For those who don’t know, Gran Habano had recently formed a series called the S.T.K. series. The cigars in this special series are limited production, limited release cigars that were created for the sole consumption of George A. Rico and family. Needless to say these are extraordinary cigars and Rico felt the public deserved to try them out as well, thus creating the S.T.K. series. The S.T.K. series will initially only be available at 50 retailers across the U.S.  and limited to no more than 100. Luckily our friends over at Gran Habano Cigars (@ghcigars) where kind enough to send a few of them our way.

After numerous blends and prototypes, George A. Rico has finally came up with a cigar he deemed worthy of the Opium name. This cigar is composed of a Nicaraguan Habano Corojo hybrid wrapper, Nicaraguan binder, and an unknown mix of fillers. These cigars come in just one size, 6×52, will run $9 a stick, and will only be available at S.T.K. authorized retailers.

Size: 6×52  -  Wrapper: Nicaraguan Habano/Corojo  -  Binder: Nicaraguan  -  Filler: Unknown

Prelight: First and foremost, the band on this G.A.R. Opium is impossible to ignore. The cigar sports a crazy elegant, attention calling double gold, red, and white band along with a third black and gold foot band that simply states that this cigar is part of the S.T.K. series and is a “Limited Edition” “by George A. Rico”. The first band is a huge red and gold crest with the G.A.R. branding followed by a smaller secondary band with a similar design that has the blend’s name “Opium”. The wrapper on this cigar is a beautify dark and medium brown with tons of oils coating the entire body. There are only one or two short, wider veins running through the body of this cigar leading up to the perfectly round triple cap. The cigar in general is extremely firm with no soft spots. The wrapper feels really durable as it didn’t tear or break when I squeezed it. It did however leave a really neat coating of oils on my finger tips. The wrapper on this cigar gives off a very interesting sweet pine aroma while the foot produces nothing more than a bold tobacco scent. The cap cut clean and easy using my double bladed Palio cutter. The cold draw is interesting. Instead of getting the run of the mill tobacco flavor I was anticipating the G.A.R. Opium let loose this crazy spicy, sweet, cedar flavor with even a bit of pepper on just the cold draw alone.

First Smoke: Instead of this G.A.R. Opium greeting me with the pepper I was expecting due to the cold draw flavors, I was welcomed with a very sweet tobacco flavor with a bit of honey, cinnamon and some subtle cedar with a bit of pepper that only teased my lips and tongue. The draw on this cigar is dead on, filling my mouth with tons of thick smoke with every puff. The burnline is razor sharp and even for the most part with only some very small waves. The ash left behind is white and light grey and extremely tightly compacted. The ash held on for well over an inch before giving way.

Halfway There: The G.A.R. Opium is really starting to open up now. Along with the sweet tobacco, cedar, and honey I am not picking up some interesting floral and citrus notes. I had to double check my hands to make sure they didn’t have soap on them. This cigar is very smooth and has some really interesting flavors. The retrohale is a nice addition to the experience to coating my nasal passage with a very bold, sweet cedar. I’m not really feeling any nicotine at this point, and the cigar is still burning dead even with amazingly white, compact ash.

Finish: Despite the larger bands on this G.A.R. Opium, all three of them slid right off the cigar without a hitch. That always gets huge brownie points with me. The Opium really smoothed out into the final third while the body ramped up a bit. Most of the flavors have dampened with the exception of the sweet tobacco and cedar which are rocking pretty hard at this point. There was no harshness at all, even into the final inch where I felt only a slight nicotine buzz before a smooth, creamy finish.

Overview: Gran Habano is a company that sometimes gets passed by cigar smokers. Just because they are affordable doesn’t mean they aren’t supburb cigars and the Opium is a perfect example of that. Perfect construction, great flavors, complex yet smooth. It really doesn’t get better than that. This is a perfect cigar for any occasion. Light enough to smoke in the morning, flavorful enough for an after meal smoke, and affordable enough for an everyday smoke. Need I say more?

Pairing: Coming in with another Lips of Faith series brew form New Belgium brewing, I paired this G.A.R. Opium with the new “Prickly Passion Saison”. I’ve said it so many times, but Saisons are my poison. I could drink these all day long. This isn’t your standard Saison though, it’s actually a 8.5% ABV beer brewed with natural Prickly Pear Cactus and Passion fruit juices. Usually the fruit would be the focal point of the brew, but in this case it’s nothing more than a slight aftertaste that really helps make this beer one of the smoothest I can say I have ever had. Sweet and citrusy up front with a nice smooth, creamy, fruity finish. This was a PERFECT pairing. I can’t stress that enough. Now that the Opium’s will be easily obtained, I recommend trying this pairing out if you can find the beer. Usually this time of the season I’d be pairing with some nice winter seasonal porters or stouts, but after trying this beer I knew it would go perfect with this cigar. You know what else goes great with this cigar and the beer? The Bouncing Souls. I got some “True Believers” playing as I enjoy the weekend before the chaos on my back porch.

Nestor Miranda is the founder of the Miami Cigars and Company and has recently started producing his own blends that come attached to his name. These include the Nestor Miranda Collection 1989, the newer Nestor Miranda Special Selection and the recent Casa Miranda. The Art Deco cigar also carries the Nestor Miranda blend and is currently sold in 3 vitolas, all of which are over 50 ring gauge.

The Art Deco is a joint effort effort between Nestor Miranda & José Pepin Garcia. I think we all know that Don Garcia is no stranger to success in the cigar industry and if he has a hand in the blending, you can usually be guaranteed it will be a quality cigar. The blend consists of 60% Nicaraguan Corojo 99 and 40% Dominican San Vicente, plus Dominican Criollo ’98 & Nicaraguan Habano 2000 binders rolled and triple-capped in dark, shimmering Nicaraguan Corojo ’06.

I actually picked up this cigar as part of a box set which included 4 Nestor Miranda Special Selection Ruky’s (2 Oscuro and 2 Rosado) along with an Art Deco. I’ve also enjoyed a few singles of the Robusto Grande vitola bought separately. I want to mention how awesome I think this band is. It’s so retro and different and the colors really pop. The cigars are also packaged in retro tins with the same neat design. But as they say, don’t judge a book by its cover! So I think that’s enough chatter, let’s get onto the review

Cigar: Nestor Miranda Art Deco
Drink: Unibroue Don De Dieu
Vitola: Robusto Grande (5.5 x 54)
Wrapper: Nicaraguan Corojo ’06
Binder: Dominican Criollo ’98 & Nicaraguan Habano ’00
Filler: Nicaraguan Corojo ’99 & Dominican San Vincente
Price: $8.50
Burn Time: 1.5 hours

Construction:
• This looks to be a wonderfully constructed cigar, very even in diameter with a dark golden brown wrapper
• The whole cigar is very firm when squeezed and has almost no bumps on the wrapper
• The head of the cigar is finished off with an extremely clean triple cap, it’s easy to see some extra care went into making this cigar
• The foot looks to be mostly well packed with a one gap that looks a bit under-filled
• The cut was fairly easy despite the firmness of the cigar
• The draw seems to be a bit more open than I’d typically like but it’s not terrible
• Seems that the draw tightened up a bit near the halfway mark making for a perfect draw each time

Burn:
• The cigar toasting was very easy with a short time frame to get the foot evenly glowing
• The initial burn was a bit wavy but it quickly corrected itself and started burning razor sharp after that
• Through the first half I have no complaints about the burn here, it’s still razor sharp and requires zero attention from me

Smoke & Ash:
• The smoke from each draw is fairly full but it’s actually not that thick in density
• The resting smoke here is almost non existent at times, it’s a very friendly cigar to have while non-smokers may be nearby
• The ash is starting off with a nice light gray color and looks to be tight and clean
• I’m getting some awesome striping on the ash and its staying clean and strong
• It lasted nearly 2 inches before making an awesome nosedive into the ashtray. A perfect 10 anyone???
• The next ash only lasted about an inch but it stayed clean and crisp and fell off easily into the ashtray

Tasting Notes:
• The wrapper on this cigar gives a strong earthy and barnyard aroma with a touch of cedar
• The aroma on the foot carries through with the earthy and cedar notes but adds in a slightly sweet spice, maybe of raw cinnamon
• The pre-light daw brings an interesting mix of sweet notes on top of the cedar, possibly some dried cherries
• Initial flavors are stong in the cedar department with that slightly dried cherry taste in there, very interesting!
• The cedar has stuck around through the first inch but the initial sweetness has tapered off a bit
• For the most part, the cigar has started off in the low end of the medium range with a small bite on the retrohale
• As I continue along, I’m getting a bit of leather and the initial earthy aromas are making an appearance in the flavor department now
• As I pass the halfway mark, the mix of cedar, leather and earth has me seeking a little something more. It’s not bad or harsh but I feel like there’s something missing since the sweetness disappeared…
• As the cigar continued I started getting a bit of the sweetness returning here and there along with some slight nuttiness
• The body is building ever so slowly in the last third, heading into the high medium range
• Some toasted nutty/almond flavors are making this last third a lot more interesting along with the dried cherry sweetness that keeps rearing it’s head here and there
• The nice final mixture of flavors stuck through to the nub with almost no harshness, a very nice finish

Final Thoughts:
As with all of the Miami Cigar offerings I seem to come into them with high hopes. They’ve had such a great track record recently that I only expect the best. The Nestor Miranda Art Deco is a well balanced cigar with a variety of flavors. The first and last 3rds of the cigar were interesting and kept me on my toes but the middle portion seemed to lack something. The burn was excellent the whole way through and overall construction was top notch. The price is also very reasonable so it’s something I would probably buy again, perhaps in the Coffee Break vitola (4.5 x 50). I think that size may be the sweet spot and keep the interesting flavors going from start to finish. If you like a good medium smoke with an interesting profile these are worth checking out.

