Kuzi's cigar catalog

A few of the guys here have asked me to post my reviews on a single thread here on the cigar.com forum much like I did on the old cigar.com forum/AmBack/Eotac/whateverothernameitmayhave. So thats what Im going to do.

When I started to catalog my cigars in September of 2006 I was making a personal catalog for my use only. I was very green, and this was my method of learning about cigars. It was effectively going to be a collection of reviews by a newbie, for a newbie.

The forum then decided to reformat itself a bit. There was a new section called reviews and ratings. I thought to myself awe what the heck, and I began to post my reviews. I got good feedback. It kept me going.

I still look at my reviews as by a newbie for a newbie. I try to give as much information as I can because that is what I wanted when I was starting to smoke cigars. I probably wont review too many very high end cigars because most newbies dont often spend $30+ on one cigar.

One more thing to keep in mind: my reviews are of one cigar on one day. They are not a collection of my notes of the same cigar over time. If the cigar sucks in my review it could be several things. Maybe I got a bad one. Maybe what I ate that day is affecting the taste. Maybe the cigar actually sucks. Maybe it was a gift and the person that had it before me let it dry out. The possibilities are endless. If I give a bad review to one of your favorite cigars feel free to post on why you think Im wrong. I am all about the open debate and discussion. Heck, feel free to comment in this thread about any of the cigars I review.

With any luck, I will be grabbing a cigar here in a little while and we will have a review by late this afternoon.

one more thing...
here is the link to the first half of the catalog:
http://www.eotacforum.com/viewtopic.php?f=135&t=40819

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kuzi16

8-30-11 been in humidor since 5-11-11
Mi Barrio, El Forro (7 x 48)
Wrapper: Nicaraguan Habano
Binder: Nicaraguan
Filler: Nicaraguan (Jalapa, Estali)
Blender: Don Pepin Garcia

This cigar is put out by EO (the same people that put out 601) and was blended, in part, to honor Orestes Espinosa Sr (the father of Erik Espinosa, The E of EO). It features artwork by Edin Gutierrez who is good friends with Don Pepin Garcia and Orestes Espinoza. Those are the two on the band. Mi Barrio is Spanish for my Neighborhood, so these portraits seem appropriate for a cigar made by and for a group of friends.

Thank you to Alienmisprint for the good looking out on this cigar. I don't even remember why it was sent to me, but I am grateful nonetheless. The date this cigar hit his humidor was March 12th 2010. Nothing like an aged cigar. Even better is when it comes pre-aged

The cigar is a medium brown color and the wrapper is not perfect. I wouldnt go so far as to call it rustic but it is not perfect. The smell is classic tobacco but maybe with a hint of earth to it. The lick on the cap is a bit spicy. A cut with my double guillotine. The draw is a bit tight but the cold draw tastes great. There is a good moist earth flavor with hints of vanilla.

After lighting, I am welcomed to the cigar with round flavors that are sharp an earthiness that boarders on sweet. Through the nose, the spice is overpowering. The spice notes not through the nose are actually fairly mild; mostly white pepper. The standard nicaraguan taste/texture is there. I find that DPG tends to blend away some of the pulp texture and turns it into spice instead. The rest of it ended up being a sharp earthiness.
As the first ash falls, the flavor seems to carry the DPG blending style. I'm not sure how to describe that, but I can tell that it was blended by him. As I smoke more DPG, I notice it more and more.

The burn is good and the draw has loosened up a bit. It is a medium-full blend. The flavors dont seem to have changed too much as I start into the middle third, though the spice has settled through the nose a bit. This cigar has some of the things that I correlate with Cuban cigars. The sharp earth flavor, the mild spice, even the texture of the smoke. It is less defined in this incarnation, but the comparison can be made. It still doesnt feel Cuban to me, but a few notes are similar.

I feel that the cigar is burning faster than I thought it would. Only 45 minutes in and I am nearing the midpoint. The flavors have not changed very much, but I enjoy what is here. I have a feeling that I will want a smaller vitola in the future. Just past the midpoint, I start to have burn issues. One side just wont stay lit. a touch up is needed.

As the cigar gets to the final third the sharpness gets more intense. I feel that, though this cigar embodies the over all flavor that DPG goes for, it does nto have the complexity that I usually find in his blends. The further this cigar goes, the less balance it gets. The sharp earth flavor is getting too much compared to other flavors.

