Construction: Slight box press with 2 predominate veins. The wrapper has a leathery aspect to it and there is a slight crystallization starting on the wrapper. No soft spots and a bit of a springy feel to the pinch.
Pre-Light: The smell was hay and barnyard with a hint of cedar and honey. Taste: The lick was somewhat sour/salty but not necessarily in a bad way. Cut: I used my Xi cutter and when cut the draw was perfect, just a very slight resistance to the pull which I like.
First Light and 1st Quarter: I got a slight peppery blast at first that wasnt all that enjoyable, but the smoke was light and cool with a little bit of hay and young leather that within a few minutes develops into spice and quickly LESS pepper which was welcomed. The retrohale gives what I can only describe as salted-caramel, hazelnut, and some spice with a cocoa aftertaste that lingers a little. After about a half inch honey started to present itself with a more predominate cocoa profile. The smoke is creamy in its texture on the palate but the body of the smoke feels lighter, and an aged leather shows up as an aftertaste slightly. At this point the pepper that started as slightly bitter mellows in a white pepper that balances much better. It finally meets what I feel is a balanced flavor around the 1 mark when a smoky tobacco starts to come to the forefront of the taste as well. Its worth noting that this is very enjoyable and has a great spicy element to it but does NOT have the typical maduro sweetness to it, and in this case alone it works really well! The retrohale develops into a leathery hay and spice combo that sits on the roof of my mouth towards the back of the throat. At the turn into the 2nd quarter the main flavor profile can only be described as a balanced hay and cedar, and it works really well for this stick.
2nd Quarter: Some vanilla and cream starts to make an appearance and slowly turns into a sweet-cream rich and thick flavor with a little bit of that salt showing back up that goes well with the cream. The ash drops for the first time on its own at the 1.5 mark and stays dense and white/gray with only a little bit of flaking to it. By now the pepper goes away completely and a sweet spice takes its place 100%. BOUNTIFUL smoke is really developing!
3rd Quarter: The body picks up slightly and goes from a solid medium to MAYBE a very mild medium+, the ash holds firm with more of the same flavor profile with a touch more spice and only a slight bitterness returning. Towards the end of this quarter the bitterness is gradually building (due to tar build-up would be my guess) but so far stays balanced due to some notes of damp rich earth and light hay. 4th Qaurter (Nub): The leather that up till now has been more of a hint, becomes much more prominent and slightly chewy, with the white pepper becoming a larger player. The hay basically disappears and a damp earth becomes evident on the retro. The smoke becomes heavier and much chewier, and leads to a clean and strong finish!
Final Thoughts: This was actually the first La Aurora Ive had and it impressed me with the overall construction, quality of the burn, and also the very unique flavors that I was not expecting. It was a really enjoyable smoke and did a great job showing me what this manufacturer might have in store for me and my flavor profile. All in all a solid cigar, but no WOW factor.
RATING: 4 Tobacco Leaves
This is what reviews should all be like. In dept and coherent. Keep writing and I'll keep reading.
Hey Brothers and Sisters! Just finished up the review for the Davidoff Millennium Blend Petit Corona that was so graciously gifted to me by Kuzi, thanks a ton Matt! This is the first review that I have done using my new rating scale system and the results surprised me for sure, but I think it is a more critical system that really assesses the cigar on a deeper level. I also think you will start to see a trend of cigars getting more critical ratings due to the breakdown since there is a far wider range of rating than a 1-5 scale with a 1-100 scale. I appreciate any and all feedback as always, and hope you enjoy the read! Pics will be uploaded later this evening to accompany the review!
Davidoff Millenium Blend - Petite Corona 4 ¼ X 41 Ring Gauge
Filler: Blend of Dominican Republic Ligero and Seco primings, Nicaragua and Peru leaf (no information on which priming at the time of this review)
Factory: Tabadom (Tobaccos Dominicanos)
Box Age Upon Lighting: 1.5 years roughly
Back-story: Often referred to by Davidoff Cigar Company as The Small Crown with all tobacco used in the Millennium Blend being aged for a minimum of four years prior to the torcedor rolling this blend. The line was originally launched in 1999 consisting only of the lancero vitola upon initial release. I wish I could find more information on the history of this cigar; how it came to be, the reason behind why it is named as such, which farms and harvest is this cigar from and such.
Appearance: This is for lack of a better word, a very small cigar that happens to have slightly more tooth to it than I expected in a Davidoff cigar that reminds me of a typical ISOM wrapper that is slightly rough and rustic. That is not to say that it is an ugly cigar by any means, quite the opposite in fact, it is simply to say that most of what I have seen and read about Davidoff cigars are that the wrappers are nearly flawless and quite smooth. Those of you that have been following me for some time know that I like cigars with character and a bit of roughness to it and the Millennium Blend offers that up in spades. Having one prominent vein that runs nearly the full length of the cigar with a smaller but still visible vein running from the lower second band to the foot adds slightly more character as well. The wrapper color is lighter than I am used to with a sun-grown wrapper, but still has the rust brown and leathery that I am used to with this type of wrapper. The classic white and gold band is stark in contrast to the rust brown leaf behind it, with a classy and subdued second band just below it saying Millennium Blend in gold lettering. I rate this 22 out of 25 for appearance due to this being classy but it also doesnt knock your socks off with anticipation.
Nose: From the wrapper there is very little nose to speak of, but what is there would be best described as extremely light cedar and a touch of vanilla. From the foot I pick up what I can only call a citrus prairie grass. Growing up on the foothills of the Rocky Mountains and frequently visiting the prairie of eastern Colorado I am quite familiar with the indigenous prairie grass that has notes of hay but with a wet grass smell added in as well. I pick up citrus like I said so lemongrass is decently appropriate, but it still smells wet and grass-like as well with a touch of vanilla and very mild oak.
Lick: When I lick the cap I am surprised to find that the texture of the leaf is quite smooth and velvety and has a slight tangy element to it with some salty notes as well, something along the lines of salt-water sea air and citrus elements from a lemon peel; certainly enjoyable.
