If you had asked most people six years ago who the one person they would most like to be in the cigar industry you probably would have gotten several answers, but one of the names that would have come up most often would have been Ernesto Padilla.
Padilla was the it brand in the boutque world back then with classics like the 8&11 and the Signature 32 (Of which I still have boxes hoarded in my humidor, and no I won't tell you where I live), it of course helped that his smokes were being made by one of the other guys whose name would have been on the list mentioned above, Jose Pepin Garcia. Something happened on the way to the fair though and Padilla fell off the map. Pepin stopped making cigars for Padilla (I will let you research why on your own), Padilla started to farm out production to companies with inferior tobacco, rolling and quality and the lilly stopped blooming. Then the day of horror for all boutique enthusiasts arrived, Padilla Cigars started appearing in CI, this is the death knell for cigar makers in my world because it means you have become another bulk brand that people buy on the cheap because they are made on the cheap. I was depressed and Padilla continued to slop around the industry looking for a home like a stray dog.
I heard awhile back that he hitched his wagon to Oliva, this caught my attention because they are reputable company with a long history of making quality smokes. I then kind of forgot about it because I am so involved in finding and smoking boutique offerings. Fast forward to IPCPR and I find an old friend of mine that used to work for General repping in the Oliva booth, he and I caught up for a bit and he slapped this bad boy on me. Now in full disclosure, this guy knows how I write reviews and I have killed some of his cigars before so when he gives me a cigar he already knows that I might write it's obituary and he is ok with that.
I waited awhile to smoke this because, well, it is a Connecticut and despite being told that it had some power and wouldn't be what I expected I had to find the right time to give it a whirl. The cigar is beautiful to look at. The wrapper is a wonderful blond/brown and smacks of everything that anyone should love about Connecticut wrapper. Few veins, silky smoothness and that wondeful dusty wood and light spice smell that is the epitome of the Connecticut wrapper in my mind. The cigar is very well constructed and I can't find a single issue in it at all. The pre light draw is smooth and fluid and shows some nice cinnamon tones. The pre light aroma smacks of dusty earth and wood and has some spice notes as well.
The cigar opens with a profile that is wonderfully complex. The core flavors have light wood and cinnamon notes, but there is a molasses sweetness coming in here that complements the main flavors wonderfully. I am being transported to my family cabin in the Upper Peninsula in Michigan where kitchen always smells of wood and molasses, I love cigars that take me on nostalig trips through my younger days. At the back of the palate and through the nose there are some very nice light earth tones and a light brush of white pepper that tickle the palate subtly. The draw is nearly perfect, maybe just a little too loose for me. The burn is solid and a nice, crisp ash is forming.
The first half of the cigar really ramps up. The core profile begins to show a more pronounced wood flavor, that is still light but more flavorful. There are some crisp cedar notes here off set by a more subdued balsa wood that provides a nice back drop for the main wood flavors. The cinnamon notes have really taken off here as well and the robust character of these flavors is something to note. My only complaint is that I have lost that molasses note that was so splendid early on. The back of the palate is still earthy but threatens to turn grassy, this makes me wary because I don't care for grassy, but I plow on searching for more meaning. The pepper notes are really kicking up as I approach the halfway point and I am anxious to see where this goes. The draw is still just a touch too loose, but I am not getting any heat so I am good with it. The burn is rock solid.
The final half of the cigar is unlike any Connecticut experience I have ever had. The core profile becomes all cedar with light brushes of something like caramel, but with a toasty quality. I have never experienced this in a cigar before and I want it again and again. The back of the palate becomes a fantastic show of pepper flavors that are so astounding in a Connecticut smoke that I can't put my head around it all right away. The draw stays acceptable to the end. The burn was a star throughout the smoke.
The finish was smooth and full of pepper and toasty caramel notes.
This is the cigar that could put Padilla back on the map, I was very impressed.
Appearance- 92 a wonderful cigar to look at, even the band was elegant
Taste- 94 there is just so much going on here, a wonderful smoke
Construction- 92 some reductions for the loose draw
Strength- 97 starts medium and ramps to just on the low side of full, all complementing each stage of the smoke beautifully
Overall- 93.5 an absolute must smoke in my mind...
Showing posts with label churchill. Show all posts
Showing posts with label churchill. Show all posts
Thursday, August 1, 2013
Wednesday, October 3, 2012
Reinado Core Blend Churchill (7.625x48)
It has been some time since my last blog, I'm not quite sure how you have all lived without my blustering pontification for so long. I'm sure with a well planned regimen of brown liquor and prescription pills you are all doing splendidly after my hiatus. You see, I had to have oral surgery and after recent experiences I can tell you that nothing interferes with smoking like having your mouth violently stretched out and chopped open for slicing and dicing. This forced cigar vacation was some of the worst time in my adult life and I am glad it is now over and the smoky cloud of cheer can come back into my life.
This cigar is something of a mystery to me. I am friends on FB with the manufacturer, but I had never smoked one. I have seen reviews and heard stories, but I have never smoked one. I have never smoked one because, up until a few months ago, I had never seen one. That all changed in my favorite New Orleans B&M some months ago when I came across this big guy. There really is something about smoking a churchill that gets me fired up. Maybe it's because I like the majestic look. Maybe it's because I know I am in for two plus hours of opening up a big box of squat and sitting on my large and lazy canister doing a fat lot of nothing. Whatever it is, I like churchills! My problem is finding the time to smoke one. The opportunity finally came along the other night when I cleared my schedule for da Bears game and settled in. No optimist, I was prepared for the Bears to get smoked while I smoked, but alas that was not to be! The Bears performed in spectacular fashion. The cigar? Well you know what's coming right?
The cigar presents well, but simply. The band work is blocky and not well thought out, but the simple presentation is not off putting either. I get the impression from the visuals that this could be a knock around smoke. The wrapper is rustic looking, with some veining and some dryness to the touch. The band is work a day. The application of the wrapper and the overall visual impression is lumpy. These are not attributes that kill a cigar, hell Padron's are tasty and ugly, but it always gives me pause because it may indicate that the manufacturer does not pay attention to detail, and that can be very problematic. The pre light aroma is a nice array of cocoa and dark fruit. The pre light draw shows some light pepper, earth and cocoa flavors.
The cigar opens with a profile that is by no means work a day. The core flavors range from cocoa to earth with pepper and dark fruit, and the level of complexity is very nice for so early in a cigar. There is some lacking cohesion amongst the flavors that cost some complexity, but the overall impression is very nice. The back of the palate and through the nose show some fantastic dark roast coffee flavors and some nice wood notes as well. The draw is a shade too tight for me, but I am able to work through it without too much issue, it's just not as fluid as I would like. The burn is solid to this point and a nice ash is forming early.
The first half of the cigar was really a very strong experience. The core profile becomes more cohesive and I can see the vision of the blend now. The flavors are cocoa and pepper with some creamy textures of fruit in the back drop. This particular profile is one that I have not experienced in a cigar before and the fruit flavors are helping mute the pepper, which might have been overwhelming without temperance. The back of the palate continues to show nice earth flavors, but the wood notes have become more muted as the smoke moves on. I am thinking now that this is a very accomplished medium cigar. The draw is still just a bit too tight, but I am working with it. The burn is off in a couple of spots, but the issues seem to work out without any intervention from yours truly.
The final half of the cigar had the chance to really push the envelope and range this cigar into the high excellent or classic ranges, but it come up wanting in some areas towards the end. The core profile weakened (while it should have been strengthening) significantly. The main flavors of pepper and cocoa are still there but they fade and become more of an afterthought to some really clean tobacco flavors in the final third. While clean tobacco flavors are not bad, I prefer them to be complementary of other flavors and this flavor tries to stand on it's own here. The back of the palate and the nose still show some nice earth and wood flavors, but there are just some light bitter notes coming in during the last third that detract from the smoke. The draw stayed too tight until the end, but it was not a huge issue, just an annoyance. The burn was solid after some issues in the middle.
The finish was a little too short and showed some over brewed coffee flavors and some overwrought earth that seemed wet.
All in all I would smoke this again, I might just take a pass on the last third.
Appearance- 87 not pretty, but ok
Taste- 86 some real issues in the last half make this slightly above average
Construction- 86 also slightly above average after taking points for draw and some small burn issues away
Strength- 88 a nice medium in my book
Overall- 86.5 slightly above average, but it could have been great if the last half did not fail so miserably
This cigar is something of a mystery to me. I am friends on FB with the manufacturer, but I had never smoked one. I have seen reviews and heard stories, but I have never smoked one. I have never smoked one because, up until a few months ago, I had never seen one. That all changed in my favorite New Orleans B&M some months ago when I came across this big guy. There really is something about smoking a churchill that gets me fired up. Maybe it's because I like the majestic look. Maybe it's because I know I am in for two plus hours of opening up a big box of squat and sitting on my large and lazy canister doing a fat lot of nothing. Whatever it is, I like churchills! My problem is finding the time to smoke one. The opportunity finally came along the other night when I cleared my schedule for da Bears game and settled in. No optimist, I was prepared for the Bears to get smoked while I smoked, but alas that was not to be! The Bears performed in spectacular fashion. The cigar? Well you know what's coming right?