The cigar ends on the same note.
Burn time: 2 hours

Burn: 8
Draw: 8
Taste: 8
Aftertaste: 8
Construction: 9
Balance: 7
Feel: 8

Hayblet

This is a constant favorite of mine, was a little unsure of it when Alien sent me a few I think as part of a PIF? I think it's a very underrated Cigar, and probably most people would pass on it based off looks alone, it's a great smoke with that classic DPG flavoresque that he manages to pull off in most of his sticks. I have one with close to 2 years on it and can't wait to smoke it and re-review it for WBFiller, (least I think I reviewed the first one I smoked)either way glad to see you enjoyed it as well.

kuzi16

9-14-11 been in humi since 9-1-11
SWAG Quickie (corona 5.5 x 42)
Wrapper: Dominican Ligero
Binder: Dominican Ligero
Filler: Dominican Ligero
Blender: Rafael Nodal

This cigar is put out by the Oliveros Company. It is an all Dominican Puro. Most, if not all of this cigar is made from Ligero. The SWAG website (SWAGcigars.com) claims that it is all ligero. The fear with this cigar comes not from the promise of an all ligero cigar to put someone down, but rather the image that it exudes. The subtitle to this cigar is Swag Cigar Lifestyle and the tag-line is this is not your father's Dominican cigar.
why does this worry me? A few things are going on here.
1) The name itself reminds me of the recent youth. It sounds like it should be the name of an Axe Body Spray scent.
2) The tag-line is trying to capitalize on the over-the-top powerhouse trend that just wont die in the cigar world.
3) The reference to a lifestyle comes off with a big pimpin feel to it. I do realize that Davidoff also sells a cigar lifestyle but they are not in your face about it and that is a key difference.

However, I am excited to try this cigar because in general I am a fan of Dominican tobacco, especially Dominican puros. (read: OpusX)

The presentation of this cigar looks very good from the front. The red and gold band are a bit flashy, but not as much as their website is. Had I not gone there, I would not have felt as negative at the image/presentation of this cigar as I do. Maybe im just becoming an old man. As I turn the cigar around the clean cut and flashy presentation is not as impressive. The cut on the bands and the white paper wrapper are rough and they look like they have been hastily applied. Again, dont judge a book by its cover.

After all bands and wrappers are pulled off, what is left is a reddish brown wrapper leaf. There are some dominant veins and the seems are very obvious. This is probably due to the inherent heartiness of a Dominican Ligero. The lick on the cap has a spice to it that is cinnamon in nature. There is not much beyond that. The draw after the clip with a double guillotine is a bit too easy. The cold draw has a classic dark tobacco flavor to it. There is something else there that I cant put my finger on. But I like it. Time to light.

The first few lit draws have a bit of a leathery tone with a bitter aftertaste. This fades away a bit so I am assuming that this is a bad light on my part and it was just burning hot. The flavors settle in to a spicy licorice flavor with a bit of spicy musk through the nose. The aftertaste is still on the bitter side.

The first ash falls after the first 10 minutes. It is flaky. At least the burn is even so far. It is not as strong as I would have expected. I would place it a little less powerful as an OpusX (the famous Dominican puro. Im not sure this is a fair comparison though.).

The middle third brings on more toasty notes. This cigar seems designed to smoke fast. If I slow down it goes out. 20 minutes in and it has gone out twice. The small ring makes it difficult to regulate the temperature of the burn. Too fast (how it seems to be designed to smoke) and its burns hot and a bit bitter. To slow, and it goes out. This may be a fatal flaw for this vitola. Maybe a different size would treat this cigar better. This is also the point where the power start in a bit. Its still not the powerhouse cigar I was expecting.

The final third has more of a leather flavor than the first two thirds. It also has a bit more bitter flavor. The bitter reminds me of the part of coffee that I dont like. Others do like that bitter, but that is what keeps me from really enjoying coffee. There is a depth of flavor here but it is not very impressive. To me the aftertaste is what is bringing this cigar down. The hot burn caused by the pace of the smoke is making the aftertaste less enjoyable and more bitter than it should be. The aftertaste also does not match the initial flavor so it feels off balance.
A major run happens in the last third. Its probably construction issues. Corrective action is taken. The last few puffs are not too hot as I was expecting. The flavor remains consistent with the last third for the rest of the cigar.

