IPCPR's annual trade show has come and gone, you know what that means? This blog is about to get very busy, I love this time of year because all the new stuff is out and I make it a point to smoke and review as much of it as I can get my hands on. I just love the smell of new cigars in August!
I have been long told by people in the industry that the face of CAO was changing. I was skeptical, CAO just does not do it for me anymore, their offerings just don't have what I'm looking for in a cigar. In fact, I have always thought they were just plain and kind of boring. Well my opinion started to change last year when Osa came to market, I smoked several of them and found some consistency problems, but the ones that I smoked that performed well were very good. Bearing this in mind I was excited to have a chance at this new offering which debuted just this past weekend at the show.
The cigar presents very nicely, CAO eschewed their normal fancy colors and adornments and went with a simple band in two tones and I found that refreshing. The visual flair here was that, when unbanded, the band turns into a little guitar, paying homage to the cigar's Tennessee roots, very clever indeed. The wrapper is a nice dark brown, and it is applied very well. There are few veins and the oils of the wrapper appear to be natural and not artificially enhanced in any way. The construction has me concerned as I detect some very tight spots in the bunch near the foot and this leads me to have some concerns about draw issues that could arise. The pre light aroma has some delightful dark wood and earth tones. The pre light draw shows some hints of coffee and wood.
The cigar opens with a profile that is neither complex or deep, but the flavor is bold and delivering very nice flavors of coffee, nuts and wood. At the back of the palate there is a very satisfying and rich earthy flavor that props up the front of the profile beautifully. This is not your standard CAO cigar, and it really has my interest from the get go. Is it complex? No. Is it deep? No. However, it does deliver nice flavors from the start and sometimes that is all a cigar needs, a simple profile that is easily identifiable can be very tasty and refreshing. The draw is a little tight, but better tight than loose I always say (yes I'm still talking about cigars, dirty perverts). The burn is a touch off, but I'm thinking it will even out on it's own.
The first half of the cigar really continues to impress me. I'm as shocked as all of you, the Czar likes a CAO! The core profile continues to show excellent flavors of dark wood and a very clean and pleasant tobacco flavor has come into the picture here as well. I reiterate, this cigar is not complex or deep, but it continues to deliver flavors that are robust and tantalizing just the same. The back of the palate continues to show rich, earthy flavors and there is a very solid flavor of coffee coming through in this portion of the experience. The draw continues to be a touch too tight, but it is not causing me any issues. The burn evens out and goes off again on an alternating basis, but touch ups are not required yet.
The final half of the cigar does not show much more development and that is my only disappointment in the cigar, in order to really climb in points some complexity and depth would have to be showing through, but the cigar stays very solid. The core profile is still very satisfying, showing nice flavors of wood and tobacco. The back of the palate continues to deliver nice earth and coffee flavors right to the end. The draw stays tight and becomes more difficult in the closing moments as I approach the tight spots I mentioned earlier, but it is not unsmokeable. The burn goes off in the final third requiring a minor touch up to regulate heat and the possibility of a run.
The finish was long and held nice flavors of dark wood and tobacco for several minutes.
If this is a sign of what's to come from CAO I can say I'm excited to see where the CAO train takes me in the next couple of years.
