Our expansion in the bundle business was a decision we did not take lightly. Bundles aren’t glamorous and the efficiency required to produce them effectively is not easily reached, which is why there aren’t a ton of entrants innovating in the value priced space. This is long overdue for Drew Estate, and when we reached the production scale required to compete we knew we wanted to do what we do, and disrupt the space with an innovative, deep value line of quality smokes for a broad set of thrifty individuals

There are currently four blends available in the Factory Smokes by Drew Estate line to include Factory Smoke Sweets, Factory Smokes Maduro, Factory Smokes Shade, and Factor Smokes Sun Grown. Each blend is available in the same four vitolas: Robusto (5 by 54), Toro (6 by 52), Belicoso (6 by 54), and Churchill (7 by 50). Packaged in bundles of 25, Factory Smokes will run you less than $2 a stick. 

You can purchase the Factory Smoke by Drew Estate from our good friends at Famous Smoke Shop.

THE FACTS

Price: $42.50/Bundle of 25
Vitola: Toro
Size:6 by 52
Wrapper: Maduro
Binder: Indonesian
Filler: Indonesian
Smoke Time: 1 Hour and 30 Minutes

PRE-LIGHT

The Factory Smokes Maduro is dressed in a rough looking Maduro leaf that is full of bumps, raised veins, and a rough tooth. As I gently press down the dry-feeling cigar, I find the cigar to be somewhat spongy. 

As I bring the wrapper to my nose, there is an aroma is of wet earth, raisins, artificial grape, and wood. A warm cedar smell is found on the foot of the cigar. The (ugly) cap cuts with ease opening up a draw with just the right amount of resistance. Apple cider, cinnamon, and cedar come across on the cold draw with only a faint spice heat in the mouth.

FIRST THIRD

The Factory Smokes Maduro opens with an earthy and gritty profile with an underlying cocoa flavor and mild pepper spice. The cocoa sits on the finish of the smoke. In typical Drew Estate fashion, this cigar is pumping out a copious amount of smoke as the cigar burns along evenly. A brilliant white ash forms that drops short of an inch. 

MIDDLE THIRD

With the second third underway, the profile remains earthy but is now showing a good amount of pepper. The flavors are medium and meatier than before. Slowly moving the smoke through my sinuses, I find the retro-hale surprisingly smooth even though the pepper flavor is dominant. 

FINAL THIRD

A new yeast flavor is pushing forward in the profile that is holding ground with the earth and pepper. There is now a decent amount of spice in the profile warming the palate. In line with the other two thirds, the burn is right on.

WRAP-UP

The Factory Smokes Maduro is certainly not a “glamorous” smoke with its rustic appearance and unrefined profile. But there wasn’t anything not to like about this smoke. Crazy low price, excellent burn and ash, and a profile that hits the spot. I know I will be grabbing a few bundles of these to fill up the humidor to light up while working in the yard, fishing for some Walleye, or camping with some friends.

The post Factory Smokes Maduro by Drew Estate appeared first on Cigar Reviews | Beer Pairings | Casas Fumando.

The Good Stuff:

Ever since Matt Booth made a reappearance in the cigar industry waves have been created. Farce is his newest offering making it’s debut earlier this year as a pre-release in the Phoenix, Arizona market before a full release this month. Produced at the Tabacalera William Ventura factory the Farce starts out with an Ecuadorian wrapper over an Indonesian binder packed with filler tobaccos from the Dominican Republic, Nicaragua and Pennsylvania. The cigar is offered in five different sizes: Papi Chulo (4 x 42), Robusto (5 x 52), Toro ( 6 1/4 x 54), Gordo (6 1/2 x 60), and Lonsdale (6 1/2 x 42) which all come packaged in sets of 20. As for the prices I am unsure of most of the formats, but the Toro I am reviewing today comes in at $10.79 a stick. Fox Cigar Bar was kind enough to send a few of these our way for review and were one of the very few select retailers who were chosen to host the pre-release.

Size: 6 1/4 x 54
Wrapper: Ecuadorian
Binder: Indonesian
Filler: Dominican / Nicaraguan / Pennsylvanian
Body: Medium/Full
Strength: Medium/Full
Price: $10.79
Pairing: Saint Arnold’s Bishop Barrel 20 (Dubbel 8.5% ABV)

Prelight:

The Room 101 Farce starts out with a beautiful smooth, silky, consistently-colored medium brown wrapper. The only discoloration is a few darker areas around the foot of the cigar. The cigar’s texture is very smooth with a good amount of oil. While the wrapper feels very thin and delicate the cigar as a whole is very heavy and tightly packed. The wrapper carries a few smaller veins leading from through the cigar’s thick body up to it’s round, triple-wrapped cap. The cigar is polished off with a simple white pre-release band with Room 101, Farce, and Pre-Release written across the front. 

The wrapper on the Room 101 Farce gives off a bold cedar and spiced aroma while the foot of the cigar smells much sweeter with notes of cinnamon, plum, and natural tobacco. The cap cut clean and easily using my Xikar XO double bladed cutter. The cold draw is very oaty/grainy with notes of cedar, plum, and lots of spice.

First Third:

The Room 101 Farce starts out with some nice subtle black pepper notes backed by bold spice, cedar, honey, musk and really subtle floral notes that seem to come and go. The draw is brilliant as each small puff releases a good amount of thick white smoke which dissipates pretty quickly while the cigar itself releases only a trace amount of thin stationary smoke as it rests in my ashtray. The burn line is dead even and razor thin leaving behind a trail of very tightly compacted light gray ash which held one or an inch before giving way. 

Second Third:

Into the second third of the Room 101 Farce and the flavors are incredible. The cigar is leading with musk and honey backed by spice, brown sugar, natural tobacco, soft pine, and a great floral flavor that keeps peeking in and out. I really dig the flavor profile on this cigar and it’s not one you encounter very often. The retrohale really helps bring out the spice as well as the floral flavors. The cigar is still burning beautifully and I close out the second third with only a tiny little nicotine kick.

Finish:

Into the final third of the Room 101 Farce and the cigar is really ramping up in both Body and Strength. For a majority of the experience the cigar sat in the higher medium range, but is now cresting the top of medium/full. The flavor profile still leads with a ton of spice and cedar backed my a mix of vanilla, honey, pine, cashew and even a bit of the pepper that quickly left the experience in the first few puffs. The cigar took me two hours to take down to the nub and I experience absolutely no harshness nor extended heat but I am certainly feeling quite more of the nicotine effects that I anticipated going into this smoke. 

Overview:

I loved everything about the Room 101 Farce. To me, it seemed like the cigar was trying to take everything that is wonderful about milder cigars but with more body and strength. Using Pennsylvania filler was something I haven’t seen done too often before and the result was awesome. The cigar had a flavor profile that was different than any cigars I have had in my recent memory. This cigar is perfect for any seasoned cigar smoker looking for something different, and any novice looking for a bolder premium smoke that won’t break the bank. 

Pairing:

Saint Arnold’s Bishop’s Barrell 20 is a Sorachi Ace Dubbel Aged in Red Wine Barrels with Brettanomyces and Raspberries brewed at the Saint Arnold’s brewery in Houston, Texas. Coming in at 8.5% this beer leads with very heavy raspberry, tartness, caramel, sweetness, honey, and a bit of hop with a very light mouthfeel before finishing with even more raspberry, honey, herbal tea, and caramel. It’s a perfect mix before a sour and and Belgian dubbel and married up with some of the flavors in the Room 101 Farce beautifully while added an extra layer of fruit complexity. I’d pair this cigar with an Belgian Dubbel or Tripel, Double bock, or some sweetened iced tea. 

The post Room 101 Farce appeared first on Cigar Reviews | Beer Pairings | Casas Fumando.

The Good Stuff:

Boofy is back! Mr. Matt Booth caught everyone by surprised when he announced he was stepping away from the cigar industry earlier this year. Then once again, he surprised everyone by announcing he was back only this time he teamed up with one of the hottest names in today’s cigar industry, Robert Caldwell and Caldwell cigars. Together Caldwell and Booth plan on releasing two different blends this year. The first of which, the Hit and Run, is what we’ll be taking a look at today. Produced at Ecuadorian Habano in the Dominican Republic the Hit and Run features an Ecuadorian Habano wrapper, Indonesian Binder, and Dominican filler. Caldwell prides itself on using rare and vintage tobaccos in each of their blends so I can only assume this goes the same with the Hit and Run. The cigar is featured in five sizes: Corona (6 x 46), Almost Robusto (4 3/4 x 52), Super Toro (6 x 54), Piramide (6 x 50), and the Perfecto (5 1/8 x 60 – You can read Jeff’s review of that format here). Each come packaged in boxes of 10 and run between $10.50 and $13.25 a stick with only 100,000 total cigars being produced. We got our over from our good friends at Fox Cigar Bar in Gilbert, Arizona. In case you haven’t heard they recently opened up their online store and already have one of the best selections out there. You can view the store here, shop Caldwell here, and check out this specific cigar here.

Size: 6 x 50
Wrapper: Ecuadorian Habano
Binder: Indonesian
Filler: Dominican Republic
Body: Medium/Full
Strength: Medium
Price: $12.89
Pairing: Insurgente Xocoveza (Imperial Stout 8.1% ABV)

Prelight

The Hit and Run starts out with a gorgeously consistent medium brown wrapper that almost has a gold sheen to it. The wrapper is covered in thick oils and a small amount of grit. There are a few larger veins running through the cigar’s body but nothing too concerning. The cigar as a whole feels well packed, but not overdone while the wrapper feels very thin and delicate. I didn’t squeeze around too much cause of that, however there were no soft spots to be found from the foot to the tapered torpedo style cap. The Hit and Run sports a manilla band with the Room 101 style flower on the front embossed in gold as well as a secondary band with the word “101” across the front.