The best part of this cigar through the length of it is the amount of smoke off of each puff. This produces thick clouds of smoke that are always fun to have. It looks cool and has a good feel to that aspect.

Burn time: 1 hour 20 min

Burn: 8
Draw: 8
Taste: 8
Aftertaste: 7
Construction: 7
Balance: 7
Feel: 8

a few suggestions to improve this cigar as blended: bigger ring
a year or two in the humidor to tone it down and, with luck, balance it more.

Russ55

Didn't know it was an Oliveros. I got one of these in the recent Cotm shipment. Not sure of the Vitola. Two other people on here tried it and weren't too hot on it either. Maybe I'll bury it, and try it a few years. Also, I agree, the marketing they're using for this cigar is stupid.

stephen_hannibal

Hated that cigar.

lcpleel

kuzi16:
Burn: 8
Draw: 8
Taste: 8
Aftertaste: 7
Construction: 7
Balance: 7
Feel: 8

a few suggestions to improve this cigar as blended: bigger ring
a year or two in the humidor to tone it down and, with luck, balance it more.

My Thoughts....
Burn: 5
Draw: 5
Taste: 4
Aftertaste: 4
Construction: 6
Balance: 5
Feel: 6

stephen_hannibal

lcpleel:
kuzi16:
Burn: 8
Draw: 8
Taste: 8
Aftertaste: 7
Construction: 7
Balance: 7
Feel: 8

a few suggestions to improve this cigar as blended: bigger ring
a year or two in the humidor to tone it down and, with luck, balance it more.

My Thoughts....
Burn: 5
Draw: 5
Taste: 4
Aftertaste: 4
Construction: 6
Balance: 5
Feel: 6

That's out of 100 right.

kuzi16

lcpleel:
kuzi16:
Burn: 8
Draw: 8
Taste: 8
Aftertaste: 7
Construction: 7
Balance: 7
Feel: 8

a few suggestions to improve this cigar as blended: bigger ring
a year or two in the humidor to tone it down and, with luck, balance it more.

My Thoughts....
Burn: 5
Draw: 5
Taste: 4
Aftertaste: 4
Construction: 6
Balance: 5
Feel: 6

i have had a taste of 4.... in a white owl peach. this was at least twice as good.

the after taste probably shoulda been lower in my review.

we were about the same on the construction. i didnt think i could give it a lower score because it did treat me fairly well for the most part.

lcpleel

kuzi16:
lcpleel:
kuzi16:
Burn: 8
Draw: 8
Taste: 8
Aftertaste: 7
Construction: 7
Balance: 7
Feel: 8

a few suggestions to improve this cigar as blended: bigger ring
a year or two in the humidor to tone it down and, with luck, balance it more.

My Thoughts....
Burn: 5
Draw: 5
Taste: 4
Aftertaste: 4
Construction: 6
Balance: 5
Feel: 6
i have had a taste of 4.... in a white owl peach. this was at least twice as good.

the after taste probably shoulda been lower in my review.

we were about the same on the construction. i didnt think i could give it a lower score because it did treat me fairly well for the most part.

Kuzi im going to send you the lanceros I have and you tell me if its any better or worse than the corona you tried. After the Swag I tried to make my night better with a LFD chisel with some time on it and it was a bust.

kuzi16

so what you are saying is:
here, lemme send you these cigars that you negatively reviewed because i didnt like em either.
ha ha !

i fear that it will have the same issues as the corona did because of the small ring. however, if you feel the need to send them to me, i wont stop you.

lcpleel

kuzi16:
so what you are saying is:
here, lemme send you these cigars that you negatively reviewed because i didnt like em either.
ha ha !

i fear that it will have the same issues as the corona did because of the small ring. however, if you feel the need to send them to me, i wont stop you.

If you put it that way YES! plus I like reading your reviews.

ENFIDL

kuzi16:
so what you are saying is:
here, lemme send you these cigars that you negatively reviewed because i didnt like em either.
ha ha !

lmao too funny!

kuzi16

9-15-11 been in humidor since 6-4-10
Avo LE10 (55x5.5)
Wrapper: Ecuadorian Special Sun Grown
Binder: Mexican Sumatra
Filler: Dominican Ligero
Blender: Kelner

This cigar was sent to me by one of our very own forum members. However, I do not have it marked as to who sent it to me. Whoever you are, you rule. Thank you.

