Some of you may be asking yourselves whether or not I am some kind of XIKAR fanboy since this is my third XIKAR product review in 3 months. I won't lie, I love XIKAR products and have more of their products lined up for review. No, I do not work for them or get paid or compensated in any way for reviewing their products. I like to promote things that I like and feel confident that other cigar smokers will like as well. Everything I review I have personally used multiple times. With XIKAR products I find three things that keep me coming back to them for my accessory needs:
1. The products are well made and function properly.
2. Lifetime warranty. With cutters this includes blade sharpening.
3. Excellent customer service that I have personally witnessed.
I bought my XIKAR Xi3 Spectra from an online retailer a couple of years ago and it has been well used. The XIKAR Xi3 Spectra has a multi-colored look that comes from being coated with Titanium Nitride. It is very eye catching with colors of pink, purple, blue, and green. The first time I saw one I knew this was the XIKAR cutter I wanted just because I like the look. According to XIKAR all Xi cutters will cut a 54 ring gauge cigar in half and depending on how much cap you cut, they will cut up to a 58 ring gauge. I have actually had great experience cutting cigar with a 60 ring gauge since I do not cut very much cap off. The Xi3 Spectra features the classic XIKAR teardrop shape and double guillotine blades made from 440 stainless steel.
It's hard to argue with their quality. Of course, the lifetime warranty helps a bit too.
If you're looking for a traditional/soft flame lighter, I have the xikar flintfire and love it. I've only used it a handfull of times but for those occasions where you're indoors, at a cigar bar or shop, it's perfect. Great look, light weight, easy adjustment, ultra slim. Nice reviews, Jake.
The Hammer & Sickle Moscow City is a limited production cigar with only 1000 - 10 count boxes made. Moscow City comes in a black crystal box with the logo etched on it and looks very elegant. I have a few unbanded sampled in the humidor but this one was given to me in a trade.
Construction: The first thing that grabbed my attention was the bright, shinny, red and silver band featuring Saint Basil's Cathedral in Moscow. The wrapper is rustic with a very rough look and feel to it. A few very small veins stand out and it is also somewhat toothy. The dark wrapper has a nice bit of oil and sheen to it. When squeezing the cigar I get a nice slight give and bounce back. The cigar feels like it is packed evenly and has no soft spots that I can detect. I pick up the aroma of earth and manure off the wrapper while the foot gives off an earth and sweet tea aroma.
I had the opportunity to meet Steve Saka at an event and we spent some time talking about the Liga Privada Line and how it came about. Most of you know the line was born from cigars made personally for Mr. Saka. After sharing his private stash of cigars with friends, co-workers, and the occasional lucky cigar lover the peer pressure campaign to get these cigars into production for all to enjoy started. Mr. Saka felt bad for us all and through his generosity and spirit of sharing a great cigar we were given the chance to smoke the Liga Privada No. 9. Which led to the T-52, Dirty Rat, and now Flying Pig. I have waited to get my hands on these since they are always sell out quickly in my area. I was lucky to get 3 of the T-52 Flying Pigs in trade. Now I just need to find the No. 9 Flying Pig.
Room 101 is a luxury lifestyle featuring jewelery, clothing, accessories, and cigars founded by Matt Booth in 2003. I am going to focus on the 213 cigar but you should see his jewelery and cigar accessories. Website links will be included below so you can see for yourself. Room 101 cigars are blended by Camacho Cigars utilizing an exclusive Semilla 101 wrapper. The cigars come in six vitolas that are named for different area codes across the country. The 213 is a corona size and named after the Los Angeles area code. I have to thank my Twitter buddy @mobarbq for giving me a couple of these to try out.
Construction: The wrapper is a nice caramel brown and very smooth. A few extremely small veins can be seen on the slightly oily wrapper. The triple cap is perfectly done to top off the cigar. As I roll the cigar in my fingers it feels very light and evenly rolled. I do not detect any soft spots. The silver and black band is called "A true fusion of American tattoo and traditional Japanese design" on the Room 101 website. Room 101 stands out on the band and upon closer inspection you will read "Born in the city of Angels", "Locally Known", "Globally Respected", "Specially Blended By Camacho Cigars". You will also notice some traditional Japanese imagery and the Camacho logo. There is much to take just from looking over the band. I could not pick up any aroma off the wrapper while the foot had a grass and hay aroma. The pre-light draw was easy and had a spicy cinnamon flavor. The foot was quick and easy to light. You may notice in the photographs that the foot looks slightly off. This was due to my mishandling of the cigar after taking it out of the wrapper. Unfortunately, I had already smoked the other one I had and this one was used as my model.
This year Viaje released new Skull and Bones cigars in two sizes called Weapon of Mass Destruction and Massive Ordnance Air Blast. If you were in the military MOAB is often referred to as Mother Of All Bombs. The boxes were interesting with radioactive warning stickers on them. I was lucky to grab a couple from one of my local stores before they sold out.
Construction: The wrapper is dark, oily, and slightly toothy. Veins are small and overall the cigar feels smooth. I get a very strong aroma of chocolate and hay from the wrapper and foot. The entire cigar is tightly packed full of tobacco and I cannot detect any soft spots. Trying to squeeze the cigar results in very little give if any at all. The tapered torpedo end and cap is well done. Two bands on the cigar feature the name "Skull and Bones" and the actual skull and crossbones symbol done in red.
My XIKAR Xi3 perfectly and smoothly cuts the cigar. The pre-light draw feels just right. I am actually shocked and almost choked when I was hit with a strong spice and cinnamon flavor on the draw. It was powerful and I did not expect this at all as tears were brought to my eyes.
This year Viaje released new Skull and Bones cigars in two sizes called Weapon of Mass Destruction and Massive Ordnance Air Blast. If you were in the military MOAB is often referred to as Mother Of All Bombs. The boxes were interesting with radioactive warning stickers on them. I was lucky to grab a couple from one of my local stores before they sold out.
