Options
The RobbyRas Very Amateur Review Thread
robbyras
Posts: 5,487 ✭
La Casita Criolla - Tatuaje Cigars
Connecticut U.S. Broadleaf puro
Corona - 5 1/8 x 42
This is only the second or third Tatuaje cigar I've ever had, so I am quite the novice. I Picked this cigar up today from a new B&M in my area. The place has been there for a year apparently, but I just recently found it. They had a decent Tat selection so I grabbed a few and decided to fire up the La Casita today and the following was my experience
Prelight: It's a good looking cigar. Nice wrapper without any blemishes. The cap tasted sweet and a bit tangy before clipping. Used Xi cutter. My first cut proved to be too small and left me with a REALLY tight draw, so I clipped it again. I got a more favorable draw, but it was still too tight. In retrospect, the stick could have used some dryboxing.
First few inches: The light was simple and the smoke was pretty thick. The fist thing I noticed was the complete lack of any pepper whatsoever. I can't really say I've ever had a smoke with ZERO pepper. This was a first for me. The flavors were earthy to begin with hints of sweetness. The texture was chewy, but the smoke didn't get too thick. I had to work at it to keep it going, or at least I thought I needed to. It never went out on me, but the draw was tough.
Middle inches: This is where it really took off for me. The sweet and earthy tones really melded together to create a flavor experience that I have never had. It was pretty awesome. It lacked complexity, which is to say the flavors didn't really change much. They made themselves know and that was about it. That sounds negative, but it really wasn't. This was the point when I looked online for box prices. I was impressed.
Final inches: This baby stayed consistent to the last puff. That might be the best way to describe it, consistent. The smoke stayed cool and never got harsh, as some sticks tend to do at the end. I smoked this one down further than I usually do. i really didn't want to put it down.
Final Thoughts: I loved it. I'd classify it as a Medium smoke through and through. It had enough flavor and strength to keep me interested. I liked that it wasn't a flavor or strength bomb. I would smoke this at any time of the day. I drank water but I feel like this would go well with anything from root beer to unsweetened iced tea to scotch. Maybe even a Guiness. I really only have one complaint and that was the draw and even that wasn't TOO bad.
Scores:
Price point: 10 - it was only $6
Appearance: 9.5 - just basing this on look and feel
Construction: 9.5 - the burn was sharp and the ash was stong
Draw: 7 - I'm confident this can be corrected with rest
Flavor: 9.8 - it was totally original to me and I loved it
Overall: 9 with draw issues, 9.75 without
All things considered, this is one of my favorite cigar experiences of all time. It's not the BEST cigar I've ever had, but when you take everything into consideration, it's up there.
Connecticut U.S. Broadleaf puro
Corona - 5 1/8 x 42
This is only the second or third Tatuaje cigar I've ever had, so I am quite the novice. I Picked this cigar up today from a new B&M in my area. The place has been there for a year apparently, but I just recently found it. They had a decent Tat selection so I grabbed a few and decided to fire up the La Casita today and the following was my experience
Prelight: It's a good looking cigar. Nice wrapper without any blemishes. The cap tasted sweet and a bit tangy before clipping. Used Xi cutter. My first cut proved to be too small and left me with a REALLY tight draw, so I clipped it again. I got a more favorable draw, but it was still too tight. In retrospect, the stick could have used some dryboxing.
First few inches: The light was simple and the smoke was pretty thick. The fist thing I noticed was the complete lack of any pepper whatsoever. I can't really say I've ever had a smoke with ZERO pepper. This was a first for me. The flavors were earthy to begin with hints of sweetness. The texture was chewy, but the smoke didn't get too thick. I had to work at it to keep it going, or at least I thought I needed to. It never went out on me, but the draw was tough.
Middle inches: This is where it really took off for me. The sweet and earthy tones really melded together to create a flavor experience that I have never had. It was pretty awesome. It lacked complexity, which is to say the flavors didn't really change much. They made themselves know and that was about it. That sounds negative, but it really wasn't. This was the point when I looked online for box prices. I was impressed.
Final inches: This baby stayed consistent to the last puff. That might be the best way to describe it, consistent. The smoke stayed cool and never got harsh, as some sticks tend to do at the end. I smoked this one down further than I usually do. i really didn't want to put it down.
Final Thoughts: I loved it. I'd classify it as a Medium smoke through and through. It had enough flavor and strength to keep me interested. I liked that it wasn't a flavor or strength bomb. I would smoke this at any time of the day. I drank water but I feel like this would go well with anything from root beer to unsweetened iced tea to scotch. Maybe even a Guiness. I really only have one complaint and that was the draw and even that wasn't TOO bad.
Scores:
Price point: 10 - it was only $6
Appearance: 9.5 - just basing this on look and feel
Construction: 9.5 - the burn was sharp and the ash was stong
Draw: 7 - I'm confident this can be corrected with rest
Flavor: 9.8 - it was totally original to me and I loved it
Overall: 9 with draw issues, 9.75 without
All things considered, this is one of my favorite cigar experiences of all time. It's not the BEST cigar I've ever had, but when you take everything into consideration, it's up there.
