The Good Stuff:

La Relatos is one of Warped’s brand owner Kyle Gellis’s original blends that he created over 10 years ago. Translated to “The Stories”, La Relatos is created at the Tabacos Valle de Jalapa S.A. (TABSA) factory in Nicaragua utilizing an Ecuadorian Habano wrapper, Nicaraguan binder, and Nicaraguan Corojo 99′ and Criollo 98′ fillers and is offered in a single 6 x 38 format running $9.30 a stick and comes packaged in large cabinets of 50. I got mine over from our good friends at Fox Cigar bar in Arizona who have them in stock now, and offer free shipping on all orders, no minimum.

• Size: 6 x 38
• Wrapper: Ecuadorian Habano
• Binder: Nicaraguan
• Filler: Nicaraguan Corojo 99′ and Criollo 98′
• Body: Full
• Strength: Medium/Full
• Price: $9.30
• Pairing: Oskar Blues Barrel Aged Ten Fidy (Imperial Stout 12.9% ABV)

Prelight:

The Warped La Gelatos starts out with a very consistent, milky brown wrapper with only a bit of a lighter, orange shade near the cap of the cigar. The wrapper itself is coated with thick oils, small veins, and some slight natural webbing with no tooth as it’s laid seamlessly over itself. The cigar’s thin, long body feel very light in weight, as the wrapper feels very thin and delicate leading up to the cigar’s round, triple-wrapped cap. The cigar is polished off with a beautifully elegant purple and silver band with the “La Relatos” crest embossed across the front.

The wrapper on the La Relatos gives off some sweet cedar and spice aromas while the foot of the cigar is more natural, earthy, and spicy. The cap cut clean and easily using my Xikar Double bladed cutter. The cold draw produces some bold vanilla, spice, and musk flavors.

First Third:

Right off the bat the La Relatos greeted me with with a good amount of black pepper which only lasted the first few puffs leaving me with a good amount of cedar and vanilla over spice and musk. The draw is a bit tight but has slowly been opening up as I smoke through the first third. The building is razor thin and dead even leaving behind a tightly compacted trail of bright white ash which held on for about a half an inch before falling into my ashtray.

Second Third:

Into the second third of the La Relatos and the flavors have began to balance out. The main flavors are still vanilla and cedar with notes of spice, musk, and an awesome creamed coffee that made it’s way into the mix. The retrohale really brings out the cedar and spice making everything nice and I find myself doing it quite often. The burnline is still pretty even and the draw has completely opened up and is now smoking like a champ. I close out the second third with no signs of nicotine yet.

Finish:

Into the final third of the La Relatos and not a whole lot has changed since the second, and that’s a good thing. The flavor profile is still lead by cedar and vanilla with a nice balanced mixture of spice, musk, coffee, and earthiness backing it up. It took me almost an hour and a half to take this cigar down to the nub and I loved every second of it. I close out the La Relatos with no harshness, nor extended heat (outside of the blistering sun) and only a very slight nicotine kick.

Overview:

I have been a huge fan of Warped from the first time I smoked their cigars. Add La Relatos to the quickly growing list of fantastic releases they have put out. The flavor profile is incredible, the smoking experience is brilliant, and the price point is affordable.While the profile isn’t too complex, it didn’t need to be. I can’t see myself buying 50 of these, but I would certainly split a box of these to keep a good amount on hand and add to my regular rotation. Huge props to Kyle for choosing this format too as it’s one of my favorite sizes.

** NOTE: I smoked quite a few of these cigars from various boxes. I experienced draw issues in a few (which all opened up after a bit of smoking time), and no issues with others. Just worth mentioning as I had draw issues on more than just one out of the handful I smoked.

Pairing:

Brewed at the famous Oskar Blues brewery in Colorado the Barrel Aged version of their incredible Ten Fidy stout comes in at a whopping 12.9% ABV. This imperial stout leads with heavy notes of vanilla, toffee, roasted malt, oak, and just a light barrel kick with a very heavy mouthfeel before finishing with even more vanilla, brown sugar, toffee, and barrel. This is dangerously easy to drink considering the ABV. The flavors in the beer matched up well with flavors in the Los Relatos while adding a bunch of sweetness to the experience pushing it to the next level.

The post Warped La Relatos appeared first on Cigar Reviews | Beer Pairings | Casas Fumando.

The Good Stuff:

La Palina’s Black Label is on of it’s newest releases which made it’s debut at this year’s IPCPR show in Las Vegas. The La Palina Black Label is composed of a Brazilian Bahiano wrapper, Dominican Republic and Nicaraguan Binders, as well as Dominican Republic and Nicaraguan Fillers. The blend is said to be the boldest and strongest cigar in the La Palina portfolio. The Black Label is manufactured at the PDR Cigars factory in the Dominican Republic. This is the same factory that rolls La Palina’s Classic line. The La Palina Black Label is offered in four different sizes: the Petite Lancero (6 x 40), the Robusto (5 x 52), the Toro (6 x 50) and the Gordo (6 x 60). Each stick will run you between $9 and $11.50 a piece. I ordered up a handful of these from out friends over at SmokeInn.com.

Size: 6 x 40
Wrapper: Brazilian Bahiano
Binder: Dominican / Nicaraguan
Filler: Dominican / Nicaraguan
Body: Medium/Full
Strength: Full
Price: $9
Pairing: Laughing Dog Brewing The Dogfather Bourbon Barrel Aged (Imperial Stout 10.85% ABV)

Prelight:

The La Palina Black Label is a dark little cigar. Seriously, the wrapper is as close to black as you can get which makes the name of the cigar very fitting. The wrapper is very consistent and the only areas which show off a bit of the brown are around the crests of the medium-sized veins that are scattered throughout the body of the cigar. The wrapper is silky smooth in some areas while a few areas closer to the foot carry some slight tooth. The entire cigar is coating in a thick layer of oils. The cigar looks a bit rough, but in a good way as the construction is spot-on. The wrapper on the cigar looks real dense, but feels very fragile as the cigar has quite a lot of give when I squeeze it between my fingers. The La Palina Black Label is finished off with a beautifully round triple cap. The cigar is polished off with the classic La Palina gold and white crest along with an additional black and gold band stating “Black Label” across the front of it.

The La Palina Black Label’s wrapper gives off a ton of spice and coffee aroma while the foot of the cigar showcases more woodsiness and natural tobacco aromas. The cap cut very clean, and incredibly easy using my double bladed Palio cutter. The cold draw carried more sweetness than I expected with lots of spice, a bit of grassiness and dirt, as well as some prominent coffee mixed in there.

First Third:

The La Palina Black starts out with some great, subtle black pepper which mixes in well with the heavy spice and cedar in the flavor profile. The backing flavors are some dark chocolate, black cherry, and espresso. I’m impressed with how the sweetness in the smoke surrounds all these flavors making it bold, yet really well balanced. The draw is a bit snug, but after a few puff it starts to kick out these massive clouds of thick, white smoke. The stationary smoke is incredible as well. Its like a miniature smoke machine resting in my ashtray. The burn line is pretty solid and thin leaving behind a trail of bright white, tightly compacted ash which held on for an inch before giving way.

Second Third:

The sweetness is really starting to come out in the La Palina Black Label with the beer pairing’s help. I know the beer is Bourbon Barrel Aged, but even the Black Label alone gives some bourbon qualities in it’s flavor profile. The Cherry, chocolate, and espresso still lead the way with some great spice, woodsiness, and lots of malt. The retrohale is incredible coating my nasal passage with a really interesting malt, spice, and musk. The draw was still a bit snug so I clipped a tiny bit off the cap and it’s rocking now. For what it’s worth, all the other Black Labels I have smoked weren’t tight at all. The body has been in the medium/full range the entire time, while the strength is well in the medium/full range as I feel a slight nicotine kick closing out the second third.

Final Third:

Into the final third of the La Palina Black Label and it’s been incredible all the way through. The body is in the full area now leading with the chocolate, sweetness, and cherry with lots of woodiness and spice. There was also some great raisin flavors that come through in the final third. The burn line has been perfect and I never once had to touch up or relight this cigar. The draw has been great ever since that extra little clip in the second third. The strength really comes through in the final third as I close it out right in the middle of the full area. It took me about an hour and a half to smoke this bad boy down to the nub with no harshness, and a slight nicotine kick.

