At the start of 2014, I began tracking each and every cigar I have smoked. Well, I may have missed one or two. Based on discussions I’ve seen on Twitter and questions on this site and others, I decided to compile some information that I thought you might find interesting.

Since I decided to slack it last month on the my “Monthly Recap”, I bring to you a combined recap for February and March.

Monthly Recap – February and March

Number of Cigars Smoked: 57

Of those smoked:

• Purchased: 26 or 46%
• Samples Provided: 15 or 26%
• Gifted: 9 or 16%
• Traded for: 7 or 12%

Of those purchased:

• Brick & Mortar: 18 or 69%
• Online: 8 or 31%

Top Cigars Smoked by Quantity

#1. J. Fuego – Sangre De Toro (Original) – # Smoked = 7 :The J. Fuego Sangre De Toro Original has made both of my monthly recaps for highest quantity smoked for the month(s). Back in October, I picked up a brick (12 five-packs) of these sticks during Fox Cigar Bar’s Foxtoberfest. With the excellent price and flavors, I see this remaining on the list until I burn through them all.

#2. Oliva – Serie V (Churchill Extra) – # Smoked = 4: A local casino was offering some extreme discounts on their entire inventory of cigars and I was able to grab a box of 24 for $75. Now, that is one heck of a steal. While it is not in my go to size, the stick delivers in all other aspects. You will probably see this stick on a few more recaps as well.

Most Memorable Cigars Smoked

#1. Oliva – Master Blend 3: For Valentine’s Day, my wife and I decided to change things up a bit. Instead of joining the crowds for a romantic dinner, we headed down to Kipps Cheesesteak  in downtown El Paso. This had to be one of the most memorable Valentine dinners I have had with my wife of six years. After filling up on a delicious Green Chile Philly and nacho bacon fries, we took a scroll over to our local cigar lounge a few blocks away where I lit up a Master Blend 3. The cigar was the perfect close to a wonderful evening.

#2. Oliva – Serie V Melanio: On February 26th, the non-profit I have worked with for seven years held its inaugural fundraising event that was a great success. After the event, the CEO (a BOTL) and I made our way over to La Casa Del Puro and lit up a Serie V Melanio to celebrate the evening. Even in the smaller robusto size, the Melanio delivered a ton of flavors and just the right amount of strength to put me in a nice relaxed state.

Cigars Reviewed

Nestor Miranda – Casa Miranda Chapter Two 

If you enjoy deep, dark flavors and a good amount of spice, I recommend that you give the Chapter Two a try. And for the price, you won’t be breaking the bank.

Epicurean Cigars – AG Azul Vintage 2008

The performance of the AG Azul 2008 was exceptional, allowing me to sit back and relax for almost 2 hours. The cedar and pepper made up the core of the profile but the shifts in the intensity of the spice, sweetness, and cocoa finish made this an engaging ride.

Ezra Zion Cigar Company – Honor Series FHK

This cigar was an absolute treat! The flavors were bold, balanced, and quite complex. The performance was spot on with an even burn and firm ash. What more could you want in a cigar?

La Flor Dominicana – Foxtoberfest

While I am no leaf expert, I was able to easily distinguish the different roles the leaves played in the flavor profile. The Cameroon binder showed off a wonderful sweetness, while the Connecticut Broadleaf  contrasted it with its common tartness and savory meatiness. The first and second third delivered complexity and a mostly balanced profile.

VegaFina – Sumum Edicion Especial 2010 

The first and second third just did not do it for me, but at least the final third delivered some good, balanced flavors. It just wasn’t enough to redeem the cigar…. I would like to smoke through the other vitolas to see if I get a different experience before I recommend this cigar to others.

Veritas Cigar Company – Torch Habano

To my surprise, this was a cigar I found myself enjoying. The Torch offered a spicy profile on a backdrop of cedar with a wonderful long coffee and cocoa finish.

The post Monthly Recap – February and March 2014 – Jeremy Hensley Edition appeared first on Cigar Reviews | Beer Pairings | Casas Fumando.

