As always, a good review, Kuzi. While it's current, I'll tie it into the adjoining thread. You are very good at describing the aspects of the cigar without the input of any of your particular likes or dislikes. "Just the facts". LOL.
You describe the flavors without even saying if you like them. In some of your reviews, I sense that you may not even smoke this stick again, but you convey the technical aspects of flavors, strength, progression, and construction with clarity and in an unbiased manner. Then again, maybe we just don't see the reviews of sticks you don't like. LOL.
you see all of my reviews. if i was worried about what people thought i wouldnt have posted my review of the Padron 1926. I dont care what a manufacturer thinks. im just some guy. and as i said in the "this blog" section of my blog "take it with a grain of salt."
there are a few smokes that i didnt like. part of the "issue" is that i know what i like to smoke. my entire collection is based off of that. i pull something from my collection to smoke, chances are i will like it.
and
i dont buy or trade for many of the bargain sticks out there. if i stick with higher end premium long filler cigars it becomes fairly easy to get a score above 80. that score is kinda low for my catalog, but in reality, it isnt a bad smoke when it gets that. i mean, as a joke i one time did a review of a gas station cigar, i forget what one, and i think it got somewhere in the neighborhood of a 60 and that was mainly because of burn and construction. i would venture to say that all premium smokes have more effort put into them by an entire team of blenders, rollers, growers, etc. than any of the low end gas station cigars. this attention to detail, even if inexpensive, makes a world of difference and almost guarantees that a score of 70 or above will be reached. 70 is a "bad" premium (long filler) stick where as 70 may be a "good" white owl.
As always, a good review, Kuzi. While it's current, I'll tie it into the adjoining thread. You are very good at describing the aspects of the cigar without the input of any of your particular likes or dislikes. "Just the facts". LOL.
You describe the flavors without even saying if you like them. In some of your reviews, I sense that you may not even smoke this stick again, but you convey the technical aspects of flavors, strength, progression, and construction with clarity and in an unbiased manner. Then again, maybe we just don't see the reviews of sticks you don't like. LOL.
You know, Beatnic, this is an interesting post, and its becuase we partially disagree here. I find that interesting and good dicussion kickstarter.
It sounds like you prefer a 100% objective reviews which matter of factly discusses tasting notes and flavors while almost leaving the conclusion of the likes and dislikes up to the reader. I'm on the other end of the spectrum actually, where I prefer to hear if the likes and dislikes as well. I like hearing the subjective aspects of a review as well, especially once I get a sense of the reviewers flavor profile and how it aligns with mine.
hahahaha, No real point to this, other than that I found your point of view pretty interesting is all.
Kuzi I always enjoy reading your reviews becuase I feel that you give enough objective info so that we may make up our own minds, but you still seem to impart enough of your own imprint on it that I enjoy it. Great job though man, and again, I really appreciate you continuing to post your reviews here and not just on your own site.
7-27-12 been in humidor since 6-15-12
Camacho Corojo Limited 8/22
Torpedo (6.1 x 54)
Wrapper: Honduran Sungrown Corojo
Binder: Honduran Corojo
Filler: Honduran Corojo
Blender: Christian Eiroa
Camacho is one of the worlds most famous non-Cuban factories in the world. Much of this fame can be attributed to the worlds only true Corojo leaf. Julio Eiroa smuggled out the seeds from the El Corojo farm when he fled the Castro regime in Cuba. Corojo was developed in the 1930s as a descendent of the Criollo seed by Diego Rodriguez using natural selection. This was an attempt to develop a plant more resilient to mold and disease. In that regard, he was a failure. The Corojo plant is still susceptible to blue mold, black shank and all the usual tobacco diseases. However as far as flavor is concerned, he developed what would be the premier wrapper leaf for Cuban cigars for decades to come.
That is not what makes this cigar limited. There is Also a Camacho Corojo that uses the same seed. What makes this cigar limited is that in this version of the cigar, only the best leaves of the crop are selected. These selected leaves receive extra aging before being bunched, bound and wrapped. Even with the extra age, these cigars have a bit of reputation.
This reputation includes two things:
First, is that they are strong. This line was one of the first ultra strong cigars to hit the market. It was a leader in a trend that started around 2004 and has not stopped as of the posting of this review. Age usually mellows tobacco out. This cigar is still very strong, even with the extra age.
Second, is that there are burn issues. The upper most sungrown leaves are very thick and burn reluctantly. Age and fermentation usually help this situation, but with this leaf, it may not be enough. Plus, with more age and fermentation the flavor begins to change, and nobody wants that.
The cigar looks seamless. There is such an even tan tone/color of the wrapper that the seams are difficult to see even when looking for them. Even when you can see where the veins are, it still feels smooth in the hand. It has a good amount of heft to it; that leads me to believe it will burn a long time. The double banded cigar is classic Camacho styling. The main band reads quinto corte, which translates roughly to fifth cut. A reference to the priming of the tobacco plant that the leaves used on this are from.
A whiff of the cigar has hay notes that are very light in nature. The lick on the torpedo cap has an earthy oily feel to it with a bit of spice if held in the mouth. Clipping the cap with my Xi2 and I now have notes coco, sweet earth, and sassafras. (I kid you not)
I use my soft flame to light this cigar. As I light I turn to the north and I can see thunder clouds of the storm that will miss me by maybe 10 miles. However, the humidity outside is still very high. This could have an effect on the burn.
The first few puffs have a decidedly sweeter note than expected. The sweetness is nutty in nature. There is a spicy note that is mild. There is a flavor much like fall leaves that I usually identify with corojo. Through the nose there is a bit of spice, sweetness, and that hint of sassafras from the pre-light smell. There are many layers of flavor even in the first 10 minutes. The finish is short and smooth and very fall in nature. I really have a hard time pinning down flavors. I feel as if there are different flavors in each puff. The ones I mentioned are the ones that I feel comfortable mentioning because they are the most consistent. Even with all of that going on everything seems to fall into place, and it works. When at rest, the cigar puts out a ton of smoke; a quality that I personally enjoy.
One side of the cigar seems to want to burn faster than the other and before the fist ash falls, a touch up light is needed.
As the middle third begins the sassafras impressions are gone and what is left is a bit of a sweeter wood flavor. The fall flavor is still most of the cigar and it feels very refined. The spice is still light and enjoyable and the finish is still short. The cigar seems to be rounding out with the nutty undertones becoming warmer and more well rounded and the sweet flavors keeping it all in balance. Through the nose is most of the fall flavors. Even thought he cigar is full bodied in nature, the smoke is pushed through the nose with minimal burn. This brings out the most interesting aspects of the cigar and I find myself pushing out through the nose slower than usual. Through the middle third the flavors stay the same but the spice slowly ticks up.
The final third has a much more roasted feel to it. Hints of coffee seem to slip in now and again however the basic flavor profile remains the same. The final third also opens with the need for another corrective light. There is another flavor creeping in that I cannot identify exactly but it seems to be a bit more floral in nature. It is faint and may just be a bit more sweetness that Im picking up. The reputation of the Camacho Corojos power is true. It took a while to get here but now it is starting to punch me. It is hard to stop puffing away or to slow down because the flavors are very good. However, my gut is starting to signal that I need to slow down a bit.
The final puffs are definitively more floral or herb like; jasmine maybe? There is now a decent spice and a good punch in the gut as well. Very good. Very unique.
if you like my reviews please see my blog. If you want to see what im up to between reviews and get micro reviews follow me on twitter (@KuzisCigar) or Facebook
One of the very first boxes I ever bought was a box of these in the Diploma Vitola. One of the very few Strong Cigars I really Like.
The Diploma was the first strong cigar I ever smoked. I definitely felt the power, and it was a fantastic experience. I think Camacho was responsible for my foray into strong cigars early on, I don't seek strength as a prerequisite as I once did, but that remains a favorite as strong cigars go.
This cigar has a smooth medium brown wrapper. There is a warm earthy smell to it. Cut with a Xikar 007 punch cutter. The Draw is very autumn in nature with a hint of nutmeg.
