Cigar Review: AKA Respect

Hooah, Robusto, 5.5" x 50 ring gauge / approx. $9.50

When Dave told me we were approached by Jay Lundy with some more samples to review I was excited to try them because of Dave's review here. I'd also like to thank Jay for providing us these samples and for sponsoring the contest. I was able to smoke two other samples of this cigar, albeit of different sizes, before this one I reviewed.

The first thing I noticed was the band with it's striking silver on black motif. You don't have any issues reading the letters and seeing what cigar this is. The wrapper was a very nice medium dark brown in color. It also had a good amount of tooth and oils to it. This sample had some medium veins, not the large veins that Dave experienced. When I put my nose to the wrapper I got an intense manure aroma from it, with barnyard and leather coming from the foot. Squeezing the cigar I got a slight amount of give without any soft spots. After I clipped it and took a cold draw on it I got some sweet herbal (not grassy) notes and a good draw.

Once I light the cigar up the first thing I get is a lot of red pepper spice on the tongue and retrohale. After a few more puffs on the cigar I am able to taste leather, grilled meat and curry. About an eighth of an inch in the spice ramps up into a wasabi like spice especially on the retrohale. A little ways into this third I started to get a slight sweetness on the finish as well. The draw was just perfect producing a large volume of heavy smoke. The burn was a little bit wavy and the ash needed to be tapped off at about half an inch because it started to flower. As far as the body and strength were concerned I would put them both at the bottom end of full.

Moving onto the second third the spice started to tone down a bit, but it was definitely still present. The draw continued to be great and the smoke felt like it was coating my mouth which caused the cigar to have a long finish. The main flavors of this third were of leather, earth, grilled meat, curry, a slight hint of cinnamon all with a slightly sweet finish. The one thing I noticed about these cigars is even though they produced large volumes of smoke they seemed to smoke very slowly.

The final third was very similar to the last third, with a couple exceptions. The flavors continued to be the same, while the sweetness on the finish diminished. This wasn't a problem as I was thoroughly enjoying this cigar. The spice started ramping up, however it wasn't as strong as the first third. Unlike Dave I did get a slight nicotine hit as I finished up the cigar.

Overall this was a very enjoyable cigar. I can definitely see myself purchasing a box of these if I can find one. If you like full flavored cigars I would highly recommend this one, especially since they support our wounded troops. However this isn't a cigar for novices.

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

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


Reminder about the Contest...
We teamed up with Jay Lundy of AKA Cigars to bring you this giveaway. He is going to be giving out 3 Prize Packs which include 3 Each of the Hybrid and Respect blends, along with an AKA Hat, AKA Dog Tag, and AKA Patch. This will run from the time this review posts until this Friday, March 2, 2012, at Midnight Eastern Time. So you’re asking right now...”How Do I Win?” We are giving each person up to 4 entries into the contest...

1. Leave a relevant comment on Dave's review of the AKA Hybrid.
2. Leave a relevant comment on this review of the AKA Respect.
   
3. Post a Tweet about this contest. Something like this should work (make sure you add my Twitter name in it so I will see it and count it): Win @AKACigars at the Tiki Bar Online! http://tinyurl.com/7d9berh @dmjones1009
4. Go to AKA Cigars’ Facebook page and Friend them. Look in their Pictures section, find a folder labeled AKA Contest and find the picture with the relevant Codeword (you'll know it when you see it!). E-mail that Codeword to me at tikibaronline@mac.com. Do not Tweet the Codeword or leave it in a comment on the blog...it MUST be e-mailed to me.

3 Random Winners will be selected and announced Saturday morning, March 3, 2012. When the winners have given me their addresses, I will forward them on to AKA Cigars as they are mailing the prizes directly from their location. Contest open only to those with a US mailing address.

Cigar Review: AKA Hybrid

DNA (Dynamic Neuro Accelerator, Robusto), 5.5" x 50 ring gauge / 

approx. $9
After my review in January of the AKA Cigars Respect, I was contacted by brand owner, Jay Lundy, about reviewing the Hybrid blend. I try to be open minded to any and all new blends from companies big and small...but I especially enjoy giving exposure to the newer, smaller upstart companies. Boutique brands work their way into a crowded market and often bring unconventional ideas in blending and marketing so it is fun to see what they are doing. The Hybrid (red label) from AKA (short for American Kick Ass) was a project that took a year and a half to get just right. The tobacco is sourced from Camacho in Honduras and Davidoff in Dominicana. The filler is 4 and 5 year old Dominican Piloto Cubano and Honduran leaf. The binder is a 4 year aged Dominican Ligero. The wrapper is something special: a hybrid of Cameroon and 59 Cuban Seed Corojo, aged for 5 years, and used only by AKA. Jay sent me some samples of the Hybrid in various sizes; this is the third example of this blend I have smoked.

The appearance is very nice, with the red and silver label standing out even better than the black and silver of the Respect. The wrapper leaf was a medium brown with a slight reddish hue, a fair amount of oils, and no sizable veins. It had a nice rich aroma of cedar and earth, while the foot had a more pungent manurey quality. The prelight draw was easy and had a rich mix of earth, wood and mild pepper flavors.

When lighting up there was just a moment of that signature Davidoff forest, fungusy flavor...I didn't noticed it the first couple times I smoke a Hybrid, but this time I did. It was definitely there, but just a shadow of the way it comes through on many "real" Davidoff product. When it was fully burning, the smoke was rich and creamy in texture, with flavor notes of cedar and natural tobacco over a sweet cocoa and earth; the retrohale was mildly peppery. As the first third continued to burn along I picked up a molasses sweetness that balanced the earth very well.

During the second third, the pepper spice increased both on the palate and on the nose to a point where it did remind me of the wasabi burn frequently found in Cameroon leaf. I did also continue to get the nice mix of earth and molasses; the smoke remained thick and creamy. Construction was excellent so far, with just a couple minor touchups needed to keep the burn no one even (I had not gotten a perfectly even light, so that was probably my fault).

The pepper spice increased even more in the final third, keeping the Hybrid lively and interesting. If more companies used the leaf in this way I might have to revise my opinion of Honduran leaf, which I normally find kind of dull. This cigar was flavorful the entire way, building on itself and never letting me down. It was medium to full in body but did not have a big nicotine kick. It might not be a good choice for newer smokers, but I think a lot of enthusiasts will really enjoy this one. As for me, it is a cigar I would like to keep on hand all the time; great flavor, great construction, great value.

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

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


Time For A Contest...
We teamed up with Jay Lundy of AKA Cigars to bring you this giveaway. He is going to be giving out 3 Prize Packs which include 3 Each of the Hybrid and Respect blends, along with an AKA Hat, AKA Dog Tag, and AKA Patch. This will run from the time this review posts until this Friday, March 2, 2012, at Midnight Eastern Time. So you’re asking right now...”How Do I Win?” We are giving each person up to 4 entries into the contest...

