601 Steel Girder (6x52)

A few years ago people in the know about boutique offerings were sucking the 601 cigars up wherever and whenever they could find them.  If you were not in the know then you were out in the cigar wasteland with the rest of the cigar sheeple, blissfully ignorant of the wonderful offering that was put together by Espinosa and Ortega with Don Pepin Garcia.  After some woeful times, there was a relationship with Rocky Patel that led to a horrific gas station cigar rebranding, Espinosa is back and making cigars bearing this frontmark again, and the branding is back to the old way, just the way I like it.  You see, I am one of the ones in the know about boutique offerings, some would even say that I am an acclaimed member of the boutique cognoscenti (self acclimation counts in my world!), and I was actually very happy to see this brand back where it belongs.  I have been hoarding my old 601 Red's and Blue's because they were just that good and they were gone forever.  Now I need not be so parsimonious because I can always get some 601 Steel, so can you by the way, and whether you are in the know or an ignoramus, you can get them here.  It's that simple, anyone can click a link...

The cigar presents with some interesting visuals.  The exterior is ruddy, much like I would envision unfinished steel, there is some roughness to the wrapper (some would call it tooth, they would be wrong).  The band has the old 601 style and a nice steel gray finish that adds oomph to the nomenclature of the smoke.  Visually I would say this resembles more of a knock around cigar than an accomplished premium, but then the 601 name comes back to mind and I realize that I am likely in for taste roller coaster.  The pre light draw shows some signs of dark fruit and pepper and the pre light aroma has some hints of anise and spice.

The cigar opens with all sorts of power up front.  I am actually a bit taken aback by this show of teeth right up front.  The core profile is full of heady blasts of nicotine and the palate tingles from the get go.  The flavors show some wonderful bursts of black pepper and black cherry and I am not sure I have had this combination present itself in a cigar before.  At the back of the palate there is a very satisfying dark wood note that combines with a licorice note that is initially interesting, but then becomes a bit too much.  The draw is superb at this point, delivering big cloudy bursts of smoke.  The burn is slightly wonky, but I don't believe I will need a touch up at this point.

The first half of the smoke proceeds nicely, though the power recedes and I wish it would have hung around for a bit.  The core profile takes on a more fruit laden quality with notes of black cherry and orange peel coming through.  The back of the palate has begun to show some more licorice type notes at this point and I would really like to have more of the dark wood from earlier in the presentation.  The draw continues to perform very well.  The burn has continued to be a touch off, but I am resisting the reapplication of flame, as I so often do, because a fine cigar should correct itself.

The final half of the cigar really comes home strong.  The core profile continues to show measured allowances of black cherry and orange, but there is some very solid black pepper coming back into the mix and taking over the overall impression.  The back of the palate really shortens up and becomes a more solid mix of earth and wood, with a slightly metallic impression that will slightly hinder the score.  The draw was solid all the way through.  The burn did have to be touched up, I hate that, I will score accordingly.

The finish was long and powerful showing pepper and dark cherry notes.

All in all I am very pleased with the return of this frontmark.

Appearance- 88 a bit rustic for me, but still not bad

Taste- 91 a fine experience here, could have used more body in the front half.  Metallic notes late hurt the score

Construction- 87 can't go any higher with a cigar that I have to put flame back to, but the draw was outstanding

Strength- 89 a very nice full bodied and flavorful smoke

Overall- 88.75 worth grabbing some ASAP

Montecristo Relentless Toro (6x50)

It has been awhile since I have graced the retinal portions of your eyeballs with a cigar review.  Your collective sighing does not fool me, I know that I have been missed, after all I have not received any hate mail or threats of bodily harm in over a month.

For this glorious return I have been asked to review something new from Montecristo.  The name alone caused me to heavily speculate about the cigar before I even had them in my hot little hands.  Relentless as an appellation certainly allowed the mind to wander about as I waited for them to show up in the mail.  What could it possibly mean?  Was it going to be full bodied?  That would certainly be something new for Monetcristo as they are known for more mild and medium offerings.  Was it going to be expensive?  A relentless assault on your pocketbook as Montecristo has done in the past?  A million questions came immediately to mind and as I was about to retire from my day job my brain had the ability to really mull this over for several days.  I am sure you think as my wife does, and would speculate that I was wasting time while I could have been doing things around the house or whatever it is women think men should do when we have nothing else to do.  I say hooey to all of that jazz, if I am sitting around throwing cigar conjecture around in the box that I call my head then I am doing exactly what I am supposed to be doing brothers and sisters.

The cigar presents well, the wrapper is a nice medium brown Connecticut from Ecuador which is nice, because I actually prefer the Ecuadorian variety of this particular wrapper.  The construction appears to be pretty solid, but it is hard to tell with the overwhelmingly large band that is draped all over this bad boy.

A note on this, what is the deal with the huge bands?  What is the manufacturer trying to hide?  Or is it more about catching the eye with some fancy art work?  Let the cigar speak for itself for crying out loud!  Additionally, the larger the band the more pectin is required to secure it and the more potential there is for wrapper damage when it is finally disbanded.  Alas, on this cigar there are actually two overlapping bands! Insanity!

The pre light aroma smacks of light wood and cinnamon.  The pre light draw shows some white pepper notes and some thoughts of dry wood like balsa and cedar.

The cigar begins with a profile that has some real zest in the front notes.  There are some sharp blasts of pepper right off the bat, the smoke is a bit dry in the early stages and there is a woody note that contributes to the dry feeling.  At the back of the palate there is a slight grassy tone that is not quite off putting, but it is not the best either.  The draw is tight, at this point I realize how thick the end cap was.  One shallow snip, which is my preferred cut, will not do it on this cigar.  You will need to cut deeper, but don't get too deep and cut through the shoulder.  The burn is razor sharp and nice gray ash is forming.

