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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

These were sent to us courtesy of our Friends over at Gran Habano. Kicking off as one of this year’s first new releases, Gran Habano is leading the way with one interesting looking, elegant stick. The following is the press release which pretty much sums up the cigar.

Miami, Fl., October 18, 2010 – Time has finally come for the limited production Gran Reserva #3 cigar by Gran Habano to be released into the public. Medium to full bodied in strength the Gran Reserva #3 was blended by George A. Rico using aged Nicaraguan and Columbian tobaccos from the Gran Habano farms.

Composition of the Gran Reserva #3 consists of an 8 year old wrapper and a 7 year old binder from our Nicaraguan farm “La Santa Cruz”. The filler is a mixture of 7 year old Nicaraguan from “La Santa Cruz” and 8 year old Columbian from our “La Joya del Valle” farm. The cigars were rolled in early 2008 and have been aging for the previous two years making the overall components about a decade old.

George A. Rico explains that “Being able to age the leaf and rolled cigars for such a long period of time has created a very rich, smooth, yet complex smoke.”

Gran Habano will release the new Gran Reserva #3 with a Churchill(7×50), Pyramid (6 1/8×52) and a Gran Robusto (6×54). Due to the long aging process and special tobaccos used only 1,200 boxes of each size will be released across the country. New packaging will also accompany the Gran Reserva #3 to help distinguish it from our original #3 release.

Pricing will remain affordable at $6.80 (Churchill), $6.90 (Gran Robusto), and $7.10 (Pyramid) – not including local taxes. Shipments are scheduled to reach retailers during the first week in November.

It’s been a while since I reviewed a “Pyramid” or belicoso stick, so that’s the size I chose for this one.

Prelight: Gran  Habano did an excellent job making this cigar look extremely elegant without being too over-the-top. The band is an off yellow with a nice diamond texture accompanied by gold and brass metallic accents and the Title “Gran Reserva #3 – Gran Habano – 2008” on the front as well as a much smaller stamp “by George A. Rico” on the back. The band leads into a full body cedar encasing with the black “Gran Reserva” print on it, polished off with a very small gold fabric foot band. After you take the cedar off the cigar you are presented with a very beautiful looking, oily as hell wrapper. The wrapper is absolutely gorgeous. It’s a very milky, lighter brown with a few darker spots closer to the foot. This is one oily cigar. The oils actually come off on the tips of your fingers as you handle the cigar. The cigar is very well constructed and consistant leading up to the tapered belicoso style cap. There are only very few, almost flat veins throughout the body of the cigar. The cigar is a bit soft to the touch, but carries no flaws or soft spots that I could find.

The wrapper lets loose a very potent cedar aroma with a natural tobacco scent barely shining through. The foot gives off much less cedar but more of a pungent tobacco and leather aroma. The Gran Reserva #3 clipped clean using my double bladed Palio cutter. The cold draw puts out this massively musky/fruity taste with bits of pepper on the aftertaste. Tons of flavor that one can only hope will transpire into the actual experience.

First Smoke: The first few puffs give way to just a crazy amount of earthy flavors. The backing flavors are that of fruit, like a plum or something, and a dash of cedar with a very slight pepper on the after taste. The draw is easy, plentiful, and kicks out a ton of thick smoke. The stationary smoke is pretty much non-existant which surprises me as usually the more oils the cigar has the more stationary smoke I get. Not true in the case of the Gran Reserva #3. The burnline is solid, and dead even leaving behind a near perfect, light grey, thick and well compacted ash. The ash held tight for almost 2 inches before falling.

Halfway There: The retrohale on the Reserva #3 is ridiculous. I don’t find myself retrohaling a cigar very often, but the fruity cedar that coats my nasal passage on the retrohale keeps me doing it over and over. The second third introduced me to just a plethora of flavors. Everything from a very strong and smooth cedar, light cocoa, leather, earth tones, fruit, and even a bit of clove and ginger. I know, that may be really reaching, but there are a ton of flavors in this stick that really keeps the smoker on their toes. I’m not feeling any nicotine at all at this point. So far this has been reather smooth and enjoyable experience all the way around.

Finish: After a flavor bomb of a second third, the final third gave way to a much milder, smoother experience. The main flavor is now just tons, and tons of sweet cedar backed by hints of fruit, and hints of clove. Very smooth, with no harshness built up at all. I smoked this guy all the way down to the nub without feeling even the slightest bit of nicotine. Surprising for a cigar of it’s size. The cigar burned rather slow, coming in at about an hour and fourty five minutes smoke time.  No touch-ups, no relight. The burnline and ash were perfect all the way through.