Appearance- 91 simple and clean, very refreshing form a frontmark known for visually jarring packaging and branding
Taste- 88 a nice profile that could have done with some extra development
Construction- 87 some draw and burn problems reduce the score
Strength- 91 very complementary medium
Overall- 88.75 a very good cigar
Monday, August 6, 2012
Alec Bradley Empire State (6x54)
Alec Bradley cigars have always been hit or miss for me. I have loved the Prensado and Tempus, been indifferent about the Black Market and Maxx, and really did not like the American Classic. This cigar was released back in 2010 for the New York market only. In Florida, where I live, it was a cigar Unicorn if you will, a myth. Imagine my surprise when I finally found some in a little old Sarasota brick and mortar. I stole some quick glances out the front door to make sure I did not somehow end up on Long Island, I saw palm trees so I figured I was still in Florida. I considered asking the woman behind the counter, but they already believe I am pretty strange so I just checked the GPS on my Iphone. It confirmed that I was still in the Sunshine State, relieved I made the selection and made my way home. As most of you know, I have a cigar radio show every Saturday (shameless plug coming! On WTMY 1280 AM in Sarasota and surrounding areas, or you can stream us live at WTMY.com), so I decided to put this cigar down and share it with my esteemed co-host as a featured cigar on the show. This past weekend we did get a chance to sit down and give it a smoke, what follow is only my impression of the cigar, my co-host does not write a blog so you will just have to ask him what he thought.
The cigar is nice looking. The wrapper is bold, it has a deep and rich brown coloration that evokes a vision of a roasted chestnut. There are very few veins and the wrapper appears to contain some very nice oils. The construction appears to be bulky, I don't care for big ring smokes, but it is well put together and I can't find any areas that concern me right off the bat. The pre light aroma is surprisingly light, there are some hints of light wood and some light earth, but the aroma is not nearly as robust as the visual would indicate. The pre light draw is odd, showing some sharp wood flavors that border on bitter.
The cigar opens with a profile that I can only describe as a wrongful assault on my palate. The flavor is all wet wood, my co-host describes it as the type of wet wood that is at the bottom of the wood pile after a long winter of snow and rain and spring melt, and I can't find a way to disagree with him here, anyone that has ever lived up north knows this wet wood type because we have seen it for winters on end. Perhaps this attribute helped in the New York area, winters are bad there and maybe they like this kind of wood. I found it to be bitter and foul. The back of the palate is being cascaded with putrid flavors as well, it's almost as if the cigar is over humidified, but I conducted a survey when I pulled them out of the humi and they most certainly were not. There is a horrific aftertaste forming as well, it almost makes the throat sore. On balance this is one of the worst starts to a cigar I have had in a long time. Sadly, this cigar draws like a dream for me, just perfect amounts of resistance and delivery of smoke. The burn is also very solid at this point.
The first half of the cigar continues to show serious deficiencies. The core profile is still smacking of wet wood and the bitterness is almost overwhelming. I am actually pretty stunned, previous Alec Bradley cigars that I did not enjoy were at least ok, this one is horrendous to this point. The back of the palate is not gaining any positive marks either as the bitterness coming from the main profile cloaks whatever might be there. I will point out that at the halfway point I am starting to sense that some good changes are afoot, but I also nearly chucked this beast before I got there which shows just how bad the first half was. The draw is still very good and the burn is still moving right along.
The final half of the cigar finally starts to show some cigar like qualities. The profile balances out and starts to show some nice wood flavors and there is some muted spice that has a cinnamon like tone to it This development is nice and saves the cigar from getting the old el chucko, but it will not be enough to redeem the cigar overall. At the back of the palate there is a nice earthy tone, but it is not deep enough to be particularly noteworthy. The draw is still very nice, and the burn stays solid right through to the end.
The finish was a bit short and I still had some serious aftertaste problems upon completion, my mouth was left dry and the flavor was bitter.
Appearance- 89 a very nice looking smoke
Taste- 78 I just can't go any higher here
Construction- 93 a very nicely done cigar performance wise
Strength- 85 a very mundane medium
Overall- 86, saved by a very impressive performance from a burn and draw perspective
The cigar is nice looking. The wrapper is bold, it has a deep and rich brown coloration that evokes a vision of a roasted chestnut. There are very few veins and the wrapper appears to contain some very nice oils. The construction appears to be bulky, I don't care for big ring smokes, but it is well put together and I can't find any areas that concern me right off the bat. The pre light aroma is surprisingly light, there are some hints of light wood and some light earth, but the aroma is not nearly as robust as the visual would indicate. The pre light draw is odd, showing some sharp wood flavors that border on bitter.
