It is not a secret that I have not ever been a fan of Camacho, and in turn Room 101, blends. I have always found them to be heavy on pomp and circumstance and light in the area of cigar enjoyment delivery. This is problematic for me as I like to enjoy myself when smoking a cigar, if a producer can't meet some minimum standard of enjoyment, like me not wanting to yak all over myself, then I move on to things that don't make me want to throw up in my mouth. It seems like simple logic to me, if you don't enjoy certain brands and blends then you should not smoke them.
Along comes the Daruma, and along comes a vexing problem, should I smoke this thing or not? I have made a commitment to you, my friends and readers, to smoke everything that is new on the market so I make the decision that I will in fact smoke this cigar and put the hairy eyeball on it. This should leave everyone shaking in their boots, particularly those that are fans of Room 101.
The cigar presents well, the band is intricate in design but a simple and elegant color scheme make it interesting to look at and I like that. The cigar itself is majestic looking and the wrapper is wrapped nicely around the vitola like a tasty cloak of dark chocolate. There are very few veins here and the visual impression is quite favorable overall. An inspection does not reveal any issues in the cigar that I can discern and I feel like it will perform well. The pre light aroma has some spice and essences of dried fruit, kind of a mixture of apricot and black cherry. The pre light draw has some tannins, but has some light pepper and light wood flavors along with some sweet dried fruit character.
The cigar opens with a profile that I would classify as heavily aromatic, this is not necessarily a bad thing, but it lends to some areas that can become to sweet or too overpowering like an old woman's perfume. Aside from the powerful, and sweet, floral notes there are some hints of spice and wood here, but they are being obscured by the powerful aromatics that the cigar is presenting here. The back of the palate has some pepper flavors (by the way I don't think I have ever mentioned this before, when I reference the back of the palate I am including the experience through the nose as well), but there is an odd aftertaste here as well and I can't help but wonder if the aromatic front of the experience is causing this. The draw is a little too tight for me and there is some labor involved in gathering a satisfying mouth feel, but it is not terrible and I will be able to smoke through it. The burn is nice and slow and a nice crisp ash is forming nicely.
The first half of the cigar settles down some, but there really is no complexity or depth in the experience at this point. The core flavors are still slightly floral and aromatic, but it has become a more subdued factor. There are some wood notes here with some musings of spice, but they are really not carrying any water for the profile at this point in the smoke. It really is all disjointed and erratic at this point. The back of the palate continues to have a sharp aftertaste, but I am still not able to put my finger on it at this point. There are some pepper notes here, but again they really do nothing to prop up the experience. The draw is still too tight for me, but I am working through it without causing heat so that is a plus. The burn is still exceptional.
The final half of the cigar is where the rubber starts to meet the road. The profile becomes a more robust presentation of combined flavors that could have really been something if they had been around throughout the cigar. There are some nice notes of dried fruit and some very nice cinnamon like spice notes serve as a nice complement, it kind of reminds me of a winter cider in the last third. This complexity and balance are very nice, but serve as too little too late for me. The back of the palate presents some nice pepper flavor with a counter balance of aromatic wood, but again this too long to become cohesive to balance out the poor first half of the cigar. The draw stays too tight until the end, but I do manage to avoid undue heat. The burn was solid to the end.
The finish leaves lingering floral notes that turn sharp and stale as the moments pass.
Appearance- 90 a nice looking smoke with simple presentation
Taste- 83 a really poor front half was made somewhat better in the last half
Construction- 82 a tight draw lowers the score in my book
Strength- 86 a nice medium/full, but it could have been slightly fuller for me
Overall- 84.25 slightly below average
Tuesday, September 18, 2012
Friday, September 14, 2012
Giacomo Corona (5.5x44)
I live in the greater Sarasota area, sometimes referred to as the lesser Tampa area or Sorrysota, I don't agree with any of these assessments as Sarasota is like living in a vacation destination year round and I love it. I do sometimes go all "big city" and head into Tampa for certain business duties, and you can rest assured that I while I am in Tampa I always find my into a B&M somewhere to see what is hot cigarwise in the former cigar capital of North America. Recently I stopped into one of the off the beaten path B&M's that I like to wander into every so often, I was not disappointed by making this trip as this particular store quickly became a trove of things I can't usually find and stuff I had never heard of. This cigar fits into the never heard of it category.
