262 Paradigm Toro Cigar Review

This 6×54 box pressed stick offers a spongy, uniform dark chocolate wrapper with tight seams, minimal veins, slight tooth and a large double cap with a mild sweet tobacco aroma. First light reveals a light airy smoke, mild-medium body with slightly sweet tobacco and a small pepper kick with a long finish. A few small holes in the wrapper are leaking, these may be altering the burn a bit. 1/2 way through the first third the flavors pick up to a medium-full body with a much richer thicker smoke, creamy leather, oily tobacco and a good pepper kick on the finish. The 2nd third transitions to a creamier fuller smoke, a dark espresso and hint of chocolate, while the finish holds pepper and spice but gets very short and clean. The last third changes to a softer creamier coffee still with a bit of cocoa and brings the black pepper and spice up while the finish grows very long again. Thank you very much to Revolution Cigars for generously sending this in for review! Photography by BG Pictures.

Helix X748 Maduro Cigar Review

This 7×48 maduro stick offers a dark to medium brown wrapper with a spongy, toothy but soft feel, visible seams, small veins and a mild soapy aroma. First light reveals a very thin wrapper with a tendency to peel and leak at points, giving a light airy mild tobacco smoke. The first third develops to a mild, oily, slightly sweet tobacco with a short clean finish. Overall a simple straight forward smoke. By the start of the 2nd third flavors had changed to a dry but still oily tobacco and leather with a good sweet caramel finish. The remainder of the stick is much the same, overall a consistent stick. Ending at 1:25 it started getting a bit warm and soggy for me but still performing perfectly. Photography by BG Pictures.

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.

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.

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.

Diesel Unholy Cocktail Cigar Review

This 5×56 torpedo sports a dark chocolate, soft but toothy firm wrapper with minimal veins, and a rich potpourri like spicy scent. First light reveals a slightly firm draw with adaquate smoke production. Flavors are medium bodied with a rich oily slightly sweet tobacco, and a good bit of pepper and spice especially on the long deep finish. The first third brings quite a complex blend of toast, coffee, then a spicy leather with a bit of pepper. The finish grows the pepper and adds spice, holding on well to the next draw. Body is a good medium-full. By the 1/2 way point the ash had just dropped off, burn was perfect and the flavors had mellowed a bit pushing more of the coffee. The last third continued the trend changing to a smooth creamy coffee with a pepper zing at the end of the draw. Total burn time to the nub was 1:15. Thank you very much to Chaz from Long Island for generously sending this in for review! Photography by BG Pictures.

Tambo Super Robusto Cigar Review

This 6×50 stick offers a medium brown oily wrapper with a smooth finish, some minor and a few medium veins with a slightly floral aroma. First light reveals a very loose but controlable draw with tons of rich oily smoke production. Flavors are medium bodied with a slightly dry, musty tobacco and touch of pepper with a short clean finish. The first third shows a lighter flavor settling at a mild-medium body but with very rich smoke. It’s light in density but extremely plentiful and coats the mouth well with a creaminess, a soft deep aged tobacco and finishing with a touch of black pepper but no spice. The flavors didn’t change at all until the last couple inches, shifting to a soft light nutty profile, but keeping the great smoke and finish. Thank you very much to Tambo Cigars for sending this for review! Photography by BG Pictures.

Nub Connecticut 464 Torpedo Cigar Review

This 4×64 stick offers a medium tan, firm, thin stretched wrapper with minor visible veins and seams. The aroma is a very faint tobacco and it has a smooth velvet texture. First light revelas an easy draw, plenty of smoke production giving flavors of grass and nuts, with an oily smooth, long finish. By 10 minutes in the flavors settled to a mild-medium bodied creamy nut flavor with a touch of pepper but no spice. Those exact same flavors carried through the entire stick ending with about 1″ left at 45 minutes. The only shift was in the heat of the smoke, getting too hot for my taste just past the band. Thank you very much to Michael Yamashita for sending this in for review! Photography by BG Pictures. (Video correction: Ring gauge is measured in 1/64th”, this NUB is 1″)

