So the Subculture ACID cigar line is made by Drew Estates and promotes itself as an Aromatic cigar experience with cigars infused by botanicals and herbals. The “Subculture” reference here is a slight addition to the regular ACID line. The Subculture series is a somewhat limited blend and are slightly similar to some core lines in the Drew Estates inventory. You can tell the Subculture versions apart from the regular ACID cigars by it’s unique gold/orange/red gradient band.

In this case, the Toast is a balanced blend of the Herbal and Botanical infusions from the ACID lineup. A lot of the other ACID cigars tend to be either Herbal or Botanical, but not both. All of the tobacco leaves used in ACID cigars are cured in a large room called the Cuarto Aromatico (Aroma Room) for a period of many months. Only after being in this top-secret room are the leaves rolled into a finished cigar.

The ACID cigars have made a large impact in the cigar world and have quickly grown to some of the top selling cigars in the industry. The appeal here is that the infused flavors offer a little more appeal to people who aren’t regular cigar smokers. On the flip side, Drew Estates tried to strike a balance that even regular cigar enthusiasts could pick up one of these cigars and still enjoy them since they contain some premium Nicaraguan tobacco.

I used to enjoy the odd infused or flavored cigars way back when I first started getting into the hobby but they fell off my radar quite awhile ago. I happened to have a couple ACID cigars left from a sampler tin I purchased roughly 3 years ago and probably have not smoked many infused at all since that time. I had a few bad experiences with flavored and infused cigars that I decided to stay away. But here I am going in for a full review on a popular infused cigar line. Will my opinion of the infused cigars change? Read on to find out!

Cigar: Drew Estate Subculture ACID Toast
Drink: Hockley Valley Brewery Dark Ale
Vitola: Toro (6 x 50)
Wrapper: Nicaragua
Binder: Nicaragua
Filler: Nicaragua
Price: About $6 (Got mine in a sampler)
Burn Time: Almost 2 hours

Construction:
• The construction of the Subculture ACID Toast is clean and smooth with very few veins running along it
• The wrapper is a deep chocolate color with a few dark brown splotches
• The double cap atop this cigar is very clean and neatly finished
• On the other end, the foot shows signs of a full and neat filler
• The cigar has some spring to it when squeezed and is a bit softer just below the cap
• The cigar clipped cleanly and easily without much effort
• I’m happy to say the draw feels just a tad open but mostly in a good range

Burn:
• The toasting of the “Toast” was even and fairly quick, leaving me with a nice glowing foot
• First impressions of the burn are positive as I truck through the first inch with a nice tight line
• I’m happy to report that the burn has been great going through the first half, sharp and clean without any need for touch-ups
• The burn was fantastic right to the end without the need for a single touch-up

Smoke & Ash:
• This Subculture ACID Toast is a smoke machine at the start, pumping out a ton of smoke from each draw and matching that with a ton of smoke while resting
• The ash seems to be presenting with some nice white and light grey colors, starting out fairly clean and strong without any flaking to worry about
• It’s very easy to get a good mouthful of smoke on this cigar with little effort
• First ash lasted nearly 1.5 inches and it fell as I was snapping some pictures. At least it hit the floor and not my lap! lol
• The ash continues to produce some clean lines and a nice white color
• The clean ash continued to surpass the 1 inch mark each time although I somehow managed to make it fall off while taking pictures all the time…

Tasting Notes:
• The wrapper aroma on the Subculture ACID Toast has a strong dirt and earth type of smell, along with a bit of floral notes
• The foot has similar aromas of dirt and floral notes but with less intensity, there’s definitely no secret that this is an infused cigar
• There is a ton of sweetness when this cigar hits your lips, it’s like putting candy in your mouth. In this case it still tasted sorta earthy and now some herbal notes too
• The pre-light draw brings just a bit of earth to the table, not much else
• Despite all the sweet, dirt, earth and floral notes on the pre-light there is surpringly few of these elements left on the first few draws
• The initial draws brought mostly woodsy notes and a bit of sweetness, but I think that could be from my lips touching the wrapper and not from the actual smoke
• Within the first inch I actually started picking up a touch of spices, maybe a slight white pepper thrown into the mix along with more smooth cedar flavors
• So far the finish has been somewhat dry and flavorless and the body is mostly in the mild to medium range
• The retrohale has a very light bite to it and a woodsy yet dry finish
• The spicy notes died out shortly after they appeared and I still have a nice balanced woodsy flavor going
• Every once in awhile I get hints of other flavors like cooking spices, leather, earth a,d even some grassy notes but they seem to come and go
• The dryness on the finish settled down a bit and the sweetness of my lips is adding an interesting dimension to the whole mix
• The flavors definitely began to intensify near the end, some more of the spice came back and the woodsy notes are still there. The sweetness on my lips is still around as well which helps balance it all out
• The intensity continued to build into the final inch and started turning just a bit harsh while the cigar also started burning a bit hot

Final Thoughts:
I came into this cigar with a bit of fear…haha. The last few infused cigars I had that I can remember were bad experiences and so I had a negative preconception going in. I’m happy to say the Drew Estate Subculture ACID Toast was not the terrible cigar I was bracing myself for. It’s different and unique, but not terrible by any means. The strong aroma and sweetness on the lips is something to get used to but if you accept it I found they added to the flavor profile quite nicely. The flavors on the cigar were not overly complex or too deep but they were fairly enjoyable. Probably my biggest gripe here was some of the dryness this cigar was giving me. Sometimes a nice woodsy cigar with a sweet touch is exactly what you are looking for, and if that’s the case you would probably like these! I can’t speak to how the 3 years aging in my humidor affected these though so take that into account as well. This may have dulled the infused flavors but I’d have to try a fresh one to be sure, just a thought…

Pairings:
Today’s pairing comes from another local brewery called Hockley Valley Brewery located in Orangeville, Ontario. They pump out a variety of Traditional English brews and in today’s case we have a Dark Ale. I’ve also paired their “Black & Tan” with the La Aurora Preferdidos 1903 Ruby and their Stout with the My Father LE 2010. Now, the can doesn’t say “Award Winning” for nothing, this is a smooth and tasty dark ale with a hefty helping of malt and slight espresso notes. The whole thing is balanced, and tasty and goes down super easy. I wasn’t exactly sure what to pair this cigar with so I took a guess and I think it worked out ok. Next time I think I would vouch for a lighter ale, something blonde or amber instead. Maybe even a soda or some sparkling water would go well here.