The wrapper on the Hit and Run gives off some strong oak aroma while the foot of the cigar releases much more natural tobacco/earthy scents. The cap cut clean and like butter using my Xikar XO double bladed cutter. The Hit and Run produces a ton of plum, oak, and sweetness on the cold draw. I’m surprised how much fruit is in here and really hope it translates into the smoking experience.

First Third:

The hit and run starts out with some very mild spice before transitioning into some deep oaky goodness mixed with the plum I was hoping to find, some soft sweetness, and honey over a natural tobacco-led makeup. As I smoked more into the cigar a nice vanilla begins to creep in. The draw as fantastic and each little puff kicks out a huge cloud of thick white smoke which doesn’t hang around for very long while the cigar itself releases a standard amount of stationary smoke as it rests in my ashtray. The burn line is razor thin, and dead even leaving behind a trail of medium to light gray ash which was compacted enough to hold on for a inch before falling into my ashtray.

Second Third:

As I venture into the second third of the Hit and Run the dominant flavor is still the oak, backed by vanilla, honey, and some great cinnamon and coconut. It sounds like it tastes like some Hawaiian mikshake but add those flavors onto some natural tobacco and you’ll get the idea. The retrohale really helps bring out some of the spice that is buried deep within the smoke and its mild enough to retrohale quite often. I close out the second third with no nicotine kick, only a whole lot of happiness.

Finish:

All through the Hit and Run experience the cigar has been in the Medium range, but the body has really ramped up here in the final third throwing it steadily in the medium/full range now. The oak still leads the charge backed by the vanilla in strong second while the other flavors have really been holding their own. Lots of honey, cinnamon and earthy flavors with some subtle spice and citrus. This has really been a hell of a flavor profile. It took me two hours to smoke the Hit and Run down to the nub and I loved every second of it. There was no harshness, nor extended heat as I closed out the cigar with almost no nicotine kick at all.

Overview:

Without hesitation I can easily say The Hit and Run is one of the better cigars I have smoked all year. While keeping a mild temperament this cigar almost hit the full mark in body and that’s not something you encounter everyday. It’s as complex as it needs to be, without having to put too much thought into what you’re smoking. It kept me on my toes and never once had me asking for more. The price point is where you would expect it to be, and the limited availability makes it a hot commodity which will sell out very fast. So again, get yours from Fox Cigar Bar while you can.

Pairing:

This particular Xocoveza is not to be confused with Stone’s Xocoveza. This is the Mexican brewery Insurgente’s version of the beer. They partnered up with Stone to create their version of the Imperial Milk stout brewed with Cocoa, Coffee, Peppers, Vanilla, Cinnamon and Nutmeg. Yes, all that is in this beer and it’s incredible. All in all this version is a lot smoother, and tamer than Stone’s version. The beer leads off with cocoa and malt with sweet milk, vanilla, and cinnamon and a very light mouthfeel before finishing very sweet with more milk chocolate, vanilla, and just a dash of pepper. This is such a clean beer. It’s almost like driving a hard chocolate milk. It’s easy to see why I chose something so smooth to go down with the Hit and Run and it paired perfectly.

Giveaway:

Hooray! Another Giveaway! That’s right, we teamed up with the folks over at Fox Cigar Bar once again to deliver you guys some great cigars! This round we’ll be giving away a 5 pack of the Caldwell/Matt Booth Hit and Run we featured above. How to enter? Same as always. Hit the rafflecopter widget below and get this entries in. We’ll randomly choose a winner next Monday (October 2nd). Must be 21 and over, and live in the continental US.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

The post Hit and Run by Matt Booth and Robert Caldwell + Giveaway! appeared first on Cigar Reviews | Beer Pairings | Casas Fumando.

-Tony

When Matt Booth of Room 101 fame announced his departure from the cigar business earlier this year, I didn’t think that he would reappear so quickly, but that he has, with not just one, but two new cigars.  The first to be released is the Hit and Run, in collaboration with Robert Caldwell, whose Caldwell brand has become a hit with serious cigar smokers.  The second line, called The Truth, is due out this month, and is a creation of Booth, Caldwell, and AJ Fernandez.  According to Cigar Aficionado,:

Booth plans on producing only 100,00 cigars from each brand (200,000 total) and is uncertain as to whether they will be produced in limited quantities afterward or if these are true one-and-done, limited-edition cigars.

‘We’ll see what the future brings,’ he said. ‘For now, this is what it is.’

Produced at Tabacalera William Ventura in the Dominican Republic, Hit and Run comes in five sizes: Almost Robusto 4¾ x 52, Corona 6 x 46, Super Toro 6 x 54, Piramide 6 x 50, and Perfecto 5⅛ x 60.  Coming in boxes of 10, prices run from $10.50 to $13.25.

I obtained a handful of the Hit and Run from our friends at Cuenca Cigars.

The Basics:

Wrapper: Ecuadorian Habano
Binder: Indonesian
Filler: Dominican Republic
Size: Perfecto 5⅛ x 60
Price: $13.25
Smoking time: One hour, fifteen minutes
Pairing: Boneyard Notorious IPA3 (ABV 11.5%)

Pre-light:

The Hit and Run Perfecto is nicely presented in a dark tan wrapper that is mostly uniform in color, save for very slightly darker portions at the foot and cap.  While most of the wrapper carries a very slight sheen, the darker areas appear to be a little glossier.  A few fine veins are apparent on the fine-toothed surface, and the pack of the Perfecto is solid.  There is a little “glitch” where one of the small veins hits the edge of the seam, which you may see in the photos, but I don’t anticipate that to be more than a superficial problem.  The main band has a Japanese-style floral mon (emblem) motif, with muted earth tones and gold on a cream-white background, a gold border, and “LTD” and “2017” also in gold.  The secondary band sports a stylized “101” in white on a gold backdrop, and together, they coordinate well with the wrapper color.  Taking a sniff of the wrapper, I pick up a vegetal earthiness, while I have a difficult time getting much more than natural tobacco from the small open area of the foot.  After clipping the cap, the Hit and Run gives up a draw that is a little snug, most likely due to the narrow opening of the foot, and gives up a nice sweet floral spice flavor.

First third:

The Hit and Run Perfecto gets off to a rather surprisingly mild start, with earth and oak on top of a natural tobacco base.  Pepper is pretty much nonexistent, even in the incredibly  smooth retrohale that features a light citrusy sweetness.  The burn line is, for the most part, sharp and even, leaving a trail of solid light gray ash.  As the cigar progresses into the wider portion of the perfecto shape, the flavors deepen, turning more savory with a bit of saltiness, as leather and toast appear on the retrohale.

Middle third:

As the Hit and Run reaches its widest point, it is still maxing out at a very smooth high-mild to low-medium body, but with enjoyably rich flavor.  A floral element, along with the slightest bit of char, has joined in to contribute a nice accent t the experience.  The ash has lasted for nearly half the length of the cigar before falling into my ashtray, and a hint of musk has also come into play, while the saltiness has exited.

Final third:

The Hit and Run enters its final narrowing section with a bump up in sweetness, while maintaining its enjoyable smoothness.  Although the info available on the tobaccos used in this cigar sound rather generic, it’s no secret that Robert Caldwell typically incorporates a number of well-aged and rare tobaccos in his blends, and I wouldn’t be surprised if those used in this cigar fall into that category.  Either the Hit and Run has suddenly ramped up in strength, or the high ABV of the beer has finally gotten to me, but I’m definitely feeling some effect – probably a little of both.  The char has become a little more pronounced, but mixes well with all of the other flavors.  With a little over an inch to go, a subtle bite finally shows up in the retrohale.  The Hit and Run smokes cool and firm, and with absolutely no harshness down to the nub, winding up at medium in both body and strength.

Final thoughts:

I smoked four of the five vitolas of the Hit and Run and enjoyed them all (still have the Piramide to go) and would love to have any of them on hand for a relaxing smoke, although this was probably the mildest of the ones I had.  The construction and burn on all of them was exemplary, and the flavors and smoothness of the smoke were definitely satisfying.  Lovers of big peppery smokes would most likely be a little disappointed by the lack of bombast, but the elegance of the Hit and Run is something that I found gratifying.  The price may be a little bit more than I’m usually comfortable with, but I can’t argue that it is worth it, especially when you take into consideration that it is – at least for now – a limited run stick.  If you’re a fan of rich and smooth mild to medium bodied cigars, I highly recommend picking up a few to try out while you can.

I now eagerly anticipate getting my hands on the Booth/Caldwell/Fernandez creation, “The Truth”.

Pairing:

I thought that I would take a chance on this pairing.  The triple (!) IPA Notorious from Bend, Oregon brewer Boneyard is an extremely rich and hoppy brew with a whopping 11.5% ABV, but I felt that the Hit and Run had enough stuffing to stand up to it.  Plus, I had this half-growler for a couple of weeks and needed to drink it up. J  Displaying big ripe orange and tropical fruit and resiny dank hop on a fairly heavy nectar-like body that easily counters the bitterness of the huge hop presence, the Notorious is a lush mouthful of beer goodness that will surprisingly go very well with a number of cigars and not just full-bodied sticks.  The only downer with the Boneyard Notorious is that it is a limited seasonal offering available only on tap.  It matched up beautifully with the Hit and Run, despite what might seem to be an overload of hops and big flavors, but the cigar held its own against the voluptuousness of the beer.  As with the beer’s versatility, the Hit and Run will also pair up well with a variety of beers such as a DIPA or Belgian Tripel, fruity bourbon, a Scotch that is low in smoky peat, or Irish whisky.

~Jeff Oda

The post Hit and Run by Matt Booth & Robert Caldwell appeared first on Cigar Reviews | Beer Pairings | Casas Fumando.

