The Good Stuff:

Statesman Cigar Co. is a new manufacturer founded in 2023 by Tommy Allen, Joel Murphy and Jaycee Estrada. The Statesmen motto is “The Cigar Company For The Modern Era” as they are focusing more on a lifestyle of memorable cigar-smoking experiences, life-enhancing community, and sophisticated elegance. Their portfolio launched with 4 separate blends however today we are only focusing on The Nightcap. Offered in a single 5 3/8 x 52 figurado format. While there isn’t too many specifics their media kid did mention that the cigars are rolled in Esteli, Nicaragua and the tobaccos are sourced from the surrounding area. Based on that we can assume this is a Nicaragua puro featuring a Maduro wrapper. Each stick runs $11 per, and you can purchase them in bundles of 5, 10, and 20 from their website. Big thanks to Tommy and his team for sending a few samples our way for review. You can find more about the company at their website.

• Size: 5 3/8 x 52
• Wrapper: Nicaraguan Maduro
• Binder: Nicaraguan
• Filler: Nicaraguan
• Body: Mild/Medium
• Strength: Medium
• Price: $11

Prelight:

The Statesman Cigar Co. Nightcap starts with a very, very dark brown and consistent wrapper. The wrapper’s texture is slightly toothy and extremely oily. The wrapper feels thing and dense to the touch while the cigar itself is extremely hard, tight, and heavy. The cigar starts off with a snubby foot that quickly bells out before slowly tapering down to the cigar’s pointy, double-wrapped cap. The cigar is finished off with a dark green band with white and gold accents which include the Statesman’s crest and “Handmade in Nicaragua”.

The wrapper on the Statesman Cigar Co. Nightcap gives off an incredibly floral and spicy mixture of aromas while the foot of the cigar is mostly floral with some really light tobacco undertones. The cap cut clean and easily using my Xikar XO double bladed cutter. The cold draw produces some light floral flavors over soft wood and natural tobacco.

First Third:

The Statesman Nightcap starts out with a very subtle burst of black pepper which only lasts the first few puffs before fading away allowing the cigar to showcase some great dark chocolate flavors over natural tobacco and wood. It doesn’t start off very complex, nor is that really needed. It’s a straight-forward cigar from the get go. The draw is great despite being so tightly packed. Each puff kicks out the desired amount of thick, white smoke which dissipates very quickly while the cigar releases a ton of stationary smoke while it rests in my ashtray. The burn line is a bit wild, but thats to be expected with a figurado format wile it leaves behind a trail of tightly compacted medium-gray ash which held on for an inch before falling into my ashtray.

Second Third:

Into the second third of The Statesman Nightcap and the flavor profile remained much of the same. Very straightforward and easy smoking with notes of dark chocolate, cedar, and soft spice over natural tobacco. The retrohale does bring out a bit more of the spice, however it doesn’t alter the experience too much. I close out the second third with nothing in terms of a nicotine kick.

Note: In all three samples I smoked the wrapper around the cap separated a bit from the binder while I was smoking it. I thought the cigar was dry at first so I let them rest more, however it was still an issue.

Finish:

Not much has changed from the start to the finish in the Statesman Nightcap. The flavor profile was consistent all the way through leading with dark chocolate backed by woodsy flavors, natural tobacco, and a touch of a floral aftertaste with some slight spice. The cigar started in the mild/medium bodied arena and finished the same. I feel like a touch of sweetness would have gone a long way in this profile. It took me about an hour and a half to smoke the cigar down to the nub. There was no harshness, nor any extended heat. The cigar burned perfectly from start to finish. The only issue was the cap unraveling a bit. While it didn’t affect the performance of the cigar, it did make it a bit uncomfortable at times as the wrapper would tickle my lips on draws.

Overview:

The Statesman Nightcap can really be described in the same way I have said it multiple times throughout the review, straightforward. The profile is easy on the palate and very mild. There isn’t anything too crazy or different about the cigar, nor was there anything too off-putting. The cap issue was a bit of a nuisance. Usually I’d let it slide as it could very well be changes in humidity or my storage, but the fact that it happened on all three samples was worth mentioning. This is a good cigar for someone who wants to just sit back and enjoy a solid smoke, however I did wish there as a bit more complexity and body here, however that’s mostly subjective to my own personal palate.

The post Statesman Cigar Co. The Nightcap appeared first on Cigar Reviews | Beer Pairings | Casas Fumando.

The Good Stuff:

Originally released as a limited edition blend only available to retailers who attended the 2019 IPCPR show, the Last Rites Viaticum would now be available to all of Black Label Trading Co.’s retailers in 2021. Created at the Fabrica Oveja Negra factory in Esteli, Nicaragua, the blend features an Ecuadorian Maduro wrapper over a Honduran Habano binder and fillers from Honduras and Nicaragua. The Viaticum is produced in 3 sizes: Robusto (5 x 54), Toro (6 x 48), and the Lancero (6 3/4 x 40). All three sport a soft box-press format and come packaged in boxes of 20 running between $15 and $15.25 a stick. Only 800 boxes of each size will be released. We scooped ours up from our good friends at Cigars International.

• Size: 5 x 54
• Wrapper: Ecuadorian Maduro
• Binder: Honduran Habano
• Filler:  Honduran / Nicaraguan
• Body: Medium/Full
• Strength: Medium/Full
• Price: $15
• Pairing: The Bruery Melange Noir (Blended Ale 16.6% ABV)

Prelight:

The Black Label Trading Co. Last Rites Viaticum starts out with a very deep, dark brown wrapper. So dark it’s almost black and incredibly consistent. The wrapper itself feels pretty thick and tough while the cigar as a whole is very hard and tightly packed. The wrapper showcases lots of mild veining as the soft box-pressed body leads up to the cigar’s round, triple-wrapped cap. The cigar is then polished off with a black and gold band with the skull embossed on the front and a black and gold foot bad with the Viaticum crest printed across the front.

The wrapper on the Viaticum gives off a ton of raisin over some natural tobacco while the foot of the cigar is much more spice-forward with lots of herbal and dit aromas. The cigar cut like butter using my Xikar XO double bladed cutter. The cold draw produces a whole mess of raisin, cocoa and spice.

First Third:

The Black Label Trading Co. Last Rites Viaticum carries a very mild black pepper punch that quickly faded as the cigar released a ton of cocoa, cinnamon, raisin, espresso, maple, and moss. It’s a really great flavor profile to lead off with. The draw is absolutely perfect as each and every tiny puff kicks out a whole mess of thick, white smoke which sticks around for a considerable amount of time before dissipating while the cigar releases a ton of stationary smoke as it rests in my ashtray. The burnline is very thin and dead even leaving behind a trail fo white and light gray ash which held on for an inch before falling into my ashtray.

Second Third

Into the second third of the Viaticum and the cinnamon and raisin lead the way backed by cocoa, caramel, and espresso with light maple sweetness and earthiness. There is this very enjoyable, unique blend of earthy/herbal tones I get from a lot of the Black Label cigars and it’s pretty potent in this one. The cold draw produces a whole ton of black pepper, even more than I got off the initial smoke. The burnline is slightly wavy as I close out the second third with nothing in terms of nicotine.

Finish:

Into the final third of the Black Label Trading Co. Last Rites Viaticum and the cigars continues to pump out it’s amazing flavors. The raisin and cinnamon have remained in front of the pack while the caramel, cocoa, and espresso have been consistent. In the final third I noticed a lot of the sweetness and maple were replaced with much more herbal earthiness. It took me an hour to smoke this down to the nub. That’s right, just an hour. This thing smokes crazy fast. I experienced no harshness nor any extended heat while the cigar left me with no signs of any nicotine. While the burnline was a bit wavy there for a while it completely corrected itself and I never once had to reach for my torch to touchup, or relight the cigar.