The first few puffs are a bit sweet and a bit nutty and a tiny bit of spice. The classic Nicaraguan pulp taste is in there but it is generally light. The autumn flavor that I associate with corojo is also there. All of the spice is on the finish.
As the cigar settles in, the flavors become more defined but do not change much beyond the sweet not is falling away. The nut/nutmeg flavor is brought to the front. The spice is still in the finish. Through the nose there is a note of leather.
The first ash fell at almost an inch. Now the flavor is turning more leather and the spice seems to come and go as it pleases.
At the half way point the leather has become the dominant flavor while the nutmeg has moved to the background. The space is the same.
I find that the flavor doesnt coat the mouth. Yes, there is flavor there but it feels very flat. The only way I can really describe it is if I relate it to music: it feels like the low end is turned down and is out of balance much of the time.
As the cigar winds down it is much of the same with a tiny chocolaty note in the initial taste.
Burn time: 1 hour 55 minutes
I think I dont like the way Padilla tends to blend their cigars. The Padilla 68 is good. But every other one Ive had, I have been disappointed with. Im still willing to do more testing on the matter
I have to agree with your assessment. Not a bad cigar, great construction and burn but not a great taste. The only Padilla cigars I've been really impressed with are the Miami robusto and the Artisan Habano (maybe because the extra wrappers add some complexity or maybe because it's just so darn pretty), the 68 is good also. But the 1948, 1932, Achilles, and Hybrid weren't anything I'd buy again. I havent tried the Dominus but I have one in my humi that Duder2 sent me in a trade, from what I hear about it I'm looking forward to trying it.
I have to disagree. Worst construction I have had to wrestle with in my mere year of smoking. Worse than the John Hay I gacked on yesterday.
A BOTL gifted me a 6x50 Toro Padilla Sig 1932. I brought it out tonight and threw it out in twenty minutes.
Now bear in mind it was kept a month at 68%, it's only 54% in the garage. It was just wrapped hard as a brick. Didn't start out tight and then plug up. Just started out plugged from the get go.
Not much odor nor much flavor unlit.Looks like it has been dipped in brown wood stain. Cuts awful hard. The end unravels. Reluctant to light. Kept on cutting it back, but to no purpose. Final cut was an inch deep. Even took a small torx driver and stuck that up its head several times -- no dice. A bit of earth and leather, but I can't get enough volume to rate the flavor. My God what a chore. Now the brown paint began streaking my fingers. Cripes. When my jaws started to ache I said screw this, tossed it, and lit a Factory Throwout #49 from the same same humi in the same garage, which burns perfect.
Can't rate it if I can't smoke it.
“It has been a source of great pain to me to have met with so many among [my] opponents who had not the liberality to distinguish between political and social opposition; who transferred at once to the person, the hatred they bore to his political opinions.” —Thomas Jefferson (1808)
7-31-12 been in humidor since 7-7-12
Zino Platinum Z Class 654T (Toro 5.875 x 54)
Wrapper: Dominican grown Yamasa Rojiza
Binder: Peruvian grown Pelo do Oro
Filler: Nicaraguan Ligero (Jalapa, Estali), Honduran Ligero (San Vinente)
Blender: Henke Kelner
This review will be good only for the toro of this line. In the classic Cuban tradition, all of the cigars in this line have not been blended to have the same taste through the line. They are all unique and will show how a vitola impacts the flavor of a cigar. I am sure that there will be a similar flavor profile in the line, but each one will have a different set of unique flavor qualities and strength profile.
The Z Class was the first new cigar from Zino in about 8 years. 2003 was saw the release of the Zino Platinum. This was well after the 90s cigar boom and was blended by Kelner to be a cigar for the younger more modern cigar smoker. The original Platinum line has since been getting mixed reviews. After reading many Zino Platinum reviews it is easy to see why the reviews are mixed: the trend in cigars since the early 2000s has been more and more powerful. The Zino Platinum is, at best, medium in body.
Enter: Z Class.
This cigar is supposed to be full bodied. Kelner seems to blend a bit more on the mild side of things so I am expecting a medium-full cigar. The Ligero in the filler and the Dominican wrapper hint that it will be stronger. This cigar was blended with the concept of motion in mind. This is why every vitola is a different experience. It is also blended to accompany a fast paced affluent lifestyle.
I really dont know what that means.
Either way, I am excited to try this cigar. I have a soft spot in my heart for Zino cigars. The Zino Classic was not only cigar that introduced me to the workings of Davidoff/Kelner, but it was also the cigar that opened my eyes to the mild and medium world of cigars again. Up to that point I was following the trend of full on powerful cigars. A Zino Classic made me see there was more to a cigar than power.
The band is a black and silver with a large Z in the middle. It is a very good looking band. The cigar, on the other hand looks a bit rough. The wrapper is not an even tone and looks like it has had a difficult life. This does not surprise me. The Dominican is know for its difficult terrain/weather combination for growing wrapper leaf.
The cigar has a good heft to it. The smell before the light is like dried leaves (shocking, I know). The band comes off with no resistance. A lick on the cap has a hint of sour and a hint of spice. An oily feeling is left on the lips and tongue with a lingering spice. After being cut with my Xi2The draw has a chocolatey earthiness to it and is ever-so-slightly on the firm side.
The Xikar EX lighter softly brings the cigar to life. The first few puffs have a light honey taste that hints at peppermint. there is a sweet cedar note on the finish. Through the nose there is a bit of spice and a hint at the signature Kelner Musk found in almost all of his blends. As it settles in the woody flavors move to the front and the sweetness dies out a bit. A black pepper flavor sneaks in but there is no heat to it, just the taste. The finish has roasted notes to it as well. It is a very long finish with a very slight spice late in it. The pepper flavor is in the initial taste and the heat is on the finish, the way real pepper acts. Through the nose is some spice and burn and the musk has either faded, or is overpowered. The ligero tobacco is showing its face but mostly in flavor only.
Before the first ash falls a corrective light is needed. The good news is that it doesnt seem to hurt the flavor.
The middle third is more powerful. By the time it starts I can feel the strength. Usually a Kelner full bodied cigar is full bodied by classic Cuban standards. This is full by a more modern non-Cuban standards. The flavors have rounded out a bit. There are more toasty notes up front and more spicy notes on the finish. The black pepper flavor has moved more to the finish and is most noted through the nose. Hints at mint are there as more or less an impression. The Kelner musk is also noted from time to time through the nose, but so is the classic Nicaraguan woody spice. This is a strange note to have in a Kelner blend.
I find that I smoke a bit too slow for this cigar and I need to relight it at about the half way point.
The final third really turns on the flavor. All the above mentioned flavors are there but more intense and round. They seem to have melted together and it feels like a more fluid transition from initial flavor then middle flavor then finish. The power has not picked up any more. It is staying as a good well rounded full body. If this was to cross into the super full body like many cigars are in this modern full bodied world, the cigar would feel out of balance. This is a good example of refined power. The only way that is has gotten worse is more burn through the nose. This is a quality that many love in their cigars. I, however, do not. So if you like that burn this cigar builds to it.
The only legitimate gripe I have had are the burn issues. I cant get it to burn even to save my life. This may be caused by the fact that I have not had it in my humidor for very long at all.
The last few puffs are warmer and spicier.
Burn to the nub.
Time 2 hours 30 min
Burn: 8
Draw: 9
Taste: 9
Aftertaste: 9
Construction: 9
Balance: 10
Feel: 8
Overall: 8.6 of 10
If this cigar would stay lit at my pace and if it didnt have as many burn issues, this could have been in the 9.0 range.
if you like my reviews please see my blog. If you want to see what im up to between reviews and get micro reviews follow me on twitter (@KuzisCigar) or Facebook
8-13-12 been in humi since 6-8-12
Xikar HC Series Habano Colorado Lonsdale (6 x 46)
Wrapper: Habano Colorado, Jalapa Valley, Nicaragua
Binder: Estali, Nicaraguan
Filler: Costa Rica, Jalapa Nicaragua, Honduras
Blender: Jesus Fuego
Thank you to Webmost for getting this cigar to my door.