Dry Draw: I open the cap with my Xikar 009 punch cutter to reveal a wonderful draw with slight resistance, something that nearly always signals copious amounts of smoke in my experience. The draw reveals more noticeable notes of lemongrass, hay, leather, and a TOUCH of vanilla time to light this bad boy up!
1st Light and 1st Quarter: Light time 2:35pm. I toast the foot gently with a double jet torch lighter for around ten seconds before I put the Millennium in my mouth and rotate the stick until it lights quickly and easily. The first few pulls reveal a slightly bitter opening with mild spice, but stronger pepper overshadows the spice. However that immediately starts to die down after the first handful of draws to reveal a robust yet creamy core to the smoke which is bountiful as I expected. Woody notes are immediately present as well to which I call hickory but is smoothed out considerably by the heavy vanilla quality that forms the basis of the sweetness that is already building. It has a sugar-esque aspect that I normally get on infused sticks, but rather than the artificial sweetness of an infused cigar it is a natural sweetness akin to a rich and luxurious vanilla and fresh milk slurry. It has started to advance now with the sweetness of the vanilla becoming bolder but luckily counter-balanced by cinnamon and leather being what the hickory and vanilla blend into on the finish. The leather is light but has an oily and aged element on the start while letting the cinnamon and spice overtake it at the back of your tongue. After the first three quarters of an inch, the body has dropped to match the profile and is far more rounded than prior to this change. The hickory has given way to a dried cedar and damp oak blend, with the cedar hitting you first but nearly instantaneously changing seamlessly into a slightly more robust oak and chocolate, to finally finish on vanilla and marshmallow cocktail that fades to nothingness on the drawn out finish. Complex is a word that describes this well, but it is certainly not the most complex blend that I have had lately. Complex enough to hold my interest, but not so much so that I am struggling for words to describe it; all in all though quite enjoying myself. The first ash falls at the one inch mark and appeared quite solid with defined striations lying like layers horizontally.
2nd Quarter: After the fall of the ash the body starts to build slowly and the aftertaste has changed into something quite pronounced and unique; a buttery and sweet extremely mild oak with vanilla, sweet cream, fragrant cedar and a sprinkling of spice. It is quite reminiscent of a flaky croissant roll with honey drizzled over top of it and served on a cedar plank. I know that this is not how a croissant has ever been presented and consumed, but it is exactly how I imagine it would taste and oddly enough I believe would pair well after tasting it in this cigar. The oak notes that were so apparent earlier have all but died now, and with it was replaced by honey and almond with a finish that does develop back into a mild hay and hickory core. As of now, the leather has built into a leading role but ONLY at the tip of your tongue and is oily to the taste and also mouth feel of the smoke, oily but light smoke is what it feels like in your mouth; wet smoke so to speak. As the smoke rolls back across your tongue the leather advances to the vanilla, cinnamon and honey, to finally hit the rear of your tongue and the roof of your mouth finishing with buttery hickory and almond on the retrohale and a lingering aftertaste of marshmallow, hay, almond, and honey. The farther along this burns the complexity is ramped over the length of this cigar. The wood notes which were quite separate earlier have grown more complex and less segregated, meaning that multiple wood flavors have combined into one long flavor with elements of several different types of quite refined and dried wood notes. It starts as the robust red oak that I pick up quite well anymore, but drops in body and spicyness to the smoky and tangy aspect of hickory to finish quite clean with the mild cedar and a vanilla body with a honey and almond core supporting it. So far THIS is the most complex point of the stick up to this point, and the sweetness has become the support that rounds this out with the bold wood and tang being the star for now. The marshmallow is clear only on the retrohale but compliments the almond and honey undertones nicely and brings them to the surface when you do retrohale. It is worth noting up to this point that the burn has been quite consistent with no runs at all proving this to be a very well constructed cigar even though it does feel slightly light in the hand.
3rd Quarter: The wood that is still so complex is very much in the spotlight still, but it has been complimented by a growing spice and sweet-anise that starts as leather and then drops off to reveal those notes afterwards. The smoke is still quite full and cool which is nice considering I am approaching the band and I can just start to feel the heat on my fingers. The finish has grown fuller and darker resembling a creamy and mild milk chocolate that has slivers of almond in it. The oak has grown to be more prominent than the cedar and hickory at this point which pairs nicely with the chocolate to give it depth rather than a one trick pony. The very tail end of the finish a tang spikes up and tastes like coffee, black coffee to be specific due to the complimentary slight bitter tang. Starts with leather and vanilla, grows to the smoky hickory, then falls to the chocolate and almond to finish on a barely bitter tang of coffee. This is more to my liking of profiles so I enjoy how it has grown not only in body, now a solid medium plus, but also in richness of the profile. The second ash falls at an inch and a half to reveal a perfect burn and rids the cigar of the bitterness leaving only the red oak, honey, almond and chocolate, and finishing with a smooth and strong black coffee less the bitter tang. I believe that the bitterness left because the heavy sweet cream just came back into play but ONLY on the finish complimenting the coffee. I say this because I get the same effect when I add a rich and heavy cream to my coffee; the strong and unique notes are still there, but the bitterness is replaced by a balanced sweetness and thick mouth feel. The same is true for the Millennium Blend right now, and I really enjoy this turn. I realize now that the anise as left and a raisin has taken its place in conjunction with the chocolate and almond. The body has grown and now helps to counteract the smoother profile by giving it a necessary kick without the bitter spice that was detracting from the subtle sweetness and cream.
