I cannot get enough of the V Maduros. I try to get 10 every winter when they come out, and I try to age as many as I can, but invariably, when it's time for a new release, I am lucky to have 3 left from the previous year. These are my favorite maduro, except for the Padron '26, and they tempt me like a $1,000 hooker.
I cannot get enough of the V Maduros. I try to get 10 every winter when they come out, and I try to age as many as I can, but invariably, when it's time for a new release, I am lucky to have 3 left from the previous year. These are my favorite maduro, except for the Padron '26, and they tempt me like a $1,000 hooker.
I liked the 08, have a few boxes of those, and the 2010 after some rest. The 09 isn't bad but just wasn't all that to my liking. Nice review of the 2010 btw!
I love the 2011 personally. Enough so that I bought a couple boxes. I've only had 1 2010, but my experience was pretty on par with yours, kuzi. Great review.
4-16-12 been in humidor since 9-28-11
Ave Maria Reconquista Torpedo 7?x54
Wrapper: Brazilian Habano Oscuro
Binder: Honduran
Filler: Nicaraguan tobaccos from Condega, Jalapa, and Esteli
Blender: AJ Fernandez.
Thanks to firetruckguy for this cigar.
This is a seriously limited edition cigar. According to Cigar.com, there has been only 1600 boxes of 12 made. This is largely because of the wrapper. This wrapper is only found on this cigar.
But what makes it so limited?
There are two theories that I can think of:
1) The wrapper leaf is grown specifically grown by AJ Fernandez for this cigar alone.
2) The wrapper was never intended to be used as a wrapper leaf but was part of a larger purchase of tobacco acquired by AJ Fernandez.
If option one is true then why cant he just grow more? Will there be more? A small production farm that is only capable of producing small amounts of wrapper quality leaf would make it limited. I can find nowhere that it says that there will never be another version, just that so far only 1600 boxes have been made. Maybe they are waiting for another vintage year. Maybe they cannot produce it fast enough to keep up on demand.
I find option two as a more reasonable explanation. Tobacco is bought and sold much like any other commodity. Some types of tobacco are more expensive than others and some are more in demand than others. Recently, ligero has been what most are after. The trend in cigars recently is stronger, bigger, spicier. Ligero provides those things. However, ligero is only the upper leaves and there is very little of it to go around. There is so much demand that in order to buy it, often it is bundled with other tobaccos that are not in as high of demand and in abundance because they make up a higher percentage of the plant than just the ligero leaves. Other times it can be bundled with a few bales of tobacco that are very high quality but are not abundant enough to give a good run but a very limited edition only. Growers have to move both of those cases somehow. Usually the bulk lower priming tobacco is used to make value lines of cigars or house exclusives for major retailers (this also explains how Gurkha and Rocky Patel have so many different labels. They dont want to wast any tobacco if they can.). But in the case where there is just a small amount of this tobacco, then it is very hard to make a line. Sometimes this can explain a very limited release cigar. There is not enough for a full line but enough of a good tobacco to make a good short run. I suspect that this is the case for the wrapper leaf. It may have been part of a deal; and now, there is no way to recreate it.
Either way, I am glad to get my hands on it.
This cigar comes in an individual coffin box that is sealed with, what looks like on fist glance, an old style tobacco tax stamp. However, this stamp is actually the logo. The box has a dark stain on it.
I cut the seal with my pocket knife an open it up to have a look. The large torpedo cigar starts to rise up as I open the hinged box. Its a clever little detail that I appreciate.
The cigar itself has a lighter brown wrapper than I was expecting. It is very smooth to the touch and feels heavy in the hand. The band is now the full color version of what was on the coffin box. This is an excellent yet simple presentation for a cigar that carries a steep price.
the cigar, once out of the cellophane, has a vegetable-like smell with a hint of the classic barnyard that many cigars have. The lick on the cap has an oily feel with a good hit of spice. A cut with my Xi2 reveals a tightly packed head that is slightly lighter than the wrapper. The draw is a bit on the firm side. There is a very light taste of raisins on the cold draw.
a light with a soft flame produces a delicate sweet cedar smoke with a creamy texture to it. Through the nose there is a the same vegetable-like note that was on the pre-light smell. There is a good amount of the classic Nicaraguan flavor; a woody pepper that does not have the heat that pepper does. The cigar has started out with a light body but a real depth of flavor. This cigar tastes cleaner than most cigars out there and is refined even for AJ Fernandez. This cigar seems to be a departure from AJs usual blending style with a big shot of spice right at the beginning then quickly mellowing only to slowly build back up over the length of the cigar. The shot of spice is not there. It is just smooth and slightly sweet.
The first ash falls about an inch in. it falls off flat with about an eighth of an inch of ash left on the cigar all the way around the perfect burn. At this point the woody notes are becoming more and more dominant. Through the nose a nutty musk has entered the mix but the wood notes are still the focus.
As the middle third begins the flavor profile has not changed much. The flavors mentioned above are still the only players in the game. They have become more refined. The finish that I am just now noticing, is short and lightly spicy. The body and strength of the cigar has grown and it remains in balance. Sweet notes periodically come out to play as the middle third progresses. The flavor that is most interesting to me is the vegetable-like flavor that is in the background on the middle flavor. It just fades so wonderfully to the finish that is oak and a very delicate spice.
The final third brings on more spice on the finish but I would still describe it as delicate in nature. Oak/wood is still the dominant flavor profile but the spice that is creeping in makes it taste more Nicaraguan than it had before. This cigar has the signature Nicaraguan flavor but it manages to leave the pulpy Nicaraguan texture behind. It is very smooth with a short finish even this late in the cigar.
Very near the end of the cigar there are a few minor burn issues that require a very minor touch up. Beyond that the burn was flawless. The flavor remains solid and the power that this cigar has is finally felt. I would place it on the medium side of full.
4-18-12 been in humidor since 1-12-12
La Palina The Family Series Babe (5.25 x 50)
Wrapper: Costa Rica
Binder: Costa Rica
Filler: Honduran, Nicaraguan
Blender: Bill Paley, Avelino Lara
Until recently I had never heard of this brand. I was following one of the reps on twitter simply because I was following him as a rep for LFD previously. My interest has been growing in this cigar for two months and I tried to hunt one down. There are no cigar shops in NE Ohio that have them. Recently I was digging through my humidors organizing them yet again when I found one that spindrift had sent me four months ago and I had since forgotten about. It seems that a review is in order.
If the name Avelino Lara sounds familiar it is because he is a legend. He was the personal roller of Uncle Fidel's cigars. He created the Cohiba brand. In 1996 he retired from the Cuban cigar business, partially due to his dislike of the Cuban Government interfering with and regulating the cigar business in Cuba. He moved to Nassau (Bahamas) where he eventually founded Graycliff Cigars.
So how did he end up with his hand in the La Palina Brand?
Bill Paley's Grandfather was the owner of the original La Palina brand. After he retired, the parent company (Congress Cigar) dissolved and the brand disappeared. His son (Bill's father) went in a new direction and founded CBS (radio at the time). La Palina was gone.
When Bill decided to recreate the brand he needed a blender. Enter: Avelino Lara. Bill and Avelino worked together to create a cigar that would do the old family brand justice. Lara died in 2009 and passed the cigar tradition down to his son Abel. La Palina cigars are currently made in the Bahamas in the Graycliff factory under the supervision Abel Lara.
This particular cigar is from The Family Series. In this series every vitola is named after a family member. Babe is Bills mother Barbara. Yes, thats right. Bills father Created CBS and his mother was Barbara Babe Cushing Paley, the fashion icon that was inducted into the International Best Dressed List Hall Of Fame in 1958.