The first half of the cigar moves along relatively well delivering a nice experience.  The core profile has warmed considerably and there are notes of cinnamon and other spice here over a nice under layer of white pepper that has toned down from the opening moments.  The back of the palate continues to show a nice balsa wood tone with the occasional splash of cedar.  The grassy notes are hanging around a bit, but they are not hurting the cigar at all.  The draw is now wide open, I did a little more cutting after the initial tightness, and it delivers very nice amounts of smoke.  The burn continues to be very solid.

The second half of the cigar shows some issues.  First, as I approach the band and it becomes time to remove it the wrapper starts to crack, I hate this when it happens because it will derail the experience as the cigar continues because the wrapper will unravel or not burn correctly.  As I remove the band my earlier fears are realized, it is stuck to the wrapper!  Oh the calamity!  My long experience helps me get through this without doing too much damage, but there is still some cracking and subsequent running that takes place.  The overall profile continues to be pleasant.  Cinnamon and spice notes dominate the front of the profile, I do wish there was some more complexity here, but it is a nice presentation of the flavors that are there.  The back of the palate continues to be mostly wood notes with some hints of grass every so often.

The finish was bit short and had some bitter notes, but also showed a nice warm cinnamon flavor as well.

If you would like to get some of these cigars you can buy them here and get them shipped right into your greedy paws...

Appearance- 88 a nice looking and well made cigar
Taste- 87 could use some more depth and complexity of flavor, but it was solid offering
Construction- 83 I have to take away points for the horrible band work which led to performance issues
Strength- 88 a nice medium smoke
Overall- 86  a slightly above average experience that could have been better

C.A.O. Amazon (6x52)

At this year's I.P.C.P.R. my colleagues and I spent a great deal of time wandering around wondering where all the new smokes were.  Sure there were some new brands and blends here and there, but it seemed as though there were many fewer new options this year as opposed to years past.

We happened into the General Cigar area to say hello to Rick Rodriguez, an old friend of ours, and he layed all the new C.A.O. stuff on us.  Since Rick has taken the reigns of this frontmark he has hit .666 in my mind.  OSA and Concert were both unique and special cigars in their own right, while the Flathead fell flat for me.  The two new cigars he presented us with on this day both seemed to hold promise, but General cigars seldom hit the mark for me so I was skeptical.  Rick mentioned that the Amazon was a real powerhouse and this got my attention.  I am often found to be intrigued by this bold statement of cigar power because of two long standing Czar truisms.  One, cigars that claim to be powerhouses usually are not even close. Two, cigars that meet the claim are often strong just for the sake of being strong and lack nuance, flavor and balance.  I always endeavor to uncover the one cigar that will defeat this theorem, alas I have not.

On our last night in Vegas my partners and I decided to hit old Vegas and walk the Fremont path to the dingy old casinos of yore, and dingy they are by the way if you haven't been don't go, take my word for it.  During our Fremont walk we decided to light these Amazons up and give them a spin.  In the interest of full disclosure of my three friends only one is a guy that could handle a powerhouse cigar on a regular basis, the other two (while cigar smoking chaps) prefer a milder sort of fare on the regular.  I was interested to see how long this would last amongst the four of us if the cigar did in fact turn out to be the powerhouse as it was billed.

The cigar is huge, it seems much bigger than it's bona fides suggest, but a quick measure in my Cigar Ring App shows that it is as advertised.  The band work here is meant to look like a rope of some sort which is pulled off by using a twisted tobacco leaf and adhering it to the cigar (more on this later), it is interesting and while I usually rail against these types of gimmicks, this is not so bad.  The construction seems nice, but there are some loose spots in the bunch that have me concerned.  The pre light draw is of heavy raising and spice.  The pre light draw has some pepper, dark fruit, plum and raisin.  This really fires up the palate early on.  All four of us are commenting on this profile before we even put flame to leaf.

The cigar opens with a profile that can only be described as a POWERHOUSE, this is exactly as billed, all nicotine and straight tobacco flavors that inundate the palate with blast after blast of power. Clearly the makers want your attention, and now they have mine, which if you have read my blog may not be the best idea.  There is no nuance or flavor here, sadly this cigar has all the early hallmarks of being strong for the sake of being strong.  My friends are noticing this too and one of them has already set it down and is complaining about the number it has done on his palate.  I can't blame him one bit at this point.  The draw booms out thick clouds of voluminous smoke.  The burn is a touch akimbo, but it is showing signs of evening out.

The first half of the cigar continues to punch the palate with indiscriminate abandon and no subtlety ever develops.  The flavors are showing some hints of dark wood, tobacco and spice.  However, the overall tenacity of the strength kills any chance of being anything other that a cigar that is trying too hard to be the big boy on the block.  The draw continues to be well above average.  The burn canoes slightly and requires me to retouch the light, this leads to the docking of points in my world.  I look over just in time to see another friend turn green and put the smoke down.  Two down, two still trucking.

The final half of the smoke claims the third victim almost immediately and I am left to continue to the struggle, ever the persistent warrior.  In this case struggle is accurate.  The profile never picks up any of the early promise and the strength just keeps on pounding away.  Still showing some hints of wood, tobacco and spice they are never able to breakthrough and show anything outside of all the damn power.  The draw stays solid to the end, but the burn requires more attention as I draw near the make shift band.  On that note, while the band is visually catchy, it can't be removed so the cigar is done when you get to the band.  I tried to smoke through it, but it just burned right under the twisted leaf.

The finish was bitter and short, showing charred notes of tobacco and card board.

Appearance- 92 an interesting cigar to look at
Taste- 78 strong just to be strong, no balance or nuance at all
Construction- 81 burn issues kill the number
Strength- 70 too strong and the strength kills the experience all together
Overall- 80 a miss, however bold, is still a miss

Arturo Fuente Opus X Forbidden X 13 God's Whisper 1924 (7.2 x 41)

It is not everyday that I smoke a cigar from deep inside the depths of the special places in my humidor.  When I do there is usually some sort of occasion attached to the smoke so it becomes significant to the event, place and time.  In this case I was just in the mood for something bold, and special and whilst writing my latest political diatribe in my political blog (www.commonsensenotcommonpractice.blogspot.com), I fired up this selection from the dark recesses of the lower trays in my generous humi.