Added note: I asked Tony his thoughts here and he’s only smoked the Coffee Break vitola and loved it. I’ve only had the Robusto Grande, so I think my guess that a smaller vitola would make this cigar great is probably a good guess!

Pairings:
So this beer comes with a funny sort of story.  I’ve done a few other reviews with Unibroue brews and always loved them, not to mention they are also Canadian which is a plus in my eyes!  Unfortunately, most of their brews are actually not even available for me to purchase cause of the ridiculous taxes and restrictions in my province. The brewery is only about a 5 hour drive away, but it’s in another province… So, I actually picked this bottle up in Florida. Yes, that’s right. I drove 1600 miles away from the brewery to actually buy it! I guess that speaks to the silliness of our taxes here! lol
Enough of my complaining, let’s move onto the actual beer. I had no idea what to expect from this as I’ve never had it before and the bottle doesn’t really explain what type of beer it is. The name of this beer, “Don De Dieu” literally translates to “Gift from God” so I figured it can’t be that bad!
After doing a bit of research, I found out this is a triple fermented wheat beer that is also unfiltered, giving it a cloudy appearance in the glass. The flavors in this brew are excellent, mixing a little bit of fruit, maybe some vanilla and very smooth malty finish. This is not your average wheat beer though, it packs in 9% ABV and the triple fermentation without filtration makes it feel a lot fuller bodied than you might expect. I found it to be an excellent pairing with the Nestor Miranda Art Deco as it offered up lots of interesting flavors. I think a fine tawny port would also be an excellent pairing here or perhaps keep it simple with a dark soda.

This was one of the few “talked about” cigars that made it’s release at the trade show last week. I did quite a bit of research on this cigar before smoking it, but I think that the description comes best from Steve Saka himself:

-  Undercrown to be debuted at the IPCPR – initial delivery to retailer in Sept 2011.

-  Undercrown is a blend that was developed by the Liga rollers for their own smoking pleasure because we had to ask them to cut back on smoking the LPs they were making – they were crushing us. The name represents this – if LP was made exclusively for the king/boss initially, this cigar was made initially for themselves, the princes, i.e. Undercrown.

- Imo, it is just a touch stronger than Medium bodied with a great natural tobacco sweetness and earthy flavor. Very creamy core and sexy smooth – like all LP’s** it is very balanced – this cigar probably won’t satisfy some of the pepper junkies.

[Disclaimer: this of course is my personal opinion of the smoke - you will have to decide for yourself... some folks will say it is too strong, others will say it is mild, one guy will say it tastes like bing cherries and pencil lead, and on and on and on - lol]

- Made with many of the same tobaccos as other LPs, but utilizes different primings, crops from different sections of the same fields, different ages etc… or change-ups – for example the binder is our exclusive T52 stalk cut habano.

- Prices are NOT set on the brand yet, because we price all of our cigars based one what they cost to produce and it takes us a few months of true production to know for sure what the indexes and run rates will be – I am going to Nica next week to do a final review – we expect the prices to range between $7 – $9…
BUT I RESERVE THE RIGHT TO BE COMPLETELY WRONG ABOUT THIS!!!

- LP-grade pairs are rolling these.

- Initial launch will be in the same 4 sizes as LP + the 6 x 60 parejo Gordito. Complain to JD about it, he wanted it, he is on a 60RG rampage… <snicker> Look when I first wanted to do Dirty Rat JD was not really on board because he always preferred larger cigars, but he let us run with it and fell in love with it. I in turn, am not a 60rg guy, but I gotta admit I am impressed with the MUWAT he did over at JDN. I do not think you have to choose between doing all big or all small.

- If the brand proves to be popular with smokers of course we will add sizes… I already have been smoking a 5 5/8 x 46 version. But launching with the most popular sizes is what makes sense… tell you what I will make up some more of the Corona Gorda UC to share cause you ain’t gettiing mine. Lets plan a BOTL herf somewhere this Fall an I will show up with these to share…

- It will not be limited to LP accounts only – this is a more sustainable blend so in the long run is will have better availability – hoorah!

In my opinion the price, and availability from the above statements are golden. Not just Liga Privada appointed retailers?! This cigar is going to FLY off the shelves! Keep in mind this is a “First Look” at the cigar, since it is still pre-release, so the review will be very loosely written. Saka himself had told me once though that any Liga Privada that gets handed out is the Final blend, and they do not change then from that point. That being said, I think it’s safe to say that this is in fact the final product. Anyway, let me get on with the review. ( PS. I didn’t read the above statement before writing my review. So please disreguard any “cherry” flavor I pick up )

Here is a little more info on the blend:

Undercrown is a liga blended on our factory floor by the best of our Liga Privada torcedores for themselves due to our request that they smoke less of the cigars they were crafting. Incorporating many of the same rare tobaccos, but of different vintages and primings, the cigar they created was no mere replacement. Earthy, creamy, spicy with a delicious black tobacco sweet finish, Undercrown is an exceptional smoking experience of uncompromising quality and flavor that deserves to be smoked by all.

Capa: Otapan Negro Último Corte
Capote: T52 Connecticut River Valley Stalk Cut & Cured Habano
Tripa: Select Brazilian Mata Fina and Nicaraguan Cuban Seed

Strength: Medium to Medium-Full
Packaging: 25-ct Display Cabinet BN Boxes
Taste Profile: Lush, smooth and creamy with a natural inherent sweetness.
Cigar Style: Refined and balance with excellent depth for the smoker.

Additional Info:
- The Undercrown blend was originally created by our torcedors for themselves to smoke in Nicaragua – their own “liga privada.”
- The capa is a unique strain of San Andreas Negro maduro seed grown exclusively for us whose harvest is intentionally delayed by 4+ weeks to allow for additional field and sun time resulting in a higher natural sugar content and a richer, creamier flavor.
- “Otapan” is the name of the vega on which it is grown and “Último”
- Corte” translates to “last cut”; a reference to its delayed harvesting.

For more info you can view Drew Estate’s Spec Sheet Here.

Prelight: The Undercrown is a nice, dark cigar. The wrapper obviously bears a lot of resemblance to that of the No. 9, but to me, it has a lot more reddish mixed in with a slightly lighter brown wrapper. Not that the wrapper is light by any means, just not nearly as dark as most of the No.9’s that I have smoked. The wrapper gives off a slight shine from it’s toothy body which only had one larger vein running about half of the length of the cigar. The cigar is very meaty, and only slightly soft. Other than that it gives a great bounce-back when pressed between my fingers. Before coming to the round, double-capped head of the cigar I was greeted with a really badass band. The band isn’t like all the rest of the Liga Privada blends that we have seen before in the past. This one starts with a dark blue (similar to the “Unicos  Series” blue) paper, with a similar god Liga Privada Lion in crested in the center of the band. The only difference is, like the name, the crown is actually placed below the Lion’s neck instead of above his head. Tracing the band to the back, the sides are the words “Undercrown” in the same gold metallic ink before coming to a nice “Drew Estate” logo on the back. I really like what they did with the band. It stands apart form the rest of the Liga Privada lines without being overly different.

The wrapper gives off this incredible cedar and almost potpourri smell. No joke. It’s very interesting and I can’t wait to see what it does to the smoking experience. The foot of the cigar, while giving off the potpourri smell also has a lot of spice, and a more subtle tobacco scent. The cap clipped right off of this Undercrown using my double bladed Palio cutter. The cold draw was surprisingly very sweet giving off smoke nice spice and cedar flavors. Not a lot of pepper which I expected from a cigar in the Liga Privada Line.

First Smoke: Right off the bat you can tell this isn’t going to be like the other Liga Privada experiences. The Undercrown starts off with a ton of cedar, sweet tobacco, honey, spice, and floral flavors, much like the No. 9, but there are two things missing. First is the pepper, second is the body. You can tell this is a milder cigar right away, but that’s not a bad thing. Usually the Liga Privadas start off with a huge bang, instead the Undercrown kindly welcomes you in. This cigar has a very easy draw and the smoke released is ridiculously thick. I don’t find myself having to hit the cigar more than once or twice to get the my desired mouthful of smoke. The stationary smoke on this cigar is just like any other Liga, VERY strong and heavy with some really nice cedar aromas. The burnline is perfect from the start leaving behind a nice trail of bright white, compacted ash that held on for a bit over an inch before giving way.

Halfway There: During the second third of this Undercrown I experienced a slight ramp up in flavor. The cedar, floral, sweet tobacco remained the same but now there is a really nice black cherry being thrown into the mix. I’m still stretching to pull the spice from this cigar. It’s probably the main characteristic that makes it stand apart form the Liga Privada line at this point. That and the medium body of course. The retrohale is incredibly smooth producing a really nice cedar and sweetness, priming my nasal passage.

Finish: The final third of this Undercrown proved itself worthy when it finished just as smooth as the first. This was pretty much my only concern going into the cigar as the flavors ramped up way early, that the harshness would as well. It’s safe to say that they didn’t, in fact the flavor even increased slightly into the last third with no harshness as all, even into the final inch. The cedar and black cherry have totally taken over for a remarkable finish. The burnline remained sharp, and clean requiring no tough-ups and no relights the entire experience. All in all this cigar burned pretty slow taking a little over and hour and a half to take down. Needless to say I enjoyed every minute of it.

