1) Cohiba Edicion Limitada 2001 (Cuba) "Piramides" - When this cigar is on there's nothing that comes even close to comparing. The flavor is complex and creamy, sometimes tasting like chocolate, coffee, or caramel. This is the only Cuban cigar I've ever loved and that's probably because it doesn't taste like a Cuban cigar. I'm unlikely to get any more of these anytime soon so I smoke them a lot less often than I'd like to. Also the nicotine kicks my ass.
(First smoked 1/2005 - about $16)
2) Ashton Virgin Sun Grown "Corona Gorda" - The VSG "Illusion" may win my "Best Scented Smoke" award, but the "Corona Gorda" smells almost just as good and it has significantly more flavor. When it's on I absolutely love the flavor.
(First smoked 6/2001 - about $8)
3) Tied - I couldn't make up my mind which was better so two cigars place in third for me: the Rocky Patel Edge "Torpedo" maduro and Cusano Xclusivo "Preferido Grande". The Xclusivo is the most consistent cigar I smoke and makes me very happy almost every time I smoke it. It's also got the mildest flavor of all of my top cigars, which makes them an aberration for me. The Edge can both be impressive when they're on and still pretty tasty when they're not.
(Edge - First smoked 2/2005 - about $5)
(Xclusivo - First smoked 7/2002 - about $5)
Cigar Line (Country of origin) "Cigar name" [cigar details] -
Hygrometer Reading: [whatever the hygrometer read when I pulled the cigar]. Presmoked: [presmoked scent and occasionally appearance]. Smoked: [draw, burn, smoke scent, and flavor details]. Amount Smoked: [how much of the cigar I smoked].
([date bought] - [price paid] - [date smoked])
ITC 10 Year Anniversary "Churchill" -
Hygrometer Reading: 62%. Presmoked: sweet tobacco scent. The cigar looked substantial and felt quite heavy. Smoked: difficult draw which cleared up when I clipped 1/4 of an inch off the end, mostly even burn, and excellently scented smoke. The cigar started with a mild sweet flavor and medium to full creamy body that made me think it would be perfect with a Dr. Pepper. The cigar continued with a good mild wood flavor, which my Dr. Pepper didn't affect. I wished the flavor would change, because it was merely good, but it stayed the same the entire smoke. I liked the flavor of the ITC "Robusto" better than the "Churchill" and it didn't take two hours to smoke. Amount Smoked: 3/4 of the cigar.
(12/2007 - $7.25 - 6/2008)
Ashton Aged Maduro (Dominican Republic) "No. 20" [maduro] - The Ashton Aged Maduro "No. 20" was my first favorite cigar a long time ago. They don't age well so none of the ones I have in my humidor from 2003 are very good so I snagged one recently to see if they were still any good.
Hygrometer Reading: 61%. Presmoked: sweet tobacco scent. Smoked: perfect draw and mostly even burn. The cigar started with a spicy flavor that was sometimes accompanied with a flat paperiness or a pleasant sweetness. My Coke cut the spice and the paper flavor leaving an enjoyable flavor. It was a good cigar, but not up to favorite standard. Amount Smoked: the entire cigar.
(12/2007 - 6/2008)
601 Connecticut (Nicaragua) "Robusto" -
Hygrometer Reading: 61%. Presmoked: sweet cedar scent. Smoked: perfect draw, mostly even burn, and excellently scented smoke. The flavor started medium to full with wood, spice, and a tinge of sweetness. It was highly enjoyable, but a bit much so I hit my Coke quicker than normal (the 111 degree heat might've had something to do with it too). The Coke toned down the flavor and added a little paperiness to the mix, but not enough to ruin the cigar. As the cigar went on it got better replacing the paperiness with something indescribable, but quite a bit tastier. I've really liked two out of two of these cigars so I'm going to have to get more.
Amount Smoked: the entire cigar.
(4/2007 - $40/Don Pepin Garcia sampler - 6/2008)
Cuvee Grand 2006 (Nicaragua) "Centro" [colorado maduro] - For my Father's Day cigar I hoped to have a great cigar (without dipping into the Cohibas). I couldn't tell if the Ashton VSG in the humidor was a "Corona Gorda" or an "Illusion" so I just decided to try something new from Cusano instead.
Hygrometer Reading: 62%. Presmoked: sweet scent. Smoked: perfect draw, even burn, and pleasantly scented smoke. The flavor started with the kind of spiciness that made me think the cigar was a little dry, but it was still smooth and enjoyable. The spice persisted even after trying my Coke. After a while the spice mellowed to a woody sweetness that was good too. I liked the cigar, but not for the price. I should've tracked down one of my "Corona Gorda"s and saved the experimentation for a day when I didn't care. Amount Smoked: the entire cigar.
(9/2007 - $12.25 - 6/2008)
Indian Tabac Limited Reserve (Dominican Republic) "Buffalo" [natural] -
Hygrometer Reading: 62%. Presmoked: sweet cedar scent. Smoked: perfect draw, even burn, and decently scented smoke. The cigar started with a smooth mild to medium flavor that was enjoyable. Eventually I hit my Coke and I'm not sure if it was my Coke or just bad timing, but suddenly the end of the cigar tasted very tarry. After I clipped the end of the cigar the tar went away and the flavor alternated between a subtle sweet woodiness and outright sourness. Eventually the sourness went away leaving a highly enjoyable cigar. It's amazing that after all these years these are still tasty cigars. Amount Smoked: 3/4 of the cigar.
(11/2002 - $11/5 - 6/2008)
Tinder Box La Reserva "No. 3" [maduro] -
Hygrometer Reading: 62%. Presmoked: overly light weight and faint sugary sweet scent. Smoked: easy draw, even burn, and pleasantly scented smoke. The flavor started mild and left my mouth coated so the woody and slightly sweet aftertaste ended up being stronger than the flavor itself. The cigar made my Coke taste great, but the Coke made the cigar taste a little ashy. It wasn't anything a little blowing through the cigar couldn't fix, but the ashiness would still return after a while. Eventually the ashiness caused me to pitch the cigar. This was a decent cigar, and maybe it would've developed into a cigar I really liked if I didn't have a Coke with it, but it's not a cigar I'd get again. Amount Smoked: 3/4 of the cigar.
(12/2007 - free - 5/2008)
Oliva Special S (Nicaragua) "Torpedo" [figurado] - This cigar was recommended to me by someone working at a cigar shop. Funny how they always seem to recommend the expensive cigars, but I decided to try it anyway (although I forgot that I tried the "Toro" a while ago).
Hygrometer Reading: 65%. Smoked: perfect draw, even burn, and excellently scented smoke. The flavor started mild to medium and smooth. It didn't take long for the cigar to go mild with a light sweetness. My Coke didn't affect the flavor, but relighting the cigar after it went out did because there was an ashiness to it that was bad enough for me to toss the cigar. This was a decent cigar, but not for the price. Amount Smoked: 3/4 of the cigar.
(10/2007 - $9.75 - 5/2008)
Rocky Patel Edge (Honduras) "Torpedo" [maduro, figurado] -
Hygrometer Reading: 63%. Presmoked: sweet scent and oily wrapper. Smoked: perfect draw, mostly even burn, and pleasantly scented smoke. The flavor started full, a little creamy, sour, and spicy. It would've been good if it wasn't sour. The sourness never went away, even with a Dr. Pepper, so I had to pitch the cigar. Amount Smoked: 2/3 of the cigar.
(6/2007 - $20/5 - 5/2008)
Montecristo Platinum Vintage 1999 (Dominican Republic) "Robusto" - I've seen a couple of vintage cigar lines before, but none of them were brands I cared for. When I saw an ad for a Montecristo Platinum vintage sampler it sounded worth trying though.
Hygrometer Reading: 62%. Presmoked: light sweet scent. Smoked: perfect draw, mostly even burn, and pleasantly scented smoke. The cigar started medium with a dry, slightly sour flavor that wasn't exactly pleasant. After a quarter of the way the cigar didn't improve on its own so I hoped my Coke would improve it. It caused the sourness to go away, but the flavor was still nondescript. The cigar got a little sweet at the end, but there wasn't anything compelling about it. I'm guessing that Montecristo Platinums aren't built for aging and the whole vintage thing is just a marketing ploy, but hopefully the other two cigars in this line will prove me wrong. Amount Smoked: the entire cigar.
(12/2007 - $10/Montecristo sampler - 4/2008)
Don Pepin Garcia Series JJ (USA) "Belicoso" [figurado] - I liked this cigar enough to get a five pack, but that's usually the kiss of death so I hoped that wouldn't be the case this time.
Hygrometer Reading: 64%. Presmoked: strong tobacco scent. Smoked: perfect draw and uneven burn. The flavor started medium to full, but it didn't taste like anything in particular or particularly enjoyable. Unfortunately my Coke didn't do anything for it either. Somewhere along the way I actually started enjoying the cigar, but halfway through the nicotine started hitting me so I had to stop. I think it'll be a couple of years before I try another one. Amount Smoked: 1/2 the cigar.
(10/2007 - $39/5 - 4/2008)
Punch Gran Puro (Honduras) "Santa Rita" [colorado maduro] - When I first tried a Punch Gran Puro "Santa Rita" I thought it might be good aged. It was time to find out whether I was right or not.
Hygrometer Reading: 61%. Presmoked: light sweet scent. Smoked: perfect draw, mostly even burn, and excellently scented smoke. The flavor started medium, but thin and metallic with some bite to it. It was decent, but I hoped it would improve. It didn't and my Coke didn't do anything for it so I pitched it when I got bored with it. I have a couple of "Santa Rita"s left and I'm not exactly looking forward to them. Amount Smoked: 2/3 of the cigar.
(8/2004 - $4.07 - 3/2008)
Punch (Honduras) "Magnum" - I have more than a few cigars in my humidors that I actually never plan on smoking and the Punch "Magnum" was one of them, but one day I needed a shorter cigar and it was there.
Hygrometer Reading: 62%. Presmoked: great cedar and sweet tobacco scent. Smoked: perfect draw, even burn, and excellently scented smoke. The cigar tasted a little dry, but still managed a pleasant mild flavor. The flavor didn't change on its own or with my Coke so it's a good thing I found it enjoyable. The cigar probably would've been better less dry, but I don't want to wait another 3 1/2 years to find out. mount Smoked: 3/4 of the cigar (I would've finished it, but something came up).
(8/2004 - $4.80/Punch "Magnum" & "Bolo" sampler - 3/2008)
Don Pepin Garcia Series JJ (USA) "Selecto" [maduro] -
Hygrometer Reading: 63%. Presmoked: light sweet scent. Smoked: perfect draw and uneven burn. The flavor started medium and somewhat terrible, but the terrible flavor went away before I pitched the cigar. After that the flavor was mild to medium without much to it. My Coke gave it a hint of flavor and a light, toasty sweet aftertaste that was far better than the nothing I was getting before. It wasn't a bad cigar, but given the price and the fact that it went out on me three times I'm not buying another one of these again unless the other maduro "JJ" I have is significantly better. Amount Smoked: 3/4 of the cigar.
(9/2007 - $8.65 - 3/2008)
ITC 10 Year Anniversary "Robusto" -
Hygrometer Reading: 63%. Presmoked: dusty tobacco scent. Smoked: perfect draw, mostly even burn, and excellently scented smoke. The flavor started mild to medium with some spice to it that quickly dissipated leaving a mild caramelized sweetness. The spice returned giving the cigar a slight edge that worked well for me. The flavor was good, but by halfway through I was getting bored with it so I finally hit my Coke. The Coke gave the aftertaste a barnyard twang that was unexpected, but quite tasty. The scent of the cigar smoke was much better than its flavor, but that didn't prevent it from being an overall fine cigar. Amount Smoked: the entire cigar.
(12/2007 - $6.45 - 3/2008)
Padilla Hybrid (Dominican Republic) "Robusto" -
Hygrometer Reading: 61%. Presmoked: stinky pungent scent. Smoked: perfect draw and mostly even burn. The flavor started medium with plenty of spice and a prominent barnyard aspect that complimented the spice. Despite the distinctive flavors the cigar was very smooth so I didn't need to hit my Coke when I finally did. My Coke mellowed the spice and the barnyard, but the cigar was still highly enjoyable. This was the best cigar I've had all year. Amount Smoked: 3/4 of the cigar.
(6/2007 - $30/Padilla sampler - 2/2008)
C.A.O. Criollo "Pato" [colorado maduro] - There are a couple of cigar companies that produce nothing but cigars I don't like. While C.A.O. isn't one of them they're awfully close since I've only ever liked one of their lines.
Hygrometer Reading: 61%. Presmoked: light dusty scent. Smoked: slightly difficult draw and uneven burn. The cigar started mild and stayed that way for longer than I could stand. I hoped my Dr. Pepper would help make the smoke more interesting, but no such luck. To the cigar's defense it tasted a little dry so it could've been better had I maintained my humidor better, but I didn't find enough potential in the "Pato" to try it again. Amount Smoked: 1/2 of the cigar.
(12/2007 - $5 - 2/2008)
Casa Torano "Robusto" [maduro] - I just got over the flu so I wanted a mild cigar to get back into the swing of things.
Hygrometer Reading: 63%. Presmoked: light sweet scent. Smoked: perfect draw, even burn, and decent to pleasantly scented smoke. The flavor started medium with some dusty, earthy sweetness which wasn't my sort of thing. My Coke made the cigar taste papery, then sour. Eventually both flavors were replaced by a pleasant char that gave way to scorched paper that caused me to pitch the cigar. I didn't care for most of the flavors I got from this cigar so it's a good thing I enjoy the process of smoking cigars. Amount Smoked: 2/3 of the cigar.
(12/2007 - $5.80 - 2/2008)
Cigar.com Corojo Label (Nicaragua) "Robusto" - The first Cigar.com Corojo Label "Robusto" was one of the better Pepin cigars I'd tried so I hoped the second one would be just as good.
Hygrometer Reading: 67%. Presmoked: dusty sweet scent. Smoked: perfect draw, even burn, and pleasantly scented smoke. The flavor started medium with the kind of harshness that told me the cigar was too humid. I hit my Dr. Pepper pretty quick and it toned down the harshness. The cigar didn't have any distinctive flavors, but it was enjoyable. Towards the end it got sour so I pitched it. Even under the less than ideal circumstances the Corojo Label was still pretty good so this might be a cigar worth stocking. Amount Smoked: 3/4 of the cigar.