Xikar HC Series Connecticut Shade Toro Cigar Review

This 6.5×52 stick offers a thin medium tan wrapper with a few medium and small veins, a double cap and even firm slightly spongy construction. The aroma is deep pungent tobacco. First light brings a slightly firm draw, mild-medium flavors of a slightly peppery, mildly sweet tobacco. The first third is a very smooth, mild leather with a woody aftertaste on a long finish. It’s very simple, smoke output is minimal and very consistent with a perfect draw and burn. The 2nd third progresses much the same, only adding a caramel to the end of the draw flavors and the finish. The last third holds the same flavors however body and smoke production rose significantly. Providing a rich flavorful medium body experience, the smoke was thicker and doubled in volume. Ending at 1:15 with about 1″ remaining it proved to be a very well constructed typical connecticut. Thank you very much to Xikar for generously sending this sample for review! Photography by BG Pictures.

Gurkha Micro-Batch Liga C-10 Churchill Cigar Review

This 7×48 stick offers a medium tan wrapper with a slight tooth, firm feel, double cap, minimal veins, tight seams and a rich oily deep tobacco aroma. First light reveals a slightly sweet note of caramel, touch of pepper, tobacco and overall an oily smooth smoke with a great draw. The first third developed in to a mild-medium body giving flavors of a slightly musty tobacco, creamy oily wood, with a hint of pepper on the long finish. Draw is excellent and burn is great, but fairly fast. The 2nd third came and went uneventfully. The last third developed in to a light creamy coffee, but still with a along slightly peppery finish. Ending at 1:25 the stick took on an almost bitter flavor going with the slight coffee and dry pepper. Thank you very much to Michael Yamashita for sending these samples in for review! Photography by BG Pictures.

Flor de Cielo Churchill Maduro Cigar Review

This 7×50 stick offers a rich, almost black wrapper with a slick oil sheen, medium veins, and a very firm pack. The leaf seems fragile with a few tears here and there, more typical of a Connecticut than maduro. The feel is slightly toothy and the aroma is sweet and soapy. The flavors are of a slightly sweet smooth tobacco, medium in body but near full strength. The finish is fairly short and clean, leaving a slight pepper zing on the tongue. Overall an extremely consistent stick, the profile really didn’t change at all from start to finish. There were some wrapper splits that contributed to it going out in the 2nd third prompting a couple relights, but the flavors were not impacted. Ending the smoke at 1:45 with 1″ remaining it proved to be a potent classic maduro experience with a great value for the money! Thank you very much to Corona Cigar Company for generously donating this sample for review! Photography by BG Pictures.

Don Tomas Clasico Presidente Cigar Review

This 7.5×50 stick offers a medium brown, very soft and satiny wrapper with almost no veins and clean seams topped by a double cap. The aroma is a potent but soft tobacco with a touch of pepper. First light reveals a tight draw, medium-full body, good smoke production and a slightly sweet, peppery wood and tobacco flavor. The first third holds the same profile, with a great even burn and good smoke production despite the firm draw. The ash holds on for 1 1/2″ and at the 30 min mark the draw opened up slightly, increasing smoke production and body to a medium-full. Flavors transitioned to a soft leahter, heavy earth, slight sweetness and black pepper with a bit of zing on the long finish. 40 min in at the end of the first third, flavors had gone to a rich, oly creamy butter with hints of cocoa and a dry licorice, the finish a dry tobacco. Smoke output kept increasing also getting richer with a slightly looser draw. 1:10 in at the 1/2 way point flavors were a rich creamy leather with a short smooth tobacco finish. Draw continued to ease and smoke output still increased to a great level of amount and richness. Ending at 1:45 with about 1″ remaining, the flavors took on an additional component of a slight cocoa in the last third adding to an already rich pleasant collection. Thank you very much to Jeremie Plouffe for generously sending me this sample for review! Photography by BG Pictures.