Opus smokes are often what the individual smoker makes of them.  Much too strong for the regular Fuente smoker, in my opinion, they are a reserve smoke for those of us out here that like to experience the power of a cigar, while also understanding the subtle nuances.  I am an arrogant SOB (most of you should know this by now) and I am a cigar elitist (most of you should know this as well), so I will come off as pedantic when I say if you can't understand the finer nuances of a fine smoke you should stick with whatever chicken bones you normally smoke until you graduate into the upper echelons.  This takes years of hard work, and smoking, and smoking things that would make a goat puke, but you will eventually get there and when you do you will appreciate the finer smokes out there with the level of gravity and attention that they deserve.  Of course I am just F'in with ya (or am I), you can smoke whatever you want (just don't expect to be offered something from my stash of specials).

The very name of this cigar inspires the imagination before it even breaches the wizened and yellowing cello.  God's Whisper?  I think I hear it as I get ready to smoke this bad boy.  It's saying pay attention my son...  The band work is excellent, the attention to detail here is wonderful.  The wrapper is evenly and expertly applied by the hand of a master.  The reddish hue and the wonderful dusty feeling are something to behold.  An examination shows nary a blemish, soft spot or area too firm.  The pre light aroma is a dazzling essence of French Toast from a food artisans kitchen.  The pre light draw shows magnificent illuminations of pepper and wood.

The cigar opens with a profile that is full of cinnamon, maple and light wood essences.  I am struck by the profundity of it all right off the bat.  This complex array of flavors dances across the palate with the delicacy of a Joffrey trained ballet ingenue.  There is so much balance and nuance that I struggle to figure it all out in the early moments.  At the back of the palate there are wonderful hints of crisp tobacco and light earth that bind the sweetness of the front portion of the smoke wonderfully together.  The draw is a dream and delivers booming clouds of smoke that lazily drift o'er head as I blog away on the idiocy of our elected officials.  The burn is rock solid and the ash holds on wonderfully as the smoke progresses.

The first half of the smoke is wonderful.  The core profile maintains some nice cinnamon flavors, but a slight hint of citrus zest has come in here as well and makes for an interesting flow.  The back of the palate has picked up the syrupy, maple flavor with some wood and tobacco notes that complete a wonderfully balanced package of flavors.  The draw maintains all it's glory as it churns out scads of smoke.  The burn continues on unhindered as if in a slow directed march to the finish on a course that can not be deviated from.

The final half of the cigar is nearly legendary, and this is where the true Opus power and nuance come into full view.  The core profile becomes a wonderfully peppery presentation that keeps building and building until it is slapping the palate with powerful bursts of pepper flavor.  The palate reaction to this phenomenon is unique, most smokers would not be ready for this rapid turn of events in a cigar that had exhibited so much sweetness for the better part of the smoke.  I truly enjoy turns of events like this and it excites me as a smoker.  The back of the palate continues to deliver wood and tobacco notes as a base upon which the experience can lie.  The draw was exceptional to the finish, as was the burn.

The finish was a fine array of pepper and wood, but came off a bit sharp.  Having that as my only complaint I am willing to rate this as one of the finest smokes I have ever had in 25 years of smoking.

Appearance- 98 a wonderful looking smoke
Taste- 99 one point lost at the finish
Construction- 100 flawless
Strength- 97 a powerhouse, but wonderful
Overall- 98.75 a classic smoke no matter how you cut it

Victor Calvo Gold Robusto (5x50)

It has been a long, long time since I have written a cigar review.  Hell, it's been awhile since I wrote anything other than an article or two for a newsletter about being a new daddy.  In case you didn't know, my wife and I welcomed a son into the world in late January, and my life has not been the same since...

Smoking cigars has gone from a twice daily necessity to a twice weekly luxury it seems.  I have still been at it, but I have not been smoking anything new at all.  I have been sticking to the old knock arounds with religious verve of late.  However, recent travels have taken me to some locales that have allowed me to get my hands on some things I don't see very often.

This smoke is one such selection.  I don't see this smoke on the regular, as a matter of fact I can't say that I have seen it at all anywhere until I found it in Ft. Lauderdale.  I bought several, all of which I intend to put the hairy eyeball on with one of my famous reviews.  It might be 2035 before I get to them at the rate I have been going, but I am going to give it the old college try.

This cigar presents with a sort of mundane everyday appearance about it.  Nothing screams out, smoke me!  The band work is jejune at best and does not add to the overall impression at all.  The wrapper is somewhat toothy, but it has a lot of veining and seems loosely applied in some areas and that makes me concerned about burn issues as we move along with the show.  The pre light draw shows some hints of pepper, but there is a metallic thing going on here that has me on edge.  The pre light aroma has some hints of wood, mainly cedar, and some touches of earth as well.

The cigar opens with a profile that is unforgettable, in that it is so vile and bile churning that you will never be able to purge the palate punishment from your neural pathways.  You will try, with electroshock, a lobotomy, heavy drinking, pills and other methods such as forced bleeding, leeching, witch doctor visits and the like, but it will not work!  You will never forget this awful opening.  The flavors are a putrid mix of something like borax and water from a mason jar that old pennies have been sitting in.  Some have accused me of hyperbole in the past, but in this case I need to be able to describe the horrific scene in full detail.  The draw, sadly, is great.  It is wonderfully fluid and delivers plenty of smoke, so much smoke in fact that I am hoping for a plug ASAP.  The burn is a monstrosity, canoeing from the get go with large segments of wrapper falling unsmoked into the tray and onto my pants.