The cigar presents well, but simply. The band work is blocky and not well thought out, but the simple presentation is not off putting either. I get the impression from the visuals that this could be a knock around smoke. The wrapper is rustic looking, with some veining and some dryness to the touch. The band is work a day. The application of the wrapper and the overall visual impression is lumpy. These are not attributes that kill a cigar, hell Padron's are tasty and ugly, but it always gives me pause because it may indicate that the manufacturer does not pay attention to detail, and that can be very problematic. The pre light aroma is a nice array of cocoa and dark fruit. The pre light draw shows some light pepper, earth and cocoa flavors.
The cigar opens with a profile that is by no means work a day. The core flavors range from cocoa to earth with pepper and dark fruit, and the level of complexity is very nice for so early in a cigar. There is some lacking cohesion amongst the flavors that cost some complexity, but the overall impression is very nice. The back of the palate and through the nose show some fantastic dark roast coffee flavors and some nice wood notes as well. The draw is a shade too tight for me, but I am able to work through it without too much issue, it's just not as fluid as I would like. The burn is solid to this point and a nice ash is forming early.
The first half of the cigar was really a very strong experience. The core profile becomes more cohesive and I can see the vision of the blend now. The flavors are cocoa and pepper with some creamy textures of fruit in the back drop. This particular profile is one that I have not experienced in a cigar before and the fruit flavors are helping mute the pepper, which might have been overwhelming without temperance. The back of the palate continues to show nice earth flavors, but the wood notes have become more muted as the smoke moves on. I am thinking now that this is a very accomplished medium cigar. The draw is still just a bit too tight, but I am working with it. The burn is off in a couple of spots, but the issues seem to work out without any intervention from yours truly.
The final half of the cigar had the chance to really push the envelope and range this cigar into the high excellent or classic ranges, but it come up wanting in some areas towards the end. The core profile weakened (while it should have been strengthening) significantly. The main flavors of pepper and cocoa are still there but they fade and become more of an afterthought to some really clean tobacco flavors in the final third. While clean tobacco flavors are not bad, I prefer them to be complementary of other flavors and this flavor tries to stand on it's own here. The back of the palate and the nose still show some nice earth and wood flavors, but there are just some light bitter notes coming in during the last third that detract from the smoke. The draw stayed too tight until the end, but it was not a huge issue, just an annoyance. The burn was solid after some issues in the middle.
The finish was a little too short and showed some over brewed coffee flavors and some overwrought earth that seemed wet.
All in all I would smoke this again, I might just take a pass on the last third.
Appearance- 87 not pretty, but ok
Taste- 86 some real issues in the last half make this slightly above average
Construction- 86 also slightly above average after taking points for draw and some small burn issues away
Strength- 88 a nice medium in my book
Overall- 86.5 slightly above average, but it could have been great if the last half did not fail so miserably
Tuesday, September 18, 2012
Room 101 Daruma Churchill (7x48)
It is not a secret that I have not ever been a fan of Camacho, and in turn Room 101, blends. I have always found them to be heavy on pomp and circumstance and light in the area of cigar enjoyment delivery. This is problematic for me as I like to enjoy myself when smoking a cigar, if a producer can't meet some minimum standard of enjoyment, like me not wanting to yak all over myself, then I move on to things that don't make me want to throw up in my mouth. It seems like simple logic to me, if you don't enjoy certain brands and blends then you should not smoke them.
Along comes the Daruma, and along comes a vexing problem, should I smoke this thing or not? I have made a commitment to you, my friends and readers, to smoke everything that is new on the market so I make the decision that I will in fact smoke this cigar and put the hairy eyeball on it. This should leave everyone shaking in their boots, particularly those that are fans of Room 101.
The cigar presents well, the band is intricate in design but a simple and elegant color scheme make it interesting to look at and I like that. The cigar itself is majestic looking and the wrapper is wrapped nicely around the vitola like a tasty cloak of dark chocolate. There are very few veins here and the visual impression is quite favorable overall. An inspection does not reveal any issues in the cigar that I can discern and I feel like it will perform well. The pre light aroma has some spice and essences of dried fruit, kind of a mixture of apricot and black cherry. The pre light draw has some tannins, but has some light pepper and light wood flavors along with some sweet dried fruit character.
The cigar opens with a profile that I would classify as heavily aromatic, this is not necessarily a bad thing, but it lends to some areas that can become to sweet or too overpowering like an old woman's perfume. Aside from the powerful, and sweet, floral notes there are some hints of spice and wood here, but they are being obscured by the powerful aromatics that the cigar is presenting here. The back of the palate has some pepper flavors (by the way I don't think I have ever mentioned this before, when I reference the back of the palate I am including the experience through the nose as well), but there is an odd aftertaste here as well and I can't help but wonder if the aromatic front of the experience is causing this. The draw is a little too tight for me and there is some labor involved in gathering a satisfying mouth feel, but it is not terrible and I will be able to smoke through it. The burn is nice and slow and a nice crisp ash is forming nicely.
The first half of the cigar settles down some, but there really is no complexity or depth in the experience at this point. The core flavors are still slightly floral and aromatic, but it has become a more subdued factor. There are some wood notes here with some musings of spice, but they are really not carrying any water for the profile at this point in the smoke. It really is all disjointed and erratic at this point. The back of the palate continues to have a sharp aftertaste, but I am still not able to put my finger on it at this point. There are some pepper notes here, but again they really do nothing to prop up the experience. The draw is still too tight for me, but I am working through it without causing heat so that is a plus. The burn is still exceptional.
The final half of the cigar is where the rubber starts to meet the road. The profile becomes a more robust presentation of combined flavors that could have really been something if they had been around throughout the cigar. There are some nice notes of dried fruit and some very nice cinnamon like spice notes serve as a nice complement, it kind of reminds me of a winter cider in the last third. This complexity and balance are very nice, but serve as too little too late for me. The back of the palate presents some nice pepper flavor with a counter balance of aromatic wood, but again this too long to become cohesive to balance out the poor first half of the cigar. The draw stays too tight until the end, but I do manage to avoid undue heat. The burn was solid to the end.
The finish leaves lingering floral notes that turn sharp and stale as the moments pass.
Appearance- 90 a nice looking smoke with simple presentation
Taste- 83 a really poor front half was made somewhat better in the last half
Construction- 82 a tight draw lowers the score in my book
Strength- 86 a nice medium/full, but it could have been slightly fuller for me
Overall- 84.25 slightly below average
Along comes the Daruma, and along comes a vexing problem, should I smoke this thing or not? I have made a commitment to you, my friends and readers, to smoke everything that is new on the market so I make the decision that I will in fact smoke this cigar and put the hairy eyeball on it. This should leave everyone shaking in their boots, particularly those that are fans of Room 101.
The cigar presents well, the band is intricate in design but a simple and elegant color scheme make it interesting to look at and I like that. The cigar itself is majestic looking and the wrapper is wrapped nicely around the vitola like a tasty cloak of dark chocolate. There are very few veins here and the visual impression is quite favorable overall. An inspection does not reveal any issues in the cigar that I can discern and I feel like it will perform well. The pre light aroma has some spice and essences of dried fruit, kind of a mixture of apricot and black cherry. The pre light draw has some tannins, but has some light pepper and light wood flavors along with some sweet dried fruit character.
The cigar opens with a profile that I would classify as heavily aromatic, this is not necessarily a bad thing, but it lends to some areas that can become to sweet or too overpowering like an old woman's perfume. Aside from the powerful, and sweet, floral notes there are some hints of spice and wood here, but they are being obscured by the powerful aromatics that the cigar is presenting here. The back of the palate has some pepper flavors (by the way I don't think I have ever mentioned this before, when I reference the back of the palate I am including the experience through the nose as well), but there is an odd aftertaste here as well and I can't help but wonder if the aromatic front of the experience is causing this. The draw is a little too tight for me and there is some labor involved in gathering a satisfying mouth feel, but it is not terrible and I will be able to smoke through it. The burn is nice and slow and a nice crisp ash is forming nicely.
The first half of the cigar settles down some, but there really is no complexity or depth in the experience at this point. The core flavors are still slightly floral and aromatic, but it has become a more subdued factor. There are some wood notes here with some musings of spice, but they are really not carrying any water for the profile at this point in the smoke. It really is all disjointed and erratic at this point. The back of the palate continues to have a sharp aftertaste, but I am still not able to put my finger on it at this point. There are some pepper notes here, but again they really do nothing to prop up the experience. The draw is still too tight for me, but I am working through it without causing heat so that is a plus. The burn is still exceptional.
The final half of the cigar is where the rubber starts to meet the road. The profile becomes a more robust presentation of combined flavors that could have really been something if they had been around throughout the cigar. There are some nice notes of dried fruit and some very nice cinnamon like spice notes serve as a nice complement, it kind of reminds me of a winter cider in the last third. This complexity and balance are very nice, but serve as too little too late for me. The back of the palate presents some nice pepper flavor with a counter balance of aromatic wood, but again this too long to become cohesive to balance out the poor first half of the cigar. The draw stays too tight until the end, but I do manage to avoid undue heat. The burn was solid to the end.