So, what occasion am I celebrating by lighting this puppy up?
Well, if you have not noticed, this post will be my 9,999th post here on the cigar.com forums. My very next post will be the 10k post contest. What better way to celebrate than to light up a rare cigar I have never had from one of my favorite brands?
I am excited about this one, but I will try and keep my bias to myself and still have an accurate review.

This cigar was released to celebrate Avo Uvezian's 84th birthday. Mr. Uvezian, a jazz musician, has always been a huge fan of cigars. So when he wanted to create a cigar for his namesake, he went to the best: Davidoff. Avo and Kelner have been blending cigars since just before 1988 when the brand hit the shelves.

The double band on this medium-dark brown cigar is elegant with the second band bearing the words Limited Edition and the classic image of Avo in silhouette between the two words. Out of the cellophane the cigar has an oily feel to it and has a decent sheen. The scent is classic tobacco with a bit of earth while the lick on the cap has earth and spice. There is an oily feel in the mouth as well.
The very rounded head makes a light clip with the double guillotine a very simple task. The draw is easy but not too much so. The cold draw has a taste that is boarder-line chocolatey.

Light with a single flame torch.

The light takes longer than I am used to due to the ring that is larger than I usually go for. The first draws after the light are sweeter than I was expecting and they are also spicier than I was expecting as well. The Kelner blending style is still there with a light earthy musk in the background. The spice is very surprising though. Not so much on how spicy it is vs how much I can take it, but rather that it is there at all. I find very few Kelner blends to be spicy at all, and this one is spicy in a black pepper sense. The amount of spice that is there would be considered good compared to other spicy cigars. It is not as spicy as the San Lotano Habano. It is closer to the spice level of the DPG blue when smoked very slowly. As the cigar opens up and settles in, there is a woody note that shows up and the Kelner Musk becomes more defined. This musk somehow is not competing with the spice. It is actually complimenting it. This is surprising to me because I never even considered this combination previously. The aftertaste has a nutty vanilla tone to it that is short and to the point. First impression is that this is a medium strendth cigar with a round full body. The flavors are bold and work well together.
The nutty vanilla tone soon enters the initial flavor right off the draw as an undertone. And sticks with it to the finish. The spice lengthens to make it to the finish as well.

There are a few minor burn issues in the first third but only one minor touch up is needed. By the time the cigar enters the middle third the cigar has taken a sweeter, nuttier and woodier feel to it. The Kelner Musk is still there but is very mild. The spice is just a note through the nose and a hint in the aftertaste. The overall flavor has rounded out and become smoother and the finish is shorter. It is, as said before, to the point. It does not linger as so many other cigars do. I enjoy this shorter style finish because it makes the next puff that much more enjoyable as it feels a bit more fresh on the palate. The ash is firm and consistent. It falls when you expect it to. As this middle third continues a few more burn issues happen. One side is slower than the other. The spice is also building back up. The complexities are keeping this cigar very interesting. By the midpoint the cigar is showing that it is medium-full in strength. I can feel it a bit but it is by no means overwhelming.

The final third brings on the same overall profile but with a toastier feel to it. The spice is longer on the palate but still mellow. The power has kicked it up a notch. It makes me want to slow down just when the cigar needs it. I'm not sure this was done on purpose but if it was then it was a brilliant move by Kelner and Avo.

The last few puffs warm up some. The warmer smoke has more bite to it and brings out the spice and a tiny note of bitter. It isn't unpleasant, but it is noticeable.

Burn to the burn
time: 2 hours flat.

Burn: 8
Draw: 10
Taste: 10
Aftertaste: 10
Construction: 9
Balance: 10
Feel: 9

that's a 9.4 for those of you keeping track. Its in the range of OpusX, Armada, and Davidoff Maduro.

one more post...

Russ55

kuzi16:
Its in the range of OpusX, Armada, and Davidoff Maduro.

.....and that is why I bought many, many boxes of them. It's probably my favorite stick, or at the very least in my top 3.

j0z3r

Glad to see you enjoyed it. I've enjoyed them quite a bit and find that they just get better and better the longer they sit. At the time I sent it, I had had them for around 3 months I think. Still have one box unopened that is going for the long haul. Looking to get 5 years on it before I crack it open. Hope my resolve holds out because this cigar has legs.

BigT06

Russ55:
kuzi16:
Its in the range of OpusX, Armada, and Davidoff Maduro.
.....and that is why I bought many, many boxes of them. It's probably my favorite stick, or at the very least in my top 3.

