As noted on the band, the La Galera Maduro is manufactured at Tabacalera Palma in the Dominican Republic. The cigar features a Mexican San Andres Maduro wrapper over Dominican internals. Available vitolas include: No. 1 (3 ½ by 50), Pegador (6 by 46), Chaveta (5 by 50), Cortador (6 ¼ by 52), El Lector (6 by 54), and Cabeza Caracol (7 ¼ by 50). And with prices ranging between $4 and $6.75, this cigar will be easy on your wallet. 

You can purchase the La Galera Maduro from our good friends at Fox Cigar. It doesn’t look like they are listed on their online store yet, but you can give them a ring at  (800) 730-2087.

THE FACTS

Price: $5.69
Vitola: Pegador
Size: 6 by 46
Wrapper: Mexican San Andres Maduro
Binder: Dominican Piloto Cubano
Filler: Domincan Criollo 98 and Piloto Cubano
Smoke Time: 1 Hour and 30 Minutes

PRE-LIGHT

La Galera Maduro wears a milk chocolate wrapper that has a couple stitch like veins running the length of the cigar and a crazy amount of fine tooth. It is as if I am running my fingers across a fine grain sandpaper. The aroma on the wrapper is of nutmeg and meat seasonings, while rich cedar, pepper, and brandy are found on the foot of the cigar.

The double cap gets the job done and gives way to a perfect draw once cut. Flavors of cedar, baking spices, and brandy freely move across my palate on the dry draw.

FIRST THIRD

With the La Galera Maduro underway, cocoa, pencil shavings, and earth kick off the journey. A sweetness is tied to the cocoa that is rounding out the flavors as rich and creamy smoke coats all areas of my mouth. The pepper spice is medium and really stands out on the retrohale. There is a yeasty, bread-like flavor on the finish of the smoke. The cigar is  burning even as a good looking white ash forms. You can easily see the tooth from the wrapper in the ash.  

MIDDLE THIRD

The yeast has taken center stage with the cocoa sweetness and pencil shavings trailing close behind. The flavors are medium to full and a dark fruit flavor has joined in, but its appearance was brief. As the cigar progresses, the sweetness continues to gain ground and is hitting the tip of my tongue with each puff. 

FINAL THIRD

I am sad that I am already in the last third of the La Galera Maduro. The cocoa note is impressive and continues to build as the cigar takes  on a more earthy and gritty quality, which I am absolutely loving. And the sweetness is carrying along without interruption as the yeast from the second third has moved to the background and is appearing only every few puffs. 

WRAP-UP

Tony originally had this cigar on his review list and I am sure glad that he passed this one off to me to take a stab at it. The La Galera Maduro is an absolute treat for under $6. It burned along with no hiccups and offered up some medium/full flavors that evolved through the smoke. I am a sucker for dark and rich flavors that are rounded out by some sweetness and that is exactly what this cigar delivered. This cigar is right up there with the best of them and you won’t break budget smoking these. Go for a box purchase. You won’t regret it!

GIVEAWAY WINNER:

Thanks to our good friends at Fox Cigar Bar, we have had 2 awesome giveaways in the last couple of week. Make sure to show some love to Fox Cigar by visiting their online store HERE. And the moment you have been waiting for, the winner of the 2 LFD Andalusian Bulls, Drew Estate Ashtray, Liga Privada Hat and Cutter is…….

Chase TexicanEight

Congrats! Please send your address to casasfumando@gmail.com. And those of you who didn’t win, stayed tuned. We already have planned many more giveaways with Fox Cigar Bar. Also, keep up with our reviews here as we will be partnered up with them to give you guys straight access on how to get many of these newer/rarer cigars directly from them.

The post IndianHead Cigars – La Galera Maduro Pegador + GIVEAWAY WINNER appeared first on Cigar Reviews | Beer Pairings | Casas Fumando.

Our mission is to provide you with cigars of superior quality for your most precious moments. We are two cousins (Antonio & Rafael Garcia )who have been blessed with exposure to the art of premium tobacco cultivation and hand made cigar manufacturing from a very young age. As a result of this acquaintance with excellence, we are on a continuous journey to improve ourselves and the cigars we blend for you every day. By combining quality ingredients, years of expertise and never ending enthusiasm, the result is a cigar that surpasses the most stringent of expectations.

The Amador Garcia Superior Maduro is the counterpart to the Superior Natural, switching out the Ecuadorian wrapper for a Mexican San Andres Maduro leaf. The cigars are produced in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic with six vitola options: perla, petit corona, robusto, toro, torpedo and churchill.  Amador Garcia cigars will soon be available through their website, amadorgarcia.com, and are currently sold at major retailers in the Miami area.

THE FACTS

Price: Unknown
Vitola: Churchill
Size: 7 by 50
Wrapper: Mexican San Andres Maduro
Binder: Nicaraguan
Filler: Dominican
Smoke Time: 1 Hour and 40 Minutes

PRE-LIGHT

Wrapped in a Mexican San Andres Maduro leaf, the Amador Garcia Superior Maduro is medium brown in appearance with color variations running on both the lighter and darker end. The leaf is loaded with veins, scattered bumps, and a fine tooth. However, to the touch, the wrapper feels mostly smooth.

Aromas of wet earth, manure, and chocolate are found on the  wrapper of the Superior Maduro, while wood and baking spices appear on the foot, much like the Superior Natural. I find the draw to be a bit snug as cold draw flavors of cinnamon and rich cedar greet my palate.

FIRST THIRD

With the Amador Garcia Superior Maduro underway, flavors of pine, cocoa, and pepper are on the front end of the profile, followed by a bitter coffee on the finish. As I retro-hale the smoke, a sweet smoky wood flavor pulls through and I am surprised by the lack of spice. The cigar quickly builds in richness and a butterscotch sweetness joins in as this maddy burns perfectly with a striking white ash.

MIDDLE THIRD

I do not find relief in the draw as I enter the second third of the cigar. The draw remains on the snug side and the smoke production seems to be lacking because of it. The coffee has moved from the finish and into the main profile, pairing up with the earlier flavors of pine and cocoa. A yeasty bread enters the mix and lingers on the finish as the smoke that started out thin is now chewy in the mouth.

FINAL THIRD

A quick touch-up is required as I begin the last leg  of the Amador Garcia Superior Maduro. This is the only burn issue I have experienced in the cigar. The bread flavor is right in-line with the cocoa and coffee and the sweetness has diminished, while hints of pine appear every few puffs. Near the end, the cigar, for the first time, is a bit unbalanced and letting me know it is time to put the cigar down for its final rest.

WRAP-UP

After being pleasantly surprised by the Superior Natural and being a fan of Mexican San Andres tobacco, my expectations were set high going into the Amador Garcia Superior Maduro. The cigar burned beautifully as a stunning ash formed until I made my way into the final third where a quick burn correction was needed. The draw from first light to final puff was on the stiff side, resulting in a lack of smoke production. Even with that said, the pine, cocoa, and coffee made for a nice combination of flavors and there were easily identifiable evolutions in the flavors as the cigar progressed. But I don’t think I was able to see all that this cigar has to offer due to the draw issue. Depending on the price point of these cigars, I may have to give this one another go around once the amadorgarcia.com store is up and running.

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Familia Rodriguez Tobacos LLC is a father and son operation launched in 2015. The initial releases under their Ohana brand included the M13, The First Generation, and The Friends and Family. The brand grew in 2016 with the addition of the Ohana Pulse and the Ohana Pulse Maduro. The Ohana Pulse utilizes a Ecuadorian Habano wrapper, while the Pulse Maduro has a Mexican San Andres maduro leaf. Manufactured at Noel Rojas’ NOA factor in Nicaragua,  the Ohana Pulse features Nicaraguan binder and filler tobaccos and produced in two vitolas: Robusto (5 by 50) and Toro (6 by 52).

