Before diving into things, let’s clarify where this cigar comes from. There is a bit of confusion as to how this cigar came about, and who created it. Here are the details:

 “The Collaboration: “My UZI Weighs a Ton” by Subculture Studios and JDN is the first formal cigar blending collaboration between Drew Estate Tobacco  Company and Joya de Nicaragua.”

“The 411: The UZI story began on the very first final consumer blending session at the Joya de Nicaragua factory in late 2010 during a Cigar Safari tour with the B.O.T.L. group. After conducting blending sessions for the previous 3 years at the Drew Estate factory, we were amped up to extend the concept to JDN.  While the B.O.T.L. group crafted their blends, I worked with the JDN team utilizing DE tobaccos, including a San Andreas Negro Wrapper, Ecuadorian Connecticut Shade Binder and hearty Brazilian Mata Fina Filler, coupled with Nicaraguan fillers provided by JDN. The blend proved to be rich and earthy, with a bright, sweet undertone.”

“As months of blending passed, I felt this blend was most noble in the 6×60 format and began calling this cigar “The Uzi.” We all had a good laugh at the name, but when I went back to their factory to pick up the round of 50 sticks, I said, “Damn, My UZI’s Weigh a Ton!” – and the brand was officially born. The initial sizes are 5×60, 6×60, and 7×60 – with the infamous “Bait Shop” (4×44) to follow.” – Jonathan Drew

There you have it. One thing to note is the “Bait Shop” is actually now released and carries the name “Bait Fish”.

Size: 6×60  -  Wrapper: San Andreas Maduro  -  Binder: Ecuadorian Connecticut Shade  -  Filler:  Brazilian Mata Fina Oscuro, Nicaraguan Seco Jalapa, Nicaraguan Viso Condega and Nicaraguan Esteli Ligero

Prelight: Damn, this is one beautiful cigar. My Uzi Weighs a Ton starts with a very dark, incredibly consistent brown wrapper. This thing looks like a candy bar. The construction is perfect, only carrying a few smaller veins throughout the huge body of the cigar, before coming to a nice, stubby, round double cap. The band is just badass, I love the design and typography on it as it lays out the words “My Uzi Weighs a Ton, by Subculture Studios & JDN, XXL”. XXL of course, referring to the size of these cigars. I know it’s a larger format cigar, but even for it’s size, this cigar really does weight a ton. The Uzi also gives off a ton of resistance as I try to squeeze it between my fingers. This cigar is tough.

The wrapper is crazy oily, and you can see the oils reflect the light off the cigar from all angles. Despite its blown out character the wrapper only gives off a slight, sweet, chocolaty aroma while the foot of the cigar lets loose a modest tobacco along with earth tones.  The cap is easily cut on My Uzi Weight a Ton using my double bladed Palio cutter. The cold draw produces a really mild, yet flavorful graham, and tobacco flavor.

First Smoke: The Uzi starts off with only a slight pepper punch, just the first few draws, and only really enough to tease my lips. After the pepper fades I am left with a very strong cinnamon, dark chocolate, cherry, and sweet tobacco flavor. The cigar definitely didn’t start off as powerful as I thought it would. The draw is awesome, it does take a few extra puffs to get going due to the larger ring gauge, but it’s a smokehouse once it’s off and running.  The burnline has a few smaller waves as it leaves behind a trail of semi-flaky, medium grey ash. The ash held on for about an inch, and I am sure it would probably hold on a bit longer, but its windy as hell outside and I didn’t want to risk it falling.

Halfway There: The flavors in this Uzi just keep ramping up, while the body remains smooth, and easy to smoke. The chocolate has really started to take over. Along with the chocolate so has the cherry while the cinnamon and graham faded out letting way for some really nice sweet tobacco. The retrohale is different on this cigar. Usually I get a lot of cedar and tobacco flavor while this cigar coats with this really malty, chocolate milk flavor. It’s strong too, so just be ready for it. The ash is still kind of flaky, but the burnline is rocking solid while leaving me with almost no nicotine kick at all at this point.

Finish: My Uzi Weighs a ton has really kept me on my toes while it changes up, and ramps up it’s flavor profile even into the final third of this massive cigar. Again, that dark chocolate is just a beast in this experience, the Cherry, which started out mild is a big contender as well while the graham has really crept back in and the sweet tobacco is still mixed in there. The burnline has started a few more small waves, but they didn’t bother me at all. I think the wind had a lot to do with them. It took me just under 2 hours to smoke this massive cigar while I experienced no harshness at all, it actually finished just as smooth as it started. Despite the wind and waves, this cigar also required no extra attention from my lighter throughout the entire smoke.