The Good Stuff:

Drew Estate’s Pappy Van Winkle Tradition is the second release from the Drew Estate/Pappy partnership and made it’s debut at this year’s IPCPR show in Las Vegas. This extremely limited cigar can only be purchased at Drew Diplomat retailers. The Drew Estate press release carried a hefty amount of information on the cigar:

From Kentucky, Julian Van Winkle President of Old Rip Van Winkle Distillery, “I was invited to Cigar Aficionado’s A Night to Remember by Jonathan Drew in 2016 and was presented with a non-banded, wooden box of cigars with white bands on it that just read “Exclusively for my Friend Julian by Willy Herrera Sincerely Jonathan Drew”. I loved this blend because of its balance, shortly thereafter, my family and I visited La Gran Fabrica Drew Estate in Nicaragua and I smoked the same blend most of the trip. By the end, I knew this would be the Pappy Van Winkle Tradition.”

Drew Estate is honored to represent the Van Winkle Family with an ultra-premium cigar that reinforces the legacy for one of America’s true living icons, Julian Van Winkle. The Pappy Van Winkle Tradition features an Ecuadorian Habano Oscuro wrapper, Indonesian Binder and aged fillers from Nicaragua and Dominican Republic. From his Wynwood Safehouse, Jonathan Drew President and Founder of Drew Estate notes, “The Pappy Van Winkle Tradition features an ultra-complex combination of extensively aged fillers from Nicaragua and the Dominican Republic that are blanketed with a flawless Ecuadorian Habano Oscuro wrapper. Availability is limited. I am humbled to extend the Drew and Van Winkle friendship, time tested honor, and craftsmanship to Drew Diplomat Humidors across the United States.”

The Drew Estate Pappy Van Winkle Tradition will be offered in seven different sizes: Coronita (4 x 46), Robusto Grande (5.5 x 54), Toro (6 x 50), Belicoso Fino (5 x 50), Churchill (7 x 48), Lonsdale (6.5 x 44), and Corona (5.5 x 44). All except the Lonsdale and Corona come packaged in boxes of 10 running between $14.60 and $25 a stick. The Churchill can only be purchased at Drew Diplomat Spirits Retailers. Both the Lonsdale and Corona are not of sale. The Lonsdale  can only be obtained at Drew Diplomat Reward Events in October, November, and December 2017. The Corona can only be obtained personally from Jonathan Drew or Julian Van Winkle. Fox Cigar Bar, a Drew Diplomat retailer, was kind enough to send a few of these our way for review. In case you haven’t heard they recently launched a complete cigar shopping experience on their site! You can check them out and place your orders here. Tell them we sent ya! They should have these in stock as soon as they are released.

Size: 6 x 50
Wrapper: Ecuadorian Habano Oscuro
Binder: Indonesian
Filler: Nicaraguan / Dominican Republic
Body: Medium/Full
Strength: Medium
Price: $24
Pairing: Goose Island Bourbon County Regal Rye 2015 (Imperial Stout 13.2% ABV)

Prelight:

The Drew Estate Pappy Van Winkle Tradition starts with a gorgeous looking medium/dark brown wrapper. The color is consistent for the most part with small splotches of darker brown scattered throughout the wrapper’s natural webbing in the tobacco leaf. The texture on the wrapper is decently toothy with a bit of grit and a whole mess of oils. The cigar actually leaves a little residue behind as I hold it to examine it. The body of the cigar carries some very mild veins as the wrapper leaf is laid seamlessly over itself leading up to the cigars round, double-wrapped cap. The wrapper feels a bit thing and delicate so I didn’t play with the cigar too much, but it feels firm for the most part with no real signs of soft spots. The cigar is polished off with a red, gold, and white band featuring Pappy Van Winkle’s iconic crest in the front, as well as a secondary band with the word “Tradition” across the front of it.

The wrapper on Drew Estate’s Pappy Van Winkle Tradition gives off some pungent musk, oak, and sweetness while the foot of the cigar carries a bit of dirt, spice, and natural tobacco aromas. The cap cut clean and easily using my Xikar XO double bladed cutter. The cold draw produces some soft spice and pepper over honey, grain, and natural tobacco.

First Third:

The Drew Estate Pappy Van Winkle Tradition starts out with a very natural-forward flavor profile full of honey, spice, oak, earthiness, some soft black pepper, and just a hint of cherry. I am really digging the starting profile of this bad boy. The draw is absolutely perfect as each tiny puff kicks out a huge cloud of thick, white smoke while the cigar pours out stationary smoke like a chimney as it rests in my ashtray. The burn line is razor thin, and dead even leaving behind a very tightly compacted trail of white, and light gray ash which held on just over an inch before giving way.

Second Third:

Into the second third of the Drew Estate Pappy Bank Winkle and the flavors have remained consistent for the most part. The spice, honey, and oak lead the charged backed by earthiness, cherry, and even slight hints of pine. The beer I decided to pair with really helps bring out the sweetness and oak. The retrohale is phenomenal as it coats my nasal passage with straight up honey and oak and I find myself doing it more often than any cigar in my recent memory. The burn line is rock solid as I close out the second third with nothing in terms of a nicotine kick.

Finish:

In the final third of the Drew Estate Pappy Van Winkle Tradition the cigar really takes off. It’s strange saying that as the cigar has been stellar up until this point, but this is the sweet-sport of an already glowing cigar. The cigar has now reach the Medium/Full bodied point and the flavors really start to surround the oak. Oak forward backed by honey, pine, cherry, sweetness, musk, earthiness and natural tobacco. It took me 2 hours to smoke this cigar down to the very tip of the nub. My hands were burning, while my heart was burning for more. I experience no harshness, no extra heat, and only the slightest of a nicotine kick.

Overview:

Its no secret that I have been a longtime fan of Willy Herrera’s blends, and in all honesty I think the Pappy Van Winkle Tradition is right up towards the top of my favorite cigars that he has made. The flavors are solid, meticulous, complex, and so well balanced without hitting you in the face. That’s something I have always been able to appreciate with his blends and why he fits right in and Drew Estate. The Pappy Van Winkle is an exclusive, limited, and expensive cigar which fits right in with the Pappy branding. In all honesty, I think this cigar is worth the coin. I dropped so much money on the La Palina Goldies and I can easily see myself buying a box of the Traditions as well. If you find them, buy them. They won’t be around for very long. Again, hit Fox Cigar bar for yours. They should be releasing soon.

Pairing:

By now I think that we are all aware of the incredible Bourbon County Brand Stout produced annually, released on Black Friday by Goose Island Brewing in Chicago, Illinois. The Regal Rye variant is the same Imperial Stout, coming in at 13.2% ABV aged in Rye Barrels with Blackberries, Candied Cherries, and Sea Salt Added. The result is a boozy, sweet, sticky, tart, flavor profile with lots of berry, malt, bourbon, oak, and chocolate with an extremely heavy mouthfeel before finishing with more sweetness, tart berry, malt, vanilla, and chocolate. As the beer warms more and more of the berry and booze sneak out. This beer is fantastic and easily one of my favorite variants yet. The beer really helped bring out the cherry, oak, and sweetness in the cigar without overpowering it.

Giveaway:

Anyone who has been following our blog for sometime now knows that we have a very strong relationship with Fox Cigar bar in Arizona. Fox Cigar has two locations, one in Gilbert, and the other in Scottsdale. While Jeremy and I make sure to stop in and stock up on cigars whenever we are in town, Fox recently launched a full-on mail order cigar and accessory site. To celebrate, we teamed up with Fox to bring you one hell of a contest! Big thanks goes out to them for sending all these goods our way, to give to you. Up for grabs is:

Drew Estate Ashtray
Liga Privada No. 9 fitted Hat
Liga Privada No. 9 Cutter
Liga Privada L40 Lancero – review here
Liga Privada Dirty Rat – review here
Liga Privada Velvet Rat – review here
My Father Jaime Garcia Reserva Especial The Fox – review here

The giveaway will run between now, and Monday, August 21st when the winner will be announced. It’s a quick one so get on it ASAP! You can enter using the widget below. Must be 21 and over, and located in the US only. Good luck!

The post Drew Estate Pappy Van Winkle Tradition + RARE LIGA PRIVADA GIVEAWAY appeared first on Cigar Reviews | Beer Pairings | Casas Fumando.

The Good Stuff:

This past year Nick Melillo and Foundation Cigar Company released quite a few new blends at the IPCPR show in Las Vegas. 2 of those blends are the value-based blends called the “Charter Oak”. The Charter Oak line features two different blends. We already looked at the Connecticut Broadleaf version, so this week we are concentrating not he Connecticut Shade version.

The Foundation Cigar Company’s website has a good amount of detail on the project:

 “I wanted to choose a name that represents the greatest symbol of my home state of Connecticut, the Charter Oak.” – Nicholas Melillo” 

Foundation Cigar President Nick Melillo announces the completion of his newest brand, Charter Oak, set for release at the 2016 IPCPR Show in Las Vegas.

Charter Oak also pays tribute to Melillo’s grandfather, who while earning a modest salary working for the Winchester Repeating Arms factory after WWII, smoked exclusively, broadleaf cigars manufactured by FD Graves on State St, while, no joke, Rick Ardito’s grandfather, a guard at Winchester, also smoked FD Graves biggest selling broadleaf, Muniemakers.

“I wanted to create an economy-minded, everyday smoke for connoisseurs; something tasty and delicious but didn’t break the bank”, says Melillo.

Charter Oak Cigars hail from the same fertile valley in Connecticut that Master Tobacco Blender Nick R Agua aka Nick Melillo was born and raised. Charter Oak Cigars feature some of the most prized and sought after Cuban seed leaf varieties from the exquisite Esteli and Jalapa regions of Nicaragua. The cigars are then wrapped in either a silky, beautiful Connecticut Shade wrapper or a hearty and rich Connecticut Broadleaf wrapper, leaving you with the perfect every day and every occasion cigar.

