Every once in awhile I put myself in the capable hands of a brick and mortar owner and allow them to select a cigar for me. I have a couple of haunts where they just don't steer me wrong and always have a recommendation that I end up enjoying. This cigar was part of one of those scenarios. I was pawing around a Tampa B&M and found myself a couple of smokes short of the special discount amount. It was no time for panic so I calmed my heart rate and breathing and sought out my friend. He, of course, had several selections in mind and I quickly and graciously accepted his offers and bought everything he directed me to. He had never given me bum advice before so I, of course, believed that this time would be no different.
The cigar is beautiful to look at, it has a wonderfully golden brown wrapper that has very few veins and is draped seductively over the bunch. The band work is elegant, but it is simple without complex artwork or other adornments. An inspection shows a well made cigar and I can't find a single issue with the smoke as I give it the eyeball. The pre light aroma is of wood and spice. The pre light draw is slightly bitter, but has some cedar notes.
The cigar opens with a profile that is straight forward, but not complex or deep. The core flavors show some light cedar, light cinnamon and some wispy impressions of bitter grass. My over arching thought in the opening moments is that this will be a mild cigar without much flavor, a Montecristo or RYJ if you will. The nose and back of the palate don't do anything to change my ideas as there are muted notes of light wood, dry paper and some floral strangeness. The draw is very nice, not too tight or loose and it delivers nice amounts of smoke with very little effort. The burn is a touch slow, but it is developing and showing a nice ash.
The first half of the cigar really is not very good. The core profile takes on a bitter tone here which over takes some cedar and cinnamon flavors that might have been acceptable. The back of the palate takes on a dry and dusty tone with some odd floral notes lingering in the background. Overall the profile is just not very good to this point. The draw continues to perform very well. The burn is still moving along nicely.
The final half of the cigar transforms into a nice surprise. The core profile shows some very nice cinnamon and coffee notes with some creamy notes as well. The back of the palate shows a nice sweetness, something akin to rock candy, but also has a nice note of cedar. It is all a little bit too late to save the smoke, but it makes for a nice ending impression. The burn and draw are solid to the end.
The finish was smooth and lingered with some nice sweet candy notes.
Appearance- 88 a nice looking smoke
Taste- 85 nice late, but poor in the first half
Construction- 92 performed very nicely, burn was touch slow
Strength- 87 a nice mild, nothing more
Overall- 88.25 a solid smoke with a poor first half profile
Friday, November 30, 2012
Thursday, November 22, 2012
Surrogates Crystal Baller (5.75x56)
I continue my reviews of the new Pete Johnson stuff with this cigar. I recently gave the L'Atelier some rave reviews and I thought that Pete was back with that particular blend, the best I've smoked from him since El Triunfador. This cigar is again from the surrogates collection and I am caught laughing a bit, again, at the silly name that has been given to this smoke. I have no idea what it means, and to be frank as I write this full of Turkey and other fixins, I really don't have the mental energy to spend on trying to figure it out. What I can tell you is that this surrogates line has four different blends, I have already reviewed the Tramp Stamp, and I will be smoking and reviewing all of them in the near future.
The cigar presents well, all though it is slightly box pressed and it is well known among my readers and friends that I don't like box pressing as a general rule. There are some prominent veins in this very light brown wrapper and it does not look it's price, it comes off as a touch cheap looking. The band work is very simple and the overall visual impact is somewhat mundane. A quick inspection shows me that there are some loose areas in the bunch and I am worried about combustion at this point. The pre light aroma has some cinnamon notes with some light tobacco essence. The pre light draw is thin, but shows some light wisps of young wood and some floral impressions.
The cigar opens with a profile that is neither deep or particularly complex. The core flavors are some thin wood flavors that have a slight bitterness that I would associate with wet wood. There are also some floral moments in the opening salvo that alternately sweet and slightly grassy. At the back of the palate and through the nose there are some very light hints of pepper and some strange sweet impressions that are reminiscent of mild white chocolate with a hint of bitters. The profile is not what I would classify as poor, but it is not complex or faceted in terms of depth so it leaves me feeling a little bit bereft. The draw is very loose and I am already noticing heat in the draw, so I decide to manage this cigar early on by slowing my progress to avoid scorching the flume. The burn is solid, but rapid at this point, and a loose white ash is forming.
The first half of the cigar actually develops nicely. The core profile beings to show some caramel notes with a touch of cinnamon, there are still some nice wood flavors coming through here as well. These added dimensions are showing some nice balance and complexity that front part of the smoke lacked. The back of the palate continues to show mostly pepper flavors, but there are some nice light chocolate flavors that are hanging on here as well and there is also a presentation of vanilla here as well. The draw is still too loose and the heat is still present, but my management of the combustion is keeping the cigar in line to this point. The burn is slowing nicely, but the ash is still loose and flaky.
The final half of the cigar deteriorates rapidly and I attribute it to poor construction. The core profile begins to show the negative affects of heat, there is some scorching coming through and it is directly correlated to the loose draw and rapid burn I'm afraid. The flavors show some wood and light spice, but the scorching is setting them into the area of being too acrid to be enjoyable. The back of the palate and the nose are still showing some pepper notes, but they too are being muddled by the scorched flavors coming from the poor combustion. The draw is still too loose and the burn can't be slowed any further without stopping the smoke all together. Construction really hurt this cigar.
The finish was short and acrid with burned wood flavors.
