Theme by nostrich.
Post with 2 notes
Xikar HC Criollo Belicoso Review
Xikar HC Criollo Belicoso Review
By Michael
Wrapper: Nicaraguan Shade Grown Criollo
Binder: Nicaraguan Sun Grown Criollo
Filler: Nicaraguan and Honduran
This review will wrap up my initial reviews of the three Xikar HC cigars (you can read the Connecticut and Colorado reviews here and here). Thanks again to Jerry Dear at Xikar cigars for letting me review these cigars. To rehash Xikar and Jesus Fuego teamed up to create the HC line. The three different blends are mean to compliment each other and allow you to enjoy an HC at any time of day. The Connecticut in the morning, the Criollo in the afternoon and the fuller bodied Colorado after dinner. For this review I paired it with water.
The 6” x 52 belicoso was wrapped in a shiny, veinier than expected and toothy (almost furry), almond brown Criollo wrapper. The cigar was firm, but not overly so, throughout the length tapering into a great looking belicoso cap. The unlit aroma was richer than I expected; with sweet tobacco and slightly floral notes. I clipped the cigar with my scissors; the pre-light draw was tight and tasted a little sweet. I lit the cigar with a match.
In the first third the flavor was nice; lightly leathery, sweet, slightly nutty with a hint of pepper on the finish. When retrohaled I got a wonderful chocolaty-caramel like flavor. Near the end of the first third a slight touch up was required but other wise has burned fine and produced a little bit more airy smoke than I expected (based on the other two cigars in the HC line) and the draw was a little tighter than I generally prefer.
Into the second third the flavor profile was similar; light leather, a bit of sweetness, slightly nutty but with a finish that reminded me of iced tea. The retrohale lost a bit of the chocolate flavor but it still had a nice caramel sweetness. The draw improved in the second third and the smoke thickened up. The ice tea like finish really was like tea (I know it sounds stupid but I was very surprised) it had that florally flavor followed by a bitter finish.
In the final third the flavor was still about the same, but without the sweet and nutty notes. The flavor through the nose has changed a bit to a toast flavor with a hint of sweetness, but not as caramel like as it was before. The burn didn’t require another touch up, the draw improved still and the smoke thickened up even more. Te body began and finished right around medium.
Overall:
The Xikar HC Criollo Belicoso was a very solid cigar, good flavor, construction and enjoyable. The cigar is a nice afternoon smoke and would seem to pair very nicely with tea, a blonde ale, or cream ale. Like the rest of the HC line it retails for between $7-10 and is worth picking up one to try. I was very impressed with the tea and caramel notes in the cigar that really helped round out the flavor. With this review done I’ve reviewed a different vitola of each blend in the HC line. Thus far I think my favorite HC has been the Colorado, especially in the petit corona, because it is a little more full bodied and the flavor profile is closer to what I usually enjoy. Thanks again to Jerry Page at Xikar for allowing me to review the cigars. Jerry also sent along one of each in the 6” x 60 Gigante vitola which I will be reviewing shortly.
Total smoking time 110 minutes.
Post with 1 note
Kristoff Ligero Maduro Robusto Review
Kristoff Ligero Maduro Robusto
By Michael
Wrapper: Brazilian Maduro
Binder: Cuban Seed Dominican
Filler: Cuban Seed Dominican and Cuban Seed Nicaraguan
For this review I chose to review a cigar that is slightly under the radar, the Kristoff Ligero Maduro. Kristoff is brand under Exclusive cigars, along with Vengence and Brittania. Kristoff was founded in 2005 and currently produces three blends the Sumatra, Kristoff and Kristoff Ligero (both the Kristoff and Ligero line come in two wrappers a Criollo and Maduro). The Kristoff Ligero line is available in six vitolas, and I reviewed the robusto.
The Kristoff Ligero Maduro was a 5.5” x 54 robusto with a dark, veiny, slightly toothy maduro wrapper. The cigar was extremely firm throughout the length of the cigar. It has a closed foot and a very tight pig tailed cap, it definitely was well rolled and very striking. The aroma was of rich fermented tobacco and peaty earth. I clipped the cap with my scissors; pre-light draw was very tight and had a slight molasses and peaty earth flavor. I toasted the closed foot and lit using my Bugatti lighter, once lit it burned nice and even.
In the first third the cigar started with rich flavors of peaty earth, dark chocolate, sweet molasses and a bit of black pepper spice. Through the nose the flavors seemed to be about the same but intensified and a hint of leather. The smoke was rather airy but produced lots of it, even when resting. About midway through the first third a leather flavor definitely joined the flavor profile both on the draw and through the nose. The pepper spice had died down a bit on the draw and an espresso bean flavor joined… it was sort of like eating a chocolate covered espresso bean. Near the end of the first third I thought that a Left Hand Milk Stout or Founder’s Breakfast Stout would go fantastic with this cigar.
In the second third the flavor was about the same but the molasses flavor had taken on notes of dark cherry; making the profile that of peaty earth, chocolate covered espresso beans, dark cherry and leather with a slight bit of pepper on the finish. Through the nose the flavor was again similar, but with the pepper being a bit more pronounced. It really was difficult to pick out the retrohale flavors because it seemed to be a mix of the draw flavors.
In the final third the flavors were again mostly the same, but without the dark cherry sweetness and chocolate flavors on the draw. When retrohaled chocolate was still present but with a bitter finish and some spice. Towards the end of the cigar the flavors became a bit muted. I put the cigar down when the flavors became muted and bitter. The cigar burned slowly and evenly. The body started around medium-full and finished in the full range.
Overall:
The Kristoff Ligero maduro is a very flavorful, rich cigar. It had a complex, but consistent, flavor profile that is definitely up my alley. The bit of pepper helps to jeep the profile balanced. The smoke was a bit airier than I expected but was fine. And as you’d expect from a maduro wrapped ligero blend it is a full bodied cigar. My only real complaint was that in the final third the flavors died down, but the cigar is still very flavorful. Kristoff cigars are groing brand so it isn’t in too many B&M’s from what I’ve seen, but they can easily be found on the internet for around $7. They are definitely worth trying and if you enjoy a full bodied cigar I’d suggest getting a fiver.