Overview:

Giving credit where credit is due, this is easily one of the best cigars I’ve smoked all year. The construction and burn were fantastic while the unique blend and flavor profile really appealed to my personal palate. And when I say it “really appealed”, I meant that I loved it. There are few drawbacks, but most are expected. It’s a bit pricey, however I feel the price is justified as I don’t mind paying $15 for the experience it delivered. It’s very limited. Well, that’s a given. And it burns very quickly. None were big enough miffs to keep me from purchasing quite a few more.

Pairing:

The Bruery’s Melange Noir is a blend of the brewery’s Black Tuesday stout, and two different barleywines including the anniversary release. The result is a 16.6% ABV powerhouse beer that is dangerously easy to drink. The  Melange Noir leads lots of raisin, dark chocolate, caramel and black cherry over a good amount of sweethesss with a surprisingly thin mouthfeel before finishing with even more raisin, chocolate and black cherry. I’m often iffy about blended ales but this one turned out fantastic. The raisin, chocolate and caramel paired perfectly with the Viaticum while the cigar itself added some great spice to the beer resulting an in incredible paring.

The post Black Label Trading Co. Last Rites Viaticum appeared first on Cigar Reviews | Beer Pairings | Casas Fumando.

The Good Stuff:

This year one of my favorite characters in the cigar community, Matt Booth released an anniversary cigar celebrating the 12th anniversary of Room 101 Cigars. Created at AJ Fernandez’s factory the 12th Anniversary is aimed at being the boldest anniversary release today showcases pure Nicaraguan tobacco, including the Maduro wrapper from AJ’s farms in Esteli, Nicaragua. The cigar is released in a single 6 x 50 format which comes packaged in boxes of 25 running $11 a cigar. There are only a total of 1,001 boxes released. I purchased a handful of these over from our friends at Neptune Cigars.

• Size: 6 x 50
• Wrapper: Nicaraguan Maduro
• Binder: Nicaraguan
• Filler: Nicaraguan
• Body: Full
• Strength: Full
• Price: $11
• Pairing: Founders KBS Espresso (Imperial Stout 12% ABV)

Prelight:

The Room 101 12th Anniversary cigar starts out with a crazy dark brown, crazy consistent wrapper. It looks like a chocolate bar. The wrappers texture is extremely toothy and gritty while its covered in a whole mess of thick oils. The wrapper itself feels very hard as the cigar itself is dense and heavy without any soft sports. The wrapper is laid so perfectly over itself you have to struggle to see where it meets. You can find some light veining and tobacco webbing in the cigar’s body as it leads up to the cigar’s round, double-wrapped cap. The cigar is then completed with a gorgeously elegant pastel green wrapper with white and gold embossed print containing the words “12TH ANNV”, “2009/2021” and “ROOM 101”.

The wrapper on the Room 101 12th Anniversary gives off some light coffee and cedar aromas while the foot of the cigar carries mostly musky, earthy, natural tobacco aromas. The cap cut clean and easily using my Xikar XO double bladed cutter. The cold draw produces very spicy and musky flavors over light coffee.

First Third:

The Room 101 12th Anniversary starts out with a huge cayenne pepper blast that really left my lips and tongue screaming for a bit. Once the pepper faded the cigar left me with lots of up front musk, oak, espresso, graham cracker, spice, and vanilla with some great dark chocolate that tends to come and go. The draw is absolutely flawless. Each tiny puff kicks out huge clouds of thick white smoke which really take some time to dissipate while the cigar releases a good amount of stationary smoke while it rests in my ashtray. The burnline is dead even and razor sharp leaving behind a trail of tightly compacted white ash that held on for an inch before falling into my ashtray.

Second Third:

Into the second third of the Room 101 12th Anniversary and the flavor profile is being dominated by tons of rich dark chocolate and espresso backed by oak, vanilla, and musk. The retrohale really pours on the spice and pepper so I don’t find myself doing that too often. The burnline is still dead even and razor sharp as I close out the second third with a decent little nicotine kick already.

Finish:

Into the final third of the Room 101 Anniversary and this thing is pound on the flavor. Again, the dark chocolate and espresso lead the charge with notes of strong oak and musk along with light vanilla and graham cracker. The burnline has been perfect the entire experience and I never one had to reach for my torch to touchup or relight. It took me almost 2 hours to take this cigar down to the nub as it burned very slowly. I experienced no harshness nor any extended heat but the cigar did leave me with a whopper of a nicotine kick. Be ready for it.

Overview:

When they said this was the boldest anniversary release in the Room 101 portfolio to date they weren’t joking. The cigar is packed full of flavors which I think will appease any cigar smoker who prefers a stronger profile, but may be a bit too much for someone who tends to gravitate towards something lighter. The cigar preformed perfectly and flavors were complex enough to keep me entertained. The price is perfect, and being that it’s so limited I didn’t have a hard time getting my hands on them.

Pairing:

Founder’s KBS Espresso is a 12% Imperial Stout brewed with coffee and chocolate aged in oak bourbon barrels. The beer leads with a ton of dark chocolate, roasted malt, bright espresso and caramel with a shockingly light mouthfeel before finishing with more espresso, chocolate, oak, and caramel. This beer is incredibly easy to drink despite the ABV. As soon as I tried the Room 101 12th Anniversary I know I would be pairing with this beer as the espresso and chocolate were the dominant forces in the cigar as well resulting in a beautiful pairing.

The post Room 101 12th Anniversary appeared first on Cigar Reviews | Beer Pairings | Casas Fumando.

Produced in Nicaragua at the Tabacalera Oliva De Esteli S.A. factory, the Nub line is available in Connecticut, Cameroon, Maduro, and Habano wrapper options. Maduro frontmarks include 460 (4 by 60) and 464T (4 by 64 Torpedo).

You can give the Nub Maduro 460 and 464T a try for yourself in the Nub 8-Cigar Sampler from our good friends over at Holt’s Cigar Company.

THE FACTS

• Price: $27.95/8-Cigar Sampler
• Vitola: 460
• Size: 4 by 60
• Wrapper: Brazilian Maduro
• Binder: Nicaraguan
• Filler: Nicaraguan
• Smoke Time: 1 Hour

PRE-LIGHT

The Brazilian Maduro leaf on the Nub Maduro is dark brown and consistent in color from head to foot. There are a few small veins webbing down the leaf with a fine tooth. Even with the tooth, the cigar feels almost silky to the touch.

Barnyard and a faint sweetness come across on the wrapper, while a big chocolate note, graham cracker, cedar, and pepper are noted on the foot of the cigar. The draw is free allowing cedar and a sharp cinnamon spice to move across the palate.

FIRST THIRD

A traditional Maduro sweetness is first to greet my palate once the Nub Maduro is lit. Earth, a sour edge, and medium pepper follow the sweetness with black coffee on the finish of the smoke. The sweetness fades as the other flavors push to the forefront of the profile about half an inch in. The cigar is burning along with a minor wave as a light gray ash forms.

MIDDLE THIRD

Pulling into the second third of the Nub Maduro, a dry cedar, almost pencil-shavings like, is now alongside the coffee. There remains only a hint of sweetness in the background of the medium profile. A small section of the wrapper is struggling to burn along with the rest of the cigar. A quick hit with the lighter is needed before I move into the final third and it is at this point that the first ash drops.

FINAL THIRD

Pepper, earth, and coffee make up the profile in the last leg of the journey through the Nub Maduro. Retrohaling the smoke, the spice is a little fuller and tickling the sinuses. While the flavors are on the low side of medium, a richness is developing as I near its end.