The finish leaves lingering floral notes that turn sharp and stale as the moments pass.
Appearance- 90 a nice looking smoke with simple presentation
Taste- 83 a really poor front half was made somewhat better in the last half
Construction- 82 a tight draw lowers the score in my book
Strength- 86 a nice medium/full, but it could have been slightly fuller for me
Overall- 84.25 slightly below average
Monday, July 23, 2012
St. Luis Rey Churchill (Box Date 2005)(6.875x47)
I don't often review Cuban cigars for the pages of this blog, but every once in awhile I smoke something so sublime and so rare that I feel I must share the experience with everyone who will listen. I am a firm believer that every superior cigar experience should be shouted from the rooftops, so I head to the rooftop to discuss this cigar.
If you will indulge me I will set the scene. It was a Top 5 cigars of 2012 event, we do two of these per year, one from the first half of the year and then again in December or January to review the Top 5 from the entire year. I always look forward to these events because some of the best cigar people I know get together and we smoke and discuss, and basically carry on in general. It was hot, but not uncomfortably so and as we got started I arranged a Habano trade for this cigar, it only cost me a 2007 Bolivar Belicoso Fino. One of my favorite cigars of all time is a St. Luis Rey so I was excited to get my hands on this vitola. You just don't see many St. Luis' out there so I just had to have this one.
The cigar presents very well. There is something very appealing about a traditional cuban churchill, it is majestic and has a structurally solid presence. The wrapper is well applied and has that usual wrinkly vein appearance of a well aged habano. The cap is a little bit sloppy but the rest of the inspection makes me believe that the cigar will perform very well. The pre light aroma is of floral spice and sweet clover. The pre light draw is dusty, but has some wonderful floral sweetness and light tobacco character.
The cigar opens with a profile that is subtle, yet magnificent, showing layers of depth that are seldom seen in the cigar world. The core profile is full of clover and honey flavors that tantalize the palate with sweet flavors whilst still having enough strength to let the smoker know that a cigar is still being smoked. This is an unexpected flavor profile for me, but still similar enough to other St. Luis' that I have had that a comparison is still attainable. When I consider a cigar that may be listed in the Czar pantheon of greats I always like to be able to compare the cigar to the others that have already attained the lofty heights. The back of the palate is replete with nice flavors as well. The main body is all light, crisp tobacco but there is a very interesting dusty flavor of light cinnamon and sugar in the backdrop as well. This leads to an experience that ranks amongst the most unique that I have smoked. The draw is tight, but not in any way that is not ordinary for a cuban. The burn is a little bit off early, but I don't think I will have any issues.
The first half of the cigar continues to impress me. The core profile continues to show clover and honey flavors, but there is now some very nice light spice coming in as well. This light spice serves as a nice counterpoint to the sweetness that I was experiencing in the first part of the smoke. The back of the palate has transitioned into a more robust presentation of woody flavors and there are some ideas of a leather type flavor here as well. There are still some sweet areas, but this more robust presentation has made the cigar more full bodied. The draw is still a bit on the tight side, but there are no issues with the performance. The burn has evened out and I don't have any reason to believe that it will be a problem.
The final half of the cigar really slams home an experience that is in my Top 10 of all time. The core profile becomes a fantastic and complex balance of honey, leather, spice and crisp tobacco flavors. These flavors are so balanced that it easy to pick them out, yet so complex that the brain and taste buds almost don't catch all that is happening. The back of the palate is a very solid presentation of woody flavors and there is some leather here as well. The draw was consistent throughout. The burn stayed sharp in the final half without further issues.
The finish was a dream and leather and honey notes lingered on and on.
Appearance- 92 a nice looking smoke with a sloppy cap
Taste- 98 a very fine array of flavors that build a complex and satisfying smoke
Construction- 93 a very nice performance with some points off for draw tightness and early burn issues
Strength- 100 one of the finer medium bodied cigars that I have ever smoked, the strength matched the profile to perfection
Overall- 95.75 a classic cigar and in terms of taste, one of the best I have ever smoked
If you will indulge me I will set the scene. It was a Top 5 cigars of 2012 event, we do two of these per year, one from the first half of the year and then again in December or January to review the Top 5 from the entire year. I always look forward to these events because some of the best cigar people I know get together and we smoke and discuss, and basically carry on in general. It was hot, but not uncomfortably so and as we got started I arranged a Habano trade for this cigar, it only cost me a 2007 Bolivar Belicoso Fino. One of my favorite cigars of all time is a St. Luis Rey so I was excited to get my hands on this vitola. You just don't see many St. Luis' out there so I just had to have this one.
The cigar presents very well. There is something very appealing about a traditional cuban churchill, it is majestic and has a structurally solid presence. The wrapper is well applied and has that usual wrinkly vein appearance of a well aged habano. The cap is a little bit sloppy but the rest of the inspection makes me believe that the cigar will perform very well. The pre light aroma is of floral spice and sweet clover. The pre light draw is dusty, but has some wonderful floral sweetness and light tobacco character.
The cigar opens with a profile that is subtle, yet magnificent, showing layers of depth that are seldom seen in the cigar world. The core profile is full of clover and honey flavors that tantalize the palate with sweet flavors whilst still having enough strength to let the smoker know that a cigar is still being smoked. This is an unexpected flavor profile for me, but still similar enough to other St. Luis' that I have had that a comparison is still attainable. When I consider a cigar that may be listed in the Czar pantheon of greats I always like to be able to compare the cigar to the others that have already attained the lofty heights. The back of the palate is replete with nice flavors as well. The main body is all light, crisp tobacco but there is a very interesting dusty flavor of light cinnamon and sugar in the backdrop as well. This leads to an experience that ranks amongst the most unique that I have smoked. The draw is tight, but not in any way that is not ordinary for a cuban. The burn is a little bit off early, but I don't think I will have any issues.
The first half of the cigar continues to impress me. The core profile continues to show clover and honey flavors, but there is now some very nice light spice coming in as well. This light spice serves as a nice counterpoint to the sweetness that I was experiencing in the first part of the smoke. The back of the palate has transitioned into a more robust presentation of woody flavors and there are some ideas of a leather type flavor here as well. There are still some sweet areas, but this more robust presentation has made the cigar more full bodied. The draw is still a bit on the tight side, but there are no issues with the performance. The burn has evened out and I don't have any reason to believe that it will be a problem.
The final half of the cigar really slams home an experience that is in my Top 10 of all time. The core profile becomes a fantastic and complex balance of honey, leather, spice and crisp tobacco flavors. These flavors are so balanced that it easy to pick them out, yet so complex that the brain and taste buds almost don't catch all that is happening. The back of the palate is a very solid presentation of woody flavors and there is some leather here as well. The draw was consistent throughout. The burn stayed sharp in the final half without further issues.
The finish was a dream and leather and honey notes lingered on and on.
Appearance- 92 a nice looking smoke with a sloppy cap
Taste- 98 a very fine array of flavors that build a complex and satisfying smoke
Construction- 93 a very nice performance with some points off for draw tightness and early burn issues
Strength- 100 one of the finer medium bodied cigars that I have ever smoked, the strength matched the profile to perfection
Overall- 95.75 a classic cigar and in terms of taste, one of the best I have ever smoked
Thursday, May 24, 2012
Pura Sangre Churchill (7x52)
I am back in the pocket with a review of something new to the market. This cigar has some back story about being some famous maker's personal blend and blah, blah, blah, blah... I never put any stock or faith into these garbage stories about a cigar's lineage for two reasons. One, I'm not that dumb, these companies have marketing people and if you think I am gifted in the arts of metaphorical embellishment you should meet some of those folks. Two, I could give a crap about a cigar's particular bona fides, I want to smoke it and see for myself what it is all about I don't really care where it came from. These companies can fill a brochure with rhetoric about cigar greatness and you know what? Most of these verbally oversold cigars send me running for the vomit bag. Enough said about the current marketing of cigars.
This cigar was given to me in sample form in an individual cardboard coffin, the cigar wrapped en cello. After I fight it out of the packaging, it was a bit tight in the cardboard coffin, I am ready to get started. The cigar itself is bold looking. The wrapper is hearty and dark, it has some prominent veins, but after closely inspecting them I believe they are just on the surface and shouldn't cause too many problems. The construction seems too tight to me and I am hoping it does not cause any issues with the performance. The pre light aroma is odd, it seems almost wet to me, like wet earth with some spice. The pre light draw is tight but shows some earthy flavors.
The cigar opens with a profile that is all earth; dark, loamy and wet earth. This is not a flavor that you want in a cigar at anytime in my experience and I am not pleased with this opening salvo. The flavor that is present seems heavy to me and it coats the palate in a smoke remnant that seems almost humid or swampy. At the back of the palate there are some mineral flavors that are showing up and maybe a touch of anise. No matter how I cut this opening it is just not good. The draw is tight and I am getting smoke, but it is not the usual level that I expect or have become accustomed to. The burn is solid to this point, which is the only quality worth anything at this point.
