Nat Sherman cigars have been around for years, I have seen them since I started smoking way back in 1988/89. In the twenty four years I have been smoking I can't recall ever having smoked one. As I recollect I can't recall that I have ever seen one smoked by anyone that I know. As I plunge further into the depths of my twisted and dark closet of a mind I can't think of a single time anyone has ever told me that they have smoked one. In further pursuit of knowledge long past, I remember that I can't remember a single person ever saying anything about a Nat Sherman cigar to me, other than that they had seen them too. Sure I have friends that have been to the iconic lounge and store in NYC, hell I've been there myself on a couple of occasions, but even those people did not relay any stories to me about a Nat Sherman cigar. I thought about this as I prepared to smoke this cigar and I wondered if this lack of anything was positive or negative, I mean it could go either way right?
This cigar is quite a log, short and stumpy with a darker brown wrapper that looks like bark with all the bumps and rills that a tree would have to offer. The band work is somewhat mundane, and I am surprised by this, because my memories of Nat Sherman offerings in publications I have perused always had colorful band work, nearly pastel in some cases. That aside, the cigar itself seems to be well made, but it is hard to tell through the significant bulk of this stump. The pre light draw shows some very thin spice flavors and a shockingly horrific and vile essence of rotting vegetation and other organic material, I nearly take a moment for a quick spew. Gathering my wits I take in the pre light aroma and quickly wish I had not, it is also shocking and has hints of putrid water and some ammonia.
To say that my mouth was not watering at this point would be an understatement. The cigar opens with a profile that is heavily vegetal and metallic, this is really terrible. I seldom think of chucking a cigar so soon, but it is crossing my mind. Could it be that I have never heard anything about these cigars because they all this bad? I hope to hell not, they have been business for a long time. The back of the palate is bile churning mix of wet earth and paper. This profile is an absolute train wreck early on and I can't help but think it has nowhere to go but up. The draw is actually a little too tight for me and I am thankful, or else I may have already blown chunks. The burn is solid, but it seems slow to me, maybe this is where the timeless moniker comes from. I sincerely hope not, because I may be dead from exposure to whatever in this rocket by the time it burns down.
The first half of the smoke improves, in that I don't think it will kill me anymore, but that's really all I can say. It dawns on me, without checking the lineage, that this cigar must have some heavy Honduran seed tobacco in it, I often have violent reactions to cigars with too much Honduran influence. The profile has become a more bland presentation of paper and vegetation, with maybe some simple wood impressions. The back of the palate becomes less damp tasting but still smacks of earth and paper. The draw is still, blessedly, tight for me. The burn trucks on, albeit slowly, nicely.
The final half of the smoke does nothing for me either. The core profile is still bland with some creamy vanilla notes very late in the smoke. There is nothing redeeming about this cigar, except that it is almost over. The back of the palate still shows very simple wood, paper and wet earth impressions. The draw stays too firm all the way until the end. The burn was solid, but slow, throughout.
This is the worst cigar I have smoked in some time. I think I see now why nobody has ever said anything to me about this line of smokes. Either they knew I would laugh at them for their lack of cigar knowledge, or they thought I would punish them for their cigar insolence. Actually I would do neither of those things not knowing what a cigar was about. Now that I do, I would just discourage them from smoking this at all and give them something better, like a White Owl.
Appearance- 86 an ok looking smoke
Taste- 71 one of the absolute worst I have smoked in 24 years of smoking
Construction- 75 the draw was too tight and the burn was too slow, other than that it was gold
Strength- 80 a sloppy medium I guess, but there was nothing here to help anything in the smoke
Overall- 76.25 an abomination
Sunday, November 18, 2012
Wednesday, November 14, 2012
Rolando Reyes Limited Edition Grand Reserva Toro (6x53)
Every once in a while I come across something that I just can't find out much about. This cigar fits that bill, however, I am not easily deterred and I was able to find out some things about this smoke. They were blended 10 years ago, according to some Internet information and they were blended by Rolando Reyes himself. As an aside, Rolando Reyes died last year, it was the loss of a legend in the cigar world and all cigar smokers should research his contributions to the industry whenever they can. I found these cigars recently in a Tampa B&M and I grabbed a couple. It should be well known by now that I am always looking for something that I just can't find anywhere, the only problem I have is there really isn't anything I can't find anymore, or that I haven't heard of. This cigar is one of those rare exceptions.
The cigar presents well. It is large and bold looking with a fine looking wrapper that has some prominent veins, but also has a nice oily sheen. The band work is traditional for the Reyes family of smokes as it has the standard Puros Indios green color to it. There is also a fine portrait of the bygone legend himself on the band, almost as a nod to the smoker that he/she is about to embark on something special. The construction appears to be top notch, I can't find a single issue anywhere. The pre light aroma is of dried apricot. The pre light draw shows some nice light wood and dried fruit flavors.
The cigar opens with a profile that is surprisingly subtle, balanced and full of flavor. The core profile shows nice apricot and wood notes and there is a creamy vanilla essence here that is very interesting. The subtlety does not mean that the cigar does not have depth, the flavors run very deep in this cigar and the complexity of all these subtle flavors is quite something. At the back of the palate there is a very nice platform of light wood upon which the unique flavors can rest and show their full color. This opening is so out of the ordinary that I am sitting in reverence of all that it implies about what I know about my own palate, namely that I like bolder flavors as the norm, but in this case I am taken away by flavors that would never be described as bold. The draw is exceptional and the burn is very solid from the start.