Overview: Needless to say I think Drew Estate has a winner on their hands. There is a little more to creating a winning cigar that goes into that statement though. I, along with countless others, am a HUGE Liga Privada No. 9 fan. This cigar stands as an almost perfect substitute for the No. 9 as quantities become even more limited. I WILL being purchasing a few boxes of these to satisfy my cravings while not dwindling down my No. 9 stock. Along with the less-limited quantities, this cigar also comes with a lower price tag. That was pretty much the only thing really keeping a lot of smokers away from purchasing cigars in the Liga Privada blends. Now that price is no longer an obstacle these cigars will be flying off the shelves. Especially since they will/may be available at almost any Tobacconist, not just Liga Privada appointed retailers.  The last piece to the success of this cigar is the strength of the past Liga Privada releases. Now that there is a release that still carries the same flavors, at a lower cost, and a lower strength category many more smokers will be turning to this cigar.

Pairing: I decided to pair this undercrown with a long-time favorite of mine, St. Bernardus Abt. 12 Quadruple Abbey Ale. This best of a beer is brewed at the Brouwerij St. Bernarus in Belgium. Starting out with a boasting 10% ABV and finishing with a nice, bitter, fruity, composure it’s no wonder why this beer is named by some as the best beer in the world. If you aren’t a fan of strong beer you may want to stay away from this one, the alcohol shines through the clove and anise flavors with every sip. This bold beer made a perfect match with the Undercrown, not just cause of the fruit flavors, but it really helped to add that extra bite I think the Undercrown needed. But then again, I am a stronger cigar smoking kind of guy.

EDIT: I made a quick change to this review. Thanks to this video, and the guys at Stogiereview.com, I realized that Drew Estate decided to drop the “Liga Privada” from the Undercrown name. It is know as just “Undercrown”.

In celebration of this day I thought it was fitting to dig something special out of my humidor and out of the fridge. The cigar of choice ended up being a fairly rare Cohiba. It is the Cohiba Edicion Limitada 2006. It’s a very nice looking Piramide shaped cigar. Apart from it’s normal Cohiba band, it’s also adorned with the standard Cuban limited release band. This second band is gold with raised black lettering and border which says “Edicion Limitada 2006”.

These limited edition Cuban cigars are usually fairly easy to track down when they are initially released but after a few years they become a well sought after cigar to add to any humidor. I was recently lucky enough to track down a few through a friend and I grabbed them to save for special occasions like this.

This Piramide vitola was also the vitola for Cohiba’s 2001 Edicion Limitada. It was met with such great fanfare and reviews that they decided to re-release a similar blend. Each of the leaves within the cigar were aged a minimum of 2 years before being rolled into these rare cigars. 2006 also marked the 5th year that Habanos S.A. began offering limited edition cigars on a regular basis.

Cigar: Cohiba Edicion Limitada 2006
Drink: Innis & Gunn Canadian Cask 2010
Vitola: Piramide (6.1 x 52)
Wrapper: Cuban
Binder: Cuban
Filler: Cuban
Price: Originally a little over $30. No idea on current value but it’s much higher!
Burn Time: 1.5 hours

Construction:
• This is a rough and oily looking cigar, the wrapper definitely has signs of bumps and veins
• The color on this cigar is a very dark chocolaty tone and has some nice bloom signs of aging
• The cap is finish with a single piece of tobacco that wraps around the cigar 3 times
• The foot appears to be fairly well packed
• A slight squeeze along the length of these cigars gives a mostly firm feel with some slightly soft and springy spots
• The cut was very clean using my double bladed guillotine and made no mess
• The pre-light draw is a tad tight but we’ll see how it goes

Burn:
• Toasting was nice and slow but perfectly even, had the foot glowing nicely
• Burn line stayed nice and straight through the first couple of inches, glad to see that!
• Immediately after I wrote the previous line I started getting a peninsula on one side that soon required a little encouragement from my lighter
• After that initial touch up a few more were required as the cigar burned, I’m always disappointed when this happens on such limited release cigars

Smoke & Ash:
• Despite the tight draw, I’m getting a nice mouthful of smoke from each puff
• There is only a light amount of resting smoke and seems to come and go, it gives off a nice toasted bread type of aroma
• The Ash is coming along nicely with an interesting deep ripple effect and ashes off a little past 1 inch
• The color on this ash is mostly a medium gray with some dark accents
• Subsequent ashes were a little messier and shorter due to the touch ups
• One of the last ashes managed to hang on for almost 2 inches

Tasting Notes:
• The wrapper on the Cohiba Edicion Limitada 2006 is mostly aroma-less, just a slight cedar touch, probably from the humidor
• The foot of the cigar has a nice spice note to it, maybe a mild white pepper, along with some cedar
• Pre-light draw brings more of the white pepper and cedar flavors
• Initial draws have an interesting combination of cedar, chocolate and espresso, great start!
• The retrohale on this cigar is just fantastic, a great array of coffee and chocolate notes hit my sinuses with no bite and a smooth creamy finish
• The coffee and chocolate flavors seemed to dominate through the first half with some minor appearances of white pepper and cedar
• The body on this cigar has been mild through the first half along with a great balance of flavors and a super smooth creamy finish
• Had a little tar buildup, probably due to my small cut on the cap. A little trim fixed that issue
• As I get the half way mark, there is a bit more spice and a bit more body in the cigar, bt the awesome espresso and chocolate mix is still there
• Now I’m getting something interesting, it’s a good mix of spice and chocolate, almost like a chili spice. If you’ve ever had those gourmet chocolates made with chili you’ll get an idea of how this tastes, very unique!
• The body of this cigar has also gone into the high medium range right now but still offers a smooth and creamy finish
• The cigar burned a little hot near the end and the coffee flavors developed back into a nice strong espresso flavor and kept the interesting chili chocolate notes

Final Thoughts:
The flavors on the Cohiba Edicion Limitada 2006 were extremely enjoyable right from the start to the finish. They offered some unique touches and kept me on my toes the whole time. There’s no doubt that they did a quality blending job on this cigar. I was obviously disappointed with the number of touch ups it needed but oddly enough it didn’t affect the flavors much at all. I keep all my limited edition and expensive cigars in a smaller humidor that has a perfect 65-67% humidity almost all the time. The smaller area gives me more control over it, but doesn’t seem like that made a difference. As with most limited editions it usually comes down to a matter of cost and if these are worth their dollar value. At the original price of $30 these were a hard pill to swallow and their value has only gone up since then. The closest cigar I can compare this to is Cohiba’s own Maduro 5 line which was very close in flavor profile, possible just with a bit more spice in the Edicion Limitada 2006. But for the cost, I’d rather pay for and enjoy 3 or 4 Maduro 5’s. See my review of the Cohiba Maduro 5 Magicos here. Of course, that doesn’t mean I didn’t thoroughly enjoy this rare piece of cigar history! The chocolate and chili combo was especially unique and enjoyable!

Pairings:
With my special cigar tonight I picked out a special brew and one that fit the Canada Day theme as well. It comes from one of my favorite breweries, Innis & Gunn. The beer is called “Canadian Cask 2010”. This brew was made specifically for Canada Day last year. I bought a few of them last year and had one left that I was saving for this year. I also reviewed it awhile back with the Camacho Liberty 2009. There’s not much I can say about this beer other than it is fantastic. Basically take their already fantastic Oak Aged Beer and add in some light whiskey barrel and rye flavors and you have an even better brew! Each batch is also aged a longer amount of time in the whiskey barrels, 54 days to be exact. The cigar was not over the top strong so it actually paired well with this full flavored beer. I’d also recommend a fine smooth scotch, cognac or port with this cigar. A nice coffee would also pair well here as a non-alcoholic alternative.

Prelight: Cigar #6 starts off with this absolutely beautiful, extremely toothy wrapper. This bad boy is oily! Bits of oil were rubbing off on my fingers every time I hold the cigar. The wrapper is a really dark, and consistent dark-chocolate brown. The construction on this cigar is immaculate. The only visible veins are very slight, and smooth. They blend so well in with the cigar they were hard to even find. Despite how lightweight this cigar is, it seems incredibly durable with very little give heading up towards the round double cap.

The wrapper of this cigar gives off a really nice cedar aroma while the foot lets loots a really, really deep spice. The cap clipped with extreme ease using my double bladed Palio cutter. The cold draw is really interesting. It starts with just a ton of pepper, spice, cedar, and some sweet raisin. Strange I know, but if the cigar bears as much flavor as the cold draw I know I’ll be impressed.

First Smoke: Cigar #6 lit and toasted really quick, and really easy. This cigar starts off with a ton of pepper. After the pepper simmered down a bit the cigar’s real flavors kicked in. Starting out with a ton of cedar, some really sharp spice, sweet tobacco, and this really interesting grape/plum flavor I pulled from the aftertaste. The burline started out completely solid, and razor sharp producing a very beautiful, tightly compacted white ash. Despite the beautiful ash, it only held on for about an inch before taking a dive right into my lap.

Halfway There: Going into the second third of cigar #6 and the pepper has completely faded leaving room for this cigar to really take off. The deep cedar flavor is still the main flavor backed by subtle spice, sweet cinnamon, and that strange plum flavor I pulled early into this cigar. At first, I thought the wrapper on this cigar was Connecticut Broadleaf, but the more I smoke it, the more I find myself leaning away from that. Stalk Cut Habano maybe? It just doesn’t have to same sweet characteristics that Connecticut Broadleaf normally does. Anyhow, getting back into it, the retrohale on this cigar is really sharp and spicy, I don’t find myself doing it too often at all. Not to mention the fact that I can already feel a bit of the nicotine from this cigar.