Construction: The wrapper is dark, oily, and slightly toothy. Veins are small and overall the cigar feels smooth. I get a very strong aroma of chocolate and hay from the wrapper and foot. The entire cigar is tightly packed full of tobacco and I cannot detect any soft spots. Trying to squeeze the cigar results in very little give if any at all. The tapered torpedo end and cap is well done. Two bands on the cigar feature the name "Skull and Bones" and the actual skull and crossbones symbol done in red.
My XIKAR Xi3 perfectly and smoothly cuts the cigar. The pre-light draw feels just right. I am actually shocked and almost choked when I was hit with a strong spice and cinnamon flavor on the draw. It was powerful and I did not expect this at all as tears were brought to my eyes.
Size: 6.5X53
Wrapper: Mexican San Andres Maduro
Binder: Honduran Criollo & Indonesian Embetunada
Filler: Honduran & Nicaraguan
Price: $8.60
How do you make a highly rated cigar even better? Some would say put a maduro wrapper on it and Alec Bradley did just that with their highly rated Tempus Cigars. Alan Rubin gave this cigar to me and it has spent the last 8 months resting in one of my humidors.
Construction: The cigar features one of the darkest brown wrappers I have ever seen without being black. There is a slight toothiness to the wrapper and surprisingly it feels very smooth. The veins are barely there and do not protrude at all and it glistens with oils. This is a unique vitola but whoever rolled this cigar did so with great care. I could not feel any soft spots and the cap looked perfect. There was a little give and bounce back as I squeezed the cigar between my fingers. Elegant Aleb Bradley bands adorn the cigar at the head. I believe this is the only cigar in the Tempus line that has both bands and the head instead of one at the head and foot. It just wouldn't work for this vitola. The pre-light aroma was of sweet tobacco and the pre-light draw was also sweet tobacco with a hint of coffee and pepper.
once it gets past the tip, it evens out pretty good.
I must have worked the tip just right because I never had to touch it up. Went straight to the nub. Never had that happen before with something like this.
once it gets past the tip, it evens out pretty good.
I must have worked the tip just right because I never had to touch it up. Went straight to the nub. Never had that happen before with something like this.
um....are we still talking about cigars here? just kidding guys, keep up the nice work jsnake.
once it gets past the tip, it evens out pretty good.
I must have worked the tip just right because I never had to touch it up. Went straight to the nub. Never had that happen before with something like this.
um....are we still talking about cigars here? just kidding guys, keep up the nice work jsnake.
LMAO I just re-read that and wow did I set myself up.
Punch Rare Corojo is the one Punch cigar that all of my friends seem to enjoy. We might all disagree about other blends but when I threw out the question of which Punch cigar they would recommend the overwhelming response was Rare Corojo. The regular blend used an Ecuadorian Sumatra wrapper but the 10th Anniversary blend features a Connecticut Corojo.
Construction: Overall this is a great looking cigar. One thing I really like that doesn't have any impact on how good the cigar is, is the updated band that makes this cigar stand out from all other Punch Cigars. A second band has the Rare Corojo name on it so you could tell it apart anyways, but I really like the new look and hope we see this more in the future. The wrapper is a nice medium, reddish brown, with extremely small veins and a nice smooth feel. I notice some color variations I would call highlights throughout the wrapper. This cigar has a fantastic box press and looks and feels evenly packed. When squeezing the cigar there is a little more give which is expected since this is a box press. The cap is placed just right and done with care.
The wrapper aroma is so faint I cannot distinguish it while the foot has an earthy aroma with spice. The pre-light draw is just right with slightly sweet tobacco with spice. After lighting the foot the air is filled with tons of great smoke. General Cigar provided the samples for review and also supplied a box to giveaway to one of my lucky readers. Details on how to enter are at the end of this review.
Read the rest, see the pics, and enter the contest here: Read More......
A short time ago EO Brands ran a promotion for the upcoming 601 La Bomba to give cigar smokers a preview of this new cigar to the 601 lineup. I was one of the lucky ones who received 3 samples of the new 601 La Bomba offering. Eddie Ortega wouldn't give any details other then to say the cigar is made in Esteli, Nicaragua. That and he said this cigar kicked his butt. The new 601 La Bomba is coming out in 3 sizes and I am reviewing the 5X52 robusto size. Before you run off saying 601 stole from the Pepin Firecracker you should know that these are being made by Jose Pepin Garcia. Release date is scheduled for 06/25/2011. I received 3 samples from EO Brands and gave them some time to rest before reviewing.
Construction: The first thing anyone will notice is the long fuse like tail coming off the triple cap. It isn't something new but who cares. The look is fitting with the concept that 601 is going for and I happen to like it. When Eddie Ortega put out the above picture I thought the color and band fit well with their concept. Notice the Napalm on the foot band. I am not sure if each size will have a unique name but I like it. The dark wrapper is very oily and smooth as silk. There are a few tiny veins and I get an earthy, spicy aroma off the wrapper. The aroma from the foot was earthy, hay, spice, and pepper that made my eyes water and sent me into a sneezing fit. The pre-light draw was was spicy with strong pepper and it made my lips tingle. My samples were unbanded and provided by EO Brands.
First Third: Talk about an immediate pepper blast. I feel like I took a handful of pepper and threw it in my mouth. After the shock of pepper wears off there are nice earthy, wood, and leather flavors. The pepper does tone down and isn't so overwhelming after a short while. The draw is effortless and the amount of smoke coming from this cigar is wonderful. Towards the end of this third the cigar has smoothed out while the pepper and spice is noticed more on he retrohale. Surprisingly the retrohale is not strong. I was expecting watery eyes and a kick to the sinuses. I really felt the fullness of the cigar in my gut at this point. There was an uh-oh moment as to how I was going to finish the cigar. The ash was a little flaky at the foot but held tight after.