The post Drew Estate Subculture ACID Toast appeared first on Cigar Reviews | Beer Pairings | Casas Fumando.

The Le Hoyo part of this cigars name is actually a series created by Hoyo de Monterray which also includes the Le Hoyo Du Roi, Du Depute, Du Gourmet, Du Maire and Du Prince. Each name also represents a slightly different vitola but something unique to this series is that no cigar is larger than a 42 ring gauge which is fairly odd to see in todays cigar world where everyone seems to be making a 6×60 or something similar. In fact, the whole Hoyo de Monterray line up does not even pass the 50 ring gauge mark.

The Le Hoyo des Dieux is actually one of the larger vitolas measuing 5.5 inches and a 42 ring gauge. Only the Du Gourmet is comparable at 6.8×33. I picked this box as my purchase for 2 reasons. Firstly, it came with great recomendations from a few BOTL’s and my secondly, my research showed it was claimed as the best option from the Le Hoyo series.

I won’t get into too many details of the brand history but it is an interesting read, as is most Cuban brands. Basically, a Spanish immigrant to Cuba started his career working the fields and eventually began his own cigar line which gained a loyal following. We’ve also touched upon a few other Hoyo De Monterray reviews including the Regalos Edicion Limitada 2007 and the Epicure Especial. Be sure to check out those 2 reviews for more info on the brand.

We’ve had some pretty crazy weather up here, going from somewhat warm to incredibly cold. In fact, we already hit -13F just this week… that was a bitterly cold day! But between the bad days there’s been some good smoking days I’ve been taking advantage of. So let’s see how the Hoyo de Monterray Le Hoyo des Dieux stands up in todays review!

Cigar: Hoyo de Monterray Le Hoyo des Dieux
Drink: Quinta Da Romaneira 2004 Unfiltered Late Bottled Vintage Port
Vitola: Grand Corona (5.5 x 42)
Wrapper: Cuban
Binder: Cuban
Filler: Cuban
Price: About $7.00
Burn Time: Just over an hour

Construction:
• The Hoyo de Monterray is a surprisingly consistent looking cigar, all the sticks in the box I purchased were remarkably similar. I point this out because I find some Cuban cigar boxes to have a wide variety of oddly constructed cigars sometimes
• The wrapper on this cigar screams cedar just by looking at it, it has a light brown almost woodsy looking appearance to it
• The are some medium sized veins here and there but for the most part these cigars are smooth and well constructed
• Each cigar had a nice firmness to them with just a little bit of give when squeezed
• The triple cap atop each of the Le Hoyo des Dieux is finished cleanly and appears very well applied
• Filler in the foot looks very bountiful as well, cleanly cut and evenly colored
• The draw on the Des Dieux is just about perfect, getting a nice stream of smoke from it with little effort

Burn:
• Toasting was very even and easy, the whole foot was glowing with very little effort
• The draw is going nice and sharp with only a slight wave to it
• Some times it seems as though the cigar has gone out but two quick draws seems to bring it back to life easily
• The wave got a little out of control and needed a small correction, after ashing it looks like the cause was a small hole in the filler. Not a big tunnel or anything but a big of a gap between the leaves
• The next ash revealed another small hole that was affecting the burn, this one looks more like a tunnel so I’m hoping it doesn’t extend too far…

Smoke & Ash:
• Each draw is bring a perfect mouthful of smoke with very little effort
• The resting smoke it fairly heavy right after a draw but quickly dies down to a very light line of smoke that gives off a sweet cedar aroma
• The ash is starting off with a nice light grey color to it and is looking clean and strong
• I was surprised to see the ash on this thinner cigar easily pass 1 inch and made it to about 1.5 inches before I tapped it off, very clean, strong and even
• I find myself taking a few extra draws as I get to the halfway mark to get more smoke and the resting smoke has died down too

Tasting Notes:
• The wrapper on the Hoyo de Monterray Le Hoyo des Dieux gives off a nice cedar aroma with a small spice kick
• The foot also gives off a nice sweet cedary spice aroma with a sort of creamy touch
• Pre-light draw brings lots of cedary and woodsy goodness with a light spice undertone to it
• Initial few draws bring more of that cedary smoothness and an undertone of light gingerbread spices, very nice start
• The body right from the start is undeniably mild but very flavorful
• The retrohale on the other hand has no bite and only a faint cedar finish, but at least it’s smooth
• There is quite a bit of earthiness sneaking into the flavor profile within the first inch or so
• The body of the cigar seems to have picked up somewhat at only 2 inches, it easily jumped into a more medium range and the flavors are a lot more intense and enjoyable
• The gingerbread-type of spices are creating a neat little kick on the retrohale and the creamy cedar finish has stepped up a notch too, very nice
• Cedar, spice and earthiness still dominate the flavor profile but it’s picked up a bit in intensity
• I’m also picking up a slightly bready type of flavor which is going very nicely with the spices
• The cigar continued on with the flavors balancing nicely and taking turns being the prominent one
• There was almost no strength or harsh buildup to the end, it stayed a smooth and flavorful medium right to the nub

Final Thoughts:
Despite a couple draw and burn issues, I actually enjoyed this cigar quite a bit. The flavors were spot-on and not diverse, they kept my interest the whole way through. I think the vitola was a perfect fit since I may have gotten a bit bored if this were a larger torpedo or churchill. At a price that isn’t too scary these are also fairly high on the cost-to-flavor ratio. The finish on this cigar was also very flavorful and it burned right to the end with no negative side effects at all. I’m curious to see what some aging will do to this cigar but they are already very tasty as is. I will definitely be looking to keep some of these in my humidor. Not only were they tasty but I actually liked this vitola a lot too!