WRAP-UP

The Nub Maduro presented a mild to medium profile with earth, coffee, and pepper being the dominant flavors with a few other notable flavors moving in and out through the smoke. With that said, I wouldn’t characterize the profile as complex. Additionally, just like the Nub Habano, I wish the sweetness held its ground through the entire cigar. A performance hiccup was encountered in the middle third with some difficulty with the wrapper burning, but the ash still held to the halfway point and the draw was no issue from start to finish. And while I cannot put my finger on it, the Nub Maduro left me wanting something more.

The post Nub Maduro 460 by Oliva Cigar Company appeared first on Cigar Reviews | Beer Pairings | Casas Fumando.

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:

The EP Carrillo Dusk was named #18 cigar of the year by Cigar Aficionado. The Dusk is one of the newer additions to Ernesto Perez-Carrillo’s portfolio making it’s debut in 2016 at the IPCPR show in Las Vegas. The Dusk is part of the Classics series and is a full-production cigar. The EP Carrillo Dusk carries an undisclosed Maduro wrapper form the United States, Ecuadorian binder, and Nicaraguan fillers. The cigars are being manufactured at the Tabacalera La Alianza factory in Dominican Republic and come in four sizes: Robusto (5 x 50), Stout Toro (6 x 52), Obscure (7 x 54), and the Solidos (6 x 60). All formats are packaged in boxes of 20 and run between $7.15 and $9.55 a stick.  A big thanks goes out to Cuenca Cigar for sending these our way. You can purchase these directly from Cuenca, or as part of their Cigar Aficionado Top 25 Cigars of 2017 sampler pack.

Size: 6 x 60
Wrapper: Undisclosed United States
Binder: Ecuadorian
Filler: Nicaraguan
Body: Medium
Strength: Medium
Price: $9.55
Pairing: Founders 2018 Kentucky Breakfast Stout (KBS) (12.3% Imperial Stout)

Prelight:

The EP Carrillo Dusk is wrapper in an extremely dark brown, “Dusk themed” wrapper which is consistent in color minus the darker natural webbing scattered throughout the wrapper’s leaf. The texture on the wrapper is pretty coarse and toothy with a very large amount of oils coating the wrapper. The wrapper feels very thick, dense, and firm while the filler is packed extremely tight resulting in a cigar that feels like a dry erase marker. The cigar is then polished off with a round, double wrapped cap and a beautiful navy blue and gold band sporting the EP Carrillo crest and the Dusk logo embosses in the front.

The wrapper on the EP Carrillo gives off great cocoa and spice aromas while the foot of the cigar carries much more pepper, spice, and natural tobacco scents. The cap cut clean and easily using my Xikar XO double bladed cutter. The cold draw produces great chocolate, spice, pepper, and dirt flavors.

First Third:

The EP Carrillo Dusk starts out with a blast of black pepper which quickly faded after the first few puffs to reveal a soft palate of dark chocolate, coffee, slight sweetness, brown sugar, and cedar. The draw is great. There is something about larger ring gauge cigars that causes the cigar to release a great amount of smoke with little effort. At first, I was scared the cigar would be packed too tightly, but it’s smoking like a dream. The burn line is slightly wavy, but razor sharp. The Ash is decently compacted and medium gray which held on for about an inch before falling into my ashtray.

Second Third:

Into the second third of the EP Carrillo Dusk the cedar has really taken the prominent role in the flavor palate backed by dark chocolate, soft coffee and a bit of musk. The sweetness has almost completely faded out. The retrohale is nice and smooth coating my nasal passage with coffee, cocoa, and soft spice which isn’t too prominent in the standard experience. The burnline is still slightly wavy but holding strong as I close out the second third with nothing in terms of nicotine kick.

Finish:

The cedar has really started to overpower all the other flavors in the final third of the EP Carrillo Dusk. While the cocoa, musk, and coffee still remain they really just kind of pop in and out at this point as they battle through the overwhelming cedar flavor. While I do enjoy it, I wish the cigar ended just a bit more balanced. The burn line was a bit wacky throughout but I never once had to touchup or relight the cigar so no marks taken there. I never once experience any harshness nor extended heat in the 2 hours it took to take this cigar down to the nub. I close out with no signs of nicotine at all.

Overview:

I am a big fan of EP Carrillo cigars, but this one just didn’t do it for me. The flavors seemed a bit muted from the beginning and as I hoped they’d ramp up as the cigar progressed, they actually dampened. I smoked three of these cigars and two of the three (not this particular one which came from a different box than the previous two) had a strange metallic flavor throughout the experience. Since it didn’t happen on all of them I didn’t feel right mentioning it in the review, nor dock the cigar marks for that. The burn and construction were great though as the cigar performed flawlessly. So if the above flavor profile matches something you think you’d like then by all means pick it up, and let me know what you think about it. I’d love to hear it.

Pairing:

Let’s face it, we all know and love Founder’s KBS. Each year this is one of the most sought after beer releases. Brewed at the Founder’s Brewery in Michigan this Imperial stout with Coffee and Chocolate added is aged is Oak Bourbon Barrels before getting bottled and poured with a 12.3% ABV. KBS starts out with a great amount of sweet chocolate, mild coffee, bourbon bite, vanilla, and malt with a heavy mouthfeel before finishing sweet with more chocolate, coffee, vanilla, toffee, and a slight bourbon bite. The alcohol is very well hidden in this dangerously drinkable stout. I paired it with the Dusk hoping that the complimentary flavors would help pull some more body out of the cigar, which it did, but still not enough to get my attention.

The post E.P. Carrillo Dusk Solidos appeared first on Cigar Reviews | Beer Pairings | Casas Fumando.

-Tony

In 2015, Flor de Gonzalez, maker of the popular 90 Miles cigars, released the 20 Aniversario line to commemorate the 20^th anniversary of the opening of the family’s factory in Hialeah, FL in 1995.  Although manufacturing has since moved to Nicaragua, Flor de Gonzalez continues to maintain a presence in Florida.  The 20 Aniversario comes in both an 8 year-old Ecuadorian Connecticut and a 5 year-old US Connecticut Broadleaf Maduro wrapper.  According to the information that brand owner Yadi Gonzalez Vargas sent me, those two wrappers were chosen because they were the wrappers used on the original Flor de Gonzalez cigars.  Sizes for both wrapper lines are:  Robusto 5 ½ x 50, Toro 6 ½ x 54, and Torpedo 6 ½ x 52, with all of them having a soft box press.  Prices run from $9.60 for the Connecticut Robusto to $10.80 for the Broadleaf Torpedo, with 1,500 boxes of each wrapper and vitola being released.

The Basics:

Wrapper:  5 year-old US Connecticut Broadleaf Maduro
Binder:  Nicaraguan
Filler:  Nicaraguan
Size:  Robusto 5 ½ x 50 box pressed
Price:  $9.80
Smoking time:  One hour, twenty minutes
Pairing:  Unibroue Trois Pistoles Belgian style dark ale (ABV 9%)

Pre-light:

The FDG 20 Aniversario Maduro presents itself in a rustic wrapper mottled in medium to very dark hues of brown with a few small to medium veins in a lumpy, bumpy, and firm roll.  The bands are quite handsome in their gold, red, and beige color scheme.  The wrapper gives off a light, tart barnyard scent, while the foot adds mossy earth to the aroma.  Once clipped, the draw is rather tight, but offers up sweet spice and natural tobacco notes.

