99 Cigars

Review of El Mejor Espresso Gordo

2011-10-16T08:28:00.000-07:00

The El Mejor Espresso Gordo is a short (4.5 inch) fat (60 ring) box-pressed cigar that displays as the same deep, rich flavor as the other vitolas in this series--if you are lucky enough to get one that's rolled well enough to smoke.

I've smoked three and they were all constructed horribly. The first two had uneven draw and burn, with center tunneling so badly I had to let them go out. The wrapper seemed made of some fire-proof substance - it just wouldn't burn. I cut both of them back and started over. At the halfway point, they finally burned properly.

The third one, however, was a real doozy. It fired up OK. But after about 5 puffs the burn wormed its way deep into the cigar and came out the side of the wrapper - a big fiery knothole of ruin. You cannot smoke a cigar with a hole burning in its side. This is the kind of cigar you would get in hell, for torture, if hell came with cigars. The devil would laugh his head off as you puffed in futility and sank back into the burning morass from which you had crawled in hopes of a decent smoke.

Because of these three rather hellish experiences, it's hard for me to recommend the gordo. If you happen to be stuck with any, I'd suggest dry-boxing for a few days before you light up. I left one half-smoked in my garage, came back out a few days later, cut it back and finished it off. I was amazed at how good the last two inches were.

The flavor really is remarkable for a cigar this cheap, but too bad about the construction. The other vitolas in my experience are better-rolled and provide the easy draw which makes for an exciting, inexpensive smoke.

Warning: All the El Mejor Espressos are strong and NOT complex or subtle. Either you will love them or find them harsh and punishing. Try one before you buy a box. If you don't like strength, stay away.

Review of Nestor Miranda Doppelbok

2011-07-16T08:38:00.000-07:00

The Nestor Miranda Doppelbok is a cheap cigar worth blogging about. It retails at cigarsinternational.com for only $39.99 per bundle of 20 and packs quite a bit of punch and flavor. I have smoked 4 of them and they are consistently open-drawing, full-powered, tasty smokes. Very rich and satisfying for a cigar priced this low. They consist of a Habano wrapper and Nicaraguan filler.

I like the Doppelbok better than Nestor Miranda's more expensive offerings such as the Special Selection (burns too hot) and '89 Oscuro (not rich enough for my taste). I think the Doppelbok has more flavor and "oomph" than either of those. The Doppelbok is a great cigar for a breezy night or times when you're "on the run" or otherwise not positioned to appreciate a subtle cigar.

I would describe the flavor of the Doppelbok as woody with a sub-layer of flint or mineral and hints of melon-like sweetness. The experience of smoking this straightforward, easy-drawing cigar reminds me of Indian Tabac Super Fuerte robustos, my favorite low-priced cigars. The Dobbelbok comes in a close second.

It shares qualities with other cigars I like including:

Indian Tabac Super Fuerte Robusto (habano)
Don Pepin Garcia Cuban Classic 1979
Nestor Miranda Special Selection
Oliva Series G Cameroon robusto
Rocky Patel Edge Corojo toro
Rocky Patel Olde World robusto (natural/corojo)

If you like any of those cigars, you might enjoy the Doppelbok as a low-investment alternative.

5 Vegas Triple A revisited

2011-04-30T09:57:00.000-07:00

About a year ago I got my hands on two 5 Vegas Triple A cigars and was not impressed by the first one. It seemed harsh and bitter.

However after a 11 months of humidor rest, I took out the second one and can only say: Wow! Other reviewers are right: This is a deep, delicious, full-bodied smoke with a straightforward maduro flavor about as rich as they come. What lacks in nuance and development (there is none) is made up for in volume and cool strength. The Pennsylvania Broadleaf wrapper is a winner and makes the Triple A completely different than the "Standard" 5 Vegas Series A.

If you have liked the flavor of the standard Series A but wished it just had more depth and power, the Triple A may please you very much. I am tempted to buy a box of these as a "go to" cigar.

The Triple A reminded me of some of the better Cu-Avana Intenso robustos I've had (Intensos are not always good, but some of them are excellent). Also reminded me of Pepin JJ maduros, La Flor Dominicana Grand Maduro #6, and Montecristo Media Noche.

Here's the good part: The 5 Vegas Triple A tastes better than all those cigars.

5 Vegas Limitada 2009 - Respectable

2011-04-19T20:03:00.000-07:00

I give a respectful nod to the 5 Vegas Limitada 2009, a medium-bodied belicoso (6.2 x 52) with some gentle, understated flavor suggestions of nutmeg, vanilla, and pepper. I expected a little more lushness at its price (box of 25 for $200 at Cigars International). However it draws well, burns perfectly, and looks fantastic.

It is obviously a well-constructed cigar. The subtle flavors start to come through during the middle and play out to the end. A gentle ride that gains in intensity, never venturing past medium strength.

If you like mild Ashtons, Montecristos, etc, the 5 Vegas 09 will probably make your taste buds sizzle. I found it bit mild for a corojo-wrapped cigar. The Limitada from a few years back - 2006 - was much fuller and exciting, and the 5-Vegas Miami line remains so, along of course with the knee-knocking 5-Vegas Cask Strength.

Though not the richest dessert in the store, the Limitada 09 is an interesting blend that deserves a try. Do not be discouraged by the awfulness of the standard 5-Vegas "Classic" cigars. The other 5 Vegas blends are all worth trying, and the Limitada 09 is no exception.

Your brain on "Acid"

2011-04-12T19:21:00.000-07:00

I've tried several Acid cigars, and in a nutshell: Either you like Drew Estate's unique flavor (resulting from curing in a "secret mixture of oils and herbs") or you don't. All the Acids I've tried share a similar but interesting flavor - I don't think he varies the curing - it's all the same formula from what I can tell.

That being said, I do enjoy that "secret blend" on occasion. I don't enjoy the fact that he often adds a flavored tincture to the head of his cigars - which smacks of Swisher Sweets - and in my book a cigar should stand on its own, no silly gimmicks. Short reviews:

Acid Liquid: I've smoked several of these and they tend to have a pleasingly open draw and nice flavor, on the mild side and getting stronger as you smoke. Again, either you like the oils and spices or you don't. A straightforward cigar with no sugar painted on the head.

Acid Blondie: Tastes like a miniature Liquid, but a tighter draw and milder at first. The tip is flavored (yuck!) but the smoke tastes good. This is a narrow, 4-inch long cigar which bored me at first but became wonderfully thick and flavorful in the last 2 inches. I wished it would go on. I managed to get nearly 40 minutes out of it by nubbing.

Acid "Juicy Lucy" - the flavored tip wiped out any possibility of actually tasting the smoke in this itsy-bitsy cigar. I've heard it's good. Good luck tasting anything but sugar.

Java robusto by Drew Estate and Rocky Patel - Not really an "Acid" blend, I guess, but a cousin of the family. Again, the flavored tip ruined this for me. I could sense the smoke had some nice coffee flavor lurking forlornly beneath - but my tongue had fake honey all over it, so I could only surmise.

Acid Opulence 3 robusto - not exactly as "rich and chewy" as the blurb at Cigars International would indicate. It's a dark-black bomber that is surprisingly mild and rather high priced. Again, that pesky flavored tip ruins everything. Get rid of it please, Mr. Drew!

Acid Ltd. Def Sea (6.0" x 52) - a nicely rolled torpedo which tastes- guess what - almost exactly like the Acid Liquid but a bit more refined. No sugar on the tip - so this actually tastes like a real cigar.

Summary: If you're in the mood for an Acid (think: cigar meets incense) almost any of them will do. I prefer the Liquid and Def Sea because they aren't painted with sugar tips.

Nice Article, Cigar Scholar!

2011-03-22T08:40:00.000-07:00

I read this rant from Cigar Scholar a while ago in Cigar Aficionado "letters" section, and it stuck in my mind ever since. Nice work, Cigar Scholar! I agree with you totally.

How many articles can a man be expected to read about golf, swiss watches, online gambling, and more golf? An endless number, apparently. And the celebrity interviews are conducted at about a 7th grade level.

I also love the fact the five over-entitled bald guys can make or break a cigar brand based on their dubious palates. By dubious I mean, half the cigars they love are just awful dogs. Yes, it's subjective. Yes, no two people are alike. Exactly my point.

One thing I concede: Their cigar reviews are pithy and creative. How many flavors can YOU taste in a cigar? Blueberry? Birch? Teakwood? Lets face it, there are 5 or 6 basic types of cigars, with minor variations in between and the occasional wacko from Drew Estate. Once in a while a cigar tastes really different - but jeeze not all 75 cigars in the issue! Oh well, its fun and I keep buying the magazine like a sucker. Love-hate, like the Scholar says...

Casa Magna Colorado gran toro

2011-03-20T17:59:00.000-07:00

The Casa Magna Colorado robusto won first place in Cigar Aficionado's "Best Cigars of 2008" and I've been wanting to try one ever since.

Unfortunately my local cigar shop has only the "gran toro" size, not the robusto. The Casa Magna Colorado gran toro is an adequate full-bodied cigar with a pleasing coffee flavor, but leaves me less than awed. Though well-balanced, it lacks complexity and remains static with little or no development through the ample 90-minute duration. The last third really shouldn't have been smoked. (I don't expect all cigars to deliver all the way to the nub, but it's a nice perk if they do).

On the whole the Case Magna Colorado gran toro is a straightforward full-strength experience, as good as some of the darker (and more expensive) Rocky Patels and Montecristos I've smoked, and much better than the 5-Vegas AAA (which has similar flavor characteristics but runs toward the bitter).

I would still like to try the Casa Magna robusto and hopefully I will find one without having to buy a whole box.

For those of you who have tried the fabulous Casa Magna petite corona (i.e. the "Pikito") be forewarned that the gran toro has little in common with it. It's as if the two cigars were made with completely different tobaccos, though I'm guessing a subtle variation in the blend alone might account for it.

Brick House robusto

2011-03-09T18:02:00.000-08:00

So I'll huff and I'll puff and I'll... No, I'm not about to tear down this nice flavorful Nicaraguan Puro with a searing review that takes Cigar Aficionado to task for giving it a #17 ranking in its list of the best cigars of 2010.

No need to do that, because the Brick House robusto is indeed a well-constructed medium-bodied cigar with a slightly wheaty, earthy flavor (at times) and an occasional rich moment that uplifts you and makes you hope it will continue that way to the nub (which it doesn't).

I paid less than 7 bucks for this in a cigar shop, which is mighty economical in my highly-taxed region. Because of this, I grudgingly concede that the Aficionados were onto something.

This stick burns well and holds its flavor consistently. However, it wasn't strong enough, rich enough, or complex enough for me to want to buy again. After the halfway mark, it lost a lot of steam, which is the opposite of what I look for as I smoke--namely more steam, full speed ahead.

To my mind, this is not "best cigar of the year" material. But that's just me. Maybe you'll love it, like so many other reviewers have of late. It is not a dog, and worth trying if you like medium strength.

Puros Indios Puritos Candela

2010-12-22T19:33:00.000-08:00

If you are looking for a VERY small cigar that tastes good and burns fairly cool, the Puros Indios Puritos Candela (4.0" x 30") is about as good as they come. I can safely say I've never smoked a better 30-ring cigar. Usually I won't touch anything below 38, but a friend gave me this and I figured, what the hell.

What a pleasant skinny surprise. You actually register some of the grassy, peppery flavors you would expect from a thicker-ringed Candela. Perfect for walking the dog or just having a quick smoke on a cold winter's night. What might otherwise seem hot or harsh feels just right when you're drawing cold outdoor air in along with the smoke. The mixture comes out just right on your palate.

After finishing one of these last night, I pulled out a 50-ring Padron and it just didn't work in the low temperatures. It tasted like cardboard. I wished I'd had another Puritos.

Try a Puritos Candela on a cold winter day. You might end up buying a box of 50 - which you can find at Cigars International for 20 bucks. That's a great price for a cigar that tastes better than anything you can buy in a drugstore.

Indian Super Fuertes better than ever

2010-11-20T06:05:00.001-08:00

My last post about Indian Tabac Super Fuerte robusto naturals was rather negative, describing a mellowing effect with aging. I've had a few more since then and they are not exactly mellow, just a tad more refined as they age. Most of them keep their "kick" and I'm not sure what happened with the 3 or 4 that seemed mellow when I reviewed them last year.

I recently finished the last super fuerte from a box I bought in 2007. Wow, what a run. And, as I continue to buy new five packs of this blend, I'm amazed at how well they smoke fresh out of the box.

These are some of the most rugged, reliable full-bodied cigars that you can win on the auctions for less than 2 dollars apiece. Great for that quick-rush, give-me-a-cigar-NOW moment. They are not about subtle finesse, but instant gratification through open draw and crackling intensity. Sometimes they go bitter by the last third, other times they smoke gloriously down to the nub. Either way you get something of value for your $1.89 or whatever ridiculously low price you paid.

Whether you get 30 minutes or 60, you'll always get reliable draw, taste and burn that can withstand a stiff breeze, heat, cold, allergies, and even rain. You could probably smoke one in the middle of a hurricane and still enjoy it, although I've never tried that.

Oddly, the other blends in this line don't do much for me - I've tried the super fuerte maduros in various sizes and find them all lacking in flavor or not as well constructed. But the robusto natural (habano wrapper) is a real winner. A cheapskate's paradise.

