They're great. Much better than the KFC, and better than the Leccia black. Just smoked one on vherf
kfc was terrible IMO. The black is at least a good cigar to me. I find it interesting so many companies are going after the pipe tobacco wheelhouse. I'll have to pick it up on an order.
They're great. Much better than the KFC, and better than the Leccia black. Just smoked one on vherf
kfc was terrible IMO. The black is at least a good cigar to me. I find it interesting so many companies are going after the pipe tobacco wheelhouse. I'll have to pick it up on an order.
Just got the hookup from Andy D along with some AVOs!
They're great. Much better than the KFC, and better than the Leccia black. Just smoked one on vherf
kfc was terrible IMO. The black is at least a good cigar to me. I find it interesting so many companies are going after the pipe tobacco wheelhouse. I'll have to pick it up on an order.
Just got the hookup from Andy D along with some AVOs!
They're great. Much better than the KFC, and better than the Leccia black. Just smoked one on vherf
kfc was terrible IMO. The black is at least a good cigar to me. I find it interesting so many companies are going after the pipe tobacco wheelhouse. I'll have to pick it up on an order.
Just got the hookup from Andy D along with some AVOs!
They're great. Much better than the KFC, and better than the Leccia black. Just smoked one on vherf
kfc was terrible IMO. The black is at least a good cigar to me. I find it interesting so many companies are going after the pipe tobacco wheelhouse. I'll have to pick it up on an order.
Just got the hookup from Andy D along with some AVOs!
They're great. Much better than the KFC, and better than the Leccia black. Just smoked one on vherf
kfc was terrible IMO. The black is at least a good cigar to me. I find it interesting so many companies are going after the pipe tobacco wheelhouse. I'll have to pick it up on an order.
Just got the hookup from Andy D along with some AVOs!
word, if you wanna trade...we can do the dance...
I owe you, Dustin. Pm me and I'll send you one.
since when???
Since you sent me some sticks and that killer draw poker.
They're great. Much better than the KFC, and better than the Leccia black. Just smoked one on vherf
kfc was terrible IMO. The black is at least a good cigar to me. I find it interesting so many companies are going after the pipe tobacco wheelhouse. I'll have to pick it up on an order.
AH HAH!!!! sounds like bias to me.....
;-)
(just messing with you dustin. you know i got respect for your reviews and appreciate what you're doin)
They're great. Much better than the KFC, and better than the Leccia black. Just smoked one on vherf
BUMP for Weekend Blitz.
Anyone else tried the Spectre? Care to tell me a little more about it?
How's it stack up to other AJ sticks, flavor and construction wise?
How about other maduros, any you would compare this to?
I didn't do a full review on it because when I was about to I got a head cold. The flavors like i mentioned are smokey BBQ, some oak, and a hint of coffee. The BBQ hits you hard to start and then mellows out nicely through the cigar. I wish I had more to give you guys right now, but until the head cold is gone I got nothing...
They're great. Much better than the KFC, and better than the Leccia black. Just smoked one on vherf
BUMP for Weekend Blitz.
Anyone else tried the Spectre? Care to tell me a little more about it?
How's it stack up to other AJ sticks, flavor and construction wise?
How about other maduros, any you would compare this to?
Funny, I liked the KFC. I saw the special I already have a few fivers of other stuff on the way. What to do??
Had one the other day, review to follow next monday. My two cents, its the best "fire-cured" cigar example out there. I do think the Leccia black is a better cigar in terms of being a cigar though. The American Puro was good, and i think will age very well. The KFC was rather flavorless to me on the draw, and the retro was not nearly as good as the Spectre. Anyone whom wants to know what Latakia/campfire/bbq pipe tobacco tastes like, the Spectre will deliver. If you do not retro, then you will miss most of what it has to offer though.
