Brett, another great review! I am still loving the new format. I'm gonna have to revisit this little guy again reeeaaaallllll soon. Thanks for the review.
Those Liga pics are freaking awsome mam! Try to sell them to drew estate or at least see if they would give you a few freebies for them .
^this!!
Thansk guys, I've been trying to do some outside the box pictures lately, guess I probably should capture those and send em over to JD and Steve Saka, see what they think. No need to sell em though, I'll simply ask that they give me the credit for the picture.... and maybe a box of Flying Pig No. 9's LMAO
"When walking in open territory bother no one. If someone bothers you, ask them to stop. If they do not stop, destroy them."
Manufacturer: My Father Tabacaleras
Size: Toro 6.5 X 52 Wrapper/Binder/Filler: Connecticut Braodleaf (Viso Priming)/Nicaraguan Pelo De Oro/ Nicaraguan Cuban Seed
Draw: I had this cigar in the humi at 67% rH and 65 degrees Fahrenheit for about 5 months. The opening draw performed very well being slightly restrictive, but a buildup of tar partially plugged it later on in the burn. 7/10 pts Burn: Unfortunately I could not keep a straight burn on this to save my life, dryboxing and age will help this greatly to help with the combustion of the leaf itself. 6/10 pts Construction: The cigar was flawlessly made and truly a beauty to look at, the wrapper was beautiful with a massive dark oily sheen and the seams were tight. 10/10 pts Body: This was a very very strong cigar. Using the Viso priming had a lot to do with this, but the Connecticut Broadleaf had a large hand in this as well. For what it was meant to be, a full bodied full flavored cigar, it did it wonderfully. 9.5/10 pts Smoke Time: 1 hr 45 min
Smoking Experience:
From the moment I lit this up it was clear that this was a My Father Tabacleras blend; a
rich aromatic leather is the first thing you notice as the smoke rolls through your mouth
to give way to a massive red pepper spice and black pepper finish. The leather adds a
nice tang that offsets the spice well. After the first quarter inch things really start to open
up, a flowery fragrant aroma that brilliantly balances the red pepper and black pepper
spice that evolves into a meaty core similar to a rare steak with a leather twist really
really killer honestly. Well into the first third and the classic maduro profile is quite
evident and seems to lead into a smoked oak and slight whiskey aroma on the
retrohale. So far this is blowing me away and I am really excited to see where this
evolves into. The ash is a platinum grey color with salt and pepper speckling
throughout the surface of the ash as well. The bitter black pepper gives way to a
smooth coffee and milk chocolate presence with notes of walnut and oak, it is a very
nicely balanced palate and exceptionally smooth as well. The finish is very long and
complex as well, a bittersweet dark chocolate and a mineral rich damp dark earth core
that has these perfect smooth and subtle transitions that make it difficult to pinpoint
where one note ends and the next begins. It has an elegance to the profile that reminds
me heavily of an AVO or My Father blend. Around the 1/3 mark and the burn turns
slightly wavy and needs a mild touch up, the smoke is light in mouth feel but is rich and
blue in color. The body of the cigar that started out as a medium has grown steadily to
surprise you with a head rush out of the blue, something that many cigars dont do to
me anymore. Further on and more oak and chocolate become predominate losing the
majority of the spice and picking up a super oily leather finish and nearly a hop taste
from an IPA beer. Unfortunately the middle third really has the bottom drop out of it and
is badly out of balance missing the spice and being slightly hot and bitter. I think that
given more time to age and marry this is an issue that could easily fix itself though and I
still have high hopes for this cigar in the next years to come. The final third picks back
up however and helps this to finish similarly to how it started in its full glory. The oak
and mineral rich dark earth come back into carry the profile with the coffee and floral
notes complimenting the spice that has returned, but not nearly as strong as the start,
and finishes beautifully with the smoked oak and whiskey twang. The draw starts
tightening up towards the finish though but the citrus elements that I typically find and
love in Nicaraguan tobacco finally comes out and finishes the balance from the bold and
rich tones that have been there the whole time. The burn issues come up again at the
end and require more touch ups and eventually make me put the cigar out.
Honestly even though the burn was an issue and the end was partially plugged, I truly
enjoyed smoking this cigar due to the absolute perfection of the balance and intensely
rich profile that was present in the first and final thirds of the cigar. With time and the
ability to further marry with the cigar I have confidence that both of the issues that I
experienced will be corrected by itself honestly.
