It’s good to be back amongst the living again. Kyle and I have been puffing away for you! The cigar for you this week is the Pinar del Rio by Abe Flores. Released in 2011 at ICPCR this cigar is stoutly all-Dominican. I purchased this particular cigar from Riverside Cigars. If you’re in Jeffersonville, Indiana, we highly recommend giving this cigar oasis a try – there are very few Patel’s to be found. And to my palate that’s a wonderful thing.

At any rate – we’re going to have a contest – more on that later – and on with the review!

First, the stats:

Cigar: PDR 1878 Reserva Dominicana Capa Oscura

Size: 5 x 52 Robusto

Wrapper: Dominican Republic Habano Oscuro

Binder: Dominican Republic Habano

Filler: Dominican Republic (Corojo, Habano, Criollo 98)

Strength: Medium

Price: Around 9.00

PRELIGHT

Wrapper/Appearance 1/2: The cigar was heavy for it’s size, and well constructed. The cigar was off balance and definitely had more weight towards the cap, but there were no soft spots. However, one caveat that I found is that the end of the cigar was rather ugly. It was a closed foot – however, and while not my preference it was poorly constructed, with a bunch of the closed foot missing.

Cap: 2/2 pts: The cap was really well constructed – there was a pronounced pig-tail on top, curling twice.
Band: 2/2 pts: As you can see from the pictures the band is an intense double red band with a silver block letter font. It’s really quite pretty – sexy almost.
Smell: 2/2 pts: Rich and earthy – the smell drew hints of tobacco and musty leather.
Pre-light draw/lighting: 2/2 pts: The pre-light draw was clean and clear and hinted towards earthiness and a muddiness that while not unpleasant was unexpected.

TOTAL: 9/10.

FIRST THIRD

The promise of leather did not hold true in this cigar. Instead, it was rather metallic in the first third. Though it could have been the inferior lighter that I was using. Otherwise the smoke was pleasant and thick – creamy with a desirable mouthfeel. After a few minutes the cigar turned much nicer and turned more earthy with subtle undertones of nuttiness and baked bread. The metallic taste pervaded once again, and the cigar seemed to burn hot despite my best efforts to make it burn slowly, including smoking less and making sure that I didn’t have to continue to relight. It was windy today so that might have contributed to the fact that the cigar decided to go all wonky on me and continued to burn out. Finally, I got ticked off enough to just snip the end off and relight to start the smoke again. There were several relights during the first third, but I wont completely discount this cigar simply because of my poor equipment and the weather conditions.

SECOND THIRD

This was much better! The metallic taste vanished. It gave way to a cigar that was rich in cinnamon, all-spice, and nutmeg (which, by the way is very poisonous when taken intravenously…I’m not advocating doing that … but it seems to be a dangerous way to use a delicious spice.). The smoke continued to be creamy and rich, and was delicious. The oscura was complex and the taste of bread greeted the smoker as the cigar mellowed out. The cigar was a biter originally and she turned rich and delicious after a brief experience with the dark side. The ash was light gray and very dense. The smoke continued to have a creamy mouthfeel and was totally worth nursing it through the bitter parts.

FINAL THIRD

After sacrificing a lamb to the wind (not really, it just happened that I huddled down underneath the deck … I was like Frodo Baggins in my hobbit hole) it finally calmed down. And the overall experience the final third as completely worth it. The cigar remained savory and had an undercurrent of nuttiness. The oscura rounded itself out remaining delicious and complex. The cigar was a bit dry, I highly recommend having something to drink with you (I was drinking water … but Beer or Wine would work well too.) The leatheriness worked itself back in towards the end, and I nubbed this cigar out. Nice work, Abe!

OVERALL EXPERIENCE: 

The overall experience was marred by the wind and the shoddy equipment that I was using. One of the things that I liked about this cigar was the flavor profile. The beginning was metallic and disgusting, but the sheer force of will caused me to keep through it and I’m glad that I did. The initial bitterness wore off to a smooth and savory tastes of cinnamon, nutmeg, and baked bread and then finished off with the hints of leather that the foot and the prelight draw promised. A decent smoke after all.

THE RECAP

Prelight: 9/10

Smoking: 7/10 – Quantification: The initial bitterness was so unpleasant that I found myself wanting to stop smoking. But I forced myself to overcome my aversion!

Overall Experience: 7/10 – Qualification: The fact that I had to relight the thing five times and clip the end once, made it rather unenjoyable to smoke. But the taste was really quite good.