As for the brand’s signature graphic, historians estimate that this unusually large Oak tree began growing sometime during the 12th century on a plot located on what is now downtown Hartford. Native Americans, who by the way cultivated tobacco nearby long before settlers, held councils beneath its massive branches. The tree is actually mentioned in Dutch Explorer, Adrian Block’s journey guidebook in 1608. By the mid 1600’s the plot was parceled and a farm was built with the agreement that the local tribe could share this sacred tree. In 1662 King Charles II issued a Royal Charter to the Connecticut Colony granting an unusual degree of autonomy. However, when his successor, James II appointed an English Governor-General to reclaim the Charter, it was hidden in what became known as Charter Oak, one of our countries greatest symbols of American Independence.

The Charter Oak Shade features a Connecticut Shade wrapper, Indonesian binder, and Nicaraguan filler. Both of the Charter Oak versions are produced at the Tabacalera Fernandez S.A. factory in Nicaragua. Both blends come packaged in boxes of 20 which feature 5 formats: Petite Corona (5 1/4 x 42), Rothschild (4 1/2 x 50), Lonsdale ( 6 1/4 x 46), Toro (6 x 52), Grande (6 x 60) ranging between $4.80 and $5.80 a stick. I purchased a handful of these over from our friends over at Smoke Inn.

Size: 6 x 52
Wrapper: Connecticut Shade
Binder: Indonesian
Filler: Nicaraguan
Body: Medium/Full
Strength: Medium
Price: $5.50
Pairing: Brouwerij Huyghe Delirium Argentum (Belgian IPA 7% ABV)

Prelight:

The Charter Oak Shade starts out with a very light, almost orangish-brown wrapper that’s incredibly consistent in color from the cap down to the foot. The cigar’s texture is silky smooth with a good amount of oil and almost no tooth while the wrapper feels extremely thin and delicate. The cigar as a whole its packed perfectly and there are no soft spots located throughout the cigar. There are a few smaller veins running the course of the cigar’s body up to the round triple wrapped cap. The cigar also features a covered foot where the wrapper is laid carefully over the exposed filler tobacco at the foot of the cigar. The cigar is polished off with the same manilla and black Charter Oak Band that we found on the Maduro version.

The wrapper on the Charter oak gives off a good amount of honey and cashew aromas while the foot of the cigar carries some cedar, honey, and dirtiness. The cap cut very clean and like butter using my Xikar double bladed cutter. The cold draw produces some soft honey, sweetness, soft spice, and a ton of cedar with other natural tobacco flavors.

First Third:

The Charter Oak Shade started out with a huge pepper blast that completely caught me off guard. After the pepper began to fade out a bit I was greeted with some great cedar, honey, and spice with a great floral and piney aftertaste. I wasn’t expecting this cigar to start off in the medium/full range, but it did. The draw is fantastic. Each puff kicks out a desirable amount of thick white smoke while the Charter Oak gives off a good amount of stationary smoke as it rests in my ashtray. The burn line is pretty rough with quite a few waves and one large crevice that is burning much faster than the rest of the cigar. I haven’t had to reach for my lighter yet so I’m ok with that. The ash left behind is very dark and very flaky. It only held on for a little over a half inch before falling in my ashtray.

Second Third:

The pepper has completed it’s exit in the Charter Oak Shade’s flavor profile and all the flavors have really began to simmer down while the cigar falls solidly into the medium-body range. The main flavor is still the sweet honey and cedar backed by floral, cashew, very light spice and a real subtle creamed coffee. The retrohale helps add a bit to the body as it still carries some of the pepper with a good amount of cedar. The burn line has really started to clean itself up without any extra attention from my torch. I close out the second third of the Carter Oak with no signs of any nicotine at all. A note, the ash if very light and flaky on this cigar and fell more often then expecting. That’s not a bad thing, and changes almost nothing with the experience. Just something to keep in mind if you’re wearing black pants like I was.

Finish:

As I venture into the final third of the Charter Oak Shade, not much has changed. The flavor profile still carried much of the cedar, honey and cashew with a bit of natural tobacco flavors, but that’s about it. Everything else has really dropped out. The burn line completely corrected itself and I never one had to touch up the cigar despite the issues at the start. It took me an hour and a half to take this cigar down to the nub. I experienced no harshness at all, not an extra heat build up however, a bit of sap/tar began to build up toward the very end of the experience so it didn’t really bother me as I was just about to put the cigar down anyhow.

Overview:

I’ve been very big on a lot of the new-style Shade cigars released lately and hoped that the Charter Oak would be the next hit on my list. While I enjoyed the cigar, and can find myself going back to it, it seemed like it was just missing something after the incredible flavors in the first third. After the first third the flavors just kind of fizzled out. It wasn’t a bad cigar by any means, I think I just got a bit excited and then was slowly let down a bit. Maybe a smaller ring gauge will help solve that issue. I plan on trying a few of those out then returning to this review. Either way, for the price, this is a great cigar to have around for this times you’re craving a milder smoke.

Pairing:

Delirium Argentum is a limited edition 7% ABV IPA brewed only once in 2014 by the Brouwerij Huyghe brewery in Belgium. One thing I have always loved about Belgian IPAs is they keep the bitterness while introducing a much more malty, sweeter flavor profile with less hops. Not that I don’t love me some hops, but Belgian IPAs usually make for much better cigar pairings since you aren’t overwhelmed by them. The Argentum leads with a great malty character with lots of sweetness, pear, and citrus with some slight hop and a very light mouthfeel before finishing crisp with more citrus and hop over a ton of malt and sweetness. This pairing was incredible and actually really helped add a bit of the missing elements to the cigar itself.

The post Foundation Cigar Company Charter Oak Shade appeared first on Cigar Reviews | Beer Pairings | Casas Fumando.

The Good Stuff:

The Crux Sports made it’s debut at the 2014 IPCPR show and was scheduled to be released later that year. Due to production restraints Jeff Huagen and Joel Rogers (Owners of Crux Cigars and Tobacco Grove in Maple Grove Minnesota) had to hold the release back until earlier this year. The idea behind the sports is to create a “short cigar” that produces a similar experience to a standard premium cigar, only in a shorter time period. These cigars are then marketed to “Celebrate your Victories”. Produced at the Placencia factory in Nicaragua the Crux Sports carries a Jalapan Habano wrapper, Indonesian Binder and Nicaraguan fillers. The cigar comes in a single 4.625 x 35 format and is packaged in boxes of 30 with six individually wrapped 5-count soft packs in each running $3.75 a cigar. Thanks goes out to the Crux Team for sending these our way for review.

Size: 4.625 x 35
Wrapper: Jalapa Habano
Binder: Indonesian
Filler: Nicaraguan
Body: Medium
Strength: Medium
Price: $3.75
Pairing: St. Julian Gunga-Din Cider (5.2% ABV)

Prelight:

The Crux Sports starts out with a dark brown wrapper that has many orange, darker brown, and lighter brown areas scattered throughout. The texture is smooth, with some slight oil, as well as some slight tooth in areas further away from the cap. The cigar is very light, and somewhat spongy throughout. The wrapper carries a few small veins leading up to the cigar’s tiny round double cap. The Crux Sports is polished off with a very simple gray and red band which carries the Crux crest along with the word “Sports” embossed which white ink.

The wrapper on the Crux Sports gives off almost no aroma at all. I was able to reach deep and picked up only some very slight earthiness. The foot of the cigar is mild as well, but it carried more aroma starting with some spot spice, and ending with some interesting grassy scents. The cap cut clean and easily using my Palio double bladed cutter. The cold draw produces a great mixture of sweetness and spice with some great cedar aftertastes.

First Half:

The Crux Sports caught me off guard starting out with a whole mess of black/cayenne pepper. The first puff or two put me back in my seat. After the first few puffs the pepper started to settle down and the cigar showcased some great brown sugar, cedar, musk, and soft fruit flavors. I was impressed with the amount of flavor this cigar starts out with the first time I smoked it and I’m still impressed with it today. The draw on the Crux Sports is fantastic. Each tiny puff kicks out a great deal of thick white smoke while the cigar gives off very little stationary smoke as it rests in my ashtray. The burn line has one deep wave, but it’s not too concerning at this point since the rest of the burn line is razor thin and dead even as it leaves behind a beautiful trail of tightly compacted bright white ash.

Second Half:

As I venture into the second half of the Crux Sports the flavors have really started to blend together and become a nice, medium-bodied mixture. The cigar now leads with great spice and a decent amount of sweetness which meshes into the cedar/butter flavors hidden underneath. The retrohale adds much more spice to the experience, but pepper as well and I honestly enjoyed the less-peppery version of the cigar that I’ve been experiencing. The burn line has completely corrected itself and burned flawlessly down to the nub. It took me about 50 minutes to smoke this cigar down to the very end of the nub. I closed it out with absolutely no harshness and surprisingly no extra heat.

Overview:

I’ve been a big fan on Crux Cigars, and the Sports is just another great addition to an already solid portfolio. I’m huge on short cigars, and smoke them a few times a week so having more options for great quick-smokes is always something I look forward too. The flavors are bold at the start and really mellow out as you continue to smoke the cigar resulting in a really relaxing experience. The burn was great, and the price is perfect. I would put the Sports above the Skeeterz, and just below the Passport Petite Coronas. This is box-worthy for sure and I can see myself adding these to my regular quick-smoke rotation alongside the Passport, Tatuaje Verocu 5, Tatuaje Petite Cazadores, Drew Estate Liga Privada Papas Fritas, and Illusione Epernay Le Petit.