This cigar may not make it into the Best Dressed Hall Of Fame, but it sure looks pretty to me (terrible segue, I know). The Costa Rican wrapper is a brown with ever-so-slightly darker splotches spread evenly throughout. It looks like the leaf has depth and has been fermented significantly. The band is a simple gold and cream with a black and white photo in the center. This just looks like a cigar should look. Pure. Simple. Elegant.
The cigar has a solid feel to it. It has a light hay smell to it while unlit. The lick on the cap has a slightly bittersweet note to it. It is very faint and is almost flavorless otherwise. The closest thing I can think of is earth but honestly, it is so light that I would classify that tasting note as a stab in the dark. A clip with my Xi2 and a near perfect draw full of earthy vegetable flavors is discovered.
A soft flame provided by my Xikar EX lighter starts us on this journey.
The first few puffs have a soft earthy musk to them. Through the nose is more of earthiness but slightly sweeter that turns more to a white pepper when larger volumes are pushed through. The finish is again soft but long and ending with a white pepper note. These are some impressive first few puffs.
As the cigar opens up a few sweeter nutty notes come out in the initial flavor. The middle flavor has hints of the woody-spice that is common in Nicaraguan tobacco. This is not the focus. I hesitate to point out a focus. There is quite a bit going on here. Through the nose there is still the earthy musk and a slight spice. This all fades to a soft spice on the finish.
The middle third has settled in with more of the earthy musk but sweeter. Through the nose there is a good white pepper and the musk has faded there. The nutty flavor has shifted more to the finish. That finish still has that soft spice that caps everything so well. The way the flavors work with each other is quite amazing. The balance is spot on even as the spice increases as the cigar journey moves down the road.
The burn by the mid point is not perfection. However it has not caused any major issues. Only one corrective light is needed and I have to admit it has more to do with my being overly worried about the burn. Most would have let it slide and it probably would have corrected itself like the other very minor flaws in the burn so far. The ash holds on tenaciously. Very enjoyable to watch.
The final third does something surprising to me: it gets sweeter. Usually the power of a cigar builds and thus the spice piles on. This is doing that to an extent, but the sweet notes are becoming more prevalent in the initial flavor as the journey continues. Each puff has a complexity that few cigars ever have over the length of the cigar. For the most part, a puff at the beginning of the final third will go as follows: sweet nutty with a creamy texture, then woody with light spice in the middle flavor. Through the nose is a musky wood that transitions to a soft spice.
Just fabulous.
As the cigar comes to an end the sweetness finally fades away leaving the soft spice as the main flavor with all other flavors fading to the background. If I had to sum this cigar up in one word it would be nuanced. The La Palina Babe is a prime example of a medium bodied cigar with full on flavor and complexity. I firmly believe that a fan of full bodied cigars with complexity could and would enjoy this immensely.
Burn to the burn
Time: 2 hours 15 minutes. (from what is effectively a robusto)
La palinas are great cigars. The top line from this company is Limited Edition 1896 robusto. They make cigars in two different factories. One in Raices Cubanas in Honduras and Graycliff in Bahamas. The family series and limited editions are made in Graycliff factory. I met the VP Courtney Smith once, if I am not mistakes the binder for this cigar is Costa Rican jaltepec which is very flavorful. Graycliff double expresso uses the same binder. It gives a cigar very smooth with robust flavor. the same series has another line call- little bill, excellent smoke.
La palinas are great cigars. The top line from this company is Limited Edition 1896 robusto. They make cigars in two different factories. One in Raices Cubanas in Honduras and Graycliff in Bahamas. The family series and limited editions are made in Graycliff factory. I met the VP Courtney Smith once, if I am not mistakes the binder for this cigar is Costa Rican jaltepec which is very flavorful. Graycliff double expresso uses the same binder. It gives a cigar very smooth with robust flavor. the same series has another line call- little bill, excellent smoke.
yes and it has a different wrapper. Ecuadorian wrapper actually.
4-25-12 been in humi since 7-13-10
Joya de Nicaragua Antano Lancero (7.5 x 38)
Wrapper: Nicaraguan Habano Criollo
Binder: Nicaraguan Habano
Filler: Nicaraguan Habano
Blender: Dr. Alejandro Martinez-Cuenca
This cigar was given to me at a Joya de Nicaragua/Drew Estates event by the sales rep. I believe that at the time, this size was not available to the general public unless you went to an event or knew somebody that knew somebody. Now, the are available to anybody that wants them.
JdN was the first cigar produced in Nicaragua (1964). When Nicaragua became unstable the brand disappeared. When they re-launched in 2002 the Antano was the cigar to pay tribute to the original blend. Antano actually means yesteryear in Spanish. Of course all of this is easily found on their website and is fairly common knowledge.
What I see, is many more people not understanding the relationship between Joya de Nicaragua and Drew Estates. I did some digging and I found a quote from Steve Saka:
Steve Saka:
Drew Estate is solely the US Distributor of the cigars manufactured by the Joya de Nicaragua factory.
We do not involve ourselves in any way whatsoever in their tobacco purchase, selection, or fermentation. Nor our we involved in the cigar production or blending. They have been manufacturing cigars quite successfully since the late 60s they do not need any help from us.
Our involvement is limited to the importing, selling and marketing of the product within the United States that is it. The cigars themselves are and will always be the product of their labor and passion for making the finest Nicaraguan puros on the market.
I hope that clears it up for anyone that still had questions. JdN is their own brand. Drew Estates is their own brand. They are good friends.
This particular Antano Lancero has seen 21 months of rest and none of that time did it have cellophane on it. There are a few very minor chips on the foot of the cigar but nothing major. The rich brown wrapper has an oily feel to it. It has a rugged wrapper that comes to a pigtail cap. This is exactly what I would expect out of the Antano Lancero.
the cigar smells lighter than I would have expected. Its just lightly earthy and unassuming. The lick on the cap is sweet, sour and spicy. After a cut with a double guillotine, I am faced with a very good draw that has a taste that reminds me of spice drops. This flavor is much more vegetable in nature. The light is my usual soft flame. It is quick because of the smaller ring.
The fist few puffs are a very classic Nicaraguan flavor with wood notes and spice. There is also a bit of a musk through the nose. The contrast between the flavors in the mouth and the flavors through the nose are stark. But they somehow work together. I am finding that the musk is something that I dont clearly remember from the other sizes of the Antano. As the cigar opens up and settles in, the musk becomes more of an earth or peat flavor. There is a bit of the spicy licorice that reminds me of a spice drop in there. The finish is fairly long and has a black pepper note way at the end. At about an inch in the real spice starts in.
the ash seems to be dropping at regular half inch intervals. The is about what I expect from a lancero. The burn is even and the draw is not bad.
The middle third has a similar profile but more on the spicy side. This is more along the lines of the Antano I remember. There is less roundness than when there is more filler. This cigar is spicier than say the larger rings as well. The flavor is not all that complex but it is a good example of what a classic Nicaraguan cigar should taste like.
The final third starts off with me noticing the power that this cigar has. The cigar is starting to round out and show more of the signature blending style of Dr. Alejandro Martinez-Cuenca. This signature style is one of the reasons why I like the brand so much. The lines all taste different, but it is clear that they are blended in the same style. This last third has really taken off. The texture is rich and creamy and the taste has more of the earth elements that it did at the beginning. It is also becoming more complex on each puff. The finish is losing its spice. It is as if the cigar was building just to get to this point. Im not sure that was the plan when this size was made or a happy accident, but it is fantastic that it worked out that way.
The cigar ends with a pick up in the spice again. Seems fitting.
4-26-12 been in my humidor since 3-23-12
EP Carrillo Maduro Encantos (4.8 x 50)
Wrapper: Connecticut Broadleaf Maduro
Binder: Ecuadorian
Filler: Nicaraguan, Dominican
Blender: Ernest Perez Carrillo
thank you to OchiZacho for the opportunity to try this cigar.
