Sultan Cigar's Ron Stacy Signature

Shuckins (aka Ron) at Puff.com sent me this little beauty and asked me to review it for him.  After letting it rest for nearly a month (sorry, Ron), I finally took it out on the patio for a little quiet time.

From Sultan Cigars, the Ron Stacy Signature (Corona: 4.75" x 42) is a gorgeous little cigar.  It's firmly packed and heavy, with a thick, dark, oily (oscuro?) wrapper and double cap.  Seems a shame to hide so much of that beautiful wrapper under that huge band, but the band comes off easily and cleanly.  It clipped neatly, and had a firm, nondescript unlit draw that left both salt and pepper on my lips.  When toasted, it gave off a typical tobacco aroma with a suggestion of roasted coffee beans.

After lighting, the most notable tastes are black pepper and leather, with a woodsy undercurrent of something cedar-ish.  Oak, perhaps.  The finish is medium-long with a nutty, sweet twang in the aftertaste.  Nothing unusual or extraordinary, but a cigar doesn't have to taste like Fruit Stripe gum for me to like it.  The flavors were mostly consistent; there was a little more oak and a little less pepper in the second half.  Thoroughly enjoyable, overall.

This is a crazy smooth blend of tobaccos.  Usually I can feel it when I retrohale.  A twinge, a slight burning... maybe my eyes water a little.  Nothing like that with this one.  After retrohaling a few times and feeling nothing I actually did a full-blown inhale just to see what it would be like.  It was like air.  I've never had a completely painless inhale before.  Amazing.

It had a pale, gray ash that only flaked a little (a pet peeve - I hate getting ash on me), and it gave off a respectable amount of smoke, but the burn got quite uneven on a couple of occasions and actually went out on me twice.  The above pic was taken after I'd clipped the end flush and re-lit it.

The ultra-smooth draw and the solid, if unremarkable, flavors made this one nub-worthy.  The burn issues were the only thing that kept this from being a truly first-rate smoke.  Thanks for letting me review this for you, Ron.

Appearance and Construction:  13/15

Flavor:  22/25

Smoking Characteristics:  21/25

Overall Impression:  32/35

Total:  88/100

Devil's Weed

 

Sometimes it's hard to resist judging a book by it's cover.  The Devil's Weed (Churchill: 7" x 48) looks and smells like a cigar, certainly, but it's even less visually appealing than the Blue Label B2 that I reviewed last week.  At least the one I had was.  The Ecuadorian Connecticut wrapper was quite veiny and a little mottled.  It was unevenly packed with Dominican long fillers, had a few mushy spots, and was light in the hand besides.

It clipped cleanly and the unlit draw was woodsy and so easy it was like sucking air through a big straw.  It seemed very dry and I was worried that it worried that it was going to burn like, well... dry leaves.

After that unpromising start, the rest came as a pleasant surprise.  The smoke that rose from the foot while toasting was crisp and sweet.  The flavor, which stayed consistent from start to finish, was nothing spectacular or complex, but not bad at all: typical tobacco, woodsy and grassy and fairly smooth, with a very short, sweet finish.  I'd describe it medium-flavored and mild to medium in body.

The burn was fairly slow and very even, and the Devil's Weed billowed out more smoke than any other stick I've ever had.  My deck hadn't seen that much smoke since the last time I grilled store-brand hamburgers.  Thick and white, it hung in the air like a small, sweet-smelling cloud. 

If you're looking for a stick that will look good in your humi, you'll probably want to steer clear of this one.  But if you're looking for an enjoyable, everyday smoke at a great price point, the Devil's Weed might be for you.

Appearance and Construction:  10/15

Flavor:  20/25

Smoking Characteristics:  22/25

Overall Impression:  28/35

Total:  80/100

My Father's Day Present!

Yes, yes.  I know it's August.  Shame on me for taking this long, but for one reason or another I just got around to setting it up and stocking it last week.  It took about two weeks to season and holds humidity very well so far...

