Wrapper: Connecticut Broadleaf Maduro
Binder: Mexican San Andrés
Filler: Dominican Piloto Cubano
Size: 4.5 x 38/60 Perfecto
Strength: Medium/Full
Price: $16.00
Today we take a look at the Sinistro Last Cowboy Maduro Scala LE.
A gift from a dear friend.
BACKGROUND:
Available through Mardo Cigars. Interview with owner of Sinistro Cigars and Mardo Cigars here.
From Halfwheel.com (Jan. 26, 2018):
“Sinistro Cigars is bringing out a new line called Last Cowboy, which will get its first release in the coming weeks before a full release at the 2018 IPCPR Convention & Trade Show.
The blend consists of a Connecticut broadleaf maduro wrapper, Mexican San Andrés binder, and a piloto cubano filler from an undisclosed country. The first rollout of the cigar will be offered in four sizes:
Sinistro Cigars Last Cowboy Scala (4 1/2 x 38/60) — $16
Sinistro Cigars Last Cowboy Salomon (6 1/2 x 50/60) — $19
Sinistro Cigars Last Cowboy 4 x 54 — $8.49
Sinistro Cigars Last Cowboy 5 x 56 — $9
“Both the Salomon and Scala vitolas will be limited and released sporadically according to James Agopian of Sinistro Cigars, as there is only one roller at the factory who can produce those sizes. The Salomon will come in a 12-count box, while the other sizes will be offered in boxes or bundles of 20 cigars. A total of 33 numbered boxes of the Salomon will be offered during the first release, as well as 55 numbered boxes of Scala and 35 bundles of both the 4 x 54 and 5 x 56.”
From Mardo Cigars:
“The world is changing quickly and seismically for small businesses, including specialty retailers like Mardo Cigars. For three decades, the company’s namesake, Mardo Abajian, ran a storefront cigar business in Southern California. When retirement led Mardo and his wife, Ann, to Florida around the turn of the last decade, rapid changes in the regulatory and business climate were already putting immense pressure on the business. The company had to change with the times.
“When Mardo passed away in mid-2015, the mantle for carrying on — and evolving — the cigar business fell to his son, Gerard, and his son’s best friend, Neil Garcia. Neil and Gerard quickly launched a new direction for the company, named in Mardo’s memory, and built a strategy that includes physical storefronts in Laguna Niguel, California and Sarasota, Florida, in addition to a national e-commerce push.
“The physical stores are important for our loyal regular customers — it’s a place for them to hang out, watch sports, and just relax,” says Neil, who serves as president of Mardo Cigars. “We know we also have to find customers online these days, so we’re changing a lot of things about how a business like ours thinks and works.”
APPEARANCE:
This is one bizarre looking mother fucker.
I can’t decide if it looks like an IED or something that I found in the cat’s litter box.
When I first saw it, I thought the bright green candela strips were actually some type of metal wire. Upon returning to earth, I realized what it was. The candela strips are not embedded into the wrapper; but rather, lay on top. I have no idea how this will affect the smoke…both in flavor and its effect on its burn.
The dark espresso hued wrapper is oily and has a gorgeous sheen. While it is technically called a Perfecto, it looks more like a brown suppository. Arrgghh.
The 1” exposed wild man of Borneo foot looks like something I would have bought at the joke shop at the Pike in Long Beach growing up in the 1960’s. Of course, it’s kitschy but I’ve found that large exposed surfaces of loose tobacco sticking out the ass end of a cigar means trouble during the initial lighting stage. I promise to show photographs of me in the burn ward should that be required.
SMELL THE GLOVE:
The aromas are not bigger than life but they are effective: Floral, caramel, dark cocoa, espresso, cedar, malt, a subtle note of cantaloupe, barnyard, and black tea.
The cold draw presents flavors of hot chocolate with tiny marshmallows, caramel, black pepper, malt, raisins, black cherries, cappuccino, tea, cedar, fruit, and barnyard.
