05
Nov
09

Cigar Review: La Flor Dominicana Double Ligero Maduro 452

La Flor Dominicana Double Ligero Maduro 452
Wrapper: Ecudorian Sun Grown Maduro
Binder: Dominican
Filler: Dominican
Made In: Dominican Republic
Size: 4×52
Price: about $6.00

Appearance & Construction: A nice dark oily plug of a cigar. I was instantly drawn to this cigar because of the sheer amount of oil this cigar has on it and the size is quite interesting as well. The wrapper is a deep brown color with absolutely no color variation what so ever. The cigar seems packed well and is pretty solid with a slight bounce, which is usually the norm. The roll is seamless and has an expertly applied cap. One thing I think they could have done differently is shrink the band down. The band covers damn near a third of the cigar and is a shame considering the beauty of this cigar.

Smoking Characteristics: The DL 452 has a nice easy draw and it produces a ton of smoke. The burn is a little wavy while the ash is nice and compact with some slight flowering. The body of this cigar is full and you can defiantly feel this one in the belly, almost like you just got done eating a huge meal. The strength is full with a good nicotine kick.

Flavors: The La Flor Dominican DL 452 starts off with a deep rich earthy sweetness with some coffee and citrus flavors along with some peppery spice. In the second third the spice backs down and really gives way to the flavors from the first third. The final third is much of the same but adds a hickory flavor almost reminiscent of a nice smoky barbeque sauce. The finish is of the cigar is slightly dry so make sure to have beverage handy while smoking this one.

Final Thoughts: This cigar is a winner in by book. The flavors are fantastic and they are so rich and complex. I really don’t expect this much complexity out of a $6 cigar but this cigar defiantly performs. Also the cigar is a slow burner. I was expecting to polish this baby off in less than an hour but it took me about an hour and fifteen minutes to finish this guy up which is typically how long it will take me to finish a regular robusto.

Worth a Shot: A definite yes for the full bodied smokers
Buy Again: Yes, a box of these may be in order
Enjoyablity: High
Similar Cigars: Cain Maduro, CAO LX2, La Flor Dominicana Ligero

02
Nov
09

Cigar Review: Cubao Maduro

Cubao Maduro
Wrapper: Ecuadorian Broadleaf Maduro
Binder: Nicaraguan
Filler: Nicaraguan
Made In: Nicaragua
Size: No. 5 – 6 1/8×50 toro
Price: $9 per single from Titletown Tobacco

Appearance & Construction: The Cubao Maduro has a nice dark brown oily wrapper that has primarily small veins to it, however there is one moderately sized vein near the top of the cigar. The construction seems great; it is packed tight with tobacco and the seam lines are cut evenly. The band on the Cubao is very nice. It is brown with white lettering and a white cross emblem. The secondary band states “Maduro” which is what we are about to fire up.

Smoking Characteristics: The cigar has a nice even draw with just a bit of drag to it. The burn is even, and the ash is strong and compact. I also noticed some crystals in the ash almost like glitter. I’m not 100 percent sure what this is, but my best guess is that it is sugar crystals left over from the tobacco. The body was very full on the Cubao Maduro and the strength was also full.

Flavors: The Cubao Maduro starts off with some major heat but it is very clean and crisp, like crushed red peppers. The spice does fades a bit after the first inch or so, but is still very present throughout the entire cigar. Other notes I was getting were rich espresso, dark chocolate, and a cinnamon flavor. There wasn’t much flavor variation but the flavors were great.

Final Thoughts: Overall I really enjoyed the Cubao Maduro. The flavors were nice however I’m not sure I would spring for a box of these just yet. There are a lot of great Maduro cigars coming out right now and I have yet to try a lot of them. There is no doubt I will be buying more, it’ just how many.

Worth a Shot: Yes
Buy Again: Yes, just don’t know if its box worthy just yet
Enjoyablity: Medium to High

24
Oct
09

Cigar Review: La Herencia Cubana

La Herencia Cubana
Wrapper: Ecudorian Sumatra
Binder: Nicaraguan
Filler: Nicaraguan
Made In: Nicaragua
Size: 5×50 Robusto
Price: $59.95 per box of 20; $19.00 per 5 pack

A Little Background: This cigar is made by AJ Fernandez in his Tabaclera Fernandez in Estil Nicaragua. AJ has made some blends you may have heard of such as the Padilla Habano, ITC 10th Anniversary, and the Man O’ War. Some people refer to him as the next Don Pepin. That’s a big name to live up to but his style with the spicy start is reminiscent of Pepin’s cigars.

Appearance & Construction: This is a nice looking cigar. The band is simple and the cigar is well made. There are a few lighter colored veins running throughout the cigar and it has a slightly lumpy feel to it.