Total smoking time 100 minutes.
Post with 1 note
Alec Bradley SCR (Select Cabinet Reserve) Review
Alec Bradley SCR (Select Cabinet Reserve)
By John Henry
Wrapper: Honduran
Binder: Indonesia
Filler: Honduran and Nicaraguan
I know a lot of you may have checked out the about us page and seen that there are two people on there but only Michael has been doing reviews. Well Michael has been kicking my tail in the review department, but I’m finally going to start writing some reviews so you can get a different point of view and we are going to try and do dual reviews of a cigar so you can get more than one opinion of the same cigar. My palette is no where near as refined as Michael’s and he has smoked many more cigars than myself and knows more about cigars that I probably ever will, so my reviews will cater more towards the casual smoker. Also I like some cigars Michael doesn’t and vice versa so we will be able to introduce more variety to everyone.
For my first review I going to do a cigar from a company that Michael is not that fond of, Alec Bradley. I smoked this during the AFC championship game between the Steelers and the Jets. My friend Erik has just purchased a new flat screen TV so we all went over to break it in. We were able to see the TV through the window, so we could enjoy a nice cigar and watch the game at the same time. The SCR I smoked was in the robusto (5 x 50) size. It had a nice looking wrapper with some veins running throughout the cigar. The initial scent I caught was of a soft leather with just a hint of coffee. I cut the cigar with a guillotine cutter gifted to me by the other reviewer on this site. The prelight draw was easy and echoed the flavors of leather and coffee I smelled before.
The first third of the cigar produces lots of smoke and gave off a earthly flavor. The draw remained easy and I really enjoyed the mild flavor. The hint of coffee I smelled prelight was only slightly present and if you weren’t expecting it you may not of even noticed it.
The 2nd third of the cigar continued producing a nice steady stream of smoke and continued the same mild flavor. However, I detected more of a leathery flavor and the earthly flavor seemed to be enhanced as well.
The final third of the cigar was much of the same as the 2nd third. The same mild flavors were all there and the cigar was a very solid smoke requiring only one touch up.
Overall:
The Alec Bradley was a very solid cigar that I enjoyed quite a lot. The same earthly mild flavors were present throughout the entire cigar, there were no major flavor changes. It produced a lot smoke and had a solid tight ash indicting it was a well made cigar. I recommend this cigar to anyone and it would make an excellent morning smoke. It is labeled as a medium strength cigar but I considered it more on the mild side, although it did have plenty of flavor, I just though it was more of a mild smoke.
Total Smoke Time: 65 minutes
Post with 3 notes
Camacho Liberty 2010 review
Camacho Liberty 2010 Review
By Michael
Wrapper: Ecuadorian Sumatra
Binder: Honduran Corojo
Filler: Honduran Corojo and Dominican Ligero
I decided to do a review of the Camacho Liberty 2010 on Christmas Day. The cigar was a gift from my girlfriend and after an awesome Christmas dinner with friends we went outside and enjoyed our Christmas smoke. The Liberty series was started in 2002 and was originally released in five vitolas. The liberty series has since continued on with one release of one vitola, the 11/18 perfecto (with the exception of two releases of a different vitola in 2004). 2007 and 2008 releases were barber poles, and since 2003 (I think) all the liberty’s have been individually wrapped in tissue paper and packaged in a coffin. The Liberty series is definitely showy and often comes with a price tag that you would expect to find on limited cigars, though not too bad. I don’t think it’s a secret that I’m a big fan of most Camacho cigars and thought that the 2009 Liberty was enjoyable (the only one I’ve smoked to this date). So how is the 2010 Liberty?
The 6” x 54 2010 Liberty was wrapped in a light brown, slightly splotchy Sumatran wrapper, with few veins and a very shiny sheen. It was well constructed, a slight bit of bounce (but not spongy) though out the length of the cigar, and a well applied cap. The aroma both off the unlit foot and the length of the cigar was very cedary. I clipped the cap with my LP9 cutter; pre-light draw tasted faintly of cedar and nuts.
The flavors in the first third of the cigar were a very smooth mix of cedar, leather, earth and spice on the back end. When retrohaled the flavor was lightly of nuts and cedar. The cigar produced lots of thick smoke that coated my palate. Midway through the first third the cedar flavor really ramped up… almost but not quite over powering the other nuances.
In the second third the flavors remained the same but I got a slight coffee flavor that crept in every once in a while. The smoke was still very thick and the cigar burned slowly. The burn was a bit wavy but never required a touch up.
In the final third the cedar mellowed, the leather has left but coffee, earth and still the spice on the finish remained. The retrohale flavors mellowed out considerably in the final third and the nut flavor has left. I put the cigar down when it became hot in my hand. The body began around medium and sneaked up into the full range.
Overall:
The Camacho Liberty 2010 is an extremely enjoyable cigar. It is very smooth and flavorful, though not very complex. The flavors may be somewhat straight forward but they are great! The 2010 is a very slow burning cigar, and well constructed, so you definitely feel that you get your money worth. A friend of mine often remarks that if Camacho would spend a little less on packaging their cigars could be a bit cheaper. For a limited release cigar with ton’s of beautiful packaging I still felt that the cigar was worth $16.89 (at The Cigar Shop Biloxi). The burn is a little wavy but it never required a touch up and burned great. I know that it is often hard justifying a $15+ price tag but this is an enjoyable celebratory smoke and is worth it. I enjoyed the 2009 liberty but I find that I liked the 2010 quite a bit more. I paired this cigar with a couple glasses of Rosewood Shiraz (I’m usually not a big wine drinker but I do enjoy this Shiraz), which I also had with dinner. I was very surprised that the wine and cigar pairing went very well. I think it’s because the wine wasn’t that sweet (not a sweet wine fan) and the bit of fruit/ tannin flavors went well with the cedar, earth and spice.