Overview:

Needless to say I fell in love with the La Palina Black Label. I’ve been a long time fan of La Palina. While not all of their blends fit my profile, many of them find their way into my daily rotation. The La Palina Black offers a great, full bodied, full strength experience at a decent price point. While the strength was in the full area, never once did it muddy up the flavors as they were a bit complex, very pure, and extremely enjoyable. While I got mostly the same flavors from the other two formats I smoked, the petite lancero we by far my favorite as they were much more pronounced, especially in terms of the cherry and chocolate. The price points on La Palina cigars have always been a bit higher than most, but that has never deterred me as I have always gotten my moneys worth and the Black Label continues the trend. This is a box-worthy cigar for sure and an excellent addition to the La Palina portfolio.

Pairing:

As the temperatures drop here in West Texas I tend to reach for more darker, thicker beers. One that I can easily go to is Laughing Dog’s Dog Father. The first time I drank this beer our pal Jeff actually sent it to me, and now I am luckily enough to find this brew locally. Brewed at the Laughing Dog Brewery in Idaho, this Bourbon Barrel Aged Imperial Stout comes in at a whopping 10.85% ABV. Laughing Dog also makes a non-barrel aged version of this stout which rings in at 11% ABV, but that was only available in the past. This year features the Barrel Aged version. The Dogfather leads with a whole lot of sweetness and maltiness with a very thick mouthfeel and tons of bourbon remnants as it finished creamy and thick with more sweetness, chocolate, and a slight bit of booze. The flavors in this beer are much more pronounced as it warms. It’s obvious why I chose this beer as a pairing with La Palina’s Black Label. The chocolate, bourbon, and malt paired perfectly with the flavors present in the cigar smoking experience. I also think this cigar is begging to be paired with a sweet bourbon or sweet port wine.

The post La Palina Black Label Petite Lancero appeared first on Cigar Reviews | Beer Pairings | Casas Fumando.

The Havana VI Lancero is only available in the limited production lancero sampler featured in the picture above. The sampler features 10 highly acclaimed cigars from Tatuaje all in a 7 ½ by 38 Lancero vitola including Tatuaje (Brown Label), Tatuaje Havana VI, Tatuaje Black Label, Cabaiguan, Cabaiguan Guapo, La Riqueza, El Triunfador Original, El Triunfador, La Casita Criolla, and Fausto. At the start of August, I reviewed the Cabaiguan Guapo lancero, which can be found HERE.

Tatuaje’s Havana VI is produced under the direction of Jamie Garcia at My Father Cigar S.A. in Esteli, Nicaragua. Here is a list of other avalable vitolas in the line: Verocu No.5 (4 by 40), Angeles – Petite Corona (4 5/8 by 42), Victorias – Corona Especial (6 by 38), Hermosos – Corona Gorda (5 5/8 by 26), Nobles – Robusto (5 by 50), Gorditos – Toro Grande (5 1/2 by 56), Artistas – Torpedo (6 1/8 by 52), and Almirantes – Churchhill (7 by 47).

The Facts

Gift from my bride
Price:$9.50 ($95 for the sampler)
Vitola: Lancero
Size: 7 1/2 by 38
Wrapper: Ecuadorian Habano
Binder: Nicaraguan
Filler: Nicaraguan
Smoke Time: 1 Hour and 20 Minutes
Drink: Water

Pre-light

The Tatuaje Havana VI Lancero is dressed in oily Ecuadorian Habano wrapper that is milk chocolate in color. It has been a while since I smoked a cigar from this line but I do not recall the wrapper being so dark. The simple red band jumps out against the dark leaf that is scarred with small, black veins that crisscross down the stick. The Havana VI gives slightly when pinched but feels evenly filled.

The wrapper aroma is big and bold with notes barnyard and  manure. I am met with some spice as I smell the foot of the cigar with additional notes of earth and cedar. A triple cap comes to an end with a small pig-tail that gets the job done but nothing to write home about. Clipping through the 38 ring gauge stick is quick and painless, giving way to a somewhat firm cold draw that brings forth rich cedar and clove.

First Third

The cigar opens up with full flavors of cedar and pepper awakening my palate. The Ecuadorian Habano wrapper is really shining through with a significant amount of spice heat. There is a unique finish to the smoke that makes me think of bubble gum once it loses its flavor.  The smallest of draws delivers a mouthful of smoke that is thick and chewy in the mouth. A light colored ash is dropping every half inch. At the close of the first third the perfromance has been spot on with a thin eye-liner burn.

Middle Third

At the thirty minute mark, I have run into what may be a major issue going forward. A tunnel is forming that has cut down the smoke production and put a damper on the flavors.  The profile has taken a shift to much more earthy notes and has also increased in richness. The burn-line has gotten a bit out of whack and I can’t seem to keep the cigar burning. The tunnel is now having an adverse effect on the flavors resulting in some charredness.

Final Third

Finally, with three inches remaining, the tunnel has come to an end but the flavors have not fully recovered. What I assume to be a result of the multiple relights, charred notes are dominating the profile. The earth has developed to diesel-like flavor and the finish of the smoke is of chocolate. The charred notes are masking the potential of the final third, which is very dissapointing. The spice is still prevalent and has turned from a pepper spice to more of a jalapeno spice. As I begin to put a close to the cigar, I notice a very appealing aroma from the smoke of tart cherries.

Wrap-up

2014 has been a year of tunneling cigars for me. It seems that every couple of cigars I smoke have had a tunneling issue. Having on the opportunity to only smoke one of these, I cannot give it a fair assessment due to the major tunnel that was encountered. I have smoked several other cigars from Tatuaje and I rarely find any issues with quality/performance. The Tatuaje Havana VI Lancero began with a bang, opening up with full flavors that were balanced and spicy, but that is where the fairy tale ends. The final two thirds became a story of bad performance and poor flavors. Knowing the high quality of Tatuaje and My Father cigars, this cigar has not deterred me from hunting down one more Havana VI Lancero and giving it another shot.

The post Tatuaje Havana VI Lancero appeared first on Cigar Reviews | Beer Pairings | Casas Fumando.

William Cooper of Cigar Coop reported on the Asylum 13 “99 Problems” Lancero back in February. According to cigar-coop.com:

Asylum 13, the line of cigars that made headlines almost a year ago by launching an 80 ring gauge cigars is going in the opposite direction.  The company is planning on introducing a classic 7 x 38 lancero called “99 problems”.  The lancero is expected to arrive at retailers third week of March 2014.  The announcement was made in a press release issued by the company.

The name is derived from the fact that the lanceros will be sold in 99 count boxes.  According to the press release, 500 boxes of 99 were produced of this cigar.

In a statement by Asylum Co-Founder Tom Lazuka, “I am more than confident that this Lancero will be the one to unite the masse,” says Co-Founder of Asylum Cigars, Tom Lazuka. He went on to express the inherent need for the industry to delve into this traditional sized cigar.

Fabricas Unidas founder Christian Eiroa commented on how the cigar got its name. “Although I have been bugged by many retailers to make this size, I really don’t care to make, I make it, but it will be called ’99 Problems’,” said Eiroa.   The name is a twist in that while it was the retailers who asked Asylum to make this size, there is often resistance to embrace the lancero by many cigar enthusiasts.  Thus the name “99 Problems” refers to the dilemma retailers will face once they get this 99 count box.

Both Eiroa and Lazuka are confident of the blend and what it will deliver in the lancero.  Lazuka reiterates, “This cigar release will be aimed at those that have expressed the need for a more traditional cigar size that creates a harmonious relationship between wrapper, binder, and filler.”

The lancero marks the fifth vitola in the line. Current vitola offerings include: 99 Problems (7 by 38), Robusto (5 by 50), Sixty (6 by 60), Seventy (7 by 70), and Eighty (6 by 80).

The Facts

A gift from Jeff Oda
Price: $7.00
Vitola: Lancero – 99 Problems
Size: 7 by 38
Wrapper: Nicaraguan Habano
Binder: Nicaraguan
Filler: Nicaraguan
Smoke Time:1 Hour and 20 Minutes
Drink: Water

Pre-light

The Asylum 13 wear a marbled, milk chocolate wrapper that has an oily sheen. A fine tooth and one medium vein running the length of the lancero. The wrapper aroma is straight up barnyard and the foot gives off more pungent notes with deep cedar and chocolate. I am feeling just a mild pepper in my sinuses.

