Ok, I know it’s not that new but it is the newest shape for the line! lol. I hadn’t been able to find this shape until recently and I’m a big fan of torpedos, especially the box pressed kind. So when I saw them I had to grab a few to see how they help up to the other vitolas. I did post up a review of the Toro vitola awhile back so give it a read here.

So first things first, this is a gorgeous looking cigar as is all the Le Bijou line. It’s got a shiny oily wrapper that has an awesome deep dark chocolate color to it. There is definitely some toothiness to this wrapper which makes it very appealing. The box press process seems to have hardened the cigar up a bit as well, making it much firmer when squeezed. As always, I absolutely love the My Father bands, they are printed so crisp, clean and have some wonderful colors and artwork to them. Definitely some of the best bands in the industry. The main difference in the dress up of this cigar is the addition of an orange ribbon at the foot. It’s not much but it does add a nice touch to this vitola.

After a clean, short cut I’m off to toasting the foot, which lights up evenly and easily. The draw is nice and open and I get a nice full draw of smoke right from the start. The signature pepper kick backed by spices, coffee and chocolate are all there. Through the first bit, the pepper takes a back seat while the coffee, cocoa and a bit of cedar take the front lines. Burn line stays solid through most of this cigar although it needed one touch up near the end. I pick up a change around the halfway mark where I got some cloves and a touch of earthiness to the mix.

The body has hung around the medium range but it’s definitely ramping up a bit as we burn through the last half. Around this time I noticed a bit of tar buildup on the top of the cigar. I try not to clip too much off my torpedos so this seems to be a common problem for me with almost all cigars in this shape. A quick clip taking off just a sliver fixes the problem and we’re off to the races again. The cigar finishes nice and strong with the spice and pepper making a reappearance which the added notes of coffee and sweet cocoa.

In short, all I really have to say here is this is another awesome Le Bijou 1922 packed into a slightly different shape. I really enjoyed it and will be seeking out some more in the future. If you liked any of the other vitolas from this line then give this one a try. I really like the shape and feel of this cigar so it earns a few bonus points for me on that front.

The post Quick Draw Episode 8 – My Father Le Bijou 1922 Box-Pressed Torpedo appeared first on Cigar Reviews | Beer Pairings | Casas Fumando.

This week’s cigar is a nice one. One I have been hoping I could get to before Daniel got his paws on it. Alas, I bring you Cohiba’s Siglo VI.

The Good stuff: Cohiba’s Siglo VI is a nice, hefty, Cuban Puro running anywhere between $20 to $50 (depending where you get them) a stick. This cigar was from a box dated 2006.  The Siglo VI is actually crowned as one of, if not the best cigar rolled in Cuba. This 6×52, monster of a cigar tops just about any list of Top Cigars ever made. Does it stand up to all this hype? Lets find out.

Size: 6×52  –  Wrapper: Cuban  –  Binder/Filler: Cuban  –  Body: Medium

Prelight: The Cohiba Siglo VI starts off with this just wonderfully oily, shiny, creamy light brown wrapper. The wrapper is extremely delicate and exposes even the slightest of any veins in the tobacco leaf.  You can pick up only a few of these smaller veins throughout the body which would have been completely invisible with any other cigar wrapper. The smooth body of the Siglo VI then leads up to a nice Cuban-style round triple cap. There are only very few soft spots in the cigar, and all of them reside at the very base of the foot. The cigar’s band carries the standard, and very recognizable yellow, gold, and black COHIBA checkerboard pattern, along with the words Habana, Cuba.

The wrapper of the Siglo VI gives off this wonderful, almost perfumesque, cedar, and soft spice smell, while the foot only contains enough cedar to mask the earthy, and mossy aromas. The cold draw actually produces a lot of pepper, and some deeper earth tones with some cedar in there.