Finish: The complexity of this cigar never stops amazing me. Into the final third of this cigar the pepper flavor from the start of the smoke made a brief reappearance. The main flavor is still this plethora of cedar. My mouth taste’s like I have been chewing on a black of cedar. At this point the Plum flavor is really taking off too. What a neat mixture of flavor. The body has really started to jump up as well.  I am scared to get up and walk around. There was a little harshness in the end, but nothing that I didn’t mind smoking through. All in all this cigar took about an hour to take down. Probably too fast for me to call it the cigar I am about to, but that’s just part of the game.

Overview: This was a damn good cigar. Extremely complex, bold, strong, and interesting. It really kept me on my toes. Not for the faint of heart. Just make sure you have a nice meal, and something to drink handy before taking on whatever cigar this happens to be. (on a side note, all these blind reviews are paired with water. Since I don’t know what they are I don’t want to risk pairing them with something that could ruin the experience. )

So now, for the part that makes me look like a complete dumbass. What did I think this was?

First off all, I really want to say this is a Nicaraguan cigar. It had all the characteristics, but the flavors were so interesting that I wouldn’t be surprised if there is a crazy mix of tobacco in there. What Nicaraguan cigar did I think it is? Well, I really couldn’t get over the wrapper. It looks like something I am so used to be the experience didn’t match. That being said, my first guess is this is some crazy Liga Privada blend. The wrapper REALLY identified with the wrapper seen on the T52. The rest of the experience didn’t, but with all the experimenting that Drew Estate has been doing lately, and Brooks’ ability to get ahold of just about anything, it wouldn’t surprise me. Second guess? Viaje. I haven’t had the pleasure of smoking too many Viaje, but this is something that would definitely fit within their line. Flavorful, strong, and different. Now lets see just how far off I was.

And the cigar is, Tatuaje’s Fausto. Is this cigar even out yet? Brooks doesn’t mess around.

Tatuaje’s Fausto is a new blend being released this year. New blend? Kinda. If any of you remember the extremely limited T110 blend that Pete made for R. Fields in Hawaii then this cigar shouldn’t been unfamiliar to you. The Fausto is the same blend form the T110, only in different sizes. After all the success of the T110 Pete wanted to eventually turn it into a fully produced line. The Fausto is a damn strong cigar. This is a full ligero cigar composed of Jalapa and Estelí grown Nicaraguan tobacco. At least I got that part right. And the wrapper? Ecuador Habano Maduro. Again, I was close!

If you want to find out more about this cigar, and see a great review of it, head over to this link to check out what brooks over at Smokingstogie.com had to say about it.

Now onto the cigar… If you attended IPCPR back in 2010 or read articles about the event, you probably heard about the new blend from El Primer Mundo, called the Liga Miami. I recently stumbled across a few of these sticks at the bottom of my humidor and realized they’ve been sitting there since sometime last year (oops?). With the upcoming IPCPR 2011 in July, I figured it would be a good cigar to pick up and review.

The Liga Miami blend from Sean Williams(Twitter: @PrimerMundo) made some waves at IPCPR 2010, especially in the blogosphere where a lot of reviewers were impressed by the unique array of flavors this cigar offered. The El Primer Mundo website is currently under construction, but before it went down you could also read up on their previous blends, the Connecticut Shade and Habano Criollo Maduro. The Liga Miami has the same company band on it but also adds an additional goldish-brown and silver band with the words Liga Miami on it.

The cigar itself is produced in Miami at the El Titan de Bronze factory. Willy Herrera of El Titan de Bronze also has a hand in making them This is a big change from the other two blends which are made in Esteli Nicaragua. You’ll also nice there is no box press on this cigar like the other offerings from El Primer Mundo.

Along with today’s Robusto vitola, you can also find the Liga Miami in a Toro and Churchill size. The cigar has an interesting mix of tobacco including a double binder and some ligero used in the filler. So without any more babbling from me, let’s see how this cigar stacks up!

Cigar: El Primer Mundo Liga Miami
Drink: Waterloo Brewery Radlermass Lemonade Lager
Vitola: Robusto (5 x 52)
Wrapper: Ecuadorian Sungrown
Binder: Double binded Nigaraguan
Filler: Nicaraguan, Dominican Republic (some Ligero)
Price: about $9
Burn Time: About 1.5 hours

Construction:
• The Liga Miami has a very nice reddish colored wrapper surrounding it
• Slightly oily and rough, the wrapper has some medium sized veins running along it
• There was a nice spring to the cigar when squeezed, not enough to seem under-filled though
• The head of the cigar is finished with a very clean triple cap, definitely some attention to detail there
• The bands themselves take up quite a bit of real estate on this cigar, at least a good 1/3rd
• The foot looks the be moderately packed
• The cut was fairly easy and left a clean opening but made a bit of a mess in the ashtray

Burn:
• Toasting didn’t go so well, had some unevenness to it and I just couldn’t get it all lit properly without some assistance from a couple draws
• Despite the my failed toasting, the burn started off surprisingly well through the first inch
• Burn was razor sharp through the first half
• The cigar has burned nice and slowly the whole way through and allowed me to enjoy it slowly without ever feeling like it was going out

Smoke & Ash:
• Tons of smoke coming from the cigar straight from the start
• The ash has a very nice white color to it
• Despite the nice color, the ash is getting a little flaky very fast
• The resting smoke on this Liga Miami is consistent and has a very unique aroma, you get a bit of sweetness on the nose. Very pleasant.
• Ash managed to hang tight for close to two inches

Tasting Notes:
• The wrapper on the Liga Miami has a nice sweetness to it, along with a bit of cedar
• The foot definitely brings more sweetness and a tasty mild spice, almost like Cinnamon Sugar
• The pre-light draw brought with it a heavy helping of woodsiness and a bit of earthiness
• The initial draws offered up more of he woodsy flavors with a subtle note of sweetness in there, still along the same lines of cinnamon sugar
• The sweetness is definitely building up in this cigar, almost adding a syrupy flavor to the mix
• Body has been mostly mild to start and the retrohale has the tiniest bite with a smooth and creamy finish
• Adding to the syrupy/cinnamon sweetness, the cigar has a very pleasant creamy finish
• The woodsiness is still hanging around, is that burning caramelized wood could smell like? lol
• Body built up to a nice medium around the half-way mark
• The sweetness has tapered off a bit now, it’s still there and I’m getting some nice nutty almond flavors
• Definitely seems like the ligero was saved for the last half of the cigar, I’m getting some leathery flavors in the mix now and a touch of spice
• With about 1.5inches left, the sweetness has mostly left the mix but the remaining flavors are balancing well and the body is still a comfortable medium
• The creamy finish has remained consistent, I think this can probably be attributed to the double binder along with a smooth wrapper
• The creamy finish and leather/woodsy flavors continued to the nub with no bitterness, this was a finger burning cigar!

Final Thoughts:
Now this was a surprisingly unique and enjoyable cigar. When I hear ligero I usually brace myself for a powerful cigar with a straightforward flavor profile. This was definitely not the case with the El Primer Mundo Liga Miami. The first half of the cigar was totally unexpected. Sweet, smooth, creamy notes with a superb burn. Very uncharacteristic of a ligero filled cigar and I enjoyed it quite a bit. The last half came closer to what I expected from this cigar but it still had a smooth and balanced creaminess I don’t usually find in ligero cigars. I’m curious if the extra age in the humi made a difference since I didn’t smoke one when I first got them. It’s easy to see there was a lot of care and planning that went into this cigar and the final result speaks for itself. These are something everyone should try and can go well as a mid-day or evening cigar.

Pairings:
Today’s pairing was from Waterloo Brewery, just a short 1 hour drive from my house. It is part of the Seasonal Collection and is called the Radlermess. It is a Lemonade Lager and has an interesting story behind it. The term Radlermess comes from Germany and was coined by a Innkeeper not far from Munich. The story says that he was overloaded with cyclists one day and was running low on beer so he took a risk and mixed his remaining beer with some lemon soda. It was a big hit! In German, Radler means cyclist and Mass means a liter of beer.
I took a bit of a risk with this pairing but based on the past few Liga Miami’s I’ve smoked I figured the sweetness from a lemonade beer would go nicely. I was worried the beer may have been too sweet but they did a good job balancing the lemonade and beer together. It actually worked out very well! The sweetness of the beer complimented the sweetness of the cigar at the start. As the cigar turned a little more into the woodsy/nutty/leathery flavors, the beer counteracted them, leaving a nice sweet aftertaste between draws. I think this beer would also go excellently with some connecticut wrappers. As for the cigar, an Amber lager would have gone well here too, as would my favorite tawny port. Maybe even a nice coffee with a bit of sugar to add some sweetness.

A little while back I had the chance to review and enjoy one of the My Father Cigars Le Bijou 1922. Today I’m taking on a slightly different cigar, the Cedros Deluxe. Just like the Le Bijou, this cigar is blended by Don Pepin Garcia. The Cedros Deluxe series comes in a few different sizes each with their own unique name. Today’s review will focus on the Corona Gorda size which is called the “Eminentes”. Each cigar in this line also comes wrapper in a cedar sleeve and an additional band near the foot.

Now this is a beautifully presented cigar! The bands on the My Father’s never cease to impress me. They have a cleanly printed matte label with green, red and pink accented by some metallic gold lettering. Even the lettering printed on the cedar sleeve is precise and clear. It’s easy to tell there was a significant amount of attention to detail in the creation of each aspect of this cigar. But enough blabbing from me, let’s hop to it and see how this cigar actually smokes.