Final Quarter: The final quarter comes with few changes so far. The smoke is finally warming up slightly, but there has yet to be any bitterness that comes with the tar buildup, instead the creaminess becomes thicker and heavier in your mouth with the chocolate taking over the oak and leather being the lead flavor that quickly gives way to the darker chocolate and honey. The raisin is most certainly in there, but it is hard to pinpoint exactly when it shows up; it is after the leather but starts just before the chocolate kicks in to last through the finish and the retrohale. The final change that the Millennium Blend goes through happens right before I call this done, the finish changes just slightly from the honey, chocolate, and almond to raisin, pungent red oak, and honey with the unique chocolate profile preceding it after the oily leather and cream first hit your tongue. End time: 3:35pm
Total Smoke Time: 1hr and 10 min
Closing Thoughts: For being such a short cigar and a less than dramatic appearance, the Millennium Blend smoked long for being a Petit Corona. Considering the length, there was a large amount of turns and changes with developing complexity that finished bold and clean. It has fully seated a desire to try more from Mr. Zino Davidoff to see if I can find something with slightly more body and a bigger punch of robustness for the flavors, but all in all a very remarkable cigar.
Rating Breakdown: Appearance: 22 pts Solid but doesnt intrigue me deeply or wow me Flavor Profile: 30 pts The last half was very enjoyable, but the first half left me wanting for more. Construction: 23 pts Superb construction with only a few minor flaws Wow Factor: 10 pts It certainly surprised me with how long it smoked and how it developed in complexity, but it didnt blow my mind hence the 10 pts.
Final Score: 85 out of 100
"When walking in open territory bother no one. If someone bothers you, ask them to stop. If they do not stop, destroy them."
Rating Breakdown: Appearance: 22 pts Solid but doesnt intrigue me deeply or wow me Flavor Profile: 30 pts The last half was very enjoyable, but the first half left me wanting for more. Construction: 23 pts Superb construction with only a few minor flaws Wow Factor: 10 pts It certainly surprised me with how long it smoked and how it developed in complexity, but it didnt blow my mind hence the 10 pts.
Rating Breakdown: Appearance: 22 pts Solid but doesnt intrigue me deeply or wow me Flavor Profile: 30 pts The last half was very enjoyable, but the first half left me wanting for more. Construction: 23 pts Superb construction with only a few minor flaws Wow Factor: 10 pts It certainly surprised me with how long it smoked and how it developed in complexity, but it didnt blow my mind hence the 10 pts.
Final Score: 85 out of 100
im shocked with the 85.
I really am too honestly! I think to two main factors for that is the "WOW" factor score and the Flavor Profile.... the flavor was good but the first half was only so-so honestly, and it was a solid stick that I really enjoyed, but it really didn't "wow" me so I couldn't give it any higher than I did. I think if I did this point scale on many of my past reviews it would be a VERY similar situation though. All in all, I think this point scale is FAR more accurate to the "real" rating in my mind than my previous ones.
"When walking in open territory bother no one. If someone bothers you, ask them to stop. If they do not stop, destroy them."
Rating Breakdown: Appearance: 22 pts Solid but doesnt intrigue me deeply or wow me Flavor Profile: 30 pts The last half was very enjoyable, but the first half left me wanting for more. Construction: 23 pts Superb construction with only a few minor flaws Wow Factor: 10 pts It certainly surprised me with how long it smoked and how it developed in complexity, but it didnt blow my mind hence the 10 pts.
Final Score: 85 out of 100
im shocked with the 85.
I really am too honestly! I think to two main factors for that is the "WOW" factor score and the Flavor Profile.... the flavor was good but the first half was only so-so honestly, and it was a solid stick that I really enjoyed, but it really didn't "wow" me so I couldn't give it any higher than I did. I think if I did this point scale on many of my past reviews it would be a VERY similar situation though. All in all, I think this point scale is FAR more accurate to the "real" rating in my mind than my previous ones.
What did you drink with the smoke and what did you eat before or with the smoke. I personally think that the Millenium PC is one of the better vitolas and have had a great experience from the start to end (nub). Maybe try a clean palate? I Use Unsalted crackers and room temperature water.
Rating Breakdown: Appearance: 22 pts Solid but doesnt intrigue me deeply or wow me Flavor Profile: 30 pts The last half was very enjoyable, but the first half left me wanting for more. Construction: 23 pts Superb construction with only a few minor flaws Wow Factor: 10 pts It certainly surprised me with how long it smoked and how it developed in complexity, but it didnt blow my mind hence the 10 pts.
Final Score: 85 out of 100
im shocked with the 85.
I really am too honestly! I think to two main factors for that is the "WOW" factor score and the Flavor Profile.... the flavor was good but the first half was only so-so honestly, and it was a solid stick that I really enjoyed, but it really didn't "wow" me so I couldn't give it any higher than I did. I think if I did this point scale on many of my past reviews it would be a VERY similar situation though. All in all, I think this point scale is FAR more accurate to the "real" rating in my mind than my previous ones.
Irish, I'm liking the new review scale, man and its becuase the wow factor section lets you rank based on your preferences, not what you think others would like. So I like it, and I'm not supprised that a cigar that you enjoyed and made you open the doors to try more by davidoff, but didn't wake you up at night wishing you had more, would score an 85. an 85 is good, you showed the cigar respect, but its not a wow cigar for you. and thats cool.
Good review man, keep them coming I'm curious to see how the scale applies to more cigars.
Rating Breakdown: Appearance: 22 pts Solid but doesnt intrigue me deeply or wow me Flavor Profile: 30 pts The last half was very enjoyable, but the first half left me wanting for more. Construction: 23 pts Superb construction with only a few minor flaws Wow Factor: 10 pts It certainly surprised me with how long it smoked and how it developed in complexity, but it didnt blow my mind hence the 10 pts.
Final Score: 85 out of 100
im shocked with the 85.
I really am too honestly! I think to two main factors for that is the "WOW" factor score and the Flavor Profile.... the flavor was good but the first half was only so-so honestly, and it was a solid stick that I really enjoyed, but it really didn't "wow" me so I couldn't give it any higher than I did. I think if I did this point scale on many of my past reviews it would be a VERY similar situation though. All in all, I think this point scale is FAR more accurate to the "real" rating in my mind than my previous ones.
Irish, I'm liking the new review scale, man and its becuase the wow factor section lets you rank based on your preferences, not what you think others would like. So I like it, and I'm not supprised that a cigar that you enjoyed and made you open the doors to try more by davidoff, but didn't wake you up at night wishing you had more, would score an 85. an 85 is good, you showed the cigar respect, but its not a wow cigar for you. and thats cool.