This brand is the Namesake brand of the one time blender of La Gloria Cubana, Ernest Perez Carrillo. His blends with LGC have fetched marks in the 90's and a group of loyal followers for the brand.
Many of these followers were very happy to see the blender make a return to the cigar industry when he launched his own brand E.P. Carrillo in 2009. Just three short years (No time at all in the cigar business) and the brand is seeing national acclaim.
This cigar is part of their core line, or cigars that are not a short run or a special edition. I do not feel that this cigar can really be called the core line like the natural version. This is simply EP Carrillo Maduro to me. Yes, there are some similarities between the two. They both have Dominican and Nicaraguan fillers. That is about it. The binder and wrapper are very different from the natural (Nicaraguan and Ecuadorian respectively). This seems like a very different blend in my opinion. I suspect that this will be more in balance than a maduro version of an original blend like many other blenders tend to have.
This maduro is not as dark brown as many of the maduros I have seen. Its actually fairly medium in hue. The black, red, gold, and cream band is simple, nothing flashy, and it comes off with ease.
the scent is a lighter version of the classic maduro, a barnyard smell. The lick on the cap has a slight spice and maybe a slight sour note. The trusty double guillotine lets an easy draw out. Its a touch too easy for my liking. The flavor on the draw is a classic tobacco taste and has a good vegetable quality to it.
the first few puffs after a light with a soft flame has a very classic Nicaraguan woody spice with a pulpy texture. Through the nose there is a heavy shot of spice. Once the cigar settles in, the pulpy texture smooths out to a degree, it is still there and is mainly on the finish with a spice. Through the nose there is quite a bit of burn. The initial flavor is on each puff is a sweet black tea flavor. By the end of the first inch or so the spice has tamed down quite a bit and that makes me believe that my light was too quick and too hot causing me to scorch the tobacco. Very shortly after this first inch the first ash is falls into the ashtray leaving behind a rather ragged looking ash left on the cigar. The burn is not even but no touch ups are needed.
The middle third has more sweetness than the scorched fist third and the pulpy texture has gone the way of the dodo as well. (I could kick myself for not having the patience that I usually have.) The black tea note turns up a bit and a slight coffee-like bitterness is hinted at. The spice is subtle now and through the nose is the only place that there is any burn at all. The med-full body claimed on their website can be felt in this third and if it keeps turning up it will be full bodied with no hint of medium by the time it gets to the final third.
A complete relight is needed just before the mid point. I think this is because of my extremely slow smoking style and not much to do with the cigar itself. Some brands dont do as well with a slow smoker. The re-light goes much smoother than the original light and the flavors are not harmed in any way.
The final third continues along the same path but no uptick in power. There is a spicier note late on the finish. The black tea flavor has lengthened and is creeping into the finish and has a good sweet hint on it.
This third is plagued with a few burn issues. None of them seem to have impact on the flavor but they are annoying none the less. One side just wont keep up. This may or may not be a storage issue. I can track this cigar to at least 4 different humidors since it hit the US (the retailors, the guy who gave it to me, my new cigar humidor, and then switching it to my smoking humidor). It may just be the problems that many cigars get late from the buncher holding the bunch before they apply the binder. Im not 100% sure. Good thing it tastes good. The finish is long and enjoyable.
The end of this cigar brings on more spice but now of the cinnamon variety. The sweetness that this cigar has makes that quite enjoyable.
I was extremely unimpressed with my first EPC Core Maduro, I can honestly say there wasn't one thing I liked about it. Zach hit me with one, which I summarily burned, and it was a completely different cigar...quite enjoyable in fact. I'm not normally a big fan of Maduro wrapped cigars, but I felt he did a good job balancing the filler and binder with the Maduro wrapper and the result speaks for itself.
So in words any idiot can understand (dont worry, I'll have someone explain it to me), what does 8.8 mean to you?
i did this review late last night. i do feel, looking back on it now, that the 8.8 is a bit high.
there were problems early in the cigar. but it won me over by the end. so what does it mean to me? i dont think i will buy a box of them. i dont think ill buy a 5er of them. i will be happy if i get them in a random trade as an extra stick. i probably wont go out of my way to find them again.
I was extremely unimpressed with my first EPC Core Maduro, I can honestly say there wasn't one thing I liked about it. Zach hit me with one, which I summarily burned, and it was a completely different cigar...quite enjoyable in fact. I'm not normally a big fan of Maduro wrapped cigars, but I felt he did a good job balancing the filler and binder with the Maduro wrapper and the result speaks for itself.
So in words any idiot can understand (dont worry, I'll have someone explain it to me), what does 8.8 mean to you?
Joe, I hate to make comments on how a cigar is. Even though it's my opinion, some can't see it that way. MY OPINION. IN saying that, I have about 8 of them left. I have had three of them. In which the very first one I had was a nice cigar. That made me buy 10 of them. I have since smoked two and now just letting them sit. I'm not convinced that they are a bad cigar because of the first one I had. But maybe from the travel it took before I smoked the second one made it bad. And possibly the third was a dud because it kept flaming out on me. I just going to hold off on them for a little bit and revisit. I would hate to think this is a inconsistant cigar. But it might be the case. Once again, my opinion....
You might very well be right Rick. I've only had two, one bad one good...so the jury is way out on that for me. It's probably one of those cigars where I'll pick up a fiver and give them the one every few months test.
I love these in the #4 size. The Club 52 is good too. Not very complex at the Club 52 size, but still satisfying. The #4 is a whole other ball game. Very complex, a lot spicier, and the cocoa shines through during the entire smoke. They also burn very well, and very slowly, easily a 50+ min smoke even at the small size.
I was extremely unimpressed with my first EPC Core Maduro, I can honestly say there wasn't one thing I liked about it. Zach hit me with one, which I summarily burned, and it was a completely different cigar...quite enjoyable in fact. I'm not normally a big fan of Maduro wrapped cigars, but I felt he did a good job balancing the filler and binder with the Maduro wrapper and the result speaks for itself.
So in words any idiot can understand (dont worry, I'll have someone explain it to me), what does 8.8 mean to you?
Joe, I hate to make comments on how a cigar is. Even though it's my opinion, some can't see it that way. MY OPINION. IN saying that, I have about 8 of them left. I have had three of them. In which the very first one I had was a nice cigar. That made me buy 10 of them. I have since smoked two and now just letting them sit. I'm not convinced that they are a bad cigar because of the first one I had. But maybe from the travel it took before I smoked the second one made it bad. And possibly the third was a dud because it kept flaming out on me. I just going to hold off on them for a little bit and revisit. I would hate to think this is a inconsistant cigar. But it might be the case. Once again, my opinion....
Like you guys, I've consistently had some burn issues with this stick. Uneven, going out, needing too-frequent draws, etc. But that's the only critique I have of it. The flavors have been simply outstanding for me. One of my favorite maduros for the price.
The statement from Steve Saka is completely true. A year ago Master blender Jose Blanco joined with JDN from La Aurora family as a senior VP. Right now, he is in charge of blending JDN's new blends. Drew Estate only takes care of all the JDN cigar in the U.S. market. They have no other affiliation rather than the marketing.
I am good friends with Jose Blanco. Cigar world is well aware of his blending Creativity. He is the pioneer of La Aurora 100 Anos blend creation. La Aurora 100 Anos was the 3rd Best cigar of the Year In 2004.
