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Kuzi's cigar catalog

kuzi16kuzi16 Posts: 14,633 ✭✭✭✭
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 that’s what I’m 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 don’t 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 I’m 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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Comments

  • madurofanmadurofan Posts: 6,219 ✭✭✭
    Looking forward to it kuz. If nothing else it'll be a good debate!
  • golfcigarjunkiegolfcigarjunkie Posts: 61
    I have bought a lot of cigars because of Matt's review he is usually spot on.
  • kuzi16kuzi16 Posts: 14,633 ✭✭✭✭
    golfcigarjunkie:
    I have bought a lot of cigars because of Matt's review he is usually spot on.
    quit kissin my @$$. you wont get any freebies out of it. LOL!

    but seriously, thanks. i try very hard to be as honest as i can. I hope i dont dissapoint.
  • kaspera79kaspera79 Posts: 7,257 ✭✭✭
    Kuzi. I read some of your reviews before I found this site and thought wow, this guy is really into this hobby, and that you have to much time on your hands. You must have spent a lot of time and dedication to these reviews which I found incredibly informative. I tried several new cigars based on the information you provided and found many very rewarding. Thanks for the hard work, copywrite your info. and get published. You will make a fortune bro.
  • kuzi16kuzi16 Posts: 14,633 ✭✭✭✭
    thats a good thought. how would i go about getting a coywrite? do i have to just say that its all coywrited? or is there a form?

    As far as a fortune goes... im still waiting for Alex to offer me a job. ( i have to admit though that im not holding my breath. I do like my job now ... but the thought of getting PAID to smoke cigars... hmmmmm )
  • kuzi16kuzi16 Posts: 14,633 ✭✭✭✭
    6-2-08 been in humi since 4-4-08
    Gispert Natural
    Robusto (5 x 54)
    Wrapper: Ecuadorian grown Connecticut shade.
    Binder: Honduran
    Filler: Honduran, Nicaraguan.


    before i get too far into this review i would like to saythis. I love my dad. he is one of the people that got me into cigars. he has been on the prowel for a "cheap, good" cigar. those dont go together but whatever. this cigar was gifted to me by him for me to try to see what i think. every other cigar in that box he sent up was horrid. I started to look up things about this cigar and decided to do a review. my expectations were low.


    There is a fairly heavy box press on this cigar. The smell is almost barnyard and tobacco. There isn’t enough “damp earth” to exactly call it barnyard, but if you have ever been in a tobacco barn in the Midwest during late fall early winter this is the smell that it is.. The lick on the cap before the cut has a very light taste, maybe wheat. The draw is on the tight side but I don’t foresee too many problems with it. It tastes a bit like earth, maybe mild mushrooms if they were dry.

    The first few puffs are mild and a on the sweet side of grass. Usually “grassy” is a bad cigar quality but this isn’t too bad. This is the good grass note. There is defiantly a light earth taste to it.

    The first ash falls at about ¾ of an inch. The sweetness has faded some and what is left is a mushroom grass sorta taste. The aftertaste is very short and very mild. The cigar has a classic “Conn. Shade taste” to it. The burn is uneven at this point and needs a corrective light.

    Close to the middle of the cigar a woody note develops. It is very mild. From this point on the cigar really takes off. The woody note gains in presence and has a walnut (the nut not the raw lumber) quality to it. The earth taste is now in the aftertaste. It is very good.

    The last quarter of the cigar has a desiccating factor. The mouth is left a bit dry. This makes the cigar harder to taste. Have water/ice tea when you try it. The smoke heats up a bit and a slight hint at harshness comes out signaling the end of this cigar.

    Burn time: about 1 hour 20 min.

    Burn: 8
    Draw: 7
    Taste: 8.5
    Aftertaste: 8
    Construction: 8
    Appearance: 8
    Feel: 9