Had one the other day, review to follow next monday. My two cents, its the best "fire-cured" cigar example out there. I do think the Leccia black is a better cigar in terms of being a cigar though. The American Puro was good, and i think will age very well. The KFC was rather flavorless to me on the draw, and the retro was not nearly as good as the Spectre. Anyone whom wants to know what Latakia/campfire/bbq pipe tobacco tastes like, the Spectre will deliver. If you do not retro, then you will miss most of what it has to offer though.
Cool! Look forward to reading your review, I need to light one up soon.
Smoked a robusto last night....thanks to JetMech Vinny for bombing me this one.
Wanted to share my $0.02. Bare with me here as I don't normally do reviews.
------------------------
I was skeptical of this one at first ... seems AJ's been putting out a lot of "new releases" the past couple months and the description on CCOM wasn't much of a description IMO. It's more "marketing fluff" and "buzzwords" than an actual cigar description.
But you guys gave it some positive reviews so I added it to the bottom of my "need to buy one" list.
I should have known better, because before I could order one, of course one you crazy cats had to bomb me one - and Vinny has the fastest draw in the west.
------------------------
The physical aspects of the cigar - construction/appearance/burn - get a thumbs up.
This Spectre robusto was on par with the other AJ cigars I've had and was the quality and consistency I've come to expect from him.
The wrapper was free of flaws...the cap was perfect and never unraveled...the cigar lit easily, I needed only a couple matches to get it going...the burn was consistent and stayed almost entirely even for the almost 2-hour duration of the smoke...it held the ash well.
------------------------
The intangible aspects - aroma/taste/flavors - those get a thumbs up as well.
I love to eat good BBQ/smoked meat - doesn't matter what it is: chicken, pork, beef, fish, etc. it's all good. My favorite thing about summer time is sitting outside next to my Char-Griller barrel smoker/grill all day long and slow cooking a nice cut of brisket, racks of ribs, or a whole chicken. A couple cold beers, a nice cigar or two, warm sunshine on my face, and the smell of mesquite lump charcoal (not the processed Kingsford briquettes) and the smell of smoked meat filling the air.....mmm doesn't get much better than that.
Well that's the best way to describe this cigar. It's as though AJ took everything I just described, the experience/flavors/aroma and rolled it up in a little 5x50 robusto package.
I've never tried pipe tobacco, and never had a cigar with Latakia previous to this, but I think Roman's and Dustin's descriptions of the flavors are pretty spot on:
Trident:
.....The flavors like i mentioned are smokey BBQ, some oak, and a hint of coffee. The BBQ hits you hard to start and then mellows out nicely through the cigar....
catfishbluezz:
....Anyone whom wants to know what Latakia/campfire/bbq pipe tobacco tastes like, the Spectre will deliver. .....
The smoky mesquiteness, without a doubt, dominated the cigar.
I personally wouldn't describe it as "campfire" as much as I would "smoky BBQ" though. Depends on what type of wood you burn for your campfire --- if you're like me and burn mostly pine for outdoor fires, you know the pine gives off a different aroma than other woods. Now, if you normally burn a hardwood for your campfires though then yes, this might be reminiscent of the aroma of a campfire for you.
I did not pick-up coffee, but I thought I got a slight hint of leather. Hard to tell though, smoked meat, hickory, and delicious BBQ is all I could think of.
That will turn some of you off to this cigar, but if you're a fan of smoky goodness then this cigar is a must try.
The cigar didn't change much throughout the almost 2 hours it lasted, it mellowed out towards the end but that's about it.
------------------------
Final thoughts:
If you want an intricate smoke with hundreds of different nuanced flavors/aromas this will not deliver.
But if you are a lover of mesquite smokiness, charcoal grills, hickory wood chips, slow cooked smoked meat, and wish you could get all of that from a cigar then the Spectre is a must try.
I give this one two thumbs up.
(And as far as price goes, I think the listed box prices of $4.5-$6/stick are fair. If you can find them "on sale" for less then you're getting a bargain IMO.)