 

That's a Cigar Oasis XL on the bottom shelf, set at 65%.

Looks a little empty at the moment, but I hope to correct that soon!

Update: Tatuaje Cazadores Reserva

I had another Tatuaje Cazadores Reserva (Petit: 4" x 40) last night.  As some of you may remember, the last time I tried one of these I came away very unimpressed.  The tastes were overpowering and nondistinct, and downright unpleasant after a while.

Well, I'm sorry to report that my first experience wasn't a one-time thing.  The one I had last night was even worse.  The same tastes, still muddled and overbearing, with construction issues to boot: it burned very unevenly (when you have to touch up a 4" cigar three times you know something's wrong) and it actually went out on me twice.  Since I got them from different people, at different times, and even stored them in different humidors, I have to conclude that this is no fault of my own - unless I have some genetic defect that renders me incapable of enjoying them.

I'm not giving up on Tats altogether - I still have a Miami, an Havana VI and an Ambos Mundos in the humi and I've loved the Cabaiguans I've had.  Maybe I'm just not a Cazadores Reserva kind of guy.  I still see plenty of glowing reviews, but I'm not buying the hype on this one.

If you've had one and not liked it, leave a comment and let me know I'm not alone.

Appearance and Construction:  10/15

Flavor:  10/25

Smoking Characteristics:  18/25

Overall Impression:  16/35

Total:  54/100

Blue Label B2

I received this... understated... stogie as part of my share of a Noobie PIF at Puff.com, specifically from BlackandGold508 (aka Keith).  I use the term "understated" because, frankly, this cigar does not impress with looks alone.  The band is simply a strip of blue cloth, and the wrapper is thick and extremely toothy and not-too-lovingly applied.  Someone who loves to read as much as I do should have known better than to judge a book by its cover, however.

Despite being, well... aesthetically challenged, the Blue Label B2 (Torpedo: 6.5" x 52) is well-made, the oily Nicaraguan Habano wrapper well-stuffed with Nicaraguan and Panamanian long fillers.  It feels heavy, with an even firmness everywhere except near the cap; the top inch or so felt a little loose and spongy.  Unlit, it smells like cedar and pepper, and once clipped, the easy draw tasted like more of the same.

It was only when toasted and lit the inner beauty of this cigar began to show itself.  Along with the cedar and pepper I had been expecting, there was leather, earth, and a l-o-n-g, very sweet hay-like finish.  Very tasty, and more complex than I had expected.  It's what I would call medium bodied, and very smooth for all that flavor.  It smoldered cooly, and gave off a decent amount of smoke.  The burn wasn't razor-sharp, but it was even enough that there was never a need to touch it up.

The flavors intensified throughout the first half, leveling off at just the right spot around the halfway mark and staying there the rest of the way.  It stayed smooth and actually got creamier in the second half.  I've found that some full-flavored cigars tend to get a little bitter or harsh towards the nub, but that never happened here.  Maybe that looseness at the cap helped with that, I dunno.

This cigar was definitely nubber-worthy.

Part of the reason I was so surprised by this cigar was that I made the mistake of looking up the price beforehand:  CI regularly sells 30 of these torpedoes for around $50.  That definitely lowered my expectations.  $1.66 each is an amazing price for these ugly, beautiful smokes.

Appearance and Construction:  11/15

Flavor:  23/25

Smoking Characteristics:  23/25

Overall Impression:  32/35

Total:  89/100

Illusione ~88~

Got this little beauty in a wonderfully generous gift from a fellow poster at BotL named FireDoc83 (aka Matthew).  I had never even heard of the brand at the time, and after staying away for 5 months I caved and gave it a try.

The Illusione ~88~ (Robusto: 5" x 52) is a good looking Nicaraguan puro, with a rich, satiny Colorado wrapper, a triple cap and a plain, almost generic looking black-on-white band.  It's firmly packed with Corojo and Criollo long fillers and unlit it smells woodsy and sweet.  It cut cleanly and the unlit draw is spicy and leaves a peppery tingle on the lips.  The smoke that comes off the foot when it's toasted smells heavenly.

