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14 Jul 2010

Cain F Cigar Review

In case you missed it last night, here is my most recent review for The Cigar Spy. Definitely one of my favorite cigars this year.

Click here to download:

Cain_F_Cigar_Review_Tags_cigar.zip (4622 KB)

20 May 2010

Gran Habano Corojo #5 Cigar Review

Cross posted at The Cigar Spy.

Target Name:

Gran Habano Corojo #5

Target Vitals:

Wrapper: Nicaraguan Habano

Binder: Nicaraguan Habano

Filler: Nicaraguan, Costa Rican and Mexican Tobaccos
Vitola: 5 x 52 (Robusto)
Strength: Full Bodied

Duration: 2:05:00
Average Price: $4 to $5 for single cigars; Around $65 to $70 for a box of 20.

Background Info:

Honduran cigar maker Don Guillermo created the Gran Habano line of cigars in 2003, five years after starting his own successful cigar manufacturing business.

Mission Debrief:

This is another cigar that has lived in my 2nd humidor for quite a long time, probably before I bought it and its contents from my friend. As I know I have smoked a few of these in the past but couldn't really remember if I liked it or not, I figured this one was as likely a candidate for interrogation as anything else in the humidor. The only problem with this review was that I started it too late in the evening and ended up not being able to get photos once I started smoking.

Giving the cigar my customary physical examination, I found that the veiny Nicaraguan Habano wrapper was a bit on the dry side, both in touch and to its appearance but no issues otherwise. It is unknown to me how long the cigar was in his humidor before it reached me, and I know for a fact that he let his humidification lapse before shipping the humidor to me. The cigar felt properly rolled throughout its length, detecting no soft or overpacked spots.

The wrapper was the visual cue for what was discovered when I cut the cap: the cigar was a bit on the dry side, even with three months of proper humidification. Cutting the cap became an explosion of dry tobacco. This, however, was not near enough to stop this review. Lighting the cigar and taking the first draws, I was met a peppery spice, followed about 10 minutes later with hints of wood, all while in the realm of full-bodied. While I enjoyed the full-bodied flavor of this cigar, I felt that was more or less the summation of the flavor spectrum. Honestly, for the price of the cigar, it's not a bad thing.

I got even draws from this cigar throughout the smoking time. Thick, white smoke as well. It certainly helped in keeping the bugs away from me that night. With the full-bodied flavor of this cigar, expect a longer finish on your palette.

Final Analysis:

Good but not great in my opinion. Bear in mind that they are not a bad deal for what you are paying for this cigar. I don't find this to be a complex cigar in terms of flavors, just a straight up full-bodied smoke. I would be interested in getting ahold of a couple of fresh sticks and see how they compare to my aged one and see if they differ. Expect a follow up on this cigar in the near future as I report my updated findings.

Click here to download:

Gran_Habano_Corojo_5_Cigar_Rev.zip (2474 KB)

21 Apr 2010

El Baton Cigar Review

Cross posted at The Cigar Spy.

Target Name:

El Baton

Target Vitals:

Wrapper: Nicaraguan Corojo

Binder: Nicaraguan

Filler: Nicaraguan
Vitola: 6 3/4 x 54 (Double Torpedo)
Strength: Medium to Full Bodied

Duration: 2:00:00
Average Price: $6 to $8 per stick either online or at a local B&M

Background Info:

This cigar was reintroduced to the J.C. Newman (makers of Diamond Crown) family of cigars in 2009. One factory in Nicaragua makes this cigar, and nothing else.

Mission Debrief:

First of all, my apologizes for being away for the past five or so weeks. As many of you know by now, my wife and I had our first child at the end of March and has taken a bit of adjustment to both of our lives. Second, this cigar will always hold a special place with me as this was the cigar I was smoking when I found out that my wife had started having labor contractions. When my wife told me that the process started, I returned to the basement and hastily finished the cigar. Needless to say, I was glad that I bought two of these cigars, if only to give this cigar its full due.

I found zero imperfections with the cigar's veiny Nicaraguan Corojo wrapper, nor did I detect any soft or overpacked spots throughout the length of the cigar. Floral scents were present to this cigar pre-burn.

Lighting the cigar with a wooden match and taking the first several balanced and pleasant draws, I found the familiar taste of spice, but subdued to other Nicaraguan cigars that I have smoked in the past. After the initial flavors of spice mellowed after the first ten minutes of the cigar's two hour burn time, hints of leather and slight mocha came to the forefront. After the halfway point of the cigar, the leather moved to the background and the prominent flavor was a smoother mocha that lasted the rest of the cigars lifespan.

