Cigar Previews Coming

I have to admit that we made a mistake last year...we published some actual reviews based on samples that our retailer friends brought back from the IPCPR show. We did note that they were show samples in the reviews, but we gave them numerical ratings and, in my mind, that's just not right. Why? Because the show samples are rarely kept in an optimal environment for a long period of time...Las Vegas is dry to begin with, the convention hall is air conditioned which, while necessary, keeps things even drier. Can you get a good impression of a cigar from a show sample? Absolutely! Should you use that as the "be all, end all" of that cigar? No.

So, this year, Keith and I will be publishing a series of "Previews" of the cigars our respective retailer associates have gifted us. Keith's will be published on Mondays starting in a week or so; mine will start this coming Friday. These will be in the style of our normal "Cigar Extra" pieces: unscored general impressions of a cigar, not following the rules of "water only" for a beverage and "first cigar of the day" like we do with full reviews. We have some really cool popular smokes like the CAO OSA Sol and the Drew Estate Undercrown, as well as some lesser known stogies like the Casa Fernandez Miami and Oliveros Sun Grown Reserve. Hope you enjoy!

Tweet-Up Sponsor Spotlight

Since we gave press time to the two new sponsors I heard from yesterday, I figured it was only fair that I should give equal press time to the other sponsors who had already signed up, starting with the first two:

After I first started working on this project, the first two vendor reps I talked to were Zev Kaminetsky from Drew Estate (who also distributes Joya de Nicaragua) and Allan Buelvas from Oliva (and their subsidiary, Studio Tobac). They both happened to be in Burns on the same evening...as I remember, neither was actually having an event that night, but both were passing through on their way home or something and stopped in to just hang out. Allan and Z have become good friends and I was glad to have them both on-board from day one.

 

Cigar Extra: Cabaiguan (and the Friday Funnies)

Torpedo / part of Tatuaje torpedo sampler

What is there to do on a Saturday morning when the power has gone out? Grab a cup of MickeyD's coffee (remember, no electricity to brew your own) and settle onto the porch with a good cigar. Today's sacrificial stick is the Cabaiguan I got in a Tatuaje sampler. The vitola may well be a sampler exclusive...I can't research it because the Internet is down...for that matter I can't tell you anything more about it at the moment because the Internet is down. So, I'll just smoke my stogie and drink my coffee and tell you about that. And when the power comes back up, I'll tack on the basic information about this stick to the end of the piece.

This cigar has a very nice shade wrapper that was applied flawlessly except for on the torpedo tip, which was either sloppy or a bit damaged...or perhaps both. That's kind of the risk you take buying samplers when you can't see all the sticks fully. Being mindful of a couple other sticks from this torpedo sampler that were extra tight, I clipped an extra portion off the tip and got a draw that seemed at least workable. The Prelight draw was creamy and light...and so were the initial puffs on the lit cigar. I got a distinct grassiness on the palate and roasted nuts with just a bit of pepper spice on the nose.

The Cabaiguan continues to be creamy and rich, although quite mild in body compared to pretty much everything else in the Tatuaje catalog. And if anyone derides McDonalds coffee too much, tell 'em to go try it these days: they are currently serving up a rich, hearty brew that may not be quite enough to stand up to the best coffee you can brew qt home, but is easily the best fast food coffee I've had and even compares favorably to Starbucks. Together these two made for a very nice way to start a long weekend...even if the power was out at the time.

Note: just out of the interest of completeness, I later did research the makeup of this stick...it uses Nicaraguan filler and binder along with an Ecuadorian Connecticut Shade wrapper.

Friday Funnies
One of my all-time favorite comedy songs is "Existential Blues" by Tom T-Bone Stankus. I first discovered the song over 20 years ago while listening to the Dr. Demento show and for some reason, this one still hasn't gotten old. This video is pretty cool and they add on a big of absurdity from Monty Python at the end of the song...the whole experience makes you feel like you've been taking drugs...or that you should be! Enjoy

 

Tweet-Up Adds New Sponsors

If you stay glued to the Chattanooga Tweet-Up Page like I do...okay, no one really stays glued to it like I do, simply because I end up revising it almost every day...sometimes more than once a day. Anyway, if you have checked it out recently, you will have noticed that the sponsor section has taken on a new life as I added logos.

Today I was able to add two new sponsors:

Gary Griffith from Emilio Cigars and Clint Aaron from 262 Cigars are currently planning on joining our group of cigar geeks and will be sending some cigars to put into the multi-packs we are putting together.

Speaking of those multi-packs...you might be wondering "what exactly will be in them" or "how many cigars will there be." To tell the truth, that story can't be written yet, because I'm still waiting to hear back from a couple other potential sponsors. Depending on how many sponsors we end up with, it will be anywhere from a 3-pack to a 5-pack. Here's the fun thing: makeup of the multi-packs will vary. Some vendors are sending more cigars than others so some sticks may appear in all (or most) packs while others will only be in about half. You may not get the exact same cigars as someone else, so this might encourage you to talk to them about trading sticks.

Check out the Tweet-Up Info Page for a full list of sponsors and for the full scoop!

Cigar Review: Gispert Maduro

Toro, 6" x 54 ring gauge / $5.55, Leaf and Ale, Knoxville
Gispert is an old Cuban brand that has been picked up more recently by Altadis for sale in the United States...yes, we have reached part 3 of the "can Altadis impress me" series. To refresh, part one featured the H. Upmann Sungrown in the Lancero size and it bears the distinction as being one of my least favorite cigars of the year so far. Part two featured a Frank Llaneza 1961 that was better than I expected and that I might actually buy again at some point. This Gispert is made in Honduras and features Honduran and Nicaraguan filler, a Nicaraguan binder and a Mexican San Andres Morron Maduro wrapper. So this ends up being not only a test of whether or not Altadis can impress me, but whether or not a Mexican wrappered cigar at a very attractive price point will actually be something I would buy again. Let's get started...

When these folks said "box pressed" they were apparently serious: the shape is almost a perfect box, rather than the rectangular shape most box pressed cigars end up as. The leaf was dark, but not quite as oily as I expected it to be. The banding is well-executed, with the red and silver offset against the dark chocolate brown very nicely. Putting wrapper to nose, I picked up leather, earth and some chocolate; from the foot I got manure and earth mostly, with a bit of something spicy, too. I gave this cigar a straight cut, since I wasn't sure if the square shape would fit well at all in the V-cutter. The Prelight draw was excellent and there were subtle natural tobacco notes as well as some cocoa powder and the slightest hint of spice. The more I drew on it cold, the more I got, too...there was a sweet, almost raisin flavor in there.

Initial puffs on the Gispert Maduro revealed a nice chocolatey sweetness as well as more of the raisin and light spiciness that I got on the cold draw. The retrohale had more cocoa powder along with some more spice...although not a nostril burning spice, but subtle and understated as I experienced on the palate. Shortly into the first third I noticed a problem with the draw; what had started out producing plenty of flavorful smoke was now producing next to nothing. When I was able to tap ash I found a huge void where the Ligero would normally be. What smoke I was able to get out of the cigar was better-tasting than I had expected, proving that it's a bad idea to let preconceived notions run your life. I was getting chocolate and raisin mostly, but with an undercurrent of earthiness and unsweetened cocoa powder. What's more, there was no real hint of the signature Mexican wrapper bitterness that so often overwhelms my palate.