First third:

The snug draw doesn’t keep the Flor de Gonzalez 20 Aniversario from giving up a generous mouthful of smoke.  The sweet spice is first to hit the tongue, followed by earthy tobacco, oaky wood, and black pepper pungency.  The pepper soon recedes, as leather, light coffee, and a bit of savoriness creep in.  The burn line is a little thick and just a bit slanted, leaving behind a compact, light and medium gray layered ash that hangs on well past an inch before falling into my ashtray.

Middle third:

The Flor de Gonzalez 20 Aniversario Maduro moves into its middle third adding bready notes while presenting a smooth and rather refined front, while now burning sharp and evenly.  A zing that’s not quite metallic, but more mineral, has shown up as the cigar moves into medium-plus territory.  Near the tail end of this section, the coffee has morphed into more of a bittersweet mocha and a tiny amount of wood char has also moved in.

Final third:

The earth, wood, and sweet spice continue to drive the cigar, while coffee and light char linger in the background along with occasional hints of cream.  The pepperiness that had faded in the prior third has returned with a little more than an inch remaining.  The Flor de Gonzalez 20 Aniversario Maduro smokes absolutely cool and firm down to the nub, ending at medium-plus in body and low-medium in strength.

Final notes:

The Flor de Gonzalez 20 Aniversario Maduro is a great example of how our expectations can sometimes fool us.  While I was figuring that I was in for a big, sweet, chocolaty smoke, it turned out to much more refined than that, and that’s cool.  Not every Broadleaf stick has to hit one over the head with big, rich chocolate flavors, and I very much enjoyed this experience, although the first one I smoked actually did have more sweet mocha in it while I smoked it.  The flavors were smooth and melded very well, and the construction, despite the initially tight draw, was superb, with not a thought of having to reach for my lighter for corrections or re-lights and there was no problem getting a copious amount of smoke from the cigar.  For a limited edition cigar, I think the price is very reasonable, and I would certainly recommend giving it a try.  You can pick up the Flor de Gonzalez from our good friends at Cuenca Cigars here.

Pairing:

The Unibroue Trois Pistoles Belgian style ale from Casas Fumando’s favorite Canadian brewery is described as a “strong dark ale”, but it always seems pretty damned smooth to me, with the 9% alcohol being well hidden.   I don’t get the celery and tomato flavors that Tony does, but more dark fruit and heady malt, which is why I wanted to pair it with this cigar.  It did indeed make for a harmonious match initially, but somehow a very tangy finish, which I haven’t experienced before, crept in later and threw things off a bit.  It’s probably just an anomalous batch, so I would definitely give it another shot.  Otherwise, a nice sweet strong or Wee Heavy ale, a coffee porter, a sweet rum, or fruity bourbon would also be something I would pair with the Flor de Gonzalez 20 Aniversario Maduro.

The post Flor de Gonzalez 20 Aniversario Maduro appeared first on Cigar Reviews | Beer Pairings | Casas Fumando.

At the 2013 IPCPR Trade Show, General Cigar Co. expanded the La Gloria Cubana brand with the addition of the Serie R Esteli and Serie R Black. The former being exclusive to brick and mortars, while the latter can be found through major online retailers. Fast forwarding several years to the 2016 Trade Show, General Cigar added in a maduro version to both the Esteli and Black lines. The Esteli Maduro switched out the Nicaraguan Jalapa wrapper for a Connecticut Broadleaf Maduro, which happens to be one of my favorite wrappers out there. Like the original Serie R Esteli, the Maduro version comes available in three vitolas:  No. 54 (6 by 54), No 60 (6 by 60), and No. 64 (6 ¼ by 64).

THE FACTS

Price: $6.99
Vitola: No. 54
Size: 6 by 54
Wrapper: Connecticut Broadleaf Maduro
Binder: Nicaraguan
Filler: Nicaraguan
Smoke Time: 1 Hour and 30 Minutes

PRE-LIGHT

The Serie R Esteli Maduro is dressed in a dark brown Connecticut Broadleaf Maduro wrapper that has its fair share character. There are several medium-sized veins that are raised off the leaf and a good amount of bumps. However, with the oils on the leaf, the wrapper feels much smoother than it appears.

A pungent aroma of vinegar and earth greet me as I bring the wrapper to my nose. On the foot, the aroma is somewhat rich with a combination of cedar and a natural tobacco sweetness. The double cap is not pretty with its crooked lines, but gets the job done like most caps do. Upon cutting, a cold draw reveals more of that rich cedar, cinnamon-like spice and sweeteness. There is a spice warmth in the mouth, but it is rather mild on the dry draw.

FIRST THIRD

The Serie R Esteli Maduro immediately pumps out medium to full flavors. For the most part, the profile is dark with black coffee and leather being center stage, followed by a yeast flavor and some sweetness. The bitter coffee has an edge on the sweetness. The spice, which began mild, has moved to medium. A white, layered ash is being formed as the cigar burns along with a minor wave.

MIDDLE THIRD

The yeast flavor has really gained ground, along with the sweetness as I make my way into the second third of the La Gloria Cubana Serie R Esteli Maduro. Even so, the coffee and leather are holding strong. The smoke is heavy and chewy in the mouth as volumes of smoke pour out of the cigar. The coffee sits on the palate for quite sometime after the smoke is released from my mouth.

FINAL THIRD

The profile is rich with the sweetness now playing the most dominant role, not overshadowing, but rounding out the other flavors. The sweetness is tied to a dark fruit flavor now. The spice is very manageable as I pass the smoke through my sinuses.

WRAP-UP

It has been so long since I smoked the Serie R Esteli original that it is difficult to compare to the new Maduro. But looking back at my review, there were some similarities. The Serie R Esteli Maduro offered a deeper profile, but maintained much of the same richness and sweetness as its counterpart. The flavors hung in the medium/full realm throughout and the strength gradually increased, ending about medium. The cigar behaved well with excellent smoke production and pleasant-looking ash. For a cigar under $7.00, the La Gloria Cubana Serie R Esteli Maduro is a solid cigar. I would recommend a five-pack of them.

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

Named after the small factory that manufactures the cigar, Sabor Aganorsa S.A. (SABSA) in Nicaragua, the Sabor Aganorsa line has two wrapper options: Mexican San Andres Maduro and Nicaraguan Corojo. Five sizes are currently in the market: 5 ⅝ by 46, 5 by 50, 5 by 52, 7 by 48, and 5 ½ by 60. All ranging in price from $7 to $8.

THE FACTS

Price: $7.00
Vitola: Corona Gorda
Size: 5 ⅝ by 46
Wrapper: Mexican San Andres Maduro
Binder: Nicaraguan
Filler: Nicaraguan
Smoke Time: 1 Hour and 50 Minutes

PRE-LIGHT

The Sabor Aganorsa is dressed in a medium to dark brown leaf that is consistent in color. The dark leaf does a good job hiding a couple medium-sized veins and bumps. The cigar gives just slightly as I pinch the cigar between my fingers. Halfway down, there is an odd indentation that can be felt as I examine the stick for any soft spots.

The aroma from the wrapper is musty with a wet earth and vinegar. The foot of the Sabor Aganorsa shows off some graham cracker, chocolate, and a natural tobacco sweetness. A nice little spice sting is felt in the sinuses. A shallow cut through the triple cap opens up a very good draw. The dry draw flavors are rich with some woodsy notes and potpourri spice.

FIRST THIRD

The cigar opens up with full, heavy flavors of coffee, earth, chocolate, black cherry and pepper. While the flavors are dark, there is a good amount of sweetness tied to the black cherry that is softening the profile. An unsweetened bubble gum flavor lingers on the finish of the smoke. The spice is tickling the back of my throat and is sharp through the sinuses as I retro-hale. The burn is mostly even with a layered, salt and pepper colored ash being formed.

