Tobacos Baez Serie H

Here's another that I got from my CI CotM club. This one is a Don Pepin Garcia product; same house as the My Father and Room 101 (I think....I'm still new).

Don Pepin Garcia Tabacos Baez Serie H 6.5"x52 Monarcas (Toro)

Construction:

This stick looks like it is probably one of DPG's 2nd strings just judging by the wrapper. The wrapper is a Nicaraguan Corojo around Cuban-seed long-fillers. The wrapper had no blemishes, but very visible seams and very prominent veins. The cigar was also fairly soft which I've seen in Cuban-style sandwich fillers (long and short fillers).

Smoke:

The flavors coming from this cigar on the first light was solid on the spice and raisin flavors. Those flavors went away fairly quickly and were replaced by muted pepper, grass, and ummm, well, that's about it. It didn't taste bad, it just was forgettable. The burn was all over the place and required a couple touch ups, and the draw was almost non-existent. There was ample amounts of smoke, due to the draw, that was nice and creamy.

Overall I was not impressed. I've had 2nd string cigars that were twice the smoke in flavor, burn, draw, and appearance, for half the price. I think I have another one in my humi so I'm hoping things get better with age, but as of right now, I would smoke them if gifted, but I wouldn't buy them.

Keep Smokin'!

Mick

Cohiba Black Robusto

Good Morning! Figured I'd get all my blogs taken care of in one morning while the kids were getting ready for school.

Cohiba Black 5.5"x50 Robusto

Construction:
This was a very well made cigar hailing from the Daniel Nunez of the Dominican Republic. The wrapped is a dark, marbled, toothy, and oily Connecticut Broadleaf, and inside is a blend of long-leaf Dominican and Mexican tobaccos. The binder is 3-year aged sun-grown Dominican Piloto leaf that boasts wonderful aromas and flavors. The seams were invisible and there were no soft spots detected.

Getting better at the pics! Notice the leathery look to this cigar

Pre-Light:
When smelling the cold cigar, hints of warm earth and leather accompany the strong warm tobacco flavors that are prevalent with this stick. I used my double-guillotine cutter to open the head, and the cold draw greeted me with more leathery notes and that spice/raisin taste of aged tobacco.

Smoking:
This stick was an excellent smoke. The burn was good and the draw stayed easy and cool all the way down to the nub. The wrapper maintained its oily qualities which brought more of that warm leather taste and smell. Once down into the nub, the nicotine increased from a medium to a full bodied smoke. I always pair up my cigars with coffee or beer, and this one was excellent with a good mild roast coffee.

Keep smokin!

Mick


Update:

I had the last of the Cohibas that I received in the various CotM clubs and these definitely get better with age. This one had the same flavor pallet as the one above, just more intense and bolder. I am definitely going to try and pick these up if I can find a good price.

Keep Smokin'!

Mick

Gurkha Grand Reserve

Here's another one that I received as a gift from Jared when we was cleaning out his humidor....never a bad idea. These looked like factory rejects as they had wrinkles in the wrapper, the band was crooked, foot cut was at an angle, etc. I reviewed one of these a while back, but since it's been some time since then, I'm going to post another review.

Gurkha Grand Reserve 5"x50 Robusto

Construction:

Other than what was mentioned above, the wrapper looked like it was good quality, just wasn't put on with the greatest precision. The wrapper was toothy with some veins, but no blemishes or soft spots were noted. The filler is long-leaf, but the guys at Gurkha won't release where their stuff is from, just that it comes from Cuban seed somewhere in Central America. The wrapper is said to be extra-fermented, and it was super oily after spending some time aging in my humidor.

Smoke:

The cold draw on this bad boy was nice and sweet with that nice aged tobacco spice. Once lit, it continued with that raisin/spice flavor, just muted some. Along with the spice, subtle wood and pepper flavors started coming out. Despite the outside appearance, the burn was solid and straight.

Overall, this is a decent smoke with solid flavors and paired good with my bottle of Belvenie. The only problem I have with Gurkhas is the price. I don't see these as being $10 smokes normally. I would smoke these as everyday smokes, but I would go with the factory rejects in order to cut the price.

Keep Smokin'!

Mick


Update:

I had the last of the Grand Reserves that Jared passed on to me, and I was surprised that these smokes didn't change with more time in the humi. I'll smoke a Gurkha if it's given to me, but other than that....I'm not a fan.