Once lit, there's a big burst of flavor almost immediately.  Leather, coffee, peanuts and a complex mix of peppers.  It's almost too much, but the flavors don't clash or get in each others' way.  The very long finish is just a little bitter, and that's the only bad thing I have to say about it so far.  It's quite smooth and creamy, medium-full bodied, and it gives off lots of thick, white smoke.  The ash is pale and fairly firm, with just a little flaking.

 

After the first third, all the flavors are still there and still strong, but that bitterness has left the finish completely.  It's pure smoking pleasure at this point.  Every once in a while I get a hint of dark chocolate, too, playing nicely with the other flavors.

The Illusione burned coolly and evenly for a little better than an hour.  Once the initial bitterness was gone, it stayed flavorful and smooth all the way down to the nub, which I enjoyed until it was short enough to singe my mustache.  A delightful cigar!

Appearance and Construction:  14/15

Flavor:  23/25

Smoking Characteristics:  22/25

Overall Impression:  33/35

Total:  92/100

Macanudo Maduro

Just tossing up pics for now... trying to get caught up!

Morro Castle

 

Just  the pics for now...

Another Little Bundle of Joy...

What did you think I was talking about?

Romeo y Julieta Churchill

Just a pic for now.  Review soon.

Gurkha G5 Avenger

I received this gorgeous cigar (four of them, actually) in a disgustingly generous bomb from a wonderful brother called msirenoxed from Brothers of the Leaf.  For one reason or another, I never got around to trying one until last night.  But let me tell ya, 5 months rest in the humi certainly didn't do these beauties any harm.

The Gurkha G5 Avenger (Torpedo: 6" x 52) is a dangerously good-looking cigar.  It just looks like it's going to kick your ass... box-pressed, with a very oily, very dark Maduro wrapper and a simple gold-on-black band.  This Nicaraguan puro looks like something you might see hanging off a state trooper's gun belt.  It's heavy in the hand, and unlit, it smells of tobacco and tastes of pepper.  The cap was very hard to cut, but it came off cleanly, and the unlit draw was very easy, promising more leather and pepper to come.  The smoke that arose while I was toasting the foot smelled wonderful, but the first few puffs were downright baffling.  This cigar had all the signs of being a real beast, and I half-expected to burn my mouth on it, but there was almost no flavor.

It was giving off plenty of smoke, so I know it was lit, but I really had to concentrate to get any taste out of that first half-inch or so.  The typical tobacco was the first to appear, and then black pepper.  It was almost disappointingly smooth.  I know that sounds strange... but imagine taking a bite of bacon and having it taste like milk.  You might love milk, but it's just not what you'd worked yourself up to expecting.

However, I need not have worried.  A half-inch in and this thing really came to life.  More flavors, more body, and huge clouds of thick white smoke.  As the tobacco and pepper flavors intensified, I began getting leather and dark chocolate out of it as well.  This was more like it.  This is what was advertised.  Full-bodied and full-flavored, and not shy about it.  Some of the smoothness is gone, but that's a good trade, in my opinion.  It has a long, slightly sweet finish.  One inch in, and the back of my throat is already coated. One third in, and I'm getting a little light-headed and wishing I'd had a bigger dinner.  The burn was very slow and cool, and the draw stayed perfect.

 

I had to hold it in front of my reader so my camera would have enough light to focus...

The ash was firm and pale, and would get about 2 inches long before falling off on it's own.  In the last third, the burn got crooked enough that I had to touch it up with my lighter, and after that it would flake a little every now and then.  The flavors shifted in the last third, too - more leather, and less pepper.  But still damn good and damn strong.  All in all, I milked this baby for 100 minutes or so, and wished for more.  Not for the beginner, or the timid, but a full-flavored powerhouse of a smoke that I will be enjoying again.

