Thursday was spend a bundle on car repair day, so after I was done straightening my back from bending over to hold my ankles I decided that it was time to have a smoke and relax while plotting the demise of everyone associated with the automobile industry. Seriously, has there ever been a greater or more ingenious scam perpetrated on the American public (aside from the current resident of the White House, WTF....)? The car was developed with planned obsolescence in mind, and boy do they make us pay for that plan. Every time I turn around it is another $500 or $1000 going out to replace this or that. What does this have to do with cigars you might ask? Simple, the more I spend keeping myself mobile the less I spend keeping myself relaxed with a nice cigar!
This cigar is right in my car pool lane. This is my favorite size for a smoke. These sizes always deliver plenty of flavor and seldom show any smoking issues in any area. I have always felt that the smaller rings are just the purest delivery of wrapper vs. filler/binder and the taste is often times legendary. The cigar itself is very well made. The wrapper is dark and has a nice sheen to it, there are some variations in the color that make it look like a swirling pool of chocolate, similar to a Snickers commercial. It feels like it might be too firm, but I can't find any plugs or soft areas. The pre light aroma is heavy with coffee notes. The pre light draw is peppery, but has some nice cocoa undertones.
The cigar opens with some flavors that are not well refined and are lacking in depth. The profile shows some scatterings of promise with some pepper, earth and cocoa notes, but they never gel into anything worth ohhhing about. At the back of the palate there is some bitterness early on that has some aspirin like qualities to it. The burn is right on the money early on. The draw is tight, but solid to this point and I am not thinking about issues.
The first half of the cigar shows little development. The profile continues with some flavors of earth, pepper and light cocoa, but there is no revelation of anything better or more refined. Illusione has impressed me before with robust and flavorful little packages, like the MK, but this one is not on the same planet. At the back of the palate there are still some bitter tones, and they are accompanied by a sharp wood flavor here. The draw is still too tight, and there is some heat coming into the smoke at this point, I slowed it down here to protect the experience without letting it go charred or scorched. The burn is exceptional and the ash holds on like a champ until the midway point.
The final half of the cigar is still a let down. The profile never shows any development and stays very static. The flavors are not unpleasant, they are just not well developed and can't provide a full experience. The main body continues to show earth, pepper and cocoa. At the back of the palate there are still some sharp wood notes and aspirin like bitter flavors that are creeping around. The draw stays tight to the end, but I am able to manage it by slowing the smoke. The burn was excellent.
The finish was middling with strong waves of pepper. When combustion is the real highlight of the cigar I have a real problem...
Appearance- 89 a nice smoke
Taste- 83 below average due to bitterness at the back of the palate, but all in all pretty average
Construction- 82 draw tightness kills this smoke, over an hour to smoke it because I had to slow it down
Strength- 85 a very average medium
Overall- 84, I was hoping for more
Friday, September 30, 2011
Wednesday, September 28, 2011
Fausto T153 Toro (6x50)
I have been none too complimentary of Dude B's (frequent readers get this, if it is your first time read some other posts of mine, or don't and stay in the dark), recent cigar efforts. I feel like he has jumped the shark a bit and I think he has removed the Pepin's from the blending process in all the areas that matter, like taste and complexity and depth, you know, all the things that make a cigar....SMOKEABLE! I am hoping that this offering will change my recent opinions and I have been hearing some good things about this blend.
I sidled into one of my favorite B&M's, yes sidled, which for a man of my size and girth is really quite impressive and the spectacle is breathtaking, in that you would be laughing so hard you would be unable to breathe. Anyway I selected the toro size of this blend and decided it was time to put the hairy eye on it and see if held up to the considerable pressure I bring to bear (I really am feeling quite full of myself today). The cigar is very impressive to look at with a sexy wrapper that is draped on like milk chocolate. There are some veins, but they actually add to the visual appeal of the smoke. The band work is chintzy, but you can't have everything can you? There are a few soft spots in the bunch, but they don't feel major to me. The pre light aroma is floral and full of dark fruit notes, kind of like the pot-pourri your grandmother used to keep on the coffee table, you know, the one you used to think smelled terrible but you smelled it anyway to make yourself sneeze. The pre light draw has some peppery flavors, but has some odd spice as well, that is leaning toward being moth ball like.
The cigar opens with a profile that smacks of odd spice and pepper. There are some nice flavors here, but the complexity is not very noteworthy. At the back of the palate the profile is all nicotine and dark wood flavors, I am a little surprised by the strength shown in this cigar so early on. The draw is very nice and it delivers plenty of smoke with each draw. The burn is a touch off, but I don't believe that it will be an issue.
The first half of the cigar is amongst the strangest I have ever smoked. There are some very nice flavors of pepper and wood in the main body, but there is some strange aftertaste that I can't put my finger on. At the back of the palate there is an eclectic mix of coffee and hickory. The draw continues to be very nice to this point. The burn has evened out nicely and is performing very well.
The final half of the cigar continues to show some nice pepper and wood flavors, there is a nice earthy tone showing through here as well. The aftertaste continues to permeate, but I am still unable to isolate a specific flavor here. The back of the palate has started to show some pepper as well, but there are some vegetal notes showing up now as well. The draw and burn stay very satisfactory through to the end.
The finish is long, but it has some scorched flavors that linger.
Appearance- 91 a nice looking smoke
Taste- 86 a generous score, there were some nice flavors but the profile never came together
Construction- 92 a very nice performer
Strength- 88 a nice full presentation
Overall- 89.25 construction pushed the score up
I sidled into one of my favorite B&M's, yes sidled, which for a man of my size and girth is really quite impressive and the spectacle is breathtaking, in that you would be laughing so hard you would be unable to breathe. Anyway I selected the toro size of this blend and decided it was time to put the hairy eye on it and see if held up to the considerable pressure I bring to bear (I really am feeling quite full of myself today). The cigar is very impressive to look at with a sexy wrapper that is draped on like milk chocolate. There are some veins, but they actually add to the visual appeal of the smoke. The band work is chintzy, but you can't have everything can you? There are a few soft spots in the bunch, but they don't feel major to me. The pre light aroma is floral and full of dark fruit notes, kind of like the pot-pourri your grandmother used to keep on the coffee table, you know, the one you used to think smelled terrible but you smelled it anyway to make yourself sneeze. The pre light draw has some peppery flavors, but has some odd spice as well, that is leaning toward being moth ball like.