Appearance- 86 simple and lacking visual provocation
Taste- 83 some nice notes in the first half, but it was all killed in the last half
Construction- 72 just very poor
Strength- 85 I think a nice medium, but the construction hurts this score as well
Overall- 80.25 very sub par
The cigar presents well, all though it is slightly box pressed and it is well known among my readers and friends that I don't like box pressing as a general rule. There are some prominent veins in this very light brown wrapper and it does not look it's price, it comes off as a touch cheap looking. The band work is very simple and the overall visual impact is somewhat mundane. A quick inspection shows me that there are some loose areas in the bunch and I am worried about combustion at this point. The pre light aroma has some cinnamon notes with some light tobacco essence. The pre light draw is thin, but shows some light wisps of young wood and some floral impressions.
The cigar opens with a profile that is neither deep or particularly complex. The core flavors are some thin wood flavors that have a slight bitterness that I would associate with wet wood. There are also some floral moments in the opening salvo that alternately sweet and slightly grassy. At the back of the palate and through the nose there are some very light hints of pepper and some strange sweet impressions that are reminiscent of mild white chocolate with a hint of bitters. The profile is not what I would classify as poor, but it is not complex or faceted in terms of depth so it leaves me feeling a little bit bereft. The draw is very loose and I am already noticing heat in the draw, so I decide to manage this cigar early on by slowing my progress to avoid scorching the flume. The burn is solid, but rapid at this point, and a loose white ash is forming.
The first half of the cigar actually develops nicely. The core profile beings to show some caramel notes with a touch of cinnamon, there are still some nice wood flavors coming through here as well. These added dimensions are showing some nice balance and complexity that front part of the smoke lacked. The back of the palate continues to show mostly pepper flavors, but there are some nice light chocolate flavors that are hanging on here as well and there is also a presentation of vanilla here as well. The draw is still too loose and the heat is still present, but my management of the combustion is keeping the cigar in line to this point. The burn is slowing nicely, but the ash is still loose and flaky.
The final half of the cigar deteriorates rapidly and I attribute it to poor construction. The core profile begins to show the negative affects of heat, there is some scorching coming through and it is directly correlated to the loose draw and rapid burn I'm afraid. The flavors show some wood and light spice, but the scorching is setting them into the area of being too acrid to be enjoyable. The back of the palate and the nose are still showing some pepper notes, but they too are being muddled by the scorched flavors coming from the poor combustion. The draw is still too loose and the burn can't be slowed any further without stopping the smoke all together. Construction really hurt this cigar.
The finish was short and acrid with burned wood flavors.
Appearance- 86 simple and lacking visual provocation
Taste- 83 some nice notes in the first half, but it was all killed in the last half
Construction- 72 just very poor
Strength- 85 I think a nice medium, but the construction hurts this score as well
Overall- 80.25 very sub par
Monday, November 19, 2012
L'Atelier Lat54 (5.675x54)
A recent review that I wrote caused quite a stir amongst some and criticisms came my way rapidly and with intensity. A couple of quick words are necessary, not to deflect criticism I can handle that, but to solidify what this blog is all about.
I started this endeavor over two years ago to give readers a blog that did something that other blogs don't do, tell the truth about cigars that we smoke. I have read countless blogs out there and if you have read all the ones that I have you will quickly reach the conclusion that every cigar made is worthy of heaping praise and that each is a candidate for cigar of the year. This approach does not hold water for me because after having smoked for twenty four years I know that there two simple truths in the cigar world. A cigar is better than no cigar at all is the first. The second, and most important, there are cigars that are bad and we as consumers get exposed to them all the time. Why should we be ashamed to say when a cigar is poor? The short answer is we shouldn't.
I acknowledge that each cigar experience is subjective, you may like something I hate and vice versa, but I believe we have a duty to have an honest conversation about likes and dislikes in an open forum and I will not apologize for using this blog as an outlet to do just that. To suggest that I have an axe to grind, or some sort of agenda is just absurd. My only goal is to speak the truth about every cigar that I smoke and let consumers know that there is someone out here that does not like, or likes, something. It is only fair when you ask a consumer to part with hard earned bones, as I do for every cigar I smoke, that they get a real view from real smokers about what is going on out there. They can then smoke and decide for themselves, it is one of the joys of cigar smoking after all.
Enough about what this blog is, let's get down to this cigar. L'Atelier is a new Pete Johnson production and I recently reviewed the Tramp Stamp by this same company. Pepin Garcia makes these cigars for Pete, but I believe Pete and his new cohorts in L'Atelier did the blending. It is no secret that I have hated most of Pete's blends over the last two years so in my mind this cigar is like another shot at redemption. The fall from grace in my mind has been shocking. From huge winners like Tatuaje Red and Brown, La Riqueza and El Triunfador to dogs like Avion and Casita Criollo the slide has been noticeable in my world.
This cigar presents nicely. The wrapper is a wonderful light brown shade and it is draped on the cigar like a satiny blanket of tobacco goodness. There are very few veins here and the construction appears to be excellent. I'm not crazy about the pigtail cap, I feel like this has been played out over the last few years, but it is not really bothering me. The band work is simple and elegant, and actually gives the cigar a very high end feel without being flashy. The pre light aroma is full of vanilla sweetness with some floral notes of honey in the mix. The pre light draw is a touch dusty, but shows wonderful notes of honey and light cream.
The cigar opens subtly, but with a profile that has miles of flavor and depth. The core flavors are showing delicate sweet notes of honey and vanilla, but there is a fantastic light wood flavor holding the early notes all together. At the back of the palate and through the nose there is some clover essence that bolsters the honey ideas from the front of the smoke and there is dry grass note that is not sharp, but light and sweet. I usually reject grassy flavors out of hand, but this one does not bother me for some reason and almost lends a note of realism to the profile. The draw is a real dream, no tension and plenty of smoke without any effort. The burn is very solid and a nice ash is developing.