The construction got better during the second third. At the beginning it threatened to banana peel on me, but once I got past that section, the draw was great, the burn was great and there was plenty of smoke. Unfortunately, the flavor took a downturn around the same time. There was more earthiness and the sweeter notes drifted away, leaving a fairly unbalanced feel to it.

The earthiness only increased in the final third and there really wasn't much else there any more. The sweet Maduro promise exhibited early on pretty much seemed to fade away to nothing. Overall this wasn't a bad cigar, but it just didn't have the flavor or complexity I like to experience. As with any cigar, your mileage may vary, but I can't help feeling somewhat disappointed in the Gispert Maduro since it had such a decent start. So, the hunt for an Altadis product I enjoy has ultimately turned up nearly fruitless. After trying three cigars in the last few weeks, there is only one I would turn to...the Frank Llaneza 1961. Final thoughts on the Gispert Maduro...it was medium to full in body and had a bit more than average nicotine strength, but not nearly enough flavor throughout to really recommend unless you're as curious as I am. As far as the typical Mexican flavor...it really wasn't there. This wrapper seemed very good, but if it were me, I would have tweaked the blend further to make the entire cigar perform as good as the first third.

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

AFP Scale
Prelight: 2/2
Construction: 1.5/2
Flavor: 3/5
Value: .5/1
Total: 7/10

Dual Review: My Father El Hijo

Toro, 5.5" x 52 ring gauge / $9.75, Smoke Inn Exclusive

Smoke Inn, a chain of six retail tobacco shops in Florida, is continuing the celebration of 15 years in business with the release of their third Microblend, the El Hijo from My Father Cigars. In case you missed the previous installments, they were the unqualified success that was the Tatuaje Anarchy and the largest ring gauge Padron 1964s available. El Hijo is Spanish for "the son" and is a box-pressed cigar somewhere in between a robusto and a toro. The filler and binder are unspecified in origin, but knowing other My Father products, Nicaraguan is a good guess; the filler and binder protrude just a bit at the foot so you can taste them before the wrapper starts to burn because they want to show off the wrapper and its flavor...it is a 2009 harvest Ecuadorian Habano set aside by the Garcias because of limited quantities. We were given two El Hijos by Smoke Inn for this dual review and we thank Ming and everyone else there for these. They are taking pre-release orders now; the cigars will be $9.75 per stick or $146 for a box of 15. Pre-orders will ship on Monday, August 15.

DAVE SAID

I had this cigar sitting on the desk next to me as I wrote the preceding paragraph and the aroma coming from it was distracting and intoxicating. The wrapper had a nice mix of cocoa powder and rich earth, while the foot was even stronger on the chocolatey aspect. From an appearance standpoint, the cigar is definitely a winner: the typical My Father band with a secondary El Hijo band...the first band looks designed to go with the second and not vice versa...it's that well done! The leaf was fairly oily to the eye and to the touch and I could see no blemishes or anything else that would detract from the experience. On my stick, the box press was gentle and more pinched at the top than at the bottom, almost as if the cigar were trapezoid-pressed. This reminded me of the CAO  Cameroon Holiday Press cigars that were out several years ago...and for me that is a pleasant memory, so this is a good thing. There was absolutely nothing wrong with the cold draw...not only was it easy, it was very flavorful, with notes of maple and cocoa powder leading the way, subtle spice and earthier notes following behind.

Because of the protruding filler at the foot, I made sure to get a good even light so I could accurately experience and convey the difference when the wrapper started taking effect. The initial puffs were spicy on the tongue and on the nose, with a flavor of roasted nuts coming through strongly. While it was a good flavor, it did seem incomplete and unbalanced...and this was the perfect way to show people how much flavor the wrapper actually does impart. The very first puff with the wrapper burning, brought a new spicy cedar note to the front, along with notes of hay and sweet tobacco. The retrohale was still intensely peppery, but the nuttiness was toned down a lot. As the first third went on the flavors became more earthy on the palate, with notes of strong coffee and unsweetened cocoa powder. The body had started off medium to full, but quickly got into the full bodied range. The smoke was a bit harsh and raspy on the throat, but e overall experience was very good so far.

During the second third the smoke got creamier with less harshness, but the strength of El Hijo started showing itself as I started to feel the nicotine already. The flavor of earth mixed with cedar was strongest, but there were also notes of natural tobacco and a little underlying sweetness as well as a growing pepper burn at the back of the tongue.

Construction on El Hijo was superb...fantastic draw and a burn line that did not need touching up. Going into the final third, I got more natural tobacco flavor with the earth and wood notes taking a back seat. The pepper burn died down a bit, too, although it did not disappear completely. This really was an excellent cigar and a great entry in the Microblend series. It was full bodied and full strength so it's completely inappropriate for newbies, but the full flavor should make it desirable to just about any experienced smoker...provided it hits your flavor receptors right.

Body: 8/10

Strength: 9/10

Complexity: 8/10

AFP Scale

Prelight: 2/2

Construction: 2/2

Flavor: 4.5/5

Value: 1/1

Total: 9.5/10

KEITH SAID:

The first thing that I noticed was the band.  It looks like the same upper band found on the original My Father and the My Father Le Bijoux with a different lower band.  The box press was very nice and the small amount of filler sticking out was good looking.  There were a few green spots on the wrapper near the foot and one patch below the second band.  The wrapper of my sample was a nice ruddy brown in color with some veins, a good amount of tooth, and some oils to it.  When I gave the cigar a squeeze it was fairly firm without any soft spots.  Putting my nose to the wrapper I got an intense and wonderful aroma of barnyard, with leather and nuts coming from the foot.  After clipping it with my MTX and taking a cold draw on it I was rewarded with a great draw with the tastes of leather and a bit of sweetness.

Once I lit the foot up I got the tastes of leather and nuts with a good amount of spice.  Once I hit the wrapper I got a definite molasses sweetness.  Retrohaling the smoke produced a pretty intense burn.  The draw was pretty much perfect and it produced a large volume of smoke.  The ash was fairly white on the outside but a brownish grey on the inside.  It flowered a bit and needed to be tapped off at about a half an inch.  The spice did tone down a bit at the end of the first third, but I definitely would put it at the upper end of medium.

The second third saw the cigar continue on strong.  I was getting flavors of cinnamon, leather, earth all with a sweet and creamy finish throughout the second third.  The draw and burn continued to be perfect.  As Dave mentioned I also started getting a little of the nicotine hit in the second third.

The final third saw the flavors move to leather, earth and cola all with sweet finish.  The body and strength of the cigar did ramp up as well.  The spice also came back on pretty strong and I could definitely feel it coating my tongue.

Overall this was an excellent cigar!  I thoroughly enjoyed the flavors and once burning the construction was perfect.  I’m going to seriously think about purchasing more of these for myself.  As Dave mentioned this is not recommended for anyone other than people who smoke and like full bodied and full flavored cigars.