THE FACTS

Price: $9.50
Vitola: Toro
Size: 6 by 52
Wrapper: Ecuadorian Habano
Binder: Nicaraguan
Filler: Nicaraguan
Smoke Time: 1 Hour and 30 Minutes

PRE-LIGHT

The Ohana Pulse is draped in a medium brown Ecuadorian Habano wrapper that has an orangish tint and is covered in small to medium veins, coated in bumps, and there are several color variations and imperfections on the leaf. The cigar is rolled well with no soft spots to be found.

The Ohana Pulse carries an aroma of earth, a generic woodiness, and barnyard on the wrapper of the cigar. Since the cigar has a completely closed foot, nothing new is found on the foot of the cigar. The head of the cigar comes to an end with a spiral pig-tailed cap. Upon clipping, I can hardly manage a draw due to the interference of the closed foot. However, I am able to pick up some faint woodsy flavors and a mild to medium spice heat is felt on the lips.

FIRST THIRD

After a couple of seconds toasting the closed foot of the cigar, a beautiful draw opens up on the Ohana Pulse filling my mouth with a copious amount of smoke. The introductory flavors are full and rich with a heavy black pepper, bread, and a woodsy flavor. The spice is full in the mouth and quickly overshadows the other flavors. Around the half inch mark, the spice gives way bringing balance to the profile. There is an unidentifiable fruitiness that is pairing well with the other flavors. A light gray ash is being formed as the cigar burns evenly through the first third.

MIDDLE THIRD

Pulling into the second third of the Ohana Pulse, the cigar has a medium flavor profile that is mostly of heavier, darker flavors of pepper, pencil shavings, and coffee. That earlier fruitiness  has more of a citrus quality to it. While the spice has settled in the mouth, as I pass the smoke through my nose, the pepper remains sharp. As I approach the midway point, the flavor evolve to more of an earth and coffee.

FINAL THIRD

The flavors remain consistent with the end of the prior third with an added touch of char, and the strength of the cigar is finally beginning to hit me. The cigar continues to behave well through the final third with a mostly even burn and a solid ash being formed. The smoke production has decreased from the first third, but each draw still satisfies. With only an inch left, the smoke remains cool and the flavors are not at all harsh.

WRAP-UP

As I near in on 10 years of cigar smoking, one of the things that still gets me excited is trying new cigars, especially from up-and-coming companies like Familia Rodriguez Tobacos LLC. The Ohana Pulse immediately pumped out bold and rich flavors with a hefty amount of spice. As the spice settled, dark and heavier flavor on the palate began to take center stage with those flavors not giving any ground through the middle and last third. But, it was the last two thirds of the cigar that were very monotone and lacked in complexity and balance. The cigar performed well with a decently even burn and solid ash throughout. The second sample smoked for review did require a couple of touch-ups, but the profile was identical. For a stick that runs $9.50, this would be a hard buy in my book. But even with that said, I hope to smoke through the other cigars offered by this company in the future.

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Featuring a Mexican San Andres wrapper over Nicaraguan internals, Sindustry was soft launched before the FDA regs went into place in August, but it wasn’t until February 2017 that the line became fully available. There are three vitola options: Robusto (5 by 50), Toro (6 ¼ by 48) and Lancero (7 by 38). The toro and robusto version come packaged in 20-count boxes, while the lancero in 16-count boxes with 250 boxes of each size produced.

THE FACTS

Price: $9.50
Vitola: Robusto
Size: 5 by 50
Wrapper: Mexican San Andres Maduro
Binder: Nicaraguan Habano
Filler: Nicaraguan
Smoke Time: 1 Hour and 30 Minutes

PRE-LIGHT

Sindustry by Black Works Studio is wrapped in an extremely dark brown leaf that is consistent in color. Small veins web down the entire leaf that has a fine tooth and some scattered bumps. A fair amount of oils can be felt on the gritty leaf as I inspect the cigar. Bringing the Sindustry to my nose, I am met with a barnyard/manure and big chocolate aroma. From past experiences, an aroma like this means promising things in the future.

Due to the closed foot, much of the aroma is the same, but there is a bit of spice. The cigar comes to a close with a triple cap that has a nipple-like tip. After a shallow, clean cut, the draw has a tad more resistance the preferred and full, rich flavors come across of potpourri, chocolate, and some pepper spice.

FIRST THIRD

With the Black Works Studio Sindustry underway, big flavors come rushing forth that are rich, dark, and meaty. In the flavor arena, there is a rich, sweet woodsy flavor that first hits the palate, followed by a leather and saltiness. At about a half an inch in, a thick yeasty flavor joins in. A medium spice heat lingers in the mouth and the spice is accentuated as I pass it through my nose. On the sharp side, but manageable. The burn-line is thin and mostly even.

MIDDLE THIRD

Some of the sweetness fades from the profile and the woodsy flavor becomes more of a pencil-shavings and there is a growing black pepper flavor. The yeasty flavor remains and actually may be gaining ground. After a short while, the sweetness reappears, along with a new orange zest and the richness is in full swing. The burn is all over the place as a white, flaky ash is being formed. Even though it is flaky, it is nearly inch and half long.

FINAL THIRD

Pulling into the final third of the Sindustry robusto, the flavors are darker than earlier with the leather and an earth now at the front. The flavors remain rich, but there is not as much sweetness accompanying it, but rather an unsweetened cocoa. The cocoa lingers on the finish of the smoke. Behind the heavier flavors, the yeast flavor still pulls through. Waves of strength hit me as the cigar progressed, but it wasn’t until the final third where a steady amount of strength was noticeable.

WRAP-UP

I ordered these up on the recommendation of the owner of Ford on Fifth, and he didn’t do me wrong. I loved the bold, rich flavors the Sindustry by Black Works Studio delivered that paired up with a progressing strength profile that ended in the full range. Sure, the burn got a little out of whack here and there, but when the flavors are hitting on a cylinders, who really cares! Sindustry has whet my appetite to try the other offerings from Black Works Studio. And this is a must try if you enjoy full flavor, full strength cigars.

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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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Manufactured in Santiago, Dominican Republic at Tabacalera Palma, three sizes are currently being produced in each wrapper option: Festivo (4.7 by 52), Fantastico (5.6 by 54), and Fanfare (6.125 by 57). The Solera name comes from the aging process used for the blend. Information on the process was provided in the press release:

The Solera method of aging is a fractional blending process where the finished product is a mixture of ages. By aging together tobaccos from different years, a marriage of flavors occurs long before the cigars are made.

“The aging of tobaccos from different vintages,” said Rafael Nodal, President of Boutique Blends, “ensures the marriage of flavors and characteristics from different tobaccos, creating a unique cigar.”

“Normally the tobaccos are aged separately and blended together at the time of rolling the cigar,” explained Hank Bischoff, Vice President and co-founder of Boutique Blends Cigars, “but with the Solera system,” continued Hank, “the result is a more mature aging and blending process yielding a more complex blend than previously attainable.”

THE FACTS

Price: $7.49
Vitola: Fantastico
Size: 5.6 by 54
Wrapper: Mexican San Andres Maduro
Filler: Dominican Habano
Binder: Dominican Habano
Smoke Time: 1 Hour and 20 Minutes

PRE-LIGHT

The Aging Room Solera Maduro San Andres wrapper leaf is dark brown with a couple medium-sized veins that run the length of the cigar, an extremely fine tooth, scattered bumps, and light oils glisten on the leaf. To the touch, the cigar feels like a fine grain sandpaper. The wrapper aroma gives off a very meaty seasoning salt that also comes across on the foot of the cigar and a rich cedar.