I soldier on though, ever the weary warrior in the struggle against cigar mediocrity and unfortunately nothing really changes in the first half.  The taste of old pennies has blessedly left the picture, but what is left is not great either.  There are some hints of old, dusty wood here, kind of like something from an old attic.  There are still some notes of some sort of soap or detergent here as well, not quite floral but definitely soapy in nature.  The back of the palate gives some impressions of earth, but there is a muddled quality here that has me struggling for answers.  The draw continues on and my palate is molested with scads of inferior tasting smoke.  The burn is slightly better, but still temperamental.

The final half of the smoke is a futile search for something to like, alas I can only like it once I have extinguished it in the ash bin of cigarbage.  The profile never shows anything worthwhile.  The flavors just continue on, unhindered in their putrescence, as if the maker of this smoke hates people with any type of taste at all.  The draw is solid to the end.  The burn had issues throughout.

The finish was a gift from the higher power.  I usually don't react so viscerally to a smoking experience, but this one was just that bad folks.  Do yourselves a favor and smoke something else.

Appearance- 85 mundane
Taste- 70 the lowest I can go, all though I had considered going lower
Construction- 74 the burn was disaster
Strength- 75 medium maybe, hard to tell when everything is so bad
Overall- 74.75 one of the worst I have smoked

Viaje Leaded Robusto

As always, when I walk into my favorite B&M in New Orleans, there is something special waiting for me to try.  Armando, the proprietor, pulls me aside and in hushed conspiratorial tones asks me if I have had the cigar in question.  My answer is almost always no.  This time was no exception.  There is something about a B&M that caters to rare boutique finds that just lights the fire inside a cigar guy like me.  The ability to find, and smoke, items that are just not available in the main stream is something very special and Armando always affords me this little luxury that means so much in my pursuit to smoke rare and unique cigars on a regular basis.

Viaje is the current small batch, boutique cigar, champion of the world if you ask around.  In fairness, I have smoked much of their stuff and found it to be hit or miss.  The hits are very good and the misses are spectacular flameouts sometimes, but that is part of the fun of this endeavor.  This cigar was one that I had not heard of, but when Armando pulls you aside you should listen and then smoke.  No other questions are needed, just do it and sit back in his lounge and cavort with the boys and whatever whackos walk in off Bourbon St.

The cigar presents well, if simply (as Viaje is wont to do, you won't ever see many fancy adornments or bells and whistles), and looks workmanlike and powerful.  The wrapper is a nice medium brown that has few veins and is well applied.  No size is given, and the cigar is too new to find anything on the Googleplex, but it is definitely a Robusto.  The band work is also simple and easy to look at.  I always know that with this company I am not paying for box wood and fancy artist renderings, I am just paying for a smoke.  The construction seems solid, maybe a touch tight, but I really have no concerns performance wise from the start.  The pre light aroma is full of wood notes with some hints of loamy earth.  The pre light draw shows some pepper and something metallic tasting that makes me a bit nervous.

The cigar opens with a profile that is painfully one dimensional and a touch bitter.  The one flavor coming through is metallic in nature and not pleasant to experience.  I can only hope that it opens up some, and soon.  The back of the palate and the nose show some interesting hints of pepper and earth, but the metallic flavors from the forward portion of the palate make evaluation tough.  The draw is a little tight early on, but I can feel it getting better with each pull.  The burn is right on the money.

The first half of the cigar actually begins to improve nicely as it progresses.  The core profile picks up some very solid dark wood flavors and some dashes of roasted nuts, but there is still a tinge of metallic flavors here that are tough to overlook.  The back of the palate has really started to deliver on some very solid pepper and earth notes, and I find myself wishing for more of these flavors to show through.  The draw is loosening nicely and delivers plenty of smoke.  The burn is still very solid to this point.

The final half of the cigar was really quite enjoyable.  The core profile becomes a complex balance of rich dark wood, tobacco and spice with just a little bit of honey sweetness in it.  This was definitely something unexpected and the experience really captures my attention in the closing moments.  The back of the palate really closes strong, showing pepper and earth for miles and some clover notes that set off the peppery qualities beautifully.  The draw is solid in the final half and the burn is strong all the way through.

The finish was long and earthy with hints of wood.

All in all this ranks in the top third of the Viaje cigars I have smoked.

Appearance- 88 workmanlike and solid
Taste- 89 came on strong, but the early notes hurt the score
Construction- 92 some tightness early, but really came into it's own late
Strength- 87 a nice full that complemented the overall profile well
Overall- 89.5 a very solid effort

Esteban Carreras Chupacabra Maduro Lancero (7x44)

The lancero is, sadly, a nearly lost art in the cigar world.  Once a year, or so, I wax rhapsodic about the pristine virtue of this oft maligned cigar vitola.  Luckily for all of you this is that time for the year.  What is not to like about the majestic elegance of the lancero size?  It is delicate, long, thin and seemingly dainty (which is why I believe most men eschew this particular smoke).  It is the truest form, in my mind, of getting the perfect combination of wrapper and blend rolled into a magnificent cigar experience.  Many experts say the robusto or corona are the best for the wrapper to blend ratio, I am no expert, but I say hooey to that.  For my money the lancero is where it's at Jack, and don't come at me with your homophobic crap about it being too feminine to smoke.  If you aren't comfortable smoking something because it looks too delicate, I would say you aren't confident enough in your manhood and that you should un wad your panties, take your bath robe off and man the f up.  No one gives a crap what you look like when you are smoking, and if they do they are probably women, in which case you should offer them a lancero and be a sexy f'in couple in the know about the best kept secret in the vitola arsenal.  In other words put down your sixty ring donkey wang and smoke something legit.

Ok enough about the size, I could go on and on about the size craving cigar whores out there, but I won't.  This cigar presents well, it has a perfect lancero size and shape to it.  The pigtail cap finish seems right to me, I don't like this finish on other cigars, but on the lancero it speaks of authenticity.  The wrapper is beautiful on this cigar, a rich and dark brown with very little veining sets the palate to watering before flame hits leaf.  An inspection reveals no areas of concern and I feel as though this smoke is very well made.  The band work is understated, but elegant, and communicates a fine product.  The pre light aroma has hints of cocoa and light tobacco.  The pre light draw shows light pepper, coffee, cocoa and earth flavors.