The cigar opens with a profile that smacks of odd spice and pepper. There are some nice flavors here, but the complexity is not very noteworthy. At the back of the palate the profile is all nicotine and dark wood flavors, I am a little surprised by the strength shown in this cigar so early on. The draw is very nice and it delivers plenty of smoke with each draw. The burn is a touch off, but I don't believe that it will be an issue.
The first half of the cigar is amongst the strangest I have ever smoked. There are some very nice flavors of pepper and wood in the main body, but there is some strange aftertaste that I can't put my finger on. At the back of the palate there is an eclectic mix of coffee and hickory. The draw continues to be very nice to this point. The burn has evened out nicely and is performing very well.
The final half of the cigar continues to show some nice pepper and wood flavors, there is a nice earthy tone showing through here as well. The aftertaste continues to permeate, but I am still unable to isolate a specific flavor here. The back of the palate has started to show some pepper as well, but there are some vegetal notes showing up now as well. The draw and burn stay very satisfactory through to the end.
The finish is long, but it has some scorched flavors that linger.
Appearance- 91 a nice looking smoke
Taste- 86 a generous score, there were some nice flavors but the profile never came together
Construction- 92 a very nice performer
Strength- 88 a nice full presentation
Overall- 89.25 construction pushed the score up
Monday, September 26, 2011
C.A.O. Osa Sol Lot 50 (5x50)
Ordinarily I smoke a single cigar and review it on it's own merits as one cigar in time. With this blend I did something a little different for two reasons. First, I have been predisposed to dislike C.A.O. cigars for some years now, I have just thought that they were inferior products that were high on packaging flash but low on cigar quality. Second, I have heard so many mixed reviews of this cigar that I was confused going into the experience. Many cigar smokers that I respect loved this cigar and many cigar smokers I respect hate this cigar and I seldom have such variance in reports from the cognoscenti. I have now smoked five of these cigars and have been able to come up with a palate consensus in my own mind about what is happening in this cigar.
All five cigars that I smoked were pleasant to look at, there were some prominent veins, but all in all an acceptable looking package. The wrapper seems a touch dry to me, but there is plenty of supple resistance that tells me it is not dehydrated. An inspection tells me that the cigar seems to be well made, I am skeptical of General products (as is well documented in this blog). The pre light aroma is floral and sweet. The pre light draw is oddly spiced, perhaps ginger and has a mulled citrus flavor on the tongue.
The cigars all opened with the same flavor profile and showed some floral sweetness with some dry grassy flavors touching the outsides of the palate. There is not much complexity or depth, but the flavor from the wrapper keeps the cigar interesting. At the back of the palate there are some orange and lemon flavors that are a touch stringy. These citrus flavors are lain across a backdrop of dry and sharp wood notes. In two of the cigars I was having some draw issues at this point, but in the three I had no problems. The burn in all five cigars was acceptable.
In the first half of these five cigars the disparity begins. In two of the smokes I experience some bitterness and the smoke becomes almost unbearably dry and thick feeling. In the other three some very nice flavors come through showing a core palate of dried citrus flavors and some nice ginger notes. At the back of the palate in all five there are some nice woody flavors, but it the two that were bitter there were some very strange flavors of vegetation that had blasts of acidity. The burn and draw in all five were fine at this point.
In the second half of the smoke the profile was similar in all five cigars. The main profile shows some nice flavors of citrus and ginger with some wisps of floral sweetness mingling nicely across the palate. At the back of the palate it is all light wood with some further penetrations of a floral sweetness. The wrapper really is the star of the show in these cigars. The burn and draw perform well in all five smokes.
In the end I would rate these cigars as slightly above average, for the price point I would recommend a trial on these.
Scores will be an average of all 5
Appearance- 87
Taste- 84
Construction- 88
Strength- 87
Overall- 86.25
All five cigars that I smoked were pleasant to look at, there were some prominent veins, but all in all an acceptable looking package. The wrapper seems a touch dry to me, but there is plenty of supple resistance that tells me it is not dehydrated. An inspection tells me that the cigar seems to be well made, I am skeptical of General products (as is well documented in this blog). The pre light aroma is floral and sweet. The pre light draw is oddly spiced, perhaps ginger and has a mulled citrus flavor on the tongue.
The cigars all opened with the same flavor profile and showed some floral sweetness with some dry grassy flavors touching the outsides of the palate. There is not much complexity or depth, but the flavor from the wrapper keeps the cigar interesting. At the back of the palate there are some orange and lemon flavors that are a touch stringy. These citrus flavors are lain across a backdrop of dry and sharp wood notes. In two of the cigars I was having some draw issues at this point, but in the three I had no problems. The burn in all five cigars was acceptable.
In the first half of these five cigars the disparity begins. In two of the smokes I experience some bitterness and the smoke becomes almost unbearably dry and thick feeling. In the other three some very nice flavors come through showing a core palate of dried citrus flavors and some nice ginger notes. At the back of the palate in all five there are some nice woody flavors, but it the two that were bitter there were some very strange flavors of vegetation that had blasts of acidity. The burn and draw in all five were fine at this point.
In the second half of the smoke the profile was similar in all five cigars. The main profile shows some nice flavors of citrus and ginger with some wisps of floral sweetness mingling nicely across the palate. At the back of the palate it is all light wood with some further penetrations of a floral sweetness. The wrapper really is the star of the show in these cigars. The burn and draw perform well in all five smokes.