"many, many boxes"... I'd have to then go straight to a lawyer's office and get much, much help to retain half of my belongings. LOL! (well, the ones I didn't sell to get the cigars LOL!!!!!!!)

if they are even almost as good to your palate as they are to kuzi's, you may just be the luckiest man I know.

awesome review kuzi. I hate when you review stuff I haven't tried... because it now becomes the sick chase to find one. hahaha

rossdavey2

I just smoked the swag for the COTMC. I did not enjoy it at all. It made me think of stale captian black pipe tobacco. It had been resting for nearly a month in my 68 humi. Didn't burn well at all.

Anyone like these. I really wanted too.

stephen_hannibal

Yeah man I wanted to like it too, but it was horrible.

kuzi16

10-28-11 been in humidor since 1-28-11
Berger & Argenti Entubar Robusto (5 3/8 x 54)
Wrapper: Ecuadorian Desflorado Connecticut-seed
Binder: Nicaraguan
Filler: Nicaraguan

This cigar was handed to me by the Berger & Argenti sales representative in their home town of Miami FL. The second he handed me this cigar (the first of this brand that I have ever seen) I look at him and ask How do you light it?

long story short, just like a normal cigar.
If you have not seen this cigar you may wonder why I asked this question. Out of the foot of this cigar is a longer tube of tobacco sticking out farther than the foot. According to THEIR WEBSITE:

"The ligero tobacco that lend the cigar its unique full body is bunched independently before being re-bunched directly into the center of the remaining entubar rolled filler blend. This ligero channel ranges the full length of the cigar and extends ¼ beyond the finished trimmed foot, creating a startlingly unique fuse like appearance that virtually assures a perfect conical burn, long white ash and a rich, complex mosaic of flavors directly focused to the aficionados palate."

That's all well and good but apparently unless you ask the rep how to light it it still needs instructions. A closer inspection of the second band has the words Thoroughly toast entire cigar foot before smoking.

I always do...

a bit more about the ligero tube...
when any cigars are bunched, the ligero ends up in the center of the cigar as it is. This is commonplace and is done on purpose. Ligero leaves, being thicker and stronger (in the physical sense), burns more difficultly than viso or seco. Keeping it close to the center helps it burn. This is also one of the reasons why many cigars tend to burn in a cone.

Back to the cigar
the wide double bands and the ring to length ratio make this cigar look stout and shorter than most robustos even though it is slightly longer when you include the protrusion. A removal of the band reveals that there is a note on the inside of the band. It seems to be about the style of rolling this cigar being reminiscent of the way Cuban cigars are rolled. I say it seems because the band stuck to itself and pulled off a layer of paper.
The cigar itself is a nice solid brown and the core that sticks out is much darker and has a red tint to it. It smells earthy and woody. The lick on the cap has little flavor. There is a slight spice. The clip is made with a double guillotine and the draw is very good.

The light is strange with the tube sticking out. I'm not sure if it is 100% lit. do the edges of the tube need to be lit or just the foot of it? Iduno. What I do know is that the unsureness of it all causes a hot light making the first puffs a bit bitter and harsh. The woody and pulpy texture of Nicaraguan cigars is there though.

The cigar seems to burn strange for me. I usually have little to no cone at the end of a cigar and this one seems to promote one. Im not sure if it is burning evenly or not but the wrapper does seem to burn fast. As it settles down, the main flavor seems to be a grassy and wood flavor. This may be still settling from the light. The ash about half an inch in is holding in the shape of the cigar with the tube of ash sticking out of the foot. The flavor has settled down at this point. The flavor profile is wood and spice. The aftertaste has a hint of bitter to it. The burn and draw are very good.

When the ash does fall, it looks like any other cigar with a cone. I feel that the cigar is burning fast still, but I have no comparison because I did not notice what time I lit it up. In the middle third a strange sweetness develops. This is probably due to the wrapper leaf. It seems almost out of place on the rest of this cigar that is all Nicaraguan. Its interesting but it is out of balance and a bit out of place. The initial flavor and the finish are almost at odds with each other.

The mid point is much of the same. This cigar seems to have one profile. I cant seem to shake that light grass note in the finish. If that was gone then the cigar would be significantly better.

The last third becomes a bit more spicy in a slightly harsh kind of way. It over powers a bit of the grass so this is a welcomed change. Too bad it is so late in the cigar.
Just past where the end of the band formerly sat, the cigar put itself out. I think this is a hint to let it go.

