This is a new offering from Ashton made by Don Pepin Garcia. The cigar presents with a mottled wrapper that is dry and somewhat reddish in color. The application of the wrapper looks acceptable and there are few veins. A roll through the fingers reveals a nice firm cigar and I do not detect any areas that may be of issue. The pre light aroma is of light wood. The pre light draw shows some light spice and some notes of cedar.
The cigar opens with a profile of light wood and some thready notes of spice. I am struck by how dry the smoke feels in the mouth, an attribute that I really do not care for. At the back of the palate there are some tangy notes that are citrus like, but the dryness of the smoke cloys the flavors. The draw is exceptional and booming clouds of smoke are hanging above my head. The burn is a bit lopsided, but it is not in need of a touch up at this point.
The first half of the cigar continues to show notes of light wood, but there is not enough depth or complexity to comment much further at this point, it is just straight wood. The smoke is still very dry and I am parched from smoking this cigar, not a nice experience. At the back of the palate there is still some tangy flavor, but I am hard pressed to identify it as anything other than citrus zest.
The final half of the cigar continues to show a profile of light wood, but there is nothing else there. I am disappointed by this smoke to this point, but it is also not terrible. The dryness of the smoke continues to be disturbing and it is causing some bitterness to creep into the smoking experience. The draw is still excellent and the burn is level.
The finish is tart with some bitterness. There are notes of citrus and dry wood.
Appearance- 83 dry and weird looking
Taste- 80 the dryness and lack of complexity and depth hurt the score
Construction- 90 an excellent performance
Strength- 80 a medium/full offering that was not complimentary to the cigar
Overall- 83.25 a very sub par cigar
Wednesday, December 30, 2009
Savinelli RyR Robusto
This cigar presents with an interesting light brown wrapper that shows more tooth than the average cigar. The wrapper shows some prominent veins and a few flaws, but the visual impression is of a firm, girthy cigar. A quick examination shows a well rolled vitola that has some tightness that might be of some concern in the smoke. The pre light aroma has some barnyard qualities, but there are some notes of spice and pepper. The pre light draw is spicy and has some notes of pepper as well.
The cigar opens with a profile that is all spice and pepper. There is a sour undertone at the back of the palate that is not the most pleasant and it detracts from the opening salvo. The draw is a bit tight, but there is not any undue labor involved in maintaining the cigar. The burn is strong and even, if a bit slow.
The first half of the cigar shows notes of spice, pepper and dark wood. There is a toasty character that borders on showing notes of charred wood, and there is still some sourness at the back of the palate. The draw loosens up nicely near the one third point. The burn also continues to show well to this point.
The last half of the cigar is disappointing. The profile transitions into a strange melange of wood and earth, but it has an underlying note that hints of wet vegetation. The sourness is even more prominent in the back half of this smoke and it is vexing. The draw is acceptable at this point and the burn continues to be solid.
The finish is sour and has notes of wood, earth and damp vegetation.
Appearance- 87 not an unattractive cigar
Taste- 78 the final half killed what would have been an average score at best
Construction- 86 the tightness in the draw hurts the score
Strength- 80 a weak medium that did not compliment the profile
Overall- 82.75 a below average smoke that I would avoid
The cigar opens with a profile that is all spice and pepper. There is a sour undertone at the back of the palate that is not the most pleasant and it detracts from the opening salvo. The draw is a bit tight, but there is not any undue labor involved in maintaining the cigar. The burn is strong and even, if a bit slow.
The first half of the cigar shows notes of spice, pepper and dark wood. There is a toasty character that borders on showing notes of charred wood, and there is still some sourness at the back of the palate. The draw loosens up nicely near the one third point. The burn also continues to show well to this point.
The last half of the cigar is disappointing. The profile transitions into a strange melange of wood and earth, but it has an underlying note that hints of wet vegetation. The sourness is even more prominent in the back half of this smoke and it is vexing. The draw is acceptable at this point and the burn continues to be solid.
The finish is sour and has notes of wood, earth and damp vegetation.
Appearance- 87 not an unattractive cigar
Taste- 78 the final half killed what would have been an average score at best
Construction- 86 the tightness in the draw hurts the score
Strength- 80 a weak medium that did not compliment the profile
Overall- 82.75 a below average smoke that I would avoid
Friday, December 25, 2009
Mi Barrio El Acere
This is a cigar made for 601 by Don Pepin Garcia. It presents beautifully with a flawless wrapper in a deep, rich brown shade. An inspection of the cigar shows it to be rolled well and I can't find any areas of issue. The pre light aroma is very rich and shows notes of tobacco, fruit and sweet earth. The pre light draw is smooth and has notes of cocoa, tobacco and earth.