AVO Lounge Cigar Toro Cigar Review

This 6×50 stick offers a medium brown lumpy and firm wrapper with minimal veins, invisible seams a triple cap and a rich oily tobacco aroma. First light reveals a firm draw, minimal smoke output but big medium-full body. Flavors are rich, oily earth with a bit of pepper and hot spice on a long earthy finish. The first third develops beautifully in to a slightly musty creamy smooth aged tobacco, with a good bit of cinnamon kick, lasting through the finish. Smoke output increased to a good normal amount and the body stayed near full. 40 min in at the 2nd third transition, flavors dropped most of the cinnamon on the draw and body is a solid medium. Overall it gives a rich, oily, deep flavor experience. Just before the 1/2 point it tunneled a bit and went out prompting a relight. Unfortunately the band was applied with a big glob of glue, taking a chunk of wrapper with it as it was removed. Luckily it did not breach to the binder. 1:45 in the stick started to smoke very hot so I ended it with about 1 1/2″ remaining, just my personal taste. Flavors in the last third pushed more of the licorice and added a touch of warm nuts. Strength wise this is a medium-full stick, giving me jitters and making me a bit light headed for 30 min after filming. Thank you very much to Corona Cigar Company for sending this sample for review! Photography by BG Pictures.

Padron 1926 Anniversary No. 6 Cigar Review

This 4.7×50 stick offers a mottled medium chocolate glove soft wrapper, with seams you can see but not feel and almost no veins even visible. It has a uniform firm but not hard feel, a tight box press, double cap and has a slight oil sheen, giving a mild tobacco and pepper aroma. First light reveals a smooth pepper and tobacco with a hint of coffee on the long finish. The draw is perfect producing copious amounts of oily, rich smoke. The burn is actually pretty fast for a Padron, getting through the 1st third in 20 minutes. It’s a full body and near full strength, giving me the jitters slightly. Flavors are typically Padron complex, with leather, pepper and spice, nuts, coffee, cocoa, tobacco and earth all blended smoothly and richly together with a long finish and tons of smoke. The 2nd third toned the body and complexity down somewhat, turning to a medium-full creamy cocoa and touch of leather with much less pepper and spice. The finish is still long and oily with great smoke production. Ending the stick with an inch remaining at the 50 min mark the draw was getting very hot. Flavors had remained consistent from the 1/2 way point with rich creamy coffee and cocoa and a slightly peppery finish. Photography by BG Pictures.

Rocky Patel Signature Series Toro Cigar Review

This 6×52 light tan stick is wrapped with a soft slightly toothy satin wrapper showing minimal veins, a couple small blemishes with a soft barnyard aroma. First light reveals a soft rich smoke, perfect draw with a deep dry earthiness and slight pepper on the finish. The first third starts off with a rich oily earth core and a huge spicy heat and zing that carried through the long finish. 20 minutes in the earth and spice died down, replaced by a buttery smoothness and toast. By the half way point the core flavors had changed again, this time to a dry toasiness – yet still oily, creamy and smooth. Body was down to a solid medium, and the finish lost much of the peper and spice. 45 minutes in the draw got very tight and the stick developed a very hard crispy spot about 1/2″ down from the head. After blowing back through the cigar a few times the blockage loosened up, possibly some tar buildup. The last third seemed to bring out all the flavors at once, very well blended together – toast, cream, cocoa, pepper, oil, a slight sweetness and long smooth finish. Total burn time was 1:20. Overall a medium bodied stick, it had strength in the medium-full range that only caught up to me after filming the video, making me a bit jittery for 30 min or so. Thank you very much to Michael Yamashita for sending in this excellent sample! Photography by BG Pictures.

Maribel Maduro Churchill Cigar Review

This stick appears to be a 7×48 with a dark brown slightly toothy rugged wrapper. Seams are good, veins are minimal and it puts off a smooth sweet aroma. First light reveals a very good draw on the loose side, plenty of medium bodied smooth smoke and a creamy smooth sweet tobacco taste with a long finish. Those flavors lasted all through the first third, changing to include a rich creamy textured coffee by the half way point 45 min in. The smoke absolutely pours out delivering oily creamy flavor through the long finish. The burn is excellent, almost razor sharp, but the ash only holds on for 1/2 inch at a time so you have to watch it. Ending the stick with 1 1/2 inches left because it got very hot, flavors continued unchanged to the end. Thank you very much to Joe a.k.a. CSMoFo for sending this for review! These are sold at a few stores around Miami and are available direct from the manufacturer: (305) 642-8219 Photography by BG Pictures.