(4/2007 - $40/Don Pepin Garcia sampler - 1/2008)
Cusano Xclusivo "Originale" (Dominican Republic) "Petite Perfecto" [figurado] - I picked up a bunch of these accidentally so I keep hoping that I'll actually start enjoying them.
Hygrometer Reading: 70%. Presmoked: grassy scent. Smoked: perfect draw, mostly even burn, and stinky to decently scented smoke. The cigar started mild flavored with a little leather, but medium bodied. It was decent, but I kept hoping there would be more to it. Eventually I hit my Coke which replaced the leather flavor with paper. It wasn't the best trade off. The flavor eventually became a mix of leather and paper, but it was less good than just leather. Maybe the next one will be better. Amount Smoked: the entire cigar.
(10/2007 - $34/10 & $9/5 - 1/2008)
Old Powder Keg (Nicaragua) "Robusto" [maduro] - I had read somewhere that Old Powder Keg cigars were good so I thought to give one a try despite their name.
Hygrometer Reading: 62%. Presmoked: shiny wrapper with a sugary sweet scent. Smoked: perfect draw, mostly even burn, and stinky smoke. The flavor started medium with some twang and a peppery, tinny finish. There seemed to be an interesting undertone, but the pepper overpowered it. I had to correct the cigar because it started tunneling. My Coke got rid of the pepper, but created an interesting aftertaste. About halfway through the cigar went out. After the relight it didn't have much flavor and I didn't have enough patience to wait for it. Maybe Old Powder Keg's other vitolas are better, but I didn't taste anything in their "Robusto" that made me curious enough to try them. Amount Smoked: 2/3 of the cigar.
(12/2007 - $6.35 - 1/2008)
Cusano C10 (Dominican Republic) "Crown Corona" [colorado] - The C10 used to be one of my favorite cigars, but it's been a while since I've had one that tasted good enough to be my favorite.
Hygrometer Reading: 61%. Presmoked: grassy scent. Smoked: slightly difficult draw, even burn, and decently scented smoke. The flavor started medium to full and spicy. My Coke toned down the spice and made the flavor a flat wet cardboard. The cardboard flavor went away, but the cigar never developed anything compelling. Amount Smoked: 3/4 of the cigar.
(9/2007 - $6.50 - 1/2008)
Tatuaje Havana VI (Nicaragua) "Angeles" -
Hygrometer Reading: 63%. Presmoked: light sweet scent. Smoked: perfect draw, even burn, and decently scented smoke. The flavor started mild, but there was a little something to it that kept it interesting. My Coke changed the flavor at little, but it was still only a little interesting. I started tasting tar and it wouldn't go away so I cut off 1/4 of the cigar. The tar went away, but the cigar never really got better. Amount Smoked: 3/4 of the cigar.
(12/2007 - $4.40 - 12/2007)
Illusione (Honduras) "88" [oscuro (colorado maduro in color)] - I liked the first Illusione "88" I tried, but I hoped the second one would be better than the first.
Hygrometer Reading: 63%. Presmoked: light sweet scent. Smoked: slightly difficult draw and uneven burn. The flavor started bland and never changed. My Dr. Pepper didn't improve the flavor and the draw started wearing on me so I cut 1/4 off of the end and the draw improved. I finally got some flavor, including a little twang, but by the time the flavor picked up I had other things to do. It wasn't the most convincing second cigar experience, but I think I'd still like to try it one more time. Amount Smoked: 3/4 of the cigar.
(12/2007 - $6.65 - 12/2007)
Arturo Fuente Special Sun Grown (Dominican Republic) "Chateau Fuente" [maduro] -
Hygrometer Reading: 61%. Presmoked: spicy cedar scent. Smoked: slightly difficult draw, uneven burn, and slightly stinky smoke. At first only half the cigar got lit and then snuffed itself out quickly. Then I had a hell of a time getting the other half lit at all. Once both sides were lit I still had to tend to the cigar constantly to kept it lit. The flavor started spicy, but before long I was tasting a little tar. I cut off the last 1/4 of an inch and the tar went away and the draw loosened up. Too bad it still needed babysitting. This used to be one of my favorite cigars so it was even more disappointing that I didn't enjoy it at all. Amount Smoked: 1/2 the cigar.
(7/2006 - $22/5 - 12/2007)
Rocky Patel Edge (Honduras) "Torpedo" [maduro, figurado] -
Presmoked: light sweet tobacco scent. Smoked: perfect draw, mostly even burn, and pleasantly scented smoke. The flavor started mild to medium with a complex flavor that had wood and a little leather in addition to other things. I was really enjoying the cigar, but I unintentionally let it go out. After the relight it wasn't good enough to bother with. That was unfortunate because this was the type of Edge that I love. Amount Smoked: 2/3 of the cigar.
(6/2007 - $20/5 - 12/2007)
Illusione (Honduras) "88" [oscuro (colorado maduro in color)] -
Presmoked: no scent. Smoked: slightly difficult draw, uneven burn, and decently scented smoke. The flavor started medium and spicy with an interesting undertone that worked well with the spiciness. I dug the cigar, but I had to babysit it to prevent it from going out. I hate babysitting cigars because I don't find it relaxing. The cigar toned itself down to mild, which was ok. My Dr. Pepper gave the flavor a distinct creaminess that was just as tasty as the starting flavor. At the 2/3 mark the cigar went out and the only flavor after the relight was sour. This is worth trying again because if stays lit a little better on its own it'll be something worth keeping in the humidor. Amount Smoked: 3/4 of the cigar.
(9/2007 - $6.95 - 11/2007)
Padilla Maduro (Dominican Republic) "Churchill" [maduro] -
Presmoked: light sweet scent. Smoked: difficult draw, mostly even burn, and decently scented smoke. The draw made it difficult to taste anything so I cut 1/4 of an inch off the end. That didn't improve the draw any so I cut off an additional 1/4 and the draw improved. The cigar was medium to full flavored with spice and a little maduro sweetness. At about the halfway point the cigar went out and after the relight it was mild and a little sour. My Coke didn't affect the flavor. When the cigar snuffed itself out a second time I didn't bother relighting it since the sourness was still there. If there was a way for me to keep this cigar lit then I would've enjoyed it a lot more. Amount Smoked: 3/4 of the cigar.
(6/2007 - $30/Padilla sampler - 11/2007)
San Cristobal (Nicaragua) "Supremo" [maduro (in color)] -
Presmoked: strong grassy scent. Smoked: perfect draw and even burn. The cigar started with a burst of pepper that quickly toned down to kind of creamy with not quite dark flavors. I accidentally let the cigar go out and when I relit it the flavor was close to mild. My Dr. Pepper didn't have any affect. The draw got noticeably tighter the closer the cigar got to the halfway point and once I tasted tar I was done; the mild flavor wasn't worth the trouble. This was my second San Cristobal and while their flavor is on the unique side it's not quite my sort of thing. Amount Smoked: 1/2 the cigar.
(9/2007 - $8.90 - 11/2007)
Cupido Criollo (Nicaragua) "Campana" [figurado] - I accidentally neglected my main humidor so I pulled something from the coolador when I noticed that it was on the dry side too. Still, it wasn't as dry as the humidor so it was the better choice and I grabbed something I wouldn't be too disappointed by if it was terrible because it was dry.
Hygrometer Reading: 56%. Presmoked: dusty scent. Smoked: perfect draw and even burn. The cigar tasted dry, but there was a pleasant unique spiciness to it and some cream. My Dr. Pepper only made it slightly less dry. Halfway through the cigar got sour so I pitched it. It was obvious that it would've been better if it wasn't dry, but I'll never know since this was the only "Campana" I had and all Cupido cigars were discontinued a while ago. Amount Smoked: 1/2 the cigar.
(7/2003 - $17/part of Cupido sampler - 11/2007)
Cusano Xclusivo "Originale" (Dominican Republic) "Petite Perfecto" [figurado] - I accidentally got these Xclusivo "Petite Perfecto"s on Cigar Bid because I only skimmed the description and thought they were "Preferido Grande"s. I doubt they'll be as good as the "Preferido Grande"s, but I hope they're worthwhile because I have 15 of them.
Presmoked: grassy scent. Smoked: perfect draw, even burn, and somewhat stinky smoke. The flavor started mild to medium with a little sourness I didn't like. My Coke made it papery in addition to sour so I liked it even less. I probably didn't leave it in the humidor long enough to return to normal after being mailed here so I expect the next one to be better. Amount Smoked: the entire cigar.
(10/2007 - $34/10 & $9/5 - 11/2007)
Illusione (Honduras) "68" [oscuro (colorado maduro in color)] -
Presmoked: light sweet scent. Smoked: perfect draw, even burn, and pleasantly scented smoke. The flavor started an indistinctive medium that was ok. My Dr. Pepper made the flavor a little sharper, which didn't really make a difference one way or the other. The small "68" didn't make much of an impression. Amount Smoked: the entire cigar.
(9/2007 - $5.25 - 10/2007)
Cusano 18 (Dominican Republic) "Toro" [claro] - My first couple of Cusano 18s were bland so I hoped this one would be better.
Presmoked: almost no scent. Smoked: perfect draw, even burn, and decently scented smoke. The cigar tasted dry, but had a good woody flavor and some spice in the finish. My Coke fixed the dryness and made the wood a little sweet without affecting the spice in the finish. I was finally done with it when I started tasting tar. This cigar was drier than it should've been, but the irony is that this was the best experience I've had with the Cusano 18. Amount Smoked: 3/4 of the cigar.
(12/2003 - $17/5 - 10/2007)
El Centurion (Nicaragua) "Guerreros" [colorado maduro] - Since I tend to like Pepin Garcia's cigars I picked up his first limited edition cigar despite their priciness.
Presmoked: sweet scent with a grassy undertone. Smoked: perfect draw, uneven burn, and stinky smoke that eventually got kind of pleasant. The cigar started kind of creamy with a medium toasty flavor and medium strength. It didn't take too long before most of the flavors died away leaving a mild cigar with a light woodiness and a hint of tar. Clipping the end of the cigar off took care of the tar. My Dr. Pepper made the flavor slightly sweet with baking spices. I liked the cigar enough to relight it after it went out on its own two times, but not the third. I liked the El Centurion, but not enough to pay $12 for it. It's possible that one of the other vitolas would be worth the money though. Amount Smoked: 1/2 the cigar.
(9/2007 - $12.25 - 10/2007)
Tatuaje (USA) "Noellas" -
Presmoked: sweet pungent scent. Smoked: perfect draw and mostly even burn. The cigar started medium flavored with some spice and char and medium strength. My Coke killed the char and sweetened up the spice in a way I liked. I could taste some tar on my lips, but it wasn't bad enough for me to stop enjoying the cigar. If it weren't for the tar this would've been the best Tatuaje I'd had. Amount Smoked: the entire cigar.
(4/2007 - $7.92 - 10/2007)
Cuvee Blanc (Dominican Republic) "Robusto" [colorado] - I tend to like Cusano cigars so I had to try the Cuvee Blanc when I found out about it.
Presmoked: strange combination of sugary sweet and grassy scents. Smoked: perfect draw, even burn, and decently scented smoke. The flavor started mild to medium, but on the bland side with a little more nicotine than I expected (possibly medium strength). My Coke made the cigar slightly papery, but not enough to ruin anything since any flavor was almost better than none. The Cuvee Blanc wasn't bad, but I didn't think it compared to a good C10. Amount Smoked: the entire cigar.
(9/2007 - $7.25 - 10/2007)
San Cristobal (Nicaragua) "Maestro" [maduro (in color), figurado] - San Cristobal is a new Ashton cigar made by Pepin Garcia.
Presmoked: sweet scent. Smoked: slightly easy draw, uneven burn, and pleasantly scented smoke. The cigar started thin to medium bodied and had a flavor with a dark edge to it, like coffee only lighter. It was decent enough, but a tiny bit harsh in the back of the throat. I started feeling the nicotine early so I had to hit my Dr. Pepper, which lightened up the flavor a little, but didn't get rid of the harshness. Halfway through the flavor picked up a very enjoyable twang that was unfortunately short lived. Towards the end the cigar got somewhat ashy. The "Maestro" was pretty good, but I'm hoping the other San Cristobal in the humidor is even better. Amount Smoked: the entire cigar.
(9/2007 - $12.25 - 10/2007)
Cusano C10 (Dominican Republic) "Crown Corona" -
Hygrometer Reading: 60%. Presmoked: sweet scent. Smoked: perfect draw, even burn, and sweet scented smoke. The flavor started mild and a little papery. My Coke made the flavor a little more papery, but otherwise it never changed. The cigar was pretty nondescript the entire time. Amount Smoked: the entire cigar.
(12/2004 - $43/10 & $19/5 - 9/2007)
Rocky Patel Edge (Honduras) "Torpedo" [maduro, figurado] -
Presmoked: oily wrapper with a pungent scent. Smoked: perfect draw and even burn. The flavor started medium, creamy, and medium bodied. It was enjoyable until my Dr. Pepper thinned down the body and made it closer to only ok. Amount Smoked: 3/4 the cigar.
(4/2007 - $5.60 - 9/2007)
Arturo Fuente Hemingway (Dominican Republic) "Work of Art" [maduro, figurado] - I picked up this little maduro Hemingway because I like the large maduro "Signature"s and hoped it would closer to those than the small "Short Story"s I don't like.
Presmoked: light sweet scent. Smoked: difficult draw that got much easier after the first 1/2 inch, mostly even burn, and somewhat stinky smoke. The cigar started full bodied with a full flavor that mellowed to medium-mild on its own. The flavor picked back up to medium, and had a spice undertone, but it wasn't anything great. About halfway through I finally tried the cigar with a Coke, which thinned the body out, killed the spice, and made the flavor a little ashy. This cigar was definitely closer to a "Short Story" than a maduro "Signature" even without the Coke making it worse. Amount Smoked: the entire cigar.
(1/2007 - $8.60 - 9/2007)
Tatuaje (USA) "Unicos" [colorado maduro, figurado] -
Hygrometer Reading: 60%. Presmoked: strong sweet tobacco flavor and oily wrapper. Smoked: the cigar started with a medium bodied smooth spicy flavor. It wasn't too long before I noticed the nicotine so I had to resort to a Coke. My Coke toned down the spice and just made the flavor mellow goodness. This cigar didn't knock my socks off, but it was very good. Amount Smoked: 3/4 of the cigar.
