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Feb 26
4
The Griffin’s Perfecto Cigar Review
Posted on Friday, February 26, 2010 in Cigar Reviews
The Griffin’s Perfecto Cigar Review
This 4 5/8×52 perfecto stick offered a medium tan smooth wrapper with good seams and a rock hard pack. Presenting draw problems until 1/4″ was clipped off the head and a further 1/2″ was burned off the foot, it finally settled to a just slightly firm draw. Burn was very good all the way down giving a rich voluminous smoke output. Flavors were very consistent showing a creamy cedar wood and slight pepper kick, with a short clean finish just leaving a touch of the pepper. Total burn time was 55min. Thank you very much to Michael Yamashita for sending this in for review, I greatly appreciate it! Photography by BG Pictures.
Feb 24
Ashton ESG 23 Year Salute Cigar Review
Posted on Wednesday, February 24, 2010 in Cigar Reviews
Ashton ESG 23 Year Salute Cigar Review
This 6.25×52 stick offers a dark milk chocolate wrapper with a slight tooth, tight seams and firm pack with just a bit of give. A triple cap and minimal veins combine with a slightly irregular lumpy appearance showing it as a hand made creation. The first third brought a medium-full body of flavors including a smooth creamy cocoa with an undertone of tobacco and pepper, the finish being short and more peppery than the draw adding a slight spice kick. By the 2nd third flavors had transitioned to a smooth creamy cocoa with a bit of coffee, touch of leather and on the end of the draw into the lengthening finish, a black pepper taste and slight zing over the tongue. The last third brought the coffee flavor more forward and amped up the pepper especially on the finish. Smoke output was very good, coating the mouth with rich, smooth tastes. Draw and burn were both excellent all the way down with no issues and not needing any thought. Burn time to the last inch was 1:35. Thank you very much to Ashton for sending this in for review! Photography by BG Pictures.
Feb 22
Joya de Nicaragua Cabinetta No. 7 Cigar Review
Posted on Monday, February 22, 2010 in Cigar Reviews
Joya de Nicaragua Cabinetta No. 7 Cigar Review
This 6×50 stick offers a two-tone wrapper consisting of a natural light tan shade covering the first 75%, and the last 25% wrapped in a dark chocolate maduro leaf. With a very loose, effortless draw, it puts out a terrific amount of smoke. Starting with a slightly bitter wood flavor it finished long with a hint of coffee and touch of pepper. The 2nd third brought the coffee up just a bit and added a little creaminess, dropping much of the pepper. By the start of the last third it had turned to a slightly sweet, creamy coffee as the predominant flavor and just gave a hint of the typical connecticut woodiness. The stick was finished 1:20 in with about 1″ of the maduro remaining. Only about 15 min of the maduro section is smokeable before getting very warm and soft. Surprisingly the body went down a bit and flavors mellowed out once the transition was made. Flavors changed to just a mild, oily coffee with the ash holding on tight for about 1 1/2″ at a time showing white and light grey bands. Burn was flawless all the way down. Thank you very much to Drew Estate for sending this in for review, I greatly appreciate it! Photography by BG Pictures.
Feb 17
La Aurora Belicoso Maduro Cigar Review
Posted on Wednesday, February 17, 2010 in Cigar Reviews
La Aurora Belicoso Maduro Cigar Review
This 6.25×52 stick offers a dark brown wrapper showing minimal veins, clean seams and a very firm pack. 3/4″ had to be clipped off the tip for a decent draw, producing just an average amount of smoke on the draw. First third flavors were of caramel and licorice sweetness, a mild earth, slight woodiness and small pepper and spice kick on the long finish. At the half way point flavors changed to a smooth oily, creamy leather with a mild pepper that kicks up on the finish. In the final third flavors remained the same while the draw improved along with smoke production, reaching a very good volume pushing chewy. Thank you very much to viewer Jeremie Plouffe for generously sending this in for review! Photography by BG Pictures.
Feb 16
CAO Escaparate Ecuador Robusto Cigar Review
Posted on Tuesday, February 16, 2010 in Cigar Reviews
CAO Escaparate Ecuador Robusto Cigar Review
This 5×50 stick offers a light tan, paper thin wrapper that has some minor problems. The shoulder peeled off after cutting, a couple small cracks appeared above the band and there is a large patch below. The burn however was not compromised and it went just fine all the way down with a great draw slightly on the tight side. Smoke output was very good, producing ample volume with slow short puffs. Flavors in the first third were of a medium body creamy leather and an undertone of aged tobacco. The 2nd third shifted to a buttery toast and leather, with a bit of pepper flavor and zing that held on through the long finish. The last third transitioned to a medium-full smooth smoky leather with a bit of oil, that finished long and dry with a deep earthy aftertaste. Burn time to the nub was 55 minutes. Thank you very much to Corona Cigar Company for sending this for review! Photography by BG Pictures.