This lancero comes to a close with beatuifully applied pig-tailed cap. Such a small touch as pig-tail cap can add a lot to the presentation. The cap clips clean right below the pig-tail. Notes of manure, cedar, clove, and chocolate greet me on the draw that has the right amount of resistance. A spice tingle is felt on my lips.

First Third

This 38 ring gauge Asylum 13 lights quickly with my Zippo Z-Plus! lighter. I am immediately met with bright, white pepper notes, along with some dark, chewy cedar and cocoa flavors. The flavor makeup is similar to flavor profiles I come across with cigars that have San Andres tobacco. The finish is very vegetal, similar to the aftertaste of Asparagus. The pepper is sharp on the retrohale and if I retrohale this cigar too often I will be sneezing up a storm. The burn-line is thin and even, leaving a trail of white ash. The first ash held to half an inch before dropping into the ashtray. A small tunnel began to form after the first ash dropped, but I have yet to notice any adverse effect on the experience.

Middle Third

Burning my way into the second third, I find the profile to be much more savory and rich. The cedar and cocoa are steady and some earth and coffee have entered the mix. With each puff, copious amounts of blue smoke stream out of the foot and head of the cigar. The tunnel has all but disappeared. At the halfway point, the flavors seem to have dulled out a bit. At the start, the flavors were pushing medium-full, but now I would put the flavor at the low side of medium. The strength remains closer to the full range at the exit of the second third.

Final Third

I am entering the final third of the Asylum 13 “99 Problems” lancero after an hour of smoking. Charred woodsy notes have joined the other core flavors of pepper, earth, and cocoa.  The flavors have yet to recover from the drop-off experienced in the second third. The pepper has dialed down allowing me to push a full mouthful through my sinuses. Nothing to note on the performance up to this point.

Wrap-up

For the first forty-five minutes of smoking the Asylum 13 “99 Problems” Lancero, I thought I may have found a top 10 candidate for 2014. The flavors met my palate just right and hit on all cylinders. Then a weird thing happened at the halfway point, the flavors flat-lined.  Not that the flavors became hard to palate, but there was just not much to them. With this being my one and only experience with this cigar, I am leaning towards the flavor issue being a fluke. The lancero performed flawlessly. The cigar burned even and cool and the smoke production was satisfying.  The only negative to note on performance  is that the cigar quickly went out every time I let is set for more than a few minutes.  I so thoroughly enjoyed the first half  that I will be on the hunt for a few more of these, especially for a price of $7.00. Finally, a big “Thank You” to Jeff for hooking it up.

The post Asylum Cigars – Asylum 13 “99 Problems” Lancero appeared first on Cigar Reviews | Beer Pairings | Casas Fumando.

The Cabiguan Guapos is made in Esteli, Nicaragua at My Father Cigars S.A., the factory responsible for most of Tatuaje products. Available sizes include 5 5/8 by 54, 5 by 50, 5 5/8 by 46, 4 5/8 by 42, and 7 1/2 by 38. Tony reviewed the 5 ⅝ by 54 Gaupo here.

The lancero vitola of the Guapo is only available in the sampler. While the sampler will be in regular production, it will be made in limited quantities during each run.

The Facts

A gift from my bride
Price: $9.50 ($95 for the sampler)
Vitola: Lancero
Size: 7 ½ by 38
Wrapper:Ecuadorian Sun Grown
Binder:Nicaraguan
Filler: Nicaraguan
Smoke Time: 1 and 35 Minutes

Pre-light

The Ecuadorian Sun Grown wrapper is consistent in its medium brown color. I am met with a pungent aroma once the cellophane is removed, along with cedar and wet earth notes. The foot gives off more of the cedar and earth with an added sweet vanilla smell. The wrapper leaf is marked with bumps and veins giving it a slightly rugged look.

The Guapos Lancer0 is filled evenly all the way down to its neat, pointy cap. The cold draw is on the dry side with the same cedar and earth notes from the wrapper and foot aroma, along with a faint clove flavor. I am also feeling a spice tingle on my lips the lingers for a good amount of time.

First Third

One thing I have come to expect from cigars produced at My Fathers is spice. And the Guapos does not disappoint in that area. I am met with a considerable amount of spice in the first couple of puffs that warms my mouth and lip, and leaves quite the burn through the sinuses during the retrohale. The other flavors are deep and in-line with the cold draw being of cedar and earth. As I take a smaller, shallower draw, I notice the pepper lessens and some sweetness comes through. I can’t put my finger on it yet, but it may be a vanilla-like sweetness. The finish is a bit dry with a dark fruit flavor. The burn-line is crazy thin and first ash made it past an inch.

Middle Third

Making my way into the second third, the dry cedar has moved to the front of the profile with the unique, vanilla sweetness. The sweetness is refreshing and brings a nice balance to the smoke. The earthyness is gaining ground and an acidic citrus has joined in right around the halfway point. As I knock off the ash, I find a small tunnel in the center of the cigar. So far it is not having any kind of negative impact on the flavors or smoke production. Even the smallest of draws fills my mouth with a satisfying amount of smoke. The flavors are full, with the strength falling not too far behind.

Final Third

The Tatuaje Gabaiguan Guapo Lancero is still smoking cool with two and a half inches left. The pepper has calmed but in no way completely departed and the spice is still warming my mouth and lips. The vanilla I got early on is really only noticable on the finish, along with a dusty cocoa flavor. The deep cedar and wet earth notes are still holding strong as I begin to wrap up this 7 1/2 by 38 lancero.

Wrap-up

I have been a fan of Tatuaje for some time, but there were several cigars included in the sampler that I had yet to smoke and the Cabaiguan Guapo was one of those. I couldn’t have asked for a more perfect first experience with a cigar. The cigar burned cool and even. There were no touch-ups or ashes dropped in my lap. Just a complex, flavorful cigar to sit back and relax with. One thing I noted on this lancero was how big, deep draws brought out an overwhelming pepper, while a small shallow draw highlighted  the nuances of this stick. As is the case with lanceros, you need to slow down your regular smoking pace to fully enjoy what this traditional vitola offers. I highly recommend you get your hands on these. You won’t be disappointed.

The post Tatuaje Cabaiguan Guapo Lancero appeared first on Cigar Reviews | Beer Pairings | Casas Fumando.

According to Kuuts Cigars’ website:

Miró Cigars are a product of a prime selection of perfectly fermented tobacco. Their distinct aroma precedes their intense, profound, slightly matured flavors that slightly intensify the further you get into them. The Miró brand of cigars is a full bodied cigar that is sure to make any ordinary occasion into an absolutely unique one with the incredible flavors and aromas given off by the perfect blend of a Sumatra wrapper, Nicaraguan binder and combined Nicaraguan and Honduran filler.

The Facts
Samples Provided by Kuuts
Price: Unknown
Vitola: Lancero
Size: 7 1/2 by 38
Wrapper: Ecuadorian Sumatra
Binder: Nicaraguan
Filler: Nicraguan and Honduran
Smoke Time: 1 Hour and 25 Minutes
Drink: Water

Pre-light

The Kuuts Miro Lancero sports a light to medium brown Sumatra wrapper that has mainly small veins and a bumpy texture. This lancero contains one soft spot just below the band. The wrapper aroma is of barnyard, chocolate, and rich cedar.  The chocolate and cedar are present on the foot with a very unique hickory addition. If the pre-light aroma is a foreshadowing of the things to come, this stick is going to rock!

The cigar comes to an end with a crazy pointy pig-tailed cap that actually snapped off in the other sample. Clipping off a small piece of the cap, I find a very rich, but dry, cold draw that is heavy on richness and spice. The spice that is present is not your typical pepper but rather clove and nutmeg.

First Third

The draw is right on with this 38 ring gauge stick, which is not always the case, and the smoke is pouring out. Flavors of oak and chocolate are noticeable in the first inch and some spice is creeping into the profile. Unlike the exotic spice on the cold draw, this is more of a common black pepper spice. As I burn farther into the first third, I find the flavors have lessened in intensity but still at a solid medium. A good amount of heat is felt on my palate. The eyeliner burn-line is even and the ash is holding till about 3/4 of an inch.