Body: 8/10

Strength: 9/10

Complexity: 7/10

AFP Scale

Prelight: 1.5/2

Construction: 2/2

Flavor: 5/5

Value: 1/1

Total: 9.5/10

Tweet-Up News...

As we head into the final couple weeks of preparation for the Chattanooga Tweet-Up, it seems like not a day goes by that there isn't something new to report whether it's confirming special guests, confirming cigars for the event, or just getting more people actually aware of the darn thing. With all the folks that have been talking it up on Twitter, I really am surprised when I still hear people say, "What is it? When is it?" Ah, well...needless to say it is growing on an almost daily basis. Here are a couple more tidbits to think about...

Yes, he looks just like this!

Today I got confirmation that our Drew Estate/Joya de Nicaragua rep, @Zevffrey, will be accompanied by his boss, Dave Lafferty, aka @Drew_Estate_Dav. If you haven't met Mr. Lafferty, it will be a great time to do so, hang out and ask for stories from his mysterious past.

The Birthday Girl

Although the Tweet-Up officially starts Friday afternoon, the big stuff seems to all be slated for Saturday (unless you like baseball, in which case make sure you're here on Friday). Jon Huber will be in the house Saturday afternoon and has promised to bring some Crowned Heads swag with him if it's available...we have yet to fully determine who will be the recipient of said swag, but we won't make you do anything embarrassing...I promise! Also on Saturday, the Burns family will be celebrating the birthday of one of our beloved members, @boxprezprincess. I can't say how old she is going to be...but I won't stop you from asking, either...but she might not tell you.

So, if you haven't made plans already...time's-a-wastin'! Get on down to Burns Tobacconist in Chattanooga on Friday, August 12, and Saturday, August 13, and GET YOUR HERF ON!!!

Full details HERE

Cigar Review: PDR 1878 Capa Oscura

Lancero, 7.25" x 38 ring gauge / $7, Silo Cigars
Information...I want information! Unfortunately, info from the manufacturer is pretty hard to come by at the moment I sit down to write this review. Apparently this cigar does not officially debut widely until the IPCPR show, which happens a couple weeks from when I am writing this, but was a week ago from when you are reading this. Several stores apparently got early shipments, though, including Silo Cigars in Knoxville, TN, where I bought this (and the Robusto of the blend that I smoked earlier) over a month before the big show. Enough time bending, though...I was impressed with the PDR 1878 Capa Madura last year, so I decided to give this PDR 1878 Reserva Dominicana Capa Oscura (say that five times fast) a try. Barry over at acigarsmoker.com reviewed the Robusto back in January, so I'm borrowing blend info from him...this is a Dominican Puro featuring Corojo, Habano, and Criollo 98 fillers, Habano binder and a Habano Oscuro wrapper.

This is a beautifully presented cigar. From the ultra-tight pigtail cap to the fold over foot, the cigar shows tradition and high standards. The leaf was oily and as dark as you would expect from something labeled "Oscura"...with even darker mottling. The bands are the same design as the Madura version, but red instead of black, making it easy to pick out at a glance. The wrapper has an aroma of earth along with a hint of woodiness; with the wrapper folded over the foot, there is really no difference in the aroma there. I used a Xikar Xi to cut the epically tight pigtail from this Lancero and was rewarded with a draw that was very free and had tons of cocoa powder flavor along with a little coffee bean and earthiness. The cold draw was very tasty, but I couldn't review the stick based on that alone...it was time to burn!

Unsweetened cocoa powder came through loud and clear on initial puffs of the Capa Oscura. The retrohale was chock full of the aroma of roasted nuts and imparted a sharp peppery burn as well. As I continued to puff away, I got a rich, strong black coffee note and a touch of sweetness to balance it out. Within a couple minutes the cigar was exhibiting a characteristic I have seen on every other PDR 1878 I've smoked: chugging out smoke like it's a contest. Not that they burn really fast or anything, but the owner of Silo Cigars confirmed for me that it's a nightmare when 10 guys light these up at the same time...the smoke eater has trouble keeping up with it! He's actually had people think his car is on fire while smoking one of these while driving. The flavor kept bouncing back and forth from earthy to more cocoa powder to coffee bran and back around again...all in that more bitter range, with just a little sweetness.

During the second third I started to get more vegetal/herbal notes, although the dominant flavors were still rather earthy. Smoke production was churning right along; the plume was thick and creamy and if it hadn't been breezy, it may have threatened to choke me. Construction was great so far, featuring a consistently good draw, very even burn line and ash that held on for nearly an inch at a time.

The herbal notes went away during the final third, leaving just more earth, cocoa powder and coffee. This wasn't the most complex flavor profile in a cigar, but it was uniformly very good and I enjoyed it. In terms of body, I would say somewhere in the medium to full range, with just enough nicotine strength to remind you that you're smoking a tobacco product. I couldn't recommend this for newer smokers, but more experienced aficionados might really enjoy this if the flavor profile is in their wheelhouse. The price doesn't hurt, either, with the entire line being very reasonable. In the end a very nice smoke at a very nice price.

Body: 7/10
Strength: 6/10
Complexity: 5/10

AFP Scale
Prelight: 2/2
Construction: 2/2
Flavor: 4.5/5
Value: 1/1
Total: 9.5/10

Beer & Cigar Pairing: Stone Imperial Russian Stout & Drew Estates Liga Privada No. 9

10.5% ABV/ $5.49 a 22 oz. bottle
Corona Doble 7" x 52 ring gauge/ $15.99. Maxamar's

While I know that this isn't exactly what you think of when one thinks of summer beers, I decided to review it because Stone just released this years release at the end of May. Their website describes it as massive and intensely aromatic. The say that the style originated in Czarist Russia in their demand for thicker English stouts.

After pouring the beer into a glass the first thing I noticed was the color. It is the color of heavily used motor oil, an opaque black. The beer also pours very thick and didn't have much head. After I put my nose to the glass I got the aromas of bread, sweetness, and a slight hoppiness. The aromas were very rich. Taking a sip the beer liberally coats the tongue however there isn't much carbonation. The tastes I pick up are of hopps, citrus, malt, chocolate and coffee. This was my second bottle of this year's release and I can definitely say it was enjoyable by itself.

I knew I would need a cigar that could hold it's own to this beer so I decided that a Liga No. 9 would fit the bill. The cigar was dark in color and oily to the touch. After clipping and lighting it and taking a few puffs on it I was able to taste some chocolate, leather, earth all with a sweet finish.

These two were a great paring in my opinion. Their relative strengths didn't overwhelm each other and I was able to taste both of them the whole time. As the beer warmed up a bit the notes of bittersweet chocolate came to the forefront and brought out the same in the cigar.

While I wouldn't exactly want to drink this on an especially hot day, it was in the low 80's on the day I did this, it would be a great pairing for a cool evening.

Comments...questions? Let me know what you think in the comment section below.

My Thoughts on IPCPR 2011...from the Outside...