Cigar: My Father Cedros Deluxe Eminentes
Drink: Delaforce Reserve Porto
Vitola: Corona Gorda (5.625 x 46)
Wrapper: Ecuadorian Habano Rosado
Binder: Nicaraguan
Filler: Nicaraguan
Price: $7.00-$8.00
Burn Time: A little over 1 hour

Construction:
• After carefully and easily sliding the cedar sleeve off the cigar I was greeted with a beautiful chocolaty brown wrapper that shimmered with a slight oiliness
• There were only a couple small veins visible and the wrapped has an almost velvety feel to it
• The head of the cigar is finished with a smooth and clean triple cap
• The foot appears moderately packed
• The whole cigar had a slight softness to it when squeezed, even and consistent throughout
• The cap clipped cleanly and easily off with my double bladed guillotine cutter
• Initial draw is spot on, just enough resistance

Burn:
• Toasting was easy and quick and left the foot glowing perfectly even
• Burn has been mostly straight through the first third with some minor waviness
• After ashing the first time I noticed a tunnel forming in the center of the cigar, so far it hasn’t affected my burn much and is still burning fairly even
• The tunnel was still there as I got into the last bit of the cigar but it still didn’t affect the burn much with only one small retouch needed the whole time

Smoke & Ash:
• Each draw brings with it a good mouthful of smoke
• The resting smoke is surprisingly minimal and gives off a great cedar aroma
• The ash is a mix of light grey and white areas and is having a small amount of flaking around it
• I tapped off the first ash after about an inch as it started going a little lopsided and looked weak, but it held on tightly until then
• The next ash also lasted over an inch but fell to the floor on the way back to ashtray

Tasting Notes:
• This while cigar smells completely like cedar! Oh wait… let me remove that cedar sleeve..
• Ok, now the cigar still smells like cedar! But added in there is some barnyard and spice aromas
• The foot of the cigar definitely brings more of that hay/barnyard aroma and a bit of spice that tingles the nose
• Pre-light draw brings a lot of cedar to my palate and a nutmeg or clove type of spice
• Initial draws are filled with a smooth and creamy cedar flavor accented by a mild clove and nutmeg spice.
• I’m also picking up a earthy green type of flavor that’s interesting
• Body through the first bit has been mostly mild and offering a creamy and smooth finish
• The cedar picked up it’s intensity as I reached the halfway mark and added in a touch of white pepper and a bit of roasted coffee
• As I hit the last third, the coffee and spices started to build in intensity, the body also picked up a bit to a nice medium
• The retrohale on this cigar has had only a small bite and smooth cedar finish the whole way so far
• The roasted coffee and white pepper notes seemed to take control in the last third with the cedar playing a minor part
• Body got a bit stronger near the end, touching into the full category but I’m still not feeling any nicotine kick on this one

Final Thoughts:
This was a very enjoyable cigar from start to finish. The flavors were always tasty and had some complexity to them but can still be enjoyed by any level of smoker. The various flavors also changed up throughout the cigar adding some interesting and enjoyable dimensions that kept me on my toes. Construction was excellent as well. The price on this line of cigars is fairly comfortable as well, making it easy to pick some up and add to your regular rotation.

Pairings:
Today’s pairing was my final glass from the bottle of Delaforce Reserve Porto. I enjoyed this port with a recent review of the Partagas Benji Menendez Master Series. It’s definitely one of my favorites mainly due to it’s full bodied red wine undertones. On top of that wonderful base, the Delaforce Reserve offers up a mix of blackberry and cherry flavors along with a bit of a smoked oak. I found this cigar paired excellently with this port especially accenting the cedar notes it had. Other good pairings with the My Father Cigars Cedros Deluxe would include a stronger coffee, dark porter, stout, or scotch.

So let’s get something out of the way for some people who may not be as educated in the various brands of cigars. This “Partagas” is not the same as the Cuban Partagas. With the Cuban embargo in place some companies took advantage of the chance to capitalize on a well known cigar brand such as Partagas. You can also see similar non-cuban manufactures producing Montecristo, Romeo y Julieta and many others. As much as some people may not like this, it’s hard to argue that it was a very smart business decision! No marketing expenses required and you already have a product with a well known name. There is a lot more to this story, including the fact that one of the executives worked at the original Partagas factory in Cuba, and this is just a brief overview but now you get the idea.

As for my selection today, it is produced by the General Cigar Company who has other well names under it’s belt such as Cohiba, Macanudo and Punch. The Partagas Benji Menendez Master Series is obviously something special and unique, not just part of the normal large production line. This cigar was blended specially by Benji Menendez himself who is the Senior Vice President of the General Cigar Company.

The Partagas Benji Menendez Master Series was released in limited quantities of 5000 boxes. There is actual a small website devoted to the Partagas Benji Menendez Master Series cigar made by General Cigar Co which you can find here. The site was used to promote a tour he did in 2009 when the cigar was originally released. But enough banter about the cigar and it’s story, let’s find out how it fares in today’s review.

Cigar: Partagas Benji Menendez Master Series
Drink: Delaforce Reserve Porto 2004
Vitola: Majestuoso (6 x 46)
Wrapper: Cameroon
Binder: Habano Connecticut
Filler: Dominican & Nicaraguan
Price: About $9
Burn Time: 1.5 hours

Construction:
• A velvety smooth dark brown wrapper surrounds this cigar and only shows small veins here and there
• The entire length of the cigar is very firm with almost no spring to it, although the foot seems a bit soft
• The double cap atop this cigar is very cleanly finished
• The foot appears to have some voids in the filler which could explain why it’s softer near the bottom
• The cut cut off fairly easy and didn’t make too much of a mess

Burn:
• Toasting the foot took a little bit longer than I would have expected for this vitola but it did light up evenly
• Burn is going razor sharp through the first half, very clean and even
• Straight through to the end the cigar burned with extreme precision and ease

Smoke & Ash:
• Each draw brings a significant amount of smoke and fills my mouth easily
• There is quite a bit of resting smoke on this cigar and it smells sorta like a tobacco cigarette, not really a nice aromatic cigar…
• The initial ash is clean and tight despite the filler being loose near the foot
• After about an inch I tapped the ash off into the ashtray as it started to look weak
• Each subsequent ash lasted about the same 1 inch and had a medium grey/yellowish color to it with some zebra striping

Tasting Notes:
• The wrapper aroma on this cigar is distinctly barnyard, apparently this is a sign of a good cigar but it’s definitely not the appealing
• The foot of the cigar presents more barnyard aroma but not as strong, there’s a bit of mild tobacco mixed in there too
• The pre-light draw brings with it a burst of cedar and a hint of peppery spice
• Initial draws here are very bland with mostly just tobacco flavor and a touch of woodsiness
• After the first inch the flavors become more of a creamy woodsiness and the tobacco flavors died off
• As the cigar progresses to the halfway mark, I’m still not getting much more than a creamy woodsy flavor
• The flavors are balanced, at this point still fairly mild with a small bite on the retrohale and a smooth finish
• As I approach the last third, the body increased a bit to about medium but the flavors have stayed pretty much the same
• If anything has changed up to this point I’d say the smoothness on the finish is fading

Final Thoughts:
This cigar is an interesting one to make judgement on. The flavors here were not amazing but I can see their appeal to some people as a cigar to sit back and relax with. The burn and ash were both excellent so I can’t knock any points off here. I think this is one of those cigars that is VERY dependant on your personal palate. I know that is a factor in all cigars but some have general characteristics that are the same to a lot of people, this one seems to fly somewhere between the radar. Where this cigar lost it’s points in my opinion was on the price. For $9 I don’t want a cigar to just relax with and have an easy straightforward experience. For $9 I want something that challenges my palate, offers dimensions, complexity and keeps me on my toes. I don’t feel this cigar did that for me unfortunately.

Pairings:
I really enjoyed the heck out of my last bottle of Delaforce LBV Porto. See my previous review of the Perdomo Grand Cru. When I went back to the store I picked up another bottle of the LBV and sitting beside it I saw the Delaforce Reserve Porto. So since the last one was good I decided to give this one a chance. The price was the same and the flavors are still just as good. Lots of dark berries and bold red wine undertone. I found the Reserve to have a little more oak flavor to it but other than that was very similar to the LBV. For the cheap price of only $17 in the over-priced alcohol market of Ontario, this bottle is a steal and pairs amazingly well with a lot of cigars. I think this Partagas Benji Menendez Master Series would also pair well with coffee or maybe a lighter bodied scotch.

The Ideology was intended to diversify the line of 262 Cigars by bringing a smooth, mile and creamy profile.  The cigar is wrapped with a Rosado leaf which I find to be a great alternative to the Connecticut when seeking a mild cigar for anytime of the day.  As I mentioned in my last review, the 262 Cigar company is made up of a small group of passionate cigar smokers who have embraced the online and B&M cigar communities to promote their product.  By leveraging these communities they’ve been able to establish themselves as a good name in the cigar world.

The blend of leaves in this tobacco all come from some of my favorite tobacco leave regions including Nicaragua, Mexico and Dominican Republic.  Each of these leaves offers a unique and tasty profile and I’m excited to see how they blend together.  It’s nice to see a cigar aimed at the mild market when it seems a lot of new cigars are being aimed at strong, full bodied smokers.