Overview: The first time I smoked this cigar I remember being disimpressed by the first half, then totally wowed by the third. This time, I see the first part of the experience as more of a smooth introduction to the powerful, and complex flavors of the second half before finishing off crisp and smooth. Robert from Gran Habano was in town not too long ago and I had a chance to enjoy a cigar with him. We didn’t talk shop a whole lot, but one thing he did mention was that this year the Ricos would by pushing out new, more daring, unsafe blends. Sometimes it takes risks to earn rewards and if the Gran Reserva #3 has anything to say about this next year and the new Gran Habano, they are in for great year. This is definitely a luxury cigar at less than a luxury price, and I can totally see this being in my regular rotation. Very box worthy and something you should give a go if you find them sitting on shelves.

Pairing: I paired this Gran Reserva #3 with a long time favorite, Pawvel Kwak. Kwak is a 8.10% Belgium beer brewed at the Brouwerij Bosteels brewery. Kwak is a very spicy, zesty, fruity amber colored beer. The upbeat flavors made a wonderful pairing and even helped pull some of the more complex flavors out of this cigar. This beer isn’t too easy to find, but if you see it be sure to do yourself the favor of picking it up. It pairs perfect with just about any cigar or meal. The cigar would also go great with tea, or sweet apple juice. Something sweet with just a bit of natural fruit.

So now the question is. How many of you readers would actually hunt for a cigar like this? I know Gran Habano isn’t like some other manufacturers that kick out limited releases left and right. Given a stable past, and the recent push to release more risky cigars, would Gran Habano be a manufacturer that you’d keep your eyes on this year?

The post Gran Habano Gran Reserva #3 appeared first on Cigar Reviews | Beer Pairings | Casas Fumando.

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

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

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

Image courtesy of Bruichladdich.com

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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The Garcia family is also involved in a variety of other cigar lines not under the My Father name.  Some examples include the Don Pepin Garcia line, the Jamie Garcia line, some Tatuaje cigars, the Ashton San Critobal line, El Rey De Los Habanos and many others.  He has also been the creator of a variety of house blended cigars for many different Brick & Mortar Cigar shops.  His son, Jaime Garcia, is just recently making a big splash in the cigar world with his original My Father cigar and the newer Jamie Garcia Reserva Especial.  Between these two gentlemen, there are a variety of great cigars attached to their name.  Aside from blending, the My Father Factory is also the home production facility of some other cigars such as the Nestor Miranda 1989 and the recently released Guillermo Leon line.

The My Father Le Bijou 1922 is blended by Don Pepin Garcia himself as a homage to his father.  The name “Le Bijou” means ‘The Jewel’ in French and the year 1922 is the year his father was born.  Don Pepin set out to make sure this was an excellent smoke worthy of his fathers name.  The wrapper used in this cigar is extremely rare and very difficult to grow.  The Pelo de Oro wrapper (commonly called Nicaraguan Habano Oscuro) is not common due to it’s sensitivity and has hardly ever been used for a large number of years.  It comes in asa lighter and creamier version of a traditional Oscuro.  Being a Nicaraguan Puro cigar, this Le Bijou 1922 is made completely of Nicaraguan tobacco.  Let’s see how this rare “Jewel” fares in today’s review.

Cigar: My Father Le Bijou 1922
Drink: Unibroue Maudite
Vitola: Toro (6 x 52)
Wrapper: Nicaraguan Habano Oscuro
Binder: Nicaraguan
Filler: Nicaraguan
Price: About $12
Burn Time: 1.75 hours

Construction:
• This cigar is instantly appealing to the eyes with it’s smooth oily appearance and a dark chocolate brown wrapper
• There are some visible medium sized veins but none that look threatening to the burning experience of this cigar
• It has a bit of give when squeezed slight but springs back quickly, there is also one spot near the head and one near the foot that is slightly softer
• The triple cap is very well applied, it’s clean and smooth and blends in extremely well
• The wrapper is very ornate and detailed, another eye appealing point on this fantastic looking cigar
• Cut was a little firm with my double bladed guillotine and produced a lot of flakes but still came out fairly clean

Burn:
• Toasting was fairly easy and even with my single flame culinary torch, the center was a little dark but glowed brightly after the first draw
• Some minor waving at the start but it has been razor sharp going into the half-way point here
• Staying lit effortlessly as well, not need to continuously draw to keep it going
• No issues right to the nub, the burn was razor sharp the whole way through