It presents simply, with a straightforward red and black band with some other small adornments. Sometimes I like a simple visual presentation, but this shock red band causes a somewhat garish visual appearance that would usually be equated, in my mind, with a gas station cigar. The wrapper is somewhat dry to the touch, but I don't think that the cigar is dry as it is showing the correct spongy response from a light pinch. There are some prominent veins in the wrapper leaf and one is positively gigantic and I am wondering if it will make the burn wonky. The pre light draw shows some light wood and tart spice presentations. The pre light aroma has some notes of anise and a dusty undertone.
The cigar opens with a profile that shows little complexity or depth. The core flavors are of sharp cedar and there are tart spice notes here as well, I am struggling to define a slight sweetness in the tart spice presentation but I can't do it. The back of the palate is dry, but there are some light wood notes here. This profile could use miles and miles more depth and the flavors are not the most complementary in the world. The draw is very nice, I am encountering just the right amount of resistance here. The burn is a little off, but it is not something that causes me any concerns yet.
The first half of the cigar shows little development. The core profile continues to languish in the mundane arena as flavors of cedar and spice continue with an odd sweetness that now reminds me of Grandma's Rhubarb pie, this is not necessarily a good thing as I always despised Rhubarb pie. This sweet and tart combination is just not very good when considering it inside a cigar smoking experience. The back of the palate is still dry to me, but there are still some hints of wood coming through, though there are some bitter flavors coming along now as well. The draw is still spot on. The burn is now moving along nicely.
The final half of the cigar shows some development, but it is really not enough for me. The core profile still shows some cedar notes and there are now some hints of creamy vanilla and lightly creamed coffee flavors coming on as well. These are welcome shifts, but they come on way too late in the experience to be of much help. The back of the palate continues to show dry wood flavors and there is nothing else to help this area in the profile. The draw stays exceptional through to the end, but the burn derails in the final third as the wrapper splits badly.
The finish was middling and showed cedar and sweet and tart spice notes
Appearance- 84 a sub par visual impression
Taste- 85 very average, there was nothing terrible yet there was nothing great
Construction- 88 draw was nice but the burn was off at the end
Strength- 85 a very average medium
Overall- 85.75 just not very good
It presents simply, with a straightforward red and black band with some other small adornments. Sometimes I like a simple visual presentation, but this shock red band causes a somewhat garish visual appearance that would usually be equated, in my mind, with a gas station cigar. The wrapper is somewhat dry to the touch, but I don't think that the cigar is dry as it is showing the correct spongy response from a light pinch. There are some prominent veins in the wrapper leaf and one is positively gigantic and I am wondering if it will make the burn wonky. The pre light draw shows some light wood and tart spice presentations. The pre light aroma has some notes of anise and a dusty undertone.
The cigar opens with a profile that shows little complexity or depth. The core flavors are of sharp cedar and there are tart spice notes here as well, I am struggling to define a slight sweetness in the tart spice presentation but I can't do it. The back of the palate is dry, but there are some light wood notes here. This profile could use miles and miles more depth and the flavors are not the most complementary in the world. The draw is very nice, I am encountering just the right amount of resistance here. The burn is a little off, but it is not something that causes me any concerns yet.
The first half of the cigar shows little development. The core profile continues to languish in the mundane arena as flavors of cedar and spice continue with an odd sweetness that now reminds me of Grandma's Rhubarb pie, this is not necessarily a good thing as I always despised Rhubarb pie. This sweet and tart combination is just not very good when considering it inside a cigar smoking experience. The back of the palate is still dry to me, but there are still some hints of wood coming through, though there are some bitter flavors coming along now as well. The draw is still spot on. The burn is now moving along nicely.
The final half of the cigar shows some development, but it is really not enough for me. The core profile still shows some cedar notes and there are now some hints of creamy vanilla and lightly creamed coffee flavors coming on as well. These are welcome shifts, but they come on way too late in the experience to be of much help. The back of the palate continues to show dry wood flavors and there is nothing else to help this area in the profile. The draw stays exceptional through to the end, but the burn derails in the final third as the wrapper splits badly.