Rating Scale:
Balance: 21 out of 25 pts. The middle third hurt this score severely. Construction: 16 out of 20 pts. Burn and draw issues lowered this as well. Draw: 16 out of 20 pts. Semi-plugged draw at the end forced this lower. Flavor: 17.5 out of 20 pts. The middle third hurt it but the others were amazing. Wow Factor: 13 out of 15 pts. The presentation and when it was on it was ON.
Total Score: 83.5 pts.
As a side note, I can EASILY see this score being 10 points higher in just a year after these have aged gracefully and fully married.
"When walking in open territory bother no one. If someone bothers you, ask them to stop. If they do not stop, destroy them."
nice review Brett. What makes this cigar so unique? Pelo De Oro tobacco. many cigar makers talks about it but few of them actually have this tobacco. Pepin has the largest stock of this and he is worried to use them a lot. Other famous brand is Litto Gomez Small batch. This tobacco is disease prone and can easily infect the entire crop quickly. The overpowering, distinctive sweet, leathery notes comes from the tobacco. If you like this cigar then also try tatuaje verite 2008 or 2009.
nice review Brett. What makes this cigar so unique? Pelo De Oro tobacco. many cigar makers talks about it but few of them actually have this tobacco. Pepin has the largest stock of this and he is worried to use them a lot. Other famous brand is Litto Gomez Small batch. This tobacco is disease prone and can easily infect the entire crop quickly. The overpowering, distinctive sweet, leathery notes comes from the tobacco. If you like this cigar then also try tatuaje verite 2008 or 2009.
Manufacturer: Cuban Imports Size: 5.5 X 44 Wrapper: Ecuadorian Grown Cuban Seed Criollo Binder/Filler: Connecticut Broadleaf/Dominican and Nicaraguan Box Age: Approximately 4 years
Backstory: The forum that I belong to and frequent daily is a fantastic community and has been instrumental in growing my knowledge, love, and tenacity for myself in this career path. The creation of my website and many of the avenues that I currently am working on are directly caused by the support and knowledge that these brothers give to myself and everyone else. Nearly a year ago a great friend of mine named David sent me a fantastic package that had several of these Exile Coronas in it with (as of now) nearly 4 years of box age on them. Since then Ive tried a few mainly to get myself acquainted with the cigar and to get an accurate baseline for a review. The time was right and so I fired one up after having laid down the rest for 6 months or more and was thrilled with the experience Thank you David, and thank you Cigar.com!
Draw: The draw was fairly tight throughout the dry draw, first light, and first half. Oddly enough however, it opened up significantly immediately after the middle leading me to believe there was a plug. 7/10 Pts Burn: I was a bit let down on the burn only because of the serious box age these have on them. By no means was the burn bad but it was never sharp just wavy even with two minor touch-ups. Never affected the taste or smoke temp so the score will reflect that so. 8/10 pts Construction: Visually and in the hand the corona was solid. No cracks, no runs, and the seams were tight. However, the plug in the draw was a construction issue and so this drops to the score you see. 8.5/10 pts Body: For a natural wrapper the Exile has surprising strength that grows from the moment you light it to the last draw before you are done. It does however start off as a light medium and by the first half has grown into a solid medium and edging towards medium plus. The final moments of the cigar though bring it to a borderline full. 10/10 pts
Smoke Time: 1hr 15 mins
Smoking Experience:
The Exile started with a heavy bouquet of cedar and oak, with a vanilla spice that finished into a sweet cream. The dry woody notes were quite dominate in the first light and into the first third of the cigar making it quite bold and yet refined. The balance is very good having a mild medium body with the bold wooded notes and that creamy and spicy vanilla to sweeten and smooth it out. It eventually grew into a similar profile later on in the burn, but more dominated with a sweet/non-bitter anise on the tip of your tongue that flowed into a robust sweet caramel leather. At the halfway point the draw opened up and burn straightened out. The balance which was already very solid has dramatically improved and completely surprised and impressed me. The flavors have grown in direct match to the body as well and added in something that was missing with the spice, vanilla, and wood which was a sweet roasted peanut and toffee that not only rounded it out but offset the leather and wood superbly. The final third of the cigar grows in body significantly to become a medium-full and has a strong profile like before but the cedar has faded away with the oak, leather, sweet anise, and toffee for the profile on your tongue and a dark chocolate and espresso with crema on the finish. Since I own an espresso machine and brew daily Im quite familiar with that distinct taste and the finish had that in spades. The balance that was already very elegant and refined has only grown to match the increase in body and is still superb all the way down to the nub.