Smoking & Burning Characteristics: The draw is a bit snug but does the trick. The burn is pretty wavy and required some touch ups. The ash is slightly flaky but not bad. The body is medium to full.

Flavors: Right off the bad there is spiciness to the cigar that gets my lips tingling. After the first inch the cigar settles into a nice combination of earthy, woody flavors with notes of coffee, mocha and a bit of sweet tea. The pepper is present throughout the cigar and is most prevalent on the finish. This cigar is not that complex but for the price I wasn’t expecting it to be.

Final Thoughts: This cigar is yet another great value stick. The cigar has nice flavors but I think the pepper may be a turn off for some smokers. As far as AJ Fernandez being the next Pepin Garcia, I guess only time will tell. So far he had a spectacular portfolio of cigar. The Padilla Habano and the ITC 10th Anniversary are cigar I like and if he keeps producing cigar like that, there is no doubt he will be a rock star in the cigar industry.

Worth a Try: Yes
Buy Again: I have a box of these but I will pick up another once these are gone
Enjoyablitiy: Medium-High
Similar Cigars: Cubao with less depth and complexity. Benchmade by Ashton but a bit more earthy and less crisp.

21
Oct
09

Cigar Review: Gran Habano 3 Siglos

Grand Habano 3 Siglos
Wrapper: Shade Grown Nicaraguan Corojo
Binder: Nicaraguan
Filler: Nicaraguan, Columbian, Costa Rican
Made In: Honduras
Size: 5×50 Robusto
Price: About $5.75 per single

Appearance & Construction: Nice looking cigar with an elegant looking band and a flattened head. The wrapper is darker blonde color that looks like a Connecticut shade wrapper. The construction is nice and there are no defects from what I can tell.

Smoking Characteristics: Great draw on this cigar, the burn is slightly wavy and the ash is nice and compact. Nothing to complain about in this category.

Flavors: The cigar has a woody core with notes of coffee, cinnamon, and pepper. As the cigar progresses, the pepper picks up intensity and is starts to overtake the cigar. I even purged this cigar before the final third and the pepper continues to be the main show of this cigar. The body is medium to full on this cigar, the strength is medium.

Final Thoughts: I like when pepper is present in a cigar. This cigar however, the pepper is the main attraction after the first third and I typically do not like when pepper is the primary flavor of a cigar. The first third was a nice balance of flavor but half way into the second third the pepper stole the show and I did not care for that. Some however will like this cigar but it is just not my style.

Worth A Shot: Yes, the pepper lovers will dig this cigar
Buy Again: Probably not
Enjoyablility: Low-Medium

19
Oct
09

Cigar Review: Camacho SLR Maduro

Camacho SLR Maduro
Wrapper: Broadleaf Maduro
Binder: Honduran
Filler: Honduran Corojo
Made In: Honduras
Size: 5×50 Robsuto
Price: $30 per 5 pack: about $6 per single

Appearance & Construction: This cigar is dark looking cigar sporting a red and gold band and a secondary band that lets me know this is Maduro, as if I couldn’t tell from the dark brown wrapper. The wrapper is kind of dull looking but is smooth to the touch. The cigar has a little give to it when pinched gently between my fingers and the roll of this cigar is great. No visible defects with this cigar.

Smoking Characteristics: Draw is a bit light on this cigar but I have come to expect that from Camacho Cigars. The burn is a little wavy but always corrected itself. The body of this cigar is just shy of full for me but they have been sitting in my humidor since January 2009.

Flavors: The cigar is a nice rich toasty combination of wood, a cocoa sweetness, coffee and a bit of spice. There is also some saltiness to the cigar which goes well with the sweetness of this cigar. The flavors remain very consistent throughout the cigar and don’t change much.

Final Thoughts: I am kind of pissed at myself for not smoking these cigars sooner. I bought a box of Camacho Triple Maduro’s, which are much more expensive and I find the SLR Maduro to be similar. Of course it does not have the complexity or richness that the Triple Maduro’s have, but the enjoyment for the dollar is much more favorable for the SLR Maduro. Overall this was an enjoyable cigar. The flavors were great and the cigar did not turn harsh, even when smoked down to the nub.