Feb 8
Padilla Signature 1932 Limitada Oscuro Salomon Cigar Review
Posted on Monday, February 8, 2010 in Cigar Reviews
Padilla Signature 1932 Limitada Oscuro Salomon Cigar Review
This 7.2×59 figurado features a dark chocolate, oily, slightly toothy wrapper with minimal veins and invisible seams. Draw was perfect with just the right amount of resistance for effortless control. Body was medium-full giving rich, smooth smoke. Strength was also medium-full, giving a buzz by the 1:30 point. After the video I felt kind of sick for 30 min. Actual smoke output was light, but flavors were prominent until the short clean finish. First third flavors were dominated by an oily creamy tobacco and big black pepper notes with minimal spice and zing, contrasted by hints of chocolate. An inch down flavors changed to quick hits of coffee, chocolate and leather, settling down to a peppery, oily earth on the finish. Near the 1/2 way point, flavors changed to a predominant coffee with a creamy tobacco finish, and the coffee continued to increase to the end, at the 2:10 mark. Thank you very much to Ken Glass for sending this in for review! Photography by BG Pictures.
Feb 5
Corona Nicaraguan Selection Torpedo Maduro Cigar Review
Posted on Friday, February 5, 2010 in Cigar Reviews
Corona Nicaraguan Selection Torpedo Maduro Cigar Review
This 6.5×52 stick offered a medium chocolate wrapper with a slightly spongy feel and fairly dense pack showing minimal veins and a satin finish. The tip needed to be cut back about 1/2″ for a good draw, which produced a nice creamy oily smoke. Flavors were a rich sweet creamy leather with undertones of aged tobacco smoothness and a touch of mustiness. Overall an extremely consistent stick from start to finish, nubbing the last inch at the 1:45 min mark. Thank you very much to Corona Cigar Company for sending this in for review! Photography by BG Pictures.
Feb 3
Macanudo Maduro Diplomat Cigar Review
Posted on Wednesday, February 3, 2010 in Cigar Reviews
Macanudo Maduro Diplomat Cigar Review
This 4.5×60 perfecto offers a very oily dark chocolate wrapper with very firm construction, minimal veins and a very small cap & shoulder that gave me a bit of trouble cutting as far as unraveling. Draw was very firm, almost plugged, offering little smoke output and somewhat muted flavors. What did come out of it were very nice notes of cream, light tobacco, sweetness and a hint of pepper with a very short clean finish on the first third. The center section required two touch-ups and changed to a very light sweet leather. Getting to the last third the draw suddenly opened up, producing tons of rich creamy smoke, a creamy earthy leather and a good pepper zing. The center section was obviously not constructed properly. Thank you very much to Jeremie Plouffe for sending this sample in for review! Photography by BG Pictures.
Feb 1
Gurkha Centurion Cigar Review
Posted on Monday, February 1, 2010 in Cigar Reviews
Gurkha Centurion Cigar Review
This 6×60 dark chocolate wrapped perfecto offers a draw on the firm side, and 5 inches of normal burn after getting past and clipping the tapered ends. Showing several transitions, flavors included a creamy buttery leather, chocolate, big pepper blasts without the spice, deep earth and a long finish for most of the smoke. At the last third, flavors changed to a huge deep roasted coffee that was increasingly creamy to the nub. Smoke output was very light at the start, taking 20 minutes to open up to just normal. It was on the light side but always smooth, delivering a medium-full bodied experience overall. The ash held on for 2″ at a time with no burn issues. Thank you very much to Ken Glass for sending this in for review, I greatly appreciate it! Photography by BG Pictures.
Jan 27
Padilla Dominus Robusto Cigar Review
Posted on Wednesday, January 27, 2010 in Cigar Reviews
Padilla Dominus Robusto Cigar Review
This 5×50 stick offered a medium chocolate wrapper with minimal veins, a very soft silky feel and a floral aroma. Body was medium-full giving rich smooth flavors all the way down with a good bit of power, but never overwhelming. Total burn time was just under 1 hour burning very well with a draw on the firm side. Smoke output was very good, filling the mouth with flavors of creamy leather, mild earthiness, hints of cinnamon and pepper in the first 1/2, transitioning to a dry mildly sweet cocoa with a long finish of the same. Thank you very much to Ken Glass for sending this in for review! Photography by BG Pictures.