D’Crossier Imperium Class Vintage Taino Cigar Review

This 5 7/8×54 stick offers a rich, oily dark chocolate wrapper with a slight colorado red hue. The finish is soft and very oily with an even, firm but light pack. Giving off a rich chocolate and oily aroma, it is very pungent! The draw is on the loose side giving off tons of rich creamy smoke. Flavors at first light are a soft tobacco, slight pepper and lots of rich oil left on the finish. The first third develops into a big blast of pepper and spice that carries on through the finish leaving a cayenne kick on the lips and tongue. Core flavors remain of a smooth aged tobacco. By the 1/2 way point 45 minutes in, flavors also included a buttery smooth nut, that blended very well with the others. Ending at 1:25 the last third continued to get creamier and buttery, bringing the nut and caramel to the front of the flavor pack, with the tobacco and spices going down a notch. Thank you very much to D’Crossier for generously donating this sample for review! Photography by BG Pictures.

Bucanero Salsa Cigar Review

This 6×54 stick comes wrapped in a toothy, firm dark brown leaf showing a slight red hue, minimal veins and clean seams with a soft box press. The aroma is an oily, slightly sweet tobacco, a perfect humidor smell. First light reveals a medium-full body, very smooth oily smoke giving a rich aged tobacco taste with a good bit of black pepper and a long finish. 30 min in by the 1/2 way point the flavors had not really changed, which is just fine since they were very pleasant. The burn however did have problems, requiring a couple early touchups and a couple relights from the wrapper not keeping up. It was an even burn though, and the post light flavors were un effected. Ending the stick at 50 min, the flavors for the remainder of the stick were unchanged, which was just fine! Thank you very much to Bucanero Cigars for sending this sample for review. Photography by BG Pictures.

Xikar Crossover Torch Lighter Review

This single flame Crossover torch from Xikar features a very hot, wide single torch flame actuated by depressing a single button. The torch and button are both covered by a solid metal spring loaded cover with a positive open and close action. The whole piece is solid metal and gives an exceptional feel of quality. The finish on this particular model has grooved designs in the outer chrome surface, with black accents. The lines actually provide a good amount of grip to the unit. With a single adjustment knob on the bottom – easily turned but not loose enough to be mistakenly adjusted, finding the perfect flame is fast. For me, the fit is perfect, the button action is just right, and it has proven to be very consistent and reliable in use. With a burn time exceeding 13 min, it certainly hold ample butane to light many cigars. Check it out at Xikar.com! Photography by BG Pictures.

Flor de Cielo Churchill Corojo Cigar Review

This 7×50 stick offers a dark tan wrapper with a slightly toothy, oily finish showing a good amount of small and medium veins. The aroma is a faint soapiness. First light is on the mild side showing just a slight sweetness, hint of pepper and a grass flavor with a long, mild finish of the grass. Smoke output is minimal, draw is perfect, just the right resistance. The burn is following some of the veins, putting burn lines straight down the stick in spots. By the start of the 2nd third the burn had evened itself out, draw was still perfect and smoke production increased to very good levels, giving a rich smooth output. Flavors had transitioned to a deep musty leather, with a good sweetness and black pepper flavor with just a hint of the zing. The finish was growing longer holding the sweetness and pepper flavors with a mild-medium body. At the 1/2 way point flavors had changed to a milk chocolate although slight, and the sweetness had caramel and licorice components. The finish was still mostly the pepper although the zing had increased, washing over the tongue. The stick proved to be consistent for the remainder of the 1 hour total smoke time. Thank you to Corona Cigar Company for sending this for review! Photography by BG Pictures.