hmmmm. I've smoked at least 10 of these, and never had a construction problem. That's weird. There's always bound to be a bad one though. Sorry that happened.
its not your fault.
unless you sent it to me and you knew it was a bad one.
im also noticing that my reviews are becoming way more critical than they used to be. not sure if thats good or bad.
maybe you are just starting to turn into one of those mean old men who always used to yell at me to get off his grass!
I've got about ten torps with a year or so on them as well as some lanceros. The lanceros are just bland, and I've noticed the torps are getting boring too. Not sure if its my tastes that changed (though I'm sure they have) or if they just age to blandness. I'll have to try a torp on a fresh pallette to see.
hmmmm. I've smoked at least 10 of these, and never had a construction problem. That's weird. There's always bound to be a bad one though. Sorry that happened.
its not your fault.
unless you sent it to me and you knew it was a bad one.
im also noticing that my reviews are becoming way more critical than they used to be. not sure if thats good or bad.
maybe you are just starting to turn into one of those mean old men who always used to yell at me to get off his grass!
Wow, I'm surprised you smoked a RP knowing that they aren't your thing...I have tried all the sizes in the Decade, and IMO, the Torpedo is the best. If you ever give this smoke another try, get a torpedo. I don't know why, but it is ALOT better than the toro...robo...etc.
ill try anything once.
maybe in the future... iduno, im not going out of my way to get another.
Ill go with Krieg here, the Torp is a great Decade Vitola! One of my favorites. I just had one the other day and I would say it is aging well.
Agreed it is the best of the line, but I had one that was aging for about a year and a half this past March - it was so frickin boring. Like watching paint dry.
Kristoff Sumatra torpedo (6.25 x 52)
Wrapper: Ecuadorian Sumatra
Binder: Brazilian
Filler: Cuban seed Dominican, Cuban seen Nicaraguan
The cigar is a medium light brown and has a few dominant veins. The cap is cracked a tiny bit but it isnt too bad (I hope).
The taste before the cut has a light oily-sour note and is overall very mild.
A cut with the double guillotine cuts off the cracked part of the cap without incident. The draw is a bit tight but Ive cut off as much as I feel ok with. The draw is a touch tight. The flavor on the unlit draw is cinnamon with no heat at all.
The first few puffs are mild and floral in a hops-y way. There is a sweet note to it. Through the nose there is a leathery musk that is very good. There is not a ton of smoke but what smoke comes out is very flavorful.
As the cigar settles in, the sweetness fades --but not in a bad way. There is a bit of a cinnamon flavor that develops and maybe a bit of cedar. All of this stems from a classic tobacco flavor.
The aftertaste has a bit of licorice to it. The burn is very even.
The first ash falls at about 2 inches. It was quite impressive to see.
At the half way point the flavor is still a classic tobacco and the focus seems to be on cedar and cinnamon. Leather and musk carry over to the finish. The burn is still perfect. It has built to a fuller medium body. Though the flavor is almost exactly the same it has rounded out a bit and become a bit bolder.
The ash did not fall again until the cigar was 2/3 of the way through.
From there the smoke begins to warm a bit but not to the detriment of the cigar.
As the cigar winds down, it seems to flatten out a bit. A bit of bite develops and the aftertaste becomes a bit longer. The Nicaraguan filler starts to come out more in the flavor but it is not overpowering.
I think you got a bad one as far as draw goes, I've smoked 5-6 of this one and had perfect draw on all. The rest of the review was spot on from the ones I smoked. Mine never got any bite at the end, though, I think that's gotta be from the tight draw.
I've had a tight draw on about half of the Sumatra torpedos I've smoked. Never been problematic, but I have noticed that Kristoff cigars in general can tend to have a tight draw, in fact I've never had one with anything less than a firm draw.
I've also noticed these don't age well. No sense in putting a lot of time on them, better to just smoke them after a little rest.
Very dissapointed here. I have 8 with about a year on them. Hopefully I find a different experience.