Good review man, keep them coming I'm curious to see how the scale applies to more cigars.
Thank you.... seriously thank you for what you said. To be quite honest that is the reason I put in the "Wow" factor was because a review is personal and there needs to be some type of way to account for that. Thank you for the feedback on the review and I will be having more reviews up soon!
"When walking in open territory bother no one. If someone bothers you, ask them to stop. If they do not stop, destroy them."
With the past few cigars that I smoked recently, I went back and re-evaluated them on on the new scale. I truly believe that this is a much more accurate and precise representation on MY view of the cigars I smoked, since my opinion and profile is what I base my ratings off of. This is not to say that it is a bad cigar, or that my opinion is better or more "right" than anyone else's, just my thoughts for my tastes is all.
Montecristo No. 2
Rating Breakdown:
Appearance: 24 points Timeless, classic, and rustic. The simplicity and presence are astounding. Flavor Profile: 35 points This nailed every aspect of the profile I seek in a cigar. Construction: 22 points The construction and burn were rock solid, but the wrapper was fragile and prone to very mild cracking. Wow Factor: 15 points This is the first cigar since I began smoking over 7 years ago that put me into a state where I could recall with such clarity why I began this passion in the first place, truly unique.
Total Score: 96 out of 100
Alec Bradley Black Market
Rating Breakdown:
Appearance: 23 points For maduro or ligero cigars, I truly enjoy thick and robust wrappers, and the AB really delivered on that. The large Cargo Print band was also very slick. Flavor Profile: 30 points Three quarters of the cigar were truly phenomenal and surprised me at how harmonious and robust the flavor was, but the last quarter got bitter and loaded with tannins, hence the slightly cut score. Construction: 25 points I never had a single issue with burr, wrapper, or any other issue; plus it was heavy in the hand and felt great to hold and smoke as well. Wow Factor: 12 points I wasnt expecting a great deal from the Black Market, but it took me by surprise and is now a cigar that I will always have in the humidor for a truly rock solid smoke, it DID wow me, and has earned Humidor Honors quite justly.
Total Score: 90 out of 100 points. SOLID Stick
"When walking in open territory bother no one. If someone bothers you, ask them to stop. If they do not stop, destroy them."
Preamble - This will be the first review that I have done that wil be broken down into an Objective and Subjective categories to make this review more useful for those reading it.
Backstory: Johnny-O! Is a member of an online forum that is run by a man named Wade who opened and runs onlinehumidor.com and is a wonderful supporter and proprietor of the online cigar industry. Johnny-O! has some of the most famous torcedors in Havana do custom rolls for him, this includes the likes of Hamlet and Santos just to name a few. Very little information is known about any of these cigars which helps to add to the mystique and marvel of a Johnny-O! Custom roll cigar. Rumors are that the World Famous Pigtail Shaggy Foot are rolled by Santos himself, but none of this can I confirm as of right now.
Objective Review
Broken down into four categories; Balance, Draw, Construction, Body.
Body: Seeing as how this is a culebra vitola I only reviewed one of the three cigars that were braided together at this time, so please take that into account. Being Havana leaf and a natural wrapper, I expected a mild to medium body and that is certainly how it started. However I was extremely surprised to find that it quickly and uniformly grew in strength subtly but without pause. By the halfway point this was a solid medium plus and ended up being full bodied soon after the half. Final judgement of the body I would put as FULL-BODIED.
Balance: This was a VERY young CC cigar not only being a custom roll, but also a fresh roll. The balance was slightly out of skew with the flavors being slightly less bold than the accompanying body that was full by all means. The flavor profile was light and somewhat creamy with a strong spice to it. The spice complimented beautifully with the full bodied nature of the cigar, while the creamy and velvety hazelnut and the classic Havana citrus tang helped wonderfully to finish cleanly and help to re-balance what was missing. I do believe without a doubt however that given the proper amount of rest that these flavors will not only marry correctly, but will balance and compliment each other as wonderfully as any cigar can be regardless of country of origin. I conservatively estimate that 12-18 months will accomplish this in spades. Final Judgement of balance would be a 7.5 out of 10
Draw: This category is especially tricky concerning this particular vitola and blend. With this being a culebra certain aspects naturally make this consequently an issue with most cigars in this vitola. With it being a cigar that is braided when it is wet and young, it has natural pinch points even when unbraided and dry boxed. This is also a very thin cigar that is nearly the same size as a lancero which is notorious for having tight draw issues. That being said, there was a tight draw but it was loose enough to let ample smoke and flavor through. I will say this however, with adequate rest (12-18 months as earlier started) I believe that this draw could easily be wonderful and quite enjoyable being rated at a 8-10 without trouble. Final Judgment of draw would be a 7 out of 10 as well.
Construction: The construction on this Johnny-O! Was truly superb, the shaggy foot was by far the best representation of one that I have ever personally been able to sample and the overall braid of the culebra, each with their own pigtail cap tied with a blue satin ribbon was truly exquisite. When the ribbon was cut and the braid undone only VERY minor cracking was viewed. In spite of the shag foot (generally leads to an uneven burn in my experience), non-straight shape due to the braid, and very minor cracking (even after I dropped it to cause one significant crack) the burn was as razor sharp as you can get. Time will only do wonders for this cigar and make it even better than it already was. Final Judgment of construction is rated at a 9.5 out of 10.
Subjective Review
Nose: From the wrapper a sweet and very wholesome tangy hay comes right to the fore-front, caramel and almond are delicate but certainly there on the finish as well. From the shag foot the same aforementioned profile is there as well, but a robust oak and sweet cream come through heavily as well the compliment the previously mentioned profile.
Lick: A highly tangy and salty sweet-grass taste is quite dominate that gently fades into a red pepper spice that tingles on the lips and heats the tongue. It is quite reminiscent of Jalapa region Habano leaf from Nicaragua due to the red pepper spice and meaty core.