"From the Outside" because I was unable to attend the actual show this year (again), but I did pay attention to some of the reporting that came out on a few of the blogs...

STOGIE GUYS had three days of coverage of the show, but the highlight for me was Tuesday when they had plentiful photos of new Tatuaje products. After last year, when Pete Johnson seemed to elect to release practically everything at some other time besides the IPCPR show, it was a little surprising to see so much new stuff debuting at or very close to the show. Tat Black Petite Lancero. 7th Capa Especial. Fausto (and spin-off Avion). La Casita Criollo. The Old Man and the C. The Wolfman (well, that one doesn't actually show up until October). It's going to be a busy second half of the year for Tatuaje fans.

STOGIE REVIEW blew the doors off the show with their coverage this year. Jerry Cruz and Brian Hewitt apparently didn't sleep while they were in Vegas, spending all their time shooting video, uploading TwitPics, editing video and uploading it all. My personal highlight? The interview with Litto Gomez from La Flor Dominicana. I've long been a fan of Litto's products and really, really want that Casa Tobacco humidor thing. And he has some new cigars showing up, too, including Air Bender Maduro, Digger Natural, Colorado Oscuro, and the Diadema Duo.

STOGIE FRESH: the Doc posted an article with tons of photos from the show yesterday, along with a promise to play the numerous interviews he conducted during the course of his podcast (or podcasts if there are too many to fit on one show).

And the rest of the blogs that reported on the show? Well, I have to admit to not following every cigar blog on the planet...there are just so many hours in a day, after all. Most of the ones I follow actually elected to skip the show this year and those that did go haven't posted much, if any, coverage of the show yet (I wrote this on Friday), which is sort of odd since the show closed Thursday. Surprisingly, the much-maligned Cigar Aficionado ended up posting more content this week about the show than some bloggers who were there. Go figure.

There was a report that a certain manufacturer was treating independent reps in a less-than-fair manner and it burned some oxygen on the inter-webs for a couple days this week, but in the end the story was never thoroughly substantiated so it's hard to really comment on it. Without substantiation, I won't provide a link.

The show did give us plenty to look forward to, though, and I'm sure everyone has their personal favorites. For myself, what I am looking forward to trying most are: Tatuaje La Casita Criollo and Fausto, La Flor Dominicana Colorado Oscuro, La Caridad del Cobre Javelin, Toraño Vault, San Lotano Oval, and Primer Mundo Epifania. Despite myself, I'm curious as to the new CAO, OSA Sol, too. And, of course, I'm really anxious to try those that didn't show up to the show: Sam Leccia's Debut and the first offering from Crowned Heads.

Stay tuned, cigar fans, we should be bringing you reviews of all these and more in the next 6 to 12 months...

Cigar Extra: Studio Tobac ST-DS001 (and more Friday Funnies)

Toro / part of Studio Tobac Event-only Sampler
I have another stogie from the sampler I got when I fruitless tried to win the Studio Tobac Corvette today. The ST-DS001 is an experimental blend that they decided to make enough of to stick in the sampler packs and if I remember correctly, it was stated that these will likely never see production, so I won't do a full review, just jot down impressions of the smoking experience. I don't know where the tobacco comes from and I don't even know if they've stated it anywhere; as far as the name goes..."ST" is for "Studio Tobac," "DS" is for "Dark Side" and "001" is the number of the blend. The wrapper was about midway in between milk and dark chocolate in color, with medium sized veins and a bit of oiliness. I got an aroma of leather and earth from the wrapper and a fairly strong manure note on the foot. I clipped it with a Xikar Xi and got more earthiness on the cold draw.

Lighting up brought earthy flavors, which were pretty well expected, and some really nice dried fruit sweetness, which was not. I got spice and fruit on the retrohale which was fairly unusual and unique...now I really want to know what is in this cigar! The first third was full of leather, earth and sweet tobacco notes with that dried fruit essence coming through subtly, along with a growing pepper burn in the back of the throat. The only thing I can think to compare it to is a Liga Privada...but different.

As I burned through the second third, I got some wonderfully chocolatey flavors and a breadiness that made the cigar taste almost like chocolate chip cookies...laugh if you will, but it was that good. I also got a sizable crack in the wrapper that would threaten to cause the whole thing to unravel, which was unfortunate, but I was determine to smoke as much as possible. By the final third it was all earth and leather with just a little sweetness left, but the crack in the wrapper had not gotten worse, allowing me to continue smoking along. The ST-DS001 ended up being a strong and full bodied cigar with a ton of flavor; we have to hope they decide to release this at some point, even if it is with some tweaking. For now, though, another reason to get out to a Studio Tobac event and get your hands on one of these samplers.

Friday Funnies, second helping...

Since it's still Friday I thought I'd throw in a second helping of Friday Funnies for you today. This one is a classic from one of the finest comedy troupes of all time: Monty Python. I guess if you don't appreciate British humour you might not find this all that amusing, but in general, if you aren't laughing at Monty Python...you probably are no longer alive...Enjoy!

Cigar Extra: Tatuaje Cojonu 2006 (and the Friday Funnies)

I did a full review of the Cojonu 2006 back in January, but since I got another (possibly a special size) in a sampler, I decided to see how it pairs with a nice Tennessee Whiskey, in this case the new dram from Collier & McKeel out of Nashville. I took this pairing outside on the first day of summer...which turned out to be one of the nicest evenings in a while: rainy and cool with thunder rolling around the East Tennessee hills I call home. With the cigar's torpedo head, I used my trusty Xikar Xi cutter; the draw took little effort and featured faint notes of earth and hay along with just a hint of chocolatey sweetness. As I lit I got earth and red pepper spiciness and the oddest note of maple syrup sweetness...it just came and went.

The cigar was mostly earthy during the early going, with definite cocoa powder and coffee bean overtones and/or undertones (your pick). Surprisingly, at least to me, the retrohale was smooth and chocolatey with no hint of spice. Tennessee Whiskeys are in the same general category that includes Bourbon, so they are primarily corn-based and fairly sweet. This particular one is not as sweet as some, but the bit of sweetness it had was an nice accompaniment to the cigar and the spicy finish was also a fine complement.

The rest of the Cojonu went about as expected...full bodied and full flavored...and it was just about the perfect pairing with the Collier & McKeel. The pair ended up hitting me pretty hard, too, leaving me slightly dizzy...but in a good way! It's just a guess, but if you can't find this particular brand of whiskey near you, I think just about any high-quality Bourbon or TN whiskey should pair very well with this cigar. 

FRIDAY FUNNIES:

I hate to sound like a broken record, but the newest "Weird Al" Yanokovic album, called Alpocalypse, is probably his best in...in...well, at least since his last one! It's really good. Another track has been spinning on high rotation on the turntable in my head lately: "TMZ." It's a parody of some Taylor Swift song and Al did an "official" video but it kind of sucks, so here is one that a fan made...

JJ for JJ Day

Just a quick word in case you miss it elsewhere or it slipped your mind...today is the 4th Annual Smoke a JJ for JJ Day, begun by our friend, Jerry Cruz of Stogie Review in honor of his son, JJ, who would celebrating his 4th birthday today if his life were not cut short by Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS). Participation is easy...pick up a Don Pepin Garcia Series JJ and smoke it. Some other thoughts by Jerry HERE.