The strength of the cigar starts out just above the medium bodied mark and kicks up slightly in the last third but its pleasant enough to where it is not overbearing and bitter.

Overall, the burn on the El Baton was pretty good, although I did have a couple of relights. The color of the ash was the whitest I have seen in quite awhile, but it is a bit on the flaky side, as the armrest of my chair found out (thankfully I was smoking outside).

Final Analysis:

I thoroughly enjoyed this cigar more the second time around, thanks to the fact that my wife wasn't in labor this time around and wasn't rushed to smoke it. This will give you a great blend of flavors and will still appeal to those who prefer a medium bodied smoke. And the price point is fair to what you are getting from the cigar. Buy these with confidence.

Click here to download:

el-baton-cigar-review-bqfJGfteEqmFfoDEIzfD.zip (6527 KB)

18 Mar 2010

Montecristo No. 4 Cigar Review

As always, cross-posted at The Cigar Spy.

Target Name:

Montecristo No. 4

Target Vitals:

Wrapper: Cuban

Binder: Cuban

Filler: Cuban
Vitola: 5 1/8 x 44 (Mareva)
Strength: Medium to Full Bodied

Duration: 1:32:00
Average Price: $100 to $125 per box of 25

Background Info:

The Montecristo No. 4 is one of the most popular and best-selling Cuban cigars on the market today. Also noted to be a favorite smoke of Che Guevara.

Mission Debrief:

This is a popular cigar in my house in that this is my wife's all-time favorite cigar. As many of you know from following me on Twitter, she is pregnant and has not had a cigar in almost a full year (and as of writing this, still waiting on the kid to arrive even though his due date is today, March 18th). A number of personal friends and family members asked me what would I smoke to commemorate our baby's arrival. It turns out it was my wife who put her foot down and made the decision for the both of us. It made choosing a cigar for interrogation quite easy.

I didn't find any issues or irregularities with all aspects of the physical appearance of the cigar. The cigar itself felt properly packed with zero soft spots found. Sweet, wooden aromas emit from the cigar pre-burn.

Using my Xikar cutter and a wooden match, the first of many draws from the cigar was open with the right amount of resistance. The most noticeable flavor I felt started the cigar was leather. This was the predominant flavor until around the halfway point, where I started to notice hint of nuts and slight cocoa, all very smooth and easy on the palette, while the leather became an afterthought to the other flavors. These flavors stayed to the completion of the cigar, all the while staying pleasant and not gaining bitterness. Expect a shorter finish from this cigar. I didn't think the taste of the cigar stayed with me for more than a couple of hours.

A couple of minor issues did find me when smoking this cigar. The burn was slightly uneven and did require a couple of relights. The ash, while it does stay mostly firm, waiting to long to release the ash will allow it to end up in your lap, or in my case, my shirt and couch cushion.

Final Analysis:

Minor issues aside, this is a fantastic cigar, worthy of its accolades. The price point for this cigar is right on, and depending on where you order from, you can find deals which will put this in the lower range that I have listed above. For those looking for a first time Cuban, don't be afraid to start here as it won't break the bank and shouldn't knock you on your ass. If you like them like my wife and I do, they won't last long in your humidor.

Click here to download:

Montecristo_No._4_Cigar_Review.zip (6910 KB)

3 Mar 2010

Perdomo Habano Cigar Review

As always, cross-posted at The Cigar Spy.

*****

Target Name:

Perdomo Habano Corojo

Target Vitals:

Wrapper: Cuban-Seed Corojo

Binder: Nicaraguan

Filler: Nicaraguan (from Esteli, Condega & Jalapa regions)Vitola: Torpedo 6x54Strength: Medium Bodied

Duration: 1:45:00Average Price: $6.00-7.00 from either online or at a local B&M

Background Info:

Perdomo Cigars released the Perdomo Habano in August 2007. The company has touted this cigar in its use of three different tobaccos from different regions in Nicaragua, making for a balanced and enjoyable smoking experience.

Mission Debrief:

Like the La Escepcion from my last review, I found the Perdomo Habano by accident, the box stuck in a corner of my B&M's walk-in humidor. As I have not had as much experience in smoking the wares of Perdomo as I do of other popular cigar brands, I thought this would be a great time to get more acquainted with this line from Perdomo.