In the end I would rate these cigars as slightly above average, for the price point I would recommend a trial on these.
Scores will be an average of all 5
Appearance- 87
Taste- 84
Construction- 88
Strength- 87
Overall- 86.25
Sunday, September 25, 2011
Curivari Reserva Limitada Classica Monarcas (5.25x52)
I continue my recent tour of this little boutique brand that nobody seems to know anything about. I have found some the smokes so far to be excellent and I had no reason to believe this would be any different after discussing it with the boys at my favorite New Orleans B&M. These guys are a real collection of scallywags, scoundrels and shoe clerks, but they do know a good cigar (usually). Unless they are trying to hoodwink me, after all I am new to the scene. They could be involved in some clandestine effort to foul my palate with sub par smokes in the hopes that I might stop smoking and lay my poison pen to rest, forever leaving their favorite cigars unassailed with my venomous words. Ok, ok I exaggerate I guess, plus you are all sans foil hats I'm sure, so I will spare you further conspiratorial musings, besides I am not that important or paranoid (everyone is out to get me though).
The cigar presents well, it seems chunkier than a 52 ring gauge but a quick measurement with my ring gauge app on my I-Phone (yes there is such a thing) shows that it is a 52. The wrapper is dark and has some nice sheen, there are some prominent veins that add some character to the visual experience but, have me concerned about combustion. An inspection reveals some information that leads me to believe that the bunch might be too loose, this has me even more concerned about potential combustion issues. The pre light aroma is all dark fruit. The pre light draw is full of dark cherry flavors with touches of a floral spice.
The bar I have chosen to partake of this particular smoke in has some shady looking characters and more appealing, some adult entertainment. I choose a seat with my back to a corner that has a view of the front door, not paranoid, just cautious. I make sure no one is really paying any attention to me and I cut and light. The cigar opens with a profile that has some serious flavor considerations. There are blasts of black cherry and spice that are the highlight, but there are some very nice earth and wood tones laced throughout here as well. The depth is not particularly noteworthy, but the balance and complexity are nice. At the back of the palate there are some very interesting salty and sweet notes that I equate to honey roasted peanuts. The draw is fine at this point and it delivers acceptably. The burn is a touch slow and is starting to go a touch wonky about an inch in.
I am getting some faces from some of the danc...errrr, entertainers as I negotiate my way through the first half of the cigar. My senses are on high alert now as the cigar continues to progress in a most pleasing way. The profile has developed into a wonderful mix of toasty, sweet flavors that maintain some hints of cherry and spice. At the back of the palate nice wood flavors have taken over and provide a nice balance when played off the front of the profile. The draw is becoming a bit sluggish as I approach some of the softer areas of the bunch. The burn is ok, but I am sensing there might be some trouble coming as I approach areas of concern.
The final half of the smoke has split personality. The profile is still showing me some nice leg, or that might be the entertainer, but it is still impressive (the profile, not the leg). There are some solid cocoa notes here and some more excellent blasts of black cherry, the sweetness has really ramped up in this last half of the smoke and it takes away some of the strength I thought might be here. At the back of the palate some earthy flavors have really taken over, it is almost loamy. The draw is still sluggish, but it delivers acceptable amounts of smoke to the end. The burn is a mess at this point, but strangely does not cause any problems in the smoke.
The finish is sweet and lingering with some floral notes that carry me out the door, after making sure I am being followed by nothing but cigar memories.....
Appearance- 88 a nice looking smoke
Taste- 93 some excellent profile flavors
Construction- 82 sadly this will kill a nice smoke
Strength- 87 surprisingly mild
Overall- 87.5 if it performed better from a construction standpoint this cigar would be excellent
The cigar presents well, it seems chunkier than a 52 ring gauge but a quick measurement with my ring gauge app on my I-Phone (yes there is such a thing) shows that it is a 52. The wrapper is dark and has some nice sheen, there are some prominent veins that add some character to the visual experience but, have me concerned about combustion. An inspection reveals some information that leads me to believe that the bunch might be too loose, this has me even more concerned about potential combustion issues. The pre light aroma is all dark fruit. The pre light draw is full of dark cherry flavors with touches of a floral spice.
The bar I have chosen to partake of this particular smoke in has some shady looking characters and more appealing, some adult entertainment. I choose a seat with my back to a corner that has a view of the front door, not paranoid, just cautious. I make sure no one is really paying any attention to me and I cut and light. The cigar opens with a profile that has some serious flavor considerations. There are blasts of black cherry and spice that are the highlight, but there are some very nice earth and wood tones laced throughout here as well. The depth is not particularly noteworthy, but the balance and complexity are nice. At the back of the palate there are some very interesting salty and sweet notes that I equate to honey roasted peanuts. The draw is fine at this point and it delivers acceptably. The burn is a touch slow and is starting to go a touch wonky about an inch in.
I am getting some faces from some of the danc...errrr, entertainers as I negotiate my way through the first half of the cigar. My senses are on high alert now as the cigar continues to progress in a most pleasing way. The profile has developed into a wonderful mix of toasty, sweet flavors that maintain some hints of cherry and spice. At the back of the palate nice wood flavors have taken over and provide a nice balance when played off the front of the profile. The draw is becoming a bit sluggish as I approach some of the softer areas of the bunch. The burn is ok, but I am sensing there might be some trouble coming as I approach areas of concern.
The final half of the smoke has split personality. The profile is still showing me some nice leg, or that might be the entertainer, but it is still impressive (the profile, not the leg). There are some solid cocoa notes here and some more excellent blasts of black cherry, the sweetness has really ramped up in this last half of the smoke and it takes away some of the strength I thought might be here. At the back of the palate some earthy flavors have really taken over, it is almost loamy. The draw is still sluggish, but it delivers acceptable amounts of smoke to the end. The burn is a mess at this point, but strangely does not cause any problems in the smoke.