MIDDLE THIRD

The black cherry flavor is front and center of the profile, followed by black coffee and pepper. There is a toasted bread flavor gaining ground,along with a rich cedar flavor. A very satisfying amount of smoke is produced with each small draw. The smoke is thick in the mouth as the flavors continue along in the full range, but I am feeling no nicotine kick from the cigar up to this point.

FINAL THIRD

An earthiness is right in-line with the black cherry as I transition into the final third of the Sabor Aganorsa. . The toasted bread from earlier has evolved to more of a charred meat flavor and coffee lingers on the finish now. The pepper has calmed on the retro-hale, but still pretty intense. After an hour and 30 minutes, some of the strength this cigar offers is finally pulling through.

WRAP-UP

The Sabor Aganorsa Maduro Corona Gorda smoked for the written portion of the review hit on all cylinders with its dark, heavy earthy flavors that were paired up with a black cherry sweetness and hefty amount of spice. From smoke production to burn, there was not a single issue with performance. However, the cigar smoked for pictures had a stiff draw from the start severely impacting the profile as char and toasted flavors overshadowed the other more enjoyable flavors. The draw never opened up and I was left disappointed and unsatisfied. If the Sabor Aganorsa consistently smokes as it did in the first sample, this cigar is a no-brainer with its $7 price tag. But until I can smoke a couple more, the verdict is still out.

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The Good Stuff:

The Arturo Fuente Anejo Reserva No. 888 comes from a long line of very, very popular Anejo cigars. To date, the Anejo family consists of eight formats, No. 46 ( 5 5/8 x 46), No. 48 (7 x 48), No. 49 (7 5/8 x 49), No. 50 (5 1/4 x 50), No. 55 (6 x 55), No. 60 ( 6 1/8 x 48), No. 77 (5 7/8 x 50/64), and the No. 8-8-8 (6 5/8 x 44). The name “Anejo” translates to “Aged”, as all the tobacco contained in each Anejo blend is very well aged.

As previously stated the Arturo Fuente Anejo Reserva No. 888 is a torpedo which comes in at 6 5/8 x 44. The blend consists of a Connecticut Broadleaf wrapper, Dominican Binder, and Dominican Fillers. Each format comes packaged in boxes of 25 except the 888 which comes in a box of 24, and the No. 77 comes packaged in boxes of 20. They range from $15.45 to $10.96 a stick. Ideally you can find these sticks around Father’s day and Christmas. I picked up a box of these over from our friends at Bonita Smoke Shop.

Size: 6 5/8 x 44
Wrapper: Connecticut Broadleaf
Binder: Dominican Republic
Filler: Dominican Republic
Body: Full
Strength: Medium/Full
Price: $10.96
Pairing: Sierra Nevada Ovila Abbey Quad with Cherries (Quad 9.2% ABV)

Prelight:

With he exception of the No. 77 each Arturo Fuente Anejo Reserva comes wrapped in cedar sleeves, with red ribbons on them. After taking the cedar off of the cigar I am greeted with an incredibly dark brown wrapper. The color is very consistent, and as close to black as you can get. The wrapper feels hard as a rock with a whole ton of gritty tooth along with a massive amount of oils. There are some medium sized veins running through the cigar’s slender body leading up to the very point, tapered torpedo style cap. The cigar itself is very heavy and feels like it could do a fair amount of damage if you hit someone over the head with it. The Arturo Fuente Anejo Reserva No. 888 is polished off with the standard red, Arturo Fuente Anejo band each one of the blends in the line carries.

The wrapper on the Arturo Fuente Anejo Reserva No. 888 gives off a very bold musk, cherry, and sweet aroma while the foot of the cigar is much more natural, dirty, and earthy with a good amount of natural tobacco aromas. The cap cut clean and easily using my Palio double bladed cutter. The cold draw is very meaty with tons of berry, sweetness and musk.

First Third:

The first few puffs on the Arturo Fuente Anejo Reserva No. 888 were a bit dry, but once the wrapper started burning that all changed. The flavor profile starts with a deep plum and cherry backed by a good amount of sweetness and musk with some subtle clove, cedar, and caramel flavors. The draw was really tight at first, so I clipped a bit more off than usual from the cap and now it’s pouring out smoke like there is no tomorrow. I love it, each puff kicked out a ton of thick, white smoke now while the cigar shows off a ton of stationary smoke as it rests in my ashtray. The burn line is a bit wavy, but pretty compacted as it leave behind a trail of bright white ash which held on for an inch before falling into my ashtray.

Second Third:

Into the second third and the flavors have balanced out a bit and become much more cohesive. The flavor profile in the Arturo Fuente Anejo Reserva No. 888 still leads with cherry, plum, and musk backed by cedar, dirt, vanilla and clove. The retrohale really helps bring out the cedar and clove as well as some really subtle spice that I don’t find myself really picking up otherwise. The burn line has completely correctly itself and is now burning dead even while I close out the second third with only the slightest nicotine kick.

Finish:

Not much has changed as I enter the final third of the Arturo Fuente Anejo Reserva No. 888 and I’m ok with that. The flavors are still similar to the second this in that it leads with cherry, plum and musk with some light cedar, vanilla and clove with an overall sweet profile. Once I start to get to the midpoint of the final third however the sweetness and cherry start to really take charge separating from the rest of the pack. The cigar took almost 2 hours to take down to the nub and I experience no harshness, nor any extended heat. I did however get a decent amount of sap build up on a few of the cigars I smoked. I really tried to pace myself this last time thinking that I was just smoking the cigar too fast, but it still happened. I may just let these rest for a while longer and see how they pan out later on.

Overview:

The Arturo Fuente Anejo series has been a long-time staple in just about every cigar enthusiast’s humidor. I’ve smoked so many of these I lost count, but often I smoke these during holidays, with friends, or as a celebratory moment so they seldom find their way into my reviews. Sitting back and really taking my time to pick apart the flavor profile and experience made me realize just how special these cigars are. They offer up a complex, yet very authentic profile that you just don’t really find in a lot of cigars. The 888 format really leaned heavy on the cedar, cherry, and sweetness that the Connecticut Broadleaf carries with it. Some of the larger ring gauged versions of this cigar are much more subtle. While they are sometimes hard to find, I think it’s in just about anyone’s best interest to pick up at least a handful of these to have on hand for that special moment.

Pairing:

The pairing choice was an easy one here. Sierra Nevada casually releases brews in it’s Belgian style “Ovila” series a few times a year which in this particular case is brewed in collaboration with Monks of the Abbey of New Clairvaux. This particular release is their Abbey Quad with Cherries added. Brewed at the Sierra Nevada Brewery in California this Belgian style Quad comes in at a whopping 9.2% ABV. The Abbey Quad starts out with a rush of tart cherry. It’s semi-sweet, and not too sour. The cherry is backed by caramel, malt, musk and a bit of booziness with a heavy mouthfeel before finishing crisp with more cherry, musk, booze, and a hint of vanilla. Since the Arturo Fuente Anejo Reserva No. 888 was so berry/musk forward I knew this would be a perfect pairing as this beer offered and insanely similar flavor profile.

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Originally released on December 12th in a single vitola, Corona Gorda, with total production of 10,000 cigars, the Black Belt Buckle is now (as of April 2016) a regular production cigar expanded to a total of three vitolas with the addition of a Robusto and Toro to the line-up.

Jon Huber was quoted in the press release:

“We’re excited to bring Black Belt Buckle into a regular production brand for Famous Smoke”, said Jon Huber, Crowned Heads Cigars co-founder. “It’s always been a dream of mine to work with Ernesto [Perez-Carrillo] on a project that involved a [Connecticut] Broadleaf wrapper, as I think he’s one of the best in the business at working with that particular wrapper leaf. And to be able to create this blend for our friends at Famous is a bonus.”