The first half of the cigar continues to impress me. Some of the subtlety is gone as the flavors really kick up. The core profile morphs into a more robust presentation of wood, honey and some white pepper that balances out the sweetness that I was experiencing early on. These developments are welcome because I feel the sweetness could have become overt and might have subtracted from the experience overall. The back of the palate is still showing some dry grass, but the sweetness of it is still there and it is almost becoming wheaty as the cigar moves on which leaves a bready aftertaste while smoking. The draw continues to be superior, delivering smoke without effort but not creating any heat. The burn is still solid as well.
The final half of the cigar really picks up steam and becomes a more full offering. The profile sharpens with some nice blasts of pepper and cedar, but there is still some honey flavor here that becomes more profound against the pepper flavors. The back of the palate shows some nice development as well, the wheat flavors are really coming on strong and there is some more pepper showing up here as well. This profile really is a lesson in what a cigar is supposed to be, early subtlety followed by increasing strength throughout culminating in a profile that is fulfilling and pleasing. The draw is still phenomenal and the burn was solid right until the end.
The finish was glorious, showing nice honey and wheat flavors for many moments.
Appearance- 91 a nice looking smoke
Taste- 92 wonderful profile here that just kept on giving
Construction- 100 an absolute dream
Strength- 92 an excellent medium trending to full
Overall- 94.5 nearly classic and a redemption for Pete Johnson in my mind
I started this endeavor over two years ago to give readers a blog that did something that other blogs don't do, tell the truth about cigars that we smoke. I have read countless blogs out there and if you have read all the ones that I have you will quickly reach the conclusion that every cigar made is worthy of heaping praise and that each is a candidate for cigar of the year. This approach does not hold water for me because after having smoked for twenty four years I know that there two simple truths in the cigar world. A cigar is better than no cigar at all is the first. The second, and most important, there are cigars that are bad and we as consumers get exposed to them all the time. Why should we be ashamed to say when a cigar is poor? The short answer is we shouldn't.
I acknowledge that each cigar experience is subjective, you may like something I hate and vice versa, but I believe we have a duty to have an honest conversation about likes and dislikes in an open forum and I will not apologize for using this blog as an outlet to do just that. To suggest that I have an axe to grind, or some sort of agenda is just absurd. My only goal is to speak the truth about every cigar that I smoke and let consumers know that there is someone out here that does not like, or likes, something. It is only fair when you ask a consumer to part with hard earned bones, as I do for every cigar I smoke, that they get a real view from real smokers about what is going on out there. They can then smoke and decide for themselves, it is one of the joys of cigar smoking after all.
Enough about what this blog is, let's get down to this cigar. L'Atelier is a new Pete Johnson production and I recently reviewed the Tramp Stamp by this same company. Pepin Garcia makes these cigars for Pete, but I believe Pete and his new cohorts in L'Atelier did the blending. It is no secret that I have hated most of Pete's blends over the last two years so in my mind this cigar is like another shot at redemption. The fall from grace in my mind has been shocking. From huge winners like Tatuaje Red and Brown, La Riqueza and El Triunfador to dogs like Avion and Casita Criollo the slide has been noticeable in my world.
This cigar presents nicely. The wrapper is a wonderful light brown shade and it is draped on the cigar like a satiny blanket of tobacco goodness. There are very few veins here and the construction appears to be excellent. I'm not crazy about the pigtail cap, I feel like this has been played out over the last few years, but it is not really bothering me. The band work is simple and elegant, and actually gives the cigar a very high end feel without being flashy. The pre light aroma is full of vanilla sweetness with some floral notes of honey in the mix. The pre light draw is a touch dusty, but shows wonderful notes of honey and light cream.
The cigar opens subtly, but with a profile that has miles of flavor and depth. The core flavors are showing delicate sweet notes of honey and vanilla, but there is a fantastic light wood flavor holding the early notes all together. At the back of the palate and through the nose there is some clover essence that bolsters the honey ideas from the front of the smoke and there is dry grass note that is not sharp, but light and sweet. I usually reject grassy flavors out of hand, but this one does not bother me for some reason and almost lends a note of realism to the profile. The draw is a real dream, no tension and plenty of smoke without any effort. The burn is very solid and a nice ash is developing.
The first half of the cigar continues to impress me. Some of the subtlety is gone as the flavors really kick up. The core profile morphs into a more robust presentation of wood, honey and some white pepper that balances out the sweetness that I was experiencing early on. These developments are welcome because I feel the sweetness could have become overt and might have subtracted from the experience overall. The back of the palate is still showing some dry grass, but the sweetness of it is still there and it is almost becoming wheaty as the cigar moves on which leaves a bready aftertaste while smoking. The draw continues to be superior, delivering smoke without effort but not creating any heat. The burn is still solid as well.
The final half of the cigar really picks up steam and becomes a more full offering. The profile sharpens with some nice blasts of pepper and cedar, but there is still some honey flavor here that becomes more profound against the pepper flavors. The back of the palate shows some nice development as well, the wheat flavors are really coming on strong and there is some more pepper showing up here as well. This profile really is a lesson in what a cigar is supposed to be, early subtlety followed by increasing strength throughout culminating in a profile that is fulfilling and pleasing. The draw is still phenomenal and the burn was solid right until the end.
The finish was glorious, showing nice honey and wheat flavors for many moments.