I have learned a lot from Jose. he is a great guy with extreme cigar knowledge. I can offer you a great news. After he joined JDN, his primary goal was to create a new blend which will change the image of JDN. he went through almost 42 blends and finalized his blend a month ago. I tried couple of the testing blends and finally tried the final blend a week ago. I can not talk about the blend because they are going to announce it with Cigar Afiocinado in July. All I can say is, this cigar will let people know that JDN has a new face and their blendings are offering more complex flavor, nothing like any of their existing line. This is going to be complete different cigar. The price will be moderate but worth it. Cigar smokers will look at JDN with respect. For me, it was so much fun to experience how a blend developed with a lot of hard work, tasting, pressure, expectation and passion.
kuzi16:
4-25-12 been in humi since 7-13-10
Joya de Nicaragua Antano Lancero (7.5 x 38)
Wrapper: Nicaraguan Habano Criollo
Binder: Nicaraguan Habano
Filler: Nicaraguan Habano
Blender: Dr. Alejandro Martinez-Cuenca
This cigar was given to me at a Joya de Nicaragua/Drew Estates event by the sales rep. I believe that at the time, this size was not available to the general public unless you went to an event or knew somebody that knew somebody. Now, the are available to anybody that wants them.
JdN was the first cigar produced in Nicaragua (1964). When Nicaragua became unstable the brand disappeared. When they re-launched in 2002 the Antano was the cigar to pay tribute to the original blend. Antano actually means yesteryear in Spanish. Of course all of this is easily found on their website and is fairly common knowledge.
What I see, is many more people not understanding the relationship between Joya de Nicaragua and Drew Estates. I did some digging and I found a quote from Steve Saka:
Steve Saka:
Drew Estate is solely the US Distributor of the cigars manufactured by the Joya de Nicaragua factory.
We do not involve ourselves in any way whatsoever in their tobacco purchase, selection, or fermentation. Nor our we involved in the cigar production or blending. They have been manufacturing cigars quite successfully since the late 60s they do not need any help from us.
Our involvement is limited to the importing, selling and marketing of the product within the United States that is it. The cigars themselves are and will always be the product of their labor and passion for making the finest Nicaraguan puros on the market.
I hope that clears it up for anyone that still had questions. JdN is their own brand. Drew Estates is their own brand. They are good friends.
This particular Antano Lancero has seen 21 months of rest and none of that time did it have cellophane on it. There are a few very minor chips on the foot of the cigar but nothing major. The rich brown wrapper has an oily feel to it. It has a rugged wrapper that comes to a pigtail cap. This is exactly what I would expect out of the Antano Lancero.
the cigar smells lighter than I would have expected. Its just lightly earthy and unassuming. The lick on the cap is sweet, sour and spicy. After a cut with a double guillotine, I am faced with a very good draw that has a taste that reminds me of spice drops. This flavor is much more vegetable in nature. The light is my usual soft flame. It is quick because of the smaller ring.
The fist few puffs are a very classic Nicaraguan flavor with wood notes and spice. There is also a bit of a musk through the nose. The contrast between the flavors in the mouth and the flavors through the nose are stark. But they somehow work together. I am finding that the musk is something that I dont clearly remember from the other sizes of the Antano. As the cigar opens up and settles in, the musk becomes more of an earth or peat flavor. There is a bit of the spicy licorice that reminds me of a spice drop in there. The finish is fairly long and has a black pepper note way at the end. At about an inch in the real spice starts in.
the ash seems to be dropping at regular half inch intervals. The is about what I expect from a lancero. The burn is even and the draw is not bad.
The middle third has a similar profile but more on the spicy side. This is more along the lines of the Antano I remember. There is less roundness than when there is more filler. This cigar is spicier than say the larger rings as well. The flavor is not all that complex but it is a good example of what a classic Nicaraguan cigar should taste like.
The final third starts off with me noticing the power that this cigar has. The cigar is starting to round out and show more of the signature blending style of Dr. Alejandro Martinez-Cuenca. This signature style is one of the reasons why I like the brand so much. The lines all taste different, but it is clear that they are blended in the same style. This last third has really taken off. The texture is rich and creamy and the taste has more of the earth elements that it did at the beginning. It is also becoming more complex on each puff. The finish is losing its spice. It is as if the cigar was building just to get to this point. Im not sure that was the plan when this size was made or a happy accident, but it is fantastic that it worked out that way.
The cigar ends with a pick up in the spice again. Seems fitting.
The statement from Steve Saka is completely true. A year ago Master blender Jose Blanco joined with JDN from La Aurora family as a senior VP. Right now, he is in charge of blending JDN's new blends. Drew Estate only takes care of all the JDN cigar in the U.S. market. They have no other affiliation rather than the marketing.
I am good friends with Jose Blanco. Cigar world is well aware of his blending Creativity. He is the pioneer of La Aurora 100 Anos blend creation. La Aurora 100 Anos was the 3rd Best cigar of the Year In 2004.
I have learned a lot from Jose. he is a great guy with extreme cigar knowledge. I can offer you a great news. After he joined JDN, his primary goal was to create a new blend which will change the image of JDN. he went through almost 42 blends and finalized his blend a month ago. I tried couple of the testing blends and finally tried the final blend a week ago. I can not talk about the blend because they are going to announce it with Cigar Afiocinado in July. All I can say is, this cigar will let people know that JDN has a new face and their blendings are offering more complex flavor, nothing like any of their existing line. This is going to be complete different cigar. The price will be moderate but worth it. Cigar smokers will look at JDN with respect. For me, it was so much fun to experience how a blend developed with a lot of hard work, tasting, pressure, expectation and passion.
as long as they keep the current blends. the celebracion is one of my go-to's. the Dark Corojo is a great one to age and the Cabinetta is a great mild cigar.
JDN will maintain their existing line because the owner Dr. Alejandro Martinez is very proud of his brand. During the Contra war the cigar farming suffered suffered tremendously. JDN is a very new company and pioneer of the Nicaraguan cigar industry. When the tobacco farming started in Nicaragua in 1964, JDN was the first company who started making cigar. During the Regan administartion economic embargo on Nicaraguan goods, JDN moved to Handorus under Nestor Placencias production line. rest are past and suffering history of JDN. In 1994, Dr. Martinez purchased JDN with $5,80,000. He is one of the prominent businessman in Nicaragua and well connected with the Sandinesta party. as a young man he studied in England and the U.S. who experienced the entire episod of the Sandenista movement and Contra war. as a proud Nicaraguan he wanted to revive the pride of Nicaraguan cigar- Joya De Nicaragua. A soft spoken person, proud native with strong desire to uplift Nicaraguan cigar image- he has been working very hard to change the image of his brand associated with his motherland. JDN brand is not only a brand to him, it is the pride of Nicaragua. As a result, he brought Masterblender Jose Blanco. We will wait and see how much JDN can offer to the cigar lovers.
kuzi16:
rzaman:
The statement from Steve Saka is completely true. A year ago Master blender Jose Blanco joined with JDN from La Aurora family as a senior VP. Right now, he is in charge of blending JDN's new blends. Drew Estate only takes care of all the JDN cigar in the U.S. market. They have no other affiliation rather than the marketing.
I am good friends with Jose Blanco. Cigar world is well aware of his blending Creativity. He is the pioneer of La Aurora 100 Anos blend creation. La Aurora 100 Anos was the 3rd Best cigar of the Year In 2004.
I have learned a lot from Jose. he is a great guy with extreme cigar knowledge. I can offer you a great news. After he joined JDN, his primary goal was to create a new blend which will change the image of JDN. he went through almost 42 blends and finalized his blend a month ago. I tried couple of the testing blends and finally tried the final blend a week ago. I can not talk about the blend because they are going to announce it with Cigar Afiocinado in July. All I can say is, this cigar will let people know that JDN has a new face and their blendings are offering more complex flavor, nothing like any of their existing line. This is going to be complete different cigar. The price will be moderate but worth it. Cigar smokers will look at JDN with respect. For me, it was so much fun to experience how a blend developed with a lot of hard work, tasting, pressure, expectation and passion.
as long as they keep the current blends. the celebracion is one of my go-to's. the Dark Corojo is a great one to age and the Cabinetta is a great mild cigar.