(4/2007 - $10.65 - 9/2007)
Sosa (Dominican Republic) "Piramides #2" [maduro, figurado] - One of the most ignored Fuente made brands has also been one of the most forgettable so far.
Hygrometer Reading: 60%. Presmoked: sweet scent. Smoked: perfect draw, mostly even burn, and pleasant sweet scent. The flavor started medium with some sweetness that got a little sour. My Mexican Coke (bottled and made with sugar instead of high fructose corn syrup) killed all the flavor. I can't say I was crazy about the cigar either way. Amount Smoked: 1/2 of the cigar.
(10/2004 - $3.40 - 8/2007)
Primos (Nicaragua?) "Toro" [maduro] - The Primos "Toro" was a random cigar I picked up at the cigar shop.
Hygrometer Reading: 61%. Presmoked: sweet scent and beautiful wrapper on a lumpy cigar. Smoked: difficult draw and even burn. In the beginning I couldn't get enough smoke to really taste the cigar, but there was a hint of some dark flavors. If I really hit the draw the cigar tasted sour, but had a pleasant aftertaste of leather and sweet wood. I hated fighting the draw so I clipped off the last half inch of the cigar and the draw improved. More smoke gave me pepperiness in the mouth instead of actual flavor so I liked it better when I could hardly taste it. My Dr. Pepper didn't do anything for the flavor. At one third of the way through some nice light, long lived flavors developed, but so did a slightly ashy aftertaste. Ultimately the aftertaste was consistently better than the flavor throughout the entire smoke so I wasn't impressed by the Primos, but another vitola might be better. Amount Smoked: 3/4 of the cigar.
(6/2007 - $3.10 - 8/2007)
Oliva Serie O (Nicaragua) "Robusto" - I liked the last few Oliva Serie O "Robusto"s so much that I made a rare box purchase.
Hygrometer Reading: 60%. Presmoked: barnyard scent. Smoked: perfect draw and mostly even burn. The cigar started full and spicy with some paperiness. Judging from the flavor I'd say the cigar was a little dry. My Dr. Pepper didn't help and actually made the flavor a little ashy. If I'd been paying attention I would've had a Coke with the cigar (Dr. Pepper is suited for creamy flavors while Coke is suited for spicy flavors). This wasn't one of the better Serie O "Robusto"s I'd had. Amount Smoked: the entire cigar.
(4/2007 - $4.20 - 8/2007)
Graycliff Espresso (Bahamas) "Presidente" - This was the last of the Graycliffs I bought to sample.
Hygrometer Reading: 62%. Presmoked: full bodied sweet scent. Smoked: perfect draw, even burn, and pleasantly scented smoke. The cigar started full bodied with mild dark flavors. It was an understandably mellow beginning to a very long cigar. I tried to avoid a soda as long as possible, and the cigar was smooth, but my mouth still dried out before I was a quarter of the way done so I had to get something. The flavors seemed perfect for a Dr. Pepper, but I didn't have any cold so I had to settle for a Coke instead. Mistake: my Coke made the body flat, increased the flavor to medium, and gave it kind of a full paperiness which effectively ruined the cigar. It did leave a pleasant aftertaste though. I don't blame the cigar for what the Coke did, but I wasn't so enamored with the pre-Coke flavor that I'd pay $11 to try it again. That makes zero Graycliffs I'd buy again. Amount Smoked: 1/2 the cigar.
(2/2007 - $11 - 8/2007)
Don Kiki Limited Reserve 2000 (Red Label) (Nicaragua) "Corona" - Don Kiki's used to get a lot of play on the boards a few years ago, but after smoking a few I buried the ones I had. I found them again recently and decided to try them again.
Hygrometer Reading: 64%. Presmoked: strong sweet scent. The cigar felt light so it might have been dry. Smoked: perfect draw, even burn, and decently scented smoke. The cigar started with a boring mild flavor that my Coke made ashy and a little woody. It wasn't exactly a pleasant cigar so when it got bitter I had to toss it. This was actually worse than the first time I had the red label. Amount Smoked: 1/3 of the cigar.
(3/2004 - $5/5 - 8/2007)
Padilla Maduro (Dominican Republic) "Robusto" [maduro] -
Hygrometer Reading: 60%. Presmoked: sweet scent, rough looking wrapper, and extremely solid feel. Smoked: slightly difficult draw and even burn. The flavor started mild to medium and was very short lived, which was fine because it didn't taste like anything I liked or wanted. My Coke didn't do anything for the flavor. About halfway through the cigar picked up a dry tobacco flavor and nothing ever developed that I liked. Maybe 60% relative humidity was too dry for this cigar? I have a few other Padilla Maduros so we'll see. Amount Smoked: 3/4 of the cigar.
(6/2007 - $30/Padilla sampler - 8/2007)
Willy Cigar Negrito (USA) "Toro" [maduro] - I picked this up because they're rolled locally and the oily wrapper was very pretty.
Hygrometer Reading: 61%. Presmoked: strong pungent scent. Smoked: difficult draw, uneven burn, and excellent sweet scent. The cigar started full and tasted like ass. I unintentionally (honest) let it go out. After I relit it the draw got better, and the flavor picked up some spice, but there was still too much ass to it. I hated battling the draw just to taste something I didn't like so I tossed the cigar pretty quickly. It was especially disappointing because the smoke smelled so good. Amount Smoked: 1/3 of the cigar.
(6/2007 - $5.05 - 8/2007)
Los Blancos Criollo (Nicaragua) "Robusto" [colorado] - This was a cigar I picked up at random.
Hygrometer Reading: 64%. Presmoked: strong pungent scent. Smoked: perfect draw, mostly even burn, and decently scented smoke that grew on me. The flavor started mild to medium with some pungency to it. Halfway through it got a little papery so I hit my Dr. Pepper, which gave it a slight ashy flavor that was mild enough that it didn't ruin the cigar. It wasn't my favorite cigar, but it made me curious about Los Blancos' other cigars. Amount Smoked: the entire cigar.
(6/2007 - $5.60 - 8/2007)
Coronado by La Flor (Dominican Republic) "Corona Especiale" [colorado maduro] - I'd always avoided the Coronado because I had a bad feeling about them even though I tend to like cigars made by La Flor Dominicana. I didn't pre-judged the "Corona Especiale" I had, but I didn't like it anyway.
Hygrometer Reading: 62%. Presmoked: light scent. Smoked: perfect draw, uneven burn, and excellent sweet spiced scent. In the beginning the flavor kept changing between spicy medium with a hint of paperiness, mild, or a flat mild to medium woodiness with a sharp paperiness. Sometimes there was even a light pleasantly sweet aftertaste that I liked. Unfortunately it settled on the flat flavor, which I liked the least. My Dr. Pepper made the cigar creamy with complimentary light sweet flavors, but it didn't take long for those to be replaced by ashiness though. In the end the cigar smelled better than it tasted. Amount Smoked: 1/2 the cigar.
(6/2007 - $7.25 - 7/2007)
Cusano Killer Cameroon (Dominican Republic) "Toro" [colorado] - One of my old favorites.
Hygrometer Reading: 61%. Presmoked: sweet tobacco scent. Smoked: perfect draw and even burn. My mouth was already dry when I started so I didn't expect a good experience, but I was still able to appreciate the medium spiced flavor and woody aftertaste. I had to hit my Coke sooner than normal and it made the flavor sour, but the good flavor returned before too long. The aftertaste was a little ashy, but had a tasty sweetness to it. If the other Killer Cameroons I had were consistently this good it'd still be one of my favorite cigars. Amount Smoked: the entire cigar.
(10/2004 - $3.28 - 7/2007)
601 Connecticut (Nicaragua) "Robusto" - Another Pepin cigar.
Hygrometer Reading: 62%. Presmoked: light sweet scent. Smoked: perfect draw, mostly even burn, and sweet smoke that smelled like Christmas spices. The cigar was surprisingly full flavored for something wrapped in a Connecticut wrapper and kind of creamy with occasional paperiness. Full flavored cigars are too much for me so I hit my Dr. Pepper pretty quick. It toned the flavor down to a more manageable medium and made it very creamy with a light vanilla aftertaste. After the Dr. Pepper it was one tasty cigar. Amount Smoked: the entire cigar.
(4/2007 - $40/Don Pepin Garcia sampler - 7/2007)
Tatuaje (USA) "Petite Tatuaje" - I hoped the "Petite Tatuaje" would be a good small cigar so I would have something to smoke when I'm in a hurry (like when the weather royally sucks).
Hygrometer Reading: 62%. Presmoked: sweet tobacco scent. Smoked: perfect draw and uneven burn. The flavor started medium and thin bodied with a tinny flavor I didn't like. My Coke got rid of some of the tinniness, but not enough for me to actually like the cigar. The last 1/3 of the cigar it developed a somewhat caramelized flavor that would've been good if there was more body to go with it. The cigar went out on me twice and it wasn't worth the second relight. Instead of being the answer I was looking for this was one of the worst Tatuajes I've tried. Amount Smoked: 3/4 of the cigar.
(4/2007 - $3.45 - 7/2007)
Oliva Serie O (Nicaragua) "Torpedo" [figurado] -
Hygrometer Reading: 63%. Presmoked: strong pungent scent. Smoked: perfect draw, mostly even burn, and stinky smoke that got progressively better smelling until I really liked it. The flavor started medium and spicy, but quickly toned itself down to mild to medium with wood and some spice. At the 1/3 point I couldn't tell if it was the heat or the cigar that was making me sweat, but not wanting to take any chances on nicotine poisoning I hit my Dr. Pepper. The Dr. Pepper killed most of the flavor, but left a good aftertaste. The "Torpedo" was a good cigar, but the "Robusto" is still my favorite vitola of the line. Amount Smoked: 3/4 of the cigar.
(4/2007 - $5 - 7/2007)
601 Habano (Nicaragua) "Robusto" [colorado] - Another Pepin cigar.
Hygrometer Reading: 62%. Presmoked: vanilla scent that it absorbed from some flavored cigar of Lynn's I forgot I had in the humidor. Smoked: perfect draw and even burn. It started medium with an almost trademark Pepin flavor. It was more than I wanted deal with in the 107 degree heat so I was thankful that it toned itself down to mild and creamy with a little sweetness in the finish. It wasn't what I expected given the start, but lighter was better. My Dr. Pepper made the flavor a little sharp, which I didn't enjoy. It was a good cigar before the Dr. Pepper, but not good enough for me to continue in 20% humidity. Amount Smoked: 1/2 the cigar.
(4/2007 - $40/Don Pepin Garcia sampler - 7/2007)
Ras Tafari (Dominican Republic) "Afrika" - I was worried that I'd have to cut my cigar short so I grabbed one of the closeout cigars I have in abundance.
Hygrometer Reading: 66%. Presmoked: sweet tobacco scent. Smoked: perfect draw, even burn, and excellently scented smoke. The flavor started medium with a pleasant spice. My Coke sweetened it up a little and gave it a pleasant aftertaste. As I thought I had to cut the cigar short so it died. I came back later and relit it, but it wasn't the same. At least it was enjoyable and it only cost me a buck. Amount Smoked: 2/3 of the cigar.
(2/2003 - $5/5 - 7/2007)
Fonseca Cubano Limitado (Dominican Republic) "Belicoso Corto" [figurado] - The first Fonseca Cubano Limitado "Belicoso Corto" I tried showed promise so I wanted to try another.
Hygrometer Reading: 63%. Presmoked: pungent scent. Smoked: perfect draw and even burn. The cigar started with an indistinctive medium flavor that my Dr. Pepper didn't change. Not much to say about this one other than it was decent and probably the Fonseca Cubano Limitado I liked the least. Amount Smoked: 3/4 of the cigar.
(12/2006 - $6.90 - 7/2007)
Litto Gomez Diez (Dominican Republic) "Americano" - I didn't like the first "Americano" I smoked so I hoped this one would be better.
Hygrometer Reading: 62%. Presmoked: strange scent. Smoked: perfect draw and even burn. This cigar was very difficult to get lit because it was like sucking air through a straw and I didn't get any smoke. I was about to give up on the cigar when the draw tightened up and there was lots of smoke. Unfortunately once I could taste it all I got was a char so heavy that I could hardly stand it. My Dr. Pepper didn't change the flavor, which meant my cigar didn't have long. The char flavor went away after about a quarter of the cigar, but I still wasn't enjoying it so there wasn't any point in smoking it. What a waste. Amount Smoked: 1/4 of the cigar.
(7/2006 - $9.20 - 6/2007)
Cigar.com Corojo Label (Nicaragua) "Robusto" - When I got the Don Pepin Garcia sampler the house label cigar was the one I looked forward to the least.
Hygrometer Reading: 63%. Presmoked: light sweet scent. Smoked: perfect draw, mostly even burn, and excellently scented smoke. The flavor started full with spice and some twang which toned down to medium full with a nice creaminess on its own. My Dr. Pepper gave the cigar a nice aftertaste with mild char that took it from good to excellent. The cigar went out due to neglect and it was never the same after I relit it. Too bad because I dug this cigar. At least I have another one to try. Amount Smoked: the entire cigar.
(4/2007 - $40/Don Pepin Garcia sampler - 6/2007)
Flor de Farach (Cuba) "Farachitos" [figurado] - I'd seen these pricey little boxes of pre-embargo cigars for sale and thought I should see if they were any good. Most of what I read was bad, but curiosity got the better of me.
Hygrometer Reading: 64%. Presmoked: light musty cedar scent. Smoked: perfect draw and mostly even burn. The smoke was medium bodied smoke with a mild flavor of old soggy cardboard and a little bitterness in the finish. When I got the cigars they reeked of the cardboard box so the first thing I did was remove them from the box. Apparently it'll take more than a few months to undo years of marrying with musty cardboard, if the cigars ever recover from that. My Coke got rid of most of the cardboard flavor, but there was still a cardboard aftertaste that was gross. The cigar burned surprisingly well considering how old it was, but cardboard is a truly terrible flavor. It'll be at least a year before I try one of these again. Amount Smoked: the entire cigar.