Total smoking time about 120 minutes.
201
Post with 9 notes
La Flor Dominicana Mysterio Oscuro review
La Flor Dominicana Mysterio Oscuro Review
By Michael
Wrapper: Ecuadorian Habano and Ecuadorian Sumatra (Oscuro)
Binder: Dominican
Filler: Dominican
This particular La Flor Dominicana Mysterio Oscuro I smoked on Christmas Eve at my local shop, The Cigar Shop Biloxi. Paul Bertucci (a friend of mine, and owner of the shop) gave this cigar to me for Christmas and I finally found my notes (along with my Christmas Day cigar and friends’ retirement party cigar) so I could finish the review. The LFD Mysterio Oscuro is filled with the same blend as the rest of the Ligero line and is wrapped in both of the wrappers of the Ligero line (the natural Ecuadorian Habano and the Oscuro, an Ecuadorian Sumatra). The Mysterio vitola was originally released with the natural wrapper making up the middle section of the dual wrap but last year (I think) the oscuro was released. I never got a chance to try the natural Mysterio, but from smoking wuite a few of the Ligero line, I know that I generally prefer the richer flavors of the oscuro wrapped cigars… so how does the Mysterio stack up?
The LFD Mysterio oscuro I smoked was a gorgeous 7” x 54 perfecto. The LFD Mysterio oscuro had an Equadorian Habano wrapper at the foot and an awesome pig tailed cap, book-ending an oily, shiny, near black Sumatra wrapper. The cigar was well rolled; with strait lines where the two wrappers meet, firm (but not overly so) throughout, and a beautiful perfecto shape. The aroma was very rich and slightly sweet off the Sumatra wrapper and a bit woody at the foot. I clipped the cap where the two wrappers met with scissors; prelight draw was extremely tight with a slight pepper and earth flavor. I lit the cigar with a Xikar table top lighter.
The flavor began slightly sweet and cedary with a slight pepper finish and coffee notes through the nose. The draw was still very tight so I clipped another ½” or so off and it really improved the draw. Once I made it to the oscuro wrapper the profile changed to a slightly sweet, oak, coffee and leather finish with a hint of pepper. When retrohaled I got a nice nutty, cashew like flavor with spice.
Heading into the second third the slight sweetness has faded out; otherwise the profile was the same but a bit mellowed. The cigar stayed well balanced, and produced a good amount of smoke. Around the half way point the coffee flavor seemed to have gotten richer, more like espresso.
In the final third the flavors intensified (as you would imagine they would with a perfecto) but were mostly the same, the cashew like flavor moved from the retrohale to the draw and the retrohale picked up a bitter dark chocolate like flavor. The burn was perfect throughout, with the body building into the full range.
Overall:
Overall the La Flor Dominicana Mysterio Oscuro is a good cigar. It is certainly a thing of beauty (it might be the best looking cigar I’ve ever smoked). The flavors are very rich; woods, coffee, leather, cashews and pepper make up the main flavor profile. The draw was a bit tight at first, but was easily corrected by clipping a little further down, the smoke was a little more airy than I was expecting but not bad. The burn was as close to razor sharp as I’ve gotten in a while and the ash held well… clearly the cigar was well rolled. The body starts out seemingly strong, mellows and picks up again eventually ending in the full body end of things, like the other LFD Ligero cigars. Out of the LFD Ligero line the Mysterio oscuro is my second favorite (my first being the L200 a 4 7/8” x 40 favoritos like vitola). The Mysterio Oscuro retails for around $15-16 a cigar in comes in boxes of five. The higher price tag may detour some, but they are a good smoke and worth picking up a couple.
Total smoking time 130 minutes.
Post with 4 notes
Viaje Summerfest (2010) Robusto Review
Viaje Summerfest (2010) Robusto
By Michael
Wrapper: Nicaraguan Corojo99 Cafe Rosado
Binder: Nicaraguan
Filler: Nicaraguan
This review is of a cigar I’ve been trying to track down for a while, and was able to arrange for a trade with a fellow BOTL. The Viaje Summerfest was released in two vitolas an 8” torpedo with a huge shaggy foot and a robusto. The Summerfest is along with the other seasonal releases from Viaje; Skull & Bones around Halloween, Holliday Blend around Christmas (the 2010 release I reviewed here), Summerfest and TNT for the 4th of July. The Summerfest is the counter to the Holliday blend as the bands are very similar (Red and gold for summer vs. green and silver). I don’t know exactly when Andre releases the summerfest but if I remember right it was around the same time that TNT was released. I also think that the torpedo was the initial release and then the robusto followed, since they were made by mistake. I really have really enjoyed the rest of the Viaje offerings I’ve had, and really wanted to review the 2010 summerfest before this years is released… wish I had more than one cigar to base the review on but beggars can’t be choosers.
The Viaje Summersest robusto was a classic 5’ X50 robusto. It had a nice, lightly splotchy redish brown wrapper with a couple veins. The cigar was firm to the touch and had a very well applied cap. The aroma off the unlit cigar had a faint tobacco/ cedar aroma. I clipped the cap with my LP 9 cutter; pre-light draw was loose and tasted lightly florally and with a bit of pepper. I toasted and lit the foot with a match.
The flavors in the first third were a complex mix of floral-cedar, earth and hint of iced tea bitterness and pepper on the finish. When retrohaled I got a chocolate-earthy flavor with a bit of pepper spice. The cigar produced a ton of thick, creamy smoke from the beginning and the draw was near perfect.
Heading into the second third the profile was a nice mix of floral-cedar, milk chocolate, toast, nuts and a hint of ice tea and earth on the finish. Through out the second third the flavors intermingled with each other and made it so that with each puff, I tasted a new combination of those flavors. When I retrohaled the chocolate-earth flavor had transformed into a nutella flavor and still with a hint of pepper.
