The Good Stuff:

It’s no secret that I am a Liga Privada fan. When the H99 and 10 Aniversario dropped I went hunting, however it took me way longer to acquire both of these blends as the release was so limited they flew off shelves. Created to celebrate the Liga Privada’s 10 anniversary the 10 Aniversario arrives in style. The blend features a Connecticut Criollo wrapper over a Mexican San Andres Otapan Negro Ultimo Corte binder and fillers from Nicaragua and Pennsylvania USA. The cigar comes in a single 6 x 52 format that features the same unique fan-tail style cap as the UF-13 and a covered foot. The cigars come packed in boxes of 10 running $17.90 per stick with only 10,000 cigars have been released. I purchased mine from our good friends over at Cuenca Cigars who offered them in singles and boxes at the time.

• Size: 6 x 52
• Wrapper: Connecticut Criollo
• Binder: Mexican San Andres Otapan Negro Ultimo Corte
• Filler: Pennsylvanian and Nicaraguan
• Body: Full
• Strength: Funk
• Price: $17.90

Prelight:

The Liga Privada 10 Aniversario starts out with a very consistent, very dark brown wrapper. The wrapper carries some slight grit and a whole mess of oils that come off on your hands and you handle the cigar. The wrapper itself feels very hard and dense while the cigar as a whole is extremely heavy and well-packed. There are a few smaller veins running from the cigar’s covered foot up to the pigtail/fan-tail styled cap. The cigar is finished off with a first that I’ve seen, a black version of the Liga Privada band featuring the Lion crest with a number 10 on the back and the standard Liga Privada script on the front in silver. There is also an added secondary band with the word “Aniversario” on the front.

The wrapper on the Liga Privada 10 Aniversario gives off mostly coffee and cedar-forward aromas. The foot is much of the same with a little bit of earthiness and spice leaking out. The cap cut clean and easily using my Xikar XO double bladed cutter. The cold draw produces notes of coffee, sweetness, musk and cedar.

First Third:

The Liga Privada 10 Aniversario leads with a black pepper punch that left my lips tingling. After the first few draws the pepper fades and the cigar left me with bold cedar, sweet brown sugar, espresso, plum, and musk over lighter floral and earthy flavors. The cigar really starts off with a bang. There is a certain floral flavor that I pick up in only two other blends, the Dirty Rat and Undercrown Corona Viva. It’s one of my favorite flavors I have ever had in a cigar and the 10 Aniversario carries a ton of it. The draw is perfect as each little puff kicks out huge clouds of thick, white smoke while the cigar just unleashes a massive amount of stationary smoke while it rests in my ashtray. I seriously have never seen a cigar spill this much stationary smoke. The burn line started out a bit wild, likely due to the covered foot, but it corrected itself after the first few draws leaving behind a very tightly compacted trail of white ash which held on for about an inch before falling into my ashtray.

Second Third:

I am just absolutely loving the Liga Privada 10 Aniversario. I’m not even going to be shy about it. That unique floral flavor is still banging into the second third backed by vanilla, espresso, musk, and espresso over some great maltiness, cedar, black cherry, and earthiness. The retrohale really brings out the sweetness and a bit of spice as I find myself doing it quite often. The cigar is still burning perfectly. I close out the second third with a decent little nicotine kick already.

Finish:

I can’t believe that awesome floral flavor is still rocking from start to finish of this Liga Privada 10 Aniversario. Backed by bold espresso, vanilla and musk with lighter raisin, pecan, and cedar. This cigar has been a flavor bomb from the get go. It took me a little over two hours to smoke this cigar down to the nub and I loved every second of it. No harshness, no extended heat, and I never once had to reach for my torch to touchup or relight the cigar. I close out with a pretty heavy nicotine kick and a smile.

Overview:

This is by far one of the better cigars I have smoked in recent memory and one of the best Liga Privada blends I have had to date. The flavor profile in the 10 Aniversario is just something to behold. Bold, complex, and extremely enjoyable. The cigar burned flawlessly from start to finish and at a slower rate with made the $17.90 price tag well worth it. I just wish these were easier to come by. Hopefully the success of the cigar makes Drew Estate realize how big the want is for these suckers cause I’d really like to stock up!

The post Drew Estate Liga Privada 10 Aniversario appeared first on Cigar Reviews | Beer Pairings | Casas Fumando.

The Good Stuff:

Scandinavian Tobacco Group has teamed up with Sazerac Co. to bring forth yet another cigar that features tobacco aged in bourbon barrels. The Cigars International exclusive “Buffalo Trace Special F” is composed of fillers from the Dominican Republic and Nicaragua under a Brazilian Arapiraca binder that has spent 6 months in Buffalo Trace bourbon barrels and then finished with an Ecuadorian Sumatra wrapper. The cigar is offered in a single 6 x 60 torpedo format and runs $11 per cigar. You can order yours directly from Cigars International.

• Size: 6 x 60
• Wrapper: Ecuadorian Sumatra
• Binder: Brazilian Arapiraca
• Filler: Dominican and Nicaraguan
• Body: Medium/Full
• Strength: Medium
• Price: $11
• Pairing: Buffalo Trace Bourbon (Spec’s Single Barrel Pick)

Prelight:

The Buffalo Trace Special F starts out with a very messy, rustic looking wrapper. That’s not a bad thing, the Ecuadorian Sumatra just does a great job showing off all the characteristics in its tobacco leaf. It’s very dark brown with loads of lighter and darker areas scattered throughout the cigar. On top of that there is a ton of natural webbing and light veins running through the leaf. The wrapper’s texture is very oily and very toothy while the cigar feels a bit spongy to the touch. The torpedo shape on this cigar is quite long as the cigar starts to taper shortly after the foot leading to the sharp cap. The cigar carries matching branding to the Buffalo Trace bottle with a band that features the buffalo image and a secondary band with the Buffalo Trace logo which is laid over a very elegant green ribbon for an awesome added touch.

The wrapper on the Buffalo Trace Special F gives off notes of black cherry and musk while the foot of the cigar is much more spicy with loads of earthy aromas. The cap cut clean and easily using my Xikar XO double bladed cutter. The cold draw is straight up chocolate with earthy undertones.

First Third:

The Buffalo Trace Special F leads with loads of chocolate, spice, and cardamom over lighter notes of leather, floral, and a nice woodsy mixture. It wasn’t until I was a few draws in that a great cayenne pepper entered the mix only powerful enough to tingle my lips. The draw is phenomenal as each puff kicks out huge clouds of thick gray smoke while the cigar releases a great amount of stationary smoke while it rests in my ashtray. The burn line is mostly even and very thin leaving behind a trail of tightly compacted white and lighter gray ash which held on for about an inch before giving way.

Second Third:

Into the second third of the Buffalo Trace Special F and the spice and woodsy flavors have really picked up along with a blast of floral hints. This makes for an amazing pairing with the leading flavors in the Buffalo Trace bourbon I paired it with. The chocolate, spice, and leather are all still factored into the profile, however they have taken a back seat at this point. The retrohale really brings out the spice in this cigar. I close out the second third with no type of nicotine hit.

Finish:

As I get into the final third of the Buffalo Trace Special F I am impressed with just how much spice is still in the flavor profile. I think it’s important to note for two reasons: 1) The spice matches up identically to the spice in the paired Buffalo Trace bourbon and 2) in my cigar experiences that spice has long been gone by the time you get to the final third. The backing flavors are still very woodsy with lighter notes of chocolate and leather with hints of floral. It took me almost two hours to smoke this cigar down to the nub. I experienced no harshness nor extended heat although the final third did leave me with a slight nicotine kick.

Overview:

I was a bit pessimistic about another bourbon-themed cigar, but I am happy to report that I truly enjoyed the Buffalo Trace Special F. I am a fan of Buffalo Trace bourbon, especially since it is very easy to obtain at MSRP in these parts. While I am unsure how much of an impacted the barrel-aged tobacco had, the blend itself made for a perfect pairing with the bourbon. I even think that if I smoked this cigar without the bourbon, and instead paired it with water that I would still be able to pick up the complimenting notes in the cigar. The pricing is also very reasonable for the cigar especially given its burn time. I was surprised, and I would definitely find myself going back to this one.