Pairings:
Today’s Port pairing comes from a random grab at the local store. I’ve never really seen this bottle before and I like to try new ones so I grabbed it. The winery is called Quinta da Romaneira and this is their 2004 Unfilitered Late Bottle Vintage Porto. Now I should note that I’m not exactly sure where the “unfiltered” part comes in here, the Port is surprisingly clear and clean with almost no sediment from the glasses I’ve had so far. This particular port fell short of my expectations, it almost tasted watered down. Closer to a glass of light red wine than a finely fermented port, and especially not one worthy of a 7-year aged sticker on the bottle. There are some nice light fruity notes and a decent merlot after-taste but it’s not my type of port. If you’re just venturing into port I’d say it’s a good starter bottle as it might bridge the gap between a light wine and a strong port. It’s not all bad though because it actually paired well with the flavors of the Le Hoyo des Dieux since they weren’t overpowering or super spicy. They both complimented each other quite well. I think this Hoyo De Monterray cigar would pair very nicely with a hot cup of coffee or possibly an oak aged beer to pair with the cedar flavors.

The post Hoyo de Monterray Le Hoyo des Dieux (Cuban) appeared first on Cigar Reviews | Beer Pairings | Casas Fumando.

The Ramon Allones brand isn’t too popular, but the Specially Selected seems to have garnered a fairly faithful offering. The brand actually began way back in 1837 by it’s two founders, Ramón and Antonio Allones. After a variety of ownership changes the company was eventually purchased by the Cifuentes company who also owns the Partagas brand. Manufacturing for all Ramon Allones cigars also comes from the same Partagas factory in Cuba.

The brand used to have a much larger vitola selection but since 2001, when Altadis bought a heft portion of the company, a lot of the sizes have been discontinued. The Ramon Allones brand is also heralded as one of the first Cuban cigar manufacturers to use full colored emblems on their boxes and possibly one of the first to produce the infamous 8-9-8 style of packaging.

As of current research, Ramon Allones is currently selling cigars in 4 vitolas along with an occasional Regional Release or Special Edition to round out the line. The particular cigar I will be smoking today comes from a box with a fairly recent date of May 2011. It will be interesting so see how this cigar performs early in the aging process since the recomended age time for this cigar is roughly 3 years.

Cigar: Ramon Allones Specially Selected
Drink: Innis & Gunn Spiced Rum Finish Oak Aged Beer
Vitola: Robusto (4.8 x 50)
Wrapper: Cuban
Binder: Cuban
Filler: Cuban
Price: About $7.00 in Cuba
Burn Time: 1.5 Hours

Construction:
• Each of the cigars in this box had a consistent soft box pressed shape to them
• The Ramon Allones Specially Selected also has very few larger veins
• The triple cap atop this cigar looks clean and well applied
• Although fairly firm, the cigar has a nice little spring to it when squeezed
• The foot looks to be very well packed
• The cap cut off cleanly leaving just a little mess in the ashtray
• The band unfortunately had a little too much glue on it and took some of the wrapper with it when removed
• The draw was good but I somehow got a huge tar buildup on the cap so I had to clip it a little further at around the half way point of the cigar

Burn:
• Toasting was a bit uneven and long but it evened out with a little extra effort
• At first the Specially Selected was burning nice and even but then one side started burning much faster than the other so I was left with a huge wave that needed correction
• I actually find this to be a pretty common problem on a lot of my Cubans for some reason
• After that one minor burn issue the cigar has been progressing well without any need for corrections
• I like how the RASS is staying lit easily without the need for constant babysitting

Smoke & Ash:
• Each draw brings a little less smoke than I’d like
• Surprisingly though, the resting smoke is off the charts at times
• The ash is a disappointing looking dark grey and black, not very attractive at all
• It does have some strength to it though, the ash is clean and lasts about an inch or so before I tap it off
• The second ash lasted another inch with the same consistency, the colors weren’t so dark this time possibly because I didn’t need to touch it up at all

Tasting Notes:
• Pre-light draw was all about the cedar, lots of fresh cedar aroma coming off this cigar
• Initial draws brought more of the fresh cedar flavors and a bit of earthiness
• There also a touch of the signature saltiness on my tongue
• The body overall has started fairly mild and there is no bite on the retrohale at all
• The whole experience has a nice cedar finish to it, even on the retrohale
• As the cigar progresses I’m getting a creaminess being added to the mix that is balancing well with the cedar and earthy notes
• One unique note I’m picking up here and there is a licorice type of flavor, very interesting and it would be nice to see it develop a bit more
• The licorice is dancing around with the cedar and I’m getting some mild spices peeking in here and there
• Just past the halfway mark I noticed a decent tar buildup on the cap, lucky for me I caught it before I touched it with my tongue, so a quick clip and I was good to go.
• The rest of the cigar proceeded tastefully but I really wish that licorice flavor would have jumped out a bit more

Final Thoughts:
The Ramon Allones Specially Selected turned out to be a nice mild to medium classic Cuban cigar. I don’t think it does anything new or special but it’s one of the more affordable Cubans you can find and they seem to be constructed consistently well from the ones I’ve had a chance to enjoy. The cedar and earthy flavors are enjoyable and the hint of licorice and spice brought an interesting layer to the mix that kept my attention. I did get some tar on some of the ones I smoked but it wasn’t anything terrible, one quick clip kept it at bay. I can see myself possibly getting some more of these in the future but I’d be curious to see how they age first, maybe I’ll revisit them in a year or so and see how things have changed. Good to know they are tasty and not overpowering while fairly fresh, so grab a few to try if you can.

Pairings:
Another Innis & Gunn you say? Of course! These guys make some awesome beers and I keep finding more new ones to try. Today’s choice is called the “Spiced Rum Finish” and came as part of the Winter Sampler pack. I’ve never had this particular brew before so I was curious to see how it turned out given my awesome track record with this brewery. Well, what an interesting beer this turned out to be. At it’s core, you can tell the classic Original Oak Aged style is there but it has an extra punch. Each sip gives just a tiny little spicy kick of raw cinnamon or cloves, maybe even a touch of pepper. Very unique that’s for sure and damn tasty if I say so myself. Very disappointed to see that it’s only available in the holiday pack cause I would easily vouch for a case if it were available to me. This paired perfectly with the mild to medium bodied Ramon Allones Specially Selected and would pair very well with other medium bodied cigars. Other suggested pairings for this cigar would be coffee or other lighter amber brews, maybe even a Tripel.

The post Ramon Allones Specially Selected (Cuban) appeared first on Cigar Reviews | Beer Pairings | Casas Fumando.

