Hey @NorthsideSmoke thanks a lot for the kind words, I am glad you have enjoyed it and glad you that you have enjoyed the reads, more to come hopefully a new one for an Ezra Zion stick tonight if I am lucky
Brett
"When walking in open territory bother no one. If someone bothers you, ask them to stop. If they do not stop, destroy them."
Very kind to say thank you, but just an amateur and just having fun. The LNL guys are doing a great job I completely agree and read all of their stuff too
Brett
"When walking in open territory bother no one. If someone bothers you, ask them to stop. If they do not stop, destroy them."
Eminence means fame or recognized superiority, especially in a specific profession. So when you name a cigar Eminence you better be damned sure that it is going to live up to the name. From everything I have heard from those who have smoked it and I trust, this should but we will put it to the test and see! Released in June of 2013 the Eminence is the first non-Nicaraguan puro that the company has produced and is focusing on the very special San Andrés wrapper. Kyle Hoover of Ezra Zion told Halfwheel the following in regards to the wrapper (http://halfwheel.com/review-ezra-zion-eminence-gran-prensado): “it’s not your typical earthy and dry San Andrés, it’s got a sweet brown sugar molasses to it that is unlike most San Andrés.” I will say that to some degree I have experienced the dryer smoke with Mexican San Andrés tobacco, but I also at times find that in USA Broadleaf tobacco at times too. Ezra Zion for me at least seemingly came out of nowhere, when I first tried the Reagan from the Honor Series I was absolutely amazed at the quality of the blend and the construction the left me awed for a company that I had never heard of much before. Now however I can say that I am very much a fan of the brand and am actively trying to expand my experience with other lines of theirs as time and money allows. Enough talk though, lets sacrifice this one to the Gods and Goddesses of Ash and Fire!
Construction: 9/10 This is an extremely toothy wrapper with heavy veins and seams with a strong box press. The draw is very open and produces huge volumes of smoke which is welcome and very rich. The only construction downside besides it not being visually the most attractive wrapper, is that the burn requires constant touch up to burn straight, otherwise it is very wavy and burning on one side more than another etc. I don't mind touching it up but I do consider it a negative overall hence the point drop.
Taste: 10/10 This started off with a big pepper blast but within a minute it calms down dramatically and a little bot of dry wood, cocoa powder, oiled leather and roasted peanut shows up beautifully. So far though it is a bit dry and makes me need to drink a bit more than normal. Once the peanut and leather and chocolate show up however there is a richness that starts to grow and make my mouth water riding me of the dry smoke issue. The richness of the Eminence keeps growing immeasurably, a buttery rich lush flavor showed up with a charred meat like a good steak. It is absolutely PERFECTLY balanced between really rich and lush, as well as big body and flavor to balance it out with just a touch of spice through the nose. The dry oak and boiled leather with the roasted peanut and cocoa powder and buttery meat flavor is in perfect harmony with each other, difficult to pull one flavor from another save for the butter… which is extremely obvious and such a lush exquisite flavor. A while in and the most interesting profile shows up of a bbq chicken flavor mixed with the butter and rest of the palate. This is something I have never tasted in a cigar before but for me at least is plain as day and absolutely outstanding wow! The somewhat spicy bbq chicken plays its harmonious partner to the buttery lushness of the rich tones that showed up before and are still there. The bbq chicken flavor stays with it nearly the entire time along with the rest of the profile that I have mentioned earlier and wraps up this cigar perfectly, it is truly a dream of a smoke!
Overall: 9.5/10 This had one of the most interesting profiles I have ever had and I loved it! The only drawback was the wavy burn with needed constant touch up, but otherwise was a brilliant experience and one of the most thought provoking profiles I have had in a very long time, overall a magnificent cigar!
Thanks for reading and hope y'all enjoyed it, as always comments and questions are welcomed and encouraged!
Nice review Brett! I am a fan of most things Gary puts out. He's a pa and de guy so I may be a tad influenced by that but the whole house of Emilio stuff is rather on point. I do disagree with some of the pricing but have to say have never been truly let down by any of the lines he produces. I might have to try this one now being a big sa lover
Nice review Brett! I am a fan of most things Gary puts out. He's a pa and de guy so I may be a tad influenced by that but the whole house of Emilio stuff is rather on point. I do disagree with some of the pricing but have to say have never been truly let down by any of the lines he produces. I might have to try this one now being a big sa lover
Thanks Lee I tend to agree as I have yet to have a bad EZ or Emilio stick yet though haven't tried many Emilio mainly the AF1 and 2 but those are great too. As for the Eminence it's one of the best SA's I've had so I highly encourage you to try it, if I had another I would just send it to you its that good for me at least. Thanks for reading and commenting brother!