The first half of the cigar actually declines slightly for me as it moves on. The core profile becomes too sweet for me. The dried fruit and vanilla flavors continue, but a sweet grassy note comes on here as well and I find it to be all just a little too sweet for me. The back of the palate and the nose continue to show some nice light wood flavors, but I would like something more bold here. Apparently what I know about my own palate is holding true in this area of the smoke. The draw continues to perform very well. The burn is very strong at this point.
The final half of the cigar picks up steam again.. The core profile morphs into a very nice array of dried fruit, but there are some bolder citrus flavor here that was not present in the early stages of the cigar. There is also some very nice light pepper coming into the mix here and it provides just enough punch to to make the cigar intriguing again. The back of the palate has transitioned into a more robust presentation of cedar flavors and there are some nice brushes of cinnamon here as well. The draw continues to be excellent right on until the end. The burn was very solid all the way as well.
The finish was a little bit sweet, but showed some nice citrus flavors with some cedar undertones.
Appearance- 90 a very nice looking cigar, extra points for the visage of a legend
Taste- 89 a very nice experience that lost some points in the first half of the cigar, at times the profile was just too sweet
Construction- 97 a very well made and fantastically performing cigar, the only points I removed were for some heat in the last third
Strength- 93 a fabulous mild/medium
Overall- 92.5 a wonderful experience and a cigar that should be smoked
The cigar presents well. It is large and bold looking with a fine looking wrapper that has some prominent veins, but also has a nice oily sheen. The band work is traditional for the Reyes family of smokes as it has the standard Puros Indios green color to it. There is also a fine portrait of the bygone legend himself on the band, almost as a nod to the smoker that he/she is about to embark on something special. The construction appears to be top notch, I can't find a single issue anywhere. The pre light aroma is of dried apricot. The pre light draw shows some nice light wood and dried fruit flavors.
The cigar opens with a profile that is surprisingly subtle, balanced and full of flavor. The core profile shows nice apricot and wood notes and there is a creamy vanilla essence here that is very interesting. The subtlety does not mean that the cigar does not have depth, the flavors run very deep in this cigar and the complexity of all these subtle flavors is quite something. At the back of the palate there is a very nice platform of light wood upon which the unique flavors can rest and show their full color. This opening is so out of the ordinary that I am sitting in reverence of all that it implies about what I know about my own palate, namely that I like bolder flavors as the norm, but in this case I am taken away by flavors that would never be described as bold. The draw is exceptional and the burn is very solid from the start.
The first half of the cigar actually declines slightly for me as it moves on. The core profile becomes too sweet for me. The dried fruit and vanilla flavors continue, but a sweet grassy note comes on here as well and I find it to be all just a little too sweet for me. The back of the palate and the nose continue to show some nice light wood flavors, but I would like something more bold here. Apparently what I know about my own palate is holding true in this area of the smoke. The draw continues to perform very well. The burn is very strong at this point.
The final half of the cigar picks up steam again.. The core profile morphs into a very nice array of dried fruit, but there are some bolder citrus flavor here that was not present in the early stages of the cigar. There is also some very nice light pepper coming into the mix here and it provides just enough punch to to make the cigar intriguing again. The back of the palate has transitioned into a more robust presentation of cedar flavors and there are some nice brushes of cinnamon here as well. The draw continues to be excellent right on until the end. The burn was very solid all the way as well.
The finish was a little bit sweet, but showed some nice citrus flavors with some cedar undertones.
Appearance- 90 a very nice looking cigar, extra points for the visage of a legend
Taste- 89 a very nice experience that lost some points in the first half of the cigar, at times the profile was just too sweet
Construction- 97 a very well made and fantastically performing cigar, the only points I removed were for some heat in the last third
Strength- 93 a fabulous mild/medium
Overall- 92.5 a wonderful experience and a cigar that should be smoked
Friday, November 9, 2012
Surrogates Tramp Stamp (5.25x48)
When you think about a Tramp Stamp all kinds of images flash through your mind. I think of a kinda trashy woman in some low rise jeans with the ubiquitous butterfly tattoo peeking out from above the lowered waist band. Remember ladies, low hanging jeans reveal low hanging fruit. I certainly don't think of a cigar, but now I guess I have to, because L'Atelier and Pete Johnson have struck with what is possibly the worst name for a cigar in recent memory. I mean Tramp Stamp? Come on! Why not White Trash? Crack Ho? The list could go on and on. The name Tramp Stamp certainly does not evoke pleasant thoughts about the smoking experience that is about to ensue. Nevertheless I truck on and try to forget the name.
The cigar presents nicely, with the exception of the band with the little butterfly on it (WTF!) as if it weren't bad enough you named it this way you have to brand it with a Tramp Stamp of it's own? The cigar itself is beautifully done. The wrapper is a rich, dark brown color with few veins and some nice tooth. The construction seems flawless to me, I can't find a single issue anywhere while I inspect it. The pre light aroma has some nice cocoa and rich coffee tones. The pre light draw is a touch thin, but shows some earthy notes with a nice roasted nut quality in the background.
