The @Zevffrey Collection: Cuvee Grand

I was given a handful of Cusano cigars a couple months ago by the rep known as @Zevffrey on Twitter...back when he worked for a company different than the one he works for now. I have published a new "Cigar Extra" feature each week in April for these cigars and this is the final installment of the series. Perhaps he will favor us with "The @Zevffrey Collection, Part Deux" some day...full of Liga Privadas from his current employer, hopefully! :)

Robusto, 5" x 50 ring gauge / approx. $10

Saving the best (or at least the most obscure) for last, today I turn my attention to the Cuvee Grand 2010. When writing this I could find virtually nothing about this cigar online. I know it is made by Cusano (a part of the Davidoff empire). One site said they were limited to 2,000 boxes, but also described it a Connecticut Shade wrapper, which was pretty plainly untrue. End result--I have a cigar I know very little about--so I'll almost be doing a "blind review." The cigar was fairly lumpy and mottled; the bands, though, were cool and classy in silver and black. I got notes of earth and wood on the wrapper and more wood along with natural tobacco on the foot.

I got an earthy/woodsy flavor from the Cuvee Grand that once again reminded me of some Davidoff products, perhaps one of the Avo line. The similarities continued after lighting as I got that wet forest/mushroom flavor underlying a toastiness and roasted nut flavor. The flavors were good, especially if you enjoy that Davidoff-specific profile, but the construction proved once again to be a little less than Davidoff-quality as the ash started getting crumbly at about half an inch.

As the last third began, I started getting a cayenne pepper burn. Overall, I liked the Cuvee Grand 2010, but I am not sure it is a $10 cigar. Definitely a step above the other Cusanos I smoked for this series, but not quite rising to the level of its price tag. Once again, I would like to thank Mr. Z for sharing the cigars with me so I could share them with you.

Agree, disagree or just have something to say? Leave a comment below...

Cigar Review: EloGio Serie LSV

Bonitas (Petite Corona), 5" x 42 ring gauge / $7.75, UPtown's

Several months ago I posted a review of te EloGio Serie Habano; I liked it a lot and am still a little bummed that the closest shop to me that carries them is UPtown's in Nashville. While I'm sure Scott has no problem with me stopping in to buy cigars, it is still a 2.5 hour drive each way, so it just doesn't happen very often. On a recent trip I picked up a couple samples of the other Elogio, the Serie LSV. This is a more limited production cigar due to limits on the amount of wrapper, but the price is still very reasonable. It is a Nicaraguan puro with a sungrown Oscuro wrapper leaf. It was grown by Carlos and Armando Robaina on a small farm in Somoto and the cigar it adorns is said to be medium-to-full in body with plentiful amounts of flavor. This review sample was my first Serie LSV.

When I think "oscuro" I think "dark," and this cigar's wrapper actually meets that criteria. The LSV was dark brown with even darker mottling; it had a very oily touch and fairly large veins. The wrapper leaf had a faintly sweet aroma to it--almost dried fruit or licorice; the foot had more of the same, combined with a more barnyard aroma. My Xikar MTX cut a surgically thin slice of cap from the head and I got a smooth, open draw that had sweet flavors.

Despite the sweet hints prelight, the initial puffs were earthy and fairly bitter, with coffee and baker's cocoa. Blowing smoke out through my nose, I got a cedar note along with a peppery burn. I was surprised at that start, but even more surprised when it continued to get more earthy and dark as the first third developed more fully. I was getting some pepper on the palate, too, but mostly just a ton of earth.

As the second third started, the LSV mellowed a bit. While still undeniably very earthy, I got more of a smooth, dark roast coffee note that was very nice and a bit of sweetness to balance out the bitterness. Construction was superb, with no draw or burn issues to report, and the body was definitely in the lower end of the full range.

The final third was really just a continuation of what started in the second--a slow, steady mellowing of flavor while maintaining a fairly full body. While I enjoyed this first exposure to the Serie LSV, I think I prefer the Habano which just seems to have more flavor to me. I will try the LSV again, though, probably in a different vitola just to see if I end up enjoying it more. For experienced smokers, this cigar might be just up your alley; I would advise newer smokers to start with the EloGio Habano, though.

Body: 8/10

Strength: 6/10

Complexity: 6/10

AFP Scale

Prelight: 2/2

Construction: 2/2

Flavor: 4/5

Value: 1/1

Total: 9/10

Agree, disagree or have something to add? Please leave a comment below...

Nestor Miranda Day, coming May 6

Miami Cigar & Company asked us to share this video with you and pose the question: Where will you be on May 6? The answer should be easy enough...stop into any participating tobacconist, buy any cigar (not necessarily a Miami Cigar product, but it wouldn't hurt), and you will bet a free Art Deco from the Nestor Miranda Collection.

National Nestor Miranda Cigar Day from Omar Delgado on Vimeo.

Find your closest authorized retailer at Miami Cigar and Company's website.

Dual Review: Drew Estate Dirt Lancero

 Drew Estate NDB (Natural Dirt Blend) Lancero, 7 x 44

Dave Said:

It's hard to believe it is going on 10 years since I smoked my first cigar. I went through some phases in my cigar-smoking and one of my early loves was a newer brand (at the time) called "Natural" by Drew Estate, especially the "Dirt" vitola. Not only was this a favorite of mine, but it was the cigar I handed to a friend, who then re-handed it to another friend...who happened to be Keith Hollar. We got these "Dirt Lanceros" from Dave Lafferty, East Coast Regional Sales Manager for Drew Estate. Dave had them made special for himself and his West Coast counterpart, Fabian, and he was gracious enough to pass a pair on to me last month...one of which I again passed on to Keith. For this review, I have decided to focus more on the nostalgic aspects of coming back to one of my first loves and leave off the numerical review since you cannot buy this cigar anywhere and finding them in any fashion will be difficult.

The Dirt Lancero was a bit dry-looking right out of the cellophane, even though it had been resting in my humidor for about 3 weeks. Where many early Drew Estate Cigars were infused with flavors, the Natural is blended for flavors instead, using many strange and exotic varietals to get a surprising flavor profile. The wrapper had a coffee and cocoa powder aroma, while the foot had a strong dark chocolate aroma with some coffee mixed in as well. The smell of the unlit cigar was no nice, it could easily be enjoyed by anyone-of course, that does not mean they will like it the smoldering version, but...you cannot win everyone over. The cold draw was extremely nice with a mix of coffee and chocolate and a sweetened tip-almost a CafÇ Mocha in a cigar.

After lighting, I got a mix of coffee and natural tobacco flavors on the tongue and I realized I was not as enamored of the sweetened tip as I used to be. On the retrohale I got a darker coffee note and just a hint of pepper. It was about this time my wife commented, "That smells really good." So apparently, the lit cigar is appealing to non-smokers as well. Before the first third was over, I had a large canoe, which I seem to remember as a frequent part of the Dirt experience.