(12/2006 - $60/5 - 6/2007)
La Aurora 1903 Preferidos Maduros (seconds) (Dominican Republic) "Perfecto No. 2" [maduro, figurado] -
Hygrometer Reading: 64%. Presmoked: pungent scent. Smoked: perfect draw, even burn, and excellently scented smoke. The flavor started full and a little harsh with both going away pretty quickly. The smoke was full bodied, but the flavor was surprisingly mild and a little papery after that. My Dr. Pepper enhanced the flavor, and got it up to medium, but made it a little tinny at the same time. Apparently this was a cigar of contradictions. Thankfully the tinniness went away quickly. About halfway through the cigar started to heat up, which paradoxically made the flavor better. I was pretty happy with this La Aurora, but I have to wonder if it would've been better at a lower relative humidity. Amount Smoked: 3/4 of the cigar.
(12/2005 - $2.50 - 6/2007)
Ashton Virgin Sun Grown (Dominican Republic) "Corona Gorda" [colorado maduro] - From one of my third favorite cigars to my second favorite.
Hygrometer Reading: 65%. Presmoked: medium cedar scent. Smoked: perfect draw, even burn, and pleasantly scented smoke. The flavor started medium to full with lots of tasty spice and the occasional bit of paperiness. About the time the cigar toned itself down I tried my Coke. At first my Coke ruined the cigar, but the flavor didn't take long to reassert itself. The cigar was just never as good after that though. Amount Smoked: 3/4 of the cigar.
(11/2006 - $8.40 - 6/2007)
Rocky Patel Edge (Honduras) "Torpedo" [maduro, figurado] - Trying new stuff is fun, but it's always good to smoke the favorites.
Hygrometer Reading: 65%. Presmoked: oily black wrapper. Smoked: good draw, mostly even burn, and decently scented smoke. The cigar started medium with some spice and didn't take too long to tone down to mild to medium. My Dr. Pepper made the cigar creamy with an interesting aftertaste that improved it from good to tasty. Towards the end the cigar picked up a little char which made everything even better. Amount Smoked: 2/3 of the cigar.
(4/2007 - $5.60 - 6/2007)
Don Pepin Garcia Black (Nicaragua) "Robusto" - Back to trying the Don Pepin cigars.
Hygrometer Reading: 65%. Presmoked: strong pungent scent. Smoked: perfect draw, mostly even burn, and pleasantly scented smoke. The flavor started medium with some wood, spice, and other stuff I couldn't identify. It was a very smooth cigar, but there were times I could taste tar on my lips. My Coke made the cigar brilliant, but the cigar got hot cutting it short. In the end the cigar was just hot and kind of ashy. The Don Pepin Black "Robusto" had potential, but just didn't live up to it. Maybe another vitola would be better? Amount Smoked: 3/4 of the cigar.
(4/2007 - $40/Don Pepin Garcia sampler - 6/2007)
Oliva Serie O (Nicaragua) "Robusto" - I wasn't a fan of the old Oliva cigars, but my curiosity got the better of me when I saw the new ones. The "Robusto" was the best of the ones I tried so I got a couple more to sample.
Hygrometer Reading: 62%. Presmoked: pungent barnyard scent. Smoked: perfect draw, even burn, and pleasantly scented smoke. The flavor started full with spice and a light sweet woody finish that was excellent. My Coke made the flavor ashy and terrible. I stuck with the cigar, but it could never overcome the problem caused by the Coke. Too bad, but I'll definitely have to get more of these. Amount Smoked: the entire cigar.
(4/2007 - $4.20 - 6/2007)
Carlos Torano Virtuoso "Forte" [colorado maduro] - The Torano "Forte"s I've tried have been a mixed bag so I hoped the last one of my five pack would finally recapture the greatness of the first one I had.
Hygrometer Reading: 62%. Presmoked: light sweet scent. Smoked: perfect draw and mostly even burn. The cigar started with a mild caramelized flavor that was pretty good. My Dr. Pepper didn't change the flavor and the cigar never changed either. I enjoyed this cigar, but I don't think the "Forte"s have been consistent enough to warrant another five pack. Amount Smoked: the entire cigar.
(7/2006 - $23/5 - 6/2007)
Cupido Criollo (Nicaragua) "Doble" [figurado] - I've been trying a lot of new and trendy cigars lately so I wanted to try something old and discontinued for a change.
Hygrometer Reading: 60%. Presmoked: light sweet scent. Smoked: perfect draw, even burn, and pleasantly scented smoke. The flavor started medium and bitter. Before I had to resort to a soda to get rid of the bitterness it toned down a little bit and was joined by a good flavor on its own. I still needed my Dr. Pepper though. The cigar made my Dr. Pepper taste very sweet and the soda got rid of most of the bitterness in the cigar, but also thinned out the flavor in a way I didn't like. The cigar got hot, ashy, and bitter at the end so I had to toss it. Maybe these aged a little too long? Amount Smoked: 3/4 of the cigar.
(7/2003 - $17/part of Cupido sampler - 5/2007)
Cabaiguan (USA) "Coronas Extra" - Another Pepin Garcia cigar. I wanted to get the "Belicoso Fino", but it seemed to weigh half as much as a cigar that size should so I got the "Coronas Extra" instead.
Hygrometer Reading: 60%. Presmoked: pungent scent. Smoked: perfect draw and even burn. The cigar start spicy and stayed spicy. There wasn't anything else to it besides nicotine so I wasn't crazy about it. About a third of the way the nicotine started getting to me so I had to start on my Coke. The Coke toned down the spice, filled out the flavor, and gave it a sweet woody aftertaste. This cigar had a pleasantly light flavor profile that was a welcome change of pace from the heavier cigars I normally prefer. They're a little pricey, but I'll probably pick up a couple more to try. Amount Smoked: the entire cigar.
(4/2007 - $8.50 - 5/2007)
Don Pepin Garcia Series JJ (USA) "Belicoso" [figurado] - Yet another Pepin Garcia cigar.
Hygrometer Reading: 59%. Presmoked: pungent scent. Smoked: perfect draw and even burn. The cigar started with a medium spicy flavor that didn't do anything for me. My Coke did all sorts of things for the flavor making the smoke creamy and giving it a carmelized, slightly woody flavor that I found highly enjoyable. At the 1/3 point I started noticing the nicotine and it eventually got to be too much for me despite how much I liked the cigar. This was one of the best Pepin cigars I've tried so maybe this'll be a cigar I age before I smoke. Amount Smoked: 1/2 the cigar.
(4/2007 - $40/Don Pepin Garcia sampler - 5/2007)
Troya Clasico (Nicaragua) "XVIII" - Following my Pepin Garcia theme the last time I hit the cigar shop I picked up this Troya Clasico, which is made at his Nicaragua factory.
Hygrometer Reading: 62%. Presmoked: light pungent scent. Smoked: perfect draw and even burn. The flavor started medium to full with some spice and a thin metallic flavor I disliked. The flavor didn't improve on its own and my Dr. Pepper didn't improve it so I finished with the cigar pretty quickly. I'm not getting another one of these again. Amount Smoked: 1/2 the cigar.
(4/2007 - $8.75 - 5/2007)
Leon Jimenes Cameroon 2001 (Dominican Republic) "Robusto" -
Hygrometer Reading: 59%. Presmoked: light tobacco scent and solid feel (had to mention it after that last Graycliff). Smoked: slightly difficult draw, even burn, and pleasantly scented smoke. The flavor started medium with a certain familiar flavor that I couldn't place (cameroon?) that kind of reminded me of peanut butter. The smoke was medium bodied and overall it was good, but it needed something to get it to the next level. My Coke got rid of the peanut butter flavor, but the cigar eventually developed a creamy flavor that was pretty good. At the halfway point the draw eased up to what it should've been originally, but by then the cigar was already getting hot and a little sour so I was done with it. I wouldn't get this vitola again, but I thought the cigar was good enough to try the other vitolas in the line. Amount Smoked: 1/2 the cigar.
(12/2006 - $8.20 - 5/2007)
Graycliff Profesionale (Bahamas) "Pirate" [figurado] - The first time I tried a Graycliff I thought it was terrible so when I decided to give them another try I got cigars from a couple of their different lines.
Hygrometer Reading: 60%. Presmoked: light sweet scent. The cigar seemed to weigh much less than it should given its size and there were several gluey fingerprints on the wrapper making for a very poor first impression. Smoked: perfect draw, even burn, and decently scented smoke. The flavor started mild to medium with a hint of sweetness that was quickly replaced by a hint of sourness. The sourness eventually disappeared leaving a decent, although nondescript, flavor. My Dr. Pepper didn't have any affect on the flavor. Eventually the cigar got a little ashy so I was done with it. It wasn't a bad cigar, but definitely not worth the money. Amount Smoked: 2/3 of the cigar.
(2/2007 - $9 - 5/2007)
Cusano Hermanos Vintage (Dominican Republic) "Corona" -
Hygrometer Reading: 62%. Presmoked: stinky-sweet tobacco scent. Smoked: perfect draw and even burn. The flavor started medium and left my mouth feeling kind of fuzzy. I didn't care for the flavor, but my Coke made it kind of tasty and gave it a pleasant depth. The cigar was doing well for a little while, but then an ashy flavor crept in that never went away. I haven't had any luck with Cusano cigars lately. Amount Smoked: 2/3 of the cigar.
(12/2004 - $15/Cusano sampler - 4/2007)
Padilla Edicion Especial Achilles (Nicaragua) "Toro" - I had seen the Padilla Edicion Especial Achilles on cigarbid.com and wanted to try them, but they were only available by the dozen. I hadn't disliked the other Pepin Garcia cigars I tried so I took the plunge untasted.
Hygrometer Reading: 61%. Presmoked: light pungent scent. Smoked: perfect draw and even burn. The flavor started with a very pleasant medium toastiness that quickly toned down to mild, but there was enough toastiness and creaminess to keep it tasty. The cigar was smooth, but there was a bit of nicotine sizzle that warned me that this cigar was probably the type to sneak up and kick my ass. It didn't take too long to confirm it either. I had to hit my Dr. Pepper to keep the cigar from getting the better of me and it decimated the flavor and made the body thin. It completely ruined the cigar. The flavor didn't recover before the nicotine kicked in so I was through with the cigar. I was disappointed that it started so well only to be ruined by my soda, but at least I still have 11 more to smoke. Amount Smoked: 1/2 the cigar.
(2/2007 - $28/12 - 4/2007)
Bahia Maduro (Nicaragua) "Robusto" [maduro] - I've never been a fan of Bahia cigars so this was their last chance to make a good impression on me.
Hygrometer Reading: 63%. Presmoked: sweet tobacco scent. Smoked: perfect draw and even burn. The flavor started full with flat dark flavors that weren't bad, but needed something. My Coke made the aftertaste a little more pleasant, but it wasn't enough. In the end the cigar got very sour on me so I pitched it. Amount Smoked: 1/2 the cigar.
(3/2004 - - 4/2007)
La Flor Dominicana Ligero Cabinet Selection (Dominican Republic) "L-300" [colorado maduro] -
Hygrometer Reading: 63%. Presmoked: light cedar scent. Smoked: perfect draw, even burn, and stinky smoke. The flavor started full with a somewhat sour finish and a light body. The sourness went away quickly enough leaving something that just reminded me of nicotine. I hate the full flavor/light body combination so I hoped my Dr. Pepper would do something good, but it only made the flavor mild. It didn't make the cigar any worse than it already was. There was eventually a pleasant aftertaste, but it wasn't enough reason to continue smoking the cigar. This may well have been the least enjoyable La Flor Dominicana I've had. Amount Smoked: 1/2 the cigar.
(5/2006 - $5.65 - 4/2007)
Rocky Patel Edge (Honduras) "Torpedo" [maduro, figurado] -
Hygrometer Reading: 62%. Presmoked: light pungent scent with an oily wrapper. Smoked: perfect draw and uneven burn. The flavor started medium to full with only char being apparent. It wasn't bad, but one dimensional. My Dr. Pepper greatly improved the flavor by making it creamy and giving it some depth. That depth disappeared though leaving a lighter version of the original char flavor. This Edge was enjoyable, but not the best Edge I've ever had. Amount Smoked: 2/3 of the cigar.
(5/2006 - $5.50 - 4/2007)
La Aurora (Dominican Republic) "Robusto" [maduro] - I'm not a fan of La Aurora, and even decided that I'm not buying them any more, but I was given one of their regular maduros so I had to try it.
Hygrometer Reading: 65%. Presmoked: sweet pungent scent. Smoked: perfect draw, somewhat uneven burn, and pleasantly scented pungent smoke. The flavor started medium to full with a decent amount of spice. I was surprised because I liked it. My Coke toned down the spice, but there was a full tobacco flavor that was perfect with the spice that was left. I found the cigar highly enjoyable so it was too bad that the cigar kept going out on me. After the second or third relight all the good flavor disappeared to be replaced by some tarriness so I pitched it far too early for my tastes. This La Aurora was good enough that I'll actually try it one or two more times despite my previous feelings about La Aurora. Amount Smoked: 1/3 of the cigar.
(gifted - 4/2007)
Alec Bradley Maxx (Honduras) "The Culture" -
Hygrometer Reading: 59%. Presmoked: light sweet scent and an oily wrapper. Smoked: perfect draw, even burn, and decently scented smoke. The flavor started medium with a little leather and caramel. It wasn't bad, but not my sort of thing. My Coke made the flavor even more caramelized, which I actually enjoyed until I was finished with the cigar. I liked this cigar, but I didn't like its flavor profile enough to get it again. Amount Smoked: 2/3 of the cigar.
(12/2006 - $5.15 - 4/2007)
Gurkha Legend (Dominican Republic) "Torpedo" [maduro, figurado] -
Hygrometer Reading: 65%. Presmoked: pungent barnyard scent. Smoked: perfect draw, even burn, and pungently scented smoke. The flavor started medium to full, twangy, and a little dry. I was once again surprised that a cigar stored at 65% relative humidity could taste dry. I was enjoying my cigar, but my Dr. Pepper removed the twang and most of the flavor. Gradually the aftertaste became more assertive, but that was a bad thing because it was sour and a little ashy. Eventually the aftertaste got too ashy for me. This cigar was typical of my other experiences with the Gurkha Legend "Torpedo"; it could've been a great cigar, but wasn't. Maybe these things need to be stored at 70% relative humidity? Amount Smoked: 2/3 of the cigar.
