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