By the time the second third rolled around the burn line had settled down and the sweetness on the tip had worn away, leaving just the flavors of the blend to come through. I have to admit...I was really enjoying what for me was a very nostalgic taste. It was a mixture of unsweetened cocoa and creamy coffee right up front with just a bit of pepper spice on the finish.

That same flavor profile continued fairly evenly through the end and I found it very nice and enjoyable, although I couldn't see myself making this a daily cigar like I did 7 or 8 years ago. I will say, though, that if this cigar were available on a regular basis, I would pick up a few every now and then because it is something that appeals to me. The Dirt blend also continues to be one that I would highly recommend to newer smokers as it delivers lot of flavor in a medium-body and is fairly inoffensive to many non-smokers as well.

Keith Said:
As Dave mentioned above he was instrumental in getting me into cigar smoking.  That Dirt he gave to a mutual friend, who gave it to me, was my very first cigar experience.  That was over 7 years ago and I'm glad Dave introduced me to premium cigars!  I'd also like to thank Dave Lafferty for the chance to smoke this cigar.

The wrapper on my sample wasn't dry looking although it wasn't oily either.  There were some minor veins but nothing too noticeable.  The cigar was fairly soft when I squeezed it, but I think it is normal for these cigars.  Giving the wrapper of the cigar a smell I was able to detect aromas of chocolate and raisins, with raisin the main smell from the foot.  After clipping and taking a cold draw on the cigar you are definitely able to tell it is a sweetened tip.  I was able to taste chocolate and graham flavors with a good draw.

After lighting up I first tasted flavors of earth, raisins, chocolate and spice.  I agree with Dave that the sweetened tip wasn't as enjoyable as it used to be.  I also did have construction issues in the first third, but mine was a tunnel.  I was able to smoke through it without needing to relight.

Progressing into the second third the burn did almost even out.  The sweetness did go away for me as well.  I was getting flavors of chocolate, ginger, earth, and leather.  The draw was pretty much perfect and it produced a large volume of smoke.  If the wind wasn't blowing as much as it was I would have enjoyed sitting in that aroma more, and not have to have dealt with the flaky ash blowing all over the table and me.

The flavors were pretty much the same as I finished off the cigar.  I can agree with Dave in that I was enjoying it, it wasn't the same as it used to be.  However I do agree that if they were offered I would definitely pick up a few to keep around to have with a cup of coffee or my wife to enjoy (the Dirt is one of her favorite cigars).  I do recommend the Dirt to new smokers as well since it is medium bodied, and isn't flavored, but is slightly sweet and give the smoker a pleasant experience.

Agree, disagree or just want to share your "first smoke" experience? Leave a comment below...

Cigar Review: Torano Master

Robusto, 5" x 50 ring gauge / $5.78, UPtown's Smoke Shop

Am I the last blogger to get my hands on the Torano Master? Judging from my Google search it would seem that way...although I still beat Torano to adding it to their website. From a variety of other blogs I learned that the filler for the Master is from the Esteli and Jalapa regions of Nicaragua, the binder is also from Esteli, and the wrapper is Ecuadorian Habano. I also learned that the Master was developed jointly by Carlos Torano and Felipe Sosa. What I did not discover anywhere is if this would be followed up by a cigar called "Servant" and a sponsorship of a Depeche Mode reunion tour (yes, that was a bad joke, fueled by my growing up in the 1980s--deal with it! LOL). This review sample was the first time I smoked the Master.

The Master had a rather minimalist look with a simple band, but I think it works better than the similar minimalism of the Single Region. Despite shipping in cello (and being held there in my own humidor), the wrapper leaf was a bit banged up with a chunk missing along a seam. The color was a medium brown with just a bit of mottling, but a couple of larger veins. It did have a nice oily look and feel. On the wrapper, I got mostly barnyardy, earthy scents; on the foot, I got more of the same, but much stronger and richer. The prelight draw was nice and open, but strangely there was not a huge amount of flavor in the cold draw--just a little bit of natural tobacco.

Initial puffs were somewhat earthy with a lot of natural tobacco flavor as well; the retrohale was nutty, but had a very spicy pepper burn at the start as well. As the first third developed a little more, I got increased natural tobacco and some hay flavor to go along with the earthiness. There was also a little pepper spice on the palate during the finish to go along with the spiciness on the nose. So far, the body seemed pretty much a straightforward medium.

The second third was more of the same as the first, but with less spice. The draw was perfect so far and the burn line was very even with no need of touching up.

The only significant change in the last third was the introduction of a bit of sourness that did not do much for my enjoyment. Overall, I enjoyed the Master and found it to be worth the price tag, but I have to say it did not blow me away. The flavor was very good the majority of the time and the body and strength were medium and should not be enough to scare away novice smokers. I guess the thing that really bothered me, though, was that I just was expecting more for a cigar with a name like "Master."

Body: 5/10

Strength: 6/10

Complexity: 6/10

AFP Scale

Prelight: 1.5/2

Construction: 2/2

Flavor: 4/5

Value: 1/1

Total: 8.5/10

Agree, disagree or just want to join the conversation? Leave a comment below...

Chattanooga Tweet-Up 2011

Last December, the Twitter Cigar Community had its first "Tweet-Up" almost by accident at Buckhead Cigars in Atlanta. At the time, I talked with Jerry Cruz from Stogie Review and he said, "Maybe we should do this at Burns next year." We spoke about it again a few months later and now the plans are moving ahead like a locomotive with a full head of steam...

On Friday, August 12, and Saturday, August 13, Burns Tobacconist, the Tiki Bar Online and Stogie Review invite any and all of you come on down to Chattanooga, Tennessee, for the 2nd Tweet-Up (will this be Annual? Who knows?).

We are still working on lots of details, but this is what we know right now...

The main gathering of smoking Twitterers will be at Burns East, 110 Jordan Drive, Chattanooga, also the home of the Chattanooga Billiards Club (CBC). CBC has a full restaurant, full bar, many pool tables

There will be great deals on cigars available all weekend. We are hoping to have representatives from several manufacturers on hand as well, especially some of those who have become fixtures on Twitter.

We are planning an outing to see the Chattanooga Lookouts play baseball at AT&T Field, on the banks of the Tennessee River (the Lookouts are a minor league affiliate of the L.A. Dodgers). If we have enough people voice interest, we are looking at getting a luxury box for the game (about $20 a head).

There are a few hotels we are looking at for accommodations, but we will need some feedback as to how many people will likely be there and how much you want to spend.

Mostly, though, this will be a fun, kick-back gathering of a bunch of cigar-smokers. We hope you can join us.

