Now I’m sure a lot of you are familiar with the My Father Cigars brand, they are synonymous with awesome cigars. Jaime Garcia decided a long while ago to create a more wallet friendly line to add to the My Father Cigars inventory, and this is how the La Reloba line was born.

Just like most brands from the My Father lines, the La Reloba is a Nicaraguan puro made with high quality and aged tobacco leafs from their various farms. There are 3 wrappers offered in the La Reloba line which are Seleccion Sumatra, Seleccion Habano and Seleccion Mexico(Maduro). I also found some inklings online about a limited release Seleccion Oscura although I only can find them at one online source and they aren’t listed on the My Father Cigars website.

In the line of La Reloba we have 4 sizes which include the Corona, Robusto, Toro and Torpedo. Today’s cigar up for review is the Corona vitola which I’ve had the chance to smoke a few of. I had the Habano on hand but I haven’t had as many of them plus I decided to settle on a slightly milder blend since I was lighting this up just after lunch time.

Cigar: La Reloba Seleccion Sumatra by My Father Cigars
Drink: Unibroue Raftman
Vitola: Corona (5.625 x 46)
Wrapper: Nicaraguan Sumatra
Binder: Nicaraguan
Filler: Nicaraguan
Price: Around $4
Burn Time: 1.5 hours

Construction:
• The La Reloba Seleccion Sumatra is wrapped with a fairly smooth leaf to the touch but the cigar itself is rather bumpy
• There are quite a few visible veins on the wrapper but none of them are very large, medium sized at most, and don’t look like they will cause any burn issues
• The orangey-chocolate colored wrapper has a nice oily sheen to it and the triple cap is finished with a couple loose edges
• From a little squeezing it’s easy to tell this is a very firm cigar and I hope that doesn’t cause any issues
• The foot looks extremely well packed, tons of leaf in there
• Cutting this cigar with my double bladed guillotine cutter was fairly easy but it caused a huge explosion of little pieces of tobacco

Burn:
• The toasting was very nice, even on this windy day it glowed evenly without much effort
• The initial burn looks promising and is keeping a razor sharp and even line
• The razor sharp burn continues through the first half, no touch ups needed at all and it’s letting me enjoy it nice and slow
• Great burn continued right to the end, nothing much else to report here!

Smoke & Ash:
• For a fairly small cigar this La Reloba Seleccion Sumatra is pumping out a ton of smoke from every draw
• Surprisingly though, the resting smoke is almost non-existent, as if it’s saving it all for me! lol
• The ash has a wonderful light grey, almost white color to it and is very smooth
• Despite being a smaller ring gauge cigar, the ash here is very strong and clean and held on over an inch before I tapped it off
• The crazy winds knocked off my next ash just short of an inch, missed a picture opportunity too
• Also realized the wind blew most of the ash right out of the ashtray!

Tasting Notes:
• The wrapper is giving off a barnyard and cedar aroma
• The foot brings a ton more barnyard aroma with almost no cedar, maybe just a touch of spice in there too
• The pre-light draw brings more of the barnyard and woodsy aromas, and maybe a touch of earth now too
• The initial flavors coming from this cigar are all about the woodsiness and spices, I’m getting an interesting punch of cloves along with a mild paprika maybe
• The spice died down a bit and I’m left with a bit of a leathery flavor to go with the cedar notes
• At nearly the halfway mark I’m starting to get some of the baking spice flavors that I find in almost every Sumatra wrapped cigar I have, sort of like some molasses and cinnamon
• The body on this cigar has been mostly in the low medium range and the retro hale has been giving a tiny bite with a smooth cedar finish
• The cedar and baking spices stuck through to the end and made for a nice enjoyable experience right to the nub
• No harshness or bitter buildup right to the finish

Final Thoughts:
This isn’t my first foray into the La Reloba series and it definitely won’t be my last. The La Reloba Seleccion Sumatra was a tasty treat that had a nice array of flavors to keep me interested the whole way through. It wasn’t as complex or dimensional as some of the other My Father Cigars but it was definitely enjoyable and fits nicely into their inventory. The burn was also spot on the whole way through which is always a big plus for me. The price is also very attractive for a quality cigar from the My Father Factory. I also have to admit I was surprised to see such a great burn and draw from this cigar when my initial inspection led to some concerns. Can’t complain at all about this cigar and I definitely will be picking up more in the future!