Cigar: 262 Cigars Ideology
Drink: Erdinger Weissber Dunkel
Vitola: Box-Pressed Toro (6 x 54)
Wrapper: Nicaraguan Habano Rosado
Binder: Nicaraguan
Filler: Nicaraguan, Mexican, Dominican
Price: $8.75 from 262 Cigars Website (www.smoketherevolution.com)
Burn Time: 1.5 hours

Construction:
• A very clean and even square pressed toro cigar
• The wrapper is a nice matte chocolate brown color with almost no visible veins
• The head is finish with a clean triple cap and seems to have a little more shine then the rest of the cigar
• The foot is very well packed and the cigar is fairly firm to the touch with whole way through
• The cut was nice and clean, falling off in a neat bunch into the ashtray
• Draw is just right, not too much effort and not too airy

Burn:
• Toasting took a little while to get even but eventually glowed nicely
• Burn started off a bit wavy but quickly corrected itself and is burning razor sharp now
• Still no problems on the burn as I pass the halfway mark, this is a great sign since I usually have problems with box-pressed cigars, but not this one

Smoke & Ash:
• Getting a nice mouthful of smoke from each draw
• Resting smoke is fairly minimal
• The ash is producing a nice white color to it and looks tightly wound
• Despite it looking nice and strong, the ash fell into the ashtray after about an inch
• The one inch mark seems to be the sweet spot for this ash, but it cleanly falls into the ashtray without me having to worry about it at all

Tasting Notes:
• The aroma on the wrapper is very light but I get some hints of coffee and hay
• The foot gives off a bit more hay on the aroma and some hints of coffee and cocoa, maybe even a small touch of spice
• Pre-light draw brings mostly hay and a sweet tobacco type flavor
• Initial draws have a nice cedar flavor and some hints of coffee, starting off nice and mild
• Retrohale is very mild with no bite and at this early point is not giving any distinct flavors
• The coffee flavors have developed a bit more on the finish and also on the retrohale, cigar is still fairly mild
• Getting a bit of creaminess on the finish, a nice touch
• The creaminess has also translated to the retrohale and it also developed a tiny little bite
• The body started to pick up a bit near the end, it’s just teetering on the edge of medium right now
• The cedar/woodsiness made a more prominent appearance in the last third
• The mild smoothness of this cigar is very enjoyable and relaxing, not too in your face
• Some bitterness started to develop in the last inch or so of the cigar, but it wasn’t terribly off-putting
• Smooth cedar flavors lasted to the end

Final Thoughts:
This was a nice mild and enjoyable smoking experience.  The flavors were never overpowering and it smoked smooth and easy the whole way through.  It also had a great burn and nice amount of smoke from start to finish.  This cigar would be a good addition to a selection of early day smokes or when you just want something smooth and mild to relax with. It’s nothing overly complex but still a relaxing and enjoyable cigar.  It would also make a great option for beginner cigar enthusiasts looking for something that won’t knock their socks off.  It also sets itself apart from a lot of other mild cigars which tend to be Connecticut wrappers.  The Rosado wrapper gives it a different flavor while still keeping it creamy and mild.  Anyone looking for a change in their early morning smoke should give these a try.  Their price comes in a bit high to be an easy every-day smoke but still fair enough to be part of a weekly rotation.

Pairings:
After getting the initial notes of coffee and cocoa on the wrapper I decided to pair this cigar with a nice dark beer.  My choice was Erdinger’s Dunkel, a dark wheat beer that goes through a strict fermentation process.  It has distinct notes of coffee and dark malts and goes down smooth with minimal hoppiness or bitterness.  This ended up being a very nice pairing for this cigar with the flavors from each complimenting each other.  Similarly smooth and flavorful dark beers would also pair well here.  A nice cup of coffee or dark soda would also make an excellent pairing.

The Cohiba Maduro 5 line is the only line that proclaims itself as a maduro wrapped cigar.  Not only is it a maduro leaf but it’s also aged for a full five years before being used.  The Maduro 5 line is currently offered in 3 vitolas, the Genios (Robusto), Magicos (Short Robusto) and the Secretos (Petite Corona).  Today the review will focus on the middle of the three vitolas, the Magicos (Short Robusto).

The particular cigar I will be reviewing today comes from a box that as dated in June of 2008.  That makes this about 2.5 years old.  As with many Cubans, they always seem to benefit with a bit of age as the flavors start to balance out more and the body smoothens out.  I’m bringing this cigar outside on a cold Canadian night where the temperature is hovering around freezing.  The burn of many cigars are adversely affected by the cold so take this into account as you read on.

Cigar: Cohiba Maduro 5 Magicos
Drink: Abbaye de Maredsous Brune
Vitola: Magicos – Short Robusto (4.5 x 52)
Wrapper: 5 Year Aged Cuban Maduro
Binder: Cuban
Filler: Cuban
Price: About $12 in Cuba
Burn Time:

Construction:
• On visual inspection, this cigar screams classic cuban, it’s wrapper is bumpy and uneven with some discolorations
• The wrapper has a soft brownish tone with some darker brown highlights
• The cigar is surprisingly soft from band to foot and quite firm near the head
• The triple cap is extremely clean and blends well into the wrapper
• The foot appears very well packed with no open holes to be seen
• There are some medium sized veins that concern me, we’ll have to see how they play out in the burn
• Cut was firm but very clean
• Draw is just a little more open then I’d like not still not too airy
• Within 10 draws it seems the cigar adjusted itself and now the draw is perfect

Burn:
• Toasting was very slow but produced a perfectly lit foot
• Had a tiny wave when it first started burning but is razor sharp going into the first inch
• Had one minor correction that I had to make, was creating a peninsula just past the halfway point
• A couple more minor corrections as I go along, the cold is likely affecting this as it’s just about freezing out here right now.  They also would likely fix themselves but I wanted to keep it nice and even
• It is burning nice and slowly without ever going out
• The cigar did not even get warm as I burned into the last half-inch

Smoke & Ash:
• A good mouthful of smoke from each draw, nothing overpowering, just about right
• The resting smoke is very minimal and what little aroma it does give off is mostly like cedar and espresso making it very pleasant in company
• The ash so far is looking spectacular, it’s got some nice ridges and appears wound tightly
• The color of the ash varies between an almost white color to a darker grey in the middle of the ridges
• The ash lasted almost two inches before gently falling off in the ashtray, this is what every cigar should do!
• The last ash actually fell off in my lap which was disappointing but I was trying to keep it on to the very end.  This was my fault and should not affect your opinion of the construction quality

Tasting Notes:
• Even without placing the cigar near my nose I can smell the sweetness this wrapper is giving off
• On closer inspection, the wrapper aroma is of sweet cocoa
• The sweet cocoa on the foot is even more apparent but it comes with a nice hint of cinnamon spice
• Pre-light draw is very interesting, it’s like pure sweet cinnamon on a cedar and graham cracker base
• Initial draws have a nice cedar undertone with some of the cocoa as the main flavors, it’s not sweet now though, more like a natural cocoa
• The finish on this cigar has started off very smooth and creamy, typically that creaminess takes time to build but it was there almost instantly
• The cigar started out in the mild-medium category and is smoking fantastic so far
• Retrohale has a small bite and a soft cedar finish
• Within a few draws I’m starting to pick up a very delicious espresso flavor, blending in perfectly
• As I keep burning away, the cocoa has faded a bit towards the halfway point and the cedar and espresso are making for a well balanced and enjoyable treat
• The smooth creamy finish is still apparent, it’s also not been dry at all on my palate
• The espresso is bursting out now past the halfway point, giving cigar that nice bitter flavor you get from an unsweetened espresso.  Don’t confuse this with the bitter build up on other cigars, this is a delicious bitterness
• I’m also picking up a great roasted almond flavor in the mix now, very nice touch
• the body has been fairly consistent up to now but as I burn into my last third I can sense it ramping up a bit
• The bite on the retrohale is a little more noticeable now but nothing off-putting
• As I approach the final stretch I’m getting a nice dark chocolate flavor, almost like bakers chocolate that is adding a nice layer to the already well balanced profile
• I used a toothpick to get down to the very last bit that I could since I was enjoying it all the way through

Final Thoughts:
I had heard and read many people saying they enjoyed this and figured it was going to be good, but usually when something gets hyped up this much I tend to get disappointed because I was expecting more.  That was definitely not the case here, this was one incredibly tasty cigar!  
Straight from the initial draws I was met with a nice mix of flavors that balanced very well together and through the cigar I was greeted by more.  The burn was spot on and the ash was always beautiful.  There is no doubt that I will be seeking more of these out soon.  If there were any downsides to this cigar I can only think of one.  That one is obviously the price (in Canada at least), which is a combination of the Cohiba name and the crazy taxes. In Cuba, their retail price is fairly competitive and well worth it. Were those prices available to me here I would probably have a steady supply of these in the humi for regular smoking.  If you have a chance to get your hands on some of these I would recommend it highly. They are worth having on hand for special occasions or when you want to sit down with a really good cigar and just enjoy the experience.

Pairings:
If you look through past reviews on the site you can see that Tony is obviously the Belgian Beer expert here.  This is not because I don’t like them but because they are so hard to find where I live.  With the holidays around the corner it seems a lot more different beers have become available and I’m going to take full advantage of that!
The first one I cracked open is from “Abbaye de Maredsous” and it is their Brune offering.  As with a lot of Belgian beers, this one is brewed under the supervision on the Monastic monks.  It is a highly fermented brew that clocks in at 8% alc./vol.  The beer itself pours out with a dark opaque brown color and froths up a nice foam on the surface. It is a very tasty brew to say the least.  I get lots of hoppy maltiness with a slight bitter finish.  There are some tarty notes on the tongue that really add the flavor from each sip.  This brew paired perfectly with the Cohiba Maduro 5 Magicos and I would definitely pair it this way again.  Another good pairing that stands out here would be some Tawny Port (Big surprise there right? lol).  Other great pairings would include a nice strong coffee, dark soda or stout.

