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Aug 29

Bucanero Canon Cubano Maduro Cigar Review

Posted on Sunday, August 29, 2010 in Cigar Reviews

Bucanero Canon Cubano Maduro Cigar Review

This 5.5×60 stick offers a soft, firm satin dark chocolate wrapper with small veins, tight seams, nice double cap and a creamy tobacco aroma. First light reveals a rich smooth texture of a medium bodied slightly earthy peppery flavor. The first third continues the trend with smooth creamy textures of aged tobacco with a touch of sweetness and earth. The draw is firm, smoke output is minimal and the burn is good. I find that it smokes much better with a lot more smoke if you take two small puffs rather than the typical one long draw. It starts giving a smooth coffee flavor along with the rest in the 2nd third, hitting the 1/2 way point 45 min in. With no changes to the last third it continues all the good flavors through the rest of the stick ending at 1:15 with an inch left where it got warm for my taste. Photography by BG Pictures.

Aug 20

Press Release: Berger & Argenti ENTUBAR® QUAD MADURO

Posted on Friday, August 20, 2010 in Informational

ENTUBAR MADURO TORP BOX 266x300 Press Release: Berger & Argenti ENTUBAR® QUAD MADURO  cigar artFOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Albert J. Argenti
August 20, 2010 (305) 644-2114

ENTUBAR® QUAD MADURO LIGHTS UP IPCPR NEW ORLEANS

MIAMI – Berger & Argenti Premium Cigars announced the debut of ENTUBAR® QUAD MADURO at the 78th IPCPR Convention and Trade Show in New Orleans, LA was an overwhelming success and enthusiastically received by retailers and consumers alike.

ENTUBAR® QUAD MADURO is a full-bodied, super-premium extension of the sensational ENTUBAR® cigar brand which was unveiled to the public a year ago at IPCPR. Like ENTUBAR®, the QUAD MADURO pays tribute to the time-honored Cuban cigar making technique known as ‘entubar’ while also establishing a revolutionary new process of manufacturing premium cigars.

Each deeply aged Nicaraguan filler leaf that comprises the ENTUBAR® QUAD MADURO blend is carefully rolled creating delicate ‘scrolls’ of rich, flavorful tobacco. This age-old method ensures open chambers of air flow from the foot to the head of the cigar. The ligero tobacco, which lends the cigar its unique full body, are bunched independently and then placed into the center of the remaining ‘entubar’ rolled filler blend. This ‘channel’ of ligero tobacco ranges the full length of the cigar and extends ¼” beyond the finished trimmed foot, creating a startlingly unique ‘fuse like’ appearance that assures a superior draw, flawless conical burn with a long white ash, and a myriad of complex flavors channeled directly onto the palate. ENTUBAR® QUAD MADURO is ‘cuadrado’ pressed Habano and comprised of all Cuban-seed Nicaraguan (viso and ligero) and Dominican (seco) fillers, a savory Nicaraguan binder, and skillfully enveloped in a rich, dark Jalapa Valley-grown Maduro wrapper crop aged eight years in seasoned oak barrels.

Due to the meticulous small batch production of ENTUBAR® QUAD MADURO, only ‘friends’ and authorized ENTUBAR® merchants in the United States will have access to the brand. ENTUBAR® QUAD MADURO is delicately packaged in rustic Spanish cedar boxes of 20 cigars and available in four (4) distinct vitolas characterized by sumptuously large ring gauges: Corona Macho (4 5/8” x 48); Robusto (5 3/8” x 54); Double Corona (7 5/8” x 54); and Torpedo (6 7/8” x 56).

Berger & Argenti Premium Cigars is a privately-held company headquartered in Miami, Florida with agricultural and production facilities in Esteli, Nicaragua. The company serves as the exclusive manufacturer, importer and distributor of world-class, super-premium cigar brands including ENTUBAR®, ENTUBAR® QUAD MADURO, CLASICO® and MOOCH®. For more information, please call toll-free (800) 815-1155 or visit the Berger & Argenti website at www.bergerargenti.com.