The lines on the cap are straight and the cigar comes to a close with the pointy, pig-tail cap that is found across the Solera line. The cold draw is just a hair stiff as flavors of rich cedar, potpourri, and clove come across. A cinnamon spice lingers in the mouth. The cold draw on all of the Soleras I have smoked so far is extremely inviting.

FIRST THIRD

Out of the gate, the Solera Maduro is very sweet with a contrasting tartness, making me think of Sweet Tarts. Behind the sweet/tarty combo there is some woodiness and pepper. The introductory flavors are in the medium realm and on the low-side of medium in terms of body. As the burn-line passes the one inch mark, the spice picks up with a bright white pepper flavor that is even more prevalent in this blend than the other cigars in the line. The finish is clean with really no lingering flavor, but only a spice heat. A straight even burn is producing one pretty looking ash.

MIDDLE THIRD

A raw sugar sweetness pairs up a with a fruity tartness and the pepper spice is fitting together nicely as I burn down into the second third of the Solera Maduro. A yeast and floral flavor move in that gives the profile a bit of an edge. Flavors, body, and strength have shifted up a notch. Through the halfway mark, the Aging Room Solera Maduro Fantastico is performing flawlessly with its even burn and tons of smoke is being pumped out.  

FINAL THIRD

The sweetness has diminished, but still peaks through behind the heavier floral flavor. A saltiness has arrived, as well as a peanut flavor. Since the earlier sweetness has mostly departed, I am surprised to find a new cocoa sweetness in the last few minutes that remain. There are a couple of odd edges to the burn, but nothing of concern. 

WRAP-UP

The Aging Room Solera Maduro Fantastico comes out strong with its sweetness and decent amount of spice. The cigar goes on to show some complexity as a floral quality and nuttiness move in, and then the cigar closes out the show with a great cocoa. The excellent construction and performance makes the cigar that much better. While there were clear times that the cigar shifted up in flavors and strength, it never moved past medium. I think a bit more intensity in the flavors would have worked well with the Solera Maduro. With all of that said, this stick is my favorite of the Solera line.

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In July 2014 news broke of the Camacho Double Shock Limited Edition 2014, which was a follow up to the 2013 limited edition release of the Blackout. Produced in Agroindustria LAEPE S.A. factory in Danli, Honduras, the Double Shock is available in five vitolas: Robusto (5 by 50), Toro (6 by 50), Figurado (6 by 42 by 54), Churchill (7 by 48), and Gordo (6 by 60). The price ranges from $11.00 to $13.00 and a total of 1,000 boxes of 20 cigars were produced in each vitola.

While this is 2014 limited edition cigar, a quick online search will bring up several retailers that still have the Camacho Double Shock Limited Edition 2014 in stock.

THE FACTS

Purchased at Prohibition Spirits and Cigar Lounge
Price: $12.00 or $24.00 per pair
Vitola: Churchill
Size: 7 by 48
Wrapper: Mexican San Andres Maduro and Ecuadorian Habano
Binder: Criollo
Filler: Dominican, Honduran, and Pennsylvanian
Smoke Time: 1 Hour and 40 Minutes

PRE-LIGHT

The Camacho Double Shock Limited Edition 2014 features a milk chocolate Mexican San Andres wrapper and a medium tan Ecuadorian Habano wrapper. The dark color on the San Andres hides some small and medium veins that are found on closer inspection. To the touch, the Mexican leaf feels like fine grain sandpaper with its extremely fine tooth. Small veins are more visible on the Ecuadorian Habano leaf, as well as some stretchmarks.

A dry cedar aroma comes across from the wrapper, while black pepper and dirt are highlighted on the foot of the cigar. Upon clipping the triple-cap that was neatly applied, the dry draw has the right amount of resistance with notes of chocolate, dirt, pepper, and cooking spices. The foot bands slides of with ease and this 7 by 48 Camacho Double Shock Limited Edition 2014 is ready to be fired up.

FIRST THIRD

The cigar opens with a sweet woodsy flavor, followed by dark earth and coffee. There is tartness to the profile, but it is contrasted with a sweet honey and chocolate note. There’s a lot going on in the flavor department. You can definitely pick up distinct flavors from the two wrappers, but overall the flavors are hanging in the medium arena. Earth and black pepper, more in flavor than spice, come across as I move the smoke through my sinuses. The finish is dry and a unsweetened bubble gum flavor lingers on the palate. The Ecuadorian wrapper was having a difficult time keeping up with the rest of the burn, but, after 30 minutes, it self-corrected and no touch-up is required for the time being.

MIDDLE THIRD

Burning its way down into the second third, the Camacho Double Shock Limited Edition 2014 moves up a couple of notches in richness, boldness, and spice. Most of the sweetness has been pushed out as the dark flavors of earth and coffee continue to push forward. The richness tied to the coffee is making me think of French pressed cup of Joe. The woodsy flavor is still holding strong, but lacks the sweetness that characterized it early on. A yeasty bread flavor joins the mix, as well as cocoa. The burn is jagged and the ash is looking a bit flaky, but holding well. 

FINAL THIRD

The pepper is now sharp as I move the smoke through the sinuses and I am enjoying the added kick in both spice and strength. Big notes of chocolate are pairing up with the deep, dark coffee notes. The cigar that settled in on medium for the first two thirds has developed into a medium full smoke in flavor and body in the final third. 

WRAP-UP

From the first few puffs to the final puff over an hour and half later, the Camacho Double Shock Limited Edition 2014 Churchill delivered a wide-variety of flavors that I would contribute to the barber pole style wrapper. I was surprised that the flavors stood in the medium realm for much of the cigar. With a name like Double Shock, I was expecting a fuller experience. With that being said, I found the flavors pleasant and complex. I would like to give this a go around in the Robusto vitola to see if it is a little more ramped up. While the per stick price is around $12.00, you will end up paying $24.00 to try this cigar as they are sold in pairs of two. Considering the price and the experience, I still think the $24.00 is  a fair price to pay to try out the Camacho Double Shock Limited Edition 2014.

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At the young age of 23, Marcus Daniel entered into the dog eat dog world of the cigar business. His youth was no barrier to his success as he now has over 20 years in the industry and operates Daniel Marcus Tobacconist in Naples, Florida. Over the years, Marcus has developed an extensive portfolio of cigar brands. Today, I will take a look at the We the People Maduro in 7 by 50 Churchill format. An appropriate cigar for this weekend. 

Produced in Calle Ocho, Little Havana, Miami, We the People comes in two wrapper options – Ecuadorian Connecticut and Mexican San Andres Maduro. Available vitolas include: Coronabusto (4 ½ by 44), Robusto (5 by 52), Belicoso (6 ½ by 54), and Churchill (7 by 50). Prices range from $189 to $239 for the different vitola options and are sold in boxes of 20.

The Facts

Samples Provided by Daniel Marcus, Inc.
Price: $11.95 per single | $239 per box of 20
Vitola: Churchill
Size: 7 by 50
Wrapper: Mexican San Andres
Binder: Ecuadorian
Filler: Nicaraguan
Smoke Time: 1 Hour and 45 Minutes

Pre-light

The We The People Mexican San Andres Maduro wrapper has all sorts of colors going on. Ranging from medium tan to dark brown, this is by far not the prettiest leaf I have ever seen. The wrapper is marked with color variations, dark water-spots, a couple large veins, and some scattered bumps. From the foot to about an inch down, the cigar is extremely soft. The rest of the cigar is evenly filled and gives just slightly as I softly pinch it between my fingers.