Second Third: The cigar has mellowed out some and that fullness in my gut disappears. Earth and wood flavors continue and I can only describe the smoke as a dry smoke. I am not sure how to explain it exactly and I am not saying this dryness is bad. The flavors have a toasty dryness to them. The only pepper I get now is through the nose. Leather starts to creep back into the mix towards the end of this third. The burn line is sharp and stays pretty even which impresses me since the La Bomba had a short rest in my humidor.
Final Third: The final third is much like the second third. Pepper starts to make a come back but never gets crazy like the beginning was. There is some definite power to this cigar but it didn't lay me out like I was worried it would after the horrible feeling I had in my gut at the end of the first third. I wouldn't say this is a very complex cigar but it wasn't boring and one dimensional.
Final Thoughts: I am a fan of 601 and the other cigar offerings from EO Brands. Without a doubt this is a very new and unique offering to their product line. The construction of these cigars are beautiful and I am sure some people will buy just based off that. I am a solid medium/full cigar smoker and this cigar had some kick but not enough to make me regret smoking it. If you like that full feeling and gut punch I think you will enjoy trying this cigar out. There was a very unique dryness to the flavors of this cigar which is something I have not experienced throughout. I think the only way for you to see what I am talking about is to smoke one yourself. I am not sure if I would buy a box or not at this time. The 601 Blue, Murcielago, and Cubao lines are more to my liking and are always staples in my humidor. The 601 La Bomba concept is great and the packaging is very eye catching. If you are a cigar smoker looking for a little extra in the strength department I think you should try these out for sure. You mild and medium guys probably want to sit this one out. I know it might be hard because these look so good but work your way up to it if you decide to go for it.
Thank you Eddie Ortega for the samples. I am looking forward to trying the other two sizes.
A short time ago EO Brands ran a promotion for the upcoming 601 La Bomba to give cigar smokers a preview of this new cigar to the 601 lineup. I was one of the lucky ones who received 3 samples of the new 601 La Bomba offering. Eddie Ortega wouldn't give any details other then to say the cigar is made in Esteli, Nicaragua. That and he said this cigar kicked his butt. The new 601 La Bomba is coming out in 3 sizes and I am reviewing the 5X52 robusto size. Before you run off saying 601 stole from the Pepin Firecracker you should know that these are being made by Jose Pepin Garcia. Release date is scheduled for 06/25/2011. I received 3 samples from EO Brands and gave them some time to rest before reviewing.
Construction: The first thing anyone will notice is the long fuse like tail coming off the triple cap. It isn't something new but who cares. The look is fitting with the concept that 601 is going for and I happen to like it. When Eddie Ortega put out the above picture I thought the color and band fit well with their concept. Notice the Napalm on the foot band. I am not sure if each size will have a unique name but I like it. The dark wrapper is very oily and smooth as silk. There are a few tiny veins and I get an earthy, spicy aroma off the wrapper. The aroma from the foot was earthy, hay, spice, and pepper that made my eyes water and sent me into a sneezing fit. The pre-light draw was was spicy with strong pepper and it made my lips tingle. My samples were unbanded and provided by EO Brands.
First Third: Talk about an immediate pepper blast. I feel like I took a handful of pepper and threw it in my mouth. After the shock of pepper wears off there are nice earthy, wood, and leather flavors. The pepper does tone down and isn't so overwhelming after a short while. The draw is effortless and the amount of smoke coming from this cigar is wonderful. Towards the end of this third the cigar has smoothed out while the pepper and spice is noticed more on he retrohale. Surprisingly the retrohale is not strong. I was expecting watery eyes and a kick to the sinuses. I really felt the fullness of the cigar in my gut at this point. There was an uh-oh moment as to how I was going to finish the cigar. The ash was a little flaky at the foot but held tight after.
Second Third: The cigar has mellowed out some and that fullness in my gut disappears. Earth and wood flavors continue and I can only describe the smoke as a dry smoke. I am not sure how to explain it exactly and I am not saying this dryness is bad. The flavors have a toasty dryness to them. The only pepper I get now is through the nose. Leather starts to creep back into the mix towards the end of this third. The burn line is sharp and stays pretty even which impresses me since the La Bomba had a short rest in my humidor.
Final Third: The final third is much like the second third. Pepper starts to make a come back but never gets crazy like the beginning was. There is some definite power to this cigar but it didn't lay me out like I was worried it would after the horrible feeling I had in my gut at the end of the first third. I wouldn't say this is a very complex cigar but it wasn't boring and one dimensional.
Final Thoughts: I am a fan of 601 and the other cigar offerings from EO Brands. Without a doubt this is a very new and unique offering to their product line. The construction of these cigars are beautiful and I am sure some people will buy just based off that. I am a solid medium/full cigar smoker and this cigar had some kick but not enough to make me regret smoking it. If you like that full feeling and gut punch I think you will enjoy trying this cigar out. There was a very unique dryness to the flavors of this cigar which is something I have not experienced throughout. I think the only way for you to see what I am talking about is to smoke one yourself. I am not sure if I would buy a box or not at this time. The 601 Blue, Murcielago, and Cubao lines are more to my liking and are always staples in my humidor. The 601 La Bomba concept is great and the packaging is very eye catching. If you are a cigar smoker looking for a little extra in the strength department I think you should try these out for sure. You mild and medium guys probably want to sit this one out. I know it might be hard because these look so good but work your way up to it if you decide to go for it.
Thank you Eddie Ortega for the samples. I am looking forward to trying the other two sizes.
I have decided this month to do something different with my review format. Instead of writing like I normally do with set categories, I will be condensing my reviews so I can get more posted this month to catch up and get some of the newer cigars posted. Let me know what you think by leaving a comment. And now on to the show......
I have to give a HUGE thanks to Jonathan Drew for reaching out to me and sending what is pictured above. The incredibly sweet looking Drew Estate hat accompanied by a 5X60 and 7X60 My Uzi Weighs A Ton cigars. These beauties were blended by JD himself and are a joint project between Drew Estate and Joya de Nicaragua.