Great write up. Ive yet to smoke any, but am excited to try it. I am wondering how these will age. Latakia loses some of that in your face smoked meat taste and aroma and becomes really creamy and subtle which I prefer. Sounds like there is no lack of the smokey flavor!
Comments
;-)
(just messing with you dustin. you know i got respect for your reviews and appreciate what you're doin)
But.....
* I have a new address as of 3/24/18 *
????
* I have a new address as of 3/24/18 *
I paid a toll to the troll and he let me get in on the action, haha.
(Can you tell that works been slow and I've been bored out of my mind at a computer all day, LOL)
* I have a new address as of 3/24/18 *
Anyone else tried the Spectre? Care to tell me a little more about it?
How's it stack up to other AJ sticks, flavor and construction wise?
How about other maduros, any you would compare this to?
* I have a new address as of 3/24/18 *
Wanted to share my $0.02. Bare with me here as I don't normally do reviews.
------------------------
I was skeptical of this one at first ... seems AJ's been putting out a lot of "new releases" the past couple months and the description on CCOM wasn't much of a description IMO. It's more "marketing fluff" and "buzzwords" than an actual cigar description.
But you guys gave it some positive reviews so I added it to the bottom of my "need to buy one" list.
I should have known better, because before I could order one, of course one you crazy cats had to bomb me one - and Vinny has the fastest draw in the west.
------------------------
The physical aspects of the cigar - construction/appearance/burn - get a thumbs up.
This Spectre robusto was on par with the other AJ cigars I've had and was the quality and consistency I've come to expect from him.
The wrapper was free of flaws...the cap was perfect and never unraveled...the cigar lit easily, I needed only a couple matches to get it going...the burn was consistent and stayed almost entirely even for the almost 2-hour duration of the smoke...it held the ash well.
------------------------
The intangible aspects - aroma/taste/flavors - those get a thumbs up as well.
I love to eat good BBQ/smoked meat - doesn't matter what it is: chicken, pork, beef, fish, etc. it's all good. My favorite thing about summer time is sitting outside next to my Char-Griller barrel smoker/grill all day long and slow cooking a nice cut of brisket, racks of ribs, or a whole chicken. A couple cold beers, a nice cigar or two, warm sunshine on my face, and the smell of mesquite lump charcoal (not the processed Kingsford briquettes) and the smell of smoked meat filling the air.....mmm doesn't get much better than that.
Well that's the best way to describe this cigar. It's as though AJ took everything I just described, the experience/flavors/aroma and rolled it up in a little 5x50 robusto package.
I've never tried pipe tobacco, and never had a cigar with Latakia previous to this, but I think Roman's and Dustin's descriptions of the flavors are pretty spot on: The smoky mesquiteness, without a doubt, dominated the cigar.
I personally wouldn't describe it as "campfire" as much as I would "smoky BBQ" though. Depends on what type of wood you burn for your campfire --- if you're like me and burn mostly pine for outdoor fires, you know the pine gives off a different aroma than other woods. Now, if you normally burn a hardwood for your campfires though then yes, this might be reminiscent of the aroma of a campfire for you.
I did not pick-up coffee, but I thought I got a slight hint of leather. Hard to tell though, smoked meat, hickory, and delicious BBQ is all I could think of.
That will turn some of you off to this cigar, but if you're a fan of smoky goodness then this cigar is a must try.
The cigar didn't change much throughout the almost 2 hours it lasted, it mellowed out towards the end but that's about it.
------------------------
Final thoughts:
If you want an intricate smoke with hundreds of different nuanced flavors/aromas this will not deliver.
But if you are a lover of mesquite smokiness, charcoal grills, hickory wood chips, slow cooked smoked meat, and wish you could get all of that from a cigar then the Spectre is a must try.
I give this one two thumbs up.
(And as far as price goes, I think the listed box prices of $4.5-$6/stick are fair. If you can find them "on sale" for less then you're getting a bargain IMO.)
* I have a new address as of 3/24/18 *