Jan 18
Perdomo Grand Cru Maduro Torpedo Cigar Review
Posted on Monday, January 18, 2010 in Cigar Reviews
Perdomo Grand Cru Maduro Torpedo Cigar Review
This 6×54 dark chocolate stick offered a satin wrapper with minimal veins and nice tight construction. Draw was perfect producing lots of thick and rich smoke with minimal effort. Body was medium-full giving smooth dry flavors of deep tobacco, sweet earthy leather and a mild pepper zing on the short finish. Ash held on cleanly to the 1/2 point and a slightly oily, creamy nutty flavor joined in. This stick did approach full strength by the end, building uo to a slight buzz at the nub. This proved to be a very consistent stick in all regards, like most of the Perdomo line. Total burn time to the nub was 1:10. Thank you very much to Brother of the Leaf Chaz, from Long Island, for sending this in for me to try! Photography by BG Pictures.
Jan 15
Xerez Corona Cigar Review
Posted on Friday, January 15, 2010 in Cigar Reviews
Xerez Corona Cigar Review
This 5.5×44 bundle stick offers a medium chocolate wrapper with a soft spongy feel and many blemishes. Definitely not a premium stick but an average looking $1.xx cheap stick. Burn was very fast, the cherry moving quickly with each draw and the whole smoke lasting just 40 min. Smoke output was exceptional proving tons of rich flavor and volume from the perfect easy draw from the very first puff. Unlike most cheap sticks this one is on the medium-full side of the spectrum both in body and strength. Flavors were consistent showing a peppery tobacco and touch of zesty leather with a short peppery finish and bit of oil on the lips. This is a mixed filler cigar and the ash held for about 3/4″ at a time. Thank you very much to Berger & Argenti for donating this for review! Photography by BG Pictures.
Jan 13
Man O’War Ruination Belicoso Cigar Review
Posted on Wednesday, January 13, 2010 in Cigar Reviews
Man O’War Ruination Belicoso Cigar Review
This 5.7×56 stick offers a dark and oily wrapper with fairly firm construction, small veins and tight seams. Draw was perfect and the burn was very good all the way down, holding long tight ashes. The first inch had quite a spice kick with a smooth tobacco core and long finish. It then transitioned to flavors including coffee, chocolate, licorice, sweetness and left a long finish of oily tobacco and deep espresso. Body was medium-full with rich thick smoke while strength was pushing full. After the video I did have a jittery buzz for 30 min or so. Total burn time was 1:15 to the nub. Thank you very much to Chaz from Long Island, a fan of the site for generously sending me this to try! Photography by BG Pictures.
Jan 8
Mi Barrio El Acere Cigar Review
Posted on Friday, January 8, 2010 in Cigar Reviews
Mi Barrio El Acere Cigar Review
This 60×6 Habano stick offers a satin toothy wrapper with small veins, tight seams and a nice triple cap with a sweet oily tobacco aroma. It has an excellent draw and very good burn, never needing attention and holding the ash in 1/3 solid chunks. Body was medium, smoke output was very good, becoming richer as the burn progressed. Flavors had a bit of complexity bringing a soft earth, slight sweetness at the start and progressing to an oily light leather all the while showing a very smooth aged tobacco character. Transitions showed a more creamy texture, almonds, licorice and a nuttiness at the last 3rd. The whole stick showed a smoothness reminiscent of aged tobacco as all the flavors seamlessly moved from one to the next. Total burn time was 1:15 to the last inch. Photography by BG Pictures. Thank you to EO Cigars and Stogiereview.com for the opportunity to win this in your Christmas contest!
Jan 6
Sir Vin Cigars Merlin’s Magic Cigar Review
Posted on Wednesday, January 6, 2010 in Cigar Reviews
Sir Vin Cigars Merlin’s Magic Cigar Review
This 7×50 stick offered a satin wrapper with a bit of oil sheen, firm construction and a slightly sweet aroma. Burn time was 1:45 to the nub with a very good burn and slightly loose draw all the way down. Ash was flowery but did hold on very well, falling off in 1/3rd chunks. The entire smoke was very silky and smooth, starting on the mild side ending medium. Flavors were very sweet and creamy offering candy or desert like selections including creamy leather and wood, caramel, licorice, butterscotch and a light earth. The finish brought a mild pepper zing and slight pepper flavor, with the draw flavors falling off rapidly. Thank you very much to Sir Vin Cigars for generously sending this for review! Photography by BG Pictures.