The La Aurora factory has recently released this new line called Guillermo Leon. The Leon family business, Grupo Leon Jimenes, has been around for over 100 years and La Aurora is one of the many companies under its umbrella. Guillermo had his hand in creating this blend and was out to create something that is complex and a bit stronger then some of their other offerings but still brings lots of flavor to the table. The Guillermo Leon line is also the first cigar by La Aurora which is made with two binders.

The two binders in this cigar both have a specific purpose. The Cameroon binder offers a smooth sweet creaminess to the blend while the Dominican Corojo offers some spice and strength. The concept is interesting and I’m excited to see how they blend together as I smoke it. The Guillermo Leon line is currently available in Corona, Gran Corona, Belicoso and Gran Toro. They were recently released in mid-October 2010 and should be in your local shop already or arriving very soon. Today’s review will look at Belicoso vitola as I sit outside on a chilly afternoon.

Cigar: Guillermo Leon
Drink: Graham’s Late Bottled Vintage Tawny Port (2005)
Vitola: Belicoso (6.25 x 52)
Wrapper: Ecuadorian Habano Vuetta Arriba
Binder: Cameroon & Dominican Corojo
Filler: Peru, Dominican Republic, Brazil, Nicaragua
Price: MSRP of about $8.50
Burn Time: 1.5 hours

Construction:
• A soft cinnamon brown colored wrapper holds this cigar together
• The wrapper has some bumpiness to as well as some medium sized veins, none appear to be a potential problem though
• The cigar is firm but springy and consistent the whole way through
• The foot appears fairly well packed but not overly filled
• The cap is amazingly clean, almost impossible to see unless you really examine it
• Cutting was easy and effortless, I started with a small cut and got plenty of draw, so make sure not to over-cut on this vitola
• Got a bit of tar build-up that I commonly see with tapered heads, I cut off a bit more and problem was solved. I think my initial cut was too small

Burn:
• Toasting was a bit slow but still produced a nice evenly glowing foot
• The burn started out by creating a bit of a peninsula but it quickly corrected itself without my help
• Past the half-way mark and I’ve had no issues with the burn
• The cigar stayed lit with very little effort and allowed me to enjoy slowly
• A couple minor corrections were needed near the end

Smoke & Ash:
• First few draws are producing a ton of smoke
• The cigar gives off a moderate amount of resting smoke which gives off a nice cedar aroma
• Ash is a bit wavy and rigid but appears fairly strong
• The color of the ash is a bit on the darker side, leaving alternating lines of light and dark grey
• Ash held on just past an inch before being gently tapped off into the ashtray
• This cigar was a smoke machine the whole way through, never letting down and always producing a nice aroma

Tasting Notes:
• The wrapper has a soft cedar aroma on it, very light and pleasant
• The foot has more cedar aroma but is complimented but a fruity sweetness and a touch of spice
• The pre-light draw brings a mixture of interesting spices, I’m getting some pepper, nutmeg and a bit of cloves paired with a smooth cedar
• Initial draws bring more cedar, the same interesting spice mix and now I’m getting a flavor of freshly baked bread, starting out great so far
• The spices are slowly settling down and balancing nicely with the cedar and toasted bread flavors
• The body started in the low end of the medium range and is holding steady so far
• Retrohale is very smooth, there is no bite but has a great creamy finish
• As the cigar progresses near to the half way mark the creaminess from the Cameroon binder starts to become more apparent giving the cigar a very tasty finish
• Past the halfway mark and the spices are coming back a bit, mixing nicely with the new creaminess
• As the cigar progresses I can feel the body ramping up a bit but it’s so smooth you can almost barely tell
• The retrohale has developed a small bite now but still has that great smooth finish
• The flavors balanced excellent right up to the end giving a nice variety but blended into a smooth experience

Final Thoughts:
This cigar was right up my alley, it had a fantastic blend of flavors, body, construction, smoothness and balance. Even before you light it, the Guillermo Leon had a great aroma on it that just drew you right in. The cigar started off with a burst of various spices and the balanced out nicely with the cedar and toasted bread. The finish on this cigar never disappointed. It also never left my palate dry. The sweetness and creaminess from the Cameroon binder and the strength from the Corojo binder really showed through and I think they achieved their goal with this dual binder creation. I enjoyed every bit of this cigar and the flavors changed just enough to keep me interested the whole way through. The MSRP prices fall just below the $10 mark. Some people may see this as a bit high, especially when taxes are mixed in, but I think they are worth their cost. The body may be a bit much for a new smoker but are definitely worth a try. I will be looking for more of these, I’m especially interested in trying the corona vitola. Give them a try and let me know what you think.

Pairings:
I’ve paired Tawny port with a variety of cigars and I always find it pairs best with something that has a bit of body and spice to it. This pairing didn’t disappoint at all. The berry, oaky and tart flavors of the Grahams Late Bottled Vintage Tawny Port from 2005 was just right. The price of the bottle is also very accessible and offers lots of flavors. This is a good starting point if you’re interested in trying out some Tawny Port. Some other good pairings would include scotch, coffee or a dark soda.

The Good Stuff: The newest, un-released blend is called the Liga Privada JD#4. The Liga Privada line was originally created for the sole purpose of Steve Saka’s (Drew Estate’s President) personal enjoyment. After massive amounts of pressure from Drew Estate’s sale staff, Saka was forced to release his personal blend, the Liga Privada No.9 to the public. The Connecticut Broadleaf used on the Liga Privada No.9 is so limited, and the No.9 was in such high demand that Drew Estate was forced to come out with yet another Liga Privada blend that they could produce year round. Hence where the Stalk Cut Habano wrapped Liga Privada T52 comes into play.

I can only assume that the success of each of these blends had caused Drew Estate’s Production Director and Saka’s partner in crime Jonathan Drew to create a Liga Privada blend of his very own. Alas, the Liga Privada JD#4 was born. I’m not entirely sure where the “#4” comes from, but I can only assume it was similar to the “No.9” and is the actually blend number assigned during tasting.

The specifics of this blend are still extremely fuzzy. The only details I have is that the blend has been around for about 2 years, and Jonathan Drew has been smoking them religiously and the release date, if it ever does get released won’t but until at least sometime next year. The blend carries the same Havana Seed Connecticut grown stalk-cut wrapper as the T52 but has a completely different core with an even more ramped up body. The samples sent to me are toros, and look to be 6 x 52/54 The ring gauge seems bigger than 52 but not quite 54.

Prelight: The Liga Privada JD#4 is hefty, toro sized cigar. The wrapper is very toothy, with a consistent dark chocolaty brown mixed with a few lighter orange shades. The JD#4 is pretty much identical in it’s physical appearance as the Liga Privada T52, with what I can assume is the same stalk-cut Habano wrapper that the T52 carries.  Topped off with a nicely round double cap, the JD#4 has only one noticeable vein that I don’t foresee pestering the experience.  The wrapper feels much like a softer sand-paper with no soft spots at all or any signs of mis-construction.  The wrapper of the JD#4 gives off a massive cedar scent with hints of cinnamon, cocoa, and a very, very interesting almost cologne scent that I have never picked up from a Liga Privada cigar before. Whatever it is, it smells damn good. The foot gives off a totally different scent, one more composed of natural tobacco, and earth tones. In this case, the wrapper is the more dominant player. The cap clipped off with ease using my double bladed Liga Privada cutter. The cold draw producing a surprising organic, earthy, and musky flavor. Totally different than the cedar-heavy Liga Privada blends I am used to.

First Smoke: The Liga Privada JD#4 started out with the same power punch of pepper as I have grown to expect from the Liga Privada lines. Caught off guard yet again is the fact that the most prominent flavor is actually the cedar that I didn’t think came through much in the cold draw. Other strong notes are organic tobacco and cocoa mixed in with hints of spice, cinnamon,  and even a tiny bit of citrus off the aftertaste. The JD#4 is really starting off with a bang, if the body stays as strong as it is right now this cigar just might knock me on my ass. The draw is effortless and pumps out a massive amount of extremely thick, dark brown, cedar scented smoke as well as a crap load of stationary smoke. You can actually see the oils burning off the wrapper. I really don’t think the scent of the smoke will bother anyone that doesn’t smoke cigars, but the amount of smoke just might. The burnline is perfect, sharp, and even and the ash left behind is a medium grey, and tightly packed with only slight flakes. The ash held on for a little over an inch before tumbling into my ashtray.

Halfway There: Wow, the strength of this cigar is already starting to hit me. The best part about it though, is its very balance with the flavor, smoothness, and creamy experience of this cigar. I think there are a lot of blends out right now that are just boasting power but lack in the flavor department, luckily up till now the JD#4 isn’t a casualty of this trend. The dominant flavor is still cedar but I am starting to get a sharp raisin, cocoa and coffee mixture in there as well as strong tobacco. The retrohale primed my nasal passage with a very enjoyable bold cedar. The burnline is still rockin’ sharp and perfectly even.

Finish: Well into the final third of this Liga Privada JD#4 and the flavors had an interesting switch up. The cedar began to fade just slightly enough to product a very creamy mocha flavor backed up by raisin, leather, tobacco, and even a slight return of spice. Then, within the last inch the cedar ramped the hell up and came on full force. Usually I’m not one for the final inch of a cigar. But the JD#4 kicked ass with a completely smooth experience with no harsh build up. Well into the last inch and my fingers didn’t even get warm which I didn’t expect with a cigar with such a huge draw. The strength? Dead on. I would compare it to something like the Oliva Serie V just without all the harsh Ligero. I’m sure there is some in here, but it takes the backburner to the flavor.  After all was said and done, the JD#4 took about 2 hours to smoke.

