It has been a long, long time since I have written a cigar review. Hell, it's been awhile since I wrote anything other than an article or two for a newsletter about being a new daddy. In case you didn't know, my wife and I welcomed a son into the world in late January, and my life has not been the same since...
Smoking cigars has gone from a twice daily necessity to a twice weekly luxury it seems. I have still been at it, but I have not been smoking anything new at all. I have been sticking to the old knock arounds with religious verve of late. However, recent travels have taken me to some locales that have allowed me to get my hands on some things I don't see very often.
This smoke is one such selection. I don't see this smoke on the regular, as a matter of fact I can't say that I have seen it at all anywhere until I found it in Ft. Lauderdale. I bought several, all of which I intend to put the hairy eyeball on with one of my famous reviews. It might be 2035 before I get to them at the rate I have been going, but I am going to give it the old college try.
This cigar presents with a sort of mundane everyday appearance about it. Nothing screams out, smoke me! The band work is jejune at best and does not add to the overall impression at all. The wrapper is somewhat toothy, but it has a lot of veining and seems loosely applied in some areas and that makes me concerned about burn issues as we move along with the show. The pre light draw shows some hints of pepper, but there is a metallic thing going on here that has me on edge. The pre light aroma has some hints of wood, mainly cedar, and some touches of earth as well.
The cigar opens with a profile that is unforgettable, in that it is so vile and bile churning that you will never be able to purge the palate punishment from your neural pathways. You will try, with electroshock, a lobotomy, heavy drinking, pills and other methods such as forced bleeding, leeching, witch doctor visits and the like, but it will not work! You will never forget this awful opening. The flavors are a putrid mix of something like borax and water from a mason jar that old pennies have been sitting in. Some have accused me of hyperbole in the past, but in this case I need to be able to describe the horrific scene in full detail. The draw, sadly, is great. It is wonderfully fluid and delivers plenty of smoke, so much smoke in fact that I am hoping for a plug ASAP. The burn is a monstrosity, canoeing from the get go with large segments of wrapper falling unsmoked into the tray and onto my pants.
I soldier on though, ever the weary warrior in the struggle against cigar mediocrity and unfortunately nothing really changes in the first half. The taste of old pennies has blessedly left the picture, but what is left is not great either. There are some hints of old, dusty wood here, kind of like something from an old attic. There are still some notes of some sort of soap or detergent here as well, not quite floral but definitely soapy in nature. The back of the palate gives some impressions of earth, but there is a muddled quality here that has me struggling for answers. The draw continues on and my palate is molested with scads of inferior tasting smoke. The burn is slightly better, but still temperamental.
The final half of the smoke is a futile search for something to like, alas I can only like it once I have extinguished it in the ash bin of cigarbage. The profile never shows anything worthwhile. The flavors just continue on, unhindered in their putrescence, as if the maker of this smoke hates people with any type of taste at all. The draw is solid to the end. The burn had issues throughout.
The finish was a gift from the higher power. I usually don't react so viscerally to a smoking experience, but this one was just that bad folks. Do yourselves a favor and smoke something else.
Appearance- 85 mundane
Taste- 70 the lowest I can go, all though I had considered going lower
Construction- 74 the burn was disaster
Strength- 75 medium maybe, hard to tell when everything is so bad
Overall- 74.75 one of the worst I have smoked
Showing posts with label robusto. Show all posts
Showing posts with label robusto. Show all posts
Sunday, June 29, 2014
Wednesday, March 5, 2014
Viaje Leaded Robusto
As always, when I walk into my favorite B&M in New Orleans, there is something special waiting for me to try. Armando, the proprietor, pulls me aside and in hushed conspiratorial tones asks me if I have had the cigar in question. My answer is almost always no. This time was no exception. There is something about a B&M that caters to rare boutique finds that just lights the fire inside a cigar guy like me. The ability to find, and smoke, items that are just not available in the main stream is something very special and Armando always affords me this little luxury that means so much in my pursuit to smoke rare and unique cigars on a regular basis.
Viaje is the current small batch, boutique cigar, champion of the world if you ask around. In fairness, I have smoked much of their stuff and found it to be hit or miss. The hits are very good and the misses are spectacular flameouts sometimes, but that is part of the fun of this endeavor. This cigar was one that I had not heard of, but when Armando pulls you aside you should listen and then smoke. No other questions are needed, just do it and sit back in his lounge and cavort with the boys and whatever whackos walk in off Bourbon St.
The cigar presents well, if simply (as Viaje is wont to do, you won't ever see many fancy adornments or bells and whistles), and looks workmanlike and powerful. The wrapper is a nice medium brown that has few veins and is well applied. No size is given, and the cigar is too new to find anything on the Googleplex, but it is definitely a Robusto. The band work is also simple and easy to look at. I always know that with this company I am not paying for box wood and fancy artist renderings, I am just paying for a smoke. The construction seems solid, maybe a touch tight, but I really have no concerns performance wise from the start. The pre light aroma is full of wood notes with some hints of loamy earth. The pre light draw shows some pepper and something metallic tasting that makes me a bit nervous.
The cigar opens with a profile that is painfully one dimensional and a touch bitter. The one flavor coming through is metallic in nature and not pleasant to experience. I can only hope that it opens up some, and soon. The back of the palate and the nose show some interesting hints of pepper and earth, but the metallic flavors from the forward portion of the palate make evaluation tough. The draw is a little tight early on, but I can feel it getting better with each pull. The burn is right on the money.
The first half of the cigar actually begins to improve nicely as it progresses. The core profile picks up some very solid dark wood flavors and some dashes of roasted nuts, but there is still a tinge of metallic flavors here that are tough to overlook. The back of the palate has really started to deliver on some very solid pepper and earth notes, and I find myself wishing for more of these flavors to show through. The draw is loosening nicely and delivers plenty of smoke. The burn is still very solid to this point.
The final half of the cigar was really quite enjoyable. The core profile becomes a complex balance of rich dark wood, tobacco and spice with just a little bit of honey sweetness in it. This was definitely something unexpected and the experience really captures my attention in the closing moments. The back of the palate really closes strong, showing pepper and earth for miles and some clover notes that set off the peppery qualities beautifully. The draw is solid in the final half and the burn is strong all the way through.
The finish was long and earthy with hints of wood.
All in all this ranks in the top third of the Viaje cigars I have smoked.
Appearance- 88 workmanlike and solid
Taste- 89 came on strong, but the early notes hurt the score
Construction- 92 some tightness early, but really came into it's own late
Strength- 87 a nice full that complemented the overall profile well
Overall- 89.5 a very solid effort
Viaje is the current small batch, boutique cigar, champion of the world if you ask around. In fairness, I have smoked much of their stuff and found it to be hit or miss. The hits are very good and the misses are spectacular flameouts sometimes, but that is part of the fun of this endeavor. This cigar was one that I had not heard of, but when Armando pulls you aside you should listen and then smoke. No other questions are needed, just do it and sit back in his lounge and cavort with the boys and whatever whackos walk in off Bourbon St.
The cigar presents well, if simply (as Viaje is wont to do, you won't ever see many fancy adornments or bells and whistles), and looks workmanlike and powerful. The wrapper is a nice medium brown that has few veins and is well applied. No size is given, and the cigar is too new to find anything on the Googleplex, but it is definitely a Robusto. The band work is also simple and easy to look at. I always know that with this company I am not paying for box wood and fancy artist renderings, I am just paying for a smoke. The construction seems solid, maybe a touch tight, but I really have no concerns performance wise from the start. The pre light aroma is full of wood notes with some hints of loamy earth. The pre light draw shows some pepper and something metallic tasting that makes me a bit nervous.
The cigar opens with a profile that is painfully one dimensional and a touch bitter. The one flavor coming through is metallic in nature and not pleasant to experience. I can only hope that it opens up some, and soon. The back of the palate and the nose show some interesting hints of pepper and earth, but the metallic flavors from the forward portion of the palate make evaluation tough. The draw is a little tight early on, but I can feel it getting better with each pull. The burn is right on the money.
The first half of the cigar actually begins to improve nicely as it progresses. The core profile picks up some very solid dark wood flavors and some dashes of roasted nuts, but there is still a tinge of metallic flavors here that are tough to overlook. The back of the palate has really started to deliver on some very solid pepper and earth notes, and I find myself wishing for more of these flavors to show through. The draw is loosening nicely and delivers plenty of smoke. The burn is still very solid to this point.
The final half of the cigar was really quite enjoyable. The core profile becomes a complex balance of rich dark wood, tobacco and spice with just a little bit of honey sweetness in it. This was definitely something unexpected and the experience really captures my attention in the closing moments. The back of the palate really closes strong, showing pepper and earth for miles and some clover notes that set off the peppery qualities beautifully. The draw is solid in the final half and the burn is strong all the way through.
The finish was long and earthy with hints of wood.
All in all this ranks in the top third of the Viaje cigars I have smoked.
Appearance- 88 workmanlike and solid
Taste- 89 came on strong, but the early notes hurt the score
Construction- 92 some tightness early, but really came into it's own late
Strength- 87 a nice full that complemented the overall profile well
Overall- 89.5 a very solid effort
Sunday, December 23, 2012
Debonaire Robusto (5x50)
The name Debonaire evokes high society imagery replete with aristocrats and wealthy well dressed industrialists, at least in my mind it does. Expectations of a cigar bearing this name were naturally high for me, particularly with the Debonaire price of thirteen bones for a robusto. I mean thirteen dollars for a robusto? Who do these guys think we are anyway, Carnegie and Rockefeller? I also want to know what is Debonaire about a guy riding a horse drawn liquor cart? Why do I ask you may ask? Well I ponder this question because the depiction on the band is just that, a dude driving a horse drawn liquor cart. When I think of Debonaire this is perhaps the last image I can up with, except for maybe someone drinking out of a finger bowl...
The cigar itself is a nice looking smoke. The wrapper has a nice sheen to it, but it does not appear to have been processed in any way. There are some veins, but they don't seem like they will be a hindrance to the performance of the smoke. The bunch seems too loose to me, but the rest of the construction looks like it is acceptable. I am always nervous about loose bunches. The loose bunch can create a loose draw, poor combustion and heat all of which are the death knell in the cigar world. The pre light aroma has huge blasts of dark fruit and wood. The light draw shows some pepper and little nicotine tingle on the lips and tongue.
The cigar opens with a profile that has some very interesting flavors and it takes me some time to determine whether or not I like it or hate it. I end up on the like it side of things, but just because something is unique does not necessarily mean that it is good. The core profile here shows some rich dark fruit flavors and the texture of the smoke is thick and showing some very nice smoked meat and wood flavors as well. The back of the palate and the nose are showing nice coffee notes and some earthy tones as well. This is really a nice start to a cigar, but is not classic by any means. The draw is very loose, but this early on it is difficult to tell what will happen as the cigar progresses. The burn is a touch off and the ash is very flaky, but I don't see any real issues here for now.
The first half of the cigar loses some of the balance that was shown in the opening moments. The core profile continues to show some dark fruit flavors, but there is some citrus zest like Orange peel coming in here now as well. There are still some wood notes, but they are bordering on being bitter at this point. The back of the palate starts to show more loamy notes of earth as well and the coffee tones are sliding away as the cigar progresses. What is left is a profile that has some appeal in the front, but very little at the back of the palate or through the nose. The draw is still too loose at this point and some heat is starting to show up in the smoke, I start to slow it down a bit to keep it out of the flume. The burn has evened out and is performing nicely.
The final half of the cigar really continues a downward spiral. The core profile shows some pepper now, but the fruit notes are gone and there is some bitterness like a crushed aspirin coming through at this point. The disintegration of this cigar has been astonishing in it's completeness. The back of the palate still has some loamy earth qualities, but there is some dank sense of moisture here now as well, kind of like an old basement. The heat in the draw has been limited by my ability to slow the smoke down, but the draw is still too loose. The burn performed well through to the end.
The finish was musty and loamy.
Appearance- 89 a nice looking cigar
Taste- 82 some nice things happening early, but the cigar really circled the drain late
Construction- 81 the best I can give a cigar with such a loose draw
Strength- 85 a nice medium/full offering
Overall- 83.25 for thirteen bucks you should expect more...
The cigar itself is a nice looking smoke. The wrapper has a nice sheen to it, but it does not appear to have been processed in any way. There are some veins, but they don't seem like they will be a hindrance to the performance of the smoke. The bunch seems too loose to me, but the rest of the construction looks like it is acceptable. I am always nervous about loose bunches. The loose bunch can create a loose draw, poor combustion and heat all of which are the death knell in the cigar world. The pre light aroma has huge blasts of dark fruit and wood. The light draw shows some pepper and little nicotine tingle on the lips and tongue.
The cigar opens with a profile that has some very interesting flavors and it takes me some time to determine whether or not I like it or hate it. I end up on the like it side of things, but just because something is unique does not necessarily mean that it is good. The core profile here shows some rich dark fruit flavors and the texture of the smoke is thick and showing some very nice smoked meat and wood flavors as well. The back of the palate and the nose are showing nice coffee notes and some earthy tones as well. This is really a nice start to a cigar, but is not classic by any means. The draw is very loose, but this early on it is difficult to tell what will happen as the cigar progresses. The burn is a touch off and the ash is very flaky, but I don't see any real issues here for now.