Appearance- 91 a nice looking smoke
Taste- 92 wonderful profile here that just kept on giving
Construction- 100 an absolute dream
Strength- 92 an excellent medium trending to full
Overall- 94.5 nearly classic and a redemption for Pete Johnson in my mind
Sunday, November 18, 2012
Nat Sherman Timeless Collection Hermoso (5.5.54)
Nat Sherman cigars have been around for years, I have seen them since I started smoking way back in 1988/89. In the twenty four years I have been smoking I can't recall ever having smoked one. As I recollect I can't recall that I have ever seen one smoked by anyone that I know. As I plunge further into the depths of my twisted and dark closet of a mind I can't think of a single time anyone has ever told me that they have smoked one. In further pursuit of knowledge long past, I remember that I can't remember a single person ever saying anything about a Nat Sherman cigar to me, other than that they had seen them too. Sure I have friends that have been to the iconic lounge and store in NYC, hell I've been there myself on a couple of occasions, but even those people did not relay any stories to me about a Nat Sherman cigar. I thought about this as I prepared to smoke this cigar and I wondered if this lack of anything was positive or negative, I mean it could go either way right?
This cigar is quite a log, short and stumpy with a darker brown wrapper that looks like bark with all the bumps and rills that a tree would have to offer. The band work is somewhat mundane, and I am surprised by this, because my memories of Nat Sherman offerings in publications I have perused always had colorful band work, nearly pastel in some cases. That aside, the cigar itself seems to be well made, but it is hard to tell through the significant bulk of this stump. The pre light draw shows some very thin spice flavors and a shockingly horrific and vile essence of rotting vegetation and other organic material, I nearly take a moment for a quick spew. Gathering my wits I take in the pre light aroma and quickly wish I had not, it is also shocking and has hints of putrid water and some ammonia.
To say that my mouth was not watering at this point would be an understatement. The cigar opens with a profile that is heavily vegetal and metallic, this is really terrible. I seldom think of chucking a cigar so soon, but it is crossing my mind. Could it be that I have never heard anything about these cigars because they all this bad? I hope to hell not, they have been business for a long time. The back of the palate is bile churning mix of wet earth and paper. This profile is an absolute train wreck early on and I can't help but think it has nowhere to go but up. The draw is actually a little too tight for me and I am thankful, or else I may have already blown chunks. The burn is solid, but it seems slow to me, maybe this is where the timeless moniker comes from. I sincerely hope not, because I may be dead from exposure to whatever in this rocket by the time it burns down.
The first half of the smoke improves, in that I don't think it will kill me anymore, but that's really all I can say. It dawns on me, without checking the lineage, that this cigar must have some heavy Honduran seed tobacco in it, I often have violent reactions to cigars with too much Honduran influence. The profile has become a more bland presentation of paper and vegetation, with maybe some simple wood impressions. The back of the palate becomes less damp tasting but still smacks of earth and paper. The draw is still, blessedly, tight for me. The burn trucks on, albeit slowly, nicely.
The final half of the smoke does nothing for me either. The core profile is still bland with some creamy vanilla notes very late in the smoke. There is nothing redeeming about this cigar, except that it is almost over. The back of the palate still shows very simple wood, paper and wet earth impressions. The draw stays too firm all the way until the end. The burn was solid, but slow, throughout.
This is the worst cigar I have smoked in some time. I think I see now why nobody has ever said anything to me about this line of smokes. Either they knew I would laugh at them for their lack of cigar knowledge, or they thought I would punish them for their cigar insolence. Actually I would do neither of those things not knowing what a cigar was about. Now that I do, I would just discourage them from smoking this at all and give them something better, like a White Owl.
Appearance- 86 an ok looking smoke
Taste- 71 one of the absolute worst I have smoked in 24 years of smoking
Construction- 75 the draw was too tight and the burn was too slow, other than that it was gold
Strength- 80 a sloppy medium I guess, but there was nothing here to help anything in the smoke
Overall- 76.25 an abomination
This cigar is quite a log, short and stumpy with a darker brown wrapper that looks like bark with all the bumps and rills that a tree would have to offer. The band work is somewhat mundane, and I am surprised by this, because my memories of Nat Sherman offerings in publications I have perused always had colorful band work, nearly pastel in some cases. That aside, the cigar itself seems to be well made, but it is hard to tell through the significant bulk of this stump. The pre light draw shows some very thin spice flavors and a shockingly horrific and vile essence of rotting vegetation and other organic material, I nearly take a moment for a quick spew. Gathering my wits I take in the pre light aroma and quickly wish I had not, it is also shocking and has hints of putrid water and some ammonia.
To say that my mouth was not watering at this point would be an understatement. The cigar opens with a profile that is heavily vegetal and metallic, this is really terrible. I seldom think of chucking a cigar so soon, but it is crossing my mind. Could it be that I have never heard anything about these cigars because they all this bad? I hope to hell not, they have been business for a long time. The back of the palate is bile churning mix of wet earth and paper. This profile is an absolute train wreck early on and I can't help but think it has nowhere to go but up. The draw is actually a little too tight for me and I am thankful, or else I may have already blown chunks. The burn is solid, but it seems slow to me, maybe this is where the timeless moniker comes from. I sincerely hope not, because I may be dead from exposure to whatever in this rocket by the time it burns down.
The first half of the smoke improves, in that I don't think it will kill me anymore, but that's really all I can say. It dawns on me, without checking the lineage, that this cigar must have some heavy Honduran seed tobacco in it, I often have violent reactions to cigars with too much Honduran influence. The profile has become a more bland presentation of paper and vegetation, with maybe some simple wood impressions. The back of the palate becomes less damp tasting but still smacks of earth and paper. The draw is still, blessedly, tight for me. The burn trucks on, albeit slowly, nicely.
The final half of the smoke does nothing for me either. The core profile is still bland with some creamy vanilla notes very late in the smoke. There is nothing redeeming about this cigar, except that it is almost over. The back of the palate still shows very simple wood, paper and wet earth impressions. The draw stays too firm all the way until the end. The burn was solid, but slow, throughout.
This is the worst cigar I have smoked in some time. I think I see now why nobody has ever said anything to me about this line of smokes. Either they knew I would laugh at them for their lack of cigar knowledge, or they thought I would punish them for their cigar insolence. Actually I would do neither of those things not knowing what a cigar was about. Now that I do, I would just discourage them from smoking this at all and give them something better, like a White Owl.