Pairing:

This isn’t the first time I’ve paired with a cider. I think it’s the hot, spring/summer weather that makes me crave them from time to time. In the spirit of this cigar celebrating your victories I went out and threw down a 4.5 hour solo skate session before coming home to relax, and write up this review. The cider really helped in adding a more refreshing take on my after-skate routine. Gunga-Din is a hard apple cider brewed at the St. Julian winery in Michigan. You guessed it, Jeremy was kind enough to bring this beverage down for me in his recent visit. The Gunga-Din Cigar starts out dry with modest pear and apple flavors and a bit of sweetness with a very thin mouthfeel before finishing incredible sweet with lots of sugar, pear, and crisp green apple. This pairing was actually one of the better ones I have had of late. The cider meshed in well with the spices in the Crux Sports while it really helped lift up the sweetness in the cigar. I’ve often talked about how I love to smoke cigars with apple juice, and often neglect apple juice’s more alcoholic partner.

The post Crux Cigars Sports appeared first on Cigar Reviews | Beer Pairings | Casas Fumando.

Primer Lote 770 is produced in Honduras in three vitolas: Burgundy – Robusto (4 ¾ by 54), Bordeaux – Toro (5 ¾ by 54) and Beaujolais – Belicoso ( 6 by 52).   Some literature received with the samples gave some background on the stick:

Unique and special, Primer Lote are first-run, small batches made from exclusive bales of newly acquired limited availability tobaccos. Now, for the first time ever, we have decided to make these limited quantity cigars available to you. Each box is hand-stamped with the special lot number for each batch. Pimer Lote are some of the rarest first-batch tobaccos out there: don’t miss the chance to experience these outstanding cigars….while you can.

 The Facts

Samples provided by Mike’s Cigars
Price: $7.70
Vitola: Beaujolais – Belicoso
Size: 6 by 52
Wrapper: Nicaraguan
Binder: Indonesian and Nicaraguan
Filler: Nicaraguan
Smoke Time: 1 Hour and 35 Minutes.
Drink: Water

Pre-light

The Nicaraguan wrapper on the Primer Lote 770 is oily, veiny, and bumpy  The oils can be felt on the tips of my finger as I examine the cigar for soft spots. The traditional red band with white lettering and gold embossment stands out against the dark tan, oragnish wrapper leaf. The lot number is contained on the secondary band that has a less traditional appeal but works well with the cigar. I don’t know why, but I like it.

The wrapper carries aromas of sweet tobacco and pungent barnyard, while thick notes of chocolate and rich cedar are picked up on the foot of the cigar. The chocolate is similar to a chocolate pudding. Clipping away a quarter inch of the pointed cap opens up a wonderful draw. The sweet tobacco, chocolate, and cedar are accentuated on the cold draw, along with exotic, chai tea spices.

First Third

Removing the foot band and taking my time evenly lighting the 52 ring gauge Primer Lote 770, the cigar is underway. The cigar begins with a pepper spice that is common in Nicaraguan tobacco but not something that I find in most Romeo y Julieta lines. The smoke moves across the palate smoothly but leaves a small itch at the back of the throat. As the pepper tones down, I note some cedar and grassy flavors, accompanied by a mild sweetness that is rounding out the profile. Jumping back and forth from wavy to even, the burn-line can’t make up its mind. But as long as a touch-up is not needed, I am not bothered by it. The ash is firm holding up to an inch and a half.

Middle Third

Other than the pepper in the first third, the flavors were rather bright, but, as I make my way into the second third, the profile transitions to darker flavors of earth and coffee. The sweetness evolved into chocolate and the cigar continues to build in richness with some clove joining in. The finish is of coffee and cocoa that sits heavy on the palate. At the thirty minute mark, I finally had to touch-up a portion of the wrapper. Things are back in-line and are going well. The pepper comes across sharp and the clove is showcased on the retrohale.

Final Third

Each third thus far has been characterized by distinct flavor profiles and the final third is beginning no differently. As smoke enter my mouth, rich cedar, clove, and sweet tobacco notes meet my palate. The earthyness that arrived in the middle third has become deisel-like on the finish. A sip of water every few puffs is needed to offset the richness of the cigar.

Wrap-up

During my past visits to the local tobacconist, it was rare for me to grab any Atladis U.S.A cigars even though their product took up a quarter of the humidor. Beginning with the Romeo Y Julieta RyJ in 2013, followed by The Banker by H. Upmann a few months ago, and now the Romeo y Julieta Primer Lote 770, my perception of Altadis U.S.A. is changing. The Primer Lote 770 delivered a good performance with medium flavors. But what  made this Mike’s Cigars exclusive unique was the distinct flavor profiles in each third. For a price under $8, this cigar falls right into the sweet-spot. Heck, a fiver can be had for under $30. Finally, a big “THANKS” to Mike’s Cigars for providing the samples for review.

The post Romeo Y Julieta Primer Lote 770, a Mike’s Cigars Exclusive appeared first on Cigar Reviews | Beer Pairings | Casas Fumando.

The Riot is produced in the Dominican Republic under the watchful eyes of Jose Dominguez, owner and master blender at Victor Sinclair. If you have spent anytime on the major online cigar retail sites, you are probably familiar with the products produced at the factory. The Riot is value-priced and is available in three vitolas: ‘45’ Robusto (4 ½ by 54), ‘55’ Toro (5 ½ by 54) and ‘65’ Grande Toro (6 ½ by 52).

According to StogieBoys.com:

Riot is a 5 country blend, sporting top quality long filler tobaccos from 5 different countries…Impeccably blended and handmade in the Dominican Republic, Riot delivers smooth, warm flavor without the bite of typical medium-full bodied cigars.  The No-Cut Cap on the Riot cigars is a crowd pleaser too.  The only premium cigar like it, this one requires no cutter. Simply pinch the end and the cap pops open for a perfect opening every time!

The Facts

Samples provided by StogieBoys.com
Price: $4.50
Vitola: ‘55’ Toro
Size: 5 ½ by 54
Wrapper: Mexican San Andres Maduro
Binder: Indonesian Sumatra
Filler: Brazilian Matafina, Pennsylvanian Broadleaf, and Dominican Piloto
Smoke Time: 1 Hour and 30 Minutes
Drink: Water

Pre-light

The StogieBoys Riot is dressed in a Mexican San Andres leaf that is very dark brown with an oily sheen. Small veins are all over the place and a fair share of bumps can be found, but the cigar lacks the amount of tooth I usually find on San Andres wrappers. Bringing the cigar to my nose, I am greeted with a wonderful aroma of thick honey and faint barnyard. And it gets only better as I check the foot of the cigar.

The honey is accompanied by big notes of chocolate and rich cedar. This has to be one of the most pleasing prelight aromas of I ever come across. The cigar comes to an end in a very unique style cap referred to as a “No-Cut Cap”. The cap is very similar to the cap on the Chisel by La Flor Dominicana. Pinching with a bit of force, the cap splits perfectly clean across allowing a decent to draw. The richness is really showing off on the cold draw with a potpourri-like spice and woodsy notes. Removing the ribbon foot band with ease, this cigar is ready to be lit.

 First Third

As I toasted the foot, a small half inch cracked formed at the head of the cigar. It does not look like it will be problematic at this point. The Riot is opening up much more full than expected. A mild honey sweetness hits the front of my palate, followed by deeper flavors of coffee and black pepper spice. The spice comes across sharp on the retrohale but not harsh. Coffee and pepper linger on the palate for a decent amount of time between draws. At the one inch mark, the sweetness has really gained ground. Smoke is pumping out of the Riot at rest and a decent amount of smoke is produced with each draw. The burn has been a bit concerning from the start and it is finally time to bust out the lighter. 

Middle Third

Pulling into the middle third, things are going real well with the Riot. The pepper has toned down, a common maduro sweetness and coffee are holding strong, and leather notes have entered the mix. After the touch-up early on, the Riot has been burning evenly with an edgy line. The pepper has been shifting in intensity throughout the smoke, and a toasted quality has arrived. Placing the head of the cigar vertically in the mouth and lightly biting down on the cap opens up the draw immensely. I am finding that repeating this every 10 to 15 minutes really helps.

Final Third

Relaxation is washing over me as the strength has picked up to the low side of full. The coffee and leather are at the forefront of the profile pushing the sweetness to the back. But the profile remains well-balanced. The finish of the smoke is of toasted notes and dry cocoa. The burn is off mark with one side burning considerably faster than the other. One more quick touch-up.  

Wrap-up

In the last couple of months I have burned through 5 or 6 Riots. Each one presented a decent draw, a somewhat wacky burn-line, and solid, enjoyable flavors. The flavors have been consistent in each of the  samples and sizes. The medium/full flavors and strength fit me just right. For a price under $5, the Riot is a cigar that is under-priced and well worth the coin. Make your way over to StogieBoys.com and order up a fiver. The StogieBoys Riot won’t break the bank and you won’t be disappointed.

Contest

We are giving away a 20 count box of 6 1/2 by 52 Riot Cigars by StogieBoys. This contest starts Friday, September  26th and will run through the end of day, Thursday, October 9th. To enter, use the widget below. One winner will be chosen at random using Rafflecopter. We will notify and post the winner October 10th. You must live in the US and be at least 18 years of age.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

The post StogieBoys Riot Cigar Review and Box Giveaway! appeared first on Cigar Reviews | Beer Pairings | Casas Fumando.