The flavors in the final third were consistent with the second third but with a slight coffee undertone coming in once in a while, and the nutella like retrohale with a hint of pepper. Nearing the end of the cigar the floral and nutty flavors left, leaving the cedar, toast and chocolate flavors with a long earth like finish. Overall the profile was around medium to full-bodied and a slow burner.
Overall:
The Viaje Summerfest robusto was a very flavorful and complex cigar. The flavors intertwine and compliment each other well, especially in the second third. The construction is fantastic, only a slight touch up was required about the half way point, but I have a feeling that the cigar would have corrected itself. The smoke is thick and creamy and coats the palate allowing you to enjoy the entire profile. I love when a cigar surprises you with flavors and combinations of the same base profile (as it did in the second third). The summerfest robusto is around a medium to full bodied smoke, and so can be enjoyed by many… if you can find any left. As with all of Viaje’s seasonal releases they can be a bit tricky to track down and often sell quickly but if you can get your hands on some you will definitely feel rewarded. I wish I could compare how the robusto smokes to the Shagy footed torpedo but I haven’t been able to get my hands on any of those. I’m happy to have gotten this review done before the next line of Summerfest has been released so that I will be able to compare the two for ya’ll. The cigar retails for around $9-10 but again are very hard to find, though there maybe a few shops with them still around. If not definitely keep your eyes open for the 2011 release of the summerfest, which I believe is some time in June.
Total smoking time around 90 minutes.
Post with 4 notes
601 Green Label Tronco Review
601 Green Label (Oscuro) Tronco Review
By Michael
Wrapper: Nicaraguan Habano Oscuro
Binder: Nicaraguan
Filler: Nicaraguan
For this review I went over to a friend’s house to enjoy a night by the fire and a good cigar. I brought over a couple cigars but since I had eaten a large meal I chose the 601 Green label (Oscuro) Tronco. 601 cigars are a meeting of minds (and skill) between Don Pepin Garcia and Espinosa y Ortega. There are four 601 cigars the Black (Connecticut), Blue (Maduro), Red (Habano) and Green (Oscuro). The oscuro being the fullest bodied cigar in the 601 line. I really enjoy the 601 green labels, and they are one of my huidor staples. I’ve had this particular cigar resting for around 5 months and had it resting in a humidor around 60% residual humidity for three days, since the wrapper is so oily.
The slightly pressed 5” X 52 tronco was wrapped in a dark, oily, slightly toothy oscuro wrapper with few veins. The cap was well applied (as you expect from a Pepin made cigar) and was firm but with slight give to it. The aroma off the unlit foot was extremely rich, earthy-molasses like aroma. Clipped the cap with my scissors; pre-light draw was a little loose and tasted faintly of oak. I lit the cigar with a match.
In the first third the flavors were also an extremely rich mix of oak, earth, roasted coffee and pepper on the finish; when retrohaled I got a wonderful mixture of brown sugar and pepper. As I smoked through the first third the pepper on the finish died down and was replaced by a semi-burnt finish. The cigar produced a lot of thick, creamy smoke that coated my palate and the draw had the perfect amount of tug on it.
In the second third the flavor profile had changed a bit; cedar, roasted coffee, dark chocolate, brown sugar sweetness, and an earthy finish replacing the semi-burnt flavor. On the retrohale the brown sugar and pepper spice mellowed some but was still great. Near the half-way point I lost the cedar flavor I got earlier.
In the final third the profile mellowed out to a nice mix of dark chocolate and coffee with earthy finish and brown sugar and pepper through the nose. The cigar still produced a ton of creamy smoke, had a perfect draw, and maintained a full body throughout.
Overall:
The 601 Oscuro Tronco is an absolutely amazing cigar… which is why it is a humidor staple of mine. The extremely rich, dark flavors of woods, earth, chocolate, coffee and brown sugar like sweetness meshed very well with the full strength of the cigar. The burn throughout was perfect and required only three ashes. The smoke is very thick and creamy that coats the palate and definitely lends to picking up the rich flavors. I’ve enjoyed quite a few of the 601s but I think the oscuro is my favorite (followed by the red label habano). I love pairing this cigar with one of the best beers in the world (in my opinion) North coast Brewing Co Old Rasputin Russian Imperial stout… most stouts would probably pair well, as well. The price is around $8-9 a cigar and worth it if you enjoy full bodied cigars. The only vitola I haven’t smoked is the La Fuerza (toro) but all the others are very enjoyable, with my favorite actually being the Tronco with the corona not far behind… I think that if they were to make this in a lancero though it would be an amazing cigar.
Total smoking time 80 minutes.
ciblog asked: Hey, I don't suppose you have any recommendations for cigar spots in New York city?
While I have never personally been, and can only offer recommendations based off of other BOTL/SOTL I do think it would be worth while going to Cigar Inn and Three Little Indians. The Davidoff store would also be interesting to check out though it is of course pricey.
Wish I could give you more help than what I’ve heard from others and a bit of internet searching, but I haven’t been to NYC.
Good luck!
Post with 2 notes
Diesel Shorty Review
Diesel Shorty Review
By Michael
Wrapper: Pennsylvania Broadleaf maduro (Lancaster County, PA)
Binder: Nicaraguan?
Filler: 3 Nicaraguan ligero and secco fillers from Esteli, Jalapa and Condega
For this review I chose to try a cigar that was given to me by a fellow BOTL, and one that I otherwise might not have tried… the Diesel Shorty. I’ve enjoyed a few of A.J. Fernandez’s cigars, including the Diesel Unholy Cocktail (a 5” X 56 torpedo), which is also wrapped in a Pennsylvania Broadleaf maduro. But I have never gotten around to trying the Shorty because it is shorter and fatter… and I’m not a huge fan of most large ring gauge cigars. But since I was given a couple I thought I’d smoke one and review the other. The story behind the Shorty is a good one… it was made by A.J. for Shorty the “Pit Boss” and for every cigar sale 10% goes to Shorty’s charities. Since it would be mostly copy and pasting I will refer you two the website for both information on the cigar and Shorty’s charities (which help benefit Pitt Bull rescue). So how does the Shorty compare to the Unholy Cocktail?