JDN will maintain their existing line because the owner Dr. Alejandro Martinez is very proud of his brand. During the Contra war the cigar farming suffered tremendously. JDN is a very new company and pioneer of the Nicaraguan cigar industry. When the tobacco farming started in Nicaragua in 1964, JDN was the first company who started making cigar. During the Regan administartion economic embargo on Nicaraguan goods, JDN moved to Handorus under Nestor Placencias production line. rest are past and suffering history of JDN. In 1994, Dr. Martinez purchased JDN with $5,80,000. He is one of the prominent businessman in Nicaragua and well connected with the Sandinesta party. as a young man he studied in England and the U.S. who experienced the entire episod of the Sandenista movement and Contra war. as a proud Nicaraguan he wanted to revive the pride of Nicaraguan cigar- Joya De Nicaragua. A soft spoken person, proud native with strong desire to uplift Nicaraguan cigar image- he has been working very hard to change the image of his brand associated with his motherland. JDN brand is not only a brand to him, it is the pride of Nicaragua. As a result, he brought Masterblender Jose Blanco. We will wait and see how much JDN can offer to the cigar lovers.
kuzi16:
rzaman:
The statement from Steve Saka is completely true. A year ago Master blender Jose Blanco joined with JDN from La Aurora family as a senior VP. Right now, he is in charge of blending JDN's new blends. Drew Estate only takes care of all the JDN cigar in the U.S. market. They have no other affiliation rather than the marketing.
I am good friends with Jose Blanco. Cigar world is well aware of his blending Creativity. He is the pioneer of La Aurora 100 Anos blend creation. La Aurora 100 Anos was the 3rd Best cigar of the Year In 2004.
I have learned a lot from Jose. he is a great guy with extreme cigar knowledge. I can offer you a great news. After he joined JDN, his primary goal was to create a new blend which will change the image of JDN. he went through almost 42 blends and finalized his blend a month ago. I tried couple of the testing blends and finally tried the final blend a week ago. I can not talk about the blend because they are going to announce it with Cigar Afiocinado in July. All I can say is, this cigar will let people know that JDN has a new face and their blendings are offering more complex flavor, nothing like any of their existing line. This is going to be complete different cigar. The price will be moderate but worth it. Cigar smokers will look at JDN with respect. For me, it was so much fun to experience how a blend developed with a lot of hard work, tasting, pressure, expectation and passion.
as long as they keep the current blends. the celebracion is one of my go-to's. the Dark Corojo is a great one to age and the Cabinetta is a great mild cigar.
5-10-12 been in humi since 9-29-11
Alec Bradley Family Blend VR1 (5.5 x 50)
Wrapper: Las Trojes Honduras
Binder: Indonesian
Filler: Honduran, Nicaraguan
Blender: Arsenio Ramos
The Las Trojes in Honduras is to the east of Danli, Honduras and North and east of Estali Nicaragua. It is very close to Nicaragua and, in theory, should share some similar attributes. Las Trojes is actually closer to the Jalapa Growing region in Nicaragua than it is to Dani Honduras. Though this region is not as famous as other regions in Honduras such as the Jamastran, but it is a favorite of Arsenio Ramos, the blender of many Alec Bradley Cigars and several other popular blends (Padilla 1932, Padilla 1948, Viaje, and Illusione to name a few). Las Trojes has become the go-to growing region for Alec Bradley since the release of the Tempus blend back in 2008. AB has gone so far as to trademark the name Trojes to protect the goodness they have going on. This Growing region, the trademark, and the up and coming popularity of AB leads me to believe that this growing region will soon be as familiar as Jamastran.
Alec Bradley Family Blend cigars were made for the fathers of the companys three principal executives, Alan Rubin (President), Ralph Montero (Vice President), and George Sosa (National Sales Director). They were so good that they decided to smoke them around the office. Then they decided to make a few to hand out at events. Then the general public started to demand them. There was hesitation to make them as an actual line because the intent was a special cigar for their fathers to exclusively have. Yet here we are.
They were originally released in 2009 in one size: 5.5 x 50. with a pigtail cap. The line was extended to 5 sizes in 2010.
VR1 5½ x 50
BX2 6? x 54
M23 7? x 50
T11 6 1/8? x 52
D3 4½ x 58
The names of the vitolas are references to names and dates within the family. Nobody but the family knows exactly what those dates and names are, and thats the way they like it.
The wrapper on this cigar is dark and has a good sheen to it. It feels solid and even. There is a light tooth to itand the seems show off how thick the wrapper is. The band is a red black, gold and white square that is fairly simple in design. The classic pigtail is the only thing that seems to stand out.
the lick on the cap has a moist earth taste to it. It reminds me of the smell I get when I open a fresh bag of high quality top soil. The scent is slightly barnyard but fairly unremarkable. A cut with my Xi2 and I now have a perfect draw. There are flavors of a very light sweet licorice.
My usual soft flame is used.
The first few puffs bring out a leathery with a slight bitter bite on the end. Through the nose there is an earthy musk that I enjoy quite a bit. As the cigar settles in the leather flavor tones down. In its place a light coffee note comes out. The finish has picked up a very light pepper. The musk through the nose is still there but there is more of a pepper taste as well. The ash falls early as the cigar is sitting in the ashtray. It is at best half an inch. The burn is perfect so far. The best part of the opening third is the smoke through the nose. Even early in the cigar it is dynamic.
The middle third has a bit of a woody note showing up. The smoke through the nose is transitioning to a more woody-spice with the musk completely leaving the scene. There is a nice roundness that has a slight nutty note to it. That note is what I usually associate with Honduran tobacco. There is very little sweetness to it and for some reason it works very well with this blend. Usually, dry (as in not sweet in wine terms) tobacco has a strange texture but this does not. The smoke has a dry (not the tobacco itself but the smoke) feel to it but somehow my mouth is watering.
The final third of this cigar does not develop much further. The dry aspects of the smoke seem to become more prominent and the woody notes are slightly stronger. There are a few minor burn issues in the last third in the usual places ( about where the band was) but nothing that a quick touch up cant fix.
All in all this ends up being a damn decent smoke.
This makes me want to try more AB cigars. I have to admit that this is a brand that has flown under my radar for quite some time.
it was half way between a robusto and a toro. 5.5 inches is only 1/2 an inch shorter than a toro. toros frequently give me 2+ hours. robustos are just shy of two hours. for me. i smoke slow. real slow.
I really like the Family Blend. It's not super complex but a really great "go-to" stick that you can enjoy all the time. Not expensive either.
Right there with you on that one dennis, had a few of these and even though I'm not too into AB, these and the American Classic always catch my attention. Great review kuzi.
Comments
I cannot get enough of the V Maduros. I try to get 10 every winter when they come out, and I try to age as many as I can, but invariably, when it's time for a new release, I am lucky to have 3 left from the previous year. These are my favorite maduro, except for the Padron '26, and they tempt me like a $1,000 hooker.
Ave Maria Reconquista Torpedo 7?x54
Wrapper: Brazilian Habano Oscuro
Binder: Honduran
Filler: Nicaraguan tobaccos from Condega, Jalapa, and Esteli
Blender: AJ Fernandez.
Thanks to firetruckguy for this cigar.
This is a seriously limited edition cigar. According to Cigar.com, there has been only 1600 boxes of 12 made. This is largely because of the wrapper. This wrapper is only found on this cigar.
But what makes it so limited?
There are two theories that I can think of:
1) The wrapper leaf is grown specifically grown by AJ Fernandez for this cigar alone.