The finish is sweet and lingering with some floral notes that carry me out the door, after making sure I am being followed by nothing but cigar memories.....
Appearance- 88 a nice looking smoke
Taste- 93 some excellent profile flavors
Construction- 82 sadly this will kill a nice smoke
Strength- 87 surprisingly mild
Overall- 87.5 if it performed better from a construction standpoint this cigar would be excellent
Friday, September 16, 2011
San Cristobal Elegancia Corona (5.5x46)
In my crusade against gigantic cigars my juices really get flowing when I find new blends in sizes that are traditional and exciting to me. I have been hearing from many, many friends about this smoke and the reviews have been all good, so I was anticipating this. Now as part of that anticipation I did some analysis. Were my friends just telling me about this cigar because they know of my proclivities towards Don Pepin (he makes this cigar)? Or were they really just telling me because they thought it was great? I believe, looking back on the evidence, that it may have been a little bit of both. Knowing that I have a tendency towards hyperbole when I describe a Pepin experience I think I may have biased some friends judgements when they evaluate a cigar for me.
The cigar is a Pepin attempt at something mild, this is probably the first problem I have. Why make something out of your swim lane Master Pepin? You are known for robust and complex flavors and those usually don't go well with mild. The next problem I have is that the cigar has Connecticut wrapper, I am not often a fan of this type of cigar.
The cigar itself presents very well. The band work is interesting and stunning. The wrapper is smooth, with a dusty texture. There are some prominent veins, but I don't think they will be an issue. The construction appears to be excellent and I am not worried here as Pepin is the master at the traditional Cuban sizes, no one does it better. The pre light aroma is spicy with some cinnamon hints. The pre light draw is thin, but shows some nice light wood and spice complexion.
The cigar opens with bitter slaps of spice that toss the palate around. This is not a mild start, hell this isn't even medium in the first half inch. This is hold on to your seats bold in the opening moments and my senses are confused from this kind of power from the get go with a Connecticut wrapper. At the back of the palate there is a dry, woody tone that is not necessarily pleasing and adds to the bitter flavors from earlier in the profile. The burn is exceptional and the draw is superior sending out booming clouds of smoke.
The first half of the cigar blessedly slows itself down. The bitter flavors have been muted in favor of a more straightforward spice presentation. It is hard to put my finger on what is going on here, but I will go with nutmeg and clove. The depth and complexity are not what I would expect from a Pepin blend. At the back of the palate wood flavors abound, mostly balsa but some light hickory here as well. The draw and burn stay exceptional to this point.
The final half of the cigar continues to wallow a bit for me. The profile morphs into a strange floral note coupled with some odd tobacco flavors laced with spice. At the back of the palate there are some grassy tones jousting with the wood flavors and the cigar nearly derails here. The burn and draw remain strong.
The finish was a touch bitter and showed some light wood flavors. This was all in all pretty disappointing in all areas except draw and burn and I will not hesitate to say my least favorite Pepin in years.
Appearance- 92 very nice looking cigar
Taste- 82 below average and lacking depth and complexity that I expect from the master
Construction- 94 no one makes classic vitolas like Pepin
Strength- 81 supposed to be a mild to medium, but more medium to full and the strength does not help the profile
Overall- 87.5 above average due to constructed attributes, below average when considering blend
The cigar is a Pepin attempt at something mild, this is probably the first problem I have. Why make something out of your swim lane Master Pepin? You are known for robust and complex flavors and those usually don't go well with mild. The next problem I have is that the cigar has Connecticut wrapper, I am not often a fan of this type of cigar.
The cigar itself presents very well. The band work is interesting and stunning. The wrapper is smooth, with a dusty texture. There are some prominent veins, but I don't think they will be an issue. The construction appears to be excellent and I am not worried here as Pepin is the master at the traditional Cuban sizes, no one does it better. The pre light aroma is spicy with some cinnamon hints. The pre light draw is thin, but shows some nice light wood and spice complexion.
The cigar opens with bitter slaps of spice that toss the palate around. This is not a mild start, hell this isn't even medium in the first half inch. This is hold on to your seats bold in the opening moments and my senses are confused from this kind of power from the get go with a Connecticut wrapper. At the back of the palate there is a dry, woody tone that is not necessarily pleasing and adds to the bitter flavors from earlier in the profile. The burn is exceptional and the draw is superior sending out booming clouds of smoke.
The first half of the cigar blessedly slows itself down. The bitter flavors have been muted in favor of a more straightforward spice presentation. It is hard to put my finger on what is going on here, but I will go with nutmeg and clove. The depth and complexity are not what I would expect from a Pepin blend. At the back of the palate wood flavors abound, mostly balsa but some light hickory here as well. The draw and burn stay exceptional to this point.
The final half of the cigar continues to wallow a bit for me. The profile morphs into a strange floral note coupled with some odd tobacco flavors laced with spice. At the back of the palate there are some grassy tones jousting with the wood flavors and the cigar nearly derails here. The burn and draw remain strong.
The finish was a touch bitter and showed some light wood flavors. This was all in all pretty disappointing in all areas except draw and burn and I will not hesitate to say my least favorite Pepin in years.
Appearance- 92 very nice looking cigar
Taste- 82 below average and lacking depth and complexity that I expect from the master
Construction- 94 no one makes classic vitolas like Pepin
Strength- 81 supposed to be a mild to medium, but more medium to full and the strength does not help the profile
Overall- 87.5 above average due to constructed attributes, below average when considering blend
Tuesday, September 13, 2011
Winston Chuchill Chequers (5.5x46)
Let me start with some ranting about the state of the cigar industry. I am tired of big, donkey wang, ring gauges. When will this 60+ ring bull sheim stop so we can get back to some traditional cigar making?!?!?! What I immediately loved about this cigar was the size. The closer you can get me to a corona the happier I am, I mean I'm not in prison so why should I insert anything into my oral cavity that will make me feel like I am there?
