Usually I scoff at such blatant gimmickry, but in this case my initial negative reaction was turned into something more like curiosity followed by intense interest. It is not often that I am intrigued by a cigar offering anymore, the industry has just become so big ring and full flavored focused in the last few years that I can hardly stand it anymore. Along comes Pete Johnson, one of the masters of gimmicks, with this selection. For those of you that don't know what this is, it is a coffin with four cigars in it, one is the original Tatuaje Black Lancero and the other three are Lancero Culebras. Culebras are so rare and fun to have that I nearly knocked people over on my up to the front of my local B&M and to get one of the coffins. It is no secret in this blog that my departure from Pete had almost been complete when he pulled me back in with L'Atelier and with that greatness fresh in my mind I was mouth watering over this selection from the word go. In fact, the proprietor (always quite the joker), made some comment about inventing a cigar bib for me to stop the slobber from hitting my dress shirt. Very funny, very funny, but probably apt. Needless to say the week I had these laying in my humidor was killing me.
The Culebra is a mangled mess of a cigar to look at and I love every minute of it. Like looking at a masterpiece painting or sculpture I feel like there is depth and a palpable sense of anticipation at every turn and curve of the cigar. I am always concerned about the smoking performance of these cigars, you wonder, how could they be any good with all that mess there? Oddly enough I have had very few perform badly. This one looks like a thing of beauty and I can't detect any areas that will cause me concern at all. The pre light aroma is a heady mix of pepper and dark wood. The pre light draw shows some coffee tones with dark wood highlights.
The cigar opens with a profile that has miles and miles of depth and character. There are some brilliant meanderings of black pepper that smack the palate early on, only to be softened by some wonderful wood tones that have cedar, oak and hickory notes all wrapped into one. I am positively abuzz about this experience from the beginning and it is not letting me down. At the back of the palate and through the nose there are some very nice hints of coffee flavors and very nice crisp tobacco note on the finish that is harmonic when considered against the rest of the smoke. The draw is an absolute dream, perfect resistance and perfect delivery of smoke lead me into a considered pose as I contemplate the holidays and other such goings on because I know this cigar will not cause me an issue at all. The burn is also splendid and there is nary an issue.
The first half of the smoke really ramps up the flavor and robustness as it progresses. The core profile is really hammering away with black and red pepper notes that leave the palate alive and looking for more. The undertone of exceptional wood flavors still holds on in the background as almost a barrier to the pepper flavors becoming too much to bear. The back of the palate settles into a nice presentation of crisp and hearty tobacco flavors that further lend to the dampening of pepper notes that could become too much for the palate to work with if unchecked. The draw continues to be a wonderful experience and the burn moves right along with even ash and neither a run or split.
The final half of the cigar moves it into serious cigar of the year contention. The core profile takes on some more pepper flavors, but a hint of gingersnap comes into the profile and the molasses quality adds a satisfying counterpoint to the entire experience. It has been a long time since I was this impressed with a profile in a cigar and my transition back into the Pete Johnson fold is almost complete. The back of the palate and the nose still show effective tobacco flavors and some of the wood from the front of the smoke has found its way here as well. The draw and burn perform without a single issue all the way to the end.
The finish was woody and had some molasses bite and sweetness to it that lingered on.
Appearance- 100 I would not give a work of art like this a lesser score
Taste- 96 one of the finer profiles I have experienced in awhile
Construction- 100 the performance was so good for such an intricate vitola I have no choice
Strength- 97 a very nice full flavored experience
Overall- 98.25 an instant classic and definitely cigar of the year quality
Friday, December 28, 2012
Sunday, December 23, 2012
Debonaire Robusto (5x50)
The name Debonaire evokes high society imagery replete with aristocrats and wealthy well dressed industrialists, at least in my mind it does. Expectations of a cigar bearing this name were naturally high for me, particularly with the Debonaire price of thirteen bones for a robusto. I mean thirteen dollars for a robusto? Who do these guys think we are anyway, Carnegie and Rockefeller? I also want to know what is Debonaire about a guy riding a horse drawn liquor cart? Why do I ask you may ask? Well I ponder this question because the depiction on the band is just that, a dude driving a horse drawn liquor cart. When I think of Debonaire this is perhaps the last image I can up with, except for maybe someone drinking out of a finger bowl...