Aug 19

La Gloria Cubana Artesanos De Tabaqueros Cigar Review

Posted on Thursday, August 19, 2010 in Cigar Reviews

La Gloria Cubana Artesanos De Tabaqueros Cigar Review

This 6×50 stick offers dual wrappers and the band at the foot end marking the transition between the first and 2nd third with connecticut and sumatran wrappers. It has a mottled rustic apperance, with a couple large veins, several smaller and a smooth firm feel. The aroma is a slight barnyard with a smooth tobacco. First light reveals a big pepper blast with deep earth smooth aged tobacco flavors. It’s a medium-full body with a perfect draw and thick smoke with a long peppery finish. The first third brings a mild black pepper zing with smooth creamy oily smoke and smooth tobacco flavors. The ash hold on to the wrapper slit point, falling off in a big solid chunk. When the sumatra wrapper takes over you get a nice buttery leather, dropping the pepper completely and the finish get shorter and cleaner. The last two thirds continue the leather adding a touch of licorice sweetness, the smoke gets thicker and richer leaving a buttery oily mouthfeel. Thank you very much to General Cigar Company for generously sending this in for review, I greatly appreciate it! Photography by BG Pictures.

Aug 11

Royal Jamaica Oro Rojo Toro Cigar Review

Posted on Wednesday, August 11, 2010 in Cigar Reviews

Royal Jamaica Oro Rojo Toro Cigar Review

This 6×52 stick offers a dark brown butter soft wrapper with a red hue, minimal veins, tight seams and a soft tobacco aroma. First light reveals a firm draw, minimal airy smoke with mild-medium flavors of an oily smooth tobacco with a slight bitterness. The first third proves to be similar with just a mild smooth aged tobacco taste with a long oily buttery finish. Burn is good but not perfect, and the draw remains firm. The 2nd third moved to more power and brought an earthy deep caramel but still mild. The finish was very deep oily and long with a touch of bitterness at points. The last third required multiple touchups and a relight, getting very warm by the band point at 1:30 where I stopped. Photography by BG Pictures.

Aug 5

Pinar Del Rio 1878 Cubano Especial Robusto Cigar Review

Posted on Thursday, August 5, 2010 in Cigar Reviews

Pinar Del Rio 1878 Cubano Especial Robusto Cigar Review

This 5×52 stick offers a pig tail cap, a rich dark chocolate oily smooth wrapper with a strong barn and chocolate aroma. First light reveals a very smooth, rich and oily smoke with mild-medium bodied flavors of a slightly sweet tobacco. The 1st third produces medium bodied flavors of a rich, smooth aged tobacco with a slight general sweetness and very oily long finish. At the 1/2 way point, flavors remained the same, the ash fell off and the draw opened up to normal. Smoke output is good and the burn is perfect. 1 hour in to the band point, flavors shift slightly bringing a slight caramel and earth to the blend. Ending at 1:25 min, the last third proved to hold the same profile since the last transition. Photography by BG Pictures.

Jul 29

Victor Sinclair 10th Aniversario Toro Cigar Review

Posted on Thursday, July 29, 2010 in Cigar Reviews

Victor Sinclair 10th Aniversario Toro Cigar Review

This 5.7×54 stick offers a cedar sleeve, tight firm construction, an oily dark brown soft satin wrapper with a slightly peppery tobacco aroma. First light reveals a slightly firm draw, good rich smoke production, a mild-medium body of a smooth creamy buttery tobacco smoke with a long rich finish. The first third develops with a perfect burn line to a medium bodied flavor package of a smooth rich tobacco with a touch of cedar wood and caramel sweetness. The draw flavors finish quickly and change to a black pepper and spice kick on the longer finish sensations. The 2nd third carries the same experience, holding the ash to almost 2″. The last third ends at the band point getting very warm and slightly mushy, bringing a generic nutty flavor to the end at the 1:25 mark. Photography by BG Pictures.

Jul 20

Tatuaje Black Tubos Cigar Review

Posted on Tuesday, July 20, 2010 in Cigar Reviews

Tatuaje Black Tubos Cigar Review

This 6×52 torpedo stick comes packaged in an aluminum tube and cedar wrap. It offers a dark chocolate wrapper with a slight red hue, a satin texture with very slight tooth, tight seams, minimal veins and a slight barnyard aroma. After toasting the closed foot and adjusting the head cut, the draw was perfect, smoke output was great and the flavors were dominated by a medium-full bodied smooth, rich pepper and spice. The first third develops to a light and airy leather with a deeper earthy pepper and spice, though not as intense as the first light. Smoke output is good with smooth rich smoke. Burn is ok, needing a touchup. The draw gets a bit snug and I clipped the head one more time. 30 minutes in at the 1/2 way point flavors have mellowed to a smooth creamy medium bodied smoke with a slight sweetness, earthy oily finish and good bit of pepper & spice. It is requiring a slight touchup every 10 min or so to prevent tunneling. Ending at 1 hour, the last third continues the same experience since the 1/2 mark, ending with a bit of power punch. Photography by BG Pictures.