Brett
"When walking in open territory bother no one. If someone bothers you, ask them to stop. If they do not stop, destroy them."
A. Fuente Don Carlos Personal Reserve Robusto - 5 1/4” x 50 rg
Purchased by myself 8/2016
On August 5th, 2016 a great tragedy befell our world of cigars with the passing of Carlos Fuente Sr, best known as Don Carlos at the age of 81. The man was a legend and gave over 4 decades to the cigar industry that we all love so much, and with his passing is the end of an era… but with all endings it is also a new beginning, one where his son Carlos Jr. can make his own legacy and lead the Arturo Fuente company to many more great things. It is with this passing that I do a review of Don Carlos’ Personal blend called the A. Fuente Don Carlos Personal Reserve, a beautiful robusto with an impressive pedigree. This is supposed to be the personal blend that Don Carlos smoked himself and is released in extremely limited quantities. Here is what Charlie Minato of Halfwheel had to say about these (http://halfwheel.com/don-carlos-personal-reserve-robusto): “The Senior Blend is a modified version of the company’s Don Carlos blend. It is the personal cigar of Fuente Sr. and changes periodically over time as his personal tastes change. This isn’t the first time it has been released to retailers. For Fuente Sr.’s 75th and 76th birthday, the company sent select retailers a single box of Senior Blend with special secondary bands. Unlike the Personal Reserve Robusto, those cigars were sent to retailers for free as a gift from the company.” Not much else is known about these blends, not the filler or binder or wrapper, but it would likely be fairly safe to say that much of the tobacco used is Dominican and likely many of the leaves come from the Fuente family farms. It is now time to set fire to this brilliant example of a cigar and see just what all the hype is about!
Construction: 8/10 This is truly a beautiful cigar and presented masterfully. Between the tweaked Don Carlos band and the secondary Personal Reserve band it is a sexy cigar, and the tan brown wrapper is like silk to the touch. The burn is mostly straight though it does tend to run minorly from one side to another but nothing a quick correction with the torch cant fix. Sadly though every time I have to peel off one of the bands some of the wrapper comes with it. Between that and the slightly wonky burn it does hurt the score, though the ash holds strong to nearly 2 inches every time and does a great job there at least.
Taste: 9/10 The Personal Reserve starts off very spicy and dry with some pepper and leather, anise and sweet candied apple. The wrapper has a bit of a sweet lick to it and lasts for a few minutes and meshes beautifully with the candied apple flavor of the smoke itself. This is a delicious and spicy mother with candied apple, anise, pepper, baking spices and charred mead with superb balance and medium body. About an inch in the Personal Reserve and it shifts, the smoke is no longer dry and instead a richness and lusciousness falls into place and starts a mouth watering combination of the candied apple, charred rich meat that is starting to take one a chicken flavor though not fully developed yet, oily chewy leather and anise and spice through the nose though the spice is calming down some. The balance is absolutely superb between the richness and the spice which compliment and contrast each other marvelously. There isn't a whole lot of progression for a while and for well over an inch and a half this balance and profile is maintained which I don't mind at all since it is delicious. By midway the pepper has nearly disappeared and left just the mild baking spices with the charred meat changing from an undefined meat flavor to a baked breaded chicken flavor that is buttery and rich and balances well with the leather, anise, and candied apple sweetness that is still very much there. This stays mostly the same until it starts to get down to the end where sadly the Personal Reserve heats up and becomes a bit bitter and hot. This tells me that the Personal Reserve while already is a good solid smoke, it would very much benefit from a few years aging and would make it a bit more mild and smooth out and bring better harmony and finish to the end.
Overall: 8.5/10 This was a very good cigar with masterful blanca and gobs of incredible flavor. The construction issues and getting hot near the end and a little bitter did hurt the overall score, but I feel this has incredible aging potential and within 2 years could easily start to reach for the 9.5+ rating!