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Casa Torano Maduro Robusto

2010-11-14T06:58:00.000-08:00

Casa Torano Maduro robustos are not so easy to come by any more - seems like the online stores are only stocking the mild naturals. However I bagged a five-pack of the maduros a while back for $13 on cigarbid.

Reviews are all over the place on these - some people say too mild, some too strong, etc.

I find them to be excellent medium-strength sticks with lots of body and flavor. Leaning towards woody and peaty, not sweet. Good draw and consistent burn, no harshness, and fine character to the last inch. A cigar with some finesse rather than a blow-you-away bomber.

For $3 apiece, you can't really do much better. Smoke them indoors or in calm outdoor conditions to enjoy properly. A slight breeze would probably knock them off their game.

Comparable to:
5 Vegas Series A - but stronger
Alec Bradley MAXX - but milder
Pepin Series JJ Maduro - similar flavor and a lot cheaper!
La Flor Dominicana Grand Maduro #6 - and much better flavor

Good luck if you can find them!

New Cigarbid Interface Design - OUCH!

2010-09-19T18:38:00.000-07:00

What are the folks over at cigarbid thinking? Their new web interface is horrible, hard to read, less compact and generally irritating.

Why do marketing departments feel a need to completely re-tool their websites every 2 years, no matter what? Guys, the old cigarbid was working just fine. It was easy to use. It was easy to understand. You could see everything on one continuous page. You had figured it out! It worked! Now you've thrown it all away!

Oh well. I'm sure I'll be back to bid as soon as my supply runs down.

Meanwhile I'm staying away. May be a good time for the rest of you early adopters to go out there and win some cheap bids, while the fogies like me sit in the dark, steaming.

Creative destruction. Web 3.9. Go figure. All the cosmetic change just wears me out. Jeez just give me a cigar.

Nestor Miranda 1989 Oscuro

2010-09-19T18:22:00.000-07:00

The Nestor Miranda 1989 Oscuro robusto is a good, medium bodied cigar similar in flavor to the Nestor Miranda Special Selection blend that came out about 2 years ago--but a much better cigar, in my opinion. The 1989 maduro has more depth, subtlety and character while erasing most of the bitter tendencies that were an unfortunate hallmark of the Special Selections.

In various websites and distributor catalogs the 1989 oscuro is also referred to as a "maduro" - so I believe they are one and the same.

If the progression from the "Special Selection" to the "1989" represents an ongoing trend, I can't wait for the next blend to arrive from Nestor Miranda. The brand seems to be getting better every year.

This cigar is appropriately priced - about $70 per box of 20 - and is quite a bargain if you can win singles like I did on cigarbid for a mere $2.00.

Another Plain Old Fuente: Churchill Natural

2010-09-10T17:37:00.000-07:00

Courtesy of the folks at Cigars Direct, I got to sample another vitola from the "standard" Arturo Fuente line, or as I've come to know them, the "Plain Ol' Fuentes" because of their lack of distinguishing characteristics.

This time I smoked the 7.25 x 48 Arturo Fuente Churchill natural, A nicely constructed, fine looking, good burning stick that starts out exceedingly mellow, builds up to about medium strength, tastes like slightly honeyed cardboard for the first few inches, and finally gets pleasantly rowdy at the end.

Inches 5 and 6 of this cigar are excellent. If you can hire a stand-in to smoke the first 4 inches while you're puffing away on something else, then put yourself back in to close the game on the Fuente, that would be ideal.

But in the real world you're stuck with another less-than-spectacular Churchill for the duration. I don't know how the Fuentes can manage to utilize a Cameroon wrapper to such muted effect. I can see how some people would like this, just not me.

El Mejor Espresso toro

2010-09-07T19:23:00.001-07:00

The El Mejor Espresso toro is just as good as the Churchill. Great bang for the buck, easy draw, satisfying strength, flavor reminiscent of Oliva Series G maduro, Graycliff Espresso, and 5 Vegas Cask Strength II.

Yes, I said Oliva. Yes, Graycliff. Just as good as those venerable brands? Of course not. But drink a couple beers, squint, and hum a few bars of "Hail to the Chief" and you might convince yourself you're the King of Siam through the hazy smoke and nicotine delirium.

El Mejor kicks butt. Period. It is one of those mythological 2 dollar cigars that taste good at first light, get stronger in the middle, and keep it up to the nub if you can stomach that much strength. The holy grail of on-your-ass cheapies. The value-buyer's Shangri-la. The unicorn of the tightwad. The Emerald City at the end of the yellow brick road, after you've tried a dozen crappy slumdogs that were overhyped by the wordsmiths at Cigars International. No, Dorothy, it's not a dream.

If you want a strong, cheap cigar that tastes good for at least 3 inches before turning rancid, buy these before the prices go up or flying monkeys swoop in and grab them all.

Passable Fuente Corona Imperial Natural

2010-08-08T12:56:00.000-07:00

I've been rather hard on the Fuente brand when it comes to the Hemingway serie s, which I find overrated and lacking in flavor. But what about the "everyday" Fuente cameroons? Once again, the folks at Cigars Direct have given me a chance to sample another specimen from this well known and feted brand.

In particular, the Arturo Fuente Corona Imperial natural, a cameroon-wrapped, extra-long lonsdale (46 x 6.5) that looks exactly like a Hemingway minus the tapered ends. Even though this is supposedly the "workingman's" Fuente, the price is not exactly rock bottom - about $100 for a box of 25. Nevertheless it is a bargain compared to the Hemingways, which get bid up beyond comprehension at sites like cigarbid.

The Fuente Corona Imperial Natural looks just as good as a Hemingway and is constructed equally as well. It lights easily and burns perfectly, no touch-up required. And the flavor? Well, that's my sticking point, because I find the flavor nearly identical to the Hemingway cameroons, that is, not particularly splendiferous. At best, it's Hemingway watered down with a little cardboard. Better than your average Connecticut shade cigar, but that isn't saying much. Medium strength (not mild, as some of the websites would indicate) and a "general cigar" flavor of cedar and straightforward tobacco. Once in a while you'll get a doughy sensation of lushness and exuberance - but not often.

I expect more strength and development from a cameroon. Technically, this cigar performs well from beginning to end. If you like the this kind of flavor, you will want to buy this cigar over and over again. I find it rather plain, so in the words of Lyle Lovett: Once is Enough. Thank you Cigars Direct for the opportunity to try.

Camacho SLR Maduro Rothschild Revisited: Not a bad cigar

2010-08-05T19:35:00.000-07:00

It's been over a year since I first reviewed the Camacho SLR Maduro Rothschild, after trying one back in April 2009 and having a harsh, unpleasant experience. The long humidor rest did the trick, however, and my remaining 4 sticks have smoked very well.

After a year, these SLR maduros are no longer harsh. They are medium bodied, pleasant short cigars with nuances of red pepper, mineral and spice. These are not fantastic, knock-you-out-of-your-chair Camachos, mind you, and not worth bidding sky high on cigarbid. I won my 5-pack for $13 and wouldn't pay that much again. However if one happens to fall into your lap, you probably won't be disappointed, especially if you let it rest for a few months before lighting.

If you like light bodied maduros you might really enjoy these. They do get enjoyably stronger in the middle. By the last third they turn bitter and you can't smoke them down to the nub. Not a record-breaking cigar and of course I always expect the world from Camacho. Don't let that deter you: Just because I was disappointed doesn't mean you'll be. Even a mediocre Camacho is better than 90 percent of the cigars on the market.

Great Low-Buck Stogie: El Mejor Espresso Churchill

2010-07-30T11:53:00.001-07:00

The El Mejor Espresso Churchill is a nice box-pressed Churchill that's dark and mean-looking and, last time I checked, available for the low price of about $45 a box online. Friends of mine are winning these like mad on cigarbid, and so I managed to get my greedy hands on one.

This is not a bad cigar for the price. In fact it would even be a decent cigar at twice the price - this time the marketing catalogs aren't lying.

The one I tried had a perfect draw and smooth, potent maduro flavor right off the bat. It reminded me of the lower-end Padron maduros (londres, ambassador, etc). Somewhat sweet, woody and salty, the flavor got more intense as the cigar burned down, maintaining quality until about the last third, which is about the most you can expect from a Churchill. The burn was a bit jagged and needed a touch-up or two, but I've had expensive Camachos that burned worse.

Worth a try. You might find yourself buying a whole box when you're done.

Finally a Good Hemingway: Short Story

2010-07-08T07:36:00.001-07:00

Had my second Fuente Hemingway "Short Story" (teeny mini-perfecto) since trying one about 2 years ago and being generally unimpressed. This time I had to admit it was a quality smoke. It's the first Hemingway I've had that's burned right and tasted good from beginning to end.

I might change my opinion on the Hemingway cigar hysteria if I start getting more experiences like this. One thing I did differently was snip a tiny bit off the tapered foot so it would light easier. I've never had to do that with other perfectos, but it really seemed to make a difference on this one. The burn was consistent and the flavor stayed rich and robust.

I got this one from Cigars Direct and they take obvious care in their warehousing and shipping.

A nice little 30-minute cigar if you can afford it.

The Hemingway Myth, Confirmed Again

2010-06-30T07:47:00.001-07:00

Another chapter in my ongoing Fuente Hemingway story of vexation: Why do people buy into the myth of these overpriced, underperforming cigars?

Case in point: The Hemingway "Best Seller," a 4.5 by 43/55 ring perfecto that I happily obtained from Cigars Direct. This expensive little specimen is hard to light, burns unevenly, requires boatloads of touchup, is inconsistent in flavor (one puff excellent, next puff bitter) and can't be smoked to the nub. Tell me again why I would want to pay $8+ to have this experience, over and over again?

Thousands of Fuente Hemingway smokers can't be wrong, can they...?

Folks, buy yourselves a bundle of Rocky Patel Vintage 92 perfecto factory seconds for $45 and you'll get more out of them than the Hemingway Best Sellers. Heck, you can win the RPs on cigarbid for $35 or less.

If you absolutely refuse to spend less than $6 on a 4.5 inch cigar, try a Casa Magna Pikito. Get a little enjoyment while projecting your purchasing power and worldly sophistication. At least Casa Magna delivers quality for the price.

Every year I give a different Hemingway vitola a try, and every year I shake my head and sigh. Am I the only cigarhead in the world who thinks this emperor is wearing some mighty shabby clothes?

Padilla Signature 1932 Robusto - Worth the Price?

2010-06-26T18:18:00.000-07:00

The Padilla Signature 1932 robusto is a fairly expensive cigar - $270 for a box of 25 online, last time I checked at Cigars Direct. I'm not sure it's worth that price, mainly because it performed well only to the halfway mark then turned bitter.

That's a lot of dollars for 2.5 inches of smoking pleasure.

Those 2.5 inches are excellent, don't get me wrong. This is a great-looking, medium-bodied jewel, perfectly constructed, with lots of cinnamon & nougat nuance in its gentle, layered flavor profile. The draw was not as loose as I would have preferred, making this a less powerful smoke than it wanted to be.

I would love this review to be based on more than just a single stick. However at these prices I'm unlikely to try another Padilla 1932 robusto. Better luck to the rest of you; maybe I just had a bum stick.

For a much heartier cigar with a similar but bolder flavor profile, try the excellent Cuvee Rouge robusto by Cusano. You can get these for $150 per box of 24 and they are well worth it - full body and flavor with a hint of cinnamon and fruit. My mouth is watering now just thinking about it.

Don Pepin Garcia Series JJ Selectos Maduro

2010-06-26T17:32:00.000-07:00

The Series JJ Selectos Maduro (i.e. robusto size) is a perfectly constructed, fine burning cigar that chunks out flavorful, full bodied smoke from beginning to end and requires little if any touch-up. Another great selection from the CigarsDirect vault.

I found it a little wanting in the flavor department. It has a flat maduro flavor rather than one with a sweet tinge that makes a maduro special, in my opinion. Your taste may be different than mine, and if you like other Pepin maduros you might like this one. I prefer the Pepin "Blue" and "Cuban Classic" maduros to the Series JJ. Also the mind-blowing Series JJ Corojo, which I believe is one of the finest corojos on the market today.

The Series JJ Maduro reminded me a bit of:

All of which are high-quality, premium cigars whose flavor just happens to not be my bag. If you like the flavor profile of any of those, you will probably like the JJ Maduro.

G.A.R. nicht!

2010-06-13T10:27:00.001-07:00

Recently was able to smoke a G.A.R. by George Rico robusto that was shipped to me by Cigars Direct. It is a fine-looking, well-constructed corojo that burns well and is medium to full bodied. However I found the flavor lemony and harsh, verging on bitter. Very similar to the Felipe Power robusto. This cigar did not improve in flavor or body as it burned down. I abandoned it shortly after midpoint.

I cannot recommend the G.A.R. robusto, but if you like cigars such as the current 5 Vegas Classic (i.e. not the good ones from before 2007) and the Graycliff Turbo, this might be right up your alley. Also reminded me of Perdomo 2 Limited Edition Cameroon epicure and Camacho 1962 Lonsdale.

Opus X No. 5: Number 2 on my list

2010-06-01T15:33:00.000-07:00

If I hadn't smoked the magnificent Casa Magna Pikito a week ago, I might have been more generous in my review of the similar-sized Opus X no. 5. But I did, and the results are inescapable: In the petite corona size, Opus X just can't live up to the flavor and consistency of the Casa Magna.