Take a picture of yourself smoking it and send it in to Cigar Photo for their tribute and contest.

If you have money to spare, consider sending a donation to the American SIDS Institute.

Cigar Extra: Cain F Lancero

Lancero, 7" x 38 ring gauge / Gift with Box Purchase
One of the more recent acquisitions into the Tiki Bar Cigar Collection is the Studio Tobac Limited Edition Sampler, which can also be yours if you can make it to a Studio Tobac tour stop sometime this year. There were a few cigars in the sampler that especially intrigued me and I figured I would feature them as I had some time during the next few weeks, starting with the Cain F Lancero. To start with, my favorite Cain stick is still the F; add to that my favorite cigar size is the Lancero (Or Corona in some cases, but that's not important now); mix the two together and you get a special, tubo-packaged preview of what is supposed to be a regular release before the end of the year. The tube itself is artful and attractive; the cigar inside is oily and dark, featuring the normal Cain foot band along with the now-normal secondary ST band. The aroma from the wrapper is cedary and leathery, while the foot gave off more cedar and some manure. The cold draw was excellent, featuring flavors of wood and natural tobacco.

The first few puffs had a strong anise flavor that seemed a little strange since I had never noticed that before in an F, but this is a Lancero, so I am guessing this was the first time I had ever really tasted the wrapper leaf. As I put through a few more puffs, I noticed more earth on the palate, along with a retrohale that was redolent with roasted nuts and pepper spice. It wasn't long after that the Cain F started showing its full body and strength...the body enhanced more than normal by the powerful Ligero wrapper leaf. Before the third was over, I noticed that while most other vitolas of F are pretty smooth, this Lancero was relatively harsh with its strength...more like I had always expected a Cain F to be, really.

Throughout the second third the predominant flavor was a mix of strong, black coffee and sweet tobacco. The strength and body did not let up even as the harsh edge ebbed a bit and the smoke became more creamy. I got more of the same in the final third and was left with the impression that if the sizes of Cain F released so far have left you underwhelmed in terms of strength...this is what you are looking for. This Lancero did not disappoint in terms of flavors, but it was easily the strongest F I've had.

Cigar Review: La Libertad

Robusto, 5" x 52 ring gauge / $5.55, Burns
Villiger Stokkebye is primary known for their machine made, dry cured cigars, many of which have a nice flavor, even nicer price tag, and can really hit the spot when you don't have time for something bigger. Lately they've been dipping their toes into the waters of premium, handmade cigars, first with the Villiger 1888 and more recently with La Libertad...although I'm not sure I should say "recent" as these first debuted at last year's IPCPR show. These cigars are made in the Dominican Republic, using mainly Ligero fillers from the DR and Nicaragua as well as binder and wrapper both grown in Peru...wait, does Barry Stein know about this? :-) That Peruvian wrapper is Habano seed while the binder is Nicaraguan seed. This review is based on my first sampling of this blend.

Overall appearance of La Libertad is very good, without being what I would call excellent. The cigar is somewhat lumpy and bumpy and while the wrap job is mostly excellent, it shows some lapses in excellence in a couple places where it is stretched or folded. Like I said, not the best look, but it is a fairly inexpensive cigar, so you have to expect it to show somewhere. I got an aroma of earth, mostly manure, from the wrapper, while the foot had more earth along with hints of cocoa. The prelight draw was very good and I got a nice flavor: hint of chocolate, touch of earthiness, understated citrus zest. If the rest of the stick is comparable then we may just be in for a treat.

The first puff tasted absolutely unique...citrus zest up front, earthiness underneath, with a strong pepper spice on the retrohale. I got both a slightly sour and mildly sweet note from the citrus flavor and within a few puffs, I have to say I was really enjoying it. The same basic flavor profile continued through the first third. The only cigar I can even compare it to is the Guillermo Leon Signature, which has the same citrusy flavor of the Peruvian leaf, although with a much different balance of other flavors. Comparing it with the GL to me is a very good thing.

Construction proved excellent on this cigar...a great draw and a very straight burn line. As the second third really got rolling, the flavors of citrus were joined by cedar and a spicy burn building on the back of my tongue. The spice was almost a wasabi note. The retrohale was woody and a bit nutty, with the spice having died off before the first third was over. As the second third was ending, I noticed a natural tobacco flavor coming through also, a nice accompaniment to the other flavor notes.

I had a hard time deciding where I wanted to call the body on La Libertad...it was over the strictly medium mark, but never really got to where I wanted to say medium to full, so I ended up marking it a 6 out of 10. I think this will vary from person to person more than many cigars, though, as some might see it quite mild and newbies might consider it too full. Isn't that the definition of medium bodied? Usually, but it didn't seem to tell the whole story here. The flavor in the last third was still strongly citrusy, but there was a growing earthiness and even a little cocoa powder. If you want to know what Peruvian tobacco tastes like...this is your cigar. By using Peruvian leaf for filler and binder, they have really highlighted what is normally just an accenting note in the filler. In case you couldn't tell, I really enjoyed this cigar. I'll definitely be buying more and it may even warrant a box purchase if they are consistently this good.

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

AFP Scale
Prelight: 2/2
Construction: 2/2
Flavor: 4.5/5
Value: 1/1
Total: 9.5/10

Cigar Review: Emilio Grimalkin

Toro, 6" x 50 ring gauge / MSRP $8.30
The first time I saw this cigar, my first reaction was "bundled stick!" This was primarily because of the Cheshire Cat eyes complete with a grin made up by the letters of Grimalkin. I soon learned it was the newest premium stick from Emilio Cigars, owned by Gary Griffiths...who was kind enough to send me this sample along with samples of the AF1 and AF2 blends that were reviewed the last couple days. Jerry Cruz described the eponymous Grimalkin as a "bitchy, old female cat" and I'm going to call that close enough for government work, although if you want the more technical explanation, visit the Emilio Cigars website. The cigars are made in Nicaragua, using...well, I'm not exactly sure what kind of tobaccos have been used. It is possibly all Nicaraguan and it is possibly made by My Father Cigars.

I will say that I do find the band art to still be a little silly...if I hadn't heard so much good about these, I seriously doubt I would have picked it up based on the first appearance. The wrapper itself is oily and fairly veiny.  The color is a medium brown with a little mottling. After slipping the cigar from its cello sheath, the aroma from the wrapper was a rather intoxicating mix of earth, coffee and a little autumn spice. On the foot, I got more earth along with chocolate notes. Cutting with a Xikar Xi, I got a great cold draw with flavors of chocolate and earth along with an almost syrupy quality...not so much sweet, but making my lips smack and stick together.

Lighting up, I got mostly a very heavy cedar flavor on the palate, with more woody notes and a ton of pepper spice on the nose. Before too long I started to get chocolatey notes on the palate, making it evident that this would not be a one-note, boring cigar...or at least giving me that impression. By the end of the first third, I was get a mix of cedar, chocolate and earth that seemed to change a bit on almost every puff. Very flavorful and very enjoyable.

