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Archive for November, 2008

Cigar Review: Sometimes big things come in small packages

28 Nov

Cigar Name: Trinidad Habana Reserve #5 (4 1/4 x 44)

Cigar Description: Ecuadorian Cubano around Honduran and Nicaraguan filler

Cigar Strength: Full

Review of the Cigar itself: I decided to go through the humidor to see what I could find that was interesting. And I happened upon a small cigar that had been sent to me. I smelled the cigar and got a wonderful sweet mocha smell from the tobacco mixture. At first, I thought this was a flavoured cigar but realized that this was just a great mixture of prime tobaccos. The cigar is well made and had a rat tail at the end of it. The one downside was that the wrapper had a “mottling” on it, which seemed to be more of a flaw in the wrapper and not anything that would detract from the flavour of the cigar.

When I lit the cigar, the aroma of the sweet mocha continued in the smoke but the actual flavour was  more of a deep, earthy tone with a hint of sweetness in the background. It made for a nice gentle but quick afternoon smoke while doing some blogging and twittering. At one point, I noticed a fair amount of smoke coming from this little cigar but the flavour persisted well enough.

Sometimes we expected the bigger cigars to have the most flavour but even this little one (quite a contrast to the Diamond Crown Maximus #1 I had earlier this week) comes with big flavour. As I got to the end of the cigar, a deeper pepper taste came out along with a creamy leather taste to it. This one went right down to the nub.

Enjoyed with: Water

Smoke time: approximately 50 minutes

Final Review Rating: 8.4/10

 
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Cigar Review: Giving thanks to LFD’s Factory Press III and Cigar Friends

27 Nov

Cigar Name: LFD Factory Press III (6 1/4 x 54)

Cigar Description: Maduro wrapper around Dominican Republic filler

Cigar Strength: Medium

Review of the Cigar itself: On Thanksgiving, we often eat huge meals and want to have a nice cigar afterwards for “dessert” (although one shouldn’t forgo the nice apple and pumpkin pies that often follow the large Thanksgiving meal). A few weeks ago, when I was on Wall Street, I noticed at the Barclay-Rex Store a square, well-box-pressed cigar. It was going like hot-cakes while I was there and decided to give one a try. I grabbed one and stuck it in my main humidor. It seemed appropriate to take it out today and enjoy it.

I tasted the cap end and got the flavour of chocolate with a shadowy hint of pepper in the background. The wrapper, a deep, dark maduro ooze an aroma of rich tobacco. It took a little bit to get this lit because of how tightly pressed the tobacc was but once lit, it remained so. It has a nice a creamy flavour with hints of chocolate in the background. It remained consistent throughout the full length of the cigar.

For today, it’s good to remember all the things we can be thankful for. If we can enjoy cigars, have a job with which to buy cigars and family and friends to share with, we have lots to be thankful for, especially in this uncertain economic times we’re in. We should remember to enjoy them throughout the year as well and be thankful for every day we get, especially with friends and family. Because honestly, a cigar is just a cigar. But it becomes so much more when we can share it with those that make life more interesting. For me, I’m thankful for a lot of things in life and recently, am grateful for the BotL/SotL who I can call friend online.

And I’m grateful for those who come to read here.

Cheers and have a smoke on me.

Enjoyed with: Water and a Red Bull

Smoke time: approximately an hour and a half

Final Review Rating: 8.5/10

 
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Cigar Review: Size DOES Matter Sometimes

24 Nov

Cigar Name: Camacho Corojo Toro  (6 x 60)

Cigar Description: Corojo wrapper around Jamastran Honduran filler

Cigar Strength: Full

Review of the Cigar itself: Whoever told you that size didn’t matter lied — blatantly. Sometimes, size can matter, particularly when enjoying a full cigar. I got this cigar while in Charleston at the Tinderbox and decided to give it a try today. Given the size and fullness of this cigar, it would probably make a perfect option for after Thanksgiving dinner while watching a football game or just chatting outside with friends and family while the cool air tussled the leaves around. This cigar’s diameter is that of a quarter and it’s a full 6 inches in length. I was a little concerned that the cutter wouldn’t be able to get around it but it was able to. Toasting the foot, however, was easily double the normal time it takes to toast an average cigar. Given the area of tobacco to cover, this isn’t a surprise.

The first draw of this impressive cigar was creamy and pleasant. I can see why Davidoff bought out Camacho. The cigar, although large in comparison to most other cigars, is still well made with very few visible veins. Also, because of the size it did require a few touch-ups as it tugboated a bit a few times. This may have been because I had the window open. It definitely requires more attention than the average cigar does due to its size. The ash was a darker gray than what I usually see for Dominican cigars and it’s likely an effect of the soil that the tobacco was grown in. Weaved into the cigar was a slight peppery taste but nothing that was overwhelming. For a full cigar, it was wholly enjoyable for a new like me.

