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Jul 10

Tatuaje Havana VI Angeles Cigar Review

Posted on Sunday, July 10, 2011 in Cigar Reviews

 

Tatuaje Havana VI Angeles Cigar Review

This 4 5/8×42 cigar features a dark brown satin wrapper with minimal veins, tight invisible seams, a nice triple cap and rich oily tobacco aroma. First light reveals a very tight draw but with good smoke production. Flavors are medium-full bodied giving a thick and chewy leather with an earthy pepper finish. The first third shows much the same flavors, dropping the body to a medium and the smoke is a bit less thick. Burn is excellent and the draw is still very tight. 30 minutes in at the 1/2 way point I clip it once again to try and open up the draw to no avail. It’s still very tight and quite difficult to draw and smoke, but it’s still putting off good smoke and flavors. Ending at 45 minutes the last bit showed no further changes. Thank you very much to Tyson Hockstaff for sending this in for review, and a big shout out to the Sailors of VRC-30 in Japan!

Jul 8

Falto Robusto Cigar Review

Posted on Friday, July 8, 2011 in Cigar Reviews

 

Falto Robusto Cigar Review

This 5×50 cigar features a dark milk chocolate wrapper with a rough tooth, minimal veins, ragged seams, firm even pack and a rich oily tobacco aroma. First light reveals an extremely loose draw but great smoke output. Flavors are medium bodied with a silky smooth aged tobacco and nut taste on the short finish. The first third shows copious amounts of thick medium-full bodied smoke with creamy wood and light tobacco and pepper flavors. The draw snugged up perfectly after a few draws in and burn is almost razor sharp. 25 minutes in just past the 1/2 way point, flavors shift just a bit, dropping the wood and going to a bright but deep earth especially on the finish and adding a bit of cinnamon at points. Ending at 45 minutes the last third shifted to a very creamy nut, also dropping the pepper. Thank you very much to La Garita Cigar Co for sending this sample for review!

Jul 4

Quesada Tributo Alvaro Cigar Review

Posted on Monday, July 4, 2011 in Cigar Reviews

 

Quesada Tributo Alvaro Cigar Review

This 6×52 torpedo stick features a mottled dark chocolate wrapper with small veins, tight invisible seams, a slightly toothy satin feel and a rich, oily, musty tobacco aroma. First light reveals a medium bodied wood flavor, airy and parched but with an oily mouthfeel on the finish. Draw is on the snug side with good smoke output. The first third brings flavors of an oily nut and wood, with the same long finish. 40 minutes in at the 1/2 way point flavors transition slightly to an oily nut and deep wet earth with a bit of a strength kick. Ending at 1:20 minutes, the last third only added a bit of warm licorice flavor at times, and added to the strength.

Jul 2

El Credito El Perrito War Of Flavors Cigar Review

Posted on Saturday, July 2, 2011 in Cigar Reviews

 

El Credito El Perrito War Of Flavors Cigar Review

This very rustic 5.5×38 cigar is completely hand made and rolled without a mold, and thus features a very lumpy construction with a dark brown slightly toothy wrapper, minimal veins, fairly large slightly uneven seams, a dry firm feel and oily tobacco aroma. The tip is pre-cut and the first light reveals a perfect draw, although the small 20 or so RG tip feels weird in my mouth it’s producing thick rich smoke with medium-full body flavors of leather and a bright crisp tobacco with a long finish. The first third shows many different flavors popping in and out from one draw tot he next. Leather comes and goes, it gets earthy especially on the finish, a creamy coffee and pepper comes and goes – quite varied. Draw is perfect, burn is very good, the smoke output is great, very thick and rich. 15 minutes in, still in the first third, flavors shift again to a very creamy leather with cinnamon. The 1/2 way point comes and only adds a bit more pepper and heat on the finish, giving a bit pf pepper kick to let you know it’s there. The other flavors are still present and bouncing around from draw to draw. Ending at 45 minutes, the last third showed no further changes. Thank you very much to Team La Gloria for sending this for review, I greatly appreciate it!

Jun 30

Padron Series Executive Cigar Review

Posted on Thursday, June 30, 2011 in Cigar Reviews

 

Padron Series Executive Cigar Review

This 7.5×50 sungrown cigar features a very tight, firm wrapper with slight tooth, minimal veins, invisible seams, an oily sheen and feel with a soft floral aroma. First light revels a very smooth, silky soft medium body smoke with flavors of aged tobacco and a smooth earth, with a long finish and perfect draw. The first third develops to medium bodied thick rich smoke, giving flavors of aged tobacco, smooth creamy coffee and a slight sweetness that reminds me of toffee. The finish is long and smooth, going to an earthiness.45 minutes in at the 1/2 way point, flavors go to a very strong creamy coffee, dropping the tobacco. Ending at 1:35 the last third dropped the coffee going to a slightly sweet airy earth with a bit of pepper just on the finish. Thank you very much to our fan Chaz for sending this in for review!