TOTAL: 23/30. Truly a good quality smoke – but it could use some work. It was enjoyable, and I’ll be glad to enjoy another one. At the price it may or may not be worth it – check back to see another review of one, I hope to grab another one soon.

Thanks for reading! Another couple weeks and we’ll be ready to post our “CONTEST OF CHAMPIONS” for a chance for you to win cigars and a special prize.

‘//otan

Supposedly being the go to brand for Sir Winston Churchill, the La Aroma de Cuba label first originated in Cuba.  These cigars are rolled and blended by Jose “Pepin” Garcia for Ashton Distributors.  At the time of there making Pepin was crawling into new territory by using the Ecuadorian wrapper instead of his traditional Nicaraguan standard leaves.

Cigar Aficionado did rate the La Aroma de Cuba Edición Especial No.5 its #4 cigar of the year in 2008 (which to some means absolutely nothing) however it certainly encouraged me to pick a couple up to try.  And that’s exactly what I did back in 2009.  Since then these cigars have sat in my humidor (3 years) almost as a long lost friend.  So, today is the day I pull them out to see if these once lovely cigars are still making our hearts and palates wanting more.

On to the review….

La Aroma de Cuba Edición Especial No.5 Attributes

Size: Belicoso

Length: 5 ½

Ring Gauge: 52

Wrapper: Ecuador

Binder: Nicaragua

Filler: Nicaragua

Country: Nicaragua

Price: $8.00 USD

The pre-light on my La Aroma de Cuba Edición Especial No.5 was perfect (not something that happens often).  Smell had heavy barnyard and tobacco accents.  The wrapper was an absolute gorgeous smooth light sandy brown, just perfect!  An excellent point was constructed on the tip of this belicoso and the foot was completely jam packed full of leaves.  The band was appealing to the eye with its colorful detailed artwork.  The cold draw showed small hints of spice with the perfect resistance leading to sweet tobacco and cocoa notes.

Pre-light score: 10 pts.

The cigar immediately opened as an unexpected spice bomb however quickly settled into silky sweet chocolate tastes.  The perfect draw lead to a wonderful powdery salt and pepper ash.  Cigar had an alluring creamy aroma and settled nicely into the medium-full bodied range.

The second third of the La Aroma de Cuba Edición Especial No.5 continued to have a perfect burn.  The cigar released a lot of thick creamy white smoke and tastes turned to a bready cream and vanilla with an undertone of cocoa on the finish of the palate.  Cigar really had a good mouth feel while smoking.  Absolutely a true pleasure to smoke!

Moving into the final third the cigar continued to perform nothing short of perfect.  Tastes continued along the same cocoa creamy profile while adding touches of wood to the palate.  Aroma ended in a relaxing woody, leathery, creamy mixture.

Smoking score: 9 pts.

My Final thoughts on the La Aroma de Cuba Edición Especial No.5 are nothing short of great.  This cigar was exceptional in every aspect and I highly suggest not passing on these sticks.  It’s reassuring to know that a once great treasure is still an excellent choice to this day.  I will certainly be buying a box or two of these in hopes that they sit and mature as these review examples have.  The La Aroma de Cuba Edición Especial No.5, you won’t go wrong with these cigars!

Overall Experience score: 9 pts.

La Aroma de Cuba Edición Especial No.5 Rating:

Pre-Light:                       10 pts.

Smoking:                       9 pts.

Overall Exp.:                 9 pts.

TOTAL:                          28 pts.

~kaleehb

Well, once again happy New Year!  I thought we’d get they year started off with an oldie but goodie.  In fact as the year goes on I will be diving deep into the humidor to reviewing some of those sticks that were once “the new rave” and see if those once favorites are still as good as they use to be.

The Arturo Fuente family is probably one of, if not the most, famous names in the cigar industry.  For those new smokers out there that are wondering where to start your cigar journey, well I’d look at the Fuente family.  The Hemingway series was released in 1983 with the 6 x 47 Signature and the entire series is still strong on the market today.  In case you weren’t aware the word “Hemingway” refers to a certain shape used to roll a cigar (figurado body with tapper perfecto foot).  The Hemingway series is available in eight different vitolas which can be viewed on their website.

Just want to note that I received these samples from our friends at Cigars Direct.  One of the most appealing things about this cigar to me is the size, not only the shape but the length too.  This should be a perfect size smoke for folks that have to bear the cold outside winter weather.  Let’s see if the performance is worth it too…

On to the review….