The cigar opens with a profile that is full of rich flavors.  I pick up cream, cocoa, wood, earth and pepper in the opening moments.  This is exactly what I look for in a smoke, set the expectations early and do it well.  None of the flavors are overwrought and they leave the palate looking for more and more as the smoke progresses.  The back of the palate and through the nose show some light cocoa flavors and a rich tobacco note that sets a nice pedestal for the other flavors to balance on.  The draw is an absolute dream, lancero's are often tight and make for a challenging beginning to the smoke, this cigar blows that possibility right out of the water.  The burn is solid and razor sharp right from the get go.

The first third of the cigar is just wonderful.  The core profile develops into a fantastic melange of wood, cocoa and coffee.  There are some subtleties here that must be noted, including a roasted nut sensation that comes and goes, and some hints of cinnamon that are interesting to me.  The back of the palate becomes a stronger presentation of rich tobacco flavors and there are hints of spice and cinnamon here as well.  The draw stays right on the money without issues.  The burn is also steady and note worthy.

The second third plugs right along and delivers in a big way.  The core profile continues to ramp up with more wood, coffee and cocoa flavors, but hints of caramel were coming through here as well.  It really is becoming something quite exceptional.  The back of the palate becomes a rising tide of tobacco and cinnamon flavors with short bursts of pepper on a regular basis.  This cigar has everything I would look for in my top cigars of the year and I appreciate your patience.

The final third f the smoke was also a wonderful experience.  The core profile mellows into a more subdued presentation of all the core flavors, it is wonderful to experience first hand.  Very seldom do I see a cigar with this kind of balance and assessment of possible tasting outcomes.  The back of the palate continues to chug along, showing tobacco and earth flavors that are holding the experience together nicely.  The draw and burn are excellent right to the end.

I seldom find cigars with this kind of balance and flavor, it is a must smoke in my mind.

Appearance- 91 a nice looking cigar
Taste- 94 nearly classic for me, just a very well put together profile and presentation of flavor
Construction- 94 also nearly classic
Strength- 93 a very nuanced and balanced medium/full
Overall- 93.25 a must smoke

Partagas Benji Homage 62 Toro (6.5x54)

First, a little story.  I have known Benji for some time now.  We have met at several events, dinners, shows, expos and even once had a long conversation in an airport.  Benji was a guest on my radio show a number of times and we always appreciated his willingness to come on and talk about cigars and the lifestyle, he is one of the most affable people you could ever meet, plus he always complimented me on my fluent Spanish (I am far from fluent and I think he knew that, but he appreciated that I could converse with him in his own language).  Sixty two years in the industry is an incredible achievement and I can't say enough about what guys like this mean to the industry.  I can only hope the cigar is an actual homage.

The smoke presents well.  I always like a cigar wrapped in white tissue, I am not sure what it is about that particular presentation, but I like it.  The band work is elaborate and full of glitz and glam.  We all know I am not a fan of all the hoi polloi, but hell this is an homage right?  The wrapper is on the dark side of a medium shade of brown and it has some veining, but I can't see any reason it will be an issue.  There are some nice oils here as well and I am anticipating a nice experience.  The bunch looks good and feels appropriately spongy without being wet.  The pre light aroma has some hints of spice and grass.  The pre light draw shows some peppery notes.

The cigar opens with a profile that could be best described as underwhelming, I am upset by this, the career of one of the greats should be celebrated with an opus of flavor, a crescendo of emotion, fanfare, trumpets and...well you get the idea.  This is like a wet newspaper landing with a dull thud in the driveway on a holiday, you know full of hype but then ten thousand circulars come out and the only news is about some Hollywood starlet with a needle in her arm.  The profile is overtly peppery and there is nothing to balance out this in your face presentation of power.  Without secondary flavors the palate becomes overwhelmed with pepper and starts to scream for something else.  At the back of the palate and through the nose the profile is papery and thin, I need something more robust or sweet to balance out all the pepper in the front of the smoke.  The burn is very solid from the start, but I detect a run starting about a half inch into the smoke.  The draw is smooth.

The first half of the smoke remains horrifically one dimensional, like many of the college girlfriends I had, they deliver one thing and one thing only (usually vomit in my bathroom, before telling you they will go no further).  I keep wanting this cigar to go further, but it won't, and for the record vomit in the bathroom may not be out of the question.  The core profile is still booming out pepper flavors, and some other bitter putrescence that I can't put my finger on at this moment.  The back of the palate and the nose, good lord the poor nose, are being subjected to notes of burning cardboard and grass.  The cigar has now ruptured from the earlier run and the whole thing is about to get chucked, much like my old college girlfriends.  The draw is still smooth, but I wish it would plug, or explode in my face, or grow teeth and eat my head.  

The final half of the cigar was really just a formality in pursuing futility.  The profile never changes, and actually becomes worse, yes worse!  There are some flavors here that I can't quite place, but a mouthful of nickels drizzled with Boric Acid might be closest.  The back of the palate is equally horrid and I am not sure I have anymore adjectives to hammer away at this smoke.  The burn never recovers and the draw unfortunately was great to the end.

The finish was glorious, because I was done.  The flavors were terrible.

All in all I can't believe that this is an homage to a legend.

Appearance- 91 the best part about this, if you have some take them out and look at them then smoke something else
Taste- 70 nothing worth commenting on
Construction- 83 the draw saved this...barely
Strength- 85 medium I think
Overall- 80.25

H. Upmann Legacy (6x60)

Every so often when you are a man of idle whim, like I so rarely am these days, you can find yourself sitting in a cigar lounge contemplating the greater issues of the day; like if Seinfeld was the greatest show ever, or where you should get lunch tomorrow and in walks a rep from one of the companies and he starts spreading around smokes.  Most of the reps in my area know about my blog and I always remind them that if they give me a smoke and tell me to review it, that it might not go well for them.  They always nod and appreciate my candor and tell me to do it anyway.  Sometimes I wonder about them...