The cigar begins with a profile that has serious depth. There are notes of tobacco and earth that are extremely well developed so early in the cigar. At the back of the palate there are notes of cocoa and spice. The draw is perfect and produces copious amounts of smoke. The burn is razor sharp and produces a crisp white ash.
The first third of the cigar continues to deepen, showing more tobacco and sweet earth notes. At the back of the palate cocoa notes continue to intensify. The draw remains perfect and the burn continues to be impressive.
The middle third of the cigar shows a profile shift. The core segues nicely into a sweet earth presentation. There are still notes of tobacco and some spice present as well. The undertones of cocoa at the back of the palate are still present and intense. The draw continues to impress me with me with it's flawless consistency. The burn is still strong and the ash is beautiful.
The final third of the cigar is a fantastic closing salvo. The profile shows notes of rich tobacco, sweet earth and cocoa. There is so much going on that it is difficult to discern the depth and complexity of it all. The draw and burn both continue uninterrupted in their impressiveness.
The finish is long and smooth showing notes of sweet earth and rich tobacco.
Appearance- 94 a beautiful cigar'
Taste- 96 an excellent profile with significant depth and complexity
Construction- 97 I had no issues with this cigar and it is one of the finest constructions I have seen
Strength- 90 my only area of disappointment, this could have used more punch
Overall- 94.25 a nearly classic cigar
The cigar begins with a profile that has serious depth. There are notes of tobacco and earth that are extremely well developed so early in the cigar. At the back of the palate there are notes of cocoa and spice. The draw is perfect and produces copious amounts of smoke. The burn is razor sharp and produces a crisp white ash.
The first third of the cigar continues to deepen, showing more tobacco and sweet earth notes. At the back of the palate cocoa notes continue to intensify. The draw remains perfect and the burn continues to be impressive.
The middle third of the cigar shows a profile shift. The core segues nicely into a sweet earth presentation. There are still notes of tobacco and some spice present as well. The undertones of cocoa at the back of the palate are still present and intense. The draw continues to impress me with me with it's flawless consistency. The burn is still strong and the ash is beautiful.
The final third of the cigar is a fantastic closing salvo. The profile shows notes of rich tobacco, sweet earth and cocoa. There is so much going on that it is difficult to discern the depth and complexity of it all. The draw and burn both continue uninterrupted in their impressiveness.
The finish is long and smooth showing notes of sweet earth and rich tobacco.
Appearance- 94 a beautiful cigar'
Taste- 96 an excellent profile with significant depth and complexity
Construction- 97 I had no issues with this cigar and it is one of the finest constructions I have seen
Strength- 90 my only area of disappointment, this could have used more punch
Overall- 94.25 a nearly classic cigar
Bolivar Petit Corona (Unknown Box Date)
The age of this cigar is not known with certainty, but it is believed to be from a box from 2004 or 2006. The cigar presents well with a medium brown wrapper that has very little veining. A quick examination of the cigar reveals no areas of issue. The pre light aroma has notes of leather and rich tobacco. The pre light draw shows strong notes of leather and some light spice, there is also some excellent tobacco flavor present.
The cigar begins with a stunningly complex profile that shows deep notes of leather, tobacco and some spice. At the back of the palate there is an undertone of cinnamon that adds another exceptional layer to the opening moments of the cigar. The draw is very easy, and I am surprised by this as cigars of this vintage and vitola are typically tight. The burn is a bit lopsided and the ash is forming in a way that is somewhat askew.
The first half of the cigar continues to impress, showing deep leather flavors as the main component of the core profile. I also note some excellent tobacco flavors, some light spice and fantastic flavors of light wood. The back of the palate is assailed by notes of cedar and I am blown away by the complexity of this little cigar. The draw continues to be excellent and the burn begins to even out.
The last half of the cigar has a core profile that continues to show leather notes, but they are accompanied by fine notes of cedar and other light wood. At the back of the palate there are still notes of spice. The draw tightens slightly at the end of the smoke, but it does not cause me too many issues. The burn, once levelled out, was as it should be.
The finish is long and flavorful, showing notes of leather and cedar.
Appearance- 91 a nice looking cigar
Taste- 93 an excellent profile that shows fabulous character
Construction- 95 one of the finest examples of this vitola that I have smoked
Strength- 92 a nice medium/full offering
Overall- 92.75 an excellent smoking experience
The cigar begins with a stunningly complex profile that shows deep notes of leather, tobacco and some spice. At the back of the palate there is an undertone of cinnamon that adds another exceptional layer to the opening moments of the cigar. The draw is very easy, and I am surprised by this as cigars of this vintage and vitola are typically tight. The burn is a bit lopsided and the ash is forming in a way that is somewhat askew.
