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
Sunday, February 24, 2013
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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