The cigar itself is a nice looking smoke. The wrapper has a nice sheen to it, but it does not appear to have been processed in any way. There are some veins, but they don't seem like they will be a hindrance to the performance of the smoke. The bunch seems too loose to me, but the rest of the construction looks like it is acceptable. I am always nervous about loose bunches. The loose bunch can create a loose draw, poor combustion and heat all of which are the death knell in the cigar world. The pre light aroma has huge blasts of dark fruit and wood. The light draw shows some pepper and little nicotine tingle on the lips and tongue.
The cigar opens with a profile that has some very interesting flavors and it takes me some time to determine whether or not I like it or hate it. I end up on the like it side of things, but just because something is unique does not necessarily mean that it is good. The core profile here shows some rich dark fruit flavors and the texture of the smoke is thick and showing some very nice smoked meat and wood flavors as well. The back of the palate and the nose are showing nice coffee notes and some earthy tones as well. This is really a nice start to a cigar, but is not classic by any means. The draw is very loose, but this early on it is difficult to tell what will happen as the cigar progresses. The burn is a touch off and the ash is very flaky, but I don't see any real issues here for now.
The first half of the cigar loses some of the balance that was shown in the opening moments. The core profile continues to show some dark fruit flavors, but there is some citrus zest like Orange peel coming in here now as well. There are still some wood notes, but they are bordering on being bitter at this point. The back of the palate starts to show more loamy notes of earth as well and the coffee tones are sliding away as the cigar progresses. What is left is a profile that has some appeal in the front, but very little at the back of the palate or through the nose. The draw is still too loose at this point and some heat is starting to show up in the smoke, I start to slow it down a bit to keep it out of the flume. The burn has evened out and is performing nicely.
The final half of the cigar really continues a downward spiral. The core profile shows some pepper now, but the fruit notes are gone and there is some bitterness like a crushed aspirin coming through at this point. The disintegration of this cigar has been astonishing in it's completeness. The back of the palate still has some loamy earth qualities, but there is some dank sense of moisture here now as well, kind of like an old basement. The heat in the draw has been limited by my ability to slow the smoke down, but the draw is still too loose. The burn performed well through to the end.
The finish was musty and loamy.
Appearance- 89 a nice looking cigar
Taste- 82 some nice things happening early, but the cigar really circled the drain late
Construction- 81 the best I can give a cigar with such a loose draw
Strength- 85 a nice medium/full offering
Overall- 83.25 for thirteen bucks you should expect more...
The cigar itself is a nice looking smoke. The wrapper has a nice sheen to it, but it does not appear to have been processed in any way. There are some veins, but they don't seem like they will be a hindrance to the performance of the smoke. The bunch seems too loose to me, but the rest of the construction looks like it is acceptable. I am always nervous about loose bunches. The loose bunch can create a loose draw, poor combustion and heat all of which are the death knell in the cigar world. The pre light aroma has huge blasts of dark fruit and wood. The light draw shows some pepper and little nicotine tingle on the lips and tongue.
The cigar opens with a profile that has some very interesting flavors and it takes me some time to determine whether or not I like it or hate it. I end up on the like it side of things, but just because something is unique does not necessarily mean that it is good. The core profile here shows some rich dark fruit flavors and the texture of the smoke is thick and showing some very nice smoked meat and wood flavors as well. The back of the palate and the nose are showing nice coffee notes and some earthy tones as well. This is really a nice start to a cigar, but is not classic by any means. The draw is very loose, but this early on it is difficult to tell what will happen as the cigar progresses. The burn is a touch off and the ash is very flaky, but I don't see any real issues here for now.
The first half of the cigar loses some of the balance that was shown in the opening moments. The core profile continues to show some dark fruit flavors, but there is some citrus zest like Orange peel coming in here now as well. There are still some wood notes, but they are bordering on being bitter at this point. The back of the palate starts to show more loamy notes of earth as well and the coffee tones are sliding away as the cigar progresses. What is left is a profile that has some appeal in the front, but very little at the back of the palate or through the nose. The draw is still too loose at this point and some heat is starting to show up in the smoke, I start to slow it down a bit to keep it out of the flume. The burn has evened out and is performing nicely.