Arturo Fuente Hemingway Short Story Attributes

Size: Figurado

Length: 4

Ring Gauge: 49

Wrapper: African Cameroon

Binder: Dominican Republic

Filler: Dominican Republic

Country: Dominican Republic

Price: $5.45 USD (My samples were supplied by Cigars Direct)

The pre-light on the Arturo Fuente Hemingway Short Story showed a medium brown rough wrapper with a sloppy uneven cap.  The foot (nipple) on the cigar was cracked (on both examples I smoked) and the cold smell was a sweet fresh cut hay.  The band was a typical Arturo Fuente Hemingway however the interesting thing for me was the shape of the cigar.  It never fails to amaze me that these are hand-made items and someone in the world was able to shape the cigar in this format (with the help of molds).  Finally the cold draw was somewhat tight with an interesting honeysuckle type tastes.

Pre-light score: 6 pts.

Lighting the cigar proved to be somewhat of a difficulty due to the crack that was on the foot of the stick (had to re-light multiple times).  After finally getting the cigar going I was greeted with woody, sweet, caramel hints with wood being the most dominant of the flavors.  The draw showed a nice resistance with an aroma that reminded me of a burning maple wood fire.

With the cigar’s size not being very big I quickly moved into the second third.  In fact the second and final thirds were very similar.  The burn on the stick became wavy however it only needed one touch up.  The draw remained solid with tastes also remaining the same, a nice natural woody sweetness.  Near the finish the cigar did get some unusual charred tastes but nothing too terrible.  I would certainly classify the cigar in the mild to medium body range.

Smoking score: 7 pts.

To sum up the Arturo Fuente Hemingway Short Story I would say this cigar is a perfect smoke for those of us that are outside winter smokers (on those days when you are able to step out and get in a smoke).  The cigar is not terribly complex however does offer some nice “warming” aspects, and only takes about 35 – 40 minutes to smoke.  As far as stocking them in my permanent rotation, that probably won’t happen, but pick a few up and see what you think.

Overall Experience score: 6 pts.

Arturo Fuente Hemingway Short Story Rating:

Pre-Light:                       6 pts.

Smoking:                       7 pts.

Overall Exp.:                 6 pts.

TOTAL:                          19 pts.

~kaleehb

Greetings and Salutations Lords and Ladies of the Leaf!

Sorry that this is so late! We’re working hard to get caught up, thankfully here where I am, it’s been a balmy sixty-degrees or so. What does that mean for Classic Cigar? Well, quite simply friends – we’re outside … “smoking for you”! That being said, one of the things that I really enjoy is getting a chance to compare notes with Kyle and figuring out what the heck I’m doing in regards to smoking.

2011 saw a lot of firsts for me – first thing was my wife decided that my hobby was alright to continue! So we reconditioned my old humidor, and started smoking. And Kyle invited me to come and blog about my thoughts –  someone else valued my cigar smoking opinion! And – I found small batch “boutique” cigars, no longer did I smoke the mass-produced “big name” brands but I danced into the likes of Dion Giolito and the wham-bam thank you ma’am of Pete Johnson!

Kyle and I really enjoyed the makings of Pete Johnson, you’ll find that several of his cigars mark my top ten – what can I say? When you make a good product, you make a good product. No, as stated before, Kyle and I are not Pete Johnson men – we just smoke them. And like Kyle, four of my top ten are from him, several are Dion Giolito’s and the rest? Well … you’ll just have to wait and read them.

‘//otan’s top 10 of 2011 …. drum roll please!

10. Vegas de Santiago Torpedo “Cafe con Leche” (Costa Rica)

9. Illusione 4/2g “Church” (Honduras)

8. Montecriso Media Noche No.2 (Dominican Republic)

7. Illusione Holy Lance Candela “Lancero” (Honduras)

6. Illusione Holy Lance Candela (Honduras)

5. Tatuaje Havana IV “Nobles” (Dominican Republic)

4. Cohiba Maduro V “Secretos” (Cuba)

3. Cabaiguan Guapo 46 (Nicaragua)

2. Tatuaje Black Petite Lancero (Nicaragua)

… and my number 1 cigar for 2011 is …..