As always thanks for reading and I hope you enjoyed the review! Comments and questions are always welcome an encouraged and appreciated!
Nice review, I wish the one I smoked last week had been like that. I bought it and smoked it the same day, it was the first one out of a box at the B&M, so probably lacked humi-time and aging. Wasn't bad, or anything, but the Jericho Hill I smoked to make up for it blew it away.
Oh, and yes, the band was well glued to the cigar.
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"If you do not read the newspapers you're uninformed. If you do read the newspapers, you're misinformed." -- Mark Twain
Nice review, I wish the one I smoked last week had been like that. I bought it and smoked it the same day, it was the first one out of a box at the B&M, so probably lacked humi-time and aging. Wasn't bad, or anything, but the Jericho Hill I smoked to make up for it blew it away.
Oh, and yes, the band was well glued to the cigar.
Sorry to hear that Amos I suspect the shipping and transit time didn't help like you said but that still sucks! And yes those bands are glued on like nobodies business!
Brett
"When walking in open territory bother no one. If someone bothers you, ask them to stop. If they do not stop, destroy them."
Comments
Brett
Brett
Ezra Zion Eminence Exquisito - 6 1/4” x 52 rg
Eminence means fame or recognized superiority, especially in a specific profession. So when you name a cigar Eminence you better be damned sure that it is going to live up to the name. From everything I have heard from those who have smoked it and I trust, this should but we will put it to the test and see! Released in June of 2013 the Eminence is the first non-Nicaraguan puro that the company has produced and is focusing on the very special San Andrés wrapper. Kyle Hoover of Ezra Zion told Halfwheel the following in regards to the wrapper (http://halfwheel.com/review-ezra-zion-eminence-gran-prensado): “it’s not your typical earthy and dry San Andrés, it’s got a sweet brown sugar molasses to it that is unlike most San Andrés.” I will say that to some degree I have experienced the dryer smoke with Mexican San Andrés tobacco, but I also at times find that in USA Broadleaf tobacco at times too. Ezra Zion for me at least seemingly came out of nowhere, when I first tried the Reagan from the Honor Series I was absolutely amazed at the quality of the blend and the construction the left me awed for a company that I had never heard of much before. Now however I can say that I am very much a fan of the brand and am actively trying to expand my experience with other lines of theirs as time and money allows. Enough talk though, lets sacrifice this one to the Gods and Goddesses of Ash and Fire!
Construction: 9/10 This is an extremely toothy wrapper with heavy veins and seams with a strong box press. The draw is very open and produces huge volumes of smoke which is welcome and very rich. The only construction downside besides it not being visually the most attractive wrapper, is that the burn requires constant touch up to burn straight, otherwise it is very wavy and burning on one side more than another etc. I don't mind touching it up but I do consider it a negative overall hence the point drop.
Taste: 10/10 This started off with a big pepper blast but within a minute it calms down dramatically and a little bot of dry wood, cocoa powder, oiled leather and roasted peanut shows up beautifully. So far though it is a bit dry and makes me need to drink a bit more than normal. Once the peanut and leather and chocolate show up however there is a richness that starts to grow and make my mouth water riding me of the dry smoke issue. The richness of the Eminence keeps growing immeasurably, a buttery rich lush flavor showed up with a charred meat like a good steak. It is absolutely PERFECTLY balanced between really rich and lush, as well as big body and flavor to balance it out with just a touch of spice through the nose. The dry oak and boiled leather with the roasted peanut and cocoa powder and buttery meat flavor is in perfect harmony with each other, difficult to pull one flavor from another save for the butter… which is extremely obvious and such a lush exquisite flavor. A while in and the most interesting profile shows up of a bbq chicken flavor mixed with the butter and rest of the palate. This is something I have never tasted in a cigar before but for me at least is plain as day and absolutely outstanding wow! The somewhat spicy bbq chicken plays its harmonious partner to the buttery lushness of the rich tones that showed up before and are still there. The bbq chicken flavor stays with it nearly the entire time along with the rest of the profile that I have mentioned earlier and wraps up this cigar perfectly, it is truly a dream of a smoke!
Overall: 9.5/10 This had one of the most interesting profiles I have ever had and I loved it! The only drawback was the wavy burn with needed constant touch up, but otherwise was a brilliant experience and one of the most thought provoking profiles I have had in a very long time, overall a magnificent cigar!