Back in July, Tony reviewed the pre-release version of this cigar and had this to say:

Miami Cigar is poised to release the second chapter in the Casa Miranda series, the Chapter Two. Two years ago they released the Nestor Miranda Casa Miranda Chapter One (you can read my review here) which was blended by the Miami-Based El Titan De Bronze company. The Chapter One was the first cigar in the Miami Cigar portfolio not blended by My Father. Going back to it’s roots the company decided to have the Chapter Two blended at the My Father Factory S.A. in Esteli, Nicaragua and should be released in the next few months as it’s being showcased as I write this at this year’s IPCPR convention in Las Vegas. Nestor Miranda’s Casa Miranda Chapter two will come in 4 sizes: Robusto (4.5 x 50), Corona Gorda (6 x 46),  Toro (5.5 x 54), and the Toro (6 x 60). The cigar will range between $6.35 and $8.00 a stick. Much cheaper than the Chapter One which ranged between $10 and $12 a stick when it was first released. Jason Wood noted that the price point was one of the main factors in decided to move the production of the Chapter Two over to My Father.

Barry Stein of Miami Cigar & Company confirmed with Tony that the final blend is different from the pre-release. The information on the wrapper and fillers remain the same as the pre-release so I expect it was just a minor tweak to blend.

The Casas Fumando crew has reviewed a good number of Nestor’s products. You can find the reviews below:

• Art Deco
• Casa Miranda Chapter One 
• Casa Miranda Chapter Two (Pre-release)
• Collection 1989
• Special Selection Exclusivo Regional

The Facts

Samples Provided by Miami Cigar & Company
MSRP: $7.00
Vitola: Corona Gorda
Size: 6 by 46
Wrapper: Nicaraguan Corojo
Binder:Unknown
Filler: Brazilian, Dominican, and Nicaraguan
Drink: Ginger Ale
Smoke Time: 1 Hour and 10 Minutes

Pre-light

The Chapter Two wears an oily Nicaraguan Corojo wrapper leaf full of veins and bumps. The color is milk chocolate-brown with a deep red hue. As I search for soft spots I can feel the oils from the leaf on my fingers. The cigar gives slightly when squeezed but there are no soft spots to be found. The wrapper gives off aromas of sweet barnyard and earth, with an underlying pungency.

The foot aroma is extremely welcoming with a milk chocolate sweetness and dark fruit notes. I can feel just the slightest tickle in my nasal passage after smelling the foot of the cigar. Clipping through the first layer of the triple cap, I find a beautiful draw that is bringing forth rich flavors of clove and cedar.

First Third

Right out of the gate, the Casa Miranda Chapter Two is starting with a ton of flavor and a copious amount of thick, chewy smoke. There is a lot going on in the flavor department, starting with some richness, cedar, and spice. The spice is showing a good amount of heat in my mouth, almost like the sensation after eating a little too much cinnamon. I am finding some cocoa and coffee on the long finish of the smoke. The burn line is thick and even. The ash is light in color, a bit flaky, and holding up to an inch.

Middle Third

As I burn my way into the second third, I am starting to feel quite a nicotine kick. This stick may be a little hard for me to stomach if it keeps moving up in strength. Coming out of My Father Cigars, I was expecting pepper spice but just not the depth and variation of spices I am coming across. I am finding some cinnamon, clove,  and black pepper spice. The cedar flavor is rich and deep. The back-end of the flavors have turned somewhat acidic with a diesel-like flavor. The retrohale is sharp but not overpowering of mostly black pepper. The ash has darkened and is now much more flaky. The burn line has gotten off track requiring a touch-up.

Final Third

The earthy, diesel-like flavor and black coffee are at the front of the profile, the richness remains, and some sweetness has arrived. The cedar that was rich and deep is now smoky. The cocoa is stepping up its game as the cigar begins to wind down. With an inch and a half remaining, I have across a small void in the filler tobaccos decreasing the smoke production and making it difficult to smoke. Putting a flame to it didn’t bring relief so it is time to put down this Corona Gorda Chapter Two.