I will say that the Opux X no. 5 is the strongest small cigar I have ever smoked with such cool and balanced flavor. I would challenge anyone to find a stronger petite corona that could be smoked with such pleasure. The description at the Cigars Direct website is not misleading: The Opux X no. 5 is made with rich, seasoned tobaccos and deserves its place among the world's finer cigars. However the one I smoked required several touchups, and the last 2 inches began to exhibit bitter notes.

The Casa Magna, while not as strong, was equally magnificent in the flavor department, performed longer and better, and required no touchup. If I had to choose, the Opux X would come in second. Sorry, Fuente freaks. The no. 5 is one of the best petite coronas out there, especially if you love strength above all else. But for all-around performance and finesse, the Casa Magna is a finer smoke.

5 Vegas AAA: Burnt toast and coffee grinds

2010-05-28T13:43:00.001-07:00

UPDATE: 4-30-2011
Humidor rest does this cigar wonders and seems to have eliminated any of the "burnt" flavor characteristics that I referenced below. See my latest review.

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Original review 5-28-2010:

The 5 Vegas AAA is indeed a more powerful cigar than the standard 5 Vegas A line. However, that doesn't necessarily make it better.

Upon receiving my 5 Vegas AAA from Cigars Direct, I let it sit in the humidor for about a week before lighting. I had high hopes but after the first few puffs I knew it wasn't going to be as good as some of the 5 Vegas Miami vitolas or the butt-kicking Cask Strength II.

I found the AAA to be one dimensional and somewhat harsh. If you lean towards coffee you might like it, although it tasted too much of "burnt" in my opinion: Burnt toast, burnt chocolate, burnt marshmallows or just plain old used coffee grinds.

Other than the flavor this cigar burns well, produces full rich smoke and maintains even character all the way the way through to the end. It might be your cup of tea if you like the charcoal side of the flavor spectrum. I just don't happen to.

Casa Magna Pikito: Best Petite Corona Ever?

2010-05-20T04:58:00.000-07:00

I got the Casa Magna Pikito (i.e. petite corona) from Cigars Direct and it looked so good I had to fire it up without giving it any humidor rest. It's a petite corona with a magnificent looking brown wrapper, and it burns and tastes as good as it looks.

I've tried many small cigars over the years, trying to find one that performs as well (or nearly as well) as a top-line robusto. Finally, I've found it. The Casa Magna Pikito is hands-down the best burning and best-tasting petite corona I've ever experienced.

The flavor is medium bodied and full of nuanced, balanced flavors that are hard to pin down because so various and complex. I would characterize them as very deep woody flavors with tones coffee, brown sugar and spice underneath.

The cigar lit easily, had a perfect draw, and performed excellently all the way to the nub. I was in cigar heaven for nearly an hour. This cigar is the closest you will likely get to saying: It smokes just like a big-ring cigar.

Very mysteriously, the order page at Cigars Direct features this statement: "Casa Magna is not intended for online sale but at Cigarsdirect always find a way to bring the best and most sought after cigars to our customers. Don't miss out on this fabulous new line!"

I guess if you're quiet about it, they'll let you order online. I'd recommend you try at least a 5-pack of these and it may change your attitude about petite coronas. A petite corona doesn't have to be a tight, harsh, crappy tasting cigar. It can be fabulous, like the Casa Magna Pikito.

RP ITC 10th Anniversary Toro

2010-05-14T07:49:00.001-07:00

Slight disappointment with the Rocky Patel ITC 10th Anniversary toro. First half was great, just like the other ITC 10ths I've tried (robusto and torpedo) but the second half had bitter notes that compromised the experience.

In addition, there was significant unravelling at the head. By the time I abandoned this cigar (with about 2 inches left on the nub) it was looking pretty splintery. I don't mind a delicate wrapper but my patience wears thin when the flavor drops off.

People are consistently winning 5-packs of ITC 10th Aniversaries on cigarbid for $11 and sometimes even $9. In addition, Cigars International has recently had special offers on boxes as low as $49.95. A real deal. Howver, I would not recommend the toro.Try the robusto or the torpedo; they're top-line Rocky Patel bargains that taste great and burn well despite the flaking.

Padilla Dominus Churchill: One of the Best

2010-05-02T20:28:00.000-07:00

I've had a lot of strong cigars and a lot of expensive ones. The Padilla Dominus Churchill is simply one of the best.

In general I'm wary of Churchills - especially if they are 50 ring or fatter. I've often found the 48 ring size to be a better bet - more strength from the get-go and better performance down the length of the cigar. This one proves my point.

The Padilla Dominus Churchill lights well, draws like a dream, and has a wonderfully cool, intense straightforward maduro flavor that is equal to or better than such gems as the 5 Vegas Miami Churchill or the Padilla Miami Churchill. That's saying a lot, because the P-Miami is a kick-ass cigar.

It is as if someone took a Cu-Avana Intenso, sanded out the rough edges, loosened up the draw, cooled down the furnace, added a hint of 5-Vegas Series A, a dash of Alec Bradley Maxx, a soupcon of Ashton VSG, a trace of Camacho Corojo, a dusting of Carlos Torano 1916 Cameroon, a drop of sweat from an Indian Tabac Maduro and let er rip. My God what a cigar.

ITC Lonsdale - Too Tight to Mention

2010-05-02T20:20:00.000-07:00

The Rocky Patel ITC 10th Anniversary lonsdale would have been a great cigar save for the tight prohibitive draw. The flavor is definitely there, but you just can't get a decent volume of smoke. I took this one nearly to the nub, hoping it would open up, but it never did.

Maybe it was a bad apple, but lonsdales are always a 50/50 bet. Rollers have a hard time keeping them loose and I probably won't try another one.

If you've had better luck, God bless you. The ITC 10th torpedos and the robustos are excellent. Try them-- if you're a Rocky lover you won't be disappointed. Handle them with care, they tend to unravel, but otherwise they smoke like a dream...

Never Meet the "Twain": Felipe Gregorio Icon

2010-04-23T11:42:00.001-07:00

Here I am, performing another public service for my fellow cigar-heads, warning you from frittering away your hard-earned cash on yet another futile attempt to find the GREAT ELUSIVE CHEAP CIGAR.

Such a cigar may indeed exist, but the Felipe Gregorio Icon Twain (i.e. torpedo) is not it. I won a five-pack of these for a nominal 5 bucks about a year ago, and have let them age in my humidor ever since, every so often noticing what pretty-looking specimens they seem to be.

Do not be deceived. This cigar is not even nominally worth smoking. Just putting it in your mouth is a disappointment, leaving a distinct aftertaste of dirt - plain, nasty roadside dirt - on your lips. Such a horrible taste I have never experienced just from chomping on a stogie. Lighting it is no better - the smoke reminds me of dried seaweed, fish bones, and salt.

I will have to either throw the other 4 of these "icons" away or fob them off on unsuspecting relatives, demonstrating my care-free largesse. Then run away before they take a few puffs and come after me with hammers and blow-torches.

Don Pepin Series JJ Belicoso

2010-04-09T19:22:00.000-07:00

I've smoked a few Series JJ Belicosos during the past 2 years and I must say, they are worth the price -- and with humidor aging, even more so. The ones I based this review on were purchased in 2008.

My experience with them has been easy lighting, a uniformly excellent draw, and wonderfully smooth, velvety, rich smoke from the very first puff. It is amazing to find a corojo-wrapped cigar of medium strength that is this smooth -- even when you are in the process of lighting it. No "settling down" is required. Simply amazing.

I've not had a cigar that smoked better or cooler for the first half. The second half tends to get a little jagged in the burn, requiring a touch up or two, and the flavor occasionally wavers with intermittent bitter notes. A slight harshness can set in unless you wait several minutes between puffs.

That being said, once you adjust your puff-greed and sit with this cigar for a slow burn, the second half tastes just as good as the first, with a gradual buildup in strength, and can be smoked to the nub. This is a meaty, yet refreshing and refined cigar that I would gladly buy and smoke again.

Cu-Avana Intenso Gordo

2010-03-29T13:16:00.001-07:00

The Cu-Avana Intenso gordo is a tasty, medium-bodied fat Rothschilde (4.5 x 54) with a lot of strightforward sweet/salty maduro flavor that maintains peak form until the last third. Even though you won't be nubbing this one, it's an excellent value for the money (I won a 5-pack for $7 on cigarbid) and a great way to spend 30 or 40 minutes. Just throw away the last third and go on about your business.

I find the gordo more sophisticated and enjoyable than the robusto. You'll be tempted to walk away from the robusto before it's done (too much power, too little nuance) but you'll wish the Gordo kept going longer - nice rushes of flavor and fullness up until the draw gets spotty and bitterness sets in.

Both these vitolas are excellent if you know what to expect and pick the right size for your mood.

La Flor Dominicana Ligero L-250 Oscuro

2010-03-15T20:09:00.000-07:00

Wow, what an incredible little cigar! If you love the double ligero chiselito maduros, this cigar is very much like it, without the gimmicky duck-bill "chisel head." The leathery hickory flavor is in full evidence, the nice powdery mouth-feel is there, the draw is full, and the smoke is cooler than you'd expect in a petite corona.

This one smokes a bit sweeter than the chiselito, and demands patience, especially as you smoke it down toward the nub. I smoked it too fast at the end and got some bitter moments in the last third. That was my fault: If I had slowed down and waited another 30 seconds between puffs, it probaby would have been fine.

I smoked this in a fairly stiff breeze while manning the barbecue. I can only imagine the robust experience this would provide in a tranquil, wind-free environment.

It's not a cheap little cigar, but it's a good one.

Another overpriced Graycliff: Turbo

2010-03-15T09:44:00.001-07:00

The Graycliff Turbo (6 x 60 fat torpedo) is a strong but relatively flavorless cigar. It burns and draws well. It has a few bitter moments after the midpoint, and gets repetitive and boring in the last third. Definitely not a "nubber."

That's about all I can say for it. Nothing special and not worth spending a lot of money - certainly not the 10 bucks it retails for on the web. I would compare its flavor to Padilla Achilles, 5 Vegas cask strength II (but weaker), or a very inferior second cousin to Pepin Garcia Series JJ.

Indian Tabac Classic Teepee

2010-03-12T07:38:00.001-08:00

Another cheapo winner from Rocky Patel. This fat, easy-drawing corojo is called a "teepee" but unlike the maduro teepees, the shape is actually a large (6 inch long) torpedo.

Flavor, burn and draw are excellent and identical to the arrow (robusto). A most satisfying smoke, especially if you don't puff too fast. If you like corojos and appreciate Indian Tabac in general, you will not be disappointed. Take your time and let it burn cool.

I won a five-pack of these for only 5 bucks. The quality-to-price ratio of this brand continues to amaze me. I've paid three times as much for lousier smokes.

Padilla Miami torpedo

2010-03-12T07:32:00.001-08:00

It's surprising how much different the Padilla Miami torpedo is from the Churchill, a fine-burning, noble cigar.

In short, the torpedo is a disappointment. It looks, feels and smokes like a completely different blend. The wrapper is lighter in color (a rather pukish brown) and smooth rather than toothy. Nor does the torpedo have any of the enjoyable flavor characteristics of the Churchill. The one I smoked burned hot, was constructed poorly (soft spots, jagged burn) and was just a lousy, disappointing blob that slowy unraveled in my fingertips. I didn't even bother trying to smoke the last third.

The Padilla Miami Churchill is a great specimen. Just don't bother with the torpedo.

Jericho torpedo

2010-03-12T07:26:00.001-08:00

I know this brand has disappeared from the market but I just wanted to comment on the torpedo, a fine smoke very similar in character to the robusto which I reviewed a couple years ago; however the torpedo is a bit fuller and stronger.

These cigars age very well, developing a faint underlying sweetness below the full-bodied strength you expect from a Camacho. The draw and construction are perfect. Cigar performs well all the way to the nub.

Jericho was something unusual: A high-quality, low-price Camacho line, the likes of which we will probably never see again.

Indian Tabac Super Fuerte maduro toro

2010-02-04T18:44:00.000-08:00

I've tried two maduro versions of the IT Super Fuerte -- the mini bellicoso and the toro -- and found them both lacking in comparison with the excellent habano-wrapped robustos.

The mini belicoso had a tight draw and tasted chalky and nondescript.

The super fuerte toro had an excellent burn and draw, and a leafy, peaty flavor that lacked nuance and bordered on cloying muskiness. If you like earthiness, chalk, clay, grassfires, pimento and the like, you might actually love the toro. It's just too far toward that end of the spectrum for my taste.

The toro is a decent cheap smoke that behaves like one. Power without subtlety, and a one-dimensional flavor that quickly feels flat and wears you out by midpoint. On the other hand I recognize this is one of those hard-to-pin down cigars that might get high ratings by other Rocky fans whose palates vary slightly from my own.

I'm unable to recommend, but unwilling to dismiss, the maduro I.T. Super Fuertes. Maybe Rocky will improve them in the next year or two.

Delicate but Rewarding: Rocky Patel ITC 10th Anniversary Torpedo

2010-01-08T08:59:00.001-08:00

I've noticed that box prices for the RP ITC 10th Anniversary have fallen dramatically since the line was first introduced. Like others who avidly follow the Rocky Patel brand you might wonder if this is because the ITC 10th is a bad-tasting cigar.

The answer is no. The RP ITC 10th Anniversary torpedo, like the robusto which I reviewed last year, is a nice full-bodied, medium strength cigar with a lush draw and pleasantly doughy flavor profile.