Dry Draw: Slightly constricted draw, but not overly so. A very young and pungent tobacco flavor permeates your palate but is quite wet and tangy citric-grass heavy.
Personal Depiction of Profile and Smoking Experience:
Light time is 5:07 pm, 3/29/2012. The shag foot lights quickly and there is no ammonia, however a fresh and young tobacco taste is quite visible. A sweet and sour tangy element is more noticable than romal, but finishes clean with a lemon zest and an oak-like spice with notes of red-pepper. As soon as the wrapper and binder start to burn along with the filler, the body catches up to the flavor. The profile grows and rounds out to help achieve the right balance at this point. The ass end of the body and profile is brought up to now start this off as a solid medium, and the flavor is decadently packed with hazelnut, vanilla, and a light bodied sweet cream to finish with a sweet/sour rich musky oak and delicate red-pepper spice from a mineral rich dark earth. Flawless.... Flawless burn and flavor already. The draw and balance still leave something to be desired, but the burn and flavor are astounding. Just over an inch in and an unexpected turn presents itself adding in a mandarin that briefly announces its presence up front on your tongue and then fades lightly back into the profile that has been there up to this point. It is an interesting mix and pairs well with the classic Havana leaf profile. The ash falls at an inch and a half, at which the draw starts to open up slightly thereafter.
Smoke production at this point is average, however for the size, shape, and age I am not surprised by this. With age and patience this should be correctly with ease I believe. A black pepper and chili spice helps to correct the balance that up to now was slightly askew due to the continually growing body that has slowly but steadily creeped up. The faintest notes of cedar twist inside the smoke in my mouth and weave in and out with anise. The delicate and mile deep profile of this custom roll culebra is now balanced out by the surprising strength that has slowly crept up on me. It doesnt hit you like a freight train, but rather increases slowly and steadily without end. Rarely am I ever affected by the strength or nicotine content of a cigar, but for the first time in over a year I am enjoying a reasonable buzz from this cigar. The second ash drops on its own once again right around 1.5 with the burn remaining razor sharp still. A toasted caramel finds its way into the mix about halfway through the palate and weaves itself alongside a delicate leather to wrap up into an almond and finishes the same as before, tangy citrus with cream and vanilla... Sublime. Smoke production has doubled at this point in the burn and the draw is now only slightly tough. The wrapper has cracked and lifted slightly, but that is mainly due to myself accidentally dropping it when I went to ash it. A slight bitterness and heat has crept in on the finish and it hit a minor plugged area as well, something that given rest and marrying would be corrected without issue. A struggle with the draw and heat/bitterness at the 3 remaining mark has been troublesome and has over-heated the smoke leaving a slight tar build-up and unfortunate bitterness that lingers on the palate and aftertaste. A quick use of the draw-poker opens it up slightly with reasonable results. Smoke production increases and the heat lessons some. With the increased heat in relation to previously in the cigar, black pepper and chili spice accompany the heat and become dominate and out of balance. The effects are slightly lessened with the addition to the palate of roasted peanut and caramelized sugar. The end of the cigar is a slight letdown but I have faith that a full 180 degree turn will be the outcome with 12-18 months of aging. End time is 5:55pm making this a 50 min smoke.
Final Rating: On a 100 point scale to help more accurately pin down the overall reaction and feeling from this cigar, I would rate it at an 85-87 Points.
The review has also been posted on my review site along with some other updates and changes, please check it out brothers so I can get some more traffic and press, THANK YOU!
No problem Steve, thanks for the compliments! If you get a chance check out my website, I'm really trying to get more foot-traffic through there and the only way it'll spread is by word of mouth! Let me know what you think, THANKS!
"When walking in open territory bother no one. If someone bothers you, ask them to stop. If they do not stop, destroy them."
Curious as to the hype of the Johnny-O stick...I've heard stories of forbidden fruit, etc... Never seen where to get one, but it always piqued my interest a bit I must say.
Curious as to the hype of the Johnny-O stick...I've heard stories of forbidden fruit, etc... Never seen where to get one, but it always piqued my interest a bit I must say.
PM to you
"When walking in open territory bother no one. If someone bothers you, ask them to stop. If they do not stop, destroy them."
No problem Steve, thanks for the compliments! If you get a chance check out my website, I'm really trying to get more foot-traffic through there and the only way it'll spread is by word of mouth! Let me know what you think, THANKS!
Curious as to the hype of the Johnny-O stick...I've heard stories of forbidden fruit, etc... Never seen where to get one, but it always piqued my interest a bit I must say.
PM to you
Replied, thank you much. I will have to explore these once I get back on my feet again. I had heard good things personally, although some argue where...they all seem to agree these are fine somkes. Thanks again Irish, Catfish
Hey Irish! I really like the new rating system. I think it is far more along the lines of what I would like to see in a rating. Personally I am pretty tired of every cigar on the market with a 90+ rating; or so it seems. Then trying them and going...No way! I know they are trying to sell cigars but why have a rating system at all if it doesn't really work.
Thanks a TON for the feedback Charlie that is awesome and REALLY helpful! Alex had been giving me some FANTASTIC advice and guidance, in short he suggested that that I break it down into what the "facts" of the cigar I'm reviewing are, and then my personal opinions on it, hence why I broke it down as such. I think it, like Alex suggested, that it helps to let the readers quickly **** if it's a cigar they are interested in or not, and if they are to choose to read more then can read my opinion and experience on the stick.
"When walking in open territory bother no one. If someone bothers you, ask them to stop. If they do not stop, destroy them."
Comments
This is what reviews should all be like. In dept and coherent. Keep writing and I'll keep reading.