Appearance and Construction:  13/15

Flavor:  23/25

Smoking Characteristics:  21/25

Overall Impression:  32/35

Total:  89/100

Roundabout Bomb

It all started innocently enough... one of the posters at Cig.ar.com (G-Man) announced a group buy of Padilla Habanos and I made a smart-ass comment about how I was broke but would bewilling to accept three as part of my prize when I won the monthly lottery I'm in there.  Well, I didn't win the lottery, but another poster, mikemets (aka Mike) bought five of them for me and told G-Man to ship them directly to me.

Unfortunately, Mike didn't have my address, so he asked the infamous and all-knowing shuckins for it, and Ron mistakenly gave him the address of another brother who posts on BotL under the same name I post under at Cig.ar.com.

Confused yet?  So was Mike, when we couldn't figure out why I didn't get his very generous gift.  Eventually though, the mistake was discovered, and the other Strick (aka Dee, in Texas) graciously forwarded me Mike's package at his own expense.

So, essentially, I got this wonderful gift from two brothers at the same time!

- five Padilla Habano (Torpedo: 6" x 52)
- La Perla Habana Classic (Robusto: 5" x 52)

Tatuaje Cabaiguan

I've had a terrible cold lately.  For the past two and a half weeks I've been so stuffed up I could barely breathe.  I didn't smoke the whole time; not because I thought it would make the cold worse, but because my sense of taste and smell were so screwed up I figured it'd be a waste of a good cigar.

(On the other hand, it may have been the perfect opportunity to fire up a couple of dog rockets...)

Be that as it may, late last night I went out on the deck and broke my fast with this Tatuaje Cabaiguan (Guapos: 5.6" x 46), a beautiful, sturdy-looking cigar I got from the infamous Shuckins (aka Ron) in this wonderful bomb.  The wrapper is a very toothy Connecticut broadleaf, so dark that I thought it was a maduro before I researched it.  {Edit:  Apparently it was indeed a maduro...} It's very firmly constructed, and triple-capped, but drew easily enough when clipped.

Once toasted and lit, the Cabaiguan was medium-bodied and delicious right from the get-go.  Leathery and peppery, like many other blends, but also creamy and quite woody and earthy all at the same time, with a faint sweetness that probably came from that dark wrapper.  That's a lot of flavors, but this stick somehow kept them separate and distinct, and I didn't have to concentrate to pick out individual nuances like I usually do.

The Cabaiguan gave off a respectable amount of thick, white smoke, the burn was cool and even and sharp, and the draw stayed consistent all the way through.  The ash looked firmer than it was; it never got longer than an inch or so before falling off on it's own, but at least it didn't flake at all.  The flavors seemed to vary in strength - sometimes more of this and less of that - but it never got out of balance.  The faint sweetness grew a little stronger as it burned, but at no point did any one flavor overpower another.  The Tatuaje Cabaiguan is a wonderful smoke: complex and flavorful, but very easy to smoke and enjoyable right down to the nub.

Appearance and Construction:  13/15

Flavor:  23/25

Smoking Characteristics:  22/25

Overall Impression:  33/35

Total:  91/100

5 Vegas Miami

After having a 5 Vegas Limitada fall apart in my mouth a couple of weeks ago, I needed something to renew my faith in the brand.  This Nicaraguan beauty was exactly what the doctor ordered...

I got this 5 Vegas Miami (Toro: 6" x 48) as part of welcome aboard mailboxicide package from shuckins (aka Ron) at BotL.org.  I have owned several of these, actually, but I've given or traded away all but this one, and I'm very glad I kept one for myself.

First, the construction: no flaws anywhere that I can see.  The Corojo wrapper is smooth and oily and richly colored; it's well-packed and evenly firm from head to foot.  The triple cap cuts cleanly and yields an easy draw.  Toasted and lit, it gave up a surprising amount of flavor right away, and thick, sweet smoke.  The flavors were typically 5-Vegasian:  leather and black pepper, predominantly, but with other, sweeter spice in there, too.  Almost a ginger, or nutmeg maybe.  Delicious, whatever the hell it was.