1. Ambos Mundos No. 1 Habana (Nicaragua)

Kyle and I found these to be our go to cigar of 2011 – spicy, leathery (like your favorite old book), and rich creamy smoke they were the perfect cigar to compliment a beer, a glass of red wine, and they held up nice to a whole summers worth of grilling and hanging out. Being a cigar reviewing “novice” this smoke truly won over my palate and made me excited for what Pete Johnson would bring in the new year.

I wish you long ashes this year, and stay tuned for our first ever “From our humidor to yours” give-away.

Thanks so much for reading!

‘//otan

With 2011 coming to a close and 2012 opening a new chapter in life I am torn between many thoughts for the New Year.  The picture above, John Cassel’s Mixed Signals; October 1931, probably speaks lots of truths to many of us.  Sometimes we get so caught up in what to do next or plan, plan, plan, for the future that we forget to STOP, and enjoy some of the finer parts of life. i.e.) family, friends, health.  For me one of my favorite ways to reflect upon life’s gifts is with a cigar.  And just as we have for the past 3 years here at Classic Cigar, we will continue to provide our thoughts and reviews of cigars, both new and old, that the industry has to offer in 2012.

We were also blessed this year at Classic Cigar, to bring on a new reviewer to the team.  Let me take this opportunity to thank `//otan (Mark) for all the hard work and time he puts into giving his thoughts and opinions…cheers and long ashes to you in the new year buddy!

Just as in the past, the cigars on the list may not have been reviewed on the website but were smoked, numerous times, throughout the year.  You also need to know that this is my Top 10 list not my partners however, having smoked and discussed many of these cigars together I think he will tend to agree with most of my choices.

For me personally one cigar maker really hit a “Grand slam” this year with quality, production, and innovation.  That person would be Mr. Pete Johnson of Tatuaje Cigars.  Out of my 2011 Top 10, four cigars are part of his portfolio.  No, I am certainly not bias or one dimensional in anyway but those of you that know me, do understand that I call it how it is.  Without a doubt Mr. Pete Johnson is creating some amazing things in the cigar world and deserves that praise and recognition.

So without further ado, here are the Classic Cigar Top 10 cigars of 2011:

10. Oliva Connecticut Reserve Toro (Nicaragua)

9. Davidoff Puro D’Oro Deliciosos  (Dominican Republic)

8. Cohiba Siglo II  (Cuba)

7. Arturo Fuente Don Carlos No.2  (Dominican Republic)

6. Tatuaje Havana VI Victorias  (Nicaragua)

5. Cabaiguan Guapo 46  (Nicaragua)

4. Rafael Gonzalez Corona Extra  (Cuba)

3. Por Larranaga Petite Corona  (Cuba)

2. Tatuaje Black Petite Lancero  (Nicaragua)

and the #1 cigar of 2011 is…

1. Ambos Mundos Short No. 1 Habano  (Nicaragua)

Again and again, all year long this cigar offered me a great smoking experience.  Without a doubt, I burned through an entire box of these this year and not once was I disappointed or let down.  In fact, the cigar tended to continually grow on me.  By offering notes of smooth leather, peppery spice, rustic antique aromas, and a creamy smoke texture the Ambos Mundos Short No.1 Habano won my heart and palate for 2011.  Not to mention that these sticks are priced under $5.00 a piece, so you definitely can’t beat that.

Well, that does it for 2011 here at Classic Cigar.  We hope you have a very blessed and Happy New Year, as we bring in 2012 with a bang.  From our family to yours;

God Bless and Cheers!

~kaleehb

It’s been far too long since I’ve had a good smoke. And it’s been even longer since I have written for this blog – big thanks to Kyle for squirreling away his resources to make sure that I get to post when I can – and I’ve missed you all!

Well, let me tell you about this cigar I found at Riverside Cigar Lounge and Shop, located in Historic Jeffersonville Indiana. Jeff was really great, the cigar lounge looks totally cool with large comfortable leather chairs, lots of ashtrays, high-definition plasma screen tvs and it adjacent to the Brickhouse Bourbon Bar. Which it seemed was closed last night when I went in. Visit them at riversidecigars.com. I’ll be visiting them for sure over this Christmas break to sit and smoke a spell. Best part about the whole thing? It doesn’t really reek of cigars, which was a plus for my wife and her sister. How did I find this place? My wife found it, as we were ice-skating in the parking lot across the street. And as a reward for my patience and ice skating prowess, I managed to get some cigars out of the deal – go me. I walked out with two Pete Johnsons – A limited Edition “Wolfman” and a Cabaiguan guapo, and the Illusione “Holy Lance” in a Candela wrapper.