Size: 5X60
Wrapper: San Andres Maduro
Binder: Connecticut Capote
Filler: Brazilian Mata Fina, Nicaragua
Price: $8.95
These cigars are huge. They feel heavy in your hand (compared to other cigars) and are packed full of tobacco. No soft spots or other anomalies were detected.The dark oily wrapper has minimal veins and a slight toothiness. It feels slightly rough to the touch and has a slightly sweet, barnyard and hay aroma.
I decided to use a punch on this cigar and the draw was perfect. Lighting the foot was effortless and the burn did get a little crooked at the start but it corrected itself and remained pretty even to the end. The first flavor I experience is slightly sweet and leathery. From the start the flavor just seems really rich but not overpowering and it remains that way to the nub. There is also a woody flavor and cocoa that I experience with an occasional spiciness. The flavors are pretty consistent throughout.
There is always some kind of debate going on in the cigar world. Now I hear a lot of people taking sides on bigger cigars and ring gauges. This cigar will have 3 sizes but you are looking at a 60 ring gauge for all three sizes: 5X60, 6X60, and 7X60. Personally, I like a variety and I pick my cigar according to the time I have, my mood, or the social situation I am in. When I held these cigars in hand and then smoked them I could not help but feel like this was a man's cigar. I am not **** or sissifying any other sizes but this cigar to me was manly and made it's presence known. I enjoyed the flavors, tons of smoke, great draw, and a burn I didn't have to babysit. Though the flavors remained very consistent I really enjoyed them and the richness of them. Everything about this cigar was a solid medium and having a rich flavor without kicking me in the gut is great.
My recommendation is to grab a package of these especially if you are a fan of larger ring gauges. If you are not a large ring gauge cigar smoker you might want to at least try this 5X60 size to at least test the waters. They will come paper wrapped from what I have heard and seen. I am definitely getting more when they are released after IPCPR. It won't be an everyday smoke but a special occasion cigar when I have some time on my hands and want to smoke something that makes me feel all manly.I always get a kick out of non-smokers who comment on what a big cigar I am smoking when I am smoking a corona or robusto. Wait until those fools see me smoking one of these!
The best cigar is a cigar shared with a friend.
Macanudo, America's best selling cigar. When I first started smoking many years ago Macanduo was my go to cigar. I really enjoyed the Cafe and Gold Label for special occasions. As time progressed my palate changed and I started getting into stronger cigars and other brands. Macanudo got left behind and kind of forgotten about. When I revisited a Macanudo Cafe a few years ago it wasn't the same experience as when I was a new cigar smoker. At that time Macanudo just fell off my radar. General Cigar sent a few samples of the Macanudo 1968 which I had never smoked. Can this Macanudo 1968 rekindle some of the magic that we used to have?
Recently General Cigar announced a brick & mortar price reduction of the Macanudo 1968 with an average savings of $3.33 per cigar or $32 per box.
"Macanudo 1968 is made completely of tobaccos which are either grown by General Cigar or cultivated for the company under an agreement of exclusivity. Harvested one sun-ripened leaf at a time, aged in tercios and charcoaled wooden barrels to further enrich its flavor, the blend marries proprietary Dominican and Nicaraguan tobacco to a tobacco cultivated solely for General Cigar in the remote Nicaraguan island of Ometepe. These tobaccos were developed expressly to complement the hearty Connecticut Habano binder and flawless, lustrous Honduran San Agustin wrapper."
"Macanudo 1968 is aesthetically pleasing, with the brands characteristic round head and immaculate construction evident at the first glance. From the first draw to the last, deeply complex yet balanced flavor envelops the palate with a freshness that celebrates inherent natural sweetness from the soils that bore each tobacco."
The Macanudo 1968 is a fantastic cigar from cap to foot just going on looks alone. The dark wrapper has a reddish tint and is mottled in direct sunlight. A few veins can be seen and there is a nice light oil to the wrapper. The tobacco feels evenly rolled with no soft spots detected. The cigar band is really nice and looks great on this wrapper.
I smoked five of these before finishing my review. My experience with punching or cutting them was identical. All five cigars had great draw, burned thick but evenly, and put out tons of great smoke. Initial flavors of leather, earthy tobacco and cedar were prominent. I was surprised by the great flavors and really enjoyed the start of the cigar. There is a fair spiciness and an underlying salty taste that kick in about half way in. The strength builds towards the end and finishes as a solid medium to me. At the end the burn did get a little hot but I just slowed down a little so I could enjoy the nub.
I admit I had written Macanudo off. Not that they were bad cigars or poorly made. That is not the case at all. I was smoking the mild Macanudo Cigars and my palate changed to where I craved more flavor and strength. This Macanudo was a pleasant surprise and made me realize that you can't write off an entire brand of cigars because you no longer enjoy one of their product lines. Macanudo Cafe and Gold Label are well made cigars that I used to love but just don't do it for me anymore as far as flavor and strength are concerned. This is a really good cigar that smoked well and offered some good flavors. After smoking this I can honestly say that Macanudo is back on my radar. I wouldn't mind keeping a few of these in the humidor especially to share with a mild cigar smoker looking to take the next step up. With the recent price reduction it makes picking up some of these even more appealing.
Bought one of these on recomendation from the guy at my B&M, he said it wasn't the typical Macanudo. Guess I'll have to dig through the humi to find it and fire it up.
I got 3 of these when they first came out. They ran a promotion in CA magazine and I got 1 of each size (robusto, toro and churchill I believe) for $9.99. I pretty much bought them becuase 1968 was my birth year and I thought it would be cool just to have them around. I guess I will need to find them and light one up.