While I didn't find any issues or problems with the veiny, cuban-seed corojo wrapper pre-burn, I did find that once I removed the band (designed from Cuban artwork from the 1900's) I had an crack in the wrapper about an inch in length. I am unsure that if this was present pre-burn or if it happened during the smoking time. Thankfully, the crack didn't inhibit the smoking in any way. The cigar did have a strong cedar aroma pre-burn. This is most likely from the Spanish Cedar box that the cigars shipped in.

The initial hint of flavor that came right in the first draw of the cigar was cocoa, but dissipated within five minutes of smoking and was replaced with a hint of sweetness. The draw on this cigar was balanced: open, effortless with a minimum amount of resistance. During the halfway point of the cigar, I detected leathery hints, while the sweet flavors from the beginning took a backseat. In the last third is where I got a strong flavor of burnt coffee, and it stayed prominent throughout the end of the smoke time.

While I would categorize this cigar medium bodied, the last third of this cigar is much stronger than first two thirds because of that burnt coffee flavor. While I am a big proponent of full bodied cigars, this flavor doesn't go away and borders on bitter, especially when you have kind of flavor for at least 30 minutes.

No issues were found with the burn, although I did have to relight the cigar a couple time throughout the smoking time. Expect a white, firm ash from this cigar. I never felt I would end up with a lap or shirt full of ash, which is always a bonus. Because of the flavors of the last third of the cigar, the finish on the cigar is a bit longer than what I would consider normal (couple of hours).

Final Analysis:

Another cigar that was good but didn't blow me away. The burnt coffee flavors from the last third of the cigar almost killed it for me. I would be curious to know if anyone has taken the time to let these sit for a few months to see if the final flavors toned down and got more in line with the rest of the cigar. I may end up doing just that to give this cigar proper closure.

Click here to download:

Perdomo_Habano_Cigar_Review_Ta.zip (6691 KB)

18 Feb 2010

La Escepcion Classic Excepcionales Cigar Review

As always, posted at The Cigar Spy.

Target Name:

La Escepcion Classic Excepcionales

Target Vitals:

Wrapper: Honduran Habano Talanga

Binder: Ometepe Nicaragan

Filler: NicaraganVitola: 5 1/2 x 50Strength: Medium Bodied

Duration: 2 1/2 hoursAverage Price: $6.00-7.00 from either online or at a local B&M

Background Info:

Originally a Cuban brand started back in the mid 1800's, the La Escepcion brand was revived under the General Cigar banner, makers of Hoyo de Monterrey, Partagas and Punch to name a few. Honduran-made, this is the first cigar to boast using binder from the Nicaraguan island of Ometepe.

Mission Debrief:

This cigar qualifies as one of those that you are looking through your local B&M and the band or name catches your eye, and you don't recognize it right away (or at all in my case). I caught this one in a middle display, partially paired between a couple of boxes of La Traviatas, which I also purchased at that time. Always up for trying something unfamiliar to me, I picked up a couple to see what I could discern.

I did come upon two minor issues with the physical appearance of the cigar: one small cuff in the wrapper and a soft spot about the width of my pinkie finger around the middle of the cigar. None of these issues affected the draw or burn of the cigar. Aromas of wood and a hint of chocolate were detected from the cigar pre-burn, which were confirmed in the flavors upon burning.

I used a cutter and butane lighter for starting the cigar and was met with an even, easy draw right from the onset. Wood hints and a bit of spice were the pre-dominant flavors at the beginning. While the spice faded away after an initial five to ten minutes, I did discover slight hints of chocolate closer to the halfway point in the cigar's two and a half hour burn time. While I enjoyed the flavors of the cigar and the draw, I felt a bit like the overall flavors stayed a bit monotone; it lacked the complexity of flavor that we can be accustomed to from other brands.

Expect a shorter draw with this cigar. While I would describe the flavors as medium bodied, the taste didn't stay with me for more than a couple of hours. The thick, grayish-white smoke was a nice touch as well. The only drawbacks I found with this cigar was that the burn did need a couple of minor corrections throughout the duration. The ash was also quite flaky and ended up with a lap or couch cushion full. While I am certainly a magnet to cigar ash, this particular cigar made it only that much worse.