The cigar opens with a profile that I can only describe as a wrongful assault on my palate. The flavor is all wet wood, my co-host describes it as the type of wet wood that is at the bottom of the wood pile after a long winter of snow and rain and spring melt, and I can't find a way to disagree with him here, anyone that has ever lived up north knows this wet wood type because we have seen it for winters on end. Perhaps this attribute helped in the New York area, winters are bad there and maybe they like this kind of wood. I found it to be bitter and foul. The back of the palate is being cascaded with putrid flavors as well, it's almost as if the cigar is over humidified, but I conducted a survey when I pulled them out of the humi and they most certainly were not. There is a horrific aftertaste forming as well, it almost makes the throat sore. On balance this is one of the worst starts to a cigar I have had in a long time. Sadly, this cigar draws like a dream for me, just perfect amounts of resistance and delivery of smoke. The burn is also very solid at this point.
The first half of the cigar continues to show serious deficiencies. The core profile is still smacking of wet wood and the bitterness is almost overwhelming. I am actually pretty stunned, previous Alec Bradley cigars that I did not enjoy were at least ok, this one is horrendous to this point. The back of the palate is not gaining any positive marks either as the bitterness coming from the main profile cloaks whatever might be there. I will point out that at the halfway point I am starting to sense that some good changes are afoot, but I also nearly chucked this beast before I got there which shows just how bad the first half was. The draw is still very good and the burn is still moving right along.
The final half of the cigar finally starts to show some cigar like qualities. The profile balances out and starts to show some nice wood flavors and there is some muted spice that has a cinnamon like tone to it This development is nice and saves the cigar from getting the old el chucko, but it will not be enough to redeem the cigar overall. At the back of the palate there is a nice earthy tone, but it is not deep enough to be particularly noteworthy. The draw is still very nice, and the burn stays solid right through to the end.
The finish was a bit short and I still had some serious aftertaste problems upon completion, my mouth was left dry and the flavor was bitter.
Appearance- 89 a very nice looking smoke
Taste- 78 I just can't go any higher here
Construction- 93 a very nicely done cigar performance wise
Strength- 85 a very mundane medium
Overall- 86, saved by a very impressive performance from a burn and draw perspective
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...
Monday, July 23, 2012
St. Luis Rey Churchill (Box Date 2005)(6.875x47)
I don't often review Cuban cigars for the pages of this blog, but every once in awhile I smoke something so sublime and so rare that I feel I must share the experience with everyone who will listen. I am a firm believer that every superior cigar experience should be shouted from the rooftops, so I head to the rooftop to discuss this cigar.
If you will indulge me I will set the scene. It was a Top 5 cigars of 2012 event, we do two of these per year, one from the first half of the year and then again in December or January to review the Top 5 from the entire year. I always look forward to these events because some of the best cigar people I know get together and we smoke and discuss, and basically carry on in general. It was hot, but not uncomfortably so and as we got started I arranged a Habano trade for this cigar, it only cost me a 2007 Bolivar Belicoso Fino. One of my favorite cigars of all time is a St. Luis Rey so I was excited to get my hands on this vitola. You just don't see many St. Luis' out there so I just had to have this one.
The cigar presents very well. There is something very appealing about a traditional cuban churchill, it is majestic and has a structurally solid presence. The wrapper is well applied and has that usual wrinkly vein appearance of a well aged habano. The cap is a little bit sloppy but the rest of the inspection makes me believe that the cigar will perform very well. The pre light aroma is of floral spice and sweet clover. The pre light draw is dusty, but has some wonderful floral sweetness and light tobacco character.