This cigar was given to me to try and review despite my long hatred for anything sixty ring, my long hatred for most things Altadis and in general my hatred for most everything.  I am curmudgeonly at best, a lifestyle I don't recommend, but one that I excel at.  I warned the rep that if I didn't like it that it could be crucified because I have been feeling particularly saucy these days.  He just smiled and gave me one anyway.  I pocketed it politely, made small talk for a bit and when he left fired up something non Altadis.  I was saving this smoke for a time that seemed right to smoke a sixty ring, and I found that moment on the golf course.

The cigar presents like most sixty ringers do, it is a huge log.  The construction seems to be ok, but when the bunch is so large it becomes difficult to detect any issues that may be hiding beneath.  I notice right away that the wrapper is thin, gossamer thin to be exact, and this never adds up to a positive cigar experience in my mind.  Thin wrappers don't smoke well, they crack, they run, they explode and they unravel.  Other than that Mrs. Lincoln how was the play?  The pre light aroma has some thin hints of cinnamon and an odd smell of cardboard.  The pre light draw is way too loose and there are some hints of light coffee and dusty grass.

The cigar opens with a charred and bubbling wrapper, one of the first signs that the wrapper is too damn thin.  I hate when normal lighting leads to charring because someone had to cheap out on wrapper leaf, can a BOTL get an MF'in extra couple of turns on the rolling table?  The core profile is not too bad, but there is little complexity or depth.  There are some flavors of light wood and light pepper, but they never develop into anything resembling a full profile and I am more than miffed.  At the back of the palate there are some grassy notes and a touch of light coffee.  The burn is ok, but still charring the thin wrapper beyond the border of the ash.  The draw is too loose, and this is one of the prime reasons I hate big ring cigars, draws are supposed to have some slight resistance.

The first half of the smoke wallows in the putrid puddles of the shallow end of the cigar gene pool.  The core profile never develops and thin flavors of pepper and light wood are charred and bittered by the poor wrapper presentation.  I am not even sure why I have not chucked this log yet, other than I am playing a decent round and I am trying not to pay attention to the horrible cigar experience.  The back of the palate is faring no better as fetid vegetation flavors take over.  There is little value in this cigar at all.  The burn is better, but still not great.  The draw is still booming right along like pulling through a giant drink straw in a fishbowl margarita.

The final half of the cigar completely comes off the rails.  The wrapper just blows up and begins to unravel, sadly I called this earlier in the smoke.  The core profile is charred and ashy.  At the back of the palate some real gut turning notes of acid and vegetation are showing their might.  The burn is a disaster and the draw is almost as bad.

The finish was long and ugly, several fifths of scotch might not have been able to wipe this clean.

Appearance- 85 the best part of the smoke
Taste- 72 it can't get much worse
Construction- 70 it can't get worse
Strength- 85 not sure, medium I guess
Overall- 75.75 an early candidate for worst cigar of the year

Viaje Honey and Hand Grenades The Rapier (6.5x44)

I have been on a real paw through the depths of the humidor run lately.  If there is some off the beaten path, seldom heard of, potential dog rocket hiding in my cedar trays I want to find it and smoke and give it the hairy eyeball.  I do this, of course, with you the readers in mind.  You may send gifts, no ticking packages though please.  It is somewhat appropriate that this cigar bears the name Rapier.  I have often been accused of having a somewhat rapier wit, additionally this blog has been criticized and lauded equally for being rapier sharp in assessing a cigar.  Finally, some may just want to run me clean through with a rapier and soothe their tired and bleeding eyes from reading my piles of dreck over the years.  If you are in any one of those categories I would think that you would appreciate the irony in the name of this particular cigar.

This cigar presents with some adornments that I find to be, well....quite something, and maybe not in a good way.  The red tin foil that covers the cigar is visually jarring and it feels like I am hefting some Christmas ornament as I lift it from it's humidor cocoon.  The band has a honey bee and a grenade on it, as near as I can tell, and I find the imagery cute, but not particularly valuable or noteworthy.  Once I unwrap the thing I can get down to the business of inspecting the cigar.  The size is fantastic, I love the length and ring.  The taper at the foot is very Fuente Hemingwayesque, I like this feature.  The wrapper is nicely applied and has a dark chocolate appearance to it.  I notice some tooth in the leaf and some nice oils.  The pre light draw has some licorice and wood flavors.  The pre light aroma is earthy with a hint of sweet clover.

The cigar opens with a profile that is not great and fairly one dimensional.  The core flavor is sweet, trying for something like honey or clover, but coming off as something artificial like saccharine, with a touch of bitterness to it.  The back of the palate and the retrohale show some infusions of licorice and earth, but the saccharine flavor is still persistent in this part of the smoke.  This heavy, and oft bitter, sweetness that permeates the profile is really not great and threatens to become something quite nasty.  The draw in the early stages is too tight, but I attribute that to the taper at the end of the foot and believe this to be a common trait amongst cigars rolled this way.  The burn is a touch wonky as well, and I again lend this to the construction of the vitola.

The first half of the cigar really does not develop, on the good side though it does not deteriorate either.  The core profile maintains the bitter taste of artificial sweetener, it's really not good.  I strain to find something else in the profile, but I just can't do it.  The back of the palate and the nose continue to show some wispy hints of licorice and earth, but it never breaks through the barrier of bitter artificial sweetness that the front of the profile creates.  The draw loosens some, but it is still too tight for my liking at this stage.  The burn levels out nicely as the smoke progresses.