Appearance- 86 an ok looking smoke
Taste- 71 one of the absolute worst I have smoked in 24 years of smoking
Construction- 75 the draw was too tight and the burn was too slow, other than that it was gold
Strength- 80 a sloppy medium I guess, but there was nothing here to help anything in the smoke
Overall- 76.25 an abomination
Wednesday, November 14, 2012
Rolando Reyes Limited Edition Grand Reserva Toro (6x53)
Every once in a while I come across something that I just can't find out much about. This cigar fits that bill, however, I am not easily deterred and I was able to find out some things about this smoke. They were blended 10 years ago, according to some Internet information and they were blended by Rolando Reyes himself. As an aside, Rolando Reyes died last year, it was the loss of a legend in the cigar world and all cigar smokers should research his contributions to the industry whenever they can. I found these cigars recently in a Tampa B&M and I grabbed a couple. It should be well known by now that I am always looking for something that I just can't find anywhere, the only problem I have is there really isn't anything I can't find anymore, or that I haven't heard of. This cigar is one of those rare exceptions.
The cigar presents well. It is large and bold looking with a fine looking wrapper that has some prominent veins, but also has a nice oily sheen. The band work is traditional for the Reyes family of smokes as it has the standard Puros Indios green color to it. There is also a fine portrait of the bygone legend himself on the band, almost as a nod to the smoker that he/she is about to embark on something special. The construction appears to be top notch, I can't find a single issue anywhere. The pre light aroma is of dried apricot. The pre light draw shows some nice light wood and dried fruit flavors.
The cigar opens with a profile that is surprisingly subtle, balanced and full of flavor. The core profile shows nice apricot and wood notes and there is a creamy vanilla essence here that is very interesting. The subtlety does not mean that the cigar does not have depth, the flavors run very deep in this cigar and the complexity of all these subtle flavors is quite something. At the back of the palate there is a very nice platform of light wood upon which the unique flavors can rest and show their full color. This opening is so out of the ordinary that I am sitting in reverence of all that it implies about what I know about my own palate, namely that I like bolder flavors as the norm, but in this case I am taken away by flavors that would never be described as bold. The draw is exceptional and the burn is very solid from the start.
The first half of the cigar actually declines slightly for me as it moves on. The core profile becomes too sweet for me. The dried fruit and vanilla flavors continue, but a sweet grassy note comes on here as well and I find it to be all just a little too sweet for me. The back of the palate and the nose continue to show some nice light wood flavors, but I would like something more bold here. Apparently what I know about my own palate is holding true in this area of the smoke. The draw continues to perform very well. The burn is very strong at this point.
The final half of the cigar picks up steam again.. The core profile morphs into a very nice array of dried fruit, but there are some bolder citrus flavor here that was not present in the early stages of the cigar. There is also some very nice light pepper coming into the mix here and it provides just enough punch to to make the cigar intriguing again. The back of the palate has transitioned into a more robust presentation of cedar flavors and there are some nice brushes of cinnamon here as well. The draw continues to be excellent right on until the end. The burn was very solid all the way as well.
The finish was a little bit sweet, but showed some nice citrus flavors with some cedar undertones.
Appearance- 90 a very nice looking cigar, extra points for the visage of a legend
Taste- 89 a very nice experience that lost some points in the first half of the cigar, at times the profile was just too sweet
Construction- 97 a very well made and fantastically performing cigar, the only points I removed were for some heat in the last third
Strength- 93 a fabulous mild/medium
Overall- 92.5 a wonderful experience and a cigar that should be smoked
The cigar presents well. It is large and bold looking with a fine looking wrapper that has some prominent veins, but also has a nice oily sheen. The band work is traditional for the Reyes family of smokes as it has the standard Puros Indios green color to it. There is also a fine portrait of the bygone legend himself on the band, almost as a nod to the smoker that he/she is about to embark on something special. The construction appears to be top notch, I can't find a single issue anywhere. The pre light aroma is of dried apricot. The pre light draw shows some nice light wood and dried fruit flavors.
The cigar opens with a profile that is surprisingly subtle, balanced and full of flavor. The core profile shows nice apricot and wood notes and there is a creamy vanilla essence here that is very interesting. The subtlety does not mean that the cigar does not have depth, the flavors run very deep in this cigar and the complexity of all these subtle flavors is quite something. At the back of the palate there is a very nice platform of light wood upon which the unique flavors can rest and show their full color. This opening is so out of the ordinary that I am sitting in reverence of all that it implies about what I know about my own palate, namely that I like bolder flavors as the norm, but in this case I am taken away by flavors that would never be described as bold. The draw is exceptional and the burn is very solid from the start.
The first half of the cigar actually declines slightly for me as it moves on. The core profile becomes too sweet for me. The dried fruit and vanilla flavors continue, but a sweet grassy note comes on here as well and I find it to be all just a little too sweet for me. The back of the palate and the nose continue to show some nice light wood flavors, but I would like something more bold here. Apparently what I know about my own palate is holding true in this area of the smoke. The draw continues to perform very well. The burn is very strong at this point.
The final half of the cigar picks up steam again.. The core profile morphs into a very nice array of dried fruit, but there are some bolder citrus flavor here that was not present in the early stages of the cigar. There is also some very nice light pepper coming into the mix here and it provides just enough punch to to make the cigar intriguing again. The back of the palate has transitioned into a more robust presentation of cedar flavors and there are some nice brushes of cinnamon here as well. The draw continues to be excellent right on until the end. The burn was very solid all the way as well.
The finish was a little bit sweet, but showed some nice citrus flavors with some cedar undertones.