Rating Scale:
Balance: 24 out of 25 pts.This was the highlight of this cigar in my opinion. Construction: 16 out of 20 pts. The plug dropped this number significantly. Draw: 15 out of 20 pts. Not impressed with the draw but the fact that it opened after the half helps. Flavor: 17 out of 20 pts. Great flavor, but the first half was somewhat muted, just felt like it was lacking something. Wow Factor: 14 out of 15 pts. The perfect balance and flavor explosion in the last half was a BIG wow factor for me along with the look and feel of the cigar and its presentation.
Total Score: 86 Pts.
"When walking in open territory bother no one. If someone bothers you, ask them to stop. If they do not stop, destroy them."
Manufacturer: Cuban Imports Size: 5.5 X 44 Wrapper: Ecuadorian Grown Cuban Seed Criollo Binder/Filler: Connecticut Broadleaf/Dominican and Nicaraguan Box Age: Approximately 4 years
Backstory: The forum that I belong to and frequent daily is a fantastic community and has been instrumental in growing my knowledge, love, and tenacity for myself in this career path. The creation of my website and many of the avenues that I currently am working on are directly caused by the support and knowledge that these brothers give to myself and everyone else. Nearly a year ago a great friend of mine named David sent me a fantastic package that had several of these Exile Coronas in it with (as of now) nearly 4 years of box age on them. Since then Ive tried a few mainly to get myself acquainted with the cigar and to get an accurate baseline for a review. The time was right and so I fired one up after having laid down the rest for 6 months or more and was thrilled with the experience Thank you David, and thank you Cigar.com!
Draw: The draw was fairly tight throughout the dry draw, first light, and first half. Oddly enough however, it opened up significantly immediately after the middle leading me to believe there was a plug. 7/10 Pts Burn: I was a bit let down on the burn only because of the serious box age these have on them. By no means was the burn bad but it was never sharp just wavy even with two minor touch-ups. Never affected the taste or smoke temp so the score will reflect that so. 8/10 pts Construction: Visually and in the hand the corona was solid. No cracks, no runs, and the seams were tight. However, the plug in the draw was a construction issue and so this drops to the score you see. 8.5/10 pts Body: For a natural wrapper the Exile has surprising strength that grows from the moment you light it to the last draw before you are done. It does however start off as a light medium and by the first half has grown into a solid medium and edging towards medium plus. The final moments of the cigar though bring it to a borderline full. 10/10 pts
Smoke Time: 1hr 15 mins
Smoking Experience:
The Exile started with a heavy bouquet of cedar and oak, with a vanilla spice that finished into a sweet cream. The dry woody notes were quite dominate in the first light and into the first third of the cigar making it quite bold and yet refined. The balance is very good having a mild medium body with the bold wooded notes and that creamy and spicy vanilla to sweeten and smooth it out. It eventually grew into a similar profile later on in the burn, but more dominated with a sweet/non-bitter anise on the tip of your tongue that flowed into a robust sweet caramel leather. At the halfway point the draw opened up and burn straightened out. The balance which was already very solid has dramatically improved and completely surprised and impressed me. The flavors have grown in direct match to the body as well and added in something that was missing with the spice, vanilla, and wood which was a sweet roasted peanut and toffee that not only rounded it out but offset the leather and wood superbly. The final third of the cigar grows in body significantly to become a medium-full and has a strong profile like before but the cedar has faded away with the oak, leather, sweet anise, and toffee for the profile on your tongue and a dark chocolate and espresso with crema on the finish. Since I own an espresso machine and brew daily Im quite familiar with that distinct taste and the finish had that in spades. The balance that was already very elegant and refined has only grown to match the increase in body and is still superb all the way down to the nub.
Rating Scale:
Balance: 24 out of 25 pts.This was the highlight of this cigar in my opinion. Construction: 16 out of 20 pts. The plug dropped this number significantly. Draw: 15 out of 20 pts. Not impressed with the draw but the fact that it opened after the half helps. Flavor: 17 out of 20 pts. Great flavor, but the first half was somewhat muted, just felt like it was lacking something. Wow Factor: 14 out of 15 pts. The perfect balance and flavor explosion in the last half was a BIG wow factor for me along with the look and feel of the cigar and its presentation.
If anyone has a specific cigar they want me to review next (one that I have that is lol) please SPEAK up and tell me brothers and sisters! I'd also really like to get some constructive criticism and feedback so that I may tailor the reviews to be better. Whether y'all want more detail, more backstory/history of the cigar, different aspects tweaked or added, or a way to appeal to a greater audience and be more professional I really want to know! Thank you all so much for the support and kind words, I just want to make these better and can't do it without your feedback! Thanks again and long ashes!!