The second third featured more of the earthiness and less cedar. There was also a growing pepper burn toward the back of the palate, which was welcome since the nasal burn had petered out pretty quickly. The construction was top notch, with a straight burn line, perfect draw and strong ash that held on for an inch or so.

The final third had a note of dark, rich black coffee along with cayenne pepper spice and a nutty retrohale. The Grimalkin was full bodied and full flavored, as well as possessing enough nicotine strength to make you take notice so this stick is simply not for beginners. Of the three Emilio cigars I smoked this week, though, this is my favorite and that is saying a lot. If not for the sorta silly, sorta creepy packaging, this one would score full points. At this point Gary Griffith might be saying, "Really? You deducted half a point because you don't like the band?" To which my response is "Yes." Marketing is all part of presentation, sales and prelight and to me this band looks like--sorry to say it--something you would see on a bundled stick. Like I said before, if I saw these in a store and knew nothing about them beforehand...I would likely pass them by without a second look. Get past the alternately silly and creepy band, though, and pretty much everything else is perfect. And that includes the single most important metric in our rating scale: Flavor. So while the Grimalkin won't appear on our year end round up of "Perfect 10s" (so far there are not many), because it scored 5/5 on flavor, it is virtually assured of a place in the "Cigar of the Year" considerations...all of which will depend on being able to sample it a few more times and see if I still feel this way about it.

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

AFP Scale
Prelight: 1.5/2
Construction: 2/2
Flavor: 5/5
Value: 1/1
Total: 9.5/10

Cigar Review: Tatuaje 7th Capa Especial

Corona Gorda, 5 5/8" x 46 ring gauge / $9.99, Maxamar's

It seems like this cigar has generated a lot of discussion around the internet and blogs recently so I thought that now was a good time to review the cigar. This is one of the latest pre-IPCPR releases by Pete Johnson. This is the latest continuation of the 7th line. This cigar is comprised of a Nicaraugan filler and binder all wrapped in a Sumatra leaf. The cigar comes in one size and is regular production item. This was the fourth cigar I smoked.

The first thing I notice about this cigar is the toothy dark chocolate brown wrapper and how it contrasts nicely with the regular brown Tatuaje band and the gold and white second band. The wrapper also had a good amount of darker mottling to it. The wrapper is fairly oily and has medium veins. When I gave the cigar a squeeze I got a slight amount of give with no soft spots. Putting my nose to the wrapper I noted the aroma of cedar with barnyard coming from the foot. After clipping it with my MTX and taking cold draw on it I got the tastes of cedar an spice with a slightly tight draw.

As soon as I lit the cigar up I got an intense red pepper spice on the tongue and retrohale. The cigar tasted of chocolate with a bit of wood thrown in. The draw continued to be pretty tight, which was something that I didn't have problems with on the previous samples I smoked. The burn was also slightly wavy. Towards the end of the first third the tastes of leather and earth with a sweet and creamy finish showed up. The dark, almost black ash held on for about an inch before needing to be tapped off.


The draw in the second third did open up a bit and started to produce more smoke. It still wasn't to the point I liked or how the other ones I've smoked were. The main tastes continued to be leather, wood, earth, and chocolate. The spice did lessen as well. I would call this cigar medium in body and strength. By the end of the second third the burn had almost evened out.

The final third saw the spice ramp up quite a bit, almost to the level it was at the beginning. The main flavors were of cocoa powder and leather with a slightly creamy finish.

Overall this was quite an enjoyable cigar! I was slightly disappointed that this sample didn't have the excellent construction qualities of the previous samples I smoked, but every once in a while you get an off cigar. Just so people don't go attacking me about my review, I did purchase a box after the first one I smoked because I thoroughly enjoyed this cigar. I can highly recommend this cigar to pretty much any one, although it might be a little too strong for the smokers who only enjoy mild cigars.


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

AFP Scale
Prelight: 2/2
Construction: 1/2
Flavor: 4.5/5
Value: 1/1
Total: 8.5/10

Thoughs...comments...leave them below!

General to Release a New Cohiba Line

This is the official press release from General regarding the new Cohiba Edición Diamante:

General Cigar is pleased to introduce Cohiba® Edición Diamante, a rare opportunity to own a piece of premium cigar history.

It is a widely held belief that the 1980 crop of Cameroon wrapper tobacco remains one of the most exemplary leaves ever cultivated. In the more-than thirty years since this outstanding tobacco was harvested, General Cigar’s tobacco masters have cloistered these rarified leaves, nurturing them for the perfect occasion. That time is now, with the launch of Cohiba Edición Diamante, an extraordinary collection of six frontmarks debuting in December, 2011.

Bill Chilian, director of marketing for Cohiba notes, “Cohiba Edición Diamante spent nine years in the making. Every single aspect of this collection, from the superlative wrapper and outstanding blend, to the striking humidor exemplifies the highest art of cigar making. Cohiba Edición Diamante is tribute to the artisans who put their heart and soul into bringing this collection to life, and is destined to be regaled as one of the premium cigar category’s most treasured offerings.”

To celebrate the well-balanced, refined taste of the 32-year-old wrapper, Benji Menendez and General Cigar’s team of cigar masters worked tirelessly to create the optimal blend for Cohiba Edición Diamante. A proprietary Dominican Piloto Cubano blend bolsters the subtly complex taste of the elegant wrapper which enrobes an Indonesian Jember binder. To taste this cigar is to experience the art of cigar making at its finest: a fragrant aroma opens to a delightfully balanced smoke with nuances of cinnamon and toasted wood.

Created to celebrate the exceptionally rare wrapper, the collection features six unique frontmarks: Capa Reserva Robusto (5” x 49); Capa Reserva Corona Especiale (6 1/2” x 42); Capa Reserva Lonsdale Grande (6 1/4” x 47); Capa Reserva Toro (6” x 54); Capa Reserva Churchill (7” x 49) and Capa Reserva Gigante (6” x 60).

A stately humidor was commissioned to accentuate the treasured cigars contained within. With attention to every detail, the interior consists of six drawers and is made entirely of Spanish cedar, while the handsome exterior features hand lacquered hard wood highlighted with chrome fixtures.

A true collector’s item, a mere 100 Cohiba Edición Diamante humidors will be released. The suggested retail price for this unique offering is $4,125.00

The fact that Benji Menendez had a part in the blending of this should be a clue to its quality; after all, the was behind a couple of the best releases from General in the past few years, the Macanudo Cru Royale and the Partagas Benji Menendez Signature. From the press release it does not appear that these will commonly be available for individual stick sale and that is really too bad. I might be prepared to pop for a stick or two, especially if they are something really fantastic...as the 32-year-old wrapper leaf suggests. But at $4K+...well, let's just say that my budget does not allow for a box of cigars that costs the same as a good downpayment on a car.