The Good Stuff: If you read yesterday’s review, or the one I posted on Monday, this information may be a bit redundant. Feel free to skip through it and get to the meat of the review if you wish. If you didn’t read yesterday’s review, don’t forget to check it out as I took a look at the Ninfamaniac Dark and the Ninfamaniac on Monday. Crux Cigars is a new cigar Company owned by Joel Rogers and Jeff Haugen, owners of Tobacco Grove in Maple Grove Minnesota as well as Armored Humidor Systems. If you haven’t heard of them yet, you will. Be sure to follow them on twitter, Facebook, and their website to receive the latest updates on their line as they are due to start hitting shops in the coming month. Anyhow, Crux is starting out with two, strangely named, strangely sized line releases. The Ninfamaniac, which will come in both natural and dark sports a rare ninfa vitola (7 x 33), while the Skeeterz carries a non-traditional size as well (4 x 32). While the sizes may seem a bit strange, especially with the smaller ring gauges, I welcome them with open arms. I’ve always been a fan of smaller ring gauges and really don’t like the industries lean toward larger ring gauged cigars lately. The Ninfamaniac, Skeeterz, and the future blends (Passport, Classic, and Bull & Bear) are all manufactured by Plasencia Cigars S.A. in Nicaragua. The Skeeterz will come only in the purito size, packaged in boxes of 40, and will run only $2.99 a stick. It carries a Nicaraguan Jalapa Habano wrapper, an Indonesian binder, and Nicaraguan Habano fillers. I’m a big fan of the box packaging. Included is the press release on the Ninfamaniac’s and the Skeeterz:

Size: 4 x 32
Wrapper: Jalapa Nicaraguan Habano
Binder: Indonesian
Filler: Nicaraguan Habano
Strength: Medium/Full
Body: Medium/Full
Price: $2.99
Pairing: Uinta Brewing Company Dubhe (Black Imperial IPA 9.2% ABV)

Prelight: Sticking with a bit of a non-traditional size once again, the boys over at Crux Cigars chose a tiny purito vitola for the Skeeterz. I love 4 inch cigars as I tend to smoke on my short 30 minute commute home so this size isn’t necessarily new ground for me. The wrapper on the Skeeterz is really toothy and a medium brown with orange and darker splotches throughout. There is a few what looks to be larger veins (not really larger, they are normal size but the small stature of the cigar make them look huge) and some nice webbing in the leaf. The short, slender body is capped off with a nice round double cap. The Skeeterz appearance in a word is rustic polished off with a simple red band with the word “Skeeterz” in white with a light yellow “S” behind it.

The wrapper on the cigar gives off some sweet spice and coffee while the foot of the cigar gave off a really natural, grassy aroma. The cap cut very clean and very easily using my Palio double bladed cutter. The cold draw produces a grassy, dirt type flavor with bits of spice mixed in.

First Half: (Due to the short size of this cigar I am going to split it up into halves vs. my normal thirds). Lighting up the Skeeterz took almost no effort from my single flame torch lighter. The Skeeterz started out with a nice black pepper flavor which quickly transcended into a strong spice with hints of grass, dirt, tobacco and cocoa. The draw on the Skeeterz is so awesome. Every little puff kicks out mouthful after mouthful of thick, white smoke. The burnline is razor sharp, and dead even. The ash left behind is pretty compact and medium gray in color. Like the Ninfamaniac, you need to be weary of the ash on this cigar. It’s not very dense so it tends to fall off when you least expect it. It lasted about a half inch in my case before falling into my ashtray.

Second Half: Halfway through the Skeeterz and much of the flavor profile has remained the same. A slight bit of black pepper, just enough to tease my lips, lots of spice, dirty, and grass mixed with cocoa and even some caramel that slipped its way through. The retrohale is coated with sharp spice and pepper. A bit too rough to do often. The draw on this cigar is so perfect, pumping out tons of smoke. The burnline was perfect the whole time and never needed any extra attention from my lighter. All in all it took me only about 45 minutes to smoke this down to the nub. Remember, this is a very small ring gauge so smoking this cigar too fast can easily cause heat or harshness to build up if you are not careful. Luckily for me, the finished was creamy and smooth all the way down to the nub. I felt absolutely nothing in the nicotine department.

Overview: This is another great cigar from the guys over at Crux. While I don’t think it’s as flavorful or complex as the Ninfamaniac series, at $2.99 a stick it’s pretty hard to turn down. Plus, it serves a different purpose by being such a quick smoke. I could totally see myself buying a big batch of these and enjoying them while driving home, taking a quick break, or just about any other event where a short, flavorful smoke is required.

Pairing: Uinta Brewing Company’s Dubhe is a beer full of all sorts of awesome. First of all, it’s a black IPA. We don’t see much of that. Secondly, it’s a black Imperial IPA meaning it’s rocking a ABV of 9.2%. Thirdly, it’s brewed by Uinta. I haven’t had a beer from them I haven’t enjoyed.  Dubhe is actually brewed with hemp. In case you haven’t had a beer brewed with hemp it basically adds this extra layer of natural, herbal/dirt flavor for the mixture. I thought of this almost instantly when I lit up my first Skeeterz and I knew that it would pair wonderfully with it, and it did. Dubhe also carries a whole ton of malty notes over some sharp grapefruit and citrus with a hoppy finish. The citrus and grapefruit really added to the cigar while the maltiness balanced it all out.

The post Crux Cigars Skeeterz Prerelease Cigar Review appeared first on Cigar Reviews | Beer Pairings | Casas Fumando.

The Good Stuff: If you read yesterday’s review, this information may be a bit redundant. Feel free to skip through it and get to the meat of the review if you wish. If you didn’t read yesterday’s review, don’t forget to check it out as I took a look at the natural version of the Ninfamaniac. Crux Cigars is a new cigar Company owned by Joel Rogers and Jeff Haugen, owners of Tobacco Grove in Maple Grove Minnesota as well as Armored Humidor Systems. If you haven’t heard of them yet, you will. Be sure to follow them on twitter, Facebook, and their website to receive the latest updates on their line as they are due to start hitting shops in the coming month. Anyhow, Crux is starting out with two, strangely named, strangely sized line releases. The Ninfamaniac, which will come in both natural and dark sports a rare ninfa vitola (7 x 33), while the Skeeterz carries a non-traditional size as well (4 x 32). While the sizes may seem a bit strange, especially with the smaller ring gauges, I welcome them with open arms. I’ve always been a fan of smaller ring gauges and really don’t like the industries lean toward larger ring gauged cigars lately. The Ninfamaniac, Skeeterz, and the future blends (Passport, Classic, and Bull & Bear) are all manufactured by Plasencia Cigars S.A. in Nicaragua. The Ninfamaniac Dark will come only in the ninfa size, packaged in boxes of 30, and will run only $5.99 a stick. It carries a Nicaraguan Jalapa Sun Grown wrapper, an Indonesian binder, and viso fillers from Esteli. I’m a big fan of the box packaging. Included is the press release on the Ninfamaniac’s and the Skeeterz:

If all goes well I am aiming to have a review of the Ninfamaniac up yesterday, the Ninfamaniac Dark today and the Skeeterz on Wednesday.

Size: 7 x 33 Ninfa
Wrapper: Jalapa Nicaraguan Sungrown
Binder: Indonesian
Filler: Nicaraguan Viso
Strength: Medium/Full
Body: Medium/Full
Price: $5.99
Pairing: Water. I only smoked one of the Ninfamaniac Dark and I didn’t want to muddy up the flavor profile.

Prelight: As previously stated, the Ninfa vitola isn’t one we see very often, but I wish we would. The Ninfamaniac Dark is a very dark, very thin, double tapered head cigar. It’s shaped a lot like crochet needles. The Ninfamaniac Dark’s wrapper is incredibly darker than the natural. The wrapper is as dark as brown gets with some almost black splotches scattered throughout. The wrapper feels a bit delicate, but is laid seamlessly thorough the entire body of the cigar. The tobacco leaf is a bit more toothy than the natural version. The Ninfamaniac Dark starts out with a very sharp, pointy, enclosed foot which leads you through a very long, very slender body up to an identical pointy, tapered, enclosed cap. The Ninfamaniac Dark sports and identical band to the natural side bearing the same little fairy vixen thing. The only different is the band is a shade of darker brown and it carries the word “DARK” printed next to the little nymph.

The wrapper on the Ninfamaniac dark gives off a sharp spice, sweetness, and tobacco aroma. Since the foot is closed the foot carries much of the same aromas. The cap cut like butter using my Palio double bladed cutter. The cold draw was incredibly tight, again, due to the enclosed cap. I couldn’t pull any air through it, but I did get a nice spice from the wrapper on my lips.

First Smoke: The Ninfamaniac Dark started out with a nice pepper greeting which quickly faded into a very sharp spice. I also picked up lots of cedar, leather, molasses and some great sweetness that I didn’t quite get from the natural version of the cigar. The draw on this cigar was perfect right off the bat. Every little puff kicked out a nice cloud of thick white smoke. I figured the burn line would be a bit hairy due to the enclosed, tapered foot, but it started out razor sharp and burned like a champ. The ash is tightly compacted, but don’t let that fool you. It will fall off when you least expect it due to the small ring gauge. The first ash held on only for about a half of an inch before falling into my ashtray.

Halfway There: Into the second third of the Ninfamaniac Dark and the cigar is rocking hard. Seriously, this thing is a flavor bomb. I think that the Dark has the edge over the Natural when it comes to the amount of flavor it pumps out. The cigar leads with some strong spice, and strong cedar with a whole lot of sweetness. There is also some great dark chocolate, berry, and natural tobacco. The retrohale is awesome coating my nasal passage with lots of sharp cedar and spice. The burn line has been rock-solid through the second third and I am feeling absolutely nothing when it comes to nicotine.

Finish: Into the final third of the Ninfamaniac Dark and it’s still just killing it. I’d hate to over-hype a cigar, but damn this thing is good. The dark chocolate and berry have completely taken over the flavor profile while the spice, sweetness, and cedar are still all in the mix with some slight coffee aftertaste. Again, take your time while you are smoking this cigar. Since the ring gauge is so thin you can easily cause the cigar to burn to fast producing a lot of heat and harshness if you aren’t careful. It took me a little over an hour to take this one down and I enjoyed every second of it. I experienced absolutely no harshness and actually took this bad boy down until my fingers could no longer hold onto the nub without catching on fire.