Keep Smokin'!
Mick

Diesel Wicked

"By the pricking of my thumbs, something wicked this way comes....". This stick was another that I had in my CotM club, and this one was awesome.

Diesel Wicked 6.5"x52 Belicoso

Construction:

First thing you notice is the bright purple band across the dark leather-like Pennsylvania Broadleaf wrapper. Inside the wrapper is the Nicaraguan Habano binder containing the long-leaf Nicaraguan filler. This means a lot of volcanic ash-fed tobaccos leading to great flavor. The wrapper was free of blemishes, and the seams were invisible.

Smoke:

From the first puff, this cigar was full of spice and raisin flavor, and the body was full....good thing I ate before smoking :). There were hints of wood, earth, leather and spice with hints of cracked pepper throughout. The flavors were full, the strength was full, and the draw was good. The only thing that was wonky was the burn. The burn was less than straight with a couple of touch-ups needed around the half-way mark.

Overall, I have liked every Diesel I've tried and this is no exception. This is a must have in every humidor if you like full-flavored, full-bodied smokes. I will be picking some of these up if I can find them in the local smoke shop....can't buy a box cause everywhere I've checked is sold out.

Keep Smokin'!
Mick

CAO Osa Sol

Good Morning! So here we go with my cigar reviews. I usually sit out on our screened porch in the afternoons on Saturday and Sunday and enjoy a stogie. Most reviews begin with smelling the cigar to get the tobacco aromas and an inspection of the construction. Next is the cold draw: you clip or cut the head and draw on the stick prior to lighting just to get a feel for the draw and taste the flavors of the aged tobacco. Then we light and enjoy the cigar, usually commented on a first half-second half kinda way. I think I'm going to wing it.

CAO Osa Sol 5.5"x50 Lot 50 (Robusto)

This cigar is a smaller stick, only coming in at 5.5 inches and a ring gauge of 50. Don't let the size deceive you, this one is full of flavor. Starting with Nicaraguan and Honduran long-fillers contained by a Connecticut Broadleaf binder, this cigar is made unique by the wrapper: a sun-grown leaf from a valley in Olancho, San Agustin, Honduras that produces excellent tobacco leaf.

Sorry about the fuzzy picture....one handed photography is not my forte'

Construction:

The wrapper is a nice natural color with invisible seams and almost completely smooth. The wrapper has a nice earthy smell that was full of warm tobacco scents. I used a double-guillotine cutter to open the head and proceed with the cold-draw. The cold-draw had a warm, hint of spice and raisins which is normal of aged tobacco.

Smoking:

After lighting, the first draw had ample smoke and a warm tobacco flavor that was really refreshing. Burn was good and the draw stayed cool even down to the nub. The flavors were finished with a light citrus hint that gave each draw a fresh feeling. Once into the second half, the flavors were joined by a hint of warm earth which helped balance the the tastes.

This was a very good smoke. The flavors were unique and consistent, and the burn never got out of control. I don't rate cigars on a 0-100 scale because I feel we're here to enjoy them, not grade them. I do rate cigars on the "really good (will buy again)", "doesn't suck (I'd smoke if gifted)", and "sucks (won't smoke again; will trade for better smokes)". I rate this one a really good stick that I would definitely pick up again.


Update:

The first one I had back in March and it is now May. I had another of these after letting it sit in the humi for another 2 months and age does wonders on these sticks. Solid flavor, solid burn, and solid draw, these sticks are worth keeping around.

Keep Smokin'!

Mick

Pinar del Rio Oscuro

I'm back again for another round of cigar reviews.....I'm not the greatest at making sure I'm updating my blog at regularly. Anyway, I picked this beauty from my CotM club and it was a good one.

Pinar del Rio Ocsuro 6.5"x52 Torpedo

Construction:

The first thing you notice about the cigar is the dark oily Brazilian Oscuro wrapper. It is a deep dark brown that has a visibly oily sheen to it. This wrapper encases a blend of Dominican and Nicaraguan long-fillers that run the length of the smoke. The seems were invisible with only a few noticeable veins.

Smoke:

This cigar was a good smoke. The burn was steady, the draw was balanced, and the flavor was excellent. It started off with a solid spice and raisin flavor, then moved to a mellow pepper and warm earth with a hint of leather. The draw remained balanced throughout the smoke and stayed cool all the way into the nub. The strength was a solid medium but moved toward a full the further along I got.

