Wrapper: USA Connecticut Hybrid H-2K-CT
Binder: Nicaraguan
Filler: Nicaraguan
Size: 6 x 52 “Toro-Box Pressed”
Body: Medium
Price: $8.10 MSRP

Today we take a look at the El Centurion H-2K-CT.
This was a gift from Anonymous Stogie Pudding.

I’m a sucker for anything from Pepin Garcia. I love his pepper blast at the start of each blend. I really like that Garcia has his feet squarely on the ground with the great number of cigars costing less than double digits.
I’ve had this stick for 2-3 weeks. I smoked one a week in and it wasn’t ready. I’m sure it’s ready to go now.

BACKGROUND:
Factory: My Father Cigars S.A. Estelí, Nicaragua
Regular production
Debuted at the 2015 IPCPR trade show

From the Cigar Aficionado web site:
“The Garcia family, owners of My Father Cigars, has acquired a hybrid wrapper grown in Connecticut and, with it, created a new brand: El Centurion H-2K-CT. Scheduled for release at the IPCPR trade show next month, this will be a spinoff of the core El Centurion line.

“The new cigar is named after the H-2K-CT Connecticut wrapper type, which the company said is proprietary to El Centurion. But it isn’t a Connecticut wrapper in the usual sense. This isn’t shade grown or broadleaf, but a Cuban-seed strain of tobacco grown in open sunlight and cultivated in the Connecticut River Valley.

“This new creation was a team effort between my father and me,” said Jaime Garcia of My Father Cigars, which produces the El Centurion and My Father brands. “It is a lot different than My Father Connecticut. And different from the regular El Centurion. This new version is a medium-bodied cigar with full flavor, but it’s also box-pressed. We were looking for a blend that is accessible to every palate but different from all our other brands.”

“Though the wrapper is grown in Connecticut, the binders and filler tobacco is Nicaraguan. El Centurion H-2K-CT is made in Nicaragua at the My Father Cigars S.A. factory and will come in two box-pressed sizes: Corona, at 5 1/2 inches by 48 ring, and Toro at 6 by 52. They will retail for $7.10 and $8.10, respectively.

“The first El Centurion brand debuted as a limited-edition in 2007, but customer demand prompted the Garcias to turn it into a regular-production brand in 2013. The new H-2K-CT line is the first offshoot and is also slated to be a regular-production brand as well.”

DESCRIPTION:
This is what I’m talkin’ ‘bout.
A beautiful soft box press. The wrapper is a gorgeous, oily, mottled, caramel/orange color.
The cigar has a double cigar band that takes up a good third of the cigar. Add to that an orange ribbon footer and less than half of the cigar is actually exposed.
Seams are tight. Lots of veins. A perfect triple cap.
And as I look closer at the wrapper, it has a black walnut look to it. The wood; not the nut.
The stick is solid with an evenly applied give to it.

SIZES AND PRICING:
Corona: 5.5 x 48 $7.10 MSRP
Toro: 6 x 52 $8.10 MSRP

AROMAS AND COLD DRAW NOTES:
From the shaft, I can smell sweet orange citrus, spice, and baking spices.
From the clipped cap and the foot, I smell dark chocolate, spice, sarsaparilla, wintergreen, vanilla, and cinnamon.
The cold draw presents flavors of dark cocoa, cinnamon, spice, wintergreen, citrus, vanilla, and cream.

FIRST THIRD:
Takes a while to toast the beast.
And then the reward comes: A perfect draw with loads of smoke covering the laptop screen til almost gone.
Flavors: The Garcia Blast of Red Pepper. WOW!!! My toupee flies off and dangles at the back of head hanging by a thread! Then creaminess, sarsaparilla, malts, wintergreen, orange citrus, vanilla, nutty, toffee, cherries, and honey.
Now I’m really impressed. All that in the first half inch. Woo Hoo.

Strength hits medium right away. There is a deception that the body is stronger due to the massive onslaught of red pepper. But it’snot. Gesundheit.

Molasses is folded into the mix. So is cappuccino and a dusting of nutmeg.
The El Centurion H-2K-CT is now complex in its first of many transitions. Balance is spot on. The finish is long and delicious.

I do love reviewing a great cigar. I gush, I fawn, I flatter, I rub against. Small wood appears from the shadows.
Time to turn the music on. The ball and chain has slept in long enough on this beautiful Saturday.

You know what type of rock music I dislike the most? Progressive rock. Symphony rock. Classical oriented rock. And that’s exactly my only claim to the big time. Playing in a progressive, classically oriented Curved Air. But thank goodness they didn’t hold me back when we played live. I smoked them all. Which, of course, was one of the things that caused my ousting. I know what you’re thinking. I had a nice personality back then so whatever you are thinking; Fugeddaboudit.

The char line is on the money. Dead nuts.
It is almost 9am and the sun shines so brightly through the dining room window in front of me, I must use the curtain so as not to be blinded by glare.

I have nothing to report. Absolutely no change in the lineup of flavors. The complexity is building though.
A new flavor arrangement 5 minutes later: Creaminess, toffee, cappuccino, spice, Chocolate malt, Biscuit Malt, Coffee Malt, Flaked Rye Malt, Honey Malt, (See Malt Chart), orange citrus, honey, molasses, cherries, wintergreen, sarsaparilla, vanilla, and roasted nuts.

The Garcia Blast has dissipated as noted in the list above. I wish Garcia could figure out how to move on with the blast and allow it to be strong throughout the cigar experience without drowning out the other flavors. I’ve smoked plenty of blends that can do this. And Garcia is the master baiter.
A strong wood element appears.

I sometimes read other reviews prior to my review. I don’t do it to cop their info. But I’m always curious and cynical at the same time. Most other reviewers don’t taste all the cigar has to give like I do. Or they get it wrong. I know a lot of people make fun of reviewers who find a kitchen sink full of bizarre flavors.

SECOND THIRD:
Smoke time is 35 minutes.
Strength is very even. A classic medium body. Makes the El Centurion H-2K-CT a very smooth smoke.
I’ve reviewed both the El Centurion Toria Limited Edition and the original El Centurion. They were full bodied and medium/full bodied respectively.

I like strong cigars but a medium body is a nice change up…especially, first thing in the morning. But I think a stronger essence to this El Centurion H-2K-CT would have been the cherry atop the sundae.

I’m always concerned when I review a cigar with cigar bands that look like billboards. Will they come off without destroying them? I remove the secondary cigar band and it comes off perfectly. No damage to the wrapper. Leave it to My Father to get it right.

As is most of the time, all Garcia blends are good to go in 2-3 weeks. They don’t do well with extensive humidor time. They lose a lot of their complexity and zip. Readers have sent me, in the past, Garcia blends that have gotten a year or more humidor time and it just ain’t the same cigar. At the most, I’d allow any Garcia cigar only a couple months in order to get what the blender intended. That’s fine with me.

Construction is top notch. The char line needs no touch ups. Such a nice change from most cigars. I get sick and tired of fixing errant char lines. Especially, when you are a day long smoker like me. I must have an oral fixation. I can’t sit still without a cigar at the ready.

The El Centurion H-2K-CT certainly takes its time. I do believe all of the other reviews used the corona instead. For reviewing purposes, that’s a better choice. Especially, when the cigar is jam packed.

I scroll up because I couldn’t remember the price of both sizes….$7 and $8. I know you are tired of hearing this but there you go! An incredible cigar that doesn’t break the plane of double digits. And since it is a regular production stick, you will see it go for a bit less in a few months on Cbid. Even so, it’s a great deal for a great stick.

I’m supposed to come up with 20 cigars for my daughter’s wedding in May. I have no friggin idea what to get. I know there will be a couple of douchebag ushers saying, “What? Where are the Cubans?”
I would love some advice from you readers. I want to buy the cigars 2-3 months in advance to allow them to be at their peak for smoking. And since I can’t remember anything, some good advice would be helpful. (And please. You readers that email asking me for my top 10 cigar choices; or ask me the history of cigar smoking; don’t do that. Thank you very much.)
I’ve made my decision. Something from Ezra Zion or La Hoja.

I’m at the halfway point and I hit Sweet Spot 2.0.
Big bold flavors are emitted from that little hole in the cap.
The sun is bright. And the wrapper turns an orange/caramel color.

This blend is just going nuts on my palate. Unbelievable. If you snag some, make it the first cigar of the day. Otherwise, you will miss out on a lot.
I take a look at the My Father web site. It says something interesting about the blend: “….Adjusting the blend slightly to accent the new wrapper.”

So this isn’t like the original. It is a totally different blend. Not just the wrapper. I should have picked up on that since the strength is medium bodied. Not medium/full.
I took this photo because I think the wrapper is very interesting.

A flavor change: Caramel, (Toffee is gone), creaminess, malts, honey, wood, spice, chocolate, coffee, orange citrus, floral notes, wintergreen, sarsaparilla, cherries, molasses, and roasted nuts.
Strength moves to medium/full.

And heeeeere’s the nicotine. Time to slow down. Don the crash helmet.
Smoke time just past the halfway point is 55 minutes.

The El Centurion H-2K-CT is incredibly complex now. Smoke this on a fresh palate and maybe your toupee will twirl too.
Like everywhere else in the country, leaves have disembarked from the trees. Good for me as I get more sunlight on my photo taking surface. But it means I have to wear a ball cap while I write because of glare. I know you don’t give a shit about this.

Make sure that you don’t smoke one ROTT. This cigar needs a solid 2-3 weeks before even thinking about putting flame to foot.

I hope this review is making you drool. Wear a bib. I can’t begin to touch how delicious the El Centurion H-2K-CT is. I’m having trouble thinking of another My Father blend this good. I believe this is a quantum leap for Garcia.
Here is the breakdown on pricing: JR Cigars $7.30, Atlantic Cigars $7.70, CI Conglomerate and Cigar Federation don’t carry them, and Small Batch Cigar $7.60.
The winner is SBC with your 10% promo code at $6.84. But SBC only carries 5 packs for some reason.

LAST THIRD:
Smoke time is one hour 15 minutes.
The nicotine disappears. And the strength settles back into medium body.
And here we go again: Sweet Spot 3.0
Lots of transitions make for a great blend. The El Centurion H-2K-CT has everything going for it.

The old lady got a spa treatment for her birthday from the kid. So Charlotte has a 3pm appointment. This is good for me. She will be in a good mood all evening. Maybe I can talk her into a BJ. Stranger things have happened.

Drat. The Return of the Nicotine.
The laptop screen is blurry.

The El Centurion H-2K-CT is going to be one popular cigar. There are already a shit load of reviews online. Everyone got theirs way before I got mine. But then the My Father folks like them. They don’t like me.
Strength hits medium/full once again.
Flavors are intact.
Final smoke time is one hour 45 minutes.

I highly recommend you snagging some if you haven’t already. I’m probably late to the show on this anyway.

NOTE: Tonight (Saturday Nov. 7), CNN is showing a new 2 hour special on Glenn Campbell. About his Alzheimer’s and his last contest…oops..er..concert(There you go-Had to come back to correct this. Damn). I will be watching.

RATING: 92

Wrapper: Honduran
Binder: Unknown
Filler: Honduran (Jamastran), Nicaraguan (Esteli and Jalapa)
Size: 6 x 52 “Toro-Box Pressed”
Body: Medium/Full
Price: $11.20 MSRP

Today we take a look at the new Rocky Patel Twentieth Anniversary.
Many thanks to Anonymous Stogie Pudding for the cigar.

BACKGROUND:
Debuted at the 2015 IPCPR trade show
Released October 2015
Regular Production
From the Rocky Patel web site:
“Celebrating 20 years in the business of creating iconic cigars, we couldn’t deliver something short of magnificent. This cigar follows the lineage of the Rocky Patel Decade and Fifteenth Anniversary brands and takes things to a whole new level. With 4 years in development, this blend combines fillers from Esteli and Jalapa, Nicaragua, as well as Jamastran, Honduras. It is encompassed in an elegant Honduran wrapper. Box-pressed, beautiful and soon to be legendary.”

DESCRIPTION:
The cigar has the look of someone squeezing it too hard. Exposed seams. Big wrinkles. Frankenstein’s monster sized erratic veins. A so so triple cap. It has a soft box press but looks more squished that pressed.
Double cigar bands. The main band follows in the footsteps of old Gurkha blends. Billboard sized. And a footer band that says: “Natural.” Which means a Maduro or Habano is coming down the pipe line at some point.
The back of the main cigar band says:

The “Counting” portion of the band doesn’t mean more years to come. It means that Rocky sits atop his castle in India counting his gold.

SIZES AND PRICING:
Rothschild 4.5 x 50 $9.65 MSRP
Robusto 5 x 54 $10.15 MSRP
Toro 6 x 52 $11.20 MSRP
Sixty 6 x 52 $12.80 MSRP
Lancero 7.5 x 38 $9.65 MSRP

AROMAS AND COLD DRAW NOTES:
From the shaft, I can smell aromas of floral notes, cocoa, intense sweetness, and barnyard.
From the clipped cap and the foot, I smell strong barnyard, cocoa, spice, sweetness, and sweet tea. The spice is strong enough to make me sneeze.
The cold draw presents flavors of sweet cream, dark chocolate, spice, dark coffee, and nutty. And it bothers me when I mimic another reviewer but several said the same thing: Marshmallows. Damn straight. Marshmallows.

FIRST THIRD:
The draw is great.
First flavors: Red pepper, dried fruit, sugary sweet, lemon citrus, cinnamon, chocolate, cedar.
Within the few seconds it takes to write the above sentence, the massive canoe begins to form. Just seconds. I torch the living shit and let it rest. Nicht gut.

After a few minutes, I pick the cigar up and continue. There is no cause for an $11 cigar to do this…but it is my second cigar. The first one did not have this burn issue. Go figure. I pick the dud for review.

Torching the wrapper, like I did, hurts the flavor profile for a good inch beyond the char line.
But even so, the marshmallow and creaminess are strong. The spiciness is muy Bueno. The chocolate and coffee are morphing like a Starbuck’s creation. There is some gooey caramel. Malts are splendiferous. The specifics of the dried fruit are tough. Lemon citrus is very potent and it has a sweet tea back. Even cinnamon is strong along with some nutmeg.

One secret I will reveal…the night before a review. Each and every time…I go through the spice cabinet and sniff spices. To remind me what they smell like. I have a full cupboard of exotic spices and it’s a lot of fun and good for my brain. Try this some time. Makes it easier to identify spices in the mix.

The char line seems to be under control. Just a fluke.
Strength has been medium/full from the start.

Torching the cigar also affects its chances of complexity. There is none as I near the start of the second third.
Balance is so so. But the finish is terrific. The marshmallow and creaminess being upfront.
The char line continues to need minor touch ups as I am now paranoid of ignoring it and it taking off like a race horse.
And then blast off! Sweet Spot 1.0. Complexity. Perfect balance. Wonderful finish. Flavor bomb.

Did anyone see the Glen Campbell 2 hour movie on CNN last night? It was incredible. Starting in 2011 when he was diagnosed at Mayo Clinic getting all the best care money could buy. A PET scan and one test after another. Something I will never see as I have lowly Medicare. I’m being told to make my January appointment but the bottom line is I will get 40 minutes with the doctor and some tests on my memory and then get told to come back in a year to see how it’s progressed. No extensive testing for Philly. Maybe an MRI if I beg. But an MRI only eliminates things. It doesn’t see the hippocampus like a PET scan would. I’ve gone on enough about this enough. I will totally lose my train of thought about the Rocky Patel Twentieth Anniversary.

Immediately, the flavors flatten out. I was hoping that Rocky was getting on board with the New Breed technique. Instead of his old school method of every blend needing months of humidor time. Whereas the New Breed blends can be smoked in 2-3 weeks. I’m not sure which one the Rocky Patel Twentieth Anniversary is.
Can you imagine smoking a RP Vintage 1990 after two weeks of humi time? Ha.
Strength melts into medium body. The strength is gone.

SECOND THIRD:
Smoke time is 30 minutes.
All of the leaves on our behemoth trees in the backyard are now gone for the winter. I’m getting a nuclear blast of sunshine where I take my photos. I’m having trouble keeping the true color of this dark coffee bean wrapper natural. Sorry. My bad. I’ve forgotten how to manipulate my digital camera’s settings.

The citrus is gone. So is most of the chocolate and coffee. What’s left is creaminess and sweetness. And notes of wood and nuts.
Maybe this is just another Patel Old School blend. I’ve only had it in my humidor for 3 weeks. It just might need several months. But then I go back and count the reviews and it is only three. Everyone else is smarter than me. Should’ve waited.
But still. My palate is good enough to detect possibilities and (damn…I forgot the word.)

The Rocky Patel Twentieth Anniversary might be a great cigar 4 months from now. But I don’t need cigars that won’t be good for 4 months. I need cigars ready to smoke in 2-3 weeks. Budget. Or lack, thereof. I’m guessing at least half of my readers are in the same boat. We need something that needs little patience. Of course, there are readers with coolidors stocked to the max with boxes of cigars. What’s another box that can be put away for a year? God bless you dear nephews.

The flavor profile is flattening out even more as I near the halfway point. What a schizophrenic blend.
The three reviewers that published reviews seemed to be very happy with this cigar. They got the Rocky Patel Twentieth Anniversary from the Patel people but manufacturers only send out cigars a month before release.

The Cigar Authority got their samples in March! And said the blend was similar to a Padron 1964. But didn’t rate it.
At the halfway point, flavors perk up…for good, I hope.
The dried fruit is made up of raisins, prunes, and pears. Nice.

The chocolate and coffee are back. The marshmallow is gone but leaves the cigar super creamy. Still nutty and woody. (Ex porn stars). And the gooey caramel stands up and cheers.
Strength moves back to medium/full.
Smoke time is 45 minutes.

Here are the malts: Caramel Malt, Chocolate Malt, Coffee Malt, Flaked Rye Malt, and Special B Malt. (See Malt Chart).
With 2-5/8” to go on the Rocky Patel Twentieth Anniversary, it blossoms. I get a wonderful sweet peach element. The red pepper shoots for the moon.

This must be how the Rocky Patel Twentieth Anniversary starts with several months of humidor time.
I did have reservations about reviewing the cigar. But in placing it on my wish list, I gave no thought to the obvious.
The Rocky Patel Twentieth Anniversary is now magnificent. I don’t know if it tastes like a Padron 1964 but then I’m not a big fan of the PR heavy Padron blends. I think they are overrated and ridiculously expensive for the quality.

LAST THIRD:
Smoke time is one hour 5 minutes.
The Rocky Patel Twentieth Anniversary is delicious now. But I have my reservations. This blend should be a major deal. I mean 20 years! It should blow my eyebrows off.
But like most of Patel’s blends, they are over amplified in the PR department.

I get all the catalogs like you do. In the latest Holt’s catalog, the whole back page is dedicated to the closeout of the Warlock. Prices are slashed…or so they say. I reviewed it a year ago in 2014. The price for a 6 x 54 was $4.50. The new Holt’s slashed price is…wait for it…$4.50. WTF? They must think that their readers are pot heads and can’t remember what they went for. I check CI and no sale going on and the sizes are the same prices as the Closeout on Holt’s. Fuck me.

Back to the Rocky Patel Twentieth Anniversary.
Strength is still medium/full. Flavors are bold. No more construction issues.
I detect a small amount of bitterness.
This whole ride was like a roller coaster. It’s good; then it ain’t so good, etc.

Transitions were minimal. The flavor bomb quality has disappeared.
I can’t recommend this cigar even if it does need several months of humidor time.

The price is such only due to its special-ness. I can think of a lot of cigars in this price range I’d buy long before choosing this one.

If the Rocky Patel Twentieth Anniversary had a consistent nature, I’d say OK. But it was a tease. Just when I thought it broke through the barrier of lackluster, it fell right back into blah-ness.

As this is a regular production cigar, you will eventually see it on Cbid. Probably get it for a few bucks less. But if word on the street mimics my review, you will see it going for half the price.
I’m going to pick a cigar to review tomorrow that I know will be a winner.
Final smoke time is one hour 20 minutes.

RATING: 85

Help me Rhonda…
I received a 5 pack from an anonymous reader. I have no idea what they are. Or where they were bought. Can you help me out with this?

Wrapper: Ecuadorian Gordo
Binder: Ecuadorian, Dominican (Double Binder)
Filler: Nicaraguan, Dominican
Size: 5 x 50 “Robusto”
Body: Medium
Price: $7.60 MSRP ($7.20 @ Small Batch Cigar)

Today we take a look at the Meridian “Sopadre” by Cornelius & Anthony.
A gift from a good friend, Bruce Cholka. Thank you Bruce.
I made a mistake and attributed the gifter to an anonymous source. I’ve corrected that mistake.
I want to ask for your patience. I’m trying my best to keep track of the care packages I’ve received. But I’ve created an illusion. The only time I have some clarity in my life is when I write. It’s a damn miracle…because the rest of my day is like me wandering the desert like Moses with blinders. I have very serious memory issues. I can’t remember to remember. If that makes any sense. So if I erroneously attribute the gift to the wrong person, always…please contact me and straighten me out.
Thanks.

BACKGROUND:
Regular Production
Debuted at the 2015 IPCPR trade show.
Cornelius & Anthony is under the umbrella of S & M Brands. S & M is owned by the Baily Family (Began business in 1860). They also dabble in cigarettes, e-cigs, and premium cigars.
The first cigar from C & A was the Avant Garde.
Meridian has their cigars produced at the PDR Factory in the DR.

From the C & A web site:
“Originating back five generations to the pioneers of our Cornelius & Anthony family, the commitment to quality and a passion for the land we cultivate continues this day by growing some of the finest tobacco available.

“Our families wealth of tobacco industry knowledge from the past 150 years is meticulously implemented in every tobacco selection and curing process, therefore providing Cornelius & Anthony the capability to offer our consumers a premium hand rolled cigar experience in every brand we produce.

“As masters of the craft, we encourage you to experience and enjoy our families tobacco legacy.”

DESCRIPTION:
Not a bad looking cigar. Stout, like a fire plug, and solid with a nice give when squeezed. It has a quadruple cap. Seams are tight. Few veins.
The wrapper is an oily russet brown color.
There are double cigar bands. Simple but elegant. There is no backstory on the cigar either on the web site or the regular cigar news services.

SIZES AND PRICING:
Corona 5.5 x 42
Robusto: 5 x 50
Toro: 6 x 54
Gordo: 6 x 60
Lonsdale 6.75 x 46
Price range from $7.60 to $9 per cigar.

The only online store carrying them is Small Batch Cigar. Although, the C & A web site will soon open their online store at their web site.
The C & A web site leaves out the Lonsdale size and shows a Corona not mentioned by any reviewer’s news source. It also says the Robusto is 5 x 50, not 5 x 52.

AROMAS AND COLD DRAW NOTES:
From the shaft, I smell lovely floral notes, orange citrus, spice, chocolate, and cedar.
From the clipped cap and the foot, I smell strong spice, milk chocolate, floral notes, and orange citrus.
The cold draw presents flavors of milk chocolate, barnyard, spice, cinnamon, cedar, sweetness, citrus, and very earthy notes of tobacco.

FIRST THIRD:
Nice, easy draw.
Then a blast of red pepper. Followed by jelly up and jam tight sweetness, chocolate, malt, creaminess, honeysuckle, orange citrus, exotic spice, cedar, small notes of caramel, and very earthy.
Now this is what I’m talking about.

Yesterday’s review of the Rocky Patel Twentieth Anniversary didn’t begin to taste like this til the halfway point and couldn’t maintain an even keel of flavors.

Strength is medium/full right away. The red pepper is blasting away with its phaser gun and proton torpedoes.
With only an inch burned, we get some really strong complexity. The balance is good and it has a nice long chewy finish.

Construction is great and no touch ups required for the char line.
Some very subtle flavors of vanilla salt water taffy, also some salty pretzel, coffee, roasted nuts, baking spices, raisins, and charred oak.
Here are the malts: Chocolate Malt, Special B Malt, Rye Malt, and Cara Vienna Malt. (See Malt Chart).

What a great cigar! I have to be honest and tell you dear readers that I hadn’t heard of this cigar before I got the 5 pack a few weeks ago.
And the price point hits the 10 ring about what I’ve been ranting about forever. You don’t need to spend double digits on a great cigar! It’s crazy a cigar this good costs this little.