Smoke & Ash:
• Tons of smoke right from the initial draw
• A fair amount of resting smoke as well,  giving off what seems to be just a burning wood aroma
• The ash is nothing short of picture perfect, it’s clean round, no flaking and very light grey/almost white color
• Although it looks perfect it appears a little weak as the first ash fell off at around half an inch
• The second ash held on much longer, easily passing one inch
• The smoke machine did not let down, always a mouthful of smoke from each draw bringing with it all the great flavors

Tasting Notes:
• The wrapper has a grassy aroma to it and is complimented by some spicy notes, perhaps just a touch of pepper
• The foot has a creamy cocoa and woodsy aroma, there is less spice here but still a touch of nutmeg can be detected
• Pre-light draw is very woodsy and earthy with some pepper and nutmeg spice in the mix
• Initial draws are mostly cedar mixed with a white pepper spice and a smooth creamy finish
• The retrohale has no bite despite the spicy notes I’m getting, it’s very smooth and has the same creamy finish
• As I progress I’m getting some nice espresso notes and the spice is slowly fading
• The espresso notes are balancing just perfectly with the creaminess and the cedar
• I can’t emphasize enough how smooth and balanced the cigar is as I apporach the halfway mark, the finish is just right, not even a touch of dryness.  I could smoke this easily without a beverage!
• Just passed the halfway mark the spiciness came back, specifically some more white pepper
• The cedar notes also came bursting out again leaving the espresso behind but the wonderful smooth creamy finish is still lingering
• The retrohale also developed a little bite and the finish has a lot more cedar than before
• The cigar started off with a mild/medium body but as I near the last two inches it’s definitely approaching a medium/full with a touch of cocoa appearing now and then throughout the whole time
• There was almost no harshness built up all the way to the nub, definitely a nub-worthy cigar

Final Thoughts:
This was a very enjoyable cigar.  The My Father Le Bijou 1922 had lots of interesting flavors and they changed up frequently keeping my palate constantly searching for the new notes.  This is definitely the type of cigar you want to sit down and pay attention to in order to get it’s full experience.  All factors considered I don’t really have anything I can complain about, from the pre-smoke visuals right down to the nub there was nothing I can say I didn’t enjoy.  The one gripe if any about this cigar will be the price, it rings in at over $11 and that may turn away some customers but I have to say it is a worthwhile investment.  It may not make it into your regular rotation for some people but it’s definitely worth having some around.  The construction, dimensionality, flavors and smoothness all make it a great experience.

Pairings:
The Unibroue brewery from Quebec, Canada is quickly making it’s way to the top of my favorite breweries list.  I’ve said this before but their brews never disappoint.  I’ve included the La Fin du Monde by Unbroue in a previous pairing for the Arturo Fuente Hemingway Short Story.  The standard bottle size comes adorned with a gold foil wrapper top and an odd label with a demon and some people paddling a canoe in a red sky.  The flavors are incredibly complex bringing a variety of hoppiuness, bitterness, fruitiness, and even a slight floral note.  It is uniquely refermented on a yeast base and clocks in at 8% alc./vol.  It’s definitely worth trying and although not the best pairing here I think it actually added a layer of interesting flavors to this already complex cigar.  It may come as no surprise here but I think a Port would have been the perfect pairing for the cedar, spice and creamy notes of the Le Bijou 1922.  Other good pairings would include red wine, scotch, coffee or a dark soda.

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Gran Habano Corojo #5

This cigar came to me as part of a sampler pack at a recent herf. I’ve had a few Gran Habano cigars before but never reviewed one. Overall I’ve had good experiences with them. Gran Habano is made by the very experienced hands of Guillermo Rico, a third-generation premium cigar maker who’s leafs have touched the lines of Oliva and many premium leaf brokers in Tampa’s Ybor City. Guillermo operates out of Honduras and runs a successful business under the name of GR Tabaqueras Unida. The Gran Habano line long-filler and hand-made Honduran cigars began in 2003 with 5 cigars, the Corojo #5 being one of them. If you would like to read more about the Gran Habano line, Guillermo Rico, or GR Tabaqueras Unida, head over to www.ghcigars.com

Gran Habano Corojo #5

The Corojo #5 line is Gran Habano’s strongest blend with its rich and complex wrapper. This line is available in a variety of sizes ranging from Churchill down to Lunch Break (Petite Corona) with 8 other sizes in between. All offer a strong cigar full of flavor and spice. I found the Lunch Break to be a good intro to this line since the smaller vitola allowed the flavors of the wrapper to really shine through. It is also a great price point for an everyday full strength cigar.