Davidoff Millenium Blend - Petite Corona 4 ¼ X 41 Ring Gauge
Wrapper: Ecudorian Sun-Grown Connecticut Seed Hybrid
Binder: Dominican Republic Seco priming
Filler: Blend of Dominican Republic Ligero and Seco primings, Nicaragua and Peru leaf (no information on which priming at the time of this review)
Factory: Tabadom (Tobaccos Dominicanos)
Box Age Upon Lighting: 1.5 years roughly
Back-story: Often referred to by Davidoff Cigar Company as The Small Crown with all tobacco used in the Millennium Blend being aged for a minimum of four years prior to the torcedor rolling this blend. The line was originally launched in 1999 consisting only of the lancero vitola upon initial release. I wish I could find more information on the history of this cigar; how it came to be, the reason behind why it is named as such, which farms and harvest is this cigar from and such.
Appearance: This is for lack of a better word, a very small cigar that happens to have slightly more tooth to it than I expected in a Davidoff cigar that reminds me of a typical ISOM wrapper that is slightly rough and rustic. That is not to say that it is an ugly cigar by any means, quite the opposite in fact, it is simply to say that most of what I have seen and read about Davidoff cigars are that the wrappers are nearly flawless and quite smooth. Those of you that have been following me for some time know that I like cigars with character and a bit of roughness to it and the Millennium Blend offers that up in spades. Having one prominent vein that runs nearly the full length of the cigar with a smaller but still visible vein running from the lower second band to the foot adds slightly more character as well. The wrapper color is lighter than I am used to with a sun-grown wrapper, but still has the rust brown and leathery that I am used to with this type of wrapper. The classic white and gold band is stark in contrast to the rust brown leaf behind it, with a classy and subdued second band just below it saying Millennium Blend in gold lettering. I rate this 22 out of 25 for appearance due to this being classy but it also doesnt knock your socks off with anticipation.
Nose: From the wrapper there is very little nose to speak of, but what is there would be best described as extremely light cedar and a touch of vanilla. From the foot I pick up what I can only call a citrus prairie grass. Growing up on the foothills of the Rocky Mountains and frequently visiting the prairie of eastern Colorado I am quite familiar with the indigenous prairie grass that has notes of hay but with a wet grass smell added in as well. I pick up citrus like I said so lemongrass is decently appropriate, but it still smells wet and grass-like as well with a touch of vanilla and very mild oak.
Lick: When I lick the cap I am surprised to find that the texture of the leaf is quite smooth and velvety and has a slight tangy element to it with some salty notes as well, something along the lines of salt-water sea air and citrus elements from a lemon peel; certainly enjoyable.
Dry Draw: I open the cap with my Xikar 009 punch cutter to reveal a wonderful draw with slight resistance, something that nearly always signals copious amounts of smoke in my experience. The draw reveals more noticeable notes of lemongrass, hay, leather, and a TOUCH of vanilla time to light this bad boy up!
1st Light and 1st Quarter: Light time 2:35pm. I toast the foot gently with a double jet torch lighter for around ten seconds before I put the Millennium in my mouth and rotate the stick until it lights quickly and easily. The first few pulls reveal a slightly bitter opening with mild spice, but stronger pepper overshadows the spice. However that immediately starts to die down after the first handful of draws to reveal a robust yet creamy core to the smoke which is bountiful as I expected. Woody notes are immediately present as well to which I call hickory but is smoothed out considerably by the heavy vanilla quality that forms the basis of the sweetness that is already building. It has a sugar-esque aspect that I normally get on infused sticks, but rather than the artificial sweetness of an infused cigar it is a natural sweetness akin to a rich and luxurious vanilla and fresh milk slurry. It has started to advance now with the sweetness of the vanilla becoming bolder but luckily counter-balanced by cinnamon and leather being what the hickory and vanilla blend into on the finish. The leather is light but has an oily and aged element on the start while letting the cinnamon and spice overtake it at the back of your tongue. After the first three quarters of an inch, the body has dropped to match the profile and is far more rounded than prior to this change. The hickory has given way to a dried cedar and damp oak blend, with the cedar hitting you first but nearly instantaneously changing seamlessly into a slightly more robust oak and chocolate, to finally finish on vanilla and marshmallow cocktail that fades to nothingness on the drawn out finish. Complex is a word that describes this well, but it is certainly not the most complex blend that I have had lately. Complex enough to hold my interest, but not so much so that I am struggling for words to describe it; all in all though quite enjoying myself. The first ash falls at the one inch mark and appeared quite solid with defined striations lying like layers horizontally.
2nd Quarter: After the fall of the ash the body starts to build slowly and the aftertaste has changed into something quite pronounced and unique; a buttery and sweet extremely mild oak with vanilla, sweet cream, fragrant cedar and a sprinkling of spice. It is quite reminiscent of a flaky croissant roll with honey drizzled over top of it and served on a cedar plank. I know that this is not how a croissant has ever been presented and consumed, but it is exactly how I imagine it would taste and oddly enough I believe would pair well after tasting it in this cigar. The oak notes that were so apparent earlier have all but died now, and with it was replaced by honey and almond with a finish that does develop back into a mild hay and hickory core. As of now, the leather has built into a leading role but ONLY at the tip of your tongue and is oily to the taste and also mouth feel of the smoke, oily but light smoke is what it feels like in your mouth; wet smoke so to speak. As the smoke rolls back across your tongue the leather advances to the vanilla, cinnamon and honey, to finally hit the rear of your tongue and the roof of your mouth finishing with buttery hickory and almond on the retrohale and a lingering aftertaste of marshmallow, hay, almond, and honey. The farther along this burns the complexity is ramped over the length of this cigar. The wood notes which were quite separate earlier have grown more complex and less segregated, meaning that multiple wood flavors have combined into one long flavor with elements of several different types of quite refined and dried wood notes. It starts as the robust red oak that I pick up quite well anymore, but drops in body and spicyness to the smoky and tangy aspect of hickory to finish quite clean with the mild cedar and a vanilla body with a honey and almond core supporting it. So far THIS is the most complex point of the stick up to this point, and the sweetness has become the support that rounds this out with the bold wood and tang being the star for now. The marshmallow is clear only on the retrohale but compliments the almond and honey undertones nicely and brings them to the surface when you do retrohale. It is worth noting up to this point that the burn has been quite consistent with no runs at all proving this to be a very well constructed cigar even though it does feel slightly light in the hand.