Overall this is a good smoke to have in the humidor, and at the price that it sells for, keeping them in the humidor isn't difficult. This is a solid go-to smoke, and is one of the better maduro/oscuros I've had.

Keep Smokin'!
Mick

La Aurora 1495 Series

Picked this up from my CI CotM club. First thing that caught my eye was the lion on the band, and the weight of this medium sized stick. Also, in case you were wondering, 1495 is when Columbus sailed to the Dominican Republic....DR = cigars.

La Aurora 1495 Series 5"x50 Robusto

Construction:

From the first time you look at it, the toothy, marbleized Ecuadorian-grown wrapper catches your eye. Some veins and invisible seams make this stick look good, but a good wrapper doesn't mean anything if you don't have good filler, and this one does. Inside this one is a blend of Dominican Corojo and Dominican-seed Nicaraguan-grown ligero that just makes your mouth water. Top it off with band that shows an impressive lion mark and you have one solid smoke.

Add caption

Smoke:

The cold draw sported some slight hints of spice and raisins, which surprised me as most of the upper-tier smokes are strong with that flavor. Once lit though, the raisin and spice flavors come up front and blanket the pallet. Shortly behind that, the Corojo kicks in and brings up the cracked pepper and grass flavors. Subtle but still noticeable is the traces of earth, leather, and wood.

Overall, I enjoyed this stick. My only problem was that I tried to pair it with my scotch......spicy and scotch don't mix well. This stick was much better with a strong coffee or a medium beer. I'm not sure I would go out specifically looking to buy these, but wouldn't be upset if I got these in a sampler or as a gift.

Keep Smokin'!

Mick

Black Crown Toro

Got this one as the last shipment from another CotM club. I hadn't heard much about this one but the label and the look intrigued me.

Black Crown 6.0"x52 Toro

Construction:

First glance showed this stick had a couple of minor blemishes on the wrapper, but nothing that would say this stick was bad. the seams were tight and there were some veins. The wrapper is a fermented Honduran Habano wrapper that has the appearance of oiled leather and is followed by not one, but two binders. The first binder is another Honduran Habano accompanied by a Nicaraguan ligero. All of this binds seven different vintage Cuban-seed long-fillers from all over Central America.

Smoke:

The spice and raisin flavors that I like were prevalent in this stick and continued after lighting....only long enough for the Habano spice to get warm. Shortly after the spice faded the spice cranked up and let you know it was there, but not quite as strong as the Oval. The spice was accompanied by a nice earth and leather flavors. This stick stayed cool the entire length and the burn stayed solid.

Overall, I liked this stick and will be looking for  a good deal on these as they would make excellent daily smokes. at $100 for 20 Churchills, these aren't quite the daily smoke price, but worth picking up a box. The only thing I didn't like was the paper band; it was hard to get off in decent shape if you're looking to keep the bands like I do.

Keep Smokin'!

Mick

San Lotano Oval

This is one I picked up from my CotM club from CI. I'm fairly new to some of the stuff that A.J. Fernandez puts together, but I've heard nothing but good things about his work.

San Lotano Oval 5.5"x54 Robusto

Construction:

First and foremost the name says it all. This cigar is a box-pressed, oval shape that makes it unique. The wrapper is a Habano grown in 2000 containing Nicaraguan and Honduran long-fillers. The wrapper was smooth, slightly reddish, with tight seams and almost no veins. The unconventional shape has thrown people off from picking one up, but for me that made it more desirable.

Smoke:

The pre-light draw was a welcome blast of raisin and spice that carried over after lighting.....for about half a second. After that the Habano wrapper kicked in and covered the pallet with a solid Mexican pepper-style spiciness. Underneath the spice was a nice warm earth and leather layer that was long on the finish.

Overall, I really liked this smoke. The burn was solid, the flavors never got wonky, and the nicotine levels maintained about a medium level. If I see these in the smoke shop, I'm going to pick some up and let them sit in my humidor.

Keep Smokin'!

Mick

Alec Bradley Filthy Hooligan

This year, the guys at Alec Bradley released one of the more memorable cigars this year with the Black Market Filthy Hooligan; they released it for St Patty's Day. Needless to say, I ordered a box....

Construction:

These sticks are the Black Markets but with a bright green candela wrapper that has invisible seams and few veins. The only thing that is not cool is the banding, they don't come off easily and if you're not careful, you could damage the wrapper.