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You find other Crowned Head reviews from the Casas Fumando crew below:

• The Angel’s Anvil 2014
• The Angel’s Anvil 2015
• Four Kicks Seleccion No.5
• Four Kicks Mule Kick
• Headley Grange Estupendos
• JD Howard Reserve
• Jericho Hill Cigar Review
• Las Calaveras Limitada 2014
• Las Calaveras Limitada 2015
• Yellow Rose

You purchase your own Black Belt Buckle from our good friends at Famous Smoke Shop.

The Facts

Samples Provided by Famous Smoke Shop
Price: $7.95 per single | $69.95 per box of 10 | $142.99 per box of 20
Vitola: Corona Gorda
Size:5 ⅝ by 46
Wrapper: Connecticut Broadleaf Maduro
Binder: Nicaraguan
Filler: Nicaraguan
Smoke Time: 1 Hour and 20 Minutes

Pre-light

The Four Kicks BBB features a dark brown Connecticut Broadleaf wrapper leaf that has a deep red hue and even darker watermarks/imperfections all over the leaf. Sugar-like crystals glisten on the wrapper that is full of bumps, a few stitch-like veins, and a nice amount of oils that is easily felt on the fingertips. Bringing the cigar to my nose, there is a pungent vinegar on the wrapper. Right behind the vinegar there is a faint chocolate.

A much more welcoming aroma is found on the foot of the cigar with big notes of chocolate, caramel, and graham cracker. Sections of the cap are a bit rough looking, but it clips easily enough opening up a perfect draw. Rich potpourri spices, some chocolate, and earth come across on the cold draw.

First Third

After toasting the foot of the Four Kicks Black Belt Buckle with a wooden match, the cigar is underway. Right out of the gate, the BBB is opening up much fuller than the original version with notes of espresso, black pepper, cedar, a touch of saltiness, and just enough of an unidentifiable sweetness to bring a nice balance to everything. The black pepper is accentuated as I pass the smoke through my sinuses. Right alongside the black pepper on the finish there is a cocoa that seems to be inching its way into the main profile. The burn-line is thin and edgy, but overall doing well.

Middle Third

Transitioning into the second third of the Black Belt Buckle, a Famous Smoke Shop exclusive, a new yeasty flavor tags on to the profile from earlier and the sweetness has gained ground. The sweetness seems to be tied to the the yeasty, bread flavor. Right at the halfway point, the flavors develop as raisin and cinnamon make an appearance. The mixture of the yeasty bread, cinnamon, and raisin makes me think of a  cinnamon raisin bagel. An abundant supply of smoke coats all surfaces in my mouth with each effortless, small draw delivering full, savory flavors.

Final Third

There is an ebb and flow going on with the black pepper that was toned down in the second third, but is now back in force. Deep woodsy notes, espresso, and a hefty sweetness are carrying the Four Kick Black Belt Buckle to the nub. While burn-line was never perfect, it was also never a concern.

Wrap-up

It is no secret that I am a huge fan of Connecticut Broadleaf. So when Famous announced the new Four Kick Black Belt Buckle as a shop exclusive, I knew it was a cigar I had to get my hands on. And thank to Cory Grover over at Famous for making that possible. The Broadleaf wrapper brought a new dimension to the Four Kicks brand. From start to finish, the Four Kicks Black Belt Buckle grabbed my attention and never let go. The flavors were darker and fuller than the original Four Kicks, but just as enjoyable and possibly even more so. Performance wise, the BBB burned an hour and 20 minutes delivering mouthfuls of smoke, an effortless draw, and a meandering burn that never got too far off course to require a touch-up. The Four Kicks is a cigar that I can easily recommend a 20 count box purchase of, but, if your budget doesn’t allow, consider a 10 count box for under $70.00.

The post Crowned Heads – Four Kicks Black Belt Buckle, a Famous Smoke Shop Exclusive appeared first on Cigar Reviews | Beer Pairings | Casas Fumando.

The Good Stuff:

The Norteno is the first release from Drew Estate since Willy Herrera was named the Master Blender earlier this year. Willy has been working hard on creating a maduro blend using a Mexican San Andreas wrapper for some time now. When I was down at the Drew Estate Factory a few years back Willy actually handed me a test sample of a box-pressed Maduro he then just called “The Square”. Thinking back to this smoke, I wonder if it was an early version of the Norteno. The word “Norteno” refers to people in the Northern regions of Nicaragua where Esteli is located while the band features the national bird of Nicaraguan the Guardabarranco. The Norteno by Willy Herrera features a bold Mexican San Andreas Maduro wrapper, Spicy Honduran binder, and extensively aged tobaccos from the Jalapa and Esteli regions of Nicaragua. The Norteno by Willy Herrera comes in six box-pressed sizes, all boxed in quantities of 10: Coronita (4 x 46), Corona Extra (4.75 x 48), Bellicoso Fino (5 x 50), Robusto Grande (5.5 x 54), Toro (6 x 50), and the Lonsdale Deluxe (6.5 x 44) and range from $10 to $12 a cigar.

Size: 6.5 x 44
Wrapper: Mexican San Andreas Maduro
Binder: Honduran
Filler: Aged Esteli and Jalapa Nicaraguan
Body: Medium/Full
Strength: Medium
Price: $11
Pairing: Goose Island Bourbon County Stout (Imperial Stout 13.8% ABV)

Prelight

The Norteno by Willy Herrera is a toothy little creature. The wrapper is very hard, and very thick featuring a sandpaper-like texture throughout the entire body. The wrapper’s color is a deep, dark, consistent brown with only a few darker areas in the webbing of the tobacco leaf. The wrapper is laid seamlessly throughout the body of the cigar all the way up to the round, triple cap. As with all of the formats in the Norteno line, the Lonsdale Deluxe features a beautiful soft-box-pressed structure which I have always preferred due to a very comfortable mouth and hold feel. The Norteno is polished off with a deep mossy greet and ivory band featuring the national bird of Nicaragua as well as the word “Norteno” on the front, and “Herrera Esteli by Drew Estate” as well as a bit of information about the tobaccos use in the blend. The cigar itself is very firm and very tough. It gives almost nothing as I squeeze it between my fingers.

The wrapper on the Norteno gives off a bit of sweetness, coffee, and syrup while the foot of the cigar is very spicy with lots of pepper and natural tobacco aromas. The cap was incredibly easy to clip using my Palio double bladed cutter. The cold draw is pretty potent posting flavor notes of syrup, chocolate, coffee, and a ton of spice.

First Third:

The Norteno by Willy Herrera starts out with a bang leading in with a whole mess of black pepper and spice. After a few puffs the pepper begins to subside and you can pick up great sweetness, spice, oak, berry, and a bit of tartness. Ever since Jeremy and I have had a conversation about the tartness found in most Mexican San Andreas wrapped cigars it’s always one of the first things I notice. The draw is remarkable and another reason why I love the soft box press. It takes no effort to get a huge mouthful of thick, white smoke. The burn line is slightly wavy leaving behind a tightly compacted trail of white and medium gray ash which held on for an inch before giving way.

Second Third:

Into the second third of the Norteno by Willy Herrera and the pepper has found it’s way out of the flavor profile. While the body is still in the medium/full range all the flavors have taken a step back as a creamed coffee has taken main stage. Backing the coffee is soft sweetness and cedar with a good amount of spice and chocolate with an oaky finish. The retrohale is awesome as it coats my nasal passage with lots of oak, spice, and sweetness. The burn line is still a bit wavy but I haven’t had to reach for my lighter yet. I am feeling zero in the nicotine department as I close out the second third of the Norteno by Willy Herrera.

