While I was at IPCPR in July this cigar was one of the most talked about smokes of the show. However, every time I went by the booth there were none to be found. I wasn't even sure that they existed to be honest, since I did not see a single one anywhere during the time I was in Vegas. Wild speculation ensued as to the whereabouts of this particular cigar; conspiracy theories were hatched, foil hats were worn, hearings were held...Of course all of this took place while I was alone in my suite, but it happened, I swear it did...
It was with great interest that I read an e-mail last week from my local B&M that these elusive cigars had finally landed, as if maybe they had been on some journey to outer space (Google this tidbit, you might be entertained). I didn't rush right in to get one, I do work for a living after all, but I did put it on my to smoke list with as asterisk for immediate attention. The minute I got the chance I headed on over there and sat down to see what all the talk was about in July.
The cigar presents well with intricate and entertaining band work. The perfecto is nicely constructed with a very tapered foot, somewhat akin to the Fuente Hemingway series. The wrapper leaf is a wonderful medium brown and it is applied expertly, even the seams are hard to discern. Alec Bradley has really come a long way in a short period of time. My examination does not reveal any areas of concern and the only real issue I can see off the bat is the tapered foot, which often makes the draw tight and lends to early heat in a smoke. The pre light draw is fluid and smooth and smacks of wheat and pepper. The pre light aroma shows a nice mix of earth and wood with a light spice.
The smoke opens with a profile that is somewhat unexpected for me. The core flavors are showing tons of wood and earth notes that are developed, but could use a complementary feature to make it more complex and balanced early on. The back of the palate and through the nose show some nice spice and slight touches of pepper that are interesting, However, I am again left feeling like something more needs to be present here. The draw is very strong and my concerns about the tapered foot are soon allayed. The burn is also on the money early on.
The first half of the smoke develops very nicely. The core profile has a solid woody base that allows for flavors of earth and cinnamon and light pepper to dance across the top of the palate, my only complaint is that there additional flavors are wispy and leave the palate wanting more in a desperate way. The back of the palate really kicks up the spice quotient and I am picking out some clove like flavors with some tones of ginger that has a sharp quality to it, there is also a more satisfying burst of pepper here that adds to the experience nicely. The draw has really opened up and is delivering perfect amounts of smoke with each easy draw. The burn gets a little wonky, but evens out without any effort from me.
The final half of the cigar is also very strong. The core profile really settles into a nice array of earth and wood, again some complementary flavors would be favorable here, but I am nit picky about this kind of stuff. At the back of the palate the cigar really starts to deliver peppery blasts that are full and prevalent, there are still some nice spice notes here and there, but I would like more of it to be present. The draw and burn are solid to the end.
The finish is long and full of pepper notes that linger.
A nice cigar but, watch the price tag as these sneak into the Super Premium range in the larger sizes.
Appearance- 94 a very nice looking smoke that has elegance
Taste- 88 all in all not bad, but it could have been so much more
Construction- 91 some burn issues in the middle, but nicely made
Strength- 87 a nice medium/full
Overall- 89.75 a nice above average smoke and another solid offering from Alec Bradley
Thursday, December 5, 2013
Sunday, November 24, 2013
Ortega Wild Bunch Big Bad John (6.875x60)
Along comes another new review and with it another review of the Ortega Wild Bunch offerings. This time I tackle the ponderous and downright huge Big Bad John. It is not a secret that I hate, yes that's right, HATE cigars in this ring gauge. However, as always, in the interest of the cigar consumer yours truly soldiers on and smokes all things no matter how gimmicky, how large, how strangely shaped, how double or triple wrapped, how bad or how good. It is a calling and I am up to the challenge, even when I am sent looking for the nearest discreet place to toss my lunch...
Now I am not saying this cigar was bad, but the word is in the name so I will let you draw your own conclusions when you smoke it. It presents in gigantic log fashion like most cigars of this ring gauge, it is huge and packed with tobacco. The wrapper looks wonderful, it has very few veins and I can't find a single defect anywhere on it. An examination of the smoke reveals some areas where there are voids in the bunch and I have often found this to be common in huge ring gauge cigars. The pre light draw is a bit tight, but shows some slight hints of wood and pepper. The pre light aroma is dusty, and has some loamy mushroom qualities.
The cigar opens with a profile that is actually better than I anticipated. The core flavors have some very nice light spice qualities and some crisp tobacco notes. There is also a brush of dark tea and some nice pepper notes that round out some complexity and depth that I wasn't expecting. The back of the palate has some sharp cedar notes, but overall it is not overwhelming my palate at this point. The draw is tight right at the open but loosens slightly as the burn opens the cigar up. The burn is solid and I don't have any concerns in this area.
The cigar chugs along nicely through the first third or so, and I am enjoying the experience (shocking since it is a large ring cigar). In the second third the cigar really flies off the rails for no apparent reason. The core profile becomes sour and shows some really foul and bitter notes of vegetation and loamy earth. There are some ideas of pepper here, but there is nothing redeeming coming through at all. The back of the palate and the retrohale show sharp cedar notes that have become far too sharp and border on bitter. The draw has improved at this point, I only wish it hadn't. The mouthfuls of sour vileness have me begging for a plug or some other reason to launch this rocket. The burn is still solid, but I see the beginnings of a run and wonder what this development will lead to.
The final part of the cigar actually returns to something enjoyable and I am happy I didn't chuck it. The core profile moves into a nice presentation of pepper and spice, with a wheaty finish that interesting. The back of the palate begins to show some sweet floral concepts and there is a brush of cedar along with some nice vanilla tones that interest me. I have seldom smoked cigars with this type of split personality, and I can never recall a cigar that was so terrible in the middle while flanked by solid flavors. The draw really becomes acceptable late. However, the burn is a complete mess by the end and I let it go a little before I normally would just to end on a high note.
The finish was middling, but showed some nice pepper notes with complements of wood.
Appearance- 88 not bad for a big cigar
Taste- 82 I can't do any more for it because of the horrific middle third
Construction- 83 again I would like to do more, but the tight draw early and the burn issues late killed the score here
Strength- 85 a middle of the road medium
Overall- 83.75 below average and not something I would consider again
Now I am not saying this cigar was bad, but the word is in the name so I will let you draw your own conclusions when you smoke it. It presents in gigantic log fashion like most cigars of this ring gauge, it is huge and packed with tobacco. The wrapper looks wonderful, it has very few veins and I can't find a single defect anywhere on it. An examination of the smoke reveals some areas where there are voids in the bunch and I have often found this to be common in huge ring gauge cigars. The pre light draw is a bit tight, but shows some slight hints of wood and pepper. The pre light aroma is dusty, and has some loamy mushroom qualities.
The cigar opens with a profile that is actually better than I anticipated. The core flavors have some very nice light spice qualities and some crisp tobacco notes. There is also a brush of dark tea and some nice pepper notes that round out some complexity and depth that I wasn't expecting. The back of the palate has some sharp cedar notes, but overall it is not overwhelming my palate at this point. The draw is tight right at the open but loosens slightly as the burn opens the cigar up. The burn is solid and I don't have any concerns in this area.
The cigar chugs along nicely through the first third or so, and I am enjoying the experience (shocking since it is a large ring cigar). In the second third the cigar really flies off the rails for no apparent reason. The core profile becomes sour and shows some really foul and bitter notes of vegetation and loamy earth. There are some ideas of pepper here, but there is nothing redeeming coming through at all. The back of the palate and the retrohale show sharp cedar notes that have become far too sharp and border on bitter. The draw has improved at this point, I only wish it hadn't. The mouthfuls of sour vileness have me begging for a plug or some other reason to launch this rocket. The burn is still solid, but I see the beginnings of a run and wonder what this development will lead to.
The final part of the cigar actually returns to something enjoyable and I am happy I didn't chuck it. The core profile moves into a nice presentation of pepper and spice, with a wheaty finish that interesting. The back of the palate begins to show some sweet floral concepts and there is a brush of cedar along with some nice vanilla tones that interest me. I have seldom smoked cigars with this type of split personality, and I can never recall a cigar that was so terrible in the middle while flanked by solid flavors. The draw really becomes acceptable late. However, the burn is a complete mess by the end and I let it go a little before I normally would just to end on a high note.
The finish was middling, but showed some nice pepper notes with complements of wood.
Appearance- 88 not bad for a big cigar
Taste- 82 I can't do any more for it because of the horrific middle third
Construction- 83 again I would like to do more, but the tight draw early and the burn issues late killed the score here
Strength- 85 a middle of the road medium
Overall- 83.75 below average and not something I would consider again
Sunday, November 17, 2013
Ortega Wild Bunch Iron Mike (4.875x54)
What is this? A review from the Czar? I couldn't be, hasn't he been incognito for some time now? The answer to all of three of these probing and valuable questions is yes. To be frank I just have not had the time, or the colorful adjectives, to write these past couple of months. Never fear though! The Czar is back for the next little bit and I have reviews aplenty that I have just been waiting to drop on you fools.
For those of you not in the know, Ortega is one half of the now defunct Espinosa and Ortega, the guys that brought you 601, Cubao and some others. This Wild Bunch line is part of the small batch fad sweeping the cigar nation in recent months and every so often he has released a new Wild Bunch blend, most of which have some crazy name attached; Tony the Boss, Big bad John, Iron Mike etc... They kind of remind me of my days in Chicago and the gangster operations that had great names. Tony "The Nose", Jimmy "Bananas", Freddy "The Eye", Herman "The Gimp", you know good solid gangster names. Naming a line of cigars in this tradition, intentional or not, is fun and clever.
The cigar itself is interesting, the band work is futuristic, kind of Iron Man movie looking artwork that is cool and something you wouldn't expect in the cigar world. The cigar has some prominent veins, but I can't find any areas that may be of concern at all. The wrapper is dark and rich looking, this is a natural oscuro though, no extra oils or dies were added here to make something look like something it is not and I always applaud this kind of thing in the industry. The pre light aroma is heavy and contains some strong earthy tones. The pre light draw has some spice that is a little sour, but also shows a nice earthy flavor that could really be something once flame hits leaf.
The cigar opens with a profile that is a touch flat for me. There are some earthy tones in the open that are interesting, but they never really develop into anything. There are also some spice notes in the opening moments, but they have some sour undertones that are not appealing. The back of the palate has some dark wood flavors, but there are some mineral notes here that border on being metallic and they are putting me off the experience at this point. The draw is very smooth early, but as it opens up I worry that it may become too loose at some point and bring heat into the cigar. The burn is sharp, but the ash is a touch flaky early on.
The first half of the cigar really does not improve much. The core profile does not develop and stays flat and one dimensional. The earthy notes are hanging on, but they never show any depth or complexity. The sour spice notes continue to kick up as the cigar develops and I am reminded of very unpleasant experiences, like eating alum. The back of the palate and through the nose still show some dark wood flavors, but the metallic hints are still here and there is a drying quality to the smoke that is a turn off. The draw has settled in nicely and I am no longer worried about it becoming too loose. The burn stays solid to this point.
The final half of the cigar finally develops into something worth mentioning. The core profile begins to show some nice pepper flavors and the earthy notes really develop into a nice backdrop for the pepper to rest against. There is now some complexity and depth showing through and the balance of the flavors is very nice. The back of the palate is still showing nice dark wood flavors, but there are also some brushes of coffee showing here as well. All in all a nice finish. The draw and burn perform well to the end.
The finish was a touch short and had some metallic notes amongst wood and earth tones.
Appearance- 89 nice to look at
Taste- 83 some points came on late, but it was too little
Construction- 88 acceptable, but the draw was too loose for me
Strength- 86 billed as full, but really more medium for me
Overall- 86.25 slightly above average, but nothing to get excited about
Friday, September 27, 2013
Black Label Trading Company Benediction
On a recent trip to my favorite New Orleans B&M, the proprietor (a very good friend of mine), struck again with something I had not heard of or seen. He excels in this area and it is the reason his shop is always a must when I am in the Quarter, hell even if you're not in the Quarter you need to go see Armando at Crescent City...tell him I sent you, after he gets done laughing he will throw you out. On second thought, don't tell him I sent you, just tell him that the Red Wings suck, he will know right away it was me that sent you. He is a class act, and his shop is fantastic for the boutique enthusiast, and if you aren't a boutique enthusiast what the hell are you waiting for! Get to his shop pronto and become one! Many of my top rated smokes the last three years were found at this shop. Ok, ok enough about Armando, he will get a big head.
This particular smoke was lain into my paws by Armando himself and he said what he always said when he get excited;"this cigar is unbelievable bro!!" I take note when Armando sings the praises, he does not steer me wrong. He put two of these in my hands, one each of a different blend, and told me to smoke them ASAP. Well it is ASAP and I am smoking one up right now. You know what that means, more hard hitting subjective cigar journalism from the Czar...
This cigar presents very well. The wrapper is luxurious and smooth and well applied, it literally seems to drip with chocolaty goodness and there are no veins to mention. The band work is bit too Room 101 and Paul Stulac for me, I mean find a new trend guys! The skulls and script is played, but it is crisp and clean and well presented, it just does not meet my tastes right now in terms of art work. A quick exam leads me to believe that the cigar is well made as I find no voids or areas that are too tight. The pre light aroma has dark wood and spice notes, with maybe a hint of dark fruit lingering around. The pre light draw has a coffee note that has some grassy tones to it. Grassy tones make me nervous.
The cigar opens with a profile that is rich and full of depth. There is not much in the way of complexity or balance here, but the core flavors are doing nicely early on. The profile smacks of coffee bean, dark tea and some light grass notes. The grass notes are disturbing me a touch, as they can tend to get dry and foul an experience, but they are not heavy here and I think they will fade if the core flavors pick up as the smoke develops. The back of the palate is full of dark wood notes and there is some cocoa in the retrohale and at the back of the palate. The draw on this cigar is a dream early on, I love a draw that shows some resistance but allows plenty of smoke to coat the palate, this cigar provides just that. The burn is razor sharp right from the start.
The first half of the smoke develops very nicely as it develops nice complexity to match the depth and richness of the opening moments. The grassy notes are slowly moving on, which is a great thing, and the core profile is developing very nicely. The main flavors are now coffee, some dark chocolate and a cinnamon like spice that is very interesting and adding a layer of depth that is much needed. There is also some hint of orange zest coming through here and the palate is tantalized to continue on. The back of the palate and the nose show some strengthening of the dark wood flavors and there is some toothy earth coming in here as well, to top it off there is a mingling of white pepper that gives the cigar some zip and keeps it from becoming too rich. The draw remains solid and continues to impress me. The burn is still right on the money to this point.
The final half of the cigar, sadly, is not as good as the rest of it as the profile comes unhinged a little bit. The core flavors are shoved to the back of the pack as a serious dose of pepper comes rushing forward to join the party. This is not always a bad thing, but here it obscures the rest of the profile and that is a shame. There are still some notes of coffee and chocolate, but they are overwhelmed by the not so subtle pepper bully. The nuance of the back of the palate is similarly lost as the pepper overwhelms everything except for the return of some grassy notes that are dry and bothersome. The draw and burn are solid to the end.
The finish is full of pepper and dry grass notes, which leaves me pondering all that could have been in this cigar that started so strong.
Appearance- 89 very nice looking, aside from some unoriginal art work
Taste- 87 a very strong start derailed by a poor finish
Construction- 93 absolutely superb
Strength- 88 medium trending full
Overall- 89.5 still a very good score, but it could have been so much more
This particular smoke was lain into my paws by Armando himself and he said what he always said when he get excited;"this cigar is unbelievable bro!!" I take note when Armando sings the praises, he does not steer me wrong. He put two of these in my hands, one each of a different blend, and told me to smoke them ASAP. Well it is ASAP and I am smoking one up right now. You know what that means, more hard hitting subjective cigar journalism from the Czar...
This cigar presents very well. The wrapper is luxurious and smooth and well applied, it literally seems to drip with chocolaty goodness and there are no veins to mention. The band work is bit too Room 101 and Paul Stulac for me, I mean find a new trend guys! The skulls and script is played, but it is crisp and clean and well presented, it just does not meet my tastes right now in terms of art work. A quick exam leads me to believe that the cigar is well made as I find no voids or areas that are too tight. The pre light aroma has dark wood and spice notes, with maybe a hint of dark fruit lingering around. The pre light draw has a coffee note that has some grassy tones to it. Grassy tones make me nervous.