A special page will be set up soon here on the Tiki Bar and additional information will be added as it becomes available. In the meantime, if you have any questions or comments or just want to say "I'll be there!" leave a comment below or send me an e-mail at tikibaronline@mac.com.

Para Japon Contest Winners

Thank you to La Aurora and Miami Cigar & Company for sponsoring the Para Japon contest. 10 winners of 2-packs have been chosen and they are:

Martin Berrios/ipoppedoff

Papa Lad

Brian Vanderwerf

Andy K.

ThePope

DannyGuitar

Kekoa_kai

d_smoke20

Jon Siddle

Nick Holloway/SlappyMcDougal

I will contact any of those above that I can through Twitter Direct Message; if you see your name above and did not get a DM from me, that means you don't follow me so I couldn't send you one. In that case, please send an e-mail to tikibaronline@mac.com. Please include your full name and mailing address. Miami Cigar will be shipping out the cigars early next week so you should have them by Friday's launch party. Thanks again.

Update: Everyone on the above list has been contacted and were very quick to provide their mailing info which has been passed along to Miami Cigar, where the prize packs will be sent from. Thanks to everyone for involved in creating and distributing the cigar for their passion for cigars and humanitarianism toward those suffering in Japan; thanks to all the prize winners for responding so quickly.

Happy 8th...

On Good Friday 2003, a group that eventually would become known as "The Tiki Bar" met after church services at my house to have a herf...of course, I don't know that any of us had actually heard the word "herf" at that point. I just wanted to say a simple happy anniversary to Keith, Vern, Ray, Jim, Paul, Clint, Thomas, Isaac, Hillary, Tyler, Curt and all the rest who joined us in gathering around the tiki torches through the years. Thank you all for joining in the friendship and camaraderie and adding so much to my life through the years.  
 

The @Zevffrey Collection: Cusano LXI Sungrown

I was handed a few Cusano's by Zev Kaminetsky (@Zevffrey on Twitter) a couple months ago when he was with his previous employer...each Friday this April I'm looking at one of those cigars... 

Robusto, 5" x 50 ring gauge / approx. $5.25

I could not find much of what I would call "reliable" information online for this cigar. According to one retailer, the wrapper is a crossbreed between "Habano-seed Ecuadorian and Dominican." Obviously, from the name, it is Sungrown. And it probably uses Dominican fillers. It was a good-looking cigar and oily to the touch. The wrapper had a rich earthiness to it and the foot was cocoa and manure--which always sounds worse than it actually is. The prelight draw was very good and there was a musty earthiness that reminded me of that signature Davidoff flavor.

After lighting the first thing that came to mind was...this totally tastes like a Davidoff product. That makes sense in one way because Davidoff does own Cusano these days, but I wonder how long they have been involved with some of these Cusano products as they were not just released in the last year. Anyway...musty, mushroomy, earthy, foresty flavors were right up front, along with a sharp pepper on the retrohale. One area that does not remind me so much of Davidoff is the ash--crumbly and weak, it came off and fell to pieces after less than a half inch.

So, basically, the construction is about par for the price you would pay for these, but the flavor was outstanding and far exceeded the price tag (at least the online price tag). I'm not sure what Davidoff product this most reminded me of but I could compare it pretty favorably to the Avo Heritage or the Davidoff Maduro, both of which also have Sungrown wrappers. Quite the cigar for the money.

Agree, disagree or have something to say? Please leave a comment below...

Cigar Review: San Lotano Connecticut

Toro, 6" x 52 ring gauge / MSRP $6.40

This is not the first time A.J. Fernandez has produced a milder cigar. I could be wrong, but I think the Man O War Virtue was the first shade-wrappered milder smoke that A.J. did...at least it was the first one I was aware of. Unlike the Man O War lines, though, San Lotano is available at a wide variety of brick-and-mortar cigar shops across the country. I first got to try the San Lotano Connecticut after Clay Roberts, the company's Vice President of Marketing, handed me a couple sticks at the Atlanta Tweet Up last December. I apologize to Clay for taking this long to get a review posted...a big part of the delay was not wanting to smoke a delicate Connecticut Shade wrapper cigar in the cold and dryness of winter. This cigars wrapper is a Connecticut Shade seed grown in Ecuador while its filler and binder is all Nicaraguan. I smoked two cigars for this review.

My first impression was that I really liked the way the multi-colored band with its gold foil and embossing sets off against the gold-colored wrapper leaf. The wrapper itself had a few discolored spots but was free from rips, tears, patches and stretches. The filler was evenly packed as far as I could tell. I got a nice hay aroma from the body and a mix of earth and cocoa powder on the foot. The prelight draw was just a little tight, but not so much that I thought corrective measures were needed. On the cold draw, I got a nice grassy flavor, along with just a hint of pepper spice.

Upon lighting, I was greeted by a mild smoke with a velvety, creamy texture. I got a nice hay flavor with a touch of sweet tobacco on the tongue and a nice nuttiness on the retrohale. The first third continued to present itself as a classic mild cigar, but with a very nice flavor--along with the grassier notes, I got a caramel sweetness and a bit of underlying earthiness. The construction was great so far, with ash building to over an inch and a very straight burn line.

The second third had more earthiness and less creaminess, but the body did not increase much if at all.

The earthiness continued to build in the last third, but this ended where it began in the body department--mild. Overall, I have to say this was an enjoyable mild cigar that would be very nice with coffee or some strong black tea. It was not the most complex mild cigar I have ever smoked, but the flavors that did present themselves were never bad, either. Comparing it to the MoW Virtue (because you know that's the comparison most people will make), I enjoyed this one more and it is significantly less expensive. This is a cigar that should be easily accessible for newer smokers, although more experienced ones may not be all that enthusiastic about it because so many of them know A.J. for his bolder, more potent cigars. 

Body: 3/10

Strength: 4/10

Complexity: 6/10

AFP Scale

Prelight: 1.5/2

Construction: 2/2

Flavor: 4/5

Value: 1/1

Total: 9/10

Agree, disagree or have something to add? The Comments section is open for business...

Dual Review: Tatuaje Tattoo

Lancero, 7" x 38 ring gauge / approx. $10.95, Burns

DAVE SAID:
The news about the Tattoo had barely broken before they were in stores...then sold out of those stores almost as quickly. The report was that 20 stores would get them, but regardless of how many actually did receive part of the shipment, my home store of Burns Tobacconist in Chattanooga was part of the group. Barely after I had returned from the Dominican Republic, I became aware of these sticks being in stock and had Matt save me a 5-pack...and one for Keith, too, as we decided to do a dual review on this cigar. I smoked two samples previous to this review sample and plan on keeping the last two to age for a while. According to Pete Johnson, the Tattoo is simply an Especiales Brown Label with two differences: first, it is box-pressed; second, it is made in Nicaragua. According to the Tatuaje website, the Especiales is composed of all Nicaraguan filler and binder with a Habano Ecuador wrapper. According to Charlie at The Cigar Feed, the Tattoo will be issued annually in a different size to protect the trademark name.