Avo Uvezian is the mastermind behind the AVO brand is also a very talented Jazz pianist. He was born into a family of musicians but he paved a different road for his family’s future when he began making cigars. It’s no secret that he has blended some very tasty sticks and for the last few years he has been blending a limited edition cigar to be released on his birthday.

Not long ago I reviewed the AVO 80th Anniversary which was released in 2006 to commemorate Avo’s 80th birthday. Tony also reviewed the AVO Limited Edition 2010 not long ago. Today’s cigar is called the Compañero and was released in 2009 to mark Avo’s 83rd birthday. On the cigar, you will find the classic and classy AVO logo with the name “Avo Uvezian” on one side and “LE09” written on the the other. Below this band is another dark burgundy band with the “Compañero” name written on it.

The blend in the AVO Limited Editions change a bit each year and the Compañero is no different. This year the cigar comes wrapped with an Ecuadorian leaf and bound with Dominican leaf. The interesting part of the blend is the filler which is made up of a couple types of Ligero and some Peruvian Seco tobacco.

I’m interested to see how this blend will play out. On paper it seems a bit strong but with at least 2 years of age on it I’m hoping it smoothed out. Let’s get onto the review and find out.

Cigar: AVO Compañero Limited Edition 2009
Drink: The Singleton of Glendullan 12 Year Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Vitola: Toro (6 x 54)
Wrapper: Cuban Seed Ecuadorian
Binder: Dominican Republic
Filler: Criollo Ligero, Piloto Ligero, San Vicente Ligero, Peruvian Seco
Price: About $15
Burn Time: 1.5 hours

Construction:
• The AVO Companero is an oil and dark looking cigar that sports a slightly toothy wrapper with a goldish-brown glow
• There are some veins running down the side of the cigar but most are fairly small and don’t really pose any issues
• The top of the cigar is cleanly finished with an expertly applied single cap while the foot shows signs of a well packed long-filler cigar
• For the most part, the cigar is very firm to the touch with only a very minor give when squeezed
• I made the cut super shallow and just basically trimmed off the cap without cutting into the filler, left me with an easy and perfect draw
• I “may” have accidentally “dropped” the cigar right before lighting it up… I’ll take that into account for any burn issues

Burn:
• Toasting was easy and even, it left me with a nicely glowing foot
• Despite some cracks on the wrapper near the foot due to my dropping it, the cigar is burning beautifully through the first couple of inches
• The cigar burned through the cracked wrapper like it wasn’t even there and I’m still going strong with a razor sharp burn!
• Ran into a few more wrapper issues caused by my drop, they still didn’t affect the burn much but I really regret dropping it!
• My super fail of a drop had more consequences than I had hoped for, the wrapper pretty much came off at the end but it’s totally my fault, do NOT take this as the regular burn for this cigar. Other Companero’s I’ve had burned without any issues.

Smoke & Ash:
• The AVO Companero is producing a heft amount of smoke from each draw, it’s thick and billowy to boot
• At a resting position, the cigar is producing a comfortable amount of smoke, nothing overpowering and it has a nice burning cedar aroma
• The ash is starting off a bit flaky but that’s probably my fault…
• The color of the ash is a very nice and consistent light grey
• Even with a bit of flaking, the ash lasted just past an inch before I gently tapped it off
• Now that I’m passed the cracked wrapper the ash is staying clean and tight
• The next ash fell off after about an inch jsut before I was going to take a picture… bad luck for me tonight! lol

Tasting Notes:
• The wrapper of the cigars is hardly aromatic at all, it’s only a little bit woodsy and that’s it
• The foot on the other hand shows clear indications of spices, earthiness and a fresh cedar aroma
• The pre-light draw is very earthy and woodsy, with more of the fresh cedar from the foot
• Initial draws are filled with more earthy notes and little bit of the fresh peat flavor I’ve come to appreciate from most AVO cigars
• Some of the spice I picked up earlier is making a subtle appearance within the first inch, it’s just on the tip of my tongue making for an interesting touch to the profile
• The body of the AVO Companero is a smooth medium so far, well balanced and with a nice little bite on the retrohale
• The finish is also very tasting, coating my nasal passages with a fresh cedar touch
• I have to emphasize the “fresh” part of the cedar flavor, it’s not like a seasoned humidor smells but more like the aroma of a fresh, brand new humidor or freshly cut cedar plank, very pleasant!
• The woodsy and earthy notes are mixing so nicely and taking turns being prominent
• Along with those, the peat and freshness of the cedar add a very interesting and enjoyable flavor that I can’t get enough of
• Just past the halfway mark, the spices are coming in a little stronger and mixing perfectly with the fresh cedar and peat flavors, this cigar keeps getting better!
• The body has stayed more or less in the medium range and it’s still maintaining a very smooth retrohale
• Despite the wrapper pretty much falling off the cigar, I still managed to enjoy the last bit of spice, cedar and peat right to the end

Final Thoughts:
Right from the start, the AVO Companero was bringing me a bright and flavorful profile that instantly caught my attention. Each of the tastes were very full flavored and easily discernible making for a very enjoyable smoke. Even with my fat-fingered fall to the floor and some wrapper cracks, this cigar burned perfectly. I’m also very surprised to say the wrapper falling off didn’t change the cigars flavor too much and I was still able to enjoy it. That’s a sign of a well balanced cigar in my eyes, the flavor was not “all in the wrapper” as some people might think. This showed me that the cigar had a very good balance of wrapper, binder and filler. I’d actually even say this experience made me appreciate the blending that went into this cigar even more than I normally would have!

Pairings:
I’ve only ever come across the peat flavors in the AVO cigars so I knew heading into this review that I had to pair it with a nice Scotch. So I looked into what I had and decided to finish off this bottle of The Singleton 12 year Single Malt Scotch Whisky. Well, I was right! The smokey and peat flavors of the Scotch paired perfectly with the fresh cedar and matching peat flavors on the cigar. I would definitely recommend having a nice scotch with this cigar, so give it a try next time you pick up this cigar or pretty much anything in the AVO lineup.

The post AVO Companero LE09 appeared first on Cigar Reviews | Beer Pairings | Casas Fumando.