1. Leave a relevant comment on this review of the AKA Hybrid.
2. Leave a relevant comment on Keith's review of the AKA Respect (which should post around 10 a.m. Eastern Time on Wednesday).
3. Post a Tweet about this contest. Something like this should work (make sure you add my Twitter name in it so I will see it and count it): Win @AKACigars at the Tiki Bar Online! http://tinyurl.com/7d9berh @dmjones1009
4. Go to AKA Cigars’ Facebook page and Friend them. Look in their Pictures section, find a folder labeled AKA Contest and find the picture with the relevant Codeword (you'll know it when you see it!). E-mail that Codeword to me at tikibaronline@mac.com. Do not Tweet the Codeword or leave it in a comment on the blog...it MUST be e-mailed to me.

3 Random Winners will be selected and announced Saturday morning, March 3, 2012. When the winners have given me their addresses, I will forward them on to AKA Cigars as they are mailing the prizes directly from their location. Contest open only to those with a US mailing address.

Various Ramblings...volume whatever...

It’s Sunday afternoon and I’m puffing on a Ortega Serie D and thinking about the fact that this year has moved pretty fast so far. I don't have a review of this new brand from Eddie Ortega yet, but I do have to admit that I like it. Both Keith and I have been recipients of review samples from Eddie; he will probably be posting his review in the next couple week...mine will show up sometime in the next couple months. Maybe by then, you'll actually be able to find these for sale. For now, it seems they are selling very quickly and as soon as someone announced their availability they are sold out.

We started off this year on the Tiki Bar with three quick contests and we would like to thank everyone who has participated again. We love being able to give back a little to our faithful readers...maybe give them something new to try in the process. With that in mind, our next contest starts tomorrow and will feature AKA Cigars, a brand you might not be familiar with yet. These cigars feature tobacco from the farms of Davidoff and Camacho, so if you are a fan of either, you'll want to get involved in this one. We already have three other vendors lined up to sponsor contests in the next two or three months, too, so this may just end up being "Year of the Contest" on this blog!

Last Friday I went to Nashville and got to hang out with some great people. Matt and Wes, managers of Burns East and Burns Downtown respectively, were there, as was my faithful cameraman, Al. We hung out at Crowned Heads HQ for a few hours, got to try a cigar I can't talk about, had one of our party inflict possible damage on the Nashville sewer system, and had a great conversation with Mike Conder and Jon Huber. The group moved to UPtowns Smoke Shop where we hung with Skippy from Asheville Smoking Room, Two Foot Fred, and Scott, the shop manager. We walked religion and politics...all the things you are not supposed to mention. Good times. On the way back we stopped at Jack in the Box and split the cost of a bacon shake so we could all say we tried it. Not So Good Times.

I was able to pick up a couple more Whiskeys for my Tennessee Spirits series while in Nashville, too. Reviews of the Corsair Artisan Triple Smoke and Prichards Tennessee Whiskey will be here before you know it.

Plans for the Chattanooga Tweet Up are proceeding apace. I wish I had more to tell you right now, but there should be more in a few weeks. You know...pricing...ticket sales...it's coming, folks...hope you are all making plans to be there.

Speaking of Crowned Heads and Matt from Burns...if you haven't seen this latest "Retailer Spotlight" then click on the video below and make your Monday a little better:

Cigar Extra: Jaime Garcia Reserva Especial, TAA Edition

Torpedo, 6.125" x 52 ring gauge / $10, Burns Tobacconist
The Tobacconist Association of America is ramping it up when it comes to the exclusive cigars released under their banner. Hot on the heels of the Tatuaje TAA blend is this special release of the Jaime Garcia Reserva Especial in a nice box-pressed torpedo size. It is available only from TAA member shops and costs $10 a stick (I got this one free of charge since Burns was giving them out on a member night). Like other Jaime Garcia branded sticks, this has Nicaraguan filler, an Ecuadorian binder, and a Connecticut Broadleaf Maduro wrapper. I paired it with Willett Bourbon, a single barrel, pot stilled dram I picked up the same day I got the cigar.

To start off, this is a great looking cigar, but then again, I am a sucker for a beautiful, oily Broadleaf wrapper leaf. The prelight draw was good and had flavor notes of dark chocolate, coffee, spice and natural tobacco. Once lit the pepper spice came through strongly on the nose, while I got cedar and cocoa powder on the palate. The cigar smoked earthy and slightly sweet in the first third, with cedar more of an supporting note...far different from the Jaime Garcias I remember smoking when they first came to market. The bourbon was smooth and sweet, with plenty of oak and vanilla...very tasty and a very nice accompaniment to the stogie.

The rest of the cigar continued to be better than I remembered for this blend. The cedar flavor did increase but never became the dominant note as I had experienced in the past. The bourbon was simply fantastic and proved to be a superb pairing, bringing out more sweetness from the Maduro wrapper. And maybe that is the whole key to why the cigar worked...with the additional sweetness, the wood flavor never overwhelmed the balance and made it much more palatable.

If you want to get your hands on some of these, give Burns a call at 423-855-5200

 

Cigar Review: La Aurora Broadway

Toro, 5.75" x 54 ring gauge / approx. $12.25, New York state exclusive
Pretty much everyone can agree that tobacco taxes are too high just about everywhere, but New York state seems to be a special case where the legislature seems to be intent on driving business completely out of the Empire State. To help local tobacconists, several companies produced special "New York only" cigars that could be sold at a slightly lower than average price (for NY anyway) and would be a reason for consumers to buy from NY shops. The filler of the La Aurora Broadway Series is Dominican, Nicaraguan and Peruvian, it has a Dominican Corojo binder, and two wrapper leaves--one Ecuadorian Sumatra and one Nicaraguan Habano. My friend, Barry, sent me one of these as he celebrated his leaving New York to go to work for Miami Cigar and Company; I will be basing my review on this one sample, in large part because it is something Barry and I have always disagreed on. :-)

The New York City skyline graphic on the band of the Broadway definitely sets it apart from anything else in La Aurora's catalog (nary a lion in sight) and really from just about anything else I've seen in the humidor. The black, silver and red has a vaguely art deco-ish design. The wrapper has a faint glisten of oil, but under my fingers it felt more oily, with a slightly velvety touch to it. I also picked up some glints of what could have been plume when I held the cigar at certain angles under the light in my office; probably just the beginnings of some real plume formation, but still...it shows that the cigar was kept well. Bringing it to my nose, I got an aroma of barnyard, which is probably something not smelled in NYC in over 150 years. The foot gave off rich, earthy scents. Giving it a good look again before lighting, I noticed the color to be a light to medium brown with some darker mottling and a few medium-sized veins. The prelight draw was very good and had flavors of hay, earth and sweet tobacco.

The La Aurora Broadway took a bit more effort than expected to get lit, but once going I enjoys it right from the start. I got sweet hay and tobacco notes up front, a hint of citrus from the Peruvian leaf, and an underlying earthiness; the retrohale was smooth, with just a hint of black pepper burn and a rich, sweet roasted nut note. The rest of the first third was a very nice mix of earth, maple, and natural tobacco along with an understated citrus zing.