Overview: Don’t be fooled by the name, and the production, My Uzi Weighs a Ton isn’t the strongest cigar out there. In fact, I found it a perfectly balanced, medium/full cigar with a ton of character. This cigar is a flavor bomb with a really smooth palate of Chocolate, Berry, sweet tobacco, and graham cracker. It really packs the flavor in there, even for the larger ring gauge. I really want to get my hands on the new baitfish size now, as I would love to taste what the smaller format’s wrapper has to offer. This is a solid cigar through, and through and will delight the most experienced smoker as well as help that novice smoker experience the next level in premium cigars without breaking their stomachs, or the bank.

Pairing: Why another great Belgian beer? Yes Please. And this brew in particular is no stranger around these parts, in fact, I think this is the third time I have featured it in the pairing section of this site. Pauwel Kwak. This is a badass beer, and spoilers aside, I couldn’t possibly think of a better pairing with My Uzi Weighs a Ton. Pauwel Kwak is a 8.4% Belgian Strong Ale from Brouwerij Bosteels is Bugeenhout Belgium.  Kwak is a deep, amber ale with a fruity, malty, sweet character. The main flavors are a sweet banana tossed in with mild hops, caramel, and citrus. Seriously, mix those flavors in with the cinnamon chocolate and cherry from the Uzi and you have a knock out pairing.

As many of you may know, I tend to stick on the more Full Bodied end of the cigar strength spectrum. It’s not often that you will catch me smoking mild cigars. Not that I have anything against them, but I just always seem to grab a full-bodied maduro whenever I reach into my humidor. Lately though, especially as summer approaches, I have caught myself for the first time grabbing lighter bodied cigars over the full. No idea why, it has to be a weather thing. That being said, this Joya De Nicaragua Cabinetta is a great go-to that fills that milder cigar need. Daniel actually did a blind review of this cigar if you want to check that out as well. Ok, enough rambling, lets get to the review.

The Good Stuff: As most of you know, Drew Estate is now distributing Joya De Nicaragua. That being said, you know you are getting a quality product. Joya De Nicaragua is known more so for their powerful cigars (The Antano 1979, and Dark Corojo are STRONG!), but this is one of the first ventures into the mild/medium category that this company has taken. The Cabinetta Serie boasts a dual wrapper construction. The combination of the 75% Ecuadorian Shade Grown wrapper and the remaining Nicaraguan Criollo Wrapper are intending to give the cigar a very unique taste and aroma.

The Cabinetta Serie comes in boxes of 24 and are made in 4 different sizes: No. 2 (Belicoso 6×54), No. 4 (Robusto 5×52), No. 7 (Toro 6×50), and the size that I am reviewing now, and my favorite out of the four,  the No. 11 (Corona Gorda 5.25×46).  The cost of the cigars are very reasonable too ranging from $5 to about $6.50.

Size:  5.25 x 46  -  Wrapper: Ecuadorian Shade/Nicaraguan Criollo  -  Binder/Filler: Nicaraguan  -  Body: Medium

Prelight: The Joya De Nicaragua Cabinetta has an obvious twist to it, being “Dos Cappa”, or Dual Wrapper. The cigar starts off with a very light brown and orange wrapper that leads up to a very firm, dark, almost maduro wrapper towards the rounded double cap. Neither the lighter wrapper, nor the darker wrapper really show any veins. The lighter Ecuadorian wrapper seems very thing and delicate though (I always think Ecuadorian tobacco is fragile), as the Criollo wrapper is thick and strong (much like me). There are very slight soft spots towards the foot of the cigar, but nothing concerning.

The lighter Ecuadorian wrapper, and the foot of the cigar give off just a ton of very sweet, cedar white it was near impossible to really get any scent from the Criollo wrap. The cap clipped very easily using my double bladed palio cutter. The sweet, cedar taste carried into the cold draw, and I really hope it carries into the entire experience. I pulled a tiny bit of spice from that cold draw as well.

First Smoke: Now if I would have to classify the first half of this cigar, I would have to compare it to the ideal tastes one would get off of a cinnamon dulce latte. The cigar starts off with this just burst of sweet cinnamon leaving behind some great cedar tastes as well as some cocoa and coffee. The Cabinetta lit up with extreme ease, it was almost ridiculous how fast the foot toasted. The draw is very easy, clean, and really kicks out a tick cloud of smoke. However, I really didn’t get too much in the stationary smoke department. The burnline started out all sorts of crazy, probably due to the easy lighting of the foot, but quickly corrected itself and is now burning dead even leaving behind a nice trail of semi-flaky whitish grey ash. The first ash fell of surprisingly soon (an all over my lap) at only about a third of an inch in. Again, this was probably due to the softness of the tobacco packed into the foot of the cigar.