Anyway, this cigar presents well with a nice wrapper the color of lightly creamed coffee. The price is a bit stratospheric (is that a word?) at $12+, particularly for a cigar this size. There are some light veins along the surface of the smoke, but there is not anything to be particularly concerned about. I can't detect any problems with the construction and the cigar seems like it will perform well. The pre light aroma is grassy and has some light spice. The pre light draw is also very grassy, but has some vanilla qualities as well.
The cigar opens with a profile that is neither complex or containing any depth. The main flavors are of grass and light wheaty notes that don't insert themselves into the palate with any authority. At the back of the palate there are some nice hints of light wood, but the prevailing grassy flavors from the front of the palate are drying out the throat here. The draw is nice and delivers plenty of smoke. The burn is sharp and a solid medium gray ash is forming.
The first half of the cigar shows some signs of life. The main profile starts to show some nice vanilla notes laced with some light coffee flavors, but there are still some blasted tones of grass springing up here and there and they irritate me to no end. At the back of the palate there are some solid presentations of light wood and some floral essences, but grass, grass, grass MFing grass keeps popping into the experience. I hate this particular profile attribute, which is well documented in my review library. The draw continues to perform well and the burn is still solid.
The final half of the cigar dashes any hopes that I had. The profile becomes all grass and dry vegetation and the smoke becomes as dry as dry can be. I am reaching for ice water before this one is over, and that is rare for me as I hardly ever drink anything while reviewing a smoke. The back of the palate has also fallen fully under the spell of the grassy specter of doom and the flavor profile becomes flat and unpleasant. The burn and draw stay solid throughout.
The finish was, yep, you guessed it....GRASSY! For the price I expected much, much more, at least the size was enjoyable from two standpoints. It was a size I like to smoke and it was over all the more quickly, I can't imaging what level of cigar hell this could have reached in a 60 ring.
Appearance- 88 a nice looking smoke, nothing to write home about
Taste- 80 due to some nice elements in the first half, I'm feeling benevolent
Construction- 92 no complaints here
Strength- 85 a very pedestrian mild/medium
Overall- 86.25 on the basis of construction, otherwise don't waste the cash
Anyway, this cigar presents well with a nice wrapper the color of lightly creamed coffee. The price is a bit stratospheric (is that a word?) at $12+, particularly for a cigar this size. There are some light veins along the surface of the smoke, but there is not anything to be particularly concerned about. I can't detect any problems with the construction and the cigar seems like it will perform well. The pre light aroma is grassy and has some light spice. The pre light draw is also very grassy, but has some vanilla qualities as well.
The cigar opens with a profile that is neither complex or containing any depth. The main flavors are of grass and light wheaty notes that don't insert themselves into the palate with any authority. At the back of the palate there are some nice hints of light wood, but the prevailing grassy flavors from the front of the palate are drying out the throat here. The draw is nice and delivers plenty of smoke. The burn is sharp and a solid medium gray ash is forming.
The first half of the cigar shows some signs of life. The main profile starts to show some nice vanilla notes laced with some light coffee flavors, but there are still some blasted tones of grass springing up here and there and they irritate me to no end. At the back of the palate there are some solid presentations of light wood and some floral essences, but grass, grass, grass MFing grass keeps popping into the experience. I hate this particular profile attribute, which is well documented in my review library. The draw continues to perform well and the burn is still solid.
The final half of the cigar dashes any hopes that I had. The profile becomes all grass and dry vegetation and the smoke becomes as dry as dry can be. I am reaching for ice water before this one is over, and that is rare for me as I hardly ever drink anything while reviewing a smoke. The back of the palate has also fallen fully under the spell of the grassy specter of doom and the flavor profile becomes flat and unpleasant. The burn and draw stay solid throughout.
The finish was, yep, you guessed it....GRASSY! For the price I expected much, much more, at least the size was enjoyable from two standpoints. It was a size I like to smoke and it was over all the more quickly, I can't imaging what level of cigar hell this could have reached in a 60 ring.
Appearance- 88 a nice looking smoke, nothing to write home about
Taste- 80 due to some nice elements in the first half, I'm feeling benevolent
Construction- 92 no complaints here
Strength- 85 a very pedestrian mild/medium
Overall- 86.25 on the basis of construction, otherwise don't waste the cash
Thursday, September 8, 2011
Jaime Garcia Reserva Especial Limited Edition (6x52)
I have heard much ballyhoo about this smoke over the last month or so and I had to find the right time to part with $15 and the two hours I knew I would need to smoke it properly. I am not a fan of the regular Jaime blend so I was skeptical about this LE version. Often times LE only equates to $5-$10 more on the price tag than any real cigar equity. I have smoked many, many disappointing LE versions over time, so when my friends start murmuring about one I always feel like I need to be the judge for myself.
The cigar is very nice to look at with an oily wrapper that has very few veins and a very nice double band presentation. The cigar seems too firm to me, but I can't find any plugs or other issues. The pre light aroma is of cocoa and spice. The pre light draw shows some nice flavors of pepper and chocolate.
This cigar opens with a profile that is power, power, power. The core flavors show deep notes of red pepper and light cocoa, this is an interesting flavor interplay but I think it could be more complex. At the back of the palate there are more red pepper notes, but they are accompanied by a nice full tobacco flavor that is a touch overwrought for my tastes. The draw is tight, but not so much that it causes any smoking issues. The burn is excellent and produces a crisp, white ash.
The first half of the cigar mellows out nicely. The profile transitions into a more complex presentation of chocolate and spice with a toasty undertone that ties it all together. At the back of the palate the full tobacco flavor is firmly in control, but now is more subdued and showing as a very nice complement to the core profile. The draw remains too tight for my liking, but it is not causing any issues. The burn continues to be superior.