(7/2006 - $21/5 - 4/2007)
Cusano Selection (Dominican Republic) "Robusto" [colorado] - I knew 57% relative humidity was too low for most of my cigars, but I decided to smoke one anyway. I take the complete blame for what happened.
Hygrometer Reading: 57%. Presmoked: dry tobacco scent. Smoked: perfect draw and mostly even burn. The cigar started dry and sour and remained that way even after my Dr. Pepper. It was definitely too dry to smoke. Amount Smoked: 1/4 of the cigar.
(3/2003 - $9/5 & $6/5 - 4/2007)
Graycliff (Bahamas) "PG" - The first red label Graycliff I tried was terrible, but I thought I'd give it one more shot.
Hygrometer Reading: 62%. Presmoked: strong pungent scent. Smoked: perfect draw that got difficult, even burn, and pungently scented smoke that eventually smelled pleasant. It started out decent with a medium flavor, light spice, and light body. My Coke got rid of the spice and lightened up the flavor in a way I didn't like. It got even worse at the halfway mark because the draw became difficult. The flavor got sour and I could taste tar on my lips so I pitched the cigar. The thought this second Graycliff would have to be better than the first, but it sucked in a completely different way. Amount Smoked: 2/3 of the cigar.
(2/2007 - $9 - 4/2007)
Tatuaje Series P (Nicaragua) "P3" -
Hygrometer Reading: 60%. Presmoked: pungent scent. Smoked: perfect draw and even burn. The flavor started mild to medium with a light body. It was decent enough, but the flavor got a little sharp and papery so I didn't like it. My Coke got rid of the sharpness and gave it a good medium flavor, but the paperiness remained for a while. At the halfway point the smoke had a creamy texture that complimented the flavor nicely and made it quite enjoyable. Unfortunately it was short lived because at two-thirds it started getting hot and sour and never stopped. The Tatuaje Series P "P3" was inexpensive, but the cigar wasn't good for long enough to make it worthwhile. Amount Smoked: 3/4 of the cigar.
(12/2006 - $4.15 - 4/2007)
Cusano C10 (Dominican Republic) "Crown Corona" -
Hygrometer Reading: 61%. Presmoked: sweet scent. Smoked: perfect draw, even burn, and pleasantly scented smoke. The flavor started medium, a little sour, and a little harsh. The sourness quickly went away, but there was still a flat harshness that I didn't like. At the 1/4 mark the harshness went away leaving a good spicy flavor. Coke works best with C10s, but the only thing I had cold was Dr. Pepper so I hoped it wouldn't ruin the cigar. The Dr. Pepper got rid of the spiciness, but it gave the cigar a good flavor anyway. This started as one of the worst C10s I'd ever had, but it finished pretty well. Amount Smoked: 3/4 of the cigar.
(12/2004 - $43/10 & $19/5 - 3/2007)
Arturo Fuente Special Sun Grown (Dominican Republic) "Chateau Fuente" [maduro] -
Hygrometer Reading: 61%. Presmoked: light cedar scent. Smoked: perfect draw, uneven burn, and great scented smoke. The flavor started medium with a dry version of the dark flavors I like. I hoped my Coke would help bring them out, but it kind of compacted the flavor. It was still an enjoyable cigar and the only thing that prevented me from smoking the entire thing was that it was too high maintenance because it had a problem staying lit. Amount Smoked: 1/2 the cigar.
(7/2006 - $22/5 - 3/2007)
Kahlau (Nicaragua) "Mudslide" [cigarillo] - I thought I finished these off, but I found one hiding in the humidor and I was looking for a quick smoke so it was a good excuse to see if it was any good.
Hygrometer Reading: 61%. Presmoked: highly sugary sweet scent. Smoked: perfect draw, even burn, and sweet scented smoke. The wrapper might've tasted sweet on the lips, but the cigar started with a medium sour flavor that was very unpleasant. At 1/3 of the way the cigar started getting harsh making me want to pitch it, which I finally did at the halfway point. Apparently after a long enough period of time all that sweet stuff works against the tobacco. Amount Smoked: 1/2 of the cigar.
(7/2004 - $15.23/10 - 3/2007)
Oliva Serie O (Nicaragua) "Torpedo" [maduro, figurado] -
Hygrometer Reading: 64%. Presmoked: no scent. Smoked: perfect draw, even burn, and pleasantly scented smoke. The flavor started so mild I didn't taste anything despite the medium bodied smoke. It didn't take long to develop a hint of tar so I cut more the head off to prevent the tar from bunching where the head narrowed. That worked and I never tasted tar again. At the 1/4 mark of this long cigar there was still barely any flavor. I got thirsty so I hit my Dr. Pepper which thinned down the body and made the cigar taste flat. It was worse than how it tasted before the Dr. Pepper. The flavor eventually picked up a little char, but the body was still on the thin side. This cigar's flavor was way too mild for me. Amount Smoked: 2/3 of the cigar.
(1/2007 - $6.65 - 3/2007)
Fonseca Cubano Limitado (Dominican Republic) "Toro" -
Hygrometer Reading: 65%. Presmoked: light cedar scent. Smoked: perfect draw, even burn, and pleasantly scented smoke. The cigar started with a mild to medium mouth coating flavor and a pleasant somewhat woody aftertaste. It tasted surprisingly dry for a cigar that was stored at a higher relative humidity than usual. My Dr. Pepper made the flavor a little papery, but the long aftertaste got even better. Halfway through the flavor got ashy, but the aftertaste was still good. The flavor didn't improve from that point so I tossed the cigar. It was a good cigar, but the "Belicoso Corto" and "Robusto" in the same line have both been better. Amount Smoked: 2/3 of the cigar.
(12/2006 - $6.15 - 3/2007)
La Flor Dominicana (Dominican Republic) "Limitado II" [oscuro] -
Hygrometer Reading: 61%. Presmoked: shiny wrapper and light sweet scent. Smoked: perfect draw, uneven burn, and pleasantly scented smoke. The flavor started mild with the occasional sourness and an undertone of the dark flavors I love. It was highly enjoyable for a mild cigar and there was plenty more cigar left for it to build up so I was looking forward to it. It was a hot day so I had to hit my Dr. Pepper sooner than I wanted to to prevent heat stroke. The Dr. Pepper enhanced the dark flavors and added a little char to the mix proving to be the right choice. As the cigar progressed it got milder in flavor with the dark flavors disappearing. I didn't find it nearly as enjoyable as the first quarter of cigar. At the end the cigar got too bland for me to even be bothered with smoking it. Things started so well, but ultimately the "Limitado II" disappointed. Amount Smoked: 2/3 of the cigar.
(11/2006 - $8.10 - 3/2007)
Sosa (Dominican Republic) "Brevas" [natural] - The only thing I had to drink was a vanilla cream soda so I had to find a cigar that might actually go with it. I had a feeling the Sosa, probably the least talked about Fuente made brand, would fit the bill.
Hygrometer Reading: 61%. Presmoked: dusty mild sweet scent. Smoked: perfect draw and even burn. The cigar started with a mild bitter flavor that went away after not too long leaving nothing but bland. I eventually hit the cream soda, but it didn't affect the flavor. Occasionally the flavor picked up a little something, but it always returned to nothing making for a very boring cigar. Amount Smoked: the entire cigar (which had nothing to do with how much I enjoyed it).
(10/2004 - 3/2007)
Tatuaje Series P (Nicaragua) "P2" [colorado] -
Hygrometer Reading: 62%. Presmoked: almost no scent. Smoked: perfect draw and even burn. The cigar started with a mildly creamy and sweet medium flavor with a short finish. My Dr. Pepper gave it more flavor and more creaminess making it quite enjoyable. Towards the end there was an undertone of tar that wasn't bad enough to ruin the cigar. I'd get this cigar again, but I think $4 is too much to pay for a medium filler cigar. Amount Smoked: 3/4 of the cigar. I would've smoked more, but I had other things to do.
(12/2006 - $3.90 - 3/2007)
Cacique Miami (Nicaragua) "Toro" [colorado maduro] - Recently the Cacique Miamis did well in the December blind tasting at Herfer's Paradise so I thought I should try one again.
Hygrometer Reading: 59%. Presmoked: wrapper with a nice oily sheen to it and a dusty tobacco scent. Smoked: slightly difficult draw that got more difficult as I smoked the cigar, mostly even burn, and stinky smoke. The initial flavor started with so much pepper that I thought the cigar was trying to kill me. After a few puffs the pepper dropped to a manageable level and the flavor started getting a little creamy. I didn't even get a quarter of the way into the cigar when I had to start my Dr. Pepper due to the excessive nicotine. I was amazed the cigar was still this potent after almost three years of aging (that means I'm going to have to wait even longer for those La Flor Dominicana Double Ligero "Chisel"s and Cohiba Edicion Limitada 2001s to settle down). The Dr. Pepper made the flavor a little chalky, but didn't ruin it, and kept the nicotine from kicking my ass. The draw got so difficult at 1/3 of the way that I almost pitched the cigar, but the obstruction was burnt through leaving a perfect draw. Maybe it was fighting the draw that burnt me out, but the flavor started tasting a little burnt so I gave up on the cigar. It wasn't a bad cigar, but I need the nicotine to settle down some more so it may be another year before I smoke another one. Amount Smoked: 1/2 the cigar.
(3/2004 - $4/5 - 2/2007)
Cubita Spanish Market Selection (Dominican Republic) "Robusto" [colorado maduro] - The Cubita Spanish Market Selection "Robusto" was pretty good looking so I picked one up even though I'd never heard of Cubita.
Hygrometer Reading: 58%. Presmoked: heavy savory scent like Worcestershire sauce. Smoked: perfect draw and even burn. I was doing yardwork so I wasn't paying as much attention to this cigar as I should've, but it was quite a bit better than the "yard 'gar" I assumed it was. I'll have to try a couple more of these. Amount Smoked: 2/3 of the cigar.
(3/2005 - 2/2007)
La Aurora 1495 (Dominican Republic) "Robusto" - I've never been a fan of La Aurora cigars (except for the reasonably priced La Aurora 1903 Preferidos "Perfecto No. 2" maduro seconds, which I can no longer get) so I doubted this 1495 would change my mind, but you never know.
Hygrometer Reading: 60%. Presmoked: spicy-sweet scent. Smoked: slightly difficult draw, even burn, and decently scented smoke. The cigar started with a mild thin flavor that had nothing to it and a pleasant unique, but short-lived, aftertaste. The aftertaste was medium if though the flavor was mild. There was an astringent quality to the smoke that made me want to hit my Coke before I wanted to. My Coke tasted watery (I'm beginning to think it's me), but didn't affect the flavor. Too bad because I didn't like this cigar and it's probably the last La Aurora I pay for. Amount Smoked: 1/2 the cigar.
(11/2006 - $8.20 - 2/2007)
Cuaba (Cuba) "Especial Cabinet" [figurado] - I've been trying to find a Cuban cigar I like besides the cost prohibitive Cohibas so I tried one of the seldom mentioned Cuabas.
Hygrometer Reading: 61%. Presmoked: strong pungent scent. Smoked: perfect draw, mostly even burn, and decently scented smoke. The flavor started full, which was too assertive for me. It wasn't too long before it settled down to a medium-full on its own with some spice and a pleasant woody aftertaste. My Coke made the cigar papery almost ruining it for me. I persevered though and towards the end the paperiness disappeared leaving a decent flavor. Overall it was a decent cigar, but nothing compared to a good Cohiba. Amount Smoked: the entire cigar.
(5/2006 - ¥1,600 - 2/2007)
Oliva Serie G (Nicaragua) "Robusto" [maduro] - This was the maduro version of the Serie G I just tried.
Hygrometer Reading: 60%. Presmoked: pungent scent not quite as strong as the non-maduro version. Smoked: perfect draw, mostly even burn, and pleasantly scented smoke with cocoa undertones. The flavor started full, but papery with a thin spice and a long finish. It wasn't the type of cigar I go for, but it wasn't bad. My Dr. Pepper tasted watery (big surprise there), but it wasn't bad with the cigar. Halfway through some tasty cocoa flavors started to develop, but they quickly disappeared being replaced by a bitter flavor. Overall it wasn't a bad cigar, but like the Serie O I liked the non-maduro version better. Amount Smoked: the entire cigar.
(1/2007 - $3.70 - 2/2007)
Oliva Serie G (Nicaragua) "Robusto" [colorado maduro] - Continuing my Oliva tasting.
Hygrometer Reading: 61%. Presmoked: strong pungent scent. Smoked: perfect draw and even burn. The cigar started full flavored with a sharp, thin spice that I didn't care for, but it settled down to something manageable. My Coke tasted watery (just like the Dr. Pepper with the Oliva Special S), but it left a good cigar aftertaste so I wasn't sure how it'd be with the cigar. My Coke toned the cigar down in a pleasant way making the flavor creamier with some wood and spice and a long finish. It was a good cigar, but I preferred the Oliva Serie O "Robusto". Amount Smoked: the entire cigar.
(1/2007 - $3.55 - 2/2007)
La Vieja Habana Early Years (Nicaragua) "Wavelle Deluxe" - A long time ago the La Vieja Habana Early Years got a lot of praise on Herfer's Paradise so I got them untried in greater than usual quantities. Unfortunately I found out I didn't like them so I put them away for a while hoping I might like them later.
Presmoked: strong chocolate scent. Smoked: perfect draw, uneven burn, and stinky smoke. The flavor started mild and indistinct with a creamy medium body. I thought my Dr. Pepper would improve things, but the cigar got tarry instead. I should've known that if I didn't like the way they tasted when I got them I probably never would. Amount Smoked: 1/2 the cigar.
(3/2004 - $4.16/2 - 2/2007)
Cusano 18 Paired Maduro (Dominican Republic) "Toro" [maduro] - I thought the first Cusano 18 Paired Maduro "Toro" I tried was good enough to merit a second one.
Presmoked: perfumed scent. Smoked: perfect draw, even burn, and pleasantly scented smoke. The smoke was medium to full bodied with a mouth coating flavor that was a little sweet and a little sour. It was pretty decent, but it needed help. My Coke made the flavor alternate between sour and tarry completely ruining the cigar. These are cheap enough that I could try it one more time, but the toro size is longer than I usually have time to smoke anyway. Amount Smoked: 1/2 the cigar.