Pairing:

Naturally I decided to pair the Buffalo Trace Special F with a bottle of Buffalo Trace Spec’s Single Barrel pick bourbon. The bourbon leads with tons of spice, wood mixture, and floral flavors over lighter notes of orange, caramel, vanilla, and sweetness. It’s easy to see why the pairing makes so much sense as the flavors found in the bourbon not only marry up with the Buffalo Trace Special F, but compliment the cigar without overpowering it.

The post Buffalo Trace Special F appeared first on Cigar Reviews | Beer Pairings | Casas Fumando.

The Good Stuff:

It’s been a while since we’ve heard from Antonio Lam over at Reinado Cigars. Given his track record, we’re pretty excited to be taking a look at his newest creation, the C29. The cigar got its name from the 29 different iterations it took Antonio before he landed on a blend that he was happy about. While the blend is mostly kept under wraps, we do know the cigar features an Ecuadorian Connecticut wrapper and a lot of high-priming tobaccos. The C29 is a full production line that has just started to hit shelves. It’s offered in a single 5 x 52 format running $10 per cigar however you can purchase these now directly from Reinado here at $39.85 per 5-pack.

• Size: 5 x 52
• Wrapper: Ecuadorian Connecticut
• Binder: Undisclosed
• Filler: Undisclosed
• Body: Medium
• Strength: Medium
• Price: $10

Prelight:

The Reinado C29 starts out with a gorgeous light-brown/orangish wrapper which is stunningly consistent in color. The wrapper feels as an Ecuadorian Connecticut wrapper should, thin and brittle while the cigar as a whole is nicely packed with a good weight and not soft spots. There is some slight tooth and a good amount of oils coating the wrapper. There are some smaller veins and a good amount of natural webbing in the wrapper as it’s laid seamlessly over itself leading up to the cigar’s round, double-wrapped cap. The cigar is polished off with a simple, yet elegant black and white band with the Reinado crest on the front.

The wrapper on the Reinado C29 gives off a a good amount of honey and cedar aromas while the foot of the cigar is much more grainy with loads of earthiness and natural tobacco. The cap cut clean and easily using my Xikar XO double bladed cutter. The cold draw produces notes of black tea, honey, cashew and cedar.

First Third:

The Reinado C29 starts out with a quick blast of black pepper which fades after the first few puffs allowing the cigar to release notes of black tea, pine, cashew, honey, cedar and earthiness. This cigar starts out with much more flavor than I expected. The draw is flawless and every little puff kicks out massive clouds of thick, white smoke while the cigar releases very little stationary smoke as it rests in my ashtray. The burn line is dead even and razor sharp leaving behind a tightly compacted trail of white and light gray ash which held on for an inch before falling into my ashtray.

Second Third:

Into the second third of the Reinado C29 and the flavors have been mostly consistent. Loads of black tea, pine and honey backed by cashew, cedar, earthiness and a nice dry vanilla. The retrohale is really smooth and really helps bring that vanilla out of the woodworks. The cigar is burning flawlessly and I close out the second third with nothing in terms of nicotine.

Finish:

Now into the final third of the Reinado C29 and the cigar is still rocking. The flavor hasn’t changed up much, but there are no complaints about that as I really enjoy the profile Lots of black tea pine and honey over the cashew, vanilla, and cedar with a earthy finish. The cigar took me an hour and a half to smoke. I experienced no harshness, no extended heat, and no sap. I close out with really no nicotine kick either.

Overview:

I believe I have smoked through the entire Reinado portfolio now and I have yet to encounter a cigar I didn’t enjoy. While most of Antonio’s blend fall in a more full-body arena the C29 fills the gap with a nice, subtle cigar with a medium body that still delivers on flavor. I find it hard to find a Connecticut-wrapped cigar that still keeps me entertained, and can count the amount of these blends on one hand, but may need the second hand to include the C29. This is a perfect addition to any cigar smoker’s regular rotation for those early days when you are looking for a cigar that will delivery, yet not knock you on your ass.

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Exclusive to online and catalog retailers, the La Gloria Cubana Serie R Black Maduro is manufactured at Scandinavian Tobacco Group Esteli, S.A.. There were no new sizes produced for the maduro version. Like the original Serie R Black, the Maduro comes available in the following three size: N0. 58 (6 7/8 by 58), No. 60 (6 by 60), and No. 64 (6 1/4 by 64). The cigars come packaged in 18-count boxes and heavy discounts on box purchases can easily be found online.

THE FACTS

Price: $7.79
Vitola: No. 58
Size: 6 7/8 by 58
Wrapper: Connecticut Broadleaf Maduro
Binder: Nicaraguan
Filler: Nicaraguan
Smoke Time: 1 Hour and 30 Minutes

PRE-LIGHT

The Serie R Black Maduro is draped in an extremely dark wrapper that hides most of the veins. However, one large and one medium vein can be seen, but the smaller ones blend into the dark leaf. The wrapper is full of bumps and has a very fine tooth that gives the leaf the feel of a fine grained sandpaper. This is one big, hefty cigar in the hand. No soft spots are found as I examine the stick.

The wrapper aroma is pungent with an earth and vinegar mix. But there is also a less appealing strong paint smell. The foot aroma is plain with only a generic wood. I am pleased to find a more welcoming dry draw after a slight complication trying to cut the cap on this very large cigar. Cold draw flavors of rich cedar, sweetness, and cooking spices awaken the palate.

FIRST THIRD

As the La Gloria Cubana Serie R Black Maduro opens, a sweetness quickly comes across, followed by a sour quality that may be tied to a woodsy flavor. A dirty earth and pepper flavor move in shortly after. At about a half inch, the profile finds a great rhythm as the flavors noted earlier begin to mesh. The pepper flavor is heavy on the palate, but not a whole lot of spice warmth in the mouth. But as I move some smoke through my sinus, the spice is rather sharp.

MIDDLE THIRD

The earth flavor pushes its way to the front of the profile, overshadowing most of the earlier sweetness. The sour is still hanging in there and, at this point, I would characterize it as a lemon zest. So far, the cigar has been performing flawlessly with an even burn, solid ash, and a satisfying amount of smoke.

FINAL THIRD

The earth continues to build, but, at the same time, the sweetness has moved back in and complimenting the darker, heavier flavors. A quick touch-up is required as I make my way into the final third of Black Maduro. The retro-hale still shows off some spice warmth, but very manageable and actually enjoyable. The sweetness has developed to more of a cocoa with the last inch and half remaining in the La Gloria Cubana Serie R Black Maduro.

WRAP-UP

The flavors, which began near the full side, tapered off to more of medium profile, which it maintained till the end. On the strength side, the La Gloria cubana Serie R Black Maduro showed more strength than the Esteli Maduro. The combination of sweet and sour worked well with this blend, against the darker earth and pepper flavors. The smoke production was decent and a touch-up was needed in the final third. But overall, I have no real complaints in terms of performance. The Serie R Black Maduro can certainly stand on its own, but between the Esteli and the Black, I will be reaching for the Esteli. 

The post General Cigar Co. – La Gloria Cubana Serie R Black Maduro appeared first on Cigar Reviews | Beer Pairings | Casas Fumando.

-Tony

Happy New Year!

While perusing the cigar list at Cuenca Cigars, I came across a brand that I hadn’t heard of before, El Galan.  Doing a little research on the internet, despite not a whole lot of information out there, I was intrigued enough to want to try some of their blends out, so I picked up a handful of the Reserva Especials from Cuenca.  Blended by Felix A. Mesa and rolled at his factory El Galan S.A. in Esteli, Nicaragua, the Reserva Especial is a Nicaraguan puro.  According to Cuenca, the wrapper is a Habano Oscuro (although I haven’t seen any other site, even El Galan’s listing it at anything other than Nicaraguan).  They are all box-pressed and come in Airosos – 5×52, Gallardos – 6×52 torpedo, Apuestos – 5.75×54, and Obesos – 6×60.  All sizes come in boxes of 24 and carry a list price between $6.80 and $7.40.  Here’s hoping that my first reviewing experience of 2016 is a happy one!