The first half of the cigar loses some of the balance that was shown in the opening moments. The core profile continues to show some dark fruit flavors, but there is some citrus zest like Orange peel coming in here now as well. There are still some wood notes, but they are bordering on being bitter at this point. The back of the palate starts to show more loamy notes of earth as well and the coffee tones are sliding away as the cigar progresses. What is left is a profile that has some appeal in the front, but very little at the back of the palate or through the nose. The draw is still too loose at this point and some heat is starting to show up in the smoke, I start to slow it down a bit to keep it out of the flume. The burn has evened out and is performing nicely.
The final half of the cigar really continues a downward spiral. The core profile shows some pepper now, but the fruit notes are gone and there is some bitterness like a crushed aspirin coming through at this point. The disintegration of this cigar has been astonishing in it's completeness. The back of the palate still has some loamy earth qualities, but there is some dank sense of moisture here now as well, kind of like an old basement. The heat in the draw has been limited by my ability to slow the smoke down, but the draw is still too loose. The burn performed well through to the end.
The finish was musty and loamy.
Appearance- 89 a nice looking cigar
Taste- 82 some nice things happening early, but the cigar really circled the drain late
Construction- 81 the best I can give a cigar with such a loose draw
Strength- 85 a nice medium/full offering
Overall- 83.25 for thirteen bucks you should expect more...
Tuesday, December 11, 2012
Zengotita White Label Robusto (5x50)
I know what you are all thinking, WTF is a Zengotita! I am with you I knew nothing about this cigar when they were given to me by a proprietor at a local B&M. I of course accepted them, he respects my opinion and I his, it just seemed like the right thing to do. I asked him about them and he just shrugged his shoulders which indicated he knew about as much as I did at the time. Never fear though, I went to the Googleplex and let my fingers do the finding. You will not believe the sheer treasure trove of information that I found these. They are made somewhere in Tampa, and that is all I could find. Are you as shocked as I am about this incredible knowledge? They don't even have a website, all though they do have a domain reserved. The long and the short of it is, I can't tell you a damn thing about this cigar, other than it is a cigar that is made in Tampa....allegedly... I have no idea what the wrapper is, though it looks like a Habano. I don't know what's in the blend. Hell, I don't even know what country the tobaccos come from. In short this is really a blind tasting.
The cigar itself is wonderful to behold. It appears to very well made, I can't find a single issue with it as I inspect it. The wrapper is positively glistening, I am quite sure if it were any shinier I would be able to see my reflection in it. There are very few veins, and those that are there add character to the cigar for a nice visual impression. Even the band is stately and elegant. I just wish I knew more about the cigar. The pre light aroma is something odd, with some strange pot pourri odor and sharp wood notes. The pre light draw shows some pepper and a fragrant perfume character that is off putting.
The cigar opens with a profile that is pleasant, but not overwhelmingly complex or deep. The core flavors show some soft wood notes and slight clove like spices, there is also a sweetness here that I would equate to fig. The back of the palate and the nose show some medium tobacco notes with some dry hints of wheat flour. The overall impression at this point is so so, and the dry notes in the back of the palate and nose are taking away from the experience. The burn is solid and sharp. The draw is fluid, but a touch too tight for me.
The first half of the cigar is trying to hold on to whatever positives there were in the opening moments, but it is struggling to do so. The core profile is still showing some wood and light spice, but there are some bitter ideas coming through here now and they are not helping the cause. The back of the palate is showing some pepper, but there are some tones of scorched wood and vegetation here as well and the experience is deteriorating rapidly. The burn is still nice and a fine ash forms. The draw is actually tightening as the smoke progresses and I am becoming concerned about heat later in the smoke.
The final half of the cigar is a real descent into cigar hell. The core profile becomes overwhelmingly bitter and sour, a combination of what crushed aspirin tastes like and what a mildewed towel smells like. It goes without saying, this is not something one would be looking for in a cigar. The back of the palate is similarly bile churning. The flavors here are of wet wood smoldering and wet vegetation. The burn is still performing well, and in the end this is really the only redeeming quality in the smoke. The draw is still too tight and heat enters the smoke in the final third which forced me to slow the smoke down and only served to prolong the agony.
The finish was bitter and short.
Appearance- 89 I liked the way this looked
Taste- 78 some points for the early effort, a loss of points for the rest of the smoke
Construction- 80 some marks for burn, but draw is more important to me
Strength- 85 a medium/full that really didn't matter in the end
Overall- 81.75 run from this if you see one
The cigar itself is wonderful to behold. It appears to very well made, I can't find a single issue with it as I inspect it. The wrapper is positively glistening, I am quite sure if it were any shinier I would be able to see my reflection in it. There are very few veins, and those that are there add character to the cigar for a nice visual impression. Even the band is stately and elegant. I just wish I knew more about the cigar. The pre light aroma is something odd, with some strange pot pourri odor and sharp wood notes. The pre light draw shows some pepper and a fragrant perfume character that is off putting.
The cigar opens with a profile that is pleasant, but not overwhelmingly complex or deep. The core flavors show some soft wood notes and slight clove like spices, there is also a sweetness here that I would equate to fig. The back of the palate and the nose show some medium tobacco notes with some dry hints of wheat flour. The overall impression at this point is so so, and the dry notes in the back of the palate and nose are taking away from the experience. The burn is solid and sharp. The draw is fluid, but a touch too tight for me.
The first half of the cigar is trying to hold on to whatever positives there were in the opening moments, but it is struggling to do so. The core profile is still showing some wood and light spice, but there are some bitter ideas coming through here now and they are not helping the cause. The back of the palate is showing some pepper, but there are some tones of scorched wood and vegetation here as well and the experience is deteriorating rapidly. The burn is still nice and a fine ash forms. The draw is actually tightening as the smoke progresses and I am becoming concerned about heat later in the smoke.
The final half of the cigar is a real descent into cigar hell. The core profile becomes overwhelmingly bitter and sour, a combination of what crushed aspirin tastes like and what a mildewed towel smells like. It goes without saying, this is not something one would be looking for in a cigar. The back of the palate is similarly bile churning. The flavors here are of wet wood smoldering and wet vegetation. The burn is still performing well, and in the end this is really the only redeeming quality in the smoke. The draw is still too tight and heat enters the smoke in the final third which forced me to slow the smoke down and only served to prolong the agony.
The finish was bitter and short.
Appearance- 89 I liked the way this looked
Taste- 78 some points for the early effort, a loss of points for the rest of the smoke
Construction- 80 some marks for burn, but draw is more important to me
Strength- 85 a medium/full that really didn't matter in the end
Overall- 81.75 run from this if you see one
Friday, August 24, 2012
Cult Classic Robusto (5x50)
One of my deepest and darkest secrets is about to come out. I am, and have been for lo these many years, a member of a cult. We are a quiet group, meeting on Tuesday and Thursday mornings most weeks, and we keep pretty much to ourselves. Our rituals are many. Our naysayers few, as we have a way of dealing swiftly and with finality when someone disparages our chosen methods of brotherhood. We use the tools of our trade, known as the Implements of the Brotherhood, with a deft touch and dexterity that is seldom seen in the likes of those that are not initiated. Our sacrificial rituals are heavy on smoke and fire and we deftly remove parts of the sacrificial beings with our various cutting instruments in ways that are numerous and each has it's purpose. We converse in low tones and cast conspiratorial glances at those not part of our inner circle. We have distrust for those that are not part of our exclusive lifestyle, and distaste for those that seek to destroy what we stand for. We are the Brothers of the Leaf and we are proud, strong and numerous.
This cigar presents well and as you would suspect the band is adorned by the word Cult in what appears to be a somewhat bloody script. The wrapper is a nice medium brown and it has very few veins. As I inspect the construction I am struck by how well this seems to be made, I am wondering how this cigar (been around since 2000) has escaped my notice. The pre light aroma is a heady mix of cinnamon and cereal with heavy grains. The pre light draw shows nice flavors of spice and a wheaty tone that has some vanilla sweetness to it.
The cigar opens with a profile that has miles of depth and loads of character. The core profile has some very intense notes of cinnamon and white pepper, there are some very nice vanilla undertones here as well. The back of the palate is being nicely coated with some crisp tobacco flavors and a nice wheat flavor that binds the experience together. The draw is absolute perfection for me, just the right amount of resistance and the perfect amount of smoke. The burn is right on the money in the early moments.
The first half of the cigar continues to impress me. There are some very nice sweet floral and vanilla notes that are developing here. There are also some great flavors of cinnamon and light brushes of wood here that lend to the complexity and depth of this smoke. The back of the palate is a wondrous combination of crisp tobacco flavors and light efforts of white pepper. The draw continues to perform flawlessly. The burn is still sharp and the ash hold until nearly the halfway point of the smoke.
The final half of the cigar slams home what I have been thinking all along, this is a very good smoke. The core profile is a tantalizing melange of light citrus notes with some vanilla, cinnamon and wood. This is a really a unique profile and it plays very well for me. At the back of the palate there are some great shots of white pepper that become more intense as the cigar progresses and there are still very nice flavors of crisp tobacco holding the experience together. The draw is exceptional. The burn is also nearly perfect right until the end.
The finish was full of cinnamon and tobacco flavors.
I am now a member of two cults, and one of them is people that love this cigar.
Appearance- 92 a very nice cigar to look at
Taste- 94, nearly classic for me just lacking slightly from that high standard
Construction- 97 an exceptional performance here
Strength- 91 a nice medium, some more punch earlier in the smoke would have been nice
Overall- 94.25 an exceptional experience
This cigar presents well and as you would suspect the band is adorned by the word Cult in what appears to be a somewhat bloody script. The wrapper is a nice medium brown and it has very few veins. As I inspect the construction I am struck by how well this seems to be made, I am wondering how this cigar (been around since 2000) has escaped my notice. The pre light aroma is a heady mix of cinnamon and cereal with heavy grains. The pre light draw shows nice flavors of spice and a wheaty tone that has some vanilla sweetness to it.
The cigar opens with a profile that has miles of depth and loads of character. The core profile has some very intense notes of cinnamon and white pepper, there are some very nice vanilla undertones here as well. The back of the palate is being nicely coated with some crisp tobacco flavors and a nice wheat flavor that binds the experience together. The draw is absolute perfection for me, just the right amount of resistance and the perfect amount of smoke. The burn is right on the money in the early moments.
The first half of the cigar continues to impress me. There are some very nice sweet floral and vanilla notes that are developing here. There are also some great flavors of cinnamon and light brushes of wood here that lend to the complexity and depth of this smoke. The back of the palate is a wondrous combination of crisp tobacco flavors and light efforts of white pepper. The draw continues to perform flawlessly. The burn is still sharp and the ash hold until nearly the halfway point of the smoke.
The final half of the cigar slams home what I have been thinking all along, this is a very good smoke. The core profile is a tantalizing melange of light citrus notes with some vanilla, cinnamon and wood. This is a really a unique profile and it plays very well for me. At the back of the palate there are some great shots of white pepper that become more intense as the cigar progresses and there are still very nice flavors of crisp tobacco holding the experience together. The draw is exceptional. The burn is also nearly perfect right until the end.
The finish was full of cinnamon and tobacco flavors.
I am now a member of two cults, and one of them is people that love this cigar.
Appearance- 92 a very nice cigar to look at
Taste- 94, nearly classic for me just lacking slightly from that high standard
Construction- 97 an exceptional performance here
Strength- 91 a nice medium, some more punch earlier in the smoke would have been nice
Overall- 94.25 an exceptional experience
Monday, August 13, 2012
Asylum 13 Robusto (5x50)
Growing up as a budding political scientist I knew that there were two types of asylum. One, the place where loons get locked up to drool on themselves and hatch delusional notions of conspiracy, grandeur or otherwise. The other of the political nature, when people from other countries flee from harsh and oppressive regimes around the world to come to this country. Of course if you are a cigar smoker seeking asylum in this country you will be met with a harsh and oppressive regime of a different sort. To slap this moniker on a cigar is an interesting choice. As I am wont to do I must ponder the implications of the strange nomenclature of this cigar before I proceed with other, more pertinent, details.
Is this name a cry out for some sort of political revolution amongst cigar smokers? I mean we have been ostracized in recent years and now rank with lepers and the other terminally diseased in our society, just go somewhere and try to light up and see what types of looks you get. It's almost as if I forgot to dress myself or something, the looks of disgust are so prevalent and palpable. Even in the great outdoors I have been accosted by people for enjoying my fine cigar in the peace and serenity that only Mother Nature can provide. Maybe it is time that we seek asylum as smokers and try to find the one place in the world that allows us to smoke, unencumbered and unfettered in a manner of our choosing. I have long held the belief that my state, Florida, could secede from the greater union and become our own country. We will kick out the non cigar smokers and only those with real smoking bona-fides would be allowed to stay or be granted entry. This is my kind of country! I think we could make it happen! Oh damn, here come the dudes with the strappy jacket! Maybe I'll be going to some sort of asylum after all...
This cigar presents well. The wrapper is dark and rich, there are some prominent veins, but they seem to add to the overall appeal of the smoke. An examination of the construction leads me to believe that is fairly well made, but there is some looseness in the bunch that has me worried about draw and combustion. The pre light aroma is a heady mix of dark fruit and pepper notes and it really slams the nostrils with a notice of what is to come. The pre light draw is a delightful black cherry flavor that I hope shows up in the smoke. The final piece of this puzzle is that this cigar retails for five bucks here in Florida.