    Overall: 8.1
    3 smoke rings -- an average cigar
    Recommended to:
    people that like a mild cigar that still builds as you go.
    People that smoke a morning cigar with tea
    People that want a short decent smoke with newer smokers
  • kuzi16kuzi16 Posts: 14,633 ✭✭✭✭
    i feel that the number rateing was low on this cigar. however, the numbers in the break down were spot on. (to me at least)
    what makes this cigar "better" is that its so darn inexpensive.
  • kaspera79kaspera79 Posts: 7,257 ✭✭✭
    It may be too late once you post these they become public and anyone can claim them. Hey is there an attorney in our group ? One of our brothers in smoke needs a little help. ( I hope this doesn't effect future posts.) But seriously I believe that there is a market for well written, detailed reviews like you have provided. I use to buy a magazine that provided taste tests each months and that was the first thing I would look at, and use as a guide to future purchases.
  • kaspera79kaspera79 Posts: 7,257 ✭✭✭
    Kuzi, the only suggestion I can imagine smokers would find useful in your review formula would be to figure a cost of stick/ enjoyment factor example: 5 Vegas Robusto @ 3.00 and that damn Gurkha Majesty @750.00
  • kuzi16kuzi16 Posts: 14,633 ✭✭✭✭
    kaspera79:
    Kuzi, the only suggestion I can imagine smokers would find useful in your review formula would be to figure a cost of stick/ enjoyment factor example: 5 Vegas Robusto @ 3.00 and that damn Gurkha Majesty @750.00
    ive tossed that idea around a bit but i have a few reasons why i wont be doing that.

    First, this is cigar.com's site. they dont carry every cigar that i review. if they dont have it im not posting prices from other sites.
    next, its all about taste. it has nothing to do with price. that is a different review. Im just here for flavor.
  • kuzi16kuzi16 Posts: 14,633 ✭✭✭✭
    kaspera79:
    It may be too late once you post these they become public and anyone can claim them. Hey is there an attorney in our group ? One of our brothers in smoke needs a little help. ( I hope this doesn't effect future posts.) But seriously I believe that there is a market for well written, detailed reviews like you have provided. I use to buy a magazine that provided taste tests each months and that was the first thing I would look at, and use as a guide to future purchases.
    my mother in law works in a lawyers office that focuses on copyright law. ill give her a call soon. im not looking to sell my reviews, i just dont want others to make money off of my work. If i can make money out of it then cool. if not, i was in this for me from the get go so it wont make a lick of difference.
  • golfcigarjunkiegolfcigarjunkie Posts: 61
    "a$$ kissing" well I think I have been slammed, oh well, I dont get mad I get even. LOL
  • kuzi16kuzi16 Posts: 14,633 ✭✭✭✭
    6-18-08 been in humidor since 4-30-07

    Rocky Patel Olde world Reserve Corojo Toro (6.5 x 52)
    Wrapper: corojo
    Binder: Honduran
    Filler: Nicaraguan.


    The look and presentation of this cigar is wonderful. The two inch band around the foot looks great. The cigar itself looks great. It’s smooth for the most part with one or twp prominent veins. When taken out of the cellophane a rich tobacco smell (on the side of fruit) fills the air.
    The lick on the cap is oily on the tongue and there is a slight spice to it.
    Cut with my punch. The draw is slightly on the easy side. There is a mild sweet vegetal taste to the unlit draw, almost on the side of raisins.

    The first few puffs are earthy and a bit spicy. The flavor is full. There is a grass element to the taste. It is fairly subtle but defiantly there. A bit of the familiar “corojo autumn” taste is there. I would like to say that it is the main flavor but the “main flavor” seems a bit undefined. The spice is mild and the finish is short.

    By the time the first ash falls at just over an inch the grass note dissipates a little and some cream flavor/texture comes out. The spice is now, for sure, white pepper and is far back on the palate. It’s still fairly ambiguous as to definite taste. There is taste there but it is unclear as to what they all are. Grass and white pepper are really all that can be picked out. The grass has moved to the finish, which is light and short, and that makes it more tolerable.

    Immediately following the first ash a fairly major corrective light is needed. A small note of harshness has also developed (probably due to the torch hitting it again)

    Approaching the half way point the cigar has mellowed considerably. The flavor is much of the same just a bit more on the mellow side. It’s not as “round”

    I have had several burn issues that resulted in quite a few corrective lights. (3 or 4 major ones and maybe more minor) I can’t help but think that this is a construction issue. The corrective lights are probably bringing on the element of harshness.

    Continuing the last third is much of the same: A bit of earth, a bit of spice, and a bit of grass. The grass flavor is very detrimental. Smoked to the band.

    Though this cigar wasn’t the worst I have had it isn’t the best.