Smoke:

On the cold draw, these sticks have a strong spice and raisin taste that makes your mouth water. Once lit, those flavors come in stronger, then develop into warm earth and leather flavors.

Overall, I really like this stick. Alec Bradley and Patel cigars are my favorite cigars (so far) and the Hooligan has to be within the top 5 cigars I've smoked so far. I will definitely pick these up again in the future.

Keep Smokin'!

Mick

Sancho panza

I picked up 10 of these as a bundle with a 10-cigar Herf-a-dor. I let these sit in the humidor for about a month before I lit one up. Glad I did!

Sancho Panza 6.1"x54 Glorioso (Toro)

Construction:

This stick is wrapped in a darker Connecticut shade wrapper, which gives it a smooth, oily appearance. Box pressed cigars are unique in shape, and this cigar is no exception. With the stick pressed into a more rectangular shape, the stick sits well. Seams were invisible there wasn't any sign of veins in the leaf. This is a well-built cigar.

Smoke: 

On the cold draw, there were faint hints of spice and raisin, but also pepper....which is a new one for me. Once lit, the cracked black pepper flavors took center-stage. About halfway through, the pepper mellowed some and introduced earthy, leathery notes. With a solid burn and long ash, this cigar stayed nice and cool, only getting hot once I was down into the nub.

Overall, this was a really good stick. I liked the appearance and the flavors. I don't know if I'd call this one a daily smoke just because of the price, but I would order a box of these if the price was right.

Keep Smokin'!

Mick

Cruz Real

I know it's been some time since I updated the reviews, but I've been busy.....haven't had a chance to update things. This smoke was another one I received from a friend as he cleaned out his humidor; works for me as I'm an equal opportunity smoker.

Cruz Real Corona Connecticut 5.5"x50 Robusto

Construction:

This stick is a value line by Rocky Patel and is a combination of Dominican and Nicaraguan long-fillers wrapped in a Connecticut wrapper. This cigar isn't the prettiest as the seams were very visible, and it was marked by heavy veins. There were some soft spots, but nothing too bad. You can definitely tell this is a value line.

Smoke:

Even though this was a value smoke, it's still a Patel. On the cold draw, spice and raisins were  solid on the pallet. Once lit, those flavors remained, and were joined by slight notes of white cracked pepper. The burn was solid and the wrapper never had a problem even though it was rough to look at.

Overall this is a solid daily smoke as the price per bundle makes them very affordable. I don't think I'm going to by a bundle, mainly because I don't smoke daily. If these are in samplers or grab bags, I would not have a problem at all lighting one of these up.

Keep Smokin'!

Mick

Georges Reserve

This is another that I received from the "Filthy Hooligan-buyin" friend that needed to make room....thanks Jared!

Georges Reserve 5"x50 Robusto

Construction:

This stick is made by the Oliva Family and it shows in the flavor pallet. With that said, I think this is the Oliva value line, as the wrapper had semi-visible seams, very visible veins, and was spongy in places. Even though the construction was iffy, the tobaccos smelled like aged tobaccos.

Smoke:

 Once I opened this stick I was greeted by a mild spice and raisin flavor of the aged tobacco. I was also surprised by a slight grass flavor. Once lit, the flavors continued and were accompanied by a slight white pepper flavor on the finish. This cigar was surprisingly flavorful and solid on the tastes; I didn't expect this from the look of the cigar. That should teach me to judge a cigar too soon.

Overall, I enjoyed this smoke as it stayed cool through to the finger-burn line. The burn was even and stayed that way. I would smoke this one again (and will, Jarod gave me four total), but the flavors didn't knock me over. I say this is probably a good daily smoke but not a showcase cigar.

Keep Smokin'!

Mick

Chateau Real

Here's another cigar that I received from a friend, but this one was taken care of. I was given this one because my friend had to make room for the AB Filthy Hooligan box he purchased (I did the same, I just bought a bigger humidor!).

Chateau Real 5.25"x54 Noble Habana Maduro 

Construction:

This is a good looking smoke with invisible seams, and a dark, slightly oily and toothy wrapper. This cigar is the brain-child of Drew Estates as they attempt to recreate pre-embargo Havana blends. Since I have no idea what those taste like, then I can assume that Drew Estates got it right.....I guess.