The cigar opens with a profile that shocks me very quickly. There is some real power here and the core profile smacks of coffee and cherry and orange zest. I was not expecting something like this so early on in the smoke and I can only hope that it will continue. At the back of the palate there is a nice presentation of earth and some light pepper that binds the experience together in a satisfying way. There is a level of complexity and depth here that is very solid for being so early in a smoke. The draw is a touch too loose for me, I prefer something with a bit more resistance, but it is not causing any issues. The burn is solid at this point and a nice ash is forming.
The first half of the cigar falls off from the opening moments. The core profile has some tar like qualities at this point and there are some charred notes coming off of a coffee flavor that is losing it's punch. The back of the palate continues to deliver some nice earthy flavors, but the pepper flavor has left and there is thin after taste coming into the picture that has some tannins in it. I am disappointed that the cigar has taken this turn, but I am holding out for some improvement in the last half. The draw is still too loose for me, but it is still not causing any real issues. The burn is starting to go off a touch, but I am hoping it corrects before I have to touch it up.
The final half of the cigar begins poorly but rounds into a fine final third. The first part of the last half stays much like the first half, there are still some tar like notes and some charred flavors as well, but then all of the sudden the cigar opens up into something so much more. The core profile hits a switch and shows some nice cocoa and coffee flavors that are accompanied by some hazelnut tones that are simply magnificent. The back of the palate is a robust presentation of anise and pepper and this binds it all together in a complex and pleasing manner. Too bad this occurred so late in the smoke. The draw stays loose through to the end. The burn does run, but eventually evens itself out after I gently knock some dead wrapper into the tray to force a correction.
The finish was long, but it was a touch sharp with some tar notes overlapping with coffee and earth.
Appearance- 88 a nice looking smoke
Taste- 87 saved in the last few moments, if the entire cigar was like the opening and the last third this would be a higher score
Construction- 83 the draw was too loose and the burn was wonky
Strength- 87 a nice medium that would be full for many smokers I think
Overall- 85.75 slightly above average in the end
Is this name a cry out for some sort of political revolution amongst cigar smokers? I mean we have been ostracized in recent years and now rank with lepers and the other terminally diseased in our society, just go somewhere and try to light up and see what types of looks you get. It's almost as if I forgot to dress myself or something, the looks of disgust are so prevalent and palpable. Even in the great outdoors I have been accosted by people for enjoying my fine cigar in the peace and serenity that only Mother Nature can provide. Maybe it is time that we seek asylum as smokers and try to find the one place in the world that allows us to smoke, unencumbered and unfettered in a manner of our choosing. I have long held the belief that my state, Florida, could secede from the greater union and become our own country. We will kick out the non cigar smokers and only those with real smoking bona-fides would be allowed to stay or be granted entry. This is my kind of country! I think we could make it happen! Oh damn, here come the dudes with the strappy jacket! Maybe I'll be going to some sort of asylum after all...
This cigar presents well. The wrapper is dark and rich, there are some prominent veins, but they seem to add to the overall appeal of the smoke. An examination of the construction leads me to believe that is fairly well made, but there is some looseness in the bunch that has me worried about draw and combustion. The pre light aroma is a heady mix of dark fruit and pepper notes and it really slams the nostrils with a notice of what is to come. The pre light draw is a delightful black cherry flavor that I hope shows up in the smoke. The final piece of this puzzle is that this cigar retails for five bucks here in Florida.
The cigar opens with a profile that shocks me very quickly. There is some real power here and the core profile smacks of coffee and cherry and orange zest. I was not expecting something like this so early on in the smoke and I can only hope that it will continue. At the back of the palate there is a nice presentation of earth and some light pepper that binds the experience together in a satisfying way. There is a level of complexity and depth here that is very solid for being so early in a smoke. The draw is a touch too loose for me, I prefer something with a bit more resistance, but it is not causing any issues. The burn is solid at this point and a nice ash is forming.
The first half of the cigar falls off from the opening moments. The core profile has some tar like qualities at this point and there are some charred notes coming off of a coffee flavor that is losing it's punch. The back of the palate continues to deliver some nice earthy flavors, but the pepper flavor has left and there is thin after taste coming into the picture that has some tannins in it. I am disappointed that the cigar has taken this turn, but I am holding out for some improvement in the last half. The draw is still too loose for me, but it is still not causing any real issues. The burn is starting to go off a touch, but I am hoping it corrects before I have to touch it up.
The final half of the cigar begins poorly but rounds into a fine final third. The first part of the last half stays much like the first half, there are still some tar like notes and some charred flavors as well, but then all of the sudden the cigar opens up into something so much more. The core profile hits a switch and shows some nice cocoa and coffee flavors that are accompanied by some hazelnut tones that are simply magnificent. The back of the palate is a robust presentation of anise and pepper and this binds it all together in a complex and pleasing manner. Too bad this occurred so late in the smoke. The draw stays loose through to the end. The burn does run, but eventually evens itself out after I gently knock some dead wrapper into the tray to force a correction.
The finish was long, but it was a touch sharp with some tar notes overlapping with coffee and earth.
Appearance- 88 a nice looking smoke
Taste- 87 saved in the last few moments, if the entire cigar was like the opening and the last third this would be a higher score
Construction- 83 the draw was too loose and the burn was wonky
Strength- 87 a nice medium that would be full for many smokers I think
Overall- 85.75 slightly above average in the end
Saturday, August 11, 2012
La Duena Robusto (5X50)
Another cigar from IPCPR and this is the one I was probably most excited about. Made in the My Father factory, as it is known I like that provenance, this cigar is named La Duena which translates into female owner in English for Janny Garcia the female boss of My Father. This cigar is actually blended by Pete Johnson and my interest was piqued because he has said this was supposed to be like La Riqueza, one of my favorite Tatuaje blends, with more strength. I was also somewhat concerned because I have not liked Dude A's (see previous review of Pete Johnson blends for discussion of Dude A and Dude B) blends in the past. See, Pete had many winners when Don Pepin was doing all the blending, but when Pete went out on his own he lost some of the secret sauce in my opinion. Anyway, all these particulars aside I was still anticipating this cigar.
The cigar itself presents very simply. The band work is red with a white silhouette of a woman's head on it, it kind of reminds me of an antique broach that an old woman would wear on a bad sweater. The wrapper is toothy and seems a bit too dry to me, but it has few veins and very nice dark coloration. An inspection leads me to believe that the construction is superb, a hallmark of this particular factory as I seldom have issues with any cigar from there. The pre light aroma is strong and smacks of rich coffee. The pre light draw has some dark wood essences and tons of earthy flavors.
The cigar opens with a profile that is a little bit short for me. The core flavors are of over brewed coffee and some very loamy earth notes are present here as well. The overall impression is a profile that is unfinished and not very balanced or complex. At the back of the palate there are some serious notes of heavy minerals and I have never been a huge fan of this particular attribute in a cigar. The draw is a little bit too loose for me, but I will persevere as always. The burn is razor sharp and a nice ash is forming.
The first half of the cigar shows no real improvement. The core profile is still too overwrought with over brewed coffee flavors and there is no real nuance to the profile as the earthy flavors that should be giving the smoke balance are not doing the job for me. The back of the palate continues to be assaulted with mineral flavors and I feel as though I am sucking on a handful of nickels. The draw is ever looser as the cigar progresses and I slow the progress to keep the heat out of the smoke. The burn is still very sharp.
The final half of the cigar continues my hand in hand walk with disappointment. The core profile never develops into anything meaningful as the flavors linger on and on in an unimpressive way like a dinner guest that won't leave. Over brewed coffee and loamy earth notes just can't stand alone throughout a cigar and some balancing efforts are sorely needed. The back of the palate continues to show blasts of mineral weirdness and the whole experience is really not good.
The finish was short and full of mineral after taste.
This is not what I was hoping for. Can I get another Don Pepin blend please!!
Appearance- 86 very simple, but above average
Taste- 77 it just was not good
Construction- 82 the draw was too loose for me
Strength- 83 aiming for full but it was the high side of medium at best and the mineral flavors made divining any strength characteristics difficult
Overall- 81.25 this is not something I would revisit
The cigar itself presents very simply. The band work is red with a white silhouette of a woman's head on it, it kind of reminds me of an antique broach that an old woman would wear on a bad sweater. The wrapper is toothy and seems a bit too dry to me, but it has few veins and very nice dark coloration. An inspection leads me to believe that the construction is superb, a hallmark of this particular factory as I seldom have issues with any cigar from there. The pre light aroma is strong and smacks of rich coffee. The pre light draw has some dark wood essences and tons of earthy flavors.
The cigar opens with a profile that is a little bit short for me. The core flavors are of over brewed coffee and some very loamy earth notes are present here as well. The overall impression is a profile that is unfinished and not very balanced or complex. At the back of the palate there are some serious notes of heavy minerals and I have never been a huge fan of this particular attribute in a cigar. The draw is a little bit too loose for me, but I will persevere as always. The burn is razor sharp and a nice ash is forming.
The first half of the cigar shows no real improvement. The core profile is still too overwrought with over brewed coffee flavors and there is no real nuance to the profile as the earthy flavors that should be giving the smoke balance are not doing the job for me. The back of the palate continues to be assaulted with mineral flavors and I feel as though I am sucking on a handful of nickels. The draw is ever looser as the cigar progresses and I slow the progress to keep the heat out of the smoke. The burn is still very sharp.
The final half of the cigar continues my hand in hand walk with disappointment. The core profile never develops into anything meaningful as the flavors linger on and on in an unimpressive way like a dinner guest that won't leave. Over brewed coffee and loamy earth notes just can't stand alone throughout a cigar and some balancing efforts are sorely needed. The back of the palate continues to show blasts of mineral weirdness and the whole experience is really not good.
The finish was short and full of mineral after taste.
This is not what I was hoping for. Can I get another Don Pepin blend please!!
Appearance- 86 very simple, but above average
Taste- 77 it just was not good
Construction- 82 the draw was too loose for me
Strength- 83 aiming for full but it was the high side of medium at best and the mineral flavors made divining any strength characteristics difficult
Overall- 81.25 this is not something I would revisit
Monday, July 30, 2012
Flor de las Antillas Robusto (5x50)
My name is Matt and I am a Pepin whore. I have been smoking Pepin cigars since sometime in 2006 and while I don't think I have a problem I've been told that I might have some issues so I am here to take the first step. The first step is admitting you have a problem right? This is the beginning to the fictitious Pepin Anonymous meeting that I am thinking of developing, I'm sure I would not be the only one there. See, Pepin and My Father just roll out winner after winner, or at least they used to before La Reloba rolled along and temporarily derailed my devotion. Good things come to those who wait and here comes another Pepin offering, and I could not wait to get my hands on one and give it the old stink eye. There is one caveat, many have told me that the My Father people have said this was not made to be their best smoke, it was made to be more of a price point offering. I hate when I find stuff like this out, it taints my perceptions. Alas, I clear the cigar white noise from my head and I sit down to get to business.
The cigar looks a mess. I am used to pristine construction and exacting standards from this maker, and I am not getting that visual impression here. The cap is a sloppy excuse for cigar craftsmanship. It is shoddily applied and looks like as it gets moist it will unfurl like a New Year's Eve noise maker. The wrapper is dry to the touch and it has prominent veins and a strange reddish hue that I have not seen before in a cigar, it's not a colorado hue, or even a rare corojo hue, it was just reddish, almost like it had been on a Mars rover during a windstorm. The bunch seems way too loose to me, but I won't know for sure until I start smoking it. I will give props to some intricate band work, but that does not account for much. The pre light aroma is heavily floral, this is very weird from a Pepin product, and it is intensely sweet smelling as well. The pre light draw is very, very loose and has some light wood notes.
The cigar opens with a profile that is not anything like a Pepin product that I have ever experienced. The core profile is sweet, intensely so, with a perfume like remnant that clings to the palate like an aerosol spray sticks in your nostrils after it has been expelled. Aside from this Glade like presentation there are some odd cedar flavors as well, they are overwrought and sharp and really make the beginning moments horrible. The back of the palate is being fouled by the sweet forward presentations and I can't really divine anything noteworthy in this area. The draw is way too loose for me, but so far is going well in that there is no heat coming into the smoke. The burn is solid and the ash is forming nicely.
The first half of the cigar really stays way too sweet for me. The odd floral sweetness is now accompanied by some sort of hard candy sweetness and intensely sugary vanilla flavors as well. This development keeps the cigar languishing in my mind and I am really not enjoying this experience at all. The back of the palate is showing some nice notes of light wood and tobacco, but the lingering sweetness is continuing on and causing me issues in all facets of the experience. The draw is still too loose and perhaps more troubling is that I am feeling some heat coming into the draw at this point. The burn is still solid to this point.
The final half of the cigar really does nothing to redeem itself in my estimation. The core profile tempers down the sweetness and some heavy cedar flavors start to come into the fold, but the flavor is bitter and sharp and leaves a funky taste on the palate as it lingers maliciously. The back of the palate continues to reveal some light wood and tobacco flavors, but it is not enough to save the smoke, or even elevate it slightly. The draw stays loose throughout and heat becomes a factor in the final moments. The burn was solid all the way to the end.