Jun 28

Carlos Torano Signature Toro Cigar Review

Posted on Tuesday, June 28, 2011 in Cigar Reviews

 

Carlos Torano Signature Toro Cigar Review

This dark black 6×50 maduro stick features small veins, tight seams, minor imperfections such as outer cracks and holes, a firm, lumpy pack, rough paper texture, slight oil sheen and mild manure aroma. First light reveals a very snug draw putting off an ok amount of smoke with mild bodied flavors of a slightly sweet earth with a short clean finish. The first third brings the body up to medium and improves the draw, producing much better amounts of smoke. Flavors are a wet earth with a bit of sweetness like a butterscotch, which quickly gives way to a black pepper taste on the longer finish. 40 minutes in at the 1/2 way point, draw had opened up to normal, burn was great, and body was up to medium-full. Flavors had dropped the sweetness, just going to a deep creamy and peppery earth with a very oily mouthfeel. Ending at 1:15 min the last third showed no further changes. Thank you very much to viewer Jeff Oda for providing me this for review!

Jun 26

Di Fazio Maduro Torpedo Cigar Review

Posted on Sunday, June 26, 2011 in Cigar Reviews

 

Di Fazio Maduro Torpedo Cigar Review

This 6×50 cigar features an oily jet black wrapper with minimal veins, tight seams, a slight spongy give and faint barnyard aroma. First light reveals an extremely loose draw with no resistance, light airy smoke and mild flavors of a sweet earth. At this point in the video I demonstrate why draw is important to a cigar. The first third comes and goes with much the same experience as the first light flavors, being fairly one dimentional. 40 minutes in at the 1/2 way point, the draw improves giving medium body smoke, and flavors of a bigger earthiness with kind of a harsh bite to it especially on the finish. Ending at 1:15 minutes, the last third showed no further changes other than needing a couple minor touchups. Thank you to DiFazioCigars.com for providing this sample for review!

Jun 24

Falto Lonsdale Cigar Review

Posted on Friday, June 24, 2011 in Cigar Reviews

 

Falto Lonsdale Cigar Review

This 6.5×42 cigar features a dark brown wrapper with a smooth satin finish and slight oil sheen. It has a soft, even pack minimal veins, tight seams and a sweet soapy aroma. First light reveals a perfect draw, good rich thick smoke output, creamy tobacco and leather flavors with a bit of bitterness. The first third develops in to medium-full body flavors of a sweet creamy coffee and leather, with a good pepper kick that builds through the long finish. The 1/2 way point comes at 30 minutes in, with no changes whatsoever to the profile. Ending at 50 minutes, the last third dropped the leather and most of the pepper, continuing the creamy coffee flavors with no strength buzz, just lots of rich flavor. Thank you very much to viewer Miguel Feliciano for sending me this to review, I appreciate it!

Jun 21

Macanudo 1968 Robusto Cigar Review

Posted on Tuesday, June 21, 2011 in Cigar Reviews

 

Macanudo 1968 Robusto Cigar Review

This 5×50 cigar features a dark chocolate wrapper with a slight red hue, slight imperfections, small veins, tight seams, a firm oily wrapper and feel with a small double cap and rich sweet chocolate aroma. First light reveals a perfect draw with just a touch of resistance, great smoke output and medium bodied flavors of a very soft creamy dry tobacco with a long finish of the same. The first third develops into a big blast of creamy leather, dropping the generic tobacco flavors. 30 minutes in at the 1/2 way point, flavors have shifted to a bold earth and pepper flavor with medium-full body and no discernible strength. Burn and draw are perfect with plenty of smoke output and a long deep finish. Ending at 1:10 min the last third brings back the leather joined by a very smooth creamy nuttiness with rich flavors through the finish. Thank you very much to General Cigars for sending this for review!