The cigar opens with a profile that is subtle, yet magnificent, showing layers of depth that are seldom seen in the cigar world. The core profile is full of clover and honey flavors that tantalize the palate with sweet flavors whilst still having enough strength to let the smoker know that a cigar is still being smoked. This is an unexpected flavor profile for me, but still similar enough to other St. Luis' that I have had that a comparison is still attainable. When I consider a cigar that may be listed in the Czar pantheon of greats I always like to be able to compare the cigar to the others that have already attained the lofty heights. The back of the palate is replete with nice flavors as well. The main body is all light, crisp tobacco but there is a very interesting dusty flavor of light cinnamon and sugar in the backdrop as well. This leads to an experience that ranks amongst the most unique that I have smoked. The draw is tight, but not in any way that is not ordinary for a cuban. The burn is a little bit off early, but I don't think I will have any issues.
The first half of the cigar continues to impress me. The core profile continues to show clover and honey flavors, but there is now some very nice light spice coming in as well. This light spice serves as a nice counterpoint to the sweetness that I was experiencing in the first part of the smoke. The back of the palate has transitioned into a more robust presentation of woody flavors and there are some ideas of a leather type flavor here as well. There are still some sweet areas, but this more robust presentation has made the cigar more full bodied. The draw is still a bit on the tight side, but there are no issues with the performance. The burn has evened out and I don't have any reason to believe that it will be a problem.
The final half of the cigar really slams home an experience that is in my Top 10 of all time. The core profile becomes a fantastic and complex balance of honey, leather, spice and crisp tobacco flavors. These flavors are so balanced that it easy to pick them out, yet so complex that the brain and taste buds almost don't catch all that is happening. The back of the palate is a very solid presentation of woody flavors and there is some leather here as well. The draw was consistent throughout. The burn stayed sharp in the final half without further issues.
The finish was a dream and leather and honey notes lingered on and on.
Appearance- 92 a nice looking smoke with a sloppy cap
Taste- 98 a very fine array of flavors that build a complex and satisfying smoke
Construction- 93 a very nice performance with some points off for draw tightness and early burn issues
Strength- 100 one of the finer medium bodied cigars that I have ever smoked, the strength matched the profile to perfection
Overall- 95.75 a classic cigar and in terms of taste, one of the best I have ever smoked
If you will indulge me I will set the scene. It was a Top 5 cigars of 2012 event, we do two of these per year, one from the first half of the year and then again in December or January to review the Top 5 from the entire year. I always look forward to these events because some of the best cigar people I know get together and we smoke and discuss, and basically carry on in general. It was hot, but not uncomfortably so and as we got started I arranged a Habano trade for this cigar, it only cost me a 2007 Bolivar Belicoso Fino. One of my favorite cigars of all time is a St. Luis Rey so I was excited to get my hands on this vitola. You just don't see many St. Luis' out there so I just had to have this one.
The cigar presents very well. There is something very appealing about a traditional cuban churchill, it is majestic and has a structurally solid presence. The wrapper is well applied and has that usual wrinkly vein appearance of a well aged habano. The cap is a little bit sloppy but the rest of the inspection makes me believe that the cigar will perform very well. The pre light aroma is of floral spice and sweet clover. The pre light draw is dusty, but has some wonderful floral sweetness and light tobacco character.
The cigar opens with a profile that is subtle, yet magnificent, showing layers of depth that are seldom seen in the cigar world. The core profile is full of clover and honey flavors that tantalize the palate with sweet flavors whilst still having enough strength to let the smoker know that a cigar is still being smoked. This is an unexpected flavor profile for me, but still similar enough to other St. Luis' that I have had that a comparison is still attainable. When I consider a cigar that may be listed in the Czar pantheon of greats I always like to be able to compare the cigar to the others that have already attained the lofty heights. The back of the palate is replete with nice flavors as well. The main body is all light, crisp tobacco but there is a very interesting dusty flavor of light cinnamon and sugar in the backdrop as well. This leads to an experience that ranks amongst the most unique that I have smoked. The draw is tight, but not in any way that is not ordinary for a cuban. The burn is a little bit off early, but I don't think I will have any issues.