Cigar Review: Emilio AF2

Toro, 6" x 50 ring gauge / MSRP $6.95
The next in our mini-series of "get acquainted" cigars from Emilio Cigars is the AF2, the second of their sticks blended by A.J. Fernandez. This one uses Nicaraguan filler "combined with the strength of Pennsylvania Ligero and a beautiful Ecuadorian Habano Oscuro wrapper." Since there is really not much more information about these, let's dive right into the review portion.

The AF2 was fairly dark, obviously darker than a regular Habano leaf since it has the Oscuro appellation added to it...it was somewhere in between a milk chocolate and dark chocolate color. The wrapper was fairly oily both to the touch and the eye. The cigar was mostly evenly packed although I did feel a couple softer spots. The wrapper had a slightly leathery, slightly earthy smell to it. On the foot, I got more cocoa powder notes and a hint of manure. The Prelight draw was nice and open; it had rich bitter cocoa and sweeter chocolate notes.

The first few puffs of the cigar had a chocolatey base on the palate along with rich earthy accents; on the retrohale, I got cocoa powder again, along with a peppery burn. As the first third really started picking up steam, I got a deeper cocoa flavor as well as espresso bean and earth notes. Before long the peppery aspect of the retrohale disappeared and I was left with a nice roasted nut note. I also got some saltiness on the palate and tongue as the cigar continued to burn. Body started out in the medium to full range and so far the flavor was very full and up-front.

During the second third, I got more coffee than anything else, but there was a nice underlying chocolatey sweetness that helped to round out the flavors very nicely. The construction was perfect so far...excellent draw and even burn line that needed to touchups to this point.

The final third saw the AF2 growing more earthy in flavor, with the coffee and cocoa notes taking a back seat. I got more of the chocolate flavor in this segment in the retrohale, which was still more nutty than anything else. Really, there is nothing to complain about at all with this cigar. The flavor was full and pleasing the whole time, the construction was excellent throughout and the price point is very reasonable. I enjoyed it more than the AF1, but that is really a great smoke, too, so it really comes down to personal taste preference. As with the AF1, this is not a cigar for less experienced smokers as the body and strength are just a bit too much, but those who have been enjoying cigars for a while should definitely buy both and see which hits their flavor receptors better.

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

AFP Scale
Prelight: 2/2
Construction: 2/2
Flavor: 4.5/5
Value: 1/1
Total: 9.5/10

Cigar Review: Frank Llaneza 1961

 Double Corona, 6.75" x 48 ring gauge / approx. $9, Leaf and Ale, Knoxville, TN
And so we arrive at part 2 in our occasional series trying to find an Altadis cigar that really pleases my palate. Today we have the Frank Llaneza 1961, named after one of the pioneers of the premium cigar business who died in 2010 at the age of 90. For this cigar, "he put his name on a smoke that embodies the perfect balance between his genius and passion." It features an Ecuadorian Criollo 98 wrapper, with a blend of Dominican and Nicaraguan fillers (and Nicaraguan binder). Altadis' website shows this toward the top of their scale for body and they describe it as "bold" so I was definitely intrigued going into this smoke. This review is based on my first experience with this blend.

The 1961 was fairly dark and quite veiny; it had a little oily sheen to it, but to the touch it was very oily...reminding me somewhat of the way a Liga Privada T52 feels...yes, to a lesser degree, but still reminiscent. The wrapper had a nice leather and earth aroma to it, while I got subtle chocolate notes on the foot...there was also definitely some wood in there and I swear I could pick up just a little coffee aroma. I put a straight cut on the head of the 1961, delivering an easy cold draw that had flavors of wood, earth, and natural tobacco.

In the first few puffs, I got a strong earthiness along with some nice unsweetened cocoa powder and a bit of red pepper on the palate. Through the nose, I got woodsiness and some black pepper. So far, so good...this Frank Llaneza 1961 was better at the outset than any Altadis smoke I can remember. As the first third burned through I also got some anise notes along with a mix of the other things I already mentioned.

The flavor flattened out a bit during the second third. There was more earth and some coffee, as well as a continuation of the chili pepper on the palate, but there was also a bit of a sour note that wasn't as pleasing. So far construction was excellent and the body was in the medium to full range...which might be considered quite full compare to other Altadis smokes, although I'm really not fully qualified to make that assessment.

As the final third started I noticed the draw starting to weaken. When I tapped ash, I spotted a large void, which was probably the reason why. The sour flavor came and went as I kept smoking, but mostly the last third was a continuation of the second. Overall, this was not a bad cigar, but neither was it something I am compelled to rush out and buy a box of. At this moment in time it is one of the few Altadis smokes I would purchase again...if that seems a bit like damning with faint praise, well...I'll let you make up your own mind on the matter. Unlike many of this conglomerate's cigars, this one has too much body and strength for newbies, but it might appeal to enthusiasts, depending on whether or not it hits your palate favorably.

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

AFP Scale
Prelight: 2/2
Construction: 1.5/2
Flavor: 3.5/5
Value: 1/1
Total: 8/10

News: The Next Artesanos Cigar from La Gloria Cubana

This is one of the press releases sent out by General Cigar this morning:

La Gloria Cubana Artesanos Retro Especiale

Continuing its tradition of innovation, Team La Gloria is proud to introduce La Gloria Cubana® Artesanos Retro Especiale, a collection that spent eight years in the making.

Inspired by an antique humidor found at the El Credito® Cigar Factory, Michael Giannini and Team La Gloria toiled for nearly a decade to replicate the antique humidor. Inclusive of a two-year process that encompassed cultivating a new wrapper, the development of the blend for Artesanos Retro Especiale was approached with an equal amount of creativity and commitment.  

According to Michael Giannini, director of marketing for La Gloria Cubana, “It gives me great pleasure to debut La Gloria Cubana Artesanos Retro Especiale. We set out to create a product that was as unique in its packaging as it is in its taste and I believe we’ve delivered that in spades. I stand with Team La Gloria, fully confident that this collection will be a welcome addition to the smoking repertoires of today’s most discriminating premium cigar smokers.”  

Team La Gloria set out to break the mold with the blend by cross-breeding a Connecticut seed, which was then cultivated in Honduras. The maiden crop yielded a hearty, golden wrapper as noteworthy for its color as it is for allowing each of the cigar’s components to enjoy equal bearing on the overall taste of the cigar.

Despite the golden appearance of the wrapper, the blend is brash in its full flavor and engages the entire palate. The double binder of bold Nicaraguan and Mexican leaf is further enhanced not only by Nicaraguan and Dominican ligero but also through an additional peppering of proprietary Nicaraguan and Dominican leaf. 

Each of the four frontmarks is uniquely packaged in a 25-count box with a different design and bears a classic name that hearkens back to the early days of La Gloria Cubana. Taino (7” x 52) will be available for a suggested retail price of $7.50 per cigar, or $187.50 per box.  Habanero (6” x 52) will sell for an SRP of $7.25 per cigar, or $181.25 per box. Cubano (6 1/2” x 58) will carry an SRP of $8.15 per cigar, or $203.75 per box and Club (5 ¾” x 47) will sell for $7.00 apiece, or $175.00 per box. 

La Gloria Cubana Artesanos Retro Especiale will debut in mid-August, with private tastings to be held throughout the country. The product will ultimately ship in late September.