The cigar opens with a profile that lacks power, but does show some nice flavors. The core profile contains some wonderful coffee and hard candy sweetness as the main components, but there is also an excellent earthy tone here that binds the experience together nicely. The back of the palate shows some nice brushes of pepper and wood, but these flavors are little bit too thin for me at this point as I prefer my cigar to have a little more power in this area. The draw is fantastic, very easy to manage and plenty of smoke. The burn is also very solid to this point.
The first half of the cigar develops into something that I did not expect. The core profile becomes a very nice array of flavors that include some nice lightly creamed coffee flavors with some excellent shots of white pepper that keep the palate guessing. There are also some nice hard candy notes that continue on throughout the first half granting some nice balance to the overall experience. The earthy flavors have moved to the back of the palate, and this is really where they belong as this attribute provides a nice platform for most profiles to rest upon. There is also a nice nutty quality through the nose that can't be without mention. The draw is still performing very well at this point and I am impressed with the performance so far. The burn is also very solid.
The final half of the cigar was a huge letdown for me, I thought we were really building into something when it all came crashing down around me. The core profile loses all of it's sweet components in the last half as more stringent mineral notes take over and the pepper becomes almost confrontational in this area of the smoke. I don't mind some in your face moments in a cigar, but this just doesn't work for me at all. The back of the palate still shows some earthy notes, but they are getting lost in some strong notes of charred tobacco that are not pleasant at all. The draw is still dead on for me, and the burn is solid all the way through.
The finish was short and charred.
Appearance- 88 a nice cigar to look at, if you ignore the band
Taste- 85 very average, good in the front part of the smoke and awful in the final part
Construction- 93 wonderfully done, cigars don't perform like this everyday
Strength- 80 medium early on, but as the maker goes for strength in the last half the strength jumps the rails and kills the profile
Overall- 87.25, saved by construction, not really a cigar I would smoke again
The cigar presents nicely, with the exception of the band with the little butterfly on it (WTF!) as if it weren't bad enough you named it this way you have to brand it with a Tramp Stamp of it's own? The cigar itself is beautifully done. The wrapper is a rich, dark brown color with few veins and some nice tooth. The construction seems flawless to me, I can't find a single issue anywhere while I inspect it. The pre light aroma has some nice cocoa and rich coffee tones. The pre light draw is a touch thin, but shows some earthy notes with a nice roasted nut quality in the background.
The cigar opens with a profile that lacks power, but does show some nice flavors. The core profile contains some wonderful coffee and hard candy sweetness as the main components, but there is also an excellent earthy tone here that binds the experience together nicely. The back of the palate shows some nice brushes of pepper and wood, but these flavors are little bit too thin for me at this point as I prefer my cigar to have a little more power in this area. The draw is fantastic, very easy to manage and plenty of smoke. The burn is also very solid to this point.
The first half of the cigar develops into something that I did not expect. The core profile becomes a very nice array of flavors that include some nice lightly creamed coffee flavors with some excellent shots of white pepper that keep the palate guessing. There are also some nice hard candy notes that continue on throughout the first half granting some nice balance to the overall experience. The earthy flavors have moved to the back of the palate, and this is really where they belong as this attribute provides a nice platform for most profiles to rest upon. There is also a nice nutty quality through the nose that can't be without mention. The draw is still performing very well at this point and I am impressed with the performance so far. The burn is also very solid.
The final half of the cigar was a huge letdown for me, I thought we were really building into something when it all came crashing down around me. The core profile loses all of it's sweet components in the last half as more stringent mineral notes take over and the pepper becomes almost confrontational in this area of the smoke. I don't mind some in your face moments in a cigar, but this just doesn't work for me at all. The back of the palate still shows some earthy notes, but they are getting lost in some strong notes of charred tobacco that are not pleasant at all. The draw is still dead on for me, and the burn is solid all the way through.
The finish was short and charred.
Appearance- 88 a nice cigar to look at, if you ignore the band
Taste- 85 very average, good in the front part of the smoke and awful in the final part
Construction- 93 wonderfully done, cigars don't perform like this everyday
Strength- 80 medium early on, but as the maker goes for strength in the last half the strength jumps the rails and kills the profile
Overall- 87.25, saved by construction, not really a cigar I would smoke again
Thursday, November 8, 2012
Viaje 5th Anniversary Perfecto (6.5x52)
Ohhh said everyone when I selected this smoke at a local B&M recently. I raised an eyebrow as if to say, "what's the BFD?" (if you don't know what BFD means you are probably too young to read this blog, or too old to understand curse word shorthand and it's time for your nap). Everyone saw my skepticism and then the conga line of accolades for this Viaje creation began. "Best anniversary cigar I've ever had!" extolled one nearby dog rocket connoisseur. "Fantastic, I wish I could buy them all the time!" shouted a frequent partaker of bundled seconds. You get the idea, the accolades were strong, but the palates of those shouting out may be somewhat in question. I may come off sounding like some snobby elitist here, and I really don't give a Punch Champion what I sound like at this point. When I am spending thirteen dollars on a cigar I want to make my own judgments. Alejandro Robaina could rise up from his grave and sing the praises and I would tell him to shut his yam hole and let me smoke in peace. (I will leave it up to you to judge the validity of this story, but if you know me you know it's probably all true with little embellishment)...