The finish was short and full of sharp cedar notes.
As long as Pepin keeps churning out Blues, Blacks and Tats I will be ok, but they can keep their new offerings as far as I'm concerned.
Appearance- 82 sloppy cap and poor looking wrapper leads to a poor looking smoke
Taste- 80 it's just not here, there is not a single redeeming quality in the profile
Construction- 81 bad draw led to heat
Strength- 83 a medium smoke but it does nothing to complement the experience
Overall- 81.25 avoid this one please...
The cigar looks a mess. I am used to pristine construction and exacting standards from this maker, and I am not getting that visual impression here. The cap is a sloppy excuse for cigar craftsmanship. It is shoddily applied and looks like as it gets moist it will unfurl like a New Year's Eve noise maker. The wrapper is dry to the touch and it has prominent veins and a strange reddish hue that I have not seen before in a cigar, it's not a colorado hue, or even a rare corojo hue, it was just reddish, almost like it had been on a Mars rover during a windstorm. The bunch seems way too loose to me, but I won't know for sure until I start smoking it. I will give props to some intricate band work, but that does not account for much. The pre light aroma is heavily floral, this is very weird from a Pepin product, and it is intensely sweet smelling as well. The pre light draw is very, very loose and has some light wood notes.
The cigar opens with a profile that is not anything like a Pepin product that I have ever experienced. The core profile is sweet, intensely so, with a perfume like remnant that clings to the palate like an aerosol spray sticks in your nostrils after it has been expelled. Aside from this Glade like presentation there are some odd cedar flavors as well, they are overwrought and sharp and really make the beginning moments horrible. The back of the palate is being fouled by the sweet forward presentations and I can't really divine anything noteworthy in this area. The draw is way too loose for me, but so far is going well in that there is no heat coming into the smoke. The burn is solid and the ash is forming nicely.
The first half of the cigar really stays way too sweet for me. The odd floral sweetness is now accompanied by some sort of hard candy sweetness and intensely sugary vanilla flavors as well. This development keeps the cigar languishing in my mind and I am really not enjoying this experience at all. The back of the palate is showing some nice notes of light wood and tobacco, but the lingering sweetness is continuing on and causing me issues in all facets of the experience. The draw is still too loose and perhaps more troubling is that I am feeling some heat coming into the draw at this point. The burn is still solid to this point.
The final half of the cigar really does nothing to redeem itself in my estimation. The core profile tempers down the sweetness and some heavy cedar flavors start to come into the fold, but the flavor is bitter and sharp and leaves a funky taste on the palate as it lingers maliciously. The back of the palate continues to reveal some light wood and tobacco flavors, but it is not enough to save the smoke, or even elevate it slightly. The draw stays loose throughout and heat becomes a factor in the final moments. The burn was solid all the way to the end.
The finish was short and full of sharp cedar notes.
As long as Pepin keeps churning out Blues, Blacks and Tats I will be ok, but they can keep their new offerings as far as I'm concerned.
Appearance- 82 sloppy cap and poor looking wrapper leads to a poor looking smoke
Taste- 80 it's just not here, there is not a single redeeming quality in the profile
Construction- 81 bad draw led to heat
Strength- 83 a medium smoke but it does nothing to complement the experience
Overall- 81.25 avoid this one please...
Wednesday, July 18, 2012
Viaje Late Harvest 2012 Robusto (5x50)
Certain members of the cigar community to which I belong have been raving about this cigar for some time now. They have been pressuring me to smoke one and do a review, because they believe that I will think it is the greatest thing since sliced bread. I cautioned them, as I always do, that me reviewing their favorite cigars often leads to hurt feelings, anger and the potential for me to be ambushed in the dark recesses of some cigar lounge, thrown in the trunk of some car and transported to a warehouse in El Salvador to be tortured by people that like that particular cigar until I relent and agree that I too liked the cigar. A bit too dramatic you think? I always say that one can never be too careful, I smoke with some distasteful looking characters (you know who you are)!
Anyway, this cigar is from the long and seemingly endless supply of cigars from Viaje. I have reviewed many of their other cigars before and I have not been as highly impressed as some. This cigar presents well. The wrapper is excellent looking, it is supple and deep brown in color. There are very few veins in the wrapper and I am sure that it will smoke nicely. The band work is intricate, but too busy for my taste and some of the script is hard to decipher. The flair on the cigar was saved for the whimsical pigtail cap that adorns the head of this vitola. I am not usually one for unnecessary affectations, but this one seems to make the cigar seem more appealing. The pre light aroma shows some muted spice notes and some nice tobacco notes. The pre light draw was sweet and left some dusty residues on the lips and tongue.
The cigar opens with a profile that could best be described as weird. The flavor here is something in the spice family, but it is tart and has an odd sweetness as well. I am immediately put off with this flavor and I am starting to plot exit strategies from my El Salvadorian warehouse. The back of the palate has some woody flavors, but the odd flavors from the front of the palate are giving me fits in this area as I try to divine something redeeming about the smoke. The draw is, sadly, right on the money. Someone over there really knows how to make a cigar as I can't recall having a Viaje that ever performed poorly. The burn is right in the swim lane as well and I can't see that I will have any issues with performance with this smoke.
The first half of the cigar stays way to one dimensional, and the dimension that we are in is very poor. The core profile continues to have some strange spice characteristics and I still can't put my finger on what this reminds me of. The back of the palate continues to show some wood notes, but there is a mineral like quality starting to show here as well. The lack of development here is really disappointing and it has me wondering about some of the people I smoke with, but to each his or her own goes that old saying. The draw is still spot on and I am saddened that such a solid performance is being wasted on a cigar that is not delivering the goods. The burn is still very solid.
The final half of the cigar stays in the same dimension as the rest. The profile shows no development, complexity or depth. The singular presentation of strange spice is doing nothing for me to this point at all. The back of the palate continues to show wood flavors, but the mineral impressions are coming on strong for me at this point and it really detracts from the experience. The draw stays very solid and I have been very impressed with the construction of this smoke from the word go. The burn catches a slight run in the last third, but I let it correct on it's own.
The finish was short and lingering sweet flavors that had some tartness lingered.
To say that I was disappointed here would be an understatement.
Appearance- 88 a nice looking smoke
Taste- 80 just too one dimensional and that dimension was poor
Construction- 91 a very solid performance here
Strength- 85 a medium that was hard to judge against a poor profile
Overall- 85.75 construction really saves this smoke, I would not buy it again
Anyway, this cigar is from the long and seemingly endless supply of cigars from Viaje. I have reviewed many of their other cigars before and I have not been as highly impressed as some. This cigar presents well. The wrapper is excellent looking, it is supple and deep brown in color. There are very few veins in the wrapper and I am sure that it will smoke nicely. The band work is intricate, but too busy for my taste and some of the script is hard to decipher. The flair on the cigar was saved for the whimsical pigtail cap that adorns the head of this vitola. I am not usually one for unnecessary affectations, but this one seems to make the cigar seem more appealing. The pre light aroma shows some muted spice notes and some nice tobacco notes. The pre light draw was sweet and left some dusty residues on the lips and tongue.
The cigar opens with a profile that could best be described as weird. The flavor here is something in the spice family, but it is tart and has an odd sweetness as well. I am immediately put off with this flavor and I am starting to plot exit strategies from my El Salvadorian warehouse. The back of the palate has some woody flavors, but the odd flavors from the front of the palate are giving me fits in this area as I try to divine something redeeming about the smoke. The draw is, sadly, right on the money. Someone over there really knows how to make a cigar as I can't recall having a Viaje that ever performed poorly. The burn is right in the swim lane as well and I can't see that I will have any issues with performance with this smoke.
The first half of the cigar stays way to one dimensional, and the dimension that we are in is very poor. The core profile continues to have some strange spice characteristics and I still can't put my finger on what this reminds me of. The back of the palate continues to show some wood notes, but there is a mineral like quality starting to show here as well. The lack of development here is really disappointing and it has me wondering about some of the people I smoke with, but to each his or her own goes that old saying. The draw is still spot on and I am saddened that such a solid performance is being wasted on a cigar that is not delivering the goods. The burn is still very solid.
The final half of the cigar stays in the same dimension as the rest. The profile shows no development, complexity or depth. The singular presentation of strange spice is doing nothing for me to this point at all. The back of the palate continues to show wood flavors, but the mineral impressions are coming on strong for me at this point and it really detracts from the experience. The draw stays very solid and I have been very impressed with the construction of this smoke from the word go. The burn catches a slight run in the last third, but I let it correct on it's own.
The finish was short and lingering sweet flavors that had some tartness lingered.
To say that I was disappointed here would be an understatement.
Appearance- 88 a nice looking smoke
Taste- 80 just too one dimensional and that dimension was poor
Construction- 91 a very solid performance here
Strength- 85 a medium that was hard to judge against a poor profile
Overall- 85.75 construction really saves this smoke, I would not buy it again
Monday, June 25, 2012
Esteban Carreras 10 Anos Maduro Robusto (5x50)
It has been two weeks since I last chimed in with a review, I've just been being kept down by the man. You gotta put together some sheckles in this life and lately I've had my earnin shoes on. Don't get me wrong, I have been smoking, I just haven't had time to smoke much new stuff recently as I like to devote real time to that pursuit. For this review I have chosen a cigar that has been around for a while, but one that I never really paid any attention to. I have reviewed some Esteban Carreras offerings before and they have all come out very average for me, but I had been told by many people that this blend was the flagship. My radio co-host also seems to really did this cigar, and I like to see if he has any taste at all.
The cigar is box pressed, this is a down check in my view. I have never understood this attribute and I'm pretty sure it serves no purpose. Things that serve no purpose have very little use in my mind, in fact I think box pressing can sometimes be detrimental to the smoke as it compacts any flaws in the construction of the smoke. The wrapper is nice looking, with some nice tooth and a rugged look, there are some prominent veins, but I don't pay them any mind. An inspection of the cigar leads me to believe that it is well made and I can't find any areas of concern. The pre light draw is a little bit tight, but it shows nice earth and rich tobacco flavors. The pre light aroma is spicy and seems dusty to me.
The cigar opens with a profile that is very heavy in the earth department and the first moments are almost muddy on the palate. There is some nice spice here though and I can see that there might be room for this to be really interesting. The back of the palate shows some middling coffee flavor that could use a little boost and some cedar flavors that are bordering on being sharp. The draw is a touch too tight, but I am getting enough smoke to not have any real concerns. The burn is solid and a nice white ash is forming nicely.
The first half of the cigar really disappoints me. I would love some balance and depth, but the main profile is still earthy with some spice. The flavors are not bad, but they show no development and certainly lack nuance and depth. At the back of the palate cedar flavors remain and they have softened some, which is a blessing in disguise. There are still some hints of coffee here, but the flavor is not giving me much more that a light tap on the palate at this point. I want much, much more out of a cigar at this point. The draw is opening up nicely at this point. The burn continues to be very solid.
The final half of the cigar improves, but it is not dramatic. The core profile shows some very nice spice and cinnamon flavors while the earthy tone softens and provides a platform for the other flavors to rest upon. The back of the palate becomes a nice mix of coffee flavors coupled with a spicy cedar tone that is very interesting. The draw becomes very fluid in the end and the resulting heat is a little bit troublesome. The burn is solid all the way through to the end.
The finish was average with earth and tobacco flavors that linger.
Appearance- 86 box pressing kills my visual
Taste- 87 a very average presentation
Construction- 86 some tightness early, then looseness late hurts the score
Strength- 85 an average medium
Overall- 86.25 slightly above average
The cigar is box pressed, this is a down check in my view. I have never understood this attribute and I'm pretty sure it serves no purpose. Things that serve no purpose have very little use in my mind, in fact I think box pressing can sometimes be detrimental to the smoke as it compacts any flaws in the construction of the smoke. The wrapper is nice looking, with some nice tooth and a rugged look, there are some prominent veins, but I don't pay them any mind. An inspection of the cigar leads me to believe that it is well made and I can't find any areas of concern. The pre light draw is a little bit tight, but it shows nice earth and rich tobacco flavors. The pre light aroma is spicy and seems dusty to me.
The cigar opens with a profile that is very heavy in the earth department and the first moments are almost muddy on the palate. There is some nice spice here though and I can see that there might be room for this to be really interesting. The back of the palate shows some middling coffee flavor that could use a little boost and some cedar flavors that are bordering on being sharp. The draw is a touch too tight, but I am getting enough smoke to not have any real concerns. The burn is solid and a nice white ash is forming nicely.
The first half of the cigar really disappoints me. I would love some balance and depth, but the main profile is still earthy with some spice. The flavors are not bad, but they show no development and certainly lack nuance and depth. At the back of the palate cedar flavors remain and they have softened some, which is a blessing in disguise. There are still some hints of coffee here, but the flavor is not giving me much more that a light tap on the palate at this point. I want much, much more out of a cigar at this point. The draw is opening up nicely at this point. The burn continues to be very solid.
The final half of the cigar improves, but it is not dramatic. The core profile shows some very nice spice and cinnamon flavors while the earthy tone softens and provides a platform for the other flavors to rest upon. The back of the palate becomes a nice mix of coffee flavors coupled with a spicy cedar tone that is very interesting. The draw becomes very fluid in the end and the resulting heat is a little bit troublesome. The burn is solid all the way through to the end.