Xikar is the Brand I personally love when it comes to cigar tools. I own a few of their cutters, a few of their lighters, a 5ct Xikar travel humidor, apparel, etc
Needless to say, I am a Xikar ****. I love the brand. I love the integrity they have. I love the standards they hold themselves to. I love the warranty. It is a rare day that I dont have one of their accessories on my person.
Xikars jump into the the cigar production side of the industry was a concept developed for Xikar events. The
cutters would be out and the people at the events wouldeither have to buy a cigar to try it out or if the shop was nice, they would hand out free cigars to try the cutters out. These cigars, of course, were not Xikar brand. This situation had the potential to leave a bad taste in the mouths of potential customers. What if the free cigar was no good? What if they wanted to try the cutters but had no money on them to buy a cigar? The owners of Xikar (Kurt Van Kepple and Scott Almsberger ) got a little push in the right direction from a customer at an event who mentioned that they should make their own cigars.
Though the concept of making cigars for themselves was intended to support the Xikar brand, the standards of the owners compelled them to take it seriously and do it right. Initially, the cigars were to be produced for events so you could try a Xikar cutter on a Xikar cigar
They wanted to do it right. The biggest decision was who would blend a Xikar cigar? There are many blenders out there and Xikar has many friends in the industry. But one name stuck out to them from the get go.
Over the years Kurt Van Kepple and Scott Almsberger came to be on good terms with Jesus Fuego (a fifth generation Cuban tobacco grower and expert blender responsible for lines such as the 777, Origin, Casa Fuego, Rocky Patel Old Reserve, and Rocky Patel Vintage 1990 and 1992 and a Masters Degree in Post-Harvest Agronomy). He seemed to be around at the events they were holding and their paths crossed. Ultimately decided to go with him as the blender. This was not just a relationship of convenience or happenstance, the decision to go with J. Fuego as the blender came down to one thing: Taste.
The first major cigar release for Xikar was in 2007 with the Defiance by Xikar. This was received well and scored a 91 in Cigar Aficionado (Dec 2008). The Defiance is no more but given how well this went, another line was in order.
The HC line was released in 2009 and was also blended by J. Fuego. Like its older brother, this line has received high scores. This is the first HC that I have had the opportunity to try. The Habano Colorado is the strongest of the line and also the most acclaimed.
Time to put on the Defiance by Xikar hat and give it a go. Its gunna be a Xikar kind of day.
The cigar is long and elegant. The lonsdale is one of my favorite sizes for a cigar. The wrapper is dark with a few dominant veins. The seems are easily seen but are not sloppy. A very nice triple cap tops it off. The band is a cream color with a palm tree in green and a bit of an Art-Deco feel to it. The foot band is overall darker with black on the bottom and the words Habano Colorado written in white. Its a descent looking smoke.
The bands come off with ease. There is a strong barnyard scent to it before it is lit that boarder-lines on rich earth or compost. When the cap is licked there is little flavor on the mouth. There is a bit of earth but nothing too strong. There is a grit to the feel of the wrapper on the tongue. A perfect clip with my Xikar Xi2 opens the cigar to a draw a bit on the firm side. The draw has more chocolatey notes with a hint of sweetness. My standard Xikar EX soft fame lighter brings the cigar to life.
The first few puffs have a very nice vegetable-like sweetness. There is a damp earth undertone and through the nose there is a bit more earth but on the musk side almost like a dank cave, but in a very good way. The sweetness adds more to a coco sweet fairly quickly but still retains the vegetable quality to it as well. As it opens up woody notes begin to appear. There is a hint of spice through the nose starting about 10 minutes in. This is the profile of the rest of the first third of the cigar. There are a few minor burn issues that needed a corrective light.
The middle third brings on a few more coco notes but that vegetable-like note is still there, though it has lost a bit of sweetness. I would still call the cigar a sweeter one but the middle third has a calmer sweet to it. The finish has most of the vegetable qualities to it. Through the nose is a spice that is clearly black pepper. It has little kick to it but the flavor of black pepper is clearly there.
As the final third starts, I see a small crack in the wrapper. With any luck, it will not be an issue. Through the final third the flavor remains constant. It is smooth and mellow with a good mouth feel. There is not much complexity over the length of the cigar so far but each puff still is complex. Wood and earth seem to dominate with a bit of the vegetable-like sweetness still lingering. Through the nose is the only place spice is noticeable. This is a good place for it. The finish is woody and a bit dry. There is a decent balance to this cigar and it is very relaxing. The crack ended up being nothing, but there was a need for another touch up in this last third.
The last few puffs are woody with a hint at bitterness that tells me this cigar has run its course.
if you like my reviews please see my blog. If you want to see what im up to between reviews and get micro reviews follow me on twitter (@KuzisCigar) or Facebook
Question for you kuzi, why do we not see more Colorado wrappers like the ISOM? What is the difference? It's always intrigued me a bit, and seeing this is a Colorado habano...I'd like to know more about the. Plot ado wrappers in general as I tend to like the light Colorado ISOM
my guess would be style. there are trends in the cigar industry. right now that isnt the big thing. recently it has been about big ring cigars. before that it was just been about power. before that it was all about the sungrown wrapper.
iduno... i mean, at some point im just along for the ride.
Cuba has deep rooted tradition. it has done what they do well. they dont change big things very often when what they have been doing for decades has been working. the larger ring thing in cuba is a big shock to many of Cuban cigar fans. Major wrapper changes would excite some but Cuba is based mostly on tradition.
Up until now I had just blown off trying the HC line, I just though, "oh, cigars made by a lighter/accessory company. No thanks.". But I should've known that xikar would do it right. I will definitely try a few now, they sound good. Thanks
edit: they'd also look good in my leather xikar travel case and fit well in my xi cutter. I'd proceed to toast them with my xikar lighter, of course.
my guess would be style. there are trends in the cigar industry. right now that isnt the big thing. recently it has been about big ring cigars. before that it was just been about power. before that it was all about the sungrown wrapper.
iduno... i mean, at some point im just along for the ride.
Cuba has deep rooted tradition. it has done what they do well. they dont change big things very often when what they have been doing for decades has been working. the larger ring thing in cuba is a big shock to many of Cuban cigar fans. Major wrapper changes would excite some but Cuba is based mostly on tradition.
What about the rest of the world? That's what I'm curious about, why we don't see these wrappers on NC/DC smokes you know.
8-15-12 been in humidor since 1-28-11
Elogio Serie Habano Robusto (5 x 50)
Wrapper: Nicaraguan
Binder: Nicaraguan
Filler: Nicaraguan
Blender: Carlos Pereda Robaina
I got this Elogio (pronounced Eh-low-he-oh) Serie Habano while staying at the Hotel La Pearla in Leon, Nicaragua. At the time I had never heard of the brand, but was told that it was a small boutique brand that is difficult to get in much of the US. Currently around 30 or so retailers in the US carry the brand. I smoked its twin brother right after a traditional Nicaraguan dinner in the courtyard of that beautiful hotel with cigar industry insiders. Needless to say I was a bit biased on my thoughts on the cigar that night. It is about time I give this cigar an honest look.
You may think that the blender of this cigar has a very familiar surname. If you thought that, you are very correct. Carlos Pereda Robaina is the grandson of Alejandro Robaina, arguably the best blender to come out of Cuba. Carlos started to learn the trade of growing, curing, fermenting, and blending cigars when he was 5 years old; his grandfather, of course, being his mentor. This is the pedigree that is applied to Nicaraguan tobacco grown in Condega, Jalapa, Estali and a small seven acre farm in Somoto (about 35 miles north of Estali and just to the west and north of Condega) that grows tobacco exclusively for Carlos Pereda Robaina and Elogio.