The leather and pepper changed strengths as the cigar burned, one waxing while the other waned, but always maintaining an excellent balance as the sweeter spice seemed to come and go.  I would describe it as full-bodied, but quite smooth - probably the smoothest non-mild 5 Vegas I've had yet.  Don Pepin Garcia's influence, perhaps.  The burn was cool and sharp and even and the draw stayed consistent all the way through.  A pleasure to smoke.  I suddenly find myself wishing I hadn't given away all the others...

Appearance and Construction:  15/15

Flavor:  21/25

Smoking Characteristics:  22/25

Overall Impression:  32/35

Total:  90/100

5 Vegas Limitada 2010

In case you missed it, yesterday was World No Tobacco Day.  I celebrated this momentous occasion like I celebrate most other momentous occasions - I lit up a cigar.

As you can tell from my previous reviews, I have generally enjoyed most 5 Vegas cigars that I have tried.  I'd had this 5 Vegas Limitada 2010 (Belicoso: 6" x 52) in the humi for quite a while now and I thought it would be perfect for such an auspicious occasion.  I was wrong.  I can't recall a 5 Vegas product I've enjoyed less.

Before I lit it up, I notice that the cap was torn.  No problem - I was going to cut that part off anyway.  But then I noticed that the foot was torn, too.  On closer inspection, the wrapper looked very thin and dry and, well... shoddy, like it hadn't been applied correctly.  It was loose in several places, and I could have easily peeled it.  There were noticeable lumps, but no soft spots.

The looks improved when I clipped off the broken cap, and the draw was good.  It already tasted like a typical 5 Vegas, leather and black pepper.  Once lit, it was more of the same: leather and pepper, medium-full bodied, fairly smooth.  Good, in a word.  The prototypical 5 Vegas taste.  After the first half-inch or so, I began getting some dark cocoa notes, which is always a welcome addition for me.

But the construction issues kept me from enjoying it.  The ash was annoyingly flaky - I had it all over me before I was done.  There was plenty of smoke, but the burn was uneven.  I had to touch it up twice with my lighter to keep it from canoeing.  By the two-thirds point, the head was unraveling and the draw became so loose I was having trouble keeping the thing lit.  After the second time it went out I didn't even bother relighting it.  Very disappointing, especially for a cigar with such hype behind it.

Appearance and Construction:  7/15

Flavor:  21/25

Smoking Characteristics:  10/25

Overall Impression:  20/35

Total:  58/100

Padilla Habano

Some cigars just grab you, you know?  You take that first puff and everything is just right - body, flavors, smoke, draw. And you think, "Oh, yeah..." and you just know that you're going to love the rest of it, too.  That's happened four, maybe five times since I started this hobby, and it happened again last week.

I obtained this Padilla Habano (Toro: 6" x 54) in a wonderful sampler from Cigars International.  It's a good-looking cigar, with a not-too-fancy label over a smooth, oily Habano wrapper.  Construction looks excellent - the Nicaraguan binder and filler is firm and evenly packed with a nice, tight cap.  After clipping, the unlit draw had a nutty, woodsy sweetness to it that made me want to fire it up all the more.

I toasted the foot and lit it up and from the first puff I knew I was in for an enjoyable ride.  It started off medium-bodied and very flavorful.  I immediately picked up the nuttiness that I'd detected before, and also a sweet (almost citrus-y) spice and smoky, salty leather that perfectly complemented the sweetness.  It was very, very smooth, even when retrohaling.  The finish was short and crisp, with a slight, white-pepper zing to it.  In the second half, I picked up a little cocoa, too.  Not a lot, and it would come and go, one or two puffs out of every ten, maybe.  Unusual, but not unpleasant at all.

It seemed to me that it got stronger as it burned.  It never reached what I would consider full-bodied, but it definitely picked up steam.  That didn't interfere with the flavors, though which were mostly consistent from one end to the other.  The cigar gave off nice clouds of sweet-smelling smoke, and the burn was cool and even and razor sharp - no touch-ups required.