The Tattoo band states that this is part of the "Exclusive Series" and looks like a cross between the band used on the La Verite series and the bands seen on the multicolor ones used on the RC184 and RC233. the wrapper leaf was oily to the touch and to the eye. There were no unsightly veins and the construction looked to be just about perfect. The pressing of this cigar was done in such a way as to make it more rectangular than boxy; not that this is bad or good, just an observation. On the body I got aromas of earth with a little barnyardiness (I may have just made up that word); on the foot I got more earth along with coffee and cocoa powder notes. I used my Xikar MTX on this cigar, my preferred cutting device for very small ring gauge cigars; the draw was a little snug, as it had been on the other two of these I had smoked. The cold draw flavor was earthy with just a touch of chocolate sweetness and a little pepper spice.

Upon light up, I got some of the same earthiness with just a little sweetness that I had picked up in pre-light. In the early going, I got a good amount of black pepper on the tongue and almost a wasabi burn on the retrohale. As the first third went along, the pepper died down a bit, but the overall flavor remained earthy, with some cocoa powder and a hint of sweetness. Despite having mashed the foot of this review sample before lighting it--and despite it being a breezy day--it burned quite straight, and the draw was more than adequate even though it felt snug on prelight.

In the second third, I got a strong cedar flavor to go with the earthiness. So far, the body was in medium-to-full and the construction was continuing to be excellent.

In the final third more sweetness came through, almost a citrus flavor that was both surprising and pleasing. Other than that, there was still a base of earth and a declining cedar note as well as a residual pepper burn that made for a quite complex flavor profile. The Tattoo was a very nice, flavorful cigar that was slightly different from the Brown Label blend upon which it was based, perhaps owing to harvest year of the tobacco as much as anything else. For Tatuaje fans, this would be a no brainer...just buy it, if you can find it. At this point pretty much the entire stock of this year's Tattoo run is sold out, but since this is intended to be an annual release, it is not too late to think about acquiring next year's version.

Body: 7/10
Strength: 8/10
Complexity: 8/10

AFP Scale
Prelight: 2/2
Construction: 2/2
Flavor: 4/5
Value: 1/1
Total: 9/10

KEITH SAID:
I originally didn't plan on purchasing any of these cigars since there were no local shops that were going to have this limited cigar.  But when I heard Burn's had them and Dave was going to pick up some for himself, I said what the heck and bought a 5 pack.  The cigar I smoked for this review was the second one I smoked.

As Dave mentioned this cigar has the "Exclusive Series" band on it instead of one of the standard bands.  This is just a personal preference but the center of the band with the white background and black letters looks a little plain to me.  I may be over analyzing it though.  The wrapper on this sample was a nice dark brown color with a slightly reddish tint to it.  There was also a slight amount of darker mottling to the wrapper.  There was a good amount of oil to the wrapper and it was slightly velvety to the touch.  There were some minor veins but nothing that detracted from the cigar.  The box press was well done and rectangular as Dave mentioned.  When I gave the cigar a squeeze there was a good amount of give, similar to what I've experienced on other lanceros, but there were no soft spots.  Putting my nose to the wrapper I was able to detect the aroma of barnyard, with leather and chocolate coming from the foot.  After clipping the cigar and taking a cold draw I was able to detect a slight amount of chocolate taste with a slightly tight draw.

As soon as I lit the cigar up and retrohaled the smoke I got an intense red pepper burn, a great start in my opinion.  As I took a few more puffs on the cigar I was able to taste leather, earth and chocolate with cedar and cinnamon coming in towards the end of the first third.  As Dave experienced even though the prelight draw was a little tight I didn't experience any issues with the draw during the first third and it did produce a large volume of smoke.  The dark colored ash needed to be tapped off every half inch or so.  The burn was slightly uneven but that could have been the wind or the way I lit it.

Once I moved on into the second third the spice died down quite a bit but it was still present.  The flavors changed to ones of earth, wood, leather with a slight bit of chocolate.

In the final third the flavors didn't change much.  The spice did ramp up a bit, but wasn't anything like it started off like.  One thing of note is the draw got very tight as I finished up the cigar.  I can't remember if the first one I had did this as well.

Overall this was a very enjoyable cigar.  It has been a while since I've had a brown label lancero so I don't know how the flavors compare.  I would recommend it to anyone who likes a medium-full bodied cigar.  Like Dave mentioned above it looks like all of the ones for sale this year are sold out, but you might still find one on retailer's shelf or be able to trade with a friend.

Body: 7/10
Strength: 7/10
Complexity: 7/10

AFP Scale
Prelight: 2/2
Construction: 1.5/2
Flavor: 4/5
Value: 1/1
Total: 8.5/10

Agree, disagree or have something to add? Please leave a comment below...

Cigar Review: Oliva Serie V Maduro

Torpedo, 6" x 56 ring gauge / approx $10

For Christmas, I received an unexpected gift from my brother-in-law and his family...a $50 gift certificate for Cigar.com. I do not normally shop at online retailers with any frequency, but it was a gift, so I fired up the web browser and selected a "Top Tier" sampler that included a Dirty Rat, a Tatuaje Black and a few other sticks, including this Oliva V Maduro. I have loved the Serie V since it was first released, but have had mixed results with the Maduro version. I bought a box of the original V Maduro (2008) when they came out and found that when they smoked well, they were fantastic, but all too often, they got plugged and I got that sappy/tarry stuff on the foot, which was not pleasant at all. I still have a few of that box aging in my humidor...waiting for the day they are really ready to smoke! After that I did not bother with the 2009 and then the 2010 had a Mexican wrapper, which is not something I normally enjoy, so I did not buy that one either...until now. Well, I think I did anyway...I could have sworn that the web page for this sampler stated this was a 2010 V Maduro, but I could not find any record of that anywhere when I went to search it out and Oliva decided not to put year indicators on these cigars, even though the V Maduro changes every year (the box is marked, but not the band). So, this almost ended up a "blind" review in that I did not know for sure what cigar I was smoking until I got into it. I had to leave it up to my discriminating palate (ha-ha) to figure out what kind of wrapper this was. Regardless, the filler and binder of the V Maduros are all Nicaraguan leaf; the 2009 wrapper was a Connecticut Broadleaf and the 2010 was Mexican.

The cigar was dark and you could see even darker mottling on close inspection. The feel was oily under the fingertips and there were a few larger veins. I got mostly an earthy and leathery mix of aromas on the wrapper, along with earth and chocolate on the foot. I used my trusty Xikar Xi on the torpedo head and was rewarded with an easy draw; prelight flavors were cocoa powder, dark roast coffee and a fairly strong natural tobacco. Just from the level of bittnerness on the cold draw, I was already ready to hazard a guess that this was the 2010 Mexican wrapper.