The ash held on for over an inch before needing to be tapped off the first time. The draw and burn line were nothing short of perfect, either, as I chugged into the second third. I noticed that the carbon ring around the burn line was ultra thin, too. The flavors of the Broadway in the second third trended more toward the earthy side and the sweetness was more of a dark molasses note. I still got a roasted peanut note on the nose.

The last third of the La Aurora Broadway maintained the earthy core, but notes of wood and molasses came through more strongly, as well. In the end, I liked this cigar...a lot. This could be one of the finest things to issue out of the La Aurora factory, in fact. It was very flavorful and complex with a medium to full body and medium amount of nicotine hit. This would be an easy cigar to recommend to smokers who want to get beyond the milder cigars most new smokers gravitate toward and it has enough interest for seasoned cigar enthusiasts, too. I wish this was more widely available and I wish it was available in more sizes, but do yourself a favor and try to find them. If you are near New York, go and buy some. If not, find a New York retailer that will sell them over the phone or Internet.

Body: 7/10
Strength: 5/10
Complexity: 8/10

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

Cigar Review: Pedro Martin Fiera

Torpedo, 6.25" x 52 ring gauge / $8.99, Maxamar's

This past weekend I went looking around the humidor in Maxamar's trying to see if I could find something new to light up. These caught my eye as I had heard about them before but had never seen one. Maxamar's has been getting more of the Pedro Martin cigars in recently so I may be doing some review of their other cigars. This cigar is a Nicaraguan puro comprised of a corojo filler, a criollo binder, all covered in a corojo wrapper. The cigar comes 20 to a box in three sizes; a 4.5"x50 short robusto, a 6"x54 super toro, and the cigar I smoked for the review the 6.25"x52 torpedo. This was the second one I smoked.

The first thing I notice is the band. I really like the silver, black and red coloring of it and it was what caught my eye as I was browsing through the humidor. The wrapper is a nice medium brown in color with some oils to it. There were some fine veins to it as well. When I gave the cigar a squeeze I wasn't able to detect any soft spots and it was fairly firm. Putting my nose to the wrapper I was able to get the aroma of leather, while barnyard came from the foot. After clipping it and taking a cold draw on it I got a good draw with a sweet cedar flavor.

Lighting it up the first taste I get is of sweet graham cracker. Taking a few more puffs the spice is very present on the retrohale and the tongue. As I progressed into this third I was able to taste the flavors of leather, wood, and cinnamon coming through as well. The draw was pretty much perfect and the burn was pretty much even. I would call this cigar medium bodied and strength at this point.

As I started the second third the spice and the sweetness mellowed out. The cigar unfortunately tarred up and I had to recut it. The flavors otherwise were of cedar, and earth. The draw continued to be great, while the burn was slightly wavy, but nothing serious.

Once I moved into the final third the cigar changed to pretty much what it was during the first third. The spice ramped up a bit, especially on the tongue. The flavors were of wood, leather, earth and cinnamon with a sweet finish.

Overall this was a very enjoyable cigar! Luckily I didn't have any more tar problems and after I cut it the bitterness went away. I would classify this cigar right in the middle of the medium range. While this isn't something that I'd like after a heavy meal, it would be a great morning or afternoon cigar as though it is flavorful it isn't overwhelming. Because of that I would recommend this cigar to any smoker out there. So if you see it I'd suggest picking it up.

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

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

Cigar Review: La Palina El Diario Torpedo

Torpedo, 6.125" x 52 ring gauge / approx. $11
Back in October of last year, Keith and I published a dual review of the La Palina El Diario, their newest release. As noted then, this was made in Honduras by Raices Cubanas and features Nicaraguan filler (Corojo 99 and Criollo 98), two Honduran Criollo 98 binder leaves, and a Honduran Corojo 99 Rosado wrapper leaf. It was designed to be a balanced, medium bodied smoke with an affordable price tag that people might be able to enjoy on a daily basis, thus the name El Diario, which means "the daily." In the end, though, neither Keith nor I really enjoyed the cigar much, and I think one of the biggest problems was the size they sent for review: a 6" x 60 ring gauge Gordo. After an honest, but negative, review I thought we might not hear back from La Palina, but they sent a pair of El Diario in the smaller ring gauge Torpedo size, so I thought...this might be a good opportunity to see how size affects this blend. I smoked both of these for this review.

I won't belabor the prelight appearance...it was great on the Gordo and it is great here. The wrapper had nice aroma notes of wood, earth, and leather; the foot had more earth along with a sweet chocolatey note. After clipping the tip from the El Diario, I got a very good draw that featured flavors of natural tobacco, sweetened cocoa powder, and a little bit of pepper spice. So far, so good.

When I fired up, I found the El Diario Torpedo actually delivered good flavor at the outset: earth, medium-roast coffee, and even a little citrus on the palate; red pepper spice on the nose. The citrus did not last long, but it was replaced by a subtle dried fruit note that kept the sweetness in play. As the first third burned through, I got mostly flavors of earth and coffee, along with a rich natural tobacco. Underneath was a more subtle flavor of cedar. I have to admit that at this point, I was enjoying this vitola much more than the other I had tried.

In the second third the actual flavors did not change so much as the intensity of them switched around. The leading roles now were the natural tobacco note...almost haylike...and cedar. Underneath were flavors of earth and dried fruit sweetness. Construction had been superb so far; the draw was great, the burn line had needed only one minor touch up and the ash had to be forcibly tapped off at around an inch.

In the last third, the El Diario Torpedo did not change a whole lot, mostly just continued the flavor profile that had developed in the second. It is no secret that I think smaller ring gauges tend to bring out the best in a cigar's blend and this is no exception. While I still was not blown away by this cigar, it was a vast improvement over the 60 ring gauge sample I had smoked a few months ago and is something I would smoke again. The body was just over the halfway mark and the strength was nothing too potent, so this could be recommended to all but the most novice of smokers. I think those who appreciate Honduran tobacco are still going to be the biggest fans of this blend due to the triple whammy of that country's leaf in wrapper and dual binders, but this one is an exception to my rule of Honduran tobacco being a little...well...boring. While not as intensely flavorful as many Nicaraguan puros, this one did bring some life and interest to the party.

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

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

Event: Guillermo Leon at Burns Tobacconist

Friday, February 17, 2012 - Burns Tobacconist, Chattanooga, Tennessee

 

Last Friday we saw the long-awaited visit of La Aurora Cigars president, Guillermo Leon, to the city of Chattanooga. I can remember nearly three years ago when I was first told that they were trying to get Guillermo to visit...and the wait was finally over.

We had a great reception in the Tropicana Room behind Burns, with as much Presidente Beer as you could drink included in the price of admission. The price of admission was either $20...or a box purchase. The box purchase turned out to be the better deal, though, as they gave us the regular 20 percent discount, plus 10 free cigars (La Aurora Escogidos Maduros, a cigar made only for the factory and for events...but also sold to an online retailer once). Box purchasers also got a chance to win a trip to the Dominican Republic, with all expenses paid except air fare...and one lucky winner was destined to get the air fare taken care of, too.