I just had one, a torpedo, with about a year on it. The flavors were muttled, and muted. I'm inclined to agree with Kuzi's review. It was very similar to my own experience. It's a bummer, because when I first had this stick a few years ago I was amazed by it. I almost bought a box, but ccom was out of torps at the time. I don't think they age very well either. The aroma was great, but the flavor left me wanting. I've got some fresh ones, and I'm going to try one of those in the next few days for a comparison.
Edit: I tried a fresher one the next day. It was a little better, but I've decided I'm over this cigar. Something that smells so great should have more and better flavor.
Oliveros Classic Churchill (7 x 50)
Wrapper: Ecuadorian Sumatra
Binder: Dominican
Filler: Dominican, Nicaraguan.
The wrapper on this cigar is a medium brown. It has some tooth to it and it looks like there were some construction issues when it was applied.
The smell is heavy and a bit barnyard but also a bit sweet.
The lick on the cap is oily but almost flavorless.
Cut with a punch. The draw is a bit loose and has an earthy taste to it.
The light is quick. As it turns out, its too quick, because the first few puffs have a bitter taste on the finish that is indicative of a burn that is too hot. The rest of the flavors are a sharp wood.
As it settles down, the wood notes come out retaining the sharpness. Through the nose is a slightly bitter musk. The bitter is almost an afterthought. The initial flavors on the palate almost seem to not go with the flavors through the nose. if the flavors through the nose were a bit lighter then it would be more in balance.
The first ash falls after about an inch and a half. This is about the point where some burnt coco flavors show up along with a mild white pepper. This brings it back into balance.
The burn is not perfect but it isnt bad either.
The aroma is very cedar
Nearing the half way point a salty note shows up. Beyond that the flavors are about the same, though the burnt coco has settled down a bit. The body has built to a mild- medium with the balance losing all of the remaining awkwardness.
The ash is a bit flakey.
With a bit under a third left the sharpness of the wood moves to the finish, but the overall flavor profile is the same.
Cu-Avana Intenso Churchill (7x48)
Wrapper: Habano Seed Nicaraguan Corojo
Binder: Nicaraguan?
Filler: All Ligero Nicaraguan and Peruvian
Blender: Nestor Plasencia
The wrapper is smooth and oily with a dark brown color.
The lick on the cap is surprisingly sweet and spicy. An earthy smell comes off the foot.
Cut with a punch. The unlit draw is chocolaty and a bit firm for my taste and the firm draw made the light slightly difficult.
The first few puffs have flavors that are spicy, a good amount sweet and the autumn flavor that I associate with corojo wrappers. The best way to describe it is a pile of fall leaves on a crisp morning. Though all these flavors are all there the impression is thin. There is little depth to it as if they are all on the same level.
After the first ash (inch and a half) the flavors have rounded out a bit and there is now an earthy undertone that makes the rest of the flavors seem better. It balances out the cigar nicely. The spice is building slightly, and the burn so far is perfect. This early in the cigar you can tell it is a full bodied beast. Though there is a level of complexity now, I dont find it overly so. I do, however, find it tasty.
About an hour into this cigar it really hits the sweet spot. The earthy tone is still there to set the base. There is a sweet note initially with a woody spice tone to it. The after taste leaves the earth on the palate. The finish is quite long. There is no element of harsh whatsoever even through the nose. This is nothing short of amazing given how powerful this smoke it.
With a third of the cigar left there are a few minor burn issues, but nothing a very quick touch up wont fix. The flavors have carried on unchanged from the last point of interest.
As the cigar winds down the flavor does a little as well. It reminds me very much of the first third of the cigar. I suspect this is due to the length of this particular vitola. There is longer filler leaf in this cigar showing off the natural nutrient distribution within leaves from one end to another.
The power of this cigar is quite amazing. But what is more amazing is how it is so smooth and balanced given the power.
This cigar could stand for some serious aging. Once it has calmed down after aging a few years I feel that it will reveal good things.
and you may be able to get up and walk when you are done
I had the same impression with the Churchill, but the "thin" profile you mention in the first and last thirds was not the case in the Torpedo. That vitola really shined, and the entire cigar was more like your second third.