Cigar: Gran Habano Corojo #5
Drink: King Brewery Dark Lager
Vitola: Lunch Break (Petite Corona) (4 x 40)
Wrapper: Nicaragua Habano
Binder: Nicaragua Habano
Filler: Nicaragua, Mexico, and Costa Rica
Price: $2.40
Burn Time: 1.5 hours

Construction:
• Nice and even diameter throughout
• Wrapper is dark brown with a slightly oily sheen to it
• Clean triple cap with a small pigtail
• Foot looks moderately packed
• Slightly soft but even firmness throughout with a quick spring back
• Some medium veins but none that look problematic
• Clean and easy cut
• Draw is perfect right off the start

Gran Habano Corojo #5

Burn:
• Toasting was a little uneven at first but straightened itself out
• Burn started off nice and even but started to canoe within a half-inch
• Began to fix itself soon after, I let it try before attempting to correct it
• Cigar made an awesome recovery and is back on track
• Burn was a little wavy throughout but usually corrected itself with a couple minor touch-ups here and there
• Felt like the cigar was rushing me a bit, had to give it a little extra attention
• Cigar went out once near the end but re-lit easily with no harshness

Gran Habano Corojo #5

Smoke & Ash:
• Tons of smoke off this little cigar
• Not too much resting smoke
• Ash is light gray but fairly weak
• Lots of flaking happening
• Although flaky and weak looking, ash held on past 1.5inches

Gran Habano Corojo #5

Tasting Notes:
• Wrapper smells slightly woodsy with a definite peppery spice
• Foot has the same woodsy aroma but much less spice to it
• Lots of pepper on the lips is evident right away
• Pre-light draw is mostly woodsy flavors with a bit of pepper
• Initial draws are earthy, woodsy and a bit of peppery spice
• Leaving a bit of dryness on the back of my throat
• Retrohale is surprisingly mild so far and smooth, just woodsy/cedar like flavors
• About two inches in, flavor hasn’t changed much but it has balanced out. The cedar came through and the spice took a backseat, although still there.
• Around the halfway mark I started tasting a toasted bread type of flavor
• Body has been mostly medium through the cigar
• Past the halfway mark, the retrohale started to get some bite to it, but still smooth
• As I burn through the last two inches, the peppery flavor has come back strong and is paired mainly with leathery type of flavor
• Body has ramped up to full at this point as well

Gran Habano Corojo #5

Final Thoughts:
Minus the few burn problems this was a great little cigar, especially considering the amazing price point. It offered a full bodied smoke with lots of flavor and spice to it. The variety of vitolas available will also satisfy any cigar enthusiast allowing them to choose their favorite. It surprised me that such a full bodied and inexpensive smoke had no harshness right down to the nub, even after re-lighting. The length of the burn time was also quite good for this vitola, coming in at 1.5 hours. The name might be a little misleading, I don’t get 1.5 hour lunch breaks! haha! I wouldn’t recommend this to novice cigar smokers as the body may be a little strong but would work very well as a mid-day or late day smoke for the veteran smoker. Definitely give this cigar a try, the peppery notes are not my favorite flavor profile but I did enjoy this particular blend as it wasn’t over powering and will be picking up more very soon. If you are also not a fan of peppery cigars, try a slightly larger ring guage which might bring the body down a bit.

Gran Habano Corojo #5

Pairings:
The beer I paired this with is a straight up Dark Lager, there’s nothing special to it and no flavors to it other than the normal malt/hop. It’s a decent no frills dark ale and fairly cheap. It’s also brewed very close to my house, about a 10min drive away and the only real local brewery to me. So although not my favorite dark beer, I like to support my local businesses and there’s something appealing to it’s straight forward flavoring at times. A dark beer paired fairly well with this cigar, some other choices for me would have been tawny port or scotch/cognac. They would have been even better matches to the body and flavor or this cigar. Some strong coffee or sweet tea could have also made a good match.

Gran Habano Corojo #5 and King Brewery Dark Lager

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Illusione ~mk~

The particular cigar up for review today is the Illusione ~mk~ The Teaching Machine. This particular cigar has a very interesting back story. Here’s a little excerpt from the Illusion site:

Project MKULTRA was a government experiment in creating “zombie soldiers” if you will, through experimentation with LSD and subconscious suggestion when under the influence. MKULTRA was also referred to as the “teaching machine.” The classic corona size is the teaching machine vitola. It is the perfect vehicle for delivery of flavor, if the blend is right.