The first half of the cigar continues to impress me. The core profile continues to show clover and honey flavors, but there is now some very nice light spice coming in as well. This light spice serves as a nice counterpoint to the sweetness that I was experiencing in the first part of the smoke. The back of the palate has transitioned into a more robust presentation of woody flavors and there are some ideas of a leather type flavor here as well. There are still some sweet areas, but this more robust presentation has made the cigar more full bodied. The draw is still a bit on the tight side, but there are no issues with the performance. The burn has evened out and I don't have any reason to believe that it will be a problem.
The final half of the cigar really slams home an experience that is in my Top 10 of all time. The core profile becomes a fantastic and complex balance of honey, leather, spice and crisp tobacco flavors. These flavors are so balanced that it easy to pick them out, yet so complex that the brain and taste buds almost don't catch all that is happening. The back of the palate is a very solid presentation of woody flavors and there is some leather here as well. The draw was consistent throughout. The burn stayed sharp in the final half without further issues.
The finish was a dream and leather and honey notes lingered on and on.
Appearance- 92 a nice looking smoke with a sloppy cap
Taste- 98 a very fine array of flavors that build a complex and satisfying smoke
Construction- 93 a very nice performance with some points off for draw tightness and early burn issues
Strength- 100 one of the finer medium bodied cigars that I have ever smoked, the strength matched the profile to perfection
Overall- 95.75 a classic cigar and in terms of taste, one of the best I have ever smoked
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, July 9, 2012
Arturo Fuente Anejo Reserva #48 (7x48)
The Anejo is a very limited and very special release that the Fuente's do about once a year, usually somewhere near the holidays. I typically grab several and let them sit in the humi for months, or even years, before I get around to smoking them. I have always enjoyed these rare treats, but in recent years I have not thought as highly of them as I have in the past. This particular smoke is from the 2011 batch and it is the first of the ones that I purchased that I am getting around to smoking.
This cigar always presents well. There is always a cedar sleeve around the dark and rich looking cigar, that gives it an external atmosphere that makes one feel like they are about to open a present. The cello even has gold embossed lettering that makes the smoke seem even more special, the Fuente's are the masters of understated opulence visually. The cigar itself is bold and rich looking. The wrapper is a deep and rich brown, like very freshly ground coffee, and it is applied expertly without errors or major veins that will detract from the experience visually. An examination of the smoke leads me to think it may be too tight, but I can't find any plugs or other areas of concern. The pre light aroma is full of spice and tobacco notes. The pre light draw is full of rich tobacco and earth flavors.
The cigar opens with a profile that is a little to thin for me, it shows some flavors of tobacco and earth but there really is no nuance or depth to the flavors at this point. My main complaint about recent vintages has been what I just noted, there is just no complexity or depth in the smoke making the experience thin. The back of the palate has some dark wood notes, but it really does not add much to the experience at this point. The draw is a little bit too tight early on, but I am not laboring unnecessarily. The burn is a touch off in the early moments, but I have no reason to believe that there will be a run or canoe at this point.
The first half of the cigar does show some improvement. The core profile shows tobacco and earth flavors, but there are also some nice notes of anise and raisin with a little bit of coffee as well. This combination of flavors leads to a more complex array, but the flavors are slightly muddled and lacking in transitional values. The back of the palate continues to show some nice dark wood flavors, but there is a mineral flavor coming in that takes away from the richness of the wood flavors. The draw continues to be a little tight, but I am still not giving undue effort to the experience. The burn is sharp and shows no signs of any issues.
The final half of the cigar continues to wallow in mediocrity. The core profile continues to show tobacco and earth flavors, but the complementary flavors have become wispy and shallow. There are still some raisin and coffee flavors, but there are no real developments into anything deep. The back of the palate continues to show dark wood flavors, but the mineral flavors have really come into play at this point and it threatens to derail the whole smoke. The draw is still too tight for me, but the burn is still very nice.
The finish is full of minerals that threaten to become metallic.