Wrap-up

Even though Tony wasn’t overly impressed with the pre-release version, he had this to say: “Keep in mind, these are pre-releases and the final cigars will be in top shape when they hit shelves…” – Man, was Tony right. The Chapter Two presented itself completely different from the pre-release sample that I also had opportunity to smoke. The only flaw I encountered with the Casa Miranda Chapter Two was the tunneling at the very end. I do not see this as a recurring problem and I did not experience it in the second sample. If you enjoy deep, dark flavors and a good amount of spice, I recommend that you give the Chapter Two a try. And for the price, you won’t be breaking the bank.

The post Nestor Miranda – Casa Miranda Chapter Two appeared first on Cigar Reviews | Beer Pairings | Casas Fumando.

As is common with regional releases and other limited releases, there is not much information available online about this cigar. Browsing the web, I came across a news article at halfwheel.com that has this to say of the SS Exclusivo Regional:

In what may become a series of releases, Barry Stein of Miami Cigar & Co. tweeted a picture of the Nestor Miranda Exclusivo Regional Robusto Extra. The 5 1/2 x 54 box-pressed cigar will be limited to 500 boxes of 10 and sold only in the midwest. It will feature a Mexican San Andrés wrapper as opposed to the Nicaraguan Habano Oscuro, Rosado and Ecuadorian Connecticut wrappers that are on the regular production versions of the Special Selection.

In addition, there is also a 6 x 60 size, which will retail for $9.00 per cigar and will ship to the region alongside the Robusto Extra next week.

While the Casas Fumando crew has not reviewed the regular production Special Selection, we have  reviewed several other Nestor Miranda lines. You can find the reviews below:

• Nestor Miranda – Art Deco 
• Nestor Miranda – Casa Miranda Chapter One 
• Nestor Miranda – Casa Miranda Chapter Two 
• Nestor Miranda – Collection 1989 

The Facts

Samples Provided by Miami Cigar & Company
Vitola: Robusto Extra – Box Pressed
Size: 5 ½ by 54
Wrapper: Mexican San Andres Maduro
Binder: Nicaraguan
Filler: Nicaraguan
Pairing: Water
Smoke Time: 1 Hour

Pre-light

Pulling the Special Selection Exclusivo Regional out of the cellophane, I am greeted with a familiar syrupy sweetness that I find on most San Andres Maduro wrapped cigars. On top of the syrupy sweetness, I am getting barnyard and faint honey. The Maduro wrapper is consistent in its milk chocolate color. The San Andres leaf has an extremely fine tooth, several larger bumps, and is veiny

The foot looks and feels under filled but the rest of the cigar is evenly packed with a slight flex when squeezed. The filler tobaccos on the foot shows off sweet cedar, rich earth, and more barnyard. The cap has been applied neatly. Upon cutting the cap, I am presented with a draw that is on the loose side. A spice tingle can be felt on my lips and I am picking up on notes of clove, cinnamon, cocoa, and cedar.

First Third

The Nestor Miranda Special Selection Exclusivo Regional is showcasing common flavors I associate with San Andres Maduro cigars. Cocoa, a syrupy sweetness, earth, and musty wood are all in the mix. However, what differentiates this stick from other cigars that utilize the San Andres Maduro is the balance in the flavors. The retrohale is rich with notes of cedar and black pepper. There is very little spice in my mouth and I do not feel any kind of spice in the retrohale, which is surprising. The draw is loose making it hard to pull as much smoke as I would prefer. The lopsided burn is forming a layered white ash.The flavors  and strength are medium.

Middle Third

Burning down into the second third, the pepper and spice have picked up a notch, and the pepper is very noticeable as I retrohale the smoke.  The core flavors that I noted in the first third have been consistent thus far.  A touch-up was required as I transitioned into the second third, but I have not encountered any additional burn issues. I am glad to report that the draw, while still free, is no longer loose and the smoke production has increased. The white ash has become flaky since the touch-up but still holding past an inch.