Jul 16

Corona Cigar Company Dominican Selection Churchill Cigar Review

Posted on Friday, July 16, 2010 in Cigar Reviews

Corona Cigar Company Dominican Selection Churchill Cigar Review

This 7×50 stick comes in with a light tan smooth wrapper with the feel of paper. Minimal veins, invisible seams and a double cap button it up, with an almost imperceptible aroma. First light reveals plenty of rich smoke production, a perfect draw and a mild-medium body of a dry bitter tobacco. The first third brings a mild leather and earth with a short finish. Smoke production is still great as is the draw. The burn is very good and the ash is holding on well. 45 min in at the 1/2 way point the experience is exactly the same. By the start of the last third flavors shifted to a slightly bitter nut and the smoke temp started rising. Finishing at 1:20 the stick proved to be a very nice fairly consistent mild stick, good for a morning smoke! Thank you very much to Corona Cigar Company for sending this for review! Photography by BG Pictures.

Jul 14

Joyas De Panama Torpedo Cigar Review

Posted on Wednesday, July 14, 2010 in Cigar Reviews

Joyas De Panama Torpedo Cigar Review

This 6.5×53 stick offers a medium brown dry wrapper with tight seams, a smooth firm feel and minimal veins with a slight barnyard aroma. First light reveals very smooth and creamy slightly sweet tobacco, a perfect draw and plenty of rich smoke. The first third ups the smoke production to a medium bodied thick and rich smoke, with very smooth creamy earthy and tabacco flavors with a long smooth finish. 25 min in at the 1/2 way point the only change is the sweetness bringing a slight licorice flavor. The burn is almost razor sharp and the ash is holding a solid 2″ at a time. 45 min in just past the band, the last third holds the same draw flavors adding an earthy finish that gets a bit longer than the start of the stick. Thank you very much to Joyas De Panama for sending this sample for review, I greatly appreciate it! Photography by BG Pictures.

Jul 9

Cuban Crafters Cupido Tuxedo Churchill Maduro Cigar Review

Posted on Friday, July 9, 2010 in Cigar Reviews

Cuban Crafters Cupido Tuxedo Churchill Maduro Cigar Review

This 7×52 stick offers a dark chocolate wrapper with tight seams, minimal veins, a firm very dense pack and an oily sweet aroma. First light reveals a great draw, minimal but rich smoke production with flavors of a medium bodied smooth an oily sweet tobacco with a short earthy finish. The first third develops to a medium body of smooth leather, oily slightly sweet caramel and a short clean oily finish. Smoke output is normal, draw remains good, and the burn is almost razor sharp. 40 min in almost to the 1/2 way point, flavors have turned very rich and creamy giving nice desert like tastes. The leather died down and the overall experience is lighter than the first third. The caramel is pronounced like a creme broule and the finish is oily and short with just a hint of pepper. The end of the 2nd third brought a rich earth and a longer finish. The last third continued the same flavor profile, ending the smoke at 1:45 to the nub where it started getting warm for my taste. Thank you very much to Cuban Crafters for sending this sample for review, I greatly appreciate it! Photography by BG Pictures.

Jul 2

Forcade Cigars Giralda Churchill Cigar Review

Posted on Friday, July 2, 2010 in Cigar Reviews

Forcade Cigars Giralda Churchill Cigar Review

This 7×48 stick offers a light pack, smooth soft wrapping with tight seams and minimal veins. The aroma is a very pungent barnyard and chocolate. First light reveals a perfect draw, plenty of rich smoke giving a medium-full body and flavors of a rich slightly peppery tobacco with a long finish. The entire cigar was very consistent, giving the same flavors from first light ending at the 1 hour mark. Overall a very smooth smoke and great for any time of the day with a great bit of flavor and power. Thank you very much to Forcade Cigars for sending this sample for review! Photography by BG Pictures.