The final half of this cigar maintains nice complexity, but I am starting to believe that the cigar is too one dimensional in that it shows the same variations of flavor over and over again. The core profile continues to show chocolate and spice flavors, but there is no development and the flavors stagnate. At the back of the palate the tobacco flavors continue on, but I am found wanting more here. This is by no means a terrible experience, but I expected more from this. The draw stays firm throughout, and the burn is excellent.
The finish is middling and shows pepper and tobacco flavors.
Appearance- 93 a very nice cigar
Taste- 87 just not what I expected here, but the flavors were acceptable
Construction- 89 the draw was too tight, but the burn was excellent
Strength- 88 a nice full presentation
Overall- 88.75 an above average smoke, but for $15 I needed way more here
The cigar is very nice to look at with an oily wrapper that has very few veins and a very nice double band presentation. The cigar seems too firm to me, but I can't find any plugs or other issues. The pre light aroma is of cocoa and spice. The pre light draw shows some nice flavors of pepper and chocolate.
This cigar opens with a profile that is power, power, power. The core flavors show deep notes of red pepper and light cocoa, this is an interesting flavor interplay but I think it could be more complex. At the back of the palate there are more red pepper notes, but they are accompanied by a nice full tobacco flavor that is a touch overwrought for my tastes. The draw is tight, but not so much that it causes any smoking issues. The burn is excellent and produces a crisp, white ash.
The first half of the cigar mellows out nicely. The profile transitions into a more complex presentation of chocolate and spice with a toasty undertone that ties it all together. At the back of the palate the full tobacco flavor is firmly in control, but now is more subdued and showing as a very nice complement to the core profile. The draw remains too tight for my liking, but it is not causing any issues. The burn continues to be superior.
The final half of this cigar maintains nice complexity, but I am starting to believe that the cigar is too one dimensional in that it shows the same variations of flavor over and over again. The core profile continues to show chocolate and spice flavors, but there is no development and the flavors stagnate. At the back of the palate the tobacco flavors continue on, but I am found wanting more here. This is by no means a terrible experience, but I expected more from this. The draw stays firm throughout, and the burn is excellent.
The finish is middling and shows pepper and tobacco flavors.
Appearance- 93 a very nice cigar
Taste- 87 just not what I expected here, but the flavors were acceptable
Construction- 89 the draw was too tight, but the burn was excellent
Strength- 88 a nice full presentation
Overall- 88.75 an above average smoke, but for $15 I needed way more here
Wednesday, September 7, 2011
Pedro Martin Gold Churchill (7x48)
Every Wednesday I have a ritual, I play golf with several ex-cop friends of mine and we smoke and hack the place up. Today was no exception and we were scheduled to play some early morning stick, the weather didn't cooperate fully and my friends, apparently afraid of melting or something, decided to take a pass. I am never one to let Mother Nature have the one up so I went to the soggy fairways and greens and teed it up anyway. It was a splendid day and this cigar was smoked during the round that should not have been.
This is the Connecticut version of the new Martin Family line of cigars, and while I am not usually a Connecticut enthusiast, I decided a mild cigar would suit me well on the short side of 8AM. The cigar is beautiful, the wrapper is smooth and golden in color. There are very few veins and the band work is elegant without being flashy. The construction seems solid and I don't see any areas for concern here. The pre light aroma shows some wonderful light pepper notes and some very interesting hints of a vanilla laced cinnamon spice. The pre light draw is a touch shallow, but reveals a crisp light tobacco flavor with some wisps of cinnamon on the tongue.
The cigar opens with a profile that is lacking some depth, but the delivery of flavor is still nice. There are some light floral impressions early on and there is a nice spray of white pepper here as well. At the back of the palate there are some light hints of wood, but there is a very pleasing undertone of spice and vanilla that plays well with the peppery flavors from the initial impressions. The draw is near perfect for me, maybe a touch too tight, but I will not quibble. The burn is solid and shows a nice gray ash.
The first half of the smoke is not as well developed or complex as I would like, but it is still delivering a nice profile. The core flavors are light pepper, a floral tartness and some fleeting spice notes that need to be more invasive. At the back of the palate there are still some nice impressions of wood, but a light bitterness has come in here as well and I catch a touch of acrid grass in the finish. The draw continues to perform exceedingly well. The burn is sharp and is holding up to the humid outside elements very well.
The second half of the smoke hits all the greens in regulation (if only my game were the same!). The profile deepens and begins to become more complex and interesting. The core flavors become vanilla and white pepper and the interplay is fantastic. Sometimes opposite flavors just work and this is one of those cases when two seemingly incompatible flavors are in sweet harmony. At the back of the palate there are excellent alternating flavors of crisp tobacco and light wood that provide a solid, yet light, base of flavors for the core profile to build upon. The draw stays excellent to the end and the burn holds up well, the humidity gets to the cigar in the final third, but I will not detract for that.
The finish is a actually a touch bitter and that detracts from the final impressions, but all in all this was a well above average experience.
Appearance- 93
Taste-91 could have been higher with more depth in the front half of the smoke
Construction- 94 an excellent performance here
Strength- 92 fabulously mild and a great starter for any type of smoker
Overall- 92.5 a very nice cigar experience
This is the Connecticut version of the new Martin Family line of cigars, and while I am not usually a Connecticut enthusiast, I decided a mild cigar would suit me well on the short side of 8AM. The cigar is beautiful, the wrapper is smooth and golden in color. There are very few veins and the band work is elegant without being flashy. The construction seems solid and I don't see any areas for concern here. The pre light aroma shows some wonderful light pepper notes and some very interesting hints of a vanilla laced cinnamon spice. The pre light draw is a touch shallow, but reveals a crisp light tobacco flavor with some wisps of cinnamon on the tongue.
The cigar opens with a profile that is lacking some depth, but the delivery of flavor is still nice. There are some light floral impressions early on and there is a nice spray of white pepper here as well. At the back of the palate there are some light hints of wood, but there is a very pleasing undertone of spice and vanilla that plays well with the peppery flavors from the initial impressions. The draw is near perfect for me, maybe a touch too tight, but I will not quibble. The burn is solid and shows a nice gray ash.