Now I’d really love to try their other blend: Avant Garde.
I am going to do what I do best….write them and beg.
Couldn’t find a single review of this cigar. Shame, shame, shame. The Meridian “Sopadre” by Cornelius & Anthony deserves lots of exposure. I am happy that I can add a little PR from my side of the fence.

SECOND THIRD:
Smoke time is 23 minutes.
The strength mellows out a bit and becomes medium body.
Sweet Spot 1.0. Flavors are blossoming like a spring rose.

All flavors are intact and in the same order as my previous list.
The complexity is digging deeper now. Transitions are morphing faster than a Borg.
The Meridian “Sopadre” by Cornelius & Anthony is an impressive blend.

Small Batch Cigar has them in four sizes. But they are nearly out of stock. Surprisingly, it is the boxes that have the least quantity in stock. Plenty of 5 packs.
If I were you, I’d wiggle over to SBC and snag to your heart’s desire. For under $7, this is a killer deal on a great blend.

And like a light switch, we have Sweet Spot 2.0.
Flavor explosion. Take cover. (What a dumb thing to say).
But I mean it. The creaminess is its strongest point.
There are so many flavors in this little robusto that my head is spinning. And oh yes, no nicotine. Yet.

I wish I knew who sent me these cigars. I would love to hug and kiss the gentleman. Are you a WASP? My WASP friends growing up thought it odd that I would kiss my father, my uncle, or my grandfather. Old Eastern European traditions as well as most of the world. I grew up this way and don’t have any hang ups about this. But my WASP friends gave their fathers a hearty handshake. I remember not being too crazy when I saw my grandpa. He gave the juiciest kisses on the lips. Made me ill. LOL. BTW- On my dad’s side, they were Hungarians. My mother’s side, they were Germans.

Back to the Meridian “Sopadre” by Cornelius & Anthony.
I’m at the halfway point and this is a nice, slow, relaxing smoke.
Here they are: Sweetness, chocolate, malt, creaminess, honeysuckle, exotic spice, cedar, caramel, vanilla, salty pretzel, coffee, roasted nuts, baking spices, raisins, and charred oak.
Now this is impressive.

And not a lick of trouble from its construction or need for char line touch ups. For $7.00!
Lawdy, lawdy, Miss Clawdy.

The Meridian “Sopadre” by Cornelius & Anthony is everything you want in an inexpensive cigar. And nowadays, $7-$8 is inexpensive.
A reader, anonymously of course, sent me the new San Cristobal Ovation. I checked. $15.00! Ouch. I can’t wait to review to see what a $15 stick tastes like. Greedy bastardos!

Transitions are coming fast and loose. Shot out of a pulse cannon. Warp factor 7. Make it so!
I give the Meridian “Sopadre” by Cornelius & Anthony its first minor char line touch up. More for aesthetic reasons than really needing one. I like pretty pictures.

The caramel and creaminess and the malts are just crazy good.
The web site doesn’t provide the blender’s name. Would like to know that so I can yell “Brava!”
Strength is a smooth medium body.
The only criticism I can think of is that the spiciness has dissipated. In the back of the line.

LAST THIRD:
Smoke time is 45 minutes.
This blend is so good that I’m now re-thinking my daughter’s wedding party cigars. The price is right. And everyone will love it. And for those wusses that can’t handle a full bodied cigar, this is the answer. Now the question is Toro or Gordo. Most infrequent cigar smokers equate a Tony Soprano cigar with being the best tasting.
I’d be hard pressed to find a better deal, and better cigar, for the wedding.

The chocolate and coffee make this a mocha java Starbuck’s drink. There is a dusting of cinnamon now.

The Meridian “Sopadre” by Cornelius & Anthony is a stick you don’t want to end. I would love to try the Toro.
I don’t know what else I can say about the Meridian “Sopadre” by Cornelius & Anthony. It seems that I’ve said it all.
This is a perfect morning cigar. A perfect blend for newbies. And experienced smokers will love the complexity.
The Meridian “Sopadre” by Cornelius & Anthony is a true flavor bomb.

The best part is that it has only 2-3 weeks of humidor time. I can’t imagine how extensive humidor time will improve this blend. No place to go. At this point, all bets are covered.
And not a lick of nicotine!

In the last inch, the red pepper returns in force. And another flavor explosion!

I highly recommend the Meridian “Sopadre” by Cornelius & Anthony.
I’m not affiliated with Small Batch Cigar. But when I find the best place to buy the cigar, I like to inform you of that. That’s all. No kickbacks. No free cigars. Just a public service announcement.
Final smoke time is one hour 5 minutes.

Final thoughts…Another reason I like this cigar so much is due to the near perfect construction. I am sick to death of supposedly premium cigars that burn terribly and have wrapper issues. Has the world gone mad? Or is that the Greed Monsters are whipping the poor rollers beyond their capacity to do good work? Almost every cigar I smoke gets a run in it. Some small. Some large. I spend a lot of time toasting the foot properly and want to shoot someone after I spend all that time just to see the cigar canoe in a blink of an eye. And then it’s a game of puff, torch, puff, torch, puff…etc. Ruining the cigar.
Shame on the manufacturers who can’t make an expensive cigar burn well. And if you use my method of torching a sixteenth of an inch around the outside perimeter of the foot, you can actually see where the cigar does not terminate correctly and where it will canoe. So I Hail Meridian! The good folks there know how important a well made cigar is to us smokers.

RATING: 93

Wrapper: Ecuadorian Sumatra
Binder: Habano
Filler: Nicaraguan
Size: 5.5 x 58 “Box Pressed”
Body: Full
Price: $6.00 MSRP

Today we take a look at the new Fallen Angel Devil’s Ink.
I’m a big fan of AJ Fernandez. Say no more. No negative review here.
Thank you Jim Grande.

BACKGROUND:
No information. Period. AJ is very choosy on what he decides goes on his web site and house brands don’t make the cut.
But CI had a 1 Day Special in which a fancy box of 10 cigars goes for $24.99.
A week passed and they made it to all of the CI Conglomerate online stores for $60.00.

But they seemed to have goofed, I think. I googled the cigar and found the CI page from the 1 Day Special allowing you to still buy the cigars for $24.99. Does CI know? I don’t know. But I’ve done my best to alert my readers to the fact that if you are an AJ fan, you can buy these cigars for less than have the price CI is now selling them for.

I also discovered that CI has put them up for auction on Cbid. I saw two winners that paid $55.00 each.
So don’t hesitate. It’s just a matter of time until this bizarre opportunity goes away.

DESCRIPTION:
Nice looking chocolate candy bar. Tight seams. Sharp cornered box press. Few veins. Another quadruple cap. Amazing. Is this the new trend?
The wrapper is an oily, chocolate/caramel color. Solid but gives when squeezed.
The single cigar band is classy. I like the new Fallen Angel font used on the new original and this cigar blend. Plus the hard to see demure angel in silver on a silver background.

AROMAS AND COLD DRAW NOTES:
From the shaft, I smell floral notes, chocolate, spice, fresh orange, and cedar.
From the clipped cap and the foot, I smell strong spice and chocolate, cinnamon, nutmeg, cedar, citrus, floral notes, and espresso.
The cold draw presents flavors of red pepper, chocolate, heavy cream, cinnamon, cedar, and floral notes.

FIRST THIRD:
I spend a few minutes toasting the foot and find zero imperfections. I predict not a single burn issue.
The draw is great.

Then a wallop to the puss of strong pepper. Holy shit, Batman! This is taking my eyebrows off.
My sinuses instantly clear. I don’t recommend this for children unless there is adult supervision.
The big box pressed 58 ring gauge is a real mouthful while typing. Reminds me of my days in Quentin.

There is both black and red pepper tearing down the house.
And then flavors bloom like a beautiful woman’s petals: Cream, chocolate, heavy malts, espresso, cinnamon, and cedar.
Now the inside of my ears hurt because of the spiciness. LOL. No shit. Actually due to a retrohale that I don’t like doing any more. Stop that Kohn.
A perfect char line. Dead nuts, babies. I told you, my lovelies.

A real slow smoke. Tobacco packed to the gills. And all for $2.49 per stick. Hahaha! Even at $6.00 a stick, this is one helluva deal…especially if you bow at the feet of AJ.

Oh my…creamy. And now caramel, raisins, nice balance, long finish, and a touch of exotic berry preserves.
Strength is medium/full from the get go. This will be a tough morning, with nothing in my stomach, as I write this.

I’ve had the Fallen Angel Devil’s Ink cigars for only a week. I smoked a few but they really weren’t quite ready. I smoked one last night and my yarmulke flew off my head and stuck to a wood beam in the basement.

I should take this moment to explain something. I don’t remember if I’ve said it before. If I have, please skip and move ahead. Writing a review is the only time of day I have any sort of clarity. It is amazing that I can do it all considering how I behave the rest of the day. My memory is gone. It is exactly like being on an acid trip gone badly all day long. But when I sit here, smoking, typing away; the words come to me….most of the time. I still have trouble with finding words while I type and it is so frustrating. But I get the gist of what I want to say across to you. So please don’t mistake this wonderful muscle memory I seem to possess when writing for how I really am. Please, if you send an email, don’t ask me a myriad of questions. I can’t respond. And I don’t want you to feel I’m snubbing you. I have no idea how many other reviewers respond to every single email I get from readers.

OK. Carry on.

Back to the Fallen Angel Devil’s Ink.
We have hit the complex mode. Flavors are spinning like a top. And so am I. But no nicotine yet. It will come in the last third.
AJ just has the path to my heart and palate. I cannot think of any blend I don’t love. Except for maybe some house blends he has come up with for some online stores. He sometimes swings and misses. But his core blends are magnificent.

Drat. The inch long ash falls right into my lap while I only wear boxers to protect my naughty bits. That…and an athletic cup.
The old lady has gone to work and music rocks the house.

I love the old Rod Stewart stuff from the 70’s when he played with The Faces. Before he thought he was Tony Bennett.
“Stay With Me.” Great fucking song. My favorite is “Every Picture Tells a Story.” In fact, the classic rock station on cable TV is playing a lot of roots oriented rock. Love it. “Once Bitten, Twice Shy.” It was a real shame that it took the Brit bands to bring R & B to the rock scene in the 60’s instead of everyone trying to sound like the Beach Boys. As Americans, we just didn’t embrace our own cultural music; the blues until the lads from across the Atlantic introduced it to the kids. Me included.

OK. Let’s explore the malts: Chocolate Rye Malt, Coffee Malt, Crystal/Caramel Malt, and Flaked Rye Malt. (See Malt Chart).
And heeeere…they are: Red hot chili pepper, chocolate, espresso, cinnamon, creaminess, cedar, raisins, black cherry, caramel, orange citrus, blackberry, warm bread, and a touch of floral.
This is turning out to be a pretty normal Nic puro type of flavor profile. The Ecuadorian wrapper giving it all a tweak.
Chocolate milk. Nice.

SECOND THIRD:
Smoke time is 35 minutes.
And now one of my fave Van Halen songs: “Dance the Night Away.” Too bad Eddie was such a prick.

The spiciness has given up very little in resistance. Still strong and powerful. Like my rotating hip, genuflect thrust.
Did you all get the Ezra Zion email? A new blend in which only 700 cigars were made called the “Bee’s Knees.” Prices vary based on quantity bought. A 5 pack is $35. A 10 pack is $60. A 20 pack is $110. I’m surprised they lasted the day yesterday but they are still for sale. I can’t imagine them going more than another day. I’m an EZ junkie so I emailed Kyle and begged. I’m very good at begging. He complied. Really no point in reviewing a cigar that can no longer be bought but I am doing it anyway. Hurry.

Construction has been immaculate. The char line dead nuts with no exceptions. Using that method of lighting 1/16” of the outside wrapper perimeter of the foot, instead of lighting the foot straight, on will show you where the imperfections are on the wrapper and where you will have burn issues. It works every time. Now this doesn’t mean you might have some minor touch ups but no canoes if no imperfections present themselves during the lighting. And I slowly expand that sixteenth of an inch to 3/16” before I’m done toasting the foot. And then the flame works inwards toward the center of the cigar; instead of outwards. I would add that I hold the outside cigar perimeter at a 45 degree cant to the single torch flame. If you hit the outside perimeter of the wrapper head on, you will torch too much of the wrapper.

The halfway point is upon me and I’m having a blast.
Smoke time is 50 minutes.

What a fucking delicious cigar blend. The Fallen Angel Devil’s Ink blows my mind. How could AJ produce such a magnificent blend for only $6 a stick? Or if you follow my advice, you can still get them for $2.49 each on Cigars International page from Google.
They are still up and running for that crazy price.

The Fallen Angel Devil’s Ink is now a flavor bomb. Big, bold, bombastic flavors that are planning a coup to take over S.E. Asia.
The cigar band comes off like a dream. Nice.

While you may be tempted to smoke one ROTT, go ahead. Still a treat. But wait a week…and oh boy Clarabel! (If you are old like me, you remember the Howdy Doody Show. Clarabel the Clown went on to become Captain Kangaroo. No shit.) Most of the AJ blends are like this. A week or two of humidor time and there is a major transition. No need to wait four months. Prime stuff at one or two weeks.

Where was I? Ah yes, the Fallen Angel Devil’s Ink.
This cigar is so complex that it has cured me of all my ills.
Man, if I were flush, I’d buy 8 boxes at $25. This would be my go to for quite some time.
I bet the dingbats that paid $55 on Cbid wish they were readers of the Katman.
No need to list the flavors again. No change. Just more intense.

LAST THIRD:
Smoke time is one hour 15 minutes.
I could smoke these all day long.

I am quite bewildered why CI is still allowing the Fallen Angel Devil’s Ink to be bought at the reduced price. Why? Make their customers junkies so when the undercover sale is over, we march like zombies to the main site and pay $60? Even so, I cannot think of another $6 cigar that possesses this level of quality. Or construction.

It looks like we’re moving. We can no longer afford the rent at where we are now. So we will be slumming it. A shame really. With my back problems, I need two days in the hospital after the move. But Katie promised her friends will help.
And Charlotte’s Obamacare was terminated. She spent an hour on the phone and got no good reason. So now she has to re-apply. And they took away my “extra help” I get for paying for my Medicare Part D (Prescriptions). So now I have to find a new provider and pay dearly for it. Just can’t catch a break. Charlotte, the poor woman, is falling apart.
I never took a pill until I was 42. Blood pressure. Now I take 10. I’m sure many of you oldsters can relate.
Old age ain’t for sissies.

The funny thing is that I still get one or two emails per month asking if I’m interested in a position in construction again. I want to scream. Even if I could, no one hires someone about to become 66.

Strength is full body. Been so for quite some time. But smooth as glass. No nicotine.

My cat likes to sit on my big Cult Cigars humidor. It’s where I take my photos. But now he listens when I tell him to get down. No shooing. Just a “Get down Sammy.” And he complies. Sammy was given to me by my daughter to cheer me up. He is half Russian Blue and half Maine Coon. Look at his mane. Just like a lion.

This was a wonderful morning. I’ve been looking forward to this review.
I haven’t a single criticism for the Fallen Angel Devil’s Ink.
The only thing I ask of you is to know that I am an AJ fan. Many of you aren’t. So this review is written with a certain amount of bias.
The Fallen Angel Devil’s Ink finishes smoothly. Just a tad bit of nicotine. Full bodied. Full flavored. Just a stunning blend. Kudos to AJ Fernandez.
Final smoke time is one hour 40 minutes.

RATING: 94

Wrapper: San Andrés Oscuro
Binder: Nicaraguan
Filler: Nicaraguan
Size: 6.5 x 52
Body: Full
Price: $15.00 MSRP ($13.50 at many online stores)

Today we take a look at the new San Cristobal Ovation by Ashton.
This was a gift from a reader. I can’t remember who. Please contact me so I can insert your name here _________. Thank you.

BACKGROUND:
Factory: My Father Cigars S.A. Esteli, Nicaragua
Limited Production (3,000 boxes of 22 cigars)
This cigar is the follow up to last year’s La Aroma de Cuba Noblesse.

From the Cigar Aficionado web site:
“Ashton Distributors Inc. debuted a limited-edition extension to the San Cristobal line at the International Premium Cigar and Pipe Retailers trade show called San Cristobal Ovation. The cigar will launch in a single 6 1/2 inch by 52 ring gauge vitola and features a San Andrés Oscuro wrapper around a Nicaraguan binder and filler tobaccos.

“Fans of the San Cristobal line, however, will have to wait a few more months before the cigar hits store shelves. Ovation is slated for release much later in the year:
“We expect to ship Ovation in late fall,” Chip Goldeen, vice president of sales at Ashton Distributors, said in a conversation with Cigar Aficionado.

“The company says the wrapper has been subjected to an intensive two-and-a-half-year, double fermentation process, and the inner tobaccos were harvested exclusively from the farms of the Garcia family. Ovation, like all of Ashton’s San Cristobal cigars, is made at the Garcia’s My Father Cigars factory in Estelí, Nicaragua.

“The San Cristobal brand launched in 2007 and currently has three regular-production lines: San Cristobal, San Cristobal Elegancia and San Cristobal Revelation.”

From the Ashton Cigars web site:
“Handcrafted in Estelí, Nicaragua by legendary cigar-maker, Jose “Pepin” Garcia, San Cristobal Ovation is an opulent cigar, drawn from only the finest and rarest tobaccos grown on Garcia family estates in honor of the brand’s influential reception. A dark and lustrous San Andrés Oscuro wrapper emerges from an intensive two-and-a-half-year double-fermentation to reveal an approachable and captivating richness. Articulate notes of dark cocoa, wood and leather register with bottomless intrigue veiled beneath a creamy potency. Ovation concludes with sweet hickory aromas and substantial, prolonged gratification.”

DESCRIPTION:
Nice looking stick but there are minor issues. Some seams aren’t tight which makes me worry they will come loose eventually. Lots of veins. The wrapper is an oily, mottled, dark coffee bean brown. The cap is so impeccably created, that I can’t tell if there are more than three caps. I only say that because as of late, I’ve run into several quadruple caps.

The double cigar band could be a mural at Nicaragua’s Congress wall in the lobby. There is so much going on that I need a magnifying glass to truly enjoy the artist’s work. Hopefully, I will get a good shot later.
It also has a hot pink footer ribbon. (Charlotte had to make that call for me. Thank you, dear).
The stick is evenly solid with the right amount of give when pressed gently.

AROMAS AND COLD DRAW NOTES:
From the shaft, I smell barnyard, chocolate, coffee, sweetness, spice, floral, and citrus.
From the clipped cap and the foot, I smell strong barnyard, sweetness, lemon citrus, strong hot pepper, and chocolate.
The cold draw presents flavors of strong hot pepper, chocolate, coffee, malt, molasses, and floral.

FIRST THIRD:
The draw is good.
But this cigar is so damn long and heavy, it feels like I have a fish lure in mouth and some fisherman is tugging on it. Man, it’s heavy. I’m bound to drop it early on.
Perfect char line. No imperfections at the start during toasting.

Lots of wonderful flavors: Chocolate, creaminess, red pepper, lots of malt, molasses, raisins, cappuccino, cedar, and fresh fruit.
Now this is exactly how a $15 cigar should start off: With a Bang! Not dally about til the second third.
Strength is a tad over medium body.

There is a definitive earthy tobacco element. Like one can taste the soil it was grown in. Ever eat soil? I have. When planting a garden.
Methinks this will be a very long smoke.
The intensity of the flavors tapers off some.
I’ve had this stick in my humidor for a few weeks, I believe. So, it should be good to go for a review. If for nothing else than its possibilities.

I’ve not been kind to most San Cristobal blends. But then I’m not an Ashton fan either. Even if it is a Pepin Garcia blend.
The main flavors are: Creaminess, malts, chocolate, cedar, caramel, and raisins. The malts are Caramel Wheat Malt, Chocolate Malt, Flaked Rye Malt, and Marris Otter Malt. (See malt chart).
The malts are cooking the witch’s brew on this baby.

I was flying for work back in the 90’s and I while I sat waiting for the other passengers to load, I saw the two unlikeliest pair I could imagine boarding the plane: Miles Davis and Ryan O’Neil. They sat a few rows ahead of me and of course I’d heard the stories about Miles. He was a man of silence. And not a conversationalist. But what the fuck. This would never happen again so I pretended to head for the head and stopped and said hello to both men. Ryan said hello and shook my hand. Miles pulled his hat over his eyes and made a sound something like this: “Harrumph.” So much for making contact with one of my musical heroes.

The San Cristobal Ovation perks up big time. Flavor explosion. I’m nearing the second third so actually, I was right early on in this review. I got a taste of what could be and then it flattened out a bit. Now it has come to life.
I suppose a couple months of humidor time might improve it dramatically. But with a Garcia blend, you can usually count on just a few weeks and it’s good to go.

SECOND THIRD:
Smoke time is 35 minutes.
Strength ratchets down to medium body. The spiciness has almost disappeared. The San Cristobal Ovation needs the oomph of a strong spiciness.
This is not how a $15 cigar should behave. The Fallen Angel Devil’s Ink at either $2.49 or $6.00 was a much better cigar.

There must be a certain class of smokers that smoke Ashtons. Just like the class of people who smoke Davidoff. At least half the blends are mild bodied. It’s as if they target the nonsmoker with an expensive cigar that they can boast about purchasing. Or smoking on the links at some fancy country club that doesn’t allow Jews.

I was actually with my father as a little guy around 10 when one of his customers invited him to his private country club to play golf. The customer was a big time general contractor. And I remember standing next to my dad when he gave his name to the guy in the club house. Then my dad’s customer was taken aside and told NO JEWS!
We actually had to leave. That must have angered my father immensely. The guy that took us became a good friend of my father’s. Invited over to their Malibu beachfront house for BBQ’s, etc. He owned his own twin engine plane and was a pilot. The man was an ex-priest because he had an affair with the woman he would eventually marry. One day my dad came home from work and told me that he was flying his whole family to some luxurious vacation spot and they ran right into a mountain. No survivors.

Back to the San Cristobal Ovation.
This is supposed to be a full bodied stick. What?
And then a few seconds later, it hits medium/full. The flavors do a lifeline jump into the higher nexus.

On the positive upside, no construction issues and a dead on char line as predicted. OK. So this is a well-made cigar.
But the flavors are riding on a roller coaster. Sips of water really do well by the blend. But this is more of a kinder, gentler blend. While it should be knocking my socks off.

The San Cristobal Ovation finally hits its complexity mark. Perfect balance. Long finish.
The ash likes to hang on for at least an inch. It may last longer but I don’t want it in my lap.

I’ve looked at some of my older reviews and I wrote so much better than I do now. I was much more clever and urbane. Damn it.
I thought that the San Cristobal Ovation had a double cigar band but it ain’t so. The bottom part where it says: “Ovation” has its own connection to the main band but also as I begin to unwrap it, I find that it is one entire band. I find I’m no longer very good at focusing on important things.
So I remove the whole bill board band early. It is gorgeous.

Flavors are much better. The finish is just delicious.
Flavors: Creaminess, chocolate, malt, raisins, spice, coffee, cedar, caramel, roasted cashews, toasty, a hint of floral, pistachio, and earthy tobacco.

This is a big improvement. I am giving the San Cristobal Ovation the benefit of the doubt as it probably needs more than a few weeks humidor time. But I’m pretty good at projecting what the cigar will taste like as it approaches the blender’s intent.

A good Veteran’s Day to everyone. My dad was a corporal in the Army in WWII. He spent his time on the front line in Germany, France, and Belgium. After a year or so, he was hit in the chest with a round from a German machine gun nest. Went right through him. I remember seeing him in our pool in Long Beach and how ugly the scar was on both his chest and back. He was awarded the Purple Heart and the Bronze Star three times. He did some terrible things that haunted him to the day he died. And he didn’t want me to go to Viet Nam so he made sure I wasn’t drafted. No disrespect to vets everywhere. He didn’t want me to experience what he did.

Ahhh…new flavors: Green melon, lemon citrus, tomato notes, and green onion. I can make a salad.
The sun is out and now you can see just how oily the wrapper is at the halfway point.

The San Cristobal Ovation is pretty nice blend. But one has certain expectations when you know the stick is $15 a pop. It should make your head spin with complexity and flavors. This is more of a laid back blend.
None of the usual discount stores carry them. And it is too new to make it to Cbid.