Needless to say, this cigar did not disappoint. Let me point out to skeptics now, do not underestimate this cigars flavor and complexity based on its smaller vitola. As Dion’s description perfectly says, “It is the perfect vehicle for delivery of flavor”.

Illusione ~mk~

Cigar: Illusione ~mk~ The Teaching Machine
Drink: Diet Dr. Pepper / Water
Vitola: Petit Corona (5.125 x 42)
Wrapper: Nicaragua Café Colorado
Binder: Nicaragua
Filler: Nicaragua
Price: Gifted from Tony – Thanks! (Sells for about $6.50)
Burn Time: About 1 hour

Construction:
• Medium brown in color
• One medium sized vein, shouldn’t cause problems
• Even and symmetrical throughout with a good spring to it
• Very clean triple cap
• Foot looks well packed

Burn:
• Very easy and even toasting
• Staying lit easily, no extra attention required
• Razor sharp and even burn throughout the cigar, no issues
• No complaints at all in this department

Illusione ~mk~

Illusione ~mk~

Illusione ~mk~

Pairings:
The complexity of this cigar deserves a good pairing that doesn’t over power the delicate balance of flavors here. I’d probably recommend something as simple as water for this cigar. I started off with Diet Dr. Pepper and switched to my backup bottle of water that I always keep handy. I found the cigar had more than enough flavors that the soda was taking away from the cigar, water made my enjoyment go way up. Definitely seek out a very mild pairing with this cigar. I think most alcoholic beverages will drown out the flavors too much to enjoy, but you could try a mild red wine.

Illusione ~mk~

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The cigar I am talking about is Drew Estate’s Ambrosia – Kaya.

Drew Estate Ambrosia Kaya

The Good Stuff: Jonathan Drew, the founder and production director of Drew Estate is known for his remarkable ability to stretch cigar infusions to new, never before heard of lengths. From the ACID lines, to the coffee infused Tabak Especial lines, no other cigar manufacturer can parallel Drew Estate. The ambrosia line is no exception. These cigars are a VERY complex mixture of the rarest spices from South Asia, and Europe infused with aged Honduran and Nicaraguan tobacco grown at the Drew Estate farm in Esteli Nicaragua. It is said that these infused cigars are in fact the toughest blends produced by Drew Estate to date.

Size: 4 x 38  –  Strength: Full Bodied  –  Wrapper: Colorado Claro  –  Country: Nicaragua

Prelight: The first thing you notice about this cigar is its small size. Don’t let that fool you, this is one powerhouse cigar and packs a MASSIVE punch. The Kaya would be best classified as the “ACID Bondie” of the Ambrosia line. It’s comparable shade, wrapper, size, and cut are hard to overlook. Along with the round cap this cigar carries with it a small, entwined end. Although it looks a bit silly, I’m sure because of the size of this cigar it is necessary in order to protect against unwrapping. The Kaya is a very consistent cigar, it shows no visible veins, and absolutely no soft spots, and a very loose wrapping. As soon as you remove the cellophane you are engulfed with a massive clove scent, along with several spice, and botanical hints.

First Smoke: HOLY CRAP!! That about sums it up. This tiny little cigar produces the largest draw I have ever hit off of any cigar. HUGE clouds of very thick smoke. The flavor is much the same. The first flavor to hit the pallet is clove, followed closely by nutmeg, and even a bit of Cinnamon. The taste may be a bit over-powering, but that is the way I like it. Because of the cigars small stature I don’t foresee burning to be an issue, it’s going very even at this point. The cigar is VERY strong but overall smooth.

Halfway There: At this point this cigar is still a beast. The only downfall is due to it loose wrapping the sucker is burning QUICK. You may want to carry another one with you. The flavors continue to pound the pallet leaving the smoking craving more. The draw is even thicker as you progress and the burn is impeccable. I got almost halfway through the cigar before it finally ashed off. The cigar is still VERY strong at this point, but it is not bothersome in the least. It actually makes the draw quite creamy.

Finish: Incredibly this cigar has yet to loose its strength, its draw, or its powerful flavor. I really wish I had take another one with me as this cigar went much too fast (about 35 minutes). I smoked this one passed the nub, passed the danger zone, and all the way down until I could no longer hold the guy without burning my fingertips.

Overview: This is one hell of a cigar. I would consider it again, any day, anytime. It is VERY similar to the acid line in smoke, and quality. The main difference will be these taste. ACID cigars are pretty flavorful as is, most non-aromatic smokers despise them and should stay as far away from this cigar as possible. But any aromatic or ACID friendly smoker NEEDS to pick a couple of these up wherever they happen to find them available.

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