2) The wrapper was never intended to be used as a wrapper leaf but was part of a larger purchase of tobacco acquired by AJ Fernandez.
If option one is true then why cant he just grow more? Will there be more? A small production farm that is only capable of producing small amounts of wrapper quality leaf would make it limited. I can find nowhere that it says that there will never be another version, just that so far only 1600 boxes have been made. Maybe they are waiting for another vintage year. Maybe they cannot produce it fast enough to keep up on demand.
I find option two as a more reasonable explanation. Tobacco is bought and sold much like any other commodity. Some types of tobacco are more expensive than others and some are more in demand than others. Recently, ligero has been what most are after. The trend in cigars recently is stronger, bigger, spicier. Ligero provides those things. However, ligero is only the upper leaves and there is very little of it to go around. There is so much demand that in order to buy it, often it is bundled with other tobaccos that are not in as high of demand and in abundance because they make up a higher percentage of the plant than just the ligero leaves. Other times it can be bundled with a few bales of tobacco that are very high quality but are not abundant enough to give a good run but a very limited edition only. Growers have to move both of those cases somehow. Usually the bulk lower priming tobacco is used to make value lines of cigars or house exclusives for major retailers (this also explains how Gurkha and Rocky Patel have so many different labels. They dont want to wast any tobacco if they can.). But in the case where there is just a small amount of this tobacco, then it is very hard to make a line. Sometimes this can explain a very limited release cigar. There is not enough for a full line but enough of a good tobacco to make a good short run. I suspect that this is the case for the wrapper leaf. It may have been part of a deal; and now, there is no way to recreate it.
Either way, I am glad to get my hands on it.
This cigar comes in an individual coffin box that is sealed with, what looks like on fist glance, an old style tobacco tax stamp. However, this stamp is actually the logo. The box has a dark stain on it.
I cut the seal with my pocket knife an open it up to have a look. The large torpedo cigar starts to rise up as I open the hinged box. Its a clever little detail that I appreciate.
The cigar itself has a lighter brown wrapper than I was expecting. It is very smooth to the touch and feels heavy in the hand. The band is now the full color version of what was on the coffin box. This is an excellent yet simple presentation for a cigar that carries a steep price.
the cigar, once out of the cellophane, has a vegetable-like smell with a hint of the classic barnyard that many cigars have. The lick on the cap has an oily feel with a good hit of spice. A cut with my Xi2 reveals a tightly packed head that is slightly lighter than the wrapper. The draw is a bit on the firm side. There is a very light taste of raisins on the cold draw.
a light with a soft flame produces a delicate sweet cedar smoke with a creamy texture to it. Through the nose there is a the same vegetable-like note that was on the pre-light smell. There is a good amount of the classic Nicaraguan flavor; a woody pepper that does not have the heat that pepper does. The cigar has started out with a light body but a real depth of flavor. This cigar tastes cleaner than most cigars out there and is refined even for AJ Fernandez. This cigar seems to be a departure from AJs usual blending style with a big shot of spice right at the beginning then quickly mellowing only to slowly build back up over the length of the cigar. The shot of spice is not there. It is just smooth and slightly sweet.
The first ash falls about an inch in. it falls off flat with about an eighth of an inch of ash left on the cigar all the way around the perfect burn. At this point the woody notes are becoming more and more dominant. Through the nose a nutty musk has entered the mix but the wood notes are still the focus.
As the middle third begins the flavor profile has not changed much. The flavors mentioned above are still the only players in the game. They have become more refined. The finish that I am just now noticing, is short and lightly spicy. The body and strength of the cigar has grown and it remains in balance. Sweet notes periodically come out to play as the middle third progresses. The flavor that is most interesting to me is the vegetable-like flavor that is in the background on the middle flavor. It just fades so wonderfully to the finish that is oak and a very delicate spice.
The final third brings on more spice on the finish but I would still describe it as delicate in nature. Oak/wood is still the dominant flavor profile but the spice that is creeping in makes it taste more Nicaraguan than it had before. This cigar has the signature Nicaraguan flavor but it manages to leave the pulpy Nicaraguan texture behind. It is very smooth with a short finish even this late in the cigar.
Very near the end of the cigar there are a few minor burn issues that require a very minor touch up. Beyond that the burn was flawless. The flavor remains solid and the power that this cigar has is finally felt. I would place it on the medium side of full.
Burn time: 2 hours 40 minutes.
Burn: 9
Draw: 9
Taste: 9
Aftertaste: 9
Construction: 10
Balance: 10
Feel: 9
Overall: 9.3 of 10
if you like my reviews, please see my blog and follow me on twitter (@KuzisCigar) or Facebook
La Palina The Family Series Babe (5.25 x 50)
Wrapper: Costa Rica
Binder: Costa Rica
Filler: Honduran, Nicaraguan
Blender: Bill Paley, Avelino Lara
Until recently I had never heard of this brand. I was following one of the reps on twitter simply because I was following him as a rep for LFD previously. My interest has been growing in this cigar for two months and I tried to hunt one down. There are no cigar shops in NE Ohio that have them. Recently I was digging through my humidors organizing them yet again when I found one that spindrift had sent me four months ago and I had since forgotten about. It seems that a review is in order.
If the name Avelino Lara sounds familiar it is because he is a legend. He was the personal roller of Uncle Fidel's cigars. He created the Cohiba brand. In 1996 he retired from the Cuban cigar business, partially due to his dislike of the Cuban Government interfering with and regulating the cigar business in Cuba. He moved to Nassau (Bahamas) where he eventually founded Graycliff Cigars.
So how did he end up with his hand in the La Palina Brand?
Bill Paley's Grandfather was the owner of the original La Palina brand. After he retired, the parent company (Congress Cigar) dissolved and the brand disappeared. His son (Bill's father) went in a new direction and founded CBS (radio at the time). La Palina was gone.
When Bill decided to recreate the brand he needed a blender. Enter: Avelino Lara. Bill and Avelino worked together to create a cigar that would do the old family brand justice. Lara died in 2009 and passed the cigar tradition down to his son Abel. La Palina cigars are currently made in the Bahamas in the Graycliff factory under the supervision Abel Lara.
This particular cigar is from The Family Series. In this series every vitola is named after a family member. Babe is Bills mother Barbara. Yes, thats right. Bills father Created CBS and his mother was Barbara Babe Cushing Paley, the fashion icon that was inducted into the International Best Dressed List Hall Of Fame in 1958.
This cigar may not make it into the Best Dressed Hall Of Fame, but it sure looks pretty to me (terrible segue, I know). The Costa Rican wrapper is a brown with ever-so-slightly darker splotches spread evenly throughout. It looks like the leaf has depth and has been fermented significantly. The band is a simple gold and cream with a black and white photo in the center. This just looks like a cigar should look. Pure. Simple. Elegant.
The cigar has a solid feel to it. It has a light hay smell to it while unlit. The lick on the cap has a slightly bittersweet note to it. It is very faint and is almost flavorless otherwise. The closest thing I can think of is earth but honestly, it is so light that I would classify that tasting note as a stab in the dark. A clip with my Xi2 and a near perfect draw full of earthy vegetable flavors is discovered.
A soft flame provided by my Xikar EX lighter starts us on this journey.
The first few puffs have a soft earthy musk to them. Through the nose is more of earthiness but slightly sweeter that turns more to a white pepper when larger volumes are pushed through. The finish is again soft but long and ending with a white pepper note. These are some impressive first few puffs.
As the cigar opens up a few sweeter nutty notes come out in the initial flavor. The middle flavor has hints of the woody-spice that is common in Nicaraguan tobacco. This is not the focus. I hesitate to point out a focus. There is quite a bit going on here. Through the nose there is still the earthy musk and a slight spice. This all fades to a soft spice on the finish.