Comments
Retail $79.99
Some of you may be asking yourselves whether or not I am some kind of XIKAR fanboy since this is my third XIKAR product review in 3 months. I won't lie, I love XIKAR products and have more of their products lined up for review. No, I do not work for them or get paid or compensated in any way for reviewing their products. I like to promote things that I like and feel confident that other cigar smokers will like as well. Everything I review I have personally used multiple times. With XIKAR products I find three things that keep me coming back to them for my accessory needs:
1. The products are well made and function properly.
2. Lifetime warranty. With cutters this includes blade sharpening.
3. Excellent customer service that I have personally witnessed.
I bought my XIKAR Xi3 Spectra from an online retailer a couple of years ago and it has been well used. The XIKAR Xi3 Spectra has a multi-colored look that comes from being coated with Titanium Nitride. It is very eye catching with colors of pink, purple, blue, and green. The first time I saw one I knew this was the XIKAR cutter I wanted just because I like the look. According to XIKAR all Xi cutters will cut a 54 ring gauge cigar in half and depending on how much cap you cut, they will cut up to a 58 ring gauge. I have actually had great experience cutting cigar with a 60 ring gauge since I do not cut very much cap off. The Xi3 Spectra features the classic XIKAR teardrop shape and double guillotine blades made from 440 stainless steel.
Read More......
If you're looking for a traditional/soft flame lighter, I have the xikar flintfire and love it. I've only used it a handfull of times but for those occasions where you're indoors, at a cigar bar or shop, it's perfect. Great look, light weight, easy adjustment, ultra slim. Nice reviews, Jake.
You guys can see my humidors and cigars on my blog. www.cigarcatadore.blogspot.com
Wrapper: Connecticut Broadleaf Maduro
Binder: Dominican Republic
Filler: Dominican Republic
Price: $10
The Hammer & Sickle Moscow City is a limited production cigar with only 1000 - 10 count boxes made. Moscow City comes in a black crystal box with the logo etched on it and looks very elegant. I have a few unbanded sampled in the humidor but this one was given to me in a trade.
Construction: The first thing that grabbed my attention was the bright, shinny, red and silver band featuring Saint Basil's Cathedral in Moscow. The wrapper is rustic with a very rough look and feel to it. A few very small veins stand out and it is also somewhat toothy. The dark wrapper has a nice bit of oil and sheen to it. When squeezing the cigar I get a nice slight give and bounce back. The cigar feels like it is packed evenly and has no soft spots that I can detect. I pick up the aroma of earth and manure off the wrapper while the foot gives off an earth and sweet tea aroma.
Read the rest here and check out the pics - Read More......
Wrapper: Stalk-Cut Habano
Binder: Brazilian Mata Fina
Filler: Dominican, Honduran, Nicaraguan
Price: $12.00
I had the opportunity to meet Steve Saka at an event and we spent some time talking about the Liga Privada Line and how it came about. Most of you know the line was born from cigars made personally for Mr. Saka. After sharing his private stash of cigars with friends, co-workers, and the occasional lucky cigar lover the peer pressure campaign to get these cigars into production for all to enjoy started. Mr. Saka felt bad for us all and through his generosity and spirit of sharing a great cigar we were given the chance to smoke the Liga Privada No. 9. Which led to the T-52, Dirty Rat, and now Flying Pig. I have waited to get my hands on these since they are always sell out quickly in my area. I was lucky to get 3 of the T-52 Flying Pigs in trade. Now I just need to find the No. 9 Flying Pig.
Read the rest here and check out the pics - Read More......
Wrapper: Semilla 101 Honduras
Binder: Honduras
Filler: Honduras, Dominican Republic
Price: $6.30
Room 101 is a luxury lifestyle featuring jewelery, clothing, accessories, and cigars founded by Matt Booth in 2003. I am going to focus on the 213 cigar but you should see his jewelery and cigar accessories. Website links will be included below so you can see for yourself. Room 101 cigars are blended by Camacho Cigars utilizing an exclusive Semilla 101 wrapper. The cigars come in six vitolas that are named for different area codes across the country. The 213 is a corona size and named after the Los Angeles area code. I have to thank my Twitter buddy @mobarbq for giving me a couple of these to try out.
Construction: The wrapper is a nice caramel brown and very smooth. A few extremely small veins can be seen on the slightly oily wrapper. The triple cap is perfectly done to top off the cigar. As I roll the cigar in my fingers it feels very light and evenly rolled. I do not detect any soft spots. The silver and black band is called "A true fusion of American tattoo and traditional Japanese design" on the Room 101 website. Room 101 stands out on the band and upon closer inspection you will read "Born in the city of Angels", "Locally Known", "Globally Respected", "Specially Blended By Camacho Cigars". You will also notice some traditional Japanese imagery and the Camacho logo. There is much to take just from looking over the band. I could not pick up any aroma off the wrapper while the foot had a grass and hay aroma. The pre-light draw was easy and had a spicy cinnamon flavor. The foot was quick and easy to light. You may notice in the photographs that the foot looks slightly off. This was due to my mishandling of the cigar after taking it out of the wrapper. Unfortunately, I had already smoked the other one I had and this one was used as my model.
Read the rest and see the pics here: Read More......
WRAPPER: Nicaraguan
BINDER: Nicaraguan
FILLER: Nicaraguan
PRICE: $10.00
This year Viaje released new Skull and Bones cigars in two sizes called Weapon of Mass Destruction and Massive Ordnance Air Blast. If you were in the military MOAB is often referred to as Mother Of All Bombs. The boxes were interesting with radioactive warning stickers on them. I was lucky to grab a couple from one of my local stores before they sold out.
Construction: The wrapper is dark, oily, and slightly toothy. Veins are small and overall the cigar feels smooth. I get a very strong aroma of chocolate and hay from the wrapper and foot. The entire cigar is tightly packed full of tobacco and I cannot detect any soft spots. Trying to squeeze the cigar results in very little give if any at all. The tapered torpedo end and cap is well done. Two bands on the cigar feature the name "Skull and Bones" and the actual skull and crossbones symbol done in red.