The cigar opens with a profile that is rich and full of depth. There is not much in the way of complexity or balance here, but the core flavors are doing nicely early on. The profile smacks of coffee bean, dark tea and some light grass notes. The grass notes are disturbing me a touch, as they can tend to get dry and foul an experience, but they are not heavy here and I think they will fade if the core flavors pick up as the smoke develops. The back of the palate is full of dark wood notes and there is some cocoa in the retrohale and at the back of the palate. The draw on this cigar is a dream early on, I love a draw that shows some resistance but allows plenty of smoke to coat the palate, this cigar provides just that. The burn is razor sharp right from the start.
The first half of the smoke develops very nicely as it develops nice complexity to match the depth and richness of the opening moments. The grassy notes are slowly moving on, which is a great thing, and the core profile is developing very nicely. The main flavors are now coffee, some dark chocolate and a cinnamon like spice that is very interesting and adding a layer of depth that is much needed. There is also some hint of orange zest coming through here and the palate is tantalized to continue on. The back of the palate and the nose show some strengthening of the dark wood flavors and there is some toothy earth coming in here as well, to top it off there is a mingling of white pepper that gives the cigar some zip and keeps it from becoming too rich. The draw remains solid and continues to impress me. The burn is still right on the money to this point.
The final half of the cigar, sadly, is not as good as the rest of it as the profile comes unhinged a little bit. The core flavors are shoved to the back of the pack as a serious dose of pepper comes rushing forward to join the party. This is not always a bad thing, but here it obscures the rest of the profile and that is a shame. There are still some notes of coffee and chocolate, but they are overwhelmed by the not so subtle pepper bully. The nuance of the back of the palate is similarly lost as the pepper overwhelms everything except for the return of some grassy notes that are dry and bothersome. The draw and burn are solid to the end.
The finish is full of pepper and dry grass notes, which leaves me pondering all that could have been in this cigar that started so strong.
Appearance- 89 very nice looking, aside from some unoriginal art work
Taste- 87 a very strong start derailed by a poor finish
Construction- 93 absolutely superb
Strength- 88 medium trending full
Overall- 89.5 still a very good score, but it could have been so much more
Wednesday, September 11, 2013
Sam Leccia White 552 (5x52)
As I have said in previous reviews fanfare and hype about cigars is often misplaced, and when listened to by the average Joe, can cause mediocre cigars to become the stuff of legend. I have experienced this many, many times in my days as a cigar smoker, 25 years and counting by the way (and I am only 38). Some hot person in the industry has all the cache and attention and everything he makes is going to be gold right? Wrong! As with any industry, when someone tries to trade on their image, and glory gone by, the consumer can take the shaft as inferior products are used, things are rushed to market and the overall experience and the artistry of the pursuit are lost in the good ole dollar bill shuffle. The cigar industry falls prey to this wanton disregard for heritage and the integrity of the product just like any other.
Along comes Sam Leccia, if you haven't met him you should, he is a really nice guy. Sam has been hot in the industry for some time now and he has moved around a bit, but he landed on his feet and started another new and fresh cigar venture. I have smoked several of these new offerings over the past couple of months and I am finally getting around to reviewing it here.
This smoke presents with a wrapper that is somewhat mottled in appearance and has a dry texture. The wrapper is not dry, quite the contrary if you know what you are looking for, but the texture has tooth and seems dry. The band work is a little shoddy, but it has a nice design and the eye catching white band is pleasant. As I examine the cigar I can feel some loose spots in the bunch that have me concerned, but I don't believe that they will kill the cigar if I take my time. The pre light aroma smacks of wood and spice. The pre light draw shows some sharp wood and a sweeter spice note that I can't place at the moment.
The cigar opens with a profile that has tons of toasted wood notes, this smoky taste is not often found in many cigars that I smoke and I find it interesting. There are also some less prominent ideas of spice and maybe some nutty qualities as well, but the toasted wood flavors dominate early on. At the back of the palate there is a robust presentation of wheaty flavors that are interesting, but not particularly complementary to the front of the profile, something more weighty would be better here in my opinion. The draw is very loose, but so far I don't notice any undue heat or have any concerns that I will. The burn is very solid right from the get go.
The first half of the cigar settles into a fairly straight forward presentation of dark woods that have a smoked quality to them. This one dimensional presentation is not what I usually look for in a cigar, but similar to the earthy presentation of a Padron I find myself being drawn into this profile aspect. I think this will be a cigar I smoke when I want this particular flavor in my lineup, there is something to be said for a smoke that fills a niche. The back of the palate and through the nose still show some wheaty flavors but there is also a sweetness here that has a hint of cinnamon to it. While not complex or full of depth, the flavor is satisfying. The draw is still too loose and there is some heat creeping in, I slowed down the rate of combustion with a purge and some slower smoking going forward. The burn is still very solid to this point.
The final half of the cigar shows no development at all, the profile stays much the same as it has throughout. This really is a cigar for a specific spot in a lineup, and only when you want this very smoky presentation. The draw was too loose all the way to the end, but the burn was excellent all the way through.
This cigar is really a very interesting display of a niche cigar. This profile, while not what I usually look for, was pleasant and could find a place in my lineup on a semi regular basis.
Appearance- 88 a nice looking smoke, somewhat rustic
Taste- 87 a good profile that fits a particular taste
Construction- 87 the draw was too loose, but the burn was excellent
Strength- 88 a nice medium smoke
Overall- 87.25 above average
Along comes Sam Leccia, if you haven't met him you should, he is a really nice guy. Sam has been hot in the industry for some time now and he has moved around a bit, but he landed on his feet and started another new and fresh cigar venture. I have smoked several of these new offerings over the past couple of months and I am finally getting around to reviewing it here.
This smoke presents with a wrapper that is somewhat mottled in appearance and has a dry texture. The wrapper is not dry, quite the contrary if you know what you are looking for, but the texture has tooth and seems dry. The band work is a little shoddy, but it has a nice design and the eye catching white band is pleasant. As I examine the cigar I can feel some loose spots in the bunch that have me concerned, but I don't believe that they will kill the cigar if I take my time. The pre light aroma smacks of wood and spice. The pre light draw shows some sharp wood and a sweeter spice note that I can't place at the moment.
The cigar opens with a profile that has tons of toasted wood notes, this smoky taste is not often found in many cigars that I smoke and I find it interesting. There are also some less prominent ideas of spice and maybe some nutty qualities as well, but the toasted wood flavors dominate early on. At the back of the palate there is a robust presentation of wheaty flavors that are interesting, but not particularly complementary to the front of the profile, something more weighty would be better here in my opinion. The draw is very loose, but so far I don't notice any undue heat or have any concerns that I will. The burn is very solid right from the get go.
The first half of the cigar settles into a fairly straight forward presentation of dark woods that have a smoked quality to them. This one dimensional presentation is not what I usually look for in a cigar, but similar to the earthy presentation of a Padron I find myself being drawn into this profile aspect. I think this will be a cigar I smoke when I want this particular flavor in my lineup, there is something to be said for a smoke that fills a niche. The back of the palate and through the nose still show some wheaty flavors but there is also a sweetness here that has a hint of cinnamon to it. While not complex or full of depth, the flavor is satisfying. The draw is still too loose and there is some heat creeping in, I slowed down the rate of combustion with a purge and some slower smoking going forward. The burn is still very solid to this point.
The final half of the cigar shows no development at all, the profile stays much the same as it has throughout. This really is a cigar for a specific spot in a lineup, and only when you want this very smoky presentation. The draw was too loose all the way to the end, but the burn was excellent all the way through.
This cigar is really a very interesting display of a niche cigar. This profile, while not what I usually look for, was pleasant and could find a place in my lineup on a semi regular basis.
Appearance- 88 a nice looking smoke, somewhat rustic
Taste- 87 a good profile that fits a particular taste
Construction- 87 the draw was too loose, but the burn was excellent
Strength- 88 a nice medium smoke
Overall- 87.25 above average
Sunday, August 11, 2013
Tatuaje 10th Anniversary Bon Chasseur (5.375x52)
I can't believe that is has been ten years since Tatuaje first hit the scene. My how far we have come in the boutique revolution since those early days when not a single smoker knew what a boutique was. For crap's sake, boutiques didn't even know they were boutiques back then. They were just small batch cigars that were hoping to catch on somewhere, anywhere they could find someone to give them a shot. I remember sitting in shops back then, with plenty of Altadis, General and thank God Fuente and Padron to choose from. Ohhh sure there were some other yawn worthy, and puke worthy, remnants of the boom still slopping around. I mean who could forget Don Rafael and Barlovento right? Anyone? Anyone? Bueller...Bueller...Bueller... Anyway the list of those thankfully forgotten chicken bones could go on for days and days. Luckily Pepin and Pete Johnson came along and set the stage for the boutique explosion, hell I was so desperate for new smokes at the time I actually bought a couple of boxes of Barlovento. My day of grace came when I found Tatuaje Browns in an Ybor shop and the rest, as they say, is history...succulent smoky history. My affair with Pete's brands has been hot and cold, but there are still many days you can find me with an old Tat Brown or Tat Red hanging from my lips, they are still just that good.
This cigar had a ton of buzz at IPCPR, almost as much as Camacho's new branding (you can put lipstick on a pig, but it's still a pig by the way) or Pepin's 10th Anniversary cigar (box coming for me, don't ask for any), so much buzz that getting hold of one was exceedingly difficult. I even had to call in some chits, and I like my chits! One of my contacts finally got one and I secreted it away and waited until a rare smoke Friday (follow these on my twitter page @srqcigarczar #raresmokefriday) to smoke it. Well that Friday finally arrived and I was ripe with excitement.
The cigar presents well with some very simple band work, in sticking with the Tatuaje tradition, and a pigtail cap and unfinished foot. It is rustic looking in that the wrapper has a ruddy appearance to it, but the application of the wrapper is excellent and I can't find any issues in the bunch or roll. The pre light aroma smacks of pepper and heavy spice. The pre light draw also shows heavy pepper notes. I am settling in for a real powerful bomb of a smoke here.
The cigar opens with a completely unexpected profile. The core notes are all roasted nuts, clove like spice and a very interesting sweetness that has some coffee flavor but is more like hazelnut. This palate diversity does not necessarily work harmoniously because it so busy and scuttled, but there are some hints of greatness here. The back of the palate and through the nose show a very woody base that has large quantities of dry balsa and some hints of sweet earth. This is not a profile that I am used to from Pete's products and the change is hard to grasp. The draw is very nice, all though it is a touch loose for me. The burn was wonky at first, I assign this to the unfinished foot, but it evens out quickly.
The first half of the cigar continues to struggle to find a personality. I was ready for a spicy bomb in the pre light sequence, but it is not what I am getting at all. The core profile is still profoundly nutty and still heavily hazelnutesque, however there are moments of genius when some coffee flavors play wonderfully with these core notes. There is still some spice here, transitioning into a more cinnamon and anise presentation, but these flavors are fleeting at best. The back of the palate has transitioned into a more robust medium flavored wood presentation and there are still some nice hints of sweet earth coming in here as well. The draw remains a touch too loose for me, but it is not causing any issues. The burn is performing well.
The final half of this cigar really sets my world on fire. The core profile becomes a delightful array of hazelnut, cinnamon and maple flavors that smack of a french toast finish. I know what you're thinking, French Toast? This guy has lost it! All I can say is smoke it and see, maybe you'll find the same thing. I hope you do, because it is finds like these in individual cigars that make the pursuit all worth it. At the back of the palate there is a peppery note that gives the cigar some kick right when you need it most, this is coupled with some robust earthy tones that round out the experience in a very nice way. The draw stays the same throughout and the burn performs admirably right to the end.
The finish smacked of maple flavors and light pepper long after the smoke and wistful thoughts about the origins of the boutique phenomenon dissipate.
All in all this smoke was not what I expected at all, and in the first half was at time disappointing. However, it finished strong and I will smoke it again.
Appearance- 92 simple and rustic
Taste- 90 I am going to just eek this into the 90's because of the last half
Construction- 89 some loose draw and early burn issues hurt the score
Strength- 88 medium early, more robust late
Overall- 89.75 a very nice smoke
This cigar had a ton of buzz at IPCPR, almost as much as Camacho's new branding (you can put lipstick on a pig, but it's still a pig by the way) or Pepin's 10th Anniversary cigar (box coming for me, don't ask for any), so much buzz that getting hold of one was exceedingly difficult. I even had to call in some chits, and I like my chits! One of my contacts finally got one and I secreted it away and waited until a rare smoke Friday (follow these on my twitter page @srqcigarczar #raresmokefriday) to smoke it. Well that Friday finally arrived and I was ripe with excitement.
The cigar presents well with some very simple band work, in sticking with the Tatuaje tradition, and a pigtail cap and unfinished foot. It is rustic looking in that the wrapper has a ruddy appearance to it, but the application of the wrapper is excellent and I can't find any issues in the bunch or roll. The pre light aroma smacks of pepper and heavy spice. The pre light draw also shows heavy pepper notes. I am settling in for a real powerful bomb of a smoke here.
The cigar opens with a completely unexpected profile. The core notes are all roasted nuts, clove like spice and a very interesting sweetness that has some coffee flavor but is more like hazelnut. This palate diversity does not necessarily work harmoniously because it so busy and scuttled, but there are some hints of greatness here. The back of the palate and through the nose show a very woody base that has large quantities of dry balsa and some hints of sweet earth. This is not a profile that I am used to from Pete's products and the change is hard to grasp. The draw is very nice, all though it is a touch loose for me. The burn was wonky at first, I assign this to the unfinished foot, but it evens out quickly.
The first half of the cigar continues to struggle to find a personality. I was ready for a spicy bomb in the pre light sequence, but it is not what I am getting at all. The core profile is still profoundly nutty and still heavily hazelnutesque, however there are moments of genius when some coffee flavors play wonderfully with these core notes. There is still some spice here, transitioning into a more cinnamon and anise presentation, but these flavors are fleeting at best. The back of the palate has transitioned into a more robust medium flavored wood presentation and there are still some nice hints of sweet earth coming in here as well. The draw remains a touch too loose for me, but it is not causing any issues. The burn is performing well.
The final half of this cigar really sets my world on fire. The core profile becomes a delightful array of hazelnut, cinnamon and maple flavors that smack of a french toast finish. I know what you're thinking, French Toast? This guy has lost it! All I can say is smoke it and see, maybe you'll find the same thing. I hope you do, because it is finds like these in individual cigars that make the pursuit all worth it. At the back of the palate there is a peppery note that gives the cigar some kick right when you need it most, this is coupled with some robust earthy tones that round out the experience in a very nice way. The draw stays the same throughout and the burn performs admirably right to the end.
The finish smacked of maple flavors and light pepper long after the smoke and wistful thoughts about the origins of the boutique phenomenon dissipate.
All in all this smoke was not what I expected at all, and in the first half was at time disappointing. However, it finished strong and I will smoke it again.
Appearance- 92 simple and rustic
Taste- 90 I am going to just eek this into the 90's because of the last half
Construction- 89 some loose draw and early burn issues hurt the score
Strength- 88 medium early, more robust late
Overall- 89.75 a very nice smoke
Monday, August 5, 2013
Davidoff Nicaragua Toro (5.5x54)
One of the cigars that made a big splash at IPCPR was this new release from Davidoff. The name Davidoff does nothing for me at all, I usually think boring and mild blends with a ridiculously high price tag that screams look at me I like no flavor and I am a douchebag! I kid of course, you know I am an advocate of smoking whatever you want to smoke (unless it is crack, or meth or dope of any kind because then you really are a douchebag), but the Davidoff name has become synonymous with mild profiles and high price tags. I can't recall the last time I went out of my to smoke a Davidoff and usually will only smoke one if it is offered to me by someone else. It just really isn't my thing.
What caught my attention about this cigar was the word Nicaragua. The implication of a quality cigar manufacturer like Davidoff expanding their boundaries into Nicaraguan tobacco was just too huge to ignore. Here is what you should know. Davidoff has big bucks, they pay attention to making high quality cigars (they have to at super premium prices you only get super premium smokers that are picky) and they only grow and buy the best tobaccos in the world to wear their name. This is a combination that makes for a very interesting proposition, a Nicaraguan version of the timeless and revered Davidoff brand. They now had my interest!
The cigar itself is impeccable looking. They have given the band work and cigar a more full bodied look. Darker wrapper, darker band work and all the visuals add up to this not being the typical rich man's Davidoff in the white, with all the white, surrounded by white. The wrapper is beautiful and has very few veins and a silky appearance that looks like lightly creamed coffee. The bunch and roll look very nice, as I expected, Kelner and his boys have an eye for quality and I can't find an issue. The pre light draw smacks of earth and pepper. The pre light aroma has dark wood and lighter spice notes that linger slightly.