All in all I'd have to say that my first impression was the right impression on this one.  A very smooth, flavorful, enjoyable cigar.

Appearance and Construction:  14/15

Flavor:  22/25

Smoking Characteristics:  22/25

Overall Impression:  32/35

Total:  90/100

I've been OutmaNOOBered!

Last week I put together a "welcome aboard" package for tstein (aka Philip) at Puff.com.  Yesterday, I got counter-punched...

Four great sticks:
- My Father Le Bijou 1922 (Toro: 6" x 52)
- Tatuaje Miami (Regios: 5.5 x 50)
- Nica Libre (Torpedo: 6" x 52)
- Coronado by La Flor Domincana (Double Corona: 7" x 50)

And a "proper" Cohiba ashtray, apparently in response to this photo I posted last month with a smart-ass comment about my "high-tech" ashtray...

Totally unnecessary, Phil, but totally appreciated!

Cuba Libre

Cigar bigwig Nestor Plasencia once said that the Cuba Libre is the finest blend he's ever made.  I don't know about that, but I know a good cigar when I try one.

The Cuba Libre (Epicure: 6" x 50) is a hefty, firmly-made, box-pressed beauty of a cigar.  The rich brown Corojo wrapper is smooth and satiny, like well-cured leather, and firmly packed.  The cigar is firm to the touch and feels heavy in the hand.  Once cut, the unlit draw was easier than I thought it would be, but I couldn't get any flavor yet - just a vague woodsiness.

Lit, however, this thing is full of flavor.  Lots of leather, and lots of pepper on the finish.  The draw is a little firm, but not enough for me to monkey around with.  The burn is nice and slow and cool, but it got uneven and I had to touch it up with the lighter right around the one-third mark.  Tons of thick smoke from start to finish. 

The ash was medium gray and very firm, contrary to at least one review I've seen, and stayed attached until nearly the halfway point.  Everything about the Cuba Libre had stayed pretty much the same up until that point - still medium bodied, still very smooth and tasty.  But once the ash fell, I began tasting a little cocoa.  Maybe the burn heated up a little when that happened - I don't know - but it was a welcome addition to an already good smoke.

From there on out, things stayed pretty much the same.  The cocoa faded slightly as the burn cooled, but I could still taste it all the way down to the end.  If Mr. Plasencia was going for consistency with this blend, he nailed it.  A very good cigar, and a great choice for someone looking for an affordable "go-to" smoke.

Appearance and Construction:  13/15

Flavor:  22/25

Smoking Characteristics:  22/25

Overall Impression:  32/35

Total:  89/100

Yours Truly

Hopefully this won't scare off either of my readers...

I'm usually not a big fan of self-taken pics, but I thought this one came out OK.

Oliva Serie V

Last month I received this princely gift as part of a prize package for winning a Star Trek contest sponsored by Tritones (aka Mike) at Puff.com.  Last night I decided I'd waited long enough.

The Oliva Serie V (Lancero: 7" x 38) is the first cigar of this vitola that I have tried, and I have to say I'm impressed.  The high wrapper-to-filler ratio really allows the sweetness of the gorgeous Habano sun-grown wrapper to come through.  The construction is good, but the lancero feels a little light, as if it's loosely packed.  It appears evenly rolled, though - no bumps or weak spots.  The firm cap came off cleanly with my guillotine cutter and the unlit draw yielded hints of leather and cocoa and a sweet woodiness.  The foot toasted easily and I lit it up.

It takes a few puffs before I pick up the same flavors I detected in the unlit draw.  They're there, and now there's a creamy toastiness to them, but for a while they're almost lost behind the full-flavored ligero background.  It takes a while for my beginner's palate to pick them out again.  And I don't mind - just the strength of the ligero and the sweetness of the wrapper would have been enough by themselves.