Halfway There: Again, I don’t smoke Medium or Light bodied cigars awesome, but I am really enjoying the vast amount of flavor the Cabinetta brings to the table. The Flavors haven’t changed up too much except a lot more of the coffee flavor sneaking in, but every little puff is just so flavorful. The burnline is really thick, and tends to have a mind of its own, but is always quickly pulled back to an even burn. The retrohale is awesome. Tons of cedar and cinnamon priming with just a little spice burn. The cigar is medium by far and I am not feeling any nicotine at all from this stick.

Finish: I was expecting a nice little flavor changeup once I entered the Criollo portion of this Joya De Nicaragua Cabinetta, but I just didn’t get it. Maybe the maduro portion is just too deep into the cigar. If any difference was really made, it may have smoothed the cigar out into the finish cause this cigar finished off incredibly smooth. The flavors really matched up with a heavy creamed coffee with milk chocolate and a little natural tobacco mixed in. All in all it took me about an hour to smoke this cigar from start to finish and I felt absolutely no nicotine in the slightest.

Overview: What can I say, I love yet another mild cigar. This cigar’s massive flavor, smooth smoke, decent price, and overall pleasant experience make for just a perfect everyday smoke. This is really a great box purchase if you stumble across them. Ideal for the everyday smoker looking for something that will blend in throughout the day, and perfect for the novice smoker without knocking them on his ass.

Pairing: I decided to pair this Joya De Nicaragua with some Flying Dog, Snake Dog IPA. I’m not one to go for an IPA as they usually overpower the cigar, but the nice warm, summer weather combined with the lighter cigar made for a great pairing. At a little over 7.2% the Snake Dog IPA’s hoppy, citrus flavor meshed in perfectly with the sweet cinnamon of the Cabinetta. Outside of an IPA, or Trippel, I can’t think of a better pairing for this cigar than some black coffee, or sweet tea. Cheers!

Mystery Cigar #1

A nice looking Robusto cigar with a light brown wrapper below the band and a dark chocolate wrapper above the band (This signature gave away the identity of this cigar! hehe). Gives off a mostly woodsy aroma on the wrapper and the foot. Pre-light draw brings more of that great cedar taste with a bit of creaminess added to the mix. The draw is a touch tight but I’m still getting a fairly good mouthful of smoke.

Tons of woody/cedar notes through the first third with a bit of a creamy finish. Pairing well with my Mill Street Brewery Coffee Porter. Ash is strong and Zebra striped with some dark black spots but mostly light grey. The retrohale has a nice mild bit and a smooth creamy cedar finish.

The ash held on just past an inch before rolling into the ashtray. It stayed neat and clean without any flaking or splitting. The cigar needed a moderate correct just before the halfway mark. I should mention that it was travelling via mail through the cold Canadian weather for about 5 or 6 days and I lit it up the first night back, couldn’t wait to let it sit…

Getting some nice nutty flavors developing as the cigar passes the half-way mark, the cedar is still the most prominent flavor here. Now developing some espresso like flavors, a little bit bitter but not in a bad way, we’ll see how it progresses once I hit the darker wrapper. I was smoking pretty fast through the first half and has really slowed down now. When I hit the dark wrapper, the creamy cedar slowly changed to a sort of creamy cocoa, a very nice transition. The cocoa and espresso hung around till the nub.

Was pretty tasty cigar, I think having the darker wrapper at the halfway mark would have made it even better just cause I really enjoyed that part of it.

Reveal: Joya de Nicaragua Cabinetta Series

Post-Reveal Notes:
A delicious cigar, I’ve been eyeing these ones for a while and glad I finally got the chance to try one. Definitely worth trying out, especially with a nice cup of coffee.

Mystery Cigar #3

A torpedo shaped cigar that is oddly tapered, seems to be a very slow taper. Looks to be a 5.5 x 50 or so. The wrapper is pretty unassuming, just a light brown color with a couple small veins and bumps. I cut it a fair ways in and still had a small opening and poor draw. Had to cut further after lighting cause I still had poor draw. Even with the second cut I feel like I’m getting lots of draw but barely any smoke. So far its making me feel like a budget stick.
The foot lit up easily and right from the start had a large peninsula forming. Despite my efforts to get it going it kept getting worse. After about an inch I needed a major correction. Another indication of a budget stick here. Draw is still going poorly, may have to cut a bit more.

Initial flavors are mostly of burning wood and cedar, not bad tasting but nothing earth shattering here. I’m getting a bit of dried fruit flavors here and there but it’s not sticking around much. The ash fell off just past the inch mark. Decided to poke the foot a bit with a toothpick and the draw FINALLY opened up! Much better now.