My XIKAR Xi3 perfectly and smoothly cuts the cigar. The pre-light draw feels just right. I am actually shocked and almost choked when I was hit with a strong spice and cinnamon flavor on the draw. It was powerful and I did not expect this at all as tears were brought to my eyes.
http://cigarcatadore.blogspot.com/2011/04/viaje-skull-and-bones-moab.html#more
WRAPPER: Nicaraguan
BINDER: Nicaraguan
FILLER: Nicaraguan
PRICE: $10.00
This year Viaje released new Skull and Bones cigars in two sizes called Weapon of Mass Destruction and Massive Ordnance Air Blast. If you were in the military MOAB is often referred to as Mother Of All Bombs. The boxes were interesting with radioactive warning stickers on them. I was lucky to grab a couple from one of my local stores before they sold out.
Construction: The wrapper is dark, oily, and slightly toothy. Veins are small and overall the cigar feels smooth. I get a very strong aroma of chocolate and hay from the wrapper and foot. The entire cigar is tightly packed full of tobacco and I cannot detect any soft spots. Trying to squeeze the cigar results in very little give if any at all. The tapered torpedo end and cap is well done. Two bands on the cigar feature the name "Skull and Bones" and the actual skull and crossbones symbol done in red.
My XIKAR Xi3 perfectly and smoothly cuts the cigar. The pre-light draw feels just right. I am actually shocked and almost choked when I was hit with a strong spice and cinnamon flavor on the draw. It was powerful and I did not expect this at all as tears were brought to my eyes.
Read the rest and see the pics here: Read More......
Wrapper: Mexican San Andres Maduro
Binder: Honduran Criollo & Indonesian Embetunada
Filler: Honduran & Nicaraguan
Price: $8.60
How do you make a highly rated cigar even better? Some would say put a maduro wrapper on it and Alec Bradley did just that with their highly rated Tempus Cigars. Alan Rubin gave this cigar to me and it has spent the last 8 months resting in one of my humidors.
Construction: The cigar features one of the darkest brown wrappers I have ever seen without being black. There is a slight toothiness to the wrapper and surprisingly it feels very smooth. The veins are barely there and do not protrude at all and it glistens with oils. This is a unique vitola but whoever rolled this cigar did so with great care. I could not feel any soft spots and the cap looked perfect. There was a little give and bounce back as I squeezed the cigar between my fingers. Elegant Aleb Bradley bands adorn the cigar at the head. I believe this is the only cigar in the Tempus line that has both bands and the head instead of one at the head and foot. It just wouldn't work for this vitola. The pre-light aroma was of sweet tobacco and the pre-light draw was also sweet tobacco with a hint of coffee and pepper.
Read the rest and see the pics here: Read More......
Wrapper: Connecticut Corojo
Binder: Connecticut Broadleaf
Filler: Dominican, Honduran, Nicaraguan
Price: $6.50
Punch Rare Corojo is the one Punch cigar that all of my friends seem to enjoy. We might all disagree about other blends but when I threw out the question of which Punch cigar they would recommend the overwhelming response was Rare Corojo. The regular blend used an Ecuadorian Sumatra wrapper but the 10th Anniversary blend features a Connecticut Corojo.
Construction: Overall this is a great looking cigar. One thing I really like that doesn't have any impact on how good the cigar is, is the updated band that makes this cigar stand out from all other Punch Cigars. A second band has the Rare Corojo name on it so you could tell it apart anyways, but I really like the new look and hope we see this more in the future. The wrapper is a nice medium, reddish brown, with extremely small veins and a nice smooth feel. I notice some color variations I would call highlights throughout the wrapper. This cigar has a fantastic box press and looks and feels evenly packed. When squeezing the cigar there is a little more give which is expected since this is a box press. The cap is placed just right and done with care.
The wrapper aroma is so faint I cannot distinguish it while the foot has an earthy aroma with spice. The pre-light draw is just right with slightly sweet tobacco with spice. After lighting the foot the air is filled with tons of great smoke. General Cigar provided the samples for review and also supplied a box to giveaway to one of my lucky readers. Details on how to enter are at the end of this review.
Read the rest, see the pics, and enter the contest here: Read More......
Wrapper: Unknown
Binder: Unknown
Filler: Unknown
Price: Unknown
A short time ago EO Brands ran a promotion for the upcoming 601 La Bomba to give cigar smokers a preview of this new cigar to the 601 lineup. I was one of the lucky ones who received 3 samples of the new 601 La Bomba offering. Eddie Ortega wouldn't give any details other then to say the cigar is made in Esteli, Nicaragua. That and he said this cigar kicked his butt. The new 601 La Bomba is coming out in 3 sizes and I am reviewing the 5X52 robusto size. Before you run off saying 601 stole from the Pepin Firecracker you should know that these are being made by Jose Pepin Garcia. Release date is scheduled for 06/25/2011. I received 3 samples from EO Brands and gave them some time to rest before reviewing.
Construction: The first thing anyone will notice is the long fuse like tail coming off the triple cap. It isn't something new but who cares. The look is fitting with the concept that 601 is going for and I happen to like it. When Eddie Ortega put out the above picture I thought the color and band fit well with their concept. Notice the Napalm on the foot band. I am not sure if each size will have a unique name but I like it. The dark wrapper is very oily and smooth as silk. There are a few tiny veins and I get an earthy, spicy aroma off the wrapper. The aroma from the foot was earthy, hay, spice, and pepper that made my eyes water and sent me into a sneezing fit. The pre-light draw was was spicy with strong pepper and it made my lips tingle. My samples were unbanded and provided by EO Brands.