Overview: The differences between the Ninfamaniac and the Ninfamaniac Dark are pretty evident. The Ninfamaniac had some great floral and citrus notes that the Dark did not have, while the Dark carries a lot of sweetness and berry that the natural version did not. Both carried a great amount of flavor, but the Dark took the trophy in that department too by having a bit of a bolder profile. If I had to choose between the two, I’d take the Dark in a heartbeat. But that doesn’t really eliminate the natural version. I just think the flavor profile matched more of what I personally look for in a cigar. Both of them are exceptional cigars with an absolutely unique experience in size, taste, and packaging. Plus, at $5.99 a stick you absolutely cannot go wrong. Pick a few of both of them up. Hell, pick a lot of both of them up.

As I stated in the notes, The same people who started Crux Cigars also started a company called Armored Humidor Systems. Basically, they make some damn good travel style humidors ranging from sporty 6 count, to the bulky 24 count. Their humidors come in different sizes, colors, prints, and shapes. Here is a quick excerpt from their site:

Armored Humidor Travel Humidor Systems are known for their durability. They are able to take such a beating that we call them “indestructible”. Toss it into your car, boat, golf bag, or backpack and don’t worry about the travel humidor or your cigars being destroyed.

The most unique characteristic of the Armored Humidor Travel Humidor is the protection of each cigar in it’s own individual compartment. The models differ in size and capacity, but they all utilize the full profile foam trays which hold the cigars. These trays are made of a soft foam designed in such a manner that no cigar touches another cigar. This method of protection provides your cigars the ultimate environment to assure freshness.

The folks at Crux actually sent over the samples packed in one of these humidors. Each compartment of the humidor has strong rubber padding surrounding each side which is something that I have never seen before adding a completely new layer of protection. The sport style I have also has a pressure release system which you don’t find on most of the smaller travel humidors on the market which makes flying much easier. Anywho, enough of that. Check them out yourself. I’m pretty sure their products speak for themselves.

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The Good Stuff: Crux Cigars is a new cigar Company owned by Joel Rogers and Jeff Haugen, owners of Tobacco Grove in Maple Grove Minnesota as well as Armored Humidor Systems. If you haven’t heard of them yet, you will. Be sure to follow them on twitter, Facebook, and their website to receive the latest updates on their line as they are due to start hitting shops in the coming month. Anyhow, Crux is starting out with two, strangely named, strangely sized line releases. The Ninfamaniac, which will come in both natural and dark sports a rare ninfa vitola (7 x 33), while the Skeeterz carries a non-traditional size as well (4 x 32). While the sizes may seem a bit strange, especially with the smaller ring gauges, I welcome them with open arms. I’ve always been a fan of smaller ring gauges and really don’t like the industries lean toward larger ring gauged cigars lately. The Ninfamaniac, Skeeterz, and the future blends (Passport, Classic, and Bull & Bear) are all manufactured by Plasencia Cigars S.A. in Nicaragua. The Ninfamaniac will come only in the ninfa size, packaged in boxes of 30, and will run only $5.99 a stick. It carries a Nicaraguan Jalapa Habano wrapper, an Indonesian binder, and viso fillers from Esteli. I’m a big fan of the box packaging. Included is the press release on the Ninfamaniac’s and the Skeeterz:

If all goes well I am aiming to have a review of the Ninfamaniac up today, the Ninfamaniac Dark tomorrow, and the Skeeterz on Wednesday. My grandfather in-law passed away this past weekend, so we’ll see if I can piece all that together.

Size: 7 x 33 Ninfa
Wrapper: Jalapa Nicaraguan Habano
Binder: Indonesian
Filler: Nicaraguan Viso
Strength: Medium/Full
Body: Medium/Full
Price: $5.99
Pairing: New Belgium Lips of Faith Series Pluot (Sour Fruit Ale 10% ABV)

Prelight: The ninfa is a very interesting vitola. Super long, very thin, with a double pointed tip. These cigars resemble crochet needles. I have always been a huge fan of smaller ring gauges, and the Ninfamaniac is pushing small ring gauge to it’s limits. I’m really exited to see how this transpires into the overall experience. Outside of the obvious rare style, the Ninfamaniac is a damn fine looking cigar. The medium brown/orangish wrapper is laid seamlessly with very little webbing, or veins. It’s smooth as silk with some nice oils and only a tiny bit of tooth. I can only imagine how delicate the rolling process is with these guys. My chubby fingers could never do it. The Ninfamaniac starts with a very long, spike-like foot which then leads though the long, slender body to a similar spike-like cap. The cigar feels very delicate and weighs almost nothing. Despite the strange size, it still feels great in hand and in mouth without feeling too wonky at all. The cigar may look strange but it handles rather well. The Ninfamaniac is polished off with a brown band with a little fairy or vixen on it.

The wrapper gives off lots and lots of spice and honey aromas with some natural tobacco. The foot, being enclosed, doesn’t differ at all in aroma. The cap cut very, very easily and clean using my double bladed Palio cutter. There wasn’t much of a cold draw at all since the foot was closed. I couldn’t pull any air through.

First Smoke: It takes a few puffs to get this cigar going, so lighting is a bit longer than normal. But once this cigar gets going, it takes right off. The Ninfamaniac starts off with a blast of black pepper which quickly fades into a deep spice with hints of leather, coffee,  and a little floral mixture. The draw takes a bit, but once it gets going you get a decent amount of thick smoke. Drawing this cigar is a bit tricky. The first inch or so was real rough so I caught myself pulling hard. Shortly after that you really need to slow down and pace yourself. Since it’s such a small ring gauge smoking too fast may cause heat and harshness to build up if you aren’t careful. The burnline started out a bit crazy, probably due to the closed and tapered foot, but it completely corrected itself and was burning dead even after about an inch in. The ash is very thin, yet pretty decently compacted. Since again, it’s a small ring gauge you have to be weary about how quickly the ash is going to drop. It held on for about a half inch before falling into my ashtray.

Halfway There: The floral flavor I was picking up in the first third has really taken the back burner to the cedar and spice in the Ninfamaniac. There is still some lingering leather and a bit of coffee while there was also some citrus and tartness introduced in the second third.  The retrohale on this cigar rocks, leading with some awesome spice and cedar with a leathery finish. I am feeling absolutely nothing in the nicotine department and the cigar is still burning beautifully. In fact, the draw has completely opened up and is easily pumping out mouthful after mouthful of dense smoke.

Finish: The final third of Crux Cigar’s Ninfamaniac finished very similar to the second, except there was a pretty large ramp-up in floral and spice. The citrus, cedar, tart, leather and coffee were all still in the mix, but the awesome floral flavor and spice really stole the show. I really enjoyed the finish on this cigar and feel that the Ninfamaniac really shines in the last third. One thing to keep in mind, is it could easily take less than and hour to take this cigar down if you aren’t careful. Again, take your time. If you don’t you are going to end up with some heat and harshness towards the end of your experience. Luckily for me, I took my sweet time and after about an hour and a quarter I experience absolutely none of that. In fact, I was able to nub the hell out of this thing which finished smooth and creamy with some awesome pepper notes.

Overview: Needless to say Crux Cigar’s Ninfamaniac is an interesting one. From the size, to the name, to the band design this cigar really separates itself from the common theme on cigar selves today. The experience was remarkable. I really enjoyed the flavor, the size, and the burn and draw. I’d imagine it’s hard not to have issues with a cigar of this size, but I encountered none and that says a lot. I think the Indonesian tobacco used in this blend gave it a really interesting flavor profile, one of which I enjoyed a hell of a lot. The floral I found throughout the cigar rocked and was probably the biggest takeaway from the flavor profile. At $5.99 a stick I can’t see why any one, from novice to the seasoned cigar smoker wouldn’t pick a few of these bad boys up. You’re in for a treat.

Pairing: I paired this Ninfamaniac with an awesome beer, New Belgium’s Pluot from the Lips of Faith series. This is a limited released Sour Fruit ale brewed with Pluot juices at New Belgium’s brewery in Fort Collins Colorado which registers at a whopping 10% ABV.  Don’t let that ABV fool you, you won’t find any booziness here. Instead you get a very well balance sour ale which starts off full on fruity, while finishing with some soft sour and spice notes. I’ve drunken a ton of these and it’s a perfect beer to go with any spring, outdoor event. Hell, there are even a few really light floral undertones which paired up just brilliantly alongside the spice with the Ninfamaniac.

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The Honor Series FHK was released as soon as the clock hit midnight on New Years Day, making it the first official release in 2014. House of Emilio’s website had this to say about the FHK, which seem to have come from Kyle Hoover, co-owner of Ezra Zion Cigar Company:

The name FHK stands for “Fathers of Hoover and Kelly”. Being history buffs we’ve researched our family heritage and were amazed at what we found: war heroes, ministers, statesman, and hardworking entrepreneurs. Chris had the idea to do a tribute to our forefathers who’ve made us who we are today. The idea seemed to click so we went with FHK as a cool way to pay homage to them.

FHK is the company’s most multi-national blend to date with a Mexican wrapper, Indonesian binder and fillers from Brazil and Nicaragua.