After ashing around the halfway mark I noticed a fair sized tunnel which is probably causing most of my burn and draw problems. The flavors are still pretty much the same, very woodsy. Starting to get bitter with about two inches left, tunnel is still there. I may have gotten a bad stick here, but I think this one is hitting the ashtray early…

Reveal: Cusano Corojo 1997

Post-Reveal Notes:
Just an ok cigar, don’t think I would seek this one out again. Haven’t had many Cusanos but so far haven’t had any good ones. It’s one of the lines I just haven’t dove into yet.

Mystery Cigar #4

A very dark, rich looking cigar. The wrapper is a dark chocolate brown with highlights looking almost black. It is very evenly constructed with no major veins and a clean triple cap. The wrapper has a sweet tobacco type of flavor and the foot gives aroma of hay, sweetness and a bit of coffee. Pre-light draw is mostly hay flavors with a touch of coffee added in.

Initial draws are pretty bland, just tobacco and hay. Hopefully this gets more interesting. Starting to get a bit of coffee notes here and there after about an inch, nothing special yet. Ash is nice and clean and holding strong. This cigar seems familiar to me, but I’m not sure yet. It seems to be in the mild/medium range and has a very mild retrohale with no bite and a bland hay-like finish. I must say the construction is excellent and it’s smoking nice and slow, just wish it had more flavor.

Approaching the half-way mark and still not much development in the flavor area. Now approaching the nub and still nothing. It’s not a bad smoke, just boring. The coffee flavors were always just barely there and disappeared a lot. Body built up to about medium, maybe a bit more. The construction was awesome though, never a burn issue, it gets points there I suppose.

I’m gonna throw a guess out there. I smoked an AB MAXX awhile ago and it was very similar, well made but boring. If not that, then maybe a budget Nicaraguan.

Reveal: Alec Bradley MAXX Traditional

Post-Reveal Notes: Wow, hit this one on the head! This band was a little different from the one I had and after a little research it’s the same blend just in “traditional” sizes instead of the larger ring gauges the the silver banded MAXX line comes in. And the same blend indeed, they were all fairly straightforward.

Mystery Cigar #6

A very light tan colored wrapper and a smaller vitola, almost around a 4.5 x 48 or so. The wrapper has some bumpiness and a few medium veins but nothing that looks problematic. The wrapper and foot both have an aroma of cedar and a hay. The cut was a bit messy but the draw was just about perfect, getting some nice spice on the pre-light draw. Toasting was easy and fairly even, lit up nicely.

Initial draws bring some interesting white pepper spice and a fair helping of cedar. Usually with spice like this you would get some bite on the retrohale but it was actually very mild with a smooth cedar finish.
The ash and burn aren’t pretty but are holding strong. Ash looks a bit messy and in the darker grey tones. Burn had a wave right from the start but it hasn’t gotten worse or better, just strolling along. I think I have a good guess that this is an EP Carrillo cigar since I’ve had a few of them lately but none in this vitola, and it seems a little weaker in body. Seems very familiar though. Body started off mild and is slowly approaching medium but it never quite got there.

Ash held on to about 1.5 inches, very nice. At the halfway mark I got some raisin or dried fruit type of flavor along with a bit of leather. Those flavors stuck around to the very end with very little bitterness. The dried fruits made me think of the 7-20-4, so I’m confused on this one. The burn was excellent the whole way through. I’m stumped on this one, don’t think I’ve had it before now.

Reveal: Gran Habano Connecticut #1

Post-Reveal Notes:
I’ve never really paid much attention to this cigar. Not sure why. It was definitely a tasty one and would make a great mild or early morning smoke. They are definitely on my future purchase list now.

Mystery Cigar #7

Looks to be a box-pressed toro sized cigar weighing in around 6×54 with a clean triple cap. The wrapper is rough and veiny with just one soft spot, the rest of the cigar has a nice medium spring to it. Pre-light draw is very grassy and earthy. The wrapper has pretty much no aroma and the foot has a bit more grassiness to it.

When I first looked at this it appeared to be a Cuban but after the first couple draws I’m pretty sure it’s not. But that definitely does not mean I’m not enjoying it. So far I’m getting a very nice cedar flavor with hints of leather and a slight spice that I can’t quite put my finger on. It toasted up nice and easy and is burning very even, although it is burning quite fast.

Although the draw feels good, it seems to be a bit airy as I’m not getting nearly as much smoke as I expect. Ash is a nice light grey color and is clean looking although it seems a bit weak. It still held on just over an inch.
A few inches in the burn is starting to go a bit wavy and the draw is still airy. Neither is hampering the experience much but let’s hope they correct themselves. The flavor is still mostly leather and cedar, with a bit of that original grassiness joining the mix. The cigar has been fairly mild/medium for the most part and the retrohale has no bite and a woodsy finish. Found a small hole under the band that was causing the airy-ness, much better draw now and a mouthful of smoke.