First Third: Talk about an immediate pepper blast. I feel like I took a handful of pepper and threw it in my mouth. After the shock of pepper wears off there are nice earthy, wood, and leather flavors. The pepper does tone down and isn't so overwhelming after a short while. The draw is effortless and the amount of smoke coming from this cigar is wonderful. Towards the end of this third the cigar has smoothed out while the pepper and spice is noticed more on he retrohale. Surprisingly the retrohale is not strong. I was expecting watery eyes and a kick to the sinuses. I really felt the fullness of the cigar in my gut at this point. There was an uh-oh moment as to how I was going to finish the cigar. The ash was a little flaky at the foot but held tight after.
Second Third: The cigar has mellowed out some and that fullness in my gut disappears. Earth and wood flavors continue and I can only describe the smoke as a dry smoke. I am not sure how to explain it exactly and I am not saying this dryness is bad. The flavors have a toasty dryness to them. The only pepper I get now is through the nose. Leather starts to creep back into the mix towards the end of this third. The burn line is sharp and stays pretty even which impresses me since the La Bomba had a short rest in my humidor.
Final Third: The final third is much like the second third. Pepper starts to make a come back but never gets crazy like the beginning was. There is some definite power to this cigar but it didn't lay me out like I was worried it would after the horrible feeling I had in my gut at the end of the first third. I wouldn't say this is a very complex cigar but it wasn't boring and one dimensional.
Final Thoughts: I am a fan of 601 and the other cigar offerings from EO Brands. Without a doubt this is a very new and unique offering to their product line. The construction of these cigars are beautiful and I am sure some people will buy just based off that. I am a solid medium/full cigar smoker and this cigar had some kick but not enough to make me regret smoking it. If you like that full feeling and gut punch I think you will enjoy trying this cigar out. There was a very unique dryness to the flavors of this cigar which is something I have not experienced throughout. I think the only way for you to see what I am talking about is to smoke one yourself. I am not sure if I would buy a box or not at this time. The 601 Blue, Murcielago, and Cubao lines are more to my liking and are always staples in my humidor. The 601 La Bomba concept is great and the packaging is very eye catching. If you are a cigar smoker looking for a little extra in the strength department I think you should try these out for sure. You mild and medium guys probably want to sit this one out. I know it might be hard because these look so good but work your way up to it if you decide to go for it.
Thank you Eddie Ortega for the samples. I am looking forward to trying the other two sizes.
The best cigar is a cigar shared with a friend.
See the pictures here: http://cigarcatadore.blogspot.com/2011/05/601-la-bomba-robusto.html
Wrapper: Unknown
Binder: Unknown
Filler: Unknown
Price: Unknown
A short time ago EO Brands ran a promotion for the upcoming 601 La Bomba to give cigar smokers a preview of this new cigar to the 601 lineup. I was one of the lucky ones who received 3 samples of the new 601 La Bomba offering. Eddie Ortega wouldn't give any details other then to say the cigar is made in Esteli, Nicaragua. That and he said this cigar kicked his butt. The new 601 La Bomba is coming out in 3 sizes and I am reviewing the 5X52 robusto size. Before you run off saying 601 stole from the Pepin Firecracker you should know that these are being made by Jose Pepin Garcia. Release date is scheduled for 06/25/2011. I received 3 samples from EO Brands and gave them some time to rest before reviewing.
Construction: The first thing anyone will notice is the long fuse like tail coming off the triple cap. It isn't something new but who cares. The look is fitting with the concept that 601 is going for and I happen to like it. When Eddie Ortega put out the above picture I thought the color and band fit well with their concept. Notice the Napalm on the foot band. I am not sure if each size will have a unique name but I like it. The dark wrapper is very oily and smooth as silk. There are a few tiny veins and I get an earthy, spicy aroma off the wrapper. The aroma from the foot was earthy, hay, spice, and pepper that made my eyes water and sent me into a sneezing fit. The pre-light draw was was spicy with strong pepper and it made my lips tingle. My samples were unbanded and provided by EO Brands.
First Third: Talk about an immediate pepper blast. I feel like I took a handful of pepper and threw it in my mouth. After the shock of pepper wears off there are nice earthy, wood, and leather flavors. The pepper does tone down and isn't so overwhelming after a short while. The draw is effortless and the amount of smoke coming from this cigar is wonderful. Towards the end of this third the cigar has smoothed out while the pepper and spice is noticed more on he retrohale. Surprisingly the retrohale is not strong. I was expecting watery eyes and a kick to the sinuses. I really felt the fullness of the cigar in my gut at this point. There was an uh-oh moment as to how I was going to finish the cigar. The ash was a little flaky at the foot but held tight after.
Second Third: The cigar has mellowed out some and that fullness in my gut disappears. Earth and wood flavors continue and I can only describe the smoke as a dry smoke. I am not sure how to explain it exactly and I am not saying this dryness is bad. The flavors have a toasty dryness to them. The only pepper I get now is through the nose. Leather starts to creep back into the mix towards the end of this third. The burn line is sharp and stays pretty even which impresses me since the La Bomba had a short rest in my humidor.
Final Third: The final third is much like the second third. Pepper starts to make a come back but never gets crazy like the beginning was. There is some definite power to this cigar but it didn't lay me out like I was worried it would after the horrible feeling I had in my gut at the end of the first third. I wouldn't say this is a very complex cigar but it wasn't boring and one dimensional.
Final Thoughts: I am a fan of 601 and the other cigar offerings from EO Brands. Without a doubt this is a very new and unique offering to their product line. The construction of these cigars are beautiful and I am sure some people will buy just based off that. I am a solid medium/full cigar smoker and this cigar had some kick but not enough to make me regret smoking it. If you like that full feeling and gut punch I think you will enjoy trying this cigar out. There was a very unique dryness to the flavors of this cigar which is something I have not experienced throughout. I think the only way for you to see what I am talking about is to smoke one yourself. I am not sure if I would buy a box or not at this time. The 601 Blue, Murcielago, and Cubao lines are more to my liking and are always staples in my humidor. The 601 La Bomba concept is great and the packaging is very eye catching. If you are a cigar smoker looking for a little extra in the strength department I think you should try these out for sure. You mild and medium guys probably want to sit this one out. I know it might be hard because these look so good but work your way up to it if you decide to go for it.