The problem - and the reason I think people aren't buying this cigar - is that the wrapper is exceedingly delicate and flaky. On both cigars I smoked, there was flaking immediately after I removed it from the plastic sheath. The head also tends to unravel if you're not tender with it. Fortunately in neither case did the flaking interefere with the draw or enjoyment of the cigar. It just looked crappy and required very careful handling.

The ITC 10th anniversary is now quite a bargain, and a great smoking experience if you are willing compensate for the flaws. This means you shouldn't smoke it in cold or breezy weather, but in a place where you can be calm and relatively motionless. Don't jam it in your mouth and start mowing the lawn.

Also be careful when taking the cigar out of the plastic wrapping -- I'd recommend cutting away the plastic carefully with scissors, rather than pushing the cigar out through one end. If you can manage to store this cigar at higher humidity (maybe 73 percent) it might offset some of the delicacy.

If you are a Rocky fan and are willing to live with some constructional inadequacies, you are in for one of the best 3 dollar smokes around. In flavor I would compare this to Pepin Garcia Series JJ (though not quite as good or strong), Padilla Achilles (much better) and of course Rocky's own Indian Tabac Classic corojo line (with none of the bite and much more complexity and nuance).

In summary - even though it is "high maintenance" and will never win a beauty contest, the ITC 10th Anniversary torpedo is a scrumptious smoke. At current low prices, you have little to lose in trying one.
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Padilla Miami Churchill - Dark Medium Finesse

2010-01-06T13:40:00.001-08:00

Padilla Maimi offers an excellent narrow Churchill, dark and beautifully constructed. It lights quickly and proceds with a fine open draw. The flavor is a rather straightforward woody/leathery maduro, with plenty of rich, balanced smoke that never turns harsh or bitter. The burn is not perfect but with an occasional slight touchup stays whole from beginning to end. The cigar smokes well all the way to the nub.

As for the flavor, I find the 5 Vegas Miami -- also blended by Pepin Garcia -- a bit more interesting. However the Padilla Miami Churchill begins in peak form and continues that way for the full length of the cigar, never veering off into a dull or jarring puff This is simply an excellent medium-bodied cigar with substantial complexity and subtlety. It is well worth the 5 bucks I paid for it online.

Some people are winning these for $3 apiece on cigarbid, which is an absolute steal. Worth trying and, if you like maduros, it might become one of your favorites.

Disappointing Box of CAO Italia Novella

2009-11-20T14:31:00.000-08:00

About a year ago I won a box of 25 CAO Italia Novellas (i.e. petite corona size) in a cigarbid auction. I had smoked 5 of these before and found them to be incredibly full, rich and flavorful and thus unusual for their small size.

My excitement about this blend has dulled since then. Out of the 25 cigars in the box, 10 were prohibitively tight in draw. Out of those 10, five were wrapped so tight as to be completely unsmokable. The other 15 were excellent, as I expected.

To my mind, 15 out of 25 is a poor batting average for a box of expensive cigars. Luckily I won them for only $55.00, because their list price has skyrocketed since then - a whopping $116.00 at Famous!

I am wary of ever buying these again - even though when correctly rolled, they are one of my favorite cigars.

Carlos Torano 1916 Corona

2009-11-16T19:19:00.000-08:00

It's been more than two years since I smoked a Carlos Torano 1916 Cameroon Corona. I gave it a good review the first time, and now after a second try I can simply say that it is one of the best coronas you will currently find at ANY price on the market.

Slightly reminiscent of an H. Upmann cameroon corona - but infinitely better. Better-performing than the Rocky Patel Vintage 90 or 92 petite coronas (sorry Rocky!). As zesty as a Tatuaje Havana IV Angeles- but more refined and half the price. As full-flavored as an Indian Tabac maduro tepee - but better tasting and well worth the extra buck. As tasty as an Alec Bradley Maxx Nano - but cooler and more complex. And certainly, hands-down better-drawing and tasting than the two underwhelming Cuban coronas smoked by my friend Hank in Germany a year ago.

Although small in ring size, this cigar delivers a wallop of flavor. Medium in strength, it tastes great from first light and continues to billow you through realms of ecstasy until the last inch. The profile is nutty with hints of caramel, fruit and hard wood.

In narrow-ring cigars you are right to expect a bit of fiery zing. In the 1916 corona, the zing is in evidence but not overpowering. It gives you the initial rush of a small cigar and then eases back and builds in character over time. Folks, this smokes like a big cigar. Or very darned close. And, since it is 5.5 inches long, it lasts for an hour, or just about as long as a fat robusto.

You are a fool not to try this cigar. At $69 for a box of 25, this is likely one of the best 3 dollar smokes you will ever encounter. Give 'er a try and see if you agree.

Nice! RP Edge Corojo toro

2009-11-13T09:21:00.001-08:00

Wow, what a pleasantly strong and sweet surprise! Rocky Patel The Edge corojo (toro) is nothing fancy to look at, but boy is it an excellent smoke. Great, powerful flavor and cool easy draw. If you close your eyes, you could swear you were smoking a maduro - there's a tell-tale tinge of sweetness, not cloying at all, but just right - that takes this cigar over the top.

I'm putting this very close to the Olde World corojo robusto in terms of quality. The Edge sells at a much lower price point - incredible bang for the buck.

On a side note - I must say that I first tried an Edge corojo toro a few months ago, and that stick was simply awful. A dry and bitter flavor, not enjoyable at all. So there may be consistency issues, or just poor humidification at the CI warehouse. Or my taste buds might have been off that day. It happens occasionally - you try 2 or 3 cigars and none of them tastes right. A week later, a cigar from the same pack tastes wonderful.

In sumary: One excellent Edge corojo toro, one horrible Edjge corojo toro. I would hope that the positive experience described in this review is the definitive one.
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5 Vegas Miami Churchill: Best of the Bunch

2009-10-18T06:38:00.001-07:00

Of all the 5 Vegas Miami sizes, the narrow (48 ring) Churchill is the best. It has a perfect draw (easy but not loose), a pleasing aroma, and excellent medium-strength favor from beginning to end.

In my experience most Churchills, especially the thicker-ringed ones, waste the first inch warming up. You might as well buy yourself a Toro and save yourself the wait. I've had better luck with 48-ring Churchills, which are easier to light and tend to bring on the flavor right away.

Case in point is the 5 Vegas Miami, whose Churchill offers a wonderful combination of woody, spicy flavors - a nice warm broth which gets slightly stronger as you smoke away the inches. High performance and no bitterness to the very end - another outstanding feature, since many Churchills tend to peter out with two or three inches to go.

You can tell I'm not a Churchill fan. Which goes to show just how special the 5 Vegas Churchill is. It won me over despite my preconceived notions.

If you have never tried a 5 Vegas Miami, start with the Churchills, which capture the best flavor characteristics of the other sizes and are superior in construction and burn. The Churchill stands up to other medium-strength Pepin Garcia blends, and is more affordable than most of them.

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RP I-Press: Earthy as it Gets

2009-10-15T11:22:00.001-07:00

You never know what to expect with a Rocky. I figured the RP I-Press would be a subdued smoke due to its length and the fact that it is box-pressed.

Not so. This is a powerful maduro cigar with a strong flavor kick. Question is whether you will enjoy this particular flavor, which I would describe as deep, stark and earthy, and just on the border of souring into charcoal.

You may love this cigar or hate it, depending on your tolerance for peat, yard-leaf and the like. It has a coarse, middle-brow quality rather than one of refinement. If you are in a coal-shoveling, stoke-up-the-furnace kind of mood, it might just be what you're looking for.

Compares favorably to:

Cu-Avana Intenso
Quintero maduro robusto
Indian Tabac maduro toro (the I-Press is superior)
5 Vegas Cask Strength II

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5 Vegas Cask Strength II

2009-10-11T16:21:00.000-07:00

The naming convention of this cigar is accurate: The 5 Vegas Cask Strength II is a rollicking, heavy cigar which I would describe as relentlessly strong and gravelly. What it lacks (slightly) in the flavor department, it makes up for in full-body mouth feel and hazmat-grade cloud production. It is simply a pleasure once in a while to smoke a cigar this bombastic.

This cigar is intense and unvarying from beginning to end. By the last inch, it was almost too much. I love strength and it takes a lot to humble me. By the end, I was relieved to put it down, like a kid getting off a carnival ride that turned out out to be a bit more than he reckoned for.

That's not to say I didn't like this cigar. It was wonderful on its own rough-hewn terms. You will probably find something to like about the Cask Strength II if you have enjoyed any of the following:

Graycliff Espresso & Double Espresso
Cu-Avana Intenso
Rocky Patel I-Press toro
Rocky Patel Super Fuerte maduro toro

I like some of these cigars more than others (especially the Graycliffs) but they all share body and flavor characteristics that I found to some degree in the Cask Strength II.

Happy trails. Don't be surprised if this horse kicks you in the ass.

5 Vegas Relic - Fairly Classy and Worth a Try

2009-10-07T12:32:00.001-07:00

The 5 Vegas Relic is a well-constructed dark brown perfecto of medium-to-full strength that performs and tastes considerably better than the 5 Vegas "A" series... and is light years beyond the crappy "classic" blend. It burns with a musky fullness and tones of pepper and maple, putting it on the spectrum between the 5 Vegas Miami line and the stronger, coarser Cask Strength II series.

Something tells me the Relic is not going to be a gangbusters, bid-to-the-stratosphere hit, but a solidly respectable smoke whose price may relax a bit in the months ahead. If you want extra flavor, choose the Miami. If you want sand-blasting strength, choose the Cask Strength II.

I myself prefer the Miami, but the Relic is almost as good, and is priced appropriately in the $100/box range. You get what you pay for - a decent but not miraculous five-dollar cigar.

Just remember to stay away from the "classics"... they stink. Cigars International should stop misrepresenting them with rave blurbs written 6 years ago.

Camacho 1962 Lonsdale - Adequate at Best

2009-09-24T07:13:00.000-07:00

Not much to say about this cigar. It has a good light, burn and draw, and brings occasional flavors of robust wood and earth for a nice quick 45 minutes. For a narrow-ring cigar, it produces a hefty and satisfying volume of smoke. However it is a bit on the dry side, and veers into bitterness now and then. Not the Camacho you dream of.

If you manage to win a 5-pack of these on cigarbid.com for 7 bucks, like I did, consider yourself well-served. But do NOT pay full price expecting a luxurious smoke. It's just not there. Great for doing yardwork or snarfing down in your car with the top down. Or whiling away an hour in the garage on a rainy day.

For a much better lonsdale-sized Camacho, try the corojo cetros.

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Perfection: Padron 1964 Maduro Imperial

2009-09-15T07:16:00.001-07:00

What a difference a shade makes! About a year ago I wrote a negative review of the Padron 1964 Imperial (natural) which drew several comments along the lines of "are you out of your frigging mind -- this is a great cigar!" Well, that was a natural, and I stand by my word.

Now for the maduro. This is, simply put, one of the finest cigars you will ever smoke. If you like maduro flavor and medium-to-strong intensity, you will not find a smoother, finer burning, more perfect drawing, cloud-of-smoke-producing pleasure stick. The flavor is rich and, although not especially tantalizing at first, soon develops very pleasing characters of nuttiness, wood, chocolate and spice which peak in the middle and continue to the very last inch.

This cigar is extremely expensive ($14 per stick online, last time I checked -- assuming you can actually find it in stock anywhere) but in this case you are actually getting the perfection that the extra dollars imply. Very few expensive cigars live up to their hype.

Padron, I'm a believer. Maduro, that is. Black gold. Superstar.

Don Pepin Garcia Blue Generosos

2009-09-12T11:17:00.000-07:00

After having smoked two of the Don Pepin Garcia Blue Generosos (toro) I can understand why people go ape-wild over this strong and flavorful cigar, which is apparently wrapped in dark corojo but tastes more like a sweeter maduro.

My main complaint is that it is rolled rather tightly, limiting the fullness and making you work hard for the flavor. Some people like drawing hard on a cigar; I don't.

For a similar-tasting Pepin cigar with an easier draw, I'd recommend the 5 Vegas Miami Churchill or torpedo. The 5 V Miami line is substantially cheaper and, to my taste, just as good and maybe even better than the Blue.

Good Affordable Perdomo: Reserve Limited Oscuro "E"

2009-09-10T07:08:00.001-07:00

It is always refreshing to find a cigar in the lower price range that smokes well and tastes great. The Perdomo Limited Edition Oscuro "E" (toro sized) fits the bill, and is available in boxes for around $60. You can also try it in singles that often go on auction at cigarbid.com. I won mine for $3.00 and it was worth every penny.

If you're a fan of Perdomo Lot 23 maduros, you will probably like the Oscuro, which is a darker, heavier cigar with a firm yet not prohibitive draw. Typically I prefer an easier draw but in this case the firmness works, allowing for a slower intake of dense, tangy smoke with predominantly hardwood flavors and a dollop of fruitiness - cherry comes to mind.

This cigar performed well from beginning to end, leaving this world as a tiny, stubby nub. I look forward to trying other sizes in this line.

Plugged 5 Vegas Miami Toro

2009-09-08T15:01:00.001-07:00

It's always a downer when you light up a well-regarded cigar only to find it's thick as a brick and tighter than a nun's habit.

The single 5 Vegas Miami toro in my possession (which I won at cigarbid several weeks ago) turned out to be completely plugged and unsmokeable. I was really looking forward to it, considering how pleasurable the other sizes have been, especially the wonderfully complex and tasty Miami Churchill.