The finish was average with earth and tobacco flavors that linger.
Appearance- 86 box pressing kills my visual
Taste- 87 a very average presentation
Construction- 86 some tightness early, then looseness late hurts the score
Strength- 85 an average medium
Overall- 86.25 slightly above average
Monday, May 21, 2012
Oliva Master Blends 3 Robusto (5x50)
Travelling for work has kept me from entertaining all of you with hard hitting reviews recently, I am just being kept down by the man it seems. Some of you may be surprised to see that I have chosen this particular cigar to review. I usually keep my reviews to new items and boutique trends, but if any of you listen to the radio show I co-host every Saturday (shameless plug coming), on 1280 AM in the Sarasota area or on wtmy.com, you know that my partner and I often talk about something called a cigar evolution. I have long held that most cigar smokers go through periods of refinement in their palate and often find themselves enjoying cigars they thought they never would, or enjoying a cigar that they had tried before but discarded as not for them. This process is what I call the cigar evolution and in nearly 24 years of cigar smoking I have had several personal evolutions of my own. I hold up the cigar being reviewed here as evidence of said evolution. I have smoked these before and I was not able to get my head around the super premium price for what I considered an average cigar. In recent years my palate has begun to appreciate more subtle flavors and less strength as I search for cigar nuance so I figured giving this cigar another try might be interesting.
The cigar presents very well, I have always thought these were some very attractive smokes. The wrapper just bathes the senses in a warm glow of finely tuned tobacco that looks dark and rich. There are some prominent veins here, but I don't feel as though they will be an issue. An inspection of the smoke does not show me any areas of concern and the construction looks and feels sturdy without being too tight. The band work is nice to look at as well, so I will give it a nod in the visual department. The pre light aroma is full of rich tobacco and coffee essence. The pre light draw has some subtle cocoa flavors and some light mint that I find very interesting.
The cigar opens with an opus of flavors that I do not recall experiencing in my prior Master Blends endeavors. The profile is awash with bold textures and flavors of tobacco, coffee, cocoa, dark wood and mint. I am stunned by this early profile extravaganza and I am wondering how I could have missed this when I smoked it before. At the back of the palate there is an earthiness that is heavy but not overwhelming, and while it lacks complexity, it can stand alone as the flavor in the backdrop and serves as a wonderful platform for the early flavors. The draw is a little tight for me, but I am drawing a decent amount of smoke so I am not overly concerned. The burn is solid and a crisp gray/white ash is forming nicely.
The first half of the cigar continues to be a paragon of my cigar evolution virtues. It is subtle, balanced, complex and flavorful and I am realizing that I could not have enjoyed this smoke two or three years ago because I was a dolt, an ignoramus if you will, about the intricacies of the cigar world. The core profile is booming right along while showing coffee and cocoa as the main actors in this cigar aria, but there is a fantastic rip of dark wood that keeps laying in some rustic qualities to a cigar that wants to show off so much refinement. At the back of the palate the earthy flavors remain, but there are some fantastic runs of pepper here as well that is knocking up the spice quotient into the full bodied range. The draw is still a bit too tight for me, but I am moving along with eager longing for the last half. The burn is still very solid and there is not a single issue.
The final half of the cigar actually sags a bit for me, but after the open and the first half it really had nowhere to go but down or it may have gotten a 99 or 100 from me. As it is, it is still a fabulous smoke that I enjoy right to the end. The core profile becomes a less subtle array of flavors as some strength is brought into the mix. There is a slight flavor of tannin here that could be mineral in nature, but there are still some excellent coffee flavors coming through. At the back of the palate there are still some nice earth tones and the dark wood is showing through here with some pepper remnant that I would have like more of. The draw stays just a hair tight to the end for me, but it will not lead to a huge downgrade from me. The burn is solid to the end.
The finish was full of pepper and dark wood for many minutes. This is a prime example of cigar evolution at its finest in my book.
Appearance- 93 a very nice looking cigar
Taste- 95 an excellent array of flavors, particularly in the first half
Construction- 92 some tightness in the draw leads to slight reductions
Strength- 97 a fabulous medium/full that complements the flavor profile in a profound way
Overall- 94 a near classic experience and a wonderful cigar
The cigar presents very well, I have always thought these were some very attractive smokes. The wrapper just bathes the senses in a warm glow of finely tuned tobacco that looks dark and rich. There are some prominent veins here, but I don't feel as though they will be an issue. An inspection of the smoke does not show me any areas of concern and the construction looks and feels sturdy without being too tight. The band work is nice to look at as well, so I will give it a nod in the visual department. The pre light aroma is full of rich tobacco and coffee essence. The pre light draw has some subtle cocoa flavors and some light mint that I find very interesting.
The cigar opens with an opus of flavors that I do not recall experiencing in my prior Master Blends endeavors. The profile is awash with bold textures and flavors of tobacco, coffee, cocoa, dark wood and mint. I am stunned by this early profile extravaganza and I am wondering how I could have missed this when I smoked it before. At the back of the palate there is an earthiness that is heavy but not overwhelming, and while it lacks complexity, it can stand alone as the flavor in the backdrop and serves as a wonderful platform for the early flavors. The draw is a little tight for me, but I am drawing a decent amount of smoke so I am not overly concerned. The burn is solid and a crisp gray/white ash is forming nicely.
The first half of the cigar continues to be a paragon of my cigar evolution virtues. It is subtle, balanced, complex and flavorful and I am realizing that I could not have enjoyed this smoke two or three years ago because I was a dolt, an ignoramus if you will, about the intricacies of the cigar world. The core profile is booming right along while showing coffee and cocoa as the main actors in this cigar aria, but there is a fantastic rip of dark wood that keeps laying in some rustic qualities to a cigar that wants to show off so much refinement. At the back of the palate the earthy flavors remain, but there are some fantastic runs of pepper here as well that is knocking up the spice quotient into the full bodied range. The draw is still a bit too tight for me, but I am moving along with eager longing for the last half. The burn is still very solid and there is not a single issue.
The final half of the cigar actually sags a bit for me, but after the open and the first half it really had nowhere to go but down or it may have gotten a 99 or 100 from me. As it is, it is still a fabulous smoke that I enjoy right to the end. The core profile becomes a less subtle array of flavors as some strength is brought into the mix. There is a slight flavor of tannin here that could be mineral in nature, but there are still some excellent coffee flavors coming through. At the back of the palate there are still some nice earth tones and the dark wood is showing through here with some pepper remnant that I would have like more of. The draw stays just a hair tight to the end for me, but it will not lead to a huge downgrade from me. The burn is solid to the end.
The finish was full of pepper and dark wood for many minutes. This is a prime example of cigar evolution at its finest in my book.
Appearance- 93 a very nice looking cigar
Taste- 95 an excellent array of flavors, particularly in the first half
Construction- 92 some tightness in the draw leads to slight reductions
Strength- 97 a fabulous medium/full that complements the flavor profile in a profound way
Overall- 94 a near classic experience and a wonderful cigar
Monday, April 23, 2012
Room 101 La Serie C Robusto (5x50)
It is no secret that I am not a fan of Camacho, or the prior Room 101 cigars. I'm not even sure these cigars are still made by Camacho, I really didn't care enough to check if I'm being frank. I had not smoked a Room 101 in god only knows how long, and I'm not sure what made me decide to smoke this one, other than it was in fact a cigar and it was in fact sitting in my humidor, I usually don't need to many more reasons than that.
The cigar itself is not visually entertaining. The wrapper is very pale in color, almost yellow and unhealthy looking really (if a cigar had a liver and it was failing it would be this color). There are some prominent veins here, but I don't detect any reasons why that would cause a problem. I will give a nod to some pretty cool bandwork though, so props for that. An inspection of the cigar leads me to believe that it might be a little too tight in the bunch, but that will be seen when flame hits leaf. The pre light aroma is light and dusty with some nice bready notes. The pre light draw is too tight, but shows some light pepper and soft tobacco flavors.
The cigar opens with a profile that is interesting, but not particularly complex or deep. The core profile shows some notes of light wood, bread and sweet floral tones but they are not particularly well developed at this point. At the back of the palate there are some cedar impressions, but there is a soft bitterness that I only hope stays soft or disappears all together as the smoke progresses. The draw is way too tight for me, and there is some struggle to get the right amount of smoke out of the experience in the opening moments. The burn is solid, but also slow due to the draw issues I'm sure.
The first half of the cigar is really a neurotic ride through some wild flavors at the front and back of the palate. The core profile is of light citrus fruit and bread however, there are also bitter and charred tobacco flavors here as well and it is throwing the cigar completely off balance. At the back of the palate a light white pepper presentation has taken over, but there are weird cedar notes here as well and they are sharp and off putting when considered against the rest of the smoke. The draw is still far too tight for the proper enjoyment quotient, but the burn is holding on despite a weak drawing performance.
The final half of the cigar does not further the cause for me in any way. The core profile has some charred tobacco and coffee notes and they are overwhelming anything else that might be there for the tasting. The back of the palate has become sharp and overtly peppery and I can't get hold of anything redeeming in the final third of the smoke. The draw was still too tight. The burn performed acceptably.
The finish was middling, but it did have a nice coffee tone to it.
Appearance- 86 I'll give the credit to the band here
Taste- 83 just really not all that good, I was disappointed
Construction- 78 the draw was very, very poor
Strength- 85 medium, but it did not complement the profile very well
Overall- 85.5 very, very ho hum
The cigar itself is not visually entertaining. The wrapper is very pale in color, almost yellow and unhealthy looking really (if a cigar had a liver and it was failing it would be this color). There are some prominent veins here, but I don't detect any reasons why that would cause a problem. I will give a nod to some pretty cool bandwork though, so props for that. An inspection of the cigar leads me to believe that it might be a little too tight in the bunch, but that will be seen when flame hits leaf. The pre light aroma is light and dusty with some nice bready notes. The pre light draw is too tight, but shows some light pepper and soft tobacco flavors.
The cigar opens with a profile that is interesting, but not particularly complex or deep. The core profile shows some notes of light wood, bread and sweet floral tones but they are not particularly well developed at this point. At the back of the palate there are some cedar impressions, but there is a soft bitterness that I only hope stays soft or disappears all together as the smoke progresses. The draw is way too tight for me, and there is some struggle to get the right amount of smoke out of the experience in the opening moments. The burn is solid, but also slow due to the draw issues I'm sure.
The first half of the cigar is really a neurotic ride through some wild flavors at the front and back of the palate. The core profile is of light citrus fruit and bread however, there are also bitter and charred tobacco flavors here as well and it is throwing the cigar completely off balance. At the back of the palate a light white pepper presentation has taken over, but there are weird cedar notes here as well and they are sharp and off putting when considered against the rest of the smoke. The draw is still far too tight for the proper enjoyment quotient, but the burn is holding on despite a weak drawing performance.
The final half of the cigar does not further the cause for me in any way. The core profile has some charred tobacco and coffee notes and they are overwhelming anything else that might be there for the tasting. The back of the palate has become sharp and overtly peppery and I can't get hold of anything redeeming in the final third of the smoke. The draw was still too tight. The burn performed acceptably.
The finish was middling, but it did have a nice coffee tone to it.
Appearance- 86 I'll give the credit to the band here
Taste- 83 just really not all that good, I was disappointed
Construction- 78 the draw was very, very poor
Strength- 85 medium, but it did not complement the profile very well
Overall- 85.5 very, very ho hum
Sunday, March 18, 2012
El Tiante Habano Oscuro Robusto (5x50)
This cigar is made by My Father for the legendary baseball player Luis Tiant. A year or so ago, maybe longer, I reviewed the first blend made for this man. At the time it was blended by someone else and the cigar, while good, was not great. In addition to be a famous and skilled athlete, Mr. Tiant obviously has some smarts as well, having My Father and the Pepin's make your cigars is indicative of great cigar intelligence. I mean, how could you go wrong with these guys making your stuff? I have been hearing about these for some time, but I had not seen them anywhere. Earlier this month some friends of mine went to the factory in Nicaragua, I had booked the trip as well, but due to work I had to back out. One of my good friends brought this back for me to sample, I was very pleased to see one.
The cigar presents well with a nice dark wrapper, this is a natural oscuro presentation which is refreshing most oscuros are so dark that they could not possibly be a natural shade and I always suspect some sort of treatment to the wrapper to achieve the color, this is not so here. The wrapper is oily and has very few veins, it also has the color of a nice, rich dark chocolate. The band work is elegant and not too flashy in providing an appealing commercial approach. The pre light aroma is of chocolate and pepper. The pre light draw shows some nice earthy flavors.
The cigar opens with a profile that I find to be somewhat pedestrian and lacking in depth and character. The core flavors are of earth and pepper, but they are not deep or compelling at this point. This is odd from a My Father creation and I am wondering what is going on here. At the back of the palate there is a light grassy note and bitter tone that has some burning foliage hints to it. The draw is nearly perfect, which is a shame because I feel like good construction is wasted by poor flavor. The burn is also very solid and I am not seeing any room for concern at this point.