"When walking in open territory bother no one. If someone bothers you, ask them to stop. If they do not stop, destroy them."
You got it, should be able to get that in tomorrow or early next week Thanks again Mike, that review will be posted in the "Sponsored by MTuccelli" thread as well!
"When walking in open territory bother no one. If someone bothers you, ask them to stop. If they do not stop, destroy them."
You got it, should be able to get that in tomorrow or early next week Thanks again Mike, that review will be posted in the "Sponsored by MTuccelli" thread as well!
Very good Brett, I am looking forward to reading your thoughts on it. Any idea when we can expect to read Amanda's first review?
You got it, should be able to get that in tomorrow or early next week Thanks again Mike, that review will be posted in the "Sponsored by MTuccelli" thread as well!
Very good Brett, I am looking forward to reading your thoughts on it. Any idea when we can expect to read Amanda's first review?
We have both been doing lots of interviews for new jobs and she just got one so she looks to have had some time clear up finally! Wednesday and Thursday we are both off of work, so we will be doing a few reviews together and she will do her first solo review as well! Thansk for all the support Mike, and thank you to everyone else as well!
"When walking in open territory bother no one. If someone bothers you, ask them to stop. If they do not stop, destroy them."
I just stumbled in here and really enjoyed the reviews. Thanks for these and please continue to do your reviews.
Thanks a ton James, and I will certainly keep doing new shorts and reviews, I really enjoy this format and it allows me to get a few more done each month due to the format.
stephen_hannibal:
Are the exiled still available?
I believe that these are out of production but there are a few places that still have some that you can find, if you want PM me and I'll see what I can do to help locate some.
So for an update on some new reviews, I will be doing a review this evening on the Final Blend that Mike so graciously sent me, while Amanda will be doing her FIRST ever review on another cigar that Mike sent her being the Ion Cafe! Thank you Mike for your supreme generosity and hope you enjoy the reads!!
"When walking in open territory bother no one. If someone bothers you, ask them to stop. If they do not stop, destroy them."
So for an update on some new reviews, I will be doing a review this evening on the Final Blend that Mike so graciously sent me, while Amanda will be doing her FIRST ever review on another cigar that Mike sent her being the Ion Cafe! Thank you Mike for your supreme generosity and hope you enjoy the reads!!
Thanks guys, I hope you enjoy the Final Blend, I have handed that out to a lot of buddies but just want your assurance that it is a good stick to hand out to my good friends or is it a better yard gar. As for Amanda I have high hopes that this Ion Cafe will meet her approval. My daughter wants to herf with me but wants something she can call her "go to". I hope Amanda is willing and ready to review more flavor/infused cigars
Manufacturer: San Rafael Cigars (Based in California to my knowledge)
Size: Robusto 5 X 50
Wrapper: Brazilian Mata Fina Oscuro
Binder/Filler: Dominican, Columbian and Indonesian
Box Age: A few months
Backtsory:
Before I smoked the Final Blend I really knew very little about it. I chose to research and find out all I could after I smoked it so as not to influence or bias my review on it. That being said however, this was one of the cigars that a close and dear friend of mine, Mike Tuccelli, bestowed upon me asking for my take on them. I didnt want to bias my opinion one way or the other so I went into each review blind to get a fair assessment of each cigar. Mike, thank you my friend I have truly enjoyed this gracious opportunity that you have bestowed upon me brother!
The Final Blend is a cigar that is exclusive to Famous Smoke Shop and can only be purchased from their site. Learning more about it and calling their company I came across this description and the information I provided above:
Final Blend cigars are the result of a marathon cigar sampling session held in Nicaragua, and as so often happens, the very last blend is what earned these uber-flavorful, medium-bodied cigars their name. The 'final blend' is...a core of Dominican, Colombian and Indonesian tobaccos rolled in dark, oily Brazilian Mata Fina Oscuro wrappers. Earthy, sweet, and spicy flavors weave in and out as notes of cocoa and coffee bean surface for a deliciously complex, MUST-TRY cigar.