Alex Svensons Personal Blend
Toro (6 x 52)
Wrapper: secret
Binder: secret
Filler: secret
Blender: Alex Svenson and AJ Fernandez.
All that is known for sure about this cigar is that it is heavy on ligero.
The wrapper on this cigar is very dark, but it does not look like a standard maduro. Its not quite maduro dark. It also dose not feel like a maduro in the hand. The wrapper is smoother than it looks but you can feel oils on the fingers. There is a sheen on it.
When taken out of the cellophane, a light hey smell wafts up to the nose even before it is brought to the nose. The bouquet is a classic tobacco with a round earthy tone to it. The lick on the cap has very little flavor to it but feels oily on the lips.
Cut with my Xikar 007 punch cutter. The pre-light draw has perfect resistance and has a classic tobacco taste and a vegetal feel to it.
12:20
lit with my Bugatti B-1 Torch Lighter.
The aroma let off by this cigar is slightly woody.
The first few puffs are spicy and a bit sweet. the sweet is very short on the palate while the black pepper spice tends to linger for quite some time. Through the nose, there is pepper (with no burn) and the vegetable element from the pre-light draw comes through. It tastes maybe of spinach (?) and grain(?) but Im not sure. Ive never tasted this in a cigar before.
Right off the bat a corrective light is needed due to operator error. This may cause the cigar to take a bit longer to settle in.
As it does settle in the flavor that usually comes from Nicaraguan cigars comes through, slightly woody and some spice one it. The sweet that remains reminds me of pure sugar. I am surprised by this because I dont usually associate sweet with ligero.
This cigar does something that only Davidoff (Kelner blended) cigars have done in the past: it makes my mouth water. Twenty minutes in and the water next to me has yet to be touched.
12:45
The first ash fell an inch in. This seems a little long since I am 25 minutes into the cigar. This leads me to believe that it is burning slowly. The sweet is continually fading but not going away completely. The aftertaste is also shifting to a woodier feel.
1:11
The next ash falls after another inch. There was a corrective light in there but nothing major. At this point one thing is clear: this is a full bodied cigar. It is not overwhelming but definitely full. Now the sweet comes and goes. Actually, many flavors come and go. This is a very nuanced and complex cigar. Again this is amazing considering that this is ligero heavy and full bodied. It is incredibly balanced. The smoke through the nose has warmed but still does not burn. (Of course only 10%-20% of the smoke is pushed through the nose.)
The aftertaste is getting shorter but somehow rounder at the same time. The aftertaste is the highlight so far, followed closely by the vegetable flavor that I cannot pin down. It is truly unique. It manages to feel classic and approachable while having a very unique and new flavor.
1:30
Around the half way point the spice becomes more cinnamon in nature. Beyond that the overall flavor is about the same only the vegetable flavor reminds me of un-roasted coffee beans. This is truly a complex cigar. If you like full bodied cigars this will satisfy, but even if you like mild to medium cigars it is very approachable.
The burn speed seems to be getting quicker.
2:20
As the cigar works its way through the final third, a very light coffee flavor develops and the smoke warms a bit accentuating the cinnamon-esque spice.
2:50
Burn to the burn.
Burn time: 2h 30min
The only solid criticism I have for this cigar is that the ash seemed to let go earlier than I am used to; usually falling an inch apart. Still not bad IMHO.
no water was consumed during the making of this review
Off the top of my head only 2 cigars have rated higher in my catalog: Arturo Fuente OpusX Perfecxion No. 4 (95) and Avo 22 (97).
It tied with the La Flor Dominicana Double Ligero Maduro Chisel.