The diesel shorty was a short, stout 4.5” x 60 ring gauge cigar with a dark, oily, slightly toothy wrapper. The wrapper was near seamless, with a couple faint veins. The cigar was fairly well rolled, a little soft at the foot where there seemed to be a bit of filler missing, but the cap was applied. The aroma was potent, rich and sweet… it smelled great. I clipped the cap with my LP#9 cutter, which was just big enough to cut the cigar; draw was tight with faint tobacco sweetness. I lit the cigar with my Perdomo Thundra triple flame table top lighter since it probably would have taken a couple matches.
In the first third the rich flavors of earth, wood, molasses, and tobacco with a slighty white pepper spice and sweet chocolate on the retrohale were predominant. The cigar produced lots of thick, creamy smoke. About midway through the first third the wood flavor gave way to a nice light leathery flavor, leaving the rest of the flavors the same but mellowed some.
In the second third the flavors were fairly consistent except the molasses got sweeter and the addition of a slight nuance of coffee. The ash held extremely well and the smoke was still thick.
The flavor profile in the final third was of peaty earth, sweet molassesy tobacco and a bit of coffee with light white pepper spice and chocolate through the nose… basically the same as the second third. The smoke was still fairly creamy, though it had become a bit more airy. I had to put the cigar down when it became too bitter and a bit hot. The body was around medium full.
Overall:
The Diesel Shorty is a very consistent cigar, and while it isn’t a very complex cigar it was still enjoyable. However the cigar seems like it would be a bit more flavorful if it were a smaller ring gauge, closer to the Diesel Unholy Cocktail. I’d like to see more of a Pennsylvania Broadleaf maduro used on cigars, but on a smaller ring gauges so that I could see how it stacks up. I prefer the Unholy Cocktail blend more, because I get more flavor from the PA broadleaf… even if it isn’t that much smaller. I would say that for those who like to smoke large ring gauge cigars, and are looking for something fairly flavorful and a medium to full bodied, this cigar may suffice. I don’t think that I will purchase these again, well I was actually given these couple from a friend, but they are worth a try and are reasonably priced ($22 for a 5 pack on Cigars International).
Total smoking time 65 minutes.
Post with 7 notes
Arturo Fuente Don Carlos Robusto
Arturo Fuente Don Carlos Robusto Review
By Michael
Wrapper: Cameroon
Binder: Dominican
Filler: Dominican
For this review I chose to smoke the Arturo Fuente Don Carlos Robusto. Arturo Fuente makes some of my favorite cigars… I could list them all but that would take a while so I’ll highlight the Anejo, King and Queen B and Rosado Magnum. The cigar is named in honor of its legendary creator and Fuente family patriarch Don Carlos Fuente, Sr. From the Fuente website:
“To create this masterpiece, Don Carlos blended together rare, vintage tobaccos that were hand selected and aged as much as 10 years. These cigars are rich and flavorful, with flawless dark African Cameroon wrappers, making them as appealing to the eye as they are to the palette.
Because of the select tobacco required, these cigars are released in limited quantities and are among the finest cigars rolled at Tabacalera A. Fuente in the Dominican Republic. In every way possible, Don Carlos strives to attain the ultimate in rich flavor, flawless wrapper color and superior construction in every cigar that bears his name.”
The Don Carlos line comes in seven vitolas, my favorite is a toss up between the number 2 and 3 but all have been very flavorful. This particular stick was given to me by a fellow cigar enthusiast in a cigar bomb. It has been resting in my humidor for around three months but no clue as to how long he had had it.
The 5.5” x 50 robusto was well rolled, firm, with no soft spots through out. The chocolate brown Cameroon wrapper was slightly toothy with a slight tear in the wrapper above band. The pre light aroma was of tobacco, having that classic “cigar aroma”. I clipped the cigar with my scissors; the pre-light draw was about perfect, and had cedar and faint pepper flavors. I lit the cigar with a match.
The flavors in the first third were of leather, cedar, floral sweetness with a hint of white pepper on the back end and nuts and chocolate on the retrohale. A run developed almost immediately; there seemed to be a section just inside the binder where it wasn’t completely filled… which may have been why the run developed. I tried to let the run correct itself but the burn was causing the flavor profile to get a little wnaky, so I corrected it with my Bugatti. After the correction the flavor had less leather and more floral flavors. The nuts and chocolate flavors have been joined with a little white pepper retrohale. The draw has been great and produces a nice bit of smoke.
At the start of the second third a caramel flavor had joined the cedar, floral and white pepper finish. The retrohale was about the same but with the chocolate notes beginning to overpower the nuts. About midway through the second third the sweetness died down and the floral flavor left. The retrohale flavors were still really fantastic, while the burn was constantly requiring attention, even with rotating the cigar and purging it just didn’t want to burn even.
Into the final third the flavors were mostly the same, but with the caramel flavor dying down some. Nearing the end of the cigar a bitter flavor seemed to creep in every few puffs, letting me know that the end was coming. The draw remained great throughout and produced lots of smoke. The cigar was medium bodied and made for a great after lunch smoke.