Middle Third

As I pull into the second third, the chocolate has either left the stage or is being overwhelmed by the pepper and earth that are now dominating the profile. A rich cedar seems to be bouncing in and out of the profile, while the oak lingers on the finish. Like the cold draw, my palate is left somewhat dry. The ash is flaking all over the place and dropping every half inch (Warning: keep an ashtray near by). The burn-line remains solid. I am beginning to feel a nicotine kick as I wrap-up the middle third.

Final Third

Rich clove and cedar are now at the forefront of the profile and the spice remains full. The chocolate notes have made a reappearance but more of a dusty chocolate on the finish.. The cigar has heated up to a point where a sharp bite is felt in my mouth so I am going to slow my roll in hopes that the smoke cools. The cigar being extremely soft in the final inch and half, on top of the small ring gauge, may also be causing some of the heat in the smoke. The ash is extremely ugly and ashy, but other than a small inconvenience, it is not impacting the cigar.

Wrap-up

The Kuuts Miro Lancero is a very nice evening smoke that delivers in the spice department for sure. Don’t let the small ring gauge trick you. This Lancero packs a punch with its strength. Other than the flaky ash, the performance was just about perfect with an easy draw that delivered a copious amount of smoke and the burn was even throughout. Only 500 boxes of ten were produced, so if you enjoy spicy cigars and adore the lancero size, I recommend that you get your hands on this stick before they are gone.

The post Kuuts Cigars – Miro Lancero appeared first on Cigar Reviews | Beer Pairings | Casas Fumando.

The Facts

Sample Provided by House of Emilio
Vitola: Toro
Size: 6 by 50
Wrapper: Nicaraguan Habano
Binder: Nicaraguan
Filler: Nicaraguan
Drink: Water
Smoke Time: 1 Hour and 25 Minutes

Pre-light Inspection

The Melete was a solid looking cigar and, while  basic, the purple and white band popped against the medium brown wrapper. From head to foot, the cigar felt evenly filled and small to medium sized veins, as well as a good amount of bumps, added character to the Nicaraguan Habano leaf.

The wrapper aroma was surprisingly soft with woodsy and earth notes, while the foot of the cigar smelled of pepper and cedar. Upon clipping the beautifully applied triple cap, I found extremely packed tobacco restricting the draw. Cutting down to the final layer of the cap, I found some relief in the draw and was underway with the Emilio Cigar La Musa Melete.

Flavors and Performance

From the first draw, my mouth filled with wildly chewy, flavorful smoke that had an impressive amount of balance all at the same time. The soft cedar notes were more prevalent in the smoke than on the cold draw, accompanied by some unique sweetness, possibly brown sugar. As I burned further into the first third of the Melete, I began to pick up on some peppery spice, which warmed my palate nicely. The first ash dropped well past an inch and I encountered absolutely no performance issues through the first third.

As I pulled into the second third, an acidic quality, along with bitterness, arrived in the mix, reminiscent of orange peel.  The bitterness was not overpowering but balanced the sweetness and richness that developed in the woodsy flavors. The ash that was white in the first third became dark gray and the burn remained right on through the middle third.

I did not perceive any nicotine through the first or second thirds. After falling into a relaxed state of mind in the final third, I realized the nicotine  must have stepped up a notch putting the strength at just the right amount for me. The Melete continued to build in richness, the sweetness stayed level throughout, most of the bitterness exited the profile, and added earth notes brought the final third of the Melete to a close.

In Closing

The La Musa Melete was an interesting and intriguing smoke. The subtleties in the profile and the change-ups kept me engaged and desiring more. I will definitely be hunting more of these down and I hope I can still get my hands on the Lancero. From this one experience with the Melete, it has already become one of my favorite smokes from Emilio Cigars, up there with the AF1 and AF2 that I adore.

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Big changes are in the works at Drew Estate Tobacco Company. Two weeks ago, an announcement was made of Nick Melillo’s departure from Drew Estate . Nick was responsible for tobacco purchasing, as well as blending. One week later, Willy Herrera was named Master Blender of the company. Since joining the DE team in 2011,Willy has only released one blend to-date, the Herrera Esteli. In December of 2013 news broke that a limited edition cigar was being released under the Herrera Esteli line in early 2014. After a few set backs, the Herrera Esteli Lancero – Edicion Limitada 2014 has finally arrived. And it has arrived with a bang.

This limited edition Herrera Esteli comes in a  7 1/2 by 38 lancero and produced at Drew Estate in Esteli, Nicaragua. One of my favorite sizes. Regular production vitolas of the Herrera Esteli include: Short Corona (5 1/4 by 46), Robusto Extra (5 1/2 by 52), Lonsdale (6 by 44), Piramide Fino (6 by 52), and Toro Especial (6 1/4 by 54).

The Facts

Samples Provided by Drew Estate
Price: $12
Vitola: Lancero
Size: 7 1/2  by 38
Wrapper: Ecuadorian Habano
Binder: Honduran
Filler: Nicaraguan
Smoke Time: 1 hour and 20 Minutes
Drink: Water

Pre-light

Everything about this cigar screams class – the look, the size, and both bands. The wrapper leaf is light brown in color. The seams are easily seen against the light colored leaf. A couple of green color imperfections are spotted. As I check for soft spots, the wrapper leaf feels delicate under my fingers.

I absolutely love the smell of the wrapper with its notes of warm, rich cedar and tobacco. It is the smell you get going into a walk in humidor. The foot has distinct notes of barnyard, along with cedar. Upon removing a small piece of the triple cap with my double guillotine cutter, rich notes of clove and cocoa present themselves on the cold draw.

First Third

The peppery spice is impressive right off the bat, warming my mouth and leaving a tingle in the back of the throat. As the cigar burns down through the first ¾ inch, some faint sweetness begins to show through. The cedar is also much more noticeable as the pepper has backed off a bit. The smoke texture is somewhat chewy.  After knocking the first ash off, the cigar is beginning to cone letting me know to slow it down. I forgot how fast a lancero can burn at my regular smoking rate.  The ash is white and the burn is even. The flavors are definitely full and I am already feeling some nicotine. I do not recall feeling any nicotine, especially so early on, in the other vitolas.

Middle Third

As I pull into the second third of this limited edition cigar, the smoke is creamy and the cedar and faint sweetness are still pulling through in the profile. The pepper is balancing nicely, but, if you are a spice fan, the retrohale continues to showoff the spice. A unique acidic quality, somewhat floral, somewhat perfume-like, is adding to the complexity of the Hererra Esteli Lancero . A small crack in the wrapper has formed right on the seam. It look like I’ll be able to burn past it with no issue.

Final Third
Sure enough, I was able to burn past the crack. The cigar was and is still performing beautifully. The draw is perfect, the smoke production is awesome, and flavors are full and engaging. The flavors have not developed much from the middle third except for some earth or leather notes that have joined the mix. Burning down to the final inch, the smoke remains mostly cool and the flavors pleasant.

Wrap-up

Willy Herrera far exceeded my expectation with the Herrera Esteli Lancero – Edicion Limitada 2014. This small ring gauge brought more body, fuller flavors, and a good amount of strength to the table. From start to finish, this stick was an absolute treat. A classic smoke well worth the $12 price tag. I look forward to the direction Willy Herrera will take Drew Estate Tobacco Company in regards to the expansion of their traditional lines. I am also excited to see where Nick Melillo will pop up in the industry.

The post Drew Estate – Herrera Esteli Lancero appeared first on Cigar Reviews | Beer Pairings | Casas Fumando.

Drew Estate

Even with their 2013 releases (Nica Rustica and Kentucky Fire Cured) delayed, the Drew Estate table had no problem drawing the crowds, men and women alike, throughout the day.  With the No. 9, T52, Undercrown, Herrera Esteli, infused lines and Joya de Nicaragua products available, there was something for everyone. Fabian Ziegler, national sales director for Drew Estate, represented the company for their first appearance at Foxtoberfext.

Knowing it would be a full day of cigar smoking, I grabbed a Herrera Esteli to kick off the day.  The more I visit the Herrera Esteli the more I enjoy it. Tony mentioned to me that during his trip to Esteli earlier this year that he smoked a Herrera Esteli each morning. Something about the profile and the way it compliments a cup of Joe makes it a great morning stick.

