards. The burn is even and a nice white ash is forming as it draws down.
The first half of the smoke shows little development. The main profile still has some coffee flavors, but they are becoming charred. There is still an earthy tone here that holds the weak profile together as well as it can. At the back of the palate some of the metallic notes have gone away, and a somewhat bland papery quality has come forward that is accompanied by inconsistent blasts of pepper. The draw continues to be above average and the burn is still strong.
The final half of the cigar is better, but still middling. The profile continues to have some coffee flavors, but there are thin presentations of earth and dark wood here as well. At the back of the palate there are still some papery flavors and pepper, but there is no cohesion to this area of the smoke. The draw and burn remained strong throughout.
The finish had a resurgence of metallic flavors, but there were some coffee remnants here as well. This cigar was by no means impressive, but it was not awful. Perhaps some aging would be beneficial. What I can say is, it appears that General may have solved some of their recent quality issues in terms of construction.
Appearance- 87 a rough looking smoke
Taste- 82 a below average taste experience
Construction- 91 this cigar smoked very well
Strength- 86 a middling medium that could use some more power
Overall- 86.5 slightly above average based on construction
Wednesday, November 3, 2010
Carlos Torano Single Region Serie Jalapa Robusto (5x52)
This is a new cigar from Torano, in the interest of full disclosure I should tell all of you that I seldom like anything from the Torano clan. This cigar has had a lot of scuttlebutt recently and I finally succumbed to the pressure and gave one a smoke.
The cigar itself is nothing spectacular to look at. The wrapper is mottled, the band pedestrian and the over all visual seemed very dry to me. There are some prominent veins in the wrapper, but the overall construction seems to be acceptable. The pre light aroma is odd, but shows some hints of ginger and clove. The pre light draw is sour and I can't detect anything that makes me feel otherwise.
The cigar opens with a profile that is thin and lacking in zest. There are some strange spice characteristics, but the overall impression is that the smoke is scorched and acrid. At the back of the palate there are some harsh tinges of dry vegetation and the smoke is also very dry causing some discomfort in the throat. The burn is slightly askew but not in need of touch up at this point. The draw is acceptable, but a bit too tight for me at this point.
The first half of the cigar continues to be lackluster. The main profile is scorched and acrid, with some fleeting ideas of spice and tobacco, but the overall presentation is very onerous. At the back of the palate the dryness continues and there are no real flavors that can be detected at this point in the cigar. The burn has deteriorated further and I begin the process of what will become several touch ups. The draw remains tight, but passable.
The final half of the cigar is the death knell for this experience. The main profile shows scorched and acrid flavors, plus an odd chemical flavor that is horrific. At the back of the palate I am trying to control my gag reflex, as this cigar ramps up the putrescence. The burn continues to be inferior and the draw is passable, but I wish it was obstructed so I can launch this rocket.
The finish was fetid, with essence of dry vegetation and acrid flavors that were bordering on acidic.
I would recommend some fine machine made fare if you have a choice between this and a King Edward.
Appearance- 85 an average looking cigar
Taste- 70 my lowest possible mark for a cigar
Construction- 77 the burn was horrible and the draw barely passable
Strength- 85 an average medium
Overall- 77.25 don't waste your time.
The cigar itself is nothing spectacular to look at. The wrapper is mottled, the band pedestrian and the over all visual seemed very dry to me. There are some prominent veins in the wrapper, but the overall construction seems to be acceptable. The pre light aroma is odd, but shows some hints of ginger and clove. The pre light draw is sour and I can't detect anything that makes me feel otherwise.
The cigar opens with a profile that is thin and lacking in zest. There are some strange spice characteristics, but the overall impression is that the smoke is scorched and acrid. At the back of the palate there are some harsh tinges of dry vegetation and the smoke is also very dry causing some discomfort in the throat. The burn is slightly askew but not in need of touch up at this point. The draw is acceptable, but a bit too tight for me at this point.
The first half of the cigar continues to be lackluster. The main profile is scorched and acrid, with some fleeting ideas of spice and tobacco, but the overall presentation is very onerous. At the back of the palate the dryness continues and there are no real flavors that can be detected at this point in the cigar. The burn has deteriorated further and I begin the process of what will become several touch ups. The draw remains tight, but passable.
The final half of the cigar is the death knell for this experience. The main profile shows scorched and acrid flavors, plus an odd chemical flavor that is horrific. At the back of the palate I am trying to control my gag reflex, as this cigar ramps up the putrescence. The burn continues to be inferior and the draw is passable, but I wish it was obstructed so I can launch this rocket.
The finish was fetid, with essence of dry vegetation and acrid flavors that were bordering on acidic.
I would recommend some fine machine made fare if you have a choice between this and a King Edward.
Appearance- 85 an average looking cigar
Taste- 70 my lowest possible mark for a cigar
Construction- 77 the burn was horrible and the draw barely passable
Strength- 85 an average medium
Overall- 77.25 don't waste your time.
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