The first half of the cigar continues to wallow in the deep end of the pool of disgust. The core profile is still heavy and wet smacking of loamy earth. There might be some woody notes trying to creep in here, but they are smacked down repeatedly with the blanket of wet earth that holds down the whole experience. The back of the palate is still showing a metallic mineral flavor and there are still some anise and other spice notes here, but they can't stand up and really do anything for this cigar. The draw is still too tight, but I am getting more than I was earlier. The burn is still the highlight of the smoke at this point.
The final half of the cigar is actually not awful, but it is still bad. The core profile has become more woody, but there are still some hints of the wet earth that are coming through here. I catch maybe just a bit of coffee here and there, but I wanted so much more. The back of the palate still shows mineral flavors, but there are more spice notes coming through now and the anise flavor is definitely on the verge of being a star but never gets home. The draw stays too tight for me throughout. The burn performs well to the end.
The finish was short and harsh with scorched earthy flavors.
Appearance- 88 a nice looking cigar, the positives ended there
Taste- 77 just too many inferior flavors here
Construction- 81 the tight draw throughout the cigar hurt this score
Strength- 80 not sure if this is medium or full, but there is nothing complementary to the profile in the strength
Overall- 80.75 a very inferior cigar in my summation
This cigar was given to me in sample form in an individual cardboard coffin, the cigar wrapped en cello. After I fight it out of the packaging, it was a bit tight in the cardboard coffin, I am ready to get started. The cigar itself is bold looking. The wrapper is hearty and dark, it has some prominent veins, but after closely inspecting them I believe they are just on the surface and shouldn't cause too many problems. The construction seems too tight to me and I am hoping it does not cause any issues with the performance. The pre light aroma is odd, it seems almost wet to me, like wet earth with some spice. The pre light draw is tight but shows some earthy flavors.
The cigar opens with a profile that is all earth; dark, loamy and wet earth. This is not a flavor that you want in a cigar at anytime in my experience and I am not pleased with this opening salvo. The flavor that is present seems heavy to me and it coats the palate in a smoke remnant that seems almost humid or swampy. At the back of the palate there are some mineral flavors that are showing up and maybe a touch of anise. No matter how I cut this opening it is just not good. The draw is tight and I am getting smoke, but it is not the usual level that I expect or have become accustomed to. The burn is solid to this point, which is the only quality worth anything at this point.
The first half of the cigar continues to wallow in the deep end of the pool of disgust. The core profile is still heavy and wet smacking of loamy earth. There might be some woody notes trying to creep in here, but they are smacked down repeatedly with the blanket of wet earth that holds down the whole experience. The back of the palate is still showing a metallic mineral flavor and there are still some anise and other spice notes here, but they can't stand up and really do anything for this cigar. The draw is still too tight, but I am getting more than I was earlier. The burn is still the highlight of the smoke at this point.
The final half of the cigar is actually not awful, but it is still bad. The core profile has become more woody, but there are still some hints of the wet earth that are coming through here. I catch maybe just a bit of coffee here and there, but I wanted so much more. The back of the palate still shows mineral flavors, but there are more spice notes coming through now and the anise flavor is definitely on the verge of being a star but never gets home. The draw stays too tight for me throughout. The burn performs well to the end.
The finish was short and harsh with scorched earthy flavors.
Appearance- 88 a nice looking cigar, the positives ended there
Taste- 77 just too many inferior flavors here
Construction- 81 the tight draw throughout the cigar hurt this score
Strength- 80 not sure if this is medium or full, but there is nothing complementary to the profile in the strength
Overall- 80.75 a very inferior cigar in my summation
Wednesday, January 25, 2012
Di Fazio Maduro Churchill (7.5x50)
I will be honest, I have never really heard anything but some passing mention of this cigar. I consider myself a knowledgeable cigar guy, so when I have not heard of something I am both surprised and skeptical. For those reasons it was with great trepidation that I plopped down the seven plus dollars for this smoke. In my view it is very rare to not hear much about a cigar because the experiences of smokers are so polarizing, there is almost always some positive or negative buzz about every cigar out there, on this one I had heard nothing.
The cigar presents in a pedestrian fashion. The wrapper is too dark to be done naturally, so I'm guessing that there is some chemical process that has taken place, that is a cigar don't in my book but I have had some that I really enjoyed. The wrapper is full of veins and it does not appear to be of particularly high quality as there are many flaws as well. The cigar seems too firm to me and I am concerned about draw issues. The pre light aroma is chemical like, but I sense some pepper as well. The pre light draw is woody.
The cigar opens with a profile that is full of pepper and minerals, it is not particularly deep or complex, but it is not terrible either. At the back of the palate there are some nice notes of dark wood and earth, but I would like more here as well. The draw is acceptable to me, but I would like it to be a little bit more free. The burn is even and solid at this point.
The first half of the cigar is very one dimensional. The profile is full of mineral notes and it is threatening to become metallic as the cigar progresses. I don't know about you, but I like my cigars to have other flavors, mineral like qualities are not enough to hold up on their own. The back of the palate is showing some wood flavors as well, but there is a sharp licorice like note that is sneaking in here as well. The draw is opening up, but I still want more from this area. The burn is holding strong and is the most solid attribute of this smoke.
The final half of the cigar improves, but it is still nothing more than average at best. The core profile has some pepper flavors with some more hints of minerals, but there is a nice spice coming on here that I wish had been around throughout the smoke. At the back of the palate a nice earth tone has taken over and I again find myself wishing that this more solid backdrop had been around for the entire experience. The draw stays the same, not bad, but not great. The burn is solid throughout.
The finish is short and full of mineral flavors that leave the palate with a metallic feeling that is not pleasing.
Appearance- 87 somewhat interesting, but not really
Taste- 83 below average overall, but some late changes nudged this up some
Construction- 86 slightly above average on burn, below average on draw
Strength- 85 middling and medium, basically pointless
Overall- 85 average, very average, in fact right on the number for average in my system of scoring
The cigar presents in a pedestrian fashion. The wrapper is too dark to be done naturally, so I'm guessing that there is some chemical process that has taken place, that is a cigar don't in my book but I have had some that I really enjoyed. The wrapper is full of veins and it does not appear to be of particularly high quality as there are many flaws as well. The cigar seems too firm to me and I am concerned about draw issues. The pre light aroma is chemical like, but I sense some pepper as well. The pre light draw is woody.
The cigar opens with a profile that is full of pepper and minerals, it is not particularly deep or complex, but it is not terrible either. At the back of the palate there are some nice notes of dark wood and earth, but I would like more here as well. The draw is acceptable to me, but I would like it to be a little bit more free. The burn is even and solid at this point.
The first half of the cigar is very one dimensional. The profile is full of mineral notes and it is threatening to become metallic as the cigar progresses. I don't know about you, but I like my cigars to have other flavors, mineral like qualities are not enough to hold up on their own. The back of the palate is showing some wood flavors as well, but there is a sharp licorice like note that is sneaking in here as well. The draw is opening up, but I still want more from this area. The burn is holding strong and is the most solid attribute of this smoke.
The final half of the cigar improves, but it is still nothing more than average at best. The core profile has some pepper flavors with some more hints of minerals, but there is a nice spice coming on here that I wish had been around throughout the smoke. At the back of the palate a nice earth tone has taken over and I again find myself wishing that this more solid backdrop had been around for the entire experience. The draw stays the same, not bad, but not great. The burn is solid throughout.
The finish is short and full of mineral flavors that leave the palate with a metallic feeling that is not pleasing.
Appearance- 87 somewhat interesting, but not really
Taste- 83 below average overall, but some late changes nudged this up some
Construction- 86 slightly above average on burn, below average on draw
Strength- 85 middling and medium, basically pointless
Overall- 85 average, very average, in fact right on the number for average in my system of scoring
Wednesday, September 7, 2011
Pedro Martin Gold Churchill (7x48)
Every Wednesday I have a ritual, I play golf with several ex-cop friends of mine and we smoke and hack the place up. Today was no exception and we were scheduled to play some early morning stick, the weather didn't cooperate fully and my friends, apparently afraid of melting or something, decided to take a pass. I am never one to let Mother Nature have the one up so I went to the soggy fairways and greens and teed it up anyway. It was a splendid day and this cigar was smoked during the round that should not have been.
This is the Connecticut version of the new Martin Family line of cigars, and while I am not usually a Connecticut enthusiast, I decided a mild cigar would suit me well on the short side of 8AM. The cigar is beautiful, the wrapper is smooth and golden in color. There are very few veins and the band work is elegant without being flashy. The construction seems solid and I don't see any areas for concern here. The pre light aroma shows some wonderful light pepper notes and some very interesting hints of a vanilla laced cinnamon spice. The pre light draw is a touch shallow, but reveals a crisp light tobacco flavor with some wisps of cinnamon on the tongue.
The cigar opens with a profile that is lacking some depth, but the delivery of flavor is still nice. There are some light floral impressions early on and there is a nice spray of white pepper here as well. At the back of the palate there are some light hints of wood, but there is a very pleasing undertone of spice and vanilla that plays well with the peppery flavors from the initial impressions. The draw is near perfect for me, maybe a touch too tight, but I will not quibble. The burn is solid and shows a nice gray ash.