The rest of the first third was pretty much the same.  Simple but delicious.  Creamy, and smooth, smooth, smooth.  The ash was medium gray, and rarely got even an inch long before falling off on its own.  Moving into the 2nd third the lancero gets a little stronger - closer to full-bodied now.  The taste is thick in the back of my throat.  It's still silky smooth, though, and with the added strength comes a new flavor - an earthy, woodsy, mushroom-y-ness that blends perfectly with the leather and cocoa already there.

Spot.  Probably wondering why I'm drooling.

At the halfway point I notice that it's getting a little warm - I'm not used to smoking this shape so I may have been overdoing it - so I put it down for a minute or two and it cools off nicely.  Continuing, I have the same great flavors as before, but the strength and body continue to grow - this thing is definitely getting stronger and more flavorful every minute.  There a tangy spiciness now - minty, actually - and my lips are tingling as I get closer to the big, big finish.

At this point every puff is a burst of flavor and a cloud of thick, sweet smoke.  I continued for another half-inch after snapping that last pic, all the while wishing I had a pipe to drop the nub into so I could steal just a few more blissful puffs.  A truly wonderful cigar that started off great and finished greater.

Appearance and Construction:  13/15

Flavor:  24/25

Smoking Characteristics:  23/25

Overall Impression:  33/35

Total:  93/100

Giving a Little More Back...

Another outgoing bomb.  This one to another noobie at Puff.com (as if I'm not still one...)

- John Bull (Prime Minister: 7.5" x 54) 
- 5 Vegas Classic (Torpedo: 6" x 54)
- 5 Vegas Cask Strength (Toro: 6" x 52)
- 5 Vegas Gold Maduro (Robusto: 5" x 50)
- A. Fernandez Signature Series (Toro: 6" x 54)
- Gran Habano Vintage 2002 (Robusto: 5" x 50)
- Gurkha G5 Avenger (Torpedo: 6" x52)
- Victor Sinclair Primeros Tabacos (Robusto: 5.5" x 50)

It's weird how giving away something you love can make you feel good...

CI's Practically Giving Them Away!

The term no-brainer get thrown around a lot on the internet, often undeservedly. Last week, Cigars International offered something that definitely qualifies:  3 Cigars for $1, shipped!

- Gurkha Gran Reserve (Robusto #4: 6" x 50)
- Partagas Cifuentes (Diciembre: 5.5" x 49)
- 5 Vegas Classic (Torpedo: 6" x 54)

That's $18.73 (MSRP) worth of sticks for one dollar.  With free shipping!

The offer was only supposed to be good for as long as supplies lasted (and I'm sure they didn't last long!)  but CI accepted orders long after the initial stock was gone.  Great deal.  Great company!

Trekkie Nerdness Finally Pays Off!

Tritones (aka Mike) at Puff.com is a big Trekkie from way back and last week he sponsored a Star Trek contest.  Long story short, I won!  And my prize package arrived today!

- Oliva Serie 'V' (Lancero: 7" x 38 )
- Oliva Serie 'O' (Robusto: 5" x 50)
- Carlos Toraño Exodus Gold 1959 (Toro: 6" x 50)
- Diesel Unholy Cocktail (Torpedo: 5" x 56)
- Rocky Patel Vintage 1992 2nd (Perfecto: 5" x 48)

The Oliva 'O' is the only one I've had before, and I've been dying to try another one!

And my wife said watching Star Trek was a waste of time...  pffft.

Another Delivery!

I got treated so well the last time, I put my name back on Puff.com's Noobie PIF list.  This is what was sent to me by BlackandGold508 (aka Keith):

- Bahia Trinidad (Pancho: 5.5" x 52)
- Blue Label B2 (Torpedo: 6.5" x 52)
- Cohiba Siglo (VI: 6" x 54)
- Devil's Weed (Torpedo: 6" x 52)
- Gran Habano Vintage 2002 (Robusto: 5" x 50)
- Cain Nub Maduro (460: 4" x 60)

Great package, Keith!  Thanks a lot!

Notice the Gurkha?  It's a Master's Select in such bad shape that it was dubbed the DAG (Dry Ass Gurkha) and included as a joke in the package that Keith received.