Elogio is one of the smallest companies in the cigar industry. It is so small that the output of the factory maxes out at about 50,000 cigars a year. This may seem like a large number but when it is compared the My Father Factory that puts out 25,000 a day, or to Arturo Fuente who puts out about 50,000 a day, or Drew Estates that puts out around 60,000 a day, one can see how small the output is. Part of the reason that the production is so low is that this is a family company. They take extra care from the seed to the blending to ensure a good smoke. In fact, Carlos himself performs the fermentation on the wrapper leaf of this cigar.
Maybe the last time I smoked it, I was in good company, and that influenced my opinion. But maybe I really was smoking a gem. Its time to find out for sure.
The cigar has a nice brown wrapper with a slight tooth to it. There is an oily feel on the fingers. Though this was blended by someone who was trained in the Cuban tradition, there seems to only bee a double cap on this cigar. The band is the standard Elogio band with a cream and gold logo. On either side of the band there is a green and red pattern. There doesnt seem to be any outstanding features to this cigar.
The Elogio Serie Habano feels solid in the hand. There is no give whatsoever to the sides of the cigar and it seems heavy. The scent of this cigar is light and earthy and seems to have some sweet to it. The lick on the cap has a bit of spice to it but not in an offensive way. After a Clip with my double guillotine I have a very nice draw that is perfectly on the easy side. The flavor on that draw is sweet and earthy with a slight licorice impression.
I light with a soft flame.
The first puffs are fairly smooth with a hint of cream, a light sweetness, and black tea. The finish and through the nose is very toasty and has the black tea flavors again. It is a very interesting profile and unlike any cigar I have had in recent memory. This is straight forward and anything but in your face. The flavors are defined and work very well together. The balance is very good in this first third and the finish is long but not intrusive. As the first third moves along an earthiness develops and it works very will with the light sweetness.
Entering the middle third I realize that every puff that I have had so far I thought to myself wow, this is really good, as I put the cigar back in the ashtray. As I draw on the cigar I get the smooth texture of this smoke and a note of sweetness. It coats the mouth and develops a very slight spice if held for longer periods. When pushing smoke out through the nose, this cigar shows amazing complexity. The black tea flavor comes out and the earth notes have become a bit sharper. This sharp earth does remind me quite a bit of the Cuban flavors. It is not an exact match, but the impression is there. The finish is still toasty. Every point in the puff, from draw to finish have an underlying creaminess that ties it all together elegantly. The only negative that I can mention so far is that it is not burning evenly. Very light touch ups correct this with no detriment to the flavor.
Warm cinnamon through the nose eases in by the start of the final third. I am sure it has been here for a while but it tip-toed in the back door when I was not looking. The cream impressions take a slight turn to the vanilla by this point as well. This cigar seems to round out in the final third as well. The sweetness turns up a notch and it lasts into the finish. The Nicaraguan leaf is starting to show its face here as well. The spice when holding the smoke in the mouth is the woody-spice that I usually associate with a classic Nicaraguan flavor profile. This is by no means the dominant flavor. It is more or less an afterthought; and it fits right in to the progression of the cigar. The sharp earth is still there through the nose and really makes this cigar stand apart from many, if not all, Nicaraguan puros on the market today. This cigar is a solid medium, and to be honest, if it was any fuller in body it would lose the balance it has.
The Nicaraguan flavors creep in more as the cigar winds down and ends on a warm, rich, slightly spicy note.
This cigar has a journey to it. The flavors grow and develop through the entire experience.
This cigar deserves plenty of praise. Incidentally, the name Elogio translates roughly to praise. How apropos.
This just made it on to my favorite blends list.
if you like my reviews please see my blog. If you want to see what im up to between reviews and get micro reviews follow me on twitter (@KuzisCigar) or Facebook
Damnit Kuzi....damn you... I've been looking at those guys for quite some time, and seeing the connection to the Don was quite intrigured... Now I have to try one. Excellent review as always.
8-31-12 been in humi since 9-28-11
Emilio AF1 Robusto (5 x 50)
Wrapper: Mexican San Andreas Maduro
Binder: Nicaraguan
Filler: Nicaraguan
Blender: AJ Fernandez
Emilio Cigars is a different kind of cigar company. Its one guy doing what he wants, how he wants. Gary Griffith is the brainchild of Emilio cigars. One of the philosophies behind the company is that there is more than one way to look at tobacco, more than one way to use it and more than one way to blend it. This is one of the reasons why all of the cigars in this brand are produced by different blenders, and rolled in different factories, using different tobaccos. Each blender brings their own best to the game in this brand. Emilio cigars will not have a common thread, a blending style, or similarities from line to line in the brand, thus making it one of the more unique brands on the market.
The AF1 offers the blending, production, and tobaccos of AJ Fernandez. The filler and binder is Nicaraguan and that happens to be the Heart and soul of Most AJ Fernandez blends. The San Andreas Maduro wrapper is no stranger to AJ either. This is the very same wrapper that is used on the San Lotano Maduro. And it looks fantastic.
The wrapper is a nice chocolate brown that is not even in tone. This unevenness is what a true maduro should look like. Many companies will take tobacco juice or by-product to make a dye that will more evenly color the maduro leaves. The beliefe here is that people will smoke with their eyes first and base a choice of cigar off of how even the color of the wrapper looks. An even tone is viewed as quality where, in reality, the even tones have nothing to do with quality. An uneven maduro wrapper shows that it has not seen any dye in any way. If you feel this is quality or not is a matter of personal preference. I just like to see the uneven tones because you can see that it was actually fermented to the color seen.
The band is a simple black and gold band that seems to display the the concept of no frills or that they are not spending money on band design, just smoke. Beyond that, the cigar looks like a cigar. Noting stands out. Nothing looks bad. For that matter, nothing looks amazing either.
A sniff of the unlit cigar is a classic barnyard note. There are earthy notes on the lick of the cap and maybe a hint of spice. Nothing really stands lout. After as clip with a double guillotine there are complex flavors of earth, licorice and spice that are easily obtained by a draw that is very nicely on the easy side.
The Familiar flame of my Xikar EX starts the journey With the (also) familiar blast of spice that seems to be a signature of AJ Fernandez. It has a sweet element to it but that is definitely in the back seat to the spice. It has the classic Nicaraguan texture to the smoke with sweeter woody noted through the nose. As the cigar settles in the spice fades away but not completely. The woody notes stick around and become a bigger player in the game. Through the nose is mostly spice and a bit of burn. There is still a sweet undertone.
The middle third is much as the first third ended. A little spice, a bit of wood, and a fantastic undertone of sweet. The finish is short with most of it being spice. On the initial part of the puff some cinnamon-like qualities are picked up. The pulpy texture has gone away for the most part with it only remaining only on the finish.
At just past the mid point, in true AJ fashion, the sweetness rounds out and the spice smooths out and I am left with wood and nut notes and a hint of spice on the finish and through the nose. Also through the nose is more sweet wood. The above mentioned cinnamon notes are still there but as more of an undertone.
The final third is a bit more toasty but has the same feel from the mid point on. The last few puffs heat up a bit and have a hefty spice note.
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I got this Elogio (pronounced Eh-low-he-oh) Serie Habano while staying at the Hotel La Pearla in Leon, Nicaragua. At the time I had never heard of the brand, but was told that it was a small boutique brand that is difficult to get in much of the US. Currently around 30 or so retailers in the US carry the brand. I smoked its twin brother right after a traditional Nicaraguan dinner in the courtyard of that beautiful hotel with cigar industry insiders. Needless to say I was a bit biased on my thoughts on the cigar that night. It is about time I give this cigar an honest look.
You may think that the blender of this cigar has a very familiar surname. If you thought that, you are very correct. Carlos Pereda Robaina is the grandson of Alejandro Robaina, arguably the best blender to come out of Cuba. Carlos started to learn the trade of growing, curing, fermenting, and blending cigars when he was 5 years old; his grandfather, of course, being his mentor. This is the pedigree that is applied to Nicaraguan tobacco grown in Condega, Jalapa, Estali and a small seven acre farm in Somoto (about 35 miles north of Estali and just to the west and north of Condega) that grows tobacco exclusively for Carlos Pereda Robaina and Elogio.