The first half of the cigar continues to impress, showing deep leather flavors as the main component of the core profile. I also note some excellent tobacco flavors, some light spice and fantastic flavors of light wood. The back of the palate is assailed by notes of cedar and I am blown away by the complexity of this little cigar. The draw continues to be excellent and the burn begins to even out.
The last half of the cigar has a core profile that continues to show leather notes, but they are accompanied by fine notes of cedar and other light wood. At the back of the palate there are still notes of spice. The draw tightens slightly at the end of the smoke, but it does not cause me too many issues. The burn, once levelled out, was as it should be.
The finish is long and flavorful, showing notes of leather and cedar.
Appearance- 91 a nice looking cigar
Taste- 93 an excellent profile that shows fabulous character
Construction- 95 one of the finest examples of this vitola that I have smoked
Strength- 92 a nice medium/full offering
Overall- 92.75 an excellent smoking experience
Toro y Leon Esteli
I did some research and can't find any information about this cigar. I do know that this is a new cigar company that is about to bring it's products onto the market. I reviewed one of the other blends from this company a month ago. This smaller cigar presents in size between and petit corona and corona. It has a tawny wrapper that is thick and leathery, but it has some prominent veining. The construction feels like it might be a bit tight and there is an area that I suspect may be plugged. The pre light aroma is leathery and sweet. The pre light draw shows notes of pepper and a sweet floral tone.
The cigar opens with notes of pepper, spice and some leathery undertones. At the back of the palate there is some bitterness that is initially bothersome. The draw is smooth and easy and produces ample amounts of smoke. The burn is a bit lopsided and the ash is a dirty gray.
The first half of the cigar continues to show spicy, peppery flavors that lack depth and complexity. Bitterness continues to foul the profile at the back of the palate. The draw is still wide open and producing nice smoke. The burn continues to be a touch off, but it is not causing any issues.
The final half of the cigar shows more notes of leather and spice. There is a nice creaminess at the back of the palate that has replaced the bitterness and gives a vanilla essence to the closing moments of the cigar. The draw and burn remain the same throughout.
The finish is a bit short, but shows notes of leather and spice.
Appearance- 83 very prominent veining hurts the score
Taste- 84 some early bitterness led to some reductions
Construction- 90 a well made cigar
Strength- 85 a medium cigar
Overall- 85.5 slightly above average
The cigar opens with notes of pepper, spice and some leathery undertones. At the back of the palate there is some bitterness that is initially bothersome. The draw is smooth and easy and produces ample amounts of smoke. The burn is a bit lopsided and the ash is a dirty gray.
The first half of the cigar continues to show spicy, peppery flavors that lack depth and complexity. Bitterness continues to foul the profile at the back of the palate. The draw is still wide open and producing nice smoke. The burn continues to be a touch off, but it is not causing any issues.
The final half of the cigar shows more notes of leather and spice. There is a nice creaminess at the back of the palate that has replaced the bitterness and gives a vanilla essence to the closing moments of the cigar. The draw and burn remain the same throughout.
The finish is a bit short, but shows notes of leather and spice.
Appearance- 83 very prominent veining hurts the score
Taste- 84 some early bitterness led to some reductions
Construction- 90 a well made cigar
Strength- 85 a medium cigar
Overall- 85.5 slightly above average
Sunday, December 20, 2009
Partagas Master Series Majestuoso
This is a new cigar from Partagas celebrating the career of their master blender Benji Menendez. The cigar presents well with a dark wrapper that shows lots of tooth, but seems a bit dry. The wrapper also shows some flaws and there is some prominent veining. The construction seems to be ok, but might be a bit firm. The pre light aroma is sweet and has notes of hard candy and fruit. The pre light draw is tight, but shows notes of leather and brine.
The cigar opens with a profile that has heavy notes of salt and rich tobacco. The draw is too tight, but there is not any undue labor involved in the smoke. The burn is solid and produces a nice white ash. At the back of the palate there are some leathery notes, but some bitterness is taking away some of the enjoyment.
The first half of the cigar maintains a profile of salt and rich tobacco flavors. At the back of the palate there is a nice mix of leather and roasted nut flavor. The draw opens slightly and the burn stays solid. Near the end of the first half some bitterness surfaces in the main body of the profile and it causes me some concern.
The second half of the cigar transitions slightly. There are leathery notes with some flavors of roasted nuts. At the back of the palate there are some peppery notes that are present, but some bitterness still persists. The draw is now acceptable and the burn still performs well. There is a significant lack of depth and complexity in the profile throughout the experience.