Final Third

While the second third did show much evolution in the flavors, the final third has brought forth a citrus tanginess, oak,  and some toasted notes. As I remove the primary band, I find a small crack in the wrapper. At this point, it is not having any kind of impact on the experience. The burn line is the best it has been.  The flavors are high medium and the strength remains right at medium. To the very end, the smoke has remained enjoyable.

Wrap-Up

The Nestor Miranda SS Exclusivo Regional is a solid smoke that delivers traditional San Andres Maduro flavors with an added element of balance but not a lot of variations. I believe the loose draw caused the burn issue in the first third and the flavors to be toned down. The other sample I smoked had a great draw and the flavors were closer to full throughout the cigar. I would say the cigar is medium in strength and full in flavor. This will be a difficult cigar to find as it is a regional release and limited to 500 boxes. But if you reside in the mid-West or know of a retailer who will be carrying the Special Selection Exclusivo Regional that can ship, I recommend that you grab them as soon as they hit the shelf. They won’t be around for long.

*The SS Exclusivo Regional cigar smoked for review smoked considerably faster than the other sample I smoked. This may have been from the loose filler tobacco. The other sample smoked for 1 hour and 25 minutes.

The post Nestor Miranda – Special Selection Exclusivo Regional appeared first on Cigar Reviews | Beer Pairings | Casas Fumando.

The Good Stuff: Miami Cigar is poised to release the second chapter in the Casa Miranda series, the Chapter Two. Two years ago they released the Nestor Miranda Casa Miranda Chapter One (you can read my review here) which was blended by the Miami-Based El Titan De Bronze company. The Chapter One was the first cigar in the Miami Cigar portfolio not blended by My Father. Going back to it’s roots the company decided to have the Chapter Two blended at the My Father Factory S.A. in Esteli, Nicaragua and should be released in the next few months as it’s being showcased as I write this at this year’s IPCPR convention in Las Vegas. Nestor Miranda’s Casa Miranda Chapter two will come in 4 sizes: Robusto (4.5 x 50), Corona Gorda (6 x 46),  Toro (5.5 x 54), and the Toro (6 x 60). The cigar will range between $6.35 and $8.00 a stick. Much cheaper than the Chapter One which ranged between $10 and $12 a stick when it was first released. Jason Wood noted that the price point was one of the main factors in decided to move the production of the Chapter Two over to My Father. Our great friend Barry Stein over at Miami Cigar sent us a few pre-release samples including the one I am reviewing today.

Size: 5.5 x 54
Wrapper: Nicaraguan Corojo
Binder: Unknown
Filler: Brazilian, Nicaragua, Dominican
Body: Full
Strength: Medium/Full
Price: $7.60
Pairing: Dogfish Head’s Black and Blue (Fruit Beer 10% ABV)

Prelight: One thing  you can always expect when you pick up a cigar produced at the My Father Factory is flawless construction. I’ve noticed over the past few years that just about everything that comes out of that factory is near perfect, the Chapter Two included. The cigar starts out with a dark, silky smooth wrapper. There are a few veins but they are so small they almost run seamlessly into the wrapper. There are a few dark brown spots throughout the leaf that blend into the medium/dark brown in the leaf. The cigar carries an average amount of oils and tooth through it’s body up to the beautiful, round, triple cap.  The wrapper feels really thin, but hard none-the-less while the cigar has no soft-spots whatsoever.

The wrapper on the Chapter Two kicks out a whole ton of sweetness and cedar while the foot of the cigar pairs up with some great spice and natural tobacco. I can’t wait to get this bad boy lit up. The cap cut very easily and clean using my Palio double bladed cutter. To my surprise, instead of getting all the cedary sweetness I was expecting, the cold draw was full of really mossy/musky flavors. It’ll be interesting to see how it all shakes out in the actual experience.