I can only hope the poor construction of this stick was an anomalie. If you've had similar experiences I'd like to know. Can I count on the 5-V Miami toro or is cramped rolling/plugging going to be a recurring theme?

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A surprisingly decent mild: Tierra del Sol Maduro robusto

2009-09-04T07:38:00.001-07:00

In a reckless move to "offset the shipping charges" after winning an expensive 5-pack of Rocky Patels at cigarbid.com, I bid a lousy 5 bucks on several five-packs of "Tierra del Sol" maduros. This is Perdomo's super cheapo line, and both the naturals and the maduros are described in promotional blurbs as "mild but flavorful."

Not being a mild fanatic, I was skeptical, especially after learning I'd won 15 of these bargain-basement stogies. No need to kick myself however, because these are decent smokes, and about as good as you can hope to get in mild. Good because they are maduros, so they actually have some body and flavor (unlike your run-of-the-mill Connecticut-shade snorers).

As a lover of full-powered cigars who's had my share of jitters after lighting up a Camacho after breakfast, I would highly recommend trying a Tierra del Sol maduro instead. Think of it as a "morning cigar" that won't leave you bouncing off the walls.

You will find hints of flavor reminiscent of Lot 23 maduros and 826 Slow-Aged maduros. The Tierra del Sol is a mere shadow or ghost of those cigars, admittedly, but no one promised you anything more.

Worth a buck a stick if you can get it that cheap. I'll hang on to a few of these for those rare occasions when low-wattage appeals, and give the rest to my mild-loving friends for Christmas.

Just Bad: Perdomo 2 Limited Edition Cameroon epicure

2009-08-23T08:05:00.000-07:00

I smoked a Perdomo2 Ltd. Ed. Cameroon (epicure size) last night and wondered if my humidification had gotten away from me: It tasted hot and dry. This is NOT what you expect from Perdomo, which makes several wonderful blends.

Luckily I found another review at a site called One Cigar a Week and it confirmed that the problem lies with the cigar, not my humidor: The Perdomo2 Ltd. Ed. Cameroon is simply a failed blend. Here is excerpt from One Cigar a Week and it is right on the money:

"Expect harsh tones of spice and earth upon lighting. The cigar was very bitter all the way through. There was some complexity to the cigar; however, the strong and bitter dirt notes made it hard to distinguish and enjoy."

To create gems like the Lot 23s and the Reserve Ltd. Oscuros, I guess you have to knock out a dog or two along the way. The Perdomo 2 Cameroons really should be pulled from the market or dumped at extreme discount. Buyer beware.

Very Good Boy: Rocky Patel Olde World Maduro robusto

2009-07-19T16:52:00.000-07:00

I finally nabbed one of these on a "singles" auction at cigarbid. What they say is true: This is a wonderful cigar, encapsulating all the best traits of maduro richness and flavor.

Like its corojo sibling, the Olde World maduro robusto draws with a cool lushness that few rollers are able to master. The flavors are complex and bold with a hardwood edge and tinges of coffee, grain, spice and semi-sweet chocolate. You know the deal: Everything that makes little Jack Horner puff like a maniac and say, "what a good boy am I." The performance is flawless down to the last inch. No bitterness, only satisfaction from beginning to end.

I kept comparing this favorably to other great maduro cigars such as Oliva Series G, Camacho Triple Maduro, Perdomo Lot 23 maduro and even Indian Tabac maduro boxers (which can be excellent, though not always). The RP Olde World Maduro is a winner and worth the $5 minimum with which you will be hopefully be lucky enough to win at cigarbid. I've seen them bid all the way up to $9 apiece and even at that price they would be worth it.

Less than wow: Rocky Patel Olde World corojo toro

2009-07-19T16:28:00.000-07:00

Now that I've tried both the corojo and maduro Olde Worlds in the sqare pressed toro size, I can confirm that my theory is correct: The toros are rolled tighter than the robustos and torpedos, making them firmer in the draw and weaker in flavor. The corojo corroborates my similar exerience with the maduro.

Smoke fans, if you want the full body, astonishing flavor and lush draw which the Olde Worlds (both maduro and corojo) can provide as well as any cigars on the marketplace, avoid the toros.

The toros are good if you prefer medium to mild. However even as mild cigars, I wouldn't say they are competitive. Stick to your expensive Fuentes and Padrons for similar but better-performing profiles.

The Olde Worlds are expensive too, so it helps to know what you're in for before you buy. In summary:

Robusto and torpedo - Full body, easy draw, bold flavors.
Toro - Tighter draw, milder strength, subtler flavor.
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The name doesn't lie: Cu-Avana Intenso robusto

2009-06-22T10:33:00.001-07:00

The Cu-Avana intenso robusto lives up to its name: It's a hearty, strong, effulgent cigar that delivers a consistent if somewhat uneventful performance. If you like deep, earthy flavor with a mineral or even charcoal undertone, this cigar will probably satisfy you. It reminded me of blends such as 5-Vegas Series A or Monetcristo Media Noche, only stronger. The smoke is so thick it almost has a chalky consistency, which I find rather pleasant, especially because it never veers into bitterness (often a drawback of strong cigars).

By the time you get to the end of this stick, you are either cheering for more or ready to hang it up. I was in the latter camp, the way you might feel after gulping down several slices of pizza or chocolate cake. Great in the beginning but a bit stultifying in large doses. This cigar does not "develop" at all - it maintains the same texture and flavor from beginning to end.

I was lucky to win a 5-pack of these on cigarbid for only $7.00. For that price it is a wonderful cigar, and at its normal box price of $60.00 it is still an excellent value. A little too heavy and one-dimensional for my taste, but it just might be up your alley if your preference is a notch higher on the strength-o-meter.

It takes a lot for me to call a cigar "strong." This one truly is, and it earns the name "intenso."
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ITC 10th Anniversary robusto

2009-06-10T13:00:00.001-07:00

Just a brief note while it's still fresh in my mind:

The Rocky Patel ITC 10th Anniversary is an excellent mid-strength robusto, and not deserving of the lackluster reviews I've seen by others on the web.

If you like Indian Tabac and Rocky Patel blends in general, you will probably like this cigar. I myself am definitely in the target market.

This cigar tastes great from the get-go, like a cross between an Indian Tabac "classic" corojo and the earthier, stronger blends from the Vintage and Super Fuerte series. It has subtlety, body and a smooth, long finish. Flavors are a nice balance between wood, incense, and earthy spices. It has an easy draw and a warm richness not quite as dense as the super-expensive Olde World corojo, but softer and just as satisfying in its own less intrusive way.

Another way to think about it might be: Indian Tabac maduro with extra silk and cream stirred into the mix.

My only complaint was that about halfway through, the wrapper started to flake and unravel near the head. This might have been because I set it too close the grill while barbecuing. However, a little shaggy-head is not enough to bring this cigar down: I smoked it to the nub. Sometimes I welcome a little warmth and loosening towards the end.

I won a this robusto for $3 on cigarbid singles. I would love to smoke more and will probably bid on a five-pack soon. In any case they are worth their list price, which is about $100 per box.
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Distant Runner-Up: Rocky Patel Olde World Maduro toro

2009-05-26T10:49:00.001-07:00

Update 10/4/2009: The robusto is much better than the toro, see my later review.

First let me clarify that I find the Olde World toros (both maduro and corojo) to be tightly wrapped and somewhat mild. That explains the negative tone of this review. I recommend the robusto size instead, because the robustos are easy-drawing, lush, and full of intense flavor.

I was wrong below to insist that the corojos are "better" than the maduros. Both blends are excellent in the robusto size, just not the toro.

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The Rocky Patel Olde World maduro toro is a good cigar with typically identifiable Rocky maduro flavors. Yet in comparison to the fuller-bodied Olde World corojos, it seems dainty and disappointing. I know this is bucking the trend of general opinion, but it's the conclusion I draw based on my experience.

First, the flavor was too tranquil and subtle for my liking. Second, the cigar went out several times during the course of the evening. Third, it never developed or strengthened as I would expect a cigar of this length (6.5 inches).

I've found that square-pressed toros of almost any brand tend to be less intense than round vitolas of the same blend. I'm guessing this is because most squares are narrower than a circular 50-ring robusto or toro. Also, the act of box-pressing probably tightens the draw and reduces the strength of the smoke. I will test this theory when I smoke the square toro of the Olde World Corojo: If it too is wispy and placid, I will know that it's a result of the shape, not the blend.

Don't get me wrong, the RP Olde World maduro toro is a fine and enjoyable cigar. It is better than nine-tenths of the competition, and a worthy mild-to-medium smoke. If your tastes lean more to the medium than the strong, you may rate this cigar at the very top of the scale.

But I'm not a mild to medium guy. I like 'em strong and full. For now I will continue to insist that the Olde World corojo is better than the maduro, and is in fact one of the best blends in the universe.
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Camacho SLR Maduro Gigante

2009-05-21T13:23:00.001-07:00

The Camacho SLR Maduro Gigante is a wonderful cigar with plenty of rich flavor and smoke, medium in power and verging on strong as you burn down the pole. Although called "Gigante," it is shorter than a Churchill - about 6.5 inches long and 52 ring in width.

Although full-bodied, this specimen is in no way harsh or bitter, unlike it's stubby little brother, the SLR Rothschild maduro. Also it will not knock you for quite the nicotine loop as, say, the 10th Anniversary series. The SLR is a bit more suble, more woody and leafy, less peppery.

The light was easy, the burn was fine and only one touch-up was needed -- and this only because my wife called me away to dig up some plants in the back yard. If you're a Camacho fan, you know that you can't leave one untended for more than 3 or 4 minutes. They simply burn out. An occasional relight is a small price to pay for the flavor and consistency this brand provides.

There is nothing quite like a big ol' Camacho maduro to cheer you up and get you looking on the bright side of life. From the first puff to the last stubby inch, the SLR Maduro Gigante provides excellent flavor and performance. Another winner from one of the true kingpins of powerful cigars.

Holds Its Own in a Wind Storm: Punch Magnum

2009-05-17T16:52:00.000-07:00

Every time I grab a non-maduro cigar, I'm always afraid it will be wimpy and weak. Not so with the Punch Magnum, a fat, light brown robusto (sumatra wrapped) that lives up to its name.

All the elements were against me on the evening I smoked this: The wind was howling outside (but Cigar Jones was calling, and I had to heed) and as soon as I lit up, feeling like King Lear on a deck chair, my wife informed me that the hot water wasn't working and could I please boil some water on the stove to warm up her bath...

I said yes, always up to the challenge. Taking a few puffs on the Punch (which from the very first was full and spicy), I raced back into the kitchen, filled four pots of varying sizes with water, and set them on the burners. Then I raced back out to the deck to drag a few times on the Punch and exhale into the howling wind. The Punch was good and held its own.

From then on it was mad hectic race, emptying pots in the bathtub, filling them again, stealing back out to the deck for a Punch break, and ferrying fresh pots of hot water back to the tub, where Sally soaked languidly. I was a man on a mission, like one of those plate-spinning wretches that used to pass for entertainment on the Lawrence Welk show. Run, fill, dump, smoke. Run, fill, dump, smoke.

Key takeaway from all this: The Punch remained excellent. I look forward to smoking the other four in my humidor, and giving a proper review after sampling under prime lounge-by-the-pool conditions.

Not that I have a pool.

I do have a deck, strewn with ashes from last night's Punch magnum. And a water heater that needs to be replaced.

Thank God my humidors are full--and that my last cigarbid win included the Punch magnum 5-pack--because it looks like I won't be buying any new stogies for a long, long time.

Camacho Steamroller: 10th Anniversary 11/18

2009-05-17T16:01:00.000-07:00

The Camacho 10th Anniversary 11/18 is a powerhouse of a cigar that is identical in flavor to its smaller sibling, the robusto (see review from 3/16/09). The only difference is, the 11/18 is much bigger and lasts 45 minutes longer. That's nearly two hours of wanton, peppery smoking pleasure that will leave you blubbering in your deck chair, ready to slither back to your humidor for a repeat.

Do eat a meal before you smoke this cigar, and go easy on the alcohol. You want to enjoy this bomber with your wits about you and your memory of the experience intact.

The burn, as with many Camachos, will need two or three touchups. On the upside, once you touch up, the flavor bursts with double power and doughy lushness before it returns to "normal" blast furnace strength.

Highly recommended.

5 Vegas Miami Torpedo - Getting Better

2009-05-08T07:34:00.001-07:00

The 5 Vegas Miami torpedo is an interesting cigar and worth trying. I find it the best of all the 5 Vegas blends and sizes I've tried so far, including the Limitada, which is milder. In fact it is almost as good as that long-gone blend from the "classic" series that I was able to sample once and never again (the current classics are lousy, by the way; stay away from them).

The Miami torpedo is rolled better than the robusto and has a perfect, easy draw that brings lots of full-flavored smoke to your eagerly awaiting maw. The burn is fairly reliable (one touchup needed midway) and the flavor is excellent -- hearty leather, salt and hardwood with a bit of a twang on the tongue.

If you like Don Pepin Garcia creations such as the Cuban Classic series, you'll recognize the flavor characteristics here and probably enjoy them. My only complaint is that it's not a "nubber" - I had almost 2 inches to go when I set this one down.

Not sure I'd call this a great cigar but it is definitely a good one. Last month an auction of multiple "singles" at cigarbid all went for $3 each. That is a real bargain for a cigar of this quality and I'm glad I placed my bid.