There is now way I’d ever spend $15 on this stick. Even if it turns out to be a mind bender with a couple months rest. For $15, I can buy half a box of Fallen Angel Devil’s Ink.
Which reminds me. Thank you Charles Lim. Good guy. He sends me cigars and is also a monthly contributor to my Go Fund Me campaign.

Speaking of which, any chance of me being able to take those expensive brand name Alzheimer’s drugs went out the window. I was getting extra help for my Medicare Part D (Prescriptions). They revoked it because they changed the rules for qualification. So yesterday, I spoke to Cigna, my provider, and found out what I would have to pay for those drugs and it would be hundreds of dollars per month. So, I won’t be able to hold off the symptoms of Alzheimer’s for a bit longer. I’m on the down slide because I have Medicare. And you can’t have Obamacare if you have Medicare. I’m so fucked.

I’m truly digging the San Cristobal Ovation now. Great flavors. Loads of complexity, flavors, balance, and finish.
Strength hits full body. But it is smooth, babies, smooth.
I had to smoke half the cigar to get here.

I lose track of time when I have a big cigar. I don’t know how reviewers are able to condense the first third, second third, and last third into a paragraph. I have motor mouth.
But then, my readers are two things: First, they like to read and be entertained. And second, they have come to know me and are interested in my life and previous antics.

And I love you guys for this dedication. My readership has expanded this year exponentially. I get an average of over 7000 hits per day. But I have this special core of readers that probably numbers around 100. You send me emails not expecting me to return them. LOL. But I respond to every email sent to me. And you leave the smartest comments of any other review site. I’ve never had one comment that said: “Good review, dude.” And the 100 are my biggest supporters and well-wishers.
One of these days, I’m going to list the over 130 countries that read me. It’s a real trip to see that list.

A good friend, Eric A. sent me a gift card to be used on Stogie Boys. Eric has been one hell of a human being and so kind and generous with me. Thank you Eric.
But instead of buying cigars, I bought a Humi-Care EH Plus Electronic Humidifier. With the kind gifts of cigars you have sent me I need to use a second humidor. I already have a Cigar Oasis electronic humidifier and I love it to death. So trouble free. Even tells you when the water is low. And all you need is distilled water. Never use that solution.
The only issue I have with these units is that they take up so much room in the humidor. Almost a full third. The main reason is that the cigars shouldn’t come close to the unit as it spews humidified air from the side and not the top so your cigars need to be a couple inches away from the unit. But even still, they are so trouble free and so accurate that they are worth the money.

And so I called Stogie Boys and spoke to my dear friend, Sheryl King. The big macher at Stogie Boys. What a wonderful chick. We had never spoken so it was like homecoming as they have been a loyal sponsor for over a year. Love you, Sheryl.

LAST THIRD:
Smoke time is one hour 35 minutes.
The San Cristobal Ovation is a really nice blend. Very flavorful. But the transitions are wonky. And I can’t get past the price point. There is absolutely no reason that this cigar should cost $15.00. None. Period.

Construction is superb. No char line touch ups required.
And then the last third seems to be the pinnacle for the blend. The beginning of the cigar showed immense promise. And then faltered.
Now it is back to that early promise.

The spiciness is super strong. The body is full but smooth. And flavors are zooming across my palate like a Pink Floyd laser show.

I’ve reviewed 5 other San Cristobal blends: San Cristobal de la Punta (2008), Revelation, Elegancia, original San Cristobal, and the Seleccion del Sol.

The La Punta was much like this cigar blend. The Revelation was very good. The original blend had some serious construction issues. And the Elegancia was very good as well. But they all had the same things in common: Construction issues, lackluster start, and just overpriced. But then some reviews go back to 2013 when a high priced cigar was $9.00.
In spite of my whining, I really did like the San Cristobal Ovation. I just had high expectations. I recently reviewed the Meridian, the El Centurion H-2K-CT, Padilla La Pilar, Espinosa Especial No. 5, and the Arandoza Defcon. All well under $10 and all superb blends.

If money is no big deal, I’d recommend the San Cristobal Ovation and then put it away for a couple of months. If you are wallet conscious, take a pass.

RATING: 88

Wrapper: Mexican San Andrés Maduro
Binder: Dominican Republic
Filler: Dominican Piloto Cubano & Nicaragua
Size: 5.25 x 50 “Robusto-Box Pressed”
Body: Medium/Full
Price: $11.00 MSRP

Today we take a look at the La Hoja Edición Maduro 1962 No. 1 Robusto.
Thanks to Carlo Gomez, co-founder of La Hoja Cigars, for the samples.
I still have the La Hoja Reserva Limitada 1962 and the La Hoja Edicion Crema cigars for review soon.
I reviewed the La Hoja Edición Clasica 1962 back in mid-October. Fantastic cigar!

BACKGROUND:
Release Date: December, 2014
Regular production
Factory: Tamboril DBL S.A.

Due to a legal battle, the La Hoja Edición Clasica 1962 is the rebranded version of the Hoja de Flores Autentico Maduro.

From the La Hoja Edición Maduro 1962 press release:
“The Edicion Clasica Maduro 1962 features similar Dominican Piloto Cubano and Nicaraguan tobaccos found in the binder and filler of the Edicion Clasica Corojo. What sets the Edicion Clasica Maduro apart, says J Carlos Gomez, Executive VP at La Hoja Cigars, is the carefully selected Mexican San Andreas Maduro wrapper.

“The San Andreas Maduro wrapper gives this blend a sweet and earthy touch,” said Gomez, “but in order for us to incorporate this into a blend that meets La Hoja quality standards, we had to be incredibly discerning about the other leaves to make sure they complement the wrapper.”

“The danger of San Andreas (sic) Maduro wrappers, Gomez says, is “that particular leaf can create a smoke that is too dry and that parches the smoker. We’ve blended this cigar specifically to offer the flavor of San Andreas but with considerable balance as well.”

It seems for every review, there is a different opinion. But some are brutal with ratings of 81 to high ratings of 91. That’s a huge spread. If this was the Richter Scale, oh my.

DESCRIPTION:
Beautiful cigar. I fear my photographic skills will not be able to provide an accurate display. A sharp, square box press. Looks like a Twix.

Tight seams. Almost no veins. A rounded, triple cap.
The wrapper is a very oily dark chocolate brown. A solid cigar.
The cigar band is gorgeous. And the crimson red ribbon at the foot tops off the sundae like a maraschino cherry.

SIZES AND PRICES:
No.1 Robusto 5.25 x 52 $11.00 MSRP
No.2 Belicoso 5.25 x 54 $11.50 MSRP
No.6 Toro Gordo 6 x 60 $13.50 MSRP
No.9 Toro 5.75 x 56 $12.50 MSRP
Presented in boxes of 20.

AROMAS AND COLD DRAW NOTES:
From the shaft, I smell floral notes, molasses, cream, cocoa, and oatmeal.
From the clipped cap and the foot, I smell dark bittersweet chocolate, spice, red hot cinnamon, (Double sneeze & eyes water), candied red apple, and espresso.
The cold draw presents flavors of candied red apple, chocolate, spice, cream, baking spice, and cedar.

FIRST THIRD:
The draw is superb.
And then the flavors begin to scrum.
We start off with: Chocolate, big power blast of red pepper, cream, cedar, espresso, dried fruit, red apple, caramel, and pie crust.
Flavors are blasting away like an $11.00 cigar should.
Strength is a strong medium body.

The malts pile on: Chocolate Malt, Wheat Malt, Special B Malt, Mild Ale Malt, Flaked Oats Malt, and Crystal/Caramel Malt. (See Malt Chart).

The La Hoja Edición Maduro 1962 No. 1 Robusto starts off with a big bang and is an immediate flavor bomb.

As I peruse Google to see who sells them, it becomes apparent I’m the last guy on the block to review this cigar. The CI Conglomerate sells the cigar as well as Famous Smoke. It doesn’t appear that the usual boutique discount stores (Small Batch Cigar, Cigar Federation, and Summit Cigars) carry the brand at all. Shame on them. Come on Joey. Get on the bandwagon. You’ll sell a million of these cigars.

The La Hoja Edición Maduro 1962 No. 1 Robusto is a very slow smoke. Makes me happy. Carlos sent two of each blend…. La Hoja Reserva Limitada 1962, La Hoja Edicion Crema, and the La Hoja Edición Maduro 1962 No. 1 Robusto.

I smoked this cigar too early. A week after I got it. So now, I’ve waited a few weeks and my patience has been rewarded. Dying to review the other two blends. Of which I haven’t smoked either yet.

Construction is magnificent. The char line is spot on.
Transitions occur every couple minutes. Complexity settles in. The balance is building. And the long, chewy finish is delicious.
The apple element is omnipresent and I don’t know if I’m eating a great homemade apple pie or a cinnamon candy red apple on a stick.

My only assumption is that the reviewers that gave this cigar a low rating did not allow the blend proper time to mature a bit. Seems like they were given 2 days or ROTT reviews. Because their experience is nothing like mine.
Strength hits medium/full.

The La Hoja Edición Maduro 1962 No. 1 Robusto is very intense now. Giant, bold flavors. A red hot peppery cinnamon is wonderful.

I can’t believe that I waited this long to finally review this cigar. I would stare at it in my humidor like a siren calling my name.
“She said, there is no reason
And the truth is plain to see.
But I wandered through my playing cards
And would not let her be
One of sixteen vestal virgins
Who were leaving for the coast
And although my eyes were open
They might have just as well’ve been closed.”
Thank you Procol Harum.

The old lady took off for work. Let the music begin. Gotta play the new Van Morrison album: “The Essential Van Morrison.” 37 great songs I can bop to while writing.
The ash is hanging tough. Over an inch long and hasn’t moved from the foot.

SECOND THIRD:
Smoke time is 25 minutes.
Strength remains at medium/full.
Sweet Spot 2.0.

No change to the list of flavors…but they are so ridiculously intense that my ears are twitching. And my naughty bits are shrinking. (Just what a Jew needs) Oy vay.

This cigar blend is wonderful. And even though I’m only a third a way through it, it is worth every shekel. Those pitiful $15 cigars with no flavor or consistency can bow at the feet of Carlos Gomez.

The chocolate, the spice, the apple, the sweetness, the malts, the coffee, the cedar, the caramel, and the dried fruit are blasting a tunnel from San Diego to Tijuana.

I removed the cigar band and because the cigar is so tightly box pressed, I have creases in the band. No matter how much I press it, the creases will remain. Now that’s box pressing.

I’d be hard pressed in picking which cigar blend I like best: the La Hoja Edición Maduro 1962 No. 1 Robusto or the La Hoja Edición Clasica 1962. Both medium/full blends. Both flavor bombs. And both exactly the same price.

“My sweet Lord (hallelujah)
Hm, my Lord (hallelujah)
My, my, my Lord (hallelujah)”
Thank you dear departed George Harrison.

And now Van is singing “Someone Like You.”

I got the music in me this morning. Makes me so happy and I forget I have Alzheimer’s. Big smile!
What could be better? An incredible cigar blend and fine, fine music.

Halfwheel.com uses the term: “Terrior” several times. I have no idea what that means so I look it up: “The characteristic taste and flavor imparted to a wine by the environment in which it is produced.”

That is a very good description of the La Hoja Edición Maduro 1962 No. 1 Robusto. You can actually taste the soil in which the tobacco was grown. It’s that rich and decadent.
I’m at the halfway point.

I’m kvelling. (Yiddish for “feeling happy and proud.”) That’s what Carlos should feel with the accomplishment of this blend.

We got the remnants of the terrible storm that started in the South West. Windy, thunderstorms, and mucho rain.

I now relax as Van the Man sings “Have I Told You Lately.”

This has been one of the most gratifying reviews I’ve done. I wish I had more of the the La Hoja Edición Maduro 1962. I’m now thinking I found the cigar to give out to the wedding party at my daughter’s wedding in May. This will be the only time that Charlotte will give me her blessing for buying a box of not so inexpensive cigars. It will be $200 at CI but worth every nickel. And I will get a kick of the non-cigar smokers turning green.

The La Hoja Edición Maduro 1962 No. 1 Robusto is now very full bodied. Nicotine arrives.

I’d say this cigar is “Real Real Gone.” Tell us Van.
Transitions galore. Complexity intense. Perfect balance. With a sip of water, and the finish is a mile long.
Nothing I smoke today will compare to what I’m smoking right now.
Construction is flawless. Char line…not a lick of trouble.
I panic as I see the La Hoja Edición Maduro 1962 No. 1 Robusto begin to dwindle.
I’d love to try the big Toro. That just might be the one for the wedding.

LAST THIRD:
Smoke time is one hour 10 minutes.
Carlos, get your web site happening. And sell the cigars from there.
CI sells all three blends I’ve mentioned; except for the Crema. At very reasonable prices. About a buck, or so, less than MSRP.
Each blend has some sizes backordered. Clearly, this is a very popular cigar line.
This is a major full bodied blend. Woo Hoo!

I was going to review another cigar this morning but at the last moment, picked the La Hoja Edición Maduro 1962 No. 1 Robusto instead. Glad I did.
A good cigar. A good review. Makes my day.
I want to adopt Carlos.

For such a strong cigar, it is uber smooth.
Last time for flavors: Spice, chocolate, creaminess, malts, caramel apple, cinnamon, espresso, cedar, dried fruit, chocolate frosted croissant, and a rich earthiness.
Impressive.
A grand cigar blend!

Clearly, I highly recommend this cigar. Same goes for the La Hoja Edición Clasica 1962.
And I have no doubt, that I will feel the same way for the last two remaining blends.

It was only a year ago when I would have railed against the double digit priced cigars. But now, you are lucky if $11 is all you have to spend on a new cigar. The median price seems to be $14-$15 a pop. Has the world gone mad?

Like anything in life, you should get what you pay for. I don’t mind going to an expensive restaurant if the food is magnificent.
Same goes for cigars. The $15 San Cristobal Ovation was a bust. In fact, I’ve found that every $15 cigar I’ve reviewed was a travesty. I don’t care what Cigar Aficionado says.

The price points for the La Hoja blends are worth it. You get what you pay for plus some.
I’m ever so grateful to Carlos Gomez for sending me samples.
Snag a 5 pack. If you’re flush, snag a box.

Final smoke time is one hour 45 minutes.

RATING: 94

Wrapper: Ecuadorian Habano
Binder: Nicaraguan Corojo
Filler: Nicaraguan (Estelí)
Size: 6 x 50 “Toro”
Body: Medium//Full
Price: $12.00 MSRP (Less than $11.00 at many online stores)

Today we take a look at the new Camacho Shellback Toro LE 2015.
Thanks to Anonymous Stogie Pudding for the stick.

BACKGROUND:
Limited production.
Debuted at 2015 IPCPR trade show.
Factory: AgroIndustrias Laepe S.A. Honduras.

From the Cigar Aficionado web site:
“The first installment of Camacho’s Brotherhood series, the limited-edition Camacho Shellback, is expected to ship nationwide on October 9. The cigar, which comes in one size only—a 6 inch by 50 ring gauge Toro—pays homage to an age-old mariner’s ritual.

“Shellback is the designation given to mariners once they have ‘crossed the line’ of the equator on a naval ship,” said Dylan Austin, director of marketing at Camacho. “They are given this designation after a wild and crazy initiation ceremony. The date, vessel name and longitude of where they crossed are usually glorified as tattoos worn by many Shellbacks.”

“The camaraderie of the Shellbacks inspired Camacho to name the new cigar in their honor, linking this fraternal bond to that of the brotherhood of cigar smokers.

“The [Brotherhood] Series will have fresh new concepts each year, all of them honoring a specific ‘Brotherhood’ that we feel best reflects the ‘Live Loud’ world of Camacho.”
“Previous limited editions, such as the Double Shock and Scorpion, were not part of the Brotherhood series.
“The Shellback is the second limited edition in the company’s new Brotherhood Series.
“The Shellback follows the 2013’s Camacho Blackout and 2014’s Double Shock as annual limited releases by the company.
“The Shellback blend consists of a Nicaraguan Corojo binder, Nicaraguan filler and an Ecuadoran Habano wrapper. The decision to move away from Camacho’s traditional Honduran blends was inspired by the adventurous nature of the cigar’s namesake.

“We like to stay anchored to our Honduran roots,” said Austin, “but with this particular project we decided to reach for these high-grade Nicaraguan tobaccos.”

“Shellbacks come in boxes of twenty, with a suggested retail price of $12 each. Only 4,000 boxes will be released.”
I may be reviewing this cigar too soon as I’ve only had it for a month. We shall see.

DESCRIPTION:
First thing I notice is how weightless the cigar is. Like a handful of toothpicks. I’m guessing this will be a quick smoke.
But still a well-made cigar…for the most part. Mostly tight seams. Lots of veins. A quadruple cap. The wrapper is an oily, light russet brown.
The cigar has double cigar bands. Actually, a main band and a footer band. I don’t like the new Camacho bands. They are silly looking with that scorpion logo. And fortune cookie sayings. The sea green is a bit off putting. Just like you don’t eat green candy.

AROMA AND COLD DRAW NOTES:
From the shaft, I smell a light sweetness and a bit of spice.
From the clipped cap and the foot, I smell chocolate, spice, barnyard, and raisins.
The cold draw presents flavors of chocolate, spice, barnyard, sweetness, and cedar.

FIRST THIRD:
The draw is excellent.
And Blam! A boat load of red pepper assaults the senses…in a good way. Lots of flavors follow: Chocolate, creaminess, sweetness, Midori liqueur, caramel, malts, roasted nuts, toasty, espresso, and fresh berries.

Wow. I’m shocked. I’m not much of a fan of the “new” Camacho but maybe they have turned the corner with this blend. For $12.00, they damn well better have. Meanwhile, you can buy the original; 10 year aged real Camachos for pennies on the dollar. What’s wrong with this picture?

Smoke pours from the foot like no cigar I’ve smoked in a long time.
The char line is super. The upside that I feared might not happen was unwarranted. Most new Camacho sticks, as well as the old ones, take a long time in one’s humidor. This one only had a month. It has all the branding of the New Breed method of cigar blending. About fucking time!
Strength is medium body on its way to medium/full shortly.

Complexity settles in early. The balance is good but hard to discern due to so many flavors happening at once. And the finish is long and chewy. Like me.
The char line becomes a bit wavy. Fingers crossed it doesn’t double cross me.

There a few flavors I can’t put a handle on. My palate was unexpectedly overwhelmed by this great cigar and I just wasn’t prepared for it.
Charlotte left for work and the music goes on. Today’s selection is the double CD package of “The Best of Led Zeppelin.” Can it get any better than this? No.

I’m surprised that the Camacho Shellback Toro LE 2015 isn’t burning faster considering how light in the shorts it is.
Man, it just hit flavor bomb status after only 10 minutes.
Palate, don’t fail me now. Exciting things going on here.
I bow my head, take some puffs, sip some water and….Voila!

The flavors I missed are: raw cashews, warm crusty French bread, toffee on top of the caramel, notes of Worcestershire sauce, meaty, the Midori is gone now, Cola!..that was the mysterious missing flavor, and soft salty pretzel.
The Camacho Shellback Toro LE 2015 is beginning to need several minor char line touch ups. A $12.00 cigar should be pristine and not need assistance.

SECOND THIRD:
Smoke time is 20 minutes.
The sun is out and making the wrapper look much lighter than it really is.

The Camacho Shellback Toro LE 2015 is nothing like the previous blends that Davidoff put together. Maybe this new “Brotherhood Series” will pump out really good cigars…at a ridiculous price.
Big points will be detracted because the cigar isn’t packed sufficiently and is burning too quickly. It nearly burns like a corona.

But it tastes good. Now it tastes like a hamburger with all the trimmings. Yeah, it’s different. I gotta hand that to it. It’s really different. Crazy sonovabitch!
It has all the usual malt flavorings. No need to list them all.
The burn line is a mess.

Strength hits medium/full. But oh so smooth….
The spiciness is on the wane. The creaminess, chocolate, and coffee really take off.
The ancillary flavors dissipate some.

Not a single online review. I do believe that everyone was fooled by the fact that Camacho blends always take forever in one’s humidor. And I did smoke one of the two that Pudding sent me about a week after receipt and it was not even in the vicinity of being ready to smoke. I was very hesitant about this morning’s review. But my fears have been dashed to the rocks.
I near the halfway point. The Camacho Shellback Toro LE 2015 has a spectacular flavor profile. I give it a 92 rating. I give the construction an 82.

The cigar band won’t come off cleanly. More points deducted.
Such a dichotomy occurring. Fantastic flavor with below average construction. WTF?
I’m most disappointed in the skimpy filler. It is burning so quickly, I have little time to banter with clever witticisms. (I heard you. Shut up).

A tomato presence pops up.
I’d love to get a shot of how smoky the cigar is but it doesn’t last between me puffing and putting it down for a photo.
Nicotine shows itself.
Halfway point. Smoke time is 30 minutes.
Strength hits full bodied.

This is the first new Camacho to touch the hem of the original Camacho blends by Christian Eiroa. I wouldn’t be surprised if Davidoff secretly got him in on the blend design.
Finally, I seem to have passed the crappy construction and now the char line is dead nuts.
A few moments after typing the last sentence, a seam comes loose and the wrapper unfolds. I grab my glue and fix it. Sonovabitch 2.0.

I noticed that the Fallen Angel Devil’s Ink deal disappeared. I guess CI was tired of selling the boxes for less than half retail. I hope you got in on it. Thank you to the kind readers that sent me some of these great cigars.
Countless transitions occur. That’s a good thing.

I don’t remember having any trouble with the first stick I smoked but that was weeks ago and my memory really doesn’t go back that far. Just a guess…

I got some samples from George Rodriguez of GTO Cigars. Five sticks to be exact. But only one of each blend. Manufacturers just don’t get it. A reviewer needs a few sticks to really be able to review a cigar. Not just one. So he goes to the back of the line. Without being able to sample one to see how much humidor time they will need, I am forced to let them sit for a month or two.
Don’t get me wrong. I truly appreciate the gesture. But I have a standard policy that I get a 5 pack of each blend for review. No one pays attention. My readers are more generous.

And thanks to Darryl Martin, Miguel Castro, and Carter Tinsley. It seems that I have a small core group of friends that send me cigars. Out of thousands of readers, it’s always the same guys. I’d be lost without them. They go to great expense to make sure I have cigars for review. God bless them.
I will list all of my donors soon.
The char line goes nuts on me once again. This is horseshit.

LAST THIRD:
Smoke time is 45 minutes.
Here are the flavors: Creaminess, chocolate, coffee, spice, nuts, toasty, caramel, vegetal notes, meaty, and pretzel.
The best part of the cigar was in the first third. The Camacho Shellback Toro LE 2015 can’t seem to hold its own. Now it has descended into your usual Davidoff style of blending Camacho cigars.

What a shame. The start had so much potential. The big, bombastic flavor profile is now just hanging like a limp dick.
Cracks begin to form. Sonovabitch 3.0.
I will tell you right now that if this is an example of what is coming down the line from the new Brotherhood Series, I’m underwhelmed.

And the price. Oh…hahaha. Not only is this cigar not worth $12.00, but it should be in the $7 range. Almost half.
That’s OK. Word will get out. But probably not soon enough as this is a limited run. The Camacho Shellback Toro LE 2015 will be gone by the time word of mouth has destroyed it.

If they are $12 online, God help you at your local B & M. You’re probably looking at a $14 stick…with your state taxes.
The char line has been a constant annoyance.
Nicotine has not gotten worse. Still full bodied.
But flavors have flattened out.

Based on what I tasted, this cigar was rarin’ to go. So no excuses for more humidor time.

With all the hoopla that Davidoff put out in the PR game, I had much higher expectations. That’s why I wanted this cigar.
As our beloved ex-president, George W., said: “There’s an old saying in Tennessee — I know it’s in Texas, probably in Tennessee — that says, fool me once, shame on — shame on you. Fool me — you can’t get fooled again.”
Couldn’t have said it worse if I tried. And I have Alzheimer’s.

I now expect the next blend in the Brotherhood Series to cost even more. This time, I won’t “..get fooled again.”
Take a pass on the Camacho Shellback Toro LE 2015.