Around the half-way mark I started getting a bitter sweetness and the earthy notes came back. The grassy and woodsy flavors are still around while the minor spice and leather are gone.
A little past the half-way mark and the body is picking up and some spice is definitely making an appearance, seems to be a peppery and cloves type of spice. Shortly after the spice and with about an inch and a half left the cigar got fairly bitter, had to set it down soon after…

Reveal: Te-Amo World Selection Series – Nicaragua Blend

Post-Reveal Notes: hmmmm… an Altadis cigar… not surprised I was bored by it.

The Story:
The sample of Scotch Whisky I will be reviewing today was sent to us by Master of Malt. Master of Malt is an online retailer specializing in Whisky although they also sell a variety of other spirits. You can see the review I did of their other sample here of the Master of Malt – Arran 12 Year Old Single Cask Scotch Whisky. The company is based out of East Sussex, United Kingdom and they ship almost anywhere in the world. The package arrived in Canada in record time and the bottles were extremely well protected. One of the wonderful features offered by Master of Malt besides their huge selection of spirits is the ability to get many of the spirits in a small 3oz sample bottle similar to the one pictured.

The Scotch Whisky being reviewed today is from the Bruichladdich distillery from the island of Islay. Islay is well known as the source of many of the worlds most peaty and smoky whisky’s available. Bruichladdich has a rich history dating back to it’s construction in 1881. The distillery currently has a wide variety of selections which can satisfy a very wide range of customers. Click here to see Master of Malt’s wide offering from this distillery, where they have inexpensive and very rare blends ranging from about $30 all the way up to over $1000!

The blend we are looking at today is called Octomore 02.2 Orpheus and is “the worlds most heavily peated whisky”. It is aged in barrels from a top Bordeaux vineyard called “Château Pétrus”. It is a limited release of only 6000 numbered bottles and weighs in at a hefty 61% alc./vol. It actually has a young age of only 5 years. This Scotch has also won the Best Single Malt in the World (Whisky Bible 2011) and Best Peated Whisky (Malt Maniacs).

Image courtesy of Bruichladdich.com

The Bottle:
As mentioned, this was a sample Dram sent by Masters of Malt but the full size bottle of the Bruichladdich Octomore 02.2 Orpheus comes in an elegant jet black bottle with a silver top. It is quite attractive and uniquely designed.

The Eyes:
The Scotch in my glass has a very warm golden tone to it with a shade of amber or reddish hue. It is a fair bit darker the most Scotch Whisky’s and looks delicious.

The Nose:
The claim of the world’s most peated whisky is easily evident in the aroma coming from this glass. Your nose is punched with hefty peat and smoky notes. Once you become accustomed to those aromas you start to pick up some of the woodsy and spicy notes that accompany it.

The Tongue:
This Bruichladdich offering is a blast to the taste buds. Right from the first sip you can detect the complexity this Scotch Whisky is built on. The peatiness is very evident but balanced well with the smoky and woodsy flavors. The finish has a touch of dark fruitiness that lingers on the tongue with the peat. There are also hints of spice detectable on the tongue.

The Final Drop:
There is no doubt that the Octomore 02.2 Orpheus from Bruichladdich Distillery is a powerful Scotch Whisky. With it’s high alcohol content and peatiness this is a complex but enjoyable drink. It’s definitely not something you want to drink quickly. In order to enjoy this to it’s fullest you need to take the time to pay attention to each sip and the dance of complex flavors it plays on your tongue.

I have to say that this Scotch Whisky is quite unique from a lot of others that I’ve tried. It’s definitely something that’s worth finding and tasting. Considering it’s limited production and uniqueness the price is actually very fair coming in at just over $80 from Master of Malt.

The Pairings:
The Bruichladdich Octomore 02.2 Orpheus is definitely a beverage that will pair extremely well with a full bodied and spicy cigar. The peat, smoke and spice make a perfect pairing. The balance of the two would enhance both the Scotch Whisky and the cigar. Here are some examples of cigars that would pair well here:
- Man O’ War Ruination
- Drew Estate Liga Privada Dirty Rat
- Joya de Nicaragua Dark Corojo
- Illusione Epernay

Joya De Nicaragua Antano Dark Corojo

The Antano has been a favorite of mine for quite some time. It’s bold flavor, and massive strength spelled out love at first smoke. Naturally, when I heard that Drew Estate was in the process of pushing out a “Dark Corojo” version of the Antano I was all over it.

The Good Stuff:The Antano Dark Corojo is the newest line to hit the market from Joya De Nicaragua. It was introduced at this past year’s IPCPR in New Orleans. At that time I believe they handed out quite a few “sample” banded sticks. The Antano Dark Corojo is blended using 75% Ligero leaf. Knowing this fact alone, you know you are in for a powerhouse-hell-of-a-treat when lighting one up. Just make sure you had a meal prior to taking on this guy. The size that I got my hands on is called “La Pesadilla” which simply means “the nightmare” in spanish. If that’s not taunting I don’t know what is. The Antano Dark Corojo comes in 4 other sizes ranging in price (from what I’ve seen locally) from $5.89 to $10.49.

