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
Wednesday, July 24, 2013
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
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