Basics:

Wrapper:  Nicaraguan Habano Oscuro
Binder:  Nicaraguan
Filler:  Nicaraguan
Size:  Airosos 5×52
Price:  $6.80
Smoking time:  Two hours
Pairing:  Avery Ellie’s Brown Ale (ABV 5.5%)

Pre-light:

The El Galan Reserva Especial comes clad in a dark chocolate brown leaf with slight variations in hues.  It is rather smooth and fairly oily, with a very firm and solid feeling roll and very minor veining which leads to what my aging eyes seems to be a triple cap.  The double bands nicely offset the wrapper color with their red, gold, black, and white color motif featuring a portrait of a rather dapper gentleman (“el galán” translates to “handsome man” or “ladies’ man”, and yes, I had to Google that), although for some reason they have all been applied a bit off center on all of the ones I have.  Not that that will make any difference once I light up.  The wrapper scent is rather slight earthy, manure-y barnyard, while the foot is more of an earthy tobacco.  The first cut of the cap reveals a rather tight draw, and a second trimming brings just a small amount of relief.  The cold draw shows sweet spicy cedar.

First third:

Upon lighting, I am greeted by the sweet spiciness, wood, and earth, along with smooth pepper and great meaty savoriness on the retrohale.  The draw is indeed very snug, but producing a decent amount of medium-bodied smoke, while burning at a bit of a slant.  The woodiness is now more of an oak, as the sweetness has dropped back and some bready notes slip in, while the burn has evened itself out with the ash tapping off at a solid inch.  As the cigar closes out the first third, it has remained at a medium body, and I’m feeling no nicotine.

Middle third:

As the El Galan Reserva Especial enters its middle portion,  the bread notes have increased, and I’m picking up some medium-roasted coffee in the mix.  The oaky and savory flavors still dominate, but the combination of flavors is very pleasant.  The stationary smoke, however, is plentiful and rather pungent.  The draw has opened up somewhat, making things much more enjoyable.  The smoke is now very smooth and the pepper is still present in flavor, but not in bite, as it climbs toward medium- full.

Final third:

Into the final section of the El Galan Reserva Especial, I finally have to give it a touch-up, as it was going off a bit and threatening to go out.  There hasn’t been much of a changeup in flavors, save for a slight bit of char, but the body has moved into the medium-full range and there is now a little bit of a nicotine kick.  Some sweetness has returned to round things out, along with a peppery tingle on the lips.  The Reserva Especial has smoked cool all the way down to the nub.

Overview:

Despite the draw problem I encountered, the El Galan Reserva Especial provided a nice range of coordinated flavors and solid construction, making for a good amount of enjoyment.  I really liked the juxtaposition of the light sweetness to the savoriness, although one should not expect a whole lot of transitions other than a ramp up in body and strength.  As a side note, this one was a little tougher on the draw than the three I had previously smoked, and it did eventually open up to an easier going level.  I may have to consider transferring these to a drier humidor when I get more.  Combined with the easy to take price and surprisingly long smoke time, I have no reservations recommending that you give it a try.  I do now intend to see about the other lines that El Galan has to offer.

Pairing:

Avery is known for their special release and seasonal brews, but Ellie’s Brown Ale from Avery is one of their flagship core beers, and a great pairing for this cigar.  With a smooth, easy going sweet maltiness and notes of caramel and light chocolate, it matches up well with many cigars and this one is no exception.  I think that a Scotch ale, strong ale, or sweet porter would also be a terrific pairing for the El Galan Reserva Especial, although with the cold season here, a lightly sweetened coffee would also be ideal.

The post El Galan Reserva Especial appeared first on Cigar Reviews | Beer Pairings | Casas Fumando.

This week, I’ll be checking out the second generation of the Saint Luis Rey by Altadis U.S.A., the SLR Gen². The Gen² is available in three vitolas: Robusto (4 ½ by 54), Toro (6 by 54), and Titan (6 by 60).   I located the press release for the Saint Luis Rey Gen² at Halfwheel.com, which had this to say about the cigar:

Gen² is not just a new version of a classic. It is much more. It is the heritages of many generations of know how. It is the expression of wisdom and passion from some of the most expert craftsmen in the world as they bring forth a most sublime smoking experience. From our recent consumer research, we know that US Consumers are always looking to try something new; this was one of the aims of the launch – to offer something new, compelling and punchy to these targeted profile.

Gen² is a rare combination of quality, tradition, innovation and the passion of centuries expressed in a singular cigar.

There is only one formula for pleasure!

Quality + Passion + Innovation = Gen²

Passion Squared!

The Facts

Price: $5.75 to $6.75
Vitola: Toro
Size: 6 by 54
Wrapper: Ecuadorian Sumatra
Binder: Nicaraguan
Filler: Nicaraguan and Honduran
Pairing: Water
Smoke Time: 1 Hour and 40 Minutes

Pre-Light

The brownish red wrapper has small and medium sized veins throughout. The medium sized veins stand out a little more due to being lighter in color than the rest of the wrapper. Most of the cigar is evenly packed with just a slight give. The middle of the cigar has one soft spot. As I examine the foot, there seems to be a small void in the middle of the tobaccos.

The Ecuadorian Sumatra wrapper gives off sweet woodsy notes at its core, with additional notes of cherry and cinnamon. The foot aroma is much of the same as the wrapper. A large double cap has been applied decently.   A perfect draw is revealed after I cut the cap. Cinnamon and spices make up the flavors on the cold draw that is leaving my mouth a tad dry.

First Third

The Saint Luis Rey Gen² is producing a copious amount of white smoke.  No effort at all is required to pull the smoke through this six inch cigar. The dominant flavors are cedar, earth, and light cinnamon. The light smoke is drying my mouth and the finish is short. A creamier profile would compliment the cedar nicely. I cannot tell if I am getting some irritation in the back of my throat or if it is just a lingering spice.  As I retrohale the smoke, I’m hit with a blast of pepper and a slight spice sting. The burn line is thick and wavy, while the ash is dark grey and flaky, holding to about an inch.  The flavors are on the high side of medium and so far the strength seems to be right at medium.

Middle Third

The cigar continues to pump out tons of smoke as I have  it resting in my ashtray. Also, the burn line that was iffy in the first third is now back in line. The sweet cedar I grabbed off the wrapper during the pre-light has introduced itself into the profile, along with presence of pepper and some toastiness. As I burn deeper into the second third, some heavier earthy notes have arrived. The ash remains flaky. The flavors are still holding strong and I am starting to feel a little nicotine. The strength is right where I enjoy it. Hopefully, it stays at this same level for the remainder of the stick.

Final Third

The earthy notes have really picked up as I make my way into the final third. The earthiness has a mineral quality, along with a diesel-like flavor. The SLR Gen² is developing some heat.  The cedar jumps back into to the profile as I let the cigar rest a little longer between puffs.  Additionally, a bread-like flavor and cocoa have arrived. The pepper has subsided a little on the retrohale but a charryness has shown up. Putting a close to this Saint Luis Rey Gen², the strength is starting to kick my butt. I can’t tell if it is the nicotine that is making me sweat or the 90 degree temperature at 9:00 PM.

Wrap-up

The SLR Gen² delivered some enjoyable flavors throughout. However, as the cigar progressed the toasty / charred notes became more pronounced.  I was unable to nub the SLR due to the heat that is was producing with an inch and half left.  While the burn got off the path a few times it always managed to find its way back.  I am happy to report that the other sample I smoked and paired with sweet tea did not develop any heat or charred flavors.  The sweet tea brought out the sweet cedar notes and additional notes of cocoa in the  Gen².  My second experience with this cigar was much more enjoyable. Even though I still wasn’t blown away, I would pick this up again if I came across it at the local shop. At a price point in the $6 range, I think this cigar is well worth a try.

The post Saint Luis Rey Gen² appeared first on Cigar Reviews | Beer Pairings | Casas Fumando.