It was a great event at a great location with lots of happy smokers.  I enjoy hanging and smoking with people who truly enjoy both the simpleness and complexity of a cigar. – Fabian Ziegler

 

J. Fuego Cigars

Jesus Fuego arrived at the event looking like he just finished a deep-sea fishing excursion. Whether on purpose or accident, his apparel was quite fitting since a box purchase of the Edicion de Familia could land you on a deep-sea fishing trip with Jesus. As Tony and I made our way around to Jesus’ table, he introduced us to his new Connoisseur line. My immediate reaction was to reach for the Original size but he insisted that we smoke the Gordo 5 by 60. He couldn’t have been more right. While still uncomfortable in the mouth, the cigar delivered in the flavor department. Unlike my past two experiences with the Connoisseur Originals, the Gordo did not become a dud at the halfway point.

As the end of the event drew near, I made my way back to the table to purchase a brick of the Sangre de Toro Originals as I did last year. Under $2 bucks a stick, I do not think there is a better deal on the market.

Rocky Patel Premium Cigars

Nish Patel attended Foxtoberfest in place of Rocky Patel this year. With a smile as bright as his head, Nish Patel lit up the event. One of the first cigar we were handed  was the Rocky Patel Royale. The Royale was one of several cigars released by Rocky Patel Premium Cigars this year and wears an Ecuadorian Sumatra wrapper over Honduran and Nicaraguan tobaccos.

As I mentioned in Post 1 of Foxtoberfest, Matt Booth really enjoyed his brief visit to El Paso. Well, Nish had only good things to say about El Paso as well and he will be making another appearance on November 6th at a local shop.

My Father Cigars

Everyone in attendance could agree that the true celebrity of Foxtoberfest was Sparky D’Lighter. Only making a few brief appearance during the event, we were able to capture a moment between Sparky and Jose Ortega. Along with being Sparky’s personal handler, Jose Ortega is the Vice President of Sales for My Father Cigars. You can follow Sparky D’Lighter’s adventures on Twitter, @SparkyDLighter.

Boutique Blends

Rafael Alejandro of Boutique Blends proudly displayed and promoted their Aging Room Maduro that was released at the 2013 IPCPR Trade Show. Since its release, the AR Maduro has been making a lot of noise in social media and cigar review sites. After smoking the Aging Room Small Batch M356 back in February, I have been intrigued with Boutique Blends and keeping an eye out on their cigars.

Not being outdone by fellow manufacturers, Boutique Blends arrived at Foxtoberfest 2013 with a SWAG event exclusive cigar. Tony and I snagged a 5-pack of the SWAG exclusive and will be posting a review in the near future.

Ashton

I was introduced to Ashton’s La Aroma de Cuba Mi Amor Reserva line at last year’s Foxtoberfest which I instantly fell in love with , so I was excited to be one of the first to get their  hands on the new San Cristobal Revelation by Ashton. Tony previewed the cigar before the event and had this to say:  “This new release features an Ecuadorian Sumatran wrapper, the same wrapper used on Ashton’s Virgin Sun Grown of ‘VSG’ Cigar only using a lower “viso” priming wrapped around Nicaraguan binder and fillers. The cigar will come in 5 sizes, 3 of which are box-pressed and will carry a price point between $6.95 and $9.50 a cigar. This should be a regular production cigar and will come packaged in boxes of 24.”

262 Cigars

Clint Aaron made his second appearance at Foxtoberfest continuing to fight the good fight to bring lanceros back into fad. At the 2013 IPCPR Trade Show, 262 Cigars unveiled the Revere Lancero which was available at the event. While I did not grab one, this is a cigar I plan on hunting down soon. Along with the Revere line, the Ideology and Paradigm lines were also available. I am not sure if Cliff Coen was trying to punish Clint or was just looking for a little entertainment, but he stuck Clint right next to Matt Booth for the 8 hour event. I am sure Clint is seeking psychological help after that.

The folks at Fox seem to one-up themselves with each and every Foxtoberfest. I was honored to be in attendance again this year. Matt Booth frightened me though. It is true what they say, “Don’t feed the animal. – Clint Aaron

With all that was taking place throughout the day, we didn’t have a chance to visit the Xikar or Oliva Cigar Company representatives.

Below is a gallery containing all photos we took at the event. I know it may be a bit of a cumbersome gallery so if you’d like to view them on Facebook instead (no account required) click here.

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The Good Stuff: Eddie took on a huge feat when he decided he wanted to release the Wild Bunch series this year. 12 blends, in 12 months. That’s nuts, but Eddie pulled it off. Maybe he got bored, or maybe he just loves Cliff and the staff at Fox Cigar Bar. Whatever the case may be he decided to throw out another blend this year producing “The Fox”, an event specific blend for Fox Cigar Bar’s FoxToberfest.

This is a huge event into it’s second year for Fox Cigar Bar. Many manufactures and staff headed out this year to pay a visit including Eddie Ortega from Ortega Cigar Company, Jose Ortega from My Father, Jesus Fuego from J Fuego Cigars, Matt Booth from 101, Nish Patel from Rocky Patel, Fabian Ziegler from Drew Estate, Tony Gomez from La Flor Dominicana, Rafael Alejandro from Boutique Blends, Wes Thornton from the Crowned Heads, Clint Aaron from 262 Cigars, David Fraser from Xikar, Meera Levin from Ashton, Terence Reilly from Sag, Jeff Nolen from Oliva Cigars, and Glen Loope from CRA.  We’ll have more on the event later this week. Eddie was one of the manufacturers who created a blend specific for the event (Along with Rafael who created a Swag blend, and LFD). This isn’t just a spin off of any of his other blends, The Fox was created as it’s own blend completely separate for anything Eddie was already doing. I don’t have the specifics of the blend at this time, but I will update this post as they become available to me.

While this was slotted to be a limited release with only a handful of 5 packs produced, Cliff let me know that Fox Cigar Bar has since secured the blend and are looking on even extended the line in the future. What does this mean? Simply put, you can still get your hands on them, but only from Fox Cigar Bar. They may still have a few on hand, with more on the way. They run $39.99 per 5-pack and you can get yours by contact Fox Cigar Bar directly via email, Facebook, twitter, or by simply walking in the store.

Size: 6.5 x 38
Wrapper: Unknown
Binder: Unknown
Filler: Unknown
Strength: Medium
Body: Medium/Full
Price: $7.99
Pairing: Founder’s Breakfast Stout (Double Chocolate, Oatmeal, Coffee Imperial Stout 8.3% ABV)

Prelight: Ortega’s Fox starts off with a beautiful, dark brown wrapper. The wrapper showcases some darker webbing areas in the leaf as it seamlessly leads up to the cigars round, tailed cap. I love these little tails on the caps of corona/Lancero cigars. Adds so much character. Anywho, the cigar is very slim and slender so I was a bit worried about compressing it to see the strength of the tobacco, but the Fox holds it own and is actually incredibly firm to the touch. The wrapper is very thick and toothy. The cigar is polished off with a “Wild Bunch” style logo showcasing Fox Cigar Bar’s infamous Fox logo along with white words printed on the back: “FoxToberfest 2013 Cigar & Beer Festival Limited Edition Fox Cigar Bar”. Good stuff.

The Fox gives off lots of spice and chocolate aromas from the wrapper and a nice blast of pepper and spice from the foot. The Cap cut clean and easily using my double bladed Palio cutter. The cold draw produces a really sweet, leathery, syrupy draw. I get a bit of the black pepper from that as well.

First Smoke: The Fox leads off with a nice blast of black pepper which quickly faded away after the first few draws leaving behind lots of dark chocolate, syrup, natural tobacco flavors with a real neat floral aftertaste. The draw is just a bit tight, but nothing too concerning. In fact, I smoked three of these and all had a flawless draw except for this one. Anywho, it’s not plugged and really isn’t giving me much trouble so I’ll move on. The burnline is dead even and razor sharp leaving behind a brilliant trail of white and light gray ash which held on for only about ¾ of an inch before falling into my ashtray.