Thanks for reading and hope y'all enjoyed it, as always comments and questions are welcomed and encouraged!
- Brett
Brett
Brett
A. Fuente Don Carlos Personal Reserve Robusto - 5 1/4” x 50 rg
Purchased by myself 8/2016
On August 5th, 2016 a great tragedy befell our world of cigars with the passing of Carlos Fuente Sr, best known as Don Carlos at the age of 81. The man was a legend and gave over 4 decades to the cigar industry that we all love so much, and with his passing is the end of an era… but with all endings it is also a new beginning, one where his son Carlos Jr. can make his own legacy and lead the Arturo Fuente company to many more great things. It is with this passing that I do a review of Don Carlos’ Personal blend called the A. Fuente Don Carlos Personal Reserve, a beautiful robusto with an impressive pedigree. This is supposed to be the personal blend that Don Carlos smoked himself and is released in extremely limited quantities. Here is what Charlie Minato of Halfwheel had to say about these (http://halfwheel.com/don-carlos-personal-reserve-robusto): “The Senior Blend is a modified version of the company’s Don Carlos blend. It is the personal cigar of Fuente Sr. and changes periodically over time as his personal tastes change. This isn’t the first time it has been released to retailers. For Fuente Sr.’s 75th and 76th birthday, the company sent select retailers a single box of Senior Blend with special secondary bands. Unlike the Personal Reserve Robusto, those cigars were sent to retailers for free as a gift from the company.” Not much else is known about these blends, not the filler or binder or wrapper, but it would likely be fairly safe to say that much of the tobacco used is Dominican and likely many of the leaves come from the Fuente family farms. It is now time to set fire to this brilliant example of a cigar and see just what all the hype is about!
Construction: 8/10 This is truly a beautiful cigar and presented masterfully. Between the tweaked Don Carlos band and the secondary Personal Reserve band it is a sexy cigar, and the tan brown wrapper is like silk to the touch. The burn is mostly straight though it does tend to run minorly from one side to another but nothing a quick correction with the torch cant fix. Sadly though every time I have to peel off one of the bands some of the wrapper comes with it. Between that and the slightly wonky burn it does hurt the score, though the ash holds strong to nearly 2 inches every time and does a great job there at least.
Taste: 9/10 The Personal Reserve starts off very spicy and dry with some pepper and leather, anise and sweet candied apple. The wrapper has a bit of a sweet lick to it and lasts for a few minutes and meshes beautifully with the candied apple flavor of the smoke itself. This is a delicious and spicy mother with candied apple, anise, pepper, baking spices and charred mead with superb balance and medium body. About an inch in the Personal Reserve and it shifts, the smoke is no longer dry and instead a richness and lusciousness falls into place and starts a mouth watering combination of the candied apple, charred rich meat that is starting to take one a chicken flavor though not fully developed yet, oily chewy leather and anise and spice through the nose though the spice is calming down some. The balance is absolutely superb between the richness and the spice which compliment and contrast each other marvelously. There isn't a whole lot of progression for a while and for well over an inch and a half this balance and profile is maintained which I don't mind at all since it is delicious. By midway the pepper has nearly disappeared and left just the mild baking spices with the charred meat changing from an undefined meat flavor to a baked breaded chicken flavor that is buttery and rich and balances well with the leather, anise, and candied apple sweetness that is still very much there. This stays mostly the same until it starts to get down to the end where sadly the Personal Reserve heats up and becomes a bit bitter and hot. This tells me that the Personal Reserve while already is a good solid smoke, it would very much benefit from a few years aging and would make it a bit more mild and smooth out and bring better harmony and finish to the end.
Overall: 8.5/10 This was a very good cigar with masterful blanca and gobs of incredible flavor. The construction issues and getting hot near the end and a little bitter did hurt the overall score, but I feel this has incredible aging potential and within 2 years could easily start to reach for the 9.5+ rating!
As always thanks for reading and I hope you enjoyed the review! Comments and questions are always welcome an encouraged and appreciated!
Brett
Brett
Oh, and yes, the band was well glued to the cigar.
"If you do not read the newspapers you're uninformed. If you do read the newspapers, you're misinformed." -- Mark Twain
Brett