Pairings:
Next to the Scottish brewery of Innis & Gunn that I paired last week, another of my favorite breweries is none other than Canada’s own Unibroue. This place is based out of Quebec and has a HUGE inventory of brews with a ton of different and unique beers that are a rare find. Today’s brew is called Raftman and I only found a case of these while actually in Quebec, I’ve never seen it in any other stores so far. Now this brew was very interesting as the label says it is brewed with Whisky Malts so I just had to pick it up and give it a try. Well I’m glad I did cause this is one tasty brew and yet again another winner from Unibroue. It’s a fairly light amber beer but it packs in a ton of flavor. The whisky malts are very obvious as they give a classic touch of whisky, as if you just put a little whisky inside a good beer. Along with that it also has a delicious malty finish and some notes of sweetness as well. I found that it paired very well with the La Reloba Seleccion Sumatra as it added some flavors to the whole experience without either the cigar or the beer being overbearing on each other. Any medium bodied brew would go well here such as an Amber lager or even a dark ale, a nice coffee would definitely pair nicely here too.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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So today we have a cigar I’ve wanted to try for awhile. It’s the Arturo Fuente Hemingway “Best Seller”. This Figurado shaped cigar was sent to us by our friends of at CigarsDirect.com. They carry a wide variety of the Hemingway line which can be seen at this link. The Cigars Direct link has a great explanation of how the Hemingway series came to be. They also have a wide variety of accessories available to compliment anyone’s collection.

I won’t get too much into the story of the Hemingway series since it’s available at the link above, but needless to say, literary aficionados should have an idea of where the names come from. You can also read more about the Arturo Fuente company and family by visiting their site The Hemingway series does include a wide variety of vitolas all with unique names and most are available in a maduro version. The “Best Seller” is one that is available in Maduro but the one being reviewed today is with a natural Cameroon wrapper.

Cigar: Arturo Fuente Hemingway “Best Seller”
Drink: Havana Club Silver Dry Rum (Mixed with coke and on the rocks)
Vitola: Figurado (4.875 x 46/60)
Wrapper: Cameroon
Binder: Dominican Republic
Filler: Dominican Republic
Price: $9.99 from Cigarsdirect.com
Burn Time: 1.25 Hours

Construction:
• Very neatly made with a perfect slow taper from the foot to the cap
• A quick taper also on the foot
• No major veins throughout the wrapper
• A nice medium cinnamon-brown tone to the wrapper
• Can’t really tell if the foot is packed well but the cigar is firm and even throughout with just a tiny spring
• Cleanly applied triple cap
• Cut was clean and even
• First couple of draws were tight due to the fast-tapered foot but it quickly opened up to a perfect draw
• Band slid off effortlessly

Burn:
• Toasting was even, quick and easy since I only had to light the small tapered end
• Burned through the tapered foot evenly and without any problems
• There was a small wave in the burn but it never got worse so I’m going to blame a slightly off lighting job on my part
• The wavy burn ended up correcting itself around the halfway mark and smoothly sailed to the nub after that
• The cigar is burning nice and slow without the need for extra attention, staying lit very easily
• Good burn time on this smaller vitola

Smoke & Ash:
• Started off with very little smoke but once I passed the tapered part of the foot I was getting bit mouthfuls of smoke
• A good amount of resting smoke the gives off a fresh cedar aroma
• The ash is nice and strong, holding well past the first inch, even with the weaker tapered foot holding on
• First ash held on for nearly 2 inches before gracefully falling off in the ash tray

Tasting Notes:
• Dry aroma is very woodsy and earthy with hints of cedar
• Foot is a little small to get a good aroma from, smells the same as the wrapper
• Pre-light draw is woodsy with some nutmeg and pepper spice on the lips
• Initial draws are very earthy and woodsy with a but of a dry finish
• Body is starting off fairly mild
• Retrohale has some interesting citrus flavor to it and an amazing finish, almost like inhaling the aroma off a fresh batch of vanilla sugar cookies
• After passing tapered foot the flavors opened up a bit more, I’m getting hints of vanilla and a cinnamon/nutmeg spice to compliment the cedar and earthy tones
• At about the halfway point the cigar started to slowly get more body to it coming up to a medium or so
• After the ash fell off, the woodsy/cedar and earthy tones really took prominence in the flavor department with some of the spices making an appearance here and there
• As I approach the last 1.5 inches, I’m getting some pepper spice in the flavor profile as well
• The retrohale has also made a big change, adding some bite and bringing the the cedar flavor, the sugar cookie finish is just about gone but damn it was a nice touch
• Only had to purge this cigar once near the nub and got very minimal harshness

Final Thoughts:
This was a really good cigar! I usually only retrohale ever 4 or 5 draws but the retrohale was so interesting on this one that I found myself doing it nearly every draw. If you don’t retrohale, I think you’d miss most of the complexity in this short vitola. I will caution you to smoke this cigar nice and slow and take your time. I found that taking too many draws made the cigar heat up too much and a lot of it’s flavor was lost. Burn, construction, ash, and flavor were all spot on in this cigar. Most of the Hemingway line is fairly pricey, this particular vitola comes in at a lower price and if you take your time smoking it and enjoy it you will definitely get your money’s worth. Tony had a problem with the band on his Arturo Fuente Opus X Perfecxion No. 5 but mine slid off easily and did not damage the wrapper at all.
Considering this is a fairly small vitola, the change in the flavor profile was pretty dramatic past the halfway mark and the body ramped up at a perfect rate. I will definitely be keeping my eyes open for more of these, I enjoyed i quite a bit.