RATING: 85

Wrapper: Nicaraguan Criollo 98
Binder: Nicaraguan
Filler: Nicaraguan
Size: 6.5 X 56 “Figurado”
Body: Medium
Price: $10.40 MSRP

Today we take a look at the fairly new HVC Vieja Cosecha No.2.
A gift from a good friend, Carter Tinsley.

BACKGROUND:
Factory: Fábrica de Tabacos Raíces Cubanas S. de R.L.
Debuted at the 2015 IPCPR trade show.
Date Released: Aug. 27, 2015.
Limited production.
200 Boxes of 20 Cigars.
Vieja Cosecha translates to “Old Crop.”

I reviewed the HVC Vieja Cosecha No.1 back in May, 2015.
HVC Cigars does not have a web site. They do have a Face Book page. Therefore, I have no source for additional information.
I did discover that only AGANORSA tobaccos were used that have been aged for five years.
As this is such a limited production, the big online stores don’t carry them. Not even the usual discount boutique stores. If you Google the cigar, there are plenty of smaller online stores that still carry them.

DESCRIPTION:
Nice looking stick. A very mottled, oily, dark coffee bean colored wrapper. Seams are tight. Lots of veins. A perfect example of journeyman rolling. A gorgeous cap.
But the HVC Vieja Cosecha No.2 is very light in the hand. Could have been packed with more fillers…my opinion.
The double cigar bands are sort of garish. The main band is OK. But the secondary band is a friggin billboard. Not the best looking design.

AROMAS AND COLD DRAW NOTES:
From the shaft, I smell wonderful floral notes, sweetness, spice, cinnamon, and hot cocoa.
From the clipped cap and the foot, I smell barnyard, spice, cinnamon, chocolate, floral notes, and shortbread.
The cold draw presents flavors of shortbread cookies, vanilla bean, spice, cinnamon, and dirt. (Thought that would be a nice change from “earthiness.”)

FIRST THIRD:
The open foot is only 7/16” diameter. Every time I light a small foot, it’s a disaster. Not the cigar’s fault. Mine.
Here goes nuttin’ honey.

Wow. Spicy, baby, spicy. It is difficult to hold the pointy end of the cap in my mouth while typing. It wants to shoot out like a turd after a hard night of drinking. And I don’t want to resort to my bad habit of chewing the cap as it makes for disgusting photos.
Flavors kick in immediately: Creaminess, spice, coffee, chocolate, malts, salty pretzel, and maple.

The foot tries to canoe on me. My fault, as usual. So I correct it and lay it down to cool off. And re-organize its thoughts.
There is an immediate nice balance. And the makings of an interesting tasty finish.
What was light in the hand, is now heavy in the mouth. I believe the prophet, Jim Jones, said that.
The combo of cocoa and coffee becomes mocha java. Better than any infused form of this flavor.

Godamm the Pusherman! The light switch turned on like a hooker seeing a $1000 bill for the first time. (You should have seen the look on Charlotte’s face). I’m in trouble now. Charlotte’s boss’s husband is a cigar smoker and occasionally reads me. This will get back to Charlotte on Monday. Thanks Fred.

It’s right at freezing at the moment…32°. And it’s a little windy and I have the big dining room window open. So it’s more like 25°. Yesterday, we had 25 mph winds and it was unbearable. Can’t imagine what the poor folks down south and east of us are managing. It is usually Wisconsin that gets this horrifying weather. So far, so good. May the Cosmic Muffin smile down upon us Wisconsinites and the PACKERS!

Strength is medium body.
The HVC Vieja Cosecha No.2 is picking up steam now.

Flavors include the addition of ginger, graham cracker, roasted nuts, and a touch of black licorice. The shortbread was replaced by the graham cracker.
Flavors aren’t big and bold but they are delightful and gratifying. Like me.

Construction is good. And the char line? Not a lick of trouble. Badda-bing!
For a cigar that felt so light in the hand, it is a very slow smoke.

This is a blend is a great follow up to the HVC Vieja Cosecha No.1 last year. Carter also sent me the HVC Edición Especial Toro 2015 to review and I can’t wait to get to it.
I took a look at some reviews that popped up from a year ago, or longer, due to them being on some daily specials. My site stats page shows the review and how many times it was hit. So when I see a shit load of Torano Hogshead, I know CI is having a sale. (Terrible cigar, by the way..I slammed it good).

Anyway, I went back and read some old stuff. I’ve been kidding myself. I really clever and a worthy wordsmith back then. This dreaded disease has allowed me to believe I write just as well; when I clearly don’t. So thanks for sticking with me my lovelies.

SECOND THIRD:
Smoke time is 35 minutes.
Flavors have flattened out some. Transitions have come to a halt.
Strength has dissipated to mild/medium.
All spiciness is gone. The cigar is on life support.
Wha’ Happened?
Flavors are more subliminal than actually there.

The most alarming thing for me is the now absent malts. We are left with chocolate, creaminess, espresso, cedar, and graham cracker. That’s all folks.
Construction remains in control. The char line is dead nuts.

But I am very disappointed that the cigar blend in the HVC Vieja Cosecha No.2 didn’t take off like a rocket. Instead, it crawled back into the whole whence it came.
This is not the behavior of a $10.00 blend. Now I’m beginning to wonder about why there were only 200 boxes made and you can still buy them on several online store web sites.

I check Halfwheel. He gave both last year’s version and this version a rating of 90. I read my review of the No.1 and it was a helluva cigar! I wasn’t rating cigars then but if I did, based on what I read, I would have rated the No.1 a 93 or 94.
I guess HVC released two new cigar blends in the same year. I check Halfwheel once again and they gave the new HVC Edición Especial 2015 Toro an 87. Yikes. But it is a buck and half less than the No.2.

At the moment, the HVC Vieja Cosecha No.2 tastes like any decent $7.00 cigar. Nothing special. No mind blowing experience. For $10, I want to trip out. The old fashioned way.
The char line is beginning to need regular touch ups. I now think that Halfwheel was being very generous with that 90 rating.
I near the halfway point. Smoke time is nearly 50 minutes.

Some new flavors: caramel, vanilla (It had shown up early and then disappeared), the mocha java returns, malts return: Chocolate Malt and Caramel Malt, chocolate salt water taffy, and pecan wood…gives it a nice sweetness.

Thank goodness I’m not on the HVC reviewer’s list. I’d be bummed if I had to diss a cigar that a manufacturer had given me. I don’t purposely write good reviews when samples have been doled out. But then, I don’t like to write negative reviews either. I have one very nice customer that sent me a bunch of $2-$3 house brand cigars. They are pure shit. I’ve now had them for months waiting for them to improve and they just get worse. I will continue to hang on to them in case they miraculously get better. Because of his generosity, I don’t want to write a negative review. Call me a hypocrite. It’s OK.

Flavors are beginning to pick up now. I’m right at the halfway point. Damn. This cigar experience is beginning to feel like it started yesterday.

Strength moves back to medium body from mild/medium.
But while the early flavors return, the spice doesn’t. I love my spice. It gives a cigar character and oomph. And when it disappears totally, the cigar feels like it has a great big doughnut hole in it.

The HVC Vieja Cosecha No.2 is not an impressive blend. I raved and raved about the No.1 blend.

First, HVC needs to get serious. Get a damn web site. People don’t take you seriously if you don’t have one. You seem to be a hobbyist. A Face Book page doesn’t replace the importance of a dedicated web site.

And that’s what all of this feels like…a hobby for the owner. Only 168 people Like the HVC FB page. What does that tell you? This is not a popular brand. And without the web site, there is no retailer list. I see FB members posing unanswered questions on where can I buy these cigars?
Clearly, HVC is a run by the seat of your pants operation. They don’t need a fancy web site. There are plenty of free ones to be had. That’s how I started back in 2009. And then you grow. So is it laziness or I don’t give a shit?

The little growth spurt a few minutes ago is a mile away from making this a better blend.
If this were a $6 stick, I’d say, “OK. You get what you pay for.” But at $10.40 a stick, I want a black eye from pounding my face into the laptop from joy.
Halfwheel was extremely generous. There is absolutely no way the HVC Vieja Cosecha No.2 deserves a 90.
I just want this to end.

LAST THIRD:
Smoke time is one hour 20 minutes.
Now the real test of the cigar begins. If it is to have redemption, it will be in the last third.
I can’t help but notice that in the sunlight, the wrapper is quite beautiful. Now if only the wrapper’s flavor was beautiful….

And sure enough, flavors begin to emerge as they should have two hours ago.
The spiciness returns; giving new meaning to life for the HVC Vieja Cosecha No.2.

The creaminess, chocolate, coffee, graham cracker, caramel, roasted nuts, and malts are pushing hard on the accelerator pedal.
This makes me sad for the folks who paid good money for this cigar. Those who rushed out and bought them thinking that a 200 box limited release would be something very special. 200 boxes is nothing. Who got them? How do you divide that up amongst B & M’s?

Cigar King carries them. Thompson Cigar carries them. Tobacco Grove carries them. And Jack Schwartz Importer carries them. Some at reduced prices and others gouging the public by charging more than MSRP. So be careful.

The last 2” are muy flavorful. Exactly how it should have started and then used it as a platform for the rest of the blend to excel as flavors, balance, and finish could have built upon. The draw becomes difficult. Of course.

I have several good cigars for review and I think that the HVC Edición Especial 2015 Toro (Yet to be reviewed) earned its position at the back of the line.
Instead of being harsh or bitter, the HVC Vieja Cosecha No.2 does excel during the last vestige of its life. It is bold. It is so flavorful. Shame on HVC. Were they taking a doob break when the final blessing was given to the released version of this blend?

RATING: 82

Wrapper: Mexican San Andrés
Binder: Dominican
Filler: Dominican
Size: 6.25 x 56 “Count of San Andrés-Box Pressed”
Body: Medium/Full
Price: $11.99 MSRP

Today we take a look at the new Crossfire Library Series Count of San Andrés.
Thanks to Miguel Castro for the gift.

I want to take this moment to explain something. Newly released cigars are expensive. The generous donors who have sent me cigars spent a lot of dough, out of their own wallets, to keep me going. The price point situation is not going to get better. A year from now, cigars will be even more expensive and we will probably be looking fondly at the days when cigars cost only $10.00. I would love to review inexpensive cigars but there just ain’t that many out there. I do have a couple of Crossfire blends to review in the $6-$7 range, but everything else in my humidor is in the double digit range. I don’t like it any more than you do. But this now seems to be status quo.

BACKGROUND:
Factory: Tabacalera William Ventura
Limited production

Courtesy of Halfwheel.com:
“The new collection, dubbed The Library Series, is made up of three cigars: The Count of San Andres, The Diary of a Connecticut and Legends of the Arapiraca, with the first two being made available to existing Crossfire retailers as of July 1. New retailers will have the opportunity to order the cigars at the upcoming trade show, with the Arapiraca version slated for a mid to late fall release, according to Jason M. Lois, the company’s national sales manager.

“The Count of San Andres uses a Mexican wrapper from the well-known San Andrés region, The Diary of a Connecticut replaces that top leaf for one from Ecuador, while Legends of the Arapiraca uses a Ecuadorian Arapiraca wrapper. The Library Series marks the first time that Crossfire has used a wrapper from outside of Ecuador on one of its releases.

“All three use a Dominican binder and filler underneath, though Lois wouldn’t confirm that it was the same tobacco blend for each cigar.

“Each is being released in a 6 1/4 x 56 box-pressed toro extra vitola for the first edition, with subsequent releases coming in different vitolas, though not on a set schedule at this point. Lois said the next edition will come as popularity and demand warrant.

“All three versions come in ten-count boxes that feature a slide-out drawer where the cigars rest. The Count of San Andres and The Diary of a Connecticut have an MSRP of $119.90, (10 count box) or $11.99 per cigar, while pricing for the Arapiraca has not yet been announced.

“All of the cigars are being made at Tabacalera William Ventura in the Dominican Republic, with production capped for the first edition at 500 boxes of each blend, a total of 5,000 cigars and 15,000 cigars between the three versions.”

DESCRIPTION:
Very attractive cigar. I love the entire presentation. From the soft/crisp box press to the giant cross in the middle of the cigar band.
The wrapper is an oily (with matte finish here and there), mottled, milk chocolate brown color. Seams are basically tight. Few veins. As I had 3 samples, the caps differ from one to the other. All done expertly; but one has a flat cap…another has a rounded cap, etc.
The stick is solid. Not a single soft spot.
The cigar band complements the cigar color nicely. I’d like to see their next blend have a Star of David on it instead of a cross. And they can call it “JewFire.”

AROMAS AND COLD DRAW NOTES:
From the shaft, I can smell spice, sweet potato, barnyard, mild chocolate and coffee, citrus, and floral notes.
From the clipped cap and the foot, I smell dark bittersweet chocolate, spice (really strong), espresso, nuts, barnyard, and earthy tobacco.
The cold draw presents flavors of caramel butter sweetness, spice, chocolate, malt, coffee, and cedar.

FIRST THIRD:
Smoke pours from the foot and nearly blinds me. The draw is superb..
The flavors spew like water from a faucet: Black pepper, chocolate, malts, creaminess, cinnamon, dates, cedar, and some flavors that just can’t quite be accounted for yet.
Strength is medium+ body.

The Crossfire Cigars web site is very accommodating except that it doesn’t include the new Library Series of which this cigar blend is one. I’m always let down by the laziness of a manufacturer that when a new blend(s) is released, they are two months behind in getting it on their web site. That kind of laziness is inexcusable. If they are lazy there, what other parts of their organization are they lazy in? Hopefully, not the design and production of their product.
Thank goodness for Halfwheel.com. Always a reliable source for information.

There is this loitering sweet potato essence that achieves some status from the smacking of the lips on the finish. Sometimes, Charlotte and I just bake a sweet ‘tater in the oven, break it open, slather it with unsalted butter, a touch of salt, and voila! We have dinner. Sometimes, the simple things are the best.

Construction is good. So is the char line. It started out a little rough but I caught it in time.
Chocolate, caramel, and creaminess give the Crossfire Library Series Count of San Andrés a candy bar-like anatomy. It tastes very much like the Askinosie Dark Chocolate + Malted Milk CollaBARation Bar.

Ever wonder what malt is exactly?
“What is a malt?
“A cereal grain (usually barley) that’s been dried by malting.
“How do you malt something?
“By soaking a cereal grain in water to germinate, removing it during germination, and then drying it in hot, dry air.”

Salty caramel, molasses sweetness, pistachio nut, and white chocolate. The Crossfire Library Series Count of San Andrés is going Bozo crazy on me.
Then a meaty series shows up.
I love that I am being tested by this complex cigar. The experienced palate will have a field day with this blend. Methinks it is a chameleon blend. Each palate will come up with its own definition of flavors. Sort of a spinning roulette wheel.

Strength hits medium/full. Full of wonderful balance. And a long, chewy finish.
This is a high quality blend. Not fucking around like the last couple of reviews whose price points were the same as this little gem.

This Library Series is a quantum leap for the Crossfire Cigars folks. I tried the other blend; the Arapiraca last night and was equally as pleased as I am with this blend.
This is high falutin’ journeyman blending.

SECOND THIRD:
Smoke time is 35 minutes.
The cigar blend is smooth as glass.
The Crossfire Library Series Count of San Andrés digs its heels in now. There is a big jump in complexity. The flavors burst like a water balloon.
The malts: Chocolate Malt, Aromatic Malt, Cara Munich Malt, Chocolate Rye Malt, and Flaked Barley Malt. (See Malt Chart).

What a friggin’ delicious masterpiece. The Crossfire Library Series Count of San Andrés is so complex that my head is spinning. (“Your mother sells socks in hell!!”)
Flavors don’t intermingle as much as they seem like a DNA strand.

I’m going to not try stepping on my dick and say that this cigar is well worth the $12. It is the first $12 cigar worth its keep I’ve smoked in a while. This is a lot of dough for a single cigar. And I cannot think of one $7 cigar that is this complex and delicious.
The Crossfire Library Series Count of San Andrés is very sophisticated. I actually think that it may be beyond my scope of detecting subtle flavors.
I reach the halfway point. Smoke time is 50 minutes.

Here goes: Chocolate, creaminess, coffee, malts, salty caramel, cedar, meaty, nutty, toasty, sweet potato, spice, and leather.
I know that sounds crazy but it is what I taste. Maybe I’m finally going off the deep end.

I’m getting very tired of the debates. Both Republican and Democratic. Nothing new is said on the Dem’s side. And the Republican debate continues to be carnival side show.
It really makes you scary to think that one of those people will be our next president. It is like Punch & Judy.
And a moment taken for those poor Parisians. I hope that the Europeans finally get off their collective asses and do something instead of relying upon America to do the heavy lifting. Let them all, including the moderate Arab nations, get rid of ISIS. And our soldiers can sit at home and watch the war on terror from their living room TV’s.

Back to the Crossfire Library Series Count of San Andrés.
I love this cigar. It’s better than a BJ in a strange bar’s bathroom.
Strength remains at medium/full. The spiciness is returning. Gives the blend some oomph.
I’m a big fan of the San Andrés wrapper. It’s sweet and tangy.
I know this is nuts but I get a slight taste of root beer.
This blend is not the kind you let humidor rest for 6 months or longer. If you do, you will lose a lot of its subtleties. I think anywhere from 3-8 weeks should do it. After that, the oils will meld into your other cigars and this wondrous flavor profile will be diminished.

But it is an expensive cigar. Even so, it is worth at least a 5 pack. If you’re flush, go for the box.
Cigar Federation is selling the sticks for full retail. But with your 10% off membership privileges, the cigar is reduced to $10.80. Every little bit helps. They only have 5 packs and 10 packs. No singles left. I don’t know where else they can be purchased unless your local B & M carries the line.

It is deadly quiet outside. Not a single bird is chirping. And the music isn’t on because Charlotte got a bug up her behind last night and decided to clean and rearrange the entire living room starting at 10pm. I have no idea when she got to bed but she is still asleep so the music is off.

There have been some minor burn issues but corrected easily and quickly. No points taken off the final score.
I’m approaching the final third when nicotine rears its ugly head. But very mild at this point.

LAST THIRD:
Smoke time is one hour 15 minutes.
The Crossfire Library Series Count of San Andrés is a dreamy cigar. Relaxing. Smooth. Flavorful. Complex. And while it is a strong cigar, it doesn’t get in the way of my enjoyment.
And now we have a full bodied blend. Woo Hoo. The nicotine really kicks in hard.

The Crossfire Library Series Count of San Andrés is exceptional in every way.
I am conflicted about recommending it for newbies. But then again, what better way to instruct one’s palate in something new?
I just realized that I haven’t reviewed a single Crossfire cigar. How odd.

But thanks to Miguel and another reader (I didn’t write it down); I still have the Arapiraca, Crossfire Corojo, and Crossfire Connecticut to review. As you can see in the photo, there is a difference in appearance between two $6 cigars and a $12 stick.

This was a terrific experience. The last two reviews were terrible: HVC Vieja Cosecha No.2 and the Camacho Shellback. Today was my lucky day thanks to Miguel Castro.

So got to Cigar Federation and snag a 5 pack if you can.

RATING: 91

Some thoughts….
I received an email from a dear reader who sent me some cigars. I failed to email him and thank him so I got an email asking if I had received them?
To all the wonderful people who send me cigars, I ask for your patience.
You have no idea how confused I get. It’s like a bad acid trip.

I’ve created this illusion, through my writing, that I’m lucid. But that modicum of lucidity only happens when I’m writing. The rest of the day, I forget where light switches are, I open a drawer when I mean to open a cabinet door, I grab a fork and go sit down not knowing why I did that, I forget where Charlotte is and I panic, every little thing overstimulates me and I get stressed out, I don’t like leaving the house anymore…it scares me, I call my daughter the wrong name on a regular basis, I forget to eat. I don’t remember what day it is, I don’t remember what month it is and sometimes I don’t know what year it is.

Using my camera is becoming a real chore as I forget how to work it properly and it is becoming progressively worse…so many buttons…And my writing is suffering; I can’t remember the right words to describe things. Sometimes I scream in frustration. Sometimes, I cry in frustration.

I have trouble keeping track of who sent me what. I’ve got a system, but it’s flawed; because it depends on me remembering to do it.

I have a big dry erase board to write things down. But sometimes I just stare at it. It might as well be a foreign language. And there are times I can’t figure out how to use the pen.

I’m not on meds for Alzheimer’s because I can’t afford them. So I have nothing to stop the slide. The donations I get go no further than paying doctors. No cigars are bought with this money.

If you have been generous to me, then please remind me of your generosity if I forget to respond. I’m not doing it on purpose. I’m not blowing you off. I’m not belittling you. Every gesture, no matter the size, is greatly appreciated. Cigars are my key to happiness.

One thing I’m fully aware of is that things could be much worse. I’m not alone. Everyone has a family member battling some illness. I’m grateful that my dear wife and darling daughter are healthy. That is everything to me.

But I am treading water. And I ask for your permission to do the best I can.
I’m not an asshole.
I’m very ill.
At some point, I will decide when it is time to stop reviewing cigars because I’m proud of my writing but I’m becoming increasingly distraught at its decline.
Thank you all for your kind support.
Phil

Wrapper: Nicaraguan Sun Grown Criollo ‘98
Binder: Nicaraguan
Filler: Nicaraguan (Sancti Spiritus)
Size: 6.75 X 43 “Lonsdale”
Body: Medium/Full
Price: $9.25 MSRP ($7.43 @ Small Batch Cigar)

Today we take a look at the L’Atelier Extension de la Racine ER15.

I want to start off by saying something nice. I was contacted by Drew Newman of J.C. Newman. He read my review of the Diamond Crown Julius Caeser that I wrote back in March of 2014. The review did not end well mostly due to construction issues.
Drew is sending me more Diamond Crown Julius Caeser and asks I give the blend a second chance. He was polite, sincere, and genuine. Don’t see that a lot.
I will comply. If someone is that sincere, then a second chance is the only polite thing to do. Fingers crossed.
In addition, he is sending me some new Diamond Crown Black Diamond cigars that will be released in 2016.
That’s class.

And many thanks to friend, Miguel Castro, for the cigars.

BACKGROUND:
Debuted at the 2015 IPCPR trade show.
Factory: My Father Cigars S.A.
Release Date: September, 2015
Limited production: 1500 Boxes of 20 Cigars
Extension de la Racine translates to extension of the root.
Courtesy of Halfwheel.com:
“Extension de la Racine, the line now encompasses three different vitolas, all of which incorporate a sun grown criollo wrapper covering a Nicaraguan binder and an all-Nicaraguan filler blend that includes some Sancti Spiritus tobacco.”

DESCRIPTION:
Not a bad looking stick. A little rustic but nothing outside the parameters of good rolling.
The wrapper is an oily, reddish russet brown color. Seams are tight. Not a lot of veins. Impeccably applied triple cap. The stick is solid without soft spots.
The cigar band is the typical L’Atelier style with the exception of it being red, black, and gold.

AROMAS AND COLD DRAW NOTES:
From the shaft, I smell lots of good stuff: orange citrus, sweetness, Courvoisier cognac, spice, oak, almonds, vanilla and floral notes.
From the clipped cap and the foot, I smell hay and the same as above.
The cold draw presents flavors of red pepper, chocolate, cream, orange citrus, malt, and coffee.

FIRST THIRD:
The draw is good. Lots of smoke.
And then that Garcia Blast of Pepper. Wowie Whoaie!

Then come the flavors fast and furious (Like my sex life): Chocolate, creaminess, molasses, coffee, orange citrus, Courvoisier cognac, spice, oak, almonds, vanilla and floral notes.
Strength is medium+ bodied.
A touch of maple shows up. More like a maple doughnut’s frosting. Treacly sweet.

I reviewed both the L’Atelier Extension de la Racine ER14 and L’Atelier Extension de la Racine ER13. I didn’t care for the 14 but I loved the 13. And in fact, the 15 has a lot of similarities to the 13 but nothing like the 14. (“Who’s on first?”)
The L’Atelier Extension de la Racine ER15 is, so far, a very typical, high premium template of a Garcia blend. Good cigar but nothing I haven’t tasted before in Garcia blends.