Light up took a lot of fuel, but it did light evenly. The initial puffs had leather and cocoa powder flavors on the tongue with roasted nuts and a bit of pepper spice on the nose. While there was some sweetness to this cigar, right from the start I got a lot more bitterness; to me that really threw off the balance. There was plenty of bitter cocoa as well as dark roast coffee. By the end of the first third I was confident that this was the Mexican leaf.

Construction was fantastic. The ash held on into the second third before needing to be tapped off and the burn line was very even. The flavor of dark roast coffee built up in the second third until it was the dominant flavor note and was more akin to an espresso roast bean. This was accompanied by a finish that was increasingly spicy and I thought the overall effect was a definite improvement over the first third.

In the last third the flavors became earthier again with some lingering coffee taste. The impression I was left with at the end was that this was a very good cigar, but it did not strike me as being as good as the 2008 version (when the 2008 worked well, that is). While it transcended my expectations for a Mexican-wrapped cigar the majority of the time, I just was not bowled over by the first third. The strength and body did not seem as high as other Serie V cigars (I am including both regular and Maduro versions in that assessment), so you probably do not have to be worried about nicotine overload unless you are a relative newbie to this hobby. I might buy another one or two of these and see how they perform with some additional age on them.

Body: 8/10

Strength: 7/10

Complexity: 7/10

AFP Scale

Prelight: 2/2

Construction: 2/2

Flavor: 4/5

Value: 1/1

Total: 9/10

Agree, disagree or just have something to add? Leave a comment below!

Spring TV: American Idol, Rebirth or RIP?

I know a lot of folks out there may think American Idol is stupid or worthless...or is only contributing to the problems in today's music scene (not enough originality, mediocre bands, etc.). I can understand some of those arguments, especially in light of the last couple seasons, but I also enjoy a few of the alumni of the show (Chris Daughtry, David Cook and Kelly Clarkson being my favorite three) and think that it makes for great television--when the show is working. The problem is that is wasn't working the last few seasons...especially last year after Simon Cowell had announced his departure and obviously did not care about the proceedings he was sticking around for. During the off-season, there were changes and rumors and some wondered if the show would come back at all...I wondered if it was even possible to breathe new life into the show. About 2/3 of the way through the season, I think we have an answer...at least a partial one.

The most obvious change was the shake-up at the judges' table. Along with Cowell fleeing the scene for his own show (X-Factor, debuting this fall on Fox), Kara DioGuardi and Ellen Degeneres decided the show was not a good fit for her. The producer for the first few seasons, Simon Lithgoe, was brought back and he decided that it would be best to go back to the "3 judge" format. This in itself was a relief as the last two seasons the judging process took way too much time with 4 judges, prompting the show to exceed its time-limit more than a few times. Jennifer Lopez and Steven Tyler were eventually announced as the new judges and the speculation started. "Would J-Lo be the new Paula? Would Steven Tyler be the new Simon?" During the audition rounds, I thought J-Lo and Tyler acquitted themselves nicely, giving great feedback, often funny comments, and letting kids down easily rather than having the personality of a wood chipper like the departed Mr. Cowell. A good start.

The second big change was the mentoring process. In previous seasons, a big-name star who had a new album or movie to hock would be brought in and would give the contestants pointers about the songs they chose and how they chose to sing them. While it was nice for these kids to meet stars, most of the time these mentors were fairly worthless in actually providing help. This year, Idol enlisted the talents of mega-producer Jimmy Iovine, who has worked with Tom Petty, Bruce Springsteen, U2, Eminem, and Dr. Dre among others. He has served as the primary mentor for the kids, along with a producer crew that includes Don Was, Tricky, and several others. The result has been a more polished crew of contestants than we have seen in past seasons.

The most important part of the show, though, is the talent. In the last couple years, it has become apparent that a good portion of the undiscovered talent that would audition for Idol had already done so. They lowered the age limit this year to attract so new blood and it really has done much to revitalize the show, even if the younger kids do not end up winning the show in the end. James Durbin is a very talented young man with Tourette's Syndrome; his ticks all go away when he gets on-stage and starts singing, though. He was the first to bring a Judas Priest song to the Idol stage and I think the first to have a pyrotechnic-laden piano as well. Lauren Alaina is a 17-year old from Rossville, Georgia, and if you know your geography, you'll realize that is right over the state line from Chattanooga, TN...so she is our "local girl" for the show this year. She sings country and does so with a depth of talent that I'm not sure even she understands yet; I look forward to hearing how much better she is when her voice fully matures. Casey Abrams is an odd character with an amazing range of musical talents, but mostly in the jazz arena, which is a difficult sell to today's music-buying public. He got the "judges' save" earlier this season and keeps surprising the viewers with his song choices and musicianship on the bass. Paul McDonald was brought in from the Nashville auditions and is definitely the most original vocalist I have ever heard on Idol; he is quirky and bizarre, with a voice not unlike early Rod Stewart. Interestingly, he already had an indie-album out on iTunes when he started appearing on the show; his band is called "The Grand Magnolias" and they've been together several years. For him (and them), the show is almost more of a promotional tool. Every year Ryan Seacrest proclaims "we have the most talented group yet," but this year, I don't think that was hyperbole.

If you're still reading, so far it sounds like I have nothing but good to say about Idol this year so my conclusion should definitely be "Rebirth," right? When I first conceived of this article, that was the direction I was going, but the last couple weeks have made me re-think that. Here's the one fly in the ointment...the judges have pretty much stopped judging. Instead of offering constructive criticism or just telling someone flat-out "that was not good," they seem to all be trying to be the anti-Simon...giving nothing more than verbal back-rubs and flowery compliments. So, the jury is still ultimately out on if Idol is worth keeping around. The changes made have been very helpful for the most part and I think there may be a few good years left...if they can get J-Lo, Randy, and Steven to start doing their jobs right.

Agree or disagree, if you have an opinion on the matter, I would love to hear it. Leave a comment below...

 

Para Japon Virtual Release Party

I received this press release just a little while ago:

From the desk of Project Para Japón

On April 29 (Fri), 2011 at ParaJapon.com, with special guest Guillermo Leon, President of La Aurora and Miami Cigar & Co., La Aurora US exclusive distributor, will host a virtual release party for the La Aurora benefit for Japan cigar “Para Japón”.