Elogio is one of the smallest companies in the cigar industry. It is so small that the output of the factory maxes out at about 50,000 cigars a year. This may seem like a large number but when it is compared the My Father Factory that puts out 25,000 a day, or to Arturo Fuente who puts out about 50,000 a day, or Drew Estates that puts out around 60,000 a day, one can see how small the output is. Part of the reason that the production is so low is that this is a family company. They take extra care from the seed to the blending to ensure a good smoke. In fact, Carlos himself performs the fermentation on the wrapper leaf of this cigar.
Maybe the last time I smoked it, I was in good company, and that influenced my opinion. But maybe I really was smoking a gem. Its time to find out for sure.
The cigar has a nice brown wrapper with a slight tooth to it. There is an oily feel on the fingers. Though this was blended by someone who was trained in the Cuban tradition, there seems to only bee a double cap on this cigar. The band is the standard Elogio band with a cream and gold logo. On either side of the band there is a green and red pattern. There doesnt seem to be any outstanding features to this cigar.
The Elogio Serie Habano feels solid in the hand. There is no give whatsoever to the sides of the cigar and it seems heavy. The scent of this cigar is light and earthy and seems to have some sweet to it. The lick on the cap has a bit of spice to it but not in an offensive way. After a Clip with my double guillotine I have a very nice draw that is perfectly on the easy side. The flavor on that draw is sweet and earthy with a slight licorice impression.
I light with a soft flame.
The first puffs are fairly smooth with a hint of cream, a light sweetness, and black tea. The finish and through the nose is very toasty and has the black tea flavors again. It is a very interesting profile and unlike any cigar I have had in recent memory. This is straight forward and anything but in your face. The flavors are defined and work very well together. The balance is very good in this first third and the finish is long but not intrusive. As the first third moves along an earthiness develops and it works very will with the light sweetness.
Entering the middle third I realize that every puff that I have had so far I thought to myself wow, this is really good, as I put the cigar back in the ashtray. As I draw on the cigar I get the smooth texture of this smoke and a note of sweetness. It coats the mouth and develops a very slight spice if held for longer periods. When pushing smoke out through the nose, this cigar shows amazing complexity. The black tea flavor comes out and the earth notes have become a bit sharper. This sharp earth does remind me quite a bit of the Cuban flavors. It is not an exact match, but the impression is there. The finish is still toasty. Every point in the puff, from draw to finish have an underlying creaminess that ties it all together elegantly. The only negative that I can mention so far is that it is not burning evenly. Very light touch ups correct this with no detriment to the flavor.
Warm cinnamon through the nose eases in by the start of the final third. I am sure it has been here for a while but it tip-toed in the back door when I was not looking. The cream impressions take a slight turn to the vanilla by this point as well. This cigar seems to round out in the final third as well. The sweetness turns up a notch and it lasts into the finish. The Nicaraguan leaf is starting to show its face here as well. The spice when holding the smoke in the mouth is the woody-spice that I usually associate with a classic Nicaraguan flavor profile. This is by no means the dominant flavor. It is more or less an afterthought; and it fits right in to the progression of the cigar. The sharp earth is still there through the nose and really makes this cigar stand apart from many, if not all, Nicaraguan puros on the market today. This cigar is a solid medium, and to be honest, if it was any fuller in body it would lose the balance it has.
The Nicaraguan flavors creep in more as the cigar winds down and ends on a warm, rich, slightly spicy note.
This cigar has a journey to it. The flavors grow and develop through the entire experience.
This cigar deserves plenty of praise. Incidentally, the name Elogio translates roughly to praise. How apropos.
Burn to the burn
Time: 2 hours 10 minutes
Burn: 9
Draw: 9.5
Taste: 10
Aftertaste: 10
Construction: 9
Balance: 10
Feel: 10
Overall: 9.6 of 10
This just made it on to my favorite blends list.
if you like my reviews please see my blog. If you want to see what im up to between reviews and get micro reviews follow me on twitter (@KuzisCigar) or Facebook
the one thats a perfecto with an 80 ring at the fattest point?
ive heard they arent as good.
Different cigar. The excentrico is a 7x54 torpedo with a shaggy foot and a shaggy head. Just came out, and it's easily one of the best cigars I've smoked
I believe the one you are referring to is the exquisito.
the one thats a perfecto with an 80 ring at the fattest point?
ive heard they arent as good.
Different cigar. The excentrico is a 7x54 torpedo with a shaggy foot and a shaggy head. Just came out, and it's easily one of the best cigars I've smoked
I believe the one you are referring to is the exquisito.
yes. that is correct. i saw your tweet and those look good. getting them is a different question.
Comments
there are a few smokes that i didnt like. part of the "issue" is that i know what i like to smoke. my entire collection is based off of that. i pull something from my collection to smoke, chances are i will like it.
and
i dont buy or trade for many of the bargain sticks out there. if i stick with higher end premium long filler cigars it becomes fairly easy to get a score above 80. that score is kinda low for my catalog, but in reality, it isnt a bad smoke when it gets that. i mean, as a joke i one time did a review of a gas station cigar, i forget what one, and i think it got somewhere in the neighborhood of a 60 and that was mainly because of burn and construction. i would venture to say that all premium smokes have more effort put into them by an entire team of blenders, rollers, growers, etc. than any of the low end gas station cigars. this attention to detail, even if inexpensive, makes a world of difference and almost guarantees that a score of 70 or above will be reached.
70 is a "bad" premium (long filler) stick where as 70 may be a "good" white owl.
make sense?
It sounds like you prefer a 100% objective reviews which matter of factly discusses tasting notes and flavors while almost leaving the conclusion of the likes and dislikes up to the reader. I'm on the other end of the spectrum actually, where I prefer to hear if the likes and dislikes as well. I like hearing the subjective aspects of a review as well, especially once I get a sense of the reviewers flavor profile and how it aligns with mine.
hahahaha, No real point to this, other than that I found your point of view pretty interesting is all.
Kuzi I always enjoy reading your reviews becuase I feel that you give enough objective info so that we may make up our own minds, but you still seem to impart enough of your own imprint on it that I enjoy it. Great job though man, and again, I really appreciate you continuing to post your reviews here and not just on your own site.
Camacho Corojo Limited 8/22
Torpedo (6.1 x 54)
Wrapper: Honduran Sungrown Corojo
Binder: Honduran Corojo
Filler: Honduran Corojo
Blender: Christian Eiroa
Camacho is one of the worlds most famous non-Cuban factories in the world. Much of this fame can be attributed to the worlds only true Corojo leaf. Julio Eiroa smuggled out the seeds from the El Corojo farm when he fled the Castro regime in Cuba. Corojo was developed in the 1930s as a descendent of the Criollo seed by Diego Rodriguez using natural selection. This was an attempt to develop a plant more resilient to mold and disease. In that regard, he was a failure. The Corojo plant is still susceptible to blue mold, black shank and all the usual tobacco diseases. However as far as flavor is concerned, he developed what would be the premier wrapper leaf for Cuban cigars for decades to come.
That is not what makes this cigar limited. There is Also a Camacho Corojo that uses the same seed. What makes this cigar limited is that in this version of the cigar, only the best leaves of the crop are selected. These selected leaves receive extra aging before being bunched, bound and wrapped. Even with the extra age, these cigars have a bit of reputation.
This reputation includes two things:
First, is that they are strong. This line was one of the first ultra strong cigars to hit the market. It was a leader in a trend that started around 2004 and has not stopped as of the posting of this review. Age usually mellows tobacco out. This cigar is still very strong, even with the extra age.
Second, is that there are burn issues. The upper most sungrown leaves are very thick and burn reluctantly. Age and fermentation usually help this situation, but with this leaf, it may not be enough. Plus, with more age and fermentation the flavor begins to change, and nobody wants that.