Draw: The draw was just about perfect on this bad boy, somewhat loose to make for an effortless draw but just enough resistance to produce volumes of smoke. 10/10 pts
Burn: The initial light was effortless as well with only the first third needing a touch up or two from the lighting of it. The burn was fairly straight but had some waviness to it, however all was self correcting. 8.5/10 pts
Construction: The Final Blend was just a touch rough looking, the seams were tight but there were two or three heavy veins, some uneven box-pressing, and two small sections of the cap that werent fully smoothed down. None of this affected the cigar mind you, but did make the appearance more rustic. 8.5/10 pts
Body: In general Oscuro wrappers are quite the powerful body, but this one was deceptively smooth and mild. The first 2/3rds of the Robusto were medium body at best, with only the final third growing into a weak full body. Enjoyable all the way through. 9/10 pts
Smoke Time: 55 minutes
Smoking Experience:
I clip the cap with my trusty Xikar Xi guillotine cutter and light it up with a double torch lighter. She lights up quickly and immediately starts producing clouds of white dense smoke, which is already cool and smooth even on the very first draw while lighting. It starts off with the classic maduro profile, but with a twist; it is smoother and more aromatic with a distinct bouquet to the core of it that is very similar and reminiscent of a bold and spicy Merlot wine. It has a red wine grape tone to it along with a spicy sweet red pepper. The finish is clean and short, starting with a leather musk the quickly turns to a very dry tasting cedar and a black pepper aftertaste. The balance, something I was not expecting to be anything special, is actually quite good and in harmony with the medium body. The first major turn for this girl starts early on at just past the 1 mark and drops the dry cedar and spicy tones along with the black pepper aftertaste. It smoothes out to a velvety milk chocolate and honey roasted peanut with a chewy mouth feel to it. The leather musk has settled down as well but is still there floating in and out of the profile. The burn stays fairly sharp with just a few wavy parts here and there. Right about a third into the robusto I pick out a distinct black cherry flavor as a very subtle undertone that is very unique and really focuses my attention on the cigar. The undertone shows up right at the tip of your tongue as the smoke first hits it, then disappears to show up again on the finish with the milk chocolate and peanut. As it burns down the black cherry note strengthens from an undertone to a full-on distinct note in the profile, making the balance of the cigar really shine with complexity and refinement, and holding my attention fast. For such a dark and toothy wrapper that in my experience normally leads to a intensely robust and bold flavor profile, somewhat like a sledgehammer versus a small ball peen hammer, this profile is very delicate and refined. No one flavor overpowers another and all of them are rather subtle and subdued, but in combination with one another and the phenomenal balance that it has right now, it is a fantastic flavor bomb ripe with unique notes and tones. The ash holds tight to nearly 2 which is where I decide to ash it so that I dont wear it, a tendency that I am still trying to break lol.
The strength becomes a somewhat weak full, and the flavor grows to have some balls as well. It is much more robust and chewy with the smoky wood and chocolate becoming the main core. The nutty notes are the finish now and the cigar changes very little from here on out to finish slightly hot and bitter at the final nub. All in all, this girl caught me by surprise and I really enjoyed smoking it!
Rating Scale:
Balance: 25 out of 25 pts. It was dynamic and allowed the balance to continuously grow and shift to match the changing strength, superb!
Construction: 17 out of 20 pts. The uneven box press and partial loose cap took it down a few points.
Draw: 20 out of 20 pts. Nothing wrong here, great draw!
Flavor: 17 out of 20 pts. It had some great flavors, but the last third lacked the complexity that I enjoyed so much earlier on and got hot and bitter.
Wow Factor: 11 out of 15 pts. I was really not expecting much of anything and it came out of nowhere and blew me away, great cigar!
Total Score: 90 Pts.
"When walking in open territory bother no one. If someone bothers you, ask them to stop. If they do not stop, destroy them."
Just finished up smoking and taking down notes for my next review... Cojonu 2012 Sumatra Wrapper. Review to be posted soon!
I smoked one a week or so agon, Definitely looking forward to comparing notes on the Co-Matra.
I'm finished up with the notes and typing those up, just working on formatting the pics and doing the final scoring on the Co-Matra ;P I'm not going to ruin anything, but suffice to say that minus the 07' Bolivar Beli Fino (currently still my all time #1) it may be the best stick I've smoked yet in 2012. Hedged out the OSOK and Namakubi, and OpusX Love Affair, and is neck and neck with the LP Dirty Rat.... I think you'll enjoy the review.
"When walking in open territory bother no one. If someone bothers you, ask them to stop. If they do not stop, destroy them."
Comments
^this!!