Jun 30

J.C. Newman Brickhouse Robusto Cigar Review

Posted on Wednesday, June 30, 2010 in Cigar Reviews

J.C. Newman Brickhouse Robusto Cigar Review

This 5×54 stick offers a mottled dark chocolate wrapper with smooth but visible small and medium viens, a soft satin feel and slightly peppery smooth tobacco aroma. First light reveals a firm draw, adequate smoke production and medium body flavors of an oily smooth tobacco with a slight pepper kick. The first third develops in to a fairly simple mix of flavors similar to the first light. The draw did open up slightly making for easier smoke production, and a slight sweetness joined the game. Burn is perfect, almost razor sharp, flavors are easy to pick out and the finish is long and smooth with a touch of earth. The 2nd third shows no changes, being 100% consistent throughout. Ending at 1:15, the entire stick proved to be very consistent with the same flavors and great burn qualities throughout. At only a few dollars a stick this is a great stick for anyone looking for a good smoking simple stick. I did find that it needs several months of time, as every sample I had fresh at a cigar shop was very sub-par compared to this. Photography by BG Pictures.

Jun 15

Corona Nicaraguan Robusto Maduro Cigar Review

Posted on Tuesday, June 15, 2010 in Cigar Reviews

Corona Nicaraguan Robusto Maduro Cigar Review

This 5×50 stick offers a very dark almost black wrapper, showing a firm but lumpy handrolled appearance with small and medium veins, double cap and rich creamy aroma. First light reveals a very thick rich smoke with flavors of a slightly sweet earth, medium-full body, an oily and mildly peppery finish and a perfect draw. The first third is complex with rich cream, smooth sweet tobacco, pepper on the finish and an oily after taste. The 2nd third transitions to a creamy sweet leather and cinnamon, keeping the rich oil and growing the finish. The last third changes to a smooth deep earth with more of the same great oily creamy richness, dropping the pepper. Thank you very much to Corona Cigar Company for donating this for review! Photography by BG Pictures.

Jun 5

CAO La Traviata Radiante Cigar Review

Posted on Saturday, June 5, 2010 in Cigar Reviews

CAO La Traviata Radiante Cigar Review

This 6×52 sick offers an extremely oily, toothy rich dark chocolate wrapper with tight seams, minimal veins and a sweet chocolate and earth aroma. First light reveals a very oily medium bodied earthy flavor with a ton of rich smoke and a perfect draw. The first third develops to a mild-medium body of slightly sweet and nutty earth with a deep finish. 50 min in at the 1/2 way point flavors were very consistent, however the stick liked to tunnel and went out prompting a relight without further incident. The stick ended at 1:35 with slightly different but overall consistent flavors at the last third, moving to a slight caramel and nut combo, with the same great smoke draw and finish. Photography by BG Pictures.

Jun 2

D’Crossier Golden Blend Robusto Cigar Review

Posted on Wednesday, June 2, 2010 in Cigar Reviews

D’Crossier Golden Blend Robusto Cigar Review

This 4 7/8 x 50 stick offers a dark brown wrapper with a slight red hue, very firm construction, minimal veins, tight seams, a double cap and a peppery tobacco aroma. First light reveals a heavy, deep oily and rich tobacco with a slight pepper kick on the finish, giving a medium-full body with plenty of thick smoke and a firm draw. The first third holds much of the first light impressions, adding a caramel and dropping most of the pepper. The 1/2 way point comes at 40 min in with no changes to the profile, continuing the perfect burn. Ending at 1:20 the stick has a great time to size ratio! Flavors in the last third remained unchanged, providing a very consistent experience from start to finish with flawless construction. Thank you very much to D’Crossier for sending in this sample for me to try! Photography by BG Pictures.

May 29

Arturo Fuente 858 Maduro Cigar Review

Posted on Saturday, May 29, 2010 in Cigar Reviews

Arturo Fuente 858 Maduro Cigar Review

This 6×47 stick offers a dark chocolate almost black, lumpy toothy wrapper with small veins all over, a couple large ones, thick seams and a very nice slightly sweet chocolate aroma. First light reveals a firm draw, adaquate smoke production and flavors of a sweet tobacco with a rich and oily long finish. The first third develops in to a slightly musty aged tobacco taste with a oily and rich finish with a touch of caramel like sweetness. Smoke production is very good giving a thick and chewy medium-full body. The 2nd third proves very close to the first, bringing a hint of leather in at points. Ending at 1:15 the last third is pretty much the same, only adding a touch of dusty chocolate and a longer tobacco finish. Thank you very much to Jeremie Plouffe for sending me this sample for review, I really appreciate it! Photography by BG Pictures.