Date: April 29 (Fri), 2011, Starting at 7:00 p.m. Eastern Time
Live Location: in Miami Cigar & Co. Headquarters
Streaming via: http://www.paraJapon.com
You can communicate@: Ustream Chat, Twitter, Facebook

A short history of the “Para Japón” concept:
In March 2011 La Aurora hosted a media event at their factory in the Dominican Republic. Invited to this event were many members of the online cigar blog community who have become a vital part of the cigar industry today. During an evening discussion at the hotel where the attendees were staying the topic of the recent devastation in Japan came up. Cigar Explorer founder Mario Takayama (a native of Japan) described the area of Japan most impacted by the earthquake/tsunami, and just how much this destruction of that region will set back the country as a whole. As most conversations of this manner play out, the idea of “what can we do to help?” arose. Guillermo quickly came to the decision that he really had to do something, so the idea for a cigar (Now know as “Para Japón”) will be produced, and all the proceeds from the sale of the cigar will be donated to the Japan Earthquake and Tsunami Relief fund thought JAPAN TOBACCO IMEX CO. LTD, La Aurora Distributor in Japan.

Details of the Virtual Release Party
The Virtual Release Party will be a live online event hosted by Team of Project Para Japón that is open to anyone who wishes to join in on this significant occasion. The event will be streamed live via UStream (Link will be on ParaJapon.com) and Guillermo will be on hand to answer any questions about the Para Japón cigar, or any of the La Aurora products. Also attending the event via UStream Chat, Twitter, and Facebook are all of the cigar bloggers who attended the La Aurora media event in the Dominican Republic. These bloggers will share stories from the trip, and give their opinions on the “Para Japón” cigar.

Technical details of time, link to the event, need to go here.
For more details on the La Aurora Para Japón cigar please visit ParaJapon.com
to read the official press release from La Aurora Cigars.

Project Para Japón Original Supporters
• Guillermo Leon – La Aurora – @GuillermoLeon_
• Jose Blanco – La Aurora – @joseblanco809
• Amaury Abreu – La Aurora – @LaAuroraCigars
• Jason Wood – Miami Cigar Company – @MiamiCigar
• Barry Stein – A Cigar Smoker’s Journal – @nyisles
• Tony Casas – Casas Fumando – @tonycasas
• David “The Doc” Diaz – Doc StogieFresh – @Doc_StogieFresh
• Ben Lee – Nice Tight Ash – @NTA_ben
• Steve Valle – Smoking Stogie – @SteveVLiLo
• Brian Hewitt– Stogie Review – @brianhewitt
• Jerry Cruz – Stogie Review – @jcruz
• Tom Ufer – Tampa Cigar Examiner – @cigarsmokingman
• Charlie Minato – The Cigar Feed – @thecigarfeed
• David Jones – The Tiki Bar Online – @dmjones1009

About La Aurora
La Aurora is the first Dominican Cigar factory. It was established in 1903 and is
own by the León family whose roots in the tobacco industry trace back to the
early 19th century. The factory is part of Grupo León Jimenes Corporation, the
largest industrial group in the Caribbean. La Aurora brands are among the most
well known cigars, with sales in more than 50 countries around the world.
www.laaurora.com.do
http://rediscoverlaaurora.com/
http://www.glj.com.do

About Miami Cigar and Company
Miami Cigar & Company, founded in 1989, is the sole U-S distributor of La
Aurora brands, Ducados and worldwide distributor of Tatiana, Don Lino and the
Nestor Miranda Special Selection.
www.miamicigarandcompany.com

End Press Release

We are proud to be part of this effort to collect funds to aid Japan during their time of need. We are also very happy to be have the privilege of distributing a few of said cigars to some of our loyal readers through a small contest. 10 lucky readers will win a 2-pack of Para Japon cigars and they should be in your hands by the time of the Virtual Release Party on Friday, April 29.

I'm going the traditional "leave a comment to enter" route...leave a comment on this blog entry or any other Tiki Bar article that posts between now and Friday (there will most likely be one every day, Monday through Friday). Cutoff time is midnight Friday (Eastern Time). You can enter up to 6 times by posting on this and every other article that we post between now and then. On Saturday, I will choose 10 winners at random. This part is important...I need to send names and mailing addresses for those 10 winners to Miami Cigar on Sunday, April 24, so I will need some way to get hold of you if your name is chosen. Use a e-mail to log in for comments, use your Twitter handle...something to let me know who you are. "Charlie" as a user name doesn't work as I know several Charlies. You can leave comments anonymously, but I'm just going to throw those out if there is no better identifier.

One last note...several other blogs will be giving away 2-packs of the Para Japon as well. I saw no information in what I was sent saying that you can't enter at all the different places (links are provided above to those blogs), however, it has been determined that in order to "spread the wealth" to the greatest extent, each person will only be allowed to win a single 2-pack. Please encourage others to enter as well! Thank you.

Cigar Extra: La Riqueza Cabinet

No. 4, 5" x 48 ring gauge / $8.65, Burns

So here's the story...La Riquez Cabinet is one of the favorites of Jason, one of the hard-working tobacconists down at Burns East (and now known as @jasonawesome77 on Twitter...give him a follow!). I've smoked them before but could not remember exactly how I felt about them because it had been so long; so I figured I needed to give it another try and see how it lives up to Jason's hype. We agree on a few cigars--disagree on a bunch of others. La Riqueza is one of the brands to spring forth from the mind of Pete Johnson of Tatuaje Cigars; it is composed of Nicaraguan filler and binder along with a Connecticut Broadleaf wrapper.

Typical of cigars that ship without cellophane, there was not much aroma on the wrapper at all and just a touch of earth on the foot. The stogie looked well-made for the most part--flat seams, but fairly large veins and a sort of sloppy cap. After cutting, the draw was just about perfect and I was able to light up with just a soft flame quire easily. At the start I got a rich, earthy flavor with a suggestion of cocoa powder and coffee beans. The retrohale had a note of roasted nuts and a medium black pepper burn.

Through the first third earthy flavors dominated, but in the second I got an increase in coffee. It was strong and somewhat bitter, an espresso roast really, without any sweetness. That continued on through the end of the cigar. With no real sweetness imparted by the Broadleaf wrapper, the La Riqueza really calls out for a sweet beverage to accompany it. I drank a cola with it, but rum or even rum and cola might be a better pairing.

Agree, disagree or have something to add? Comments are open...

The @Zevffrey Collection: Cusano 59 Rare Cameroon

I was handed a few Cusano's by Zev Kaminetsky (@Zevffrey on Twitter) a couple months ago when he was with his previous employer...each Friday this April I'm looking at one of those cigars... 

Robusto, 5" x 50 ring gauge / approx. $5.85

The Cusano 59 Rare Cameroon is distinguished by its use of a dark African Cameroon wrapper leaf as well as a leaf of Dominican wrapper. There was not much other info available online about this cigar, so I just decided to wade right in. The appearance was nice--an oily leaf with a delicate vein structure; I got an earthy, slightly barnyard aroma on the wrapper and earth with just a hint of cocoa powder on the foot. The draw was good and cold flavors were slightly sweet with a grassy, hay-like flavor.