Manufacturer: My Father Tabacaleras Size: Toro 6.5 X 52
Wrapper/Binder/Filler: Connecticut Braodleaf (Viso Priming)/Nicaraguan Pelo De Oro/ Nicaraguan Cuban Seed
Draw: I had this cigar in the humi at 67% rH and 65 degrees Fahrenheit for about 5 months. The opening draw performed very well being slightly restrictive, but a buildup of tar partially plugged it later on in the burn. 7/10 pts
Burn: Unfortunately I could not keep a straight burn on this to save my life, dryboxing and age will help this greatly to help with the combustion of the leaf itself. 6/10 pts
Construction: The cigar was flawlessly made and truly a beauty to look at, the wrapper was beautiful with a massive dark oily sheen and the seams were tight. 10/10 pts
Body: This was a very very strong cigar. Using the Viso priming had a lot to do with this, but the Connecticut Broadleaf had a large hand in this as well. For what it was meant to be, a full bodied full flavored cigar, it did it wonderfully. 9.5/10 pts
Smoke Time: 1 hr 45 min
Smoking Experience:
From the moment I lit this up it was clear that this was a My Father Tabacleras blend; a rich aromatic leather is the first thing you notice as the smoke rolls through your mouth to give way to a massive red pepper spice and black pepper finish. The leather adds a nice tang that offsets the spice well. After the first quarter inch things really start to open up, a flowery fragrant aroma that brilliantly balances the red pepper and black pepper spice that evolves into a meaty core similar to a rare steak with a leather twist really really killer honestly. Well into the first third and the classic maduro profile is quite evident and seems to lead into a smoked oak and slight whiskey aroma on the retrohale. So far this is blowing me away and I am really excited to see where this evolves into. The ash is a platinum grey color with salt and pepper speckling throughout the surface of the ash as well. The bitter black pepper gives way to a smooth coffee and milk chocolate presence with notes of walnut and oak, it is a very nicely balanced palate and exceptionally smooth as well. The finish is very long and complex as well, a bittersweet dark chocolate and a mineral rich damp dark earth core that has these perfect smooth and subtle transitions that make it difficult to pinpoint where one note ends and the next begins. It has an elegance to the profile that reminds me heavily of an AVO or My Father blend. Around the 1/3 mark and the burn turns slightly wavy and needs a mild touch up, the smoke is light in mouth feel but is rich and blue in color. The body of the cigar that started out as a medium has grown steadily to surprise you with a head rush out of the blue, something that many cigars dont do to me anymore. Further on and more oak and chocolate become predominate losing the majority of the spice and picking up a super oily leather finish and nearly a hop taste from an IPA beer. Unfortunately the middle third really has the bottom drop out of it and is badly out of balance missing the spice and being slightly hot and bitter. I think that given more time to age and marry this is an issue that could easily fix itself though and I still have high hopes for this cigar in the next years to come. The final third picks back up however and helps this to finish similarly to how it started in its full glory. The oak and mineral rich dark earth come back into carry the profile with the coffee and floral notes complimenting the spice that has returned, but not nearly as strong as the start, and finishes beautifully with the smoked oak and whiskey twang. The draw starts tightening up towards the finish though but the citrus elements that I typically find and love in Nicaraguan tobacco finally comes out and finishes the balance from the bold and rich tones that have been there the whole time. The burn issues come up again at the end and require more touch ups and eventually make me put the cigar out.
Honestly even though the burn was an issue and the end was partially plugged, I truly enjoyed smoking this cigar due to the absolute perfection of the balance and intensely rich profile that was present in the first and final thirds of the cigar. With time and the ability to further marry with the cigar I have confidence that both of the issues that I experienced will be corrected by itself honestly.
Rating Scale:
Balance: 21 out of 25 pts. The middle third hurt this score severely.
Construction: 16 out of 20 pts. Burn and draw issues lowered this as well.
Draw: 16 out of 20 pts. Semi-plugged draw at the end forced this lower.
Flavor: 17.5 out of 20 pts. The middle third hurt it but the others were amazing.
Wow Factor: 13 out of 15 pts. The presentation and when it was on it was ON.
Total Score: 83.5 pts.
As a side note, I can EASILY see this score being 10 points higher in just a year after these have aged gracefully and fully married.
Nice review, btw!
Manufacturer: Cuban Imports
Size: 5.5 X 44
Wrapper: Ecuadorian Grown Cuban Seed Criollo
Binder/Filler: Connecticut Broadleaf/Dominican and Nicaraguan
Box Age: Approximately 4 years
Backstory:
The forum that I belong to and frequent daily is a fantastic community and has been instrumental in growing my knowledge, love, and tenacity for myself in this career path. The creation of my website and many of the avenues that I currently am working on are directly caused by the support and knowledge that these brothers give to myself and everyone else. Nearly a year ago a great friend of mine named David sent me a fantastic package that had several of these Exile Coronas in it with (as of now) nearly 4 years of box age on them. Since then Ive tried a few mainly to get myself acquainted with the cigar and to get an accurate baseline for a review. The time was right and so I fired one up after having laid down the rest for 6 months or more and was thrilled with the experience Thank you David, and thank you Cigar.com!