This week, I bring to you the La Aroma De Cuba Mi Amor Reserva, which was released at the 2012 IPCPR annual trade show. It is sad to say, but I have yet to smoke the regular Mi Amor cigar or any Ashton product for that matter. The Mi Amor Reserva is produced at the My Father Factory in Esteli, Nicaragua. According to a Halfwheel.com news article, the Mi Amor Reserva “features a Mexican oscuro wrapper, as opposed to the San Andrés maduro on the regular Mi Amor”.  The La Aroma De Cuba Mi Amor Reserva is available in four vitolas: Beso  (5 ⅝ by 48), Maximo (5 ½  by 54), Divino (6 ¼ by 52), and Romantico (6 ⅞  by 50).

The Facts

Price: Around $9.50
Vitola: Divino
Size: 6 ¼ by 52
Wrapper: Mexican Oscuro
Binder: Nicaraguan
Filler: Nicaraguan
Pairing: Water
Smoke Time: 1 Hour and 40 Minutes

Pre-light

The Mi Amor Reserva wears a dark chocolate wrapper that looks great against the colors of the ornate bands. Small veins crisscross down the Mexican Oscuro wrapper that is somewhat toothy.  The box pressed cigar is evenly and firmly packed. A beautiful cedar aroma comes right off of the wrapper followed by some barnyard and chocolate. The foot of the cigar is much more rich, with some different spices and cedar.

The cap rounds out the cigar nicely, and what appears to be a triple cap has been applied neatly.  The initial clip with my Xikar Xi cutter revealed a firm draw, but cutting a little deeper I am now presented with a workable draw with just a small amount of resistance. The tobacco is packed extremely tight under the cap. Instantly, chocolate, clove, and cinnamon hit my palate on the cold draw. The cold draw is very rich, similar to the foot aroma.

First Third

A sweetness hits the front of my palate and spice, cocoa, and earth notes come forth as the smoke moves to the back of my mouth.  The spice leaves a minor tingle in the back of my throat. The sweetness really lingers on the finish of the smoke, along with some cocoa. The retrohale is surprisingly smooth, which I was not expecting due to the intensity of the flavors. The flavors are balanced and full. The burn got off to a wavy start but I’m going to wait to see if it will correct itself on its own before pulling out my lighter. Just an inch in and the burn has almost completely self-corrected.  The white ash is on the flaky side but held to over an inch. .

Middle Third

I am still enjoying the sweetness I get on each puff.  For those of you that do not know this, I am huge coffee drinker, which may be tied to my Finnish heritage. This cigar is like drinking a perfectly brewed cup of black, Costa Rican, maybe Brazilian, coffee that offers complexity and a sweetness that balances out the profile. The smoke is very cool leaving no bite on the tongue. Flavors remain balanced and extremely refreshing.  My palate is ready for each puff.   The retrohale has moved up a notch as pepper is now leaving quite a sting in my sinuses. That will wake you up. The now layered ash continues to hold strong past an inch. The burn line is a little edgy but not of any concern. At the end of the second third, I am beginning to feel a little nicotine kick.

Final Third

As I enter the final third about an hour and fifteen minutes in, the cocoa and earth notes are playing a more significant role in the profile. The earthiness is somewhat dirt-like but not at all in a bad way.  The spice has also stepped up, warming my entire palate. The finish has become a dusty cocoa, leaving my palate a tad dry, which is quickly fixed with a sip of water.  The richness of the smoke is in full force in the final third. The smoke is just bellowing out of this La Aroma De Cuba Mi Amor Reserva. With an 1 ½ inch remaining, the cedar has come back around. This has to be one of the most enjoyable cedar flavors I have picked up on in a cigar. While the flavors remained full the entire stick, the strength crept up through each third. At the close of the Reserva, the strength is medium/full.

Wrap-up

If you could not tell from the review, I really, really enjoyed the La Aroma De Cuba Mi Amor Reserva. While the flavors were common, it was the balance and the shifts in flavors that made this a journey I would love to take again.  The burn line started off a little iffy but quickly fixed itself.  There is not much more to say other than stay on the lookout for the Mi Amor Reserva.  Our site sponsor, smokeinn.com, has all the sizes available and a five pack of the La Aroma De Cuba Mi Amor Reserva Divino will run you $48.75.  I believe they are well worth the price.

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This particular stick was given to me by a friend that I used to work with. We still keep in touch and share a beer or a cigar now and then. He was introduced to this brand by one of the local cigar shops since it is one of the few fair priced Cubans you can buy that is also hand made. If you remember a little while back I reviewed the popular Guantanamera Cristales which is another budget Cuban brand, but it’s completely machine made. Feel free to take a read over that review before reading this one. You’ll notice a few key differences between the machine and hand made cigars.

Now a bit about the brand. Jose L. Piedra cigars grows their tobacco in the Vuelta Arriba region. The Piedra family originally comes from Spain and settled in Cuba back in the 1880’s. It wasn’t until the second generation that they began working in the tobacco business led by Jose Lamadrid Piedra. All of their cigars are made completely by hand and use short filler to help keep the prices reasonable.

Now there is some other interesting information on the brand as well. In 1990 the factory was temporarily shut down and did not start producing cigars again until 1996. After that time, most of the cigars were being machine made until about 2002 when the handmade process started again. So beware of someone trying to sell you really old versions of these cigars for expensive prices, they might be machine made stuff. Also, the white band you see here is on all post-2007 made cigars, before that it was a brown band. Now that’s enough chatter, let’s dive in!

Cigar: Jose L. Piedra
Drink: Cookies & Cream Coffee
Vitola: Brevas (5.2 x 42)
Wrapper: Cuban
Binder: Cuban
Filler: Cuban
Price: About $2.20
Burn Time: ~1 Hour

Construction:
• The Jose L. Piedra has a crazy rustic appearance to it with lots of veins and bumps as well as some discolorations here and there
• From cap to foot the whole cigar has a nice springy feel to it
• There does appear to be some small cracks in the wrapper, not sure if this is from when it was made or happened sometime in transit but the few that I’ve had did look similar here
• The triple cap has a pretty clean finish and is pretty much flat on top
• Even the foot looks to be well packed and cleanly cut
• The cut was extremely easy, the cap almost just fell off

Burn:
• The foot lit up pretty easily and with no effort, leaving be with a pretty even amber
• The wrapper on this cigar is barely burning for some reason, it keeps burning under the wrapper and requiring me to touch it up, already twice in less than an inch
• The wrapper continues to cause me some burn issues here but luckily my re-lights have not been affecting the flavor
• Re-lights plagued this cigar right through to the very end

Smoke & Ash:
• Not a ton of smoke on this cigar, requiring me to take in an extra couple of draws each time
• Tapped off the first ash at less than half an inch, it looked pretty weak and flaky and didn’t want it to end up on my laptop
• The color of the ash is mostly dark grey and some black, nothing to pretty here
• Smoke volume picked up a bit somewhere past the halfway mark, I think one of the cracks on the wrapper was letting the air escape on the draws
• The ash stayed dark and flaky, I had to keep tapping it off around a half inch

Tasting Notes:
• The smell on the wrapper is awesome, a very sweet coffee/cocoa mix
• From the foot, I’m getting the same awesome coffee and cocoa mix and now there’s a touch of cedar thrown in there
• The pre-light draw was full of sweet cedar
• Initial flavors here are mostly coffee and some cedar, I’m not getting any of the sweetness or cocoa I picked up on the wrapper
• The whole profile has been pretty mild so far with no spices at all
• Even on the retrohale I’m getting no bite, just a smooth coffee flavored finish
• The coffee flavors picked up a bit more around the halfway mark, making for a more interesting profile
• In the last half the coffee, cedar and sweetness remained as the main flavors and the body picked up a touch to near the medium mark
• The intensity of the coffee really started to shine through a bit more at this point
• There was no harshness or bitterness right down to the end

Final Thoughts:
I hadn’t had a Jose L. Piedra in a while but I always remembered them being pretty mild and that has not changed. Even with a bunch of relights from the wrapper burn issues, the flavor didn’t really get very charred. Although that’s a bit of a plus, I also am not a big fan of a cigar that requires so much extra attention. The flavors were pretty low key, being mostly just coffee and cedar with a bit of sweetness thrown in here and there. I have to mentioned that the Jose L. Piedra is probably one of the cheapest handmade Cubans you can find so they do make a good introduction into that world. This is probably a good option to share with someone who’s not an experienced smoker as they will definitely be able to pick up on the mild flavors, it’s even good as a morning cigar with your coffee.