“Carlito’s Way”

A nice looking lancero with a Cubanesque construction. There’s are plenty of bumps and veins along the length of this cigar and it’s quite soft when squeezed. The wrapper gave off a nice aroma of cedar and the foot added a bit of fruity tartness to the mix. The cap clipped off cleanly with my double bladed guillotine cutter and a small single flame torch gave me a nice even toasting.
The initial draws brought with it a good helping of cedar with a nice side-note of spice. Perhaps a raw nutmeg? The tartness is still around but it comes and goes between draws. The smoke is nice and full and so far the cigar is burning at a comfortably slow pace. The body starts off in the low medium range and the retrohale has a light spice bite with a cedar finish.
As I smoke this I just read a previous blind review of the 107 lancero I sent someone and I can’t help but think this tastes very similar. I should know since I’ve smoked so many 107’s but I feel this has something different in the mix. Or maybe I’m just psyching myself out?
The spice and cedar seem to be the primary flavors here going into the halfway point, they are balanced well and have a smooth finish. Pretty sure this is not a 107 anymore since I’m not getting any more of the tartness I’m used to from them. Perhaps a DPG Lancero? We’ll see if the spice kicks up a notch in the last half. Ash in moving along nicely, staying tight and clean before being tapped off into the ashtray after an inch or so.
Heading into the last third the body has built up a bit and the spice is developing as well as some nice roasted coffee and nutty flavors. Heading for a nice finish with no burn problems at all. Bite on the retrohale picked up a bit too!
Spice and body definitely ramped up in the last 1.5 inches making me think even more that this could be a DPG stick. No harshness and still a nice balanced smoke. This is definitely not Cuban with this intense spice, or at least not one I’ve ever had. Perhaps maybe even an Arturo Fuente? Let’s crack this envelope open and see…

Reveal: La Aurora 100 Anos Lancero

Post-Reveal Notes: Totally confused me yet again! I’ve only had a couple 100 Anos and I forgot they had a nice spicy kick to them. I guess I was on the right lines with the La Aurora brand and I threw that idea to the gutter too early! lol Yet another reason why I continue to enjoy La Aurora’s, even blind their sticks continue to impress me! This vitola was on my shopping list for sometime in the future and I’m glad I got to try it!

“The Untouchables”

A nice dark wrapper surrounds this lancero vitola cigar with quite a few bumps and veins. It’s got a very soft feeling near the foot but gets a little more firm at the halfway mark. The cap clips cleanly off and the pre-light draw brings with it lots of cedar and a good helping of peppery spice.
Initial draws bring more cedar but less pepper than the pre-light. At this point I have no clue what I’m smoking…
The cigar is starting off on the high side of mild bodied and burning even and slow. Just the way I like it! I started to get a bit of coffee flavors after about an inch which balanced out the profile even more and made it very tasty. A little bit of leather also mixing in with the existing flavors and so far very enjoyable through the first half. Ash is lasting about and inch and falling off into the ashtray by itself. The retrohale has a nice little bite and a smooth cedar finish.
I’m getting a bit of a funky burn a little past the halfway mark that was quickly fixed with a touch up from my lighter. The flavors are starting to intensify into the last third, more roasted coffee and cedar with a little more spice into the mix, almost a spicy paprika type here. The flavors are definitely keeping me interested and on my toes.
Body built up a bit more as well as a bit more spice and coffee into the nub. A tiny bit of harshness but not off-putting. It did get really soft and hot near the nub but all in all, a good finish. Still no clue what this is…

Reveal: Don Lino Africa

Post-Reveal Notes: This was a very interesting cigar and one that has actually never been on my radar. I’ve seen people post about it on various social media sites or blogs, but I never read much into it. This is the beauty of these blind reviews, they really open your eyes to brands you may have never even considered.

Just to wrap up these reviews, it was yet another successful and fun blind tasting for me and I’m very glad I participated. I hope you enjoyed reading these and seems we get a lot of good feedback from these types of reviews so be assured you will see more in the future!

The post Mobster Movie Themed Mystery Cigar Roundup – Part 2 appeared first on Cigar Reviews | Beer Pairings | Casas Fumando.

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.

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The company who makes the cigar is called Honduras Caribbean Tobacco. The Carmelo is their first cigar released a few years ago and they have recently also released a cigar carrying the companies name on the label. The Carmelo is available with a blue or red label. The blue label is wrapped with a Nicaraguan tobacco leaf while the red label has an Ecuadorian shade-grown wrapper. Both of the Carmelo cigars have Nicaraguan fillers and binders and are available in a variety of sizes ranging from a Carmelito (4 x 40) up to a Churchill (7×48).

I’ve had the chance to enjoy a few Carmelo’s before as they are a popular mild cigar at the herf I frequent and are offered up at a fair price. The Carmelo has been around for a few years now and the company itself is still fairly young opening only in 2005. Honduras Caribbean Tobacco is headquartered in Miami and have a large tobacco field on the border of Honduras and Nicaragua. After smoking a few offerings from Honduras Caribbean Tobacco at the herf I purchased a few more to take home with me so I could write up a review. So here it is!

Cigar: Carmelo Red Label
Drink: RocketfuelCoffee.com KonaKaze
Vitola: Toro (6 x 52)
Wrapper: Ecuadorian Shade-Grown
Binder: Nicaraguan
Filler: Nicaraguan
Price: $6.40 MSRP
Burn Time: Just under 2 hours

Construction:
• The Carmelo cigar is wrapped with a very light shade of brown, it also appears fairly fragile
• There are almost no veins to be seen on the cigar, they are very light and small and the cigar is very smooth
• The top of the Carmelo is finished with a clean triple cap and is slightly darker in color, likely due to the glue
• The foot of the cigar is well packed and is also darker in color with some leaves appearing nearly black
• The shape of the cigar is slightly box pressed and has a soft springiness to it
• The cut was easy and clean
• Draw is just about perfect, offering up just the right amount of resistance

Burn:
• Took some time to get the cigar toasted evenly but it ended up being perfectly toasted without causing any initial burn problems
• The burn is progressing nicely through the first third with only a minor wave in it
• The wave is always present but it never burned out of control and no corrections as I pass the half-way mark
• As I approach the end of the cigar it still hasn’t required any touch ups but is starting to burn a bit hot

Smoke & Ash:
• Lots of smoke is apparent right from the first draw, easily fills the mouth
• Resting smoke is light but noticeable and fills the room with more woodsy aromas
• The ash is very close to being completely white, it’s smooth and tightly packed
• First ash last about an inch before I tapped it off into the ashtray
• Other ashes were all about an inch before being tapped off into the ashtray