The cigar opens with a profile that is everything I would expect from a Davidoff product, even the Nicaraguan tobacco can't change what they do. The core profile is mild/medium, but it does have some very nice flavors. There are hints of earth and pepper, but most of the core at this point is a warm and light wood note that does not offer much depth or complexity. Through the nose and at the back of the palate there are some worthy ideas of spice and pepper, but they are too muted at this point to be anything beyond barely noticeable. The draw is a real dream to this point, performing perfectly. The burn is ok, but the wrapper loses some cohesion early on and I have to take some off as it unspools. Upon removal of the unruly piece of wrapper the cigar evens back out fairly quickly.
The first half of the cigar actually picks up some steam. The core profile takes on a decidedly robust wood flavor and has some interesting anise and spice flavors that lend some sweetness to off set the smoky wood portion. While not particularly complex or deep, these flavors are nice and play favorably with one another. The back of the palate begins to show some earthy tones, but I am looking for something more here as it is fairly mundane. The draw is still spot on. The burn is a little sloppy in some spots, but it is working itself out.
The final half of the cigar becomes truly Nicaraguan. The core profile becomes a solid array of pepper and wood, with some notes of spice. There is depth here and the profile becomes more complex. The back of the palate and the nose show some fantastic earth flavors and there is some nice spice here as well. All in all this is rounding into quite something in the last third of the smoke. The draw stays solid all the way through the smoke. The burn evened out nicely in the last half.
The finish was a touch short, but had some earth and spice notes that were satisfying.
This is by far the best Davidoff I have smoked.
Appearance- 93 a very nice looking smoke
Taste- 89 very strong in the last third, but the first half left something to be desired
Construction- 88 nice draw throughout, but the burn was wonky in the front half
Strength- 89 a nice mild early and a nice medium late, for Davidoff devotees this would be full
Overall- 89.25 a very nice score, for a good smoke
Saturday, August 3, 2013
Arturo Fuente Don Carlos Edicion de Aniversario 2007 (6.25x48)
Every once in awhile I stand in front of my humidor, much like a woman in front of a closet claiming nothing to wear, saying aloud that I have nothing to smoke. After some derisive snorts from the wife and the accompanying rolling of the eyes I usually decide that it might be time to plumb the depths of the the monster humidor and find out what is lurking in the dark corners. Recently I came across this artifact from cigar days long past. I am not even sure when I got it, or how long it was hiding waiting for it's name to be called, but there it was like the ever ready soldier waiting for it's call to glory.
To say that I was excited would be an understatement, how often do you get to smoke something like this? The only thing sapping my enthusiasm was the hefty price tag that was still on it, north of $25 bones. Cigars of this price often scare me because I so seldom smoke one that I think is worth the price. As I remove the fittingly yellowed cello I take in the smoke. It is breathtaking. This is the highest form of Fuente craftsmanship, beautiful wrapper, perfect bunch, perfect cap and elegant band work that implies this is really something special. The pre light aroma is full of luxurious cedar essence and has some wonderful spice notes as well. The pre light draw shows some wonderful spice notes, cinnamon mostly, and has a very nice cedar flavor as well.
The cigar opens with a profile that has depth and complexity running wild. The core profile shows wonderful cedar notes that have a sharpness to them that is incredible. Additionally, there is a crisp tobacco note here that is so clean and tasty that I can't recall ever having an experience like this before. Through the nose there is an excellent note of cinnamon that rounds out the front of the experience very nicely. At the back of the palate there are excellent tones of wood and spice that only add to the depth of the experience. The draw is dead solid perfect, if I could design my ideal draw this would be it. The burn is also stellar, nary an issue and razor sharp.
The first half of the cigar continues to please. The core profile morphs from a show of cedar to a more muted presentation of cinnamon and light wood, there is also a light creamy note in this portion of the cigar that adds some depth and nuance to the overall presentation. The back of the palate shows some nice spice and there is a light pepper note coming in here as well. The draw stays perfect to this point. The burn continues to be excellent as well.
The final half of the cigar is where the money is. The core profile takes on a more sweet flavor that has some floral essence, there is also a creamed coffee note here that adds to the overall experience nicely. The back of the palate delivers wonderful pepper notes that ratchet up the strength quotient a few notches, there are also some more fully developed wood notes here. The draw and burn are spot on right to the end.
The finish was an absolute dream, showing lingering notes of cedar, coffee and wood.
I do not hesitate to rank this in the top 25 cigars that I have ever smoked.
Appearance- 95 an absolute beauty
Taste- 93 excellent, not quite classic
Construction- 100 the finest example of cigar craftsmanship
Strength- 97 a wonderful array of mild, medium and late trending medium/full experiences
Overall- 96.25 and an instant classic in my world
To say that I was excited would be an understatement, how often do you get to smoke something like this? The only thing sapping my enthusiasm was the hefty price tag that was still on it, north of $25 bones. Cigars of this price often scare me because I so seldom smoke one that I think is worth the price. As I remove the fittingly yellowed cello I take in the smoke. It is breathtaking. This is the highest form of Fuente craftsmanship, beautiful wrapper, perfect bunch, perfect cap and elegant band work that implies this is really something special. The pre light aroma is full of luxurious cedar essence and has some wonderful spice notes as well. The pre light draw shows some wonderful spice notes, cinnamon mostly, and has a very nice cedar flavor as well.
The cigar opens with a profile that has depth and complexity running wild. The core profile shows wonderful cedar notes that have a sharpness to them that is incredible. Additionally, there is a crisp tobacco note here that is so clean and tasty that I can't recall ever having an experience like this before. Through the nose there is an excellent note of cinnamon that rounds out the front of the experience very nicely. At the back of the palate there are excellent tones of wood and spice that only add to the depth of the experience. The draw is dead solid perfect, if I could design my ideal draw this would be it. The burn is also stellar, nary an issue and razor sharp.
The first half of the cigar continues to please. The core profile morphs from a show of cedar to a more muted presentation of cinnamon and light wood, there is also a light creamy note in this portion of the cigar that adds some depth and nuance to the overall presentation. The back of the palate shows some nice spice and there is a light pepper note coming in here as well. The draw stays perfect to this point. The burn continues to be excellent as well.
The final half of the cigar is where the money is. The core profile takes on a more sweet flavor that has some floral essence, there is also a creamed coffee note here that adds to the overall experience nicely. The back of the palate delivers wonderful pepper notes that ratchet up the strength quotient a few notches, there are also some more fully developed wood notes here. The draw and burn are spot on right to the end.
The finish was an absolute dream, showing lingering notes of cedar, coffee and wood.
I do not hesitate to rank this in the top 25 cigars that I have ever smoked.
Appearance- 95 an absolute beauty
Taste- 93 excellent, not quite classic
Construction- 100 the finest example of cigar craftsmanship
Strength- 97 a wonderful array of mild, medium and late trending medium/full experiences
Overall- 96.25 and an instant classic in my world
Thursday, August 1, 2013
Padilla Connecticut Churchill (7x50)
If you had asked most people six years ago who the one person they would most like to be in the cigar industry you probably would have gotten several answers, but one of the names that would have come up most often would have been Ernesto Padilla.
Padilla was the it brand in the boutque world back then with classics like the 8&11 and the Signature 32 (Of which I still have boxes hoarded in my humidor, and no I won't tell you where I live), it of course helped that his smokes were being made by one of the other guys whose name would have been on the list mentioned above, Jose Pepin Garcia. Something happened on the way to the fair though and Padilla fell off the map. Pepin stopped making cigars for Padilla (I will let you research why on your own), Padilla started to farm out production to companies with inferior tobacco, rolling and quality and the lilly stopped blooming. Then the day of horror for all boutique enthusiasts arrived, Padilla Cigars started appearing in CI, this is the death knell for cigar makers in my world because it means you have become another bulk brand that people buy on the cheap because they are made on the cheap. I was depressed and Padilla continued to slop around the industry looking for a home like a stray dog.
I heard awhile back that he hitched his wagon to Oliva, this caught my attention because they are reputable company with a long history of making quality smokes. I then kind of forgot about it because I am so involved in finding and smoking boutique offerings. Fast forward to IPCPR and I find an old friend of mine that used to work for General repping in the Oliva booth, he and I caught up for a bit and he slapped this bad boy on me. Now in full disclosure, this guy knows how I write reviews and I have killed some of his cigars before so when he gives me a cigar he already knows that I might write it's obituary and he is ok with that.
I waited awhile to smoke this because, well, it is a Connecticut and despite being told that it had some power and wouldn't be what I expected I had to find the right time to give it a whirl. The cigar is beautiful to look at. The wrapper is a wonderful blond/brown and smacks of everything that anyone should love about Connecticut wrapper. Few veins, silky smoothness and that wondeful dusty wood and light spice smell that is the epitome of the Connecticut wrapper in my mind. The cigar is very well constructed and I can't find a single issue in it at all. The pre light draw is smooth and fluid and shows some nice cinnamon tones. The pre light aroma smacks of dusty earth and wood and has some spice notes as well.
The cigar opens with a profile that is wonderfully complex. The core flavors have light wood and cinnamon notes, but there is a molasses sweetness coming in here that complements the main flavors wonderfully. I am being transported to my family cabin in the Upper Peninsula in Michigan where kitchen always smells of wood and molasses, I love cigars that take me on nostalig trips through my younger days. At the back of the palate and through the nose there are some very nice light earth tones and a light brush of white pepper that tickle the palate subtly. The draw is nearly perfect, maybe just a little too loose for me. The burn is solid and a nice, crisp ash is forming.
The first half of the cigar really ramps up. The core profile begins to show a more pronounced wood flavor, that is still light but more flavorful. There are some crisp cedar notes here off set by a more subdued balsa wood that provides a nice back drop for the main wood flavors. The cinnamon notes have really taken off here as well and the robust character of these flavors is something to note. My only complaint is that I have lost that molasses note that was so splendid early on. The back of the palate is still earthy but threatens to turn grassy, this makes me wary because I don't care for grassy, but I plow on searching for more meaning. The pepper notes are really kicking up as I approach the halfway point and I am anxious to see where this goes. The draw is still just a touch too loose, but I am not getting any heat so I am good with it. The burn is rock solid.
The final half of the cigar is unlike any Connecticut experience I have ever had. The core profile becomes all cedar with light brushes of something like caramel, but with a toasty quality. I have never experienced this in a cigar before and I want it again and again. The back of the palate becomes a fantastic show of pepper flavors that are so astounding in a Connecticut smoke that I can't put my head around it all right away. The draw stays acceptable to the end. The burn was a star throughout the smoke.
The finish was smooth and full of pepper and toasty caramel notes.
This is the cigar that could put Padilla back on the map, I was very impressed.
Appearance- 92 a wonderful cigar to look at, even the band was elegant
Taste- 94 there is just so much going on here, a wonderful smoke
Construction- 92 some reductions for the loose draw
Strength- 97 starts medium and ramps to just on the low side of full, all complementing each stage of the smoke beautifully
Overall- 93.5 an absolute must smoke in my mind...
Padilla was the it brand in the boutque world back then with classics like the 8&11 and the Signature 32 (Of which I still have boxes hoarded in my humidor, and no I won't tell you where I live), it of course helped that his smokes were being made by one of the other guys whose name would have been on the list mentioned above, Jose Pepin Garcia. Something happened on the way to the fair though and Padilla fell off the map. Pepin stopped making cigars for Padilla (I will let you research why on your own), Padilla started to farm out production to companies with inferior tobacco, rolling and quality and the lilly stopped blooming. Then the day of horror for all boutique enthusiasts arrived, Padilla Cigars started appearing in CI, this is the death knell for cigar makers in my world because it means you have become another bulk brand that people buy on the cheap because they are made on the cheap. I was depressed and Padilla continued to slop around the industry looking for a home like a stray dog.
I heard awhile back that he hitched his wagon to Oliva, this caught my attention because they are reputable company with a long history of making quality smokes. I then kind of forgot about it because I am so involved in finding and smoking boutique offerings. Fast forward to IPCPR and I find an old friend of mine that used to work for General repping in the Oliva booth, he and I caught up for a bit and he slapped this bad boy on me. Now in full disclosure, this guy knows how I write reviews and I have killed some of his cigars before so when he gives me a cigar he already knows that I might write it's obituary and he is ok with that.
I waited awhile to smoke this because, well, it is a Connecticut and despite being told that it had some power and wouldn't be what I expected I had to find the right time to give it a whirl. The cigar is beautiful to look at. The wrapper is a wonderful blond/brown and smacks of everything that anyone should love about Connecticut wrapper. Few veins, silky smoothness and that wondeful dusty wood and light spice smell that is the epitome of the Connecticut wrapper in my mind. The cigar is very well constructed and I can't find a single issue in it at all. The pre light draw is smooth and fluid and shows some nice cinnamon tones. The pre light aroma smacks of dusty earth and wood and has some spice notes as well.
The cigar opens with a profile that is wonderfully complex. The core flavors have light wood and cinnamon notes, but there is a molasses sweetness coming in here that complements the main flavors wonderfully. I am being transported to my family cabin in the Upper Peninsula in Michigan where kitchen always smells of wood and molasses, I love cigars that take me on nostalig trips through my younger days. At the back of the palate and through the nose there are some very nice light earth tones and a light brush of white pepper that tickle the palate subtly. The draw is nearly perfect, maybe just a little too loose for me. The burn is solid and a nice, crisp ash is forming.
The first half of the cigar really ramps up. The core profile begins to show a more pronounced wood flavor, that is still light but more flavorful. There are some crisp cedar notes here off set by a more subdued balsa wood that provides a nice back drop for the main wood flavors. The cinnamon notes have really taken off here as well and the robust character of these flavors is something to note. My only complaint is that I have lost that molasses note that was so splendid early on. The back of the palate is still earthy but threatens to turn grassy, this makes me wary because I don't care for grassy, but I plow on searching for more meaning. The pepper notes are really kicking up as I approach the halfway point and I am anxious to see where this goes. The draw is still just a touch too loose, but I am not getting any heat so I am good with it. The burn is rock solid.
The final half of the cigar is unlike any Connecticut experience I have ever had. The core profile becomes all cedar with light brushes of something like caramel, but with a toasty quality. I have never experienced this in a cigar before and I want it again and again. The back of the palate becomes a fantastic show of pepper flavors that are so astounding in a Connecticut smoke that I can't put my head around it all right away. The draw stays acceptable to the end. The burn was a star throughout the smoke.
The finish was smooth and full of pepper and toasty caramel notes.
This is the cigar that could put Padilla back on the map, I was very impressed.
Appearance- 92 a wonderful cigar to look at, even the band was elegant
Taste- 94 there is just so much going on here, a wonderful smoke
Construction- 92 some reductions for the loose draw
Strength- 97 starts medium and ramps to just on the low side of full, all complementing each stage of the smoke beautifully
Overall- 93.5 an absolute must smoke in my mind...
Wednesday, July 24, 2013
Bloodline O.P.A.
At IPCPR this year I had the unique chance to experience the show from the perspective of a blogger, and being that I have many friends in the industry (I am as shocked as you all are, I actually do have people that say they are my friends...to my face anyway) I scored some interesting cigars that have very little, if any market insertion. This is the point of IPCPR really, to provide a chance for new and interesting products to be put on the market. In any case, this cigar is now under the Esteban Carreras umbrella, and my good friend and old co-host is now their National Sales Manager so I had a little bit of an in to try this new smoke. When he laid this on me there was no preamble or explanation, just a give it a try and tell me what you think. He is so trusting, it makes me wonder if he has ever actually read my blog. One interesting tidbit on this cigar, the process for rendering the leaves is one that has been used in a process to create a tobacco based perfume. I will leave the research of this up to you...
Usually when doing a review I give a vitola name and some indication of size. In this case I can provide neither because I don't have either one of them. I am guesstimating that this is something close to a corona, maybe 5.5x46 give or take a bit. There is a slight box press to this cigar, something about this bothers me, especially since the process for rendering the leaves is called the soft crush. It is almost like the soft box press is the mimic to the soft crush, it all seems to soft to me. Speaking of soft, the bunch seems very loose to me near the head of the cigar, and I immediately begin to worry about heat as the cigar moves along. The band work is kind of cheap looking to me, but we don't smoke bands (all though I have had some friends deep into their cups that have smoked the band, a different story for a different time). The pre light draw is intensely floral, strange for a Connecticut. The pre light aroma is also very heavily floral.