Smoke:

I opened this cigar and noticed a nice spice and raisin flavor on the cold draw. I also noticed a sweetened cap which is standard of Cuban cigars of old. Once lit I was greeted by a nice pepper and spice flavor. I also noticed a hint of warm earth and leather on the finish. This cigar burned even and stayed nice and cool throughout the stick. The only problem I encountered was that the nub started to get a little spongy toward the end. I did like that the flavors stayed constant through to end, but there were no new flavors introduced.

Overall, I enjoyed this smoke. I paired this cigar with a cup of coffee and I felt that brought out the nuances of the flavors. It was a good smoke, but not one that jumps at me to buy up in quantity. If I received this in a sampler or as a gift, I wouldn't be upset.

Keep Smokin'!

Mick

Maroma Dulce

This cigar is one that I received as a "gift"....meaning that a friend was cleaning out his "crap" cigars and asked if I wanted them. Since I'm an equal opportunity smoker, I'll take any cigar that is given and give them a fair shake.

Maroma Dulce 5"x50 Robusto

Construction:

Maroma is known for making value cigars....which to me means using second-string tobaccos from second-string houses. With that said, sometimes the second-string guys perform the same if not better than the first-string guys....just look at Pierre Thomas....nuff said. Anyway, this stick had fairly invisible seams, but some very visible veins, and was spongy in some places. This particular stick also had seen some abuse at the hands of its previous owner....cigar abuse is a major party foul, just sayin'.

This cigar is wrapped in a Connecticut Shade wrapper, around a Cuban Sandwich blend of Nicaraguan and Honduran tobaccos that gave off a solid aged tobacco aroma. For those wondering, as I was, Cuban Sandwich means the roller sandwiches short-filler (shred) among the long-filler tobaccos.

Smoke:

I opened the cigar and gave it a cold draw and immediately noticed that this one has a sweetened cap, which is typical of old-school Cuban cigars. That spice and raisin flavor of aged tobaccos wasn't very prominent, but was still there. Once lit, there was a nice solid mild tobacco flavor followed by a slight grassy note on the finish. The blemishes on the wrapper caused the cigar to burn a little wonky, but once past those the burn evened out. The one thing I noticed was that this cigar burned fairly quickly; this is something I'm attributing to the short-filler.

Overall this cigar is not a bad stick. It's not great and is rightly placed in the value section, but not something I would call a "crap" cigar. This isn't something I would look to buy, but I will definitely tell my friend that I'll take all his "crap" cigars if they're like this one.

Keep Smokin'!

Mick

Rocky Patel 15th Anniversary

We are home from our vacation to the beach and I already want to be back there. Now that we're back, I figured I should get caught up on my cigar reviews.....so here's another one that I got from my CI CotM club; this is why I love CI.

Rocky Patel 15th Anniversary 6.5"x52 Toro

Construction:

I have to say that Rocky knows how to build a tasty and attractive cigar. From the elegant band to the seamless, oily and slightly toothy Ecuador Habano wrapper that conceals long-filler and binder tobaccos from Nicaragua, this stick tastes as good as it looks.

Smoke:

 I opened this cigar with my trusty cutter and was greeted by a nice spice from aged tobaccos combined with a nice raisin flavor on the cold draw. Once lit, flavors like raisin, earth, tobacco, and warm leather were the first things I noticed followed by a sense of warm cooking bread on the finish. This smoke has a long finish, so make sure not to rush into the next draw. The burn was straight and even, and produced a decent amount of smoke that was thick and creamy. This smoke is definitely a finger burner, but never actually got hot enough to burn the lips or the fingers.

Overall, this is definitely a keeper. Alec Bradley is probably my favorite cigar house so far, but Rocky is right up there in the running for one of the best smokes I've tasted. CI has a sampler that is the top 10 ABs and RPs head-to-head. As soon as I have room in my humidor (since Sheri won't let me convert the walk-in closet into a walk-in humidor), that sampler will be my first purchase.

Keep Smokin!

Mick

CLE Corojo "Sixty"

Here is another one that I received in my CI CotM club and it was my first experience with a 60-gauge cigar.....this thing was a beast!

CLE Corojo 6.0"x60 "Sixty" Double Toro/Gordo

Construction:

First, this cigar is a massive collection of tobacco. With a toothy finish and nearly invisible seams, CLE has a good looking cigar. Inside is Cuban-seed, Honduran-grown long-fillers, and the wrapper is a Corojo wrapper from Honduras. The cigar had nice aromas of wood and grass and had a nice oily sheen to it. Wrapped in a simple, yet elegant band, this cigar has a nice presentation.