At any rate, I’ll get on with the review. Did you know that Dion Giolito (you’ll recognize him as one of my favorite cigar manufacturers) decided to make the Holy Lance in the standard colorado wrapper, the maduro wrapper, and the candela wrapper? I certainly didn’t and finding all three made this choice rather difficult. What is a candela wrapper you ask? It’s bright green -  and according to some places it’s a dead wrapper. Candela wrappers have been very rare over the past 9-10 years. Sometimes referred to as AMS, or “American Market Selection,” cigars due to their tremendous popularity in the United States from the late 1800s through the mid 20th century, Candela is basically a bright green wrapper color achieved by a process which traps the chlorophyll content of the leaf prior to fermentation. This wrapper is sort of sour tasting and because of it’s acquired taste it seemes to have lost touch with aficionados of today.

This is my first candela wrapper, and it was purchased solely on Jeff’s recommendation, and the fact that the standard colorado Holy Lance was so damned good. Here’s what Giolito has to say on his website: “ Lancero , the lance. Get it? Constantine was the first Christian Emperor to lead Rome. It was fabled that he had possession of the very spear that punctured the side of Jesus while on the cross. He was said to carry this relic into battle and, it was said that it helped him win many battles. It is an artisan blend and, the mildest of all my cigars.”

On with the review! It should be noted: to my understanding, they are not a limited-run but will be produced so long as the candela wrapper is available.

THE SPECIFICATIONS

Length: 7.5

Ring: 40

Style: Lancero

Country of Origin: Nicaragua

Wrapper: American Market Standard – Candela Wrapper

Filler: Nicaraguan

Binder: Nicaraguan

Price: Expect to pay about $10.00 – $12.00 per smoke.

THE PRE-LIGHT RITUAL

Many of you will remember that I’m all about the experience – and as such this remains my favorite part of the entire smoking experience. Truly a boutique cigar the band was simple, white band with gold lettering. Again, since I believe we smoke (and eat) first with our eyes, this band was truly sexy and got me excited about smoking this cigar. The bright green wrapper was nice- just right it had sandy undertones underneath . It had no huge veins, and only one small tear, I think though that this is because it was transported home in the pocket of my leather coat.. Like all lanceros, they were light, but this one had only one soft spot. The cap was even, a nice triple seam with a deft pigtail on the top. The band was true to the Illusione type, and it was simple, classic, and even sexy. The smell was almost light fresh cut hay, grassy and light. It was a welcome breath of fresh air in the freezing night. A light floral scent accompanied the stick too. The pre-light was open and even, and tasted of wheat, and a small hint of leather.

FIRST THIRD:

The first third began grassy, and had hints of roasted wheat. This cigar had a pleasant almost leathery aftertaste. One of the best things about the cigar was that with a green wrapper, one would expect that it would be a “lighter” smoke, as Candela’s often are (at least to me), but this one is heady and enjoyable. Having enjoyed the standard Holy Lance, this one is totally in the same league as it’s brown cousin. Thick plumes of smoke coated the palate, but the ash was disappointing. It was loose, and dark gray – indicative that perhaps the cigar was rolled too wet. Towards the middle of the second third, there was an interesting addition to the flavors – it started to move from grassiness to the sweetness of caramel or even a toffee – a very pleasing flavor!

SECOND THIRD

The second third started with notes of toasted bread with the undertone of toffee and transitioned into a savory spiciness that I found really rather satisfying. I’m a fan of cigars that are spicy, and heady. And this one was well on its way to delivering a powerful punch! The smoke moved into a cinnamon and pepper with the barest floral hints of anise and all-spice. The smoke was still very pronounced, and thick. It was delicious – keeping the palate coated in the savory spiciness that reared it’s head in this third.

FINAL THIRD

The spiciness of the second third yielded in the final third to a flavor that was predominantly woody, and nutty. It was almost as if we returned to the beginning of the cigar because leathery undertones made their way back into the mix. The smoke remained thick and abundant, though I did have to relight a few times in this third, and had to even out the burn. Other than that the smoke was perfect. One thing that Giolito is famous for is the blending of tobaccos to create flavor profiles that linger on the palate.

OVERALL IMPRESSION:

With a total smoke time of one and a half hours, I found each minute to be an enjoyable one. The first notes were very grassy and summery which lead me to thinking I would be smoking a garden. But the whole smoke had such a complexity and subtle nuances that I can only compare to purchasing perfume for a significant other. It smells one way on the little plastic card, but on your loved one it’s completely different. This is the first cigar in a long time that I nubbed out.