The wrapper carries an aroma of hay, a generic woodiness, and a natural tobacco sweetness. The foot of the cigar shows off a much fuller aroma of chocolate, barnyard, earth, and a faint pepper. A shallow cut through the triple cup opens up a decent draw with just a hair more resistance than preferred. Notes of rich cedar and potpourri come across on the dry draw.

First Third

We The People Maduro opens with mild to medium profile of earth, coffee, a faint pepper, and a black cherry sweetness. The smoke production is just awesome as the cigar rests and from each small draw. At the one inch mark, the texture of the smoke becomes creamy in the mouth and the flavors pick up to a solid medium. The flavors are now darker with the earth and coffee gaining ground. The burn is edgy leaving behind a white ash that is flaky in appearance.

Middle Third

The smoke is extremely creamy in the mouth and I am loving it. The black cherry sweetness is right in-line with the darker flavors of earth and coffee and the flavors are coming across balanced on the palate. On the finish, woodsy notes push through along with a lingering pepper. Most of the burn is even with a small area is refusing to cooperate.

Final Third

The earlier creaminess has departed, while the flavors still remain in the medium range. A toasted quality has joined in, alongside the earth and coffee as the black cherry moves back in the profile. A touch-up was finally required in the last two inches of the cigar.

Wrap-up

Going into the We The People Maduro, I had no expectations as I have never smoked a cigar from Marcus Daniel. That may be the best way to approach a cigar. I am pleased to report that the cigar did not disappoint. While it did not live up to the full-bodied smoke that it is marketed as, the medium flavors and creaminess made this an excellent cigar for early in the day. The black cherry sweetness grabbed my attention and, even in the Churchill vitola,  I never became bored with the cigar. I believe the profile would pair up well with a cup of coffee to kick off your day. Based on my experience with this cigar, I look forward to trying the other offerings from Marcus Daniel, Inc. down the road.

The post Marcus Daniel, Inc. – We The People Maduro appeared first on Cigar Reviews | Beer Pairings | Casas Fumando.

The Good Stuff:

Back in 2009 Eddie Ortega and Erik Espinosa created one of my favorite blends at the time, the Murcielago. You can read my review of the original here. The San Andres wrapped cigar was then blended by none other than Don Pepin Garcia of My Father Cigars. Fast forward today and the Murcielago is now a private blend of Erik Espinosa’s Espinosa Cigars which is now being blended at Erik’s La Zona factory in Nicaragua. While the blend may not be identical, Erik spent the better part of the past 6 years trying to reverse engineer the blend resulting in the cigar offered today. The Murcielago starts out with a Mexican San Andres maduro wrapper, Mexican binder, and Nicaraguan fillers. The cigar is offered in three box-pressed sizes: Noir (5 x 52), Nocturne (5.5 x 56), La Lune (6.5 x 54) which come in boxes of 20 ranging between $9.50 and $8.50 a stick. These were sent over for us to review from the Espinosa Cigar team.

Size: 5 x 52
Wrapper: Mexican San Andres Maduro
Binder: Mexican
Filler: Nicaraguan
Body: Medium/Full
Strength: Medium/Full
Price: $8.50
Pairing: Southern Star Black Crack (Imperial Stout 10% ABV)

Prelight:

The Murcielago starts out with a gorgeous, very dark brown wrapper. The color is perfectly consistent while the texture features a whole mess of rough tooth, a good amount of oil, and a very hard, dense makeup. The cigar is very heavy, and I wasn’t able to find any soft spots throughout the cigar’s body. There are a very minor veins running the course of the Murcielago’s box-pressed body, but nothing concerning as it leads up to a round double cap. The cigar is polished off with a similar band that we saw on the EO Brands cigar, only it’s a deeper red and black with no gold.

The wrapper on the Murcielago gives off some rich spice, cocoa and coffee aromas while the foot of the cigar smells much sweeter with spice and natural tobacco aromas. The cap cut clean and easily using my Palio double bladed cutter. The Murcielago produces strong cocoa, espresso, and spice flavors on the cold draw with just a bit of saltiness and cayenne pepper on my lips.

First Third:

The Murcielago starts out with a good amount of that cayenne pepper both on my tongue, and in the flavor profile. After a few draws the pepper all but fades away leaving behind cocoa, espresso, spice, lots of floral and musk with this incredible almost sandalwood flavor that I’m really digging. The draw on the Murcielago is awesome. Each tiny puff kicks out tons of thick white smoke while the cigar gives off a whole mess of stationary smoke as it rests in my ashtray. The burn line is a bit wild at first but has been continuing to calm itself down leaving behind a decently compacted trail of medium gray ash which held on for an inch before giving way.

Second Third:

Into the second third of the Murcielago and the sandalwood has dropped out and the main flavor component is now a sweet raisin backed by soft cedar, cocoa, espresso, musk, and spice. The changes in flavor profile have been pretty entertaining so far. The retrohale brings that sandalwood back into the equation along with some very sharp pepper. The burn line is still pretty wavy but I haven’t had to reach for my lighter yet so I’m not complaining. I close out the second third with only a very minor nicotine kick.

Finish:

The body and strength have really ramped up into the final third of this Murcielago. The flavor is leading with the cedar again, but that awesome sandalwood has made a reappearance as well. It’s mild, but it’s awesome. The backing flavors are that of cocoa, spice, and coffee with a splash of sweetness and some soft tartness. It took me about an hour and a half to take this cigar down to the nub and I experience absolutely no harshness or extra heat. This was a hell of a cigar and I really enjoyed it. I close out with only a slight little nicotine kick.

Overview:

While I haven’t smoked many of the original Murcielago blends recently, I smoked enough to know my way around them. While this version of the Murcielago does have it’s similarities, it’s a whole different monster. The flavor profile is amazing, and the change ups constantly kept me on my toes. The burn was superior and despite a few waves it functioned flawlessly as I never once had to reach for my torch. The price point is right where you expect it to be and I’d feel comfortable buying a box, or even a few boxes of these to have around for my regular rotation. I’d have to smoke a few more of the original blend to be sure, but at this point I’d venture to say that I actually enjoyed this current version even more than the one prior. La Zona has been on a hot streak every since they factory was founded and I don’t see that stopping anytime soon.

Pairing:

Southern Star Brewing Company is one of the few Texas breweries that you can find in pretty much every little store in El Paso ranging from bars and liquor stores to grocery and convenience stores. They make a few really good beers too. One of my favorites is their Buried Hatched Stout which I have paired with in the past. Today, I bring you their Black Crack which is essentially a bourbon barrel aged version of the Buried Hatchet Stout. The Black Crack opens up with a whole mess of sweetness, raisin, and cocoa with a very heavy mouthfeel before finishing with a ton of malt, caramel, raisin, cocoa, and vanilla. It’s easy to see why they call this beer crack, it’s so good it’s addicting. The price of this beer is a bit of a shocker coming in at about $14 a can. While the beer is outstanding, it’s not something I’d shell out that coin for too often. Still, its worth giving a go.

The post Espinosa Cigars Murcielago appeared first on Cigar Reviews | Beer Pairings | Casas Fumando.

-Tony

Padilla Cigars introduced their new line of Reserva cigars at last year’s IPCPR trade show.  The line features three differently wrapped cigars:  Criollo 98, Corojo 99, and the San Andres maduro that I am reviewing today.  As is with the other wrappers, the San Andres comes in Robusto 5 x 54, Toro 6 x 52, and Double Toro 6 x 60, with prices running from $6 to $7.  The lower price range was the impetus for Ernesto Padilla in creating the line to prove that a high quality boutique cigar could be made to give the consumer a more easily affordable smoke by cutting corners in packaging and marketing without compromising  the quality of the tobaccos used.  Information on these blends is a little difficult to come by, especially since the Padilla website is “under construction” (a pet peeve of mine – c’mon, just get it up, lol!).  Fortunately, I was able to glean some info from Brian Hewitt’s coverage of IPCPR over at Stogie Review.  As usual, I picked up a few of the Toro from the good folks at Cuenca Cigars.