The finish was middling and showed cedar and sweet and tart spice notes
Appearance- 84 a sub par visual impression
Taste- 85 very average, there was nothing terrible yet there was nothing great
Construction- 88 draw was nice but the burn was off at the end
Strength- 85 a very average medium
Overall- 85.75 just not very good
Tuesday, September 11, 2012
Wynwood Honduras (5.5x46)
This cigar has really flummoxed me for several days now. I first smoked one a couple of weeks ago and I absolutely hated it, and I was ready to write one of my scathing blogs saying so. Then a funny thing happened on my way to the I hate this cigar blog factory in my head, someone gave me a moment of pause when they said they had also hated the first one they smoked, but now thought that the cigar was great. I pumped the brakes a little bit and started thinking that maybe I smoked one that was just too fresh off the truck after a long transport. It is well known that cigars sometimes need to rest before they can be smoked, particularly after a long sojourn. So I did something I almost never do, I decided to give the cigar another chance. You may be agog, but it's true, I do have a heart sometimes. In smoking another one I thought that it was pretty damn good, so I decided that I would smoke a few more before making a judgement (a similar process to my experience with CAO's Osa last year). Well, I'm ready to write my review now so brace yourself.
The cigar presents well, if simply, and that is always a nice start for me. Don't overwhelm my senses with superfluous adornments and glitz, just give me a cigar and I am a happy guy. The wrapper is applied flawlessly and there are few veins present, it is smooth and nearly blond in color and I am thinking mild at this point based on visuals. The construction seems to be very solid, and I can't find any areas that have me concerned at this point. The pre light draw is full of cinnamon and light herbal flavors. The pre light aroma has some floral spots, but also has some nice light tobacco essence as well.
This cigar opens with a profile that isn't profound, but it is very solid. The core flavors seem a bit dusty to me and the smoke leaves some residue on the palate, but there are nice ideas of cinnamon, vanilla, tobacco and sage here. The back of the palate has all the making of a fine backdrop showing some nice light wood flavors and some further brushes of light tobacco flavors. The draw is a little tight, but I am not struggling, it just is not as fluid as I usually like. The burn is spot on and is progressing as if there will be nary an issue.
The first half of the cigar is much the same as the open. The flavors continue to show well, but some more depth would be necessary to elevate this cigar past above average. The core profile still holds cinnamon and crisp tobacco flavors, but some of the other flavors have become too fleeting to mention at this stage. The back of the palate continues to be woody, but it has also developed the slightest note of white pepper as well and that gives the cigar some extra smoking value. The draw has opened up somewhat, but it is still too tight for me and I don't believe that will change. Sometimes a cigar is just rolled more tightly than others, it happens. The burn is still right on the money and I don't think there will be any issues here.
The final half of the cigar continues to march on. The core profile becomes a more opaque mix of flavors as cinnamon, tobacco and some light creamy notes of vanilla compete for center stage. This gives the cigar a devil may care personality as no flavor steps forward and there is no real glue holding the experience together. The back of the palate continues to be a solid presentation of wood and light tobacco flavors, but it fails to deliver any real binding factor to the front of the experience. The draw stays the same throughout and the burn was excellent until the end.
The finish was a touch short and some bitter wood flavors hurt the final impression.
Appearance- 87 a nice simple looking smoke
Taste- 86 some nice flavor, but nothing new here
Construction- 88 some tight draw issues take points
Strength- 87 a nice mild/medium that would make a great starter in the AM hours
Overall- 87, slightly above average
The cigar presents well, if simply, and that is always a nice start for me. Don't overwhelm my senses with superfluous adornments and glitz, just give me a cigar and I am a happy guy. The wrapper is applied flawlessly and there are few veins present, it is smooth and nearly blond in color and I am thinking mild at this point based on visuals. The construction seems to be very solid, and I can't find any areas that have me concerned at this point. The pre light draw is full of cinnamon and light herbal flavors. The pre light aroma has some floral spots, but also has some nice light tobacco essence as well.