Size: 4.75 x 60  -  Wrapper: Nicaraguan Corojo  -  Binder/Filler: Nicaraguan  -  Body: Full

Joya De Nicaragua Ananto Dark Corojo

Prelight: The first item that caught my attention with the Dark Corojo was the band. I’m not 100% sure on what the deal is between Joya De Nicaragua and Drew Estate, but JDN has definitely taken on the Drew Estate persona in every aspect, including it’s artwork. The band is black, with extremely subtle grey swirls ( I seriously didn’t notice these until I took a look at the first picture above, almost invisible to the naked eye ). It’s crested with embossed Gold Metallic print stating “Antano, Dark Corojo” on the head accompanied by a similar foot band ( the picture I shot was way too embarrassing to post ) that reads “Doble Fuerte” or “Double Strong”. Secondly, the darkness of the wrapper on this cigar is intense. Seriously, maduros don’t have anything on the Dark Corojo. The wrapper itself is extremely oily, silky, and almost sticky. It reminds me a lot of CAO’s La Traviata in toothy texture. The Dark Corojo is extremely tough to the touch and gives almost no push once you squeeze on it. The tough wrapped body bleeds into a stubby, triple wrapped belicoso cap. The construction on this cigar is suburb, with no soft spots, very little veins, and no other visible flaws of any kind. I’m impressed with how consistent not only the color, but the texture of this cigar is. The wrapper gives off a very spicy, leather scent, as well as the foot of the cigar.

I clipped a pretty large portion from the head of this cigar using my trusty Palio double bladed cutter. The cold draw resembled much of what I pulled from the aroma of the cigar. Spice, leather, and a bit of bitter chocolate.

Joya De Nicaragua Ananto Dark Corojo

First Smoke: WOW, just…wow. It’s like being kicked in the mouth with a foot full of pepper. The initial spice is quite overpowering, but after a few strong puffs it begins to simmer down. Backing the spiciness of the Dark Corojo is a strong leather taste with hints of bittersweet chocolate. The Dark Corojo produces a massive draw, be ready for it. The draw probably has a lot to do with the larger ring gauge of this particular vitola. The pepper flavor is so strong the aroma of spice is even carried through the tons of stationary smoke this cigar produces. Don’t smoke this guy around people who may be offended by cigar smoking, unless that’s your intention. The burn line is a bit wider than I’d like, but I’m sure that, as well as the waves early into the smoke, have a lot to do with the massive amounts of ligero in this cigar. I’ve found in the past, that any cigar with high amounts of ligero that I personally have ever smoked have some type of burn issue. This only creates a higher level of appreciation for cigars packed with ligero leaf that burn through without a hitch. The ash produced is a dark grey, with spots of white and black. The ash is extremely flaky, and only held on for for about the fourths of an inch before giving way. A quarter of the way in and the nicotine is already starting to hit me, and hard.

Joya De Nicaragua Ananto Dark Corojo

Halfway There: I’m halfway through the Dark Corojo and surprisingly the pepper is still present, and in full force. The backing flavors are still that of leather and bitter chocolate, only now I’m picking up a bit of a cedar taste as well as what I can only describe of raisin. The burn on this cigar is ridiculously slow. I figured with its short stature that I would tear through it in about an hour, an hour and a half tops. But I am already over an our in and I am barely halfway through. Another characteristic of Ligero leaf is the tendency to extinguish themselves. This particular cigar hasn’t completely gone out on me yet, but I am having to pay special attention to it, hitting it hard and often to ensure that it stays lit. After the third round of ash I had to do a slight touch up on the wavy burn line, but after that point it seemed to have completely straightened out.

Joya De Nicaragua Ananto Dark Corojo

Finish: Towards the end of the cigar the pepper finally started to taper off a bit. Not to say that it wasn’t still there, only that it has taken a back-burner to the more prominent cedar, and bitter chocolate flavors. Outside of having a nicotine kick from hell, the Dark Corojo is starting to get a bit harsh towards the final stretch. I’m sure a lot of that had to do with how hard I had to go out this cigar to keep it burning. On a good note, it never fully went out. Outside of the touch up needed halfway through the Dark Corojo needed no further assistance in the burn area, and finished dead even. After all was said and done the Dark Corojo took about two and a quarter hours to finish….really.