The Honor Series FHK is available in four vitolas: Inspired (5 ½ by 50), Truth (7 by 44), Stature (7 by 54), and Character (Belicoso 6 by 52). The Casas Fumando crew has reviewed a few of the other Ezra Zion cigars below:

• Eminence
• Honor Series Reagan
• Tantrum Edicion Limitada

The Facts

Samples Provided by House of Emilio
Price: $9.00
Vitola: Inspired
Size: 5 ½ by 50
Wrapper: Mexican San Andres
Binder: Indonesian
Filler: Brazilian and Nicaraguan
Drink: Water
Smoke Time: 1 Hour and 15 Minutes

Pre-light

When I first pulled the FHK from the cellophane, I was greeted with deep, strong notes of earth and manure. With the cigar resting out of the cellophane for fifteen minutes, I find that the manure aroma is not nearly as strong but still present and there is some woodsy notes. There is some spice on the foot, along with a smell of fresh cut cedar.

The wrapper leaf is consistent in its milk chocolate color. Mainly small veins web across this solidly filled cigar.  Upon clipping the triple cap, I find a near perfect draw that is showcasing cedar, cocoa, manure, and spice. The spice is already warming my mouth and leaving a tingle at the back of the throat.

First Third

Man, oh, man! This cigar is starting off unbelievable. First off, I am a huge fan of San Andres tobacco and this cigar is showcasing the leaf to its fullest. There has been a common complaint how San Andres tobacco can overshadow the rest of the blend. In this instance, it is really complimenting the blend. There is just the right amount of a syrupy, maybe caramel-like, sweetness that is rounding out the rest of the profile of spice, earth, and cedar. The ash is dark gray. The thick burn line is right on and the ash is firm.

Middle Third

As the cigar progresses, the smoke is becoming much richer. I could see a nice cup of java, or a number of libations,  pairing extremely well with the cigar to counter the richness. The spice has stepped up a notch, leaving behind a nice warmth in my mouth. The richness seems to be tied to the cedar flavor, as well as a newly found cinnamon. With the the boldness of flavors, I am pleased to find a clean finish and with a small sip of water my palate is ready for another puff.

Final Third

In the final third, the black pepper has intensified, the sweetness is coming and going, and a dusty cocoa has joined the mix. The finish is now much longer with black coffee. As soon as I think the rich cedar is gone, it bounces right back in. The cigar is producing an excellent amount of smoke that is coating all areas of my mouth. The spice warmth, which is still felt in my mouth, is now causing a tingle on my lips. At the close of the Ezra Zion Honor Series FHK, the flavors are full and the strength is at the full end of medium.

Wrap-up

This cigar was an absolute treat! The flavors were bold, balanced, and quite complex. The performance was spot on with an even burn and firm ash. What more could you want in a cigar? All for a price under $10. I HIGHLY recommend the Ezra Zion Cigar Company Honor Series FHK. Being only two months into the year, I think I may have found a contender for my 2014 Top 10 List.

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As mentioned in last week’s review, Felix Assouline Cigars currently has four brands under their belt: EGO, Ringo, Something Special, and Havana Sunrise Reserve. The Limited Reserve Something special is produced in six vitolas at Felix Assouline’s factory in Esteli, Nicaragua. Available vitolas include the Elegant (5 ½ by 44), Sublime ( 5 by 52), Phoenix (6 ½ by 54 Belicoso), Virtuoso (6 ½ by 54), Exquisite (6 ½ by 58 Torpedo), and Majestic (6 ½ by 58).

The Facts

Samples Provided by Felix Assouline Cigars
MSRP: $4.50
Vitola: Sublime
Size: 5 by 52
Wrapper: Habano Criollo 98
Binder: Indonesian
Filler: Nicaraguan and Honduran
Drink: Water
Smoke Time: 1 Hour and 30 Minutes

Pre-light

As I remove the Limited Reserve Something Special from the cellophane, I am greeted with a pungent aroma of musty earth and manure, with an underlying sweetness.  The color on the Habano Criollo 98 wrapper is mostly consistent in its rusty-brown color.  I do not encounter any soft spots as I press lightly down the stick.

The foot aroma reminds me of potpourri that is common around the winter holidays with a rich, warm, welcoming aroma of  cinnamon, nutmeg, and cedar. A shallow cut of the large double cap opens up a free draw.   The cold draw is much of the same flavors as the foot aroma and a spice can be felt on my lips.

First Third

The Limited Reserve Something Special opens with a beautiful, rich cedar flavor. The smoke has a slight tartness to it that is actually complimenting the richness quite nicely. Some mild spice can be felt in my mouth and bright, white pepper notes show-off on the retrohale. At the one inch point, a lot of sweetness has entered the mix but quickly fades. The cigar has a  clean cedar finish. The burn-line is thick and edgy but no need for a touch-up so far. The Something Special is burning slow with the first gray, flaky ash dropping at twenty-five minutes.

Middle Third

The cigar is producing a satisfying amount of smoke with each small draw. The cedar remains at the core of the smoke into the second third. The mustyness that I picked up during the pre-light inspection has found its way into the profile, along with some coffee. Wow, the cinnamon and spice have picked up a couple of notches making this one rich cigar. Once again the sweetness  that I experienced in the first third arrived and departed quickly. This sweetness is different than a chocolate or sugar-cane. To me, it tastes more artificial. The burn is mostly in-line as I put a close to the middle third.

Final Third

The spice feel in the mouth has changed from a peppery spice to more of a jalapeno heat that is somewhat acidic. The woodsy cedar notes have shifted to more of a hickory wood, especially in the room aroma.  Toasty bread-like notes , along with a faint chocolate sweetness are entering the mix as the cigar begins to wind down. The flavors are staying enjoyable to the end.  Only one  quick touch-up was required in the last third.

Wrap-up

This 5 by 52 cigar smoked incredibly slow and delivered some excellent flavors for one and a half hours. The woodsy cedar made up the core of the smoke with shifts and variations of the rich spice notes throughout the experience. Due to the richness in the Something Special, I could see this pairing incredibly well with a drink that would offset the richness……maybe some COFFEE! Prior to smoking the L.R. Something Special I was unaware of the price. Now knowing the $4.50 MSRP, this is an easy buy in my book.  I am not sure how readily available Felix Assouline cigars are, but if you happen to stumble across this stick, give it a whirl and let us know what you think.

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P. Benitez Connecticut Robusto – Daniel

This cigar came to me by way of a secret stealth bomb that arrived on my door step one afternoon. I had no idea who it was from at first but after reading the label I found out my target was none other than one of our friendly readers, Jeff (a.k.a. jjo). Thanks for sending a little package my way Jeff, really appreciate it. I’ve never had any stciks from P. Benitez so I thought I’d jot down some notes for one of our Quick Draw segments while I enjoyed it.

The cigar itself is nicely constructed with soft and slightly bumpy cedar colored wrapper. It’s also got a nice spring to it and a wonderful cedar and floral aroma. While cutting and toasting I noticed the wrapper is a little more resilient than most other Connecticuts I’ve smoked and it didn’t instantly char up or crack, even in the cold weather. A little research found that these cigars are made in Nicaragua with an Ecuadorian Connecticut wrapper, Indonesian binder and fillers made from Cuban Seed Nicaraguan Tobacco.

Flavorwise, the P. Benitez Connecticut offers up a ton of cedar right from the start and it’s accented with interesting notes of mild coffee and some nutmeg or clove. The body stayed at a classic mild with no nicotine kick or bite on the retrohale. It did have a smooth cedar finish though. One thing I found lacking was the creaminess I’ve come to expect on most connecticuts but the variety of flavors still kept me interested. The cigar also had perfect burn, nice draw and a great strong ash rounding out an overall good experience.

The pairing today was a Coffee Porter from Mill Street Brewery and I actually gave this one a full review a while ago, linked here. I didn’t have any coffee brewed, which is what I like pairing most connies with, so I looked for a beer. I found a coffee beer so naturally it made sense in my head to go for it. The smooth coffee and chocolate flavors of the Coffee Porter paired perfectly with the cigar. A good alternative for when you’re too lazy to brew some coffee! haha

Padron Serie 1926 #6 – Tony

One thing I like about Padron is that you can always tell you are smoking a Padron. The Padron Family’s dedication to tobacco has, always resulted in an ultra premium, and all around unique experience. Now I am a maduro guy. 99% of the time I will choose the Maduro version of any cigar over the natural, but when it comes to the Padron 1926 I will almost always reach for the natural. The 1964, not so much, but there is something in the 1926 blend that makes the natural wrapper just so much more appealing to me. Maybe I’m prejudice, so what.

Anywho, the format of the Padron Anniversary series have always been a favorite in my book. Along with multiple sizes, the wide box-pressed format of these cigars wins me over every time. It fits perfectly in your hand, your mouth, and even your humidor. These cigars can be pricy, ranging from $12 – $30 depending on the size. I was lucky enough to find these at a steal locally; needless to say I grabbed a handful of them.

The construction on these cigars is pristine, and in my experience, always has been. The Padron standards have never let me down with a crappy constructed cigar. One thing to mention is to make sure you keep your humidity in check as the wrapper on this cigar will dry up on you real quick. Anyhow, this is a tasty little cigar. The Padron 1926 boasts of extremely strong, sweet cedar, coffee, cinnamon, with just a touch of spice. This blend aims to please and does just that.

I personally hold Padron Serie 1926 blends on a pedestal. Every cigar in the $20 range will get compared to them (Would I rather smoke this, or a Padron 1926?).  It’s an easy call for a special cigar that, although pricey, won’t entirely break the bank… just come close.

For more information on the Serie 1926 you can check out Daniel’s review of the Padron Serie 1926 #35 Maduro, or his review of the Padron Serie 1926 40 Years Natural. On top of that he also reviewed the Padron 1964 Anniversary Series Maduro Principe, the Padron 1964 Anniversary Series SI-15, and the Padron Series 2000 Natural. I myself have reviewed the 1964 Family Reserve 46 Years Maduro as well as a blind review of  a Padron Anniversary 1926 Piramide dating all the way back to 1999!

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