The final half of the cigar really continues a downward spiral. The core profile shows some pepper now, but the fruit notes are gone and there is some bitterness like a crushed aspirin coming through at this point. The disintegration of this cigar has been astonishing in it's completeness. The back of the palate still has some loamy earth qualities, but there is some dank sense of moisture here now as well, kind of like an old basement. The heat in the draw has been limited by my ability to slow the smoke down, but the draw is still too loose. The burn performed well through to the end.
The finish was musty and loamy.
Appearance- 89 a nice looking cigar
Taste- 82 some nice things happening early, but the cigar really circled the drain late
Construction- 81 the best I can give a cigar with such a loose draw
Strength- 85 a nice medium/full offering
Overall- 83.25 for thirteen bucks you should expect more...
Tuesday, December 11, 2012
Zengotita White Label Robusto (5x50)
I know what you are all thinking, WTF is a Zengotita! I am with you I knew nothing about this cigar when they were given to me by a proprietor at a local B&M. I of course accepted them, he respects my opinion and I his, it just seemed like the right thing to do. I asked him about them and he just shrugged his shoulders which indicated he knew about as much as I did at the time. Never fear though, I went to the Googleplex and let my fingers do the finding. You will not believe the sheer treasure trove of information that I found these. They are made somewhere in Tampa, and that is all I could find. Are you as shocked as I am about this incredible knowledge? They don't even have a website, all though they do have a domain reserved. The long and the short of it is, I can't tell you a damn thing about this cigar, other than it is a cigar that is made in Tampa....allegedly... I have no idea what the wrapper is, though it looks like a Habano. I don't know what's in the blend. Hell, I don't even know what country the tobaccos come from. In short this is really a blind tasting.
The cigar itself is wonderful to behold. It appears to very well made, I can't find a single issue with it as I inspect it. The wrapper is positively glistening, I am quite sure if it were any shinier I would be able to see my reflection in it. There are very few veins, and those that are there add character to the cigar for a nice visual impression. Even the band is stately and elegant. I just wish I knew more about the cigar. The pre light aroma is something odd, with some strange pot pourri odor and sharp wood notes. The pre light draw shows some pepper and a fragrant perfume character that is off putting.
The cigar opens with a profile that is pleasant, but not overwhelmingly complex or deep. The core flavors show some soft wood notes and slight clove like spices, there is also a sweetness here that I would equate to fig. The back of the palate and the nose show some medium tobacco notes with some dry hints of wheat flour. The overall impression at this point is so so, and the dry notes in the back of the palate and nose are taking away from the experience. The burn is solid and sharp. The draw is fluid, but a touch too tight for me.
The first half of the cigar is trying to hold on to whatever positives there were in the opening moments, but it is struggling to do so. The core profile is still showing some wood and light spice, but there are some bitter ideas coming through here now and they are not helping the cause. The back of the palate is showing some pepper, but there are some tones of scorched wood and vegetation here as well and the experience is deteriorating rapidly. The burn is still nice and a fine ash forms. The draw is actually tightening as the smoke progresses and I am becoming concerned about heat later in the smoke.
The final half of the cigar is a real descent into cigar hell. The core profile becomes overwhelmingly bitter and sour, a combination of what crushed aspirin tastes like and what a mildewed towel smells like. It goes without saying, this is not something one would be looking for in a cigar. The back of the palate is similarly bile churning. The flavors here are of wet wood smoldering and wet vegetation. The burn is still performing well, and in the end this is really the only redeeming quality in the smoke. The draw is still too tight and heat enters the smoke in the final third which forced me to slow the smoke down and only served to prolong the agony.
The finish was bitter and short.