The first half of the smoke is not as well developed or complex as I would like, but it is still delivering a nice profile. The core flavors are light pepper, a floral tartness and some fleeting spice notes that need to be more invasive. At the back of the palate there are still some nice impressions of wood, but a light bitterness has come in here as well and I catch a touch of acrid grass in the finish. The draw continues to perform exceedingly well. The burn is sharp and is holding up to the humid outside elements very well.
The second half of the smoke hits all the greens in regulation (if only my game were the same!). The profile deepens and begins to become more complex and interesting. The core flavors become vanilla and white pepper and the interplay is fantastic. Sometimes opposite flavors just work and this is one of those cases when two seemingly incompatible flavors are in sweet harmony. At the back of the palate there are excellent alternating flavors of crisp tobacco and light wood that provide a solid, yet light, base of flavors for the core profile to build upon. The draw stays excellent to the end and the burn holds up well, the humidity gets to the cigar in the final third, but I will not detract for that.
The finish is a actually a touch bitter and that detracts from the final impressions, but all in all this was a well above average experience.
Appearance- 93
Taste-91 could have been higher with more depth in the front half of the smoke
Construction- 94 an excellent performance here
Strength- 92 fabulously mild and a great starter for any type of smoker
Overall- 92.5 a very nice cigar experience
This is the Connecticut version of the new Martin Family line of cigars, and while I am not usually a Connecticut enthusiast, I decided a mild cigar would suit me well on the short side of 8AM. The cigar is beautiful, the wrapper is smooth and golden in color. There are very few veins and the band work is elegant without being flashy. The construction seems solid and I don't see any areas for concern here. The pre light aroma shows some wonderful light pepper notes and some very interesting hints of a vanilla laced cinnamon spice. The pre light draw is a touch shallow, but reveals a crisp light tobacco flavor with some wisps of cinnamon on the tongue.
The cigar opens with a profile that is lacking some depth, but the delivery of flavor is still nice. There are some light floral impressions early on and there is a nice spray of white pepper here as well. At the back of the palate there are some light hints of wood, but there is a very pleasing undertone of spice and vanilla that plays well with the peppery flavors from the initial impressions. The draw is near perfect for me, maybe a touch too tight, but I will not quibble. The burn is solid and shows a nice gray ash.
The first half of the smoke is not as well developed or complex as I would like, but it is still delivering a nice profile. The core flavors are light pepper, a floral tartness and some fleeting spice notes that need to be more invasive. At the back of the palate there are still some nice impressions of wood, but a light bitterness has come in here as well and I catch a touch of acrid grass in the finish. The draw continues to perform exceedingly well. The burn is sharp and is holding up to the humid outside elements very well.
The second half of the smoke hits all the greens in regulation (if only my game were the same!). The profile deepens and begins to become more complex and interesting. The core flavors become vanilla and white pepper and the interplay is fantastic. Sometimes opposite flavors just work and this is one of those cases when two seemingly incompatible flavors are in sweet harmony. At the back of the palate there are excellent alternating flavors of crisp tobacco and light wood that provide a solid, yet light, base of flavors for the core profile to build upon. The draw stays excellent to the end and the burn holds up well, the humidity gets to the cigar in the final third, but I will not detract for that.
The finish is a actually a touch bitter and that detracts from the final impressions, but all in all this was a well above average experience.
Appearance- 93
Taste-91 could have been higher with more depth in the front half of the smoke
Construction- 94 an excellent performance here
Strength- 92 fabulously mild and a great starter for any type of smoker
Overall- 92.5 a very nice cigar experience
Tuesday, March 29, 2011
Perdomo 2 Natural Churchill (6.875x50)
In continuing my run of smoking singles that have randomly accumulated in my humi, I arrive at this smoke. These we all the rage some years back and I used to smoke them fairly regularly This will be a bit of a walk down memory lane for in some respects, because this is a cigar I enjoyed when my palate and smoking dossier we not as complete as they are now. The cigar appears to be a bit mottled across the wrapper, and it seems a touch dry in some areas. The band work is simple, as it always has been, and lends little to the visual experience. There seems to be a void near the band and I am concerned that in the final moments of this smoke it could be an issue. The pre light aroma has some touches of roasted nuts and some hints of vegetation. The pre light draw shows some mulled spice notes, but lacks much else in this area.
The cigar opens with a profile that is profoundly full of notes of oatmeal, I have not ever experienced this particular profile in any cigar that I have smoked and I find it to be interesting and fulfilling. At the back of the palate there are some touches of light wood, but there is also some taste of wet vegetation in the offering as well. The draw is a touch tight for me, but I am not having any issues with it at this point. The burn is solid and produces a nice, heavy gray ash.
The first third of the smoke transitions from oatmeal flavors to something more earthy and wheaty. It is a transition that is not particularly welcome, but it is not the death knell either. At the back of the palate there are primarily tastes of wet vegetation at this point, and I am finding this particular attribute to be a severe detractor from the experience. The draw stays too tight for my liking to this point and I am sensing some heat here as well. The burn stays solid for this segment of the smoke.
The middle third of the smoke is really the beginning of the end for this experience. The core profile slides into a monstrous presentation of bitter wood with heavy and wet notes of grass and vegetation. At the back of the palate some spice is trying to get through, but it is overwhelmed by wet, vegetal notes. The draw has opened slightly and the heat detected earlier starts to dissipate. The burn continues to be solid up to this point.
The final third of the smoke is not anything to write home about either. There is some improvement in the profile, in that I don't feel like spewing anymore, but any betterment is minimal. The flavors are less bitter and grassy, but only nominally so. At the back of the palate there are still some fleeting hints of spice, but for the most part vegetal notes predominate. The draw is rally booming now, but I have also approached the void and that could explain the new ease with which the cigar draws. The burn is still solid and has been throughout.
The finish is a touch short and showed some notes of bitter wood. This cigar has left me wanting, and I wonder if they used to be better, or if my palate has just become more finicky.
Appearance- 85 a very average appearance
Taste- 82 some early excellence was let down by the rest of the smoke
Construction- 83 points off for the void and draw issues
Strength- 85 a very lackluster medium
Overall- 83.25 below average
The cigar opens with a profile that is profoundly full of notes of oatmeal, I have not ever experienced this particular profile in any cigar that I have smoked and I find it to be interesting and fulfilling. At the back of the palate there are some touches of light wood, but there is also some taste of wet vegetation in the offering as well. The draw is a touch tight for me, but I am not having any issues with it at this point. The burn is solid and produces a nice, heavy gray ash.
The first third of the smoke transitions from oatmeal flavors to something more earthy and wheaty. It is a transition that is not particularly welcome, but it is not the death knell either. At the back of the palate there are primarily tastes of wet vegetation at this point, and I am finding this particular attribute to be a severe detractor from the experience. The draw stays too tight for my liking to this point and I am sensing some heat here as well. The burn stays solid for this segment of the smoke.
The middle third of the smoke is really the beginning of the end for this experience. The core profile slides into a monstrous presentation of bitter wood with heavy and wet notes of grass and vegetation. At the back of the palate some spice is trying to get through, but it is overwhelmed by wet, vegetal notes. The draw has opened slightly and the heat detected earlier starts to dissipate. The burn continues to be solid up to this point.
The final third of the smoke is not anything to write home about either. There is some improvement in the profile, in that I don't feel like spewing anymore, but any betterment is minimal. The flavors are less bitter and grassy, but only nominally so. At the back of the palate there are still some fleeting hints of spice, but for the most part vegetal notes predominate. The draw is rally booming now, but I have also approached the void and that could explain the new ease with which the cigar draws. The burn is still solid and has been throughout.
The finish is a touch short and showed some notes of bitter wood. This cigar has left me wanting, and I wonder if they used to be better, or if my palate has just become more finicky.
Appearance- 85 a very average appearance
Taste- 82 some early excellence was let down by the rest of the smoke
Construction- 83 points off for the void and draw issues
Strength- 85 a very lackluster medium
Overall- 83.25 below average
Wednesday, April 14, 2010
Rocky Patel Olde World Reserve Maduro Churchill
Unfortunately I discovered a little over a year ago that these just are not as good as they used to be. It was to my great disappointment, as this cigar had been in my top 10 for 2007 and 2008. I believe that the tobacco changed and our boy Rocky thought he could slip one by us, the result at the end of 2008 and beginning of 2009 was an inferior cigar. I bought an entire box and was disgusted by the cigar, my only option was to lay them down and hope that they would get better.
This cigar is from a box that was purchased in October of 2008. I have only smoked one, right at the end of 2008, and it was wretched. This second cigar from the box presents well with a nice toothy wrapper that is almost black in color. I inspect the cigar and find some nice signs of aging, which is an encouraging trait in a cigar that you are hoping will come along. There are no signs of construction issues and there are no flaws in the wrapper, making the visual experience all the better. The pre light aroma has notes of chocolate and pepper. The pre light draw is very earthy, but shows some light presence of chocolate as well.
The cigar opens with a nice profile of tobacco, earth and light pepper and cocoa undertones. The depth of the flavors is acceptable, but the complexity and balance is lacking a bit. At the back of the palate there are some nice flavors of wood and earth, but again the balance is lacking. The draw is far too loose, and I notice that the roll of the cigar continues to loosen as the smoke continues. The burn is crooked from the start and the ash is flaky and chalky in texture and appearance.