I like that Garcia blends stay spicy nearly throughout the cigar experience. That’s a big plus in my book.
But they tend to have the same thread running through them all. The Nic puro flavor profile. You rarely see anything out of the ordinary. Sure, it tastes great but it is not a ground breaker. Just forward momentum.
The L’Atelier Extension de la Racine ER15 smokes faster than I would like. I am nearly upon the next third and only spent 20 minutes with the first third. Yes, I know it’s a Lancero.

SECOND THIRD:
Smoke time is 17 minutes.
I remove the cigar band off of a second stick. And it takes a huge chunk of wrapper with it. Nicht gut. Now I worry what will happen when I remove this cigar’s band.

The spiciness dissipates quite a bit. Some of the flavors flatten out.
Once again: Chocolate, creaminess, maple, coffee, oak, cedar, toasty, orange citrus, vanilla, almonds, and lots of malts.
Halfwheel.com is the best source for getting the entire skinny on a cigar. You get all the correct leaf stats, background info, and I enjoy reading the reviewer’s reaction to the cigar. We don’t agree very often but many times, we do.

And Halfwheel mentions a subtle flavor of peppermint. I taste that too. It was elusive at first until I checked the Halfwheel review. And bang! That was it: Peppermint. But it is so slight; it might be wintergreen or plain mint.

I check Small Batch Cigar and Cigar Federation because of the 10% discount and I’m pretty sure you all shop there. SBC has a damn fine price. While CF is charging MSRP. So SBC is the place to snag these. If you know of a cheaper price somewhere else, please comment below. Let us help our brothers and sisters find the best deal.

I have to hand it to Pete Johnson. He could have followed suit with the other new blends and charged a fortune, but he didn’t. Not even a double digit cigar. And he has kept the prices the same even though the sizes have changed. I genuflect to the all-powerful Johnson. Pete, not mine.

The char line needs a major touch up.
The L’Atelier Extension de la Racine ER15 is not a bold cigar. It is staying in the safe category. Johnson knows his customer base and gives them more of the same. Very much a Nic puro flavor profile.

I’m not a Lancero smoker. They smoke too quickly and tend to have burn issues. I would have preferred that Johnson picked another size for this year’s release.
For the money, you got a better deal with the ER13 (5.875 x 52) and the ER14 (6.125 x 52 Torpedo). These were nice leisurely smokes while this one is whisking by like smoking a cigarette.
Yet, the L’Atelier Extension de la Racine ER15 has definitive positive points.
Strength moves to medium/full as I hit the halfway point.
And I hit the Sweet Spot. Smoke time is 25 minutes.

Flavors blossom now. Everything is in adult portions.
The spiciness returns with a vengeance. Now we have some oomph.
The typical Nic puro flavors are booming. The chocolate and creaminess have a jalapeno influence. The orange citrus is the right offset. The ancillary flavors are bolder as well. Nice.

This is a very good cigar and because the price point is reasonable for a limited edition, I will be kind to it. To be honest, there are plenty of $7 sticks out there every bit as good. But then, if you make your purchase at SBC, you are paying $7 and a few pennies. That is the correct price point.

Please don’t ask me what those other good $7 cigars are, because I can’t remember. I would have to research the shit out of it because I’m now at the point I can’t remember what I reviewed yesterday, the day before that, or the week before that.

Charlotte leaves for work and I turn the music on. “Stairway to Heaven” is playing. Back when it came out, my cover band “Homegrown” immediately learned the entire album. We played almost exclusively for the Marines at El Toro Air base in Tustin, CA. Every weekend. It drove the other bookers nuts that they couldn’t get their bands in but the enlisted men wanted us because we were the perfect mimic band. We could do any band sounding exactly as it was recorded. A very versatile singer and lead guitarist.

The EM club was “the” place to play. The officer’s club was a nightmare. Anyway, there were hundreds of Marines that came to see us play on Friday and Saturday. We made a lot of friends amongst the Marines. And when a drunken Marine tried to come up on stage and grab the mic away from our singer, a coterie of other more sober Marines stormed the stage and carried the fella off. It was a hoot. I hold my days of playing with Homegrown dearest to my heart. Even more so than Curved Air. We played together for 3 years before the drummer took a gig with a Vegas show band and we fell apart.
I only have these little Instamatic photos to prove I was in the band:

LAST THIRD:
Smoke time is 45 minutes.
The last third is absolutely delicious.
Every flavor in its place.

If it were any creamier, it would be like drinking heavy cream out of a glass.
It would have been nice if the L’Atelier Extension de la Racine ER15 would have started like this and then transitioned to something extraordinary, I would rate experience higher.

The L’Atelier Extension de la Racine ER15 is now a major flavor bomb. The nuance, the subtlety, the complexity, the balance, and the finish is something else.
This is why I don’t care for lanceros. The smoke time. If you can milk an hour out of this size, you are doing well. I think I will be just shy of an hour of smoke time.
The last third leaves me wanting more.

I check and SBC has plenty of 5 packs. And a few boxes. They also have a sampler of the ER14 and the ER15. That’s pretty cool. Two each for $33.00 before discount. Plus they still carry the ER14 in 5 packs and boxes. And they have a nice L’Atelier Sampler 5 Pack plus surprise for $39.00.

Only 1500 boxes were released in September. So it is my guess they won’t be around for long.
At $7.43 (Includes 10% discount) a stick at SBC, you can’t go wrong. Based on that price, I highly recommend snagging a 5 pack or any of the other manifestations of available forms you can buy this cigar in.
Strength finalizes out at medium/full.

The L’Atelier Extension de la Racine ER15 ends perfectly. Full flavored. Not a lick of nicotine or harshness or heat.
Final smoke time is 55 minutes.

RATING: 88

And now for something completely different:
I’ve written this story a couple times but not for a while. So my regular readers can pass but for the new readers…enjoy.
Back to El Toro Marine Base.

We always got to the huge rec room in the afternoon to set up. Always on a Friday.
A lot of Marines would show up to help unload and just hang out. A nicer group of fellas couldn’t be found.
We became friends with so many of them that I can’t count them all. They always bought us beers.

One Marine, whose name was Jose (I think), would have all kinds of drugs with him. Our lead singer, Mark, took any drug given to him; even acid, and would still perform impeccably. I could never figure out how he did that. The rest of the band would stand outside the hall and smoke doobs with the Marines. Remember, it was the late 60’s and early 70’s.
Jose was a little guy. And he always made us laugh. Such a funny guy.

One day while unloading, a bunch of Marines rushed us and asked if we heard what happened to Jose?
Our faces paled waiting to hear the worst.
“He took a bunch of downers. He went to the top of the 3 story barrack and fell off.”
Oh God. We knew he must have been killed.
And then one Marine said, “But don’t worry. He will still be here tonight.”
WTF?
“He just got a lot of bruises.”
WTF x 2?
He was so loose from the downers that he just bounced a couple times and got up and walked away. He never told his superiors.

That night, we saw Jose staggering in. He had a gimpy leg but that seemed to be it.
He came over laughing and asked how we were?
“Never mind us. How are you?”
“I’m fine. Just sore.”

And then he handed a handful of pills to Mark. Turned around, got a beer, and sat down at a table upfront.

Another time, a really drunk Marine got angry at me. I must have been sarcastic as I replied to something he said to me.
He lurched at me and could have squashed me. I had my bass around my shoulders. Without thinking, I slammed the head of the bass squarely into his face. He went down like a sack of potatoes. Out cold.

The other Marines couldn’t stop laughing. When the drunken Marine awoke, he apologized and the couple hundred Marines roared and applauded.

Once, we played at Camp Pendleton. A recruit operation. Boot camp. It was one of the worst nights of our lives.
Hundreds of drunken Marines who had a two year enrollment which meant they were taught to pull a trigger and then sent off to Viet Nam.
In between sets, they forced themselves into our dressing room. All of them crying. “I don’t want to die.”
We tried locking the door the rest of the evening but they got in anyway.

We vowed to never play there again. It was so disheartening thinking of these poor souls who were destined to fight a nasty war. And we wondered how many we met would end up dead or wounded.
It was a totally different environment than El Toro. So depressing.
We went back to playing El Toro til the demise of the band. Some great times with brave Marines.

Wrapper: Nicaraguan Oscuro
Binder: Nicaraguan Habano
Filler: Pennsylvanian, Nicaraguan (Ligero)
Size: 6 x 48 “Chin Music”
Body: Medium/Full
Price: $7.99 MSRP ($5.76 @ Small Batch Cigar including 10% discount)

Today we take a look at the Leccia Luchador El Gringo Chin Music.
A big thank you goes out to Miguel Castro.

BACKGROUND:
Debuted at the 2015 IPCPR trade show.
Factory: American Caribbean Tobacco S.A, Nicaragua
Regular production.
Release Date: September 2015

Recently, Leccia Tobacco was acquired by General Cigar & Co. (as part of the Toraño sale)
The cigar sizes are named after the most well-known wrestling moves.

First, I’m not a big Sam Leccia fan. I think he is overrated. Starting off with that silly Nub thing that drives me crazy, and then on his own where he leaked out blends at a slow pace due to litigation recovery. I’ve reviewed four of his blends and I have to admit that they were decent cigars. Just nothing like what is coming out of the great boutique kitchens with names like Warped, Ezra Zion, Arandoza, Dante, D’Crossier, Epic, Emilio, La Barba, Maya Selva, Nomad, and Roma Craft Tobac.
I’m afraid Sam doesn’t hold a candle to these creative masters.
With that in mind, I am apparently the last guy on the block to review this cigar so thank you for sticking with me on this venture.

DESCRIPTION:
The sticks are so so looking. Exposed seams. Huge veins. Very light in the hand. Soft spots (Not good-Watch. I will have burn issues where the soft spots occur), and sloppy triple caps. Just like last time, Leccia is no longer a man in control of his own destiny as he was first tied to the hip of Oliva Cigars. And now to General Cigars and Torano Cigars. I guess he needs their production and distribution. Just spit ballin’ here.
Like all the other Luchador cigar bands, it is goofy looking. The mask of those macho Mexican wrestlers.
The wrappers look like seconds. I was given three samples and each one is a different color. Averaging them out, the wrapper is an oily, dark russet brown with a bit of extra fine sandpaper sized tooth.

SIZES AND PRICING:
Chin Music: 6 x 48 $7.99 MSRP
Pile Driver: 6 x 60 $8.49 MSRP
Squared Circle: 6.5 x 64 $8.79 MSRP
Frog Splash: 4.5 x 70 $8.25 MSRP
Boxes of 21.

AROMAS AND COLD DRAW NOTES:
From the shaft, I smell dark cocoa, barnyard, cinnamon, spice, floral notes, and some honey.
From the clipped cap and the foot, I smell strong barnyard, strong spice, chocolate, and honey.
The cold draw presents flavors of milk chocolate, spice, barnyard, roasted nuts, berries, cinnamon, and cedar.

FIRST THIRD:
It’s go time.
Good easy draw.
The start is full of black and red pepper, chocolate, black licorice, coffee, cedar, and generic sweetness.
Strength is medium body.

At the moment it tastes like a Pepin Garcia blend with that pepper bomb beginning.
There is a very nice finish that has me smacking my lips which attracts the dog and we do it in rhythm.
The foot immediately tries to canoe on me. Damn!

I torch the bloody wrapper and put the cigar down so it may cool off and stop the run. I’m not even an inch in. I smoked the first one yesterday and had the same problem although not as bad as this one.
But it was eventually tamed by taking small puffs and letting it cool for 2 minutes between puffs. I absolutely hate it when a cigar dictates to me how it should be smoked instead of the other way around. I’m the boss.

I go back and read my review of the original Luchador and I comment that it is “jam packed with tobacco.” This version is a pale comparison and feels like a cheap bundle cigar. As a result, it is smoking quickly.
I’m nearly to the second third and I’ve invested only 15 minutes.

But flavors get better. More expansive and definitive: Creaminess, red pepper, fresh berries, honey, chocolate, black licorice, lots of malt, cedar, buttery, and coffee.
Complexity is taking its baby steps.
The char line needs another touch up so I check out other reviews and read the same thing happened to them to some degree.

SECOND THIRD:
Smoke time is 18 minutes.
Flavors have stagnated. Not going anywhere. Just lying there like my first wife on our honeymoon. Crazy broad. Screwed like a rabbit before we got married in 1971 and on our honeymoon, she refused to have sex with me. She then spent 9 months in an asylum. And then we got divorced at just about a year of marriage. Nice, huh?

The Leccia Luchador El Gringo Chin Music is very toasty with lots of creamy butter on it.
The spice is all but gone now. The chocolate, coffee, nuts, honey, and sweetness have moved into the space next to a black hole. No. Not my first wife.
In other reviews, I notice the bi-fecta description of “earthy and leather” a lot. LOL. Does this crack you up like it does me? You know what tastes like leather? My penis. Don’t ask.

This new version of the Luchador is a major disappointment. I loved the original. Plus it was packed to the gills with tobacco making it a nice slow smoke. This fucker is nearly smoking like a cigarette.
And the constant need for burn line touch ups is making me crazy(er).
One of the sloppy seams is beginning to unravel. And a crack forms on the other side. Time for glue. Drat. It is occurring exactly in the same place where a soft spot is.

The second third morphs to the halfway point in only 5 minutes. Holy shit.

I’ve got a really good cigar I plan to review tomorrow. And I have some great sticks that are ready to review to follow that up.
Clearly, Leccia or General or Torano used some crappy rollers in this effort. This is nothing like previous blends from Leccia. It is cheap and toxic.
Smoke time to the halfway point is 23 minutes.
Strength hits medium/full.

The spiciness returns in force. More flavors return: Chocolate, Malts, caramel, toasty, nuts, black licorice, and coffee.
Still, not very complex. A so so balance. And a fair finish.
I always feel bad when I diss a cigar that has been gifted to me. I’m sorry Miguel. But like the Chairman of the Board sang, “I gotta’ be me.” No matter how repugnant it is.

This cigar should have had a final smoke time of one hour 30 minutes. I doubt it will get halfway there.
The Leccia Luchador El Gringo Chin Music is now very flavorful. But the transitions were schizophrenic.
And then I look at the price point. Same as a year ago with the original Luchador. But we only get half the quality and half the cigar. You can read my review of the Leccia Tobacco Luchador El Hombre and marvel at the difference.

The Leccia Luchador El Gringo Chin Music is on cruise control now.
Just like that, flavors diminish some. The char line is still wavy but I’m done touching it up.

While I’m letting the cigar cool in the ashtray, I hike over to Halfwheel.com. Oh boy. He doesn’t care for it either. He gave it an 81. We are in total agreement. When I’m done with my review, I shall read his.

Leccia must have friends in high places for them to allow this travesty of a blend to be released. They should all be ashamed of themselves. The original Leccia Black and White blends were pretty good. What happened? Was Leccia told to keep the production cheap so they could make a big profit on the cigar? And in the process, ruin Leccia’s rep? Shame.
The Leccia Luchador El Gringo is going to do some serious harm to the Leccia line.

Nicotine pops up as the strength moves to full body.
I can’t help it. I stop and read Halfwheel’s review. Damn. I’ve written a carbon copy of his review. And I think he was a lot more polite than me.
But only I can get away with trashing cigars. At least at my level of expertise and readership count.

If the Toranos had anything to do with this, it wouldn’t surprise me. Torano is the king of the $6 cigar lines. And that’s what the Leccia Luchador El Gringo Chin Music is worth. Not $8.

So if you choose to buy some Leccia Luchador El Gringos go to Small Batch Cigar and pay only $5.76 a stick. It’s true value. At the moment, they only have 5 packs for sale and only a few left of each.

LAST THIRD:
Smoke time is 33 minutes.
The Leccia Luchador El Gringo Chin Music is devoid of complexity, transitions, balance, and finish.
I don’t enjoy trashing someone’s hard work. But my allegiance is to you, not the manufacturer.

There must be hundreds of smokers right now smoking the Leccia Luchador El Gringo and thinking to themselves, “What the fuck?”
If a blend is going to shine, it will happen in the last third. Not in this case. The Leccia Luchador El Gringo Chin Music is flat. Flavors have disappeared leaving only “earthiness and leather.” LOL.
No really. It’s all gone.

Even the strength has moved back to medium body. And no nicotine. I don’t remember that ever happening.
I really hope that Miguel didn’t pay more than $6.00. I feel very guilty. Like a Jewish boy should.

Oh. Jimi playing “All Along the Watchtower.” How fine. My all time fave Jimi song. Although, I like the way Dylan does his song as well.
I’m killing time as I wait for this mess to finish and I can take my last photo.
Clearly, I don’t look upon the Leccia Luchador El Gringo Chin Music favorably.
Just don’t pay $8.00 if you must purchase this cigar.
Final smoke time is 42 minutes.

RATING: 80

Wrapper: Ecuadorian Habano
Binder: Dominican
Filler: Dominican, Nicaraguan
Size: 5.25 x 52 “Robusto-No.1”
Body: Medium
Price: $11.00 MSRP (Can be had for $2 less if you look around)

Today we take a look at the La Hoja Edición Crema 1962 No.1 Robusto
Many thanks to Carlos Gomez, co-owner of La Hoja Cigar Co., for the samples.

BACKGROUND:
Debuted at the 2015 IPCPR trade show.
Factory: Tamboril DBL S.A. Dominican Republic
Regular production
“Hoja” is Spanish for “leaf.”

I reviewed the La Hoja Edición Clasica 1962 last month. And I reviewed the La Hoja Edición Maduro 1962 No. 1 Robusto last week. Both cigars blew me away. Now I’m conflicted on what my desert island cigar will be.

From the La Hoja Cigar Co. press release (7-12-2015):
“At next week’s IPCPR Convention & Trade Show, La Hoja Cigar Co. will be introducing its third core line. It’s called the La Hoja Edición Crema 1962 and as the name implies, it’s supposed to be creamy. To achieve that, the company is using an Ecuadorian Habano wrapper, Dominican binder and Dominican and Nicaraguan fillers. It will be offered in the same sizes as the company’s La Hoja Edición Clasica 1962 and La Hoja Edición Maduro 1962. That means four sizes: No.1 (5 1/4 x 52), No.2 (5 1/2 x 54), No.6 (6 x 60) and No.9 (5 3/4 x 56). Pricing is set between $11-13.50 and the cigars will come in boxes of 20. La Hoja was previously known as La Hoja de Flores, but had to rebrand itself as La Hoja Cigar Co. 1962 last year. The company’s cigars are made by Tamboril DBL S.A in the Dominican Republic. In addition to those lines, the company has a more limited line known as the La Hoja Reserva Limitada 1962, which is offered in a single size.”

DESCRIPTION:
A bit on the rustic side. Some seams are not tight. Very few veins. Nicely applied triple cap. The wrapper is an oily, caramel brown color.
One cap is round and the other is flat. Odd.

The sticks are solid. And like all La Hoja cigars, the presentation is gorgeous with a white, gold and red cigar band and a gold ribbon footer.

SIZES AND PRICING:
Same sizes as the La Hoja Edición Clasica 1962 and La Hoja Edición Maduro 1962.
No.1 Robusto 5.25 x 52 $11.00 MSRP
No.2 Belicoso 5.5 x 54 $11.50 MSRP
No.6 Toro Gordo 6 x 60 $13.50 MSRP
No.9 Toro 5.75 x 56 $12.50
Cigars will come in boxes of 20.

AROMAS AND COLD DRAW NOTES:
From the shaft, I smell honey, spice, golden raisins, chocolate, coffee with cream, and cedar.
From the clipped cap and the foot, I smell huge amounts of cinnamon, floral notes, spice, nutmeg, allspice, chocolate, cedar, and coffee.
The cold draw presents flavors of more of that potent cinnamon, creaminess, nutmeg, allspice, chocolate, floral notes, cedar, and coffee.

FIRST THIRD:
After that Aroma Fest, I can’t wait to light ‘er up.
The draw is perfect.

And large clouds of smoke surround my head like Custer’s last stand. And I’m Custer.
Big fat flavors of milk chocolate, a spice bomb, honey, cinnamon, creaminess, cedar, a variety of nuts, and baking spices.
Wow.

The only mild/medium cigar I like is the AJ Fernandez New World Connecticut. While the La Hoja Edición Crema 1962 No.1 Robusto does not have a Connecticut wrapper; nor any similar leaf ingredients, its profile is similar in that the blender has taken a dog leg to the left and removed preconceptions about what a mild/medium cigar should taste like. It is booming with large, interesting flavors and early transitions pulling the experienced cigar smoker in forcing him to pay attention with Moe slap to the face.
No construction issues. Perfect char line.

Strength is mild/medium.
Transitions galore. Complexity rolls in early. The balance is spot on. And the finish is 2 klicks long.

The exact same thing is happening as the La Hoja Edición Maduro 1962 No. 1 Robusto I reviewed a week ago. The blend is so fantastic; a Robusto is not enough time. Go with the Toro or Belicoso.
The La Hoja Edición Crema 1962 No.1 Robusto is worth every shekel of whatever it costs. La Hoja Cigar Company is a major player. Its only competition is Ezra Zion for the best boutique blends ever. Before La Hoja came into my life, EZ was my go to cigar on a desert island. Now I’m very conflicted.

SECOND THIRD:
Smoke time is 20 minutes.
The ash hung on the entire first third. Construction is a dream. Clearly, La Hoja uses only the best rollers. This is more than I can say for 90% of other manufacturers. They think they can get away with mass producing as fast as they can using subpar rollers but it shows as soon as you light your cigar…the dreaded run. The wavy char line that turns into something worse. The constant touch ups. I hate that. And I lose respect for the manufacturer for cutting corners.

The spiciness is on the wane. Too bad. Because it took most of that wonderful cinnamon with it. But what remains is magical: Milk chocolate, nuts, creaminess, baking spices, red pepper, honey, coffee, lots of malt, caramel, and cedar.
Strength remains at mild/medium.

Each puff takes me on a magical carpet ride..(Take it Steppenwolf):
“I like to dream yes, yes, right between my cigar machine.
On a cloud of sound I drift in the night.
Any place it goes is right.
Goes far, flies near, to the stars away from here.”

I have one more. I plan to smoke it today.
The spiciness returns. Moves right up the list.
Sweet Spot 2.0. Dazzling…impressive, remarkable, extraordinary, outstanding, and exceptional. That was the name of my second band in 1966.
Now I’m overdue to fawn over a cigar and I found my baby.

At the halfway point. Smoke time is 30 minutes. You ever notice that when you are having a jolly good time, that time flies by way too fast? Sure, the La Hoja Edición Crema 1962 No.1 Robusto will last an hour….but time has entered a black hole where time has no meaning and the only thing left is gravity.

Sweet spot 3.0. The complexity is going nuts. The finish won’t go away. It’s stuck to my teeth.
The only La Hoja Cigar Co. blend I have left to review is the La Hoja Reserva Limitada 1962 Gran Toro (6.5 x 54). And it’s a big’un so it should be totally satisfying as far as cigar-experience-time goes.

Strength hits a solid medium body.
Experienced cigar smokers will love this blend. Even those that only smoke full bodied sticks. It is such a wonderful flavor bomb that you just can’t turn your back on this cigar.

I check around. CI carries three of the blends but not the La Hoja Edición Crema 1962 yet. Famous Smoke does carry them and you can snag them for a couple bucks less per stick than MSRP. Which means, dear readers, it might end up on Cigar Monster and it will be a steal. Keep your eyes open.

Atlantic Cigars carries 3 sizes but stock is all backordered. And they want only a dollar less than MSRP. So Famous Smoke is your best chance besides your local B & M. I did find one online store that carries them but they want a couple bucks OVER MSRP. Thieves.
The burn line needs its first minor touch up. No biggie.

I’m dying to try the La Hoja Reserva Limitada 1962 Gran Toro. Carlos sent me two. Like the others. But I need them for review.
I’m totally enamored with the La Hoja Edición Crema 1962 No.1 Robusto. The La Hoja Edición Maduro 1962 No. 1 Robusto did the same thing to me. Has Carlos signed a pact with Beezelbub?

Not a single flavor component has changed; either in strength or in order on the list of flavors. I take that back. The spiciness has diminished quite a bit. Hopefully, it returns in the last third.

Man, we got hit with a big storm yesterday and it continues today. Flooded our basement.