Other side note: this review had more words than any review save for the review of Arturo Fuente OpusX Perfecxion No. 4
so....this is post 7,403. just a heads up to all you BORKs out there, my 10k post contest is already in the works. this cigar is going to be one of the prize sticks.
good luck, gentlemen. (and ladies if you are out there)
so....this is post 7,403. just a heads up to all you BORKs out there, my 10k post contest is already in the works. this cigar is going to be one of the prize sticks.
good luck, gentlemen. (and ladies if you are out there)
10k????? that's like 1.5 years out probably. These will be goooood and aged by then. Definitely reason to stick around.
so....this is post 7,403. just a heads up to all you BORKs out there, my 10k post contest is already in the works. this cigar is going to be one of the prize sticks.
good luck, gentlemen. (and ladies if you are out there)
10k????? that's like 1.5 years out probably. These will be goooood and aged by then. Definitely reason to stick around.
Oh yeah, and I love RUination!!! (just in case)
1.5 years sounds about right.
the ruination will not be one of the cigars in the prize.
sorry.
all but one will be a limited edition cigar or at least VERY high end. the one that wont be will be my go-to cigar for the last few months before the contest, whatever that may be.
so....this is post 7,403. just a heads up to all you BORKs out there, my 10k post contest is already in the works. this cigar is going to be one of the prize sticks.
good luck, gentlemen. (and ladies if you are out there)
10k????? that's like 1.5 years out probably. These will be goooood and aged by then. Definitely reason to stick around.
Oh yeah, and I love RUination!!! (just in case)
1.5 years sounds about right.
the ruination will not be one of the cigars in the prize.
sorry.
all but one will be a limited edition cigar or at least VERY high end. the one that wont be will be my go-to cigar for the last few months before the contest, whatever that may be.
Comments
"Long ashes my friends."
maybe in the future... iduno, im not going out of my way to get another.
Very dissapointed here. I have 8 with about a year on them. Hopefully I find a different experience.
Kristoff Sumatra torpedo (6.25 x 52)
Wrapper: Ecuadorian Sumatra
Binder: Brazilian
Filler: Cuban seed Dominican, Cuban seen Nicaraguan
The cigar is a medium light brown and has a few dominant veins. The cap is cracked a tiny bit but it isnt too bad (I hope).
The taste before the cut has a light oily-sour note and is overall very mild.
A cut with the double guillotine cuts off the cracked part of the cap without incident. The draw is a bit tight but Ive cut off as much as I feel ok with. The draw is a touch tight. The flavor on the unlit draw is cinnamon with no heat at all.
The first few puffs are mild and floral in a hops-y way. There is a sweet note to it. Through the nose there is a leathery musk that is very good. There is not a ton of smoke but what smoke comes out is very flavorful.
As the cigar settles in, the sweetness fades --but not in a bad way. There is a bit of a cinnamon flavor that develops and maybe a bit of cedar. All of this stems from a classic tobacco flavor.
The aftertaste has a bit of licorice to it. The burn is very even.
The first ash falls at about 2 inches. It was quite impressive to see.
At the half way point the flavor is still a classic tobacco and the focus seems to be on cedar and cinnamon. Leather and musk carry over to the finish. The burn is still perfect. It has built to a fuller medium body. Though the flavor is almost exactly the same it has rounded out a bit and become a bit bolder.
The ash did not fall again until the cigar was 2/3 of the way through.
From there the smoke begins to warm a bit but not to the detriment of the cigar.
As the cigar winds down, it seems to flatten out a bit. A bit of bite develops and the aftertaste becomes a bit longer. The Nicaraguan filler starts to come out more in the flavor but it is not overpowering.
Burn to the nub
Burn time: 1 hour 45 min
Burn: 10
Draw: 8
Taste: 9
Aftertaste: 9
Balance: 9
Construction: 10
Feel: 9
Overall: 9.2
Edit: I tried a fresher one the next day. It was a little better, but I've decided I'm over this cigar. Something that smells so great should have more and better flavor.
7-14-10 been in humi since 4-27-08
Oliveros Classic Churchill (7 x 50)
Wrapper: Ecuadorian Sumatra
Binder: Dominican
Filler: Dominican, Nicaraguan.