0
Comments
I love that table and ashtray in those pics Rob. VERY KEWL!!
Thanks for the feedback guys! I'm hoping to get another review up today!
"Long ashes my friends."
Mexican San Andres Maduro
Corona - 5.63 x 46
I'm not a big DPG fan, but I do enjoy the My Father line. This is my second smoke from the La Reloba line. I enjoyed the Sumatra and will review that one soon. But today I want to share my experience with the Seleccion Mexico.
Prelight: This baby has a nice dark and oily wrapper. The Mexican San Andres Maduro wrapper is lovely. The only other stick that I have had with this wrapper, that I know of anyway, is the Est. 1844. I used my trusty Xi cutter. First cut was shockingly perfect and the draw was a dream. Not too loose, but loose enough. Insert college girl joke here.
First few inches: The light was perfect and the first draw was a beauty. It was full of those classic Maduro flavors that I love. Earthy with hints of sweetness. It was subtle to start. The first few puffs were nice and they gave hints of what was to come. After a few minutes the flavors started to build.
Middle inches: The crescendo continues. The flavors took on a boldness that I did not expect. The heavy earth notes gave way to more sweetness. Notes of cocoa really picked up and even some slight oaky/vanilla notes popped up. Maybe even a little toasted almond flavor, it was really nice but hard to pinpoint. It really kept me on my toes. Twice I stopped to say "wow" after a random puff. It really had a lot of personality.
Final inches: The smoke stayed thick throughout. A root beer or maybe even cream soda would have really set this baby off. I had water, my usual these days. It held on until that last inch or so and I had to put it down. It got a little harsh at the end and that was probably my fault. I really haven't mastered the art of finishing off a cigar.
Final Thoughts: It was exactly what I look for in a maduro smoke. Creamy notes that really coat your mouth. I was swimming in chewy maduro goodness. On the down side the burn was uneven. It never went out on me or gave me any problems so I considered it purely cosmetic. It did actually even out in that last two inches. The flavors were great, draw was great, the strength was medium for sure but more on the Medium/Full side. I would definitely smoke this one after a meal. Maybe as a follow-up to a nice burger. It lasted about 75 minutes, but I was reading and taking my time.
Scores:
Price point: 10+ - I picked up a 5er for $18
Appearance: 10 - The wrapper is sleek and oily... vintage maduro look
Construction: 8.5 - The burn bothered me... call me picky... other than that it was perfect
Draw: 10 - Ideal draw... really let the smoke and flavors flow
Flavor: 9.5 - I truly enjoyed this cigar from start to nub
Overall: 9.5 - I'll admit that the price weighs heavily on this rating... it was a great cigar and the low price point really puts it over the top
All Things Considered: I really loved it. The flavors are big and the finish is long. I can't profess to know if these will age well or not. For what it's worth, this baby had about a month in my humi. I'm glad I have 4 more resting and I can see this as a potential box purchase based on the flavors and price. If it were say $8-10 I wouldn't be as excited about it. Which is to say it's no Anejo, but for $3.50 you can't beat it. I'm really impressed by the La Rebola line so far. They are complex little smokes that really keep you intrigued. The second you think you have it figured out, they switch up on you. If you haven't checked them out, I suggest you do. Thanks for reading!
Wrapper: Habano
Vitola: Corona 5.6 x 46
Time in Humi: 3 Months
This was the the third of the 3 blends in the La Reloba line for me to try. I had been pretty impressed with the Seleccion Mexico (SEE previous review) and the Sumatra (review coming soon), so I was looking forward to the Habano.
Prelight: Consistant with my experience with My Father Cigars, this cigar looked perfect. Nice clean Habano wrapper with deep golden brown color. No imperfections to speak of. The prelight nose was slightly peppery and the cap offered little by way of taste. I used my Xi cutter and produced a clean cut. The draw was slightly tight, so I used jlmarta's coat hanger technique to clear it up. It actually worked pretty well. The draw was still a little tight, but the air flowed freely and that was good enough for me. It was late in the afternoon and was stating to get dark out, and cold, so I didn't want to mess with it too much.
First Few Inches: The light was easy and the first draw provided me with burst of pepper and earthy notes. As the smoke went on, the pepper mellowed, but was always present. Sometimes it lingered in the background and others it was prominent though never overbearing. And that's how it stay for the first few inches. Not bad, but pretty one dimensional.
Middle Inches: It mellowed in the middle, but in a good way. The woody leather notes came back and really smoothed it out. After the first few inches I thought, "Finally, I can write a semi harsh review." Then in the middle I thought, "Oh man, maybe not." The flavors really melted together. It wasn't stilted by the random blasts of pepper and that was a good thing.