The cigar opens with a profile that is very floral and, for lack of a better term, perfume like. I know what you are all thinking, it is the power of suggestion, the process was used in making perfume so that is what you taste. My answer to this is two fold. One, I don't ever listen to other people's ideas about how something tastes, not do I lend any weight to what the manufacturer says about the cigar. I always make my own judgement. Two, I did the research after the smoke was done because I thought it was weird how floral it was. The core profile is so full of floral notes that I can't find anything else to comment on in the initial moments. The back of the palate and the retrohale show some very odd spice flavors and some very light wood notes. Sadly, this just doesn't all work for me in any way at all to this point. The draw is way too loose at this point and it does not bode well for the smoke as it progresses as I am sure there will be heat issues to contend with. The burn is solid to this point.
The first half of the cigar really becomes like smoking a hookah of pot pourri, it is not pleasant at all. The core profile is all floral and weird jasmine like spice with some hints of ginger. It is just not a good combination at all. The back of the palate loses some wood flavors and adds some very misplaced white pepper that just can't mix well with the overall presentation. It is all very weird at this point. The draw continues to be way too loose and the heat is coming in already, I am forced to slow it down and savor the odd flavors even more (not a great development). The burn is ok, but due to the loose draw the combustion rate is just too fast.
The final half of the cigar becomes even more floral, if that is possible, almost like a sickly sweet floral that becomes cloying and sticks to the palate like a glue. The soft crush process should probably be left to perfume production in my opinion. The back of the palate is still showing some white pepper notes that have no connection to the main profile at all. The draw does finally impart way too much heat into the process and all the purging in the world won't alleviate it. The burn was relatively solid, but way too fast throughout.
The finish was sweet and floral lingering longer than I would have liked.
Not what I like in a cigar at all, just a failed attempt at something different in my book.
Appearance- 87 a nice looking smoke
Taste- 72 just really not good at all
Construction- 73 very poor here as well
Strength- 85 a mild/medium that really went nowhere
Overall- 77 I just can't recommend it, but you should try it and see for yourself
Usually when doing a review I give a vitola name and some indication of size. In this case I can provide neither because I don't have either one of them. I am guesstimating that this is something close to a corona, maybe 5.5x46 give or take a bit. There is a slight box press to this cigar, something about this bothers me, especially since the process for rendering the leaves is called the soft crush. It is almost like the soft box press is the mimic to the soft crush, it all seems to soft to me. Speaking of soft, the bunch seems very loose to me near the head of the cigar, and I immediately begin to worry about heat as the cigar moves along. The band work is kind of cheap looking to me, but we don't smoke bands (all though I have had some friends deep into their cups that have smoked the band, a different story for a different time). The pre light draw is intensely floral, strange for a Connecticut. The pre light aroma is also very heavily floral.
The cigar opens with a profile that is very floral and, for lack of a better term, perfume like. I know what you are all thinking, it is the power of suggestion, the process was used in making perfume so that is what you taste. My answer to this is two fold. One, I don't ever listen to other people's ideas about how something tastes, not do I lend any weight to what the manufacturer says about the cigar. I always make my own judgement. Two, I did the research after the smoke was done because I thought it was weird how floral it was. The core profile is so full of floral notes that I can't find anything else to comment on in the initial moments. The back of the palate and the retrohale show some very odd spice flavors and some very light wood notes. Sadly, this just doesn't all work for me in any way at all to this point. The draw is way too loose at this point and it does not bode well for the smoke as it progresses as I am sure there will be heat issues to contend with. The burn is solid to this point.
The first half of the cigar really becomes like smoking a hookah of pot pourri, it is not pleasant at all. The core profile is all floral and weird jasmine like spice with some hints of ginger. It is just not a good combination at all. The back of the palate loses some wood flavors and adds some very misplaced white pepper that just can't mix well with the overall presentation. It is all very weird at this point. The draw continues to be way too loose and the heat is coming in already, I am forced to slow it down and savor the odd flavors even more (not a great development). The burn is ok, but due to the loose draw the combustion rate is just too fast.
The final half of the cigar becomes even more floral, if that is possible, almost like a sickly sweet floral that becomes cloying and sticks to the palate like a glue. The soft crush process should probably be left to perfume production in my opinion. The back of the palate is still showing some white pepper notes that have no connection to the main profile at all. The draw does finally impart way too much heat into the process and all the purging in the world won't alleviate it. The burn was relatively solid, but way too fast throughout.
The finish was sweet and floral lingering longer than I would have liked.
Not what I like in a cigar at all, just a failed attempt at something different in my book.
Appearance- 87 a nice looking smoke
Taste- 72 just really not good at all
Construction- 73 very poor here as well
Strength- 85 a mild/medium that really went nowhere
Overall- 77 I just can't recommend it, but you should try it and see for yourself
Monday, July 22, 2013
Blue Mountain Cigars El Threesome (6x60)
My hate filled rants for all things gimmicky are well known, so I must ask the question, why do people keep making gimmicky cigars? I just can't fathom why anyone would want to subject a cigar to my brand of loquacious malevolence, but it keeps happening (not that anyone reads or pays attention to this anyway).
This cigar is a trifecta of gimmicks, which is appropriate given the name El Threesome. First, it is a cigar that has three wrappers. Why do makers do this? Isn't it hard enough to get it right with one wrapper? This constant quest to do something interesting is so tiresome. Want to do something interesting? Make a good cigar for crying out loud!! Second, it is a sixty ring gauge. When will this donkey wang trend ever end? Just because something sells doesn't mean it should be made. It's time for this silly business of making cigars thicker and thicker to end. I have begun to wonder if the manufacturers and consumers are covering for some other short comings with these things... Third, it has a tongue in cheek name. El Threesome? Is this supposed to be sexual? Or is it just a sad and sleepy marketing reference to the three wrappers? I lean towards the latter, but who knows these days?
Now I have to smoke this log. I must admit, aside from all the gimmicky crap I listed above, the cigar appears to be well made. The wrappers are all applied well. The bunch seems to have the appropriate feel and I don't detect any plugs or voids. My only issue is the band work, it is clumsy and could use some refinement. The pre light aroma smacks of grass and dusty hay, almost like walking into a barn in the middle of summer. The pre light draw shows some bitter wood notes, but there is a little bit of cinnamon coming out here as well.
The cigar opens with a profile that is dry and dusty, but there are some nice notes of drying balsa wood and light spice that overcome some of the dryness that threatens to scorch the throat. The back of the palate and through the nose have some sweet grass presentations, but they are not particularly complex and border on being bitter. The draw is acceptable at this point, though it a little too loose for my tastes. The burn is a little wonky, but this often happens in cigars that have multiple wrappers, so I was expecting it. I think it will even out on it's own without my help.
The first half of the cigar is mostly Connecticut wrapper, I typically don't care for this, and this is no exception. The flavors are bitter and full of dry notes that derail the experience for me. Near the end of the first half there is a transition into a Habano wrapper, the cigar gets interesting here because I can immediately taste a blend change. This shocks me a little and adds a fourth gimmick to the mix. A cigar with more than one blend? Now this becomes more interesting, a gimmick I can almost get behind. The flavor here becomes a far more robust blend of coffee, spice and dark wood flavors. The back of the palate shows some brushes of chocolate and earth and really rounds out this portion of the smoke. The draw is still too loose for me and the cigar is becoming more and more airy, this usually indicates a pending expansion and explosion of ACME proportions. The burn is ok, but transitions from blend to blend cause some combustion issues.
The final half of the cigar concludes the Habano portion of the cigar and transitions into a third blend with a maduro wrapper. This portion of the cigar really goes off the rails. The profile is bitter and distorted, I can't even pick out any real flavors here. This is a real shame, the Habano portion was so good. The draw stays too loose to the end, and the expansion happens in the last two inches and I lose patience with it very quickly. The burn goes slides away here as well and it becomes very difficult to keep it lit.
I give this company an "A" for trying something innovative, and maybe with the right blender and roller this could work. However, this was a failed attempt and came off as gimmicky without the payoff.
Appearance- 86 slightly above average
Taste- 74 unfortunately the Connecticut and maduro portions were just too poor. I would smoke a cigar with just the Habano though
Construction- 77 draw issues and burn problems late make this very poor
Strength- 84 a nice medium in spots, but overall not great
Overall- 78.75 very sub par in my opinion
This cigar is a trifecta of gimmicks, which is appropriate given the name El Threesome. First, it is a cigar that has three wrappers. Why do makers do this? Isn't it hard enough to get it right with one wrapper? This constant quest to do something interesting is so tiresome. Want to do something interesting? Make a good cigar for crying out loud!! Second, it is a sixty ring gauge. When will this donkey wang trend ever end? Just because something sells doesn't mean it should be made. It's time for this silly business of making cigars thicker and thicker to end. I have begun to wonder if the manufacturers and consumers are covering for some other short comings with these things... Third, it has a tongue in cheek name. El Threesome? Is this supposed to be sexual? Or is it just a sad and sleepy marketing reference to the three wrappers? I lean towards the latter, but who knows these days?
Now I have to smoke this log. I must admit, aside from all the gimmicky crap I listed above, the cigar appears to be well made. The wrappers are all applied well. The bunch seems to have the appropriate feel and I don't detect any plugs or voids. My only issue is the band work, it is clumsy and could use some refinement. The pre light aroma smacks of grass and dusty hay, almost like walking into a barn in the middle of summer. The pre light draw shows some bitter wood notes, but there is a little bit of cinnamon coming out here as well.
The cigar opens with a profile that is dry and dusty, but there are some nice notes of drying balsa wood and light spice that overcome some of the dryness that threatens to scorch the throat. The back of the palate and through the nose have some sweet grass presentations, but they are not particularly complex and border on being bitter. The draw is acceptable at this point, though it a little too loose for my tastes. The burn is a little wonky, but this often happens in cigars that have multiple wrappers, so I was expecting it. I think it will even out on it's own without my help.
The first half of the cigar is mostly Connecticut wrapper, I typically don't care for this, and this is no exception. The flavors are bitter and full of dry notes that derail the experience for me. Near the end of the first half there is a transition into a Habano wrapper, the cigar gets interesting here because I can immediately taste a blend change. This shocks me a little and adds a fourth gimmick to the mix. A cigar with more than one blend? Now this becomes more interesting, a gimmick I can almost get behind. The flavor here becomes a far more robust blend of coffee, spice and dark wood flavors. The back of the palate shows some brushes of chocolate and earth and really rounds out this portion of the smoke. The draw is still too loose for me and the cigar is becoming more and more airy, this usually indicates a pending expansion and explosion of ACME proportions. The burn is ok, but transitions from blend to blend cause some combustion issues.
The final half of the cigar concludes the Habano portion of the cigar and transitions into a third blend with a maduro wrapper. This portion of the cigar really goes off the rails. The profile is bitter and distorted, I can't even pick out any real flavors here. This is a real shame, the Habano portion was so good. The draw stays too loose to the end, and the expansion happens in the last two inches and I lose patience with it very quickly. The burn goes slides away here as well and it becomes very difficult to keep it lit.
I give this company an "A" for trying something innovative, and maybe with the right blender and roller this could work. However, this was a failed attempt and came off as gimmicky without the payoff.
Appearance- 86 slightly above average
Taste- 74 unfortunately the Connecticut and maduro portions were just too poor. I would smoke a cigar with just the Habano though
Construction- 77 draw issues and burn problems late make this very poor
Strength- 84 a nice medium in spots, but overall not great
Overall- 78.75 very sub par in my opinion
Monday, July 8, 2013
Cusano Killer Cameroon Diadamis (7x48)
My feelings about Cusano cigars are well known amongst the group that I smoke with. In short, I have never thought much of their offerings, often thinking that if I wanted to smoke something that tasted like burning grass I would head out to my yard and roll up some lawn waste and puff away. Don't get me wrong, there is something to be said for a grassy profile. Cuban Cohibas are world famous and they taste much the same to me, I just don't care for it.
This particular cigar (by the way I am aware that it is Diadema, however on the coffin this cigar came in the spelling is as above) came to me from a great friend that has always sung the praises of the Killer Cameroon cigars. Sadly, for him, the line is long defunct and finding any at all is a rare treat for him. On his birthday a couple of years ago he was gifted several by some friends of ours and ever the generous brother of the leaf he shared the bounty. I didn't get around to smoking it until now, several years later, and I can only hope it lives up to the hype.
There is something very interesting about cigars packed in coffins, they just seem to be of a finer quality than others and it is like opening a little gift given to you by yourself. The cigar itself is very nice looking, none the worse for wear after all these years it just lays there waiting to be explored (aww crap now it sounds like I am writing a cheesy love novel, you know like the ones with the bare chested pirate holding the wench?). The band work is clumsy and odd looking, making the cigar look cheap, causing a weird juxtaposition between the high end coffin and cheap band. The wrapper is everything you would expect from a Cameroon presentation. Medium brown? Yep. Few veins? Yep. Nice and oily? Yep. The pre light aroma is full of roasted nut notes and has some cinnamon spice to it as well. The pre light draw is showing some dry vegetation and wood flavors. A quick inspection tells me the cigar is well made and will not be an issue.
The cigar opens with a profile that is profoundly Cameroon in orientation. The core flavors is all nuts and spice and that is exactly what I was expecting right off the bat. These flavors are not particularly deep or complex, but they are a nice presentation of what I think a Cameroon should be. The back of the palate and the retrohale show some dry and dusty notes of wood, but they are not bitter so it is not offensive at this point. The draw is a little tight in the early going, but I expect this from a diadema shape as the tapering causes some tightness as a general rule. The burn is slow and plodding, but there is no heat so I am not really worried about this either.
The first half of the smoke does not develop much at all, I find this to be disappointing. The core profile maintains a stance that is more nutty than spicy and I would really like to see some complexity or depth here, but there just isn't any. The back of the palate continues to be dry and the wood flavors are becoming slightly grassy, color me shocked! Can I get a Cusano that does not have a grassy element? Sheesh! The draw has opened up nicely at this point and is really becoming the star of the show. The burn stays solid to this point as well.
The final half of the cigar shows some signs of improvement. Like a terminal patient at death's door there is the last moment of lucidity before the death knell sounds, this cigar starts to make me believe that it might recover nicely right before it crashes into a horrific death. The core profile shows some nice roasted nut and cinnamon flavors that have an undertone of citrus that is very unexpected and pleasant. The back of the palate is still showing dry wood notes that are still pleasant and without bitterness.
It is with about one third of the cigar left that the wheels fall off. The core profile becomes a bitter mass of dry grass notes that can't be smoked around or through. It is so foul that I consider laying it down, but my eternally optimistic side encourages me to hang on and seek redeeming value. I should never listen to the optimist! Unfortunately, the draw and burn are top notch to the end.
The finish was bitter and grassy.
Overall, pretty good, right until the end.
Appearance- 88 some points lost for clumsy band work
Taste- 82 can't be any higher because of the awful finish
Construction- 92 a very well constructed cigar
Strength- 85 a middling medium
Overall- 86.75 saved by construction
This particular cigar (by the way I am aware that it is Diadema, however on the coffin this cigar came in the spelling is as above) came to me from a great friend that has always sung the praises of the Killer Cameroon cigars. Sadly, for him, the line is long defunct and finding any at all is a rare treat for him. On his birthday a couple of years ago he was gifted several by some friends of ours and ever the generous brother of the leaf he shared the bounty. I didn't get around to smoking it until now, several years later, and I can only hope it lives up to the hype.
There is something very interesting about cigars packed in coffins, they just seem to be of a finer quality than others and it is like opening a little gift given to you by yourself. The cigar itself is very nice looking, none the worse for wear after all these years it just lays there waiting to be explored (aww crap now it sounds like I am writing a cheesy love novel, you know like the ones with the bare chested pirate holding the wench?). The band work is clumsy and odd looking, making the cigar look cheap, causing a weird juxtaposition between the high end coffin and cheap band. The wrapper is everything you would expect from a Cameroon presentation. Medium brown? Yep. Few veins? Yep. Nice and oily? Yep. The pre light aroma is full of roasted nut notes and has some cinnamon spice to it as well. The pre light draw is showing some dry vegetation and wood flavors. A quick inspection tells me the cigar is well made and will not be an issue.