The cigar itself is nice looking, but it is really nothing to write home about. It is an awkward perfecto with strange dimensions and an oddly lopsided look to it. The wrapper is a nice light brown and could be a Connecticut if it were a few shades lighter. The band work is all white, and I struggle to make out what it says on it, if you didn't know you would mistake it for a 5 Vegas on sight alone (not a great attribute if you ask me, but if you ask some of those that were shouting at me the 5 Vegas might be a cigar of the year). The pre light aroma smacks of cedar and balsa wood with some hints of grass and summer clover. The pre light draw is dry and full of muted mint notes with some strange spice and sweetness.
The cigar opens with a profile that is one dimensional and dry. The smoke is so dry that I am scrambling to put the glands in order so they can produce some saliva, it is a real struggle. I am wondering if part of the blend is one of those do not eat desiccants that they put in clothes, after all they say do not eat not do not smoke. Dryness aside, the profile smacks of grass and cedar, there are some papery textures involved here as well and I believe that the papery essences create dryness. At the back of the palate there are some dry hints of leaves and some minty strangeness that don't help the overall impressions at all. The burn is on the money, which is nice when considering this oddly shaped perfecto, they usually don't burn well. The draw is ok, but it is a little bit tight for me.
The first half of the cigar has me continuing the line of questions about the people that were shouting from the rooftops earlier, but I am not letting my face betray my impending loathing (for the cigar, not the people). The core profile still has some cedar and balsa notes that could be pleasant, but they are offset by blasts of dry grass and paper that leave the palate screaming for moisture. The back of the palate continues to show some dry mint flavors. Thankfully the leafy flavors have left at this point and a dusty sweetness has settled in. The burn continues to perform well. The draw is still just too tight for me.
The final half of the smoke improves, but it won't be enough to save the smoke. The core profile contains some nice flavors of wood and spice, and the dryness starts to dissipate (my saliva glands and throat have never been so grateful). The back of the palate shows nice mint and a dusty sweetness that is pleasing in the closing moments. The draw was too tight throughout for me. The burn was solid all the way to the end.
The finish was short and had some dry notes of wood.
All in all a poor effort. Not even close to being worth the price.
Appearance-87 a nice looking smoke
Taste- 82 some nice flavors late, but nothing great anywhere
Construction- 83 draw tightness hurt the score
Strength- 88 a nice medium
Overall- 84.25 below average
The cigar itself is nice looking, but it is really nothing to write home about. It is an awkward perfecto with strange dimensions and an oddly lopsided look to it. The wrapper is a nice light brown and could be a Connecticut if it were a few shades lighter. The band work is all white, and I struggle to make out what it says on it, if you didn't know you would mistake it for a 5 Vegas on sight alone (not a great attribute if you ask me, but if you ask some of those that were shouting at me the 5 Vegas might be a cigar of the year). The pre light aroma smacks of cedar and balsa wood with some hints of grass and summer clover. The pre light draw is dry and full of muted mint notes with some strange spice and sweetness.
The cigar opens with a profile that is one dimensional and dry. The smoke is so dry that I am scrambling to put the glands in order so they can produce some saliva, it is a real struggle. I am wondering if part of the blend is one of those do not eat desiccants that they put in clothes, after all they say do not eat not do not smoke. Dryness aside, the profile smacks of grass and cedar, there are some papery textures involved here as well and I believe that the papery essences create dryness. At the back of the palate there are some dry hints of leaves and some minty strangeness that don't help the overall impressions at all. The burn is on the money, which is nice when considering this oddly shaped perfecto, they usually don't burn well. The draw is ok, but it is a little bit tight for me.
The first half of the cigar has me continuing the line of questions about the people that were shouting from the rooftops earlier, but I am not letting my face betray my impending loathing (for the cigar, not the people). The core profile still has some cedar and balsa notes that could be pleasant, but they are offset by blasts of dry grass and paper that leave the palate screaming for moisture. The back of the palate continues to show some dry mint flavors. Thankfully the leafy flavors have left at this point and a dusty sweetness has settled in. The burn continues to perform well. The draw is still just too tight for me.
The final half of the smoke improves, but it won't be enough to save the smoke. The core profile contains some nice flavors of wood and spice, and the dryness starts to dissipate (my saliva glands and throat have never been so grateful). The back of the palate shows nice mint and a dusty sweetness that is pleasing in the closing moments. The draw was too tight throughout for me. The burn was solid all the way to the end.
The finish was short and had some dry notes of wood.
All in all a poor effort. Not even close to being worth the price.