Pairings:
Cookies and Cream Coffee, how could I pass that up when I saw it in the store? Cookies and Cream anything is usually awesome! Unfortunately I don’t have the name with me, we put the grinds into a resealable container and threw out the package, but I do know it was a white bag with a picture of an Oreo cookie on the front. The coffee itself is pretty mild so I always double up the scoops and it pours out a very nice smelling coffee. Darn tasty and it paired very well with this mild Jose L. Piedra. I think it’s probably the best pairing for this cigar.

The post Jose L. Piedra Brevas appeared first on Cigar Reviews | Beer Pairings | Casas Fumando.

• Aging Room Small Batch M356 Major (6 ½ by 60)
• Camacho Corojo Diploma (5 by 50)
• Humo Jaguar Grande (6 by 60)
• J Fuego Origen Original (5 by 44)
• My Uzi Weighs A Ton Bait Fish (4 by 44)
• Padilla Miami Maduro Torpedo (6 ½ by 54)
• Perdomo Champagne Noir Robusto (5 by 54)
• Rocky Patel 15th Anniversary Toro (6 ½ by 52)
• Schizo Sixty (6 by 60)
• Torano Loyal Robusto (5 by 56)
• Trinidad Paradox Churchill (7 by 57)
• Trocadero Honore (5 ¾ by 56)

Today, I have decided to check out the Humo Jaguar 2011.  All the manufacturers who attend the annual Honduran Cigar Festival blend a cigar specific for the festival and one cigar is chosen as the best. Nestor Plasencia claimed this title in 2011.  This cigar is readily available through online retailers.  The Humo Jaguar 2011 comes in three vitolas: Robusto (5 by 52), Corona Gorda (6 by 52), and Gigante or Grande (6 by 60). While not a go to size for me, I will be smoking the Gigante 6 by 60.

The Facts

Vitola: Gigante
Size: 6 by 60
Wrapper: Honduran Oscuro
Binder: Honduran – Talanga
Filler: Honduran – Cuban Seed Long-Filler
Pairing: Water
Smoke Time: Just under 2 hours

Pre-light

The Humu Jaguar has a rustic appeal.  Veins are all over the cigar but there are none above medium in size. The cigar has a velvety feel and is fairly firm with no soft spots.  However, under the band there is a crazy indention in this cigar. The color is mostly medium reddish brown with dark spots throughout.

The wrapper aroma is extremely earthy with some nutty and sweet notes. The nuttiness is similar to the shell of a peanut.  A minor pepper and tobacco notes are prevalent on the foot of the cigar.  What appears to be a triple cap has been applied rather sloppy.  Due to the larger ring gauge, I made a shallow cut on the cap of the cigar. A free draw delivers rich tobacco and clove flavors.

First Third

The 60 ring gauge foot took some time to light with my Zippo Z-Plus!. A triple flame would have come in handy when lighting up this puppy. Instantly, smooth and spicy smoke coats my mouth. The leather and earth flavors dominates the profile but not in a bad way.  In the background of the flavor profile some mineral-like flavors are peeking through, along with a sweet finish.  The leather flavor is something I anticipated knowing the Honduran origin.  Deep earthy notes and dark coffee comes forth on the retrohale, with additional spice and pepper. The first salt and pepper ash dropped at a half of an inch, but the second ash held to an inch.  The smoke production is decent but a long draw is required to pull the smoke down this six inch stick.  The Humo burn line is thick and wavy but isn’t getting too off path. Flavors are coming through medium/full and the strength is medium.

Middle Third

The flavors remain heavy and deep as I dive into the second third. Some enjoyable cocoa and coffee flavors have arrived and the earthy notes remain around.  The smoke production is now rockin. Tons of thick, dense smoke is billowing out of this Humo Jaguar Gingante. The black pepper on the retrohale is intense.  Some sweetness is still on the finish but quickly fades to a deep earth, almost dirt-like, flavor. I thought for sure I would be feeling some strength in the cigar by this point. So far so good.  While the strength is medium the cigar is still very flavorful.  The burn-line has almost completely corrected itself from the waviness early on.

Final Third

The band slides off with ease, giving way to the final third of the winner of the 2011 Honduran Cigar Festival.  A similar spice from the start of first third is back, warming my entire mouth.  I have not come across any harshness in the smoke thus far and the smoke remain cools.  A cocoa sweetness hits the front of the palate, but darker, earth flavors override it.  The dark flavors are heavy on my palate requiring a lot of water to keep a fresh palate between puffs.  The smoke is very meaty.  A mixture of earth, pepper, and saltiness reminds me of McCormick’s Montreal Steak Seasoning.  The burn-line is now razor sharp and not one touch-up was needed throughout this six inch Humo Jaguar.  The flavors are full at the conclusion of the final third and strength has shifted to the medium/full arena.

Wrap-up

The Humo Jaguar 2011 was super earthy.  Probably one of the most earthy cigars I have smoked or at least remember smoking.  But overall it was a very enjoyable stick. There were some subtle complexities but the fullness of the earth flavor overwhelmed the other enjoyable, more subtle notes. While I may not go out of my way to search down this stick, I would grab a single if I ever came across it or if it was included in another sampler like the one above. If you enjoy earthy cigars, this cigar will be right up your alley. Shoot,  12 cigars for $19.99 is a heck of steal and the offer is still available here. Grab the sampler and let us know what you think of the Humo Jaguar 2011.

The post Nestor Plasencia – Humo Jaguar 2011 appeared first on Cigar Reviews | Beer Pairings | Casas Fumando.

Well I still happened to have one of the blends he put together for that trip while at the Joya de Nicaragua factory and I’m putting on the chopping block for today’s review! Tony has another Drew Estate trip coming up tomorrow so I figured that would be an excellent segway. Be sure to keep your eyes peeled for a full report once he gets back.

There’s not much else to report here, Tony’s posts above give a great explanation of the factory and the process they followed to put these blends together. The wrapper on this guy is the same as the Joya De Nicaragua Dark Corojo (Of course Tony would go for the most powerful wrapper in the house! lol). As for the rest of the leaves, I don’t have the details but we know the cigar is a 100% Nicaraguan Puro, Tony may add some more details about this later on.

So without further adieu, let’s dive in to see what this special and SUPER rare limited edition cigar has in store for me…

Cigar: Joya de Nicaragua Anthony Casas LE 2012
Drink: Coffee
Vitola: Corona Gordo (5.75 x 46)
Wrapper: Nicaraguan
Binder: Nicaraguan
Filler: Nigaraguan
Price: Priceless!
Burn Time: 1.5 hours

Construction:
• The top of the cigar is finish with a nice and clean double cap
• At the bottom, we have a well packed foot with just a small hole near the middle
• The wrapper is seriously toothy and has some decent medium sized veins
• Cut was easy and I made it very small but still ended up with a perfectly drawing cigar
• From cap to foot, the whole cigar was quite firm with just a bit of give when I squeezed it

Burn:
• Toasting was even, easy and pretty fast leaving me with a nicely glowing foot
• It seemed that right off the bat the wrapper stopped burning and the cigar started tunneling a bit, I decided to give it a quick touch-up to help it along for now
• After my little correction we look to be off to a good start as the cigar starts to burn razor sharp
• A few more touchups were needed near the halfway mark as the burn started to go a little slanted
• Touchups continue through the rest of the cigar, and they are really affecting the flavors
• For a corona vitola, this cigar is burning super slow