The final half, and especially the final third, finally show some redeeming qualities.  The core profile finally sheds the bitter and artificial parts and segues into something more robust and flavorful.  I am picking up some pine nut, clover and dark fruit along with some white pepper bursts that are interesting.  I could only wish the whole cigar was this good.  Alas, it was not.  The back of the palate and the nose show some hearty earthiness and some wonderful dark wood notes.  The draw is still just too tight for me, but there is not any heat in the smoke.  The burn is solid to the finish.

The finish was a bit tart, some artificial sweetener snuck back in here, but also had some nice lingering traces of fruit and clover.

All in all not the best smoke, and I would probably shy away from it in the future.

Appearance- 83 garish and overdone with all the wrapping and bells and whistles
Taste- 85 saved late to become average
Construction- 87 tight draw throughout
Strength- 86 a nice medium
Overall- 85.5 mundane at best

G.A.R. Opium Black Gran Robusto (6x52)

Every so often I run into a B&M that I am not interested in for any other reason than a spacious humidor full of treats that I may or may not have ever seen before.  There is one such place in Tampa, the sheer size of the selection of cigars in the store is mind boggling.  It seemingly has everything and you have to be willing to make a  floor to ceiling pursuit for the elusive singles that every humidor needs.  I call these my change of pace cigars, see I buy boxes of cigars all the time.  These boxes are my mainstays, my go to's, my favorites and my everyday smokers.  However, sometimes I get tired of my usual and I feel like I must breakout and try something foreign.  I often know nothing about these types of cigars, other than I found it somewhere and I had never smoked it, in some cases I have never heard of it.  This cigar checks all those boxes for me and I consider these cigars as always being risky, I mean it could really suck.

The cigar presents well.  The band work is a touch gaudy, what with foil like presentations and fancy script, I am thinking of it like a Hollywood starlet at this point and I am wondering what the glam is hiding.  The wrapper is nicely applied and seems to have some nice oils.  The bunch is seemingly a bit loose, but I can't find any other issues.  The pre light aroma smacks of spice and rich tobacco.  The pre light draw shows a light sweetness and a muddled coffee note that has some earthy tones.

The cigar opens with a very nice core profile that has some depth and complexity that sets a solid tone for the smoke.  The flavors have some nice cinnamon and tobacco notes, additionally there is some creamed coffee coming through here as well.  The back of the palate and the retrohale show some robust dark wood flavors and nice earthy tone that is very solid.  The draw is very solid right from the start and it delivers nice amounts of smoke with little effort.  The burn is also right on the money from the get go.

The first half of the cigar progresses nicely.  The core profile continues with a nice touch of cinnamon and a nice cereal notes comes in as well and lends some sweetness to the experience.  The back of the palate still shows dark wood and earth, but some pepper and tobacco flavors here round out the profile nicely.  The draw is now a bit loose and I am worried about heat as the smoke moves on.  The burn is still solid and shows no signs of any issue.

The final half of the cigar becomes something nightmare are made of.  The profile derails as the core profile transitions from cinnamon and cereal to something bitter and sour, like rusty bolts in vinegar.  I am not quite sure what happened but it becomes really nasty in the final half of the smoke.  The flavors I do pick out are vegetal and loamy and the cigar seems to just give up.  The wrapper splits and blows up horribly and I am left wondering what the hell happened to this cigar that I was enjoying.  The draw is now gone, it is way too loose and the heat is nearly unbearable.  The burn is also gone, as the cigar splits keeping it lit is nearly impossible.

The finish was me chucking this rocket with nearly a third left, it is unfortunate as the cigar started so well.

As I said these cigars are often a risk, and this one did not pay off.

Appearance- 87 a bit gaudy, but ok
Taste- 80 some points for the early performance, but no points for the later presentation
Construction- 70 when a cigar goes this wrong no higher score can be given
Strength- 85 a medium/full that may have been ok if I could have evaluated it over the entire cigar
Overall- 78.75 not all risks are good ones

Viaje Friends and Family Le Joueur (5x52)

This cigar with the somewhat odd appellation, I mean when I hear friends and family I think of a sale at Macy's, has had much hype over the last several months in my world.  Almost everyone that has tried this has been anxious to tell me it is the strongest cigar they have ever smoked.  I am used to this over the top hyperbole in the cigar world it is just par for the course.  Every strength whore out there finds the next strongest cigar and shouts from the rooftops about how it's the strongest ever!  I have heard it with no fewer than one billion cigars...Ok some hyperbole on my part there, but you get the gist I think.

The cigar presents very well.  The wrapper is crisp looking and well applied.  The white double band is clean looking and not overwrought with horrible art work.  There are very few veins and the wrapper has a rich, dark chocolate color.  In looking at the bunch I can see quite a bit of what I believe is ligero in there (Viaje does not disclose their blends) and I am thinking maybe some of what I have been hearing could be true.  Then I worry because the recent ligero trend has been to be long on palate tingling strength and short of depth and complexity in the profile.  I cast aside those shadowy thoughts and continue my assessment.  The pre light aroma smacks of pepper and dark chocolate.  The pre light draw shows some ligero tickling the palate and a very interesting not of anise and wood.

The cigar opens with a profile that is a real palate blaster.  The blend immediately kicks the palate in the face, the tingle at the back of the throat is reminding me of the onset of a sore throat.  Something interesting is happening though, there is actually some complexity and depth showing through here.  The core profile has miles and miles of flavor as it shows some nice notes of dark chocolate, dark wood and red pepper.  None of these flavors exhibit any subtlety at all, they are right up in your business, nose to nose with you from the get go.  The back of the palate and through the nose show some more very satisfying wood notes and there is still a hint of anise coming through here that adds something nice to the mix.  The burn is very solid right away.  The draw is firm, but smooth and it delivers plenty of smoke from the first pull.