Appearance-87 a nice looking smoke
Taste- 82 some nice flavors late, but nothing great anywhere
Construction- 83 draw tightness hurt the score
Strength- 88 a nice medium
Overall- 84.25 below average
Thursday, November 1, 2012
Tatuaje 2011 Halloween Edition-Wolfman (7.5x52)
Yesterday was Halloween and when I was a single guy Halloween meant scoping out the costumes of questionable repute amongst 19-45 year old females, the eye candy was my trick or treat. I am now a married man, with a stepson, so my Halloween pursuits have changed a bit in recent years. There is now trick or treating with a five year old and my wife (I never knew how exhausting this could be), and in general a lot of walking and dealing with other screaming children that seem to come from some underground haven of noise makers in our neighborhood, where did all these freaking kids come from!!! In order to cope part of my new Halloween ritual is to smoke a cigar whilst the demon children run hither and yon whacked out on sugar and adrenaline. This year I chose the 2011 Halloween offering from Tatuaje. Every year Pete Johnson brings some fun into the Halloween time of the year with his Monster release, and while I bought some in 2011 I never got around to smoking any of them.
This cigar presents very simply. The band is simple, and I would argue dull and too closely colored to the wrapper to even draw your eye there. The foot is unfinished giving the cigar a shaggy look and feel, appropriate when calling a cigar the Wolfman. The bunch is not dense and feels a little too spongy for me so I am worried about the loose draw possibilities that this attribute can summon. There is box press on this smoke, and as everyone knows, I am no fan of the box press. The second strike is that this cigar is a torpedo, again I am not a huge fan. The pre light aroma was of tobacco and muted cinnamon. The pre light draw was earthy and showed some wood flavors.
The cigar opens with a profile that is neither deep or complex, but there are some nice flavors present. The core flavors consist of nice black pepper notes with some light tastes of wood, but there aside from this there is not a whole lot here. I am yearning for some depth or complexity with these flavors or a complementary essence, but there just isn't one. The back of the palate and the nose show some nice earthy notes, but again they are not particularly deep or interesting to me. The draw is very loose early and it has me concerned about heat later in the smoke. The burn is tough in the first half inch or so, but once the unfinished foot is gone it evens out nicely.
The first half of the cigar shows no real development, which I find disappointing. The core profile continues to show pepper and wood flavors, but they just lay there like a corpse without any real punch. The back of the palate continues to show some earthy tones and maybe some burnt coffee flavors, but there is no real action here either. This total lack of anything resembling progress has me really disappointed by this point in the smoke. The draw has settled down into something less loose, but is still too loose for my liking. When confronted with a choice I will always take the firmer draw over the looser one. The burn is solid to this point.
The final half of the cigar really just continues to plod along mundanely. The core flavors are still slogging along unenthusiastically showing pepper and wood, blaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhh. The back of the palate continues to show earthy flavors with some burnt coffee offerings, blaaaaaaaaahhhhh. There is never an iota of development in this cigar at any point, unless you count developing an ash as a development. The draw is fine until the end, but is still just too loose for me. The burn develops a run in the final third and I had to correct it before it continued on like fleeing villagers in the face of extreme horror.
The finish may have been the best part of the cigar as a nice pepper flavor lingered on.
Appearance- 85 pretty average
Taste- 82 just nothing worth noting here
Construction- 84 too many issues to give any higher a mark
Strength- 85 a medium offering
Overall- 83.75 just too full of nothing exciting
This cigar presents very simply. The band is simple, and I would argue dull and too closely colored to the wrapper to even draw your eye there. The foot is unfinished giving the cigar a shaggy look and feel, appropriate when calling a cigar the Wolfman. The bunch is not dense and feels a little too spongy for me so I am worried about the loose draw possibilities that this attribute can summon. There is box press on this smoke, and as everyone knows, I am no fan of the box press. The second strike is that this cigar is a torpedo, again I am not a huge fan. The pre light aroma was of tobacco and muted cinnamon. The pre light draw was earthy and showed some wood flavors.
The cigar opens with a profile that is neither deep or complex, but there are some nice flavors present. The core flavors consist of nice black pepper notes with some light tastes of wood, but there aside from this there is not a whole lot here. I am yearning for some depth or complexity with these flavors or a complementary essence, but there just isn't one. The back of the palate and the nose show some nice earthy notes, but again they are not particularly deep or interesting to me. The draw is very loose early and it has me concerned about heat later in the smoke. The burn is tough in the first half inch or so, but once the unfinished foot is gone it evens out nicely.
The first half of the cigar shows no real development, which I find disappointing. The core profile continues to show pepper and wood flavors, but they just lay there like a corpse without any real punch. The back of the palate continues to show some earthy tones and maybe some burnt coffee flavors, but there is no real action here either. This total lack of anything resembling progress has me really disappointed by this point in the smoke. The draw has settled down into something less loose, but is still too loose for my liking. When confronted with a choice I will always take the firmer draw over the looser one. The burn is solid to this point.
The final half of the cigar really just continues to plod along mundanely. The core flavors are still slogging along unenthusiastically showing pepper and wood, blaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhh. The back of the palate continues to show earthy flavors with some burnt coffee offerings, blaaaaaaaaahhhhh. There is never an iota of development in this cigar at any point, unless you count developing an ash as a development. The draw is fine until the end, but is still just too loose for me. The burn develops a run in the final third and I had to correct it before it continued on like fleeing villagers in the face of extreme horror.
The finish may have been the best part of the cigar as a nice pepper flavor lingered on.