Burn: 8
Draw: 10
Taste: 7
Aftertaste: 7
Construction: 9
Balance: 7
Feel: 8

i feel that the design of this cigar is interesting but im not sure it has actually helped the cigar be a better cigar. the word "gimmick" keeps popping into my head.

BigT06

Thats pretty much what i was expecting... thanks for the review kuzi.

Hayblet

This cigar gimmicky or not had me interested since I first read about it, around the time it ended up in your Humi to "rest", nice review all the same though!

beatnic

LOL. SOunds like you were a little flummoxed on this one Kuzi. I thought the same about it. I'm sure they sold a few on the gimmick.

kaspera79

It's gimmicks that keep me from buying things like these.

kuzi16

10-31-11 been in humi since 5-20-11
Omar Ortez Originals Toro (6 x 54)
Wrapper: Nicaraguan
Binder: Nicaraguan
Filler: Nicaraguan
Blender: Omar Ortez

Thank you JJ20030 for sending me this cigar and giving me the opportunity to try something new.

This cigar put out by Altadis in conjunction with Omar himself. Omar Ortez is a Nicaraguan Native who has worked in the past with Felipe Gregorio and Felipe II cigars
he is is also the blender of the Exile brand cigar made in the NATSA factory. He works in a similar fashion to Padron and Davidoff. By that, I mean he oversees a vertically integrated production facility. In other words he has control over everything from the soil to the smoke.

When this cigar first came out there was not a band on the foot. Over the years one has been added. The band is placed in the foot and it has a foot band unlike most others. The band actually covers the foot of the cigar, as if it were lidded. It slides right off with no issue.

The cigar itself has a good bit of tooth to it. Its a medium brown in color and feels rough to the touch. Maybe it had some age before I got it. It has an overall rustic presentation to it. The cellophane has yellowed quite a bit for as short as it has been away in the humidor. The lick on the cap is very spicy. The moment the tongue touches the cap it is felt. There is also a bit of a sour note to it. As the cap becomes wet, the oils are felt.

I cut it with my Xi2. The cold draw is easy but does have a touch of resistance. I could easily draw too hard on this cigar and over heat it. I must remember to keep it light and slow down. The flavor before the light is earthy and toasted coco in nature but all in very mild forms.

The first few puffs have a cedar quality. The texture feels Nicaraguan. There is a spice note that I cant seem to pin down exactly but the interesting part is that the spice does not increase in intensity the longer it is held in the mouth like most other cigars do. The amount of smoke that this cigar puts out is large; that is always fun.

I am finding this cigar slightly difficult to hold on to because I usually tend to a smaller ring. The 54 feels huge.

As the cigar settles in a nice leathery undertone develops. This is something that is rarely seen in a Nicaraguan puro, and to be honest, is a very nice change of pace from the earthy, nutty cigars that I have been smoking as of late. The finish has also developed a slight musk through the nose that also has some of the cedar quality in the initial flavor. It is very smooth. The first ash doesn't fall too early or to late. It falls a touch over an inch in. there seems to be a depth of flavor. Not all of the flavors are on top and some hit harder than others.

This cigar does have a difficult time staying lit. it has almost gone out and I have had to flat out relight it once as well, and im not even done with the first third. Fortunately, this has not effected the flavor.

As I hit the middle third the cedar and spice become the foremost flavors. The musk has disappeared and the leather is a subtle background flavor. The finish is pepper. Staying lit at the pace that I usually smoke (very slow) seems to be the dominant issue of the cigar. If I puff faster to keep it lit, the spice is stronger. If I puff at MY pace, the cedar is stronger. I like the cedar better so this creates a small problem. the body is on the full side of medium but very much in the medium range.

The final third begins with a third total relight. The flavor profile is less spicy than before and the leather makes a comeback. Cedar is still one of the main players. As it gets closer to the end the cigar heats up and the spice has a bite to it. The pulpy nicaraguan texture becomes clearer.

The last few puffs are hot and too much bite. I want to burn to the burn but I had to stop with a little nub.
Burn time 2 hours 15 min

Burn: 8
Draw: 10
Taste: 8.5
Aftertaste: 9
Construction: 9
Balance: 8
Feel: 9

jj20030

i may have a oo puro and a oo honduran puro maduro ,did i include either of those then?

kuzi16

just that one.