FIRST THIRD:
I’m not afraid of lighting this…I’m not afraid of lighting this…
The cigar is on the fakakta side in terms of being tighter than a water buffalo’s pussy. I grab my PerfecDraw cigar poker and tool and with one swipe, remove the offending tobacco leaving a perfect draw with the right amount of resistance.
I feel like a Catholic priest waving a huge stick of floppy incense during a service. Half the wild pubic hairs lit without incident and I’m going to leave it that way.
The cigar starts its journey with no malicious intent and ventures forward with a very decent amount of complexity and a nice set of transitions kick in.
Strength is strictly medium.
The floppy Larry Fine’s hair look-alike needs a tune up as it is not burning evenly.
A touch of spiciness emerges that comes from the seeds of black and red pepper.
Chocolate, coffee, extreme creaminess, raisins, malt, cedar, tea, butterscotch, vanilla, and nutmeg. Nice. Nothing extreme or unusual, but it’s doing a nice job.
This is the part of the review where I whine about the price point. $16.00. Ouch. Naturally, I must compare it to Bespoke cigars which hover in the same price range and are all killer blends. So, is this hitting me like a Bespoke? Nope. Not yet.
There is a warm, comforting effect from this blend. It has a very nice balance. It’s the first thing I noticed. The red pepper gives way to strictly the black stuff. The finish is full of spiciness. Followed by a calming creaminess.
Transitions are relaxed and controlled. I get the feeling that I’m in for a fun ride with the Sinistro Last Cowboy Maduro Scala LE. It is certainly a very sophisticated cigar. The experienced smoker will dig it…like a pony.
I initially feared that this might be a gimmick cigar. Like what Fuente does with some of their blends turning them into footballs or fire hydrants. So far, this ain’t no gimmick. It is a solid blend that provides my palate with the satisfaction of acknowledging that some real passion went into this blend.
Strength remains at medium.
By now, I expected some sort of baby Jesus miracle in that the cigar would have taken off like a rocket. Instead, it is coddling the flavor profile. It is not intense. But it is solid and consistent.
As is always the case when I write contemporaneously and smoke at the same time, I usually have to eat my words right after I type them. The complexity takes off. The blend reaches out and grabs my hand and forces me to do the hand jive while dancing the Hully Gully.
OK. So now it’s becoming seriously impressive.
Flavors morph. Chocolate creaminess tastes like a chocolate ice cream float. The black pepper calms way the fuck down. It has an unusual maltiness strength. Remember as a kid going to the movies with your friends…who didn’t buy a box of malted milk balls? The quest was to decide whether to slowly suck on them or attack them with your teeth like during Shark Week?
If the progress of the Sinistro Last Cowboy Maduro Scala LE continues on this path, we are going to see a very fine cigar blend that may be worth $16. But, in my reality, I doubt it. I know I go back to Isabela Cigars all the time, but Johnny Piette puts out monster limited editions that taste just as good for $8-$9. At this moment, the Last Cowboy tastes like a great $10 stick.
The special rolling can’t be cheap. Hence, the cost of the cigar. It’s a great show off piece if you herf with friends and have enough to pass around. It has a unique presentation but you’re paying almost half the price point for that luxury.
SECOND THIRD:
Despite its short stature…it’s a slow roll. Of course, I’m smoking the fattest part of the cigar first. The last third should go in no time.
The construction is hanging tough. The burn is exceptionally consistent…despite being hindered by strips of candela rolled around the stick. I expected it to screw the burn but it is not doing so.
Super complex now. Staying in the medium strength lane. Transitions become more interesting. The balance has not wavered one bit and tethers the cigar flavor profile to the hitching post.
I may even relegate the cigar to $12 status. Not sure yet…still have more than half to go. Shit can turn on a dime.
One of the wiry candela strips is now sticking out straight into the air like a morning pup tent. Very cutting edge.
The dichotomy I am face with is that Sinistro makes other sizes of this blend but are in the normal field of less than $10; confirming the construction of the cigar is causing the price point. It’s a novelty cigar that tastes great. I doubt that the tiny strips of candela add anything to the flavor.