Appearance- 85 pretty average
Taste- 82 just nothing worth noting here
Construction- 84 too many issues to give any higher a mark
Strength- 85 a medium offering
Overall- 83.75 just too full of nothing exciting
Tuesday, October 16, 2012
Perdomo 20th Anniversary Sungrown Epicure (5x56)
Sometimes I just sit and ponder my 23, almost 24 years, of cigar smoking and I think back to all of the brands and blends that I have seen come and go. During the boom there were just scads of cigars out there, most of them crap, and anyone could buy and smoke just about anything (if you were willing to smoke rolled dung that is). There are very few companies that have survived the test of time and for the Perdomo family to be celebrating their twentieth year in the business is just very, very impressive. I remember their humble beginnings and I remember some of the great blends of theirs that have, sadly, come and gone. I wistfully long for the days of the La Tradicion Cabinet Golf Edition, what a splendid cigar. I yearn for the La Tradicion Cabinet Exclusivo, one of my favorites from about eight or ten years ago. I still salivate over the rare and expensive Edicion de Silvios. It is fair to say that I have had a long relationship with Perdomo cigars, and while I have had some disappointments, for the most part the relationship has treated me very well.
This anniversary blend was met by me with some anticipation. I had heard hype about this cigar, I love sungrown wrappers, I typically enjoy Perdomo cigars, in short there were a lot of up checks here for me. About the only down check I can find at this point is the damn ring gauge, 56 is a real gagger for me and I don't care for cigars of this size usually just based on principle, in this instance though I will clear my mind and get to smoking.
The cigar presents nicely, if simply, without the standard anniversary adornments that so many other companies lavish upon their smokes. I like Perdomo's MO here, keep the cost down by eschewing all of the fancy crap and just give the consumer a cigar to smoke, for this I give extra points (by the way, this cigar was $8, a real steal for an anniversary cigar these days). An inspection yields my usual concerns about thick ring cigars, it just feels too loose to me and when a cigar is loose I am always worried about combustion issues and heat. The pre light aroma is a heady mix of dusty earth tones and there are some sensational hints of dark fruit and caramel here as well. The pre light draw shows some wispy coffee flavors and leaves a slight hint of anise on the tongue.
The cigar opens with a profile that has miles and miles of depth and complexity. I will not hesitate to say at this point that I think the cigar is going to be something really special, and I am starting to believe that the Perdomo's may be quickly becoming the masters of the sungrown application. The core profile has a wonderful array of coffee, caramel and toasted marshmallow flavors that really come rushing home right away. The nuance here amongst flavors that are bold is really striking and the melange of tastes can really not be overlooked. The back of the palate and through the nose show some very solid flavors of light wood and rich earthy textures that complement the sweet elements of the core profile wonderfully. It is rare that I experience so much in the opening moments of a cigar, and this is a stunning performance. The draw is a little bit too loose for me, but large ring cigars almost always are in my world. The burn is very nice and a solid ash is forming without issue.
The first half of the cigar is, simply put, magnificent. The core profile settles into a wonderful game of point counterpoint between flavors that are well developed and full of depth and complexity. There are notes of coffee that are wonderfully balanced with a caramel tone that leads to a vanilla flavor that is complemented in a fine way by continued notes of toasted marshmallow. I am not much of a coffee drinker, but I think you could order this array of flavors as a drink from some barrista somewhere. The back of the palate has also shown some transitioning elements. There are still some light wood and earth notes, but a nice raisin flavor has come in here as well and it provides a smooth and evening tone to the effort. The draw is still too loose, but I am not picking up any heat yet so I am ok. The burn is still very solid to this point.
The final half of the cigar really delivers the goods and has me thinking classic cigar. The main body of the profile begins to move into something a touch more robust, yet still full of nuance and depth. The core flavors are of white pepper, coffee and raisins and this eclectic mix actually touches off a real palate extravaganza as flavors that should not mix well just do. The back of the palate continues to offer some light earth tones, but the real star now is a rich and intensifying dark wood flavor that carries the main profile along beautifully. The draw is too loose to the end and it does cause some heat in the last third. The burn was also great until the last third when a run developed, but it evened out without too much effort from me.
The finish is a rich array of coffee, pepper and wood flavors that linger thickly on the palate, like a warm blanket, for several minutes.
Appearance- 91 simple and elegant, this company lets the cigar speak for itself
Taste- 98 just an absolute winner here, so much depth and nuance
Construction- 88 my only low score for the smoke, the draw was too loose and there was a burn issue late
Strength- 97 an absolutely wonderful medium smoke
Overall- 93.25 short of classic because of the construction score, but still way above average and a downright excellent smoke
This anniversary blend was met by me with some anticipation. I had heard hype about this cigar, I love sungrown wrappers, I typically enjoy Perdomo cigars, in short there were a lot of up checks here for me. About the only down check I can find at this point is the damn ring gauge, 56 is a real gagger for me and I don't care for cigars of this size usually just based on principle, in this instance though I will clear my mind and get to smoking.
The cigar presents nicely, if simply, without the standard anniversary adornments that so many other companies lavish upon their smokes. I like Perdomo's MO here, keep the cost down by eschewing all of the fancy crap and just give the consumer a cigar to smoke, for this I give extra points (by the way, this cigar was $8, a real steal for an anniversary cigar these days). An inspection yields my usual concerns about thick ring cigars, it just feels too loose to me and when a cigar is loose I am always worried about combustion issues and heat. The pre light aroma is a heady mix of dusty earth tones and there are some sensational hints of dark fruit and caramel here as well. The pre light draw shows some wispy coffee flavors and leaves a slight hint of anise on the tongue.