Worth a Shot: Yes
Buy Again: Yes
Enjoyablity: Medium to High
Similar Cigars: As stated above a Camacho Triple Maduro with less complexity and richness

19
Oct
09

Cigar Review: Tatuaje Cojonou 2006

Tatuaje Cojonu 2006
Wrapper: Shade-grown Nicaraguan Viso (Viso is the middle part of the tobacco plant)
Binder: Nicaraguan
Filler: Nicaraguan
Made In: Miami, FL USA
Size: 5 ½ x 52 Torpedo
Price: $13.10 per single cigar locally

Appearance & Construction: Construction is absolutely flawless with this cigar. The roll is seamless, the cigar is firm to the touch with a little bit of bounce. The

Burning Characteristics: The draw is great on the cigar and the burn is even. The ash was nice and compact with no flowering of flaky but it was very week and fell off at about the half inch mark. The body of these cigars are medium to full but the strength is full especially towards the end of the cigar where it gave me a little buzz.

Flavors: Some nice deep rich flavors from the start. I get coffee beans, nuts and a toasty almost chary cedar flavor. There is some pepper but it is very balanced with the rest of the flavors. In the second third some sweet honey notes come in and out which gives the cigar a nice creamy texture in the mouth. The final third was much of the same with the addition of some cocoa flavors. The flavors also became more full and pronounced in the final third.

Final Thoughts: I really enjoyed this cigar. The price tag on this guy is way out of an everyday cigar, but would make a nice occasional smoke for most of us. The flavors were balanced and complex which is a must for a cigar the goes over $10. The one downside to this cigar is that it doesn’t vary much from the other Tatuaje Miami’s that I’ve smoked except for the fact that it is a little stronger than the regular line.

Worth a Shot: Yes
Buy Again: Yes
Enjoyablity: High
Similar Cigars: Tatuaje’s regular line and Illusione

14
Oct
09

Cigar Review: Camacho Select

Camacho Select
Wrapper: African Cameroon
Binder: Honduran
Filler: Honduran
Made In: Honduras
Size: 5×50 Robusto
Price: $128 per box of 24; about $6 per single

Appearance & Construction: A flawless looking cigar. Nice roll, solid construction. Although this is the old band of the Camacho Selects, I think I prefer the simpler band on this cigar, as opposed to the new one that covers damn near half the cigar. I think the large bands on cigars in general take away from the true beauty of the cigar which is the wrapper.

Smoking Characteristics: Nice free draw, the burn is pretty even and the ash is nice and compact. The body starts out medium to full but by the end of the cigar, it is well into the full realm. This cigar does great in this category.

Flavor: The first third is spicy and buttery, with notes of toasted nuts and wood. The second third brings some sweetness on board and I also detect some coffee in the background. The final third is much of the same great flavors.

Final Thoughts: This was a nice cigar. It had some great flavors and is by far one of my favorite Cameroon wrappered cigars. Typically I am not a big fan of Cameroon cigars but this cigar had something else to it that I like; I can’t quite put my finger on it but I know I like it.

Worth a Shot: Yes
Buy Again: Yes
Enjoyablity: Medium to High
Similar Cigars: Perdomo Reserve Cameroon, Nub Cameroon

13
Oct
09

Cigar Review: Joy de Nicaragua Antano Counsul


Joya de Nicaragua Antano
Wrapper: Nicaraguan Havana Criollio
Binder: Nicaraguan
Filler: Nicaraguan
Made In: Nicaragua
Size: Consul 4.5×52
Price: About $5 per single

Appearance & Construction: This is an attractive cigar; a nice band with a nice oily dark brown wrapper. The cigar is solidly constructed and has no visual defects to it.

Smoking Characteristics: These cigars have a nice draw with a decent amount of resistance. The burn is very even and the ash is very solid and held on for a long time; a 2” ash on a 4.5” cigar ain’t too bad. The body of this cigar is full, the strength of the cigar is defiantly full and gives you a nice shot of Vitamin N. Newer smokers stay away; these cigars will leave you dazed and confused and reaching for something to hang on to.

Flavors: This cigar is primarily sweet earthly flavors with that distinct Nicaraguan zing. Notes of coffee and leather are also present during the cigar. The flavors of the cigar do not change much and remain very consistent from one third to the next.

Final Thoughts: I got these cigars over a year ago from one of the Joe Cigar deals where you get 10 of them for around $25. This was a cigar I always wanted to like because everyone else liked it and it is a great price. Up until this review I smoked eight of them and have given them every opportunity to impress me and they have never lived up to my expectations…until now. I grabbed my 9th cigar of these and fired it up ready to do a disappointing review on this cigar. For whatever reason these cigars have morphed into a cigar that I really enjoy now. Maybe the cigars needed time; after all they have been in my humidor for over a year now. Maybe my palate was not refined enough when I smoked them the eight times before. Who knows, but what I do know is that this is a great cigar. The flavors are nice and the cigar smokes like a champ.