The first half of the cigar show some welcome developments. The profile begins to transform into a more robust and complex array of flavors that are waking the palate up nicely. The core profile begins to show layers of dark chocolate and some sweet nutty flavors that are compelling and showing some nice depth. There are also some nice shots of black pepper coming through here and that makes me happy as it adds a layer of complexity to the experience. The draw is still right on the money, though it has loosened to a point that is bordering on being too loose. The burn is dead solid perfect well past the half way point.
The final half of the cigar really does not add much to the experience. The core profile levels off and does not present any new flavors to the mix. The core stays full of chocolate notes but the nutty flavors have gone away at this point subtracting from the depth of the profile. The pepper notes have likewise faded to a more wispy presentation that lacks oomph. The back of the palate is very earthy and has some light sweetness to it as well. The draw does get too loose in the final third and I slow it down to avoid heat, but then have to flirt with a re-light, which I manage to deftly avoid. The burn stays solid to the end.
The finish was peppery and a touch short for me taking on a bitter character as it lingered.
Appearance- 88 a nice looking smoke
Taste- 87 a nice profile, but way more was needed to make this a better experience
Construction- 89 a nice presentation here, but the draw got too loose late
Strength- 87 a very nice medium full
Overall- 87.75 a slightly above average experience
The cigar presents well with a nice dark wrapper, this is a natural oscuro presentation which is refreshing most oscuros are so dark that they could not possibly be a natural shade and I always suspect some sort of treatment to the wrapper to achieve the color, this is not so here. The wrapper is oily and has very few veins, it also has the color of a nice, rich dark chocolate. The band work is elegant and not too flashy in providing an appealing commercial approach. The pre light aroma is of chocolate and pepper. The pre light draw shows some nice earthy flavors.
The cigar opens with a profile that I find to be somewhat pedestrian and lacking in depth and character. The core flavors are of earth and pepper, but they are not deep or compelling at this point. This is odd from a My Father creation and I am wondering what is going on here. At the back of the palate there is a light grassy note and bitter tone that has some burning foliage hints to it. The draw is nearly perfect, which is a shame because I feel like good construction is wasted by poor flavor. The burn is also very solid and I am not seeing any room for concern at this point.
The first half of the cigar show some welcome developments. The profile begins to transform into a more robust and complex array of flavors that are waking the palate up nicely. The core profile begins to show layers of dark chocolate and some sweet nutty flavors that are compelling and showing some nice depth. There are also some nice shots of black pepper coming through here and that makes me happy as it adds a layer of complexity to the experience. The draw is still right on the money, though it has loosened to a point that is bordering on being too loose. The burn is dead solid perfect well past the half way point.
The final half of the cigar really does not add much to the experience. The core profile levels off and does not present any new flavors to the mix. The core stays full of chocolate notes but the nutty flavors have gone away at this point subtracting from the depth of the profile. The pepper notes have likewise faded to a more wispy presentation that lacks oomph. The back of the palate is very earthy and has some light sweetness to it as well. The draw does get too loose in the final third and I slow it down to avoid heat, but then have to flirt with a re-light, which I manage to deftly avoid. The burn stays solid to the end.
The finish was peppery and a touch short for me taking on a bitter character as it lingered.
Appearance- 88 a nice looking smoke
Taste- 87 a nice profile, but way more was needed to make this a better experience
Construction- 89 a nice presentation here, but the draw got too loose late
Strength- 87 a very nice medium full
Overall- 87.75 a slightly above average experience
Sunday, January 15, 2012
C and C Cigars Connecticut Robusto (5x50)
This morning was crisp, I am from Chicago originally and even I thought this morning was chilly, it was the kind of morning that makes you want to stay in bed and not get out until the sun comes up and the mercury gets past fifty. Alas, I had golf to play and, much like cigars, nothing gets in the way of my golf. I cracked open the humidor this morning on my way out the door and I selected this bad boy. My methodology for this selection? Simple, low expectations. Let's face it, I know this is no Ashton VSG or Opus X, hell it's not even a General or Altadis, but it is a cigar I can smoke on the course and not worry about wind ruining it or getting some dew on it and there is something to be said for that. I'm not sure what can be said, but something can be said.
The cigar is motley looking, there is some greenish tint to the wrapper that makes me think this is young and might be bitter (as per my experience with cigars exhibiting this attribute). The cap is sloppy and the wrapper has some wrinkles to it further confirming my choice that this cigar will be perfect for a golf round on a day when the weather will not be stellar. The construction, aside from the application of the wrapper, seems ok to me and I can't find any areas of concern. The pre light aroma is floral and wheaty. The pre light draw is sharp, but has some spice notes to it.
Somewhere around the fourth hole I was feeling pretty good, starting birdie-par-birdie, and I decided to light this sucker. The core profile immediately shows very nice signs of spice and cinnamon, but there is a sharpness here that is drying the palate as I smoke on. At the back of the palate there are some very crisp tobacco notes but there is an odd bitterness that is taking away from the experience. The draw is fine and delivers nice smoke without much effort. The burn is right on the money and I am impressed with the performance in the elements.
I promptly double bogeyed the fourth hole and considered blaming the cigar, but I marked it down as an aberration in my otherwise stellar game and I moved on. The first half of the cigar leads me to double bogey, bogey, bogey, bogey, bogey, bogey and a 41 for the front, not terrible but I consider that the cigar still may be at fault as it has not really warmed up. The profile gets sharp and shows some bitter qualities that are tough to navigate. I would say it is floral, but it also very dry and I don't like cigars that dry my throat as I smoke. At the back of the palate there are some sharp notes of cedar and more dryness. There really is no complexity or depth to this smoke, and the flavors are just too sharp. The construction continues to impress me as the draw and burn fire on all cylinders through the elements.
The final half of the cigar leads me to double bogey, double bogey, double bogey, par and eagle right as I am finishing it, almost like a reward for getting to the end of it. The profile stayed sharp, floral and dry through to the end and leaves me searching for water. At the back of the palate the sharp cedar flavors continue and some wisps of spice come into play slightly. The draw and burn continued to be strong all the way to the end of the smoke.
The finish was bogey, par, bogey, par for a 42 and an 83 for the day, I can only wonder what it would have been like with a different cigar, of course I kid. The finish on the cigar was short and had some very dry floral notes.
Appearance- 82 not very appealing at all
Taste- 80 it just never caught fire, so to speak, the flavors were sharp and dry throughout
Construction- 93 very high marks for fine performance in less than optimum conditions
Strength- 83 a mild smoke that did not complement that profile well
Overall- 85.25 saved by construction and nudging into slightly above average territory
The cigar is motley looking, there is some greenish tint to the wrapper that makes me think this is young and might be bitter (as per my experience with cigars exhibiting this attribute). The cap is sloppy and the wrapper has some wrinkles to it further confirming my choice that this cigar will be perfect for a golf round on a day when the weather will not be stellar. The construction, aside from the application of the wrapper, seems ok to me and I can't find any areas of concern. The pre light aroma is floral and wheaty. The pre light draw is sharp, but has some spice notes to it.
Somewhere around the fourth hole I was feeling pretty good, starting birdie-par-birdie, and I decided to light this sucker. The core profile immediately shows very nice signs of spice and cinnamon, but there is a sharpness here that is drying the palate as I smoke on. At the back of the palate there are some very crisp tobacco notes but there is an odd bitterness that is taking away from the experience. The draw is fine and delivers nice smoke without much effort. The burn is right on the money and I am impressed with the performance in the elements.
I promptly double bogeyed the fourth hole and considered blaming the cigar, but I marked it down as an aberration in my otherwise stellar game and I moved on. The first half of the cigar leads me to double bogey, bogey, bogey, bogey, bogey, bogey and a 41 for the front, not terrible but I consider that the cigar still may be at fault as it has not really warmed up. The profile gets sharp and shows some bitter qualities that are tough to navigate. I would say it is floral, but it also very dry and I don't like cigars that dry my throat as I smoke. At the back of the palate there are some sharp notes of cedar and more dryness. There really is no complexity or depth to this smoke, and the flavors are just too sharp. The construction continues to impress me as the draw and burn fire on all cylinders through the elements.
The final half of the cigar leads me to double bogey, double bogey, double bogey, par and eagle right as I am finishing it, almost like a reward for getting to the end of it. The profile stayed sharp, floral and dry through to the end and leaves me searching for water. At the back of the palate the sharp cedar flavors continue and some wisps of spice come into play slightly. The draw and burn continued to be strong all the way to the end of the smoke.
The finish was bogey, par, bogey, par for a 42 and an 83 for the day, I can only wonder what it would have been like with a different cigar, of course I kid. The finish on the cigar was short and had some very dry floral notes.
Appearance- 82 not very appealing at all
Taste- 80 it just never caught fire, so to speak, the flavors were sharp and dry throughout
Construction- 93 very high marks for fine performance in less than optimum conditions
Strength- 83 a mild smoke that did not complement that profile well
Overall- 85.25 saved by construction and nudging into slightly above average territory
Thursday, January 12, 2012
Copacabana Robusto (5x52)
This cigar fuels the debate for the eternal question, what's in a name? Well I think I can safely say in this case that the name leads to poor imagery. No matter the inspiration for this name, the visual is of Barry Manilow at a piano wearing a bad shirt and crooning a bad song. I'm not sure about all of you, but this is not an image I want when I am about to invest some of my valuable, and often fleeting, pleasure time. Couple that with the fact that it appears Casa Fernandez made this as some sort of value cigar and the pre light thoughts can quickly turn to sweat inducing, nightmarish, images of all things cigar poor.
The cigar is cheap by premium standards, less that six bucks, and it looks it. The band and box are third rate and the cigar has a cheap look to it. The wrapper is all right, but it seems too dry to me. An inspection reveals a cigar that actually seems to be well made. The pre light aroma is of cedar and more cedar with maybe a hint of orange peel. The pre light draw is dusty tasting, but it has some muted citrus flavor to it.
The cigar opens with a profile that is actually quite pleasant and the Manilow symphony that had been in my head fades into the background as this blessedly solid opening starts to warm my palate. The core profile has some very nice notes of cinnamon, orange and light wood. At the back of the palate there is a sweet, floral note that threatens to become too much, but for now is adding some pleasant balance to the presentation. The draw is a little tighter that I usually like, but I will deal with it for now. The burn is slow and sharp while producing a dirty gray ash.
The first half of the cigar wallows a bit after the opening moments. The profile thins and shows less depth as flavors start to run together in a bready and tart presentation of wheat flavors. I think that there are still some signs of citrus here, but they are fleeting and cloaked in the tart flavor I am getting in the profile. The back of the palate transitions into a more mundane presentation of wood that smells like burning wood that is too wet to burn. This smoldering quality is adding some bitterness to the smoke at this point, and it is not a welcome development in the smoke. The draw is opening up here, I kind of wish it was shutting down. The burn is still solid to this point and I can already tell there will not be any issues in that area.
The final half of the cigar continues to languish in cigar mediocrity. The profile is still bready and wheaty, but it is really lacking in depth and complexity at this point. There are still some tart flavors here that are now less citrus like and becoming more bitter. At the back of the palate there are some papery flavors that have crept into the profile and there is still some smoldering quality here that I am finding more and more off putting. The draw is acceptable by the end, and the burn stayed solid throughout.
The finish was touch bitter and smacked of paper and wet wood. This is the one offering from Fernandez that I really don't care for so far, I hope it is not an indication of things to come.
Appearance- 82 cheap looking
Taste- 81 cheap tasting
Construction- 88 some early draw tightness takes this down
Strength- 85 a very average medium
Overall- 84.25 very sub par
The cigar is cheap by premium standards, less that six bucks, and it looks it. The band and box are third rate and the cigar has a cheap look to it. The wrapper is all right, but it seems too dry to me. An inspection reveals a cigar that actually seems to be well made. The pre light aroma is of cedar and more cedar with maybe a hint of orange peel. The pre light draw is dusty tasting, but it has some muted citrus flavor to it.
The cigar opens with a profile that is actually quite pleasant and the Manilow symphony that had been in my head fades into the background as this blessedly solid opening starts to warm my palate. The core profile has some very nice notes of cinnamon, orange and light wood. At the back of the palate there is a sweet, floral note that threatens to become too much, but for now is adding some pleasant balance to the presentation. The draw is a little tighter that I usually like, but I will deal with it for now. The burn is slow and sharp while producing a dirty gray ash.
The first half of the cigar wallows a bit after the opening moments. The profile thins and shows less depth as flavors start to run together in a bready and tart presentation of wheat flavors. I think that there are still some signs of citrus here, but they are fleeting and cloaked in the tart flavor I am getting in the profile. The back of the palate transitions into a more mundane presentation of wood that smells like burning wood that is too wet to burn. This smoldering quality is adding some bitterness to the smoke at this point, and it is not a welcome development in the smoke. The draw is opening up here, I kind of wish it was shutting down. The burn is still solid to this point and I can already tell there will not be any issues in that area.
The final half of the cigar continues to languish in cigar mediocrity. The profile is still bready and wheaty, but it is really lacking in depth and complexity at this point. There are still some tart flavors here that are now less citrus like and becoming more bitter. At the back of the palate there are some papery flavors that have crept into the profile and there is still some smoldering quality here that I am finding more and more off putting. The draw is acceptable by the end, and the burn stayed solid throughout.
The finish was touch bitter and smacked of paper and wet wood. This is the one offering from Fernandez that I really don't care for so far, I hope it is not an indication of things to come.