This cigar opens with a profile that isn't profound, but it is very solid. The core flavors seem a bit dusty to me and the smoke leaves some residue on the palate, but there are nice ideas of cinnamon, vanilla, tobacco and sage here. The back of the palate has all the making of a fine backdrop showing some nice light wood flavors and some further brushes of light tobacco flavors. The draw is a little tight, but I am not struggling, it just is not as fluid as I usually like. The burn is spot on and is progressing as if there will be nary an issue.
The first half of the cigar is much the same as the open. The flavors continue to show well, but some more depth would be necessary to elevate this cigar past above average. The core profile still holds cinnamon and crisp tobacco flavors, but some of the other flavors have become too fleeting to mention at this stage. The back of the palate continues to be woody, but it has also developed the slightest note of white pepper as well and that gives the cigar some extra smoking value. The draw has opened up somewhat, but it is still too tight for me and I don't believe that will change. Sometimes a cigar is just rolled more tightly than others, it happens. The burn is still right on the money and I don't think there will be any issues here.
The final half of the cigar continues to march on. The core profile becomes a more opaque mix of flavors as cinnamon, tobacco and some light creamy notes of vanilla compete for center stage. This gives the cigar a devil may care personality as no flavor steps forward and there is no real glue holding the experience together. The back of the palate continues to be a solid presentation of wood and light tobacco flavors, but it fails to deliver any real binding factor to the front of the experience. The draw stays the same throughout and the burn was excellent until the end.
The finish was a touch short and some bitter wood flavors hurt the final impression.
Appearance- 87 a nice simple looking smoke
Taste- 86 some nice flavor, but nothing new here
Construction- 88 some tight draw issues take points
Strength- 87 a nice mild/medium that would make a great starter in the AM hours
Overall- 87, slightly above average
Sunday, September 2, 2012
Viaje Roman Candle (9x50)
I was wandering through a Tampa B&M recently and I came across something that looked like a box of road flares. I cautiously checked out the surroundings. Cedar walls, glass entry door, boxes of cigars and the hum of a humidifier all suggest that I am actually in a humidor and not in some hardware store or a place for various auto equipment. So, I wonder, what is with these damn flares? Imagine my surprise when I pick one up and realize that it's no flare at all, but a cigar instead! It dawns on me that this must be the Viaje Roman Candle and after quickly checking the box provenance I realize that it is one and the same. Needless to say, this now has my attention. I quickly select one and head for the register. I was not sure when I would fine time to smoke a nice inch cigar, but I was sure that someday I would.
That day came recently during the RNC, I knew that at some point I would be listening to some speeches that would drone on and on and I would need a long smoke to get through it with my mental faculties still in tact. I was not wrong and I decided to head for the Roman Candle one of the nights. After removing the red flare paper I am confronted with a cigar that is certainly every bit of nice inches long, but I am concerned about the ring gauge being a touch smaller than the fifty that is advertised. I slap in on my iPhone app, yes there is an app for this, and measure the ring gauge. It comes in at closer to a 48 or 49 so in my mind it comes up short of what is advertised, but it does not bother me because I prefer a thinner ring anyway. The cigar is otherwise unadorned and I find that to be refreshing, sometimes a cigar should just be a cigar, in this case I guess the maker thought the Roman Candle theme was enough. The cigar appears to be well made and I can't find any issues in it that have me concerned. The pre light aroma smacks of dried peach and apricot. The pre light draw has some pepper and spice notes.
This cigar opens with a profile that is nice. The core flavors are some nice spice and crisp, rich tobacco flavors. Not very complex and not very deep, but the flavors are nice. What does get my attention is the power here. This cigar is strong, coming from me that is a huge strength factor as I smoke strong cigars all the time. This one however, has strength that I have not encountered in some time and I find it is making me a touch dizzy early in the smoke. The back of the palate is woody and has some earthy tones that are nice, but not overwhelming or particularly deep. The draw is exceptional for a cigar of this size. The burn is off right from the beginning, but I don't see any reason to touch up this early in the smoke.