Final Third:

Into the final third of Drew Estate’s Norteno by Willy Herrera and the flavor profile is much of the same as the second third. Lots of spice, creamed coffee, and oak with a bit of sweetness, syrup, and tart. There is also a bit of pine sneaking itself into the mix but it comes and goes. The burn is now burning perfectly and never once did I have to reach for my lighter for any touch ups or relights. The strength has remained medium the whole way through and I feel almost no nicotine as I close out the cigar. It took me a total of an hour and forty five minutes to take the Norteno down to the nub and I experience no harshness all the way through.

Overview:

The Drew Estate Norteno by Willy Herrera was one of this year’s most anticipated releases and with good reason. I honestly think that almost anything Drew Estate kicks out instantly becomes sought after, but it’s justified as they put a lot of time and effort into great blends and the Norteno is just another notch in the belt. Willy is kind of a badass and I’ve always been a big fan of his work. The Norteno is probably one of the more unique blends in his portfolio. The Norteno is complex, yet super balanced which is something Willy is known for. The flavors are very complimentary and enjoyable yet very bold in this blend. The price may be a bit steep but I personally wouldn’t mind paying the coin to include the Norteno in my daily rotation especially with the box count of 10 which makes it much easily to pull the trigger on. In comparison, the Norteno and Herrera Esteli are mountains apart. Each deliver a totally different experience so comparing the two would be an injustice.

Pairing:

One of the nations, possibly one of the word most sought after beers. I was lucky enough to grab quite a few boxes this black Friday of the 2014 release of Goose Island’s Bourbon County and I’m glad I got as much as I did. This is a beer I never see in our parts. I’ve had a few of the different varieties of this release over the last few years but 100% of those were acquired in trades so I was happy to see these on shelves locally for the first time. It’s with good reason that this limited release sells out so quickly. Aged in Bourbon Barrels this Imperial stout clocks in at a whopping 13.8% ABV. The beer is thick, almost syrupish and the mouthfeel is similar. Right away you’re hit with the bourbon and the booze as it starts to smooth out the spice, vanilla, sweetness and chocolate begin to creep in while it finishes boozy, and creamy with lots of bourbon and spice notes. The spice, chocolate, and syrup paired in beautiful with the Norteno by Willy Herrera while the bourbon and vanilla added a bit more dimension to a great flavor experience.

The post Drew Estate Norteno by Willy Herrera appeared first on Cigar Reviews | Beer Pairings | Casas Fumando.

 This is according to a press release I located at cigar-coop.com:

Espinosa Premium Cigars is proud to announce they will be introducing a limited edition cigar for their full bodied 601 La Bomba line called “Warhead” at IPCPR this year. This is the first time the 601 La Bomba line is offered with a Connecticut Broadleaf maduro wrapper. The Warhead measures 6 1/2 inches by 54 ring and is semi-box pressed with the familiar fuse-like pig tail that is found on the 601 La Bomba line. “Although the wrapper is different, we are using the same powerful blend as the rest of the line.” said Erik Espinosa.

Warhead is limited to 2,000 boxes of 10 and the packaging is inspired by several themes in the World War II era. When unraveled, the foot band on the cigar is revealed to be in the form of a bomb. This “bomb” features nose art or aircraft graffiti, which was common in this era. Most prominent is the shark-face which is a reference to the Flying Tigers, the 1st American Volunteer Group, who would paint the shark-faces on their military aircrafts.

The 601 La Bomba line was first introduced in 2011 and is considered to be one of the strongest cigars in the market.

The Facts

Price:$8.94
Vitola: Unknown
Size: 6 ½ by 54 (Semi-Box Pressed)
Wrapper: Connecticut Broadleaf Maduro
Binder: Nicaraguan
Filler: Nicarguan
Drink: Water
Smoke Time: 1 Hour and 40 Minutes

Pre-light

The 601 La Bomba Warhead sports a very dark brown wrapper that is consistent in color. Bumps and stitch-like veins are easily seen on the stick, which is common with Connecticut Broadleaf. A sweet pungency is noticeable on the wrapper aroma, while the foot gives off mainly notes of raisin and milk chocolate. I am surprised on the lack of pepper or any other spice on the aroma.

A triple cap has been neatly applied and, like the original La Bomba, the cap ends in a two-inch fuse-like tail. Upon pulling off the fuse-like end and making a shallow cut, I find a decent draw that has only a tad more resistance than I usually prefer. I immediately note a spice warmth on the lips and in the mouth. The cold draw is rich with flavors of cocoa, wet cedar, dark fruit, and faint pepper.

First Third

The foot band removes with ease and this 601 La Bomba Warhead is ready to be smoked.  The Warhead starts off with some deep earth and cedar notes. While there is some spice in the profile, it is not nearly at the level I anticipated, but seems to be picking up as the cigar progresses. The retrohale is fantastic bringing forth some peppery spice and the finish shows off some dusty cocoa. The burn line began wavy from the get-go and required a touch-up in the first inch. I did take my time lighting the cigar but I’ll still take the blame for the wavy burn so early on. Due to the somewhat stiff draw, I made an additional cut to see if it would help with the smoke production that was lower than desired. I am not finding much relief with the additional cut. The ash is dark grey and flaky holding more than an inch. The burn line is thick and even as I conclude the first third.

Middle Third

The dusty cocoa is more prevalent in the profile as I make my way into the second third, along with the cedar, and the earthy notes have taken a backseat. The cocoa is not sweet and I am interested to see if the sweet, milk chocolate I got off the foot aroma comes into play later on. The smoke is leaving my mouth a bit chalky feeling. I caught myself retrohaling the smoke every few puffs since I was enjoying the spice hit I was getting off of it but it is also causing me to feel a little nicotine kick. Since the first touch-up, I have not encountered any other burn issues.

Final Third

At one hour and twenty minutes, I have arrived at the last third of the 601 La Bomba Warhead. The profile has taken on a burnt cedar and diesel-like flavor. The pepper is also at the forefront of the profile. My mouth remains chalky and I am no longer picking up on the dusty cocoa. The smoke has become much richer as I get to my last few tokes. The burn line was wavy at the nd but did not require another touch-up. The strength continually increased throughout the cigar, ending in the full arena.

Wrap-up

When I think of limited edition cigars, my expectations immediately increase and I am not sure if the  Warhead met those expectations. However, when I think of a cigar that I picked up for under $9, this cigar far exceeded my expectations…..I hope that makes sense. The 601 La Bomba Warhead is a great cigar that is not overly complex but delivers a satisfying experience. I enjoyed all of the flavors the La Bomba Warhead offered though I would have liked a little more sweetness in the profile. While the Warhead utilizes the same internals (binder and filler) as the regular La Bomba, it seems to be a completely different cigar to me. I will definitely be on the look out for more and I recommend that you grab some up as soon as you come across them.

The post Espinosa Premium Cigars – 601 La Bomba Warhead appeared first on Cigar Reviews | Beer Pairings | Casas Fumando.

When I received the cigars, I was instantly impressed by the presentation of the Carajos. I absolutely love the packaging in the cedar box/sleeve and the size of these puppies. Browsing laflordominicana.com, I did not come across any information on these sticks. After messaging Anthony Cantelmo for some information on the cigar, I was forwarded an e-mail from Antonio “Tony” Gomez, Litto Gomez’s son, about the Carajo. This is what Tony has to say:

The Carajos are basically an experiment to see how big a % of Ligero we could fit into a cigar relative to its ring gauge. Carajo is one of those words that can be used in a lot of different ways and doesn’t necessarily have an exact definition, but it is typically used as an exclamation or for emphasis. I’d say that “Los Carajos” loosely translates to “The Shit”. Anyone that lights up a Carajo will experience an immediate blast of power and flavor and it wouldn’t be out of the ordinary for them to proclaim “Carajo!” or “Shit!” haha.