I must temper my rating knowing that while the Sinistro Last Cowboy Maduro Scala LE is a great $9 cigar, its appeal is visual and stunning. Unfortunately, we don’t smoke cigars for how unusual it looks. We smoke because our wives don’t like it.
This ain’t no Bespoke. But I would gladly love to try the cigar blend in the Robusto($8.50) and short Robusto($9.00) sizes. The Salomon is just too expensive at $19. I think the gold will be found in the more reasonably priced versions.
You should definitely take a look at the Mardo Cigars site to check out all the different Sinistro blends.
I don’t know about you, but I’m having a good time.
The butterscotch morphs into a Butterfinger bar instead. Very nutty and very chocolaty.
The sweetness factor has flown in on a Boeing Max 8 and increases the validity of the cigar’s balance.
A good cigar should have ever increasing transitions of flavors and complexity as you smoke it down to the finale. This blend does that in spades.
Strength moves to medium/full. Nicotine arrives.
Experienced smokers will love this stick. But even a 5 pack will cost you $90.00! Yikes.
I can get a personality transplant for that.
LAST THIRD:
Fruitiness puts in its two cents. I swear I can taste fresh summer peach. And a touch of fresh apricot. Fresh and fruity like most of you guys.
This has nothing to do with anything but my son in law showed me the line of beard product he uses. I was complaining (for a change) about how I can’t control the wild and crazy hairs of my 6 weeks old beard. He gave me some Honest Amish beard oil and then some Honest Amish balm and it totally changed and controlled my beard beautifully. I bought a boar’s head brush with a big wood beard comb and for the first time, the damn thing looks great. And I don’t have to keep trimming it with my cat trimmer. I’m impressed. Even Charlotte liked it and I came this close to getting laid yesterday.
If you want to impress your friends, go with the $16 version. If you want to impress yourself, stick with the two smaller versions that are $9 or less.
The beautiful thing about this blend is that there is no let up. It is on a mission from God to keep and hold your interest through the entire adventure. I like that. It boasts consistency on steroids.
I’m sorry and my apologies to Sinistro Cigars, but in the above photo, the cigar looks like a cat turd…or a hairball. I wonder what a hairball would taste like if you wrapped it in a Habano wrapper? That’s just wrong.
Last night, I was thinking about the first time I took acid back in 1972…and then I fell asleep. It was either narcolepsy or necrophilia. I can’t remember which.
The loveliest thing about the Sinistro Last Cowboy Maduro Scala LE is that it is such a beautifully smooth ride. As I get near the short end of the stick, there isn’t a hint of harshness or increased strength and nicotine poisoning. Nice.
I could suck on this baby all day. (Don’t be crude).
The savory/sweet elements are spot on. This is a blend that is firing on all 12 cylinders.
This weekend, the kids and my grandson are going to The Dells about 2 hours north of Milwaukee. It is the largest indoor water park in the U.S. And the first time that my little Scotty boy will experience swimming and frolicking. I would love to go and see his face. But I’m sure my daughter will return with approximately 1.4 million photos and videos.
I love this blend. And want to know the good part? It only received less than two months of naked humidor time. Wow. Clearly, the stick got ample aging before it came to market.
I salute Sinistro Cigars for this piece of masterful blending. Damn.
Check ‘em out.
RATING: 94
And now for something completely different:
“SPLASH”!!!!!
Back in 1983, I took film classes at UCLA. I had just written, produced, and directed my first music video starring Butch “Eddie Munster” Patrick for the song we developed called, “Whatever Happened to Eddie?”You can see it on YouTube
I sometimes sell the whole package of the video, a mint condition 45 single, a rare mint condition T shirt and an autographed 8 x 10 promo photo of Butch and the band (Eddie and the Monsters) on eBay. Most of the time, no one is interested so I’m waiting for Butch to climb a tall clocktower with a high-powered rifle as he tires of attending car shows to sign autographs and decides that Eddie Munster is going out in flames. Then, I bet I can get at least $50 for the package on eBay.