The finish is bitter, but has notes of pepper and leather.
Appearance- 83 veining and flaws hurt the score
Taste- 84 bitterness and lack of depth and complexity hurt the overall impression
Construction- 82 the tight draw in the early stages hinder the cigar
Strength- 85 a very average medium
Overall- 83.5 a below average cigar with a ten dollar price tag
The cigar opens with a profile that has heavy notes of salt and rich tobacco. The draw is too tight, but there is not any undue labor involved in the smoke. The burn is solid and produces a nice white ash. At the back of the palate there are some leathery notes, but some bitterness is taking away some of the enjoyment.
The first half of the cigar maintains a profile of salt and rich tobacco flavors. At the back of the palate there is a nice mix of leather and roasted nut flavor. The draw opens slightly and the burn stays solid. Near the end of the first half some bitterness surfaces in the main body of the profile and it causes me some concern.
The second half of the cigar transitions slightly. There are leathery notes with some flavors of roasted nuts. At the back of the palate there are some peppery notes that are present, but some bitterness still persists. The draw is now acceptable and the burn still performs well. There is a significant lack of depth and complexity in the profile throughout the experience.
The finish is bitter, but has notes of pepper and leather.
Appearance- 83 veining and flaws hurt the score
Taste- 84 bitterness and lack of depth and complexity hurt the overall impression
Construction- 82 the tight draw in the early stages hinder the cigar
Strength- 85 a very average medium
Overall- 83.5 a below average cigar with a ten dollar price tag
Friday, December 18, 2009
Padilla Signature 1932 2009 Limited Edition Salomon Oscuro
This is a huge cigar in a very rare vitola with an oscuro wrapper. The cigar is chunky and draped in an oily oscuro wrapper. The wrapper has no apparent flaws and is expertly applied. The construction appears to be solid and I do not detect any areas that would cause an issue. The pre light aroma is of tobacco, earth and some light spice. The pre light draw has an earthy sweetness and a hint of ginger.
The cigar begins with a profile of rich tobacco and some notes of spice. There is an earthy sweetness at the back of the palate. The draw is excellent, which is surprising to me for a cigar of this size. The burn is lopsided, but not causing some issues.
The first third of the cigar shows a profile of rich tobacco, spice and some meaty overtones that are interesting. There is some salt and mint at the back of the palate that is strange, but not off putting. The draw has stayed near perfect, but the burn has continued to deteriorate and may require a touch up (we all know how I feel about touch ups).
The middle third continues to show a profile of tobacco and spice, but is showing some minty notes as well. There is still some salt at the back of the palate. The burn has to be retouched twice in this segment of the cigar, and I am disappointed. The draw continues to stay strong to this point.
The final third shows a profile of pepper, pepper and more pepper. There is still some earthy sweetness and mint showing through at the back of the palate. The burn has continued to need retouching throughout the final two thirds, but the draw has been excellent.
The finish is lingering and shows notes of pepper, earth and spice.
Appearance- 94 it is impossible not to be impressed with this cigar
Taste- 88 not bad, but the profile lacked some depth and some of the flavors were not complimentary to one another
Construction- 85 the burn issues hurt the score
Strength- 88 a nice medium/full that could use more pop
Overall- 88.75 a nice smoke, with nice aging potential
The cigar begins with a profile of rich tobacco and some notes of spice. There is an earthy sweetness at the back of the palate. The draw is excellent, which is surprising to me for a cigar of this size. The burn is lopsided, but not causing some issues.
The first third of the cigar shows a profile of rich tobacco, spice and some meaty overtones that are interesting. There is some salt and mint at the back of the palate that is strange, but not off putting. The draw has stayed near perfect, but the burn has continued to deteriorate and may require a touch up (we all know how I feel about touch ups).
The middle third continues to show a profile of tobacco and spice, but is showing some minty notes as well. There is still some salt at the back of the palate. The burn has to be retouched twice in this segment of the cigar, and I am disappointed. The draw continues to stay strong to this point.
The final third shows a profile of pepper, pepper and more pepper. There is still some earthy sweetness and mint showing through at the back of the palate. The burn has continued to need retouching throughout the final two thirds, but the draw has been excellent.
The finish is lingering and shows notes of pepper, earth and spice.
Appearance- 94 it is impossible not to be impressed with this cigar
Taste- 88 not bad, but the profile lacked some depth and some of the flavors were not complimentary to one another
Construction- 85 the burn issues hurt the score
Strength- 88 a nice medium/full that could use more pop
Overall- 88.75 a nice smoke, with nice aging potential
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