Tasting Notes:
• The wrapper aroma is mostly a light mild tobacco aroma with some hints of woodsiness
• The foot has a lot more woodsiness to the aroma, I’m picking up a pine-like or freshly cut cedar scent
• Pre-light draw brings more freshly cut woody flavors and a touch of spice that lingers on the lips and tongue
• Initial draws bring more woodsy notes and a burst of pine flavor specifically
• As we keep moving, the pine is settling in and balancing out with some cedar and a smooth creamy finish
• The cigar itself is fairly mild and the retrohale has no bite to it but has a nice creamy and woodsy finish
• As I approach the middle of the cigar I’m getting an interesting leafy flavor that’s pairing well with the woodsy flavors
• I’m also picking up some sweet bready flavors, similar to something like a brioche
• The creamy and pine flavors have stuck through the entire cigar, I find these to be a very unique pairing
• Some slight pepper spice sneaking in as I burn through the last third

Final Thoughts:
This was a tasty mild cigar and definitely worth trying. It’s not something overly complex or in your face but I don’t think that was the goal of this cigar. It’s something you can pick up anytime of the day, including the morning, and just sit back, relax and enjoy. The pine flavors in this cigar always stood out to me every time I’ve had one and is something unique that I don’t find in many cigars. I did find that they have a tendency to have burn issues if they are overly humidified but smoke perfectly when kept just under 65% or dry boxed a bit before smoking. I think this is mostly due to the delicate wrapper on these cigars but as you can see in this review, I had no issues with the burn at all even in colder temperatures. If you are looking for something different to add to your mild or morning range of cigars, pick up a few of these. They are a nice change from the typical mild Connecticut cigars.

Pairings:
Today I’m pairing with a non-alcoholic beverage for two reasons. Firstly, I’m still taking some medication to fight this infection and I hear it’s generally a bad idea to mix alcohol with that, lol! Secondly, I’ve made the jump to enjoying some premium coffee lately and it pairs very well with cigars, especially ones in the milder range. RocketFuelCoffee.com is an online coffee retailer specializing in premium gourmet coffees. they have at least 8 varieties on their website that cater to a varying audience. Don’t expect any flavored coffee here though, it’s only the all natural and tasty stuff. They even carry the infamous Kopi Luwak coffee! Check out their website and if you’re a coffee lover you won’t be disappointed.
I was going to purchase this coffee online but after speaking to the owner, Lisa, on Twitter (@RcketFuelCoffee) we decided to get together and share a cigar over coffee instead since she also lives in the Great White North near Toronto. We had a great time chatting over some good coffee and cigars. One of the blends I picked up was this Konakaze blend. I love a strong bold coffee and I love espresso so she suggested this one which is a blend of Hawaiin Kona and Espresso. The coffee definitely does not disappoint, you can easily detect the bold flavor of the espresso. To compliment it perfectly, the bright and balanced flavor of the Kona brings a whole different layer to the cup. It fills your mouth with an interesting mixture that fit my coffee tastes perfectly. The coffee paired excellently with this mild cigar and the espresso notes tell me it could pair well even with some stronger offerings. Other good pairings for this cigar would include a light beer, soda or even water. You don’t want anything too strong to overpower the cigar, get something that will let you enjoy it’s flavors.

The post Carmelo Red Label appeared first on Cigar Reviews | Beer Pairings | Casas Fumando.

The G.A.R. line of cigars is currently only offered in the Original or White Label. There were two other blends in the G.A.R. lineup called the Lux and the Vanguard but both have been recently discontinued. I heard a little “rumour” that there may be a new addition to the G.A.R. lineup very soon so be sure to keep your eyes peeled on the Gran Habano website! G.A.R. stands for it’s creator’s initials, George A. Rico, who is the mastermind behind Gran Habano Cigars. Be sure to check out some of our other Gran Habano reviews, including the new Azteca, Gran Reserva #3, Corojo #5 or the Connecticut #1 which was part of this Blind Review post. There is also a ton more information about the company in each of those reviews if you were curious to learn more about Gran Habano and it’s history.

The G.A.R. line was blending by Mr. Rico to be a full-bodied and full-flavored cigar that promises to be complex throughout. It is currently offered in 4 vitolas and today I will be lighting up the Robusto Grande size. One interesting thing about this blend is the use of a mild Connecticut leaf as the binder underneath the more powerful Corojo wrapper. Sounds like it could be a nice creamy compliment to the spicy and full offering, we’ll see how it plays out as I burn through the cigar.

Cigar: G.A.R. by George A. Rico. White Label / Original
Drink: Quinta do Tedo Fine Tawny Port
Vitola: Robusto Grande (5.5 x 52)
Wrapper: Ecuadorian Corojo
Binder: Ecuadorian Connecticut
Filler: Nicaraguan
Price: About $6
Burn Time: 1.5 hours

Construction:
• A very even and round looking cigar wrapped with a wonderfully oily and dark cinnamon brown wrapper
• A triple cap tops off this cigar with a mostly clean finish
• The wrapper is mostly vein-less and smooth except for two large veins running the length of the cigar
• The cigar has a perfect soft spring when squeezed that is consistent from cap to foot
• The band holds it together at the foot which appears to be well packed
• The cut cut off as clean as could be and with minimal effort

Burn:
• Took quite a bit of time to get the foot glowing and even then it wasn’t even, but after a quick draw everything was back in order
• The burn started off promising but then needed a correction within the first inch
• The cigar kept burning a little uneven and eventually it needs a slight re-light every so often
• It is burning quite slow and letting me enjoy it without extra attention
• Cigar began to tunnel and burn a bit hot near the end

Smoke & Ash:
• Each draw is offering up a full mouth of smoke
• Resting smoke is very minimal and gives off a woodsy aroma
• Ash is a very light grey color, almost white, and appears to be holding strong
• Tapped off the first ash just past an inch, it could have held on longer but my re-lighting seemed to affect it’s structural integrity
• All the other ashes were still around the one inch mark or less