The first half of this cigar is certainly strong, as advertised.  Is it the strongest cigar I have ever smoked?  No, I will always reserve that distinction for the first Pepin JJ Maduro I smoked many years ago when my palate was not used to full bodied and full strength smokes (I was green during that experience).  This cigar though is up there in strength for me, and out of the cigars I have smoked in the last year it ranks amongst the strongest.  The core profile is still very complex though, and I am so pleased that it is not losing this feature as so many other strength bombs do.  The are still some hints of dark chocolate and there is a tone of black cherry showing through here now as well, this is all combined with the continuing show of dark wood that binds it all together.  The back of the palate is holding a very smoky wood characteristic that I find interesting and it makes me feel kind of rural, like I should be camping or something.  The draw is still nice and firm and it performs well.  The burn is still on the money and I don't see any issues down the line.

The final half of this cigar is a real ass kicker.  The strength really ramps up and the nicotine tingle swathes the palate all the way to the back of the throat.  The beauty of this cigar though is that it is not losing the profile at all, in fact the profile gets better the stronger the cigar gets.  The core notes here a still dark chocolate, but they are turning more like cocoa as the process continues to the end.  Additionally the pepper notes here are profound.  I am getting some red pepper at the back of the palate, but a softer white pepper note in the front part of the tongue and mouth.  The back of the palate and the nose continue to show some nice dark wood flavors and there is a touch of mineral here that I am not finding hateful (which is unusual for me, I am usually lost at mineral flavor).  The draw is solid right through to the end.  The burn shows nary an issue throughout.

The finish is long and holds pepper and wood notes for some satisfying long moments after the conclusion of the smoke.

All in all this is the best Viaje blend that I have smoked.

Appearance- 94 a nice looking cigar
Taste- 92 I was very impressed with a complex and balanced approach
Construction- 94 the only thing stopping perfection was a firm draw
Strength- 93 a very nice full bodied/full strength offering
Overall- 93.25 just wonderful

Arturo Fuente Destino al Siglo De Familia (6.5x46)

This much anticipated cigar was nearly completely derailed a year or so ago when a fire wiped out some precious tobacco stock that was earmarked for this blend.  It was sad news for all Fuente enthusiasts as I am sure we were all waiting for this special anniversary smoke.  I for one was looking forward to it for several years, ever since I heard about it really.  The buzz created by these legendary brands is really very remarkable, and even someone that does not follow the hype (like me) get caught up in the hullabaloo.  I was so thrilled when I heard they were going to make it anyway, I couldn't remember a cigar I had looked forward to more in recent memory.

The cigar presents very nicely.  The wrapper is a muted brown affair that has some veining, but nothing of concern.  It seems a little bit dry to me in texture, but upon inspection it seems supple and well applied.  The band word is remarkable, quite the piece of art, it almost makes you feel better about the really high price tag...almost.  The pre light aroma has some light brushes of spice, but is full of cedar notes.  The pre light draw is smooth and fluid and shows some booming cedar notes and a touch of bitter grass.

The smoke opens with a profile that is decidedly cedary, it almost overwhelms the palate and hinges on being bitter.  There are some light brushes of spice and tobacco here as well, but the cedar notes really carry the bag in the opening moments.  Through the nose and on the back of the palate there are some notes of a lighter wood, but again cedar notes dominate the profile in unpleasant way.  The draw is a little tight early, but I can feel it opening up as the cigar progresses.  The burn is solid right from the get go there are no hints of any issues that might be forthcoming.

The first half of the cigar does progress some, though not for the better.  The dominant cedar notes are still present, but they are muted by a sharp spice note that borders on being acidic.  There are some hints here of cinnamon and some lighter wood notes, but they are too subtle to be anything more than a fleeting glimpse of what might be.  The back of the palate holds some nice tobacco notes and the cedar is a more acceptable tone without the bitterness from earlier in the cigar, but it is not enough to salvage the cigar to this point and my disappointment is mounting.  The draw is acceptable, though still a touch too tight for me.  The burn is phenomenal and razor sharp.

The final half of the cigar completes the disappointing ride for me.  The core profile never develops into anything profound, or even above average, at any point.  The core continues to show cedar and spice notes that alternately bitter and acidic, a real letdown in my book.  The back of the palate provides some rays of light, but they are fleeting as the wood and tobacco notes are not enough to hold it all together.  The draw is a touch too tight throughout, while the burn performs to the highest standard all the way to the end.

The finish was heavy with cedar notes and slightly bitter, making for a short closing experience.

At a twenty plus dollar price tag I expect much more, hell at an eight dollar price tag I expect more.  I only wonder what could have been with the tobacco that burned to the gods instead of the enthusiasts.

Appearance- 92 a wonderful looking smoke
Taste- 78 unfortunately it was just really poor
Construction- 87 draw was too tight for me, but the burn did well
Strength- 85 an uninspired medium
Overall- 84.5 below average and way too expensive

Top 10 Cigars for 2013

In 2013 I just didn't get to review as many cigars as I usually do, life just got in the way for most of the year and I was pushed and pulled in many different directions in this crazy journey that I call my life.

You will note that for the first time in the history of this blog my Top 10 will feature cigars with scores less than 90, this is simply because I only compile the list from cigars I wrote reviews on so the list was short to begin with.

My promise to you is to make 2014 a better year for this blog and for my readers.

Without further lip flapping I give you my Top 10 from 2013

10. Viaje Super Shot 12 Gauge Corojo - 88.75

9.   Davidoff Nicaragua Toro - 89.25

8.   Black Label Trading Company Benediction - 89.5

7.   Tatuaje 10th Anniversary Bon Chasseur - 89.75

7.   Alec Bradley Mundial Perfecto - 89.75

6.   Esteban Carreras Chupacabra Toro - 90.25

5.   Anoranzas Toro - 90.75

4.   Arturo Fuente Unnamed Reserve (Sin Nombre) 2012 - 91.75

4.   The Widow's Son - 91.75

3.   Curivari Seleccion Privada Fabulosos Maduro - 93.5

2.   Arturo Fuente Don Carlos Edicion de Anniversario 2007 - 96.25

1.   L' Atelier Selection Speciale - 97.25