The first third of the cigar continues to show some nice flavors of tobacco, earth and light cocoa but the overall impression begins to sour by the end of the first segment. At the back of the palate there are still some nice notes of wood and some spice shows through, but the flavors do not add or compliment the smoke in any way. The draw continues to deteriorate and there is heat very early in the smoke. The burn continues to wander and the ash drops flotsam all over my newly cleaned white shirt.
The middle third of the cigar begins the abysmal spiral that I feared from the beginning. The profile shows notes of charred tobacco and wood and there are sour notes permeating the experience. At the back of the palate the deterioration is complete and acrid notes are booming forward at an alarming rate. The draw continues to loosen and I am not sure what is holding the cigar together. The burn is lopsided and flaky, continuing to coat me in ash as if I escaped some Polynesian eruption.
The final third of the cigar is not worth much mention as the deterioration was complete. The finish is also not worth discussing as I rush to find my next smoke so as to purge the horrid remembrances of this rocket. The sad thing is these have improved with age! The nice thing is I still have half a box, minus two, to look forward to, excuse me while I transfer these into my Moochidor...
Appearance- 90 a very attractive looking smoke, too bad looks aren't everything
Taste- 77 the only redeeming qualities were in the first third of the smoke
Construction- 72 the draw and burn were inferior
Strength- 85 difficult to accurately rate this, so I go with average
Overall- 78.75 this is not good...enough said
This cigar is from a box that was purchased in October of 2008. I have only smoked one, right at the end of 2008, and it was wretched. This second cigar from the box presents well with a nice toothy wrapper that is almost black in color. I inspect the cigar and find some nice signs of aging, which is an encouraging trait in a cigar that you are hoping will come along. There are no signs of construction issues and there are no flaws in the wrapper, making the visual experience all the better. The pre light aroma has notes of chocolate and pepper. The pre light draw is very earthy, but shows some light presence of chocolate as well.
The cigar opens with a nice profile of tobacco, earth and light pepper and cocoa undertones. The depth of the flavors is acceptable, but the complexity and balance is lacking a bit. At the back of the palate there are some nice flavors of wood and earth, but again the balance is lacking. The draw is far too loose, and I notice that the roll of the cigar continues to loosen as the smoke continues. The burn is crooked from the start and the ash is flaky and chalky in texture and appearance.
The first third of the cigar continues to show some nice flavors of tobacco, earth and light cocoa but the overall impression begins to sour by the end of the first segment. At the back of the palate there are still some nice notes of wood and some spice shows through, but the flavors do not add or compliment the smoke in any way. The draw continues to deteriorate and there is heat very early in the smoke. The burn continues to wander and the ash drops flotsam all over my newly cleaned white shirt.
The middle third of the cigar begins the abysmal spiral that I feared from the beginning. The profile shows notes of charred tobacco and wood and there are sour notes permeating the experience. At the back of the palate the deterioration is complete and acrid notes are booming forward at an alarming rate. The draw continues to loosen and I am not sure what is holding the cigar together. The burn is lopsided and flaky, continuing to coat me in ash as if I escaped some Polynesian eruption.
The final third of the cigar is not worth much mention as the deterioration was complete. The finish is also not worth discussing as I rush to find my next smoke so as to purge the horrid remembrances of this rocket. The sad thing is these have improved with age! The nice thing is I still have half a box, minus two, to look forward to, excuse me while I transfer these into my Moochidor...
Appearance- 90 a very attractive looking smoke, too bad looks aren't everything
Taste- 77 the only redeeming qualities were in the first third of the smoke
Construction- 72 the draw and burn were inferior
Strength- 85 difficult to accurately rate this, so I go with average
Overall- 78.75 this is not good...enough said
Thursday, April 1, 2010
Don Lino 1989 Maduro Churchill
This is a cigar that I sometimes smoke in the robusto size, but I was given this one at a recent event with some friends so I decided to smoke the larger size. The cigar presents with a dark brown wrapper that has plenty of tooth, but has a very ruddy exterior appearance. The cigar feels under packed and it lacks the heft of a usual Churchill sized smoke. The pre light aroma has notes of cocoa and light coffee. The pre light draw shows some thin cocoa notes and some nice tobacco and earth flavors.
The cigar opens with a profile that is distinctly earthy with hints of coffee in the mix. At the back of the palate there are some thin notes of cocoa, but there are some heavy notes of earth here as well. The draw is extremely loose and I am worried about heat in the main body of the cigar as it develops further. The burn is slightly wonky, but is not causing me any concern. (In the interest of full disclosure I am already predisposed to the thought that this burn will go south as I have smoked over a box of this cigar in different sizes and every last one has burned horribly)
The first third of the cigar shows little development. The core profile is still heavily earthy, but shows some hints of pepper and coffee that are fleeting at best. At the back of the palate the dense earth tones continue and I am reaching out for more, but not finding it in this cigar. The draw is still loose and some heat is creeping in already, I am forced to slow it down to not char the experience. The burn is still off, but not as badly as some that I have smoked in the past.
The middle third shows some interesting shifts. The main body of the profile picks up decidedly peppery notes that mingle with a weakening coffee essence. The back of the palate moves into a nice presentation of rich tobacco as the earthy density falls away. The draw is still loose, but I am managing the issue without ruining the smoke, however I will deduct because of relights that had to take place as I slowed down to manage the heat. The burn is even, but I lend that more to my relights than the cigar itself.
The final third shows no real development of anything resembling depth or complexity. The core profile shows notes of pepper, coffee and some wood. At the back of the palate there are still some tobacco notes, but there is a strange sweetness that has crept into the presentation. The draw was loose throughout, but the burn was at least average this time around.
The finish was smooth, but short, with notes of pepper and earth
Appearance- 82 the ruddy looks kill the visual experience
Taste- 85 I would rate this as very average
Construction- 80 the draw was a real issue for me, I like to enjoy a cigar at my pace not have my pace dictated by the cigar's construction
Strength- 85 a very average medium that could use more pop
Overall- 82.75 a very poor showing, construction issues and a weak profile doom this cigar
The cigar opens with a profile that is distinctly earthy with hints of coffee in the mix. At the back of the palate there are some thin notes of cocoa, but there are some heavy notes of earth here as well. The draw is extremely loose and I am worried about heat in the main body of the cigar as it develops further. The burn is slightly wonky, but is not causing me any concern. (In the interest of full disclosure I am already predisposed to the thought that this burn will go south as I have smoked over a box of this cigar in different sizes and every last one has burned horribly)
The first third of the cigar shows little development. The core profile is still heavily earthy, but shows some hints of pepper and coffee that are fleeting at best. At the back of the palate the dense earth tones continue and I am reaching out for more, but not finding it in this cigar. The draw is still loose and some heat is creeping in already, I am forced to slow it down to not char the experience. The burn is still off, but not as badly as some that I have smoked in the past.
The middle third shows some interesting shifts. The main body of the profile picks up decidedly peppery notes that mingle with a weakening coffee essence. The back of the palate moves into a nice presentation of rich tobacco as the earthy density falls away. The draw is still loose, but I am managing the issue without ruining the smoke, however I will deduct because of relights that had to take place as I slowed down to manage the heat. The burn is even, but I lend that more to my relights than the cigar itself.
The final third shows no real development of anything resembling depth or complexity. The core profile shows notes of pepper, coffee and some wood. At the back of the palate there are still some tobacco notes, but there is a strange sweetness that has crept into the presentation. The draw was loose throughout, but the burn was at least average this time around.
The finish was smooth, but short, with notes of pepper and earth
Appearance- 82 the ruddy looks kill the visual experience
Taste- 85 I would rate this as very average
Construction- 80 the draw was a real issue for me, I like to enjoy a cigar at my pace not have my pace dictated by the cigar's construction
Strength- 85 a very average medium that could use more pop
Overall- 82.75 a very poor showing, construction issues and a weak profile doom this cigar
Wednesday, March 31, 2010
Jose Seijas Churchill
This is an ultra premium cigar from the folks at Tabacalera Garcia. This particular cigar came from an unopened box with 3-5 years of humidor aging. It looks majestic with it's dark coffee colored wrapper and bright white band. The cigar is firm and toothy, but an inspection shows that it is supple and screaming to be smoked. The pre light aroma is an enticing mix of dark fruit and rich tobacco. The pre light draw shows some sweet earth and rich tobacco flavor.
The cigar opens with blasts of black cherry mingling with rich tobacco flavors. At the back of the palate there are excellent flavors of dark wood and earthy tones that offset some of the fruity sweetness from the front of the palate. The draw is nice, but I would prefer it to be a touch looser. The burn is sharp and even, and produces a crisp white ash.
The first third of the cigar shows little development, but it is a nice continuation of the opening moments. There are some black cherry notes, but primarily rich tobacco flavors, in the core profile. At the back of the palate some more notes of dark wood are showing through, giving the cigar a very smoky flavor characteristic. The draw continues to be just a but tight, but it is not causing issues. The burn is very impressive, and continues in razor sharp fashion holding a ponderous ash for two inches.