As I continued further into the cigar the pepperness came out more and mingled with the creamy smoke. I finally had reached the point of the band and I carefully removed it. It came off with a little bit of the wrapper but wasn’t enough to cause it to unravel. The cigar continued to be a great smoke without overwheming, which is good since I hadn’t eaten anything yet for the day beyond snacking on some popcorn (bad, Linus, bad). At one point, I had to step away from the cigar while I prepared dinner and when I came back to relight it, it started up as if I had never left. The flavours still remained a consistent combination of pepper and smokey cream flavour to it but I did get hints of cedar near the end.

While this cigar is a mouthful (literally!), it’s enjoyable and well worth the time it takes to get through it.

Enjoyed with: Water

Smoke time: approximately two hours

Final Review Rating: 8.5/10

 
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Cigar Review: Enjoying a Vintage Upmann

22 Nov

Cigar Name: H. Upmann Vintage Cameroon Robusto (5 x 52)

Cigar Description: Cameroon wrapper around Dominican, Nicaraguan and Peruvian filler

Cigar Strength: Medium

Review of the Cigar itself: I got with an annoying flu bug this week and only just recovered yesterday. So I’d thought I’d start the day with a nice medium cameroon. I had purchased this one while in Charleston, SC at Tinderbox. It’s a well constructed cigar with a nice cedar sleeve. The sleeve came off with ease and without tearing at the wrapper. Although the wrapper, a nice oily chocolate color, had more visible veins than I’ve seen on others, it was still a well, constructed cigar. It lit with ease and the aroma that came out of it was very nice to the nose.

The cigar nearly burned perfectly with only one touch-up required at one point. The tastes were a mixture of flavours but the one flavour that did come out regularly was a fennel-licorice taste. The first few draws were a little difficult at first but eventually, it opened up a bit and it became easier.  There were hints of leather and a little cedar (likely from the sleeve) that poked through as I neared the end. The problem I had is that I enjoyed the cigar so much I didn’t really think about what flavours I was enjoying. And in reality, that is a sign of a decent cigar.

At times the cigar was a bit too smokey but not overwhelmingly so. This is the kind of cigar one can enjoy after a full meal, particularly grilled one. For whatever reason, I had this taste bud sensation or taste of grilled/roasted herb-like food (think oven cooked). It made me want to make Thanksgiving dinner earlier, particularly the mashed sweet potatos with grilled shitake mushrooms and onions.

Enjoyed with: Water and coffee with vanilla flavoured soy milk

Smoke time: approximately an hour and a bit (less distractions today)

Final Review Rating: 8.3/10

 
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Quick Review: Padron 3000

19 Nov

I think I was gifted this one. I had previously gotten a Padron 2000 and the experience was kinda so-so. So I have to admit being rather hesitant about this one. But so far it’s been a rather pleasant smoke. There is a smokey cedar taste to it. It ended up having a bit of an earthy-composty smell to it but otherwise the taste was far better than others. I don’t know if I could that one every day (like say I can with the Short Stories by AF) but certainly now and again it’d be a nice change up.

 
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Sunday Quick Shots: a Punch, a BestSeller and a Cameroon

17 Nov

Today is a “work” day for me, largely for my other writing projects. I kinda have to focus on a security article as well as my novel. But that doesn’t stop me from enjoying a cigar while I write. So I thought I’d do some quick reviews of the cigars I smoked.

Punch Maduro Rothschild: very nice, mild cigar (although listed as a full bodied cigar). Well constructed Honuduras and Nicaraugan filler with a nice US Connecticut Maduro wrapper that results in some nice nutty flavours in the background. It was a bit smokey at times, which was a bit of a turn-off. Still, it’s a good smoke and probably worthy of a 8/10 review. This would work well as an “every day” cigar (about $2/stick if you buy a box of 50).

Arturo Fuente Hemingway Bestseller: much like the Short Story, this is a very pleasant and enjoyable cigar. The creamyness of the cigar comes through and it relaxes my mind as I churn out words for my novel/biography. I can understand why Hemingway always had a cigar as he wrote: when the mind relaxes, words fumble out far easier. If I had the ingredients for a mint julip, I’d make one to compliment the tiny mint flavouring that tickles the edges of the cigar taste. 9/10

CAO Cameroon Robusto: Unlike the CX2, this is a pretty basic flavoured cigar. As much as I enjoy my Cameroon wrappers (probably why I like the Hemingway line so much), this isn’t comparable in flavour or quality. Don’t get me wrong. It’s an ok cigar but not something I’d treat to everyone and certainly not something I’d have every day. The flavour was pretty bland and simple. I’d put this one at a 7/10.

 
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Cigar Review: Shorter Robusto that Packs its Flavour

15 Nov

Cigar Name: Saint Luis Rey Reserva Especial Serie G Short Robusto (4.25 x 54)

Cigar Description: Nicaraguan Habano wrapper and a Nicaraguan binder with Honduran and Nicaraguan longfiller tobaccos

Cigar Strength: Full

Review of the Cigar itself: As I eyed this short cigar and took in what it presented, I realized that this would be no walk in the park. The cigar, although a shorter Robusto, definitely seemed to pack a punch even before being lit. I smelled the tobacco and could detect a sharpness in the unburned scent. The denseness feeling of the cigar itself had me a bit concerned about the potential for a plug but I had a few toothpicks ready just in case. The wrapper had a dark oily sheen to it and presented a slight espresso flavour when I tested the end of it. The red and gold band stood out against the dark maduro wrapper. Upon cutting the head, I can see how dense the tobacco really is.