Appearance- 82 cheap looking
Taste- 81 cheap tasting
Construction- 88 some early draw tightness takes this down
Strength- 85 a very average medium
Overall- 84.25 very sub par
Saturday, December 24, 2011
Alec Bradley Black Market Robusto (5.25x52)
There is something clandestine in the imagery of a cigar with a moniker that has the words "black market" attached to it. I think about buying something forbidden, something difficult to find in this country, something of such value and taboo that people will guffaw in shock when it is presented. Oddly, I found this cigar just sitting out in the open for all to see, and purchase, as if no one cared or knew that it was supposed to be verboten. I stole some uneasy glances as I looked it over, no one seemed to be paying any attention. I perused some other areas of the store to see if I had attracted any attention while perusing the forbidden area, no one was watching. I watched with anticipation as a suited man entered the store, he had dark shades and a dark suit, he smelled like a fed. Turns out he had just come from some work Christmas party. Still tentative I made some other selections and hid the object of the investigation from view. The cashier of course saw it and said loudly, " Ahh the Black Market!". I shrunk back out of the light sure that my foray was over, no shackles, no awkward questions, just pay and leave. This journey had only just begun and I was exhausted.
The cigar presents with a paper wrapper, further establishing an image of something not to be seen in daylight. I decloak it and take it in. The wrapper is nice, it has some prominent veins, but it has a nice dark brown sheen to it. The construction seems a little too tight to me, but I can't find any areas that are too firm or that cause me any concern. The pre light aroma is full of tea notes. The pre light draw is thin and I am concerned about it being too tight, but it has a nice flavor of dark wood and perhaps some raisin.
The cigar opens with a profile that is all tea. Not a sweet or aromatic tea, but a dark and nearly bitter tea flavor. It is one dimensional and the flavor is not particularly deep, I am struggling to find something else here. At the back of the palate there are some hints of dark wood and some tobacco flavors, but the overall impression is rather thin. The draw is too tight at this point and there is some labor involved in getting a nice amount of smoke. The burn is solid at this point and I don't see any reason why it won't stay this way.
The first half of the cigar shows some regression. The profile is muddled, there are bitter tea flavors and some odd salty meat notes. This is not a pleasing combination and the saltiness is very off putting for some reason, I have experienced briny cigars before and they have never rocked my world, but I never found them repugnant as I do here. At the back of the palate there are still some wood notes, but they are becoming more sharp and cedar like as the cigar progresses further. This would not necessarily be a bad thing if it complemented the front of the profile, but it does not. The draw is opening up as I go along which is nice. The burn is still solid at this point.
The final half of the cigar is not much better than the rest of it. The main profile continues to show a bitter tea flavor, the salty flavors have moved on which is nice, but the profile is still lagging. At the back of the palate some pepper notes are coming through which is a nice switch, but the wood notes are fading and that takes away some much needed depth. The draw is fine by the end of the smoke and the burn stays solid throughout.
In the end the only thing that should be forbidden is smoking this cigar. The finish was short and filled with bitter tea flavors.
Appearance- 87 a nice looking smoke
Taste- 81 just very thin and one dimensional
Construction- 83 early draw issues take away some points here
Strength- 85 a very middling medium
Overall- 83.25 a sub par effort
The cigar presents with a paper wrapper, further establishing an image of something not to be seen in daylight. I decloak it and take it in. The wrapper is nice, it has some prominent veins, but it has a nice dark brown sheen to it. The construction seems a little too tight to me, but I can't find any areas that are too firm or that cause me any concern. The pre light aroma is full of tea notes. The pre light draw is thin and I am concerned about it being too tight, but it has a nice flavor of dark wood and perhaps some raisin.
The cigar opens with a profile that is all tea. Not a sweet or aromatic tea, but a dark and nearly bitter tea flavor. It is one dimensional and the flavor is not particularly deep, I am struggling to find something else here. At the back of the palate there are some hints of dark wood and some tobacco flavors, but the overall impression is rather thin. The draw is too tight at this point and there is some labor involved in getting a nice amount of smoke. The burn is solid at this point and I don't see any reason why it won't stay this way.
The first half of the cigar shows some regression. The profile is muddled, there are bitter tea flavors and some odd salty meat notes. This is not a pleasing combination and the saltiness is very off putting for some reason, I have experienced briny cigars before and they have never rocked my world, but I never found them repugnant as I do here. At the back of the palate there are still some wood notes, but they are becoming more sharp and cedar like as the cigar progresses further. This would not necessarily be a bad thing if it complemented the front of the profile, but it does not. The draw is opening up as I go along which is nice. The burn is still solid at this point.
The final half of the cigar is not much better than the rest of it. The main profile continues to show a bitter tea flavor, the salty flavors have moved on which is nice, but the profile is still lagging. At the back of the palate some pepper notes are coming through which is a nice switch, but the wood notes are fading and that takes away some much needed depth. The draw is fine by the end of the smoke and the burn stays solid throughout.
In the end the only thing that should be forbidden is smoking this cigar. The finish was short and filled with bitter tea flavors.
Appearance- 87 a nice looking smoke
Taste- 81 just very thin and one dimensional
Construction- 83 early draw issues take away some points here
Strength- 85 a very middling medium
Overall- 83.25 a sub par effort
Wednesday, December 14, 2011
Avo Heritage Robusto (4.875x50)
Aside from some of the Avo LE's that have been around in prior years, I have never been a real fan of this line of smokes. They have always just seemed too overpriced and too underdeveloped for me to think of any of them as more than average. As is usually the case with cigar lines that I have no positive feelings for someone recommended this cigar to me and I reluctantly agreed to give it whirl, after all it only takes an hour or so to smoke a robusto, I had an hour and being a glutton for cigar punishment I settled in with low expectations.
The cigar itself is typical of most Avo's I have seen. It is beautiful. Well constructed, flawless wrapper, distinct color, nice firm structure and I wish all cigars were made this way. I have always found the visuals of Avo to be nothing short of stunning. Even the band work has a simple elegance. The pre light aroma is all oak and spice. The pre light draw is all oak as well.
The cigar opens with a profile that is obvious, you guessed it, wood! With all the oaken essence in the inspection I would expect nothing more. This is one of the woodiest profiles I have ever experienced, I am getting the suspicion that if other were around they would be calling for the helo drop of water because it would smell like a forest fire with all the burning wood essence I am getting. The flavor is pleasing, but one dimensional, and I would like some more complexity and depth here. At the back of the palate there is a touch of toasty tobacco flavor, but it is mostly of wood as well. The draw is solid, delivering nice amounts of smoke with each draw. I prefer it to be a but tighter, but that's just my subjective view. The burn is solid also, exactly what I would expect from a cigar that is well made as this one does.
The first half of the cigar continues to show strong flavors of wood. There are some fleeting toasty tobacco flavors and a touch of spice, but the wood is still center stage here. At the back of the palate there are some light hints of earth and touches of cinnamon, but wood maintains it's leading role here as well. There is some additional complexity and depth, but the balance is still way off, there is just too much wood in this smoke at this point for me. The draw is opening some more and it becomes borderline for me as it gets looser. The burn is still very solid, but the ash is flaky.
The final half of the smoke continues to show mostly wood flavors, they have become more robust and a bit spicy, but it is still wood. The additional robustness of the woody flavors masks some other flavors that may be going on and I find that disappointing. At the back of the palate there is some light tobacco flavor and some more light cinnamon, but the woody flavor continues here as well. I am just wanting more from this smoke throughout. The draw stays acceptable, but it is too loose for me by the end. The burn was excellent throughout.
The finish was long and woody, almost hickory like.
This is one of the better Avo offerings I have smoked, and I could see doing it again if I wanted this particular flavor profile.
Appearance- 93 really enjoyable to look at
Taste- 85 very average for me and lacking in depth and complexity, but the wood flavor is a nice change of pace
Construction- 89 draw was too loose by the end, the burn was fine
Strength- 87 a nice medium, more strength may have helped the cause
Overall- 88 A solid score for cigar that did not offer much but one solid one dimensional flavor
The cigar itself is typical of most Avo's I have seen. It is beautiful. Well constructed, flawless wrapper, distinct color, nice firm structure and I wish all cigars were made this way. I have always found the visuals of Avo to be nothing short of stunning. Even the band work has a simple elegance. The pre light aroma is all oak and spice. The pre light draw is all oak as well.
The cigar opens with a profile that is obvious, you guessed it, wood! With all the oaken essence in the inspection I would expect nothing more. This is one of the woodiest profiles I have ever experienced, I am getting the suspicion that if other were around they would be calling for the helo drop of water because it would smell like a forest fire with all the burning wood essence I am getting. The flavor is pleasing, but one dimensional, and I would like some more complexity and depth here. At the back of the palate there is a touch of toasty tobacco flavor, but it is mostly of wood as well. The draw is solid, delivering nice amounts of smoke with each draw. I prefer it to be a but tighter, but that's just my subjective view. The burn is solid also, exactly what I would expect from a cigar that is well made as this one does.
The first half of the cigar continues to show strong flavors of wood. There are some fleeting toasty tobacco flavors and a touch of spice, but the wood is still center stage here. At the back of the palate there are some light hints of earth and touches of cinnamon, but wood maintains it's leading role here as well. There is some additional complexity and depth, but the balance is still way off, there is just too much wood in this smoke at this point for me. The draw is opening some more and it becomes borderline for me as it gets looser. The burn is still very solid, but the ash is flaky.
The final half of the smoke continues to show mostly wood flavors, they have become more robust and a bit spicy, but it is still wood. The additional robustness of the woody flavors masks some other flavors that may be going on and I find that disappointing. At the back of the palate there is some light tobacco flavor and some more light cinnamon, but the woody flavor continues here as well. I am just wanting more from this smoke throughout. The draw stays acceptable, but it is too loose for me by the end. The burn was excellent throughout.
The finish was long and woody, almost hickory like.
This is one of the better Avo offerings I have smoked, and I could see doing it again if I wanted this particular flavor profile.
Appearance- 93 really enjoyable to look at
Taste- 85 very average for me and lacking in depth and complexity, but the wood flavor is a nice change of pace
Construction- 89 draw was too loose by the end, the burn was fine
Strength- 87 a nice medium, more strength may have helped the cause
Overall- 88 A solid score for cigar that did not offer much but one solid one dimensional flavor
Saturday, December 10, 2011
C and C Cigars Maduro Robusto (5x50)
I recently attended the one year anniversary of one of my favorite B&M's, and it was a splendid affair, nice people and a little food always makes for a great evening. Then I realized that the cigars being offered were from C and C and my trepidation meter went into overdrive. For those of you that don't know, these cigars are made by the guys of Cusano fame, my near seething dislike for Cusano cigars is well known to many. So in this instance I was certain that my evening would be ruined if I smoked one of these cigars, so much so that I did not smoke one at the event and instead waited until I had some time to smoke what I was sure would be an inferior product. I mean, I would rather have my pupils bored out with an old fashioned hand drill than have to smoke some of the Cusano offerings of yore. How much better could this new offering be? Well, let's take a look shall we?
The cigar is a nightmare to look at. The band work is simplistic and cheap and the cigar looks like it was rolled during a torrential rain and allowed to dry much like a raisin, the wrapper is wrinkly and mottled. An inspection of the cigar leads me to believe that it may be well made though, as I can find no areas of concern in the bunch. The pre light aroma is a trifle grassy, but there is a nice cocoa spray here as well. The pre light draw is a touch thin, but it has some floral and grassy essence that is interesting.
The cigar opens with a profile that has me rocked to my core, I don't hate it, as a matter of fact I am quite enjoying it. There are some very nice flavors of wood, tobacco and coffee in the opening notes and I am impressed with the depth and complexity in the opening moments of the cigar. This is not a Cusano, this is a C and C, and I am being spanked for my skepticism. At the back of the palate there is a grassy quality that has just enough floral earth to not be off putting. The draw is a little bit too thin for me, I prefer an effort that allows some more smoke. The burn is a bit wonky, but I don't think it will be a problem.
The first half of the cigar wanes some. The profile becomes a more mundane presentation of wood with some light brushes of pepper, but the character of the smoke is lacking and I would like some further development. At the back of the palate there are still some floral wisps, but the grassy flavors are taking over and reminding me more and more of an old Cusano, maybe I was right to begin with. The draw is still thin, but getting better as the cigar progresses. The burn has evened out nicely here.
The final half of the cigar oscillates between mediocre and good. The main profile becomes more peppery, but still maintains some nice wood flavors and perhaps some hints of coffee, but it could definitely be more complex and balanced here. At the back of the palate the grassy flavors give way to some more earthy character, but there is a bitter note here that has me bothered. The draw finally hits it's stride in the final third. The burn stays pretty solid to the end.
The finish is middling, but has some earthy tones that linger nicely.
This is not a Cusano and my early judgements were hasty, but this is by no means a home run either. I would classify this as a solid knock around cigar with little potential for much beyond an average experience.
Appearance- 81 dreadful, if you bought based on looks you would keep looking
Taste- 87 slightly above average here, but more depth and balance were needed
Construction- 86 some draw issues in the early stages preclude a higher score
Strength- 85 a very average medium
Overall- 85.75 slightly above average which is exactly what this was
The cigar is a nightmare to look at. The band work is simplistic and cheap and the cigar looks like it was rolled during a torrential rain and allowed to dry much like a raisin, the wrapper is wrinkly and mottled. An inspection of the cigar leads me to believe that it may be well made though, as I can find no areas of concern in the bunch. The pre light aroma is a trifle grassy, but there is a nice cocoa spray here as well. The pre light draw is a touch thin, but it has some floral and grassy essence that is interesting.