Overall:
I was shocked looking through my reviews that I hadn’t done an Arturo Fuente review… so that lead to my decision of starting with the Don Carlos. The cigar has great flavors, especially when retrohaled. I’ve smoked many of the Don Carlos line and only a few have had minor burn issues but nothing like I had with this one. The Don Carlos robusto retails in the $7.5-8.5 range and worth the money. I know that after reading this review you would think that it may not be worth the burn battle but it really is. My biggest issue with the burn was that I had to waste some of a cigar I really enjoy. Also since smoking this particular cigar I’ve enjoyed another Don Carlos robusto and didn’t have the burn issues… to bad I didn’t choose that one from the humidor. It just goes to show you that cigars are indeed a hand made product and every once in a while you get one that has a few little problems. I paired this review with water but the last DC I had I enjoyed one of my homebrewed Baltic Porters.
Total smoking time 75 minutes.
Post with 2 notes
Pinar del Rio Oscuro Torpedo Review
Pinar del Rio Oscuro Torpedo
By Michael
Wrapper: Dominican Habano Oscuro
Binder: Dominican Habano
Filler: Dominican and Nicaraguan
For this review I chose to enjoy Pinar del Rio’s Oscuro torpedo. I believe that it is the old blend since it doesn’t have a blue band at the foot. When others have reviewed the PdR without the blue foot band the wrapper is listed as a Dominican Habano Oscuro. PdR has since released a slightly tweaked blend of the Oscuro. The new blend is wrapped in a Brazilian Bahia Oscuro with a Criollo 98 binder and has a blue band at the foot. PdR is headed by Abraham Flores and the brothers Rodriguez, La Fabrica Don Leoncio hires only the most experienced rollers and it shows in the quality of every cigar. The oscuro comes in nine vitolas (I think), and I have only had the torpedo. I was given a couple torpedos around a year ago by a fellow BOTL and I’m doing this review so that when I get my hands on a new blend I can compare the two… if in fact it has been tweeked along with repackaged.
The 6.5” X 52 PdR oscuro torpedo was wrapped in a slightly blotched, oily, chocolaty brown wrapper, with a few prominent veins. The cigar was firm to the touch with some raised bumps under the wrapper. The torpedo tipped cap was fairly well applied; it looked like a vein in the cap wrapper caused the tip to be slightly misshaped. The Pre-light aroma was rich, sweet, and smelled fantastic. Clipped with my scissors; draw was a little tight and faintly tasted of woods.
The cigar started out great, sweet woodsy tobacco flavors and a bit of mellow pepper on the finish. When retrohaled I got a light, sort of roasted, cocoa flavor. The cigar produced a decent amount of airy smoke. As I got further into the first third earthy and coffee flavors joined making a nice, rich flavor profile. The smoke thickened up about midway through the first third, making the cigar even more enjoyable. The draw was a little loose but not bad.
Heading into the second third the flavor was still about the same but mellowed; earthy, sweet woods, light coffee, and a very faint pepper on the finish. On the retrohale a nice sweetness joined with the roasted cocoa flavor. About midway through the second third the earth and pepper finish left, but a chocolate note had entered into the flavor profile.
Into the final third I still got sweet woods, coffee and chocolate but the chocolate flavor really picked up. The sweetness had progressively died down throughout the cigar. On the retrohale a hint of mild pepper joined the sweet roasted cocoa flavor. About midway through the final third the cigar began to get a bit warm and shortly after the flavor bittered a bit. The burn was perfect throughout. The body started around medium and built a little but not much.
Overall:
The Pinar del Rio Oscuro torpedo is a surprisingly good cigar. It’s well made, and most importantly, has great flavor; rich coffee, chocolate, woods, and pepper. Retail is around $5-7 depending on the vitola and is well worth it. I haven’t smoked any other vitola but I certainly will… of both blends (if in fact the newly repackaged oscuro is also re-blended). I don’t know why I haven’t smoked more of Pinar del Rio’s cigars but I certainly will be smoking (and reviewing) more. Since it is a medium to medium-full bodied cigar I’d say most people could give it a try and I’d pair it with a dark rum, like Zaya.
Total smoking time 105 minutes.
Post with 1 note
La Flor Dominicana Airbender Ponderoso Review
La Flor Dominicana Airbender Ponderoso
By Michael
Wrapper: Ecuadorian Habano
Binder: Dominican
Filler: Dominican
First of all Happy New Year and sorry it’s taken a while for the review but I’ll try to get a few more posted. For this review I chose to do La Flor Dominicana’s newest blends, the Airbender. It’s available in seven vitolas, including Litto’s signature vitola the chisel. The Airbender name, I believe, comes from how the smoke bends in the air when the Litto first developed the blend. I don’t think it’s any secret that I’m a fan of the cigars La Flor Dominicana makes, nor that I prefer thinner ring gauge cigars, so with that in mind how does the Ponderoso review?
The 5.5” x 44 Airbender Ponderoso had a toothy, slightly oily, near seemless Colorado wrapper with some veins. The cigar was well constructed, very firm through out, with a well applied cap. The aroma was of sweet tobacco and leather. I clipped the cigar with my LP#9 cutter; prelight draw very tight, with slight spice and leather flavors.
To start the first third I picked up flavors of sweet leather, cedar and coffee. On the retrohale the flavors were sweet and floral, with chocolate and a hint of pepper and were much more pronounced than the draw flavors. About midway through the first third a dry cocoa flavor had entered the flavor profile with cumin like spice on the finish. So far the profile has been very complex and extremely enjoyable. The draw was still very tight but produced a large amount of smoke.
Heading into the second third the pepper on the retrohale picked up, while the rest of the flavors have mellowed but were still present. About midway through the second third the coffee and cumin flavors seem to have faded out while a cherry like nuance had entered. The retrohale still had the sweet chocolate and pepper flavors. The smoke got thicker and the draw a little looser as the cigar burned, which made the cigar a bit more enjoyable.
Heading into the final third the retrohale remained the same but with the pepper dieing down some. The base flavors in the last third were earthy with cedar, and some cocoa notes but were quite mellow. The retrohale remained the same. I had to put down the cigar when the flavors became a bit bitter. Overall the body started around medium and finished around medium-full.