Appearance- 90 a very nice looking cigar, extra points for the visage of a legend
Taste- 89 a very nice experience that lost some points in the first half of the cigar, at times the profile was just too sweet
Construction- 97 a very well made and fantastically performing cigar, the only points I removed were for some heat in the last third
Strength- 93 a fabulous mild/medium
Overall- 92.5 a wonderful experience and a cigar that should be smoked
Friday, November 9, 2012
Surrogates Tramp Stamp (5.25x48)
When you think about a Tramp Stamp all kinds of images flash through your mind. I think of a kinda trashy woman in some low rise jeans with the ubiquitous butterfly tattoo peeking out from above the lowered waist band. Remember ladies, low hanging jeans reveal low hanging fruit. I certainly don't think of a cigar, but now I guess I have to, because L'Atelier and Pete Johnson have struck with what is possibly the worst name for a cigar in recent memory. I mean Tramp Stamp? Come on! Why not White Trash? Crack Ho? The list could go on and on. The name Tramp Stamp certainly does not evoke pleasant thoughts about the smoking experience that is about to ensue. Nevertheless I truck on and try to forget the name.
The cigar presents nicely, with the exception of the band with the little butterfly on it (WTF!) as if it weren't bad enough you named it this way you have to brand it with a Tramp Stamp of it's own? The cigar itself is beautifully done. The wrapper is a rich, dark brown color with few veins and some nice tooth. The construction seems flawless to me, I can't find a single issue anywhere while I inspect it. The pre light aroma has some nice cocoa and rich coffee tones. The pre light draw is a touch thin, but shows some earthy notes with a nice roasted nut quality in the background.
The cigar opens with a profile that lacks power, but does show some nice flavors. The core profile contains some wonderful coffee and hard candy sweetness as the main components, but there is also an excellent earthy tone here that binds the experience together nicely. The back of the palate shows some nice brushes of pepper and wood, but these flavors are little bit too thin for me at this point as I prefer my cigar to have a little more power in this area. The draw is fantastic, very easy to manage and plenty of smoke. The burn is also very solid to this point.
The first half of the cigar develops into something that I did not expect. The core profile becomes a very nice array of flavors that include some nice lightly creamed coffee flavors with some excellent shots of white pepper that keep the palate guessing. There are also some nice hard candy notes that continue on throughout the first half granting some nice balance to the overall experience. The earthy flavors have moved to the back of the palate, and this is really where they belong as this attribute provides a nice platform for most profiles to rest upon. There is also a nice nutty quality through the nose that can't be without mention. The draw is still performing very well at this point and I am impressed with the performance so far. The burn is also very solid.
The final half of the cigar was a huge letdown for me, I thought we were really building into something when it all came crashing down around me. The core profile loses all of it's sweet components in the last half as more stringent mineral notes take over and the pepper becomes almost confrontational in this area of the smoke. I don't mind some in your face moments in a cigar, but this just doesn't work for me at all. The back of the palate still shows some earthy notes, but they are getting lost in some strong notes of charred tobacco that are not pleasant at all. The draw is still dead on for me, and the burn is solid all the way through.
The finish was short and charred.
Appearance- 88 a nice cigar to look at, if you ignore the band
Taste- 85 very average, good in the front part of the smoke and awful in the final part
Construction- 93 wonderfully done, cigars don't perform like this everyday
Strength- 80 medium early on, but as the maker goes for strength in the last half the strength jumps the rails and kills the profile
Overall- 87.25, saved by construction, not really a cigar I would smoke again
The cigar presents nicely, with the exception of the band with the little butterfly on it (WTF!) as if it weren't bad enough you named it this way you have to brand it with a Tramp Stamp of it's own? The cigar itself is beautifully done. The wrapper is a rich, dark brown color with few veins and some nice tooth. The construction seems flawless to me, I can't find a single issue anywhere while I inspect it. The pre light aroma has some nice cocoa and rich coffee tones. The pre light draw is a touch thin, but shows some earthy notes with a nice roasted nut quality in the background.
The cigar opens with a profile that lacks power, but does show some nice flavors. The core profile contains some wonderful coffee and hard candy sweetness as the main components, but there is also an excellent earthy tone here that binds the experience together nicely. The back of the palate shows some nice brushes of pepper and wood, but these flavors are little bit too thin for me at this point as I prefer my cigar to have a little more power in this area. The draw is fantastic, very easy to manage and plenty of smoke. The burn is also very solid to this point.
The first half of the cigar develops into something that I did not expect. The core profile becomes a very nice array of flavors that include some nice lightly creamed coffee flavors with some excellent shots of white pepper that keep the palate guessing. There are also some nice hard candy notes that continue on throughout the first half granting some nice balance to the overall experience. The earthy flavors have moved to the back of the palate, and this is really where they belong as this attribute provides a nice platform for most profiles to rest upon. There is also a nice nutty quality through the nose that can't be without mention. The draw is still performing very well at this point and I am impressed with the performance so far. The burn is also very solid.
The final half of the cigar was a huge letdown for me, I thought we were really building into something when it all came crashing down around me. The core profile loses all of it's sweet components in the last half as more stringent mineral notes take over and the pepper becomes almost confrontational in this area of the smoke. I don't mind some in your face moments in a cigar, but this just doesn't work for me at all. The back of the palate still shows some earthy notes, but they are getting lost in some strong notes of charred tobacco that are not pleasant at all. The draw is still dead on for me, and the burn is solid all the way through.
The finish was short and charred.