Smoke:

Once opened, I was surprised at the intensity of the aged tobacco and raisin flavors. Once lit, the flavors of warm earth, leather, and some baking spice similar to nutmeg or allspice were noted. During the draw, there was a slight aroma of baking bread which was very nice. This cigar burned straight and even, and stayed cool all the way through the nub.

All in all it was a good smoke. The only issue I had was the ring gauge; at 60-gauge, it is hard to get a solid draw. I would buy this cigar again, but I would probably go with the Churchill length and gauge. Good smoke and good flavor.

Keep Smokin!

Mick

San Cristobal Elegancia

I picked up two of these from my CI CotM club and had them both within about 4 days of each other. To me, these cigars differ in taste drastically based on what you pear with them. This makes them, in essence, a gambled for cigars.

San Cristobal Elegancia 5.0"x54 Robusto

Construction:

This cigar was well put together with a semi-smooth wrapper and nearly invisible seams. Inside is Nicaraguan long-fillers contained by a light Connecticut wrapper leaf from Ecuador. There were no soft spots and had a nice warm, earthy aroma when smelled. This cigar has probably one of the most decorative cigar bands next to Gurkha that I've seen so far.

Smoke:

Once opened, the cold draw showed notes of aged tobacco and raisins, but not as strong as you'd expect from Nicaraguan tobaccos. Once lit, the cigar presented strong peppery flavors. This smoke was dry, not as in falling apart dry, but more like a white wine dry. I found the dryness to been very abrupt and in-your-face, but not bad. This cigar, I found out, pairs better with a darker beer or a porter. The first stick I paired with an IPA and it wasn't very good. The second I paired with a Maple Pecan Porter and it was very good.

Overall it wasn't a bad smoke. I probably wouldn't buy them out right but would smoke them if gifted or received in a sampler. The problem for me is this: sticks should carry their own flavor profile and be enhanced by a specific drink. I'm not a fan of cigars that have drastically different characteristics based on beer, scotch, or coffee selection....it's too much of a gamble, and if you get the combination wrong, you could end up with a bad experience from a potentially tasty cigar.

Keep Smokin!

Mick

Xikar HC Maduro

I'm writing this from Atlantic Beach, NC while on vacation with my family. I'm telling ya, I could get addicted to this lifestyle of waking up, walking on the beach all day, and closing my day with a cigar and a beer (or two).

I got this stick from my CotM club and it was pretty good.

Xikar HC Series 6.0"x54 Maduro Belicioso

Construction:

First off, this is a nice oily wrapper that was free from any blemishes or imperfections. Seams were invisible and the wrapper was semi-toothy, with a rich earth and tobacco smell. On the cold draw, there was a rich spice and raisin taste that is common with aged tobacco. In this stick, the Nicaraguan and Dominican long-fillers are wrapped in a Havana Oscuro wrapper actually grown in Connecticut instead of Connecticut seed grown elsewhere.

Smoke:

I was impressed by this smoke. I had heard that these were along the lines of the "cheap" smokes....but I should know by now that the "cheap" smokes are the better ones. I'm not necessarily a fan of the Belicioso shape, mainly because it tends to get squishy toward the end of the smoke...I think it's the taper that does that. Anyway, once lit, I got a rich peppery flavor that is common with the oscuro wrappers, and a warmth that is hard to describe. The smoke continued with the spice, pepper, and warm earth flavors for the entirety of the stick. 

All in all, I enjoyed this cigar. The burn was excellent, the taste was solid, and the flavors were enjoyable. For a "cheap" smoke, this definitely had a rich profile. I would smoke these again.

Keep Smokin!

Mick

Quick Update:

I had another one of these with a nice cup of coffee and it really brought out the flavors even more than before. Hmmm, I'm thinking I have a coffee-base pallet....if you know me that isn't a surprise....

Keep Smokin'!

Mick

Alec Bradley Black Market

I picked this one up from a local cigar shop called Top Shelf Cigars....I'm glad I did.

Alec Bradley Black Market 7"x50 Churchill

Construction:

This is one of Alan Rubin of Alec Bradley's newer blends and it is awesome! The four-country blend of Jamastran, Honduran, and Panamanian long-fillers strapped together in a Sumatran binder and finished off with a Nicaraguan wrapper has a nice scent of earth and leather. With invisible seams and a slightly oily and slightly toothy appearance, it screams well-made.