The basics:

Wrapper:  Mexican San Andres maduro
Binder:  Nicaragua
Filler:  Nicaragua Aganorsa
Size:  Toro 6 x 52
Price:  $6.50
Smoking time:  One hour, forty-five minutes
Pairing:  Fremont Dark Star Oatmeal Stout (ABV 8%)

Pre-light:

The Padilla Reserva San Andres is a great looking cigar, draped in an extremely dark chocolate brown leaf with even darker splotches, an oily feel, and smallish veins which appear to have been rolled flat.  The roll is rock solid with no soft spots and the nearly invisible seams lead to a nice triple cap.  The banding is impressive and although it appears to be double-banded, it is actually one piece. The scent given off by the wrapper is a surprisingly light earthy barnyard, while the foot displays deep, rich tobacco with some grassiness and a hint of cocoa.  The cap cuts easily, exposing a cold draw of sweet spice and hay, while leaving a slight tingle on my lips.

First third:

The Padilla Reserva San Andres starts off with a peppery bite on the first few draws along with deep earthy tobacco and smoky wood.  The pepper quickly fades on the entry, but remains on the retrohale.  A nice sweet and tart citric note comes in to mingle with the deeper medium-full elements.  The burn line has started out thick and somewhat uneven, leaving behind a solid looking ash.  Leather and a bit of coffee enter the picture as the body of the cigar takes a step back toward medium with a very smooth mouthfeel.  By the 1 ½” point, the pepper bite has almost completely dropped off and the coincidentally, so does the ash.  Sweet spices play on the tip of the tongue, while some breadiness emerges on the back end of the retrohale, and the burn has completely evened itself out.

Middle third:

Moving into the center portion, the Padilla Reserva San Andres is exhibiting a berry-like fruitiness and cocoa to complement the dark wood and leather, while it retains an intriguing smokiness.  The body has begun to climb back up, but I’m feeling little, if any, nicotine strength at the halfway point, and the smoke remains very smooth.  The fruit has faded away to be replaced with a note of meatiness.

Final third:

The Padilla San Andres moves into its final third with the shift upwards in both strength and body.  The draw has tightened up a bit, causing me to have to take double and triple puffs, but carefully rolling between the thumb and fingers alleviates some of that.  Much of the sweetness has gone away, however, and the cigar is now much more savory, although the citric tang remains.  Some char has shown up and pepper has re-entered.  With the flavors getting somewhat muddied, I put the cigar down with 1 ½” left, finishing medium-full in body and medium-plus in strength.  It has smoked cool and with just a bit of softness down to this point.

Final thoughts:

I do wish that the Padilla Reserva San Andres has retained those flavors that had me really enjoying it in the first two sections, but as I recall, the first one I smoked was great all the way through.  Its construction is top-notch and the price makes it a great value for those looking for an affordable stick that boasts flavors that complement each other well and hangs out on the higher end of the scale in terms of body.  Although the cigar fell a little flat for me at the end, I think that this was somewhat of an anomaly, so I would definitely consider it one well worth picking up on to try out.  I will certainly be smoking it again.

Pairing:

The Dark Star Imperial Oatmeal Stout is another seasonal from Seattle’s Fremont Brewing.  Showing a nice medium mouthfeel and flavors of roasted coffee, caramel, and sweet malt, it finishes with a great balancing light bitterness and a bit of tanginess, making it a great match for just about any dark cigar.  The Padilla Reserva San Andres should also pair well with a sweet porter, a tawny port, or a strong cup of coffee.

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• Drew Estate – Undercrown Dogma
• MoyaRuiz Cigars – La Jugada Nunchuck

Sensei’s Sensational Sarsaparilla is limited in several ways. First, it is a “limited run” cigar with only 1,000 bundles of 10 cigars being produced at La Zona in Esteli, Nicaragua. Secondly, the cigar is only being manufactured in one vitola, a 5 1/2 by 52 Belicoso. Lastly, the Sarsaparilla was only made available through Famous Smoke Shop, an online-retailer. Checking on the availability of the Sarsaparilla, unless you know someone who has a stockpile of these laying around, this may be an extremely difficult cigar to find.

The Facts

Samples Provided by Espinosa Premium Cigars
Price: $79.99 per bundle of 10
Vitola: Belicoso
Size: 5 1/2 by 52
Wrapper: Mexican San Andres Maduro
Binder: Unknown
Filler: Unknown
Smoke Time: 1 Hour and 40 Minutes
Drink: Water

Pre-light

The Sarsaparilla is truly a great looking cigar from the band design to the oily wrapper. The dark brown Mexican San Andres Maduro wrapper conceals much of the leaf’s characteristics but a fine tooth can be felt under the fingers and small veins and bumps can be seen upon closer inspection.

A faint aroma is found on the wrapper with a slight pungency and barnyard smell. The unlit foot is very welcoming with notes of chocolate, graham cracker, cedar, and pepper. The cigar comes to a close with a tapered head that clips easily. A decent draw brings forth clove, graham cracker, and cedar.

First Third

Black pepper is in full strength, alongside some wet cedar and coffee. Surprisingly, the retrohale is not unbearable (It didn’t even make me sneeze or tear up). The pepper flavor is full but the spice-heat is only in the medium realm. A very welcoming change in the flavors has taken place at the half inch mark as the flavors have lightened up with some sweetness and rich cedar joining the mix. The finish of the smoke is long with dirt and earth notes. A quick touch-up is needed as one side of the cigar is having difficulty burning in-line with the rest.

Middle Third

Arriving into the second third, the flavors have mellowed. While some of the unique San Andres tobacco flavors are in the mix, they play a very minimal role in the profile. Black pepper and earthy notes characterize the main flavors. A hairline crack has formed in the wrapper, which I did not notice until smoke began to seep out of it, but there is no impact on the smoke production or flavors. Once again, I use my Zippo Z-Plus! to get the burn corrected.

Final Third

As the black pepper moves to the back of the profile, rich cedar and sweet natural tobacco balance out the darker flavors of coffee and earth (dirt). The cigar has really found its groove at this point in the smoke. Copious amount of full flavored smoke is produced with each draw bring forth rich full flavors that are completely satisfying.

Wrap-up

Erik Espinosa has a history of producing solid cigars. There are very few cigars coming out of La Zona that I do not hold in high regard. However, I am split on Sensei’s Sensational Sarsaparilla. If the cigar smoked the entire length as it did in the final third, I would have absolutely zero complaints. Everything about the final third with the rich cedar and natural tobacco sweetness made it an absolute treat. The first and second thirds lacked the balance and complexity of the final third. Regarding performance, the Sarsaparilla showed an average performance – a good amount of smoke produced, firm ash, and only a few touch-ups required. Both samples I had an opportunity to smoke for this review performed similarly and offered consistent flavor profiles. Even the drop in the intensity of flavors in the second third took place at almost the same exact time. If this cigar was a regular production smoke and easily accessible, I would consider purchasing a few more to see how they smoke down the road. But I don’t think I’ll have that opportunity based on the zero availability.