Appearance- 88 a nice cigar to look at, if you ignore the band
Taste- 85 very average, good in the front part of the smoke and awful in the final part
Construction- 93 wonderfully done, cigars don't perform like this everyday
Strength- 80 medium early on, but as the maker goes for strength in the last half the strength jumps the rails and kills the profile
Overall- 87.25, saved by construction, not really a cigar I would smoke again
Thursday, November 8, 2012
Viaje 5th Anniversary Perfecto (6.5x52)
Ohhh said everyone when I selected this smoke at a local B&M recently. I raised an eyebrow as if to say, "what's the BFD?" (if you don't know what BFD means you are probably too young to read this blog, or too old to understand curse word shorthand and it's time for your nap). Everyone saw my skepticism and then the conga line of accolades for this Viaje creation began. "Best anniversary cigar I've ever had!" extolled one nearby dog rocket connoisseur. "Fantastic, I wish I could buy them all the time!" shouted a frequent partaker of bundled seconds. You get the idea, the accolades were strong, but the palates of those shouting out may be somewhat in question. I may come off sounding like some snobby elitist here, and I really don't give a Punch Champion what I sound like at this point. When I am spending thirteen dollars on a cigar I want to make my own judgments. Alejandro Robaina could rise up from his grave and sing the praises and I would tell him to shut his yam hole and let me smoke in peace. (I will leave it up to you to judge the validity of this story, but if you know me you know it's probably all true with little embellishment)...
The cigar itself is nice looking, but it is really nothing to write home about. It is an awkward perfecto with strange dimensions and an oddly lopsided look to it. The wrapper is a nice light brown and could be a Connecticut if it were a few shades lighter. The band work is all white, and I struggle to make out what it says on it, if you didn't know you would mistake it for a 5 Vegas on sight alone (not a great attribute if you ask me, but if you ask some of those that were shouting at me the 5 Vegas might be a cigar of the year). The pre light aroma smacks of cedar and balsa wood with some hints of grass and summer clover. The pre light draw is dry and full of muted mint notes with some strange spice and sweetness.
The cigar opens with a profile that is one dimensional and dry. The smoke is so dry that I am scrambling to put the glands in order so they can produce some saliva, it is a real struggle. I am wondering if part of the blend is one of those do not eat desiccants that they put in clothes, after all they say do not eat not do not smoke. Dryness aside, the profile smacks of grass and cedar, there are some papery textures involved here as well and I believe that the papery essences create dryness. At the back of the palate there are some dry hints of leaves and some minty strangeness that don't help the overall impressions at all. The burn is on the money, which is nice when considering this oddly shaped perfecto, they usually don't burn well. The draw is ok, but it is a little bit tight for me.
The first half of the cigar has me continuing the line of questions about the people that were shouting from the rooftops earlier, but I am not letting my face betray my impending loathing (for the cigar, not the people). The core profile still has some cedar and balsa notes that could be pleasant, but they are offset by blasts of dry grass and paper that leave the palate screaming for moisture. The back of the palate continues to show some dry mint flavors. Thankfully the leafy flavors have left at this point and a dusty sweetness has settled in. The burn continues to perform well. The draw is still just too tight for me.
The final half of the smoke improves, but it won't be enough to save the smoke. The core profile contains some nice flavors of wood and spice, and the dryness starts to dissipate (my saliva glands and throat have never been so grateful). The back of the palate shows nice mint and a dusty sweetness that is pleasing in the closing moments. The draw was too tight throughout for me. The burn was solid all the way to the end.
The finish was short and had some dry notes of wood.
All in all a poor effort. Not even close to being worth the price.
Appearance-87 a nice looking smoke
Taste- 82 some nice flavors late, but nothing great anywhere
Construction- 83 draw tightness hurt the score
Strength- 88 a nice medium
Overall- 84.25 below average
The cigar itself is nice looking, but it is really nothing to write home about. It is an awkward perfecto with strange dimensions and an oddly lopsided look to it. The wrapper is a nice light brown and could be a Connecticut if it were a few shades lighter. The band work is all white, and I struggle to make out what it says on it, if you didn't know you would mistake it for a 5 Vegas on sight alone (not a great attribute if you ask me, but if you ask some of those that were shouting at me the 5 Vegas might be a cigar of the year). The pre light aroma smacks of cedar and balsa wood with some hints of grass and summer clover. The pre light draw is dry and full of muted mint notes with some strange spice and sweetness.
The cigar opens with a profile that is one dimensional and dry. The smoke is so dry that I am scrambling to put the glands in order so they can produce some saliva, it is a real struggle. I am wondering if part of the blend is one of those do not eat desiccants that they put in clothes, after all they say do not eat not do not smoke. Dryness aside, the profile smacks of grass and cedar, there are some papery textures involved here as well and I believe that the papery essences create dryness. At the back of the palate there are some dry hints of leaves and some minty strangeness that don't help the overall impressions at all. The burn is on the money, which is nice when considering this oddly shaped perfecto, they usually don't burn well. The draw is ok, but it is a little bit tight for me.
The first half of the cigar has me continuing the line of questions about the people that were shouting from the rooftops earlier, but I am not letting my face betray my impending loathing (for the cigar, not the people). The core profile still has some cedar and balsa notes that could be pleasant, but they are offset by blasts of dry grass and paper that leave the palate screaming for moisture. The back of the palate continues to show some dry mint flavors. Thankfully the leafy flavors have left at this point and a dusty sweetness has settled in. The burn continues to perform well. The draw is still just too tight for me.
The final half of the smoke improves, but it won't be enough to save the smoke. The core profile contains some nice flavors of wood and spice, and the dryness starts to dissipate (my saliva glands and throat have never been so grateful). The back of the palate shows nice mint and a dusty sweetness that is pleasing in the closing moments. The draw was too tight throughout for me. The burn was solid all the way to the end.
The finish was short and had some dry notes of wood.
All in all a poor effort. Not even close to being worth the price.