First Smoke: Nestor Miranda’s Casa Miranda Chapter Two started out a bit duller than I expected. Usually, My Father Cigar’s tend to greet you with tons of black pepper and spice but the Casa Miranda lead the way with some sweet chocolate, mild cedar, and some nice espresso notes. As I started to smoke my way through the first third the flavors started to become much stronger with a nice addition of the musky flavor I picked up in the cold draw. The draw on the cigar is perfect and the smoke is very dense. The burnline had a few larger waves in the first third and the ash left behind was solid, with a few flakes and white and light grey in color.

Halfway There: Into the second third of the Chapter Two and the flavors haven’t really changed up much. In fact, while a creaminess began to sneak in, many of the flavors began to dampen out. The sweetness is gone and all I really get is a very mild cedar, very mild coffee, and a bit of that musk. The burnline has completely corrected itself and is now burning perfectly even and razor sharp. I am feeling just a tiny bit of nicotine as I close out on the second third of the cigar.

Finish: I am happy to report that the flavors in this Casa Miranda began to ramp up into the final third. Just before they mellowed back up. It’s been kind of a rollercoaster in the flavor department. The main flavor is still a light cedar with a bit of chocolate and tobacco mixed in with an overall musky mixture. The one thing that did stand true the entire length of this cigar is the burn and construction. It’s been flawless the whole time and required no tough ups or relights throughout the entire hour and a half it took to take this cigar down to the nub. No harshness at all, in fact, this cigar finished off incredibly smooth and creamy with only a slight nicotine kick at the end.

Overview: I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t overly impressed with this cigar. It’s a solid cigar, but it seemed like it was missing something. The flavor kept dropping off in each of the samples I smoked. Had the flavor stayed at it’s prime I think this cigar would have been dynamite. Keep in mind, these are pre-releases and the final cigars will be in top shape when they hit shelves and the tobacco may carry enough age to even the flavor experience out. I think that whenever I get my hands on anything from Miami Cigar I hold it to a certain expectation of greatness, and the Chapter Two wasn’t quite on par with other cigars coming from this company in terms of flavor. But that’s just my opinion. The flavors were great, but the dullness in between is what didn’t do it for me. The burn and construction on these bad boys were as near flawless as you can get though and even with my experience I would probably be prone to picking these up when they hit shelves.

To Sum it Up: This was a good cigar. Not Great, Not bad. The flavors were a bit too mild for me but I think they’d appeal greatly to cigar smokers looking for a smooth/creamy/mild experience. The strength is a bit more full than the flavors suggest. I would probably buy these cigars again when the hit retailers, but unless the full release experience differs than my pre-release samples I don’t see myself picking up a box.

Pairing: Dogfish Head comes through with another great concoction. The Black & Blue is basically a strong Malt beer brewed with blackberry and blueberry puree. Sounds like it could be really good or really bad right? I’m happy to report that this 10% ABV brew kills it. I am never really a big fan of beers that introduce lots of fruit unless it’s a Lambic so I was a bit skeptical at first. Black & Blue leads with a strong, caramel/malty flavor with just a slight aftertaste of tart and fruit. This is exactly what I want in a beer brewed with fruit. I want to taste the beer, then the fruit second. The reason why I paired this beer with this specific cigar is I felt this cigar was missing something, something that a fruity/tart beverage could bring to the table completing the experience and I couldn’t have been more right. While the Chapter Two is a good cigar by itself, the pairing made it a GREAT cigar.

The post Nestor Miranda – Casa Miranda Chapter Two Toro Cigar Review appeared first on Cigar Reviews | Beer Pairings | Casas Fumando.

Now Miami Cigars has been a massive supporter of Casas Fumando and we have nothing but respect and appreciation for the great team over there. They have consistently pumped out some top rated cigars that everyone seems to enjoy, especially with the distribution rights to a cigar juggernaut such as La Aurora. Along with that awesome brand they also push well known brands such as the Nestor Miranda Collection, Don Lino, Tatiana, and Casa Miranda. Also, hats off to the company for picking up one of the sweetest, and down right greatest guys in the industy, Barry Stein. You may know him from his previous blog or his antics on twitter. Even before he was with Miami Cigars Barry has always lent a helping hand to us, and has continued to do so. Thanks bro!