RP Olde World Corojo torpedo: Wow again, only shorter

2009-05-06T06:29:00.000-07:00

I'm happy to say the the Rocky Patel Olde World Corojo torpedo is just as wonderful as the larger robusto of the same blend. It is full flavored, nuanced, fine burning and just one hell of a smoke.

Be aware however that this is not a large torpedo you might expect. It is rather more like a mini-belicoso, only 5 inches long. For the quality you get out of this baby, size makes no difference. You're still in for nearly an hour of smoking perfection.

The corojo torpedos can be won in the "singles" section of cigarbid for 5 bucks. Try one. You won't regret it.

5 Vegas Miami robusto: Worth taking the plunge

2009-05-05T06:40:00.001-07:00

The main question when considering whether to lay out serious coin for a 5 Vegas Miami is: Will it be significantly better than the 5 Vegas "classic" and "Series A" lines, or just more of the same dull stuff?

The answer is, significantly better. The 5 Vegas Miami robusto far outperforms the other two blends in flavor, which is nutty and woody, with lots of nuance and complexity.

A slight problem is the draw, which is a bit tight. Promoted as full strength, I would place the Miami robusto squarely in the "medium bodied" category. Perhaps an easier draw would have allowed more strength to come through.

On another disappointing note, the cigar lost its steam too soon, leaving me with a full two inches to toss at the end. This should be the spot where a great cigar turns fantastic, not bitter.

All in all, I'd rate the 5 Vegas Miami robusto a good cigar but not a great one. It was worth the 3 bucks I paid for it at cigarbid, but not quite interesting enough to buy in larger quantities at regular price.

Oliva Series G Maduro robusto: Impressive!

2009-05-04T11:43:00.001-07:00

I've just added another entry to my "best short cigars" list: The Oliva Series G Maduro robusto.

This dark, fine-looking, square-pressed little fellow draws like a dream and immediately impresses with lavish amounts of thick, tasty smoke. Strong and cool, the maduro robusto rates as highly in my book as the "G" Cameroon robusto, which I've raved about many a time on this blog.

The only difference is the flavor, which is exactly what you hope for in a maduro: Overtones of toast, hardwood, leather, semi-sweet chocolate, and other undefinable goodies.

Both the maduro and cameroon robustos deliver far more than their small size would imply. They smoke down to the nub, and respond well to long durations between puffs. They taste best when smoked with leisure, and reward you in a measure far exceeding their cost.

A Less-Than-Grand La Flor

2009-04-20T08:29:00.001-07:00

The La Flor Dominicana Grand Maduro #6 is a dark, dusty maduro which fetches quite high prices and is positioned as one of the more exotic La Flor Dominicana blends.

However, it has no particular flavor characteristics to show for itself. Just a basic dark chalky flavor, with no sweeness or spice. Medium bodied, fine-burning and nice looking. A nice cigar to try once, but nothing to rave about.

I won it for 5 bucks on cigarbid and that's about all it's worth.

Similar in flavor to Montecristo Media Noche, Nestor Reserve Maduro, etc.

Rocky Patel Edge Missile Maduro

2009-04-17T09:59:00.001-07:00

The Rocky Patel Edge Missile Maduro is one of the better cigars I've had in this relatively small size (5.0 x 48). It burns and tastes better than most coronas or perfectos.

The first few minutes are disappointing, with a tight draw and a somewhat off-putting hot plastic taste. But stick with it and the journey gets better. During inch two it opens into a full, sweet-flavored gem. And the last two inches are impeccable. The sweetness truly does have an "edge" that is hard to describe; it's a tangy molasses with a dash of cumin or coriander on top.

Not mellow by any means, you will finish this Edge with a tingle on your tongue and charred fingertips from trying to smoke it down to the nub.

Tightness in draw tends to be a problem with many cigars under 50 ring. I also suspect that my local cigar retailer is keeping this box too close to the misting machine. Next time I'll buy and hold in my own humidor a lot longer.

Red Hot Tamale: Camacho SLR Rothschild maduro

2009-04-10T08:17:00.001-07:00

A few weeks ago -- back in the good old days, before the SCHIP cigar tax -- I was able to win a 5-pack of Camacho SLR Rothschild maduros on cigarbid for a mere 13 dollars. Woo-hoo!

I let them rest for a couple weeks in my humidor, anticipating them with glee. But I guess two weeks wasn't long enough, because the first one I smoked was as hot and harsh as a rubber tire squealing on the pavement. It never settled down, from beginning to end.

Locked away deep in this cigar, I kept telling myself, is a core of meaty flavor just yearning to break free. Unfortunately, it didn't.

Out of curiosity, I read some other customer reviews of this cigar on the blogs and retail sites. The majority of the reviews were ravingly positive. A few, however, were dismissive for the same reasons: Hot and harsh.

I'd like to give the SLR Rothschild maduro the benefit of the doubt, and chalk it up to a need for rest & mellowing. I'll keep the other four in my humidor for a long, long time. I'm hoping this will allow their true nature to reveal itself.

As you can see, I have a lot of faith in Camacho and am reluctant to condemn a single specimen. Someday I will do a second review. If the next one doesn't improve, I'll have to change my tune.

Bulls-Eye: Camacho Triple Maduro 11/18

2009-03-24T09:29:00.001-07:00

What a nice surprise! After a rather harsh experience with a Camacho Triple Maduro robusto, I was reluctant to fire up the boa-constrictor shaped "11/18" vitola from the same family line. So I kept this gi-normous baby sleeping in my humidor for nearly a year.

What a difference that nap must have made! The Camacho Triple Maduro 11/18 is an eventful, flavorful cigar, and almost worth its ridiculously high retail price.

Ok, let me rephrase that: If you can afford it, the 11/18 is definitely worth the price. If you can't, save up and try it once, just to say you did.

Some details: The 11/18 has a wonderfully easy draw with cool, mellow smoke at the outset. In fact it seems alarmingly mild at first. However the profile quickly gets stronger and fuller, exhibiting earthy, rooty hues, salt and mineral tones, and even a fruity hint of something like plumb or cherry. Everything is well-balanced and in constant development with each puff.

By mid point, this is a hearty captain of a smoke. Never hot, and always free and easy. This black bomber never becomes as heavy and deep as you might expect. On the other hand it never turns bitter, which is the pitfall of many strong cigars. Quite a fast burner, this totem pole was reduced to a nub in about one hour. It was an hour well spent.

I might describe the TM 11/18 as a ramped-up version of the Hoyo Excaliber maduro robusto, a cheaper cigar with a very similar flavor profile, only milder. Since I love strength, the 11/18 definitely takes the cake.
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Image VS Reality: Coronado by La Flor

2009-03-18T11:29:00.001-07:00

The Coronado by La Flor Corona Especiale was not quite the mouth-watering gem I hoped it would be. However it was a fine-burning, subtley tasteful, medium-bodied cigar that I heartily enjoyed by the pool on a sunny day in Florida. The flavor qualities were a middle-of-the-road combo of cedar, soft leather and occasional spice.

The construction was excellent and the performance consistent, with the strength increasing slightly towards the end. Oh, and by the way: It's a beautiful cigar with an ornate label that makes you feel classy in a Hugh Hefner sort of way, if you care about that sort of thing.

Back to reality: In summary, the Coronado Corona Especiale provides a nice 90-minute ride without any jarring twists and turns. If anything, it's a bit uneventful for my adventurous tastes.

No surprises here, just your standard high-priced cigar and worth 5 bucks if you manage to win it at cigarbid on the "singles" page. I wouldn't spend much more, however, because it's not a unique, palate-wowing cigar. There are dozens of other brands similar in flavor and quality, many of them cheaper.

Deep-Dish, Melt Your Taste Buds in Ecstasy

2009-03-17T07:33:00.001-07:00

I have found my greatest cigar discovery so far this year: The Rocky Patel Olde Worlde Corojo robusto. This cigar has the rich, melt-in-your-mouth smoothness that is akin to eating a fine dessert or pastry. The weight and balance of the smoke are incredible. The flavor is hard to describe, with a tint of nutmeg spicing a wondrous soup of palate-pleasing ingredients that might include cedar, leather, honey, and pumpkin. The draw is remarkably open and cool - a difficult combination to pull off - and the quality abides all the way to the final inch.

This cigar is well worth the shockingly high list price of 50 bucks per five pack. However, it is offered on discount regularly (today as a matter of fact at cigarsinternational "daily Joe") and typically auctions at $25 per 5-pack on cigarbid.com. If you can get these for $5.00 each, you are in like Flynn and living the life of Riley.

I ordered the daily Joe special as a gift to myself on St. Patrick's Day. However you need no excuse for spending money on a cigar this good.

I've heard the Olde World maduros are even better than the corojos. It's hard to imagine.

Camacho Breakfast Kick-Start: 10th Anniversary robusto

2009-03-16T10:44:00.001-07:00

The Camacho 10th Anniversary Robusto is actually more like a Rothschild in size (4.5" x 50) but quite a powerhouse that delivers a long-duration smoke despite its short size.

This husky, peppery tenderloin steak of a cigar should probably not be ingested before noon, which is exactly what I did. This thing just about knocked me out of my chair, leaving me a swirling mass of dizzy-headed jelly. The flavor however was superb, as were the draw and burn. I only had to re-light once, which is pretty good for a Camacho (for some reason, most Camachos require at least two touch-ups, but they taste great all the way to the nub - a tradeoff I'm more than willing to take).

There's a reason people pay high prices for the 10th Anniversary line. That reason, I now see, is quality. The cheaper Camacho Corojo figurado, in comparison, is nearly as good in flavor but a notch down in power and fullness. Serious Camacho fans love that extra strength and meatiness that few other brands can match.

I was able to nab this 10th Anniversary robusto for $5 on the "singles" bidding section at cigarbid. It was worth it, and I wish I had more.

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Classy Little Wench

2009-03-15T07:45:00.000-07:00

The Tatuaje Havana VI Angeles delivers a tart yet balanced flavor that preferably could have been a bit deeper and richer. However, it's about as good as you can get from a cigar this small (4.6 inch X 42 ring) and the flavor remains steady all the way to the nub. That itself is an accomplishment that sets this apart from other small cigars.

People are bidding these things up to $25 per five-pack on cigarbid, which I don't quite understand. It is a nice cigar but nothing fantastic. You could just as easily spend the $25 and get 5 or 10 really rich, full-flavored cigars from any number of labels, in robusto or larger sizes.

All things considered, when I need a short-duration cigar, I'll stick to Rocky Vintage 2nds perfectos and CAO Italia Novellas. They have a tad more fullness, they're substantially cheaper, and they burn the same length of time before you have to toss them.
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Good While it Lasts: RP Double Maduro torpedo

2009-03-13T07:31:00.001-07:00

The Rocky Patel Double Maduro torpedo lights up with the fresh, crackling flavor you expect just by looking at this dark beauty. You are immediately swinging from the jungle-vine, beating your chest like Tarzan and off to conquer distant planets with Captain Kirk. Ships ahoy matey, set sail and start blowing rich and tasty smoke. The draw is even and the burn is good, clear skies ahead.

This pleasant journey continues for a full three inches of the cigar. Then the wind starts going out of the sails at about the 3.5 inch mark, with a hint of bitterness in the puff. By inch 4 the ride is over. However, four good inches from a 6-inch torpedo is a respectable performance, so I would recommend this tasty treat for at least a try.

I do prefer a cigar that delivers peak flavor all the way to the nub. But you can't always get this. The RP double maduro torpedo is not a deep-dish, melt-your-taste-buds-in-ecstasy product, but it's a solid professional cigar that delivers well on its mid-range price point and has an interesting flavor profile with tones of salt, peat and sweetness.

Greycliff Red Label: Good But Not Worth $16

2009-01-18T14:51:00.000-08:00

In pursuit of the ever-elusive "perfect cigar" I placed wild-ass bids on three Graycliff Original PGX Toros at cigarbid.com and won them for only 5 bucks each. This made me wary, because these things retail at famous smoke for $335 for a box of 24. Wow! What a bargain, right?

First, you must understand that this is a medium-strength cigar leaning towards the mild side. The appearance, light, draw and burn are impeccable. The taste however is a bit too subtle and soft for my liking. As the cigar burned toward the mid-point, it evidenced an occasional bitter aftertaste which I had to combat by drawing with less strength. This goes against my grain as a lover of rich and full-flavored cigars.

The famous website praises the Original PGX as being able to "hit flavor peaks other brands can only hope to reach." This is hands-down not true. I've smoked plenty of other mild-medium cigars that performed as well and had equally good if not better flavor characteristics.

Final verdict: An excellent mild cigar if you manage to get it for 5 bucks. Not worth much more and certainly not worth paying the standard $81 for a five-pack.

Decent Novelty Smoke: IT Maduro Teepee

2009-01-17T07:01:00.000-08:00

I call the Indian Tabac Maduro Teepee a "novelty" cigar because of its unusual shape: It has a wide, bell-bottom foot which gradually narrows, cone-like, all the way up to the head. The idea being, if you stand this cigar on its foot, it looks like a slim teepee.

So much for the novelty. The Indian Tabac Maduro Teepee tastes almost exactly like the shorter, stubbier maduro boxer, with the exception that its draw is tighter and it takes a bit longer for the smoke to build in fullness. By the time you've smoked off an inch, you're getting the strength you expect.

The teepees can be won at cigarbid for 7 bucks per five-pack if you're an early bidder. However, I prefer the maduro boxers because of their friendlier draw. You can win 10 maduro boxers for 14 bucks in the Samplers section at cigarbid - but they are only listed about once per month.