Halfway There: The chocolate has really started to pour out of Ortega’s “The Fox” into the second third. Most of the spice and pepper has dropped out and the cigar is burning with lots of sweetness, chocolate, espresso and still a bit of those floral notes I picked up in the first third. I am also happy to report after about the first inch the draw completely opened up and has been pumping out a ton of thick, smoke ever since. The retrohale on the Fox is actually quite satisfying coating my nasal passage with just a ton of chocolate and even a bit of cedar. The burnline is still dead even and razor sharp while I am feeling absolutely no nicotine at this point.

Finish: The Fox has began to mellow out and finished off with a creamy mixture of coffee and chocolate. The floral flavors have diminished and I can only pick up the spice on the aftertaste. Usually I tend to smoke Lancero faster than most vitolas leading towards some harshness built up here and there, but that wasn’t the case in any of the Foxes I smoked. Each one finished off very smooth and creamy leaving behind absolutely no feeling of nicotine. It took me about an hour and a half to take this one down to the nub.

Overview: It’s easy to see why Cliff was so excited to introduce “The Fox” to the cigar world. Eddie created yet another masterpiece. First off, I love the size, but that’s no secret. I’m a corona, Lonsdale, Lancero guy. But the blend itself is just great. Leading off with a bit of black pepper and spice, balanced out with a ton of sweetness, coffee, and chocolate before finishing off with lots of creamy, earth notes. Great experience all around. Add in a fantastic price point,  the great people at Fox Cigar Bar and 5pk packaging vs. full boxes and you got a winner. I would contact Fox Cigar Bar ASAP and get a few if you’re a fan of flavorful, balance, cigars. Or just a fan of Eddie’s work in general.

Pairing: I found the perfect pairing for The Fox. Founders Brewing Breakfast Stout. It’s a double chocolate, coffee, oatmeal Imperial stout. Seriously, read that again. Without even drinking the beer can you see why it’s a perfect pairing? Brewed at the Founders Brewery in Michigan this Imperial stout comes in at a whopping 8.3% ABV. So, we got chocolate, coffee, oatmeal, and high ABV? SOLD! Seriously it’s just as good as it sounds leading with a ton of chocolate with just a bit of coffee on the finish. Lots of malt, and caramel fill the gap in between the two dominant flavors making as close to a perfect stout as you can get. Now add the sweetness, coffee, and chocolate from Ortega’s Fox and you have a perfect, all-round balanced pairing.

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You can read my reviews of the first set of 3 cigars here, and the second set of 3 cigars here. Here is what Eddie has to say about the project:

“During my time in the cigar industry, I’ve come to know lots of great interesting characters in the industry. I’ve found certain characters so interesting, that I decided to create a series called “Wild Bunch”. This series will consist of 12 characters, each of them with a unique flavor and size profile, no two will be alike.

The series will consist of a limited number of boxes 500-1000, the number of boxes produced will be based on the blend selected for the character, I want to use out of the ordinary material, specially wrappers, and I know that some of the selected wrappers I have chosen are in very limited supply.

The Series will start January 2013 and will continue through December 2013 with one character being released every month of the year, on December 2013 a final release of the completed set made up of either 12 cigars; 1 of each character or 24 cigars; 2 of each character.”

There you have it. Now let’s dive in.

Wild Bill

Size: 6 x 46
Wrapper:  Nicaraguan Habano
Binder: Nicaraguan Jalapa / Esteli
Filler: Nicaraguan Jalapa / Esteli
Body:  Medium
Strength: Medium
Price: $7.95
Production: 500 boxes of 20

Prelight: First of all, I love the size and the cap. The cigar is a slender, crazy toothy, extremely consistent medium brown with a cute little tail on the cap. The wrapper sports only one or two smaller veins along with a ton of oils. The big story here is how incredibly seamless the wrapper leaf is. The cigar gives off only a bit of natural and tobacco aroma before it meets my flame.

Flavors: The Wild Bill greeted me with an unexpected smack in the face of black pepper and spice. The cold draw and prelight aromas were so subtle I wasn’t expecting this cigar to lead off so powerful. Once the pepper faded I was left with a sweet tobacco mixed with some black cherry and cocoa. As I smoked on a crazy spearmint kept poking through every so often. Maybe I am just going crazy. The cigar finished with lots of cedar and sweetness but a bit of harshness creeped its way into the final inch.

Burn/Draw: While the draw was perfect, and the burn was spot on (in fact, the ash was incredibly thick, white, and beautiful) there was one complaint. Maybe it was the air, the dryness of the desert, or just me in general but this cigar felt really chalky. And as I smoked on the chalkiness began to really dry out my mouth, tongue, and parts of my throat. It wasn’t terrible, but it wasn’t great either.

Thoughts:  Outside of the dryness, which I will excuse since it could be a number of factors I thought this was a decent cigar. Decent, but not great. It could use a bit more complexity. That being said, it would be a great cigar for a morning smoke. Pair it with some coffee and you’re set.

Fast Eddie

Size:  6.5 x 38
Wrapper:  Ecuadorian  Sumatra
Binder: Nicaraguan Jalapa / Esteli
Filler: Nicaraguan Jalapa / Esteli
Body:  Medium/Full
Strength: Medium
Price: $7.95
Production: 500 boxes of 20

Prelight: The Fast Eddie comes in another brilliant format, the Lancero. It’s not often that we see a Lancero or Panatela with a wrapper this dark. Seriously, its so dark brown it’s almost black. The wrapper feels incredibly thick, and hard and carries almost no visible oil. This cigar is finished off with an awesome tail on the cap as well. The Fast Eddie gives off lots of sweet tobacco and musky aromas.

Flavors: Wow, this cigar leads off with soo much sweetness. Along with the sweetness the Fast Eddie offers lots of syrupy, rich, brown sugar flavors over soft spice and a bit of natural tobacco. Shortly into the second third a very strong floral/musky/leather mixture started to form. And the more I smoked this cigar, the stronger it got. By the time I finished this cigar tasted like a boot. Not that it’s a bad thing, but the leather and musk had completely taken over the experience.

Burn/Draw: The Fast Eddie burned razor sharp, and dead even the entire experience. I had a bit of a rough patch at the beginning of the experience where the draw was a bit tight but as I continued to smoke it began to open up. By the second third it was spot-on pumping out puff after puff of thick, white smoke.

Thoughts: This blend just didn’t do it for me. It’s a good blend though. I know a lot of people out there totally dig the leather/musky flavor profiles, but it was just too much for me. Had it been a bit lighter and the sweetness and syrup been able to shine through I think this cigar would have been dynamite.

Gearhead Gary

Size: 6 x 52
Wrapper: Habano Maduro
Binder: Nicaraguan Jalapa / Esteli
Filler: Nicaraguan Jalapa / Esteli
Body:  Full
Strength: Medium/Full
Price: $8.75
Production: 500 boxes of 20

Prelight: The Gearhead Gary starts out with this silky smooth, medium brown wrapper. The wrapper carries a few small veins and lots of tooth. The wrapper is very fragile though and I can feel it start to give as I check for soft spots so I decided to baby it a bit. The Gearhead Gary is polished off with a large, tapered, torpedo style cap. This cigar gives off a hell of a lot of tobacco and sweetness on the prelight aroma. One note, during this review I had no idea this cigar was a maduro wrap. Could have fooled me with the color, but the flavor did match. Eddie informed me that it is in fact and Maduro wrapper.

Flavors: The Gearhead Gary starts out with a long of up front spice which quickly fades after the first few draws. What I was left with is this incredible, super sweet tobacco with dark cocoa notes as well as Black Cherry and Raspberry. This cigar really packs some flavors. As I get past the second third some soft cedar starts to appear. As I get into the final third the spice began to come back as the cherry/berry flavors ramped up for an incredible finish.

Burn/Draw:  The burnline on this cigar was a bit wavy, but I only had to touch it up once or twice the entire experience with no re-lights needed. The draw was a bit open at first but it balanced out as I continued smoking. The Gearhead Gary kicked out massive amounts of smoke with every little puff. In fact, this cigar pumped out tons of stationary smoke as well.

Thoughts: Holy crap. Really, I was caught off guard with just how much I enjoyed this cigar. I thought that Dandy McCoy kicked ass but it’s not even in the same ballpark as the Gearhead Gary. Crazy amounts of flavors, and some of the best flavors I have tasted in any of my recent cigar experiences. I really can’t wait to get my hands on a few more of these bad boys.