(1/2007 - $4.85 - 1/2007)
Oliva Special S (Nicaragua) "Toro" -
Hygrometer Reading: 61%. Presmoked: tobacco scent. Smoked: perfect draw and even burn. The flavor started medium and very smooth with a respectable amount of spice. I got about halfway through the cigar without having to drink anything. When I finally hit my Dr. Pepper it tasted watery, which I knew was a bad sign. The Dr. Pepper sucked all the spice and most of the body out of the smoke and made it taste papery. Basically it ruined it. I liked the cigar before the soda, but I don't think I liked it $10 worth. Amount Smoked: 1/2 the cigar.
(1/2007 - $9.25 - 1/2007)
Carlos Torano Virtuoso "Forte" [colorado maduro] - The first couple of Carlos Torano Virtuoso "Forte"s I smoked were very good, but none since then have been even close to the same. I still had hopes for the last two I had left though.
Hygrometer Reading: 59%. Presmoked: sweet hay scent. Smoked: perfect draw, mostly even burn, and decently scented smoke. The flavor started medium and dry so I had to hit my Dr. Pepper very quick. The Dr. Pepper lent a little moisture to the smoke and gave the flavor a nice depth. Sometimes there were dark flavors, other times a heavy char, but both were pleasant. The flavor started getting sour at the end, but it also picked up a nice aftertaste so it wasn't too bad. I would've finished the cigar if I didn't run out of Dr. Pepper because despite the dry smoke it was a very enjoyable cigar. Amount Smoked: 3/4 of the cigar.
(7/2006 - $23/5 - 1/2007)
Tatuaje Havana VI (Nicaragua) "Nobles" - This was the last of the Tatuaje Havana VIs I bought.
Hygrometer Reading: 61%. Presmoked: pungent scent. Smoked: perfect draw and even burn. The flavor didn't taste like much besides tar when I started. I suspected the tar was coming from the cap so I chopped it off and it resulted in less tar, but still way too much for my tastes. My Dr. Pepper got rid of the rest of the tar flavor, and even improved the remaining flavors, but not enough for me to want to continue smoking the cigar in the cold. Amount Smoked: 1/4 of the cigar.
(12/2006 - $7.15 - 1/2007)
Fonseca Cubano Limitado (Dominican Republic) "Belicoso Corto" [colorado maduro, figurado] -
Hygrometer Reading: 59%. Presmoked: beautiful oily wrapper and a pungent scent. Smoked: easy draw, mostly even burn, and pleasantly scented smoke. The flavor started mild to medium and dry. It wasn't bad, but my Dr. Pepper made it very good bringing out the twang and coffee flavors. It made me wish I had started drinking my Dr. Pepper earlier. I liked the first Fonseca Cubano Limitado "Robusto" I had better, but this was close. Amount Smoked: the entire cigar.
(12/2006 - $6.90 - 1/2007)
Oliva Serie O (Nicaragua) "Robusto" [colorado maduro] - Yesterday I tried the maduro version of the Oliva Serie O "Robusto" so I wanted to compare the non-maduro version to it while it was still fresh in my mind.
Hygrometer Reading: 60%. Presmoked: strong pungent barnyard scent. Smoked: difficult draw and mostly even burn. The cigar started very mild due to the bad draw so I cut off the last quarter inch. That resulted in a perfect draw, but the flavor still tasted fairly mild to me with the aftertaste having more to it than the actual flavor. My Dr. Pepper gave it a really good flavor that disappeared after the cigar went out on me once. I liked this one better than the maduro version and I'll probably get another one. Amount Smoked: 3/4 of the cigar.
(1/2007 - $4.35 - 1/2007)
Oliva Serie O (Nicaragua) "Robusto" [maduro] - My Coke ruined the first Oliva Serie O maduro "Robusto" I tried so I was determined to try it again with a Dr. Pepper.
Hygrometer Reading: 60%. Presmoked: sweet scent. Smoked: perfect draw and mostly even burn. The flavor started full with a little spice that wasn't bad. My Dr. Pepper made the smoke full bodied and medium flavored with a hint of espresso, but it also brought out a little tar flavor. So I simultaneously liked and disliked what my Dr. Pepper did to the flavor. The tar flavor eventually went away, but it was too bitter cold for me to finish off the cigar. Too bad because I thought it was a decent cigar. Amount Smoked: 2/3 of the cigar.
(1/2007 - $5.70 - 1/2007)
Cusano C10 (Dominican Republic) "Crown Corona" -
Hygrometer Reading: 61%. Presmoked: sweet grassy scent. Smoked: perfect draw and even burn. The flavor started full and very good, but my Coke ruined it by making it papery and a little sour. It never got better either. Every cigar I've had this year has been ruined by Coke, which is not a good sign. Amount Smoked: 2/3 of the cigar.
(12/2004 - $43/10 & $19/5 - 1/2007)
Oliva Serie O (Nicaragua) "Robusto" [maduro] -
Hygrometer Reading: 62%. Presmoked: sweet dusty tobacco scent. Smoked: perfect draw, even burn, and stinky smoke. The flavor started full with some spice in the finish. Full being too much for me it wasn't long before I hit my Coke. The Coke subdued the flavor to an easy to handle medium, but it completely killed the spice and made the flavor papery. I thought the flavor before the Coke was pretty good so I'll have to try one of these without a Coke. Amount Smoked: 3/4 of the cigar.
(12/2006 - $5.60 - 1/2007)
Ashton Virgin Sun Grown (Dominican Republic) "Corona Gorda" [colorado maduro] - I wanted my first cigar of the new year to be a great one, and not have so much nicotine in it that it would make me sick, so I went with an Ashton Virgin Sun Grown "Corona Gorda".
Hygrometer Reading: 64%. Presmoked: cedar scent. Smoked: perfect draw and even burn. The flavor started medium with plenty of spiciness and medium to full bodied. My Coke killed the spice and thinned down the body, which I absolutely hated, but the spice quickly returned. The body still remained thin so I wasn't too happy, but at least the mild aftertaste was pretty good. The body eventually got back up to medium, but the spice was too much so I pitched it. Not quite the experience I wanted for my first cigar of the new year. Amount Smoked: 3/4 of the cigar.
(8/2005 - $7.75 - 1/2007)
Tatuaje Havana VI (Nicaragua) "Angeles" -
Hygrometer Reading: 61%. Presmoked: pungent scent. Smoked: perfect draw, mostly even burn, and pleasantly scented smoke. The cigar started medium flavored with a little spice and full bodied. My Coke took the spice out of it, but as usual it left a good aftertaste. I enjoyed the cigar, but the draw got difficult at the end so I had to pitch it. I have one more Tatuaje Havana VI left to try and I'm looking forward to it. Amount Smoked: 3/4 of the cigar.
(12/2006 - $5.65 - 12/2006)
Gurkha Legend (Dominican Republic) "Torpedo" [maduro, figurado] -
Hygrometer Reading: 60%. Presmoked: very light pungent scent. The cigar felt a little dry, but not brittle when I clipped the cap so I smoked it anyway. Smoked: perfect draw, even burn, and smoke that alternated between ashy and very pleasant. The flavor started mild to medium and not bad, but it did taste a little dry too. I figured a Dr. Pepper would improve it, and it did keep my mouth moist so I could enjoy the cigar longer, but it couldn't make dry smoke any less dry. This was probably the best Gurkha I've had. Amount Smoked: 3/4 of the cigar.
(7/2006 - $21/5 - 12/2006)
Gran Habano 3 Siglos (Honduras) "Robusto" [maduro (in color)] -
Hygrometer Reading: 62%. Presmoked: robusto so large it was more like a toro with a completely flat head (don't think I've ever seen one before) and a pungent barnyard scent. Smoked: perfect draw, mostly even burn, and decently scented smoke. The flavor started mild and creamy with a peppery finish and a pleasant mild aftertaste. Occasionally I'd taste vanilla giving the impression of a vanilla cream soda. My Dr. Pepper made the cigar even creamier and enhanced the sweetness a little. It was an enjoyable cigar even it wasn't quite my sort of thing, but I had to stop because the nicotine started getting to me. Amount Smoked: 1/2 the cigar, and it took me over an hour to get that far.
(12/2006 - $6.45 - 12/2006)
Cusano Xclusivo (Dominican Republic) "Preferido Grande" [colorado, figurado] - My tolerance for cigars I'm not thrilled with has gone down considerably with the cold weather so I wanted to smoke something I knew I'd enjoy.
Hygrometer Reading: 59%. Presmoked: dusty sweet tobacco scent. The cigar felt a little dry when I clipped off the cap so I should've went without today, but I decided to try it anyway. Mistake. Smoked: perfect draw and even burn. The flavor started medium to full with some papery bitterness that I didn't like. It went away before I had to hit my Coke, but then the smoke got a little harsh forcing me to start my Coke. The Coke suppressed the harshness, and gave it a pleasant aftertaste, but it didn't take long for an ashiness to develop. The cigar was just too dry. Amount Smoked: 2/3 of the cigar.
(4/2005 - $46/10 - 12/2006)
Alec Bradley Maxx (Honduras) "The Fix" [colorado maduro] -
Hygrometer Reading: 61%. Presmoked: beautiful oily wrapper with a sweet tobacco scent. Smoked: easy draw, uneven burn, and stinky smoke. The flavor started medium to full with a light to medium bodied smoke. I like the flavor and body to match or mild flavor with a heavier body, but the opposite doesn't work for me. No particular flavors jumped out at me, but I didn't like the overall flavor. As the smoke progressed it actually lost flavor becoming mild. A third of the way through I had to hit my Coke because the flavor started to get a little papery and bitter. The cigar made the Coke spicy and the Coke gave the cigar a little more body and a mild toasty flavor. Unfortunately it wasn't enough for me to enjoy the cigar. In the end the cigar started getting ashy so I pitched it. Honestly I would've pitched it even if it didn't get ashy because I just didn't care for it. Amount Smoked: 1/2 the cigar.
(12/2006 - $5.15 - 12/2006)
Tatuaje Series P (Nicaragua) "P1" - The Tatuaje Series P is a medium filler cigar, which explains the price difference between the Series P and the Havana VI. Medium filler doesn't bother me as much as short filler because at least I don't feel like I'm smoking scraps, but I did wonder if it would affect the smoke.
Hygrometer Reading: 65%. Presmoked: light pungent scent and the head cracked open when I punched it. Smoked: easy draw, even burn, and stinky smoke. The cigar started medium bodied, but the flavor was flat with some spice. My Dr. Pepper rounded out the flavor a little, and made it a little creamy, but also got rid of the spice. I thought it was a little better with the Dr. Pepper. At about halfway though the flavor gained some pungency and paperiness. The cigar wasn't bad, but the flavor was too light for me. Was that due to the medium filler? I have no idea, but I doubt it. Amount Smoked: 2/3 of the cigar.
(12/2006 - $3.90 - 12/2006)
Fonseca Cubano Limitado (Dominican Republic) "Robusto" - I liked the Fonseca Cubano Limitado "Robusto" enough that I wanted to try it again even though it wasn't quite my thing.
Hygrometer Reading: 65%. Presmoked: pungent scent. Smoked: perfect draw, mostly even burn, and pungent smoke that occasionally smelled good. The cigar was medium bodied, but I couldn't taste anything up until I drank my Coke. After the Coke the cigar still didn't have any flavor, but at least it had a good aftertaste. Towards the end it got ashy so I pitched the cigar. This "Robusto" hardly resembled the first one I had so I suspect that the 5% difference in relative humidity made the difference. Amount Smoked: 1/2 the cigar.
(12/2006 - $5.90 - 12/2006)
Fuente Fuente Opus X (Dominican Republic) "Super Belicoso" [figurado] - It's that time of year when cigar shops receive shipments of Opus X, Anejo, and maduro Hemingways. I've only had one Anejo and maduro Hemingway, and was impressed with both, but my experience with Opus X has been mixed; I was impressed with one Opus X, but the others I've smoked have been disappointing. To help determine if I should buy any more Opus Xs, even though I never thought I should've bought any in the first place, I decided to try one.
Hygrometer Reading: 63%. Presmoked: sweet scent like sugar and cinnamon. Smoked: perfect draw and mostly even burn. The cigar started full and spicy with a long finish, but one dimensional. The cigar settled down to medium-full without quite so much spice, but I still wanted some sort of complexity. The smoke was smooth enough that I didn't have to run for a Coke until I was ready for it, and once I did I was impressed. The Coke made the cigar pretty damn tasty for the remainder of the smoke. I was prepared to dislike the Opus X because of the Fuente's shifty marketing tactics for this line, but I'd be lying if I didn't say I enjoyed the hell out of this cigar. Amount Smoked: 3/4 of the cigar. It's a good thing I stopped because when I was done I was feeling some nicotine fuzziness, which gradually progressed to the point that I had to eat something to keep from feeling sick. Maybe I should've aged it three years?
(2/2005 - $13 - 12/2006)
La Aurora 1495 (Dominican Republic) "Belicoso" [figurado] - I'm not a fan of La Aurora's cigars, but I have to smoke through many lines I don't like to give up on a cigar maker (like Partagas, Perdomo, and C.A.O.) so I thought I'd give La Aurora's latest line a try.
Hygrometer Reading: 66%. Presmoked: sweet scent. Smoked: perfect draw, even burn, and decently scented smoke. The flavor started full of leather and spice, but quickly toned down to a more manageable mild to medium with a hint of those flavors and an undertone of sweetness. About a third of the way through the flavor started getting toasty and I decided it was time to hit my Coke. The Coke made the flavor flat and leathery, which was not an improvement. About two thirds of the way it became a little ashy too. This cigar wasn't my sort of thing, especially for the price. Amount Smoked: 3/4 of the cigar.
(11/2006 - $10.20 - 12/2006)
Tatuaje Havana VI (Nicaragua) "Victorias" -
Hygrometer Reading: 62%. Presmoked: light pungent scent. Smoked: slightly difficult draw and even burn. The flavor started mild to medium, but it was difficult for me to taste it because of the draw. I tried to correct the draw by cutting off more of the end, but it didn't work. Eventually I tried it with a Coke and I liked it a lot better because it made the flavor fuller. Halfway through the draw improved and the flavor even picked up a hint of coffee. The cigar kept going out on me to the point that I eventually got tired of dealing with it. I liked the Tatuaje Havana VI enough to hope that the other vitolas work out better for me. Amount Smoked: 3/4 of the cigar.