Smoke & Ash:
• A good amount of smoke is coming from each easy draw, it’s not super dense but I’d say just about right
• So far the ash is looking to be a nice light grey color with some darker accents
• The resting smoke is pretty prominent and steady, pumping out a nice campfire aroma
• First ash tapped off around 3/4 of an inch, it was starting to look wobbly but still seemed clean and even
• The next couple of ashes were about the same length but they seem to be getting a little more flaky, possibly because of the touch-ups I’ve needed to do
• The cigar continues to pump out a ton of smoke right down to the end

Tasting Notes:
• Wrapper aroma is giving off a sort of sweet cedar aroma to it
• From the foot , I’m getting more of that nice sweet cedar with a touch of cocoa
• Pre-light draw gave me an interesting burst of cinnamon flavors that was very tasty and unexpected
• Initial draws bring more of that sweet cedar and a touch of the cinnamon notes, very nice
• Before evening burning through the first inch I’m getting a bunch of spice starting to kick in, lots of pepper here now
• A bit of dryness on the back of my throat as I pass the first 3rd here
• The burn started to get a little wild around the half-way mark so the cigar has needed a few touchups here and there which has affected the flavor quite a bit
• Retrohale definitely has some bite to it and a dry finish
• Body has been mostly in the medium range but it’s definitely picking up a bit in the last half
• In the last half, i’m left with mostly a dry spice type of flavor and some burnt notes due to the touchups i’ve been doing
• Not much change up in flavors to the end but the burnt notes have continued due to the touch ups

Final Thoughts:
The pre-light aromas and the first half of this cigar were really quite tasty and exciting. Unfortunately they didn’t last the whole way through but overall it was quite a nice experience, especially with that cinnamon burst at the beginning. Tony is definitely well on his way to becoming a world class torecdor! Will be exciting to see what he comes up with on his next venture.

Pairings:
Just plain coffee today, I lit this one up a bit earlier in the day so the Scotch and Port bottles just were not appealing quite yet. I know it’s 5 o’clock somewhere but I’ll wait till my own timezone hits 5 today! The coffee did make for an excellent pairing though, especially with the cinnamon notes at the beginning. With the build up in spices and body, I would have really liked to have a sweeter pairing at that point. But coffee really is an awesome all-around pairing to have with a nice cigar.

The post Joya De Nicaragua Anthony Casas 2012 appeared first on Cigar Reviews | Beer Pairings | Casas Fumando.

The full name of this cigar is the Montecristo Epic Premium Selection ’07 and it was released about announced about a year ago in June 2012. Tony also did a full review on it not too long ago, read his thoughts over here. I’ve had the chance to light up a few of these so I thought I’d take the time to jot down some of my own notes on it as well and share it with our fine readers.

Now I’ve been a long-time critic of Altadis’ cigars in general but the last few newer releases have started to sway my opinion to the better side. The dark Ecuadorian Habano wrapper on this cigar does help it’s case, it is super oily and toothy and looks awesome. The aroma of the Montecristo Epic gives a nice cedar note on the nose and just a touch of spice in there. It’s topped off with a super clean cap and a well packed foot.

Lighting the cigar was a breeze and I had a nice glowing foot in no time at all. Smoke production on this bad-boy was also pretty hefty, pumping out some pretty big plumes through a nice and even draw. The flavors started out pretty exciting and interesting with lots of cedar backed by some peppery spices and a sort of dark fruity note. As the smoking continued, the fruity and spicy notes seemed to fade away and I was left with the cedar and some new instances of leathery notes.

I had a few burn issues I needed to tackle but none were major and didn’t ruin the experience much. Body stayed at around medium and the retrohale started off with a nice bite to it but ended up being mostly bland near the end with a bit of a cedar finish. As I stroll into the last 3rd I’m getting some espresso notes sneaking in here and the body is definitely jumping into the full range. I was able to get the Montecristo Epic down to a good sized nub before I put it down.

I’d have to say that the Montecristo Epic started out with a lot of promise and excitement but it slowly faded away into a decent, but not overly-impressive finish. I didn’t get the extreme tartness that Tony mentioned in his review and I wonder if the extra age had something to do with that. I ended up pairing it with a Mill Street Brewery Tankhouse Ale which is a tasty and malty American Pale Ale. I think I should have gone with something a little more bold to pair with this cigar though, perhaps some port or nice scotch. While the Montecristo Epic is one of the better cigars in Altadis Montecristo line-up, it wasn’t quite up my alley. But I do think there is a large group of people this will appeal to so give it a try and let us know what you think!

The post Quick Draw Episode 16 – Montecristo Epic Premium Selection ’07 appeared first on Cigar Reviews | Beer Pairings | Casas Fumando.

Today I have a review from a brand we haven’t really seen too much of lately since they release the OSA SOL a while ago (which I reviewed here). The brand is CAO and if you remember they were also purchased by General Cigar. Today’s new addition to the lineup is known as the Concert.

The Concert is intended to be a throwback to the roots of the CAO brand in Nashville, Tennessee. The musical parts of this cigar are pretty darn easy to spot. Not only does the name give musical reference but the band actually looks like a guitar and pick. Also on the side of the guitar is written “Perfect Harmony” in some fancy script.

Rick Rodriguez of CAO is the mastermind behind this blend and the leaves used here seem pretty interesting. I’m a big fan of Rosado cigars when they are done right but to have a Broadleaf binder is very different, I guess we’ll have to see how that plays out in the flavors. The cigars in this line are also all 5.5 inches long and only vary in their ring gauge starting at 46 and going up to 60. In line with the rest of the cigar, all the vitolas have music related names such as Roadie, Amp and Stage. Today up for review is going to be the 50 ring gauge version called the Solo!

Cigar: CAO Concert
Drink: Crown Royal Maple Finish
Vitola: ”Solo” Robusto (5.5 x 50)
Wrapper: Ecuadorian Rosado
Binder: Connecticut Broadleaf
Filler: Honduran, Nicaraguan
Price: About $6
Burn Time: 1.5 Hours

Construction:
• A nice looking cinnamon brown wrapper surrounds the cigar
• I found one crack in the wrapper just below the halfway mark of the cigar
• It has a pretty firm consistency from cap to foot
• The single cap is applied very cleanly and looks well done
• The foot is well packed for the most part with just a couple spots that had a bit of a gap

Burn:
• Toasting was even, quick and easy with no problem spots to worry about
• The crack in the wrapper is causing it to unroll a bit as I burn closer to it
• Other than that crack the cigar has been burning razor sharp and even through the first 3rd
• The cigar started to expand a bit causing the crack to get even worse and grow, starting to cause some burn problems now and I needed to give it a quick touchup
• The crack continued to cause problems until I finally passed it in the last third
• I still needed a couple touchups nears the end though

Smoke & Ash:
• Even with a slightly tight draw, I’m getting a ton of smoke each time
• There’s also a good amount of resting smoke coming off the cigar as well
• The ash is coming along really nicely in the early stages, looking strong, tight and clean
• The color on the ash is also quite nice with alternating light grey and white tones
• To prevent the ash from falling onto my laptop I tapped it off around 1 inch but I think it could have easily made it to at least 1.5 inches
• Even with the messy wrapper and re-lights the ash still continued to be strong holding on for 1 inch each time
• Smoke also continued to be full right through to the end

Tasting Notes:
• There wasn’t much aroma coming off the foot here, maybe just a bit of spice and woodsiness
• From the foot, I’m getting a fresh woodsy aroma with the same touch of spice
• Lots more of the fresh wood flavor and even some earth now on the pre-light draw
• The initial few draws had a defined burnt undertone to them but it seem went away
• After the burn notes went away I was left with a bit of a pepper spice flavor profile with some notes of wood mixed in there
• The flavors have stuck in the woodsy and slightly spicy range through the first half with just a bit of leather getting mixed in now and again
• On the retrohale, I’m picking up more of the spice in the bite and a dry spice on the finish as well
• Body has been mostly in the medium range up until now, we’ll see if it changes coming through to the end
• The last half has stuck with the wood and spice main notes, the leather is peeking in more often now and I’m getting a bit of coffee notes here and there
• More leather flavors as I burn down the the end here with just a touch of soft spices hanging around

Final Thoughts:
This turned out to be a pretty nice smoke overall and I enjoyed it for the most part. The cracked wrapper definitely caused some burn issues but they luckily didn’t affect the flavors much and it was probably just a one-time thing since no other Concert sticks I’ve smoked had the same problem. Now there wasn’t anything over the top here but it was a good solid medium smoke with some nice flavors. Not too much change in the profile though so I don’t think I would opt for anything bigger than a robusto. Definitely worth lighting one up though so give it a try, good to see CAO is still turning out some good sticks even after their recent ownership change.