3rd Quarter: The wood that is still so complex is very much in the spotlight still, but it has been complimented by a growing spice and sweet-anise that starts as leather and then drops off to reveal those notes afterwards. The smoke is still quite full and cool which is nice considering I am approaching the band and I can just start to feel the heat on my fingers. The finish has grown fuller and darker resembling a creamy and mild milk chocolate that has slivers of almond in it. The oak has grown to be more prominent than the cedar and hickory at this point which pairs nicely with the chocolate to give it depth rather than a one trick pony. The very tail end of the finish a tang spikes up and tastes like coffee, black coffee to be specific due to the complimentary slight bitter tang. Starts with leather and vanilla, grows to the smoky hickory, then falls to the chocolate and almond to finish on a barely bitter tang of coffee. This is more to my liking of profiles so I enjoy how it has grown not only in body, now a solid medium plus, but also in richness of the profile. The second ash falls at an inch and a half to reveal a perfect burn and rids the cigar of the bitterness leaving only the red oak, honey, almond and chocolate, and finishing with a smooth and strong black coffee less the bitter tang. I believe that the bitterness left because the heavy sweet cream just came back into play but ONLY on the finish complimenting the coffee. I say this because I get the same effect when I add a rich and heavy cream to my coffee; the strong and unique notes are still there, but the bitterness is replaced by a balanced sweetness and thick mouth feel. The same is true for the Millennium Blend right now, and I really enjoy this turn. I realize now that the anise as left and a raisin has taken its place in conjunction with the chocolate and almond. The body has grown and now helps to counteract the smoother profile by giving it a necessary kick without the bitter spice that was detracting from the subtle sweetness and cream.
Final Quarter: The final quarter comes with few changes so far. The smoke is finally warming up slightly, but there has yet to be any bitterness that comes with the tar buildup, instead the creaminess becomes thicker and heavier in your mouth with the chocolate taking over the oak and leather being the lead flavor that quickly gives way to the darker chocolate and honey. The raisin is most certainly in there, but it is hard to pinpoint exactly when it shows up; it is after the leather but starts just before the chocolate kicks in to last through the finish and the retrohale. The final change that the Millennium Blend goes through happens right before I call this done, the finish changes just slightly from the honey, chocolate, and almond to raisin, pungent red oak, and honey with the unique chocolate profile preceding it after the oily leather and cream first hit your tongue. End time: 3:35pm
Total Smoke Time: 1hr and 10 min
Closing Thoughts: For being such a short cigar and a less than dramatic appearance, the Millennium Blend smoked long for being a Petit Corona. Considering the length, there was a large amount of turns and changes with developing complexity that finished bold and clean. It has fully seated a desire to try more from Mr. Zino Davidoff to see if I can find something with slightly more body and a bigger punch of robustness for the flavors, but all in all a very remarkable cigar.
Rating Breakdown:
Appearance: 22 pts Solid but doesnt intrigue me deeply or wow me
Flavor Profile: 30 pts The last half was very enjoyable, but the first half left me wanting for more.
Construction: 23 pts Superb construction with only a few minor flaws
Wow Factor: 10 pts It certainly surprised me with how long it smoked and how it developed in complexity, but it didnt blow my mind hence the 10 pts.
Final Score: 85 out of 100
im shocked with the 85.
Good review man, keep them coming I'm curious to see how the scale applies to more cigars.
Montecristo No. 2
Rating Breakdown:
Appearance: 24 points Timeless, classic, and rustic. The simplicity and presence are astounding.
Flavor Profile: 35 points This nailed every aspect of the profile I seek in a cigar.
Construction: 22 points The construction and burn were rock solid, but the wrapper was fragile and prone to very mild cracking.
Wow Factor: 15 points This is the first cigar since I began smoking over 7 years ago that put me into a state where I could recall with such clarity why I began this passion in the first place, truly unique.
Total Score: 96 out of 100
Alec Bradley Black Market
Rating Breakdown:
Appearance: 23 points For maduro or ligero cigars, I truly enjoy thick and robust wrappers, and the AB really delivered on that. The large Cargo Print band was also very slick.
Flavor Profile: 30 points Three quarters of the cigar were truly phenomenal and surprised me at how harmonious and robust the flavor was, but the last quarter got bitter and loaded with tannins, hence the slightly cut score.
Construction: 25 points I never had a single issue with burr, wrapper, or any other issue; plus it was heavy in the hand and felt great to hold and smoke as well.
Wow Factor: 12 points I wasnt expecting a great deal from the Black Market, but it took me by surprise and is now a cigar that I will always have in the humidor for a truly rock solid smoke, it DID wow me, and has earned Humidor Honors quite justly.
Total Score: 90 out of 100 points. SOLID Stick
Preamble - This will be the first review that I have done that wil be broken down into an Objective and Subjective categories to make this review more useful for those reading it.
Backstory: Johnny-O! Is a member of an online forum that is run by a man named Wade who opened and runs onlinehumidor.com and is a wonderful supporter and proprietor of the online cigar industry. Johnny-O! has some of the most famous torcedors in Havana do custom rolls for him, this includes the likes of Hamlet and Santos just to name a few. Very little information is known about any of these cigars which helps to add to the mystique and marvel of a Johnny-O! Custom roll cigar. Rumors are that the World Famous Pigtail Shaggy Foot are rolled by Santos himself, but none of this can I confirm as of right now.
Objective Review
Broken down into four categories; Balance, Draw, Construction, Body.
Body: Seeing as how this is a culebra vitola I only reviewed one of the three cigars that were braided together at this time, so please take that into account. Being Havana leaf and a natural wrapper, I expected a mild to medium body and that is certainly how it started. However I was extremely surprised to find that it quickly and uniformly grew in strength subtly but without pause. By the halfway point this was a solid medium plus and ended up being full bodied soon after the half.
Final judgement of the body I would put as FULL-BODIED.