Keep in mind, all the IT classics are cheapies that can vary in performance. One of every six or eight will be a dog that burns wrong or tastes like utter crap. You'll just have to throw it away. Call it the "cost of being cheap".

It works for me.

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Walking the Dog with Sancho

2009-01-16T08:11:00.001-08:00

The Sancho Panza Double Maduro Quixote is a short (4.5 x 50) and flavorful Sancho. I smoked this dark little oscuro-wrapped treat while walking the dog in freezing cold, breezy weather. It's really hard to judge a cigar's character under these conditions, but the flavor was definitely rich and nuanced. As good as an Indian Tabac Maduro Boxer, and at a similar price point.

I can't wait to try one of these under summery conditions. For a cheap cigar, it seems to be a great value.

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La Flor Dominicana Ligero L300

2009-01-02T06:54:00.001-08:00

The La Flor Dominicana Ligero L300 is a nice, moderately powerful cigar that lights easily, burns well, and picks up slightly in intensity as you reach the final two inches. I was expecting more depth and nuance of flavor, however, based on my experience with the chisel maduros, which are a more recent creation by this label. That rich, leathery/hickory undertone that makes the chisel maduros so unique is missing from the L300.

The L300 in retrospect seems like a transitional blend, a pit stop on the way to Litto's more impressive double ligeros. I will not likely buy more of these but will glady smoke up the three I've got left. They are as good as a Padron 1964 Imperial, fairly similar in strength and flavor, and can be won at cigarbid for 17 bucks per five pack, less than half of what the 64s auction for.

Cigars Shouldn't Taste Like Plastic: Onyx Reserve Mini-Belicoso

2008-12-14T20:21:00.000-08:00

The Onyx Reserve apparently won a 94 rating a couple years back. Well, I wonder which size, because the Mini Belicoso is an underperformer.

Honestly, this cigar tasted like burning plastic for the first 15 minutes or so. Then it opened up and started tasting like burnt rubber, then burnt toast. By the last ten minutes it was tasting like a good maduro cigar.

This has got to be the strangest-tasting cigar I have ever smoked. I'm afraid to try another one.

Flaky pastry, cheese and crackers: Padilla 1968 Robusto

2008-12-09T21:27:00.000-08:00

For the past two years I've been striving to describe the experience of smoking a cigar in the most visceral, subjective manner possible. But I've always failed, falling back on the staid solipsisms of professional cigar reviews a la Cigar Aficionado and a dozen web sites that pop up in Google.

Well, no more. I'm taking that Tom Wolfe leap and writing whatever the f^&*k comes into my head. Call it the new cigar journalism. Here goes:

After smoking the Padilla 1968 robusto on a crisp and breezy autumn afternoon, my overall impression of it was: Flaky pastry, cheese and crackers.

Read into that what you will. It's a Keruoac moment. It's a dada, ooh-ah signpost of wonder.

To put it in plain English: The Padilla 1968 robusto is a wonderful medium-bodied cigar. Flaky pastry, cheese and crackers. Warm nutty finger bowl of mouthy delight. Puff pastry in a powder keg, rocket to heaven on a slingshot budget, per cigarbid low 13-dollar crazy 5-pack win.

Similar to Rocky Patel Renaissance but better from the get-go.

Not the best cigar you will ever smoke, but worth it.

5-Vegas Classic Revisited: What Was I Thinking?

2008-12-08T21:43:00.000-08:00

Several months ago I wrote a positively ecstatic review about the supposedly sublime quality of the lowly 5-Vegas Classic (torpedo size).

I must have been out of my f@#$ing mind. A retraction is in order.

I have smoked several of these in the months since, and can only say that I was sadly mistaken. The 5-Vegas Classic torpedo is an underflavored, boring cigar not unlike dozens of other dull, medium-bodied, brown-shaded Sumatra-wrapped bombers. Not that there's anything wrong with Sumatra: When Sumatra is good, it's great. But when it's bad, it's yucky pucker-your-lips, lemon grass bad.

I keep castigating myself for being duped by that first 5-Vegas torpedo. How could it have fooled me? How could it have tasted so good? I remember that day clearly: I was not inebriated or emotionally agitated. I was perfectly relaxed in mind and body. Yet still I was duped.

Even the way I described its appearance was off-base: I perceived it as being dark in color, and gorgeously toothy in texture. It's not: It's a light-brown, smooth-textured cigar, with nothing especially appealing about its appearance or odor. I should know, because I've still got five of these sludge poles taking up space in my humidor. After that first one, given to me by a friend, I went out and bid up 10 more on cigarbid. Lucky me! At least I won them for only 14 bucks total. I may be a fool, but I'm a cheap one.

My only explanation is that the first 5-Vegas torpedo I smoked must have been the last of an earlier blend. Maybe it really did have a darker wrapper. Maybe it really was a supremely superior blend to the one that's out there now. Maybe I had smoked the last of a dying breed.

Or maybe that first one wasn't even a 5-Vegas classic. Yeah, that's it! Maybe it was some other cigar altogether. Maybe it was mislabeled, an imposter. Maybe the guy who gave it to me had accidentally switched it with another, better cigar, and slipped the 5-Vegas band back on in a drug-induced trance.

And maybe my father is the King of Siam.

I stand in shame. Here's the embarrassing review again, if you want to read it for a laugh.

Vegas de Fonseca Sobrinos: Buy this now!

2008-12-08T21:15:00.000-08:00

For those of you in the dark, Vegas de Fonseca Sobrinos (i.e. robustos) are on auction nearly every week at cigarbid.com, routinely topping out at a mere 7 bucks per five-pack. With an early bid, I was actually able to win recently at a piddling 5 dollars, making this absolutely the best $1.00 cigar I could ever hope to smoke.

These prices are indeed highway robbery, because Vegas de Fonseca Sobrinos are extremely high quality, medium bodied, incredibly rich, full-flavored cigars. They exhibit a pure, smooth and nearly imperceptibly sweet quality that makes me happily think of something white, like coconut. Only they don't taste like coconuts, because that would be ridiculous.

However you might quarrel about the exact flavor equivalent (roasted pecans? Tortellini in cream sauce?) They smoke as well as much more expensive blends such as Gurkha Regent or Joya de Nicagagua. They are worth a try and certainly worth a lousy five bucks. Hell, if you don't like 'em, I'll buy 'em off of ya.

Cigar Aficionado was absolutely right to rank this cigar among the top 25 of 2005. They are still that good, and seem to have been forgotten in the ongoing onslaught of new-blend hype that escalates from year to year. Take my word, you should be buying as many of these as possible, before the supply runs out or the blend changes.

I'm only giving this gem-in-a-closet secret away because I've got several of these babies in my humidor already. As the holiday season approaches, all I can think of are ways to help my fellow cigarheads. Aren't you all lucky.

Pirate's Gold: No Joke, You Can Actually Smoke This Cigar

2008-12-08T21:00:00.000-08:00

If the "aye matey, har-dee-har, walk the plank" band on this cigar puts you off (pirate with a black eye patch), don't let it: The Pirate's Gold by Rolando Reyes (maduro robusto) is actually a quite tasty and serviceable cigar.

The maduro robusto is pleasantly mild but tasty, with subtle wood, nutmeg and honeyish flavors that you might recognize from other more expensive Puros Indios blends. This is a great cheapo cigar for when you're doing odd jobs out in the yard, painting the deck, excavating a new basement, fire-bombing anthills, or whatever the hell else makes you feel like a man.

In fact, the Pirate might actually be good enough to smoke in complete repose with a drink in hand and your feet stretched out at poolside. I haven't done that yet but someday I might just try it.

You won't find a better cigar for $1.20. The way the economy's going, we might all be smoking Pirate's Gold this time next year. If we're lucky.

RP 92 Perfecto: Consistently good butt-kicker of a smoke

2008-12-07T19:53:00.000-08:00

I've lately gained a renewed appreciation for the Rocky Patel Vintage 92 perfecto, probably the best-tasting short perfecto I've ever encountered.

In previous reviews I've chastized this little tyke for burning slightly hot and not satisfying like a big Rocky 92 robusto or torpedo. Well, I was naive. I've tried small perfectos from here to kingdom come. I've tried Oliva Series G special G. I've tried Fuente Hemingway short story. I've tried every 4-inch cigar I can get my hands on. None of them can touch an RP Vintage 92 perfecto.

The trick is to smoke these things slowly, with plenty of time between puffs. You will be rewarded with a rich, hearty, spicy smoke with nearly the fullness of a 50-ring cigar.

One more thing: I've only smoked SECONDS in the RP Vintage perfecto line. Factory rejects. Unwanted black sheep. Runts of the litter. And I've always won them at auction for under 2 bucks per stick. They still kick ass. They still put the Fuentes to shame.

Folks, place your bids early at $7 per five-pack or $25 per mazo of 15. Eventually, you will win. And you will never find a better $1.80 cigar.

Rocky Patel Renaissance robusto

2008-12-07T19:38:00.000-08:00

The RP Renaissance, a relatively new addition to the Rocky family, is a fine-looking Sumatra wrapped cigar. Appealing light brown in color, well-rolled, and smelling like a trip to paradise. But with Sumatras, you never know which direction the flavor is going to go.

At first, I was disappointed. This thing tasted no better than the last 5-Vegas classic torpedo I smoked a few weeks ago. A nondescript puckery smoke.

After two inches, however, the character veered into slightly nuttier, earthier territory. Whisps of flavor here and there which got increasingly more pronounced as the cigar approached its nub.

Still, this is a medium-bodied cigar. It never gets strong, peppery or spicy. It never develops an exotic, blast-you-into-outer-space sweet spot. If you understand this going in, you won't be disappointed.

My only problem is that the first 2 inches were lackluster. You don't expect this from a Rocky, and it's somewhat of a gut-punch when you realize what's happening.

Similar to:
Padilla 1968 robusto (a better cigar)
5-Vegas Classic torpedo (worse)

Blue Label Torpedo by Gran Habano

2008-12-07T19:33:00.000-08:00

Not much to say about the Blue Label torpedo. I won a five-pack of these for 7 bucks on cigarbid. Now I know the reason why: It's a mediocre smoke.

It's a huge, elegant-looking torpedo, brown and rich-looking, impressive if you're into length and visual appeal. It lights easily, draws well, and produces a hefty volume of smoke. For some dudes, that would be enough.

Not for me. The flavor is a dull mixture faintly suggestive of cardboard, lemon peels, and old socks.

This is great cigar if you are drunk, playing golf, or otherwise not paying attention to your tastebuds. If you're sitting in a lounge chair, sipping a highball, and hoping for glorious epicurean relaxation, you're gonna be mighty disappointed.

Go get 'em, bargain hunters.

Remotely similar to:
5-Vegas (classic) torpedo.
N estor Reserve Maduro torpedo
Montecristo Media Noche Edmundo

Reyes Family Subpar

2008-11-27T10:06:00.001-08:00

If you're as skinflinty and suggestible as I am, you probably go out to cigarbid and watch what other people are bidding, thinking if they're bidding high, the cigar must be good. Well, it ain't always so. Case in point: Fuentes routinely going at 20 to 40 percent above list price. Huh? Folks, the Hemingways aren't THAT good.

Second case in point: The Rolando Reyes Family Premier.

I've had my eye on the Premier ever since seeing it advertised a few months ago. Early on in my cigar smoking days I'd had a brief infatuation with all things Puros Indios, enjoying their unique flavor characteristics, but ultimately was undone by their unreliability in construction and burn. Maybe this new cigar would set things right.

The fact that the Reyes chose to call it "Premier" set me to salivating. Obviously the family held this cigar in high esteem, and was offering it up as their crowning gem. On my many forays to cigarbid.com, I noticed people winning 5-packs at 21 dollars one week, then 11 or 13 bucks the next. There seemed to be no clear public mandate on this cigar.

The next time the Toro size got listed, I put in the very first bid at a piddling 9 bucks and actually ended up winning (folks, if you want to win cheap, you absolutely must be the first bidder).

Anyway I'm glad I didn't bid 21 bucks like the poor bastard who won it the week before, because the Reyes Family Premier Toro is only a middling cigar. Of moderate strength, it sports a straightforward woody-peppery flavor and a commendable draw and burn - but for only two inches. At midpoint the burn muffles out (tunneling perhaps) and the flavor turns tarry. You might as well be smoking a sponge.

This cigar would have been OK for the price if it could only perform for the duration. It's too bad the Reyes didn't succeed with this one. I keep rooting for them, but they need to institute some quality standards in their rolling and more creativity in their blending.

Somewhat similar to:

Omar Ortez Originals

Hoyo Seconds robusto maduro
Padilla Obsidian Belicoso

Coy Toy: Padilla Habano Toro

2008-11-18T19:52:00.000-08:00

I really get a kick sometimes out of going on the web to see what the distributors have to say about any given cigar I just smoked. For example, the Padilla Habano Toro.

Everything Cigars International has to say about the this particular cigar is wrong.

"A complex core of rich, toasty flavors..." Wrong. It has pleasant but rather one-dimensional, medium-bodied dusty or oaky flavor.

"... boasting eventful nuances of coffee and bittersweet cocoa": Blather. It is a straightforward tobacco experience, somewhat on the chalky side, which I personally don't mind.

"...topped off by a subtle touch of pepper on the finish.": Hardly. This is not a peppery cigar. If anything, it is slightly woody.