Appearance-87 a nice looking smoke
Taste- 82 some nice flavors late, but nothing great anywhere
Construction- 83 draw tightness hurt the score
Strength- 88 a nice medium
Overall- 84.25 below average
Thursday, November 1, 2012
Tatuaje 2011 Halloween Edition-Wolfman (7.5x52)
Yesterday was Halloween and when I was a single guy Halloween meant scoping out the costumes of questionable repute amongst 19-45 year old females, the eye candy was my trick or treat. I am now a married man, with a stepson, so my Halloween pursuits have changed a bit in recent years. There is now trick or treating with a five year old and my wife (I never knew how exhausting this could be), and in general a lot of walking and dealing with other screaming children that seem to come from some underground haven of noise makers in our neighborhood, where did all these freaking kids come from!!! In order to cope part of my new Halloween ritual is to smoke a cigar whilst the demon children run hither and yon whacked out on sugar and adrenaline. This year I chose the 2011 Halloween offering from Tatuaje. Every year Pete Johnson brings some fun into the Halloween time of the year with his Monster release, and while I bought some in 2011 I never got around to smoking any of them.
This cigar presents very simply. The band is simple, and I would argue dull and too closely colored to the wrapper to even draw your eye there. The foot is unfinished giving the cigar a shaggy look and feel, appropriate when calling a cigar the Wolfman. The bunch is not dense and feels a little too spongy for me so I am worried about the loose draw possibilities that this attribute can summon. There is box press on this smoke, and as everyone knows, I am no fan of the box press. The second strike is that this cigar is a torpedo, again I am not a huge fan. The pre light aroma was of tobacco and muted cinnamon. The pre light draw was earthy and showed some wood flavors.
The cigar opens with a profile that is neither deep or complex, but there are some nice flavors present. The core flavors consist of nice black pepper notes with some light tastes of wood, but there aside from this there is not a whole lot here. I am yearning for some depth or complexity with these flavors or a complementary essence, but there just isn't one. The back of the palate and the nose show some nice earthy notes, but again they are not particularly deep or interesting to me. The draw is very loose early and it has me concerned about heat later in the smoke. The burn is tough in the first half inch or so, but once the unfinished foot is gone it evens out nicely.
The first half of the cigar shows no real development, which I find disappointing. The core profile continues to show pepper and wood flavors, but they just lay there like a corpse without any real punch. The back of the palate continues to show some earthy tones and maybe some burnt coffee flavors, but there is no real action here either. This total lack of anything resembling progress has me really disappointed by this point in the smoke. The draw has settled down into something less loose, but is still too loose for my liking. When confronted with a choice I will always take the firmer draw over the looser one. The burn is solid to this point.
The final half of the cigar really just continues to plod along mundanely. The core flavors are still slogging along unenthusiastically showing pepper and wood, blaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhh. The back of the palate continues to show earthy flavors with some burnt coffee offerings, blaaaaaaaaahhhhh. There is never an iota of development in this cigar at any point, unless you count developing an ash as a development. The draw is fine until the end, but is still just too loose for me. The burn develops a run in the final third and I had to correct it before it continued on like fleeing villagers in the face of extreme horror.
The finish may have been the best part of the cigar as a nice pepper flavor lingered on.
Appearance- 85 pretty average
Taste- 82 just nothing worth noting here
Construction- 84 too many issues to give any higher a mark
Strength- 85 a medium offering
Overall- 83.75 just too full of nothing exciting
This cigar presents very simply. The band is simple, and I would argue dull and too closely colored to the wrapper to even draw your eye there. The foot is unfinished giving the cigar a shaggy look and feel, appropriate when calling a cigar the Wolfman. The bunch is not dense and feels a little too spongy for me so I am worried about the loose draw possibilities that this attribute can summon. There is box press on this smoke, and as everyone knows, I am no fan of the box press. The second strike is that this cigar is a torpedo, again I am not a huge fan. The pre light aroma was of tobacco and muted cinnamon. The pre light draw was earthy and showed some wood flavors.
The cigar opens with a profile that is neither deep or complex, but there are some nice flavors present. The core flavors consist of nice black pepper notes with some light tastes of wood, but there aside from this there is not a whole lot here. I am yearning for some depth or complexity with these flavors or a complementary essence, but there just isn't one. The back of the palate and the nose show some nice earthy notes, but again they are not particularly deep or interesting to me. The draw is very loose early and it has me concerned about heat later in the smoke. The burn is tough in the first half inch or so, but once the unfinished foot is gone it evens out nicely.
The first half of the cigar shows no real development, which I find disappointing. The core profile continues to show pepper and wood flavors, but they just lay there like a corpse without any real punch. The back of the palate continues to show some earthy tones and maybe some burnt coffee flavors, but there is no real action here either. This total lack of anything resembling progress has me really disappointed by this point in the smoke. The draw has settled down into something less loose, but is still too loose for my liking. When confronted with a choice I will always take the firmer draw over the looser one. The burn is solid to this point.
The final half of the cigar really just continues to plod along mundanely. The core flavors are still slogging along unenthusiastically showing pepper and wood, blaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhh. The back of the palate continues to show earthy flavors with some burnt coffee offerings, blaaaaaaaaahhhhh. There is never an iota of development in this cigar at any point, unless you count developing an ash as a development. The draw is fine until the end, but is still just too loose for me. The burn develops a run in the final third and I had to correct it before it continued on like fleeing villagers in the face of extreme horror.
The finish may have been the best part of the cigar as a nice pepper flavor lingered on.
Appearance- 85 pretty average
Taste- 82 just nothing worth noting here
Construction- 84 too many issues to give any higher a mark
Strength- 85 a medium offering
Overall- 83.75 just too full of nothing exciting
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