    Burn: 6.5
    Draw: 9
    Taste: 8
    Aftertaste: 7.5
    Construction: 8
    Appearance: 10
    Feel: 8
    Overall: 8.1
    3 smoke rings -- an average cigar

    Recommended to:
    Those who like a grassy taste in cigars
    Those who haven’t tried it yet
    People not paying attention to price.
  • kuzi16kuzi16 Posts: 14,633 ✭✭✭✭
    i know dean said it was good, and i hope i just got a bad one but if i didnt then i dont think this cigar is worht the price it is. it woulda got the same number as far as a rating goes had the cigar been half the price because my reviews have NOTHING to do with price.
    now that im not IN the review...
    for the money, there are tons of better cigars out there.
  • urbinourbino Posts: 4,517
    Sorry it was a letdown, kuzi. But a great review, as always. I'm not sure I've ever had a cigar that tasted grassy.
  • madurofanmadurofan Posts: 6,219 ✭✭✭
    Damn kuzi I hate it when you're right I smoked this tonight. It has been resting for quite some time, at least 8 months. I'll say this it doesn't age well. I experienced the same burn issues and was constantly correcting. I would have to describe the main flavor as more barnyard than anything else. When it was but a young cigar, i.e. straight from the B&M it was earthier and fuller bodied with more spice. The resting made it more mild and brought out the barnyard, grassy taste. The middle third did however, hit a new an interesting flavor to me almost a coconut husk flavor, smell an uncracked coconut and you'll know the taste I'm speaking of. I'm not one to talk about off the wall flavors but this one was. Kuzi you're right average cigar not very complex and dissappointing. I forgot I had this guy resting and got excited bc I knew you were doing a review on it. I still have a maduro resting as well. Going to an Rocky Patel event tomorrow night at the B&M so I'll hopefully come home with some new RP's.
  • kuzi16kuzi16 Posts: 14,633 ✭✭✭✭
    yeah... i hate it when im right too...
    I try not and lead you guys wrong.

    ill try and get another review in soon.
  • kuzi16kuzi16 Posts: 14,633 ✭✭✭✭
    1-20-08 been in humi since 10-14-07

    Camacho 1962 torpedo (6x54)
    Wrapper: Habano seed corojo
    Filler: Honduran grown Cuban seed.

    The cigar looks great with an incredibly smooth wrapper. The pre-light smell is tobacco and barnyard. The lick on the cap is sweet and oily in the mouth. I cut with my double guillotine. The draw is damn near perfect.

    After the light the first puffs are leather and a woody flavor. A spice quickly develops on the front third of the tongue and there is a round meaty flavor on the finish.

    The first ash falls at almost two inches. By this point the spice has settled a tiny bit. It’s more cinnamon on the front of the palate and more pepper on the back of the palate. The aroma is cedar and the taste is still on the leather side. I find the finish to be short and the spice lingers the longest on the palate.

    I find myself puffing into the wind because the aroma is that good. Unfortunately the cigar is burning faster than I thought it would. It isn’t hot, just fast. This will be a shorter smoke than I want.


    By the half way point the burn is perfect and no corrective lights are needed. A sweet initial taste that is sweet comes out. This fades to a spicy earth with leather and the same round finish as before. The spice still lingers. It is quite good and literally makes my mouth water.

    The ash holds tenaciously. The second ash doesn’t fall until well past the half way point. By the end of the cigar I only “ashed” a total of three times including setting the cigar down because it was done.

    The last third of the cigar there is an increase in spice and the smoke warms a bit but it isn’t bad at all.

    Burned to the burn (of my finger)

    Burn time: about 1 hour 20 minutes (this is short for a cigar that is 6 x 52… at least for me it is)

    All in all this cigar was good but there was something about the feel of the overall cigar that I found to be keeping it from being a “great” or “classic” cigar. Don’t get me wrong, it’s a great cigar and ill probably buy more, but it isn’t THAT great.


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

    Overall: 9.1
    4 smoke rings -- an above average cigar

    With some age this may get better.

    Recommended to:
    Camacho fans.
    Corojo lovers
    People who want the spice to be the most complex part of the cigar


    sorry about not formatting it before
  • madurofanmadurofan Posts: 6,219 ✭✭✭
    kuzi16:
    Recommended to: ... People who want the spice to be the most complex part of the cigar
    Thats me! I'm now officially excited about this cigar might be my first of the vacation!

    You know if you'd give your poor cigars some humidity and quit depriving them at 64% it wouldn't burn fast. ;) lol you know I'm playing ... I've actually started playing with a pre-smoke humidor. I've taken my travel humi and turned the humidity down to 65% and I'm letting my cigar sit in there a few hours to see how that works. I've heard of a few people that age at 70 - 72% but smoke at 65 some I'm giving it a shot.
  • kuzi16kuzi16 Posts: 14,633 ✭✭✭✭
    i know your just playing, but that is a valid point. to some degree at least. this is the first cigar that i have noticed burning faster than i would like (or think it should)
  • kuzi16kuzi16 Posts: 14,633 ✭✭✭✭
    man... i should post more in here. freakin work is getting in my way... come to think of it, i dont think i put my review of the cg4 in here.... poop!!
  • urbinourbino Posts: 4,517
    kuzi16:
    man... i should post more in here.
    Yes, you really should. I assumed you weren't posting more because you were smoking mostly stuff you'd already reviewed. But if you're smoking new stuff and not reviewing it -- not cool, man. You're cheating us.
  • kuzi16kuzi16 Posts: 14,633 ✭✭✭✭
    6-24-08 been in humi since 6-7-08