Thank you Eddie Ortega for the samples. I am looking forward to trying the other two sizes.
The best cigar is a cigar shared with a friend.
See the pictures here: Read More......
I have to give a HUGE thanks to Jonathan Drew for reaching out to me and sending what is pictured above. The incredibly sweet looking Drew Estate hat accompanied by a 5X60 and 7X60 My Uzi Weighs A Ton cigars. These beauties were blended by JD himself and are a joint project between Drew Estate and Joya de Nicaragua.
Size: 5X60
Wrapper: San Andres Maduro
Binder: Connecticut Capote
Filler: Brazilian Mata Fina, Nicaragua
Price: $8.95
These cigars are huge. They feel heavy in your hand (compared to other cigars) and are packed full of tobacco. No soft spots or other anomalies were detected.The dark oily wrapper has minimal veins and a slight toothiness. It feels slightly rough to the touch and has a slightly sweet, barnyard and hay aroma.
I decided to use a punch on this cigar and the draw was perfect. Lighting the foot was effortless and the burn did get a little crooked at the start but it corrected itself and remained pretty even to the end. The first flavor I experience is slightly sweet and leathery. From the start the flavor just seems really rich but not overpowering and it remains that way to the nub. There is also a woody flavor and cocoa that I experience with an occasional spiciness. The flavors are pretty consistent throughout.
There is always some kind of debate going on in the cigar world. Now I hear a lot of people taking sides on bigger cigars and ring gauges. This cigar will have 3 sizes but you are looking at a 60 ring gauge for all three sizes: 5X60, 6X60, and 7X60. Personally, I like a variety and I pick my cigar according to the time I have, my mood, or the social situation I am in. When I held these cigars in hand and then smoked them I could not help but feel like this was a man's cigar. I am not **** or sissifying any other sizes but this cigar to me was manly and made it's presence known. I enjoyed the flavors, tons of smoke, great draw, and a burn I didn't have to babysit. Though the flavors remained very consistent I really enjoyed them and the richness of them. Everything about this cigar was a solid medium and having a rich flavor without kicking me in the gut is great.
My recommendation is to grab a package of these especially if you are a fan of larger ring gauges. If you are not a large ring gauge cigar smoker you might want to at least try this 5X60 size to at least test the waters. They will come paper wrapped from what I have heard and seen. I am definitely getting more when they are released after IPCPR. It won't be an everyday smoke but a special occasion cigar when I have some time on my hands and want to smoke something that makes me feel all manly.I always get a kick out of non-smokers who comment on what a big cigar I am smoking when I am smoking a corona or robusto. Wait until those fools see me smoking one of these! The best cigar is a cigar shared with a friend.
See the pictures here: Read More & See Some Pics......
Recently General Cigar announced a brick & mortar price reduction of the Macanudo 1968 with an average savings of $3.33 per cigar or $32 per box.
"Macanudo 1968 is made completely of tobaccos which are either grown by General Cigar or cultivated for the company under an agreement of exclusivity. Harvested one sun-ripened leaf at a time, aged in tercios and charcoaled wooden barrels to further enrich its flavor, the blend marries proprietary Dominican and Nicaraguan tobacco to a tobacco cultivated solely for General Cigar in the remote Nicaraguan island of Ometepe. These tobaccos were developed expressly to complement the hearty Connecticut Habano binder and flawless, lustrous Honduran San Agustin wrapper."
"Macanudo 1968 is aesthetically pleasing, with the brands characteristic round head and immaculate construction evident at the first glance. From the first draw to the last, deeply complex yet balanced flavor envelops the palate with a freshness that celebrates inherent natural sweetness from the soils that bore each tobacco."
Size: Robusto 5X50
Wrapper: Honduran San Agustin
Binder: Habano Connecticut
Filler: Dominican, Nicaraguan (Esteli), Nicaraguan (Ometepe)
Price: $6.49
The Macanudo 1968 is a fantastic cigar from cap to foot just going on looks alone. The dark wrapper has a reddish tint and is mottled in direct sunlight. A few veins can be seen and there is a nice light oil to the wrapper. The tobacco feels evenly rolled with no soft spots detected. The cigar band is really nice and looks great on this wrapper.
I smoked five of these before finishing my review. My experience with punching or cutting them was identical. All five cigars had great draw, burned thick but evenly, and put out tons of great smoke. Initial flavors of leather, earthy tobacco and cedar were prominent. I was surprised by the great flavors and really enjoyed the start of the cigar. There is a fair spiciness and an underlying salty taste that kick in about half way in. The strength builds towards the end and finishes as a solid medium to me. At the end the burn did get a little hot but I just slowed down a little so I could enjoy the nub.
I admit I had written Macanudo off. Not that they were bad cigars or poorly made. That is not the case at all. I was smoking the mild Macanudo Cigars and my palate changed to where I craved more flavor and strength. This Macanudo was a pleasant surprise and made me realize that you can't write off an entire brand of cigars because you no longer enjoy one of their product lines. Macanudo Cafe and Gold Label are well made cigars that I used to love but just don't do it for me anymore as far as flavor and strength are concerned. This is a really good cigar that smoked well and offered some good flavors. After smoking this I can honestly say that Macanudo is back on my radar. I wouldn't mind keeping a few of these in the humidor especially to share with a mild cigar smoker looking to take the next step up. With the recent price reduction it makes picking up some of these even more appealing.
I got 3 of these when they first came out. They ran a promotion in CA magazine and I got 1 of each size (robusto, toro and churchill I believe) for $9.99. I pretty much bought them becuase 1968 was my birth year and I thought it would be cool just to have them around. I guess I will need to find them and light one up.