The wrapper on this cigar is a medium brown. It has some tooth to it and it looks like there were some construction issues when it was applied.
The smell is heavy and a bit barnyard but also a bit sweet.
The lick on the cap is oily but almost flavorless.
Cut with a punch. The draw is a bit loose and has an earthy taste to it.
The light is quick. As it turns out, its too quick, because the first few puffs have a bitter taste on the finish that is indicative of a burn that is too hot. The rest of the flavors are a sharp wood.
As it settles down, the wood notes come out retaining the sharpness. Through the nose is a slightly bitter musk. The bitter is almost an afterthought. The initial flavors on the palate almost seem to not go with the flavors through the nose. if the flavors through the nose were a bit lighter then it would be more in balance.
The first ash falls after about an inch and a half. This is about the point where some burnt coco flavors show up along with a mild white pepper. This brings it back into balance.
The burn is not perfect but it isnt bad either.
The aroma is very cedar
Nearing the half way point a salty note shows up. Beyond that the flavors are about the same, though the burnt coco has settled down a bit. The body has built to a mild- medium with the balance losing all of the remaining awkwardness.
The ash is a bit flakey.
With a bit under a third left the sharpness of the wood moves to the finish, but the overall flavor profile is the same.
Burn time: 2 hours 10 minutes.
Burn: 9
Draw: 8
Taste: 9
Aftertaste: 8
Balance: 8
Construction: 8
Feel: 9
Overall: 8.4
Cu-Avana Intenso Churchill (7x48)
Wrapper: Habano Seed Nicaraguan Corojo
Binder: Nicaraguan?
Filler: All Ligero Nicaraguan and Peruvian
Blender: Nestor Plasencia
The wrapper is smooth and oily with a dark brown color. The lick on the cap is surprisingly sweet and spicy. An earthy smell comes off the foot. Cut with a punch. The unlit draw is chocolaty and a bit firm for my taste and the firm draw made the light slightly difficult.
The first few puffs have flavors that are spicy, a good amount sweet and the autumn flavor that I associate with corojo wrappers. The best way to describe it is a pile of fall leaves on a crisp morning. Though all these flavors are all there the impression is thin. There is little depth to it as if they are all on the same level.
After the first ash (inch and a half) the flavors have rounded out a bit and there is now an earthy undertone that makes the rest of the flavors seem better. It balances out the cigar nicely. The spice is building slightly, and the burn so far is perfect. This early in the cigar you can tell it is a full bodied beast. Though there is a level of complexity now, I dont find it overly so. I do, however, find it tasty.
About an hour into this cigar it really hits the sweet spot. The earthy tone is still there to set the base. There is a sweet note initially with a woody spice tone to it. The after taste leaves the earth on the palate. The finish is quite long. There is no element of harsh whatsoever even through the nose. This is nothing short of amazing given how powerful this smoke it.
With a third of the cigar left there are a few minor burn issues, but nothing a very quick touch up wont fix. The flavors have carried on unchanged from the last point of interest.
As the cigar winds down the flavor does a little as well. It reminds me very much of the first third of the cigar. I suspect this is due to the length of this particular vitola. There is longer filler leaf in this cigar showing off the natural nutrient distribution within leaves from one end to another.
The power of this cigar is quite amazing. But what is more amazing is how it is so smooth and balanced given the power.
This cigar could stand for some serious aging. Once it has calmed down after aging a few years I feel that it will reveal good things.
and you may be able to get up and walk when you are done
Burn to the Nub
Burn time: 2 hours 20 minutes.
Burn: 8
Draw: 8
Taste: 9
Aftertaste: 9
Balance: 10
Construction: 9
Feel: 8
overall: 8.7
Alex Svensons Personal Blend
Toro (6 x 52)
Wrapper: secret
Binder: secret
Filler: secret
Blender: Alex Svenson and AJ Fernandez.
All that is known for sure about this cigar is that it is heavy on ligero.