Pairings:
Since I’ve been out of town on vacation seems I was a bit low on good beers, scotch and port. I decided to try something different. I’ve enjoyed a lot of different Rums but I always seem to go back to Havana club as my go to bottle. Don’t get me wrong though, there are some much better Rums out there, but for the price this one seems to hit the spot just right. I know a lot of people enjoy their cigars with Rum, either on the rocks or mixed with coke. I tried it both ways and with this cigar the mix with coke seemed to fit a bit better. I think this would go very well with a nice Amber ale or some port. A nice coffee or just diet soda would also go well here.

The post Arturo Fuente Hemingway Best Seller Natural appeared first on Cigar Reviews | Beer Pairings | Casas Fumando.

As far as Connecticut’s go, there is quite a selection out on the market and each one tries to be unique in it’s own way. The Virtue has a great blender to back it up along with a line of cigars that has been well received by most of the cigar community. The Virtue line comes in 6 vitolas including Robusto, Toro, Torpedo, Solomon, Lonsdale and Churchill. If you are looking for the power that the Ruination offers, don’t look here. It may have some faintly similar notes but no where near the strength offered. What this does offer is a great medium smoke that can go well anytime of the day.

I’m settling down outside after a nice BBQ lunch to enjoy this cigar with one of my favorite blondes (No, not a woman, a beer…) Take a read through and leave a comment to let us know what you think!

Cigar: Man O War Virtue
Drink: Innis & Gunn Original Oak Aged Beer
Vitola: Robusto (5 x 50)
Wrapper: Ecuadorian Connecticut
Binder: Nicaragua
Filler: Nicaragua
Price: $7 – $8 MSRP
Burn Time: 1.5 Hours

Construction:
• Very even diameter throughout
• A good firmness with a perfect spring, consistent throughout
• Looks to be a little bit of extra glue on the triple cap and it has some discoloration but still looks clean
• No major veins on the wrapper
• Foot looks to be well packed
• Cut was even and clean
• Great draw, very little effort but not too open
• I still love these Man O War bands, the Spartan-type logo is really neat
• With about 1.5 inches left the wrapper cracked a bit just below the cap, hoping it doesn’t cause any issues
• Burned through the crack without any problems

Burn:
• Toasting was a little uneven but gave off an awesome cedar aroma
• Burn has been dead on for the first half
• Staying lit easily, not much effort required
• Cigar stayed effortless until the end with no major burn issues

Smoke & Ash:
• Lots of smoke from each draw, really fills the mouth
• Lots of resting smoke that gives off that awesome burning cedar aroma
• Ash looks strong but first fell off in about half an inch, could be the wind today
• No flaking or crookedness
• Second ash was around an inch but the rest were all smaller so have an ashtray nearby

Tasting Notes:
• Wrapper aroma is of dry wood and tobacco
• Foot has a sort of honey-sweet and grassy aroma complimented by cedar
• Pre-light draw has lots of cedar flavor to it with an earthy undertone and a mild spice
• Initial draws are very woodsy with a tiny hint of honey sweetness
• Mild body at the start
• Retrohale is also mild and has a wonderful cedar finish
• Approaching the half-way mark, the sweet honey has changed to a more natural honey flavor.  Not as sweet but still quite good
• Past the half-way point and flavors haven’t changed much more but this is still an enjoyable smoke with some nice cedar notes to it and a bit of creaminess
• Getting close to the nub and cedar with a natural honey flavors are still the only major ones around
• There were hints of creamy vanilla and a cinnamon-like spice here and there but they never made a prominent appearance
• Very little harshness on the nub, got to enjoy it right to the end

Final Thoughts:
A lot of people avoid some of the milder sticks because they feel the flavors are just not as enjoyable or complex as most fuller bodied sticks.  There are some exceptions that stand out in the pack against this rule and this stick has now joined that group in my books.  Construction, burn, draw, flavor, everything worked well here to make a fine smoke.  It’s great for new cigar smokers or veterans looking for a tasty morning smoke.  Even though the flavors did not change much they were enjoyable from start to finish.  I could see this getting boring in a churchill size but a robusto or smaller would go very nicely. The price is a bit high compared to other Connecticuts on the market but you can find good deals on them well below MSRP if you look.  Did I mention that I like the band?

Pairings:
Innis & Gunn Oak Aged Beer is a great brew from Edinburgh, Scotland.  Oak flavors are one of my favorites, in wine, ports and beers alike.  This brew is fairly light but full of flavors making for a great summer or lunchtime beer but can be enjoyed anytime easily.  It matched very well with the woodsy flavors of this cigar.  The cigar would also go very well with a morning coffee or even a simple diet soda or glass of water.  Try not to drink anything too strong or full with this cigar as it will drown out the flavors it offers.
 

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