And finally: "The smoke is slow-burning and medium in body." Absolutely not. This is a fast-burning cigar that threatens to go out unless you puff on it every 30 seconds.

Actually, one part of the C.I. blurb is right: "medium in body." I gotta hand it to those creative marketing fellas at Cigars International. They sure know how to come up with a hundred different ways to describe three or four basic types of cigars.

To make this long-winded review short: The Padilla Habano Toro is a decent cigar that burns OK, tastes decent but not extraordinary, and probably costs a bit too much. It has a few moments of excitement in the middle, but never quite provides the ecstatic burst of flavor that it hints at. It toys with you, but doesn't quite deliver.

Remotely similar to:
El Rey del Mundo
Indian Tabac Candela toro
Oliva Series V robusto
Quintero Churchill

Dull, Dull, Dull: Partagas Spanish Rosado Rohito

2008-11-18T19:34:00.000-08:00

In my quest to find the perfect short cigar, I stumble across some real dogs sometimes. The Partagas Spanish Rosado Rohito (4.5 by 50) is one such canine: A tightly wrapped, poor burning, weak-bodied, dull flavored dud of a sludge pole.

The short "Rohito" vitola is difficult to find online (if you're truly interested in buying one, try Bonita Smoke Shop) but my local cigar store happened to have a few.

The cigar looks invitingly brown, rough and beautiful. But the draw is so tight, and the consistency of the smoke so threadbare, that I barely stuck it through to midpoint. If I crunched down on it and closed my eyes, I could almost believe I was smoking a cigar. The best flavor characteristic I could discern in this strenuous manner was a hint of charcoal topped by a frisson of burnt onions. Not my idea of a connoisseur's delight.

I'd be curious to know if I'm the only one who dislikes this cigar. Maybe the other Partagas Spanish Rosado sizes are as good as the online reviewers say. I'm reluctant to take another chance.

Eventful and Tasty: Gurkha Masters Select Robusto #4

2008-11-16T15:44:00.000-08:00

Although called a "robusto" the Gurkha Master's Select #4 is actually more akin in size to a toro, being 6 inches long. The distributors claim that it has a 52 ring size, however I find it a bit narrower - perhaps 48 or 49.

Which is OK because this cigar smokes wonderfully. It lights quickly, draws easily and has an immediate spicy, eventful flavor that accompanies the cigar all the way to the nub. While not as "smooth and silky" as the Class Regent Torpedo, the Master's Select is tastier. It features a Dominican-grown Habana 2000 wrapper which, although light in color, provides a medium-bodied, rich flavor with hints of maple sugar and nutmeg.

I smoked this one while waiting for alligators to crawl out of a swamp in Florida. No alligators materialized, but I had one hell of a smoke.

The Master's Select #4 routinely goes on sale at Cigars International, 15 for 40 bucks. That is a great cigar at that price. If you're not willing to wait for the next sale, you can usually match that price by putting in an early bid on 5-packs at cigarbid. The Master's Select is up almost every week. I was recently able to win a 5-pack for only 11 bucks.

Complete Bust: Padilla Obsidian belicoso

2008-11-10T14:22:00.000-08:00

A friend of mine swears by these black beauties, but also admits that every second or third cigar is rolled too tightly. This fellow has some kind of custom-formed wire doo-hickey to hollow out such cigars and make them smokable, but I'm in no such position.

My first Padilla Obsidian was rolled as tight as a rock. My tongue practically came loose from my throat trying to draw on this thing. I cut the cigar back and re-lit it twice, with no improvement, then gave up and threw the damned thing away.

My second Padilla Obsidian weighed little more than a feather, squeezed like a pillow and lit up like a charm. It drew cooly and excellently and tasted like... blah. Nothing. A chalky subdued charcoal flavor which was not unpleasant but quickly became boring. I put this one out at the mid-point.

I have one Padilla Obsidian left in my humidor. I'm guessing it's going to stay in there a long, long time because these little bastards have done nothing but disappoint me. Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on George W. Bush. Fool me three times? Uh...

I'll let you know how that one turns out. Someday.

Graycliff Espresso and Double Espresso

2008-11-10T13:25:00.000-08:00

A few months ago I stepped out of my cheapo comfort zone and spent a whopping $30 for a daily special on Graycliff Espresso PGs (robustos, 5-pack) at the Famous website. I must say that this is the highest price I've ever paid online for five cigars. I was feeling like quite the swashbuckler. But I figured it was the only way I'd ever get to try a Graycliff, because I sure as hell wasn't going to pay their standard prices of 12-18 bucks per stick.

Coincidentally a few days later, an office buddy presented me with a Graycliff "Double Espresso," whose name conveys a magnification not in size (the "double" actually being a short, stubby 4.5 inch robusto), but rather in flavor. He was happy to inform me that he had "only" paid 42 bucks (plus shipping) for his 5-pack in an online auction. Veritable highway robbery.

Finally, my chance to be a high roller, at half the blindingly astronomical retail prices.

I must say you do get a certain amount of quality and consistency for your Graycliff investment. These are solidly good cigars you can depend on. Both cigars are excellent burning and high-performing, delivering voluminous, potent and tasty smoke until about the last inch. You can't quite nub them, but you can come darned close. They have a salty, coffee-ish, slightly exotic flavor that puts you in mind of rum and spices, pirates on the high seas, marimba music, driftwood campfires and all that Caribbean type of gobbledigook.

Interestingly, the double espresso turned out to be tad bit milder than its single-barreled namesake. If you want more power, choose the "single" espresso not the double.

Yes, both these Graycliff sticker-shockers are excellent cigars. At 6 dollars, they are practically a steal. However I'd be reluctant to pay the usual box prices which come out to something like 12 or 15 bucks per stick. The extra quality for all those extra dollars? It's hardly measurable and in no way commensurate.

My recommendation is that if you ever see these on special, buy them. Otherwise stick with other strong but more affordable brands of your choice.

Somewhat similar to:
Don Pepin Garcia Cuban Classic 1979
Java
Omar Ortez Originals
Oliva Series G Cameroon robusto
5 Vegas Series A (not highly recommended)

Oliva Series G Cameroon Torpedo

2008-11-06T10:23:00.000-08:00

Let me start by saying that I am a big Oliva Series G cameroon fan. I discovered this brand last year when reviewing the Cigar Aficionado "Best of 2006" list, and found the short robusto featured as one of the cheapest cigars on the list. I immediately bought several and found them to be powerful, sweet and delicious. The robustos are invariably good and live up to their reputation.

Now for the torpedos.

With high expectations going in, of course, I could probably have expected some degree of disappointment. This is indeed the case. The torpedo lights, burns and smokes well, but is somewhat muted in flavor and power compared to the robusto. However, if a medium bodied experience is your preference over a fuller-bodied one, the torpedo is for you.

The Series G torpedo holds it's character well and is smokeable to the nub. That being said, I still prefer the robustos, which are higher powered and more exhilarating.

Trinidad Toro (Dominican)

2008-10-27T18:49:00.000-07:00

According to the online distributors, this cigar features an "Ecuadorian Sumatra wrapper around a zesty broadleaf binder and a vivid blend of Nicaraguan, Dominican and Peruvian long fillers" and is supposed to be a hearty yet smooth cigar.

The toro size won a "92" rating in a 2007 issue of Cigar Aficionado, then disappeared completely from the magazine's year-end "25 best" rankings list, while several other cigars with lower ratings managed to get listed. For some reason the lucky aesthetes at the magazine dropped it from the trophy list after smoking it again. This intrigued me so I bought a few. Not cheap: I managed to snatch a five-pack at auction for 19 bucks.

The Trinidad Toro is somewhat milder than the blurbs would imply, but it is subtly enjoyable, moving from mellow tea-like flavor to bolder wood and spiciness as the cigar burns down. It is not a powerhouse, but an excellent mid-potency cigar for the morning or early afternoon. It burns well and has balance and character. I was able leave it untended for several minutes at a time while performing leaf-raking and garage-cleaning between puffs.

That being said, these classy cigars deserve to be enjoyed in a state of complete repose. When you give them proper attention, they reward you with fine flavor and gently escalating fullness.

Funny - they cost $144 a box at Cigars International, but only $109 at Famous.

Most similar to:
Hoyo Excaliber Epicure Maduro
Rocky Patel Sun Grown
Rocky Patel Cuban Blend
Omar Ortez Originals

Tolerable shorty: RP Vintage 90 petit corona

2008-10-19T14:58:00.001-07:00

It is hard to find a decent-smoking petite corona. My hopes were high after having won a 5-pack of Rocky Patel Vintage 90 petite coronas (2nds, of course) at cigarbid a couple weeks ago. Rocky doesn't tend to screw things up.

This cigar started out a bit harsh and flat, but gradually progressed to a full-bodied midsection after about 20 minutes. It never delivered the "aha" complexity that the RP name tends to promise, but was a bracing and fairly pleasurable ride. In a beat-up old Chevy, that is, not a BMW.

I got almost an hour out of it, which is unusual for a 4.5 inch cigar. It was packed pretty full and I was able to take some long breaks between puffs to putter around with odd-jobs. Never had to re-light, however, and the long breaks kept the burn temperature down and enabled me to enjoy the subtle spices that underlie the '90 blend.

The typical problem with narrow cigars of almost any brand is their tendency to burn hot and lack finesse in flavor. This one performs better than most, but it's not the pot at the end of the rainbow. As far as 2nds go, it straddles that fine line between being a bargain on price but maybe not worth the hour of time you put into it. For someone who smokes as intermittently as I do, a great bargain is not always a great smoke.

Oh, well. Waddya expect from a cheap 2nd?

40-Minute Pepin: Cuban Classic 1979

2008-10-19T14:48:00.000-07:00

The Don Pepin Garcia Cuban Classic 1979 (robusto) is an oddly fast-burning but fine tasting specimen. Upon lighting, I noticed that nearly a half-inch had already burned away. My fear was that this was going to be a hot, bitter cigar.

That fear was unwarranted. Much like mid-priced Padrons, this cigar draws loose and fast but remains acceptably cool. The flavor is peppery and spicy, but not pointedly so. On the whole, a medium bodied, flavor-rich experience.

I was done with this feather-weight stick in 40 minutes. The final inch was too hot to smoke, but every puff to that point had been satisfying. A brief, shining moment, not unlike the Kennedy presidency. Rather on the expensive side, I must say, but the construction and flavor justify it. Think of this cigar as a self-indulgent treat, and you won't be disappointed in how you've spent your hard-earned cash.

The Strange Case of Bahia

2008-10-12T07:47:00.001-07:00

In a recent flight of whimsy I laid out 12 bucks for a one-day special on a 5-pack assortment of Bahias ("Borhani's Bevy of Bahias") from Famous. What the hell, I thought. You never know. Free shipping. Aw, shucks, why not.

The cigars came in looking good and smelling repugnantly barn-yardish enough for me to expect that they'd perform inversely well. And indeed they are well-constructed, easy to light, and burn without reproach.

The flavor is another thing. While pleasantly full-bodied and generous in smoke production, these cigars have an odd undertone of flint, horseradish, or musty basement. Take your pick, I can't quite put my finger on it. This undertone is more a hint than anything, and might be construed as "leafish" or "molasses tinged" by another palate. Unfortunately for me the taste lies closer to mushroomy and briny.

Again, this subtle flavor characteristic is not enough to destroy the generally pleasant experience of smoking these cigars. Maybe Famous has in fact been keeping them in a musty basement, and I'm just tasting the aftereffects. On the bright side, an unusual flavor like this is something that might just grow on you and become your all-time favorite a year from now.

This review applies to Bahia White Label robusto, Bahia Maduro robusto, and Bahia Trinidad only. All three cigars are nearly identical in flavor.

Somewhat similar to:
Cuba Aliados Corojo toro (horrible cigar)
Indian Tabac Cameroon Legend Grand Robusto (good cigar)

Foul Hideous Creature: Aristoff Box-Pressed Maduro (Piramide)

2008-10-08T21:44:00.000-07:00

This note is basically a reminder to myself to stay away from these admittedly nice-looking and otherwise well-constructed sludge poles.

They simply taste hideous. Dead-cat, old-socks hideous. Foul, rotten, run-from-your-brother's-breath hideous.

What else can I say? Some cigars just rub me the wrong way. I put this one out after 15 minutes, lit up my last remaining CAO Italia Novella, and had a great little 40-minute party.

Chocolate and Nuts on Toast - Wow!

2008-09-14T10:40:00.000-07:00

Finally, a cigar that evidences the fabled "chocolate" flavor that I've read so much about but never encountered until this point.

The Perdomo Lot 23 Maduro robusto is one of the finest cigars I've had in its moderate price range. This stick is full, crispy and toasty from the light-up, and holds its characteristics with little moderation all the way to the last inch. The draw is just right and the burn even and slow enough that you can smoke leisurely without fear of it going out in three minutes.

The flavors are unique and thus commendable: Hints of nuts, toast, and semi-sweet chocolate. Yes, chocolate. I'm a believer. Not the sickly, syrupy stuff of campfire smores; but rather a subdued, aromatic whiff of the type you'd get from a fondue burner. Almost as if you are smelling and tasting it at the same time.

Though not heavy and meaty, this cigar is full and consistently complex. Like other Perdomos, you can't smoke it to the nub, but by then you've gotten more than your money's worth. Highly recommended.

Overall experience most similar to:
Excaliber Epicure Maduro robusto
Rocky Patel Sun Grown robusto
Padron Londres and Ambassador