The cigar opens with a profile that is profoundly Cameroon in orientation. The core flavors is all nuts and spice and that is exactly what I was expecting right off the bat. These flavors are not particularly deep or complex, but they are a nice presentation of what I think a Cameroon should be. The back of the palate and the retrohale show some dry and dusty notes of wood, but they are not bitter so it is not offensive at this point. The draw is a little tight in the early going, but I expect this from a diadema shape as the tapering causes some tightness as a general rule. The burn is slow and plodding, but there is no heat so I am not really worried about this either.
The first half of the smoke does not develop much at all, I find this to be disappointing. The core profile maintains a stance that is more nutty than spicy and I would really like to see some complexity or depth here, but there just isn't any. The back of the palate continues to be dry and the wood flavors are becoming slightly grassy, color me shocked! Can I get a Cusano that does not have a grassy element? Sheesh! The draw has opened up nicely at this point and is really becoming the star of the show. The burn stays solid to this point as well.
The final half of the cigar shows some signs of improvement. Like a terminal patient at death's door there is the last moment of lucidity before the death knell sounds, this cigar starts to make me believe that it might recover nicely right before it crashes into a horrific death. The core profile shows some nice roasted nut and cinnamon flavors that have an undertone of citrus that is very unexpected and pleasant. The back of the palate is still showing dry wood notes that are still pleasant and without bitterness.
It is with about one third of the cigar left that the wheels fall off. The core profile becomes a bitter mass of dry grass notes that can't be smoked around or through. It is so foul that I consider laying it down, but my eternally optimistic side encourages me to hang on and seek redeeming value. I should never listen to the optimist! Unfortunately, the draw and burn are top notch to the end.
The finish was bitter and grassy.
Overall, pretty good, right until the end.
Appearance- 88 some points lost for clumsy band work
Taste- 82 can't be any higher because of the awful finish
Construction- 92 a very well constructed cigar
Strength- 85 a middling medium
Overall- 86.75 saved by construction
Monday, June 24, 2013
The Widow's Son
I very seldom smoke and review anything that is given to me by anyone remotely associated with a manufacturer and my reasons for that are not limited. It begins with the fact that I view my blog as the Consumer Reports of the cigar world, I pull no punches and say what I think about a cigar based on my own experience as a consumer in the world of cigars. I don't apologize for my candid reviews of each and every cigar, even though I have been asked to apologize or even retract reviews. It is with this always in mind that I generally refuse to review cigars from manufacturers, even if they are friends of mine, because if I hate it and say so or vice versa, I don't want to lose friends or be accused of being biased.
This cigar came to my attention when I was contacted by a man associated in their manufacture, I didn't ask in what way, not did I research it. We began a dialog about how he could get his cigar to infiltrate the market in a more robust way, after some back and forth he asked me if I would smoke and review some of them. I was hesitant, but I got the distinct impression that he was looking for a good, solid, unbiased opinion of the cigar and that he would not take umbrage if I had to bag the cigar upon inspection and consumption. Finally, I like boutique blends and their story and this cigar was a boutique and had a great story (I will link the website later in this review so you can read the story), so I told him I was in. He didn't disappoint, I got a sampler of the cigars and I set about smoking them over the last month. Instead of reviewing each one individually I will review them as a whole as each size contained the same flavor structure (though in differing ratios) and performance consistency.
The cigars are all beautifully constructed. The fine craftsmanship is obvious as the wrapper is applied well and the bunch is perfect, there is nary an issue when inspecting these cigars and that speaks to a quality boutique experience. The wrapper has a wonderful reddish brown hue and reminds me of some Colorado presentations I have seen before, just a fabulous look for a cigar, it feels so rich and sumptuous when the wrapper is oily and red tinged. The band work is a fine piece of art and I have no complaints about the presentation of the cigar at all. The pre light aroma is spicy melange of clove and cinnamon. The pre light draw shows the slightest hint of raisins and dark fruit.
The cigar opens with a core profile that is so subtly done yet so complex that I am stunned in the early moments. The core profile is showing a wonderful array of slight orange zest, raisin and cinnamon flavors that are mixing together in a way that I had not considered or thought of in a blend before. My only complaint here is that there is a dark and smoky wood note that threatens to overwhelm the delicate flavors above, and at times does come on too strong to keep the deliciously subtle flavors at the forefront. At the back of the palate and through the nose there is a sweet earth flavor that combines with a black cherry or raspberry note that is exceptional. The draw is a little bit too tight in some of the sizes for me, but overall it performs well in all of the smokes I sampled. The burn is sharp and slow on all of the cigars and performed in excellent fashion.
The first half of each cigar develops well. The core profile fades into a more straight presentation of raisin and dark wood, but the flavor is robust and full while not being as complex as earlier. The back of the palate continues to show some nice earth flavors, but they become slightly loamy as the cigar moves on and lose sweetness. The dark fruit flavor from earlier has transitioned into a more spice oriented experience and I would call it almost herbal. The draw and burn continue to perform well at this point in every cigar.
The final half of the cigars continue to impress me. The core profile moves into a more complex array of pepper, cinnamon and raisin flavors that I find interesting right to the very end of each smoke. The back of the palate and the retro hale continue to show earthy notes, but there are some impressions of molasses and sweet grass here as well. This cigar really is a taste experience, one needs to be fully in tune with the palate when smoking these cigars. The draw and burn perform well all the way through in each smoke.
The finish was long and smooth (with the exception of the corona which has tannins and became hot) showing nice flavors of raisin and earth.
All in all this cigar is a must try for any boutique enthusiast, there is not a single reason not to smoke it, unless of course you are some sort of Dan Brown following conspiracy theorist, in which case I would recommend the tin foil smoking jacket... Website for the smoke is here http://www.thewidowssoncigar.com/
Appearance- 93 a fine looking smoke in all areas
Taste- 91 a very fine experience that could do with some refinement in some areas
Construction- 92 very well made
Strength- 91 a very nice medium/full smoke
Overall- 91.75 which puts it very high on my list of smokes for this year
This cigar came to my attention when I was contacted by a man associated in their manufacture, I didn't ask in what way, not did I research it. We began a dialog about how he could get his cigar to infiltrate the market in a more robust way, after some back and forth he asked me if I would smoke and review some of them. I was hesitant, but I got the distinct impression that he was looking for a good, solid, unbiased opinion of the cigar and that he would not take umbrage if I had to bag the cigar upon inspection and consumption. Finally, I like boutique blends and their story and this cigar was a boutique and had a great story (I will link the website later in this review so you can read the story), so I told him I was in. He didn't disappoint, I got a sampler of the cigars and I set about smoking them over the last month. Instead of reviewing each one individually I will review them as a whole as each size contained the same flavor structure (though in differing ratios) and performance consistency.
The cigars are all beautifully constructed. The fine craftsmanship is obvious as the wrapper is applied well and the bunch is perfect, there is nary an issue when inspecting these cigars and that speaks to a quality boutique experience. The wrapper has a wonderful reddish brown hue and reminds me of some Colorado presentations I have seen before, just a fabulous look for a cigar, it feels so rich and sumptuous when the wrapper is oily and red tinged. The band work is a fine piece of art and I have no complaints about the presentation of the cigar at all. The pre light aroma is spicy melange of clove and cinnamon. The pre light draw shows the slightest hint of raisins and dark fruit.
The cigar opens with a core profile that is so subtly done yet so complex that I am stunned in the early moments. The core profile is showing a wonderful array of slight orange zest, raisin and cinnamon flavors that are mixing together in a way that I had not considered or thought of in a blend before. My only complaint here is that there is a dark and smoky wood note that threatens to overwhelm the delicate flavors above, and at times does come on too strong to keep the deliciously subtle flavors at the forefront. At the back of the palate and through the nose there is a sweet earth flavor that combines with a black cherry or raspberry note that is exceptional. The draw is a little bit too tight in some of the sizes for me, but overall it performs well in all of the smokes I sampled. The burn is sharp and slow on all of the cigars and performed in excellent fashion.
The first half of each cigar develops well. The core profile fades into a more straight presentation of raisin and dark wood, but the flavor is robust and full while not being as complex as earlier. The back of the palate continues to show some nice earth flavors, but they become slightly loamy as the cigar moves on and lose sweetness. The dark fruit flavor from earlier has transitioned into a more spice oriented experience and I would call it almost herbal. The draw and burn continue to perform well at this point in every cigar.
The final half of the cigars continue to impress me. The core profile moves into a more complex array of pepper, cinnamon and raisin flavors that I find interesting right to the very end of each smoke. The back of the palate and the retro hale continue to show earthy notes, but there are some impressions of molasses and sweet grass here as well. This cigar really is a taste experience, one needs to be fully in tune with the palate when smoking these cigars. The draw and burn perform well all the way through in each smoke.
The finish was long and smooth (with the exception of the corona which has tannins and became hot) showing nice flavors of raisin and earth.
All in all this cigar is a must try for any boutique enthusiast, there is not a single reason not to smoke it, unless of course you are some sort of Dan Brown following conspiracy theorist, in which case I would recommend the tin foil smoking jacket... Website for the smoke is here http://www.thewidowssoncigar.com/
Appearance- 93 a fine looking smoke in all areas
Taste- 91 a very fine experience that could do with some refinement in some areas
Construction- 92 very well made
Strength- 91 a very nice medium/full smoke
Overall- 91.75 which puts it very high on my list of smokes for this year
Wednesday, June 12, 2013
Camacho Mike Ditka Throwback Toro
When you think of Da Bears you naturally think of Da Coach. I have been a lifelong Bears fan and I cut my football teeth watching Ditka led Bears teams smack people in the mouth, as he used to say so often. I've met Da Coach many times and he is a gracious man so I can think of no person more deserving of a cigar tribute than he is. The man is a football legend. Game changing Tight End, helping make the position more vertical instead of just another Fullback split wide. Game changing coach, making defense the centerpiece of so many winning teams. The phrase defense wins championships was probably around before he was, but he really made it a reality when Da Bears won the Super Bowl in 86. He was almost a game changing politician as well, he was tapped to run for US Senate in 04 and he declined even though polls showed him winning in a landslide against his opponent. How is that game changing you might ask? His opponent would have been Barack Obama. I can say it would have been a much different world if that certain race had gone to Ditka... All of this is to say I was excited to smoke a cigar made in tribute to someone I grew up watching, love him or hate him he is a legend.
The cigar is very limited, only 5000 boxes of 10, or at least that is what the interwebs say. I am somewhat anxious about this because it is made by Camacho and I really dislike so many of their offerings, I assess and hope for the best. The cigar looks excellent, presented in it's own coffin and resplendent in a dark and chocolaty wrapper, while there are some prominent veins I don't find any other issues with the smoke as I give it the once over. The pre light aroma smacks of pepper and earth. The pre light draw has some signs of wood and spice, but there is a slight bitterness that is somewhat off putting.
The cigar opens with a profile that is all pepper, and pepper is the only dimension. This one dimensional approach immediately has me wary of what is to come. Cigars that show all strength up front seldom develop into anything other that what they show early and it leads to flat and mundane cigar experiences. The back of the palate is all pepper as well and I sigh and resign myself to what I feel will be a very pedestrian experience not befitting of Da Coach.and his many facets. The draw is fine, maybe a little tight for me, but I am not upset by it. The burn is also solid to this point.
The first half of the cigar retains its one dimensional aspect. The flavor is pepper and that is it, sadly there is some strange bitterness that comes in here and there as well, but I can't put my finger on what it might be. This one dimensional strength craze was supposed to be over, why do manufacturers keep doing this? It is beyond my comprehension. The back of the palate and through the nose is almost all pepper as well, there are some very subtle and fleeting hints of wood, but they are really nothing to mention. The draw is still a bit tight for me, but it is not causing any issues. The burn is still solid.
The final half of the cigar finally shows some development, but it is a regression and not a progression. The core profile is bitter and ranging into the foul spectrum. The main flavor is still pepper, but there are some sharp tobacco notes that show a bitter aftertaste. The back of the palate shows some earthy notes but they are more loamy than pleasant and I am almost completely turned off at this point. The draw and burn remain much the same throughout.
The finish was short and harsh with scorched wood and sharp pepper flavors that leave the palate tired and putrefied.
I am disappointed by this smoke and the fact that is has Da Coach's name attached to it. He deserves so much better...
Appearance- 92 really nice touch with the coffin and the cigar is wonderful to look at
Taste- 77 really very poor
Construction- 87 not bad, tight draw leads to some reduction
Strength- 82 all power and nothing else leads to one dimensional smokes
Overall- 83.75 very poor
The cigar is very limited, only 5000 boxes of 10, or at least that is what the interwebs say. I am somewhat anxious about this because it is made by Camacho and I really dislike so many of their offerings, I assess and hope for the best. The cigar looks excellent, presented in it's own coffin and resplendent in a dark and chocolaty wrapper, while there are some prominent veins I don't find any other issues with the smoke as I give it the once over. The pre light aroma smacks of pepper and earth. The pre light draw has some signs of wood and spice, but there is a slight bitterness that is somewhat off putting.
The cigar opens with a profile that is all pepper, and pepper is the only dimension. This one dimensional approach immediately has me wary of what is to come. Cigars that show all strength up front seldom develop into anything other that what they show early and it leads to flat and mundane cigar experiences. The back of the palate is all pepper as well and I sigh and resign myself to what I feel will be a very pedestrian experience not befitting of Da Coach.and his many facets. The draw is fine, maybe a little tight for me, but I am not upset by it. The burn is also solid to this point.
The first half of the cigar retains its one dimensional aspect. The flavor is pepper and that is it, sadly there is some strange bitterness that comes in here and there as well, but I can't put my finger on what it might be. This one dimensional strength craze was supposed to be over, why do manufacturers keep doing this? It is beyond my comprehension. The back of the palate and through the nose is almost all pepper as well, there are some very subtle and fleeting hints of wood, but they are really nothing to mention. The draw is still a bit tight for me, but it is not causing any issues. The burn is still solid.
The final half of the cigar finally shows some development, but it is a regression and not a progression. The core profile is bitter and ranging into the foul spectrum. The main flavor is still pepper, but there are some sharp tobacco notes that show a bitter aftertaste. The back of the palate shows some earthy notes but they are more loamy than pleasant and I am almost completely turned off at this point. The draw and burn remain much the same throughout.
The finish was short and harsh with scorched wood and sharp pepper flavors that leave the palate tired and putrefied.
I am disappointed by this smoke and the fact that is has Da Coach's name attached to it. He deserves so much better...
Appearance- 92 really nice touch with the coffin and the cigar is wonderful to look at
Taste- 77 really very poor
Construction- 87 not bad, tight draw leads to some reduction
Strength- 82 all power and nothing else leads to one dimensional smokes
Overall- 83.75 very poor
Friday, May 24, 2013
Viaje Zombie 2013 Edition
I once was searching the Internet for something and found a link to a PHD dissertation about what to do in the event of a Zombie Apocalypse. It was at that very moment that I realized I had probably reached the end of the Internet, I didn't read the thing when I had the chance and now I regret it. The Zombie Apocalypse is now upon us and I don't know what to do about it. There are legions of slow walking, bug eyed and drooling fools descending upon the four stores in the country that have these cigars. Indeed, I saw some of them in my favorite B and M in New Orleans, it was a scary sight to behold and forced me to ask the question, what is it about this release every year that turns people into mindless drones? I decided I would have to smoke one for myself and find out. Hopefully I won't end up wandering aimlessly through dark corners of the city looking for human flesh to feed on, or whatever Zombies do.
The cigar itself has a somewhat rough appearance, much as I think an actual Zombie would, the wrapper is dark and mottled and the cigar itself has some lumps and bumps. A quick inspection of the cigar leads me to believe that it is well made and I can't find any issues in the bunch. The pre light aroma has a very earthy tone to it. The pre light draw smacks of dark wood and earth.
The cigar opens with a profile that is a touch thin for me, but still shows some nice flavors. The core profile shows some hints of earth and wood, but it is not fully developing in a way that shows any real depth to the flavor. At the back of the palate there are some developing hints of pepper and some slight raisin notes, but again they are not developed enough to provide any depth. The draw is very fluid and delivers plenty of smoke with every puff, this is exactly how I like a cigar to perform. The burn is a touch off from the start, but I don't think I need to do any touch ups as it looks like these issues will even out on their own.
The first half of the cigar is really not much to write home about. The core profile continues to be too thin. The main flavors are earth and dark wood, but they carry no depth and my palate struggles to find depth or nuance in the profile. The back of the palate and through the nose show some development as pepper, raisin and anise mingle to provide something that is at least close to a flavor experience. I am disappointed at this point in the cigar, and I am starting wonder what all the hype is. The burn has evened out nicely and the draw is still performing very well.