Before the event started, I got a chance to sit down and talk to Guillermo for a few minutes...

The event moved on to the Downtown location of Burns for Saturday night.

I would like to thank Matt, Wes, and the rest of the Burns crew for putting on another great event. I would also like to thank Matt Shugart, Miami Cigar & Company's southeast region rep, for doing a typically outstanding job. Congrats to all those from Burns who are going to visit the La Aurora factory in the DR this May! And finally, thanks again to Guillermo for taking the time to sit down and answer some questions. If you haven't tried a La Aurora lately, I would encourage you to make a point of doing so...my two best recommendations would be the 107 Corona or the Guillermo Leon Signature Corona Gorda.

 

 

 

 

Burns Downtown manager, Wes, and MCC rep, Matt

Cigar Extra: Graycliff Professionale

Presidente, 7" x 48 ring gauge / $20.50, Burns Tobacconist
Just to get this out of the way...no, I did not actually pay $20+ for this; I got it as part of the annual Burns renewal party last November. But it is a beautiful, hard to come by cigar, so I decided to put down some thoughts while I smoked it. The Blue Label Graycliff is also known as the Professionale and is made with a blend of Nicaraguan, Honduran, Brazilian, and Ecuadorian tobacco with an Indonesian wrapper. They are available in 11 sizes, outdone only by the Red Label Original which is available in 13. The entire range of lines was created to complement the Graycliff Hotel and Restaurant in the Bahamas.

The cigar is nice looking, with a classy, upscale band. The wrapper was fairly mottled and had a rich earthy aroma; the foot had a milder grassy aroma. The cold draw had an interesting mix of hay and molasses...so far it presented itself mostly as a milder cigar even though the company website describes it as medium to full. It fired up easily and had mostly natural tobacco flavor at first with citrus notes popping up within a few puffs. Before long I was experiencing a rich mix of tobacco, molasses and citrus with an underlying earthiness that added somewhat to the body...although I still would not call it medium to full. I paired the cigar with Ron Barcelo rum and on the first few sips I am sorry to say it did not seem like this was a pairing that would work well. Suddenly the cigar took on a strange, slightly off flavor that I didn't care for.

I actually enjoyed the Graycliff Professionale for what it was...a very refined medium bodied cigar. It had a flavor that reminded me in some ways of an Opus X...perhaps even a Forbidden X. But...it was not as good or refined as either X. And before the second third even started I was getting a canoe, which is pretty much unacceptable in a cigar retailing for over $20 (at least it's unacceptable in my book). The flavor progressed to a somewhat odd place, likely the result of the Indonesian wrapper leaf, which is something I am unfamiliar with. The pairing with the rum got better, too. In the end it was an interesting smoke, but I can't imagine paying $20 or more to experience it again.

Cigar Review: Berger & Argenti Entubar V32

Bruto Belicoso, 6.375" x 60 ring gauge / approx. $15, Tobacco World
You see the yellow police tape foot band and you realize it can only mean one thing: Entubar! "What is an Entubar?" you ask. Here is the short version...pretty much all cigars have Ligero concentrated in the middle and lots of cigars use the "entubado" method of bunching where each leaf is formed into a tube of sorts. The Entubar takes both of those to extremes. The entubado is so well crafted that the cigar frequently have smoke pouring in discrete channels from a cut head long before you take a puff on the cigar. The Ligero is not only in the middle, but bunched separately in the middle with the rest of the filler bunched around it...then that middle Ligero bunch pokes out 3/8". It is strange and unique looking, difficult and expensive to make. This V32 version has a full 32 ring gauge Ligero plug in the center and is a Nicaraguan Puro, "uniting deeply aged filler and binder tobaccos from the Esteli, Condega, Jalapa, and Jinotega regions--and enveloped in a prime Jalapa Valley Cuban-seed Maduro wrapper." Because of the difficulty in making these, they are being limited to an 80,000 cigar run...I will say that the high price tag may make them more easily available for a longer time. I expected them to be a little pricey, but I did a bit of sticker shock anyway. This review sample is the first one of these I smoked.

The appearance is similar to the Entubar Quad Maduro in that it has the same footband (goofy or gimmicky to some people) and a nice dark wrapper. There is also a smaller band under the main one...denoting V32 in the same "safety yellow" as the footband...so at least they are sticking with the theme. The wrapper leaf was quite dark with even darker mottling and had enough lumps, bumps and veins to seem rustic. The aroma from it was a similar barnyard earthiness that I've experienced with some LFD Ligero line sticks. The foot had more of that barnyard aroma, plus a bit of sweetness. The cold draw is nothing short of extraordinary: absolutely effortless. The flavor is filled with rich earth, coffee, and anise notes.

The Entubar V32 took a lot of effort and butane to get lit. As with all the Entubar line, you have to make sure to even toast everything, Ligero plug and all the surrounding tobacco. Once that is done you can get it really going...with some more patience. When finally burning, the initial flavor was a powerful anise along with notes of dark roast coffee. There was a low level pepper burn on the back of my tongue and the retrohale was a mixture of cocoa powder and cayenne pepper. One thing is for sure: this cigar opens up full bodied right from the start; flavorful, but definitely full. As the first third burned away, it became deeply earthy with a few sweet notes around the edges and some wood on the nose.

The second third continued with full bodied earthiness. There were notes of anise, cocoa powder and dark roast coffee that snuck through from time to time as well. Construction was very good; the draw was as good as you should expect from an Entubar and the ash held on for an inch or more. The only issue, and it was a small one, was the burn line which needed touching up several times so far. Like I said, a small issue, especially since this V32 had a Maduro wrapper and they more often burn crooked than straight.

In the final third, the Entubar V32 burned hotter than I would like and that tended to mute any flavors besides earth. There is no doubt that this was a full bodied cigar, though, and full flavored up until this point. As an experiment, it is very interesting and I would love to see how it works in a slightly smaller ring gauge, although the smallest available is 50, I think. The body and nicotine strength should make new smokers steer clear, but those who crave full bodied smoking pleasure might very well find something they really enjoy here. For me, I enjoy the Quad Maduro version more; add to that the fact that that version of the Entubar is slightly less expensive means that I would be more likely to pick those up in the future instead of this one.

Body: 9/10
Strength: 8/10
Complexity: 7/10

AFP Scale
Prelight: 2/2
Construction: 1.5/2
Flavor: 4/5
Value: .5/1
Total: 8/10

Cigar Extra: Perdomo Cabinet Reserve Cameroon

Corona, 4.5" x 46 ring gauge / $4.99, Maxamar's Cigars

When I was looking through my humidor for a cigar to review I found this cigar. I originally wasn't planning on reviewing it, but with Dave's positive review the other week I figured why the heck not. Similar to Dave I wasn't able to find out much about the blend of this cigar.

The cigar is very nice looking with a dark brown wrapper with a lot of oils to it. The colors of the band were a nice contrast to the wrapper. As soon as I took it out of the cellophane I got notes of barnyard from the wrapper with raisins and cedar from the foot. Clipping the cigar I was able to get notes of sweet wood with an ok draw.