The cigar opens with a profile that has miles and miles of depth and complexity. I will not hesitate to say at this point that I think the cigar is going to be something really special, and I am starting to believe that the Perdomo's may be quickly becoming the masters of the sungrown application. The core profile has a wonderful array of coffee, caramel and toasted marshmallow flavors that really come rushing home right away. The nuance here amongst flavors that are bold is really striking and the melange of tastes can really not be overlooked. The back of the palate and through the nose show some very solid flavors of light wood and rich earthy textures that complement the sweet elements of the core profile wonderfully. It is rare that I experience so much in the opening moments of a cigar, and this is a stunning performance. The draw is a little bit too loose for me, but large ring cigars almost always are in my world. The burn is very nice and a solid ash is forming without issue.
The first half of the cigar is, simply put, magnificent. The core profile settles into a wonderful game of point counterpoint between flavors that are well developed and full of depth and complexity. There are notes of coffee that are wonderfully balanced with a caramel tone that leads to a vanilla flavor that is complemented in a fine way by continued notes of toasted marshmallow. I am not much of a coffee drinker, but I think you could order this array of flavors as a drink from some barrista somewhere. The back of the palate has also shown some transitioning elements. There are still some light wood and earth notes, but a nice raisin flavor has come in here as well and it provides a smooth and evening tone to the effort. The draw is still too loose, but I am not picking up any heat yet so I am ok. The burn is still very solid to this point.
The final half of the cigar really delivers the goods and has me thinking classic cigar. The main body of the profile begins to move into something a touch more robust, yet still full of nuance and depth. The core flavors are of white pepper, coffee and raisins and this eclectic mix actually touches off a real palate extravaganza as flavors that should not mix well just do. The back of the palate continues to offer some light earth tones, but the real star now is a rich and intensifying dark wood flavor that carries the main profile along beautifully. The draw is too loose to the end and it does cause some heat in the last third. The burn was also great until the last third when a run developed, but it evened out without too much effort from me.
The finish is a rich array of coffee, pepper and wood flavors that linger thickly on the palate, like a warm blanket, for several minutes.
Appearance- 91 simple and elegant, this company lets the cigar speak for itself
Taste- 98 just an absolute winner here, so much depth and nuance
Construction- 88 my only low score for the smoke, the draw was too loose and there was a burn issue late
Strength- 97 an absolutely wonderful medium smoke
Overall- 93.25 short of classic because of the construction score, but still way above average and a downright excellent smoke
Wednesday, October 3, 2012
Reinado Core Blend Churchill (7.625x48)
It has been some time since my last blog, I'm not quite sure how you have all lived without my blustering pontification for so long. I'm sure with a well planned regimen of brown liquor and prescription pills you are all doing splendidly after my hiatus. You see, I had to have oral surgery and after recent experiences I can tell you that nothing interferes with smoking like having your mouth violently stretched out and chopped open for slicing and dicing. This forced cigar vacation was some of the worst time in my adult life and I am glad it is now over and the smoky cloud of cheer can come back into my life.
This cigar is something of a mystery to me. I am friends on FB with the manufacturer, but I had never smoked one. I have seen reviews and heard stories, but I have never smoked one. I have never smoked one because, up until a few months ago, I had never seen one. That all changed in my favorite New Orleans B&M some months ago when I came across this big guy. There really is something about smoking a churchill that gets me fired up. Maybe it's because I like the majestic look. Maybe it's because I know I am in for two plus hours of opening up a big box of squat and sitting on my large and lazy canister doing a fat lot of nothing. Whatever it is, I like churchills! My problem is finding the time to smoke one. The opportunity finally came along the other night when I cleared my schedule for da Bears game and settled in. No optimist, I was prepared for the Bears to get smoked while I smoked, but alas that was not to be! The Bears performed in spectacular fashion. The cigar? Well you know what's coming right?
The cigar presents well, but simply. The band work is blocky and not well thought out, but the simple presentation is not off putting either. I get the impression from the visuals that this could be a knock around smoke. The wrapper is rustic looking, with some veining and some dryness to the touch. The band is work a day. The application of the wrapper and the overall visual impression is lumpy. These are not attributes that kill a cigar, hell Padron's are tasty and ugly, but it always gives me pause because it may indicate that the manufacturer does not pay attention to detail, and that can be very problematic. The pre light aroma is a nice array of cocoa and dark fruit. The pre light draw shows some light pepper, earth and cocoa flavors.
The cigar opens with a profile that is by no means work a day. The core flavors range from cocoa to earth with pepper and dark fruit, and the level of complexity is very nice for so early in a cigar. There is some lacking cohesion amongst the flavors that cost some complexity, but the overall impression is very nice. The back of the palate and through the nose show some fantastic dark roast coffee flavors and some nice wood notes as well. The draw is a shade too tight for me, but I am able to work through it without too much issue, it's just not as fluid as I would like. The burn is solid to this point and a nice ash is forming early.