And Keith was kind enough to pass it on to me.

I haven't decided yet if I'll pass it on or try and resurrect it...

Tatuaje Petit Cazadores Reserva

I've received a couple of these from generous Brothers of the Leaf over the last month or two, and after hearing so many good things about them I finally fired one up last night.

The Tatuaje Cazadores Reserva (Petit: 4" x 40) is a small, but good-looking, cigar.  The Connecticut Broadleaf Maduro wrapper is a rich, dark brown - the color and texture reminded me of an ancient football I used to own.  After forcing my cutter through the very tough triple-wrapped cap, the pre-light draw was quite tight and yielded almost no flavor at all.  Both, I assume, due to the closed foot.

The draw improved once it was lit, and the first inch or so was medium-full bodied and fairly smooth, with earth, red pepper and leather flavors that I really had to concentrate to pick out.  The flavors were full but very non-distinct and jumbled together.  The construction was good, with a fast but cool burn that stayed even and produced a nice, pale ash that was just under 2 inches long when it finally fell.

After an unimpressive first half, things went downhill quickly.  The original flavors intensified but still didn't separate, and it took on a woodsy tone as well.  Oak, perhaps.  That's not bad in itself, but it lost its smoothness, and I began to get a bitter, chemical taste in the back of my throat.  I purged it and put it down for a couple of minutes, but it was no better when I picked it back up.

 

I stuck with it for a while, but by the time I snapped this picture, the taste reminded me of the last time I got soap in my mouth.  Just awful.  I gave up on it and went inside and Googled up some reviews.  The first 6 or 8 I read had nothing but great things to say about this Tat, so I'll assume I just got a bad one.  I'll update this post (and hopefully the scores below) when I've worked up the courage to try another.

Appearance and Construction:  12/15

Flavor:  10/25

Smoking Characteristics:  20/25

Overall Impression:  16/35

Total:  58/100

La Aurora 107

I received this delicious little beauty from slave2theaxe (aka Nic) at BotL.org, as part of a wonderful prize I received for winning a "noobiest noob" contest.  Finding myself with nothing to do (yeah, right!) last night, I retired to the patio with a good book and my new little friend here.

The La Aurora 107 (Robusto: 4.5" x 50) is a beautiful cigar, inside and out.  A thick, veiny, oily Ecuadorian wrapper lovingly cradles a firmly packed blend of Nicaraguan and Dominican long fillers.  It feels solid and heavy for its size.  It cut cleanly (I've been using the guillotine cutter almost exclusively lately.  I've fallen out of love with the bullet cutter, since tearing a wrapper trying to use it last month...) and the pre-light draw was a little stiff, but already quite tasty.  Leather, tobacco and a little black pepper on the lips.  Once lit, the tobacco taste really came to life, and the leather increased dramatically.  Lots and lots of flavor, but smooth enough that I'd still consider it medium-bodied.

The first third was more of the same.  Dark but firm ash, lots of flavor, lots of smoke.  Still smooth and creamy, with a nice, long finish.  (In fact, as I sit here typing this - 24 hours, 2 teeth brushings and 2 meals later later - I can still taste it on the back of my tongue.)

Like my high-tech cigar ashtray?  

As I neared the halfway point, the taste shifted slightly;  less pepper, more leather and a slight earthy mushroominess.  The ash got just about two inches long (almost half the length of the cigar) before falling off.

My smoking buddy, Spot.

I was a little unprepared for the last third of this one.  The flavor grew and changed again - the pepper is back, and the leather is still there, but now mingled with cedar and toast - and the body intensified to what I'd call medium-full.  I actually got a little light-headed, but that was my own fault for not eating first.  It even seemed like there was more smoke too, but it was still as smooth as ever, though.

I nubbed it as best I could and wished for more.  This delightful little roller-coaster of a smoke definitely saved the best for last.

Appearance and Construction:  13/15

Flavor:  24/25

Smoking Characteristics:  22/25

Overall Impression:  32/35

Total:  91/100