Draw: The draw was fairly tight throughout the dry draw, first light, and first half. Oddly enough however, it opened up significantly immediately after the middle leading me to believe there was a plug. 7/10 Pts
Burn: I was a bit let down on the burn only because of the serious box age these have on them. By no means was the burn bad but it was never sharp just wavy even with two minor touch-ups. Never affected the taste or smoke temp so the score will reflect that so. 8/10 pts
Construction: Visually and in the hand the corona was solid. No cracks, no runs, and the seams were tight. However, the plug in the draw was a construction issue and so this drops to the score you see. 8.5/10 pts
Body: For a natural wrapper the Exile has surprising strength that grows from the moment you light it to the last draw before you are done. It does however start off as a light medium and by the first half has grown into a solid medium and edging towards medium plus. The final moments of the cigar though bring it to a borderline full. 10/10 pts
Smoke Time: 1hr 15 mins
Smoking Experience:
The Exile started with a heavy bouquet of cedar and oak, with a vanilla spice that finished into a sweet cream. The dry woody notes were quite dominate in the first light and into the first third of the cigar making it quite bold and yet refined. The balance is very good having a mild medium body with the bold wooded notes and that creamy and spicy vanilla to sweeten and smooth it out. It eventually grew into a similar profile later on in the burn, but more dominated with a sweet/non-bitter anise on the tip of your tongue that flowed into a robust sweet caramel leather. At the halfway point the draw opened up and burn straightened out. The balance which was already very solid has dramatically improved and completely surprised and impressed me. The flavors have grown in direct match to the body as well and added in something that was missing with the spice, vanilla, and wood which was a sweet roasted peanut and toffee that not only rounded it out but offset the leather and wood superbly. The final third of the cigar grows in body significantly to become a medium-full and has a strong profile like before but the cedar has faded away with the oak, leather, sweet anise, and toffee for the profile on your tongue and a dark chocolate and espresso with crema on the finish. Since I own an espresso machine and brew daily Im quite familiar with that distinct taste and the finish had that in spades. The balance that was already very elegant and refined has only grown to match the increase in body and is still superb all the way down to the nub.
Rating Scale:
Balance: 24 out of 25 pts.This was the highlight of this cigar in my opinion.
Construction: 16 out of 20 pts. The plug dropped this number significantly.
Draw: 15 out of 20 pts. Not impressed with the draw but the fact that it opened after the half helps.
Flavor: 17 out of 20 pts. Great flavor, but the first half was somewhat muted, just felt like it was lacking something.
Wow Factor: 14 out of 15 pts. The perfect balance and flavor explosion in the last half was a BIG wow factor for me along with the look and feel of the cigar and its presentation.
Total Score: 86 Pts.
Yep, gotta find one. Awesome review, Brett!
CutleryBarn
CutleryBarn
I believe that these are out of production but there are a few places that still have some that you can find, if you want PM me and I'll see what I can do to help locate some.
So for an update on some new reviews, I will be doing a review this evening on the Final Blend that Mike so graciously sent me, while Amanda will be doing her FIRST ever review on another cigar that Mike sent her being the Ion Cafe! Thank you Mike for your supreme generosity and hope you enjoy the reads!!
CutleryBarn
Manufacturer: San Rafael Cigars (Based in California to my knowledge)
Size: Robusto 5 X 50
Wrapper: Brazilian Mata Fina Oscuro
Binder/Filler: Dominican, Columbian and Indonesian
Box Age: A few months
Backtsory:
Before I smoked the Final Blend I really knew very little about it. I chose to research and find out all I could after I smoked it so as not to influence or bias my review on it. That being said however, this was one of the cigars that a close and dear friend of mine, Mike Tuccelli, bestowed upon me asking for my take on them. I didnt want to bias my opinion one way or the other so I went into each review blind to get a fair assessment of each cigar. Mike, thank you my friend I have truly enjoyed this gracious opportunity that you have bestowed upon me brother!
The Final Blend is a cigar that is exclusive to Famous Smoke Shop and can only be purchased from their site. Learning more about it and calling their company I came across this description and the information I provided above:
Final Blend cigars are the result of a marathon cigar sampling session held in Nicaragua, and as so often happens, the very last blend is what earned these uber-flavorful, medium-bodied cigars their name. The 'final blend' is...a core of Dominican, Colombian and Indonesian tobaccos rolled in dark, oily Brazilian Mata Fina Oscuro wrappers. Earthy, sweet, and spicy flavors weave in and out as notes of cocoa and coffee bean surface for a deliciously complex, MUST-TRY cigar.