    Illusione CG:4
    Wrapper: Nicaraguan corojo
    Filler: Nicaragua
    Binder: Nicaragua

    There is almost no smell to this dark cigar. The wrapper is very smooth. There is little to no taste on the lick. I cut with a punch and the unlit draw has a creamy feel to it. The pull is just how I like it with a bit of resistance but not hard.

    The light is quick. The first draw has a bunch of flavor. Not all of the flavor is good. There is a sweet note, a spicy one and a woody one. It’s the wood that isn’t so good in this mix. It has harshness to it. The second puff was nowhere near as harsh. I blame the overly harsh start on the light. It lit quick. Too quick.

    The aroma is good and the cigar has a good spice to it.

    The first ash fell kind of early at about ¾ of an inch. Most of that time the burn was a bit uneven and flaky. The wood flavor is mostly on the aftertaste and it still retains a slight harsh note to it. It has another taste that I can only describe as “leaf.” It reminds me of the smell of jumping in the leaves as a kid. Basically it’s a strange version of the classic corojo taste.

    By about the half way point the sweet is all but gone. The wood and spice remain. The taste isn’t that bad but the aftertaste is a bit harsh and too leafy. With less than a third of the cigar left the flavor is more of the same. I can’t seem to get it to burn quite right.

    Smoked to the band.

    Burn time: about. 1 hour 10 min.

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

    Overall: 8.0
    3 smoke rings -- an average cigar… I guess.

    Recommended to:
    People that have the patience to smoke through the bad to get to the good.
    People that want a very different corojo
    People that get them for free. (It was worth a shot)

  • kuzi16kuzi16 Posts: 14,633 ✭✭✭✭
    urbino:
    kuzi16:
    man... i should post more in here.
    Yes, you really should. I assumed you weren't posting more because you were smoking mostly stuff you'd already reviewed. But if you're smoking new stuff and not reviewing it -- not cool, man. You're cheating us.
    its worse than that. i havent had a cigar in almost a week. I hope to end that trend tonight. well see how it goes.
  • kuzi16kuzi16 Posts: 14,633 ✭✭✭✭
    i hope this was a bad one. I hear that they are hit or miss. i guess i missed this one.
  • urbinourbino Posts: 4,517
    kuzi16:
    its worse than that. i havent had a cigar in almost a week. I hope to end that trend tonight. well see how it goes.
    I'll cross my fingers for you, cuz that's just keepin' a brother down.
    kuzi16:
    It has harshness to it. The second puff was nowhere near as harsh. I blame the overly harsh start on the light. It lit quick. Too quick.
    Can you expand on this connection, a bit? I sometimes experience harshness at the beginning of a cigar, but I'd never noticed it corresponding to how the cigar lit. Is the connection just that the cigar is a bit too dry at the foot, which produces harshness?
  • kuzi16kuzi16 Posts: 14,633 ✭✭✭✭
    lit too quick means that there was too much heat. scoarched tobacco. If you constantly notice that your cigars tend to "settle down" a bunch right off the bat then there is a good chance that you are lighting it to quick (too hot) some cigars react to this differently thatn others ive noticed. this one was just very harsh.
  • j0z3rj0z3r Posts: 9,403 ✭✭
    I know what you mean by "lit too quick", I've had some cigars take to a good torching just fine without any harshness and some just flat out revolt against my poor taste buds if I don't take at least 90-120 seconds to light it.
  • urbinourbino Posts: 4,517
    Interesting. I'll have to pay more attention to my lighting technique. Thanks, guys!
  • kaspera79kaspera79 Posts: 7,257 ✭✭✭
    Wow kuzi, That is a completely different review then what I read here about a month ago from Maduro.. I had this cigar as well and found it more in the middle of both your reviews.. I found the burn uneven the construction flawed by nick and chips in the wrapper but the flavor above average but not as wide ranging as Maddy experienced.. I smoked this in the company of many non-cigar people and a few commented on the pleasant aroma.. so that is a well stated quality of this cigar. I slowed down on this one because of the burn issues too I couldn't keep it straight.. Not a bad cigar but not one I would seek out again.. This one doesn't show up on many shop shelves near me and must have limited "catalog" homes as well..
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