The middle third has settled in with more of the earthy musk but sweeter. Through the nose there is a good white pepper and the musk has faded there. The nutty flavor has shifted more to the finish. That finish still has that soft spice that caps everything so well. The way the flavors work with each other is quite amazing. The balance is spot on even as the spice increases as the cigar journey moves down the road.
The burn by the mid point is not perfection. However it has not caused any major issues. Only one corrective light is needed and I have to admit it has more to do with my being overly worried about the burn. Most would have let it slide and it probably would have corrected itself like the other very minor flaws in the burn so far. The ash holds on tenaciously. Very enjoyable to watch.
The final third does something surprising to me: it gets sweeter. Usually the power of a cigar builds and thus the spice piles on. This is doing that to an extent, but the sweet notes are becoming more prevalent in the initial flavor as the journey continues. Each puff has a complexity that few cigars ever have over the length of the cigar. For the most part, a puff at the beginning of the final third will go as follows: sweet nutty with a creamy texture, then woody with light spice in the middle flavor. Through the nose is a musky wood that transitions to a soft spice.
Just fabulous.
As the cigar comes to an end the sweetness finally fades away leaving the soft spice as the main flavor with all other flavors fading to the background. If I had to sum this cigar up in one word it would be nuanced. The La Palina Babe is a prime example of a medium bodied cigar with full on flavor and complexity. I firmly believe that a fan of full bodied cigars with complexity could and would enjoy this immensely.
Burn to the burn
Time: 2 hours 15 minutes. (from what is effectively a robusto)
Burn: 9
Draw: 9.5
Taste: 9
Aftertaste: 10
Construction: 9
Balance: 10
Feel: 10
Overall: 9.5 of 10
...great, another cigar I NEED to hunt down.
if you like my reviews, please see my blog and follow me on twitter (@KuzisCigar) or Facebook
4-25-12 been in humi since 7-13-10
Joya de Nicaragua Antano Lancero (7.5 x 38)
Wrapper: Nicaraguan Habano Criollo
Binder: Nicaraguan Habano
Filler: Nicaraguan Habano
Blender: Dr. Alejandro Martinez-Cuenca
This cigar was given to me at a Joya de Nicaragua/Drew Estates event by the sales rep. I believe that at the time, this size was not available to the general public unless you went to an event or knew somebody that knew somebody. Now, the are available to anybody that wants them.
JdN was the first cigar produced in Nicaragua (1964). When Nicaragua became unstable the brand disappeared. When they re-launched in 2002 the Antano was the cigar to pay tribute to the original blend. Antano actually means yesteryear in Spanish. Of course all of this is easily found on their website and is fairly common knowledge.
What I see, is many more people not understanding the relationship between Joya de Nicaragua and Drew Estates. I did some digging and I found a quote from Steve Saka:
I hope that clears it up for anyone that still had questions. JdN is their own brand. Drew Estates is their own brand. They are good friends.
This particular Antano Lancero has seen 21 months of rest and none of that time did it have cellophane on it. There are a few very minor chips on the foot of the cigar but nothing major. The rich brown wrapper has an oily feel to it. It has a rugged wrapper that comes to a pigtail cap. This is exactly what I would expect out of the Antano Lancero.
the cigar smells lighter than I would have expected. Its just lightly earthy and unassuming. The lick on the cap is sweet, sour and spicy. After a cut with a double guillotine, I am faced with a very good draw that has a taste that reminds me of spice drops. This flavor is much more vegetable in nature. The light is my usual soft flame. It is quick because of the smaller ring.
The fist few puffs are a very classic Nicaraguan flavor with wood notes and spice. There is also a bit of a musk through the nose. The contrast between the flavors in the mouth and the flavors through the nose are stark. But they somehow work together. I am finding that the musk is something that I dont clearly remember from the other sizes of the Antano. As the cigar opens up and settles in, the musk becomes more of an earth or peat flavor. There is a bit of the spicy licorice that reminds me of a spice drop in there. The finish is fairly long and has a black pepper note way at the end. At about an inch in the real spice starts in.
the ash seems to be dropping at regular half inch intervals. The is about what I expect from a lancero. The burn is even and the draw is not bad.
The middle third has a similar profile but more on the spicy side. This is more along the lines of the Antano I remember. There is less roundness than when there is more filler. This cigar is spicier than say the larger rings as well. The flavor is not all that complex but it is a good example of what a classic Nicaraguan cigar should taste like.
The final third starts off with me noticing the power that this cigar has. The cigar is starting to round out and show more of the signature blending style of Dr. Alejandro Martinez-Cuenca. This signature style is one of the reasons why I like the brand so much. The lines all taste different, but it is clear that they are blended in the same style. This last third has really taken off. The texture is rich and creamy and the taste has more of the earth elements that it did at the beginning. It is also becoming more complex on each puff. The finish is losing its spice. It is as if the cigar was building just to get to this point. Im not sure that was the plan when this size was made or a happy accident, but it is fantastic that it worked out that way.
The cigar ends with a pick up in the spice again. Seems fitting.
Burn to the burn
time: 2 hours
Burn: 10
Draw: 9
Taste: 9
Aftertaste: 8
Construction: 9
Balance: 9
Feel: 8
Overall: 8.9 of 10
if you like my reviews, please see my blog and follow me on twitter (@KuzisCigar) or Facebook
Davidoff Maduro got a 9.6
LFD 2000 series got a 9.6
LFD airbender got a 9.6
4-26-12 been in my humidor since 3-23-12
EP Carrillo Maduro Encantos (4.8 x 50)
Wrapper: Connecticut Broadleaf Maduro
Binder: Ecuadorian
Filler: Nicaraguan, Dominican
Blender: Ernest Perez Carrillo
thank you to OchiZacho for the opportunity to try this cigar.
This brand is the Namesake brand of the one time blender of La Gloria Cubana, Ernest Perez Carrillo. His blends with LGC have fetched marks in the 90's and a group of loyal followers for the brand. Many of these followers were very happy to see the blender make a return to the cigar industry when he launched his own brand E.P. Carrillo in 2009. Just three short years (No time at all in the cigar business) and the brand is seeing national acclaim.
This cigar is part of their core line, or cigars that are not a short run or a special edition. I do not feel that this cigar can really be called the core line like the natural version. This is simply EP Carrillo Maduro to me. Yes, there are some similarities between the two. They both have Dominican and Nicaraguan fillers. That is about it. The binder and wrapper are very different from the natural (Nicaraguan and Ecuadorian respectively). This seems like a very different blend in my opinion. I suspect that this will be more in balance than a maduro version of an original blend like many other blenders tend to have.
This maduro is not as dark brown as many of the maduros I have seen. Its actually fairly medium in hue. The black, red, gold, and cream band is simple, nothing flashy, and it comes off with ease.
the scent is a lighter version of the classic maduro, a barnyard smell. The lick on the cap has a slight spice and maybe a slight sour note. The trusty double guillotine lets an easy draw out. Its a touch too easy for my liking. The flavor on the draw is a classic tobacco taste and has a good vegetable quality to it.
the first few puffs after a light with a soft flame has a very classic Nicaraguan woody spice with a pulpy texture. Through the nose there is a heavy shot of spice. Once the cigar settles in, the pulpy texture smooths out to a degree, it is still there and is mainly on the finish with a spice. Through the nose there is quite a bit of burn. The initial flavor is on each puff is a sweet black tea flavor. By the end of the first inch or so the spice has tamed down quite a bit and that makes me believe that my light was too quick and too hot causing me to scorch the tobacco. Very shortly after this first inch the first ash is falls into the ashtray leaving behind a rather ragged looking ash left on the cigar. The burn is not even but no touch ups are needed.