Image from La Gloria Cubana's website

In short...this sounds like another in what I have taken to calling the "New Breed of Connecticut" cigars. A golden Shade wrapper leaf, grown in Honduras this time, with a bolder flavor and more medium body. After hitting the third in the Artesanos series last year, I kind of expected the name to be discontinued, but this could be a very nice addition to the La Gloria line up.

Cigar Review: Emilio AF1

Toro, 6" x 50 ring gauge / MSRP $6.95
The time has come to familiarize myself with another cigar companies blends, this time Emilio Cigars. Gary Griffith was kind enough to contact me through Twitter (@EmilioCigar) and ask if I'd like to sample their smokes. He sent me one each of three different cigars that I will do a short review on this week. At this point, I do not have easy access to more of these, but if I find any of them especially to my liking, I'll be sure to get my hands on them when I can and feature them with a drink pairing or something else in the future. First up is the AF1, named for the blender, A.J. Fernandez, who is getting around quite a bit these days between his San Lotano lines, Man o War lines, a few other projects...and these. According to the website, filler is Nicaraguan...according to what our friend Barry over at acigarsmoker.com says, the binder is, too, and the wrapper is a Mexican San Andres Maduro.

The wrapper on this cigar is dark...really dark. It was slightly oily with small to medium veins and the cigar feels really solidly packed...hopefully that doesn't cause draw problems. The aroma from the wrapper is very faint, perhaps a little leather or earth, but that's about it; from the foot I got a deep, dark chocolate aroma, though...very nice! I used my v-cutter on this stogie and got a really good prelight draw that had some chocolatey sweetness as well as plenty of earthiness...and the distinctive flavor that signals Mexican wrapper...I can't thoroughly describe it, but it's a bitter earthiness that is very unique.

Lighting up was quick and easy with just a singe-flame torch. I immediately got cocoa powder and a rich sweetness on the palate, along with some bitter earthiness underneath. On the retrohale, I got more earthiness with a strong black pepper. As I got into it a little more, I was surprised to find the chocolate flavor was richer than on many Mexican-wrapped cigars in the past. Before the first third was over, though, that note had died down a bit and the more typical bitterness had increased...although not so much that it wasn't enjoyable...it seemed to strike a very nice balance between the two sides.

Construction was very good as the second third started; the ash had held on for nearly an inch and the burn line was very straight for a Maduro. The draw was nearly perfect. During the second third, the sweetness receded to the point where is was just a subtle background element. Instead I got a strong earthiness and a rich espresso bean flavor with notes of unsweetened cocoa powder mixed in. Although it had more of the bitter notes of the Mexican leaf, the fact that it wasn't just earthiness added to the enjoyability of the smoke. I did start to feel a bit of nicotine strength before the third was over, which was unexpected.

The last third was a continuation of the second in terms of flavor, but by now the AF1 was starting to show its strength as I got a fairly substantial nicotine buzz. The body had started medium to full, but was now strictly in the full range, reminding me a lot of a Man o War, but with the distinctively Mexican wrapper. All in all, I enjoyed this cigar; while Mexican leaf is still not one of my favorites, it's good to know it can be used to very good effect like it is here...and on a cigar that retails for less than $10. Body and strength levels would keep this cigar away from newer smokers, but for those with more experience, it is a powerhouse that packs a lot of flavor. I was going to keep this short, but ended up writing a full review...ah well, that's the way it goes! Check in tomorrow as I check out the AF2.

Body: 9/10
Strength: 8/10
Complexity: 8/10

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

General Cigar Releases All New Product Info

I just received a collection of press releases from General Cigar regarding their new products at the IPCPR show and rather than throw all of them at you at one time, I thought I would start by just putting out the "At a Glance" press release, which lists all the different items they expect to show, including country of origin, sizes and suggested retail prices. I'll try to throw some of the individual press releases out there throughout the rest of the week...

Macanudo New Frontmarks

Macanudo Café Court (4 3/16” x 36), SRP is $14.99 for a tin containing 5 cigars. Available in November.

Macanudo Cru Royale Court (4 3/16” x 36), SRP is $12.99 for a tin containing 5 cigars. Available in November.

Macanudo Cru Royale Poco Gordo (4” x 60), SRP per cigar is $4.99. Available in August.

Macanudo Vintage 1997 Maduro Robusto (5 ½” x 50), SRP per cigar is $8.39. Available in November.

Cohiba Edición Diamante

A rare opportunity to own a piece of premium cigar history, only 100 of these humidors will be released.

Wrapper: Cameroon, from 1980 (same wrapper as Partagas 150)

Binder: Indonesian Jember
Filler: Dominican Piloto Cubano

Contains 150 never-before-released cigars. Humidor SRP is $4,125.

Debuts in December.

Six frontmarks:

Capa Reserva Robusto (5” x 49)

Capa Reserva Corona Especiale (6 1/2” x 42)

Capa Reserva Lonsdale Grande (6 1/4” x 47)

Capa Reserva Toro (6” x 54)

Capa Reserva Churchill (7” x 49)

Capa Reserva Gigante (6” x 60)

La Gloria Cubana Artesanos Retro Especiale

Inspired by an antique humidor, this collection spent eight years in the making.

Wrapper: CT Honduras

Binder: Nicaraguan and Mexican

Filler: Nicaraguan and Dominican ligero; Nicaraguan and Dominican

Debuts in mid-August at private tastings

Product will be available at retail in mid-September

Four frontmarks, each housed in boxes of 25:

SRP range is $7.00 to $8.15 per cigar

Taino (7” x 52) is $7.50 per cigar, or $187.50 per box

Habanero (6” x 52) is $7.25 per cigar, or $181.25 per box

Cubano (6 1/2” x 58) is $8.15 per cigar, or $203.75 per box

Club (5 ¾” x 47) is $7.00 apiece, or $175.00 per box

La Gloria Cubana Flechas Humidor Chest

Contains sizes and blends never-before-released under La Gloria Cubana “White Box” and Seri R collections.

White Box Wrapper: Ecuadoran Sumatra                                                Serie R Wrapper: Ecuadoran Sumatra

Binder:            Nicaraguan                                                                        Binder: Nicaraguan

Filler:            Dominican and Nicaraguan Ligero                                    Filler: Proprietary Ligero

Flechas frontmark (6 ½” x 49)

Humidor chest SRP is $350 and contains 48 cigars each.

Only 250 sequentially-numbered humidors were made.

Debuts in November.

CAO OSA Sol

The first new collection created for CAO under the auspices of General Cigar

Wrapper: Olancho San Agustin, from the proprietary 2008 crop

Binder: Connecticut Broadleaf binder

Filler: Nicaraguan and Honduran

Debuts at retail in September

Three frontmarks, each housed in boxes of 25.

SRP range is $5.75 to $6.75

Lot 50 (5” x 50) is $5.75 per cigar, or $143.75 per box           

Lot 54 (6” x 54) is $6.25 per cigar, or $156.25 per box

Lot 58 (6 ½” x 58) is $6.75 per cigar, or $168.75 per box