As I lit up the cigar I got the same sensation of a blast of black pepper on the tongue and retrohale that Dave did. After a few more puffs notes of leather and wood came through wit a slightly sweet finish. I would classify this cigar even with the spice as medium bodied an strength. The spice did town down a bit after about a quarter of the way in. The draw was ok, but the burn canoed pretty good. I don't know if it was the gusting wind or the cigar, probably a little of both.

The last half of the cigar didn't see much change except I started to get the familiar Cameroon flavor out of it. Otherwise the flavors were unchanged. The spice did build back up in strength though.

Overall this cigar wasn't my cup of tea. Like I've mentioned before I rarely like a cigar with a Cameroon wrapper. If you like that type of wrapper I'd definitely say give this cigar a try if you can find it. With it being medium bodied and fairly inexpensive it is pretty much in the reach of any smoker.

Cigar Review: EP Carrillo Edicion Limitada 2011 (Dark Rituals)

6.5" x 56 ring gauge / $15.75, Burns Tobacconist
Autumn rolled around and it was time for another Edicion Limitada from E.P. Carrillo Cigars. The first was the Edicion Inaugural in 2009, then the EL 2010 that was popular enough to be the basis for the regular production Elencos (at a far lower price than the EL version), now the EL 2011, given the name "Dark Rituals." There are only 2,000 boxes of 10 being made, but at a price approaching $16 a stick, you might be able to find these around for a while. I have to admit to feeling my throat tighten up every time I see a ~$15 EPC EL cigar; I didn't care for the first one at all, the second one was fine until the last third for me, and both of them have been outdone by everything else in the regular lines of the company for far less money...at least that is my experience. Nevertheless, I purchased one of these for review and we shall see if more of my hard earned money will be spent exploring more Dark Rituals...or if I'll just stick to the very tasty and affordable Core Line Maduro. The EL 2011 uses all Nicaraguan fillers, an Ecuadorian Sumatra binder, and a Connecticut Broadleaf Maduro wrapper.

The Dark Rituals is indeed dark...a dark chocolate color with even darker mottling. It had a smooth, silky feel under the fingers and was plenty oily. The flesh-colored secondary band was a little odd looking, not really going well with the primary band or the wrapper leaf. Brought to the nose, the cigar had a sweet chocolatey aroma along with a little dried fruit; more earthiness came through from the foot. After clipping the head, I took a sip on the unlit cigar...what a rush of flavor! Dried berries, dark chocolate, medium roast coffee. This was one of those I wanted to just cold draw on for a while before lighting up.

Lighting up was pretty special, too, though...immediately, I got cocoa powder, earth, black pepper and coffee notes on the tongue, along with red pepper on the nose. The EL 2011 - Dark Rituals began smooth and sweet, but also bold and peppery at the same time. The boldness did not stop, either, as the first third progressed into notes of licorice and an odd sour citrus, while the earth and pepper spice diminished a bit. As much as I love the Core Line Maduro, I was beginning to see why this was an EL...tons of character and complexity right off the bat. I also noticed that it burned slowly...this fairly large cigar (Toro Grande?) was going to last a while.

Dark Rituals, indeed...as I burned through the second third, I could not help but think of the fact that all the flavors I was picking up were of dark items...bitter cocoa, espresso, licorice, earth, dark dried fruit. This was an interesting and intense cigar with a very full body so far and I was thoroughly enjoying it. The burn line needed a couple minor touch ups--normal with Maduros--but the ash fell off in solid chunks and the draw was great.

The last third of the Dark Rituals was earthy and chocolatey; not as complex as the first two thirds, but still very, very good. The body was consistently quite full but there was not a huge nicotine hit, so it was easy to smoke all the way down to the nub. And there you have it, the first EP Carrillo Edicion Limitada that I felt completely worth the high price tag...even though it is higher priced than either of the previous two. I ended up buying two more before they disappeared from my regular shop's shelves...yes, they are gone in some places already, but maybe you can find them if you look around. I hope they follow last year's practice and make this the basis for something new that will debut in the coming year...a new regular line that will cost considerably less...honestly, this blend is just too good to be a "one and done."

Body: 9/10
Strength: 7/10
Complexity: 8/10

AFP Scale
Prelight: 2/2
Construction: 2/2
Flavor: 4/5
Value: 1/1
Total: 9.5/10

Tennessee Spirits, part 2: Prichard Fine Rum

The second stop on our exploration of Tennessee Spirits takes us to the town of Kelso, which a population just south of 1,500, and home to Prichard’s Distillery where they have been producing rum for more than a decade. An exact timeline of their production and the reason why they chose to produce rum in Tennessee, of all places, is not noted on their website, but I am hoping to get a chance to visit the distillery later this year and will be sure to ask. Prichard’s makes several variations of rum, as well as come very interesting-sounding whiskeys that I hope to get my hands on later in this series.

Many rums are made from black strap molasses, a bitter residue left over when granulated sugar is processed. Prichard’s starts with “Grade A Fancy” molasses--a table-grade product--from Louisiana and Tennessee spring water. They distill their small batches in copper pot stills and seal the rum in 15-gallon charred white oak casks for 3 to 5 years. The smaller-than-normal barrel size provides for a higher wood-to-liquor ratio and concentration of the aging process. In another departure from the norm, they place the rum in the barrel at 80 proof--the same proof it is bottled at--rather than watering it down after the aging process is done.

The color of the Prichard’s Fine Rum is a brilliant amber that looks more like Bourbon than pretty much any aged rum I’ve ever seen. The nose is rich with molasses notes, which is to be expected, but the aroma of vanilla and oak comes through very strongly as well, which is not so common. Sipping the rum straight, I noticed it was not nearly as sweet as most rums...not even most sipping rums, in my experience. It has a nice honey note, but the influence of the oak is huge, with a ton of vanilla coming through. This definitely is a rum for sipping and not mixing or watering down with anything else. It brings some of the best aspects of aged whiskeys (like Bourbon or Tennessee Whiskey) AND aged rums, creating a sort of middle ground in between the two.

Whether it is due to the finer raw ingredients or specific type of barrel-aging employed, the Prichard’s Fine Rum is a fantastic sipping rum that is just...different...from nearly everything else out there. I found that this beverage, like many Bourbons, paired well with a variety of cigars from medium-bodied to full-bodied. The price in my corner of Tennessee is about $35 a bottle, which is a little steep, but not so much so that it makes it completely cost-prohibitive to try.

Winner, winner...

It's time to announce the winners of our Four Kicks Giveaway. I would like to thank everyone for participating and for continuing to read the Tiki Bar Online. Our next contest is scheduled for later this month and will feature a cigar company you may have never heard of (unless you read my reviews last month, because I did feature one of theirs!). But today...we focus on who wins one of four prize packages featuring a Four Kicks sampler, t-shirt and knit cap...