BigT06

Sounds interesting for sure.

The Sniper

Regarding the Berger & Argenti Entubar...

Its gimmicks like this that GET me to buy a cigar and try something different. LOL A way to break up the same-o, same-o if you know what I mean. It seems like the majority of the folks who have commented on these havent cared for them, but I liked them enough to buy a box. Has been a LOOOONG time since I had one, but kuzi's review has put the idea in my head to revisit them... should have around nine months to a year on the sticks I have remaining at this point, so it will be interesting to see what age has done for them.

kuzi16

that B&A Entoubar was the second one that i have had. the first one was when i got them. i was handed two and smoked one right away. i seemed to remember that i liked it the first time. maybe the one i reviewed was a bad stick. as i have said from the get go, the reviews are of one cigar on one day.

kuzi16

11-1-11 Been in humidor since 9-1-11
Davidoff Thousand (Mille) Series
2000 (5 x 43)
Wrapper: Ecuadorian grown Connecticut seed
Binder: Dominican
Filler: Dominican
Blender: Hendrik Kelner, Alejandro Robaina

First off, I have to admit that I have had this cigar on a few occasions. It was the first Davidoff cigar that I ever had. Before trying Davidoff, I had a few Avos, Zinos, Sir Winston Churchills and Griffins. I never could justify the price in my head. One day I got a deal on them at a Davidoff event. I was hooked.

Davidoff controls everything about their products from seed to smoke. Kelner grows his tobacco from six different types of soil in the Yaque valley, and directly supervises the curing, fermentation, aging, making, and maturing processes.

The cigar is much smaller than the general populous seems to want. To me the cigar looks light and elegant. The wrapper is seamless and the band is a crisp white with gold embossing. It is a very classic design and it is the signature of the Davidoff brand.

The smell of the cigar is light and earthy on the side of leaves composting. Of course this is very mild. The wrapper feels very smooth to the fingers. The lick on the cap has a very slight spice and the lips are left feeling very oily. A quick cut with the Xi2 lets a firm draw through. There is a subtle sweetness to the licorice cold taste. I light with my single flame torch lighter.

The first few puffs are very woody and through the nose the other signature of the Davidoff brand is noticed: the Kelner Musk it is in all products that Kelner blends to some degree or another. It is most obvious in the two brands that carry Zino Davidoff's name (Zino and Davidoff) It is in full force on this cigar. Even with all of the smoke of a puff through the nose there is little to no burn. It is one of the smoothest cigars I have ever smoked. The initial flavor of each puff does have a bit of white pepper on it but it is in no way harsh. There is also a very fresh earth quality to it. It is very complex and full of flavor while maintaining a mild body. This cigar is actually making my mouth water; this means that it is doing what it was designed to do. One of the qualities that Kelner tries to bring to his cigars is that mouth watering response. There are actually leaves that cause this much like there are leaves that have a drying effect in your mouth. Kelner believes that if you have a wet mouth you can taste better. He is right. The cigar is mild but much more flavorful than other cigars of this power.

As I enter the middle third of this cigar there is a slight uptick in the initial spice flavor yet it is still very smooth. The cigar has become a bit more round. Some of the flavors seem to gain dominance. The cedar is well defined and the musk is the perfect finish that is short enough to leave you wanting more while not feeling like you are missing anything. There is an overall sweetness that is mild and seems to glue the flavors together. The burn is like a razors edge. Even the ridges in the ash from the points where I took a draw are perfectly parallel. The huge amount of smoke from this little cigar seems almost disproportionate. By the mid point the cedar begins to move to the finish and the fresh earth flavor takes the fore front. The constants in the cigar are the musk and the light sweet undertone.

The final third brings on more spice overall. The first notes of spice through the nose occur almost exactly at the beginning of the final third. The cedar on the finish intensifies and the earth flavor ramps up. The final third is seeming to be the same profile, only stronger. This may actually make it to a medium body yet. As this body builds, however, the tastes get a bit muddied. They are not as refined. They are still better than most cigars but they seem to blend and become less defined.

The last few puffs warm up and get a bit of a bite to them as so many cigars do. The difference here is that bite and this downgrade is still better than many very good cigars out there.

Burn to the burn
time: 1 hour 40 min

Burn: 10
Draw: 9
Taste: 9
Aftertaste: 9.5
Construction: 10
Balance: 10
Feel: 9