The cigar looks seamless. There is such an even tan tone/color of the wrapper that the seams are difficult to see even when looking for them. Even when you can see where the veins are, it still feels smooth in the hand. It has a good amount of heft to it; that leads me to believe it will burn a long time. The double banded cigar is classic Camacho styling. The main band reads quinto corte, which translates roughly to fifth cut. A reference to the priming of the tobacco plant that the leaves used on this are from.
A whiff of the cigar has hay notes that are very light in nature. The lick on the torpedo cap has an earthy oily feel to it with a bit of spice if held in the mouth. Clipping the cap with my Xi2 and I now have notes coco, sweet earth, and sassafras. (I kid you not)
I use my soft flame to light this cigar. As I light I turn to the north and I can see thunder clouds of the storm that will miss me by maybe 10 miles. However, the humidity outside is still very high. This could have an effect on the burn.
The first few puffs have a decidedly sweeter note than expected. The sweetness is nutty in nature. There is a spicy note that is mild. There is a flavor much like fall leaves that I usually identify with corojo. Through the nose there is a bit of spice, sweetness, and that hint of sassafras from the pre-light smell. There are many layers of flavor even in the first 10 minutes. The finish is short and smooth and very fall in nature. I really have a hard time pinning down flavors. I feel as if there are different flavors in each puff. The ones I mentioned are the ones that I feel comfortable mentioning because they are the most consistent. Even with all of that going on everything seems to fall into place, and it works. When at rest, the cigar puts out a ton of smoke; a quality that I personally enjoy.
One side of the cigar seems to want to burn faster than the other and before the fist ash falls, a touch up light is needed.
As the middle third begins the sassafras impressions are gone and what is left is a bit of a sweeter wood flavor. The fall flavor is still most of the cigar and it feels very refined. The spice is still light and enjoyable and the finish is still short. The cigar seems to be rounding out with the nutty undertones becoming warmer and more well rounded and the sweet flavors keeping it all in balance. Through the nose is most of the fall flavors. Even thought he cigar is full bodied in nature, the smoke is pushed through the nose with minimal burn. This brings out the most interesting aspects of the cigar and I find myself pushing out through the nose slower than usual. Through the middle third the flavors stay the same but the spice slowly ticks up.
The final third has a much more roasted feel to it. Hints of coffee seem to slip in now and again however the basic flavor profile remains the same. The final third also opens with the need for another corrective light. There is another flavor creeping in that I cannot identify exactly but it seems to be a bit more floral in nature. It is faint and may just be a bit more sweetness that Im picking up. The reputation of the Camacho Corojos power is true. It took a while to get here but now it is starting to punch me. It is hard to stop puffing away or to slow down because the flavors are very good. However, my gut is starting to signal that I need to slow down a bit.
The final puffs are definitively more floral or herb like; jasmine maybe? There is now a decent spice and a good punch in the gut as well. Very good. Very unique.
Burn to the burn
time 2 hours 25 minutes.
Burn: 8
Draw: 10
Taste: 10
Aftertaste: 9
Construction: 10
Balance: 10
Feel: 9
Overall: 9.4 of 10
if you like my reviews please see my blog. If you want to see what im up to between reviews and get micro reviews follow me on twitter (@KuzisCigar) or Facebook
Great review kuzi.
A BOTL gifted me a 6x50 Toro Padilla Sig 1932. I brought it out tonight and threw it out in twenty minutes.
Now bear in mind it was kept a month at 68%, it's only 54% in the garage. It was just wrapped hard as a brick. Didn't start out tight and then plug up. Just started out plugged from the get go.
Not much odor nor much flavor unlit.Looks like it has been dipped in brown wood stain. Cuts awful hard. The end unravels. Reluctant to light. Kept on cutting it back, but to no purpose. Final cut was an inch deep. Even took a small torx driver and stuck that up its head several times -- no dice. A bit of earth and leather, but I can't get enough volume to rate the flavor. My God what a chore. Now the brown paint began streaking my fingers. Cripes. When my jaws started to ache I said screw this, tossed it, and lit a Factory Throwout #49 from the same same humi in the same garage, which burns perfect.
Can't rate it if I can't smoke it.
Zino Platinum Z Class 654T (Toro 5.875 x 54)
Wrapper: Dominican grown Yamasa Rojiza
Binder: Peruvian grown Pelo do Oro
Filler: Nicaraguan Ligero (Jalapa, Estali), Honduran Ligero (San Vinente)
Blender: Henke Kelner
This review will be good only for the toro of this line. In the classic Cuban tradition, all of the cigars in this line have not been blended to have the same taste through the line. They are all unique and will show how a vitola impacts the flavor of a cigar. I am sure that there will be a similar flavor profile in the line, but each one will have a different set of unique flavor qualities and strength profile.
The Z Class was the first new cigar from Zino in about 8 years. 2003 was saw the release of the Zino Platinum. This was well after the 90s cigar boom and was blended by Kelner to be a cigar for the younger more modern cigar smoker. The original Platinum line has since been getting mixed reviews. After reading many Zino Platinum reviews it is easy to see why the reviews are mixed: the trend in cigars since the early 2000s has been more and more powerful. The Zino Platinum is, at best, medium in body.
Enter: Z Class.
This cigar is supposed to be full bodied. Kelner seems to blend a bit more on the mild side of things so I am expecting a medium-full cigar. The Ligero in the filler and the Dominican wrapper hint that it will be stronger. This cigar was blended with the concept of motion in mind. This is why every vitola is a different experience. It is also blended to accompany a fast paced affluent lifestyle.
I really dont know what that means.
Either way, I am excited to try this cigar. I have a soft spot in my heart for Zino cigars. The Zino Classic was not only cigar that introduced me to the workings of Davidoff/Kelner, but it was also the cigar that opened my eyes to the mild and medium world of cigars again. Up to that point I was following the trend of full on powerful cigars. A Zino Classic made me see there was more to a cigar than power.
The band is a black and silver with a large Z in the middle. It is a very good looking band. The cigar, on the other hand looks a bit rough. The wrapper is not an even tone and looks like it has had a difficult life. This does not surprise me. The Dominican is know for its difficult terrain/weather combination for growing wrapper leaf.
The cigar has a good heft to it. The smell before the light is like dried leaves (shocking, I know). The band comes off with no resistance. A lick on the cap has a hint of sour and a hint of spice. An oily feeling is left on the lips and tongue with a lingering spice. After being cut with my Xi2The draw has a chocolatey earthiness to it and is ever-so-slightly on the firm side.
The Xikar EX lighter softly brings the cigar to life. The first few puffs have a light honey taste that hints at peppermint. there is a sweet cedar note on the finish. Through the nose there is a bit of spice and a hint at the signature Kelner Musk found in almost all of his blends. As it settles in the woody flavors move to the front and the sweetness dies out a bit. A black pepper flavor sneaks in but there is no heat to it, just the taste. The finish has roasted notes to it as well. It is a very long finish with a very slight spice late in it. The pepper flavor is in the initial taste and the heat is on the finish, the way real pepper acts. Through the nose is some spice and burn and the musk has either faded, or is overpowered. The ligero tobacco is showing its face but mostly in flavor only.
Before the first ash falls a corrective light is needed. The good news is that it doesnt seem to hurt the flavor.
The middle third is more powerful. By the time it starts I can feel the strength. Usually a Kelner full bodied cigar is full bodied by classic Cuban standards. This is full by a more modern non-Cuban standards. The flavors have rounded out a bit. There are more toasty notes up front and more spicy notes on the finish. The black pepper flavor has moved more to the finish and is most noted through the nose. Hints at mint are there as more or less an impression. The Kelner musk is also noted from time to time through the nose, but so is the classic Nicaraguan woody spice. This is a strange note to have in a Kelner blend.
I find that I smoke a bit too slow for this cigar and I need to relight it at about the half way point.
The final third really turns on the flavor. All the above mentioned flavors are there but more intense and round. They seem to have melted together and it feels like a more fluid transition from initial flavor then middle flavor then finish. The power has not picked up any more. It is staying as a good well rounded full body. If this was to cross into the super full body like many cigars are in this modern full bodied world, the cigar would feel out of balance. This is a good example of refined power. The only way that is has gotten worse is more burn through the nose. This is a quality that many love in their cigars. I, however, do not. So if you like that burn this cigar builds to it.