The wrapper on this cigar is very dark, but it does not look like a standard maduro. Its not quite maduro dark. It also dose not feel like a maduro in the hand. The wrapper is smoother than it looks but you can feel oils on the fingers. There is a sheen on it.
When taken out of the cellophane, a light hey smell wafts up to the nose even before it is brought to the nose. The bouquet is a classic tobacco with a round earthy tone to it. The lick on the cap has very little flavor to it but feels oily on the lips.
Cut with my Xikar 007 punch cutter. The pre-light draw has perfect resistance and has a classic tobacco taste and a vegetal feel to it.
12:20
lit with my Bugatti B-1 Torch Lighter.
The aroma let off by this cigar is slightly woody.
The first few puffs are spicy and a bit sweet. the sweet is very short on the palate while the black pepper spice tends to linger for quite some time. Through the nose, there is pepper (with no burn) and the vegetable element from the pre-light draw comes through. It tastes maybe of spinach (?) and grain(?) but Im not sure. Ive never tasted this in a cigar before.
Right off the bat a corrective light is needed due to operator error. This may cause the cigar to take a bit longer to settle in.
As it does settle in the flavor that usually comes from Nicaraguan cigars comes through, slightly woody and some spice one it. The sweet that remains reminds me of pure sugar. I am surprised by this because I dont usually associate sweet with ligero.
This cigar does something that only Davidoff (Kelner blended) cigars have done in the past: it makes my mouth water. Twenty minutes in and the water next to me has yet to be touched.
12:45 The first ash fell an inch in. This seems a little long since I am 25 minutes into the cigar. This leads me to believe that it is burning slowly. The sweet is continually fading but not going away completely. The aftertaste is also shifting to a woodier feel.
1:11 The next ash falls after another inch. There was a corrective light in there but nothing major. At this point one thing is clear: this is a full bodied cigar. It is not overwhelming but definitely full. Now the sweet comes and goes. Actually, many flavors come and go. This is a very nuanced and complex cigar. Again this is amazing considering that this is ligero heavy and full bodied. It is incredibly balanced. The smoke through the nose has warmed but still does not burn. (Of course only 10%-20% of the smoke is pushed through the nose.)
The aftertaste is getting shorter but somehow rounder at the same time. The aftertaste is the highlight so far, followed closely by the vegetable flavor that I cannot pin down. It is truly unique. It manages to feel classic and approachable while having a very unique and new flavor.
1:30
Around the half way point the spice becomes more cinnamon in nature. Beyond that the overall flavor is about the same only the vegetable flavor reminds me of un-roasted coffee beans. This is truly a complex cigar. If you like full bodied cigars this will satisfy, but even if you like mild to medium cigars it is very approachable.
The burn speed seems to be getting quicker.
2:20
As the cigar works its way through the final third, a very light coffee flavor develops and the smoke warms a bit accentuating the cinnamon-esque spice.
2:50
Burn to the burn.
Burn time: 2h 30min
The only solid criticism I have for this cigar is that the ash seemed to let go earlier than I am used to; usually falling an inch apart. Still not bad IMHO.
no water was consumed during the making of this review
Burn: 9
Draw: 10
Taste: 9
Aftertaste: 10
Balance: 10
Construction: 8.5
Feel: 9
Overall: 9.4
Off the top of my head only 2 cigars have rated higher in my catalog: Arturo Fuente OpusX Perfecxion No. 4 (95) and Avo 22 (97).
It tied with the La Flor Dominicana Double Ligero Maduro Chisel.
Other side note: this review had more words than any review save for the review of Arturo Fuente OpusX Perfecxion No. 4
"Long ashes my friends."
just a heads up to all you BORKs out there, my 10k post contest is already in the works.
this cigar is going to be one of the prize sticks.
good luck, gentlemen. (and ladies if you are out there)
Oh yeah, and I love RUination!!! (just in case)
the ruination will not be one of the cigars in the prize.
sorry.
all but one will be a limited edition cigar or at least VERY high end. the one that wont be will be my go-to cigar for the last few months before the contest, whatever that may be.