Balance: This was a VERY young CC cigar not only being a custom roll, but also a fresh roll. The balance was slightly out of skew with the flavors being slightly less bold than the accompanying body that was full by all means. The flavor profile was light and somewhat creamy with a strong spice to it. The spice complimented beautifully with the full bodied nature of the cigar, while the creamy and velvety hazelnut and the classic Havana citrus tang helped wonderfully to finish cleanly and help to re-balance what was missing. I do believe without a doubt however that given the proper amount of rest that these flavors will not only marry correctly, but will balance and compliment each other as wonderfully as any cigar can be regardless of country of origin. I conservatively estimate that 12-18 months will accomplish this in spades.
Final Judgement of balance would be a 7.5 out of 10
Draw: This category is especially tricky concerning this particular vitola and blend. With this being a culebra certain aspects naturally make this consequently an issue with most cigars in this vitola. With it being a cigar that is braided when it is wet and young, it has natural pinch points even when unbraided and dry boxed. This is also a very thin cigar that is nearly the same size as a lancero which is notorious for having tight draw issues. That being said, there was a tight draw but it was loose enough to let ample smoke and flavor through. I will say this however, with adequate rest (12-18 months as earlier started) I believe that this draw could easily be wonderful and quite enjoyable being rated at a 8-10 without trouble.
Final Judgment of draw would be a 7 out of 10 as well.
Construction: The construction on this Johnny-O! Was truly superb, the shaggy foot was by far the best representation of one that I have ever personally been able to sample and the overall braid of the culebra, each with their own pigtail cap tied with a blue satin ribbon was truly exquisite. When the ribbon was cut and the braid undone only VERY minor cracking was viewed. In spite of the shag foot (generally leads to an uneven burn in my experience), non-straight shape due to the braid, and very minor cracking (even after I dropped it to cause one significant crack) the burn was as razor sharp as you can get. Time will only do wonders for this cigar and make it even better than it already was.
Final Judgment of construction is rated at a 9.5 out of 10.
Subjective Review
Nose: From the wrapper a sweet and very wholesome tangy hay comes right to the fore-front, caramel and almond are delicate but certainly there on the finish as well. From the shag foot the same aforementioned profile is there as well, but a robust oak and sweet cream come through heavily as well the compliment the previously mentioned profile.
Lick: A highly tangy and salty sweet-grass taste is quite dominate that gently fades into a red pepper spice that tingles on the lips and heats the tongue. It is quite reminiscent of Jalapa region Habano leaf from Nicaragua due to the red pepper spice and meaty core.
Dry Draw: Slightly constricted draw, but not overly so. A very young and pungent tobacco flavor permeates your palate but is quite wet and tangy citric-grass heavy.
Personal Depiction of Profile and Smoking Experience:
Light time is 5:07 pm, 3/29/2012. The shag foot lights quickly and there is no ammonia, however a fresh and young tobacco taste is quite visible. A sweet and sour tangy element is more noticable than romal, but finishes clean with a lemon zest and an oak-like spice with notes of red-pepper. As soon as the wrapper and binder start to burn along with the filler, the body catches up to the flavor. The profile grows and rounds out to help achieve the right balance at this point. The ass end of the body and profile is brought up to now start this off as a solid medium, and the flavor is decadently packed with hazelnut, vanilla, and a light bodied sweet cream to finish with a sweet/sour rich musky oak and delicate red-pepper spice from a mineral rich dark earth. Flawless.... Flawless burn and flavor already. The draw and balance still leave something to be desired, but the burn and flavor are astounding. Just over an inch in and an unexpected turn presents itself adding in a mandarin that briefly announces its presence up front on your tongue and then fades lightly back into the profile that has been there up to this point. It is an interesting mix and pairs well with the classic Havana leaf profile. The ash falls at an inch and a half, at which the draw starts to open up slightly thereafter.
Smoke production at this point is average, however for the size, shape, and age I am not surprised by this. With age and patience this should be correctly with ease I believe. A black pepper and chili spice helps to correct the balance that up to now was slightly askew due to the continually growing body that has slowly but steadily creeped up. The faintest notes of cedar twist inside the smoke in my mouth and weave in and out with anise. The delicate and mile deep profile of this custom roll culebra is now balanced out by the surprising strength that has slowly crept up on me. It doesnt hit you like a freight train, but rather increases slowly and steadily without end. Rarely am I ever affected by the strength or nicotine content of a cigar, but for the first time in over a year I am enjoying a reasonable buzz from this cigar. The second ash drops on its own once again right around 1.5 with the burn remaining razor sharp still. A toasted caramel finds its way into the mix about halfway through the palate and weaves itself alongside a delicate leather to wrap up into an almond and finishes the same as before, tangy citrus with cream and vanilla... Sublime. Smoke production has doubled at this point in the burn and the draw is now only slightly tough. The wrapper has cracked and lifted slightly, but that is mainly due to myself accidentally dropping it when I went to ash it. A slight bitterness and heat has crept in on the finish and it hit a minor plugged area as well, something that given rest and marrying would be corrected without issue. A struggle with the draw and heat/bitterness at the 3 remaining mark has been troublesome and has over-heated the smoke leaving a slight tar build-up and unfortunate bitterness that lingers on the palate and aftertaste. A quick use of the draw-poker opens it up slightly with reasonable results. Smoke production increases and the heat lessons some. With the increased heat in relation to previously in the cigar, black pepper and chili spice accompany the heat and become dominate and out of balance. The effects are slightly lessened with the addition to the palate of roasted peanut and caramelized sugar. The end of the cigar is a slight letdown but I have faith that a full 180 degree turn will be the outcome with 12-18 months of aging. End time is 5:55pm making this a 50 min smoke.
Final Rating: On a 100 point scale to help more accurately pin down the overall reaction and feeling from this cigar, I would rate it at an 85-87 Points.
The review has also been posted on my review site along with some other updates and changes, please check it out brothers so I can get some more traffic and press, THANK YOU!
http://irishmancigars.webplus.net/page30.html