EMJAYSMASH

MANGO2KW

NWBONICK

CIGAR_BOSS_APP

I'll be sending contacting these folks soon for addresses to send the goodies to. Thanks again to Jon, Mike, Michael and Nancy at Crowned Heads for making great cigars and great swag that they generously provided for this contest. If you haven't tried Four Kicks yet...really, you need to. Check out this list of Retailers to find one near you. If you don't have one of those stores near you, call up Burns Tobacconist in Chattanooga and they should be able to hook you up with some Four Kicks.

Cigar Extra: La Flor Dominicana Limitado II

Toro, 6.5" x 54 ring gauge / Priceless, just this one was a gift
Keith sent me this cigar for my birthday last October. On the cellophane he had a sticker with the date 7/09, but Andrew Brennan from La Flor tells me that they were produced in 2005 and 2006, with the cigars shipping from late 2005 through early 2007. So this cigar has been well aged for 5 to 6 years. It used Dominican filler and binder along with an Ecuadorian wrapper. I don't know for sure, but the wrapper looks very similar (identical?) to the Oscuro leaf used on the company's Ligero Cabinet line. The cigar was beautiful and oily, and little veiny and rustic. On the wrapper I got a barnyard aroma that was (again) similar to the Ligero Cabinet line; the foot was rich with chocolate scents. Once cut, the draw was great and there were prelight flavors of molasses, semi-sweet chocolate and red pepper flake. This mix got me very interested, very quickly.

Lighting up took some time and a lot of butane, but the resulting mix or earth, cocoa powder, pepper spice, and cedar was definitely worth it. Great complex mix of flavors right off the bat. I thought it would be appropriate to pair this classic Dominican with cigar with a Dominican rum, so I broke out the Ron Barcelo. The Limitado II had some dried fruit, almost raisin-like notes as the first third burned through; the sweetness of the rum only intensified those flavors. Lots of earth and pepper spice came through, too.

The cigar continued to be rich, sweet and earthy through the first half and the rum was a perfect accompaniment. I can't remember if I had these when they were new so I can't make a judgement about how they have aged, but I do know this was a spectacular smoke. The La Flor Dominicana Limitado II might still be available if you keep your eyes open or just know the right people...if you see any, I suggest you buy them quick and enjoy.

Cigar Review: La Flor Dominicana Factory Press IV

6.5" x 60 ring gauge / MSRP $11
Installment number 4 of the Factory Press series from La Flor Dominicana arrived at tobacconists in December 2011 and continues the tradition set several years ago of delivering severely box pressed cigars in wooden boxes with trays designed to hold the cigars in their pressed form. There were a total of 250 boxes made this time around and each box has 10 trays of 12 cigars, so 120 cigars in a box. The filler was grown at Estancia La Flor de Plam in La Canela, Dominican Republic; the binder is Ecuadorian; and the wrapper for the Factory Press IV is Mexican Maduro. I bought this one review sample at Tobacco World in Marrieta, Georgia.

The look of the Factory Press line (and the Double Press, for that matter) is cool...it's rare that you will see a box press in a cigar that is this severe, with a couple corners that seem they could actually cut through paper. The wrapper was velvety and oily under the fingertips and had a rich, sweet chocolatey aroma; the foot had more of an earthy manure note to it. Because of the lack of cellophane and the wooden trays, I've seen Factory Press cigars in the past with torn and abused wrappers; this one is perfect, but you should be careful when selecting cigars from the trays and they are rather easily damaged. The prelight draw was just a little snug, but it was hard to tell if it would be a problem until I actually lit up. Cold draw flavors were of dark roast coffee and cocoa powder, along with just a slight hints of sweetness and chili pepper spice.

As with most large ring gauge cigars, lighting up took some time. I initially got a strong earthiness along with notes of cedar and a bit of maple sweetness. The retrohale was nutty with little bit of pepper spice; unlike many of Litto Gomez's creations, the spice on this Factory Press IV was pretty understated. The first third abounded with cocoa flavor along with a hint of the Mexican bitter earthiness that was well balanced with sweeter tobacco notes. Although I was a little concerned about the draw prelight, it turned out to be pertly adequate.

As I burned through the second third, I noticed that construction was just short of excellent. The burn line was as even as I've seen on one of LFD's hyper-box-pressed cigars (the corners always tend to burn a little slower at some point), the draw was close to perfection, and the ash was strong and held on for an inch or more before I forcibly tapped off. The flavor of the Factory Press IV tended more toward earthiness in this third, although with enough coffee and sweet cocoa to keep the balance good. The body had been medium to full right from the start.

Earthiness with overtones of dark roast coffee were about the only flavors that came through in the final third of the Factory Press IV; the sweetness I had tasted before had dwindled to practically nothing. The cigar was medium to full bodied in the end, just as it had started, but there was a bit of a nicotine kick as I smoked it down to the nub. Because of the body and nicotine content, this is unsuitable for newer smokers, but long time fans of LFD cigars should enjoy it.

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

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

Cigar Review: Rocky Patel Edicion Unica

Toro, 6" x 52 ring gauge / $7.99, Maxamar's Cigars

About a month ago I was in my regular shop and a bunch of the guys were talking about this cigar and how good it was and that I needed to try it. So I picked up a few and smoked them. This cigar was the fifth one I smoked. The cigar is a Honduran puro comprised of Jamastran and Talanga Valley fillers and binder with a Jamastran wrapper. These cigars come only in a 100 count cabinet. This cigar is, from what I've heard, the winner of the best blend at the 2011 Honduran Cigar Festival.

When you first look at it and you familiar with the Decade you wonder if it is somehow related. According to the Rocky Patel Twitter account they only share the same top band. The blend is completely different. The wrapper on this sample was a very nice dark brown in color with a reddish tint and some darker mottling to it. There wrapper feels thick and oily to the touch. There are quite a few medium veins to it, but in my opinion they don't detract from the cigar. When I gave the cigar a squeeze I got a slight amount of give but no soft spots. Putting my nose to the wrapper I get the aroma of cedar and leather, while I get raisins from the foot. After clipping it and taking a cold draw on it I get notes of bittersweet chocolate.

The first thing that hits me is a very intense spice on the tongue and retrohale. After taking a few puffs on it I get some maple like sweetness and the taste of leather. Further into the cigar I get chocolate and cinnamon as well. The draw is pretty much perfect, which is something that hasn't been the case on all of these I've tried. The cigar also produces a lot of smoke. I would place this cigar in the medium range in regards to body and strength. The ash held on for about an inch before needing to be tapped off. the burn was slightly uneven at this point.

The second third saw the spice tone down a bit with the strength building slightly. The main flavors during this third were of earth, leather, chocolate and a slightly sweet finish. The draw continued to be perfect, but I needed to get out my torch to adjust the burn as it canoed pretty bad.

While the flavors didn't change from the second third, I was enjoying this cigar to the end. The spice did ramp up a bit, even beyond where it was at the beginning. I would put this cigar in the strong category, just the upper end of medium.

Overall I was quite impressed. I did enjoy this cigar a lot. Because this cigar is reasonably priced, and not overly strong I can recommend it to pretty much any smoker out there. Now this isn't something where I need to buy the 100 count cabinet, I will be picking up some more to put in my humidor to enjoy from time to time.