(12/2006 - $6.40 - 12/2006)
Cusano C10 (Dominican Republic) "Crown Corona" - It had been forever since I had a Cusano C10 "Crown Corona", and since it ranks as one of my favorite cigars that was too long.
Hygrometer Reading: 60%. Presmoked: sweet scent. Smoked: perfect draw, mostly even burn, and smoke that started stinky, but got very pleasant. The flavor started medium, but there was something not quite right about it. I didn't like the flavor, but the aftertaste was good. I hit my Coke pretty quickly, and it at least made the flavor decent. Towards the end the cigar got ashy so I pitched it. It wasn't quite up to the favorite standard, but it wasn't a bad cigar either. Amount Smoked: 3/4 of the cigar.
(12/2004 - $43/10 & $19/5 - 11/2006)
Fonseca Cubano Limitado (Dominican Republic) "Belicoso" [colorado maduro, figurado] - I had liked the Fonseca Cubano Limitado "Robusto" enough to try the rest of the line, which was the "Belicoso" this time.
Hygrometer Reading: 60%. Presmoked: beautiful oily wrapper with a strong pungent scent. Smoked: perfect draw and even burn. The flavor started with leather, a little spice, and a long finish. It wasn't my sort of thing. Eventually I hit my Coke in hopes that it would do something good to the cigar, but the only result was the spice disappeared. Halfway through the flavor was papery and ashy, and it never improved so I had to pitch it. It was very disappointing considering how good the "Robusto" was. Amount Smoked: 1/2 the cigar.
(11/2006 - $6.80 - 11/2006)
Romeo y Julieta (counterfeit Cuban) "Hermosos No.2 Edicion Limitada 2004" [colorado maduro] - When I saw this cigar I had a feeling it was counterfeit, but I didn't know for sure so I got it anyway. After a little research I found out that the "Edicion Limitada" label without a year was a dead giveaway. I should've followed my gut instinct, but since I had them I might as well try them.
Hygrometer Reading: 60%. Presmoked: strong pungent scent smelled like a barnyard (hay and animal crap). Smoked: difficult draw and mostly even burn. At first the cigar didn't have any flavor, and by the time the flavor started to develop I had to be attended to something that popped up. No big loss. Amount Smoked: 1/3 of the cigar.
(12/2005 - $12 - 11/2006)
Fonseca Cubano Limitado (Dominican Republic) "Robusto" - I'm not a fan of Fonseca cigars, but I had heard good things about their Cubano Limitado line so I gave it a try. I'm glad I did.
Hygrometer Reading: 59%. Presmoked: light scent. Smoked: perfect draw, mostly even burn, and pleasantly scented smoke that got better as the cigar was smoked. The flavor started medium to full with lots of earthiness, leather, and a great twang, but was very smooth so it wasn't overpowering. Normally those aren't flavors I go for, but the combination was so well executed I was impressed. As the smoke continued the flavors toned themselves down in a disappointing way, but then got spicy. Even the spiciness went away so I finally hit my Coke. The Coke enhanced the twang in the aftertaste making the cigar enjoyable once again. This cigar tasted like a more robust version of the Gurkha Legend "Torpedo", and was damn near great. Amount Smoked: the entire cigar.
(10/2006 - $5.90 - 11/2006)
Don Pepin Garcia Blue Label (USA) "Invictos" - I had liked one of the two Pepin Garcia Havana Souls I had tried so when I saw a different Pepin Garcia line at the cigar shop I couldn't resist trying it.
Hygrometer Reading: 61%. Presmoked: strong cedar scent. Smoked: perfect draw, even burn, and decently scented smoke. The cigar started medium bodied, but the flavor was flat. About a third of the way in I started noticing the nicotine so it was time to hit a soda. I hoped my Coke would have a positive affect, and it caused the cigar to smell significantly better, but it hardly affected the flavor. Overall the cigar was ok, but I preferred the Havana Soul. Amount Smoked: 3/4 of the cigar.
(10/2006 - $6.75 - 11/2006)
La Flor Dominicana Ligero Cabinet Selection (Dominican Republic) "L-300" [oscuro] -
Hygrometer Reading: 59%. Presmoked: light sweet scent. Smoked: perfect draw and even burn. The flavor started medium with a little sourness, some spice, and a long finish that was enjoyable. I went almost half the cigar before hitting my Dr. Pepper. The Dr. Pepper toned down the flavors, but it made them dark and well rounded so I was happy. It was a very good cigar, but not good enough for favorite consideration. Amount Smoked: the entire cigar.
(5/2006 - $5.65 - 11/2006)
La Aurora 1903 Preferidos Maduros (seconds) (Dominican Republic) "Perfecto No. 2" [maduro, figurado] - A while ago a local cigar shop used to carry La Aurora 1903 Preferidos Maduros seconds, but at some point they were forced to call them alts, and eventually they were no longer able to carry the seconds so they switched over to alts. I was worried that the last batch of seconds I got from them were really the alts.
Hygrometer Reading: 61%. Presmoked: pungent scent. Smoked: perfect draw, even burn, and pleasantly scented smoke. The cigar tasted like it was dry, but it had a good mild to medium flavor anyway. My Dr. Pepper didn't make the cigar taste any less dry, and gave it a sour flavor that I hated enough to stop drinking the Dr. Pepper. Unfortunately the sour flavor persisted all the way to the end of the cigar. I hate when my soda ruins a cigar, but at least I'm certain the most recent of these I got were the seconds and not the alts. Too bad I'll never be able to get them again. Amount Smoked: the entire cigar.
(12/2005 - $2.50 - 11/2006)
Cusano Xclusivo (Dominican Republic) "Preferido Grande" [colorado, figurado] - I hoped to follow up the very good Cusano Estate Reserve with a great Xclusivo "Preferido Grande", but that didn't happen.
Hygrometer Reading: 60%. Presmoked: sweet grassy scent. Smoked: perfect draw, even burn, and stinky smoke. The cigar started medium bodied and medium flavored without anything interesting about it. My Coke made the cigar taste a little ashy, which annoyed me, and then it got sour, which annoyed me even more. Eventually both flavors went away, but the cigar was never worth smoking. The Xclusivo "Preferido Grande" is normally one of my favorite cigars, but this one sucked. I wish I knew why. Amount Smoked: 3/4 of the cigar.
(4/2005 - $46/10 - 11/2006)
Cusano Estate Reserve (Dominican Republic) "Torpedo?" [natural, figurado] - Being sick hardly ever stops me from smoking a cigar, which is probably not a good thing. This cold I at least conceded that it would probably be better if I smoked a mild cigar. A while ago I picked up the Cusano Estate Reserve because I generally like Cusano cigars and I thought it was something new. After a little bit of searching I found out it hasn't been in production for years, and it was supposed to be mild. Not my usual type of smoke it sounded like something guaranteed from making me sicker.
Hygrometer Reading: 60%. Presmoked: light weight for a cigar that was physically large with a sweet grassy scent. Smoked: perfect draw and even burn. The flavor started mild to medium, which was more flavor than I honestly expected. It was a little papery, but there was also balsa wood, a little sweetness, and something else that helped round out the flavor. A quarter of the way through the flavor was squarely medium when it picked up some spice that I enjoyed, but would've liked more on a cigar with more body. My Coke gave the smoke more body, but it sucked all the spice out of the flavor in addition to muting the other flavors. It basically ruined the cigar. I continued smoking it anyway until it got ashy and had to pitch it. The Cusano Estate Reserve was a much better cigar than I expected, and the best cigar I've had recently. Amount Smoked: 3/4 of the cigar.
(12/2005 - $5.98 - 11/2006)
Cupido Classic (Nicaragua) "Corona" - It was back to the Island of Lost Toys for me with a discontinued cigar that I probably wasn't going to care for.
Hygrometer Reading: 61%. Presmoked: strong cedar scent. Smoked: perfect draw, even burn, and decently scented smoke. The cigar started mild, light, and a little papery with a slight twang that kept it from being tasteless. My Dr. Pepper enhanced the twang, but the paperiness increased to the point that I wasn't sure if I liked the cigar better before or after the Dr. Pepper. About halfway through the cigar started tasting tarry, but nothing blowing through the cigar couldn't fix. It was a decent mild cigar, but not the sort of thing I crave. Amount Smoked: 3/4 of the cigar.
(7/2003 - $17/part of Cupido sampler - 10/2006)
Flor de Camaguey (Nicaragua) "Figurado #?" [maduro, figurado] - The wrapper on this cigar was so dark and beautiful that I was compelled me to buy it.
Hygrometer Reading: straight from store humidor. Presmoked: pungent white pepper scent. Smoked: perfect draw and uneven burn. The flavor started with a mild, flat woody flavor. My Coke made the flavor papery with a hint of something good that just never got any better. Too bad because it was all unrealized potential. Amount Smoked: 3/4 of the cigar.
(10/2006 - $4.95 - 10/2006)
Carlos Torano Exodus 1959 Silver (Honduras) "Corona Grande" [colorado] - I haven't liked the Exodus 1959 Silver line, but my Carlos Torano Exodus 1959 Silver "Corona Grande" was free and a vitola I'd never tried before so I thought it was worth a shot.
Presmoked: sweet tobacco scent. Smoked: perfect draw and even burn. The flavor shocked me by starting extremely spicy because spicy is not what I expect or have experienced from a Torano. After a couple of minutes the flavor toned down, which was good because there was too much spiciness. The flavor that remained was medium with some flavor I couldn't identify and a pleasant spiciness. My Coke toned down the flavor a little more, but caused a pleasant aftertaste that was a good trade off. Midway through the cigar started tasting a little ashy, but that went away and a floral flavor developed. This was one of the best Toranos I've had, but it wasn't my cup of tea. Amount Smoked: 3/4 of the cigar.
(12/2005 - gifted - 10/2006)
Industrial Press (Nicaragua) "Mass" [maduro, figurado] - Occasionally I'll pick up a sampler of a cigar line and smoke through most of it, and not like it. That usually leaves me with the odd cigar or two that I don't know if I should even bother with. That was the case with the Industrial Press "Mass", but I figured I'd rather smoke it than toss it untasted.
Presmoked: light, pungent scent. Smoked: slightly difficult draw, even burn that eventually went completely uneven, and pleasantly scented smoke. The flavor started mild, but there was something unique about it that I enjoyed. As the smoke progressed it got a little sour, but wasn't too bad. My Coke got rid of the sourness, but otherwise didn't affect the flavor. The shape of the cigar was at least twice as wide at the foot than the head so I hoped the flavor would pick up as it was smoked, but it didn't happen. I could've lived without smoking this cigar. Amount Smoked: 2/3 of the cigar.
(8/2002 - $14/part of IP sampler - 10/2006)
Carlos Torano Virtuoso "Forte" [colorado maduro] -
Hygrometer Reading: 60%. Presmoked: light sweet tobacco scent. Smoked: perfect draw and mostly even burn. The flavor started very mild, stayed mild, and after my Dr. Pepper continued to be mild. It wasn't until practically the very end when the flavor picked up a little bit, but it didn't pick up enough for me to finish the cigar. I hope the last couple of these I have taste better. Amount Smoked: 3/4 of the cigar.
(7/2006 - $23/5 - 10/2006)
Ashton Virgin Sun Grown (Dominican Republic) "Corona Gorda" [colorado maduro] - I still wanted a good cigar that goes well with a Coke so I went for one of my favorites, the Ashton Virgin Sun Grown "Corona Gorda".
Hygrometer Reading: 59%. Presmoked: sharp cedar scent. Smoked: perfect draw, even burn, and pleasantly scented smoke. The smoke was thin bodied, but the flavor was full with some wood and a little tar. My Coke took the tar out of the flavor, but didn't really improve things. The cigar had a real mouth coating flavor, which would've been great if the flavor weren't only good. I've had much better VSG "Corona Gorda"s. Amount Smoked: the entire cigar.
(10/2004 - $7.84 - 10/2006)
Arturo Fuente Special Sun Grown (Dominican Republic) "Chateau Fuente" [maduro] - I wanted a good cigar that goes well with a Coke so the Arturo Fuente Special Sun Grown sounded like a natural choice, but it proved to be a disappointment.
Hygrometer Reading: 58%. Presmoked: sharp cedar scent. Smoked: perfect draw, mostly even burn, and somewhat stinky smoke. The cigar started full bodied with a mild to medium flavor that didn't taste like anything in particular. My Coke didn't have an affect either way, and the cigar never got better. I had to stop smoking early to deal with a screaming kid, and it didn't bother me at all. Amount Smoked: 1/2 the cigar.
(7/2006 - $22/5 - 10/2006)
Rocky Patel Edge (Honduras) "Torpedo" [maduro, figurado] -
Hygrometer Reading: 58%. Presmoked: strong pungent scent with an oily oscuro looking wrapper. Smoked: perfect draw and even burn. It took at least 10 minutes to get the cigar fully lit and it would prove to be a very slow burner. The flavor started medium to full, but combined with the nicotine (which wasn't a lot, but enough) it was more than I was prepared for before lunch so I hit my Dr. Pepper quickly. The Dr. Pepper made the flavor mild and creamy and the sugar took the edge off the nicotine. As the smoke progressed the flavor developed a char flavor with a hint of espresso to it that was good, but was a little too one dimensional, and fatigued my tastebuds so I pitched it. Amount Smoked: 2/3 of the cigar.
(5/2006 - $5.50 - 10/2006)
Indian Tabac Limited Reserve (Dominican Republic) "Buffalo" [natural] - I was rummaging through my coolador when I found a bundle of Indian Tabac Limited Reserve "Buffalo". This used to be one of my favorite cigars and somehow it had been almost two years since the last time I smoked one. I threw a couple in my humidor and took one with me to Flagstaff to smoke immediately to rectify that.
Hygrometer Reading: 59%. Presmoked: sweet tobacco scent. Smoked: perfect draw, even burn, and pleasantly scented smoke. Things started terribly because I accidentally dropped the cigar cracking the foot and the head (wrapper and binder). Somehow the draw was still good despite the two long cracks at the head. The flavor started mild with some paperiness and something else a little more robust. After my Coke the cigar took on a sweetness that was very good. I would've smoked the entire thing, but it looked like rain clouds were blowing in as we were breaking camp which forced me to abandon it. It was good enough that I'll look forward to my next one. Amount Smoked: 1/2 the cigar.