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William Cooper of Cigar Coop posted a detailed news story on La Hoja Cigars and, more specifically, the Edicion Maduro 1962 back in December:

La Hoja Cigars has announced the launch of its new La Hoja Edición Clasica Maduro 1962.  The Edición Clasica Maduro features a San Andres wrapper over a Dominican and Nicaraguan tobaccos. Earlier this week, an Ecuadorian Corojo counterpart to this blend, La Hoja Edición Clasica 1962 was also announced.

The La Hoja Cigar Company is a revival of the famed Flor de Florez cigar company. The company was restarted by William Flores, whose father Carlos emigrated from Cuba in 1962 and started the original company.  The “1962” in the Edición Clasica Maduro pays homage to that event.

In a press release announcing the Edición Clasica Maduro, J. Carlos Gomez Executive Vice President at La Hoja said, “The San Andres Maduro wrapper gives this blend a sweet and earthy touch, but in order for us to incorporate this into a blend that meets La Hoja quality standards, we had to be incredibly discerning about the other leaves to make sure they complement the wrapper.

Gomez added, “The danger of San Andres Maduro wrappers, isthat particular leaf can create a smoke that is too dry and that parches the smoker. We’ve blended this cigar specifically to offer the flavor of San Andres but with considerable balance as well.”

“At La Hoja, tobacco is the conversation. We pride ourselves in our service to our fellow cigar smokers and stand by our promise to deliver a consistent product year after year so you can always remember and enjoy the cigar you fall in love with,” said company President William Flores.

The Facts

Samples Provided by La Hoja Cigars
Price: $13
Vitola: No. 1 – Toro (semi-box pressed)
Size: 5 ¾ by 56
Wrapper: Mexican San Andres Maduro
Binder: Dominican
Filler: Dominican Piloto Cubano and Nicaraguan
Smoke Time: 1 Hour and 35 Minutes
Drink: Water

Pre-light

The La Hoja Edicion Maduro 1962 wears a milk chocolate wrapper that is mostly consistent in color other than one medium sized veins that runs the length of the cigar and is lighter in appearance. The oily wrapper glistens in the light and the dark color conceals some of the rustic characteristics of the leaf until a closer examination.  I do not find any soft spots in the cigar and the cigar feels evenly and firmly filled through and through.

As I bring my nose to the wrapper, I am instantly met with fresh cracked black pepper, but without the spice. The foot aroma on this cigar is unbelievable being either of apple cidar or pumpkin latte with rich cinnamon at the front. Only a minor spice is felt in my sinuses. And this cigar is only getting better with the cold draw. Upon clipping the neatly applied cap, notes of apple, cinnamon, clove, cedar, and pepper greet my palate.

First Third

With the cigar lit, the flavors are medium with notes of earth, dry cedar, and dusty cocoa. The mouth feel is somewhat chalky requiring a sip of water every now and then, but not bothersome. The room aroma is very unique and smells like an Italian chef is cooking in the kitchen using a bit too much garlic. At three-fourths an inch, the flavors have crept up to the full arena. The burn-line is almost invisible against the dark wrapper leaf. The finish is long with lingering flavors of earth and toasted notes.

Middle Third

Making my way into the second third, I decided it was time to knock the first ash off. No sense in having a long ash contest with myself. I still think it could have gone another half inch or so. The flavors remain consistent with the previous third, as well as the mouth feel of the smoke. There are no flavors overbearing and overall the profile comes across well balanced. Some unidentifiable sweetness is jumping in and out. I would really love to see it stick around. The strength is definitely full at this point and, if it moves up anymore, I’ll need some sugar to counter it. The burn-line is a bit out of whack, but I am hoping it will self correct.

Final Third

Passing the smoke through my sinuses, rich cedar and sharp pepper spice standout that were not as easily noticeable in the mouth. I have not had to pull out the lighter, but the burn contains a crazy wave that is leaving behind a flaky ash. But even with all of its flake, the ash is still holding past an inch. The cocoa has pushed its way to the front carrying along some sweetness and added richness. My mouth no longer has the chalky feel after each puff.

Wrap-up

Being my first experience with a La Hoja product, I did not set any expectations going into the cigar. However, as I was smoking my first sample and doing some research, my expectation significantly increased when I saw the premium price tag of the La Hoja Edicion Maduro 1962. The chalky mouth-feel and non-evolving flavor profile did not strike me as a $13 cigar. However, the flavors the stick showcased were all well balanced and easily enjoyed. As I mentioned above, the sweetness finally came into play in the final third eliminating the chalky mouth-feel. The second sample I smoked for pictures had a sweetness from the first puff to the very end and no chalk mouth was experienced. If the Edicion Maduro 1962 commonly smokes like the second sample with the added sweetness, I can see this being an option for a celebratory smoke. But if the intentional profile is that of the first sample (which is the one I reviewed), I would be celebrating with a different cigar.

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According to a press release by Sindicato Cigars:

The new Sindicato Maduro is a square-pressed cigar with an unfinished foot and is crafted with a beautiful, San Andrés Morrón wrapper from Alberto and Alejandro Turrent. Master blender Arsenio Ramos has combined this wrapper with the finest tobaccos from the farms of Eduardo Fernandez in Estelí and Jalapa, Nicaragua. The combination of this magnificent dark wrapper with a rich, bold Estelí double leaf binder, encompasses a blend of strong, flavorful Estelí and Jalapa leaves, which deliver a three quarter-full strength cigar with a unique taste.

The Facts

Samples Provided by Sindicato Cigars
Price: $12.95
Vitola: Churchill (square-pressed)
Size: 7 by 52
Wrapper: Mexican San Andres Morrón
Binder: Nicaraguan (Double Binder)
Filler: Nicaraguan (Esteli and Jalapa)
Smoke Time: 2 Hours and 10 Minutes
Drink: N/A

Pre-light

The Sindicato Maduro is dressed in a very dark brown Mexican San Andres Maduro wrapper. The black and silver band, with its gold trim, is eye-catching against the dark leaf. Stitch-like veins are scattered down the leaf that contains a good amounts of oil and a fine tooth. There is one small crack found in the wrapper, which I assume is from shipping. I find faint aromas of cedar and barnyard, along with some sweetness on the wrapper. While this cigar usually features a shaggy foot (as seen in the lower-right picture), somewhere in the travels the extra wrapper leaf broke off my review sample revealing the filler tobaccos.

As I bring my nose to the foot of the cigar, I am met with mild notes of red pepper and cedar. As odd as it may be, the foot aroma is very clean smelling. A swirled pigtail cap brings the Sindcato Maduro to a close. Upon clipping the cap, a free draw presents a buttery popcorn flavor, rich notes of clove and cedar, and some mild spice.

First Third

The Sindicato Maduro is opening with notes of popcorn, butter, sweet tobacco and a peppery spice. The buttery popcorn flavor on the cold draw transferred directly into the profile once lit. The pepper spice is highlighted on the retrohale accompanied by some notes of earth and cedar. The smoke feels creamy in the mouth, but not overly thick. An even burn is leaving behind a light grey ash. Up to this point in the cigar, I would rate both the flavors and strength as medium/full.

 Middle Third

Burning into the second third, the majority of the development has taken place as the sweetness evolved from sweet tobacco notes to a combination of cocoa and jam. The toasted popcorn continue to make up the core of the smoke. Approaching the crack, the wrapper begins to lift, but I am able to burn pass the crack with no major issue. The flavors are very well balanced and I am not perceiving any additional nicotine in the cigar.

 Final Third

The toasted notes have moved to the front of the profile pushing the sweetness to the background, but unsweetened cocoa and coffee linger on the finish of the smoke. The black pepper, which arrived early on in the cigar then dissipated in the middle third, has made a return. The Sindicato Maduro is much more rich than earlier as I begin to close out the cigar after two hours of smoking.