May 26

El Primer Mundo Connecticut Robusto Cigar Review

Posted on Wednesday, May 26, 2010 in Cigar Reviews

El Primer Mundo Connecticut Robusto Cigar Review

This 5×50 box pressed stick offers a medium tan wrapper with no visible veins, tight seams and an even slightly spongy give with a faint peppery tobacco aroma. First light reveals a perfect draw with tons of rich almost chewy smoke production. Flavors come out as a slightly sweet nut with a hint of peppery tobacco and a long oily finish. The first third pulls the initial flavors to a creamy nut and a slightly peppery note that builds on the long finish. The 2nd third transitions to a light creamy leather and the finish drops the tobacco for more of the leather and pepper. The last third continues the perfect construction, bringing back the nut flavor, the whole stick being a solid medium body with no real power kick, just a flavorful anytime Connecticut experience. The ash held on to the 1/2 way point then to the top of the band with the total smoke time ending at 1:15. Thank you very much to El Primer Mundo Cigars for donating this sample for review! Photography by BG Pictures.

May 20

La Herencia De Cuba Red Label Petite Torpedo Cigar Review

Posted on Thursday, May 20, 2010 in Cigar Reviews

La Herencia De Cuba Red Label Petite Torpedo Cigar Review

This 5×50 torpedo stick offers a dark milk chocolate colored wrapper with slight tooth, a satin texture, minimal veins, tight seams, an even slightly spongy feel and a strong chocolate and barnyard aroma. First light revels a rich smoke, creamy texture and flavors of barnyard, a slight sweetness and slightly firm draw. The firth third develops in to the same rich, smooth texture and flavors of a medium bodied earthy sweet leather, with a relatively short clean finish with a hint of pepper. The 2nd third changes to a slight caramel with a core of smooth creamy earth, and a slight increase in pepper but only on the finish. The last bit showed little change, remaining a very consistent blend for nearly the whole stick overall. There was a bump in strength near the center, pushing to a medium-full strength for a bit. Thank you very much to La Herencia De Cuba for generously donating this for review! Photography by BG Pictures.

May 18

Joyas De Panama Coronita Cigar Review

Posted on Tuesday, May 18, 2010 in Cigar Reviews

Joyas De Panama Coronita Cigar Review

This 5×45 stick offers a rustic, medium brown slightly toothy and oily wrapper with an even slightly spongy feel and mild barnyard aroma. First light brings a slightly firm draw with a ton of rich smooth smoke output and flavors of a creamy textured, oily tobacco with a touch of earth and pepper that carries to the finish with a medium body.The first third gives a slightly musty leather with the same great rich smoke, and a relatively short clean finish. The 2nd third drops the mustiness for nuts, which increase all the way to the end at just over an hour. Thank you very much to Joyas De Panama for generously sending this for review! Photography by BG Pictures.

May 14

Jose Marti Remedios Cigar Review

Posted on Friday, May 14, 2010 in Cigar Reviews

Jose Marti Remedios Cigar Review

This 5.5×44 stick offers a thin, seemingly fragile toothy wrapper, hot cocoa colored with a slight peppery tobacco aroma. First light reveals a perfect draw, tons of rich smoke and a very heavy, deep tobacco flavor with a big white pepper kick. The first third brings a smooth oily leather quickly joined by a rich pepper and spice and a touch of sweetness, that carries through to the finish. Body is a medium-full with a thick rich smoke that leaves a nice oil on the palate. The 2nd third brings more changes, dropping the pepper but adding steak at points, and the sweetness progressed to a touch of caramel. Coming in to the last third the flavors transition to a creamy mint and cinnamon with a warm smooth nutty finish. Ending at 1:10 after getting very hot, the cinnamon and nuts took over the flavor department, leaving a crisp short finish. Thank you very much to Mark T. for sending in this sample for review! Photography by BG Pictures.