Final Inches: It got back to more of the pepper and started to physically get hot. I'll admit, I was smoking it hard because it was getting cold out and, let's face it, I'm from California and am not big on cold. Even if that "cold" is 55 degrees or so. Anyway, the pepper returned, but wasn't as obnoxious as it was to begin with. I'd definitely call this a medium bodied cigar. The flavors stuck with me a little longer than normal, which isn't really bad, but not really good either.
Construction: In vintage Pepin fashion, the construction was spot on. Perfect look and perfect burn with no real issues. The draw was a bit tight as I said, but I think that is a bit my fault too. The next thing I smoke is going to be dry boxed, so we'll see what that does.
Final Thoughts: I really do enjoy the entire La Reloba line. They may not be the most complex smokes out there, but for the price you pay you're getting a well constructed smoke with great flavor. Of the three sticks in the line, this one was my least favorite. It was by far the most one dimensional and ultimately was a the kind of smoke that would cause you to say "Oh yeah, I smoked one of those awhile ago... it was alright."
Scores:
Smoke Time: 78 minutes
Price Point: 8.5 - It's cheap, but that is to be expected. $3-4 is about right for what you get.
Appearance: 9 - It looked like a standard habano. Good construction, no imperfections, but nothing outstanding.
Construction: 9.5 - Spot on.
Draw: 8 - A little tight and required some coat hanging.
Flavor: 8.75 - It was nice. Nothing special and pretty one dimensional, but that one dimension was a good one.
Overall: 8.75 - Decent smoke all around. Good for messing around in the yard or a time when you're not too focused on what you're smoking. And for the price, it is well worth space in your humi, just don't give it TOO much space.
I'm becoming a sucker for My Father Cigars. I need to get my hands on a Le Bijou and Limited Edition and see what those have to offer. I might be softening on DPG as well. Look at me, I'm growing! Thanks for all the feedback guys! After I post these I keep checking back to see what you had to say. Thanks for reading!
Solid review as well keep it up, I'm really enjoying these. Never had a Quesada, but I'm getting more and more curious.
Wrapper: Ecuadorian Habano Ligero
Vitola: Box Pressed Robusto - 5 x 52
Time in Humi: a little over 3 Months
I love me some AJ. I'll just get that out of the way here and now. I picked this stick up awhile ago and it got buried in my cooler. Basically I forgot about it. That is how I managed to go 3 months without smoking a stick that I have eagerly been awaiting. Ok, on to the review.
Prelight: Everything looked good to go. The wrapper is a very dark Ecuadorian Habano Ligero. The cap offered a lot of pepper prelight and there seemed to be a cut in the cap as I was able to draw air through before I cut it. I used a punch and the cut was perfect. The draw was REALLY loose prelight. This caused some concern on my end. I don't like a really loose draw, but it ended up not being a problem. It took a bit to light this baby and get it going, but once she was fired up there was no looking back.
First Third: I was underwhelmed. It stared out very mild and started to show some wrapper issues. There were splits all over the place, but it was purely cosmetic and didn't really effect my experience. The flavor notes were a toasty spice. There was some pepper, but nothing overpowering and there was an intermingling sweetness. See some of the issues here.
Middle Third: This stick really got into it's groove. The intensity began to build into more of a medium-full body. The complexity of flavors grew as well. I started to notice a sweet cream undertone that was lovely. Lay some toasted bread, earthy spice and rich tobacco on top of that and you have a flavor to pay attention to.
Final Third: The strength began to pick up as we got into the home stretch. I started to feel it. The flavors held strong and stayed in the med-full range. The pepper on the retrohale really kicked in toward the end. It really ended nicely.
Construction: There were some wrapper issues, but as you can see from the pics, the ash held strong and was a nice medium grey. The burn was fine. It wasn't perfect but I never had to relight and didn't really bother touching it up.
Final Thoughts: Outside of the San Lotano line, this was easily the most complex AJ Blend that I have had. It wasn't a flavor or power bomb, which I liked. It was blended to get your attention and keep it and I feel it did just that. It started out bland, but after the first 1/2 inch or so it got moving. I feel like a lot of the flavor came from the wrapper.
Scores:
Smoke Time: 90 minutes
Price Point: 8 - These are pricey at $10, but can usually be found for a good price if you look.
Appearance: 9 - It's good looking. The Ecuadorian Habano has a nice mahogany color and the band is nicely designed.
Construction: 8 - Wrapper issues were probably specific to this particular stick.
Draw: 8.5 - A little loose for my taste at the beginning, but it wasn't too bad. the smoke was nice and thick so it worked.
Flavor: 9 - It started a little too mild for me, but really got going and transformed into a med-full flavor profile. Overall: 8.75 - Will I buy more of these? Probably, if I find a nice deal. But, will I go looking for that deal? Probably not. If they fall into my lap, I'll be thrilled, but I'm not gonna break my back (or my budget) to get more.
I love AJ. And I do enjoy the LHC line. I think this is a great compliment to that line. Much better than the Original and much more complex than the LHCOF. So yes, I recommend it, but I'm not flippin' out about it. Thanks for reading!