Wrap-up

The Sindicato Maduro carries a premium price tag of just under $13, but it is completely justified by the experience received. The buttery flavor and texture of the smoke sat easy on the palate meshing well with the toasted popcorn and pepper spice, rounded out by the ever-evolving sweetness. From the first third to the very end, the flavors were right around the full arena complimenting the medium/full strength. With Christmas around the corner, the Sindicato Maduro is an excellent choice to celebrate the Christmas season with your friends and family.

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Bodega Premium Blends is a Canadian based cooperative founded by the foursome of Gino Domanico, Ron Plante, Stephane Barjolin, and Rob Mariani with the goal of merging their entrepreneurial expertise with their love of cigars.  Their first release is the Reunión line, consisting of the Aperitivo and Digestivo, was released at the end of 2013, and began shipping at the beginning of 2014. Bodega Premium Blends is a part of the impressive portfolio of boutique brands distributed by the House of Emilio. To learn more about Bodega, visit their website here; but to glean even more info about them and their product – including some interesting info about the distinctive band art – a side trip over to their appearance with our friends Mike and Mike at Stogie 411 is a great place to go.

The premise of the Reunión line is to provide the same sort of experience as a fine dinner, with the Aperitivo taking the place of the traditional aperitif, or pre-dinner drink; and the Digestivo acting as the post-dinner capper.  It’s a great concept, and one that seems to be unique in the world of cigars.  As such, it’s only natural that one should pair these smokes with what one would normally imbibe as a pre- and post-dinner beverage.

The Aperitivo and Digestivo both come in three sizes:
Corona Gorda – 5.5×46
Double Robusto – 5×54
Toro – 6×52
The cigars run from $9-$11, and true to the before/after concept, they come in boxes of 20 which consist of 10 Apertivos and 10 Digestivos.

Gino (@Cigar_G) was kind enough to get one of their Blogger’s samplers to me for review.  This is a really nice boxed set of one of each of the different sizes of each blend.  Previously available only to reviewers (and I assume prospective retailers), it is now available to the public for purchase, and is a terrific way to get to know the Bodega cigars.

I decided to do up this review as a dual take, viewing the cigars much as the originators of the blends intended them – the Aperitivo as an introduction to a repast, and the Digestivo as the ending to a fine meal.  This format necessarily is a bit truncated for the sake of space, so please excuse me for the lack of more detailed smoking information.  Or perhaps readers will be thanking me for not running on…

Bodega Reunón Aperitivo

Wrapper:  Nicaraguan Jalapa Habano Claro
Binder:  Proprietary
Filler:  Nicaraguan Jalapa and Condega
Size:  Corona Gorda 5.5×46
Price:  $9.00
Smoking time: 1 hour, 15 minutes
Pairing:  Lustau Los Arcos Amontillado Sherry (18.5% ABV)

Pre-light:

The Aperitivo comes draped in a uniformly medium brown wrapper that is smooth to the touch with a bit of oily sheen and a few minor veins.  The construction looks to be excellent with a solid pack and nearly invisible seams.  A mentioned above, the double band is very distinctive.  The primary band on both blends is the same, while the secondary band distinguishes the blends.  The unusual colors of deep red, gradations of purple, chrome silver, and white match quite well with the wrapper, and are nothing like what I’m used to seeing on a cigar. It’s simultaneously modern and elegant. The scent off the wrapper is of cedar and slightly vinegary/tart  barnyard.  Off the foot, I pick up a lot of rich tobacco with a light earthiness.  The cold draw brings some sweet spice and cedar.

First light:

Right off the bat, an ideal draw produces a copious amount of smoke showcasing rich flavors of sweet cedar and earth with light pepper.  The retrohale really focuses on the cedar while bringing the pepper up a notch or two.  The burn is a bit wavy and the ash is a solid looking brown-tinged gray.  Sweetness comes in strong with the addition of a cinnamon-like spice and a touch of leather.  Although the ash appeared to be about to fall at 1”, it took a bit of effort to tap it off.  At this point, there are not a ton of different flavors, but the ones that are there are showing an amazing concentration and depth.  A little further in, the smoke turns a lot smoother and almost creamy on entry, but the pepperiness on the back of the tongue and on the retrohale remain strong enough to remind you of their presence.  The cedar remains the focal point and a syrupy sweetness lingers, while the burn has completely self-corrected.

Halfway there:

The body of the Aperitivo has reached the medium-plus range and has been joined by some toasty wood and an uptick in earthiness, while the sweetness has moved to the background although it remains an obvious part of the mix.  Wisps of cocoa and cracker/bread now weave in and out along with bit of citric tartness, driving up the complexity.  This continues down to the finish, bringing the body of the cigar to the cusp of medium-full.  The Aperitivo smoked absolutely cool and without a trace of harshness down to a tiny nub.

Overview:

Is it obvious that I loved this cigar?  Damned right!  I smoked each of the sizes and this was by far my favorite, although the others were very nice in their own right.  The corona gorda just brought a better concentration of flavors to the table while not throwing off the balance at all.  Add to that ideal construction, burn and draw, and this makes for a cigar that I can easily recommend to anyone, even taking into account what would normally be for me a somewhat borderline price, which will certainly not deter me from getting my hands on more of these.

Pairing:

Since this cigar was conceived as a before dinner smoke, I decided to go with a classic aperitif, an Spanish Amontillado sherry.  The Los Arcos Amontillado from Lustau (18.5% ABV) is one that hangs out on the drier side of the breed, with dried fruit, nuts, and a little smoky wood, finishing up somewhat tart and very clean.  It proved to be a great combination with the Bodega Aperitivo, helping to bring out an extra level of sweetness while interweaving complementing flavors, although I can see this cigar going equally well with a number of other beverages including a Valencia Martini (3 parts gin to 1 part Amontillado sherry) which I enjoyed with the toro; a malty Imperial IPA, a Reposado tequila, or a bourbon or Scotch concoction.

Bodega Reunion Digestivo

Wrapper:  Mexican San Andres Maduro
Binder:  Proprietary
Filler:  Nicaraguan Jalapa and Esteli
Size:  Toro 6×52
Price:  $11
Smoking time:  1 hour, 30 minutes
Pairing:  Symbole National Brandy de France XO Extra Old (40% ABV)

Pre-light:

The Bodega Reunion Digestivo sports a dark, marbled San Andres wrapper with a couple of minor veins and a tidy double cap.  It is very firmly packed and wears the same primary band as the Aperitivo, with the secondary band identifying it as the Digestivo.  Some fine tooth can be felt on the wrapper, as well as a bit of oiliness.  The aroma off the wrapper is earth and hay, while the foot shows barnyard and deep tobacco scents.  The cold draw has a nice bright sweetness to go with a light earth and tobacco.

First light:

Lighting the Digestivo toro up reveals a snug draw that requires a double-puff to get a good amount of smoke, and offers up some dark, unsweetened chocolate and earth at the forefront, with pepper and oak lurking in the background.  The retrohale is surprisingly smooth and almost delicate.  There does seem to be a bit of a knot just above the primary band, and rolling and massaging it seems to have helped release more flavor from the cigar, which is now showing some sweetness and hints of baking spice.  The Digestivo has been burning at a slant, which may be affected by the damp and chilly conditions I’m smoking in today, but the ash is solid, with just a few flakes.  So far, it is medium in body as it continues to get sweeter, and the burn appears to be correcting itself.  The dark chocolate has turned to more of a cocoa powder, while the pepper has re-appeared on the tongue, and the sharp burn line has nearly evened out.