Pairings:
Just in case you missed the name of my pairing before it is Crown Royal Maple Finished. Yes, that’s right, MAPLE! And damn does this bottle pack some serious mapley-goodness! My wife actually said it smelled like pancakes when I opened the bottle. IF you’ve had Crown Royal before you’ll know it’s got a pretty smooth texture to it but a lot of people tend to mix it with coke. The Maple flavor added here makes it perfectly enjoyable just on ice. And it made an excellent pairing for the cigar too, the sweetness can be a little overpowering at first but it settles down after a couple sips. Just don’t try pairing this with any soft or mild sticks cause they might get lost. +1 for Maple!

The post CAO Concert appeared first on Cigar Reviews | Beer Pairings | Casas Fumando.

Now I’ll be honest that I hadn’t heard too much about Ezra Zion cigars or any of their particular lines before I came across this particular stick. But after doing some research I realized there was quite a bit of buzz around them. Now the company is fairly young looking to have really started pushing itself only last year but the big buzz came when our good friends over at Emilio Cigars partnered up with Ezra Zion to handle their distribution.

We all know Emilio Cigars has a knack for turning around quality sticks and they wouldn’t just accept any cigars, they must be good, right? Well the Reagan edition is one of 2 lines offered by Ezra Zion, the other line is called “Jamais Vu” which was renamed from the original “Inception”. The Reagan series only has two vitolas available at this time, the “President” (6.75 x 54) and today’s vitola dubbed the “40th”.

All the tobaccos in the Reagan are Cuban seeds grown in Nicaragua, as well as being aged a 5 to 6 years before rolling. It also should be obvious that these cigars are a tribute to President Reagan, the names should have given that away too ;). I also want to point out that I love the box press style toro, it’s just awesome and more people should do it. So let’s dive on in and see how this cigar stacks up!

Cigar: Ezra Zion Reagan Honor Series
Drink: Mill Street Breweries Cobblestone Stout
Vitola: “40th Boxpress” Toro (6 x 52)
Wrapper: 2006 Cuban Seed Nicaraguan – Sun Grown Habano
Binder: 2006 Cuban Seed Nicaraguan
Filler: 2007 Cuban Seed Nicaraguan Seco, Viso, and Ligero
Price: $12.50
Burn Time: Almost 2 hours

Construction:
• The wrapper on this Ezra Zion Reagan has a very smooth texture and a color of soft cinnamon brown
• There are hardly any veins to be seen, super smooth and velvety to the touch
• I really like the box-pressed shape on this cigar, definitely need more companies to start doing this
• All my samples were pretty soft to the touch, all the way from head to foot
• Packing looks to be pretty full at the foot even though they are soft, interesting…
• The cap has some imperfections but overall it’s finished well
• A very thin cut leaves me with a perfect draw

Burn:
• The Ezra Zio Reagan toasted up with ease and quickly, leaving a nice glowing foot to see
• Through the first inch, the burn has been somewhat wavy but no cause for concern yet, we’ll have to keep a close eye on this
• A little past an inch in and i got a pretty big peninsula growing that I needed to correct with a small touch up
• Just before the halfway mark I had another peninsula rear it’s head so I needed another touch up here
• Some more small touch ups needed towards the end but nothing too major

Smoke & Ash:
• This cigar has got a ton of smoke from each easy draw
• It actually doesn’t produce much resting smoke though
• So far just under an inch in and the ash is looking pretty messy, some pieces are already falling off and it appears pretty weak
• Despite the flimsy look, the ash lasted past an inch and started to look more clean and stable as the burn continues
• The ash lasted just about an inch before I tapped it off
• Second ash was a mix of looking strong and weak again due to the touchup, still lasted about an inch though
• The third ash is coming along much nicer with no touch ups, it’s clean and string with a light and dark grey striping

Tasting Notes:
• The wrapper has a very hay-like aroma to it, with just a bit of woodiness
• I’m getting more hay and woodsy aromas on the foot with a touch of spice thrown in
• The pre-light draw had some nice sweet cocoa flavors and a touch of spice
• On the initial draws, I’m getting mostly light coffee flavors so far, a touch of dry spice on the back of my throat as well
• Through the first third of the cigar, coffee and light spices are still playing the biggest parts
• The whole experience has been in the mild-medium range so far
• From the retrohale, I’m getting a nice little bite and a smooth sweet and creamy finish that I’m enjoying
• As I get into the final third, the spice is ramping up a tad and the sweet coffee has switched over to more of an espresso note
• The deep rich flavors continue through to the end with a bit of leather being mixed in there as well
• No real harshness towards the nub so I got to finish this nicely

Final Thoughts:
There were some really nice flavors in the Ezra Zion Reagan Honor Series and I enjoyed the experience for the most part. There were two key parts that brought down my experience today. The main one was the touch ups and wavy burn throughout most of the cigar. The price is also a bit steep, so when I go into a cigar knowing I spent well over $10 for it, I am expecting a good cigar. On the upside, I really enjoyed the flavors here. They were deep, rich and right up my alley so that kept me interested the whole way though. Also, I’m happy that the touch ups did not ruin that flavors here either. All in all, I will be looking for more of these. I’m hoping the burn issues were restricted to the bunch I had because if you take that away, this would be a very tasty cigar!

Pairings:
Today we have another pick from Mill Street Brewery that I’ve also paired with before. I love supporting the local people and when it’s a darn good stout, I will keep supporting them! lol. The Cobblestone Stout is still fairly new to the stores but it seems to be selling quite well. It is a classic stout with lots of deep malty and smoky flavors and even a touch of coffee, but not too much. It’s got a ton of head when you pour it and a bit of a dry finish. I really liked how the rich flavors of the Ezra Zion Reagan. This would pair really well with anything deep and rich, such as a porter or even just a nice strong coffee.

The post Ezra Zion Reagan Honor Series appeared first on Cigar Reviews | Beer Pairings | Casas Fumando.

On the chopping block is the Habano wrapped version of the Espinosa Cigars La Zona. If the Espinosa name sounds familiar it’s probably because you heard about it from the EO Brands cigar label where Erik Espinosa and Eddie Ortega worked together to create some very popular lines. Espinosa Cigars is Erik fairly new project and the La Zona line is one of his first few blends.

The La Zona line currently comes in two flavors, a Connecticut and the Habano, they are also only available in two sizes, Super Toro and Robusto. The only noticeable difference between the two blends is a slightly different color on the bands. The Connecticut had a sort of lime green touch to it while the Habano is a bit more of a subtle brownish green.

The price on these cigars comes in well below $5 a stick. If you opt for the massive 80 count boxes, the price per stick can drop to nearly $3 each making this a very affordable stick to have in the humidor. Fans of Nicaraguan tobacco will also be happy to hear that the La Zona’s are Nicaraguan Puros and are also manufactured right in Esteli.

Despite a ton of snow we’ve been having, the weather is actually warming up a bit. I think Mother Nature in a bit confused… But I’ll take advantage of that as I enjoy some good cigars. So let’s just right in and see if the La Zona Habano is worth stocking up on in the Humidor.