The middle third of the cigar picks up strength wise, moving from a solid medium into a more full showing. The profile has transitioned into a straight forward show of rich tobacco notes, that lacks some complexity while maintaining nice depth. At the back of the palate the tobacco flavors permeate and overwhelm the notes of wood that were previously noted. The draw has not opened any further, but it is not distressing the experience. The burn catches a little, but it evens out with no interference from me.
The final third of the smoke continues to be straight forward and I find myself wanting more complexity. The straight forward tobacco presentation continues in both the core profile and at the back of the palate. All in all though the cigar is still enjoyable. The draw and burn remain the same throughout the experience.
The finish is long, but shows a bit of harshness. There are notes of rich tobacco present.
Appearance- 93 a very nice looking smoke
Taste- 88 a nice profile, but more depth and complexity are needed
Construction- 91 some points off for draw, but other than that excellent
Strength- 90 I thought this was excellent, but could have used more power
Overall- 90.25 just nosing into the 90's makes this an excellent experience
The cigar opens with blasts of black cherry mingling with rich tobacco flavors. At the back of the palate there are excellent flavors of dark wood and earthy tones that offset some of the fruity sweetness from the front of the palate. The draw is nice, but I would prefer it to be a touch looser. The burn is sharp and even, and produces a crisp white ash.
The first third of the cigar shows little development, but it is a nice continuation of the opening moments. There are some black cherry notes, but primarily rich tobacco flavors, in the core profile. At the back of the palate some more notes of dark wood are showing through, giving the cigar a very smoky flavor characteristic. The draw continues to be just a but tight, but it is not causing issues. The burn is very impressive, and continues in razor sharp fashion holding a ponderous ash for two inches.
The middle third of the cigar picks up strength wise, moving from a solid medium into a more full showing. The profile has transitioned into a straight forward show of rich tobacco notes, that lacks some complexity while maintaining nice depth. At the back of the palate the tobacco flavors permeate and overwhelm the notes of wood that were previously noted. The draw has not opened any further, but it is not distressing the experience. The burn catches a little, but it evens out with no interference from me.
The final third of the smoke continues to be straight forward and I find myself wanting more complexity. The straight forward tobacco presentation continues in both the core profile and at the back of the palate. All in all though the cigar is still enjoyable. The draw and burn remain the same throughout the experience.
The finish is long, but shows a bit of harshness. There are notes of rich tobacco present.
Appearance- 93 a very nice looking smoke
Taste- 88 a nice profile, but more depth and complexity are needed
Construction- 91 some points off for draw, but other than that excellent
Strength- 90 I thought this was excellent, but could have used more power
Overall- 90.25 just nosing into the 90's makes this an excellent experience
Saturday, January 30, 2010
Cuesta Rey Stanford's Cameroon Reserve Churchill
This was gifted to me by the man affectionately known as the Chairman at our Cigar Club. I held onto it for a few weeks before giving it a go. The exterior packaging is impressive, complete with a gold paper wrap that adds some pop to the visual impression. The cigar itself is moderately attractive, but has some wrapper flaws that I take note of because they could be problematic. A quick examination of the cigar reveals that it is well made and I detect no areas of concern. The pre light aroma is of roasted nuts and light spice. The pre light draw is thin, but shows some floral essence.
The cigar opens with a profile that is replete with flavors of roasted nuts, I try to find any other characteristic of the profile, but nutty is the only descriptor to this point. At the back of the palate there are some more, deep flavors of roasted nuts. I can't recall ever smoking a cigar that had this intense type of roasted nut essence. The draw is excellent and the burn is solid. The only issue I encounter is some fraying at the head, but I am able to carefully remove the issue without ruining the cigar.
The first third of the cigar continues to show intense, nutty flavors. At the back of the palate there are some light notes of spice, but the depth of the roasted nut character continues to be main component. The draw is excellent to this point, producing satisfying clouds of smoke. The burn has started to canoe slightly, but I smoke on hoping that it will even out.
The middle third of the cigar shows an interesting profile shift. The core of the profile is now showing notes of white pepper and spice, there is still some remnant of roasted nut flavors but they have faded. At the back of the palate there are still notes of roasted nuts, but there is a slightly sour component that has come into the mix. The draw remains solid, but the burn has continued to canoe. I still avoid relighting because the profile is still pleasing.
The final third of the cigar shifts back to a profile of roasted nuts, this portion of the cigar is more intense that the first in terms of the nutty character. At the back of the palate there are some notes of light spice, but the sourness persists. The draw is still excellent, and the burn has evened out without a retouch.
The finish is long and smooth and holds a beautiful nutty character.
Appearance- 89 a nice looking smoke with some small flaws
Taste- 88 a nice profile that could have been more complex, sour notes hurt the score
Construction- 84 burn issues hurt the score
Strength- 87 a nice medium that compliments the profile
Overall- 86.75 a nice cigar that was hurt by sour notes and burn issues
The cigar opens with a profile that is replete with flavors of roasted nuts, I try to find any other characteristic of the profile, but nutty is the only descriptor to this point. At the back of the palate there are some more, deep flavors of roasted nuts. I can't recall ever smoking a cigar that had this intense type of roasted nut essence. The draw is excellent and the burn is solid. The only issue I encounter is some fraying at the head, but I am able to carefully remove the issue without ruining the cigar.
The first third of the cigar continues to show intense, nutty flavors. At the back of the palate there are some light notes of spice, but the depth of the roasted nut character continues to be main component. The draw is excellent to this point, producing satisfying clouds of smoke. The burn has started to canoe slightly, but I smoke on hoping that it will even out.
The middle third of the cigar shows an interesting profile shift. The core of the profile is now showing notes of white pepper and spice, there is still some remnant of roasted nut flavors but they have faded. At the back of the palate there are still notes of roasted nuts, but there is a slightly sour component that has come into the mix. The draw remains solid, but the burn has continued to canoe. I still avoid relighting because the profile is still pleasing.
The final third of the cigar shifts back to a profile of roasted nuts, this portion of the cigar is more intense that the first in terms of the nutty character. At the back of the palate there are some notes of light spice, but the sourness persists. The draw is still excellent, and the burn has evened out without a retouch.
The finish is long and smooth and holds a beautiful nutty character.
Appearance- 89 a nice looking smoke with some small flaws
Taste- 88 a nice profile that could have been more complex, sour notes hurt the score
Construction- 84 burn issues hurt the score
Strength- 87 a nice medium that compliments the profile
Overall- 86.75 a nice cigar that was hurt by sour notes and burn issues
Friday, January 22, 2010
601 Red Churchill
I had not smoked a cigar of this vintage in quite some time. It presents well with a chestnut hued wrapper that has a nice amount of tooth. There are few visual flaws and the cigar seems to be well made. The pre light aroma is of cedar and pepper. The pre light draw also has strong notes of pepper.
The cigar opens with full blasts of pepper and light cedar and tobacco notes. At the back of the palate the cedar essence is even more prominent. The draw is excellent, imparting nice flavors and full blasts of smoke. The burn is solid and even, producing a nice gray ash.
The first third of the cigar shows a lot of depth after the opening inch or so. There is a core profile of cedar, pepper, tobacco and spice. The melange lacks complexity, but still imparts nice flavors across the palate. The draw continues to perform well and the burn is still solid and even. The back of the palate is covered with a cedary sweetness as a nice counter balance to the pepper in the front of the profile.
The middle third of the cigar continues to show nice depth. The profile mellows into a nice mix of cedar, tobacco, spice and a light taste of roasted nuts. At the back of the palate the cedar notes continue to provide a nice balance to the core of the profile. The burn has started to stray somewhat, but I am able to avoid touching up to this point. The draw is still impressive at this point.
The final third of the cigar is actually somewhat disappointing. The construction has collapsed due to a void in the roll in the final quarter of the smoke. The burn was terrible for the last two inches or so. The profile continued to show cedar notes, but there were charred issues due to the burn problems. An irritating finish to what would have been a great cigar
Appearance- 91 a nice looking cigar, but there were some flaws
Taste- 90 a nice taste until the final quarter
Construction- 85 I give it an average score because three quarters performed well
Strength- 88 a nice full profile
Overall- 88.25 an above average smoke that was hurt in the final quarter
The cigar opens with full blasts of pepper and light cedar and tobacco notes. At the back of the palate the cedar essence is even more prominent. The draw is excellent, imparting nice flavors and full blasts of smoke. The burn is solid and even, producing a nice gray ash.
The first third of the cigar shows a lot of depth after the opening inch or so. There is a core profile of cedar, pepper, tobacco and spice. The melange lacks complexity, but still imparts nice flavors across the palate. The draw continues to perform well and the burn is still solid and even. The back of the palate is covered with a cedary sweetness as a nice counter balance to the pepper in the front of the profile.
The middle third of the cigar continues to show nice depth. The profile mellows into a nice mix of cedar, tobacco, spice and a light taste of roasted nuts. At the back of the palate the cedar notes continue to provide a nice balance to the core of the profile. The burn has started to stray somewhat, but I am able to avoid touching up to this point. The draw is still impressive at this point.