This was turning out to be the perfect full-bodied morning cigar as toasting the foot resulted in a spicey-nutty aroma to come out that was very pleasant to the nose. My first few draws emitted a distinctive creamy coffee taste. The illusion of the denseness of the filler faded away quickly and was replaced with an enjoyment of the cigar itself. As I continued into the first third, as I was trying to take an action shot, a slight jolt of mocha came through behind the coffee in one particular draw. It would weave itself in and out of the espresso coffee flavour as I continued.

The double-bands came off with relative ease since neither was glued onto the wrapper itself and any glue used on the bands was just enough to keep it on the cigar. It is a great morning to have this kind of cigar. The blue smoke that danced up from the cinder got caught in the gentle cool morning breeze. The stick remained warm in my hand warding off any potential chill that might have come. As I continued into the middle part of the cigar I began getting tiny flavour-jabs of fennel and pepper as the fullness of the flavour started to come out more. As I got into the last third it was there that the full pepper flavour came out and hit me. Behind the pepperness were hints of cedar and fennel, tempting the palate with a myriad of sensations.

As much as full flavoured smokes are often hard for me to enjoy, I have to say I definitely enjoyed this one. Its rich and complex flavours were better accented against the cold water I drank than the flavoured coffee. I’d say if you were to enjoy this on your own, use a black espresso or other dark coffee with no sugar, cream, milk or other side flavours. This is a great cigar to start the day with — after a full breakfast, of course.

Enjoyed with: Water and coffee with vanilla flavoured soy creamer

Smoke time: approximately an hour and a half

Final Review Rating: 8.75/10

 
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Quick ping

15 Nov

Work week is done and boy! Am I happy. I’m enjoying a CAO CX2 Robusto tonight and doing some various research all over. I’ll probably be doing at least one review this weekend, if not more than one. In the meantime, I think I’m going to search some images to consider for a potential tattoo next year or the year after: a cigar girl. I’m open to suggestions and ideas if others have them

 
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Something to amuse you in the meantime…

11 Nov

Since I’m working this week in the city, it’ll be hard to do a review. So I thought I’d entertain you with some Ron White, the redneck cigar-smokin’, whiskey drinkin’ “Tater”. Have a laugh until Friday when I get the next review up.

 
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Cigar Review: A Blue Maduro

08 Nov

Cigar Name: 601 Box-Pressed Blue Maduro Robusto (5.2 x 52)

Cigar Description: Nicaraguan Cuban-seed filler with NIcaraguan wrapper

Cigar Strength: Medium-Full

Review of the Cigar itself: After my last 601, I wasn’t too sure about this one but I thought I’d give it a try. I’ve always like the maduro dark wrappers for that extra bit of hidden sweetness. The box-press gives a nice square form to it and the construction is done to perfection. There are very few visible veins, displaying an attention to detail and the quality of the cigar. As I toasted the end I noticed that initial sweetness hinting as the foot burned a bit and tasted it as it hint my tongue. At first I couldn’t place or describe it but then I realized: it’s almost like a sweet nutty flavour.

At first it generated a bit more smoke than I had expected but that eventually settled down. The first third consisted of a gentle peppery taste (that would sometimes tickle the back of my throat) along with an earthy robust flavour. I had to touch it up once when I got distracted by morning routine but was able to keep it going. A few good puffs allowed it to correct itself when it tugboated some of the burn but this also resulted in a fair amount of extra smoke. But it did seem to fit with the fog rolling in on this early Saturday morning.

As I listened to the construction crew outside hammering and banging away, the delicious sweet flavour of the cigar continued to pour forth. It is a stark contrast to the Green Oscuro I had tried before. While I found the 601 Green to be stronger and harsher, I found this one to be far more pleasant and tantalizing on the tongue and taste buds. In the middle third, I found even the wrapper to have a pleasant, very light, sweet fennel taste to it. This married with the gentle sweet nutty-earthy flavour that the filler emitted. The tame heat that came from the core of the cigar was enough to ward off the dampness and cold of the fall morning. The band came off with a trivial tug, a testament to the good construction and attention to detail of this cigar.

In the last third, the sweet fennel taste started to come from within the rest of the cigar. Intertwined within there was a timid espresso flavour, a perfect tie to the morning coffee I was enjoying. As I got to the nub of the cigar, the coffee and peppery flavours combined to create a great flourish of a finish. It was a great start to the day.

Enjoyed with: Water and coffee with vanilla flavoured soy milk

Smoke time: approximately an hour and a half

Final Review Rating: 8.5/10

 
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