RECAP

Prelight: 9/10 –

Smoking: 8/10 

Overall Experience: 9/10 

Total Composite Score: 27/30 

I totally want some more of these to fill this:

What a great Christmas present – my wife totally rocks! Speaking of Christmas – I hope that you and your loved ones have a great Holiday.

God Bless,

‘//otan

Launched back in late April of 2010 the Davidoff Puro D’Oro Series is credited to wrapper maker Hendrik Kelner.  According to the April 13, 2010 issue of Cigar Insider the wrapper leaves for these cigars are quote, “grown in Yamasá, an area of the Dominican Republic north of the capital city of Santo Domingo and far from Santiago and its surrounding tobacco fields.”  This cigar by far bears the darkest wrapper in the Davidoff Collection (minus the maduro line).  Also, worth noting is that this is the first new Davidoff release in more than 10 years.

These cigars are available in four different vitolas:  Magnificos 5 1/8 x 52; Sublimes 4 ½ x 38; Deliciosos 4 7/8 x 43; Notables 5 5/8 x 46

The packaging is in the old Cuban style of slab boxes with 25 (cigar wheels) wrapped in a yellow silk band bearing the name Davidoff.

I was able to pick up 2 boxes of 4 pack samplers from The Smoking Lamp, Charleston’s oldest cigar shop, while on vacation a couple of summers ago in Charleston, SC.  If you’re still hunting for a nice gift for that family member cigar smoker, these mini 4 pack samplers would be a great idea for overall gift or stocking stuffer.  I know I sure would enjoy opening up a pack of them!

On to the review….

Davidoff Puro D’Oro Notables Attributes

Size: Corona Gorda

Length: 5 5/8

Ring Gauge: 46

Wrapper: Dominican Republic

Binder: Dominican Republic

Filler: Dominican Republic

Country: Dominican Republic

Price: $15.50 USD

Short of being perfect the Davidoff Puro D’ Oro Notables is covered in a wonderfully silky oily dark brown wrapper and is topped with one of the best pigtail caps I’ve ever seen (well done!).  The pre-light smell is a deep cocoa and barnyard.  The band is not in your typical “Davidoff” style but instead is a very simple solid gold footband with the name Notables imprinted on it.  I actually like this as it makes you pay more attention to the actual cigar than the band.  Lastly, was the cold draw, which was loose and airy however, contained sugary sweet accents on my palate.

Pre-light score: 9 pts.

During the first third of the Davidoff Puro D’Oro Notables, the cigar produced copious amounts of dancing white smoke.  The burn was impeccable and gave way to a glorious gray ash.  Certainly was medium to full bodied from the get go.  I noted tastes of vanilla bean with a meaty, hickory tone that covered my palate.

Into the second third the cigar continued to perform great.  The hickory notes became more direct and a pepper aspect was clearly present on the tongue.  The burn and draw remained great through the second third and the cigar moved back in body to the medium range.

The final third of my Davidoff Puro D’Oro Notables turned extremely meaty and heavy on the palate.  Tastes were actually a bit charred and burnt tasting with the pepper notes lasting to the end.  The burn and draw were outstanding through the entire smoke as I never had to pick up the lighter after the initial start.

Smoking score: 8 pts.

Overall I classify this stick as an outstanding experience.  I do wish some of the overall tasting notes would have offered more complexity however what was there was enjoyable.  I certainly recommend this cigar and for those of you that are not typical Davidoff fans, go ahead and give this line a shot.  It’s certainly not the standard mild to medium bland Davidoff’s some complain about.

Overall Experience score: 9 pts.

Davidoff Puro D’Oro Notables Rating:

Pre-Light:                       9 pts.

Smoking:                       8 pts.

Overall Exp.:                 9 pts.

TOTAL:                          26 pts.

~kaleehb

Just released this year the Alec Bradley Black Market cigars are unique in the fact that tobaccos from four different countries are used in the blend.  However that’s not all…the cigar only contains visos and ligeros (no seco leaves are used in this blend).  The Black Market cigars come in boxes of 22 that look like old cargo crates and are available in the following sizes:

Robusto 5 ¼ x 52; Toro 6 x 50; Churchill 7 x 50; Torpedo 6 1/8 x 54; and Gordo 6 x 60.

On to the review….