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The Cain F is a Nicaraguan puro made up of 32% Esteli Ligero, 25% Condega Ligero, and 25% Jalapa Ligero. I guess we will never know where the other 18% of the tobaccos come from. Available vitolas include: Nub (4 by 60), Nub Torbedo (4 by 64), Robusto (5 ¾ by 50), Torpedo (6 by 54), Double Toro (6 by 60), and Lancero (7 by 38).

The Facts

Vitola: Lancero
Size: 7 by 38
Wrapper: Nicaraguan Habano
Binder: Nicaraguan
Filler: Nicaraguan
Pairing: Seham’s Costa Rican Coffee
Smoke Time: 1 hour and 30 minutes

Pre-light

The Cain F sports a dark brown wrapper that has a rusty undertone. The dark imperfections, color variations, veins, and bumps make this one rugged looking cigar. The oils off the wrapper can be felt as I examine the cigar for soft spots.  The cigar has a good amount of bounce and there are a couple of spots that are noticeably softer. The wrapper aroma is of cedar, dark earth, and some other unidentifiable vegetal notes. The cedar notes are sharper off the foot, with a minor vanilla sweetness.

The double cap gets the job done. Clipping through the first layer of the cap, I find a decent draw that has just a tad more resistance than I prefer, but nothing unexpected due to the smaller ring gauge. The cold draw showcases a myriad of spices that are very rich. It reminds me of the smell of potpourri during the holiday season. Both foot bands slide off with ease and I am now ready to fire up this Cain F Lancero.

First Third

Even with the resistance on the draw, a good amount of flavorful smoke fills my mouth with each puff. Right out of the gate, the Cain F is a flavor bomb, firing off black pepper, cedar, and deep earth.  The spice sits on my palate for a good amount of time between each draw.  At the one inch mark, the pepper has shifted down, while the cedar has settled into a more significant role.  There is also a sweetness that hits the tip of my tongue. The smoke has a very thick, chewy feel in my mouth and oily quality on the finish. The black pepper on the retrohale will wake you up but not unbearable. A beautiful layered ash is a result of an almost perfect burn. Flavors are full and strength is coming in at a solid full as well.

Middle Third

The Cain F Lancero is putting me in a nice, comfortable state. The smoke has become very rich, delivering a caramel-like sweetness that compliments the cedar notes.  However, the caramel doesn’t linger on the finish but more of a dusty cocoa. The cocoa may be tied to the Costa Rican coffee I am enjoying with the cigar. In a similar way that coffee pairs with a rich dessert, the coffee is offsetting the richness of the Cain F nicely. The burn line is not as sharp as the first third, but is of no concern. As I smoke this cigar, I can’t help but think how comfortable the lancero format is in my hand and mouth.

Final Third

Due to dinking around a little too long with the photos, the Cain F did go out on me. But in no time at all, the cigar is back in action with a quick re-light from my Zippo Z-Plus! lighter. The “F” has a little more heat in the final third. I am going to have to be careful not to overheat this 38 ring gauge beauty and ruin the flavors.  The spice has crept back in warming my entire mouth and there is a lingering spice sting on my lips. The combination of woodsy notes, spice, and caramel reminds me of a spice rum. Don’t ask me what kind of rum because my rum knowledge is way below par. The strength is definitely full but it has not pushed me over the edge.  With less than an inch left, the flavor has become a bit charred and it is time to put this Lancero down to rest.

Wrap-up

I am just going to say it. I freakin love this cigar! While it has been well over a year since I smoked the 2011 release, I felt that this release offered bolder flavors and more complexity. While ugly in appearance, the construction and burn were excellent. As I have mentioned in previous reviews, I lean towards cigars that deliver some sweetness and the Cain F Lancero it right up my alley.  I adore the Lancero format and it is just unheard of to find a lancero in the $6.00 range for single. Actually, skip grabbing a single, just buy a box. Several places on the web have boxes of 10 for under $60.00. I think I know what my next box purchase is going to be.

The post Oliva (Studio Tobac) Cain F Lancero appeared first on Cigar Reviews | Beer Pairings | Casas Fumando.

“Carlito’s Way”

A nice looking lancero with a Cubanesque construction. There’s are plenty of bumps and veins along the length of this cigar and it’s quite soft when squeezed. The wrapper gave off a nice aroma of cedar and the foot added a bit of fruity tartness to the mix. The cap clipped off cleanly with my double bladed guillotine cutter and a small single flame torch gave me a nice even toasting.
The initial draws brought with it a good helping of cedar with a nice side-note of spice. Perhaps a raw nutmeg? The tartness is still around but it comes and goes between draws. The smoke is nice and full and so far the cigar is burning at a comfortably slow pace. The body starts off in the low medium range and the retrohale has a light spice bite with a cedar finish.
As I smoke this I just read a previous blind review of the 107 lancero I sent someone and I can’t help but think this tastes very similar. I should know since I’ve smoked so many 107’s but I feel this has something different in the mix. Or maybe I’m just psyching myself out?
The spice and cedar seem to be the primary flavors here going into the halfway point, they are balanced well and have a smooth finish. Pretty sure this is not a 107 anymore since I’m not getting any more of the tartness I’m used to from them. Perhaps a DPG Lancero? We’ll see if the spice kicks up a notch in the last half. Ash in moving along nicely, staying tight and clean before being tapped off into the ashtray after an inch or so.
Heading into the last third the body has built up a bit and the spice is developing as well as some nice roasted coffee and nutty flavors. Heading for a nice finish with no burn problems at all. Bite on the retrohale picked up a bit too!
Spice and body definitely ramped up in the last 1.5 inches making me think even more that this could be a DPG stick. No harshness and still a nice balanced smoke. This is definitely not Cuban with this intense spice, or at least not one I’ve ever had. Perhaps maybe even an Arturo Fuente? Let’s crack this envelope open and see…

Reveal: La Aurora 100 Anos Lancero

Post-Reveal Notes: Totally confused me yet again! I’ve only had a couple 100 Anos and I forgot they had a nice spicy kick to them. I guess I was on the right lines with the La Aurora brand and I threw that idea to the gutter too early! lol Yet another reason why I continue to enjoy La Aurora’s, even blind their sticks continue to impress me! This vitola was on my shopping list for sometime in the future and I’m glad I got to try it!

“The Untouchables”

A nice dark wrapper surrounds this lancero vitola cigar with quite a few bumps and veins. It’s got a very soft feeling near the foot but gets a little more firm at the halfway mark. The cap clips cleanly off and the pre-light draw brings with it lots of cedar and a good helping of peppery spice.
Initial draws bring more cedar but less pepper than the pre-light. At this point I have no clue what I’m smoking…
The cigar is starting off on the high side of mild bodied and burning even and slow. Just the way I like it! I started to get a bit of coffee flavors after about an inch which balanced out the profile even more and made it very tasty. A little bit of leather also mixing in with the existing flavors and so far very enjoyable through the first half. Ash is lasting about and inch and falling off into the ashtray by itself. The retrohale has a nice little bite and a smooth cedar finish.
I’m getting a bit of a funky burn a little past the halfway mark that was quickly fixed with a touch up from my lighter. The flavors are starting to intensify into the last third, more roasted coffee and cedar with a little more spice into the mix, almost a spicy paprika type here. The flavors are definitely keeping me interested and on my toes.
Body built up a bit more as well as a bit more spice and coffee into the nub. A tiny bit of harshness but not off-putting. It did get really soft and hot near the nub but all in all, a good finish. Still no clue what this is…

Reveal: Don Lino Africa

Post-Reveal Notes: This was a very interesting cigar and one that has actually never been on my radar. I’ve seen people post about it on various social media sites or blogs, but I never read much into it. This is the beauty of these blind reviews, they really open your eyes to brands you may have never even considered.

Just to wrap up these reviews, it was yet another successful and fun blind tasting for me and I’m very glad I participated. I hope you enjoyed reading these and seems we get a lot of good feedback from these types of reviews so be assured you will see more in the future!