Smoke:

Just the aroma and look gets your mouth watering for a taste of this good looking cigar. Once opened, the cold draw greeted with that aged tobacco-raisin flavor with a hint of leather. Once lit, the cigar had a nice full flavor with hints of leather, earth, and spice. The burn was spot-on and the cigar never got out of control. I didn't want to put this cigar down and smoked it until I was almost burning my fingers!

Overall, this is easily my favorite smoke so far. I'm so glad I got a box of the Filthy Hooligans. I can't wait until they are ready!

Keep Smokin!

Mick

Gurkha Spec Ops

This is a smoke I received from a friend who is really into Gurkhas. I'm finding more and more that Gurkhas are not my most favorite and are rough on the maduro.

Gurkha Special Operations 7"x54 Churchhill Maduro

Construction:

This was a good sized stick with a dark, semi-oily appearance with a solid tobacco smell. For a maduro, this one was slightly lacking in the aroma and presence. It was put together well with invisible seams and no notable imperfections. The band is just what you would expect for Gurkha.

Smoke:

Once I opened the head with my cutter, I wasn't hit with those aged tobacco flavors on the cold draw. I was slightly disappointed but decided to light it and see how it went. The spec ops was a decent smoke that was lacking in complexity. It is a consistent smoke that didn't change in the pallet and had a solid burn.

Overall, this is a decent smoke that would make a good daily smoke, but this thing retails from $13 to $20 a stick. At that price, I'm not impressed at all and wouldn't buy one. I'm not saying I wouldn't smoke it if gifted to me, just that I wouldn't pay that much for it. I've had $2 sticks that had more character.

Keep Smokin!

Mick

Puros Indios Viejo

I"m a little behind on my cigar reviews....so here are a couple that I had last weekend. First is the Puros.

Puros Indios Viejo 6.5"x56 Bronco Natural

Construction:

I got this one from one of the CotM clubs. This stick is had a solid construction with invisible seams and a slight toothiness on the wrapper. The wrapper is a top-grade Sumatra with Jamastran long-leaf fillers. Once constructed, the cigar was aged in Rolando Reyes' aging room for "no less than 6 years". The blend and the aging made this stick a nice treat.


Smoking:

 This wrapper had a nice aged tobacco smell and once I opened the head, had a nice warm spice and raisin taste that is common for aged tobacco. Once lit, this smoke was very mellow and smooth, with a decent amount of smoke that carried a hint of grass and a barnyard-like taste. The burn was good and didn't need any touch-ups. The flavors didn't change much as I worked my way through this one, but I was very pleased with the taste and performance.


Overall, I was very happy with this cigar. This is one of those that don't come in boxes, but comes in bundles, so at roughly $2 per stick this is a solid daily smoke and a good stand-by. If I see a good deal (more than normal) I think I want to pick up a mazo and just enjoy.

Keep Smokin!

Mick

Diesel Grind

This is the second Diesel I've tried and I'm beginning to like this label, not quite to the level of Alec Bradley, but still a good one.

Diesel Grind 6.0" x 60 Double Perfecto

Construction:

Made with Nicaraguan and Dominican long-leaf fillers, a Nicaraguan binder, and finished with a toothy Habano Oscuro wrapper, this stick has a good look, a good feel, and a warm earthy flavor and smell. The only flaw I could see was a gap in the wrapper which did cause an uneven burn that needed to be touched up a couple of times.



Smoke:

 Very smooth, fresh flavors with tons and tons of creamy smoke. This stick was enjoyable from start to finish. I was really surprised at the amount of flavor from a 60 ring gauge, and this one also stayed nice and cool on the draw. I thoroughly enjoyed this one and will probably pick up more of these in the future!

Keep Smokin!

Mick

5 Vegas Series 'A' Animal

Here is another that I picked up from my CotM Club.

5 Vegas Series 'A' Animal  4.5" x 60 Figurado

Construction:

This thing is crazy. It's 4.5 inches and a 60 ring gauge....that's insane! This thing looks like a bowling pin but packs a decent punch of nicotine and dark earthy flavors. The cigar is made up of aged Honduran long-leaf tobaccos surrounded by a dark Costa Rican maduro wrapper.