Jun 19

Blue Mountain Cigars El Threesome Cigar Review

Posted on Sunday, June 19, 2011 in Cigar Reviews

 

Blue Mountain Cigars El Threesome Cigar Review

This 6×60 cigar is made of three different wrappers stacked in thirds. Starting at the foot with Connecticut, then Habano then maduro at the head. It features a butter soft feel, a few small veins, tight seams, double cap and a pungent barnyard aroma at all spots. First light reveals a small amount of smoke but nice rich oily medium bodied flavors of a sweet creamy textured earth, with a long finish adding a bit of pepper zing. 20 minutes in, just 1/2 way through the first third, flavors are the same as the first light but down in body just a touch to mild-medium. Draw and burn are perfect, with the ash just a bit flaky. 55 minutes in at the 1/2 way point, the flavors are pretty much the same as the first third, just adding a small touch of coffee to the mix. Ending at 1:40, the last third did not want to burn. As soon it it got to the maduro it went out, prompting two relights in the last third, drastically effecting flavors. Thank you very much to Bluemountaincigars.com for sending this for review!

Jun 17

Daily Deals Postings Ending

Posted on Friday, June 17, 2011 in World of CO

With a bit of sadness I regret to inform you all that I will no longer be posting daily updates of the various ‘daily deals’ for cigar buys. The reason is simple, but pisses me off.

When I started doing this, daily deals were just that – special, one day only deals that were usually a great buy, and a fantastic way for us to pickup new stuff we haven’t seen before, or were out of our price ranges at MSRP, or sometimes a great way to acquire a box of our favorites at a super price. The reasons to love it the way it was, are endless.

Unfortunately several things have happened in just the past year that have all but killed this kind of thing. First, some manufacturers have forbidden their lines to be sold on sale, such as Rocky Patel. Rocky Patel was for various reasons very popular as a brand to be featured on the deal sites. First of all, they are popular! Second, they are often overpriced MSRP and most people know it. Third, there are a crap load of blends out there, so just about everyone can find some to try that are new to them.

Another trend was that what was once a single deal for the whole day, was changed to a continuous stream of deals that changed by the hour or even minute, depending on stock. This obviously was intended to get people to keep coming back to a site throughout the day to see what was offered, but made it all but pointless to list them here other than a link to the site every day.

Lastly, and what is most common, is sites have stopped being diligent about the deals, often going days between updates, or simply not offering them anymore, some sites going offline all together after a few months run.

So bottom line, I was maintaining the postings for maybe 6-7 unique listings across all the sites, per week, the rest being the same update every day. So to make it easier and actually more relevant, I have simply added links to the active deal sites on the right of the site, although some still are not kept updated, and some still rotate constantly – you will just have to check yourselves to see what’s up on each.

I wish there weren’t so many restrictions on these kinds of deals, I miss looking every day at each to find something to buy. It seems to be about 20 different blends rotated around every site, and only a handful I would even want to smoke now.

Maybe if companies heard some support for the old deal pages things could change? Comment below and let me know what you think about it all.

Jun 17

La Garita Delirio Cabinet Selection Cigar Review

Posted on Friday, June 17, 2011 in Cigar Reviews

 

La Garita Delirio Cabinet Selection Cigar Review

This 6.5×42 cigar features a medium tan wrapper with minimal veins, tight seams, an even pack with slight spongy give, satin feel and a soapy, chocolate and hay aroma. First light reveals a great draw and smoke output with medium bodied flavors of an earth and dry tobacco with a short finish. The first third continues the first light experience with a very deep, dry taste – you want a drink with this. 25 min in at the 1/2 way point, flavors have shifted to not only the tobacco but a slight caramel sweetness, nuttiness with a light airy earth and a pepper kick coming in on the long finish. 40 minutes in the flavors transition to a very rich creamy leather, with a bit of pepper and spice on the finish. Ending at 50 minutes where it began getting very warm, around where the band point would be if they had any, it produced no further changes. Thank you very much to Lagaritacigar.com for sending this for review! Photography by BGPictures.com

Jun 12

Label Your Cigar Gran Toro Habano Cigar Review

Posted on Sunday, June 12, 2011 in Cigar Reviews

 

Label Your Cigar Gran Toro Habano Cigar Review

This 7×58 stick offers a dark tan thin wrapper with small and medium veins, some stretching and lumps, good tight seams and a triple cap with a strong barnyard aroma. First light reveals good smoke output with an effortless draw, flavors of a dry tobacco and earth with a bit of sweetness and oil on the short finish. The first third starts out with a bitter grass and a vegetable almost chemical taste, with good smoke output draw and burn. Later in the first third the chemical taste goes away leaving just the grassiness. The bitterness is still there, mostly in the oil on the lips. I suspect this is just not aged enough from the factory. 1 Hour in at the 1/2 way point, flavors had completely changed to a deep earth and touch of coffee with a bit of pepper, especially on the growing finish. The transition has been very slow from the 1st third experience. Ending at 1:40 where it began to get too warm for my taste, the last third brought up the coffee flavor a bit overtaking the earthiness as the main component. Thank you very much to LabelYourCigar.com for sending this for review!