Joya De Nicaragua Ananto Dark Corojo

Overview: The Joya De Nicaragua Antano Dark Corojo isn’t for the faint of heart. This is an extremely powerful cigar, and even gave me a run for my money.  Would I smoke it again? I sure would, but I don’t see this cigar making it into my regular rotation. It’s just too strong for an everyday smoke. Would I recommend this cigar to others? For sure, as long as it is someone who is game to get their ass kicked. At a price tag of about $10 this cigar was sadly a bit more than I would normally pay. In my honest opinion there are far too many full bodied cigars out there with similar value, and lower price tags.

Joya De Nicaragua Ananto Dark Corojo

On a side note, keep a look out for a special contest launching later this week/weekend sponsored by the wonderful team at Bonita Smoke Shop!

Cruzado

I have heard of these cigars, but most shops locally in El Paso, Texas don’t even carry Illusione cigars, so unless I was to receive these as a gift or trade, I probably never would have got my grubby little paws on one.

Luckily, a great little shop by the name of Tobacco Road recently jumped on the Illusione bandwagon and not only started stocking Illusione cigars, but Cruzado as well. Adam, the owner of the shop, actually gifted me a few of the Cruzado cigars in hopes to spread word of the brand. If you’re ever in town, Tobacco Road is a must-stop.

The Good Stuff: As stated earlier, the Cruzado line of cigars is another line blended by the mastermind himself, Dion Giolito. The Cruzado line was released in mid 2008. With the success of Dion’s Illusione lines the Cruzado had quite a bit of hype to live up to. Unlike the full-bodied Illusione cigars the Cruzado is best described as a medium to full, with complex flavors, soft spices atop leather and general creaminess. The size I have recieved is the Dantes Robusto. The Cruzado is blended by Dion, and then rolled in the Raices Cubanas along with the rest of the Illusione line.

Size: 5 x 48 -  Wrapper: Nicaragua Criollo  -  Binder/Filler: Nicaraguan/Honduran  - Strength: Medium

Cruzado

Prelight: The Cruzado’s wrapper is very firm to the touch. There were no soft spots whatsoever, actually quite the opposite. The wrapper was nice and oily, but at the same time it seemed a bit firmer than what I was used to. As most of Dion’s cigars the Cruzado sports a nice, rounded triple cap. I really wish more cigar manufacturers would take a que from Cuban construction and triple wrap their caps. The cap seems to be the only portion of the cigar I ever really have any problems with. not only is the wrapper a nice, milk chocolate shade of brown, but it also carries with it chocolate scents with hints of spice. The foot of the Cruzado smells very leathery with notes of nutmeg.

Cruzado

Cold Draw: I cut this particular cigar using my Palio double-bladed cutter. The cut was very clean, and there were no signs of misconstruction upon the slice. The cold draw was very spicy, with timid hints of what I could only categorize best as German pastry.

First Smoke: The Cruzado was wrapped a bit too tight for my liking. I was able to pull a decent draw off of the cigar but it took far more hits than I am used to. Almost instantaneously I was smacked in the face with a burst of pepper I wasn’t expecting. Other flavors were oats, bread, spice, cinnamon, nutmeg, leather, and again the German pastry. The Cruzado didn’t leave much of an aftertaste, just the slight lingering tobacco taste that is expected when smoking cigars. The burn started off well but is beginning to get slightly wavy. It’s still too early into the cigar to tell how this will affect the overall experience. The Cruzado is a great retro-hale cigar, clean, non-burning. I got about and inch and a half into the Cruzado before the ash gave way for the first time.

Cruzado

Halfway There: Shortly after I reached the halfway point the draw began to open up a whole lot more. I was no longer having to hit this cigar three or four times to get the massive burst of smoke I wanted. The burn line did get a bit wavy and I had to touch it up, I don’t see any further issues with it though. The flavors are holding their own. At this point the pepper is no longer in the mix, more spice, vanilla, oats, and bread. I’m really quite surprised how slow this cigar is burning. The smoke is thick and very light in color where as the ash is a whole lot darker than what you would normally expect out of any cigar. It’s not really flaky, but it isn’t really packed either.

Cruzado

Finish: There was a slight harshness to the nub of the Cruzado, but not anything serious. It may be in part to the massive smoking I did early into the cigar. The Cruzado finished very smooth otherwise. There was no nicotine feel. Overall the Cruzado was an incredibly smooth smoke. The pepper made a quick return towards the end of the cigar, but just enough to effect the aftertaste. After the halfway touch-up I had no further burn issues at all. The flavors finished off very Vanilla Coffee Creamery, with Oaky Leather and hints of pepper.

Cruzado

Overview: Although the Cruzado had great flavors, and was extremely smooth, it was just a little on the light side for my taste. This isn’t to say I won’t have it again. I actually think the Cruzado will be one of the few Medium smoke I will have in my regular rotation. This is a perfect cigar for novice and casual smokers.