Overview: The Liga Privada JD#4 is something quite different than the T52 and the No. 9 but still holds true to the rest of the Liga Privada line. As if the other twp blends didn’t already have enough strength the JD#4 comes in with a perfectly balanced powerhoused flavor bomb. This isn’t a beginner’s cigar. The body is too ramped up for a novice, or even an experienced medium bodied smoker. But I think it goes without saying that Drew Estate has another winner on it’s hands. I still think the No.9 trumps both the JD#4 and the T52, but the JD#4 is right up there with the T52. From what I have seen the reviews are torn between which one is favorited, and I am sure that the JD#4 will be adding another strong contender to the competition.

Pairing: I decided to pair this cigar with a cup of sweet tea. See the picture? That’s cause I didn’t post one. We all know what tea looks like. Not to mention I really don’t want to do the dishes so I drank out of a plastic cup that wasn’t very photogenic. Sweet tea is probably one of my absolute favorite pairings for a cigar. The brisk tea notes really help pick apart the tobacco while the sugar helps calm the nicotine kick produced by stronger cigars. The Liga Privada JD#4 would pair perfect with any strong whiskey or scotch, port, stout, porter, or coffee.

Gran Habano Corojo #5

This cigar came to me as part of a sampler pack at a recent herf. I’ve had a few Gran Habano cigars before but never reviewed one. Overall I’ve had good experiences with them. Gran Habano is made by the very experienced hands of Guillermo Rico, a third-generation premium cigar maker who’s leafs have touched the lines of Oliva and many premium leaf brokers in Tampa’s Ybor City. Guillermo operates out of Honduras and runs a successful business under the name of GR Tabaqueras Unida. The Gran Habano line long-filler and hand-made Honduran cigars began in 2003 with 5 cigars, the Corojo #5 being one of them. If you would like to read more about the Gran Habano line, Guillermo Rico, or GR Tabaqueras Unida, head over to www.ghcigars.com

Gran Habano Corojo #5

The Corojo #5 line is Gran Habano’s strongest blend with its rich and complex wrapper. This line is available in a variety of sizes ranging from Churchill down to Lunch Break (Petite Corona) with 8 other sizes in between. All offer a strong cigar full of flavor and spice. I found the Lunch Break to be a good intro to this line since the smaller vitola allowed the flavors of the wrapper to really shine through. It is also a great price point for an everyday full strength cigar.

Cigar: Gran Habano Corojo #5
Drink: King Brewery Dark Lager
Vitola: Lunch Break (Petite Corona) (4 x 40)
Wrapper: Nicaragua Habano
Binder: Nicaragua Habano
Filler: Nicaragua, Mexico, and Costa Rica
Price: $2.40
Burn Time: 1.5 hours

Construction:
• Nice and even diameter throughout
• Wrapper is dark brown with a slightly oily sheen to it
• Clean triple cap with a small pigtail
• Foot looks moderately packed
• Slightly soft but even firmness throughout with a quick spring back
• Some medium veins but none that look problematic
• Clean and easy cut
• Draw is perfect right off the start

Gran Habano Corojo #5

Burn:
• Toasting was a little uneven at first but straightened itself out
• Burn started off nice and even but started to canoe within a half-inch
• Began to fix itself soon after, I let it try before attempting to correct it
• Cigar made an awesome recovery and is back on track
• Burn was a little wavy throughout but usually corrected itself with a couple minor touch-ups here and there
• Felt like the cigar was rushing me a bit, had to give it a little extra attention
• Cigar went out once near the end but re-lit easily with no harshness

Gran Habano Corojo #5

Smoke & Ash:
• Tons of smoke off this little cigar
• Not too much resting smoke
• Ash is light gray but fairly weak
• Lots of flaking happening
• Although flaky and weak looking, ash held on past 1.5inches

Gran Habano Corojo #5

Tasting Notes:
• Wrapper smells slightly woodsy with a definite peppery spice
• Foot has the same woodsy aroma but much less spice to it
• Lots of pepper on the lips is evident right away
• Pre-light draw is mostly woodsy flavors with a bit of pepper
• Initial draws are earthy, woodsy and a bit of peppery spice
• Leaving a bit of dryness on the back of my throat
• Retrohale is surprisingly mild so far and smooth, just woodsy/cedar like flavors
• About two inches in, flavor hasn’t changed much but it has balanced out. The cedar came through and the spice took a backseat, although still there.
• Around the halfway mark I started tasting a toasted bread type of flavor
• Body has been mostly medium through the cigar
• Past the halfway mark, the retrohale started to get some bite to it, but still smooth
• As I burn through the last two inches, the peppery flavor has come back strong and is paired mainly with leathery type of flavor
• Body has ramped up to full at this point as well

Gran Habano Corojo #5

Final Thoughts:
Minus the few burn problems this was a great little cigar, especially considering the amazing price point. It offered a full bodied smoke with lots of flavor and spice to it. The variety of vitolas available will also satisfy any cigar enthusiast allowing them to choose their favorite. It surprised me that such a full bodied and inexpensive smoke had no harshness right down to the nub, even after re-lighting. The length of the burn time was also quite good for this vitola, coming in at 1.5 hours. The name might be a little misleading, I don’t get 1.5 hour lunch breaks! haha! I wouldn’t recommend this to novice cigar smokers as the body may be a little strong but would work very well as a mid-day or late day smoke for the veteran smoker. Definitely give this cigar a try, the peppery notes are not my favorite flavor profile but I did enjoy this particular blend as it wasn’t over powering and will be picking up more very soon. If you are also not a fan of peppery cigars, try a slightly larger ring guage which might bring the body down a bit.

Gran Habano Corojo #5

Pairings:
The beer I paired this with is a straight up Dark Lager, there’s nothing special to it and no flavors to it other than the normal malt/hop. It’s a decent no frills dark ale and fairly cheap. It’s also brewed very close to my house, about a 10min drive away and the only real local brewery to me. So although not my favorite dark beer, I like to support my local businesses and there’s something appealing to it’s straight forward flavoring at times. A dark beer paired fairly well with this cigar, some other choices for me would have been tawny port or scotch/cognac. They would have been even better matches to the body and flavor or this cigar. Some strong coffee or sweet tea could have also made a good match.

Gran Habano Corojo #5 and King Brewery Dark Lager

The Cuban-seed long filler of this cigar matched with the aged Habano wrapper offers a delicate balance of complexity and boldness to challenge your palate. The wrapper is aged a minimum of three years and is taken from the ‘viso’ of the tobacco plant, the middle section which offers the richest and oiliest consistencies.

Man O' War

Cigar: Man O War (Original Blend)
Drink: Grahams 2003 Late Bottled Vintage Tawny Port
Vitola: Torpedo (6.5 x 52)
Wrapper: Ecuadorian Habano
Binder: Nicaraguan
Filler: Nicaraguan
Price: Gift by @cigarsthomas (About $8-$10 online)
Burn Time: 1.75 Hours

Man O' War

Man O' War

Man O' War

Man O' War

Man O' War

Man O' War

Man O' War

Cigar: Jameson Cigars Declaration Iniquity
Drink: 2007 Vineland Estates Cabernet Merlot
Vitola: Iniquity (5.5 x 50)
Wrapper: Habano ’98
Binder: Criollo ’98
Filler: Dominican Republic
Price: $5.90 ($29.50/5pk) direct form www.jamesoncigars.com
Burn Time: 1.5 Hours

Construction:
• Evenly round and smooth throughout
• Consistent light spring from foot to head
• Foot is well packed
• Cleanly applied triple cap
• Wrapper is medium brown in color
• Draw is just a bit tight, but nothing too distracting
• Cut evenly and cleanly
• Draw opened up to a perfect resistance around the halfway mark

Burn:
• Toasting was fairly even with a small dark spot that was fixed with a light exhale on the foot
• Burn is slightly wavy and going nice and slow
• After the ash fell off the burn got a lot straighter
• As the draw opened up the cigar started burning faster
• No extra effort or babysitting needed with this cigar, staying lit easily

Smoke & Ash:
• Producing a medium amount of smoke
• Resting smoke is about normal, giving off a great woodsy/tobacco aroma
• Ash is going a little crooked but still strong and no flaking
• Ash held on until just over 2 inches, barely missed the ashtray…
• The ash past the halfway point has been a little weaker and more flaky, fell off after an inch

Tasting Notes:
• Pre-light aroma on wrapper is a bit spicy but no prominent notes
• Foot has a light aroma of sweet tobacco
• Pre-light draw was more barnyard/hay type of aroma and sweet tobacco
• Initial draws are of leather toasted cedar with a mild spice to top it off
• Retrohale is mild and smooth with some nice woodsy notes
• The flavors have become more balanced about an inch in and a lot more enjoyable. Pairing perfectly with this wine
• At about the halfway point I’m picking up a unique sweet flavor, the closest I can compare it too is pure honey or maple syrup, the really dark potent kind. Very enjoyable
• After halfway the retrohale now has some bite and the body has ramped up to a medium
• Getting into the last 2 inches, the woodsy flavor is gone and I’m left mostly with the leather and spice, the rich sweetness comes and goes
• Throughout most of the cigar, it’s been leaving a dryness in the back of my throat, a little extra wine may be needed when you light one of these up
• A little bitterness crept in with about an inch left, nothing over powering and still enjoying the flavors