The first half of the cigar was really a very strong experience. The core profile becomes more cohesive and I can see the vision of the blend now. The flavors are cocoa and pepper with some creamy textures of fruit in the back drop. This particular profile is one that I have not experienced in a cigar before and the fruit flavors are helping mute the pepper, which might have been overwhelming without temperance. The back of the palate continues to show nice earth flavors, but the wood notes have become more muted as the smoke moves on. I am thinking now that this is a very accomplished medium cigar. The draw is still just a bit too tight, but I am working with it. The burn is off in a couple of spots, but the issues seem to work out without any intervention from yours truly.
The final half of the cigar had the chance to really push the envelope and range this cigar into the high excellent or classic ranges, but it come up wanting in some areas towards the end. The core profile weakened (while it should have been strengthening) significantly. The main flavors of pepper and cocoa are still there but they fade and become more of an afterthought to some really clean tobacco flavors in the final third. While clean tobacco flavors are not bad, I prefer them to be complementary of other flavors and this flavor tries to stand on it's own here. The back of the palate and the nose still show some nice earth and wood flavors, but there are just some light bitter notes coming in during the last third that detract from the smoke. The draw stayed too tight until the end, but it was not a huge issue, just an annoyance. The burn was solid after some issues in the middle.
The finish was a little too short and showed some over brewed coffee flavors and some overwrought earth that seemed wet.
All in all I would smoke this again, I might just take a pass on the last third.
Appearance- 87 not pretty, but ok
Taste- 86 some real issues in the last half make this slightly above average
Construction- 86 also slightly above average after taking points for draw and some small burn issues away
Strength- 88 a nice medium in my book
Overall- 86.5 slightly above average, but it could have been great if the last half did not fail so miserably
This cigar is something of a mystery to me. I am friends on FB with the manufacturer, but I had never smoked one. I have seen reviews and heard stories, but I have never smoked one. I have never smoked one because, up until a few months ago, I had never seen one. That all changed in my favorite New Orleans B&M some months ago when I came across this big guy. There really is something about smoking a churchill that gets me fired up. Maybe it's because I like the majestic look. Maybe it's because I know I am in for two plus hours of opening up a big box of squat and sitting on my large and lazy canister doing a fat lot of nothing. Whatever it is, I like churchills! My problem is finding the time to smoke one. The opportunity finally came along the other night when I cleared my schedule for da Bears game and settled in. No optimist, I was prepared for the Bears to get smoked while I smoked, but alas that was not to be! The Bears performed in spectacular fashion. The cigar? Well you know what's coming right?
The cigar presents well, but simply. The band work is blocky and not well thought out, but the simple presentation is not off putting either. I get the impression from the visuals that this could be a knock around smoke. The wrapper is rustic looking, with some veining and some dryness to the touch. The band is work a day. The application of the wrapper and the overall visual impression is lumpy. These are not attributes that kill a cigar, hell Padron's are tasty and ugly, but it always gives me pause because it may indicate that the manufacturer does not pay attention to detail, and that can be very problematic. The pre light aroma is a nice array of cocoa and dark fruit. The pre light draw shows some light pepper, earth and cocoa flavors.
The cigar opens with a profile that is by no means work a day. The core flavors range from cocoa to earth with pepper and dark fruit, and the level of complexity is very nice for so early in a cigar. There is some lacking cohesion amongst the flavors that cost some complexity, but the overall impression is very nice. The back of the palate and through the nose show some fantastic dark roast coffee flavors and some nice wood notes as well. The draw is a shade too tight for me, but I am able to work through it without too much issue, it's just not as fluid as I would like. The burn is solid to this point and a nice ash is forming early.
The first half of the cigar was really a very strong experience. The core profile becomes more cohesive and I can see the vision of the blend now. The flavors are cocoa and pepper with some creamy textures of fruit in the back drop. This particular profile is one that I have not experienced in a cigar before and the fruit flavors are helping mute the pepper, which might have been overwhelming without temperance. The back of the palate continues to show nice earth flavors, but the wood notes have become more muted as the smoke moves on. I am thinking now that this is a very accomplished medium cigar. The draw is still just a bit too tight, but I am working with it. The burn is off in a couple of spots, but the issues seem to work out without any intervention from yours truly.
The final half of the cigar had the chance to really push the envelope and range this cigar into the high excellent or classic ranges, but it come up wanting in some areas towards the end. The core profile weakened (while it should have been strengthening) significantly. The main flavors of pepper and cocoa are still there but they fade and become more of an afterthought to some really clean tobacco flavors in the final third. While clean tobacco flavors are not bad, I prefer them to be complementary of other flavors and this flavor tries to stand on it's own here. The back of the palate and the nose still show some nice earth and wood flavors, but there are just some light bitter notes coming in during the last third that detract from the smoke. The draw stayed too tight until the end, but it was not a huge issue, just an annoyance. The burn was solid after some issues in the middle.
The finish was a little too short and showed some over brewed coffee flavors and some overwrought earth that seemed wet.
All in all I would smoke this again, I might just take a pass on the last third.
Appearance- 87 not pretty, but ok
Taste- 86 some real issues in the last half make this slightly above average
Construction- 86 also slightly above average after taking points for draw and some small burn issues away
Strength- 88 a nice medium in my book
Overall- 86.5 slightly above average, but it could have been great if the last half did not fail so miserably
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