Cruzado

Joya De Nicaragua Antano Consul

I have actually never smoked a Joya De Nicaragua before, so this is my first. I have heard nothing but great things about this cigar, and I stumble across it just about everywhere I go. So I finally decided to give it a shot.

The Good Stuff: Joya De Nicaragua’s Antano 1970 is a lasting tribute to the comapany’s stability. Joya De Nicaragua’s cigars were first released back in the mid 1960′s where it was one of the first cigars ever produced in Nicaragua. In 1970, the cigar gained mass acceptance in the U.S. and actually became the tradition cigar of the White House. Shortly after, Nicaragua became fairly unstable, and all of Joya De Nicaragua’s production came to a standstill. After more than 30 years, Joya De Nicaragua came back into play in 2002 with the Antano, to celebrate the company’s hard work.

Joya De Nicaragua Antano 1970

Size: 4.5 x 52  -  Wrapper: Nicaraguan Habano  -  Binder/Filler: Nicaraguan  -  Strength: Full

Prelight: I’ve read a review or two on the Antano so I know better than to let it’s small stature fool me. This cigar is supposed to pack a mean punch. The Wrapper is a very dark habano, almost maduro looking leaf. The cigar itself is very chunky, and has a pretty good weight to it. The wrapper smells of light earth tones with hints of almond. The foot of the cigar has a strong woodsy smell, with a touch of pine. There were a few soft spots close to the foot of the cigar. We will blame these on the handling, and I don’t forsee any problems with them. I should be able to burn right through them. The band is very bright, and inviting. There is a great use of metallic gold ink, with greens and reds spread out across the ring making the Antano stand out amongst most other cigars in any humidor. I used a double-bladed cutter, and a cheapy little 3 torch flame (my lighter is being repaired) to smoke this cigar.

Joya De Nicaragua Antano

Cold Draw: The pine taste didn’t come through with the cold draw, I must have picked that out of the air somewhere. The Antano’s cold draw had a very woodsy/leathery taste to it, with touches of spice and almond. The cold draw was pretty tight, and I am hoping this doesn’t transcend into the rest of the smoke.

First Smoke: The Antano lit up right away, and took literally just a few seconds to light completely under my 3 flame torch set to low. The first couple of puffs were very tight. I’m not a big fan of tight draws, so it was very welcomed when out of the blue the draw unleashed with huge clouds of thick smoke about 4 or 5 puffs in. Despite the massive draw, the smoke itself wasn’t all that bad smelling. If it wasn’t for the huge clouds of smoke I would recommend smoking this around other people. The taste pallete was very soft and invited. Peppery, spice was the dominant flavor backed by a bit of pine, cedar, and hints of almond.

Joya De Nicaragua Antano 1970

The burn line is nothing less of stellar at this point, and the Antano is producing very thick, almost white ash. The pepper taste is matching up well as this cigar is paired with an Avery Hog Heaven barley-wine style ale. Astonishingly enough, I got almost 2 whole inches of ash (keep in mind how short this cigar is) before finally giving way. I really couldn’t predict when it was actually going to give out.

Joya De Nicaragua Antano 1970

Halfway there: I know this is a strong cigar, but at this point I have yet to feel it. The smoke is smooth, and incredibly creamy. The pepper taste has mellowed out some, and now its become more “bready”. I’m not sure if  “bready” is the term, or even a word for that matter, but it was the best way I could describe it. The draw hasn’t let up at all, it’s still as big as ever.

Joya De Nicaragua Antano 1970

The Antano’s burn line has taken a small turn for the worse as it became pretty wavy on one portion of the cigar. I’m not sure if this one will actually correct itself. The Antano is getting pretty warm. I usually smoke pretty fast, however this one is burning a lot warmer than most other cigars I’ve had as of late.

Finish: After standing up, and walking around my back yard A bit I was pretty surprised to find that I have felt no light-headedness, nor any signs of nicotine. Towards the end of the smoke the pepper taste came back, but it wasn’t nearly as strong as the beginning of the smoke. The questionable burn line actually did in fact correct itself, and the warmth of the draw only increased. I was really surprised how the taste of the Antano was so consistent throughout the entire smoke. The only addition were soft hints of sweetness I picked up towards the very end.

Joya De Nicaragua Antano 1970

Overview: I would have to give this cigar 4.5 stars out of 5 (I am working on a custom rating system, no worries.). Outside of the small stature, the hot burn, and the fact that I don’t have more of these in my humidor, I can’t think of anything bad to say about this smoke. It was extremely smooth, and well balanced with soft kicks just where you would expect them. I WILL be getting more of these, and I recommend anyone who enjoys cigars to do the same.

The Joya De Nicaragua Antano 1970 Consul was paired with Avery’s Hog Heaven Barely Wine Style Ale.

Joya De Nicaragua Antano 1970