Jan 4
El Titan De Bronze Redemption Maduro Robusto Cigar Review
Posted on Monday, January 4, 2010 in Cigar Reviews
El Titan De Bronze Redemption Maduro Robusto Cigar Review
This 5×50 stick offered a dark chocolate, satin wrapper with a slight oil sheen and tooth. Very small veins and clean seams ran the length to a triple cap all packed perfectly. Draw was slightly firm with perfect resistance for an almost razor sharp burn all the way down, even after sitting for 5 minutes unattended. The smoke was extremely rich and thick with tremendous volume from the first 1/2″ down. Flavors were very rich and smooth giving the impression of nicely aged mature tobacco. The first third brought smooth tobacco with a slight sweetness and pepper, quickly transitioning to a light leather core and getting very creamy and smooth. Other flavors joined in later including a dry cocoa and a smooth creamy milk chocolate. Total burn time to the nub was 1 hour. Everyone NEEDS to try this stick, even if you think you don’t care for maduros! Thank you very much to El Titan de Bronze for generously donating this sample for review! Photography by BG Pictures.
Dec 30
Cienfuegos Engine #5 Cigar Review
Posted on Wednesday, December 30, 2009 in Cigar Reviews
Cienfuegos Engine #5 Cigar Review
This 5×50 robusto size maduro stick offers a mottled wrapper with good smooth seams and small veins. Draw was loose but controllable with no construction issues. The ash was fairly toothy and held on for 1″ at a time before falling in chunks. Smoke output was very good, always thick and coating if not huge in volume. Flavors had a couple nice transitions, certainly appropriate for such a small stick. They included a nice spice kick on the draw and finish (not surprisingly), a creamy leather that transitioned to a predominance of buttery cream on the second half. The last third also brought a dry roasted nut and floral flavor that kept it interesting to the nub. Body was medium-full and strength followed in suit most of the time, with a good bump at the 1/2 way point going full strength for several minutes. The finish was always very long, holding thick rich flavors to the next draw. Total burn time was 50 min where it became very warm. This brand is produced by Reyes Family Cigars. Photography by BG Pictures.
Dec 25
San Cristobal Seleccion Del Sol Robusto Cigar Review
Posted on Friday, December 25, 2009 in Cigar Reviews
San Cristobal Seleccion Del Sol Robusto Cigar Review
This 5×52 stick offers a dark milk chocolate wrapper with small veins and a slightly soapy tobacco aroma. Burn was overall very good never needing any touchups, with a perfect draw – just the right amount of resistance. Smoke output was huge and very thick, chewy at points and always cool down to the nub. Total burn time was 1 hour to the last 1/2″. Flavors were complex with multiple transitions. They included wood, earth, leather, pepper, spice, nuts, cream and were always smooth. Body and strength fluctuated, building from medium to full at the 1/2 way point, then back down to about a medium-full at the end. Thank you very much to Ashton Cigars for generously sending this for review! Photography by BG Pictures.
Dec 23
Padron 1964 Anniversary Torpedo Maduro Cigar Review
Posted on Wednesday, December 23, 2009 in Cigar Reviews
Padron 1964 Anniversary Torpedo Maduro Cigar Review
This 6×52 stick offers a firm box pressed dark chocolate wrapper with terrific sweet tobacco and spicy aromas. Burn was almost razor sharp all the way down with a perfect draw giving just the right amount of resistance for an easy cool draw. Flavors were plentiful to say the least with many transition points throughout from beginning to end. They were all exceptionally well blended together and smooth, including coffee, cream, earth, pepper, sweet tobacco, touches of spice and hints of cocoa at points. Total burn time to the nub was 1:15. Photography by BG Pictures.
Dec 21
Bucanero Red Torpedo Cigar Review
Posted on Monday, December 21, 2009 in Cigar Reviews
Bucanero Red Torpedo Cigar Review
This 6×52 stick had a fairly ragged wrapper, showing stretches, holes and tears, with seams lifting up. It had a soapy tobacco aroma and a tan, satin leaf. The burn and draw however were not effected, both were very good all the way down with zero problems. Draw was just on the loose side and burn was pretty straight with just slight waves. Flavors were very plain, offering a very mild slightly musty earth from first light to the band, where a slight licorice came in on the finish. If you need a cheap simple mild stick, this is a good option, especially for the price. Total burn time was 45 min. This blend is sold only through cigar.com and cigarsinternational.com and has nothing to do with Bucanero Cigars other than them using the name on the band. It is a short filler hand made blend. Photography by BG Pictures.