The final third of the cigar is actually somewhat disappointing. The construction has collapsed due to a void in the roll in the final quarter of the smoke. The burn was terrible for the last two inches or so. The profile continued to show cedar notes, but there were charred issues due to the burn problems. An irritating finish to what would have been a great cigar
Appearance- 91 a nice looking cigar, but there were some flaws
Taste- 90 a nice taste until the final quarter
Construction- 85 I give it an average score because three quarters performed well
Strength- 88 a nice full profile
Overall- 88.25 an above average smoke that was hurt in the final quarter
Saturday, October 17, 2009
Rocky Patel Olde World Reserve Churchill
This cigar has about a year of age on it, as I bought the box in October of 08. The cigar presents with a wrapper that is nearly jet black and has little veining. The construction is firm and supple and the cigar has an oily sheen. The pre light aroma is of coffee and earth. The pre light draw shows notes of rich tobacco and coffee.
The cigar opens with blasts of coffee and tobacco, there is a sweetness at the back of the palate that adds to the overall profile and initial enjoyability. The burn is a bit lopsided and slow, there is some labor to produce the right amount of smoke. The first two inches proceed in the same fashion.
At near the halfway point the profile has notes of coffee, earth, tobacco and cocoa at the back of the palate. There is a slight metallic note in the profile that is detracting from the experience. The burn has stayed a bit slow, but there is less labor to produce acceptable smoke at this point.
The final third of the cigar develops notes of coffee, tobacco and cocoa. There is still a metallic note in the profile that is hurting the score. The draw and burn are the same, and the burn is becoming uneven.
The finish is smooth, but there are still metallic notes in the profile. There are notes of tobacco and earth.
Appearance- 91 an excellent looking cigar, it is a bit ruddy in the roll
Taste- 88 the metallic notes hurt the score, but the profile is tasty
Construction- 90 well made, but there were some issues with the burn
Strength- 87 a nice full bodied presentation, could use some more strength
Overall- 89 an above average smoke
The cigar opens with blasts of coffee and tobacco, there is a sweetness at the back of the palate that adds to the overall profile and initial enjoyability. The burn is a bit lopsided and slow, there is some labor to produce the right amount of smoke. The first two inches proceed in the same fashion.
At near the halfway point the profile has notes of coffee, earth, tobacco and cocoa at the back of the palate. There is a slight metallic note in the profile that is detracting from the experience. The burn has stayed a bit slow, but there is less labor to produce acceptable smoke at this point.
The final third of the cigar develops notes of coffee, tobacco and cocoa. There is still a metallic note in the profile that is hurting the score. The draw and burn are the same, and the burn is becoming uneven.
The finish is smooth, but there are still metallic notes in the profile. There are notes of tobacco and earth.
Appearance- 91 an excellent looking cigar, it is a bit ruddy in the roll
Taste- 88 the metallic notes hurt the score, but the profile is tasty
Construction- 90 well made, but there were some issues with the burn
Strength- 87 a nice full bodied presentation, could use some more strength
Overall- 89 an above average smoke
Wednesday, October 7, 2009
Padilla Miami Churchill
This cigar has big shoes to fill as it has replaced the Miami 8 & 11, which remains the cigar with the highest score on this blog to date. Padilla and Pepin Garcia had a much talked about falling out and Padilla now has the brand, but not the blends. Thus, this cigar has been retooled.
The cigar presents well, with a dark, rich looking wrapper. There are some prominent veins, but I do not detect where they may cause an issue, the body of the cigar also appears to be issue free. The pre light aroma is earthy, but has touch of a sour note. The pre light draw is also earthy, but there are hints of pepper as well.
The cigar begins with sweet notes of earth and light blasts of pepper. There is a slightly sour note at the back of the palate that is detracting from the opening stanza. The burn is excellent, but the draw is a bit tight. In the first third of the cigar the profile keeps a core of sweet earthy notes with hints of pepper, but the sour note persists.
At the half way point I am discouraged by a continued sour note in the profile. The profile itself has taken on a flavor of leather with undertones of earth and pepper. Overall it is a nice experience that would be excellent without the sour underpinnings. The burn has stayed sharp, and I maintain an ash well past the two inch mark on two occasions. The draw has stayed a bit tight, but manages to produce acceptable amounts of smoke.
The final quarter of the cigar finishes strong. The profile maintains leathery flavors, but the peppery notes kick it up a notch. There are some signs of light spice and roasted nuts as well. The sour notes have left the profile and I am wishing the whole cigar was this good.
The finish is long and smooth with notes of leather, pepper and nuts.
Appearance- 90 an attractive cigar, some veining hurt the score
Taste- 84 came on strong in the end, but sour notes for the first three quarters of the cigar hurt the score
Construction- 89 well made and burned well, I detract points for the draw
Strength- 88 a nice medium to full presentation, could use some more oomph
Overall- 87.75 a nice solid smoke that would have been better without sour notes.
The cigar presents well, with a dark, rich looking wrapper. There are some prominent veins, but I do not detect where they may cause an issue, the body of the cigar also appears to be issue free. The pre light aroma is earthy, but has touch of a sour note. The pre light draw is also earthy, but there are hints of pepper as well.
The cigar begins with sweet notes of earth and light blasts of pepper. There is a slightly sour note at the back of the palate that is detracting from the opening stanza. The burn is excellent, but the draw is a bit tight. In the first third of the cigar the profile keeps a core of sweet earthy notes with hints of pepper, but the sour note persists.
At the half way point I am discouraged by a continued sour note in the profile. The profile itself has taken on a flavor of leather with undertones of earth and pepper. Overall it is a nice experience that would be excellent without the sour underpinnings. The burn has stayed sharp, and I maintain an ash well past the two inch mark on two occasions. The draw has stayed a bit tight, but manages to produce acceptable amounts of smoke.
The final quarter of the cigar finishes strong. The profile maintains leathery flavors, but the peppery notes kick it up a notch. There are some signs of light spice and roasted nuts as well. The sour notes have left the profile and I am wishing the whole cigar was this good.
The finish is long and smooth with notes of leather, pepper and nuts.
Appearance- 90 an attractive cigar, some veining hurt the score
Taste- 84 came on strong in the end, but sour notes for the first three quarters of the cigar hurt the score
Construction- 89 well made and burned well, I detract points for the draw
Strength- 88 a nice medium to full presentation, could use some more oomph
Overall- 87.75 a nice solid smoke that would have been better without sour notes.
Friday, September 18, 2009
La Flor Dominicana Double Ligero Churchill
This is a big, bold looking cigar with a dark nearly black wrapper that has a nice oily sheen. The wrapper is slightly veiny, but overall appears to be applied well. Upon inspection the construction appears to be acceptable, but there are some firm spots. The pre light aroma is of dark fruit and rich tobacco. The pre light draw is strong with notes of earth and heavy tobacco, there is a harbinger of nicotine to come.
The cigar opens with blasts of tobacco and nicotine, there is a prominent sour note to the opening that is detracting from the overall early experience. The draw is a bit tight, but the burn starts well, forming a gray ash that appears to be solid. There is little development through the first half of the cigar.
At the halfway point the nicotine and tobacco take center stage. The strength of the cigar cloys the profile and causes some problematic notes due to the numbing of the palate. There is a mixture of tobacco, earth and dark fruit flavors but dry vegetation is also present. The draw has remained tight, but the burn continues to perform well.
The final half of the cigar shows notes of pepper, dark fruit and spice. The depth just is not present though and the strength of the cigar overshadows some of the complexity that I expect from a cigar with an advanced profile of flavors. The draw is a little dead and I labor to produce acceptable amounts of smoke. The burn becomes slightly lopsided, but there are not any other issues of note.
The finish is fair and contains notes of pepper and dark fruit, the nicotine has stayed true throughout.
Appearance- 87 some veining hurt the score
Taste- 80 the profile was muddled by the strength, but there are some nice flavors present
Construction- 75 below average, draw problems diminished the performance
Strength- 77 a full plus presentation, but the strength deflects the complexity and depth of the profile in a negative way
Overall- 79.75 below average, but has some of the makings of a fine cigar
The cigar opens with blasts of tobacco and nicotine, there is a prominent sour note to the opening that is detracting from the overall early experience. The draw is a bit tight, but the burn starts well, forming a gray ash that appears to be solid. There is little development through the first half of the cigar.
At the halfway point the nicotine and tobacco take center stage. The strength of the cigar cloys the profile and causes some problematic notes due to the numbing of the palate. There is a mixture of tobacco, earth and dark fruit flavors but dry vegetation is also present. The draw has remained tight, but the burn continues to perform well.
The final half of the cigar shows notes of pepper, dark fruit and spice. The depth just is not present though and the strength of the cigar overshadows some of the complexity that I expect from a cigar with an advanced profile of flavors. The draw is a little dead and I labor to produce acceptable amounts of smoke. The burn becomes slightly lopsided, but there are not any other issues of note.
The finish is fair and contains notes of pepper and dark fruit, the nicotine has stayed true throughout.
Appearance- 87 some veining hurt the score
Taste- 80 the profile was muddled by the strength, but there are some nice flavors present
Construction- 75 below average, draw problems diminished the performance
Strength- 77 a full plus presentation, but the strength deflects the complexity and depth of the profile in a negative way
Overall- 79.75 below average, but has some of the makings of a fine cigar
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