Alec Bradley Black Market Attributes

Size: Toro

Length: 6

Ring Gauge: 50

Wrapper: Nicaragua

Binder: Indonesia

Filler: Panama; Honduras

Country: Honduras

Price: $7.60

The pre-light ritual for the AB Black Market was most disappointing.  The cap on the cigar was applied sloppy and uneven.  The smell of the stick revealed a stout barnyard and tiny shots of mint.  Wrapper had plenty of heavy veins and one very noticeable blemish was found upon removal of the large foot band (which did not come off with ease).

The secondary band that remained on the cigar was halfway up the stick and had a military look to the print decorated with black and steel.  Near that middle band was excessive glue stains all over the wrapper leaf.  The cold draw was very tight and showed an empty mushroom tastes.

Pre-light score: 6 pts.

The AB Black Market started out with a cool fresh smoke that was leathery and mildly sweet.  After a couple of puffs however the remained of the cap began to come off in my mouth (don’t think my Xikar guillotine did a bad job as it has yet to let me down).  The burn was however dead even and lead to a gray powdery ash.

Into the second third of my Black Market by Alec Bradley the tastes took a turn for the better, turning creamy and bready with a leathery undercoat lingering on the palate.  Upon continuing however the cream dissipated and a meaty burnt spice lead to medium body smoking experience.

Not expecting much into the final third the cigar became spongy and tart.  It remained in the medium bodied range the entire smoke and the aroma had an awkward Indian Curry characteristic to it.  The final finish showed more muttled ill defined tastes that was very….boring.

Smoking score: 7 pts.

To sum up my overall experience with the Alec Bradley Black Market I would label this cigar as just another bland blend on the already large market.  With such a large diverse cigar market now available cigar producers need to be releasing products that really stick out (not just a cool band or packaging idea).  This is a perfect example of that.  Aside from the unique name and band (presentation) this cigar just doesn’t cut it.  Pass on this one.

Overall Experience score: 6 pts.

Alec Bradley Black Market Rating:

Pre-Light:                       6 pts.

Smoking:                       7 pts.

Overall Exp.:                 6 pts.

TOTAL:                          19 pts.

~kaleehb

Just wanted to take a moment and wish everyone a safe and happy Thanksgiving!  As always thanks for reading and stay tuned for the Classic Cigar top 10 Cigars of 2011 as we look to wrap up another great year of smokes.  Cheers!

It’s ‘//otan here again and it’s been a long time since I have stepped fingers onto this blog. Obviously fall time is the busiest time of year for me, and unfortunately I didn’t have very much tucked away so that I could continue to post while I didn’t have the time to smoke.

At any rate, you certainly don’t care much about that. I’m ready to get on with a review for you. You see, a few weeks ago we got a stock of sticks from Costa Rica, the Vegas de Santiago brand. According to www.vegassantiago.com these cigars are special because they are grown in volcanic soil at 1100 meters (3500 feet). All labor is done manually and the techniques were inherited from the local indian tribes. The tobaccos are aged for 3 years at a minimum.

At any rate, I’ll get on with the review! Enjoy, and my recommendation is that you get yourself some of these Vegas Santiago cigars and start enjoying them today.

Vegas de Santiago Torpedo “Cafe con Leche”

Length: 6 x 50

Country of Origin: Costa Rica

Wrapper: Costa Rican

Filler: Costa Rican Long Filler

Binder: Costa Rican

Cost: Samplers start at $9.00

PRELIGHT RITUAL – 10/10

Wrapper/Appearance: 2/2 – One small scuff, otherwise it was really nice. The wrapper was dark brown, and had no veins in it. The feel was silky, and heavy for this cigars sie.

Cap: 2/2. Even and well rounded, evidence of a very experienced craftsman/woman.

Band: 2/2. The band was even and well placed. It was a black and gold with embossed letters. Very eye pleasing.

Smell: 2/2. There was a light tobacco smell, and there were hints of grassiness that were evident. The scent also had a small aroma of coffee.

Prelight Draw/Lighting: 2/2. The draw was open and unobstructed. There were faint hints of tobacco and coffee. Very mild.

FIRST THIRD

After all of the things that I noted when I was going through the pre-light ritual, I was really expecting this to be a great smoke. And actually, despite my prior disappointments with cigars, I could honestly say that I one hundred percent was not disappointed. There were tasting notes of coffee, with a creamy finish. The smoke had a very mild mouth feel. There was quite a nice taste of coffee in the tasting notes. There was a ton of rich smoke, with lots of thick dark gray ash. I’m usually an asher of cigars pretty prematurely, but this ash stayed nice and tight.