The first half of the cigar has some profile shifts and I am enjoying the experience. The profile has spice and dried fruit notes and there are some tobacco flavors that bind it all together nicely. The strength is still buzzing me a little bit and I am still shocked by this, it just shows that no matter how experienced a smoker is each cigar can have a different effect on anyone. The back of the palate continues to be coated in earthy flavors that become richer as the cigar carries on, there are some nice balances of wood here as well. The draw is still very good. The burn has deteriorated and I am forced to purge and relight three times in the first half of the smoke. This is not a good sign as I absolutely despise a cigar that won't stay lit.
The final half of the cigar becomes somewhat muddled as the flavors lose definition and character, but the cigar is still enjoyable, just not a connoisseur's dream. The core profile has some mint, spice, fruit and tobacco flavors, but they are not joined in any significant way at all. The strength is still humming along and I am still in awe of the power of this smoke. The back of the palate still holds some wood and earth flavors but the richness has disappeared here and that is disappointing. The draw is still right on the money, but the burn has issues and three more relights are required in the last half.
The finish was strong, with heavy spice and earth flavors.
Appearance- 88 a nice appearance, but a bit too gimmicky
Taste- 87 some nice flavors here, the muddling of ideas in the last half hurt the score
Construction- 82 the constant burn issues really took away from the cigar
Strength- 86 ultra powerful, but that power did nothing for the overall presentation of the cigar
Overall- 85.25 a very average experience in the end
That day came recently during the RNC, I knew that at some point I would be listening to some speeches that would drone on and on and I would need a long smoke to get through it with my mental faculties still in tact. I was not wrong and I decided to head for the Roman Candle one of the nights. After removing the red flare paper I am confronted with a cigar that is certainly every bit of nice inches long, but I am concerned about the ring gauge being a touch smaller than the fifty that is advertised. I slap in on my iPhone app, yes there is an app for this, and measure the ring gauge. It comes in at closer to a 48 or 49 so in my mind it comes up short of what is advertised, but it does not bother me because I prefer a thinner ring anyway. The cigar is otherwise unadorned and I find that to be refreshing, sometimes a cigar should just be a cigar, in this case I guess the maker thought the Roman Candle theme was enough. The cigar appears to be well made and I can't find any issues in it that have me concerned. The pre light aroma smacks of dried peach and apricot. The pre light draw has some pepper and spice notes.
This cigar opens with a profile that is nice. The core flavors are some nice spice and crisp, rich tobacco flavors. Not very complex and not very deep, but the flavors are nice. What does get my attention is the power here. This cigar is strong, coming from me that is a huge strength factor as I smoke strong cigars all the time. This one however, has strength that I have not encountered in some time and I find it is making me a touch dizzy early in the smoke. The back of the palate is woody and has some earthy tones that are nice, but not overwhelming or particularly deep. The draw is exceptional for a cigar of this size. The burn is off right from the beginning, but I don't see any reason to touch up this early in the smoke.
The first half of the cigar has some profile shifts and I am enjoying the experience. The profile has spice and dried fruit notes and there are some tobacco flavors that bind it all together nicely. The strength is still buzzing me a little bit and I am still shocked by this, it just shows that no matter how experienced a smoker is each cigar can have a different effect on anyone. The back of the palate continues to be coated in earthy flavors that become richer as the cigar carries on, there are some nice balances of wood here as well. The draw is still very good. The burn has deteriorated and I am forced to purge and relight three times in the first half of the smoke. This is not a good sign as I absolutely despise a cigar that won't stay lit.
The final half of the cigar becomes somewhat muddled as the flavors lose definition and character, but the cigar is still enjoyable, just not a connoisseur's dream. The core profile has some mint, spice, fruit and tobacco flavors, but they are not joined in any significant way at all. The strength is still humming along and I am still in awe of the power of this smoke. The back of the palate still holds some wood and earth flavors but the richness has disappeared here and that is disappointing. The draw is still right on the money, but the burn has issues and three more relights are required in the last half.
The finish was strong, with heavy spice and earth flavors.
Appearance- 88 a nice appearance, but a bit too gimmicky
Taste- 87 some nice flavors here, the muddling of ideas in the last half hurt the score
Construction- 82 the constant burn issues really took away from the cigar
Strength- 86 ultra powerful, but that power did nothing for the overall presentation of the cigar
Overall- 85.25 a very average experience in the end
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