First Smoke: Wow, this is one of the first Cuban cigars that I haven ever had that starts out with a nice pepper bang. After the pepper quickly faded away I was left with this massive cedar, and a sweet vanilla flavor.  The draw started out very loose, almost annoyingly loose, but tightened up just right after the first few initial draws. The Siglo VI leaves you with a very plentiful cloud of thick smoke on every puff. You really don’t have to hit this thing more than once or twice to get the smoke you need. The burnline is very wavy, but there isn’t a spot at this point that is really burning too much faster than another. The ash on this thing is UUUUGGLLYYY. It’s a really chalky, flaky, dark grey with black spots and only lasted about an inch before giving way. To be honest, I was quite surprised it even lasted that long.

Halfway There: After that crazy, wavy burnline in the first third of this Cohiba Siglo VI, I was happy to see that the burn has complete fixed itself going into the second third and is now burning very even. The pepper that snuck up on me in the first third has returned, but is just a tease on my lips now. I am just still so shocked that this cigar had any pepper to begin with. The cedar is still there, and the vanilla but they have began to blend together with the natural tobacco taste resulting in a very smooth, and creamy experience. I just hope it doesn’t start drying out my mouth. The retrohale is really nice on this cigar, just a little dry coating my nasal passage with a creamy spice. I am actually feeling a slight nicotine kick from this cigar early in, but I think a lot of that has to do with the powerful beer I decided to pair it with.

Finish: The ability of this Siglo VI to correct it’s burnline, and maintain it’s clean edge really impressed me as the burn is dead even going into the final third. The flavors have really began to build up too. Now the cedar has just turned into a monster and this really nice nutmeg taste has been thrown into the mix while the pepper has completely vanquished from the experience all together. One note is there was a ton of cracking on each of the Siglo VIs I smoked near the cut of the head. I think this was due to a combination of  the moisture from my mouth, and how delicate this wrapper is. The wrapper never came off, or bothered me in anyway, it was just worth noting. All together this cigar took about an hour and a half to smoke, and left me with just a very slight nicotine buzz.

Overview: What a cigar. Really, there isn’t much to say. I loved it, I’d love to love it again, I’d buy a box, and I think you should buy a box. Yes, it’s pricey. But really, it’s worth having a few of these on hand for those special cigars, or just when you are in the mood for something super premium. It’s smooth, complex, flavorful, and very well rounded. My only gripe is how delicate the wrapper is.

Pairing: A great cigar, deserves a great pairing. In this case, I couldn’t think of a better pairing that a nice bottle of  Trappistes Rochfort 10 brewed by Brasserie de Rochefort (Abbaye de Notre-Dame de Saint-Rémy) in Belgium. Starting with the beautiful  11.30% ABV and ending at the deep birch, citrus, vanilla, and cherry notes, this quadruple ale is one of the bests on the market. The vanilla went perfect with the vanilla notes I picked up in the Siglo VI. This cigar would go perfect, and is one of the few that would go perfect with a nice bitter ale. Maybe even an IPA, tea, or even some apple juice.

On a side note: I was having a really shitty week at work a while back. And one of my co-workers, know how rough the week had been for me, and also knowing my need for good, Belgian beer, actually left this on bottle on my desk one morning. How badass is that? Needless to say, I hope she stays around for a long time.

The post Cohiba Siglo VI (Cuban) appeared first on Cigar Reviews | Beer Pairings | Casas Fumando.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The post My Father Cedros Deluxe Eminentes appeared first on Cigar Reviews | Beer Pairings | Casas Fumando.

Padron 1926 Serie No. 35

Padrón Cigars offers 3 consistent lines along with a select few special releases. The particular cigar I reviewed was from the “1926 Serie” and is called the “No. 35” measuring in at 4inches with a 48 ring gauge. All vitolas in the series are available in both Maduro and Sun-Grown Natural wrappers. The other sizes available in this line are: No. 6 (4.75 x 50), No. 2 (5.5 x 52), No. 9 (5.25 x 56) and two specialty vitolas, ‘40th Anniversary’ (6.5 x 54) and ‘80 Years’ (6.75 x 54). The prices of these cigars tend to be fairly high but they are intended to be a premium line and more than live up to their selling price. The 1926 Serie was first released in 2002 and is a commemoration of Jose O. Padrón’s 75th birthday. The minimum age for all tobacco in this line is 5 years, so rest assured you are getting a wonderfully aged product right out of the box, no need to let them rest. Light up and enjoy!