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

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

Remember you can win a Four Kicks prize pack from The Crowned Heads! Details here.

Cigar Review: La Flor Dominicana Cameroon Cabinet Chisel

Chisel, 6" x 54 ring gauge / approx. $8.75, Buckhead Cigar
In the fall of 2010, the Cameroon Cabinet blend was featured as part of La Flor Dominicana's Chisel Sampler, and Keith gave a review of it at that time. Apparently the folks at LFD liked the result so much they decided to make this a limited release in boxes of 20, starting in December 2011. The filler of these is a blend of Dominican and Nicaraguan tobaccos; it has a Dominican binder; and the whole thing is finished off with a dark, Ligero Cameroon wrapper leaf. I've had several LFD Cameroon Cabinets, but this is the first in this vitola.

The look is attractive, but not breathtaking. The wrapper is dark for a Cameroon, although it still has a bit of that unique Cameroon coloration that Keith has referred to as "gray" in the past. It is toothy and oily as well. The banding is a variation on the regular LFD banding, with the color scheme altered; it's nice, but seems to blend in to the wrapper almost too well in parts. The proprietary Chisel shape is solid and well formed. I got a ripe barnyard and manure note on the wrapper; the foot had more of that earthy aroma but also a touch of something else...coffee? Tea? It was hard to say. The prelight draw was very good and had some of those earthier notes as well as a bit of hay and sweetness.

The Cameroon Cabinet Chisel lit fairly easily and opened up with a slightly bitter grassy flavor on the palate and a sharp peppery burn on the nose. The flavor turned very earthy with a syrupy finish before long. It took a while to figure out what else I was tasting, then it finally hit me...cedar! Sometimes the most obvious things can elude me...LOL

As I headed into the second third, construction was very typical of LFD products...which is to say, it was great. I saw an almost perfect burn line and strong ash; the draw was excellent as well. The flavor was still strongly of cedar, although some molasses sweetness came through, too.

The same mix of cedar and molasses sweetness made up the bulk of the final third, too. I have to admit to not having been a big fan of the Cameroon Cabinet; I've had a few and liked them, but never loved them or sought them out. This one bumped my opinion of it up a notch, but I still can't say I'm going to rush out and buy a box. I like Cameroon cigars, but with the heavy cedar influence, this one just does not do a huge amount for me. That being said, though, I know some people really love these and the Chisel vitola will just give them more to love. This smoke was at the lower end of full-bodied but did not pack a huge nicotine punch, unlike many of LFD's cigars.

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

AFP Scale
Prelight: 2/2
Construction: 2/2
Flavor: 3.5/5
Value: 1/1
Total: 8.5/10
 

Review Archive & Four Kicks Contest

A couple years back I started a project to keep track of all the reviews we had posted here on the Tiki Bar and make them easy to search through. The Cigar Review Archive was a great idea, but I had no idea I would be so lax in keeping it up to date. At one point, I had gone over a year without updating it, so I started working through the updates with an eye toward getting it complete by the time of the Chattanooga Tweet Up last August. Needless to say, that did not happen.

I got back into the groove of working on it in mid-January and am happy to announce that it is now complete and up-to-date...at least for today. Going forward, I will try to maintain it at least once a month, but...well, you know how life goes. All told, we have posted something on the order of 550 reviews (counting full reviews and Cigar Extras) in the three and a half years this blog has been active. Click HERE to see the full, alphabetized list; you can also click on Cigar Review Archive at the top of any page on the blog to get there.

To celebrate getting this project updated, I thought it might be a good time for another contest, this time featuring my Cigar of the Year for 2011, the Four Kicks by Crowned Heads. The folks at CH have generously provided 4 prize packs that include a Cigar Sampler featuring one of each size of Four Kicks, a knit cap perfect for cold weather herfing, and an awesome t-shirt that is sure to make you the envy of every knowledgeable cigar smoker that sees you wearing it!

Here's how you can win...

Step 1: Go to the Review Archive and select your favorite review dating from BEFORE October 1, 2011. Then leave a comment on this blog post stating the name of the cigar and the date the review posted. This step must be followed to be entered to the contest. Also note, if you choose to post using the "Anonymous" option, please make sure to leave a name or Twitter handle in the post so I can contact you later if you win.

Step 2: For an extra entry into the contest, post a link on Twitter to this contest page. Make sure to reference my Twitter name (@dmjones1009) in the post so I see it. Something like this:

Win #FourKicks Cigars & Swag at the Tiki Bar Online: http://tinyurl.com/7pu9r28 @dmjones1009

Step 3: For another extra entry, post a link on Twitter to your favorite Tiki Bar cigar review. Again, be sure to reference my Twitter name so I will see it. Something like this will work:

My favorite Tiki Bar Online review is: [link] @dmjones1009

In the spirit of having 4 prize packs of 4 Kicks cigars, this contest will go on for 4 days, specifically until 10:00 a.m. Eastern Time on Friday, February 10, 2012. There are a maximum of 3 entries per person on this contest. Contest winners will be announced on the Tiki Bar on Saturday, February 11, and I will contact them as soon as possible afterwards for shipping information. If I do not have contact information for a winner, they will need to contact me through the e-mail address listed on the Contact page of the blog within one week (Saturday, February 18).

Cigar Extra: Jaime Garcia Reserva Especial LE 2011

Toro, 6.5 x 52 ring gauge / approx. $16
I avoided buying these when they came out because I really was not a big fan of the original Jaime Garcia Reserva Especial...I saw no point in spending $16 or more for a special edition of that stick. At the Atlanta Tweetup, Nada Jumper (who along with her husband, Jeff, owns the Nadi Cigars brand) told me that it was not much like the regular release stick and I should try it. She had an extra one on hand and gifted it to me...and now I'm smoking it for this blog entry. According to information I found on the interwebs, this is supposed to be similar to the regular stick, but much richer. It uses Cuban seed Nicaraguan filler, a Nicaraguan Pelo de Oro binder and a Connecticut Broadleaf wrapper from a lower than usual priming. They made 3,700 boxes of 15 sticks (which also features a bonus 16th stick with a Connecticut Shade wrapper that is supposedly the basis for next year's LE).

The cold draw on the Jaime Garcia Limited Edition 2011 was fairly effortless and had a nice earthiness dominating the taste buds, but notes of dark chocolate and red pepper came through, too. Early puffs revealed notes of leather and cedar in the mostly earthy mix and a peppery retrohale. So far, I found it to be different enough from the regular release to be intriguing, but not so different that you could not tell they were related...a family flavor, as I like to call it. As the first third progressed, I got a much stronger cedar note, which was what I recall the regular cigar being like...and what I wasn't thrilled about with it.

By the time the second third started, though, the cedar became more subdued and some rich sweetness from the Broadleaf wrapper started to become evident and I felt like the whole thing was better balanced. I paired the Jaime Garcia LE 2011 with some Maker's Mark Bourbon; I've often said that bourbon pairs well with almost any cigar and this was no exception.