Appearance- 93 a very nice looking cigar
Taste- 84 I expected way more
Construction- 87 nice burn, but the draw was not as fluid as I like
Strength- 86 a very average medium
Overall- 86.75 slightly above average
This cigar always presents well. There is always a cedar sleeve around the dark and rich looking cigar, that gives it an external atmosphere that makes one feel like they are about to open a present. The cello even has gold embossed lettering that makes the smoke seem even more special, the Fuente's are the masters of understated opulence visually. The cigar itself is bold and rich looking. The wrapper is a deep and rich brown, like very freshly ground coffee, and it is applied expertly without errors or major veins that will detract from the experience visually. An examination of the smoke leads me to think it may be too tight, but I can't find any plugs or other areas of concern. The pre light aroma is full of spice and tobacco notes. The pre light draw is full of rich tobacco and earth flavors.
The cigar opens with a profile that is a little to thin for me, it shows some flavors of tobacco and earth but there really is no nuance or depth to the flavors at this point. My main complaint about recent vintages has been what I just noted, there is just no complexity or depth in the smoke making the experience thin. The back of the palate has some dark wood notes, but it really does not add much to the experience at this point. The draw is a little bit too tight early on, but I am not laboring unnecessarily. The burn is a touch off in the early moments, but I have no reason to believe that there will be a run or canoe at this point.
The first half of the cigar does show some improvement. The core profile shows tobacco and earth flavors, but there are also some nice notes of anise and raisin with a little bit of coffee as well. This combination of flavors leads to a more complex array, but the flavors are slightly muddled and lacking in transitional values. The back of the palate continues to show some nice dark wood flavors, but there is a mineral flavor coming in that takes away from the richness of the wood flavors. The draw continues to be a little tight, but I am still not giving undue effort to the experience. The burn is sharp and shows no signs of any issues.
The final half of the cigar continues to wallow in mediocrity. The core profile continues to show tobacco and earth flavors, but the complementary flavors have become wispy and shallow. There are still some raisin and coffee flavors, but there are no real developments into anything deep. The back of the palate continues to show dark wood flavors, but the mineral flavors have really come into play at this point and it threatens to derail the whole smoke. The draw is still too tight for me, but the burn is still very nice.
The finish is full of minerals that threaten to become metallic.
Appearance- 93 a very nice looking cigar
Taste- 84 I expected way more
Construction- 87 nice burn, but the draw was not as fluid as I like
Strength- 86 a very average medium
Overall- 86.75 slightly above average
Friday, July 6, 2012
Four Kicks Corona Gorda (5.675x46)
These cigars have really been all the rage amongst my cigar friends and I am usually not a big fan of hype in the cigar world for several reasons. One, seldom does the cigar hold up to the hype. Second, I like to make my own judgments about a cigar before I hear all kinds of other things about them. Third, hyped cigars become exceedingly difficult to find in local B&M's and I hate that.
This cigar has a strange name, and I am always amused by cigars with strange names as I am able to speculate as to the reasoning behind the name. In this case the cigar company is Crowned Heads so I'm thinking someone there may have been kicked many times in the head, like four perhaps? I am only speculating and I think if that were the case you would call your company Helmeted Heads. Anyway, I digress badly.
The cigar presents with a simple band that has some very mundane graphics to it, it is nice looking but really does not do much for or against the presentation impressions. The wrapper is mottled and rough looking, but it appears to be applied well which makes me happy because up until this point the cigar was looking cheap. The construction seems to be acceptable and I can't detect any issues upon inspection. The pre light aroma shows some cedar and roasted nut essence. The pre light draw has some wheaty flavors and some light spice notes.
The cigar opens with a profile that is surprisingly deep. The core flavors show some light brushes of maple, cedar and oaky flavors that provide a nice combination for a very woody flavor up front. These flavors are offset nicely by a touch of vanilla sweetness that provides a nice counterpoint to the main body of wood flavors. At the back of the palate there is a dusty flavor of tobacco that has some sharpness to it. The draw is very solid at this point, with maybe just a tad too much resistance for me, but I am not laboring to produce smoke. The burn is very sharp and I can't see any issues at this point.