Appearance- 89 I liked the way this looked
Taste- 78 some points for the early effort, a loss of points for the rest of the smoke
Construction- 80 some marks for burn, but draw is more important to me
Strength- 85 a medium/full that really didn't matter in the end
Overall- 81.75 run from this if you see one
The cigar itself is wonderful to behold. It appears to very well made, I can't find a single issue with it as I inspect it. The wrapper is positively glistening, I am quite sure if it were any shinier I would be able to see my reflection in it. There are very few veins, and those that are there add character to the cigar for a nice visual impression. Even the band is stately and elegant. I just wish I knew more about the cigar. The pre light aroma is something odd, with some strange pot pourri odor and sharp wood notes. The pre light draw shows some pepper and a fragrant perfume character that is off putting.
The cigar opens with a profile that is pleasant, but not overwhelmingly complex or deep. The core flavors show some soft wood notes and slight clove like spices, there is also a sweetness here that I would equate to fig. The back of the palate and the nose show some medium tobacco notes with some dry hints of wheat flour. The overall impression at this point is so so, and the dry notes in the back of the palate and nose are taking away from the experience. The burn is solid and sharp. The draw is fluid, but a touch too tight for me.
The first half of the cigar is trying to hold on to whatever positives there were in the opening moments, but it is struggling to do so. The core profile is still showing some wood and light spice, but there are some bitter ideas coming through here now and they are not helping the cause. The back of the palate is showing some pepper, but there are some tones of scorched wood and vegetation here as well and the experience is deteriorating rapidly. The burn is still nice and a fine ash forms. The draw is actually tightening as the smoke progresses and I am becoming concerned about heat later in the smoke.
The final half of the cigar is a real descent into cigar hell. The core profile becomes overwhelmingly bitter and sour, a combination of what crushed aspirin tastes like and what a mildewed towel smells like. It goes without saying, this is not something one would be looking for in a cigar. The back of the palate is similarly bile churning. The flavors here are of wet wood smoldering and wet vegetation. The burn is still performing well, and in the end this is really the only redeeming quality in the smoke. The draw is still too tight and heat enters the smoke in the final third which forced me to slow the smoke down and only served to prolong the agony.
The finish was bitter and short.
Appearance- 89 I liked the way this looked
Taste- 78 some points for the early effort, a loss of points for the rest of the smoke
Construction- 80 some marks for burn, but draw is more important to me
Strength- 85 a medium/full that really didn't matter in the end
Overall- 81.75 run from this if you see one
Friday, December 7, 2012
Ernesto Perez Carrillo Inch #60 (5.875x60)
I'm going to start this all off by saying that I hate big ring gauge cigars. I think they are the death knell for everything that I love in the cigar industry. Delicacy, craftsmanship, subtle blends and cigars with more wrapper tastes than filler and binder all go by the wayside in the big ring is king movement. I realize that makers only respond to consumer demands, but somewhere along the way makers need to say enough already! We have pushed the size envelope as far as we are willing to push it and we will go no further! I am, of course, dreaming and I realize this will never happen, but a guy can hope can't he? My dream is a cigar utopia of sorts, every one smokes, there are no draconian smoking laws and nothing more than a 50 ring gauge is offered. I would smoke coronas all day and sit idly by whilst I watched every one else smoke cheerfully while walking in the park, or having a drink in a bar, or while eating dinner. I must really be insane...
This cigar is new from the Carrillo family and if there is anyone, that in a snapshot of time, could change my opinion about big ring gauge cigars it would be the Carrillo's, I just love their stuff. This cigar is of course huge, but it does not seem as huge as some other 60's I have seen and I'm not sure why that is. The wrapper is a fine looking, leathery textured beauty that has a nice sheen and very few veins. The band work is large, but it is interesting in that is bears the markings of a ruler on it, obviously playing up to the inch moniker. The construction seems to be well done, but it is always difficult to find issues in a cigar of this thickness. The pre light aroma has some nice coffee, spice and earth tones. The pre light draw shows nice pepper and earth flavors.
The cigar opens with a profile that is full and contains tons of flavor and power. The core profile is all pepper and dark wood with some coffee undertones. This will slap you around a little bit in the early stages and I like that in a cigar sometimes. Don't be afraid to show us who's boss, and this cigar does not show a hint of shyness. It's not giving you an inch, it's giving you the whole foot...(easy pervs, we are talking about cigars here). The back of the palate has a wonderful earthy quality and shows some light chocolate features as well. The through the nose experience also has a high quality earth tone as well. The burn is sharp and moving along nicely. The draw is actually a touch too loose for me, but so far there is no heat coming through so I am not too worried yet.