Final Analysis:

I have to say that I enjoyed this cigar but it didn't necessarily blow me away. The complement of flavors were nice but it didn't have the complexity to really make this cigar a home-run hitter. The drawbacks were minor with this cigar and the price point I felt was fair. I'm curious to know if anyone out there has aged this for any length of time (three months plus) and if that would make this cigar shine a bit more. While I wouldn't turn this cigar down if offered, I can't say for certain if I would purchase this cigar again.

Click here to download:

La_Escepcion_Classic_Excepcion.zip (5120 KB)

4 Feb 2010

The Jameson Review: Rockstone Coffee

Cross Posted at The Cigar Spy.

I'm here with the second part of The Jameson Review, which is not a cigar review this time around. Part 2 consists of a review of their private label Rockstone Coffee. While I have been drinking coffee from a very early age thanks to the influence of one of my grandparents, this is honestly the first coffee review I have done.

So far, I have tried two of their offerings: the Sumatra Mandehling and Sumatra Blue Batak. Both medium roast. Both also come in whole beans, so grinding is a must. Preparation for both coffees was in the use of our French Press. Additives to the coffee include a little bit of milk and the rough equivalent of one sugar.

For the Sumatra Madehling, I was really impressed by a pleasant, smooth flavor of the coffee. Maybe even a slight nuttiness to the taste. Usually with certain store-bought coffee or even some offered in restaurants or coffee chains, the general attributes found are a burnt taste and slight (or moderate) acidity to the taste. With the Sumatra Madehling, I received none of the above. I also noted a very balanced body; very much similar to how I would look at a medium-bodied cigar. In fact, both of these coffees can pair well with just about any kind of cigar: mild, medium or full bodied.

As for the Blue Batak, which was also excellent, the only difference I could tell in the coffee was a bit more nuttiness to the flavor and maybe a slightly oily texture to the coffee.

Final Analysis:

If you're looking for premium coffee that has great flavor and can pair well with cigars, look no further. The price point in my mind for the coffee seems fair, depending on how much you are wanting to buy. While my wife and I are not huge coffee drinkers (and that could easily change when the baby arrives), this is certainly a brand that I would buy. It also makes it easy to pick up a few cigars at the same time. =)

Click here to download:

The_Jameson_Review_Rockstone_C.zip (5056 KB)

13 Jan 2010

The Cigar Spy CAO La Traviata Contest

I'm hosting a contest on The Cigar Spy. Basically, it's giving people a chance to guess the date in which our first child decides to join the rest of us. Give it a look if you are interested in the possibility of winning 10 CAO La Traviatas. Most of March is already gone!

23 Dec 2009

Five Favorite Cigars of 2009

Cross posted at The Cigar Spy.

As 2009 comes to a close, all of us tend to look back on the year in retrospect, for good, bad or otherwise. Typically for cigar smokers, the question comes to "Which cigars were my favorite this year?"... or "Which cigars will I never buy again?" While I can say for sure that the number of bad cigars I have had this year were very small, I've been fortunate that the vast majority of cigars I have smoked for both leisure and for review, I have enjoyed. With all this in mind, I wanted to pick out five (in no particular order) that stood out in my mind and really made me appreciate what the respective companies put in to make a great cigar.

Nub Maduro

It took awhile for this particular Nub to hit the local scene, but it has been popular since it did, especially in my house. As any who know me well enough, Nubs are a staple in my humidor, as I'm a fan of all of them. The Nub Maduro is no different. A rich, thick, mocha flavor but with a smooth maduro texture that makes it hard to put down. For a quicker maduro smoke, you can not go wrong.

God of Fire

The first time I saw this cigar was in Casa Fuente in Las Vegas. While I turned it down for various Opus X and house brand cigars, I ended up with a God of Fire from The Boss himself. I tend to turn away from milder cigars, but the God of Fire really stood out in my mind, as it had the most pronounced cinnamon flavors of anything I have ever smoked. It ended up being a pleasant smoke that has always stayed in the back of my mind. The price doesn't agree with me, but I love the cigar nevertheless.

Room101 by Camacho

As I said in my review on it last month, this is a fantastic cigar. Everything from how the overall persona of the brand is presented to the attention to detail on the band to the flawless construction and build of the cigar. And it just so happens that the cigar is a great smoke as well - medium body with a hit of slight pepper and earth. I often wonder if Matt, Dylan and the folks at Camacho put anything "extra" into this cigar because it has made waves this year. Whatever they are doing, please keep it up.