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Up for review today is the Pinar Del Rio. A fairly new brand to me and probably to many but they have been making a pretty big splash in the boutique cigar market. Pinar Del rio is actually the name of a City and Province in Cuba but despite the name, the company is not based in Cuba and does not roll Cuban cigars. In fact, the Pinar Del Rio company is based out of the Dominican Republic.

The creator behind the Pinar Del Rio lines is Abe Flores. There’s also a deep seated family tie to him for this company. At this moment they are up to 5 different blends with one more new one coming to IPCPR 2011 this year. The Clasico Exclusivo line is one of the milder of their offerings being wrapped with a Connecticut leaf. The company and it’s cigars have received a lot of positive press so I thought it was time we featured one of their cigars.

The vitola up for review today will be the lancero. The Clasico Exclusivo line is also available in a variety of other vitolas ranging from a Corona all the way up to Churchill and Double Magnum. Their 9 available sizes should make it easy for anyone with a vitola preference to find their own ‘sweet spot’. The cigars are adorned with a blue and gold band carrying the Pinar Del Rio name and accented with an additional deep red and silver band with the Exclusivo words on it.

Cigar: Pinar Del Rio Clasico Exclusivo
Drink: Coffee
Vitola: Lancero (7.25 x 38)
Wrapper: Ecuadorian Connecticut
Binder: Criollo 98 / Dominican Republic
Filler: Nicaraguan / Dominican Republic
Price: $5.00-5.50
Burn Time: A little over 1.5 hours

Construction:
• A nice honey and orange colored wrapper surrounds this cigar
• The wrapper itself is somewhat bumpy and a little rough to the touch
• There are a lot of small veins running along the cigar and some seem to have a greenish color to them
• Only a tiny spring can be felt while squeezing the cigar, it’s fairly firm form end to end
• The clean triple cap is finished with a small pigtail
• A well packed foot finishes off the bottom of this cigar
• Cap clipped very easily and fell neatly into the ashtray

Burn:
• Toasting took a little longer than I would have expected given the smaller ring gauge and my Creme Brulee torch, but still lit up evenly
• Initial burn has been pretty straight and steady
• Through the first half and no burn issues at all, also staying lit easily with no need for extra draws
• May have spoke too soon… right after I wrote the above point I picked up the cigar for another draw and it was completely out… relight and off we go again
• Resting smoke really picked up around the halfway mark

Smoke & Ash:
• Right from the first puff I’m getting a nice mouthful of smoke from each draw
• Even though I get so much smoke on each draw the resting smoke is fairly minimal
• The ash is a nice light grey color and keeps fairly clean
• Although looking strong, the ash falls off in less than a half inch, but it is a lancero so I usually don’t see very long ash on these anyway
• May have spoke to soon about the neatness, the next ash portion looked like a flower blossoming!
• Ash got a little longer and cleaner as the cigar progressed, only split the one time

Tasting Notes:
• The cigars wrapper doesn’t have a strong aroma, just a mild tobacco and hay-like hint
• The foot of the cigar brings more hay aroma paired with a bit of earthiness
• Pre-light draw brings more hay and earth, definitely a good helping of a “dirt” flavor in there
• Initial draws bring more of the earthy flavors and offer a nice smooth finish
• The body has started off mild and the retrohale has a smooth creamy finish to it with no bite
• Getting quite a bit of dryness on the back of my throat from this cigar
• As I hit the halfway mark, I’m still getting a mostly earthy flavor with a touch of cedar here and there
• I’m getting a touch of white pepper as the cigar progresses, possibly form the binder, an interesting touch to a Connecticut cigar
• As the cigar moves along, I’m really enjoying the slight pepper hint and the creamy finish, it’s an interesting combo and very well balanced
• As I get into the last third, the intensity of the flavors seemed to pick up a bit and the cigar started burning a little hotter, the body also picked up tad to medium
• I’m getting a bit of a sugar cookie type of flavor here and there, I wish it would stick around a bit more
• The pepper flavors are definitely developing in the last bit of this cigar and the retrohale has a nice little bite to it too, all while maintaining a fairly smooth finish
• The earthy flavor seems to have stuck around for the entire cigar, always playing a part in it’s flavor profile
• Near the nub the body continued to pick up, almost approaching full but no bitterness which is nice

Final Thoughts:
The Pinar Del Rio Clasico Exclusivo hit the spot for me today as an early day smoke. It brings something a little different to the typical Connecticut world but doesn’t shy away from still being mild enough to enjoy in the morning with a coffee. The price on these is very fair and the construction and burn was very good for the most part. It wasn’t overly complex but also not boring making it a good cigar for almost anyone to pick up and enjoy. I think a larger vitola may not be the best selection for this cigar but I could be wrong depending on how the added filler changes the flavor of the cigar. I think I’ll have to pick up a few more in other vitolas and experiment but I’m pretty happy with this one. If you want to add something a little different to your Connecticut line up, give this one a try.

Pairings:
Today I just went with plain old coffee for my pairing. It’s nothing fancy or freshly ground, there was already a pot made that was nice and hot and I’ll admit, I was just too lazy to make anything else. Plus it smelled good so that’s that. It paired nicely with the creamy and mild flavors of the cigar, I wouldn’t suggest going for a strong coffee here as it could drown out some of the mellower flavors. Other than a coffee, I think a dark soda, amber or wheat beer, or even just simple water would also make a good pairing.

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Cigar: Blind Tasting Cigar #1
Drink: Mill Street Brewery Coffee Porter
Vitola: Lancero (7.5 x 38)
Wrapper: Nicaraguan
Binder: Nicaraguan
Filler: Nicaraguan
Price: $8.50
Burn Time: 2 hours

Construction:
• Very attractive oily and dark chocolate wrapper, appears maduro but I don’t think it is
• Slightly bumpy appearance but no toothiness to it
• Clean triple cap with a small pigtail
• Appears evenly packed at the foot
• Slightly soft and springy throughout with one minor hard spot
• Draw is a bit tight, hopefully it loosens up
• Draw loosened up shortly before halfway and is now dead-on perfect

Burn:
• Toasting was amazingly even and easy
• Burning fairly evenly with a bit of wave at the start
• Approaching the halfway point the the burn is moving along excellently, no issues at all
• Cigar is staying lit effortlessly and letting me enjoy it slowly

Smoke & Ash:
• Medium mouthful of smoke, nothing overbearing but enough to keep me satisfied
• Lots of constant resting smoke that smells fantastic, lots of cedar in the aroma
• Ash is tight and even but not too strong
• First ash was only about ¼ of an inch
• Second ash was a bit longer but seems to be between ¼ and ½ inch each time
• Amount of smoke increased quite a bit in the last 3rd

Tasting Notes:
• Wrapper has a sweet tobacco aroma
• Foot has an earthy and cedar aroma with a touch of spice
• Pre-light draw definitely has an earthy spice type of flavor to it complimented by cedar touches
• Initial draws are of earth, cedar and coffee with a touch of spice on the aftertaste
• Retrohale is mild with a cedar and smooth espresso finish
• Body started off mild-medium
• Approaching the half-way mark, flavors haven’t changed much but the spice has pretty much disappeared and the the espresso flavors have got stronger. Earth and cedar flavors are still lingering
• As I approach the final 3 inches, the coffee flavor has slipped into the background and some of the spice is coming back, reminds me of baked cloves, very interesting
• Body has also started to ramp up a bit as I approach the end
• Retrohale has also picked up in body, getting a similar clove flavor complimented by some cedar
• A slight bitterness crept in near the end but nothing overpowering and it did not ruin this cigar, still enjoyed it quite a bit


Final Thoughts:
I was very impressed by this cigar. It had everything you could want. Great construction, lots of smoke, good flavors, and a couple dimensions to keep in interesting. The value on this cigar is also great considering the burn time of 2 hours. If you can find some of these still hanging around somewhere I would definitely recommend grabbing them. These are not the type of limited cigar you want to miss. The new El Triunfador line is good ad it’s hard to compare the two due to the fact that they are so different in body and flavor profile.

Pairings:
The dark Coffee Porter paired very nicely with this cigar and any similar stout or porter would go well. This beer has is full of flavor and coats your palate but has a smooth finish. It obviously has a strong coffee flavor and it complimented the coffee and espresso notes of this cigar nicely. A strong coffee, such as Cuban of Americano, would also be an excellent pairing here.

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