Tasting Notes:
• The wrapper has a light sweet tobacco aroma
• The foot has a similar sweet tobacco aroma but paired with a faint fruity-coffee mixture
• The pre-light draw offers up a kick of spice and cedar that you could never guess from the aromas
• Initial draws smack you in the face with a ton of tasty woody flavors
• The retrohale at this point is also full of woodsy flavors and lacks any bite
• A nice mellow bready flavor kicked in, nice
• After about an inch I’m getting some nice mild coffee flavors
• As I approach the middle I’m getting some clove flavors and a slight tartness to the mix
• The retrohale still has no bite and the same woodsy finish
• The body has held steady around the mild/medium and is continually giving me a nice creamy finish
• The coffee, bready and clove flavors are all still present as I reach the last third, they are each developing slowly on their own and taking turns as the dominant flavor
• I find that the clove flavor is developing the most and also mixing in a white pepper like flavor, I believe this is the Corojo wrapper starting to shine near the end
• The body started to pick up a bit more as I passed the past third
• The G.A.R. ended with more coffee and clove notes and subtle hints of pepper, very little harshness

Final Thoughts:
This was a tasty smoke with a good variety of flavors to keep you on your toes as you smoke through it. None of the flavors were overpowering or off-putting. My only complaint on this cigar would be the number of touch-ups it required. The touch-ups usually tend to change the flavor for at least a few draws and I try to avoid it as much as possible. Some of these burn issues could also be attributed to the cold temperature out here today, I find that below freezing temps can easily affect a delicate wrapper. But aside from that issue this is a cigar worthy of trying. It promised to be more full bodied then I found it to be, but that might have been because of the Port that I paired it with. It also promised to be complex and full-flavored and I fully believe it lived up to that. It’s offered at a fair price which can make it a good option to be included in your regular rotation.

Pairings:
Sorry for the lack in uniqueness in my pairings lately, I haven’t gone shopping for beer in awhile and I picked up two bottles of this port because they were on sale. If you’re one our wonderful faithful readers you’ll recognize this Quinta do Tedo Tawny Port from a couple of my recent reviews including the Monte Pascoal and the Miraculous Templar Maduro. Please check out those reviews for more details on this Port. The fruity flavors here are pairing well with the cloves and coffee. The higher sugar content of the Port is also helping to any nicotine effects that this cigar may have offered. I think a nice Scotch would have been a great choice here or a tasty bold coffee.

The post G.A.R. By George A. Rico – Robusto Grande appeared first on Cigar Reviews | Beer Pairings | Casas Fumando.

We’ve had a few Padron cigars reviewed on the site already. You can read my reviews of the Padron 1926 No. 35 Maduro or Padron 1964 Principe, or check out Tony’s review of the special edition Padron 46 Years. Padron prides itself on releasing only Nicaraguan puros, which means all the leaves contained within the cigars are grown in Nicaragua. Check out one of the above linked reviews for more information about the Padron Cigar company and it’s Cuban heritage and inspiration.

Today’s review comes from the Serie 1926 line and is called the “40 Years”. Although it seems named similar to the yearly special editions (45 Years, 46 Years, etc…) it is actually part of the regular production Serie 1926 line. The cigars name is significant of the year it was added to the line. It has a unique box-pressed

I was lucky enough to find myself a slightly warm day to enjoy this cigar, of course warm to me this winter is still well below freezing, but I’ll take what I can get until spring comes around! As you might be able to tell, I’m already a big fan of Padron cigars, but as with all my reviews, I go into them as unbiased as possible and give it a fair review. This also means that I will have high expectations for this cigar and might work against it in the outcome. Take a read through it and let me know how your thoughts here might compare to mine.

Cigar: Padron Serie 1926 40 Years Natural
Drink: Young’s Double Chocolate Stout
Vitola: Box-Pressed Torpedo (6.5 x 54)
Wrapper: Nicaraguan
Binder: Nicaraguan
Filler: Nicaraguan
Price: $25
Burn Time: About 2 hours

Construction:
• A slightly rough yet well made cinnamon brown wrapper with a box-pressed torpedo shape
• No major veins but lots of smaller ones can be seen
• The tapered cap finishes cleanly but it very firm, making me worry about draw issues
• The body of the cigar has a soft spring to it
• As with most Padrons, the wrapper has a very appealing toothiness to it
• The foot appears fairly well packed but does have a couple holes
• The cut was very clean and firm, I did have to cut a fair bit of the taper off to get a decent draw
• This cigar had a crack in the wrapper near the foot, likely due to shipping damage as none of the others I’ve had were like this

Burn:
• Had some trouble getting the foot to light up evenly, starting off with a wavy burn now
• After a few draws the burn line straightened right out nicely
• The crack extended about two inches down the wrapper and definitely affected the burn but it still burned quite well despite that
• A slight peninsula formed just as I passed the end of the crack, a small correction and we’re back in good form
• A few more peninsulas here and there but they mostly corrected themselves
• The cigar burned nice and slowly the whole way through

Smoke & Ash:
• Lots of smoke from each draw right from the start of this cigar
• There’s quite a bit of smoke from a resting position as well, giving off a nice cedar aroma
• The ash is not splitting but it does look a bit flaky and weak, we’ll see how it holds up…
• Started to get more flaky as it progressed so I tapped the ash off at about an inch before it fell all over me
• Second ash also fell off after about an inch, seems to be on par with the others I’ve had of this vitola
• Lots of flaking as the cigar burns further along

Tasting Notes:
• The wrapper aroma is strong of cedar and tobacco
• The foot has more hints of cedar but also a strong presence of earthy aromas and a touch of spice
• The pre-light draw is more cedar and a lot more spice, leaving a tingling sensation on the lips and tongue
• Initial draws are mostly of a burnt woodsy type flavor with some earthy notes mixed in
• After a few draws the flavor smoothed out to a nice cedar with some hints of white pepper
• The retrohale is very smooth with a little bite and a tasty cedar finish
• As i finish the first third, I’m getting some hints of coffee creeping in as the pepper slowly fades away
• So far the cigar is just about on the edge of mild and medium and very smooth, no dryness either
• The coffee kept developing nicely and the cedar is still around, also getting some cinnamon or nutmeg on the finish now
• Just past the halfway mark, an interesting bready (think fresh dough) and creamy flavor has popped up, it’s very enjoyable and the cigar is balancing out so well
• The bite on the retrohale is just right, not overpowering and still offers a smooth finish of cedar and coffee
• More coffee flavors developing and turning into an espresso like taste, I find this in a lot of Padron’s and it always impresses me
• Straight down to the nub the flavors are still going strong with no harshness at all

Final Thoughts:
As with most Padron’s I’ve enjoyed, this one did not disappoint. Each time I’ve lit up this vitola I’ve been greeted with a variety of flavors and dimensions that kept it interesting the whole way through. Even with a large crack running a good length of the wrapper, the cigar still burned fairly well. Unfortunately, this cigar loses points in the price department. It carries a hefty tag at about $25 and a lot of shops will over price these due to the name, not to mention taxes in some states/countries. It’s definitely something worth trying as this offers a great cigar smoking experience but it’s not something that can be had on a regular basis for most people. Try to grab a few to save for special occasions and you will not be disappointed!