Worth a Try: Yes, but only for the full bodied lovers
Buy Again: Yes
Enjoyabliity: Medium – High
Similar Cigars: Illusione without the depth and richness. Oliva Serie O Maduro but with less sweetness.

11
Oct
09

Cigar Review: Casa Magna Colorado Robusto

Casa Magna Colorado Robusto
Wrapper: Nicaraguan Colorado (Colorado refers to the reddish color of the wrapper)
Binder: Nicaraguan
Filler: Nicaraguan
Made In: Nicaragua
Size: 5.5×52 Robusto
Price: $27.99 per 5 Pack, I paid $7 per single (touted as a $5 cigar, pshhhst)

Background: Unless you’ve been hiding in a hole for the last year, you may already know that this cigar was rated Cigar of the Year 2008 by Cigar Aficionado. There has been much controversy over this cigar regarding such a high rating and weather it is worthy or not. I typically don’t pay much attention to the ratings that a cigar gets in “CA” because of the way they review cigars, but it does influence my buying habits from time to time; this is one of them. I first got to try this cigar when it was first rated a 92 before it became cigar of the year. Then, boom, they are gone; “Oliva Serie V-ed,” “Decade-ed” (after a great rating from Cigar Aficionado there were none to be had for a while). About 6 months later, one of my shops got them in and I immediately grabbed a few and went on my way. I got home and noticed I paid $7 per single, a cigar that was touted to be a $5 cigar, hope they put the extra $2 back into the shop.

Appearance & Construction: This is a nice looking cigar. The wrapper is an oily reddish-brown color and it appears to be flawlessly constructed; no soft spots, no blemishes on the wrapper – Nice! And a pretty fancy looking band to top it all off.

Smoking Characteristics: The draw is a little sung for my licking but I am sure it is perfect for others. The burn is slightly wavy and required some touch ups. The burn rate was ultra slow which was nice for a change. For the most part the ash was solid however there was some flowering but it stayed attached to the rest of the ash. The body of this cigar is full and the strength is medium.

Flavor: This cigar has a spicy intro but quickly settles into a nice rich, sweet bouquet of cedar, coffee, and caramel. As the cigar progresses I also get some leather which is very nice. The cigar does not alter out of these flavors but certain flavors fizzle in and out at different times of the cigar.

Final Thoughts: Not my choice for cigar of the year but don’t get me wrong, this is a damn good cigar. Here is the thing with cigar reviews. It is subjective. We all have different flavor profiles that we enjoy and running a cigar review site, I try to rate the cigar upon its merit. If a cigar doesn’t fit my flavor profile I will tell you, but I try to give as much information to you, the reader, so you can make the decision of whether or not to buy the cigar. One man’s garbage is another man’s treasure and just because the “experts” say it is a good cigar doesn’t hold any water with me and shouldn’t with you because once again, we all have different palates. Again, this cigar is no chump but I think there were plenty of other cigars on that list that were much better in my humble opinion. The Decade, Tempus, Definace, Serei V, but again my palate is not the same as the boys at CA.

Worth A Shot: Yes
Buy Again: Yes, I’ld like to have 5er of these
Enjoyabliity: Medium – High
Similar Cigars: Don Pepin Garcia Blue with more sweetness

10
Oct
09

Cigar Review: Sabor Cubano

Sabor Cubano
Wrapper: Sun Grown Brazillian Maduro
Binder: Nicaraguan
Filler: Dominican, Nicaraguan
Made In: Miami, FL USA
Size: 5×50 Robusto
Price:

Appearance & Construction: Beautifully constructed with no noticeable flaws. The wrapper is a nice chocolate color and is slightly lighter than normal for a Maduro cigar. The band has a very traditional look to it with some old Cuban style artwork that has been really growing on me lately. With all the fancy intricate bands that are out there these days it is nice to take a step back and enjoy something from a different age.

Smoking Characteristics: The draw was spot on, the burn line was extremely even and the ash was nice with a little bit of flowering but it did not flake all over the place. The body of this cigar was medium to full. The strength was average. The burn rate was normal too.

Flavors: The cigars starts off very earthy with some decent pepper notes and a touch of coffee bean and nuts. Into the second third and the pepper is beginning to let up and giving way to a nice creamy nutty smoke. In the final third the pepper went into the back drop and a chocolate note was added to the mix which was very nice.

Final Thoughts: Overall the cigar was good. It reminds me a lot of the Padron Thousand Series but with a little more character. The cigar is pretty one dimensional to me but that isn’t a bad thing. It is very consistent and for the price, you can’t go wrong.

Worth a Shot: Yes
Buy Again: Yes
Enjoyablity: Medium
Similar Cigars: Padron Thousand series, Perdomo Lot 23




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