Draw: The draw was just about perfect on this bad boy, somewhat loose to make for an effortless draw but just enough resistance to produce volumes of smoke. 10/10 pts
Burn: The initial light was effortless as well with only the first third needing a touch up or two from the lighting of it. The burn was fairly straight but had some waviness to it, however all was self correcting. 8.5/10 pts
Construction: The Final Blend was just a touch rough looking, the seams were tight but there were two or three heavy veins, some uneven box-pressing, and two small sections of the cap that werent fully smoothed down. None of this affected the cigar mind you, but did make the appearance more rustic. 8.5/10 pts
Body: In general Oscuro wrappers are quite the powerful body, but this one was deceptively smooth and mild. The first 2/3rds of the Robusto were medium body at best, with only the final third growing into a weak full body. Enjoyable all the way through. 9/10 pts
Smoke Time: 55 minutes
Smoking Experience:
I clip the cap with my trusty Xikar Xi guillotine cutter and light it up with a double torch lighter. She lights up quickly and immediately starts producing clouds of white dense smoke, which is already cool and smooth even on the very first draw while lighting. It starts off with the classic maduro profile, but with a twist; it is smoother and more aromatic with a distinct bouquet to the core of it that is very similar and reminiscent of a bold and spicy Merlot wine. It has a red wine grape tone to it along with a spicy sweet red pepper. The finish is clean and short, starting with a leather musk the quickly turns to a very dry tasting cedar and a black pepper aftertaste. The balance, something I was not expecting to be anything special, is actually quite good and in harmony with the medium body. The first major turn for this girl starts early on at just past the 1 mark and drops the dry cedar and spicy tones along with the black pepper aftertaste. It smoothes out to a velvety milk chocolate and honey roasted peanut with a chewy mouth feel to it. The leather musk has settled down as well but is still there floating in and out of the profile. The burn stays fairly sharp with just a few wavy parts here and there. Right about a third into the robusto I pick out a distinct black cherry flavor as a very subtle undertone that is very unique and really focuses my attention on the cigar. The undertone shows up right at the tip of your tongue as the smoke first hits it, then disappears to show up again on the finish with the milk chocolate and peanut. As it burns down the black cherry note strengthens from an undertone to a full-on distinct note in the profile, making the balance of the cigar really shine with complexity and refinement, and holding my attention fast. For such a dark and toothy wrapper that in my experience normally leads to a intensely robust and bold flavor profile, somewhat like a sledgehammer versus a small ball peen hammer, this profile is very delicate and refined. No one flavor overpowers another and all of them are rather subtle and subdued, but in combination with one another and the phenomenal balance that it has right now, it is a fantastic flavor bomb ripe with unique notes and tones. The ash holds tight to nearly 2 which is where I decide to ash it so that I dont wear it, a tendency that I am still trying to break lol.
The strength becomes a somewhat weak full, and the flavor grows to have some balls as well. It is much more robust and chewy with the smoky wood and chocolate becoming the main core. The nutty notes are the finish now and the cigar changes very little from here on out to finish slightly hot and bitter at the final nub. All in all, this girl caught me by surprise and I really enjoyed smoking it!
Rating Scale:
Balance: 25 out of 25 pts. It was dynamic and allowed the balance to continuously grow and shift to match the changing strength, superb!
Construction: 17 out of 20 pts. The uneven box press and partial loose cap took it down a few points.
Draw: 20 out of 20 pts. Nothing wrong here, great draw!
Flavor: 17 out of 20 pts. It had some great flavors, but the last third lacked the complexity that I enjoyed so much earlier on and got hot and bitter.
Wow Factor: 11 out of 15 pts. I was really not expecting much of anything and it came out of nowhere and blew me away, great cigar!
Total Score: 90 Pts.
Hahaha, thanks for the kind words Bass, we just enjoy smoking and sharing with our brethren is all
lmao, is it really that bad?!?!?! Well, no soup for you!!!!
I'm not going to ruin anything, but suffice to say that minus the 07' Bolivar Beli Fino (currently still my all time #1) it may be the best stick I've smoked yet in 2012. Hedged out the OSOK and Namakubi, and OpusX Love Affair, and is neck and neck with the LP Dirty Rat.... I think you'll enjoy the review.