I got the Humi-Care EH Plus Electric Humidifier yesterday. I also have a Cigar Oasis electric humidifier. Once you’ve gone electric, it’s hard to go back to Boveda. It is the most trouble free system of humidifying your cigars there is. A reader sent me a gift card for Stogie Boys and when I saw the Humi-Care, I knew I had to have it. As usual, I forgot to write down who sent me the gift. I’m slipping into darkness.

LAST THIRD:
Smoke time is 50 minutes.
I was right. The last third explodes. I love that in a cigar. Too many lie down and die in the last third. Not with the La Hoja line. They stick their tongue out at you and smile.

“This is the end, beautiful friend
This is the end, my only friend, the end
Of our elaborate plans, the end
Of everything that stands, the end
No safety or surprise, the end
I’ll never look into your eyes, again”
Thank you Jim Morrison.

Oh no. What are the odds? Just as I type the lyrics, a Doors song comes on. LOL.
I saw The Doors in concert. Great concert. Must have been 1969. A wall of amplifiers. And Morrison was so drunk; he had a cardboard box he carried while he sang so he could throw up into it. Yeah, those were the days.

Man oh man…I highly recommend this cigar to newbies and experienced smokers alike.
Yeah I know it ain’t no $6 cigar. But those days are gone. Gone, baby, gone.

These days, a $10 or $11 cigar is inexpensive. At least the good ones. And remember, La Hoja Cigar Co. is a small company. They can’t compete with the price points of the really Big Guys. Yet, lately, even the Big Guys are pumping out $15 sticks. None of them worth it.
At least with the La Hoja line, you get what you pay for plus some.

I plan to adopt Carlos Gomez. And you will have your Bar Mitzvah.

As predicted, the spiciness returns with a vengeance. The La Hoja Edición Crema 1962 No.1 Robusto is a mamma jamma of a blend.
Famous Smoke carries every blend and accessory that La Hoja Cigar Co. has put out. Lots of choices.

RATING: 92

Wrapper: La Meca Ecuador Habano #1 Rosado
Binder: Matacapan Negro de Temporal
Filler: Nicaraguan Gk Condega C-SG Seco, Nicaraguan Pueblo Nuevo Criollo Viso, Nicaraguan La Joya Esteli C-98 Viso, Nicaraguan ASP Esteli Hybrid Ligero, USA Lancaster County Broadleaf Ligero
Size: 5.25 x 52 “Robusto Largo”
Body: Medium/Full
Price: $13.00 MSRP ($11.45 @ Cigar Federation)

Today we take a look at the new Dunbarton Tobacco & Trust Sobremesa Robusto Largo.
Many thanks to Miguel Castro for the samples.
All I have to say, after reading the ingredients to this stew, it better be good…really good.

BACKGROUND:
This is the first release from Dunbarton Tobacco & Trust. It is ex-Drew Estate executive Steve Saka’s first outing with his new company.
Factory: Joya de Nicaragua S.A. Esteli, Nicaragua

PHOTO COURTESY OF CIGAR-COOP.COM Thank you sir!

From the Dunbarton Tobacco & Trust web site:
“Sobremesa, “over the table”, has no precise English translation, perhaps because there is no cultural equivalent in the US. It is an idiom used among the Latin culture to describe the leisurely time spent tableside after you have finished dining, but before you rise. It is the experience of lingering casually with family and friends in conversation, relaxing, drinking, smoking, and enjoying each other’s company. Sobremesa is one of life’s simplest, yet greatest pleasures.

“Sobremesa will be continuously crafted, however the pace of its production is being dictated by the tobaccos themselves and therefore will be limited in its availability via Select Purveyors for the foreseeable future.”

AND:
“Our master blender and catador de puros, Steve Saka, demands the most exact standards be honored at all times. Regarded as a cigar expert throughout the industry, he is credited as being an experienced cigar maker, a prolific author regarding cigars and black tobaccos, a forefather within the online media segment and a dynamic tobacco industry executive. In 2000, he worked directly for Lew Rothman, the former owner of JR Cigar, as an executive consultant for four years and he subsequently served as the President, then CEO of Drew Estate from 2005 through 2013. In 2015, he fulfilled a lifelong dream by establishing the family held Dunbarton Tobacco & Trust to craft cigars without any compromises.”

According to Cigar Coop:
“Saka said that the orders for Sobremesa that because the company recieved an overwhelming amount of orders, they will not be able to fulfill the existing orders. Instead, retailers will receive an equitable share of their first order and the balance will be fulfilled asap. Saka says the company will keep to its plan to make 1,000 cigars per month. Saka said, “my plan was always to make ~1,000 boxes a month until the second capa pilon was fully fermented and ready. DTT is not deviating from this plan.”

DESCRIPTION:
A beautiful cigar. An oily, very dark coffee bean color. Tight seams. Few veins. An impeccable triple cap. Fairly solid but I found a couple soft spots on each cigar.
The wrapper is silky smooth.
The cigar band, both main and footer, are super classy. The brown background is exactly the color of the wrapper.

SIZES AND PRICING:
Company founder Steve Saka announced that the 6 x 52 Belicoso Largo will be replaced by a 6 x 54 Torpedo Tiempo.
Corona Grande 5.25 x 44 $9.95 MSRP
Cervantes Fino 6.25 x 46 $11.45 MSRP
Robusto Largo 5.25 x 52 $13.00
El Americano 6.00 x 52 $12.45 MSRP
Torpedo Tiempo 6.00 x 54 Torpedo $13.00 MSRP
Gran Imperiales 7.00 x 54 $13.45 MSRP
Comes in boxes of 25.

AROMAS AND COLD DRAW NOTES:
From the shaft, I smell sweet cinnamon, bittersweet cocoa, spice, light floral notes, and espresso.
From the clipped cap, I smell peppermint, spice, chocolate, cedar, licorice root, floral notes, cinnamon, and espresso.
The cold draw presents flavors of dark cocoa, mint, spice, creaminess, cedar, sweetness, fruit, and baking spices.

FIRST THIRD:
The draw is a dream.
First flavors shoot out of a cannon: Red hot pepper that burns all the hairs in my nostrils, big dose of chocolate, caramel, black cherry, sweet fruitiness, cappuccino, cedar, malt…lots of it, and black walnut.
Whew. Now this is how a $13.00 cigar should start. With a bang!

You pay double digits for a good cigar; you have the right to expect spectacular moments from the very beginning. None of this last third sweet spot bullshit.
So far, I’m very impressed with the Dunbarton Tobacco & Trust Sobremesa Robusto Largo. Kudos Steve Saka. I mean no disrespect, but I can’t think of a single DE blend as good as this one.

I get a minor run and touch it up immediately. No biggie. Just want the photos to look pretty.
The malts: Chocolate Malt, Caramel Malt, Chocolate Rye Malt, Coffee Malt, and Marris Otter Malt. (See Malt Chart).
The Dunbarton Tobacco & Trust Sobremesa Robusto Largo becomes super complex after only one inch burned. The balance is perfect. And the finish is long and gooey.
Smooth. A one word description.
Strength is medium+ body.

The spice settles down. I would have preferred it to stay strong but that’s just me. I’m sure that in the last third, it will rise like a Phoenix.
And the peppermint candy element appears as a flavor for the first time. It is subtle and nuanced but it’s there.
This is a nice, slow smoke. I’ve smoked some cigars lately that were not packed with enough filler and they blew through the cigar experience. Not the Dunbarton Tobacco & Trust Sobremesa Robusto Largo. No my babies. The stick is taking its own sweet time and I’m digging a pony.
“I dig a pony
Well, you can celebrate anything you want.
Yes, you can celebrate anything you want.”
Thank you John Lennon for describing my reaction to this blend better than I.

SECOND THIRD:
Smoke time is 35 minutes.
Strength hits medium/full.

Root beer. That’s the ticket: vanilla, wintergreen, cherry tree bark, licorice root, sarsaparilla root, nutmeg, acacia, anise, molasses, cinnamon, and honey. In one form or another, this is what I’ve been describing along with chocolate, creaminess, spice, and cappuccino. The mint wasn’t peppermint, it was wintergreen.

The Dunbarton Tobacco & Trust Sobremesa Robusto Largo is a true, exceptional treat for the senses. It attacks on all fronts. There is a frontal assault to the nasal passages. There is a rear attack to the palate. And a double flank to the brain.
I believe Cigar Federation has them but based on how Saka is manufacturing the cigars in small quantities each month….well, Surprise! They have them in stock. I didn’t check every size and every quantity but there are definitely cigars for the picking.

The complexity ratchets up. The flavor profile is climbing Mount Everest and is already at the 29,000 foot mark. Only 29’-0 to go to reach the summit.

Once again, I am duly impressed. To be honest, I had no idea what to expect. I knew they weren’t cheap. $10.00-$13.50. Ouch. I’m an old dog having trouble doing new tricks. How long ago was an $8 cigar expensive?

Now, no cigars coming out of the 2015 IPCPR trade show cost less than $10.00. And way too many are $14.00 and up. The world has gone mad. There is no way that someone like me living on Social Security, old and decrepit, can afford a steady diet of $14.00 cigars. If it wasn’t for the kind, generous, and lovely Miguel Castro, I never would have had the opportunity to review this cigar; let alone smoke one.

The halfway point is upon me and it’s been a slow roll. Nice.
Smoke time is 50 minutes.

Construction is top notch and no more issues with the burn line. Just a little wavy here and there.
The spice is just about dead and gone. A shame. I hope it is resurrected in the last third.

But the other flavors of this root beer float are screaming laughter like a sea of swarming simbas.
The finish is un-godly long and chewy.

The Dunbarton Tobacco & Trust Sobremesa Robusto Largo is one of those cigars that just pours smoke like a Pittsburgh chimney and would make for a great photo if I was quick on my feet…but I’m not. Take my word. I haven’t lied to you yet. Maybe that’s why all the manufacturers hate me. LOL.
Transitions come fast and furious. It is nearly impossible to keep up with them and even with this dreaded illness, I can still type 40wpm. Thank you Mama Kohn for making me take typing in high school. How humiliating.

I love the little details like the cigar band just peeling off easily. Don’t you just get really annoyed when you start ripping to shreds a cigar band because it won’t comply?

A huge shift has occurred.
First, strength has moved to full body.
Second, the spice has come back with extreme prejudice.
Third, the flavors explode and I need a kitchen towel to wipe them off my face.
The root beer analogy still holds firm.

Once again: Chocolate, creaminess, malts, cappuccino, vanilla, wintergreen, cherry tree bark, licorice root, sarsaparilla root, nutmeg, acacia, anise, molasses, cinnamon, and honey. This description just nails my Dunbarton Tobacco & Trust Sobremesa Robusto Largo experience.

Oh man. Sweet Spot 10.0!
The Dunbarton Tobacco & Trust Sobremesa Robusto Largo is about as perfect as a cigar can be. I have no criticisms. I will be rating this cigar the highest I’ve ever done.

Saka is a mad scientist. His brain should be studied after he dies. Or before, depending on his wishes.
Flavors have taken a rocket to the moon, Alice.

I used to go to the A&W drive in stands. They would serve you an icy, frosted mug of root beer and it made a summer day perfect.
I’m at the A&W drive in right now. Only thing missing is the taquitos with guacamole.

Creamy, full of malts, an exceptional coffee presence, so chocolaty, and that ever lovin’ root beer’s ingredients.
And the best part…no nicotine. (Have I jinxed it?)
This has to be the smoothest full body smoke ever.
“Kashmir” by Zep is playing. So nice. Good radio day. Music brings out the best of me while reviewing.
I don’t know how reviewers that smoke first and then take notes do it? If I can’t do it simultaneously, I lose the passion.

LAST THIRD:
Smoke time is one hour 45 minutes.
The Dunbarton Tobacco & Trust Sobremesa Robusto Largo is phenomenal. But I guess all my fawning over it has already given you that impression.
Miguel sent me three. I smoked one a week ago. Not ready. But this morning? Holy shit!

Clearly, a New Breed cigar blend. It doesn’t need months of humi time. It is good to go in just 2-3 weeks.
I can’t begin to fathom what is up Saka’s sleeve for his next release.

This is extraordinary, journeyman, master blending.
The Dunbarton Tobacco & Trust Sobremesa Robusto Largo is a real treat.

I Google to see who is carrying it online besides Cigar Federation: Egars.com, Jack Schwartz Importer, Smoke Inn, and Cigars International. That’s all I could find. I’m sure there is a list of B & M’s on the Dunbarton Tobacco & Trust web site.
But CF is probably your best bet; especially with the 10% discount for members.

The flavor profile is overwhelming. I’m totally distracted. I want to stop typing and just enjoy.
With only 1000 cigars per month to be released, snagging some will be tricky. But at least CF has an app that allows you to be notified when they are in stock again.

Get some. Send your wife out to the streets to make some dough to buy them. Do whatever it takes. Whether it’s a single, a 5 pack, or a 25 count box, be patient and you will be rewarded. CF has a few sizes left. Mostly in singles which is just fine as they charge for a single the same price as a box price.

RATING: 98

Tamboril, Dominican Republic (November 18, 2015) – Nomad Cigar Company and Stogies World Class Cigars are pleased to announce the release of the Nomad H-Town San Andres Lancero exclusively for Stogies World Class Cigars in Houston, TX.

“Early in the year Fred brought me a few unreleased lancero samples knowing that I’m a big fan of the vitola. After enjoying each and every one of them I realized I just had to have this blend in my H-Town lineup. The cigar complements the rest of the collection and it is the only one with a San Andres Wrapper. I’m excited to have an exclusive from Nomad, one of the fastest growing and most exciting young brands,” said Jorge Ahued of Stogies.

The blend was created to fully showcase the San Andres Wrapper and consists of a Dominican Binder and Both Dominican and Nicaraguan fillers.

“I am honored to be a part of a very exclusive group of blenders participating in this series. Lanceros offer a flavor experience that cannot be found in other sizes. Jorge has put together an amazing, and diverse, collection of Lanceros that are sure to please cigar aficionados everywhere. For Nomad, it is another milestone in what has certainly been an incredible journey since starting the company,” said Fred Rewey, Nomad Cigar Co.

This project adds yet another blend to Nomad’s already substantial growth since the company’s inception in 2012. The Stogies H-Town Lancero is Nomad’s 10th blend/release.

The Nomad H-Town San Andres Lancero is releasing this week and will be exclusively available at Stogies World Class Cigars in Houston.

Additional Details:

Country of Origin: Dominican Republic
Factory: Tobacalera L&V
Wrapper: San Andres
Binder: Dominican Habano
Filler: Dominican and Nicaraguan
Size: 7 Inches
Ring Gauge: 38
MSRP: $8.50 (10 count box)
First Release: 2,000 Cigars / 200 boxes
Release Date: November 18, 2015

Contact:
Nomad Cigar Company
Fred “Godfadr” Rewey, Nomad Cigar Company
Twitter: @Godfadr
Email: Godfadr@NomadCigarCompany.com
Website: NomadCigarCompany.com
Phone: 855-MYNOMAD (or 855-696-6623)

or

Stogies World Class Cigars
6100 Westheimer Rd, Ste. 102
Houston, TX 77057
Phone: (713) 783-5100
Twitter: @stogieshouston

Wrapper: Honduran Sun Grown Colorado Oscuro
Binder: Nicaraguan (Jalapa)
Filler: Nicaraguan (Esteli & Jalapa)
Size: 5.5 x 54 “Robusto Extra-N54”
Body: Medium/Full
Price: $14.00 MSRP (Can be had for $11.19 on Cbid at “Quick Buy”)

Today we take a look at the Cohiba Nicaragua N54.
Thanks to an anonymous donor for the pair.

First I’d like to address something that happened yesterday after I published the Sobremesa Robusto Largo Cigar Review.
Steve Saka sent me a very nice email in which he joked, “Where do I send the check?” Now anyone with an I.Q. over 60 knows this was Steve saying thank you. No money changed hands. He didn’t send me samples. Miguel Castro sent me the samples. I’ve never received a single cigar from Steve Saka. And he has no immediate plans for a new blend.
Plus, he is running short on stock as he didn’t expect such a rush on his Sobremesa. Try to find them now is nearly impossible. So he isn’t sending me those cigars; or any cigars.

These assholes on Face Book accused me of being a “Shill” after Steve posted a link to my review on his personal FB page and his Dunbarton & Trust FB page. The jerks; Ted O. and Don Julian C., both accused me and Steve of being in collusion.
Well, that pissed me off. I denied this in the comment section. And so did Steve; in a funny manner. Steve held himself above the fray and remained a gentleman and maintained his dignity by not being reduced to the level of those morons. Steve is pure class.
Note to Steve: I got more hits, in one day, on that review than of any other cigar. A total of 1043 hits. Wow. And still counting today. If you go to Steve Saka’s FB page, you can read the comments.

BACKGROUND:
Debuted at the 2014 IPCPR trade show.
Regular production.
Factory: Scandinavian Tobacco Group Estelí S.A.
Release Date: October 2014

From the Cigar Aficionado web site:
“There are Cuban Cohibas, Dominican Cohibas and even Cohibas with Cameroon and broadleaf wrappers, but for the first time in the brand’s history, there will be a Cohiba from Nicaragua this fall.

“Aptly named Cohiba Nicaragua, the new cigar was unveiled by General Cigar Co. at last week’s International Premium Cigar & Pipe Retailers trade show in Las Vegas. It’s made in Nicaragua at the Scandinavian Tobacco Group Estelí S.A. factory, and contains mostly Nicaraguan tobacco. Before production started on this brand, General made all of its Cohibas in the Dominican Republic.

“It was a laborious process to develop a Nicaraguan cigar to complement the existing Cohiba portfolio,” said Jhonys Diaz, vice president of operations for General Cigar.

“The blend starts with a Honduran sun-grown wrapper that the company classifies as Colorado oscuro in color. Underneath, a binder leaf from Nicaragua’s Jalapa growing region holds together a blend of Nicaraguan tobacco from Estelí.

“Cohiba Nicaragua cigars come in four sizes: N45 at 4 inches by 45 ring gauge ($9.99); N54, 5 1/2 by 54 ($13.99); N60, 6 by 60 ($14.99); and N50 En Crystale, a 5 by 50 cigar that comes in a glass tube ($12.99).

“All sizes will be packaged in 16-count boxes, save for the tubed N50 En Crystale, which will come in boxes of eight.”

DESCRIPTION:
This is a stout cigar. Big and hefty. But seams are not tight. Lots of, both, big and small veins. A nice triple cap. One stick has a tree trunk vein running down the entire length of the cigar.
The wrapper is an oily, dark coffee bean brown with hints of red. Solid. No soft spots.
Classy cigar band of just black and copper. And very smooth to the touch.

SIZES AND PRICING:
N45: 4 x 45 $9.99 MSRP
N50 En Crystale (Tubo): 5 x 50 $12.99 MSRP
N54: 5.5 x 54 $13.99 MSRP
N60: 6 x 60 $14.99 MSRP

AROMAS AND COLD DRAW NOTES:
From the shaft, I smell exotic spices, chocolate, red pepper, cinnamon, heavy cream, coffee, and nuts.
From the clipped cap and the foot, I smell dark bittersweet chocolate, spice, coffee, barnyard, exotic spices, cinnamon, and raisins.
The cold draw presents flavors of dark cocoa, nuts, coffee, spice, sweetness, cinnamon, and malt.

FIRST THIRD:
For such a packed cigar, the draw is spot on.
First flavors: Red pepper, heavy on a variety of malts, strong espresso, a wonderful chocolate from a boutique chocolatier, raisins, nuts, sweetness in the form of fruit preserves, cedar, and creaminess.
Very nice start. I’ve had this cigar resting in my humidor for nearly two months. I still feared that it might not be enough. After all, it is a Cohiba. Old school.
Strength hits medium/full from the beginning.

The fruit preserves are defined now: Figs, peaches, and orange marmalade. I love those fruit sweetened preserves; especially the French ones. They aren’t cheap but I find them online for a decent price. All of them are more chunks of fruit than pectin. It’s not uncommon for me to have a toasted bagel or a couple slices of Jewish rye toast with preserves for lunch. If I remember to eat.
The foot goes awry on me. I am flummoxed. I torch it and then put it down to let it cool and hope that the run goes out on the cigar.

I’ve given the Cohiba Nicaragua N54 sufficient time to cool down and let the unburned wrapper time to catch up to the run. Fingers crossed.
I’m getting some orange/lime citrus now. I feel the need for a Margarita. No salt.
A very smoky cigar in terms of output.
Also, a slow smoke. This baby is going to push 2 hours.

As I always rant and rave, if you are going to pay $14.00 for a cigar, a blow job should come with it. Pardon the pun.

So far, the Cohiba Nicaragua N54 seems to be earning its stripes. But then who are we kidding? I smoked a Dunbarton Tobacco & Trust Sobremesa Robusto Largo yesterday and it retailed for $13.00 and worth more based on today’s standards.
The Cohiba Nicaragua N54, while very good, is in no proximity to the DT&T blend.

Sweet Spot 1.5. Just a delicious, delectable blend flavor profile.
You should know the malts by now if you were interested. It has them all.
New flavor of sweet caramel.

I’ve noticed that some reviewers spend too much time describing the draw and the burn. Paragraphs full of this shit. Do you really care that the draw differs as you travel down the shaft of the cigar? Or that the burn is fine but blah, blah, blah? I don’t.

I’m also annoyed by reviewers who are even more repetitive than me. If they have nothing to say, smoke the cigar too soon, aren’t interested, or lastly; don’t have a very good palate they ramble on much worse than me. At least be entertaining. So many are like copywriters. Stay awake, stay awake. But then there are some very good reviewers out there that have their shit tied in one sack. A few are the Big Guys and a few are the lesser known reviewers. I’m always delighted what comes from the twisted brain of Kaplowitz. Hey Kap. How’s it hangin’?

The Cohiba Nicaragua N54 needs another touch up at the foot. There is no excuse for this. You shouldn’t worry about a $14.00 cigar’s construction. Cohiba should be ashamed of themselves. It ain’t me babe. The cigar got plenty of humi time and I gave it 36 hours of dry boxing.

SECOND THIRD:
Smoke time is 35 minutes.
The Cohiba Nicaragua N54 is now very complex. Great balance. Wonderful finish.
Charlotte leaves for work and on comes the music. And we start off with “White Room” by Cream. Damn.
I tried accessing the Cohiba web site yesterday but it was down. I tried again minutes ago and was duly impressed. A very classy site. But little info on this cigar. A short paragraph of PR. That’s it.

The char line is finally behaving.
The Cohiba Nicaragua N54 is a very relaxing cigar. The medium/full body is uber smooth. Flavors are spinning like a disco ball above my head.
Here they are once again: Chocolate, spice, creaminess, espresso, malts, citrus, fruit preserves, cedar, and raisins. This is not a kitchen sink profile but each and every flavor is well defined.

This is the perfect size for a review as it takes all morning and provides a good start to my day.
A sip of water and flavors explode.

I’m not sure if I’m ready to say the Cohiba Nicaragua N54 is worth $14.00 but I am allowing the thought to ruminate in my puny brain.
I have given up. Sure there are lots of inexpensive cigars in the CI catalog. Some very good. But as your palate gains experience, your palate wants only the most interesting blends. A natural occurrence I believe.
Thank God for a handful of readers that keep their Uncle Katman happy.
“Lady Madonna.” Yeah baby.

Still not close to the halfway point and the cigar flavor profile hits the ball out of the park like Mark McGwire. And breaks the Jumbo-Tron.
Massive flavors. The malts are now playing an important, integral part to the flavor.
Another big touch up is needed. This is going to fuck up its final rating. This is too bad because it is one flavorful stick.

Sophisticated palates are going to go ape shit over the Cohiba Nicaragua. This is masterful blending. This is, by far, the best Cohiba blend I’ve tasted. By a mile. Although, I’ve never tasted the Comador. Or the special limited editions.

David Bowie is playing. A funny story. Years ago, I ran into a music producer I had known for a long time. Only worked with the top rock acts. We were at a club so we schmoozed for a while. He told me of this time he was doing a Bowie session.
The music had already been laid down. It was just Bowie sitting on a stool in the recording area and doing his vocals. It was an emotional song. He only needed one take. Unheard of. When he finished, he began to cry.