The Facts

Vitola: Petit Corona
Size: 4 by 34
Wrapper: Ecuadorian Sumatra Maduro
Binder: Dominican
Filler: Dominican
Pairing: N/A
Smoke Time: 50 Minutes

Pre-light

This petite corona sports a dark reddish brown wrapper that has a very fine tooth.  The cigar is firmly packed from head to foot, and I encounter no soft spots during my pre-light inspection.  The wrapper aroma is of cedar, which is expected due to the packaging of the cigar. I do not pull much else off the foot other than a mild spice sting in the nose.

The cap has been applied neatly. A nice change from the last couple of cigars I have reviewed. The double cap clips clean, revealing a great draw . The cold draw delivers cedar and rich tobacco, with hints of cinnamon and nutmeg.

First Third

This LFD  is comfortable in several respects. The small ring gauge makes it comfortable in the hand and mouth, and the draw has just the right amount of resistance. The Carajo Maduro is producing a satisfying amount of smoke that is delivering heavy flavors of black coffee and earth, and a black pepper spice that warms my palate. I will not be retrohaling this cigar often due to the sharp,black pepper blast. A salt and pepper, layered ash is holding strong. The fine tooth on the wrapper leaf can be seen in the ash as it burns down. The thick eyeliner burn is even and the ash holds to three-fourths of an inch before dropping.

Middle Third

The spice has picked up leaving a tingle at the back of my throat. A rich cedar has arrived in the flavor mix bringing a nice balance to the coffee and earth. Already making my way down to the disproportionately large band, I remove it with ease. There seems to be an unidentifiable sweetness attempting to make its way into the flavors. With this being a Maduro, I did expect some sweetness in the smoke.  No change in the burn or ash. It is nice to see such a small ring gauge producing a firm ash that isn’t constantly dropping in my lap.

Final Third

The flavors have been full throughout but it is just as I enter the final third that I begin feeling a relaxing amount of nicotine. If this cigar was any larger, I would probably need a fuller stomach to smoke it without getting sick. All the flavors from the previous thirds have balanced making this one heck of a pleasant smoke. Now I am wishing I had a few more inches! The richness continues to pick up pace, as well as the sweetness that seems to be more of raw sugar sweetness than anything else. Some heat is forming  in the smoke and on the tips of my fingers, letting me know it is time to put this cigar to a close.

Wrap-up

The La Flor Dominicana Carajo Maduro delivered bold flavors, with a nice amount of spice that will wake you up and keep you interested in the cigar. The burn line and ash were exceptional for a petit corona and I can’t forget the perfect draw. I have smoked through half of the 6 pack, and all have performed at the same level. A 6 pack of the LFD Carajo Maduros can be found online around $18, which is an easy buy in my book. According to a halfwheel.com news piece, there has been a change in packaging to boxes of 5 that will be offered at $15.60. However, as of now, the 6 count boxes can still be found online. I am always on the lookout for great, small cigars that can be enjoyed commuting to and from work or maybe even during a lunch hour. While this may not be a cigar I would smoke on my way to work, I will definitely keep a handful around for the drive home or a quick lunch break.

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Back in 2011, Emilio Cigars, owned by Gary Griffith, began making a bunch of noise within the cigar blogger community.  Several Emilio cigars received high praises, which was the start of my almost year-long search for his sticks.  While they have yet to arrive at the local retailers, I did stumble across a few of the cigars at Fox Cigar Bar in Gilbert, Arizona in mid-2012.  Instantly, I fell in love with the AF1 and AF2 lines.  On my next visit to AZ in October, I made sure to pick up some more Emilio cigars. This time I snagged the Draig K. With almost seven months of rest, it is time to see what this cigar is all about.  The Casas Fumando Team has reviewed the following cigars from Emilio Cigars:

• Emilio Cigar – AF1
• Emilio Cigars – AF2
• Emilio Cigars – Grimalkin

The Draig K is produced at Nestor Plascencia’s El Parasio factory and is available in four vitolas: Corona (5 1/2 by 46), Robusto (5 by 50), and Toro (6 by50). The K began to hit the shelves of retailers in July of 2012. While it is stated to be an “extremely limited” cigar, the Draig K is still available at several online retailers for a price in the $9.00 range.

The Facts

Price: Around $9.00
Vitola: Toro
Size: 6 by 50
Wrapper: Columbian Maduro
Binder/Filler: Nicaraguan and Honduran
Pairing: Water
Smoke Time: 1 Hour and 15 Minutes

Pre-light

The Draig K sports an extremely dark brown wrapper.  The Oscuro looking, Columbian Maduro wrapper has some medium to large veins and a nice amount of oils.  Half of the cigar closest to the foot has some sponginess, while the other half is firmly packed. I hope this doesn’t lead to any performance issues.

The triple cap has been applied very sloppily, with some bunching on one side. A shallow cut of the cap has opened up a beautiful, free draw. I got so excited to light up this bad boy that I forgot to do my usual pre-light ritual of checking out the aromas off the wrapper and foot.

First Third

The burn is off to a crazy start.  I was forewarned by a Casas Fumando reader to dry box the Draig K prior to smoking to help alleviate burn issues.  The Draig K has been resting around 60% humidity, a little dryer than normal for me, but it may not have been enough.  There is a youngness to the smoke, almost grassy,with a touch of sweetness.  Additionally, there are notes of earth, leather, pencil shaving, and pepper, along with a minor spice. The finish of the smoke is of black coffee and a slightly charred flavor.The burn line is all over the place and several touch-ups were required in the first third. The dark grey, flaky ash held to an inch before dropping. The flavors are at the high-end of medium and strength is in the low medium range.

Middle Third

No change in the burn as I make my way into the second third. The pencil-shaving flavor is now at the front of the profile, along with the earthiness. The spice is warming my mouth and leaving a slight irritation at the back of my throat.   The Draig K has a tanginess to it that is unique and something I rarely pick up on.  The retrohale brings out sharp pepper and tons of spice. The finish has become very smokey and reminds me of  the smell of a campfire. Halfway into the second third, the draw has become a little more firm and the burn line seems to be correcting itself. I believe I finally reached the area the cigar felt more firmly packed. As I examined the ash mid-way through the second third, there seems to have been a void in the middle of the cigar.  The flavors are full and the strength is creeping up on me.

Final Third

A smokiness is now dominating the flavor profile.  The smoky flavor is something I have picked up on with pipe tobacco but not too often in cigars. It is similar to a fired cured tobacco flavor. The grassy flavor from early on  is no longer in the flavor make-up and a good amount of earth and pepper remains.  With an inch and a half remaining in the cigar, some chocolate notes pull through and remain on the finish of the smoke.  The burn is performing much better at this point but still wavy.  After an hour and fifteen minutes, it is time to put the Emilio Draig K to rest.

Wrap-up

I really wish the Draig K would have blown me away but I was completely unimpressed. While some enjoyable flavors showed up, the smoky, charred-like flavors stole the show.  The construction and burn also took away from this stick. I probably touched-up the Draig K no less than ten times.  Even if the flavors were more enjoyable, touching-up a cigar so often becomes burdensome.  But with that said, I am still a huge fan of Emilio Cigars and several of the other lines Gary Griffith has out.  This cigar was just not for me.  I will be picking up a couple more if I stumble across them and will provide updates if they provide a different smoking experience.

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