Overall:
The La Flor Dominicana Airbender Ponderoso was a flavorful and complex cigar. It starts out very strong and finishes well. Leather, cedar, coffee, spice, and earth were all present. The draw was a bit tight in the beginning but loosened up as the cigar progressed. The burn was near perfect and the cigar smoked slowly. The price for the Ponderoso is around $6-7 per stick and definitely worth it. There are a bunch of $6-7 cigars out there but this one is definitely worth trying. My local doesn’t have this particular vitola but they are available though a couple online retailers. I’ve smoked every vitola in the Airbender line and personally think that this is the best, followed by the Villano (a lancero). I was finally able to smoke the Airbender chisel and the first couple I had were good, while the last one I had wasn’t. But I will say that any cigar in the Airbender line is worth at least a try and I think the Ponderoso is easily box worthy.
Total smoking time around 80 minutes.
Post with 2 notes
Viaje Holiday Blend (2010) Torpedo Review
Viaje Holiday Blend (2010) Torpedo
By Michael
Wrapper: Nicaraguan criollo ‘98
Binder: Nicaraguan
Filler: Nicaraguan
For my Christmas day review I wanted to review a seasonal release cigar so I went with Farkas’ over Fuente. Last year Viaje released the first Holiday Blend that was well received, and unfortunately I mised out. So last year I resolved not to miss out again this year. From what I gather this year the wrapper is different from last year, but I believe the rest is the same. I was lucky to ask Armando Ortiz (of Crescent City Cigars in new Orleans and the closest shop to me to carry Viaje cigars) on facebook if he was getting the Holiday Blend and he did; so I made the trip over to New Orleans to pick up a couple. NOLA isn’t that far but it is definitely a day trip, so was all the effort worth it?
The 5”X 54 Viaje Holiday Blend torpedo had a beautiful dark brown, slightly toothy and oily criollo ‘98 wrapper. The cigar was well rolled; firm but with a slight give. The foot had extra wrapper covering it and a well applied torpedo tip cap. The aroma off the unlit foot was very rich, sweet and slightly spicy. I clipped with scissors; prelight draw was a little tight with no apparent flavors and lit with a match.
With the little extra wrapper at the foot the cigar lit quickly and evenly. The flavors were out standing chocolate, espresso, sweet black cherry like flavor and then a long pepper finish. Through the nose there was an intense sweet chocolate flavor followed by a slightly spicy earth flavor. The profile was very complex. The draw was still a little tighter than I prefer, so I rolled the head with my fingers to loosen it up. The aroma coming off the cigar while it was burning was a fantastic tobacco and chocolate mix. About miday through the first third the sweet black cherry like flavor replaced the intense chocolate flavor through the nose. A couple burn corrections were needed ½ through the first third and then again near the start of the second third. The holiday blend produced a ton of smoke, even when not being puffed on.
Heading into the second third the profile was of espresso, chocolate and a long oaky earthy finish. The retrohale still had that real nice sweet black cherry flavor followed by a slightly spicy earth flavor. Overall both the draw and retrohale flavors mellowed. About midway through the second third the flavors died down even more, only the chocolate, oaky-earthy and black cherry flavor through the nose remained. A slight touch up was required but again, nothing major.
At the start of the final third the flavors picked back up. Sweet molasses, espresso, and an oaky-earthy finish with a hint of pepper. Through the nose the black cherry has been replaced with that sweet chocolate flavor and a hint of pepper. It seemed that every few puffs a toasted marshmallow like flavor would come in. The burn had a couple more issues in the final third; it went out on me once and had a slight run develop as well. The smoke got a little more airy in the final third and the body was around medium-full throughout.
Overall:
I paid a little over $13 after tax when I bought this cigar from Armando Ortiz’s shop, Crescent City Cigars, in New Orleans and I have to say it was worth it. I didn’t get a chance to smoke the 2009 release, so unfortunately I can’t compare. The flavors in the first third are absolutely amazing, and in the final third the flavors come back and are great. I had read on another review site (http://www.smokingstogie.com/) that the flavor profile died down considerably in the second third, and that is exactly what I found as well. But even though the flavor mellowed it didn’t mellow into a bad flavor, in fact it would be quite good in most other cigars, but the Holiday blend starts out so well that it spoils you into wanting that flavor more. My only complaint was that the burn was a little bit of a problem child at times, but nothing major. Viaje is definitely a boutique brand that generally lives up to the hype and I’m a little surprised that this is my first review of one on the website. I know that they are hard to find but if it is possible for you to find one, I’d definitely recommend trying the Holiday blend, unless you enjoy milder cigars. I paired the cigar with nothing but water, but I think it might actually pair well with your favorite holiday drink (I may go with a white Russian on Christmas day). Merry Christmas and happy holidays to all of you!
Total smoking time 100 minutes.
Post with 2 notes
Room 101 305 by Camacho Review
Room 101 305 (Robusto) by Camacho Review
By Michael
Wrapper: Semilla 101 (Honduras)
Binder: Honduran
Filler: Honduran and Dominican
For this review I smoked a Room 101 305 (the robusto offering) blended by Camacho cigars. Room 101 cigars are a collaboration between Matt Booth and the Eiroa family (Camacho cigars). The wrapper of the Room 101 cigar line, the Semilla 101, is grown soley for this project by the Eiroa family in Honduras. The original Room 101 cigars come in six vitolas and the new LTD Conjura in four. For a little more info on how Matt and Eiroa cam up with the cigar visit the Room 101 website.
I was given this cigar at the Camacho event held by the Cigar Shop Biloxi a couple months back, and I wanted to finally post a review of it. I’ve smoked a couple of these before and enjoyed them while herfing with friends, but it’s always fun to see how a cigar holds up to review.
The Room 101 robusto was wrapped in a smooth brown wrapper, with a few small veins. The cigar had a light bounce to it throughout the length of the cigar; cap was fairly well applied, though slightly uneven. The aroma was sweet and floral. Clipped with my LP#9 cutter, prelight draw was very loose and had a faint leathery flavor. Lit with a Room 101 match.