Cigar: Espinosa Cigars La Zona Habano
Drink: Coffee
Vitola: Super Toro (6.5 x 54)
Wrapper: Nicaraguan Habano
Binder: Nicaraguan
Filler: Nicaraguan
Price: About $4
Burn Time: 1.5 hours

Construction:
• The medium brown color of the wrapper is accented with some golden touches
• Almost no veins on this slightly dry looking wrapper
• It also has a somewhat rough texture and lots of toothiness to it, just missing the oily spots
• I did notice a sort of green water spot right around the middle of the cigar
• After a small and easy cut, the draw is super open, pretty surprising since it’s such a long cigar
• There is a definite softness from cap to foot here, lots of give when I squeeze it a bit
• The foot looks to be decently packed and the cap is finished very cleanly

Burn:
• Toasting took a bit of time but it lit up nice and evenly
• Burn line has been a tad wavy but pretty good for the most part through the first third
• Through the first half, I had one minor touch up for a peninsula that was forming
• The La Zona Habano is burning at a good pace, not too fast and not too slow either
• A couple more touch ups as I get near the end, none were major issues, probably jsut me wanted to be a perfectionist! lol

Smoke & Ash:
• There is a fair bit of smoke off the start but a slightly open draw is making it tough
• The resting smoke is pretty minimal
• Ash is looking to be pretty clean and somewhat strong
• First ash got tapped off at about the one inch mark since it looked to be getting a bit wobbly
• A fair bit of smoke from each draw but it does take a few tries to get it all out
• The remaining ashes all stuck around the 1 inch mark pretty consistently
• Other than the dark spots from touch ups, the ash had a light and dark grey color to it

Tasting Notes:
• The wrapper has a deep cedar aroma to it with a touch of spice
• On the foot, I’m getting the same cedar and more spice to it, tickled my nose quite a bit
• Pre-light draw had a ton more cedar but much less spice here, a touch of sweetness here as well
• Initial flavors brought out more of the cedar but not as much spice right off the bat
• I found a touch of spice in the aftertaste and main flavors mostly dominated by some leather and woodsy notes
• I’m picking up some hints of creaminess but they don’t seem to be sticking around too long
• Body started off in the medium range and has been sticking there through the first half of the cigar
• The retrohale has a nice little spice bite to it and a bit more on the finish, with just a touch of creaminess in there
• I got a few coffee notes and a bit more creaminess towards the last half which kept it interesting
• No real harshness or bitterness right to the nub, allowing me to enjoy the whole cigar

Final Thoughts:
I have to say that both the Habano and Connecticut version of the La Zona cigar were a satisfying smoke. They are also quite different in their own regards. The Connecticut brought a surprising amount of spice to the table while the Habano had a more creamy and woodsy approach. For a $3 price tag, you are definitely getting your money’s worth on these cigars. Other than a couple minor touch ups, the whole burn was pretty darn good and the flavors were just enough to keep things interesting. I’d definitely consider buying a few more of each and for the price, you don’t feel bad to hand over a tasty and flavorful stick to a novice smoker either.

Pairings:
I went with plain old coffee for today’s review and it actually worked out really well. I don’t tend to pair with coffee quite enough and I’m not sure why, it definitely makes for a great pairing. Especially in the morning or early afternoon. I think a nice amber ale, maybe something oaked would make an awesome pairing here. Or possibly a light scotch as well.

The post Espinosa Cigars La Zona Habano appeared first on Cigar Reviews | Beer Pairings | Casas Fumando.

Now today we have a new blend from La Aurora called the Fernando Leon Family Reserva. Fernando León Asensio was the “Father” of La Aurora and passed away in 2009. This particular blend was actually made for personal consumption and reserved for friends and family only. To commemorate his father, Guillermo Leon decided to push out this special blend for the masses to enjoy.

The cigar comes wrapped in a very similar band to what the Guillermo Leon Signature had, only with a different color scheme. The lion logo still adorns the top middle of the band and instead of Guillermo’s signature, we have Fernando’s signature in gold print across the middle of the band.

The Fernando Leon Family Reserve comes in the same classic sizes as the Guillermo Leon. A Corona, Corona Gorda, Robusto, Belicoso and Gran Toro. For today’s review I’m picking up the Corona Gorda vitola, which is also becoming one of my favorites of all the vitolas lately. It turned out to be a warm(warm to me at least, it’s still only like 35F) afternoon with only a little bit of wind. So let’s get to it and see how this new cigar stands up!

Cigar: Fernando Leon Family Reserve
Drink: Wellington Breweries Imperial Russian Stout
Vitola: Corona Gorda (6 x 47)
Wrapper: Dominican Corojo
Binder: Dominican Corojo
Filler: Peruvian, Brazilian, Dominican
Price: About $8
Burn Time: 1.5 hours

Construction:
• The Fernando Leon Family Reserve has a rough, but soft, wrapper with a touch of toothiness to it
• There is a definite softness when squeezed from head to foot, pretty consistent the whole way through
• Looks to be a triple cap that is finished extremely smooth and well, blends right into the wrapper
• The foot has some small gaps, so it’s not too tightly packed
• Golden brown is the color of the wrapper, with some shiny hints of oil
• The cut was very easy and smooth leaving me with a perfectly sliced cap
• Draw was just perfect with enough resistance but not with too much

Yes, that is a big pile of snow! lol

Burn:
• Toasting was nice, even and slow with only the foot catching and leaving me with a nice amber to start off with
• No burn issues through the first third, razor sharp and thin burnline, just the way I like it!
• It’s also burning at a nice slow pace, allowing me to enjoy it slowly without burning out
• At about the half-way mark I hit a tunnel that ended up requiring a touch-up, now we’re off to the races again
• After that touch-up, we had smooth sailing right to the end, a very well constructed cigar!

Smoke & Ash:
• Right from the start I’m getting a nice mouthful of billowy smoke with very little effort
• The ash is nothing spectacular here, it’s a light grey and dark grey mix, it is nice and clean and string though
• The first ash made it to about an inch before I tapped it off
• The next couple of ashes both fell off at about a half-inch even though there were looking strong
• Smoke continues to be very full with very little effort on the draw
• The ashes continued looking strong but always seemed to fall unexpectedly or really shatter in the ashtray

Tasting Notes:
• The wrapper is giving off a sweet woodsy sort of aroma
• A little more boldness on the foot where the aroma is adding a bunch of spices like nutmeg
• Pre-light draw was a big kick of cedar with some touches of spice
• First few draws started with a small spice kick but that quickly disappeared
• I’m now left with a smooth and creamy cedar flavor backed by some light coffee notes
• Through the first third, the body seems to be in the medium range and I’m also getting some accents of nutty notes
• The retro-hale is giving me a nice little bite with a smooth creamy finish, nice touch
• Through the first half, the cedar and coffee notes are prime with a smooth creaminess to round it all out
• As I get into the last third, the coffee is ramping up a bit but sadly the nice creaminess has toned down a notch
• I’m also getting a little more of the early spices as we sneak into the last bit here
• The last inch or so turned into a bit of charred wood type of flavors, not off putting, but not as exciting as it was before
• The Fernando Leon finished with lots of wood and spice flavors and I was able to nub it happily

Final Thoughts:
I was a huge fan of the Guillermo Leon Signature so I was pretty excited when there was another cigar added to Guillermo’s lines. Now I can’t help but compare the Fernando Leon Family Reserve to the Signature and I feel it fell a little short. That’s not to say this was a bad cigar, it was actually quite tasty(minus the last part which got boring). I just felt that the Signature brought all the flavors together a little better and made it enjoyable from start to finish. I would probably pick up more of these up again in the future but if the Fernando Leon Family Reserve was right beside the Guillermo Leon Signature, I’d go with the signature every time. Maybe I’ll pick out some different vitolas as well to see if that changes the profile much. Either way I’m happy to see more additions the La Aurora line-up and I hope to see more coming up as well

Pairings:
Today’s beer is actually a pretty rare find for me up here. Most of the local breweries tend to stick to typical stouts and dark ales and rarely venture outside of that territory. Welling Breweries took a step outside the comfort zone and came out with an Imperial Russian Stout. This brew clocks in at 8% alc./vol. and has a dark and thick consistency with a very thick head as well. The flavors bring lots of coffee and cocoa notes, but one interesting thing was that I was actually picking up some citrus notes. That made for a very interesting brew and paired quite well with the spice that the Fernando Leon had to offer. I’d like to try this cigar with a nice strong coffee as well, maybe with a little cinnamon sprinkled in there!

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