The first half of the smoke is not as well developed or complex as I would like, but it is still delivering a nice profile. The core flavors are light pepper, a floral tartness and some fleeting spice notes that need to be more invasive. At the back of the palate there are still some nice impressions of wood, but a light bitterness has come in here as well and I catch a touch of acrid grass in the finish. The draw continues to perform exceedingly well. The burn is sharp and is holding up to the humid outside elements very well.
The second half of the smoke hits all the greens in regulation (if only my game were the same!). The profile deepens and begins to become more complex and interesting. The core flavors become vanilla and white pepper and the interplay is fantastic. Sometimes opposite flavors just work and this is one of those cases when two seemingly incompatible flavors are in sweet harmony. At the back of the palate there are excellent alternating flavors of crisp tobacco and light wood that provide a solid, yet light, base of flavors for the core profile to build upon. The draw stays excellent to the end and the burn holds up well, the humidity gets to the cigar in the final third, but I will not detract for that.
The finish is a actually a touch bitter and that detracts from the final impressions, but all in all this was a well above average experience.
Appearance- 93
Taste-91 could have been higher with more depth in the front half of the smoke
Construction- 94 an excellent performance here
Strength- 92 fabulously mild and a great starter for any type of smoker
Overall- 92.5 a very nice cigar experience
Tuesday, September 6, 2011
Tatuaje Avion 11 (6.75x48/52)
This is another new release from Pete Johnson and I had been looking forward to smoking it, upon completion of the cigar I have some different ideas about what I could have done with the time spent anticipating and smoking this cigar. For example, I am long overdue for a trip to the dentist. I have some lecture invites to listen to Health Insurance Actuaries discuss life expectancy tables and I could have gone (apparently that lecture has no date or time, it just keeps going). I have a garage that needs cleaning and office that needs painting, I could have done either one of those. Alas, I wasted time and mind resources dreaming of the day I would smoke this offering with grand expectations of the next great Tatuaje. It was not to be.
The cigar presents in an odd figurado presentation that reminds me of a Fuente Hemingway on roids. This cigar is bulky and heavy feeling to me, the wrapper is dull and unexciting. The construction appears to be well done, but I am not wide eyed at the presentation here. The pre light draw is of heavy tobacco. The pre light aroma is earthy and full of barnyard odors.
The cigar opens with a profile that is of all tobacco, good old fashioned straight forward tobacco. No complexity, no depth and no character presents at all here and I find myself wondering what Pete was thinking. I have been so spoiled by Tat's over the years that I am visibly shaken at this point because I am flummoxed. At the back of the palate there are some serious flavors of dry grass and bitter balsa wood. This cigar has no finesse at this point and my palate is being clubbed by ill defined flavors that are slogging about the mouth. The draw is a shade tight, but cigars with this particular shape often draw poorly until past the tapered foot. The burn is off as well, but I am not overly concerned here.
The first half of the smoke is all straight tobacco with some earthy and mineral flavors that are not very solid. The back of the palate is dry and full of burning grass and hay notes. If it is possible, it is actually getting worse as the cigar develops. The draw is open now, but I wish it weren't. The burn has evened out and I anticipate no issues.
The final half of the cigar becomes so dry and lacking in character that I am sure I am smoking a Cheap Bastard and that someone got the drop on me and switched my cigar. I determine it could not be so and that the cigar is actually that bad. The core profile becomes of charred coffee and loamy earth, there are still some tobacco notes here, but they can't save it. At the back of the palate the dryness continues as grassy flavors coat the palate is a smoke that has a dusty texture. My mouth is starting to feel like I slept with it open all night while one foot away from a box fan. The draw is fine and the burn continues to be acceptable.
The finish is not great and I am so disappointed with this cigar that I can hardly believe my notes that indicate this was a terrible smoking experience throughout, my first such experience while sampling a Pete Johnson smoke.
Appearance- 86 nice vitola, that is all
Taste- 76 some nice tones, but overall not good
Construction- 88 pretty good for a complex vitola
Strength- 85 medium and not remarkable
Overall- 83.25 very sub par, I expect way more
The cigar presents in an odd figurado presentation that reminds me of a Fuente Hemingway on roids. This cigar is bulky and heavy feeling to me, the wrapper is dull and unexciting. The construction appears to be well done, but I am not wide eyed at the presentation here. The pre light draw is of heavy tobacco. The pre light aroma is earthy and full of barnyard odors.
The cigar opens with a profile that is of all tobacco, good old fashioned straight forward tobacco. No complexity, no depth and no character presents at all here and I find myself wondering what Pete was thinking. I have been so spoiled by Tat's over the years that I am visibly shaken at this point because I am flummoxed. At the back of the palate there are some serious flavors of dry grass and bitter balsa wood. This cigar has no finesse at this point and my palate is being clubbed by ill defined flavors that are slogging about the mouth. The draw is a shade tight, but cigars with this particular shape often draw poorly until past the tapered foot. The burn is off as well, but I am not overly concerned here.
The first half of the smoke is all straight tobacco with some earthy and mineral flavors that are not very solid. The back of the palate is dry and full of burning grass and hay notes. If it is possible, it is actually getting worse as the cigar develops. The draw is open now, but I wish it weren't. The burn has evened out and I anticipate no issues.
The final half of the cigar becomes so dry and lacking in character that I am sure I am smoking a Cheap Bastard and that someone got the drop on me and switched my cigar. I determine it could not be so and that the cigar is actually that bad. The core profile becomes of charred coffee and loamy earth, there are still some tobacco notes here, but they can't save it. At the back of the palate the dryness continues as grassy flavors coat the palate is a smoke that has a dusty texture. My mouth is starting to feel like I slept with it open all night while one foot away from a box fan. The draw is fine and the burn continues to be acceptable.