The final half of the cigar really does nothing for me either, this experience is mundane at best. The core profile continues to wallow in mediocrity as thin flavors of earth and wood continue to plod along in a uninteresting Zombie shuffle like you would see in a movie. The back of the palate is still pleasing, but it is not enough to carry the cigar at this point. The profile here continues to show nice pepper and anise flavors, but they just don't elevate the experience enough. The burn continues to be solid after some early issues and the draw stays excellent throughout.
The finish was short and had some ashy qualities that were not pleasant.
As with many Viaje's I have smoked I just don't see what all the hype is about. The name though is appropriate as they seem to turn otherwise intelligent people into brainless dolts with a genius marketing campaign.
Appearance- 88 a very plain looking smoke
Taste- 86 too thin in too many places
Construction- 90 early burn issues complicate the smoke, but the draw was a dream
Strength- 87 a reedy and thin full
Overall- 87.75 an average cigar at best
The cigar itself has a somewhat rough appearance, much as I think an actual Zombie would, the wrapper is dark and mottled and the cigar itself has some lumps and bumps. A quick inspection of the cigar leads me to believe that it is well made and I can't find any issues in the bunch. The pre light aroma has a very earthy tone to it. The pre light draw smacks of dark wood and earth.
The cigar opens with a profile that is a touch thin for me, but still shows some nice flavors. The core profile shows some hints of earth and wood, but it is not fully developing in a way that shows any real depth to the flavor. At the back of the palate there are some developing hints of pepper and some slight raisin notes, but again they are not developed enough to provide any depth. The draw is very fluid and delivers plenty of smoke with every puff, this is exactly how I like a cigar to perform. The burn is a touch off from the start, but I don't think I need to do any touch ups as it looks like these issues will even out on their own.
The first half of the cigar is really not much to write home about. The core profile continues to be too thin. The main flavors are earth and dark wood, but they carry no depth and my palate struggles to find depth or nuance in the profile. The back of the palate and through the nose show some development as pepper, raisin and anise mingle to provide something that is at least close to a flavor experience. I am disappointed at this point in the cigar, and I am starting wonder what all the hype is. The burn has evened out nicely and the draw is still performing very well.
The final half of the cigar really does nothing for me either, this experience is mundane at best. The core profile continues to wallow in mediocrity as thin flavors of earth and wood continue to plod along in a uninteresting Zombie shuffle like you would see in a movie. The back of the palate is still pleasing, but it is not enough to carry the cigar at this point. The profile here continues to show nice pepper and anise flavors, but they just don't elevate the experience enough. The burn continues to be solid after some early issues and the draw stays excellent throughout.
The finish was short and had some ashy qualities that were not pleasant.
As with many Viaje's I have smoked I just don't see what all the hype is about. The name though is appropriate as they seem to turn otherwise intelligent people into brainless dolts with a genius marketing campaign.
Appearance- 88 a very plain looking smoke
Taste- 86 too thin in too many places
Construction- 90 early burn issues complicate the smoke, but the draw was a dream
Strength- 87 a reedy and thin full
Overall- 87.75 an average cigar at best
Wednesday, May 15, 2013
Reinado Grand Empire Reserve Elegidos (5x55)
Sometimes cigars give me something to think about in addition to the relaxation already inherent in the process. This is one such smoke...
I have smoked this cigar several times now, something I don't usually do, and I am somewhat flummoxed by my findings. Usually I can make a determination within a cigar or two whether or not I hate something, or love it (anyone that reads this knows it is usually hate), but this cigar is a mystery wrapped in the shady cloak of enigma. I just can't figure the damn thing out! Finally I just had to sit down and put thoughts to blog and get it out there...
The cigar always presents well. The band has a regal design concept and appearance, there is something to be said about a band that is not cheap looking. The wrapper is luxurious in appearance, the hue of nice milk chocolate, the wrapper just seems to drape this cigar in a cloak of dark richness. I am somewhat off put by the box press, but hey that's just me, some people like it. I just have never been able to figure out what the point of it is. There are very few veins here and the construction in every one of the cigars seems to be right on, without any voids or plugs. The pre light aroma is earthy and has some tobacco richness to it. The pre light draw shows some slight pepper tones and some strange spice that borders on being sour.
Every cigar I have smoked opens with the same profile. The core profile has distinct pepper notes, but they are shallow and not very well formed at this point, there is also an odd spice here, similar to the pre light experience but with some sour notes and a metallic aftertaste that is not very pleasing at all. The back of the palate and through the nose shows a nice earthy tone that at least lends some depth to the experience in the early going. The draw on all of the cigars I smoked was acceptable, but not exceptional. It was actually a little bit too loose for on the first several so I adjusted my cut depth and it was still loose, perhaps a punch would be better in hindsight. The burn was also acceptable on all of the smokes to this point.
It is in the first half that I have some variance in the experiences. In two of the five cigars sampled, including the first which I avoided reviewing because I sensed some redeeming value in the smoke, this opening half was a good awful, bile churning festival of bad flavors. Bitter notes and musty flavors overtook these two cigars early on and ruined them throughout the experience. In the other three though something different emerged. The core profile was a much more delightful mix of dark fruit, chocolate and tobacco flavors. The back of the palate showed nice earth and dark wood flavors as well. In all experiences the draw was still too loose at this point for me, however the burn was still doing nicely.
The final half of the cigar in the two outliers is not worth talking about, it was all just so bad. However, in the three that I enjoyed the core profile became a more complex array of solid flavors as the cigar progressed. There were some wonderful chocolate flavors and very nice crisp tobacco, there was also some nice pepper flavor that came through as well. All in all the cigar became a complex and balanced presentation. The draw was still too loose on all of the cigars that I smoked. The burn was ok throughout.
The finish in the three that were enjoyable was long and had some hints of pepper and earth.
I don't usually give cigars second chances when I smoke a bad one right off the bat, particularly one that was as bad as this, but I sensed there might be something worthwhile and I was not disappointed.
Appearance- 92 a nice looking smoke
Taste- 87 for the ones I enjoyed, the other ones were 70
Construction- 86 the draw was too loose for me
Strength- 87 a nice medium to full smoke
Overall- 87.5 which is not bad considering I absolutely hated two of the five
I have smoked this cigar several times now, something I don't usually do, and I am somewhat flummoxed by my findings. Usually I can make a determination within a cigar or two whether or not I hate something, or love it (anyone that reads this knows it is usually hate), but this cigar is a mystery wrapped in the shady cloak of enigma. I just can't figure the damn thing out! Finally I just had to sit down and put thoughts to blog and get it out there...
The cigar always presents well. The band has a regal design concept and appearance, there is something to be said about a band that is not cheap looking. The wrapper is luxurious in appearance, the hue of nice milk chocolate, the wrapper just seems to drape this cigar in a cloak of dark richness. I am somewhat off put by the box press, but hey that's just me, some people like it. I just have never been able to figure out what the point of it is. There are very few veins here and the construction in every one of the cigars seems to be right on, without any voids or plugs. The pre light aroma is earthy and has some tobacco richness to it. The pre light draw shows some slight pepper tones and some strange spice that borders on being sour.
Every cigar I have smoked opens with the same profile. The core profile has distinct pepper notes, but they are shallow and not very well formed at this point, there is also an odd spice here, similar to the pre light experience but with some sour notes and a metallic aftertaste that is not very pleasing at all. The back of the palate and through the nose shows a nice earthy tone that at least lends some depth to the experience in the early going. The draw on all of the cigars I smoked was acceptable, but not exceptional. It was actually a little bit too loose for on the first several so I adjusted my cut depth and it was still loose, perhaps a punch would be better in hindsight. The burn was also acceptable on all of the smokes to this point.
It is in the first half that I have some variance in the experiences. In two of the five cigars sampled, including the first which I avoided reviewing because I sensed some redeeming value in the smoke, this opening half was a good awful, bile churning festival of bad flavors. Bitter notes and musty flavors overtook these two cigars early on and ruined them throughout the experience. In the other three though something different emerged. The core profile was a much more delightful mix of dark fruit, chocolate and tobacco flavors. The back of the palate showed nice earth and dark wood flavors as well. In all experiences the draw was still too loose at this point for me, however the burn was still doing nicely.
The final half of the cigar in the two outliers is not worth talking about, it was all just so bad. However, in the three that I enjoyed the core profile became a more complex array of solid flavors as the cigar progressed. There were some wonderful chocolate flavors and very nice crisp tobacco, there was also some nice pepper flavor that came through as well. All in all the cigar became a complex and balanced presentation. The draw was still too loose on all of the cigars that I smoked. The burn was ok throughout.
The finish in the three that were enjoyable was long and had some hints of pepper and earth.
I don't usually give cigars second chances when I smoke a bad one right off the bat, particularly one that was as bad as this, but I sensed there might be something worthwhile and I was not disappointed.
Appearance- 92 a nice looking smoke
Taste- 87 for the ones I enjoyed, the other ones were 70
Construction- 86 the draw was too loose for me
Strength- 87 a nice medium to full smoke
Overall- 87.5 which is not bad considering I absolutely hated two of the five
Wednesday, April 24, 2013
Viaje Super Shot 12 Gauge Corojo (3.5x52)
There is something so right about the fact that as I smoke this cigar I am watching a coward hide in a boat in a Boston suburb waiting to hopefully meet his maker. You see when I am not pontificating and waxing rhapsodic about cigars I do have a real job. I work in the security industry and some of what we do is in the field of Counter Terrorism, and nothing gets my time and attention faster than some bastards making a run at our great country. In all my years in this business I can tell you that I have observed that there is nothing more immutable than the American spirit and no matter how many times these yellow liver factions (foreign or domestic) take a crack at what is quintessentially American they should stand by for hell fire and brimstone as the patriotic spirit of this country rises up and crushes evil. So as I watch Boston's finest use their restraint and surround this lesser man I smoke a Super Shot, and hope that at the end of all of this there will be a super shot for the terrorist at some point...
The cigar itself is a little spark plug of a thing. It is short and stout, just like a shotgun shell, and screams power with it's dark and oily wrapper. I can't find any issues with this smoke, and I love that it is unbanded as if to say,"You know what I am!". The pre light aroma is sharp but smacks of earth and anise. The pre light draw has some tobacco essence and shows some earth and coffee notes.
I usually review cigars in sections, but I won't do that here because the cigar is so small, I will just present it as it smoked for me. The cigar opens with a profile that is all earth and coffee, this is not a complex arrangement of flavors, but I find it very pleasurable anyway. Through the nose and at the back of the palate there are some peppery notes, but there is also a heavy note of anise. Anise is a flavor I usually don't care for in a cigar, but in this case it is not causing me a bother.
As the cigar progresses the profile really does not develop much. The core maintains earth and coffee notes all the way through without gaining any complexity or depth. The back of the palate transitions slightly and becomes a more mellowed out mix of dark wood and pepper, I find this change to be very satisfying for me and the cigar starts to gain some momentum.
The draw for this particular cigar was little tight for me, but it did not cause any real issues, it just was not what I prefer. The burn was solid all the way through to the end and performed very well.
All in all this was a fine cigar. More importantly they caught the chicken shit in the boat and I hope they put a car battery to his testes and find out all he knows.
(As a disclaimer I do understand law and order and the value of the Constitution in our country and I know he will have his day in court, I am really ok with that. What I am not ok with is people taking innocent lives for whatever bat shit crazy cause or belief structure they adhere to, it makes me sick)
Appearance- 91 a nice looking cigar
Taste- 88 not complex or deep, but the flavors were good
Construction- 89 some draw tightness took away some of the enjoyment for me
Strength- 87 a nice full
Overall- 88.75 I would smoke this again and may make it part of my lineup on a more permanent basis for when I need a short smoke and I am not long on time
The cigar itself is a little spark plug of a thing. It is short and stout, just like a shotgun shell, and screams power with it's dark and oily wrapper. I can't find any issues with this smoke, and I love that it is unbanded as if to say,"You know what I am!". The pre light aroma is sharp but smacks of earth and anise. The pre light draw has some tobacco essence and shows some earth and coffee notes.
I usually review cigars in sections, but I won't do that here because the cigar is so small, I will just present it as it smoked for me. The cigar opens with a profile that is all earth and coffee, this is not a complex arrangement of flavors, but I find it very pleasurable anyway. Through the nose and at the back of the palate there are some peppery notes, but there is also a heavy note of anise. Anise is a flavor I usually don't care for in a cigar, but in this case it is not causing me a bother.
As the cigar progresses the profile really does not develop much. The core maintains earth and coffee notes all the way through without gaining any complexity or depth. The back of the palate transitions slightly and becomes a more mellowed out mix of dark wood and pepper, I find this change to be very satisfying for me and the cigar starts to gain some momentum.
The draw for this particular cigar was little tight for me, but it did not cause any real issues, it just was not what I prefer. The burn was solid all the way through to the end and performed very well.
All in all this was a fine cigar. More importantly they caught the chicken shit in the boat and I hope they put a car battery to his testes and find out all he knows.
(As a disclaimer I do understand law and order and the value of the Constitution in our country and I know he will have his day in court, I am really ok with that. What I am not ok with is people taking innocent lives for whatever bat shit crazy cause or belief structure they adhere to, it makes me sick)
Appearance- 91 a nice looking cigar
Taste- 88 not complex or deep, but the flavors were good
Construction- 89 some draw tightness took away some of the enjoyment for me
Strength- 87 a nice full
Overall- 88.75 I would smoke this again and may make it part of my lineup on a more permanent basis for when I need a short smoke and I am not long on time
Sunday, April 21, 2013
L'Atelier Selection Speciale (5.625x46)
Some time ago I reviewed the larger ring version of this blend, and despite my misgivings about larger ring cigars, gave it a very high score. It's level of complexity and depth was astounding and I announced the return of Pete Johnson with this cigar. My excitement about the blend in a thinner ring gauge can't be appropriately conveyed with mere words, but I will say it was palpable and intense. A very special thanks to the Brother of the Leaf that gave it to me.
I will start off by saying that I usually don't look into the particulars of many cigars, I don't care about origins of tobacco and blend percentages and all that scientific hoopla, I really just care if the cigar tastes good. In this case though, the cigar seemed so much darker than the standard blend that I just had to go to the source and find out what was going on. There was a long liturgy about hybrid this and country of origin that, not very interesting to me at all, what did interest me was that this is exactly the same cigar all around except the wrapper is a higher priming and thus darker in color. Now that I had solved that problem I was ready to get down to the real business, smoking.
The cigar presents with the same band work and other trappings that I usually note. The wrapper, while darker, is still well applied and looks silky smooth and wonderful. I can't find any areas of concern in the construction and the cigar just seems to be so ready to smoke. The pre light aroma is of heavy black tea. The pre light draw has some nice pepper and tobacco notes.
The cigar opens with a profile that is unique and very enticing. The core profile shows blasts of black tea and earthy notes that are so deep and complex it is hard to put my head around what I am being shown here. Aside from these delicious early notes there is just a hint of cocoa coming through that adds some light sweetness to the opening moments that really ties the experience together nicely. Through the nose and at the back of the palate there are some wonderful hints of roasted nuts and crisp tobacco flavors that further enhance the complexity of the early experience. The draw is absolute perfection for me, plenty of smoke with very little work, if only everything were this easy. The burn is solid and sharp from the get go.
The first half of the cigar mellows out some, in that there is less going on. The core profile really settles into a nice presentation of tea flavors and some hints of earth, this core experience is really something to behold. The back of the palate really binds the experience together as it becomes a heady presentation of bold tobacco flavors and picks up the strength quotient with some nicotine tingle at the back of the tongue. Just as the first half concludes there is a peppery flavor showing through the nose that really picks up the pace of this cigar. The draw is a dream to this point, just an absolute masterpiece. The burn is also very solid still, not a run or canoe and nary an issue.
The final half of the cigar is among the best that I have smoked in years. The core profile is a delightful mix of tea, cocoa and light wood flavors that just have miles and miles of depth. This kind of balance and complexity is not often found and when I do find it I cherish it with the appropriate amount of reverence and awe. The back of the palate is likewise extraordinary. There are real strong notes of pepper here and the tobacco flavors that are coming through are bold and refined to a crispness that I can't define here. The draw and burn are remarkable to the end.
The finish was excellent, with lingering pepper and tea notes.
This is a cigar of the year candidate for sure.