The middle third has more sweetness than the scorched fist third and the pulpy texture has gone the way of the dodo as well. (I could kick myself for not having the patience that I usually have.) The black tea note turns up a bit and a slight coffee-like bitterness is hinted at. The spice is subtle now and through the nose is the only place that there is any burn at all. The med-full body claimed on their website can be felt in this third and if it keeps turning up it will be full bodied with no hint of medium by the time it gets to the final third.
A complete relight is needed just before the mid point. I think this is because of my extremely slow smoking style and not much to do with the cigar itself. Some brands dont do as well with a slow smoker. The re-light goes much smoother than the original light and the flavors are not harmed in any way.
The final third continues along the same path but no uptick in power. There is a spicier note late on the finish. The black tea flavor has lengthened and is creeping into the finish and has a good sweet hint on it.
This third is plagued with a few burn issues. None of them seem to have impact on the flavor but they are annoying none the less. One side just wont keep up. This may or may not be a storage issue. I can track this cigar to at least 4 different humidors since it hit the US (the retailors, the guy who gave it to me, my new cigar humidor, and then switching it to my smoking humidor). It may just be the problems that many cigars get late from the buncher holding the bunch before they apply the binder. Im not 100% sure. Good thing it tastes good. The finish is long and enjoyable.
The end of this cigar brings on more spice but now of the cinnamon variety. The sweetness that this cigar has makes that quite enjoyable.
Burn to the burn
time 2 hours
Burn: 8
Draw: 9
Taste: 9
Aftertaste: 10
Construction: 8
Balance: 9
Feel: 9
Overall: 8.8 of 10
if you like my reviews, please see my blog and follow me on twitter (@KuzisCigar) or Facebook
So in words any idiot can understand (dont worry, I'll have someone explain it to me), what does 8.8 mean to you?
there were problems early in the cigar. but it won me over by the end.
so what does it mean to me?
i dont think i will buy a box of them. i dont think ill buy a 5er of them. i will be happy if i get them in a random trade as an extra stick. i probably wont go out of my way to find them again.
Joe, I hate to make comments on how a cigar is. Even though it's my opinion, some can't see it that way. MY OPINION. IN saying that, I have about 8 of them left. I have had three of them. In which the very first one I had was a nice cigar. That made me buy 10 of them. I have since smoked two and now just letting them sit. I'm not convinced that they are a bad cigar because of the first one I had. But maybe from the travel it took before I smoked the second one made it bad. And possibly the third was a dud because it kept flaming out on me. I just going to hold off on them for a little bit and revisit. I would hate to think this is a inconsistant cigar. But it might be the case. Once again, my opinion....
The statement from Steve Saka is completely true. A year ago Master blender Jose Blanco joined with JDN from La Aurora family as a senior VP. Right now, he is in charge of blending JDN's new blends. Drew Estate only takes care of all the JDN cigar in the U.S. market. They have no other affiliation rather than the marketing.
I am good friends with Jose Blanco. Cigar world is well aware of his blending Creativity. He is the pioneer of La Aurora 100 Anos blend creation. La Aurora 100 Anos was the 3rd Best cigar of the Year In 2004.
I have learned a lot from Jose. he is a great guy with extreme cigar knowledge. I can offer you a great news. After he joined JDN, his primary goal was to create a new blend which will change the image of JDN. he went through almost 42 blends and finalized his blend a month ago. I tried couple of the testing blends and finally tried the final blend a week ago. I can not talk about the blend because they are going to announce it with Cigar Afiocinado in July. All I can say is, this cigar will let people know that JDN has a new face and their blendings are offering more complex flavor, nothing like any of their existing line. This is going to be complete different cigar. The price will be moderate but worth it. Cigar smokers will look at JDN with respect. For me, it was so much fun to experience how a blend developed with a lot of hard work, tasting, pressure, expectation and passion.
Alec Bradley Family Blend VR1 (5.5 x 50)
Wrapper: Las Trojes Honduras
Binder: Indonesian
Filler: Honduran, Nicaraguan
Blender: Arsenio Ramos
The Las Trojes in Honduras is to the east of Danli, Honduras and North and east of Estali Nicaragua. It is very close to Nicaragua and, in theory, should share some similar attributes. Las Trojes is actually closer to the Jalapa Growing region in Nicaragua than it is to Dani Honduras. Though this region is not as famous as other regions in Honduras such as the Jamastran, but it is a favorite of Arsenio Ramos, the blender of many Alec Bradley Cigars and several other popular blends (Padilla 1932, Padilla 1948, Viaje, and Illusione to name a few). Las Trojes has become the go-to growing region for Alec Bradley since the release of the Tempus blend back in 2008. AB has gone so far as to trademark the name Trojes to protect the goodness they have going on. This Growing region, the trademark, and the up and coming popularity of AB leads me to believe that this growing region will soon be as familiar as Jamastran.
Alec Bradley Family Blend cigars were made for the fathers of the companys three principal executives, Alan Rubin (President), Ralph Montero (Vice President), and George Sosa (National Sales Director). They were so good that they decided to smoke them around the office. Then they decided to make a few to hand out at events. Then the general public started to demand them. There was hesitation to make them as an actual line because the intent was a special cigar for their fathers to exclusively have. Yet here we are.
They were originally released in 2009 in one size: 5.5 x 50. with a pigtail cap. The line was extended to 5 sizes in 2010.
VR1 5½ x 50
BX2 6? x 54
M23 7? x 50
T11 6 1/8? x 52
D3 4½ x 58
The names of the vitolas are references to names and dates within the family. Nobody but the family knows exactly what those dates and names are, and thats the way they like it.
The wrapper on this cigar is dark and has a good sheen to it. It feels solid and even. There is a light tooth to itand the seems show off how thick the wrapper is. The band is a red black, gold and white square that is fairly simple in design. The classic pigtail is the only thing that seems to stand out.
the lick on the cap has a moist earth taste to it. It reminds me of the smell I get when I open a fresh bag of high quality top soil. The scent is slightly barnyard but fairly unremarkable. A cut with my Xi2 and I now have a perfect draw. There are flavors of a very light sweet licorice.
My usual soft flame is used.
The first few puffs bring out a leathery with a slight bitter bite on the end. Through the nose there is an earthy musk that I enjoy quite a bit. As the cigar settles in the leather flavor tones down. In its place a light coffee note comes out. The finish has picked up a very light pepper. The musk through the nose is still there but there is more of a pepper taste as well. The ash falls early as the cigar is sitting in the ashtray. It is at best half an inch. The burn is perfect so far. The best part of the opening third is the smoke through the nose. Even early in the cigar it is dynamic.
The middle third has a bit of a woody note showing up. The smoke through the nose is transitioning to a more woody-spice with the musk completely leaving the scene. There is a nice roundness that has a slight nutty note to it. That note is what I usually associate with Honduran tobacco. There is very little sweetness to it and for some reason it works very well with this blend. Usually, dry (as in not sweet in wine terms) tobacco has a strange texture but this does not. The smoke has a dry (not the tobacco itself but the smoke) feel to it but somehow my mouth is watering.
The final third of this cigar does not develop much further. The dry aspects of the smoke seem to become more prominent and the woody notes are slightly stronger. There are a few minor burn issues in the last third in the usual places ( about where the band was) but nothing that a quick touch up cant fix.
All in all this ends up being a damn decent smoke.
This makes me want to try more AB cigars. I have to admit that this is a brand that has flown under my radar for quite some time.
Burn to the burn
Burn time: just over 2 hours 10 minutes
Burn: 8
Draw: 10
Taste: 8
Aftertaste: 9
Construction: 9
Balance: 9
Feel: 9
Overall: 8.8 of 10
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i smoke slow.
real slow.