The first half of the cigar continues to impress me. The core profile becomes something more nuanced in terms of flavors, but the power still remains. The main flavors here are now pepper and anise and I detect some slight hints of raisin here as well. This is an exceptional profile thus far and I am really enjoying it. The back of the palate continues to chug right along delivering earth and chocolate notes that are very solid. The draw is still too loose and there is some heat coming up the flume, but I am still not worried because it will be manageable with the proper smoking technique. The burn is still on the money and a nice solid ash forms.
The final half of the cigar really brings it home for me. The core profile picks up some very nice dried fruit flavors and still shows some raisins, dark wood, anise and slight hints of mint. At the back of the palate very nice earthy flavors are providing a very solid platform for the entire smoke and there are still some nice chocolate flavors here as well. The draw stays too loose and I have to manage the cigar very carefully so I don't get charred flavors, some points will be lost here. The burn is very solid all the way through.
The finish was long and had noted of earth, wood and dried fruit
Appearance- 89 the highest I will go for a large cigar these days
Taste- 94 a wonderful flavor experience
Construction- 87 some looseness in the draw hurts this score
Strength- 97 an excellent cigar in this category, it slaps you around but does not break your nose
Overall- 91.25 a very, very good cigar and another winner from the Carrillo's
This cigar is new from the Carrillo family and if there is anyone, that in a snapshot of time, could change my opinion about big ring gauge cigars it would be the Carrillo's, I just love their stuff. This cigar is of course huge, but it does not seem as huge as some other 60's I have seen and I'm not sure why that is. The wrapper is a fine looking, leathery textured beauty that has a nice sheen and very few veins. The band work is large, but it is interesting in that is bears the markings of a ruler on it, obviously playing up to the inch moniker. The construction seems to be well done, but it is always difficult to find issues in a cigar of this thickness. The pre light aroma has some nice coffee, spice and earth tones. The pre light draw shows nice pepper and earth flavors.
The cigar opens with a profile that is full and contains tons of flavor and power. The core profile is all pepper and dark wood with some coffee undertones. This will slap you around a little bit in the early stages and I like that in a cigar sometimes. Don't be afraid to show us who's boss, and this cigar does not show a hint of shyness. It's not giving you an inch, it's giving you the whole foot...(easy pervs, we are talking about cigars here). The back of the palate has a wonderful earthy quality and shows some light chocolate features as well. The through the nose experience also has a high quality earth tone as well. The burn is sharp and moving along nicely. The draw is actually a touch too loose for me, but so far there is no heat coming through so I am not too worried yet.
The first half of the cigar continues to impress me. The core profile becomes something more nuanced in terms of flavors, but the power still remains. The main flavors here are now pepper and anise and I detect some slight hints of raisin here as well. This is an exceptional profile thus far and I am really enjoying it. The back of the palate continues to chug right along delivering earth and chocolate notes that are very solid. The draw is still too loose and there is some heat coming up the flume, but I am still not worried because it will be manageable with the proper smoking technique. The burn is still on the money and a nice solid ash forms.
The final half of the cigar really brings it home for me. The core profile picks up some very nice dried fruit flavors and still shows some raisins, dark wood, anise and slight hints of mint. At the back of the palate very nice earthy flavors are providing a very solid platform for the entire smoke and there are still some nice chocolate flavors here as well. The draw stays too loose and I have to manage the cigar very carefully so I don't get charred flavors, some points will be lost here. The burn is very solid all the way through.
The finish was long and had noted of earth, wood and dried fruit
Appearance- 89 the highest I will go for a large cigar these days
Taste- 94 a wonderful flavor experience
Construction- 87 some looseness in the draw hurts this score
Strength- 97 an excellent cigar in this category, it slaps you around but does not break your nose
Overall- 91.25 a very, very good cigar and another winner from the Carrillo's
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