The only legitimate gripe I have had are the burn issues. I cant get it to burn even to save my life. This may be caused by the fact that I have not had it in my humidor for very long at all.
The last few puffs are warmer and spicier.
Burn to the nub.
Time 2 hours 30 min
Burn: 8
Draw: 9
Taste: 9
Aftertaste: 9
Construction: 9
Balance: 10
Feel: 8
Overall: 8.6 of 10
If this cigar would stay lit at my pace and if it didnt have as many burn issues, this could have been in the 9.0 range.
if you like my reviews please see my blog. If you want to see what im up to between reviews and get micro reviews follow me on twitter (@KuzisCigar) or Facebook
8-13-12 been in humi since 6-8-12
Xikar HC Series Habano Colorado Lonsdale (6 x 46)
Wrapper: Habano Colorado, Jalapa Valley, Nicaragua
Binder: Estali, Nicaraguan
Filler: Costa Rica, Jalapa Nicaragua, Honduras
Blender: Jesus Fuego
Thank you to Webmost for getting this cigar to my door.
Xikar is the Brand I personally love when it comes to cigar tools. I own a few of their cutters, a few of their lighters, a 5ct Xikar travel humidor, apparel, etc
Needless to say, I am a Xikar ****. I love the brand. I love the integrity they have. I love the standards they hold themselves to. I love the warranty. It is a rare day that I dont have one of their accessories on my person.
Xikars jump into the the cigar production side of the industry was a concept developed for Xikar events. The
cutters would be out and the people at the events wouldeither have to buy a cigar to try it out or if the shop was nice, they would hand out free cigars to try the cutters out. These cigars, of course, were not Xikar brand. This situation had the potential to leave a bad taste in the mouths of potential customers. What if the free cigar was no good? What if they wanted to try the cutters but had no money on them to buy a cigar? The owners of Xikar (Kurt Van Kepple and Scott Almsberger ) got a little push in the right direction from a customer at an event who mentioned that they should make their own cigars.
Though the concept of making cigars for themselves was intended to support the Xikar brand, the standards of the owners compelled them to take it seriously and do it right. Initially, the cigars were to be produced for events so you could try a Xikar cutter on a Xikar cigar
They wanted to do it right. The biggest decision was who would blend a Xikar cigar? There are many blenders out there and Xikar has many friends in the industry. But one name stuck out to them from the get go.
Over the years Kurt Van Kepple and Scott Almsberger came to be on good terms with Jesus Fuego (a fifth generation Cuban tobacco grower and expert blender responsible for lines such as the 777, Origin, Casa Fuego, Rocky Patel Old Reserve, and Rocky Patel Vintage 1990 and 1992 and a Masters Degree in Post-Harvest Agronomy). He seemed to be around at the events they were holding and their paths crossed. Ultimately decided to go with him as the blender. This was not just a relationship of convenience or happenstance, the decision to go with J. Fuego as the blender came down to one thing: Taste.
The first major cigar release for Xikar was in 2007 with the Defiance by Xikar. This was received well and scored a 91 in Cigar Aficionado (Dec 2008). The Defiance is no more but given how well this went, another line was in order.
The HC line was released in 2009 and was also blended by J. Fuego. Like its older brother, this line has received high scores. This is the first HC that I have had the opportunity to try. The Habano Colorado is the strongest of the line and also the most acclaimed.
Time to put on the Defiance by Xikar hat and give it a go. Its gunna be a Xikar kind of day.
The cigar is long and elegant. The lonsdale is one of my favorite sizes for a cigar. The wrapper is dark with a few dominant veins. The seems are easily seen but are not sloppy. A very nice triple cap tops it off. The band is a cream color with a palm tree in green and a bit of an Art-Deco feel to it. The foot band is overall darker with black on the bottom and the words Habano Colorado written in white. Its a descent looking smoke.
The bands come off with ease. There is a strong barnyard scent to it before it is lit that boarder-lines on rich earth or compost. When the cap is licked there is little flavor on the mouth. There is a bit of earth but nothing too strong. There is a grit to the feel of the wrapper on the tongue. A perfect clip with my Xikar Xi2 opens the cigar to a draw a bit on the firm side. The draw has more chocolatey notes with a hint of sweetness. My standard Xikar EX soft fame lighter brings the cigar to life.
The first few puffs have a very nice vegetable-like sweetness. There is a damp earth undertone and through the nose there is a bit more earth but on the musk side almost like a dank cave, but in a very good way. The sweetness adds more to a coco sweet fairly quickly but still retains the vegetable quality to it as well. As it opens up woody notes begin to appear. There is a hint of spice through the nose starting about 10 minutes in. This is the profile of the rest of the first third of the cigar. There are a few minor burn issues that needed a corrective light.
The middle third brings on a few more coco notes but that vegetable-like note is still there, though it has lost a bit of sweetness. I would still call the cigar a sweeter one but the middle third has a calmer sweet to it. The finish has most of the vegetable qualities to it. Through the nose is a spice that is clearly black pepper. It has little kick to it but the flavor of black pepper is clearly there.
As the final third starts, I see a small crack in the wrapper. With any luck, it will not be an issue. Through the final third the flavor remains constant. It is smooth and mellow with a good mouth feel. There is not much complexity over the length of the cigar so far but each puff still is complex. Wood and earth seem to dominate with a bit of the vegetable-like sweetness still lingering. Through the nose is the only place spice is noticeable. This is a good place for it. The finish is woody and a bit dry. There is a decent balance to this cigar and it is very relaxing. The crack ended up being nothing, but there was a need for another touch up in this last third.
The last few puffs are woody with a hint at bitterness that tells me this cigar has run its course.
Burn to the nub.
Burn time: 2 hours 15 min
Burn: 9
Draw: 9
Taste: 9
Aftertaste: 9
Construction: 9
Balance: 9
Feel: 8
Overall: 8.9 of 10
if you like my reviews please see my blog. If you want to see what im up to between reviews and get micro reviews follow me on twitter (@KuzisCigar) or Facebook
there are trends in the cigar industry. right now that isnt the big thing.
recently it has been about big ring cigars. before that it was just been about power. before that it was all about the sungrown wrapper.
iduno... i mean, at some point im just along for the ride.
Cuba has deep rooted tradition. it has done what they do well. they dont change big things very often when what they have been doing for decades has been working. the larger ring thing in cuba is a big shock to many of Cuban cigar fans. Major wrapper changes would excite some but Cuba is based mostly on tradition.
edit: they'd also look good in my leather xikar travel case and fit well in my xi cutter. I'd proceed to toast them with my xikar lighter, of course.
or the LFD Colorado Oscuro. hard to find but they are out there.
8-15-12 been in humidor since 1-28-11
Elogio Serie Habano Robusto (5 x 50)
Wrapper: Nicaraguan
Binder: Nicaraguan
Filler: Nicaraguan
Blender: Carlos Pereda Robaina
I got this Elogio (pronounced Eh-low-he-oh) Serie Habano while staying at the Hotel La Pearla in Leon, Nicaragua. At the time I had never heard of the brand, but was told that it was a small boutique brand that is difficult to get in much of the US. Currently around 30 or so retailers in the US carry the brand. I smoked its twin brother right after a traditional Nicaraguan dinner in the courtyard of that beautiful hotel with cigar industry insiders. Needless to say I was a bit biased on my thoughts on the cigar that night. It is about time I give this cigar an honest look.
You may think that the blender of this cigar has a very familiar surname. If you thought that, you are very correct. Carlos Pereda Robaina is the grandson of Alejandro Robaina, arguably the best blender to come out of Cuba. Carlos started to learn the trade of growing, curing, fermenting, and blending cigars when he was 5 years old; his grandfather, of course, being his mentor. This is the pedigree that is applied to Nicaraguan tobacco grown in Condega, Jalapa, Estali and a small seven acre farm in Somoto (about 35 miles north of Estali and just to the west and north of Condega) that grows tobacco exclusively for Carlos Pereda Robaina and Elogio.