After lighting I got a predominantly earthy flavor with some sweet tobacco and hay notes. It was interesting and unlike most Cameroon cigars in that it was not overly mild and sweet right at the start. The first half was mostly earthy but around the halfway mark the cigar started to get sweeter. At this point it also became a much better accompaniment for the coffee I was drinking.

The second half saw the development of some pepper spice to go with the sweetness that continued on. Overall, I enjoyed the 59 Rare Cameroon, but not as much as I had hoped I would. To me, the second half was much more enjoyable; if the first half had brought as much pleasing flavor to the party I would have thoroughly enjoyed this smoke.

Agree, disagree and have something to add? Leave a comment below!

Cigar Review: Man O War Armada

Toro Grande, 6" x 56 ring gauge / $20 (online only)

Before A.J. Fernandez invaded your local B&M with the San Lotano brand, he was a fixture in the online cigar retailing community, especially well-known for the Man O War brand. The Armada is one of the latest additions to the MOW line and is a very limited edition, with only 10,000 cigars rolled per year. One site says it is A.J.'s personal blend. It is composed of Nicaraguan filler and binder (from several different regions) and is covered with an Ecuadorian Sumatra wrapper. Before diving into the review any further, I will say that an online-only cigar that costs $20 is guaranteed to raise your expectations; that is like a B&M-only cigar that retails for $30 or more a stick.

Looking over the Armada, I found the presentation nice and befitting of the price tag. "Marvin the Martian's" picture is still on the band, but is rendered more low-key through the reduction of colors to black and 2 shades of gold. There is additional detail in shades of gray and embossing. It all looks cool. And so does the leaf it is wrapped around--medium-dark brown, oily to the touch and the eye, leathery and toothy, but without large veins. On the body of the cigar, I got an aroma of leather mostly; on the foot I got a strong earthiness. The prelight draw was just about perfect and I got flavors of cocoa powder and earth--and a little bit of spicy burn on the lips, too.

While puffing on the cigar to get it evenly lit I already experienced some interesting flavors--leather and a little dried fruit sweetness. After ignition was successfully achieved, I also got lots of earth along with dark roast coffee and cocoa powder on the tongue, while on the nose I got an intense pepper spice. After settling down a bit the first third became predominantly earthy, with a bit of cocoa sweetness. The ash held on for well over an inch and was a very light gray--almost concrete in color. The spice on the retrohale diminished quite a bit, leaving more earthiness as well as a roasted nuts note.

During the second third I became aware of how smooth and refined the Armada was. The overall flavor profile was not too far from the original MOW, but it was simply much more elegant. The earthy flavors were still pre-eminent, but there were subtle herbal notes on the palate and an almost floral aspect on the retrohale.

Another interesting thing about the Armada is the fact that it stayed medium-to-full in body up until well into the final third. There was plenty of nicotine content--enough to induce a mild buzz for me--but it was not all that strong, either. The last third did not feature any major revelations or changes in the flavor that had built and subtly changed on the way, but it was very good. I have to admit to being dubious of a cigar wearing the MOW livery and costing $20, but the Armada very nearly justified the price...but only very nearly, which is why I subtracted one-half point for value. I could more easily see $15 a stick for these, but $20 pushes it into the realm of Padron 1926 and some other very high-dollar cigars where it just does not quite measure up. In the end, though, this was a very good cigar that is well worth trying at least once--and maybe more often depending on your individual tastes.

Body: 8/10

Strength: 7/10

Complexity: 8/10

AFP Scale: 2/2

Construction: 2/2

Flavor: 4/5

Value: .5/1

Total: 8.5/10

Note: As noted above, I would be much happier with a price of $15 for the Armada; if available for that price, I would award full "Value" points, raising the total score to 9/10. That is close to the price for a "chest of 32" online, so if you really like these, that would be the way to go. Take that for what it's worth.

Agree, disagree, or have something to add? Leave a comment below...

Dual Review: Padron 1964 SI-15, Natural & Maduro

It is always nice to be "chosen" by a manufacturer or shop to review a cigar, especially when it is a stick that has not been introduced to the general public yet. So on April 1st, when I received a box from Smoke Inn (headquartered in West Palm Beach, Florida), I was excited. I opened the box to find a wide coffin with two very large Padron 1964 Anniversary series cigars in it...one natural and one maduro. The size, though, tempered my enthusiasm to some degree. Yes, these are Padrons...but in a 6 x 60 size? The question that kept coming to my mind was, "Why?" These are a very limited product that Padron is making for Smoke Inn's 15th Anniversary and they will be officially released on Friday, April 15, 2011. They will be packed 15 to a box and retail for $18.50 per cigar. But...6x60? I have made no secret of the fact that I find 6x60 cigars to be almost invariably much duller in flavor than the same blend in a ring gauge of less than 50. The longer I smoke, the less I tend to even bother looking at 60 ring cigars, much less buying them. I will admit, though, that there are a few times when a large ring cigar has surprised me and possessed a very good flavor...CAO LX2, La Flor Dominicana L-500 Cabinet, and Oliva Serie V Double Toro are all examples of larger cigars that still deliver a tremendous amount of flavor. How will the Padron Anniversary SI-15 fare? Keith and I are here to find out...

DAVE SAID:
I opted for the cigar with the "Natural" wrapper. All Padron 1964 Anniversary Series Natural cigars are all Nicaraguan tobacco and are box-pressed to honor "the age-old Cuban tradition." The pressing on this stick was fairly mild, but you could still tell it was a box-press instead of just a regular round cigar. The wrapper leaf was very nice in appearance with no large veins or visible flaws. The head of the cigar was very lumpy, though, and the cap was not nice to look at; neither was the large patch right along the line where the cap met the rest of the cigar. I understand that these were early production cigars, or perhaps even made before production got going, but it really surprised me that this kind of workmanship was released. Putting cigar to nose, I got a sweet hay aroma on the body, along with a little cedar; on the foot, I got earth and natural tobacco. I trimmed the cap using my best Xikar Xi cutter, but the result was fairly ragged thanks to the slop already mentioned; the draw was excellent, though, which is pretty normal on a stick of this size. The cold draw had mostly a flavor of rich natural tobacco and just a tiny bit of citrus twang, as well.

Lighting up was a challenge; I don't even know if I have a working triple-flame lighter at this point and the single-flame torch took forever to get the foot toasted and properly lit. When it finally did, I got initial flavors of natural tobacco and hay with a little bit of caramel sweetness; the retrohale was intense and peppery, something I have come to expect from most Nicaraguan cigars. The first third soon settled down to a smooth, rich natural tobacco flavor and the retrohale became more nutty and less spicy. One undeniable fact is that these thick ring gauge cigars tend to have very good draws and this was no exception. Another frequent characteristic is the very long ash you can get from these sticks; this Padron SI-15's ash got to over an inch before falling off.