SECOND THIRD

The opening of the second third of this cigar found me pleasantly surprised. It was still a very mild smoke. There were tasting notes of coffee, with a hint of chocolate and several whiffs of cedar. The tobacco continues to burn evenly producing lots of dark thick ash. Towards the end of this third, it transitioned into a very nice hint of spice. The predominant taste remained coffee however. Though, to my palate, I think I found it to be very pleasantly reminiscent of all-spice, with a hint of butteriness in there as well.

FINAL THIRD

Smoking in the garage. At any rate, the cigar transitioned nicely into a spiced warm tasting. The title of the cigar is “Cafe con leche” and so far it was working on producing. This cigar continued to have a mild mouthfeel, and it continued to work on the tasting notes of coffee. It seemed here, though, that the cigar was packed loosely towards the top, because it started to burn really quite hot. It didn’t mess with the flavors too much, to be quite honest, as in some cases where the flavors char instead of melding together.

OVERALL EXPERIENCE:

Wow. What a really nice cigar. I really enjoyed it, and for what I paid for it, it was totally worth it. Actually, normally I’m not a fan of mild/medium bodied cigars – but in fact, I think that this smoke is incredibly complex. The makers here have a great thing on their hands. This smoke was a great experience, it provided two hours of smoking comfort on a reasonably warm day in the middle of October. One of the things that I really enjoyed was that the cigar continued to remain mild and medium bodied throughout, one spice note did not ever overpower another note. It really tasted quite nicely. On to the recap!

THE RECAP

Prelight: 10/10

Smoking Experience: 8/10

Overall Experience: 8/10

Total Score: 26/30. 

Well folks, it was good to spend some time with you again. I hope that you enjoy reading the review, and after all, it’s what it’s all about, just enjoying the moment. It’s been too long. Have a great week ladies and gentlemen.

Prosit!

‘//otan

To meet the needs of their milder cigar fans, in 2008 the Oliva Cigar Company blended and debuted the Oliva Connecticut Reserve line.  The line is available in following sizes:  Robusto 5 x 50; Toro 6 X 50; Double Corona 7 X 50; Torpedo 6 ½ X 52; Lonsdale 6 ½ X 44

On to the review….

Oliva Connecticut Reserve Attributes

Size: Toro

Length: 6

Ring Gauge: 50

Wrapper: Connecticut Shade Ecuador

Binder: Nicaragua

Filler: Nicaragua

Country: Nicaragua

Price: $6.00 USD

The Oliva Connecticut Reserve bore a golden brown wrapper that had a dry look and feel to it.  The Connecticut wrapper also had lots of veins and seemed to be stretched around the binder and filler bunch.  The perfectly round cap was extremely well constructed.  Pre-light smell was a  wheat and honey sweetness and the cold draw showed a perfect resistance with no defining tastes.

Pre-light score: 8 pts.

The opening of the Oliva Connecticut Reserve was nice and mild.  Draw and burn were perfect with an ash that proved to be a powdery gray.  Notes of wood and grain are found on the palate with absolutely no pepper or spice at all.  A very smooth experience.

During the second third the cigar’s performance proved still to be outstanding.  The cigar remained mild, which is not my 1^st preference in cigar body, however the change of pace proved to be very much enjoyable.  The tasting still showed woodiness but added a light chocolate moose that lingered in and out.

The final third of the Oliva Connecticut had a memorizing bready aroma.  The tastes became a little harsh with notes of charcoal being evident in the final third.  The woody notes remained through the finish and the cigar ended in a brilliant mild vanilla tastes.

Smoking score: 9 pts.

Since the release of the Oliva Serie V line I must admit to having been partial to reaching for that rich full bodied experience offered in the V Series.  However, now that I have been introduced to the Connecticut Reserve I certainly have a slight change of heart.  If you are looking for a nice mellow, mild cigar experience that shows sweet wood and dessert characteristics this is the stick for you.  Even though it is light in body the Connecticut Reserve is still a very enjoyable smoke.  For the price I suggest you pick a few up for the holidays.

Overall Experience score: 9 pts.

Oliva Connecticut Reserve Rating:

Pre-Light:                       8 pts.

Smoking:                       9 pts.

Overall Exp.:                 9 pts.

TOTAL:                          26 pts.

~kaleehb