The rest of the cigar smoked very nicely...mildly sweet with notes of earth, anise and cedar. Aside from much of the first third, it was indeed richer and better than the regular production Jaime Garcia Reserva Especial. Construction was perfect, with a great draw, even burn line and ability to hold a long ash. This LE 2011 turned out better than I had expected. Thanks again to Nada Jumper for gifting me this one.

Cigar Review: God of Fire Series B

Robusto Gordo, 5.5" x 54 ring gauge / MSRP $22, Tobacco World
The God of Fire line was first introduced in 2004 as a collaboration between the Fuente cigar company and the Prometheus lighter company, with Keith Park in charge of the marketing of the brand. Normal annual releases have tended to wear either a Carlito or Don Carlos secondary band to distinguish between blends. They were joined in 2010 by the Series B, which was released in two sizes: a Gran Toro that features a Connecticut Broadleaf Maduro wrapper, and the Robusto Gordo that I am featuring today which comes with an Ecuadorian Sun Grown wrapper. Why two different wrappers on two vitolas that share the same name? I'm sure there is a reason, but nothing was indicated in any of the promotional materials. Both share the same filler binder blend as the original God of Fire, which is all Dominican. These come in boxes of 10 and each size is limited to 10,000 total sticks for the 2010 production year. These are very pricey...I am only smoking one for this review, but if I love it, I would be interested in buying more if I run across them again.

I was told these were "God of Fire Maduros" when I bought this sample in December and I have to say that regardless of the company statement that it is a Sun Grown, this looks very much like a Maduro...dark and rugged...and not so much like any Sun Grown leaf I can remember seeing. It was rich and sweet in aroma, too, earthy and chocolatey...also very much like a Maduro. There was more oil to the touch than to the eye on this stick and what looked like some excess dried glue in a couple places, which is unfortunately becoming very common with many sticks issuing from the Fuente factory. The foot also had a rich chocolatey scent. My go-to Xikar Xi made a perfectly clean cut on the head of the Series B and the resulting draw was good, if just a little snug. The cold draw had notes of cocoa powder and dark roast coffee, and it left a slight spicy tingle on the lips.

After lighting up, I noticed the flavors to be very earthy with just touches of the cocoa and coffee from the prelight. Despite all senses saying "Maduro" during prelight, the slightly spicy notes on both tongue and nose, as well as the lack of really significant sweetness, are more suggestive of the Sun Grown that this apparently actually is. As the first third continued to burn I noticed a sour citrus note coming through a combination of bitter earth, dark coffee, and baker's cocoa. This could have used just a touch of sweetness to balance out all the bitter and sour notes. It was not "bad" so far, but it also was not as balanced or refined as I would expect for this price tag.

On the plus side, the ash was strong and not flaky...and the burn line was decently straight. On the not so good side, the draw had started off fairly good, but by the time I got deep into the second third, it was tighter than it really should be. Not unsmokeable by any means, but certainly not as easy as a cigar of this caliber should be, either. The flavors of earth and unsweetened cocoa were still dominant. The sour notes had disappeared and there was a bit of leatheriness about it.

In the last third the God of Fire Series B came to life and seemed like a totally different cigar than what I had been smoking. While still very earthy, there was some sweetness to balance the bitterness and a nice spiciness was building up. The draw had opened up again and the whole experience was very enjoyable. If only it had been that way the entire time! The body ended up in the medium to full range and there was enough of a nicotine hit that I can't recommend this stogie for newer smokers. If the draw had not been difficult at times, I wonder how the whole of this cigar would have turned out. I also wonder if it would have been better with the Broadleaf Maduro wrapper used on the larger vitola since that may have provided a better balance. In the end, though, I felt like the first two thirds were a bit of a letdown for a $20+ cigar and when you are paying this much, I just feel like there should not be any letdown at all. I know some disagree..."it's a handmade product and variations in quality happen"...and all that. But for my money, any variation in quality when you're paying this much for a cigar is unacceptable.

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

AFP Scale
Prelight: 2/2
Construction: 1.5/2
Flavor: 3/5
Value: 1/2
Total: 7.5/10

Cigar Review: Drew Estate Feral Flying Pig

Perfecto, 5.375" x 60 ring gauge / approx. $16.99, Maxamar's Cigars

When I heard Jonathan Drew first talking about this cigar last year I was definitely interested in trying it out. He said it would be very strong and that sounds good to me. This release of the Flying Pig is the third installment started by the No. 9 Flying Pig a couple years ago followed up by the T-52 Flying Pig. There are two major differences that I'm aware of between this cigar and the previous two the most obvious is the size. The Feral Pig is at least an inch longer than the other two. The other difference is that this is a blend of both the No. 9 and T-52. The cigar is comprised of Nicaraguan filler, a Brazilian Mata Fina binder, all covered in a Connecticut Broadleaf maduro wrapper. They come packed in 10 count boxes. This was the second one of these cigars I smoked.

The CT broadleaf maduro wrapper on these cigars is definitely one of the better looking wrappers out there in my opinion. The color is a nice medium dark color with a slight amount of darker mottling. The veins that are present are fine with a few mediums ones scattered around. The wrapper feels quite oily to the touch. The wrapper also has a nice thick leathery feel to it as well. I can't help but thinking about a nice pork sausage when looking at this cigar. When I gave the cigar a squeeze I wasn't able to detect any soft spots and there was only a slight amount of give. Putting my nose to the wrapper I get the scent of cedar with barnyard coming from the foot. After I clip off the coiled pigtail cap and take a cold draw on it I get the slight taste of unsweetened chocolate with a great draw.

As soon as I light this cigar up I get a blast of chocolate, leather, and black pepper spice on the tongue. The retrohale has quite a good amount of spice to it, but it wasn't overwhelming. After taking a few more puffs on it I get notes of cinnamon and earth. As with all of the Ligas there was a lot of aromatic resting smoke. The draw was pretty much perfect while the burn was slightly wavy. The off-white ash held on for about three quarters of an inch before needing to be tapped off. I would say this cigar started off full bodied while at the upper end of medium in strength.

I didn't notice a lot of change in the flavors as I moved into the second third. That definitely wasn't a bad thing as I was enjoying the cocoa, leather and earth flavors I was getting. One thing I'll note is the spice didn't die down like it does in the second third on a lot of cigars. By the end of this third I started to get a slight sweetness on the finish.

Once I got to the final third the spice and strength did start to build to above where it was in the first third. The cigar finished with the flavors of semi-sweet chocolate, leather, and cinnamon. I did get a strange flavor for a few puffs, sort of a dry cedar. It wasn't unpleasant, just different. The draw continued to be perfect while the burn was slightly wavy, but nothing that bad or needing correction.

Overall I was very impressed with this cigar. The flavors, while not the most complex, were excellent and very enjoyable. The construction on both the samples I had was nearly perfect, which is something you'd hope to get in a limited edition and more expensive cigar. I was slightly disappointing that it didn't send me reeling like the hype said it would, lol. I would classify this at the bottom end of full in body and strength though. I will say if you like any of the Ligas you need to find at least one of these cigars and give them a try. I don't think you'll be disappointed.

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

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