My buddy told a production assistant to run and grab some Kleenex for him. Moments later, the PA went in and only had half a roll of toilet paper and threw it across the room at Bowie and hit him in the head.
Obviously, everyone was shocked. And of course, the PA was fired on the spot. I thought it was pretty funny since I wasn’t there. I wish I could remember little vignettes like that. But the memory is fading quickly.

We are supposed to get our first snow this afternoon. But at the moment, it is cold but very sunny so I don my ball cap to minimize the glare coming through the window while I type.
I make it to the halfway point. Smoke time is over an hour.

This creates a true cigar experience. Unlike the Leccia Luchador El Gringo that took less than an hour to smoke a Churchill.
Flavors are just so perfectly balanced that I’m beginning to think that the Cohiba Nicaragua N54 may just be worth this ridiculous price. But as I said, they can be had for $11 on Cbid with their Quick Buy app. Currently, they have 20 available for $11.19. That is an incredible deal for this quality.

The Band’s “The Weight.” Does it get any better?

Carter Tinsley sent me a cigar I didn’t recognize. Now I know. It is the new Rocky Patel Hamlet Tabaquero. A medium bodied blend in the $8 range. I shall review it tomorrow.
From the CI web site:
“Hamlet Paredes was one of Cuba’s most sought after cigar rollers, often traveling internationally to do in-store rolling demonstrations. Rocky Patel aided Hamlet and his family in escaping Cuba and coming to the US, and now Hamlet is releasing his first cigar for Rocky, Tabaquero by Hamlet Paredes.”
I’m looking forward to this review.

Back to the Cohiba Nicaragua N54.
The list of flavors has not changed an iota. Same order just stronger. The spiciness is stronger as well. I like that.

I just checked the Cigar Aficionado web site and they rated all four sizes. Ratings were between 87-89. Not impressive. They only gave the Cohiba Nicaragua N54 an 87. I just don’t agree.
Halfwheel.com gives this size a 90. I’m more in tune with Halfwheel than CA.

The Cohiba Nicaragua N54 goes out.
When I relight it, the creaminess takes over. And new flavors emerge: caramel (which had been absent since early on), it is so complex, I must smack my lips to discern what they are…buttery toast, floral notes, and Crème brûlée (a dessert consisting of a rich custard base topped with a contrasting layer of hard caramel and a nice dose of vanilla bean).

With 2-1/2” to go, the Cohiba Nicaragua N54 becomes a flavor bomb. I’m glad I waited two months before reviewing this cigar. I doubt I would have received half the flavors if I’d reviewed it a week earlier.

I cannot believe I am about to say this…but the Cohiba Nicaragua N54 is worth the $14.00. But why spend $14 when you can pay only $11.19 on Cbid. Now that’s a deal.
I can’t believe I said that.

For a cigar only 5.5” long, it must be the slowest stick I’ve smoked. Of course, the 54 ring gauge helps.

I was contacted by Vivalo Cigars and they are sending me samples. I’ve heard nothing but good things about this brand. Patrick Vivalo contacted me himself. Vivalo is a brand new company started in September of 2014. Patrick spent years (since 2002) with Rocky Patel as their best sales executive and in charge of in-house sales. Check out the Vivalo web site. He’s gotten nothing but rave reviews. Looking forward to my own review.

The Cohiba Nicaragua N54 lives up to all the hype. This is one fantastic blend and I do believe I will rate it higher than anyone else. I think the folks at CA are jaded when it comes to rating cigars.

LAST THIRD:
Smoke time is one hour 40 minutes.
This cigar makes me happy coming on the heels of the Dunbarton Tobacco & Trust Sobremesa. Anything would have been a letdown after that cigar. But the Cohiba Nicaragua N54 can hold its own. Strength hits full body.

I highly recommend you amble over to Cbid and snag some while the getting’ is good. You will thank your Uncle Katman.
I’ve been sitting in front of my laptop for over 3 hours. Will need a nap.
The last third sees another uptick in flavor intensity. Unbelievable. I thought it had nowhere to go. But it continues to impress.
I’m going to stop writing now and just sit back and finish the Cohiba Nicaragua N54.
Final smoke time is two hours 5 minutes.

RATING: 92

Wrapper: Mexican San Andrés
Binder: Brazilian Mata Fina, Mexican San Andrés
Filler: Nicaraguan
Size: 5 x 54 “Robusto Grande”
Body: Medium/Full
Price: $8.80 MSRP

Today we take a look at the new Rocky Patel Hamlet Tabaquero.
Many thanks to Carter Tinsley for the stick.

The slide seems to be happening quicker than I expected. I need to re-think how I review. How I write. I am redundant. I am repetitive. I write silly. I’m going to try and be more concise and produce less effluence. I don’t want to go out looking like an ass because my mind doesn’t have the common sense to know when a good thing should come to its conclusion. We shall see how it goes. (I guess that if the bastards at Medicare would pay for the Alzheimer’s drugs, I’d be doing better. So I am not taking any Alzheimer’s meds.)
Thanks for sticking with me.

BACKGROUND:
Regular production
Debuted at the 2015 IPCPR trade show
Released September, 2015

From the Rocky Patel web site:
“Developed and blended by Cuban Master of Tobacco Hamlet Paredes, this cigar is an exciting addition to the Patel Family. Featuring a robust San Andreas (sic) wrapper with filler from Nicaragua and binders from Brazil and Mexico, this masterfully-crafted blend is a unique experience for any aficionado. The Tabaquero comes in a few traditional, as well a few rare sizes hand-picked by Hamlet Paredes. This cigar is the closest a smoker can get to a fusion of Cuban craftsmanship and Nicaraguan ingenuity.”

When are copywriters going to realize that San Andreas is a fault line? Not an area in Mexico. It is San Andrés…you dufus copywriter.

From the Cigars International web site:
“Hamlet Paredes was one of Cuba’s most sought after cigar rollers, often traveling internationally to do in-store rolling demonstrations. Rocky Patel aided Hamlet and his family in escaping Cuba and coming to the US, and now Hamlet is releasing his first cigar for Rocky, Tabaquero by Hamlet Paredes.”

From the Cigar Aficionado web site:
“If the name Hamlet Paredes sounds familiar, it’s because he was a former Habanos S.A. ambassador who became famous among Cuban cigar smokers through his in-store rolling demonstrations and Cuban tobacco seminars held at tobacconists around the world. Rocky Patel met Paredes through one such tobacconist and offered him a job.

“Robert Fox from the JJ Fox tobacconist in London introduced me to Hamlet,” Patel told Cigar Aficionado. “I was very impressed with his knowledge.”
Paredes now works for Patel and created the blend that is now known as Tabaquero Hamlet Paredes. Although the cigars are manufactured in Nicaragua, the cigar was first developed at Burn, Rocky Patel’s high-end cigar lounge in Florida.

“They’re made in Nicaragua at the TaviCusa factory, but were blended by Hamlet in Naples, Florida at Burn,” Patel confirmed. “His visa doesn’t allow him to go to Nicaragua, so we spent months developing this blend. Because he can’t go to Nicaragua, Hamlet does not physically roll these cigars, nor does he oversee them, but the blend is his.”

DESCRIPTION:
A good looking cigar. Stout and packed to the gills. Seams are tight. Very few veins. The wrapper is an oily, dark chocolate brown that is silky smooth.
The triple cap is flawless. The double cigar bands are bright and festive. No mention of Rocky Patel. Just Hamlet Paredes on the side. And “Master of Tobacco” on the other side.

SIZES AND PRICNG:
Corona 5.5 x 42 $8.00 MSRP
Robusto 5 x 50 $8.60 MSRP
Robusto Grande 5 x 54 $8.80 MSRP
Toro 6 x 52 $8.80 MSRP
Salomon 7.625 x 58 $8.82 MSRP

AROMAS AND COLD DRAW NOTES:
From the shaft, I can smell cocoa, sweetness, spice, berries, and cedar.
From the clipped cap and the foot, I smell dark chocolate, spice, sweetness, and cedar.
The cold draw presents flavors of earthiness, chocolate, cherries, and cedar.

FIRST THIRD:
The draw is a bit tight so I massage the cigar. Afterwards, the cigar smokes a cigarette.
First flavors: Chocolate, strong black pepper, sweetness, cherries, creaminess, cinnamon, licorice, pecans, fresh oranges, floral notes, vanilla, and cedar.

Strength is immediately medium/full. I got the posted “Medium” body from the web page on CI. I do believe they may be incorrect in this matter.
While lighting the outside perimeter of the foot, I noticed a small imperfection and it is exactly where the burn wants to make a run for it now. A touch up is needed to avoid a larger problem.

The draw doesn’t improve. There is a plug between the cigar band and the cap. I grab my awl and gently rotate it down the cigar a couple inches. Then I hear a crack. Crap. The wrapper has a slight tear in it now. That was the bad news. The good news is that now the Rocky Patel Hamlet Tabaquero has a clear and open draw.

The cherry sweetness keeps this blend from being ordinary.
It has taken an inch of futzing around with the burn line before it begins to behave. Fingers crossed.
There is a green vegetal element that seems to be made up of bell peppers.

I don’t know how long Carter had this cigar in his humidor but I do know he only sent me nicely aged sticks. And I’ve had the cigar cooling its heels in my humidor for well over a month.

Transitions begin. The Rocky Patel Hamlet Tabaquero has more elements of a fine boutique blend than an RP blend. I’ve found that RP cigars tend to hit you over the head with a ballpeen hammer. This blend by Hamlet Paredes is a kinder, gentler blend.
The black pepper has been stopped in its boots.

SECOND THIRD:
Smoke time is 20 minutes. Should have been longer save for all of the touch ups to the char line.
The Rocky Patel Hamlet Tabaquero is much improved in this second third.

Complexity kicks in. More flavors: Malts, toffee, hickory smoke, meaty, and oak are added to the lineup.
This is a nice blend. Strength remains at medium/full. I’m sure it will hit full bodied soon.

Patel should use Paredes a lot more. Or break off with the regular Patel line and create a boutique side to the brand. He shouldn’t let Paredes go. The Rocky Patel Hamlet Tabaquero is far superior to almost any Patel blend I’ve smoked.
I don’t know what it is about old Cuban ex-patriates that gives them the edge over so many other blenders. But then, most of the New Breed brands are mostly young men. So age has no stranglehold on quality.

The Rocky Patel Hamlet Tabaquero is now bordering on exceptionally great.

Now all the flavors: Chocolate, creaminess, sweetness, cinnamon, licorice, orange, hickory smoke, cherries, cedar, malts, black pepper, toffee, floral notes, vanilla, meaty, oak, vegetal notes, and an earthy richness. No leather. Sorry.

At the halfway point, the complexity settles in and makes itself at home. Nice balance. Good finish. The chocolate is extraordinary now. Candy bar quality.
The black pepper returns. I like that.
Smoke time is 35 minutes.

I can’t seem to take a decent photo this morning. Have a terrible case of the tremors.
I’m still correcting the burn now and again. It just won’t cooperate. This will definitely affect my rating.

I keep my cigars for review in a single humidor. And it is the one with the electronic Cigar Oasis humidifier. On top of that, I put in a Zederkoff digital hygrometer as a backup double check system. They are never more than .2% off from each other. As long as I am on the subject. You can buy these $40 Zederkoff hygrometers on Cbid for $7-$10 each. I have three. These are the most reliable hygrometers.

I am nearing the ginormous crack caused by using my cigar awl to clear a plug. It looks pretty nasty and I cannot glue it. This may ruin the review. We shall see.

While I’m not close to finishing the Rocky Patel Hamlet Tabaquero, I am ready to give it a rating of 90. But the burn issues will take a couple points away.

I don’t have a second stick to compare it to so I have no idea if this is a common occurrence. Which is funny actually. Paredes is known as a master roller. It was those skills that brought Paredes to Patel’s attention.
The crack is beginning to expand. I lay down a bead of cigar glue.

LAST THIRD:
Smoke time is 45 minutes.
The Rocky Patel Hamlet Tabaquero reminds me of another blend. It’s a cross between the Espinosa Especial and the Man O’ War Side Projects Phalanx.
The crack looks like an open wound now. I’m not going to show a photo as this was my fault, not the cigar’s.

But it does say a lot for the construction of the cigar as most cigars would have fallen apart by now. So Paredes’ rolling skills are top notch. But then it would not have a crack if not for a large plug.

I check a bunch of online stores. Almost every single one is selling the Rocky Patel Hamlet Tabaquero for MSRP. There are exceptions like Cuenca Cigars, Best Cigar Prices, and egars.com. All are about a buck less than MSRP. Clearly, this is a popular cigar.

The last third becomes the sweet spot. Very creamy. Very chocolaty. Malt plays a big part. The ancillary flavors all have something to add for a complete picture.

The real bummer is that this cigar just wasn’t rolled properly. I have burn issues right to the end.
Discounting the burn issues, this is a great cigar. Very flavorful. Complex. I would definitely like to have more.

RATING: 87 (Because of burn issues)

Wrapper: Ecuadorian Habano
Binder: Nicaraguan
Filler: Nicaraguan
Size: 6 x 52 “Toro-Box Pressed”
Body: Medium
Price: $9.85 MSRP

Photo courtesy of Halfwheel.com

Today we take a look at the new Mason-Dixon Project LE 2015 Northern Edition.
Thanks to Miguel Castro for the cigars.

BACKGROUND:
Factory: My Father Cigars S.A. Esteli, Nicaragua.
Limited production: 30,000 cigars in 20 count boxes for each Edition.
Released last week of October, 2015.
Comes in one size only.
The Southern Edition is the same size and price as the Northern Edition. The Southern Edition leaf stats are Connecticut broadleaf wrapper with Nicaraguan binder and fillers.
Last year’s blends came in a round vitola.

Found pricing much less at Atlantic Cigar ($7.95) and strangely; at Small Batch Cigar, there must be a misprint as it shows the Southern Edition for $7.00 twice for both 5 packs and boxes; but doesn’t show the Northern Edition at all. And Cigar Federation is charging full MSRP pricing. Of course, with both SBC and CF, you get a 10% discount. So SBC is your best bet. Other online stores seem to be selling the cigars for MSRP.

I only reviewed the 2014 Southern Edition last year. And I while it was very flavorful, I had terrible construction issues. So I didn’t bother to review the Northern Edition.
Fingers crossed that the newer box press loses those construction issues.

DESCRIPTION:
Fairly nice looking cigar. A nice soft box press. Seams are just barely tight. Lots of veins. Kind of a sloppy triple cap. The wrapper is an oily, dark coffee bean color. Very smooth to the touch. The sticks are very solid without any soft spots.

AROMAS AND COLD DRAW NOTES:
From the shaft, I smell a fruity sweetness, floral notes, chocolate, spice, cedar, black licorice, and espresso. Nothing unusual there.
From the clipped cap and the foot, I smell barnyard, chocolate, spice, cedar, and coffee.
The cold draw presents flavors of sweet fruit preserves, chocolate, jalapeno spice, cedar, a rich black, earthy, tobacco flavor, and coffee.

FIRST THIRD:
The draw is a little tight but no cigar awl penetration today. Not after what happened to the Rocky Patel Hamlet Tabaquero yesterday.

The first puffs rip my sinuses out, surgically, with a blast of red pepper. Trying to put out the fire, some creaminess appears as an apology. I can barely type because my eyes are watering. Who da’ thunk this lithe blossom of dark wrapper would hold in its bosom the fires of Satan.
Devil’s smoke fills the room. I gotta put the cigar down to regain my senses. Whew. What the hell was that? LOL!
I feel like I got blindsided by a 10lb cannon ball. I quickly drink some turpentine to put out the fire.

Flavors begin to emerge: Creaminess, dark chocolate, cedar, espresso, graham cracker, cinnamon, roasted nuts, a ridiculously great cup of mocha java, and something fruity.
And that’s with only1/2” burned. The char line begins to go wavy on me so I nip it in the bud. This is the most crucial period for the char line to stay intact. Spend a few minutes not paying attention, and you can end up with a 1” run. So I now keep my eye on the ball and not let the damn thing run away.
Strength is classic medium body.
Caramel appears next.

The Mason-Dixon Project LE 2015 Northern Edition is pumping out flavors faster than I can categorize them. I think there is a light yellow/orange melon element at play.

Lovely reader, Brock, brought it to my attention that just sheer cold could have caused the crack. And then I remembered. Every winter, I deal with the cold affecting the crucial structural nature of the stick. He is right. But I wouldn’t have remembered that so thank you Brock. I’ve cranked up the humidity from 67% to 70% and hope it helps.
We got our first snow yesterday. Here in Milwaukee, it was only a few inches. Just south of us in Kenosha, they got 9”-12”. Ouch. And with wind chill, it went down to 19° during the day.

The construction is so much better than last year’s outing. The Mason-Dixon Project LE 2015 Northern Edition is so solidly packed, I expect close to a two hour experience and no construction issues.
The char line, since its first touch up, is behaving beautifully.
In bright sunlight, all the flaws are clearly visible.

Not all that different from the bad construction laden Mason-Dixon Project LE 2014 Southern Edition.

So far, no transitions occurring. And the blend, while flavorful, is no different than a million other good Nic based cigar blends. I’m amazed at the inconsistency of Crowned Heads. They can make some absolutely amazing cigars like Jericho Hill, La Imperiosa, and the Las Calaveras (I’m dying to try the 2015 version). The 2014 version was my favorite Crowned Heads blend.
But then there are the so so blends like the Headley Grange, J.D. Howard, and Four Kicks, as well as the 2014 version of the Mason-Dixon Project LE 2014.

I’m 1-1/2” into the cigar and I’m greatly disappointed. I’ve smoked some great cigars lately whose flavors kicked in from the first puffs. The Mason-Dixon Project LE 2015 Northern Edition is sort of lying there like my first wife on our honeymoon. It should be blowing my socks off. It started out great and then flattened out after half an inch.

Miguel snagged a couple of each blend for me as soon as they came out so I’ve had them in my humidor for over 3 weeks. Close to four. That’s another thing about Crowned Heads…some blends are New Breed style with the blend knocking down all ten pins after just 2-3 weeks of humidor time. While others are Old School and take a month or two. I’m not sure what to think about the Mason-Dixon Project LE 2015 Northern Edition. It could be I’m getting all it has to give or it needs another month or two of humidor time. The other reviewers aren’t going to wait a couple months to review this cigar so I look forward to their take.

SECOND THIRD:
Smoke time is 35 minutes.
No changes in the flat flavor profile.
Moments after writing the last sentence, the Mason-Dixon Project LE 2015 Northern Edition blossoms.
But the spice has nearly vanished.
Complexity begins to settle into place. The balance is still so so. And the finish is a medium.
Strength is still medium body.

It is like the Mason-Dixon Project LE 2015 Northern Edition is polar opposites of last year’s Southern Edition. The construction was terrible but the flavor profile was outstanding. And it is not even close to the strength of the 2014 Southern.

Here they are: Chocolate, creaminess, caramel, malts (Funny. I’m now beginning to see other reviewers use that term to describe the flavors. Anything I can do to help my brothers.), black licorice, toasty, roasted nuts, the fruitiness is gone leaving a generic sweetness, cedar, mocha java, graham cracker, and cinnamon.
Impressive.

The leaves on our trees in the back yard have disappeared. So now the brilliant, but rare, sunlight is blinding me as I type. Basically, I am staring at my handsome reflection on the laptop screen. Just kidding..it’s pretty scary.

The char line remains on point.
Here is the thing…while the flavors have emerged victoriously, they aren’t special. There is no WOW factor. Just like the list of cigars from Crowned Heads I listed earlier. Good cigars but nothing special and not worthy of double digit pricing. The Mason-Dixon Project LE 2015 Northern Edition should have already blown my nose off my face. Instead, it will be the predictable “Last Third Sweet Spot Syndrome.”

I reach the halfway point. Smoke time is 50 minutes.

I’m over excited about the flavor profile not because it is outstanding; but rather, it finally showed up.
Very creamy and smooth. Malty. Chocolaty. The pepper returns to the middle of the list. And then there are the ancillary flavors that help give this lackluster blend a much needed boost.

I was dead nuts sure that this blend would have been very impressive. It is as if the folks at Crowned Heads learned nothing from their first outing.
Like last time, a year ago, I expect a nasty comment or email from the owners of Crowned Heads telling me what a shit head I am. Like I described to Steve Saka, if I get a dog from a manufacturer, I give him the choice of publishing a less than rave review. After all, he was kind enough to send me samples. So yes, I’m a hypocrite. But if the cigar was bought on my dime…or in this case, gifted to me by Miguel; all bets are off and I say what I think regardless of the consequences from an angry manufacturer.

My allegiance and loyalty is to you my lovely readers. My mission is to inform you with my opinion. You can take it to the bank or ignore it completely. Your choice. But when we are talking about cigars that are far from being wallet friendly, I consider my review a public service announcement.

Strength remains at medium body. No complexity. So so balance. And a short finish.

I plan to review the Mason-Dixon Project LE 2015 Southern Edition tomorrow as a comparison. I had good luck with it last year. And I don’t want to spread the time line out giving the Southern Edition a leg up because of additional humidor time. Both have gotten close to a month of humidor time.
I take a few minutes to look at daily specials. I can’t remember the last time I found any of those deals appealing. It’s like they are dumping their drek on the public. And the folks with moth eaten wallets or newbies are the ones that must buy this stuff.

Have you checked out the new format for AmazingCigarBargains.com? Nice. And the place to go so you don’t have to check each and every online store for their specials. Right now, it shows a special from CI called the Ultimate Humidor Combo. A 40 count humidor and 10 not bad sticks for $19.99. That’s a pretty good deal.

I get emails from Fieldsupply.com and snagged a special deal on a cool Tee. Only $5.99. (Now they are $9.99) But worth it. Take a look. Charlotte wants one too.

I really wanted to make amends with Crowned Heads. But this review ain’t going to do it.
Flavors go flat again. $10.00 my ass. I have one other stick Miguel sent me. I will let it rest a couple months and come back to this review and report. But by then you will have moved on. And won’t care.

Very sunny. Ball cap goes on. Now I can see my laptop screen. It is 19° right now. With the wind chill, it is 11°. Brrrrr. Can’t seem to get the house warm.

Thank goodness we have a garage. We only have the truck and that’s where it sits in this kind of weather. The Chevy 2003 Silverado Z71 is a mammoth thing. My first big truck. But the cab is so sophisticated that I can only remember 10% of all the doodads and what they do. I can turn the radio on and the windshield wipers and that’s it. I can only imagine what the 2015 models are like.

I could easily stop the review right now. I fully expect the last third to be the best part of the cigar but you’ve read that saga a thousand times.

LAST THIRD:
Smoke time is one hour 20 minutes.
Sure enough. As predicted. Flavors emerge from the dark cave in the wilderness.

Once again for the last time: Chocolate, creaminess, red pepper, caramel, malts. cappuccino, black licorice, toasty, roasted nuts, fruity sweetness, cedar, graham cracker, pumpkin seeds, and cinnamon.

If the Mason-Dixon Project LE 2015 Northern Edition had not only started this way but actually built upon this bedrock with lots of transitions and complexity, it would be a very fine cigar. But it ain’t.

The last third is the true sweet spot. “Look! It’s moving. It’s alive. It’s alive… It’s alive, it’s moving, it’s alive, it’s alive, it’s alive, it’s alive, IT’S ALIVE!” My favorite Frankenstein’s Monster quote.

The Mason-Dixon Project LE 2015 Northern Edition is absolutely outstanding now. I have to hope that in a few months, this will be the blender’s intent. But I’m not reviewing what I think it might be. I’m reviewing what it is right now. With nearly a month of humidor time.
Construction has been excellent. The right move to box press this year’s outing.
Strength moves to medium/full body. And nicotine hits hard.

I plan to just sit back and enjoy, what seems like a completely different, cigar. One last photo and I’m done.
Final smoke time is one hour 50 minutes.

RATING: 82

Wrapper: Connecticut broadleaf
Binder: Nicaraguan
Filler: Nicaraguan
Size: 6 x 52 “Toro-Box Pressed”
Body: Medium
Price: $9.85 MSRP

Photo courtesy of Halfwheel.com.

Today we take a look at the new Mason-Dixon Project LE 2015 Southern Edition.
Thanks to Miguel Castro for the cigars.

BACKGROUND:
Factory: My Father Cigars S.A. Esteli, Nicaragua.
Limited production: 30,000 cigars in 20 count boxes for each Edition.
Released last week of October, 2015.
Comes in one size only.