I took pre-production classes, production classes, post production classes and editing classes. All taught by towering people in their field. It seemed more like a vanity project for these teachers to brag to their friends about.
The post production class was taught by John Thomas Lenox, an executive producer. He was producing the movie “Splash.” And instead of being taught about the intricacies of post-production, we got a class in “Splash.” It was novel, at first, but it never ended.
What an arrogant prick. Me this and me that. Every class was this guy extolling his brilliance.
But there were a few perks. He brought in other producers and Ron Howard himself who directed the film. That was a fun night. And if you are wondering if Howard is Opie? Yes, he is. Down to earth and friendly. The class only had around 25 folks in it. And for three hours, Howard was a delight. Someone you want to have a cocktail with.
Previous to Howard coming in, Lenox took us to a pre-screening of the film. It was missing some sound effects and there was no sound track. We got to go to Disney Studios in Burbank to watch it. It had retained the look of the 1950’s. With street signs that said Mickey Mouse Ave. or Donald Duck St. What a hoot to be there.
During the question and answer period with Howard there was one jerk that was really mean and kept asking embarrassing questions. Remember, this movie was a fantasy/farce. And this idiot kept bringing up how the movie didn’t feel real. I have to hand it to Howard. He was a real gentleman and didn’t lose his temper.
At the end of class, I gave Howard a complete package of my Eddie Munster stuff. He knew Butch from back in the day and asked me out for a cup of coffee.
We went to some movie star hangout and had some nosh and Cokes. Howard didn’t drink. And neither did I. It was an exciting 2 hours. We talked more about life and I didn’t interview him which would have immediately turned him off. Something I learned during our PR excursions the record company sent us on all over the country. Treat a star like a peer and you’ve got him.
Several celebrities stopped by the table to say hello to Howard. Here comes the name dropping. There was Johnny Carson, Ed McMahon, and Howard Cosell. What a mixed bag that I would never have expected to see. Howard politely introduced me and we shook hands. Carson was a big thrill.
We said our good byes and Howard told me he would peruse my video and give me a call. Guess what? I never got a call. LOL. It was the Hollywood syndrome of “Leave your name and phone number in the ashtray and I will get back to you.”
Some of the lectures in the class were very boring and they always took place in near auditorium sized class rooms. There couldn’t have been more than 25 students. So, I began to talk to this very nice looking chick.
After a few weeks, we would steal ourselves away and head for the bathroom. Each time I got a great blow job.
She was married and when we went to the Splash screening she brought her husband. She introduced us and all I got was the stink eye from the husband. Ooops.
At the end of the class, Lenox had promised a one on one with any student that requested it. I gave him an Eddie Munster package too. His assistant made an appointment for me and then they kept postponing it so I gave up.
He made the announcement for individual meetings as he handed out a piece of paper asking the students to assess the class. So of course, everyone gave this guy an A+ hoping for that one on one. The bastard offered the meetings so we’d give him a good score.
The other two classes were not as exciting and no blow jobs. The editing class was taught by an old timer who was Douglas Fairbanks Jr.’s doppelganger. He had the whole look going for him. He must have been 70+ years old.
He did take us to MGM and we got the royal tour. That was fun. We watched movies being filmed. We watched the editors at work. We got to hang in the commissary where we saw movie stars and extras.
But all in all, the classes were just a waste of money. My project soon collapsed when the record company was taken to jail for embezzling. A real story of intrigue and underhanded dealings.
Rocshire Records was a brand new record company out of Anaheim. A ton of money was spent signing acts. Big deal record guys were stolen from big record companies. And the owner’s wife embezzled $15 million from Hughes Aircraft where she worked during the day. The FBI swooped in just before my first big royalty check was to be cut and shut the company down; forcing me to relinquish my royalties. This would have made me whole as I put my own money into the project so I’d get the first penny back on the first record sold. It’s called a production deal.
My dreams of becoming a music video mogul were dashed.