Padron 1926 Serie No. 35

I also wanted to note that each Padrón 1926 Serie cigar comes with a second band under the logo band that is individually numbered after undergoing their strict quality controls. The annual production of this cigar will be limited to only 100,000 each year. When I picked up this cigar on a trip down in Florida I was hesitant whether it would live up to the name given the small vitola. Take a few minutes to read my notes on the cigar and you’ll see that it was worth every penny.

Padron 1926 Serie No. 35

Cigar: Padrón 1926 Serie Maduro
Drink: Niagara Region Merlot from Peninsula Ridge
Vitola: No. 35 (48×4)
Wrapper: Nicaraguan Maduro
Binder: Nicaraguan
Filler: Nicaraguan
Price: $13.00
Burn Time: 1 Hour

Construction:
• Box pressed shape
• Slightly bumpy wrapper with no major veins
• A deep brown color with a nice oily sheen
• Very firm throughout with very minor spring to it
• Very neat single cap
• The band was just perfectly loose so I know there are no glue or wrapper issues underneath
• Individually numbered second band below the logo band
• Cut was effortless and even
• Draw is dead-on perfect which is surprising considering the firm feel, stayed perfect throughout the cigar

Padron 1926 Serie No. 35

Burn:
• Toasting was quick and even, no awkward or dark spots
• Burn was razor sharp straight from the toasting
• Not much else to say here, it was perfect, no wavy burn, no touch ups, burned without me needing to babysit. Every cigar should be like this

Padron 1926 Serie No. 35

Smoke & Ash:
• Good mouthful of smoke
• Not overbearing and not wishing for more, just right
• Resting smoke is just right and giving off a perfect “cigar smell”, not sure how else to describe it… just sweet and savory
• Light gray ash with some black highlights
• Ash is very tight and strong with no flaking
• Held on past 1 inch, surprising considering the smaller size and ring gauge
• It’s almost like a piece of art, looks too perfect

Padron 1926 Serie No. 35

Tasting Notes:
• Wrapper aroma is light and just smells of tobacco
• Foot has a nice tobacco aroma with a bit of a barnyard scent
• Pre-light draw has a mild spice to it and some pepper on the lips
• Initial draws have a great sweet tobacco flavor and some earthy tones
• Medium bodied and well balanced
• About half an inch in, starting to detect some coffee/espresso notes
• Retrohale has a small bite to it and a great finish of sweet tobacco and coffee
• Approaching the halfway point, starting to pick up some woodsy notes
• The balance of spice on the retrohale and flavors in the draw are near perfect, couldn’t ask for anything else
• Past the half-way point, the bitter coffee flavor (think espresso) has changed to a roasted coffee flavor, very nice
• Great cedar flavors as I approach the end
• Some pepper and spice came in near the end and body ramped up to a medium-full
• Very minor bitterness at the end, more like a coffee bitter instead of the usual harsh bitter on the nub of other cigars

Padron 1926 Serie No. 35

Final Thoughts:
This is a wonderful cigar experience and would definitely recommend this to anyone that asks. The flavors throughout the cigar were pronounced yet balanced and enjoyable. There was not a single spot in the cigar that I wasn’t enjoying myself, it was great from the first draw to the last. Although in the higher price range, this is definitely a box-worthy cigar to be smoked on any occasion, whether a special day or just relaxing on a sunny afternoon.

Padron 1926 Serie No. 35

Pairings:
A cigar like this requires a good pairing or you could throw off the delicate balance of flavors that make this a great cigar. My pairing with a medium bodied, semi-dry wine worked perfectly. I can also see this working well with a fine scotch or cognac. Don’t opt for the inexpensive stuff here, it will take away from the experience. I also wouldn’t go with port or soda on this cigar as the high sugar content could also lessen the experience. For a non-alcoholic pairing, I’d probably go with water or coffee to make this cigar really shine.

Padron 1926 Serie No. 35

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