Pairings:
Today’s pairing is one that seems to be a well known brew, Young’s Double Chocolate Stout. It comes in a good sized bottle and definitely has lots of character from this UK based brewery. It’s a nice dark stout with lots of head and a smooth finish. You won’t find any bitterness with this brew. The chocolate notes are not as pronounced as the name might suggest but are definitely there and offer a very smooth malty flavor. This brew is an excellent choice for any cigar with hints of coffee or cocoa, I find it really helps those flavors shine. It was no disappointment here as it paired very well and made the coffee notes of the Padron Serie 1926 40 Years really shine. This cigar would also pair quite well with Port, Coffee or a smooth scotch. I also paired this brew with a blind review I did awhile ago of the Perdomo Patriarch Maduro, read that one here.

The post Padron Serie 1926 40 Years Natural appeared first on Cigar Reviews | Beer Pairings | Casas Fumando.

The La Aurora 1495 Series is a long-filler cigar line created to pay tribute to the city of Santiago de los Caballeros. The numbers in the name represent the year the city was founded by Christopher Columbus. The original 1495 series cigar was a medium/full Sumtra wrapper blended from 6 different type of tobacco. The line was later expanded to include a wide variety of wrappers including Corojo, Brazilian Maduro, Cameroon, and the one being reviewed today, Connecticut.

Released in 2007, the variety of wrappers all include the same binder and filler. These cigars are a great way to discover just how much the wrapper really does affect the flavor of the cigar. If you’ve ever been curious to discover this, the La Aurora 1495 series is a great way to learn. The grouping of the various wrappers is called the Conoisseurs selection and is a fantastic idea created by Jose Blanco (Twitter: @joseblanco809). They are available in smaller bundles, as a sampler pack as well as a large case of 100. All of the non-Sumatran wrapped cigars are only available in a Robusto size while the Sumatra wrapper comes in 4 different sizes.

Cigar: La Aurora 1495 Connecticut
Drink: Unibroue Maudite
Vitola: Robusto (5 x 50)
Wrapper: Connecticut
Binder: Dominican Corojo
Filler: Nicaraguan, Peruvian, Dominican Piloto Cubano
Price: $7.00-$7.50
Burn Time: 1.5 Hours

Construction:
• Wrapper has a slight oily sheen and a light brown color
• There are almost no veins on this cigar, very clean and smooth
• The triple cap is almost invisible, very cleanly applied
• Firmness is even throughout with a bit of give and a nice spring
• Foot appears to be well packed
• Cut was even, smooth and easy
• Draw is just right, no complaints there at all
• The cigar had two bands that were both easily removable

Burn:
• Toasting was easy and even, no dark spots at all
• Burn has been perfectly straight from the start
• Burn still has not gone even slightly wavy as I pass the halfway mark, razor sharp!
• Razor sharp to the end, awesome burn

Smoke & Ash:
• Generous amount of smoke on each draw but nothing overbearing
• A light resting smoke gives off a very nice cedar aroma
• Ash seems strong but does have a bit flaking around it
• Ash fell off easily into the ashtray after about 1.5 inches
• Second ash fell off at almost the exact same length, as if this cigar was programmed to do this, I love the consistency of this cigar

Tasting Notes:
• The wrapper gives off a hay-like aroma with a bit of sweetness
• The foot has similar hay-like aromas and a touch of spice
• Pre-light draw brought lots of cedar and spice
• Initial draws are mild and have a nice cedar flavor with an added mild spiciness
• Picking up some light coffee and nutty flavors as I approach the halfway point, the spice also tapered off
• Retrohale is mild, not much bite but a great cedar finish
• Getting a nice creaminess on this cigar as it progresses
• The cigar is slowly creeping into the medium range just past the half-way mark
• The coffee and nutty notes really started to shine through as I approached that last inch of the cigar
• The cedar has tapered off a bit although still evident and the spice is making a nice comeback
• A tad of bitterness crept in near the end, but it wasn’t unpleasant, more like an espresso bitterness, tasty to the end

Final Thoughts:
This was a great Connecticut cigar. Typically, Connecticuts are very mild but with the Corojo binder and some of the various fillers this one had a bit more body to make it a little more interesting. The construction was amazing on this cigar, both visibly and in action while burning. It never had any issues at all. This is something I could definitely recommend to a novice or seasoned cigar smoker. The variety of wrappers containing the same filler and binder also make it a great learning experience. I’ve had 3 of the different wrappers and although they have some similarities it’s a great way to truly appreciate the influence of a good wrapper. The price of this cigar is also quite friendly and makes for an easy purchase without hurting the wallet. I will surely be looking for more of these and trying to get my hands on each one in this line, I suggest you do the same.

Pairings:
I’m a big fan of all the brews I’ve tried from Unibroue breweries and the Maudite is no exception. It clocks in as a strong beer at 8% but it’s so smooth and tasty that you can’t even tell. It’s got lots of froth and a fantastic smooth hoppy finish. The beer is fermented on a yeast base and the cap of the smaller bottles are covered with a golden foil that displays the breweries logo. If you can find this locally, I definitely recommend giving it a try. This is one of those cigars that can pair well with many different beverages including coffee, sweet tea, light beers, dark beers, or water. The flavors are not overpowering so I wouldn’t recommend going into strong pairings such as cognac or scotch.

The post La Aurora 1495 Connecticut appeared first on Cigar Reviews | Beer Pairings | Casas Fumando.

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.

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