(1/2003 - $40/25 - 10/2006)
Casa Torano "Churchill" - It was a bad fantasy football day for me so I just wanted a sweet cigar to sweeten a bitter day. I thought the Casa Torano "Churchill" would fit the bill given how the "Robusto" tasted.
Hygrometer Reading: 59%. Presmoked: sweet scent. Smoked: perfect draw, even burn, and pleasantly sweet scented smoke. The flavor was mild, papery, and ashy. I hated it so I hit my Coke pretty quickly. The Coke removed the ashiness, but there wasn't anything about the cigar that I liked. It eventually went out due to neglect and I never bothered relighting it. Torano may make a lot of cigars I don't like, but they're not bad cigars so I think this was an aberration. I'm not going to get another one to find out though. Amount Smoked: 1/3 of the cigar.
(3/2005 - 10/2006)
Rocky Patel Edge Square (Honduras) "Missle" [maduro, figurado] - This was the closest Edge Square vitola I could get to the Edge "Torpedo" so I hoped I liked it better than the Edge Square "Toro".
Presmoked: dark oily wrapper with a light sweet-pungent scent. Smoked: perfect draw, uneven burn, and excellent floral scented smoke (which I definitely didn't expect from his cigar). The flavor started smooth and mild, but it wasn't long before the nicotine started hitting me. The cigar was smooth enough that I didn't need my Dr. Pepper, but the nicotine was strong enough that I did. I don't know if it was due to the Dr. Pepper or just what the cigar would've done on its own, but about halfway through flavor strengthened up to medium and was very pleasant. I enjoyed it that way until the cigar got hot. There was a little more nicotine and a little less flavor than I like in my cigars, and it cost more than I'm will to pay for a merely good cigar so this was probably my last Edge Square. Unless I see a "Torpedo". Amount Smoked: 3/4 of the cigar.
(7/2006 - $7.95 - 9/2006)
La Gloria Cubana (Dominican Republic) "Wavell" [natural] - I've been drinking too much Dr. Pepper lately so I wanted a cigar that goes with a Coke. It had been a while since the last time I had an LGC "Wavell" so it sounded like a good option.
Hygrometer Reading: 58%. Presmoked: light sweet bubblegum scent . Smoked: perfect draw and mostly even burn. The cigar had a mild flavor with a char aftertaste. My Coke didn't do anything for the cigar, and the cigar didn't do anything for me. I think this is one of those cigars aging works against rather than for. Amount Smoked: 3/4 of the cigar.
(9/2003 - $30.80/10 - 9/2006)
La Aurora Sungrown Maduro (Dominican Republic) "Belicoso" [maduro, figurado] -
Hygrometer Reading: 60%. Presmoked: sweet tobacco scent. Smoked: slightly difficult draw and even burn. The flavor started mild to medium with a flavor I thought would've been much better with a better draw. I cut more of the head off and the draw was perfect. The flavor was now medium with a lot of char to it with the occasional sourness and a coffee aftertaste. My Dr. Pepper brought out a sweetness to the flavor that was very good and gave the smoke more body. The Dr. Pepper was exactly what the cigar needed. At the end the cigar got so hot that I had to stop smoking it. It was an enjoyable cigar, but I don't think I'd get it again based on the other three I had. Amount Smoked: 3/4 of the cigar.
(10/2004 - $4.80 - 9/2006)
Sancho Panza Extra Fuerte (Dominican Republic) "Cordona" - A lot of people like these cigars, but my experience hasn't convinced to get any more of them. I thought I'd try one last one to be sure.
Hygrometer Reading: 59%. Presmoked: slightly sweet tobacco scent. Smoked: perfect draw and even burn. The flavor started mild to medium with some spice, but it was completely flat. My Dr. Pepper gave the cigar some body and rounded out the flavor. Halfway through the cigar it got tarry, which made me want to pitch it immediately. It took a lot of blowing through the cigar to make the tar go away, but the flavor was never again enjoyable. Too bad. Amount Smoked: 2/3 of the cigar.
(7/2006 - $3 - 9/2006)
Carlos Torano Nicaragua Selection (Old Blend) (Nicaragua) "Cetro" [colorado maduro] - My humidor was a little on the dry side so I wanted to smoke something that would still taste good dry and with a Dr. Pepper (I didn't have any cold Coke). The only thing that sounded close was an old Carlos Torano Nicaragua Selection.
Hygrometer Reading: 57%. Presmoked: the cellophane was so tight around the cigar that I had to split the cellophane because I couldn't get the cigar out of it. The cigar was so dry that it felt as light as an old bone, but it did have an excellent woody-tobacco scent. I think the tight cellophane caused a dryness issue independent of the humidor, but judging from the scent it seemed like the right cigar given the circumstances. Smoked: perfect draw, even burn, and excellently scented smoke. The flavor was very light with some creaminess, light wood, paper, and a slightly sour finish. I found it enjoyable, but my Dr. Pepper killed most of the flavor. It did leave a slightly cocoa aftertaste that kept developing so it wasn't terrible. It figures I finally liked this cigar when I only have one more left. Amount Smoked: the entire cigar.
(1/2003 - $7/5 - 9/2006)
Fonseca Sungrown (Dominican Republic) "Bullet No. 4" [colorado maduro, figurado] -
Hygrometer Reading: 59%. Presmoked: hardly a scent. Smoked: perfect draw and even burn. The cigar started medium bodied, but without any flavor and a sour aftertaste that came and went. I never got into the cigar, even after my Dr. Pepper. This really is the last Fonseca Sungrown for me because I realized that the great ones are the aberration, not the other way around. Amount Smoked: 3/4 of the cigar.
(5/2006 - $3.95 - 9/2006)
Cohiba (Cuba) "Esplendido" [claro] -
Hygrometer Reading: 59%. Presmoked: pungent scent. Smoked: perfect draw, even burn, and decently scented smoke. The flavor started mild and indistinct with a twang in the finish. The flavor didn't develop into anything and my Coke didn't do a thing for it. Towards the end the cigar picked up a great woody flavor that I wished was there all along because it made the difference between a decent cigar and a tasty cigar. Given the length of the cigar, about seven inches, I think there was too much of a wait for the pay off. Amount Smoked: the entire cigar.
(1/2005 - 129€/Cohiba sampler - 9/2006)
Mr. B's Nicaraguan Selection Sungrown (Nicaragua) "Double Perfecto" [oscuro, figurado] - A long time ago I got a Mr. B's Nicaraguan Selection Sungrown sampler and enjoyed the cigars. My favorite of the line was the "Double Perfecto", which had a rich flavor. Unfortunately when I bought a bundle of the "Double Perfecto"s they were never as good as the ones I had in the sampler. I wondered if their age could have been the problem although I doubted it. Now after three years of aging I decided to try one last "Double Perfecto" to see if I should ditch these cigars.
Presmoked: light tobacco scent. Smoked: perfect draw, even burn, and pleasantly scented smoke. The flavor started mild with an undertone of burnt hair and a mild tobacco aftertaste. My IBC rootbeer gave the cigar a pleasant char aftertaste, and it got rid of the burnt hair flavor, but it couldn't make the cigar enjoyable. I guess I need to get rid of these things. Amount Smoked: 1/3 of the cigar.
(10/2003 - $32.95/25 - 9/2006)
Padron 1964 Anniversary (Nicaragua) "Imperial" [maduro] - I liked the Padron 1964 Anniversary "Exclusivo" maduro so much that I thought I'd try the "Imperial" maduro too.
Hygrometer Reading: 58%. Presmoked: light savory-sweet scent. Smoked: perfect draw, even burn, and decently scented smoke. The cigar started medium bodied and medium flavored with light spice and a lot of char. My Dr. Pepper made the flavor fuller, but got rid of the spice. The spice couldn't be held down though because it came back pretty quick. I liked the cigar much better with the Dr. Pepper. Towards the end it got mild and tarry so I pitched the cigar. The "Imperial" was good, but the "Exclusivo" was better. Amount Smoked: 3/4 of the cigar.
(10/2005 - $14.?? - 9/2006)
La Flor Dominicana Ligero (Dominican Republic) "L-300" [colorado] - There are times the La Flor Dominicana Ligero Cabinet Selection oscuro has its moments so I thought I would try the non-oscuro version.
Hygrometer Reading: 59%. Presmoked: sweet scent. Smoked: perfect draw, even burn, and pleasantly scented smoke. The flavor started medium with a light body. My Coke gave the cigar a hint of sweetness and a good light wood flavor that made it enjoyable. I liked the La Flor Dominicana Ligero "L-300", but not enough that I'd get it again. Amount Smoked: the entire cigar.
(7/2006 - $4.90 - 9/2006)
Rocky Patel Edge (Honduras) "Torpedo" [maduro, figurado] -
Hygrometer Reading: 62%. Presmoked: pungent scent. Smoked: perfect draw, mostly even burn, and pleasantly scented smoke. The flavor started medium and a little dry with a hint of sourness. My Dr. Pepper transformed some of the sourness into paperiness, but the cigar was still only alright. It later developed a mild char aftertaste, but the cigar was just missing something. Eventually I tasted too much tar on my lips so I had to toss the cigar. I don't seem to be having good luck with my cigars right now. Amount Smoked: 3/4 of the cigar.
(5/2006 - $5.50 - 9/2006)
Litto Gomez Diez (Dominican Republic) "Americano" -
Hygrometer Reading: 60%. Presmoked: spicy sweet scent. Smoked: perfect draw, highly uneven burn. The flavor started full with all sorts of spice without being harsh. It wasn't as complex as the "Cubano", but it was still enjoyable. The cigar brought out the spices in my Coke, unfortunately the Coke thinned out the cigar's flavor. A tarry flavor kept creeping in and the cigar kept going out, and this was before I was even halfway through. The cigar became too much of a pain in the ass so I stopped smoking it when it went out again. This was the worst Litto Gomez Diez I've had, but I've got another "Americano" in the humidor so I hope it turns out better. Amount Smoked: 1/2 the cigar.
(7/2006 - $9.20 - 9/2006)
Carlos Torano Virtuoso "Forte" [colorado maduro] - My half day new kitchen sink/garbage disposal project turned into a three day frustration fest from hell. I sorely needed a cigar, but couldn't have one because I had too much to do. Finally I got to 95% victory so that was close enough for a victory cigar.
Hygrometer Reading: 60%. Presmoked: light sweet-pungent scent. Smoked: perfect draw, even burn, and pleasantly scented smoke. The cigar started medium bodied with some sourness plus a hint of the flavors I like. I started with my Dr. Pepper, but the sourness remained. The sourness remained in the flavor although some of the other flavors I liked built up to make this a decent cigar. I may never like another "Forte" as much as I liked the first. Amount Smoked: 3/4 of the cigar.
(7/2006 - $23/5 - 9/2006)
Black Pearl Rojo "Robusto" - I liked the first Black Pearl Rojo "Robusto" I had, got frustrated when the rest weren't as good, and swore them off. I got bored so I decided to try one again to see if they got any better.
Hygrometer Reading: 67%. Presmoked: light scent. Smoked: slightly difficult draw and uneven burn. The flavor started mild to medium with a hint of something good, but the good flavor never developed. The cigar made my Dr. Pepper tasty, but the Dr. Pepper didn't return the favor. The cigar never got better than ok so I'm really done with them this time. Amount Smoked: 2/3 of the cigar.
(7/2006 - $3.95 - 8/2006)
Rocky Patel Edge Square (Honduras) "Toro" [maduro] - The Edge Square is a limited production version of the Edge with extra ligero. I love the Edge maduro (specifically the "Torpedo") so I wondered if it would benefit from a little extra kick.
Hygrometer Reading: 59%. Presmoked: very light scent with a very oily black wrapper. Smoked: perfect draw, even burn, and pleasantly scented smoke. The flavor started medium to full and the ligero was obvious in the spicy bite. I have to give Rocky Patel credit because the cigar was still quite smooth. It seems in order to add the ligero they took something out that I like because I didn't get any dark flavors. Maybe the ligero just overpowered them? Despite the cigar's smoothness I did have to hit my Dr. Pepper pretty quickly. The Dr. Pepper thinned out the flavor, killed the spice, and left a pleasant aftertaste in its place. I think a Coke would have been a more appropriate match for this cigar. The cigar never got any better. I can't say that the Edge Square is any better or any worse than the Edge since I don't really like the Edge "Toro" maduro. Amount Smoked: 3/4 of the cigar.
(7/2006 - $6.90 - 8/2006)
Carlos Torano Tribute 2004 (Honduras) "Torpedo" [maduro, figurado] -
Hygrometer Reading: 59%. Presmoked: oily black wrapper with no discernible scent. Smoked: difficult draw, even burn, and decently scented smoke. The flavor started mild with a pleasant dark flavor, but as it built up it got sour. If there's one flavor I hate in a cigar it's sour. My Coke cut the sourness and helped return the cigar to vaguely pleasant. Towards the end it developed some toastiness that was good, but it was too little too late. Amount Smoked: the entire cigar.
(12/2005 - $11.38 - 8/2006)
Gurkha Legend (Dominican Republic) "Torpedo" [maduro, figurado] - Hygrometer Reading: 61%. Presmoked: stinky pungent scent. Smoked: perfect draw and even burn. The flavor started medium bodied and mild with a hint of twang to it, but not enough of anything to keep my attention. This time I tried it with a Coke, in hopes that it would work better with the cigar than the Dr. Pepper, but the soda didn't have an affect on the cigar. The flavor stayed steady the entire way through, which would have been great if I was enthralled with the flavor. I liked the first Gurkha Legend "Torpedo" I smoked b
Current Preferences:
Wrapper - sun grown, maduro
Country of tobacco origin - Nicaragua, Cuba
Size (or vitola) - torpedo, toro
Flavor strength - medium
Flavor attributes - creamy, slightly sweet, light woodiness, spicy, dark flavors, chocolate
[If you don't know what I'm talking about when I refer to claro or maduro, check out Cigar Aficionado's Cigar 101: Shapes, Shades & Sizes.]