The first half of the cigar continues to show some nice depth, but lacks some complexity that would round out the cigar nicely. The core profile is still full of wood flavors that become lighter and sweeter as time goes on. There are still some flights of vanilla here, but they are fleeting and I would like some more. There is also some roasted nut essence sneaking into the presentation here and it adds a nice dimension, but does not lend to complexity as the cigar is more eclectic than stable at this point. The back of the palate still has a dusty texture, but nice tobacco flavor exists here and I am reminded of the Tobacos Baez from the Pepin line. The draw continues to perform well. The burn is still solid to this point.
The final half of the cigar shows little development and this is where the cigar loses luster for me. The core profile continues to show wood flavors with some vanilla and spice, but there is no complexity to the smoke and it becomes predictable, but still good. The back of the palate is still feeling dusty to me, but the tobacco flavors continue on and provide a nice background throughout the smoke. The draw stays solid to the end, and the burn is solid all the way through.
The finish was a little bit short, but showed some wood and spice flavors.
Appearance- 85 a very average looking smoke
Taste- 87 a nice profile, but more complexity was needed
Construction- 91 nice performance, but the draw was tight early
Strength- 86 a nice medium
Overall- 87.75 above average, but nothing spectacular
This cigar has a strange name, and I am always amused by cigars with strange names as I am able to speculate as to the reasoning behind the name. In this case the cigar company is Crowned Heads so I'm thinking someone there may have been kicked many times in the head, like four perhaps? I am only speculating and I think if that were the case you would call your company Helmeted Heads. Anyway, I digress badly.
The cigar presents with a simple band that has some very mundane graphics to it, it is nice looking but really does not do much for or against the presentation impressions. The wrapper is mottled and rough looking, but it appears to be applied well which makes me happy because up until this point the cigar was looking cheap. The construction seems to be acceptable and I can't detect any issues upon inspection. The pre light aroma shows some cedar and roasted nut essence. The pre light draw has some wheaty flavors and some light spice notes.
The cigar opens with a profile that is surprisingly deep. The core flavors show some light brushes of maple, cedar and oaky flavors that provide a nice combination for a very woody flavor up front. These flavors are offset nicely by a touch of vanilla sweetness that provides a nice counterpoint to the main body of wood flavors. At the back of the palate there is a dusty flavor of tobacco that has some sharpness to it. The draw is very solid at this point, with maybe just a tad too much resistance for me, but I am not laboring to produce smoke. The burn is very sharp and I can't see any issues at this point.
The first half of the cigar continues to show some nice depth, but lacks some complexity that would round out the cigar nicely. The core profile is still full of wood flavors that become lighter and sweeter as time goes on. There are still some flights of vanilla here, but they are fleeting and I would like some more. There is also some roasted nut essence sneaking into the presentation here and it adds a nice dimension, but does not lend to complexity as the cigar is more eclectic than stable at this point. The back of the palate still has a dusty texture, but nice tobacco flavor exists here and I am reminded of the Tobacos Baez from the Pepin line. The draw continues to perform well. The burn is still solid to this point.
The final half of the cigar shows little development and this is where the cigar loses luster for me. The core profile continues to show wood flavors with some vanilla and spice, but there is no complexity to the smoke and it becomes predictable, but still good. The back of the palate is still feeling dusty to me, but the tobacco flavors continue on and provide a nice background throughout the smoke. The draw stays solid to the end, and the burn is solid all the way through.
The finish was a little bit short, but showed some wood and spice flavors.
Appearance- 85 a very average looking smoke
Taste- 87 a nice profile, but more complexity was needed
Construction- 91 nice performance, but the draw was tight early
Strength- 86 a nice medium
Overall- 87.75 above average, but nothing spectacular
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