One of the first things I noticed was how easy the draw remained and the large amount of thick, creamy smoke it produced. The flavors were initially of dark chocolate, floral and a pronounced earth flavor on the finish. Through the retrohale there was a hint of pepper and a chocolate-fruity sort of sweetness. About midway through the first third a very rich espresso flavor joined the flavor profile and really brought the cigar to the “next level”. The thick smoke continued to coat my palate and really made it so that the finish was very long. The aroma off the cigar was fantastic, it smelled like a chocolate-coffee cake.
Heading into the second third the profile was still exactly the same, except the chocolate flavor has gotten sweeter rather than dark. Otherwise the flavors of earth, chocolate, espresso and a brief floral flavor are the same with a hint of pepper and chocolate-fruity sweetness through the nose. About the midway point of the cigar the floral note seemed to have left the flavor profile.
In the final third the flavor was again of rich espresso, earth but the chocolate notes have been replaced by an oak flavor. The retrohale remained the same but with the pepper picking up. The draw was still very loose and produced a lot of thick smoke. The burn was great through out. Medium bodied.
Overall:
The Room 101 305 is a damn fine cigar. The first time I smoked one I wasn’t overly impressed by the line, but found them to be a great shop smoke. But I have grown to really enjoy the cigar, and was surprised by how much I enjoyed the cigar for the review. I know that a few people are really mixed on this cigar… just like most of Camacho’s products. The rich flavors of chocolate, espresso, and coffee was balanced with some floral notes, sweetness, pepper and oak. The cigar is well constructed, even though the draw is a little looser than I prefer. For around $7 a cigar they are well worth the price. I know that there are a ton of cigar out there in this price range but I would recommend at least trying them, if not buying a fiver. I do think that they are better with a few months to a year of age on them, but they are certainly good out of the box. I would pair this cigar with a scotch, an English brown ale, or Belgian brown.
Total smoking time 65 minutes.
MERRY CHRISTMAS!
oo
Post with 2 notes
La Aroma de Cuba Lancero Review
La Aroma de Cuba (New Blend) Lancero Review
By Michael
Wrapper: Connecticut Broadleaf Maduro
Binder: Nicaraguan
Filler: Nicaraguan
For this review I decided to go over to John’s house and smoke a La Aroma de Cuba (New Blend) Lancero that I picked up from The Cigar Shop Biloxi a couple months back when they had an Ashton “Taste of Excellence” event. At the event our Ashton rep, Gus Merkle, had us do a rum and food pairing with the La Aroma de Cuba Mi Amor blend. When he was explaining the Mi Amor blend he also gave us a bit of insight into the La Aroma de Cuba blend that I smoked: The “new blend” of LAdC comes with a red band at the foot, unlike the original release blend, and is made in Nicaragua by Pepin Garcia. Gus also informed us that they can no longer call this “new blend”,since the revamping of the LAdC line by the hands of Pepin Garcia, Ashton has now released two newer lines; the Edicion Especial and the aforementioned Mi Amor. The OR of the LAdC line was a very rich smoke in it’s own right and fairly darn good, but I do feel the Pepin blended LAdC improved the cigar by offering a bit more complex and yet balanced cigar. I haven’t smoked the lancero before as it is sort of a limited release (it isn’t mentioned on the Ashton website and can be tricky to find on its own) but the Monarch and Belicoso are fantastic, so why should this one be any different?
The LAdC was dressed in a beautiful dark brown, near black Connecticut broadleaf maduro wrapper, that was slightly toothy and oily with a couple small veins. The cap was well applied with a slight rat tail twist. The aroma off the unlit cigar was sweet and woody. I clipped the cap with my LP#9 cutter; the prelight draw was loose with a slightly earthy taste. I lit the cigar with a match.
The initial flavors were very rich and complex. I picked up earth, woods, coffee and a molasses like sweetness with pepper on the back end and chocolaty sweetness through the nose. As the cigar progressed through the first third the molasses flavor turned into a date like flavor. The pepper stayed on the finish and the woods seemed to have gotten lost in the coffee, earth and date flavors. The cigar produced a large amount of fairly thick smoke and had a great aroma while it was burning.
Heading into the second third the flavor profile hadn’t changed much, except that the coffee seems to have gotten darker and the sweetness of the chocolate flavor has intensified on the retrohale, otherwise the earth and date flavor was about the same, as was the pepper on the finish. Near the end of the second third the earthy flavor had subdued greatly, but the flavors were still very rich.
The flavors of the final third were consistant with before, but mellowed. The retrohale seemed to have picked up a slightly woodsy flavor, and that was really the only change. The burn was perfect throughout… one time I tried to correct a slight run, but my lighter was out of fuel or was too cold so I couldn’t, a couple minutes later the burn was back to even. In the final third the cigar produced a little less smoke than the beginning.
Overall:
It should be no surprise to some of you that I find this to be the best vitola of the La Aroma de Cuba (new blend). The Connecticut Broadleaf wrapper really shines through and provides a rich and wonderful smoke. I find the lancero more enjoyable than the other vitolas because it does such a wonderful job of concentrating the chocolaty wrapper and delivering a bit more pepper spice. The cigar is well rolled and a pleasure to smoke, the burn was fine, the ash held well, it produced a lot of smoke and had a great aroma while burning. The only downside availability… I bought this cigar for around $9.50 after tax and the lancero is sort of a special edition vitola. This cigar is definitely worth trying, and putting into your rotation if you are a lancero, Pepin, maduro, Nicaraguan, or fan of peppery cigars… covers a lot of people, huh? If you can find one and afford the price I definitely recommend picking up 2-3 of them, it may be one of my favorite Ashton products. This cigar would pair very well with a sweet stout or a dark rum.
Total smoking time 95 minutes.
Page 1 of 4