Elogio is one of the smallest companies in the cigar industry. It is so small that the output of the factory maxes out at about 50,000 cigars a year. This may seem like a large number but when it is compared the My Father Factory that puts out 25,000 a day, or to Arturo Fuente who puts out about 50,000 a day, or Drew Estates that puts out around 60,000 a day, one can see how small the output is. Part of the reason that the production is so low is that this is a family company. They take extra care from the seed to the blending to ensure a good smoke. In fact, Carlos himself performs the fermentation on the wrapper leaf of this cigar.
Maybe the last time I smoked it, I was in good company, and that influenced my opinion. But maybe I really was smoking a gem. Its time to find out for sure.
The cigar has a nice brown wrapper with a slight tooth to it. There is an oily feel on the fingers. Though this was blended by someone who was trained in the Cuban tradition, there seems to only bee a double cap on this cigar. The band is the standard Elogio band with a cream and gold logo. On either side of the band there is a green and red pattern. There doesnt seem to be any outstanding features to this cigar.
The Elogio Serie Habano feels solid in the hand. There is no give whatsoever to the sides of the cigar and it seems heavy. The scent of this cigar is light and earthy and seems to have some sweet to it. The lick on the cap has a bit of spice to it but not in an offensive way. After a Clip with my double guillotine I have a very nice draw that is perfectly on the easy side. The flavor on that draw is sweet and earthy with a slight licorice impression.
I light with a soft flame.
The first puffs are fairly smooth with a hint of cream, a light sweetness, and black tea. The finish and through the nose is very toasty and has the black tea flavors again. It is a very interesting profile and unlike any cigar I have had in recent memory. This is straight forward and anything but in your face. The flavors are defined and work very well together. The balance is very good in this first third and the finish is long but not intrusive. As the first third moves along an earthiness develops and it works very will with the light sweetness.
Entering the middle third I realize that every puff that I have had so far I thought to myself wow, this is really good, as I put the cigar back in the ashtray. As I draw on the cigar I get the smooth texture of this smoke and a note of sweetness. It coats the mouth and develops a very slight spice if held for longer periods. When pushing smoke out through the nose, this cigar shows amazing complexity. The black tea flavor comes out and the earth notes have become a bit sharper. This sharp earth does remind me quite a bit of the Cuban flavors. It is not an exact match, but the impression is there. The finish is still toasty. Every point in the puff, from draw to finish have an underlying creaminess that ties it all together elegantly. The only negative that I can mention so far is that it is not burning evenly. Very light touch ups correct this with no detriment to the flavor.
Warm cinnamon through the nose eases in by the start of the final third. I am sure it has been here for a while but it tip-toed in the back door when I was not looking. The cream impressions take a slight turn to the vanilla by this point as well. This cigar seems to round out in the final third as well. The sweetness turns up a notch and it lasts into the finish. The Nicaraguan leaf is starting to show its face here as well. The spice when holding the smoke in the mouth is the woody-spice that I usually associate with a classic Nicaraguan flavor profile. This is by no means the dominant flavor. It is more or less an afterthought; and it fits right in to the progression of the cigar. The sharp earth is still there through the nose and really makes this cigar stand apart from many, if not all, Nicaraguan puros on the market today. This cigar is a solid medium, and to be honest, if it was any fuller in body it would lose the balance it has.
The Nicaraguan flavors creep in more as the cigar winds down and ends on a warm, rich, slightly spicy note.
This cigar has a journey to it. The flavors grow and develop through the entire experience.
This cigar deserves plenty of praise. Incidentally, the name Elogio translates roughly to praise. How apropos.
Burn to the burn
Time: 2 hours 10 minutes
Burn: 9
Draw: 9.5
Taste: 10
Aftertaste: 10
Construction: 9
Balance: 10
Feel: 10
Overall: 9.6 of 10
This just made it on to my favorite blends list.
if you like my reviews please see my blog. If you want to see what im up to between reviews and get micro reviews follow me on twitter (@KuzisCigar) or Facebook
8-31-12 been in humi since 9-28-11
Emilio AF1 Robusto (5 x 50)
Wrapper: Mexican San Andreas Maduro
Binder: Nicaraguan
Filler: Nicaraguan
Blender: AJ Fernandez
Emilio Cigars is a different kind of cigar company. Its one guy doing what he wants, how he wants. Gary Griffith is the brainchild of Emilio cigars. One of the philosophies behind the company is that there is more than one way to look at tobacco, more than one way to use it and more than one way to blend it. This is one of the reasons why all of the cigars in this brand are produced by different blenders, and rolled in different factories, using different tobaccos. Each blender brings their own best to the game in this brand. Emilio cigars will not have a common thread, a blending style, or similarities from line to line in the brand, thus making it one of the more unique brands on the market.
The AF1 offers the blending, production, and tobaccos of AJ Fernandez. The filler and binder is Nicaraguan and that happens to be the Heart and soul of Most AJ Fernandez blends. The San Andreas Maduro wrapper is no stranger to AJ either. This is the very same wrapper that is used on the San Lotano Maduro. And it looks fantastic.
The wrapper is a nice chocolate brown that is not even in tone. This unevenness is what a true maduro should look like. Many companies will take tobacco juice or by-product to make a dye that will more evenly color the maduro leaves. The beliefe here is that people will smoke with their eyes first and base a choice of cigar off of how even the color of the wrapper looks. An even tone is viewed as quality where, in reality, the even tones have nothing to do with quality. An uneven maduro wrapper shows that it has not seen any dye in any way. If you feel this is quality or not is a matter of personal preference. I just like to see the uneven tones because you can see that it was actually fermented to the color seen.
The band is a simple black and gold band that seems to display the the concept of no frills or that they are not spending money on band design, just smoke. Beyond that, the cigar looks like a cigar. Noting stands out. Nothing looks bad. For that matter, nothing looks amazing either.
A sniff of the unlit cigar is a classic barnyard note. There are earthy notes on the lick of the cap and maybe a hint of spice. Nothing really stands lout. After as clip with a double guillotine there are complex flavors of earth, licorice and spice that are easily obtained by a draw that is very nicely on the easy side.
The Familiar flame of my Xikar EX starts the journey With the (also) familiar blast of spice that seems to be a signature of AJ Fernandez. It has a sweet element to it but that is definitely in the back seat to the spice. It has the classic Nicaraguan texture to the smoke with sweeter woody noted through the nose. As the cigar settles in the spice fades away but not completely. The woody notes stick around and become a bigger player in the game. Through the nose is mostly spice and a bit of burn. There is still a sweet undertone.
The middle third is much as the first third ended. A little spice, a bit of wood, and a fantastic undertone of sweet. The finish is short with most of it being spice. On the initial part of the puff some cinnamon-like qualities are picked up. The pulpy texture has gone away for the most part with it only remaining only on the finish.
At just past the mid point, in true AJ fashion, the sweetness rounds out and the spice smooths out and I am left with wood and nut notes and a hint of spice on the finish and through the nose. Also through the nose is more sweet wood. The above mentioned cinnamon notes are still there but as more of an undertone.
The final third is a bit more toasty but has the same feel from the mid point on. The last few puffs heat up a bit and have a hefty spice note.
Burn to the nub
time 1 hour 40 min.
Burn: 9
Draw: 9
Taste: 8
Aftertaste: 9
Construction: 9
Balance: 9
Feel: 8
Overall: 8.7 of 10
if you like my reviews please see my blog. If you want to see what im up to between reviews and get micro reviews follow me on twitter (@KuzisCigar) or Facebook
If you like these, you have to try the ecentrico
ive heard they arent as good.
Different cigar. The excentrico is a 7x54 torpedo with a shaggy foot and a shaggy head. Just came out, and it's easily one of the best cigars I've smoked
I believe the one you are referring to is the exquisito.