Cain Maduro

Another great maduro and another representation of Sam Leccia and the Oliva family. The Cain Maduro represents to me what a true full-bodied, maduro cigar should be like and it is certainly not a disappointment. Mocha, spice and leather all combine together a smooth smoking experience, which in my mind is difficult to pass up. I almost added the Cain Ligero to this list, but I ended up one night smoking two of them in a single night and they put me on my ass. Both are great, but I think I prefer the Maduro just a bit more.

CAO La Traviata

The combination of leather and wood hints and the oily Ecuadorian Habano wrapper, made for an enjoyable, medium to full bodied smoke. While some cigars grab the attention with the band or even the box, this one grabbed me with the oily wrapper. This is basically my new Brazilia; better stated, my new favorite from CAO. Just comes slightly under price from the Brazilia as well. All the more reason to purchase the La Traviata.

Final Thoughts

Well, this is my final report for 2009. I want to quickly say how thankful I am to be able to write for The Cigar Spy. Special thanks to The Boss for giving me the continued opportunity to be apart of everything here. And thank you to everyone who reads, comments, retweets and passes along my reviews. You can expect me to carry onward in 2010. Be on the lookout for a contest I will be hosting in January to help roll in the coming of my first child in a few months. Until then, peace and many cigars be with all of you.

Click here to download:

Five_Favorite_Cigars_of_2009_T.zip (8755 KB)

10 Dec 2009

Fuente Fuente Opus X Cigar Review

Cross posted at The Cigar Spy

Target Name:

Fuente Fuente Opus X

Target Vitals:

Wrapper: Dominican Natural

Binder: Dominican

Filler: Dominican
Vitola: Corona (5 5/8 x 46)
Strength: Full Bodied
Average Price: $10.00 to $20.00 or more depending on where you shop online

Background Info:

The Opus X brand is special in that all of the tobacco grown for use in this cigar is strictly from the Dominican Republic, brought on from the handywork of Carlos Fuente, Jr. in 1992. Today, the Opus X brand continues to be one of the most popular premium cigar brands on the market today, favored by both industry writers and aficionados around the world.

Mission Debrief:

A friend of mine stopped by last week on business and to thank me for the Gurkha Factum I gave him the week prior. As a thank you, he left a couple of Fuente Fuente Opus X on my desk (Thanks again Rob if you happen to read this). I was a bit surprised as this quality of cigar was not something I was accustomed to. Even my brother who has a very limited knowledge of cigars knew of the high quality and (sometimes) price of the cigar. The only thing that was mentioned from my friend was that they were not taken care of as well as they could have been and could be a bit dry. Slightly dry, yes they were, but nothing too terrible.

Giving it the customary physical interrogation, the only issues I found with the cigar were in regard to its dryness. Translation: a bit of the middle part of the wrapper was coming apart from itself. Again, as it was a gift from a friend, it's something I can overlook. Bought in a brick and mortar store or online in this condition would be unacceptable.

Lighting the cigar up and giving it a few full draws, like its standard and more unique Opus X siblings, the Fuente Fuente is quite complex in terms of flavors. Hints of wood and ever-so slight taste of sweetness, balanced out to where while it is certainly full-bodied right from the start. However, it's not overbearing in the least; in my opinion, you would not need a full stomach to smoke this. I didn't feel that the overall strength of the cigar increased until the last fourth, so you can expect to have a consistent full-bodied flavor throughout the two-hour smoke time. And even though it is a very bodied cigar, I didn't find the finish to be any longer on the palette than normal.

The ash is also welcomed to this cigar in that it has an excellent white hue and it stays firm to the end, leaving little worries in everyone's favorite "ash gifts." Besides the wrapper slightly off of itself midway through the cigar, it didn't interfere in the cigar's burn.

Recommendations:

Fantastic cigar, although I really expect nothing less from the Opus X brand. If you are lucky enough to find these at a comfortable price, pick these up immediately. Otherwise, the Fuente Fuente Opus X is delegated to the "special occasion" category of cigar purchases.

Click here to download:

Fuente_Fuente_Opus_X_Cigar_Rev.zip (3665 KB)

Cain F Cigar Review

Gran Habano Corojo #5 Cigar Review

El Baton Cigar Review

Montecristo No. 4 Cigar Review

Perdomo Habano Cigar Review

La Escepcion Classic Excepcionales Cigar Review

The Jameson Review: Rockstone Coffee

The Cigar Spy CAO La Traviata Contest

Five Favorite Cigars of 2009

Fuente Fuente Opus X Cigar Review

Jon Siddle's Posterous

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