Appearance- 94 a wonderful looking smoke with elegance and grace
Taste- 97 they just don't come much better than this. Complexity and depth all over the place
Construction- 100 they do not come any better in this area, not a single issue at all
Strength- 96 a wonderful strength at all times
Overall- 97.25 I don't hesitate to rate this as one of the best cigars I have ever smoked
I will start off by saying that I usually don't look into the particulars of many cigars, I don't care about origins of tobacco and blend percentages and all that scientific hoopla, I really just care if the cigar tastes good. In this case though, the cigar seemed so much darker than the standard blend that I just had to go to the source and find out what was going on. There was a long liturgy about hybrid this and country of origin that, not very interesting to me at all, what did interest me was that this is exactly the same cigar all around except the wrapper is a higher priming and thus darker in color. Now that I had solved that problem I was ready to get down to the real business, smoking.
The cigar presents with the same band work and other trappings that I usually note. The wrapper, while darker, is still well applied and looks silky smooth and wonderful. I can't find any areas of concern in the construction and the cigar just seems to be so ready to smoke. The pre light aroma is of heavy black tea. The pre light draw has some nice pepper and tobacco notes.
The cigar opens with a profile that is unique and very enticing. The core profile shows blasts of black tea and earthy notes that are so deep and complex it is hard to put my head around what I am being shown here. Aside from these delicious early notes there is just a hint of cocoa coming through that adds some light sweetness to the opening moments that really ties the experience together nicely. Through the nose and at the back of the palate there are some wonderful hints of roasted nuts and crisp tobacco flavors that further enhance the complexity of the early experience. The draw is absolute perfection for me, plenty of smoke with very little work, if only everything were this easy. The burn is solid and sharp from the get go.
The first half of the cigar mellows out some, in that there is less going on. The core profile really settles into a nice presentation of tea flavors and some hints of earth, this core experience is really something to behold. The back of the palate really binds the experience together as it becomes a heady presentation of bold tobacco flavors and picks up the strength quotient with some nicotine tingle at the back of the tongue. Just as the first half concludes there is a peppery flavor showing through the nose that really picks up the pace of this cigar. The draw is a dream to this point, just an absolute masterpiece. The burn is also very solid still, not a run or canoe and nary an issue.
The final half of the cigar is among the best that I have smoked in years. The core profile is a delightful mix of tea, cocoa and light wood flavors that just have miles and miles of depth. This kind of balance and complexity is not often found and when I do find it I cherish it with the appropriate amount of reverence and awe. The back of the palate is likewise extraordinary. There are real strong notes of pepper here and the tobacco flavors that are coming through are bold and refined to a crispness that I can't define here. The draw and burn are remarkable to the end.
The finish was excellent, with lingering pepper and tea notes.
This is a cigar of the year candidate for sure.
Appearance- 94 a wonderful looking smoke with elegance and grace
Taste- 97 they just don't come much better than this. Complexity and depth all over the place
Construction- 100 they do not come any better in this area, not a single issue at all
Strength- 96 a wonderful strength at all times
Overall- 97.25 I don't hesitate to rate this as one of the best cigars I have ever smoked
Friday, April 5, 2013
Surrogates Skull Breaker (5.25x52)
So it has been a long, long while since I have written a review here. Contrary to popular opinion I do have a life complete with work, wife, kid and plenty of golf. Well, not as much golf as I would like, but some golf nonetheless. I have still been smoking plenty of cigars, but when you have a blog that is dedicated to reviewing new things in the industry and you make a decision to only smoke old standbys for awhile it just leads to no blogging for a bit. You all have my apologies, which is about as worthless as a Strawberry White Owl.
I have reviewed some of the other Surrogate blends before and I have not really found one that suits me yet. This particular cigar sounds so intimidating, Skull Breaker... I knew a guy once that we called Skull Breaker, I played hockey for many years and he was a teammate. Thank god he was on my side because he was a freaking animal, he even bit off part of some one's ear after a game once. So this particular cigar with this particular name has me heading for ear muffs just in case I need some protection. All kidding aside I was excited to try this smoke because it is touted as a strong bomb that is full of flavor.
The cigar presents well, I will even forgive that it is a torpedo shape which I don't like. The wrapper is a silky smooth thing and it has very few veins. The construction seems very nice to me and I can't detect any areas of concern. Even the band work looks sufficiently menacing. The pre light draw shows some nice hints of anise and coffee. The pre light aroma is spicy and rich.
The cigar opens with a profile that is surprisingly docile for something that had so much hype about being the end all be all in strength. The core profile shows some nice flavors of spice and anise, plus some very fine tobacco flavors, but I would definitely classify it as medium at the outset. At the back of the palate there are some nice earthy presentations that have a slightly bitter tone through the nose. The draw is slightly firm, but it delivers in an acceptable manner, though I am concerned about heat later in the smoke. The burn is right on the money at this point in the smoke.
The first half of the cigar remains a rather tame lamb. I am really shocked by this because I had even spoken to others that thought this cigar was just strength all the way through, I am just not finding it to be the case at all. The core profile still has some nice spice notes, but the anise flavors have given way to a more floral essence and some coffee tones. The back of the palate still shows some earthy tones but the bitterness has ramped up some and threatens to derail the experience. The draw has opened up now and the delivery of the smoke is free and easy. The burn has performed very nicely to this point.
The final half of the smoke picks up the steam a little bit, but it is still just inching into full strength territory for me. The core profile is still spicy, but the coffee flavors are stronger now to the point that they seem almost overwrought to me at this point which leads to a subtle sharpness that I don't care for. The back of the palate is still earthy, but the bitter flavor has really taken over here and begins to border on being flavored like crushed aspirin. The draw is still nice and the burn performs well to the end.
The finish was short and slightly bitter and had hints of earth.
Overall I was not impressed with this offering either. Cigars like this are perhaps why I sometimes go back to smoking the old standbys, these new cigars are a real crap shoot.
Appearance- 91 an attractive smoke
Taste- 83 not impressed with the bitter flavors throughout the smoke and the rest of the flavors were weak
Construction- 87 the draw was tight early
Strength- 85 medium more than full
Overall- 86 very middling
I have reviewed some of the other Surrogate blends before and I have not really found one that suits me yet. This particular cigar sounds so intimidating, Skull Breaker... I knew a guy once that we called Skull Breaker, I played hockey for many years and he was a teammate. Thank god he was on my side because he was a freaking animal, he even bit off part of some one's ear after a game once. So this particular cigar with this particular name has me heading for ear muffs just in case I need some protection. All kidding aside I was excited to try this smoke because it is touted as a strong bomb that is full of flavor.
The cigar presents well, I will even forgive that it is a torpedo shape which I don't like. The wrapper is a silky smooth thing and it has very few veins. The construction seems very nice to me and I can't detect any areas of concern. Even the band work looks sufficiently menacing. The pre light draw shows some nice hints of anise and coffee. The pre light aroma is spicy and rich.
The cigar opens with a profile that is surprisingly docile for something that had so much hype about being the end all be all in strength. The core profile shows some nice flavors of spice and anise, plus some very fine tobacco flavors, but I would definitely classify it as medium at the outset. At the back of the palate there are some nice earthy presentations that have a slightly bitter tone through the nose. The draw is slightly firm, but it delivers in an acceptable manner, though I am concerned about heat later in the smoke. The burn is right on the money at this point in the smoke.
The first half of the cigar remains a rather tame lamb. I am really shocked by this because I had even spoken to others that thought this cigar was just strength all the way through, I am just not finding it to be the case at all. The core profile still has some nice spice notes, but the anise flavors have given way to a more floral essence and some coffee tones. The back of the palate still shows some earthy tones but the bitterness has ramped up some and threatens to derail the experience. The draw has opened up now and the delivery of the smoke is free and easy. The burn has performed very nicely to this point.
The final half of the smoke picks up the steam a little bit, but it is still just inching into full strength territory for me. The core profile is still spicy, but the coffee flavors are stronger now to the point that they seem almost overwrought to me at this point which leads to a subtle sharpness that I don't care for. The back of the palate is still earthy, but the bitter flavor has really taken over here and begins to border on being flavored like crushed aspirin. The draw is still nice and the burn performs well to the end.
The finish was short and slightly bitter and had hints of earth.
Overall I was not impressed with this offering either. Cigars like this are perhaps why I sometimes go back to smoking the old standbys, these new cigars are a real crap shoot.
Appearance- 91 an attractive smoke
Taste- 83 not impressed with the bitter flavors throughout the smoke and the rest of the flavors were weak
Construction- 87 the draw was tight early
Strength- 85 medium more than full
Overall- 86 very middling
Saturday, March 9, 2013
Arturo Fuente Unnamed Reserve (Sin Nombre) 2012 (5.75x48)
Some weeks ago some very good friends of mine suffered through something that I had to survive several years back, an event so life altering that no matter what age you are it shocks you breathless and leaves you in stunned reverie for several days. They lost their mother, much like I lost mine to cancer about five years ago. Granted the circumstances were different, their mother 92 years young and mine 54, but the sense of loss is the same no matter what age you and no matter what age she is. See, you only get one Mother, most of us probably take it for granted as the speed of life takes us in myriad directions. What you realize after she is gone is that in many ways no matter what direction I traveled my mother was my compass. Always listening, never judging. Providing advice, wanted or unwanted. Always proud, never ashamed, even when she had reason to be. There were days when I was not the greatest son, and I'm sure my friends would admit to the same, but there she was, like a shining lodestone in a deep dark place allowing me to find my way back. Even after they are gone that shine still guides us, I miss her dearly and I'm sure they miss theirs as well.
As I sat at the funeral service for their mother I realized something else. I never met their mother, but I felt like I knew all I needed to know about her because I know her sons. You see, sometimes lineage is just as important as anything else and my two friends are two of the greatest guys you could know. They are men's men. They are kind and caring. They are wise and funny. You can't help but speculate that they inherited a large measure of that from their mother and the upbringing that she provided. Knowing the two men is to know their mother and their very stout and resolute way of life speaks volumes about her. It is my pleasure to know them and call them friends.
What does this have to do with cigars? Probably everything if you really think about it from the standpoint of lineage, particularly when considering this cigar. The Fuente's have a proud tradition of cigar making that spans decades and their lineage is second to none. To know their cigars is to know them. Always consistent, pleasurable and understated. I have met many of the Fuente's and I can tell you they all fit this bill, there is no flamboyance, no putting on of airs, just a resolute and steadfast dedication to making great cigars.
This cigar presents very well in the traditional Fuente way, elegance and class without being flashy or in your face. The band work is standard Fuente fare and I have always loved this simple homage to their well made cigars. The wrapper is from their sungrown stock and it is nearly flawless and expertly applied. The construction seems to be excellent as I can't find any voids or tight spots in it at all. The pre light aroma is full of spice and tobacco notes. The pre light draw shows some light brushes of pepper and earth.
The cigar opens with profile that is slow developing, but flavorful. The core profile shows light pepper flavors and there are some very nice earth tones in the mix here as well. While not particularly full of depth or complexity it is still enjoyable in the early moments as it warms up the palate. Through the nose and at the back of the palate there are some warm notes of soft wood and some brushes of spice that I equate with anise. The draw is excellent here, just the right amount of resistance and the smoke that comes forth is satisfying and full with each draw. The burn is a touch wonky early, but as with most cigars of prime lineage, it evens out easily and neatly.
The first half of the cigar develops into a more complex array of flavors and I am excited about the developments here. The core profile still has some light pepper flavors, but there is a distinct hazelnut flavor that comes through with flying colors and becomes the star of the show. The back of the palate shows a more robust oaky flavor now and there are still some brushes of spice that are more like clove at this point. All in all this has developed into a wonderful flavor experience. The draw loosens a touch too much for me as the cigar burns, but it is still acceptable. The burn is very solid to this point.
The final half of the cigar actually slides back a bit. The core profile loses the hazelnut essence and picks up a more leathery tone that is ok, but not as nice as the hazelnut was. There are still some brushes of pepper here as well. The back of the palate continues to show some wood notes and there are some earthy tones coming in as well at this point. The spice remains but becomes slightly sour without the hazelnut to mingle with it. The draw continued to be too loose for me, but it did not cause any issues. The burn was excellent to the end.
The finish was long and smooth and showed leather and earth notes that lingered pleasantly.
Appearance- 91 always elegant and classic
Taste- 91 some points off for the back half of the smoke, but still very good
Construction- 90 some loss for draw deterioration, but still very nice
Strength- 97 a wonderful medium that complemented the profile wonderfully
Overall- 91.75 a very good smoke that deserves consideration from any smoker worth his/her salt
As I sat at the funeral service for their mother I realized something else. I never met their mother, but I felt like I knew all I needed to know about her because I know her sons. You see, sometimes lineage is just as important as anything else and my two friends are two of the greatest guys you could know. They are men's men. They are kind and caring. They are wise and funny. You can't help but speculate that they inherited a large measure of that from their mother and the upbringing that she provided. Knowing the two men is to know their mother and their very stout and resolute way of life speaks volumes about her. It is my pleasure to know them and call them friends.
What does this have to do with cigars? Probably everything if you really think about it from the standpoint of lineage, particularly when considering this cigar. The Fuente's have a proud tradition of cigar making that spans decades and their lineage is second to none. To know their cigars is to know them. Always consistent, pleasurable and understated. I have met many of the Fuente's and I can tell you they all fit this bill, there is no flamboyance, no putting on of airs, just a resolute and steadfast dedication to making great cigars.
This cigar presents very well in the traditional Fuente way, elegance and class without being flashy or in your face. The band work is standard Fuente fare and I have always loved this simple homage to their well made cigars. The wrapper is from their sungrown stock and it is nearly flawless and expertly applied. The construction seems to be excellent as I can't find any voids or tight spots in it at all. The pre light aroma is full of spice and tobacco notes. The pre light draw shows some light brushes of pepper and earth.
The cigar opens with profile that is slow developing, but flavorful. The core profile shows light pepper flavors and there are some very nice earth tones in the mix here as well. While not particularly full of depth or complexity it is still enjoyable in the early moments as it warms up the palate. Through the nose and at the back of the palate there are some warm notes of soft wood and some brushes of spice that I equate with anise. The draw is excellent here, just the right amount of resistance and the smoke that comes forth is satisfying and full with each draw. The burn is a touch wonky early, but as with most cigars of prime lineage, it evens out easily and neatly.
The first half of the cigar develops into a more complex array of flavors and I am excited about the developments here. The core profile still has some light pepper flavors, but there is a distinct hazelnut flavor that comes through with flying colors and becomes the star of the show. The back of the palate shows a more robust oaky flavor now and there are still some brushes of spice that are more like clove at this point. All in all this has developed into a wonderful flavor experience. The draw loosens a touch too much for me as the cigar burns, but it is still acceptable. The burn is very solid to this point.
The final half of the cigar actually slides back a bit. The core profile loses the hazelnut essence and picks up a more leathery tone that is ok, but not as nice as the hazelnut was. There are still some brushes of pepper here as well. The back of the palate continues to show some wood notes and there are some earthy tones coming in as well at this point. The spice remains but becomes slightly sour without the hazelnut to mingle with it. The draw continued to be too loose for me, but it did not cause any issues. The burn was excellent to the end.
The finish was long and smooth and showed leather and earth notes that lingered pleasantly.
Appearance- 91 always elegant and classic
Taste- 91 some points off for the back half of the smoke, but still very good
Construction- 90 some loss for draw deterioration, but still very nice
Strength- 97 a wonderful medium that complemented the profile wonderfully
Overall- 91.75 a very good smoke that deserves consideration from any smoker worth his/her salt
Sunday, February 24, 2013
Headley Grange Corona Gorda (5.625x46)
I have been hearing about these cigars for some time now. Made by the guys at Crowned Heads (they brought you the Four Kicks a year or so ago), it has had some mixed buzz among the guys and girls in my cigar circles. I have heard some say how much they have enjoyed the smoke and on the other side I have heard many say they did not enjoy it as much as the Four Kicks. This usually does not bode well for a cigar in general. A love it or hate it phenomenon is never what a manufacturer is looking for, and if it is what they find then there are often market repercussions in certain areas. Having said all of this, I always cancel what I have heard about cigars out of my brain when I am going to write a review of something. Besides, as a self aggrandizing cigar elitist I seldom look down my nose long enough at the cigar peasantry to worry about what they think. I kid of course, I am more like a cigar socialist in that I think everyone should smoke cigars...Just not mine.