The cigar opens with a profile that has me rocked to my core, I don't hate it, as a matter of fact I am quite enjoying it. There are some very nice flavors of wood, tobacco and coffee in the opening notes and I am impressed with the depth and complexity in the opening moments of the cigar. This is not a Cusano, this is a C and C, and I am being spanked for my skepticism. At the back of the palate there is a grassy quality that has just enough floral earth to not be off putting. The draw is a little bit too thin for me, I prefer an effort that allows some more smoke. The burn is a bit wonky, but I don't think it will be a problem.
The first half of the cigar wanes some. The profile becomes a more mundane presentation of wood with some light brushes of pepper, but the character of the smoke is lacking and I would like some further development. At the back of the palate there are still some floral wisps, but the grassy flavors are taking over and reminding me more and more of an old Cusano, maybe I was right to begin with. The draw is still thin, but getting better as the cigar progresses. The burn has evened out nicely here.
The final half of the cigar oscillates between mediocre and good. The main profile becomes more peppery, but still maintains some nice wood flavors and perhaps some hints of coffee, but it could definitely be more complex and balanced here. At the back of the palate the grassy flavors give way to some more earthy character, but there is a bitter note here that has me bothered. The draw finally hits it's stride in the final third. The burn stays pretty solid to the end.
The finish is middling, but has some earthy tones that linger nicely.
This is not a Cusano and my early judgements were hasty, but this is by no means a home run either. I would classify this as a solid knock around cigar with little potential for much beyond an average experience.
Appearance- 81 dreadful, if you bought based on looks you would keep looking
Taste- 87 slightly above average here, but more depth and balance were needed
Construction- 86 some draw issues in the early stages preclude a higher score
Strength- 85 a very average medium
Overall- 85.75 slightly above average which is exactly what this was
Monday, November 28, 2011
My Uzi Weighs a Ton Robusto (5x60)
I have succumbed and decided to smoke this cigar, even though it stands for everything that I, as a cigar elitist, stand against. It stands for a gimmicky approach to cigars, I loathe that trend in the industry. It stands for a line of cigars made entirely in one gigantic ring gauge, I despise the big ring trend in the industry. It stands for a crazy and long name rooted in silliness, I hate this trend in the industry (of course the main culprit is Drew Estates).
Having said all of the above I will soldier on and give this cigar it's just due, as I do with every cigar that I review. After all, I have heard good things so it can't be all that bad right?....Right?....Right????
The cigar itself is a huge and log like stub of tobacco, I am thinking Fred Flintstone's thumb as I look it over. The wrapper is rough and dry, showing some prominent veins, but it shows a rustic class that I find interesting. The cap is sloppy and I expect more from a cigar in the 8-10 dollar range. I roll the cigar through my fingers and I feel there are some gaps in the bunch, I am certain there will be combustion problems. The pre light aroma is nothing but tobacco and heavy earth. The pre light draw is of strong tobacco and nicotine that leaves the lips tingling slightly.
The cigar opens with a profile that is one dimensional at best. The flavor is tobacco, tobacco and more tobacco. No complexity, no depth and no developments in the opening moments. I demand more from my cigars and I am just not getting it here. At the back of the palate there is a light earthiness that could be pleasant, but there are some charred wood notes that are taking away from the experience. The draw is extremely loose and I am even more concerned about future combustion prospects than I was before. The burn is a bit off, but it is not requiring any attention at this point.
The first half of the cigar really does not develop much. The core profile shows tobacco and earth flavors that are nice, but not particularly deep or complex. The back of the palate is still being torched by scorched flavors of wood and maybe spice, but it is difficult to discern at this point because it is so charry. It is really just too one dimensional at this point and I find myself wanting so much more, or maybe wanting so much less of what is being offered. The draw is still too loose and there is heat coming into the smoke at this point. The burn is way off and there is a canoe forming. Out of principle I will not touch up a cigar unless it is going to go out, and this one may before it is all done.
The final half of the cigar picks up some steam, and just in the nick of time as I was considering early disposal. The core profile picks up some flavors of coffee and still shows some tobacco and earth flavors, but the charred notes from the secondary profile are an affront to the core. At the back of the palate there are still too many blasts of charred wood that are obscuring some of the nuance that I think could be present here. The draw is now just far too loose and it is way too hot at this point, several purges allow me to smoke to the end, but it was some work. The burn is a disaster and I do have to re-light with about a third of the cigar left to smoke.
The finish was harsh and charred wood was the main flavor. For $8.50 and little ROI I would like to rename this cigar My Uzi Costs a Ton.
Appearance- 89 a nice rustic package
Taste- 82 just too many charred notes here to be any better
Construction- 80 very poor, bad draw and bad burn equal bad experience
Strength- 84 a mundane medium
Overall- 82.75 way below average, I may try another one to see if better construction helps
Having said all of the above I will soldier on and give this cigar it's just due, as I do with every cigar that I review. After all, I have heard good things so it can't be all that bad right?....Right?....Right????
The cigar itself is a huge and log like stub of tobacco, I am thinking Fred Flintstone's thumb as I look it over. The wrapper is rough and dry, showing some prominent veins, but it shows a rustic class that I find interesting. The cap is sloppy and I expect more from a cigar in the 8-10 dollar range. I roll the cigar through my fingers and I feel there are some gaps in the bunch, I am certain there will be combustion problems. The pre light aroma is nothing but tobacco and heavy earth. The pre light draw is of strong tobacco and nicotine that leaves the lips tingling slightly.
The cigar opens with a profile that is one dimensional at best. The flavor is tobacco, tobacco and more tobacco. No complexity, no depth and no developments in the opening moments. I demand more from my cigars and I am just not getting it here. At the back of the palate there is a light earthiness that could be pleasant, but there are some charred wood notes that are taking away from the experience. The draw is extremely loose and I am even more concerned about future combustion prospects than I was before. The burn is a bit off, but it is not requiring any attention at this point.
The first half of the cigar really does not develop much. The core profile shows tobacco and earth flavors that are nice, but not particularly deep or complex. The back of the palate is still being torched by scorched flavors of wood and maybe spice, but it is difficult to discern at this point because it is so charry. It is really just too one dimensional at this point and I find myself wanting so much more, or maybe wanting so much less of what is being offered. The draw is still too loose and there is heat coming into the smoke at this point. The burn is way off and there is a canoe forming. Out of principle I will not touch up a cigar unless it is going to go out, and this one may before it is all done.
The final half of the cigar picks up some steam, and just in the nick of time as I was considering early disposal. The core profile picks up some flavors of coffee and still shows some tobacco and earth flavors, but the charred notes from the secondary profile are an affront to the core. At the back of the palate there are still too many blasts of charred wood that are obscuring some of the nuance that I think could be present here. The draw is now just far too loose and it is way too hot at this point, several purges allow me to smoke to the end, but it was some work. The burn is a disaster and I do have to re-light with about a third of the cigar left to smoke.
The finish was harsh and charred wood was the main flavor. For $8.50 and little ROI I would like to rename this cigar My Uzi Costs a Ton.
Appearance- 89 a nice rustic package
Taste- 82 just too many charred notes here to be any better
Construction- 80 very poor, bad draw and bad burn equal bad experience
Strength- 84 a mundane medium
Overall- 82.75 way below average, I may try another one to see if better construction helps
Sunday, November 6, 2011
Padilla Miami 8&11 Robusto (Re-release) (5x50)
The original Miami 8&11 cigar is the stuff of legend. I still have three boxes sitting in my humi gaining precious age as I decide where and when to ration them out to myself. The mythical Don Pepin made the original cigar for the little known Ernesto Padilla, when they were both unknown and the rest history. I do not hesitate to rank the original in my Top 10 cigars of all time and it currently resides in my Top 5 ever.
When I heard that Padilla was bringing this back, and that someone else was making it, I was incredulous. Why put an impostor into the mix? Particularly since it could not possibly match the original. Or could it? I ran into Ernesto Padilla some months ago and he and I have tweeted back and forth and he was making bold statements about this new version being as good or better than the original. Can you imagine the hubris? The gall? The gumption? The feck? I was appalled and upset, but like moths to the flame or lemmings to the cliff I knew I would buy some when they came out, and I most certainly did as soon as I put the hairy eyeball on some.
They present well, the band work is similar, but not mockingly so. It is a respectful homage to the cigar of legend, plus a foot band has been added to distinguish it from it's prior evolution. The wrapper is beautiful, plenty of tooth and few veins. The construction seems a bit tight to me, but I find no plugs or hollows. The pre light aroma smacks of cinnamon. The pre light draw has light wood and sweet cinnamon influences.
The cigar opens with a profile that is all graham cracker and caramel. These flavors are sweet, but not cloyingly so. The depth is excellent and the profile is unexpected while seeming like an old friend. At the back of the palate there are some fabulous notes of cedar and a crisp light tobacco flavor is also present. The mix here is splendid early on and I am warming to this smoke very quickly. The draw is too tight, but it not causing any combustion issues to this point. The burn is solid and a nice ash is forming as the cigar progresses.
The first half of the cigar intensifies in flavor. The caramel and graham cracker notes become more and more robust as the cigar moves along. I find these two flavors to be excellent together and I can't recall a smoke that provided such blasts of caramel so fully. At the back of the palate the sharp cedar notes continue, but instead of becoming dry and bitter (as is often the case when I detect cedar in a smoke) they are pleasantly refreshing as a counter balance to the sweet front of the profile. I am looking for more complexity here, but I am liking what I am getting to this point. The draw is still too tight for me, but it is still not causing any issues. The burn is still excellent.
The final half of the cigar shows some really interesting development. The core profile loses graham cracker and caramel notes and becomes a very solid presentation of cinnamon and light wood. At the back of the palate the presentation becomes all pepper. This is a very stark contrast to the beginning of the smoke, but instead of a schizophrenic result, the outcome is really excellent. The draw continues to be too tight throughout for me, but it performs all the way to the finish in a consistent, if irritating fashion. The burn was solid all the way to the end.
The finish was long and lingered with pepper and cedar notes for several minutes.
Appearance- 92 a very fun looking smoke and I like the homage to the original
Taste- 91 a very nice profile that could have used some more complexity
Construction- 88 some draw tightness causes a reduction
Strength- 94 a fabulous medium that complemented the profile well
Overall- 90.75 an excellent smoke, but it does not measure up to the status of the original
When I heard that Padilla was bringing this back, and that someone else was making it, I was incredulous. Why put an impostor into the mix? Particularly since it could not possibly match the original. Or could it? I ran into Ernesto Padilla some months ago and he and I have tweeted back and forth and he was making bold statements about this new version being as good or better than the original. Can you imagine the hubris? The gall? The gumption? The feck? I was appalled and upset, but like moths to the flame or lemmings to the cliff I knew I would buy some when they came out, and I most certainly did as soon as I put the hairy eyeball on some.
They present well, the band work is similar, but not mockingly so. It is a respectful homage to the cigar of legend, plus a foot band has been added to distinguish it from it's prior evolution. The wrapper is beautiful, plenty of tooth and few veins. The construction seems a bit tight to me, but I find no plugs or hollows. The pre light aroma smacks of cinnamon. The pre light draw has light wood and sweet cinnamon influences.
The cigar opens with a profile that is all graham cracker and caramel. These flavors are sweet, but not cloyingly so. The depth is excellent and the profile is unexpected while seeming like an old friend. At the back of the palate there are some fabulous notes of cedar and a crisp light tobacco flavor is also present. The mix here is splendid early on and I am warming to this smoke very quickly. The draw is too tight, but it not causing any combustion issues to this point. The burn is solid and a nice ash is forming as the cigar progresses.
The first half of the cigar intensifies in flavor. The caramel and graham cracker notes become more and more robust as the cigar moves along. I find these two flavors to be excellent together and I can't recall a smoke that provided such blasts of caramel so fully. At the back of the palate the sharp cedar notes continue, but instead of becoming dry and bitter (as is often the case when I detect cedar in a smoke) they are pleasantly refreshing as a counter balance to the sweet front of the profile. I am looking for more complexity here, but I am liking what I am getting to this point. The draw is still too tight for me, but it is still not causing any issues. The burn is still excellent.
The final half of the cigar shows some really interesting development. The core profile loses graham cracker and caramel notes and becomes a very solid presentation of cinnamon and light wood. At the back of the palate the presentation becomes all pepper. This is a very stark contrast to the beginning of the smoke, but instead of a schizophrenic result, the outcome is really excellent. The draw continues to be too tight throughout for me, but it performs all the way to the finish in a consistent, if irritating fashion. The burn was solid all the way to the end.
The finish was long and lingered with pepper and cedar notes for several minutes.
Appearance- 92 a very fun looking smoke and I like the homage to the original
Taste- 91 a very nice profile that could have used some more complexity
Construction- 88 some draw tightness causes a reduction
Strength- 94 a fabulous medium that complemented the profile well
Overall- 90.75 an excellent smoke, but it does not measure up to the status of the original
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