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

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