This cigar is not very appealing to the eye. The wrapper has some mottled spots on it and it seems too dry to me, but the main body has some spongy give to it so I don't think the cigar itself is dried out. The band work is simple and not very eye catching, not that it really matters because I seldom smoke the band anyway. The pre light draw shows some light tobacco and wood flavors with a sweet and dusty texture. The pre light aroma is also dusty and sweet but has some nice hints of spice and light floral tones.
The cigar opens with a profile that is odd to me. The core flavors are of light tobacco and little bits of white pepper, but there is a very strange spice here that I can't put my finger on, but it is reminiscent of potpourri. The strange spice note leaves the palate dry and puckered and this is not something I look for in any cigar. Through the nose and at the back of the palate there are some light earth tones with some hits of wheaty bread. The draw is a real dream at this point. I was initially thinking it was too loose, but my criticism fades away as fluid draws lead to copious amounts of smoke. The burn is also solid at this point, and I don't think I will have any performance issues with this smoke.
The first half of the cigar shows some small improvements, but it is still short of being complex or balanced. The core flavors now show some notes of cinnamon and light tobacco, but there are still some weird potpourri notes here that are derailing the experience. The back of the palate continues to show bready notes with some light earth tones, there are some hints of pepper arriving here as I approach the last half of the smoke. The draw is still excellent and I could only wish it was delivering a more robust profile with some complexity, but it is a real pleasure from a construction point of view. The burn is still performing very well at this point.
The final half of the cigar finally develops some quality features, I fear they may be too late. The core profile develops into a nice array of cinnamon, tobacco and a touch of brown sugar sweetness that creates an interesting, if mild, experience. The back of the palate has become more flavorful, yet still mild, as flavors of earth and pepper coat the palate nicely. The draw and burn are top notch all the way to the end.
The finish was middling, but did have some nice tobacco flavors that lingered for awhile.
I would have liked more depth, strength and complexity in this smoke. Additionally, the potpourri strangeness early on was a real detractor.
Appearance- 85 very average
Taste- 85 also very average, though it was saved from a lower score by late performance
Construction- 93 the real savior of the experience
Strength- 87 a very medium turning mild late
Overall- 88 slightly above average due to superior construction
This cigar is not very appealing to the eye. The wrapper has some mottled spots on it and it seems too dry to me, but the main body has some spongy give to it so I don't think the cigar itself is dried out. The band work is simple and not very eye catching, not that it really matters because I seldom smoke the band anyway. The pre light draw shows some light tobacco and wood flavors with a sweet and dusty texture. The pre light aroma is also dusty and sweet but has some nice hints of spice and light floral tones.
The cigar opens with a profile that is odd to me. The core flavors are of light tobacco and little bits of white pepper, but there is a very strange spice here that I can't put my finger on, but it is reminiscent of potpourri. The strange spice note leaves the palate dry and puckered and this is not something I look for in any cigar. Through the nose and at the back of the palate there are some light earth tones with some hits of wheaty bread. The draw is a real dream at this point. I was initially thinking it was too loose, but my criticism fades away as fluid draws lead to copious amounts of smoke. The burn is also solid at this point, and I don't think I will have any performance issues with this smoke.
The first half of the cigar shows some small improvements, but it is still short of being complex or balanced. The core flavors now show some notes of cinnamon and light tobacco, but there are still some weird potpourri notes here that are derailing the experience. The back of the palate continues to show bready notes with some light earth tones, there are some hints of pepper arriving here as I approach the last half of the smoke. The draw is still excellent and I could only wish it was delivering a more robust profile with some complexity, but it is a real pleasure from a construction point of view. The burn is still performing very well at this point.
The final half of the cigar finally develops some quality features, I fear they may be too late. The core profile develops into a nice array of cinnamon, tobacco and a touch of brown sugar sweetness that creates an interesting, if mild, experience. The back of the palate has become more flavorful, yet still mild, as flavors of earth and pepper coat the palate nicely. The draw and burn are top notch all the way to the end.
The finish was middling, but did have some nice tobacco flavors that lingered for awhile.
I would have liked more depth, strength and complexity in this smoke. Additionally, the potpourri strangeness early on was a real detractor.
Appearance- 85 very average
Taste- 85 also very average, though it was saved from a lower score by late performance
Construction- 93 the real savior of the experience
Strength- 87 a very medium turning mild late
Overall- 88 slightly above average due to superior construction
Friday, February 15, 2013
Anoranzas Toro (6x52)
Every so often a cigar comes along that surprises me. I have been surprised in a throw up in my mouth sort of way, I have chuffed through some real dog rockets. Alternately, I have also been surprised in a call all my friends and shout from the rooftops sort of way, I have smoked some real unexpected winners in my day. Part of the fun of this pursuit, smoking and blogging, is that you never know when the next gem is around the corner. Part of the terror in this pursuit, is that you never know when the next dog rocket will foul your palate for the next calendar year.
This cigar comes from the My Father factory, this is already an upcheck in my book as I usually enjoy products from this particular place. Granted, in recent years I have had some that I didn't care for, but overall this company bats well above average for me. The cigar itself is nothing to look at. The wrapper is an off brown color with some mottling and the band, while not ugly, is not very interesting or eye catching. If I were judging a book by its cover I might not buy this cigar. Luckily I have learned over the years to not judge by appearance alone, particularly with cigars, you should probably avoid it with women too. The construction seems loose to me, and I am worried about heat in the flume as the cigar progresses. The pre light draw shows some tones that are of wood and butter. The pre light aroma is crisp tobacco and spice.
This cigar opens with a profile that is astonishing. The core flavors luxuriate the palate in soft tones of butter, light spice, some citrus zest and wonderful hints of graham cracker. Seldom do you find this type of complexity in a blend and this has me sitting back right away. I hadn't even heard anything about this cigar! The back of the palate and through the nose show crisp tobacco flavors with some nice spice and light pepper tones. The draw is a real dream, I was worried it would be too loose, but I was wrong and this draw delivers wonderfully. The burn is slightly wonky, but I don't think it will cause any issues.
The first half of the cigar continues to impress. The core profile has become less involved, but the flavors that remain gain in richness. There are still some buttery notes here that have become slightly salty, but there also still citrus flavors that add some zip to the profile as they gain in power. The back of the palate continues to show strengthening tobacco flavors with some nicotine tingle and the spice notes are ramping up. I am enjoying this increase in power as the cigar progresses, many cigars these days don't follow this traditional model of increasing power as the cigar develops. The draw is still excellent. The burn has evened out nicely and I don't anticipate any further issues.
The final half of the cigar is a true paradigm shift. The core profile becomes a straight presentation of pepper and heavy spice flavors. This narrowing of the profile pleases the palate as the early detection of nuance leads to a break as more forward flavors become prominent. The back of the palate now has some nice tobacco flavors that continue, but there are some very nice flavors of wood coming through here as well. The draw and burn are solid all the way to the end.
The finish is long, but a touch sharp, as flavors of pepper and tobacco linger.
This is one of the nicer surprises I have had in awhile. I would strongly recommend this smoke to anyone.
Appearance- 84 this won't win any looks contests
Taste- 93 a very solid profile with wonderful flavors
Construction- 91 some early burn issues gave way to an excellent performance
Strength- 92 starts medium but ramps into a full by the halfway point
Overall- 90.75 a winner in my book
This cigar comes from the My Father factory, this is already an upcheck in my book as I usually enjoy products from this particular place. Granted, in recent years I have had some that I didn't care for, but overall this company bats well above average for me. The cigar itself is nothing to look at. The wrapper is an off brown color with some mottling and the band, while not ugly, is not very interesting or eye catching. If I were judging a book by its cover I might not buy this cigar. Luckily I have learned over the years to not judge by appearance alone, particularly with cigars, you should probably avoid it with women too. The construction seems loose to me, and I am worried about heat in the flume as the cigar progresses. The pre light draw shows some tones that are of wood and butter. The pre light aroma is crisp tobacco and spice.
This cigar opens with a profile that is astonishing. The core flavors luxuriate the palate in soft tones of butter, light spice, some citrus zest and wonderful hints of graham cracker. Seldom do you find this type of complexity in a blend and this has me sitting back right away. I hadn't even heard anything about this cigar! The back of the palate and through the nose show crisp tobacco flavors with some nice spice and light pepper tones. The draw is a real dream, I was worried it would be too loose, but I was wrong and this draw delivers wonderfully. The burn is slightly wonky, but I don't think it will cause any issues.
The first half of the cigar continues to impress. The core profile has become less involved, but the flavors that remain gain in richness. There are still some buttery notes here that have become slightly salty, but there also still citrus flavors that add some zip to the profile as they gain in power. The back of the palate continues to show strengthening tobacco flavors with some nicotine tingle and the spice notes are ramping up. I am enjoying this increase in power as the cigar progresses, many cigars these days don't follow this traditional model of increasing power as the cigar develops. The draw is still excellent. The burn has evened out nicely and I don't anticipate any further issues.
The final half of the cigar is a true paradigm shift. The core profile becomes a straight presentation of pepper and heavy spice flavors. This narrowing of the profile pleases the palate as the early detection of nuance leads to a break as more forward flavors become prominent. The back of the palate now has some nice tobacco flavors that continue, but there are some very nice flavors of wood coming through here as well. The draw and burn are solid all the way to the end.
The finish is long, but a touch sharp, as flavors of pepper and tobacco linger.
This is one of the nicer surprises I have had in awhile. I would strongly recommend this smoke to anyone.
Appearance- 84 this won't win any looks contests
Taste- 93 a very solid profile with wonderful flavors
Construction- 91 some early burn issues gave way to an excellent performance
Strength- 92 starts medium but ramps into a full by the halfway point
Overall- 90.75 a winner in my book
Wednesday, February 13, 2013
C.A.O. Right Coast (6.75x72)
Every once in awhile a gimmick cigar comes along that makes me scratch my head and say, why has that not been done in the industry before? It makes so much sense! I mean necessity is the mother of invention, someone much smarter than I am once said that, and in this industry there is need for new things and new ideas. I mean didn't we need a chisel? A pigtail? A double wrapper? A barber pole? The list of genius goes on and on and....cough cough wheeeezzzz....(Choking sounds emanate from the area as I strangle the charlatan that had momentarily seized control of my keyboard)
Let's bring this back to reality. I hate gimmicks, they are for a marketplace that has bipolar disorder and can't decide what they want when the answer is staring them in the face with hundreds of years of pedigreed history, cigars have been around forever and while some are bad and some are good the cigar world has trucked on for centuries without crazy ideas. What is going on with people these days? Is there really a huge demand for a trapezoid shaped cigar with a ring gauge that is somewhere near smoking an actual barber pole? I would submit that there is not, yet this cigar will be a huge hit in the sclerotic marketplace because it is new and interesting to some. Pavlov has rung the bell and the drooling hounds have come running! (two reviews in a row with the Pavlov mention, if you don't know what I mean get off your considerable duff and look it up, I'm here to talk about cigars)
Along comes this bad boy. The cigar is huge and looks somewhat like a pressed and brown bar of gold from some ancient Spanish galleon. It is very dark, nearly black really, and it is ponderous and clumsy looking. The cutting, lighting and smoking can only be described as clumsy as well, there is just not a good way to do any of it. The pre light aroma is of over brewed coffee and anise. The pre light draw is slightly bitter and has some nicotine tingle along with it. The good news is I can't detect any construction issues, the bad news is there could be an entire limb from a maple tree in it and I wouldn't be able to tell because of the considerable girth however, mmmmmmmmmmm maple! How awesome would that be?
The cigar opens with a profile that is flat and one dimensional, it shocks me right out of my maple dreams. The core profile shows only notes of over brewed coffee, kind of like the stuff that overnight truckers drink when they arrive in the greasy spoon at 4AM. It is not great, and it is the only thing going on in the smoke here so I am not very happy. The back of the palate shows some very dry wood and paper notes and is very flat and bland. The draw is too tight, and I actually cut a little deeper to see if it opens up some, sadly it really didn't. The burn is one hot mess at this point, with a huge canoe forming right away. It is almost impossible to evenly light a ring gauge this large without putting on the flame retardant suit and having your friend use his Flame Thrower that he "salvaged" from his time "in country".
The first half of the cigar does not develop into anything. The core profile continues to show strong charred coffee flavors and there are some hints of anise trying to sneak in, but it is almost too fleeting to notice. This is really a one dimensional experience, ironic considering the in your face three dimensional appearance. The back of the palate is still dry and smacks of wood, paper and dust. The burn has evened out nicely, but I anticipate it will be hit or miss for the rest of the experience. The draw is still too tight for me and I am thinking that will continue as well, you just can't pack this much tobacco in without making it too dense.
The final half of the cigar continues to show a very flat and one dimensional experience. The core profile sticks with the mundane and bitter coffee flavors that have dominated the experience. The back of the palate is still dry and full of wood and paper flavors. This really way not a very good profile at all. The burn had a few more issues along the way, but all in all it was acceptable. The draw stayed too tight all the way through.
The finish was bland and full of dry wood flavors.
This was a gimmick gone wrong in my opinion. It's a shame too, because they had a winner with the Concert series.
Appearance- 88 points for interesting concept
Taste- 81 one dimensional and that dimension was poor
Construction- 82 draw was poor and the burn had issues
Strength- 81 medium to full, but it did nothing for the smoke
Overall- 82.5 not very good at all
Let's bring this back to reality. I hate gimmicks, they are for a marketplace that has bipolar disorder and can't decide what they want when the answer is staring them in the face with hundreds of years of pedigreed history, cigars have been around forever and while some are bad and some are good the cigar world has trucked on for centuries without crazy ideas. What is going on with people these days? Is there really a huge demand for a trapezoid shaped cigar with a ring gauge that is somewhere near smoking an actual barber pole? I would submit that there is not, yet this cigar will be a huge hit in the sclerotic marketplace because it is new and interesting to some. Pavlov has rung the bell and the drooling hounds have come running! (two reviews in a row with the Pavlov mention, if you don't know what I mean get off your considerable duff and look it up, I'm here to talk about cigars)
Along comes this bad boy. The cigar is huge and looks somewhat like a pressed and brown bar of gold from some ancient Spanish galleon. It is very dark, nearly black really, and it is ponderous and clumsy looking. The cutting, lighting and smoking can only be described as clumsy as well, there is just not a good way to do any of it. The pre light aroma is of over brewed coffee and anise. The pre light draw is slightly bitter and has some nicotine tingle along with it. The good news is I can't detect any construction issues, the bad news is there could be an entire limb from a maple tree in it and I wouldn't be able to tell because of the considerable girth however, mmmmmmmmmmm maple! How awesome would that be?
The cigar opens with a profile that is flat and one dimensional, it shocks me right out of my maple dreams. The core profile shows only notes of over brewed coffee, kind of like the stuff that overnight truckers drink when they arrive in the greasy spoon at 4AM. It is not great, and it is the only thing going on in the smoke here so I am not very happy. The back of the palate shows some very dry wood and paper notes and is very flat and bland. The draw is too tight, and I actually cut a little deeper to see if it opens up some, sadly it really didn't. The burn is one hot mess at this point, with a huge canoe forming right away. It is almost impossible to evenly light a ring gauge this large without putting on the flame retardant suit and having your friend use his Flame Thrower that he "salvaged" from his time "in country".
The first half of the cigar does not develop into anything. The core profile continues to show strong charred coffee flavors and there are some hints of anise trying to sneak in, but it is almost too fleeting to notice. This is really a one dimensional experience, ironic considering the in your face three dimensional appearance. The back of the palate is still dry and smacks of wood, paper and dust. The burn has evened out nicely, but I anticipate it will be hit or miss for the rest of the experience. The draw is still too tight for me and I am thinking that will continue as well, you just can't pack this much tobacco in without making it too dense.
The final half of the cigar continues to show a very flat and one dimensional experience. The core profile sticks with the mundane and bitter coffee flavors that have dominated the experience. The back of the palate is still dry and full of wood and paper flavors. This really way not a very good profile at all. The burn had a few more issues along the way, but all in all it was acceptable. The draw stayed too tight all the way through.
The finish was bland and full of dry wood flavors.
This was a gimmick gone wrong in my opinion. It's a shame too, because they had a winner with the Concert series.
Appearance- 88 points for interesting concept
Taste- 81 one dimensional and that dimension was poor
Construction- 82 draw was poor and the burn had issues
Strength- 81 medium to full, but it did nothing for the smoke
Overall- 82.5 not very good at all
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