Halfway there:

At the halfway point, the Digestivo seems to have hit its stride, with much less effort being required to produce a mouthful of smoke that effuses elements of chocolate, earth, and sweet and savory nuttiness.  The burn is dead even, and while the cigar has softened up, the smoke has been absolutely cool as it has climbed into the medium/full range.  Despite not having eaten in about five hours, I’m not feeling much in the way of nicotine.  There are not many more change ups for the rest of the experience, but the flavors are focused and satisfying, as I take it down to the nub after 1-1/2 hours of smoking.

Overview:

The Bodega Reunion Digestivo proved to be an enjoyable smoke despite the initial tough draw.  The double robusto I smoked previously also had a fairly snug draw; not as tight as the toro, but still a little more effort inducing than I prefer.  Although I have not yet lit up the corona gorda, the unlit draw on it seems to be perfectly normal, so I would have to chalk up the tight draws on the others as a bit of an anomaly, especially since I experienced nothing of the sort with the Aperitivos I had.  Once I got past that, though, the flavors took off.

Pairing:

In keeping with the “spirit” of the intent of the Reunion lines, I decided to go with a brandy that I had recently picked up on.  The Symbole National is produced by the 200 year old Cognac house A. de Fussigny, and seems to be sold mainly by the Total Wine chain.  Displaying a nose of caramel, raisins and dried apricots, and wisp of smoke, it enters smooth, rich, and fruity with a touch of a floral note.  While it’s a bit sweeter and not quite as sophisticated as a true Cognac (it apparently doesn’t meet the requirements of an AOC designation), it’s a hell of a deal for twenty bucks, and married very well with the flavors of the Bodega Reunion Digestivo.  Of course, a number of post-dinner drinks would also go well with this cigar, such as a nice reserve porto, a sweet/fruity bourbon, a single malt Highland Scotch, an Imperial Stout, or just a good cup of dark roasted coffee.

Final notes:

I have to say that I love the concept that the Bodega guys have come up with here, creating a dual line that reflects their idea that the pre- and post- dinner experience, especially in the company of friends, is something to be savored.  In my mind, they have accomplished what they set out to do, even though either of these blends can be thoroughly enjoyed out of context.  The construction of the cigars is exemplary, despite the initial draw problems I experienced with the larger Digestivo samples, and although the price is a little on the brink of comfort for me, it won’t preclude me from picking up more.  Personally, I preferred the Aperitivo as a slightly more complex and versatile blend, but I would certainly not bypass the Digestivo.  As stated above, the Blogger’s Sampler is a perfect way to see how either blend and different sizes fit into your wheelhouse, and I highly recommend picking up on one of those to decide.  As for me, I will definitely be getting more of each blend, but probably in the corona gorda size.

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#10 – Joya De Nicaragua – Rosalones

I have smoked more Rosalones than any other cigar on this list, which is understandable since it has a price point just over $3 a stick making it is easy on the wallet. Tony raved about this stick upon his return from Drew Estate’s Cigar Safari back in April when he first sampled the cigar and I will continue rave about this cigar because, for the price, there is not much competition out there.

 Read the full review here.

#9 – La Gloria Cubana – Serie R Esteli

If you would have asked me at the start of 2013 if any of the manufacturing giants would have found a spot on my top 10 list I would have said “no” without question. But, as with many other things in my life, I was wrong. The Serie R Esteli by General Cigar Company is a complex cigar that performs exceptionally well. For almost two hours, the Esteli will bring you on a journey of flavors consisting of deep notes of cedar, earth, cocoa, and dark fruit. All for a price around $7.00.

Read the full review here. 

#8 – Leccia Tobacco – Black

After a two-year hiatus from the industry, Sam Leccia made quite the return in 2013 with his release of the Black and White. The Black features a unique “Dark Fire” tobacco alongside Nicaraguan, Brazilian, and Dominican fillers, a Nicaraguan binder, and a Habano wrapper. The Dark Fire tobacco brings out peaty and hickory notes that balance well with the other flavors in the cigars.The Black offers complexity, balance, and a whole lot of uniqueness for around $8.00.

 Read the full review here. 

#7 – Espinosa Cigars – Espinosa Habano

While this is a 2012 release, I did not have opportunity to smoke the Habano by Espinosa Cigars until March of this year. So, while I may be breaking all of the rules, I believe this stick is worthy of a spot on my top 10 list. The Habano shows off a crazy creamy, spicy profile with a welcoming sweet cedar flavor that I absolutely love. For a price around $6-$7, this is a cigar I am always on the look out.

Read the full review here. 

#6 – Cuenca Cigars – Cuenca 5 Anniversary

There are not many cigars produced by A.J. Fernandez that I do not enjoy and the Cuenca 5 Anniversary is no exception. The Cuenca 5 is a full flavored, full strength cigar made exclusively for Cuenca Cigars in Hollywood, Florida. The box pressed format and tapered head, makes this 7 by 54 behemoth of a cigar easy to manage in both the hand and mouth and the bold, complex flavors make it even easier to enjoy.

 Read the full review here. 

#5 – Leccia Tobacco – White

Leccia Tobacco is the only company to find two slots in my top ten list and that is probably a bigger surprise to me than to anyone else. Back in August, Skip Martin’s tweet summed it up best when he said

Leccia Black Robusto is going to bring them to the brand, but White is going to keep them.

While this is a more traditional cigar than the Black, the White delivers in all aspects and does not disappoint.

Read the full review here. 

#4 – Ortega Cigar Company – Cubao

With Ortega Cigar Company’s release of the Ortega Wild Bunch this year, several other offerings from the company have gone overlooked and the Cubao is one of those. The Cubao has been on the market since 2008 under EO Brands but it was relaunched under Ortega Cigar Company earlier this year. The Cubao sports an Ecuadorian Sumatra wrapper overs its Nicaraguan filler and binder and delivers flavors of peppery spice, rich cedar, orange peel, and some sweetness.  On top up the profile that just suits my palate, the Cubao always seems to perform beyond expectation, even in the Lancero format, which is my favorite.

Read the full review here. 

#3 – Moya Ruiz Cigars – La Jugada Prieto

The La Jugada Prieto is the freshman release from Moya Ruiz Cigars produced at Erik Espinosa’s La Zona factory in Esteli, Nicaragua. Back in June, when Tony Casas and I were guests on episode 55 of Stogie 411, I mentioned that the La Jugada Prieto was one cigar that stood out to me this year and, at the close of 2013, that has not changed. The Prieto showcased the San Andres Maduro wrapper better than any other cigar I have smoked this year.

Read the full review here. 

#2 – Ezra Zion Cigar Company – Tantrum Eicion Limitada

You may think it crazy to spend $9.50 on a 4.4 by 44 Petit Corona but that is probably because you have not smoked the Tantrum by Ezra Zion Cigar Company. This little sticks packs a punch and is fitting of its slogan – “a little baby powerhouse”. But beyond its punch, the Tantrum delivers full, spicy flavors with complex subtleties. While my experience with other offerings from Ezra Zion is limited, I would not hesitate to recommend the Tantrum even with its higher price. I look forward to getting to know the other lines from the company in 2014.

 Read the full review here.

#1 – Crowned Heads – J.D. Howard Reserve

Last year, Crowned Heads found the #9 spot on Tony’s top 10 list with their Headley Grange. This year, Crowned Heads found the #4 spot on Tony’s list and the #1 spot on my first top 10 list with their J.D. Howard Reserve. As I mentioned in the full review, I have a lot of respect for how Jon Huber and Mike Conder run the company but even more respect for the excellent product they have put on the market. From the presentation to the flavors, the J.D. Howard is one heck of a smoke making it worthy of the #1 spot for 2013.

Read the full review here. 

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