The finish is not great and I am so disappointed with this cigar that I can hardly believe my notes that indicate this was a terrible smoking experience throughout, my first such experience while sampling a Pete Johnson smoke.
Appearance- 86 nice vitola, that is all
Taste- 76 some nice tones, but overall not good
Construction- 88 pretty good for a complex vitola
Strength- 85 medium and not remarkable
Overall- 83.25 very sub par, I expect way more
Thursday, September 1, 2011
Para Ti Original Canonazos (6x48)
So this is a Pete Johnson collaboration with some dude I have never heard of. This always makes me nervous because these types of things have led to so many god awful cigars in the past. Dude A says to Dude B (whom happens to be in the cigar industry) that he loves cigars and would like to make one of his own. Dude B (being a good friend says it is tough to do, but I can help), thus the process begins. Intentions are good, but Dude A doesn't have the stomach for the job or the patience to develop a palate and Dude B is a busy guy and can't oversee everything, and it's not his cigar anyway so he just guides Dude A for a bit then goes away. Dude A then launches some dog rocket for everyone to drop 9 bucks on and Dude B makes his residuals for a bit and everyone is happy when CI buys the rest of the cigars that don't sell (about 99.9% of those made by Dude A) for about .000001 cents per smoke and a bag of tobacco that had been in an aging room since about a week ago....
I don't think that is what happened here, but the story proves a point. Don't get in the cigar business if you have money and no brains, passion and no palate and glory but no guts.
This particular cigar presents with very simple band work and box presentation, this is not indicative of anything but I like to point out when a cigar looks cheap and costs over 6 or 7 bucks, as this one does. That indicates to me that they spent the money on making a quality smoke not fancy packaging right? Right?
So I begin my examination and find that the wrapper here is not very appealing, it is somewhat mottled and not very oily and is somewhat sandpapery to the touch, I would call this tooth except it is too dry. The construction is shoddy and I detect several soft spots in the bunch that I think could cause a problem. The pre light aroma is vegetal and smacks of heavy minerals. The pre light draw is grassy and dry. To say that my mouth was watering at this point would be a severe understatement.
The cigar opens with a profile that is all black pepper and dry grass, it is not appealing and it has little character or depth. At the back of the palate Dude A is killing me with some sort of musty, mildew like flavor that is tripping my gag reflex and I am considering a quick spew into my date's wine glass. The draw is a little tight to start, but I don't think it will cause any problems since I am likely to launch this beast if it continues to insult my palate in this way. The burn is nice and even, and that is the only good thing I can say about the opening moments of this smoke.
The first half of the cigar settles down a bit and so does my urge to vomit. The profile begins to show some cinnamon like spice, but there is a heavy dose of mineral here that is bordering on being metallic and I am concerned about the development of the cigar over the next half. At the back of the palate the grassy notes have found their home and I am wishing they had gone next door. The draw is acceptable at this point and the burn is performing well.
The final half of the cigar does nothing to really change my mind about Dude A's capabilities. The profile continues to be of strong mineral flavors with all too fleeting notes of spice. At the back of the palate the grass still burns on and my throat is drying from all of this crazy dry smoke. The draw maintains acceptability, but I am having to supply some effort in the final third and this causes heat in the smoke. The burn stays strong throughout.
The finish leaves me in need of a tongue scraper, I feel like I just sucked on pennies for an hour.
Appearance- 81 an ugly, cheap looking smoke
Taste- 74 nothing here was really worth noting
Construction- 85 I will be merciful and call it average
Strength- 81 medium I guess, but hard to judge when the profile is so off
Overall- 80, just not good, but Pete gets a pass because he has hit so many home runs for me over the years
I don't think that is what happened here, but the story proves a point. Don't get in the cigar business if you have money and no brains, passion and no palate and glory but no guts.
This particular cigar presents with very simple band work and box presentation, this is not indicative of anything but I like to point out when a cigar looks cheap and costs over 6 or 7 bucks, as this one does. That indicates to me that they spent the money on making a quality smoke not fancy packaging right? Right?
So I begin my examination and find that the wrapper here is not very appealing, it is somewhat mottled and not very oily and is somewhat sandpapery to the touch, I would call this tooth except it is too dry. The construction is shoddy and I detect several soft spots in the bunch that I think could cause a problem. The pre light aroma is vegetal and smacks of heavy minerals. The pre light draw is grassy and dry. To say that my mouth was watering at this point would be a severe understatement.
The cigar opens with a profile that is all black pepper and dry grass, it is not appealing and it has little character or depth. At the back of the palate Dude A is killing me with some sort of musty, mildew like flavor that is tripping my gag reflex and I am considering a quick spew into my date's wine glass. The draw is a little tight to start, but I don't think it will cause any problems since I am likely to launch this beast if it continues to insult my palate in this way. The burn is nice and even, and that is the only good thing I can say about the opening moments of this smoke.
The first half of the cigar settles down a bit and so does my urge to vomit. The profile begins to show some cinnamon like spice, but there is a heavy dose of mineral here that is bordering on being metallic and I am concerned about the development of the cigar over the next half. At the back of the palate the grassy notes have found their home and I am wishing they had gone next door. The draw is acceptable at this point and the burn is performing well.
The final half of the cigar does nothing to really change my mind about Dude A's capabilities. The profile continues to be of strong mineral flavors with all too fleeting notes of spice. At the back of the palate the grass still burns on and my throat is drying from all of this crazy dry smoke. The draw maintains acceptability, but I am having to supply some effort in the final third and this causes heat in the smoke. The burn stays strong throughout.
The finish leaves me in need of a tongue scraper, I feel like I just sucked on pennies for an hour.
Appearance- 81 an ugly, cheap looking smoke
Taste- 74 nothing here was really worth noting
Construction- 85 I will be merciful and call it average
Strength- 81 medium I guess, but hard to judge when the profile is so off
Overall- 80, just not good, but Pete gets a pass because he has hit so many home runs for me over the years
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