The second third was smooth and woody; it also had a lot of natural tobacco flavor with an underlying sweetness. While it was good, it just did not seem to have the complexity and fullness of flavor that you would normally associate with Padron 1964 cigars.

By the time the last third started, it became apparent that this was a full-strength cigar even though the body was more in the medium-to-full range; there was definitely a nicotine kick that should warn novices far away. As for flavor, I have to report that this cigar did nothing to dispel my dislike for large ring gauge cigars; I love the 1964 Anniversary series, but this 60 ring gauge example did not have the flavor or complexity to stand up to the best of them. If you are a fan of full-strength, large cigars, though, it might be right up your alley. I would like to thank Smoke Inn again for giving us the opportunity to try and review these and I wish them congratulations on 15 years in business.

Body: 7/10
Strength: 9/10
Complexity: 5/10

AFP Scale
Prelight: 1.5/2
Construction: 2/2
Flavor: 3.5/5
Value: .5/1
Total: 7.5/10


KEITH SAID:

Since Dave smoked the natural, you can probably guess I smoked the maduro.  I would also like to thank the people at Smoke In for sending us these samples to try.  When I first heard about this cigar I was wondering about it.  Padron didn't seem like the company to make a 6x60 but heck I'll give it a try.  I love the 1964 Maduros so I was looking forward to lighting this cigar up.

The wrapper on this sample was a dark chocolate brown with some tooth to it.  There was a slight amount of oil to the wrapper.  Most Anniversarios I've seen aren't very oily, probably due to the fact they don't come with cellophane.  There were a couple of slight veins in the wrapper, but nothing that was concerning or out of the ordinary from other cigars I've seen.  There was a small patch about a third away up from the foot, we'll see if this affects the burn.  One edge of the cap wasn't secured down as well.  The cigar felt very heavy in the hand.  There was almost no give and no soft spots when I gave the cigar a squeeze.  This cigar's box press wasn't as square as most of the other Padron 1964s and 1926s I've smoked.  When I put my nose to the wrapper I was able to detect aromas of cedar and cinnamon, with barnyard and leather coming from the foot.  Once I clipped the cigar and took a cold draw on it I was able to taste cinnamon and leather, but the draw was very tight. 

As soon as I lit this cigar up I got an intense wasabi spice on the retrohale and tongue.  This was a lot more intense than I've experience before with Padrons like this.  After I took a few more puffs on it I was able to get the tastes of chocolate, cedar and earth.  I was having a difficult time getting smoke out of the cigar which was strange for a cigar of this size and a Padron.  I found out why after looking at the head of the cigar, there was a very large, 4 inch long stem and a smaller one binding things up.  Once I removed them both the draw and the smoke production greatly improved.  I was a bit disappointed at this point with the cigar.  I know they are a natural product, but the quality control process should have weeded out such a large stem.  Also for almost $20 I would expect impeccable construction.  The grayish black ash fell off in about one inch chunks.  The burn was slight of at this point.

As I progressed into the second third the flavors didn't change a whole lot, but that isn't out of the ordinary for a Padron 1964 maduro.  However the flavors of chocolate, leather and earth weren't as strong as I've normally experienced.  The spice was still present, but had toned down a bit.  The patch didn't cause any problems and shortly after it the burn line straightened out.  The draw was much better than the beginning and the smoke volume continued to be good.

Progressing into the final third the spice and strength built back up quite a bit.  It seemed to me to be quite a bit stronger than I remember other 1964s being.  The flavors of chocolate, leather and earth continued on into the end.  The burn continued to be near perfect and the ash kept falling off in nice one inch chunks. 

While I'm very grateful to have been able to try this cigar I was disappointed in the cigar.  I would have expected that a nearly $20 cigar would have had perfect construction, no gaps in the cap or stems needing to be removed.  The flavors weren't up to what I've experienced with the smaller ring gauged 1964s as well.  I would like to give this cigar another try based on the positive reviews I've seen from other people who have tried this cigar, but I'd be leery because of the high price.

Body: 7/10
Strength: 8/10
Complexity: 6/10

AFP Scale
Prelight: 1.5/2
Construction: 1/2
Flavor: 4/5
Value: .5/1
Total: 7/10

Agree, Disagree or have something to add? Leave a comment below...

Cigar Review: Para Ti

Perlas, 5" x 40 ring gauge / $7.10, Burns

The Para Ti is a Dominican puro that showed up recently at my local B&M where I was told two very important pieces of information: First, the flavors are subtle and this should be your first stick of the day. Second, Charlie (Burns employee) calls them "Party" Cigars. Actually, I am not sure how important that second bit of information was, but I'll let you decide. Para Ti is made by the same company that makes the Schrader cigar that has gained some attention lately for its $20+ price tag and the fact that it is distributed by Tatuaje's Pete Johnson.

The appearance of the Para Ti was rustic and simply. The band is plan brown and white and almost looked like something you might expect on a bundle. The wrapper leaf was rather lumpy and bumpy, a medium brown with lots of mottling. Not the most attractive cigar I had ever seen, but not really what I would call ugly, either. It had a little oily sheen and quite a bit of oil to the touch. When I sniffed the cigar, I got an earthy, manure aroma on the body, and more of the same on the foot, along with just a little chocolate. The prelight draw was very easy and open; I got earth, milk chocolate, and mild coffee flavors on the cold draw.

The initial puffs were fairly smooth and medium-bodied; I got a mostly earthy flavor, but subdued in comparison with the earthiness you might expect from Padron's entry-level line. Through the nose, I got a little black pepper and roasted nuts. The pepper subsided pretty quickly and the rest of the first third was a mild-to-medium smoke with notes of earth, natural tobacco and creamy coffee.

The second third had more of the same with some subtle autumn spice notes added in. The construction was pretty good so far, although not perfect. The cigar almost went out on me once and the wrapper did not fully burn another time, leaving an "almost-canoe" when tapping off. The second issue was not something I consider "major," it just left the possibility of wearing some ash.

My interest picked up in the last third as I got a cayenne pepper burn in the mouth along with a black pepper burn through the nose. The Para Ti ended up as a straight-ahead medium-bodied smoke with plenty of earthiness. I was mostly satisfied with this cigar and I understand the admonition to enjoy it as the first cigar of the day--the flavors in the first two thirds are subtle enough to be drowned out if you have smoked something more flavorful first. While this would not blow away the novice smoker, it might be better suited to someone seeking to step up from that standing as it provides a good transition from mild at the start to medium at the end. I think it might also be a good cigar to enjoy with coffee in the morning.

Body: 5/10

Strength: 5/10

Complexity: 7/10

AFP Scale

Prelight: 1.5/2

Construction: 1.5/2

Flavor: 4/5

Value: 1/1

Total: 8/10

Agree, disagree or just want to speak your mind? Leave a comment below...