The Southern Edition is the same size and price as the Northern Edition. The Northern Edition leaf stats are Ecuadorian Habano wrapper with Nicaraguan binder and fillers.
Last year’s blends came in a round vitola.

Found pricing much less at Atlantic Cigar ($7.95) and strangely; at Small Batch Cigar, there must be a misprint as it shows the Southern Edition for $7.00 twice for both 5 packs and boxes; but doesn’t show the Northern Edition at all. And Cigar Federation is charging full MSRP pricing. Of course, with both SBC and CF, you get a 10% discount. So SBC is your best bet. Other online stores seem to be selling the cigars for MSRP.

I reviewed the 2014 Southern Edition last year. And I while it was very flavorful, I had terrible construction issues. So I didn’t bother to review the Northern Edition.
Fingers crossed that the newer box press loses those construction issues.
I reviewed the Mason-Dixon Project LE 2015 Northern Edition yesterday and found it lacking in appeal.

DESCRIPTION:
Like the Mason-Dixon Project LE 2015 Northern Edition, this is a nice looking cigar. It has a soft box press. Nearly invisible seams. Lots of small veins and a couple of big ones. The wrapper is an oily caramel, russet brown color. Smooth to the touch.
Just like the Northern Edition, the triple cap is a little sloppy. And to differentiate between the two blends, the Northern Edition has a black background and the Southern Edition has a silver background.

AROMAS AND COLD DRAW NOTES:
From the shaft, I smell sweetness, floral notes, light lemon citrus, a touch of chocolate, and cedar.
From the clipped cap and the foot, I smell spice (Double sneeze), sweet notes, floral notes, chocolate, coffee, malt, toast, citrus, and cedar.
The cold draw presents flavors of strong cedar, spice, chocolate, generic sweetness, mocha java, and malt.

FIRST THIRD:
I see a lot of imperfections while using my Katman method of toasting the outside perimeter of the wrapper instead of flaming the foot directly. So, I expect some burn issues pretty quickly. Must keep my eyes open in order to correct them early.
The draw is even better than the Northern Edition.

Right away, I like the Mason-Dixon Project LE 2015 Southern Edition better than the Northern Edition.

Flavors: Caramel, strong red pepper spice, creaminess, chocolate, syrupy sweetness, diverse selection of malts (Chocolate Malt, Coffee Malt, Cara Munich Malt, and Chocolate Rye Malt – See Malt Chart), coffee, cedar, toasty, roasted nuts, and rich earth notes.

I can tell immediately this is the better blend of the two limited editions.
Strength hits medium/full like a light switch flipped on.
Complexity begins to dial in. The balance is very good. And it has a nice long chewy finish.

That’s pretty impressive for only 1” of cigar smoked. What a huge difference between the two blends. The Mason-Dixon Project LE 2015 Southern Edition leaves the Northern Edition in the dust.
Creamy, sweet, and full of rich caramel and the malts make this a French dessert.

How could two sticks be so different? Well, yeah…I know they are different blends. But the outcomes are so completely different; I would have gone back to the drawing board with the Northern Edition because it doesn’t hold a candle to this one.
I had a bevy of problems with the Northern Edition and the Southern Edition is just sailing through.

That little imperfection, that happened to be on the front mark side of the cigar, has been burned through and now I expect no problems.
Construction, so far, has been excellent. No issues with the burn. Nice.

I expected this blend to be a solid medium but it is stronger and I like that. It flew out of the gate at medium/full but has now pulled back a few minor ticks.
It’s like two different blenders were involved in these two editions. You can taste the passion in the Mason-Dixon Project LE 2015 Southern Edition. The Northern Edition had no passion evident. Just construction issues and a flat flavor profile.

Transitions occur early. Like a soccer ball to the face, the flavors expand like the Universe. There is a perfect synergy from the nuts and toastiness, the creaminess and caramel, the chocolate and the coffee, the malts, the cedar, and the newly added licorice, blueberry, and kiwi. This is nothing like last year’s Southern Edition. Much better.

SECOND THIRD:
Smoke time is 25 minutes.
Absolutely glorious.

I’m having a tough morning. Trouble figuring out how to use the camera is frustrating. What came natural is now an epic proportion of focused alignment with the constellation Mind Fuck.

I almost didn’t review the Mason-Dixon Project LE 2015 Southern Edition this morning. After yesterday’s debacle, I had a backup cigar ready to go in case the Southern went the way of the Northern. Not worth the time. But I have been very pleasantly surprised.

With each puff, the flavors get stronger and more delicious. The complexity is stunning. Just a constant flow of flavor mixtures.
The other reason I chose to review the Mason-Dixon Project LE 2015 Southern Edition this morning is that it has the exact same humidor time as the Northern and I wanted the comparisons to be fair.

Prices are the same for both blends. But the Northern was in the $5 region while the Southern Edition is well worth the $10. And the way things have been going, they could have charged more. Kudos Crowned Heads for not gouging your customer base…like so many other manufacturers did after the IPCPR trade show this summer.

Pumpkin pie spices emerge: nutmeg, allspice, cinnamon, and ginger.

I got a rude awakening reading all of the comments posted on Steve Saka’s FB page pertaining to my review of the Dunbarton Tobacco & Trust Sobremesa. A lot made fun of my extensive flavor tastings. I erased all of my comments because it was beneath me to defend myself to these jerks. But the greater amount of comments agreed with me so I felt better.

The Sobremesa hit an all-time record for number of hits. I haven’t counted them precisely but it is in the thousands. Wow. Saka has some juice. Of course, being only one of two reviews helps a lot. I can’t understand why the Big Guys haven’t reviewed it.

But the point to this rant is that I can’t stress strongly enough that this is the FIRST cigar of the day when anyone’s palate is fresh and ready to be assaulted by a great blend and be able to detect the most subtle nuances. I knew those jerks didn’t get this. Nor do they probably have much of a palate.

My last cigar yesterday evening was a big surprise. Normally, my palate is fried. But this cigar was fresh as a daisy and I intend on reviewing it tomorrow. And it is very inexpensive.

Back to the Mason-Dixon Project LE 2015 Southern Edition.
A big crack forms about half an inch back from the foot. I upped all of my humidifiers to 70% yesterday to compensate for the cold Wisconsin weather.

I check the online boutique stores and I am flabbergasted at the price of the new cigars. It seems to average between $15-$20 per stick. This is nuts. If we collectively boycotted them, maybe the manufacturers would listen.
The halfway point is upon me. Smoke time is 50 minutes.

I have zero criticisms. No complaints. A great cigar. The difference in ratings between the Northern Edition and the Southern Edition will be enormous.

The Mason-Dixon Project LE 2015 Southern Edition needs its first major tune up at the burn line. It occurs where the crack terminates.
The Mason-Dixon Project LE 2015 Southern Edition goes past sweet spot and directly to flavor bomb. I suggest you make this the first cigar of your day to capture the nuances.

There is no defiance in my heart over the $10 price tag. Worth every shekel.
Charlotte left for work. Music on. Nothing but drek crap playing. Figures.
Godamm the Pusherman. This is a phenomenal blend. The Broadleaf wrapper makes all the difference in the world.

LAST THIRD:
Smoke time is one hour 10 minutes.

The flavors one last time: Caramel, a return of strong red pepper spice, creaminess, chocolate, syrupy sweetness, the delicious malts, coffee, cedar, toasty, roasted nuts, rich earth notes, licorice, blueberry, kiwi, and pumpkin pie spices.
Didn’t lose a single flavor element. In fact, they are all much stronger than earlier.

Crowned Heads has a new blend called “Mareas” that I only see on Cigar Federation. At a reasonable $9. As well as Protocol by Cubariqueno Cigar Company, Viaje Collaboration 2015, Herrera Esteli Norteno Limited Edition 2015, Velvet Elvis, and at Small Batch Cigar: Viaje Stuffed Turkey Dark Meat 2015, Viaje Stuffed Turkey White Meat 2015, Alec Bradley Fine and Rare JRS10, Regius LE Corona Gorda Cuban Box Press, CAO Wicked Winter, CAO Stingy Scrooge, Casa Fernandez Miami Aniversario 2015 LF. Celines, and Casa Magna D. Magnus II Marcus Arelius. This is my wish list. All intriguing sounding cigars.

“If I were a rich man,
ya ba dibba dibba dibba dibba dibba dibba dum.
All day long I’d biddy biddy bum.
If I were a wealthy man.
I wouldn’t have to work hard.
ya ba dibba dibba dibba dibba dibba dibba dum.
If I were a biddy biddy rich,
Yidle-diddle-didle-didle man.”
Back to the Mason-Dixon Project LE 2015 Southern Edition.

The blend hits full body and brings along some heavy duty nicotine. I can barely type now.
I didn’t see that coming.
In spite of the delirium, I can taste the entire flavor profile.
The Mason-Dixon Project LE 2015 Southern Edition is an extraordinary cigar.
I highly recommend it. I think I shall pass out now.
Final smoke time is one hour 30 minutes.

RATING: 91

Wrapper: Nicaraguan Habano Sun Grown Cuban Seed
Binder: Nicaraguan
Filler: Nicaraguan
Size: 6 x 56 “Torpedo-Box Pressed”
Body: Full
Price: $5.20 by the box/$6.00 in 5 pack

Today we take a look at the Nica Libre Silver 25th Anniversary Silver Torpedo.
Thanks to a reader that prefers to remain anonymous for the 5 pack.

BACKGROUND:
There is no info on this cigar. It is made strictly for the CI Conglomerate.
I do remember hearing rumors that AJ Fernandez blended the original Nica Libre but I cannot confirm it. And I have no idea who blends this version. And why 25th Anniversary? I don’t get that.
The cigar comes in one size.
On Cbid, they are going for $2-$3.

DESCRIPTION:
Nice looking cigar. Fairly crisp box press. Expertly applied tripe cap torpedo head. Tight seams. Some veins. The wrapper has a reddish tint to an oily, cherry wood color.
The stick is solid without a single soft spot. The double cigar bands are simple but classy. I don’t get the significance of the top band looking torn at the bottom and the secondary band looking torn at the top which makes them a perfect fit if pushed together. It seems that the cigar has been ripped asunder. And as it is an anniversary cigar, the symbolism of being torn apart doesn’t make sense. Unless you’ve been married for 30 years like me…then, it makes perfect sense. (No one tell Charlotte I said that.)

AROMAS AND COLD DRAW NOTES:
From the shaft, I smell chocolate, sweetness, floral notes, spice, cedar, and a touch of lemon citrus.
From the clipped cap and the foot, I smell dark chocolate, very strong spice, cream, sweetness, cedar, barnyard, citrus, and espresso.
The cold draw presents flavors of spice, chocolate, nutmeg, cinnamon, barnyard, and coffee.

FIRST THIRD:
The draw is very good.
Then a nuclear attack commonly known as the Pepper Bomb attack.
Wow. Reminds me of how the original 601 La Bomba tasted at the start; before the company changed hands.
My eyes are watering. My sinuses are so clear you can drive an 18 wheeler through them.
This was like chomping down on a habanero pepper. No shit.
Smoke pours from the foot and then the pepper attack rescinds its orders.

And flavors spew from the cigar: Chocolate, creaminess, malts, black cherry, espresso, cedar, cinnamon, raisins, and small ancillary flavors I cannot define yet.
One can say this is pretty much your stereotypical Nic puro flavor profile.

The Nica Libre brand got a lickin’ for copying the Padron cigar band when it was released several years ago. They have since changed the cigar band. Since there is no information on the background of the blender, it is a mind fuck trying to figure out why it is a 25th anniversary?

Regardless, this is a total surprise of a cigar. It’s really, really good. I had finished a long day of smoking cigars when I decided I had nothing to lose by trying my first one a couple nights ago.
Lo and behold, it was like smoking the first cigar of the day. Flavors are so potent that it awoke my crispy palate and I delayed going to bed so I could finish it.

Clearly, the only stores that carry it is the CI Conglomerate which means you are in luck should you take my advice and snag some: Cbid. They are so cheap; you can get the equivalent of a 25 count box for less than half the retail price CI is charging. I check Cbid right this moment and a box is going for $37.00 and ends Thursday. I saw a few boxes going for final sale at $55.00. And 5 packs going for less than $10.00. And singles going for $2-$3.

The retail price crossed out really doesn’t count for anything as only CI sells them.
Construction is excellent. The char line is dead nuts.
I liked the Nica Libre (Approx. $3) with a few months of humidor time. I liked, even more, the Nica Libre Potencia ($5). Both good solid blends.

SECOND THIRD:
Smoke time is 25 minutes.
Complexity settles in. Balance is good. Long finish.
Strength is medium/full.

I’m having a difficult time taking decent photos because of the shiny white cigar band and the shiny silver letters. Sorry.
The flavors have hit a lofty Sweet Spot. The Nica Libre Silver 25th Anniversary Silver holds nothing back.
I could see myself buying a box of these cigars. The price is right. Very flavorful. And you can hand them to your mooch friends and they will love you for it.

It just dawned on me. The Nica Libre has always had the date: “1990” below the name on the cigar band. What does 1990 mean? Obviously some horseshit PR campaign to induce you into thinking this cigar has a long and storied history.
But it doesn’t matter, because the Nica Libre Silver 25th Anniversary Silver fulfills my every need in a cigar. In fact, I believe it is much better than many of the new boutique blends coming in at double digits.
A simply delicious cigar.

I fool around with the camera settings and while I don’t manage to get a clear shot of the lettering on the cigar band, I do get a more appropriate look at the wrapper.

The entire flavor profile makes its move. The power pepper returns. The chocolatey creaminess is huge baby. The raisins and black cherry are powering up. And the different malts make a huge contribution. Cinnamon is brought to the forefront thanks to the spiciness.
Strength hits full body. But no nicotine….yet.

I didn’t expect any complexity but there is plenty. That was missing in my late night cigar the other night.
I reach the halfway point. Smoke time is 40 minutes.
Time is flying by. Always does with a good cigar.
I’ve got 3 sticks left. That pleases me.

There has been some minor waviness in the burn line but I leave it alone and it self corrects.
I’ve wanted to try this cigar since sitting on the throne and grazing through the CI catalog. I’m glad a reader read my mind.

LAST THIRD:
Smoke time is 50 minutes.
Strength remains at full body. And nicotine begins to creep in.

But the flavors are bountiful. There is nothing extraordinary or unusual about the flavor profile. Just solid Nic puro flavors. What one expects.
There has to be some ligero packed into the filler.

“Heartbreaker/Living Loving Maid” by Zep is playing now. Have you ever heard any bootlegs of Zep in concert? The first time I heard one, I almost shit myself listening to John Paul Jones playing bass. He holds it all back for the recordings. But live…holy shit. Made me want to burn my bass at the stake.

I saw Zep in concert approximately half a dozen times in L.A. For some reason, they kept the bass low in the mix. I never understood that. But from rumors I heard, both Jimmy Page and Robert Plant had no love lost for Jones. Never knew why. That man contributed so much to their sound with his bass playing and keys brilliance.

The full body is beginning to have an effect. A bit of a swoon is kicking in.

I check out the CI page selling the cigars and the 1990 is explained: “For 25 years of a sovereign Nicaragua.”
The Nica Libre Silver 25th Anniversary Silver has all the earmarks of an AJ blend but I don’t think he blended it.

This blend is not for newbies. It will make their toupees fall off and into the toilet while puking. But the experienced cigar smoker should love it.

CI is always telling you who blended the cigar for them. But for some reason, they are keeping their cards close to the chest on this cigar line.
The Nica Libre Silver 25th Anniversary Silver is a thoroughly enjoyable blend. And you can’t beat the price.
Initially, CI said it was a limited release. But its popularity probably took them back to the blender and said “Make more!”
No brainer. Get yourself some.
Final smoke time is one hour 15 minutes.

RATING: 90

Wrapper: Ecuadorian Habano Rosado-Oscuro
Binder: Honduran Habano Corojo
Filler: Nicaraguan Habano Criollo
Size: 4.75 x 50 “Robusto”
Body: Medium/Full
Price: $7.00

Today we take a look at the Sublimes Cigars Robusto by Jaromirski & Co.
Many thanks to Miguel Castro for the cigars.

I also want to thank Johnny Piette and the folks at Prime Cigar in Brookfield, Wisconsin for providing a game changer of a holiday for my family.
They sent me 10 fine, fine cigars and they took up a collection at the store that will allow my family to have a Thanksgiving this year. I had earlier written, but then scrubbed it from the last review, that it was going to be a sad Thanksgiving this year with the dinner being scrambled eggs and toast because we are so broke. Not now bubbelahs. Now we can have a real dinner. God bless the folks at Prime Cigar for their kindness and generosity. Woo Hoo!
Below is a photo of the 10 cigars sent along with the dough. The cigar on the far right is an HVC Black Friday. And I’ve got some reviewing to do with a few of them.

The Sublimes Cigars Robusto received a 90 from Cigar Aficionado:
“Slightly pressed with a chocolate-brown wrapper. It’s a bright, zesty cigar whose citrus and spicy ginger notes are sweetened by profound vanilla bean intonations.”

BACKGROUND:
From what I could gather, this is strictly a B & M cigar. No online stores carry it.
From the Sublimes Cigars web site:
“SUBLIMES® cigars began as a hidden gem, having been sold mostly in South Florida since 2004. It was in not until 2011 that we decided to take SUBLIMES® national. Initially hand-rolled in Little Havana, as demand for SUBLIMES® increased we quickly found ourselves outgrowing our Miami operations. As a result, since August 2013 we have moved production to Estelí, Nicaragua where they are rolled entirely by hand from the very finest Cuban seed tobaccos.

“The process of creating these superior cigars, combined with the careful cultivation of the finest tobacco available limits the number of SUBLIMES® cigars that can be produced each year.

“SUBLIMES® cigars are the epitome of taste and excellence. It is to this standard in which we hand-roll them in Estelí, Nicaragua. With a sun-grown Habano-Ecuador Rosado-Oscuro wrapper, Habano-Corojo binder and Habano-Criollo filler our cigars are expertly blended to create the perfect medium bodied, full flavored smoke. Presented in elegant Spanish cedar boxes of 30 cigars. Rolled by hand at AJ Fernandez’s cigar factory in Estelì, Nicaragua.”

DESCRIPTION:
In the sun, you can see a reddish hue to the oily, toothy, coffee bean colored wrapper. Tight seams. Lots of veins. An impeccable triple cap. A solid cigar without any soft spots.

SIZES AND PRICING:
Robusto: 4.75 x 50 $7.00
Robusto Extra: 5.25 x 52 $7.90 Rated 93 by CA
Double Robusto: 5.75 x 54
Grande: 6.75 x 56
Magnum: 6.25 x 58 $8.90 Rated 90 by CA

AROMAS AND COLD DRAW NOTES:
From the shaft, I can smell sweet honey, floral notes, ginger, vanilla bean, milk chocolate, spice, and cedar.
From the clipped cap and the foot, I smell dark chocolate, spice, ginger, honey, vanilla, barnyard, cedar, and espresso.
The cold draw presents flavors of spice, vanilla bean, ginger, chocolate, honey, espresso, fresh fruit, and cedar.

FIRST THIRD:
Great draw.
Then blam! A whole lotta red pepper. But no so strong that I can’t taste chocolate, fruit, creaminess, lime citrus, cinnamon, floral notes, honey, cedar, and vanilla.
That’s a whole lotta’ love from the get go. I’ve had these cigars simmering for about 6 weeks or so and I did light one up about two weeks in. It was nothing like it is now.

How wonderfully odd….the Sublimes Cigars Robusto by Jaromirski & Co. finds a nice niche for its complexity only minutes into the smoke.
New flavors of malts, roasted nuts, coffee, herbal tea, red cherries, caramel, and the sweetness goes beyond just the honey element. The Sublimes Cigars Robusto by Jaromirski & Co. is firing on all 6 cylinders. I can easily see why Cigar Aficionado thought so highly of this blend. In all sizes.
Only 1-1/4” in, the cigar is a flavor bomb.

This is a marvelous cigar. I had no idea. And it appears the price is ridiculously low for such high quality. I’ve reviewed a dozen cigars that don’t touch the hem of this blend.
The flavor profile of the Sublimes Cigars Robusto by Jaromirski & Co. is absolutely perfect for my palate’s preferences.

And then I get a run. I have to torch half an inch of cigar and then lay the cigar in the ashtray to let the run cool off. Bummer dudes.

A big thank you to Charlie Hascall. I completely screwed up the new Crowned Heads blends. I confused the cigars but thanks to Charlie, I think I was able to fix things. It is stuff like this where my Alzheimer’s really kicks in. Trying to make things make sense without scrapping both reviews was a real mind fuck and is just one more sign that my reviewing days are numbered.

Flavors are Bozo crazy. I want to list them all again: Creaminess, chocolate, vanilla, fruit, lime citrus, red pepper, honey, malts, cinnamon, caramel, floral notes, ginger, cedar, roasted nuts, coffee, herbal tea, and red cherries. This is impressive. But the funny thing is…these are not subtle flavors. No nuances. Sure, there is plenty of complexity layering some of the flavors. But, in general, they are bold and bodacious.

SECOND THIRD:
Smoke time is 20 minutes. This is going by way too fast…because I am enjoying it so much.
Great amounts of complexity. Perfect balance. And a killer long chewy finish.

Speaking of music…I saw a movie On Demand last night called “Ricky and the Flash” with Meryl Streep, Kevin Kline, and Rick Springfield. You MUST see this movie! It is clever, wonderful writing, and a ton of music. I was shocked at the music. It was all live. Nothing lip synced and I gotta tell you…Streep did one helluva job as Ricky the lead singer of her band. She absolutely nailed a Bruce Springsteen tune at the end. The band was made up of famous session players who just killed. I would love to own the Blu-ray. Check it out.

The Sublimes Cigars Robusto by Jaromirski & Co. came out of nowhere for me. Never heard of the cigar company. Wish I had because this stick is blowing my mind. A shame though that I couldn’t find it online but the Sublimes Cigars web site has a huge list of retailers across the country.
Flavor bomb x 2. I know I get made fun of for using that term too often but if any cigar earned the right for this title, it is the Sublimes Cigars Robusto by Jaromirski & Co.

I forgot to mention the strength. It started out at medium body but is now medium/full.
All flavors in place although the red pepper has moved up the list. Even the most inexperienced smoker should have no problems tasting my mile long flavor profile.
I’m at the halfway point. Smoke time is 30 minutes.
Blasting away. The lime citrus, along with the pepper, gives it sort of a Mexican food taste.

While my mom was very ill, we had a Mexican housekeeper that lived with us during the week. The weekend, she went home to her huge family in Tijuana.
This woman could cook. She introduced my dad, my sister and me to real Mexican food. To this day, I’ve never had a chile rellenos as good as hers. I was nerdy in junior high. And I hung with the nerds. But when summer came around, oh boy, was I popular. We had a swimming pool with diving board and Julia cooking tacos, tostadas, and enchiladas for whomever came over to be my best friends. I was everyone’s friend during each summer. Then when school started, I was ignored by the hip crowd once again. I should have charged admission.

I can taste every one of the 17 flavors. Incredible. To be honest, I’m surprised this size only got a 90 from CA. The Robusto Extra is just the tiniest bit larger and it got a 93. That’s more like it.

LAST THIRD:
Smoke time is 45 minutes.
Construction is top notch. Only a couple minor touch ups required at the char line.
The Sublimes Cigars Robusto by Jaromirski & Co. makes its move.

It literally explodes with robust flavors. I can’t remember a cigar this impressive. I’ve been fairly lucky lately with some good cigars for review but the only one that is in the same league is the Dunbarton Tobacco & Trust Sobremesa.
I’d have some serious choice issues if I had to choose one over the other.

My only recommendation is that you allow the cigar a good month or so in your humidor. Don’t rush it and smoke one a week after receipt. You will just be wasting a good cigar.
I’d love to try this blend in the Double Robusto: 5.75 x 54 or Grande: 6.75 x 56 sizes. More bang for the buck.
This is a perfect example of what I rant on and on about. Price. The most expensive size is below $9.00. And they start at $7.00. This just proves that all those double digit priced blends are nothing but bullshit. A scam on the smoking public. This is the smoking gun.
Final Smoke time is one hour.

RATING: 94