Smoke:

I opened this cigar with my double-guillotine cutter and gave it a couple cold draws. I wasn't hit by the expected spice and raisin taste that I was expecting, in fact there wasn't much to the cold draw except the taste of cold tobacco (which isn't bad at all!). Once lit, I was greeted to flavors of warm earth and a grassy taste. This cigar was full bodied with an even burn, but not very complex on the flavors. I was really expecting a lot more from this smoke and was left wanting. I have another in my humidor, so I'm hoping age and humidity will make that one a little better. As it stands, this is going down as one I wouldn't buy, but would accept if someone gave me one.

Keep Smokin!

Mick

Macanudo Vintage Maduro 1997

Macanudo Vintage Maduro 1997 5.5"x 50 Robusto

This is one that I picked up in my Cigar of the Month (CotM) Club from Cigar International. Overall I liked this one.

Construction:

This stick was well put together with a nice dark, toothy, and oily Connecticut Broadleaf Maduro wrapper grown in 1997. This wrapper covers a combination of Nicaraguan, Brazillian, and Dominican long-fillers. The cigar is dressed up with foot band and a really cool metal cigar band/ring. I'm told this helps control the humidity in the humidor, but that's above my head. I opened the head with my double-guillotine cutter and was greeted by some nice raisin and spice flavors on the cold draw.

Smoke:

I made the mistake of expecting something close to the Cohiba from the last couple posts, but this thing was on the completely opposite end of the flavor spectrum. Where the Cohiba was smooth and leathery, this one was bold, full-flavored, and full of a cracked white pepper flavor that hung around a long time on the pallet. I liked the way this one tasted, and the level of nicotine was pretty high; I had a decent buzz almost from the first draw.

I applaud Macanudo for making a solid, well burning, and tasty cigar. This one is not something that I would run out and buy a box of, but I definitely wouldn't turn my nose up at picking up one or two here or there.

Keep Smokin!

Mick

Gurkha Grand Reserve Maduro

Good morning! Here's one that was given to me by a friend.

Gurkha Grand Reserve Maduro 5.0"x50 Robusto

Construction:
These cigars must be factory rejects because this one was ugly. The wrapper was uneven with wrinkles, the seams were visible, there were a couple minor holes, and even the band wasn't put on evenly. Gurkha is always tight-lipped about what goes into their cigars, and this is no exception. All I know is that the filler is made up of long leaf grown from Cuban seed throughout Central America....nothing like being vague right? These "special" fillers are all wrapped up in an extra-fermented Broadleaf maduro wrapper.....how about a bunch of vague wrapped up in more vague....:)

Good smoke....rough look

Pre-light:
You know the old adage "don't judge a book by its cover"? Cigars are the epitome of this. This stick looked like it was wrapped by handicapped blind man with no fingers. This thing was u-g-l-y. Once I got past the outer appearance (took me about 0.5 nanoseconds), I got on to the enjoying part. The cigar had warm tobacco hints with a slight earthiness. There were no soft spots so that means the internals were better than the outside.

Smoking:
I opened this stick with my double-guillotine cutter and the cold draw brought nice spice and raisin flavors from the aged tobacco. Once lit, the draw was good and solid. The cigar had a solid burn that didn't require any touch-ups, and the draw stayed nice and cool all the way into the nub....think half-inch mark. The flavors were fairly basic, nothing too complex. Solid tobacco and warm earth throughout. All in all a good smoke. I will end up trying almost any cigar now, because I was pleasantly surprised by the taste of this ugly-Betty.

Keep Smokin!

Mick

New to Blogging

So here is my first attempt at blogging...the wave of the future (at least that's what I've been told). I wanted a place to begin posting reviews of cigars that I have smoked and my future hobby of restoring and rebuilding classic cars. I'm still fairly new to the cigar hobby but I'm beginning to find specific cigars that pique my interest. I've finally purchased my first full box of cigars and I have them all laid out in my new humidor. My first box is Alec Bradley's Black Market Filthy Hooligans...it's pretty cool considering the cigars and the box are bright green in honor of St. Patty's Day. I'm still figuring out how to post pictures, so that will have to happen later :)

As for cars, I don't have any projects yet, but I finally have my muscle car...a 2011 Dodge Challenger Rally-E Redline. She is an amazing car; she has just the right balance of style and attitude. Because of this, I have named her Roxy....kinda fits, doesn't it. Once again, I will post pics once I've figured that out. Until next time.....

Mick