Miami Cigars La Sirena

Miami cigars has also been one of the most active cigar companies in the social media world and even helped La Aurora create a brand new line based on requests from social media. That was the La Aurora 107 Lancero, and they even took the first few orders based on social media messages. It’s great to see some cigar companies jumping in feet first and taking advantage of these resources that allow them to reach far across the world.

We have a huge roundup of reviews from Miami Cigars brands, click here to see the search results from the Casas Fumando site.

Now Miami cigars once again provided their awesome support to us and included a wonderful prizepack for a lucky winner that will be chosen today! The prize they have given us is a FULL BOX OF LA SIRENA “A” (or Arielle) and some T-shirts. That is a full 9.25 inches of Connecticut Broadleaf goodness in each stick.

So now you ask, how do you become the lucky winner of this awesome prize? We’ll continue the easy entries with the simple task of adding a comment to the post below. Since Miami is a popular vacation desitnation let’s stick with the vacation theme…

To have us pick your winning comment, you have to tell us about one of your fondest vacation memories that is either embarrassing or a secret you don’t usually tell others. If you don’t have one, make one up! Be creative and interesting! Feel free to swap any of the embarrassed persons name for Tony’s name in your story! Extra points if you do! lol

Now onto the winner from yesterdays Ortega Serie D. giveaway!

We have a huge flurry of responses on yesterdays post, that was super awesome everyone! As per usual, let’s get to a few honorable mentions before announcing the winners.

Why not kick it off with the man who made today’s contest happen! MCCBarry – When Eddie went to Rocky Patel he secretly wed Nimish Desai, but the world of cigars would react much like Judas Priest when they found out Rob Halford was gay. So since he can’t change his last name to Eddie Desai he put the D on the band to announce his love for the man he wed

DaveFromPhilly – D stands for David. Eddie knew i’ve been buying Murcielago’s, 601 Blues and Reds in mass quantities so he wanted to dedicate his first solo cigar to me. If i were to make something up I’d say the D stands for Dainty, because Eddie lures in his enemies with trickery by using that Dainty smile of an Angel, only to suprise them with karate chops to the Adam’s Apple. But I can’t make something up when i know the truth. And the truth is that he dedicated his cigar to me.

And now onto the winners. We have 3 prizepacks to give away so here are the 3 winners of the Ortega Cigars Serie D. Sampler packs!

Winner #1 – irratebass – The “D” Stands for daring, in a daring attempt to jump ship from a productive/profitable and respected company and to venture out on his own. I was very pleased when I heard the Mr. Ortega was going to go out on his own….being a fan of the 601, Murciealago and Cubano cigars I couldn’t wait to see what was coming on the horizon. Congrats to you for bring so DARING and thank you for the smokes.

Winner #2 – Peter – D would have to stand for “Dominance”. Eddie has always dominated the cigar industry, with his good looks, his friendly composure, and of course, his blends. This is yet another dominating move put forth by Mr. Ortega, and for the price vs. Quality, this cigar will once again dominate the competition.

Winner #3 – Ben – The “D” symbolizes Daniel, EO’s oldest son. The next big release will be the Serie K, representing his other son Kristian, which, oddly enough, brings to the table a flavor profile strikingly similar to that fabled Kellogg’s cereal. The correlation, as Coco Puffs are Daniel’s favorite cereal, it seems natural that the dark and chocolately cigar would be labled the Serie D, and the rumored (as of now) Serie K has a much lighter, bran-ny looking wrapper, and weirdly enough, pairs well with strawberries…

Winners, please email your name, and address to “casasfumando@gmail.com”. Thanks again for every one who entered! Keep the entries coming!

The post Contest Day #7 – Miami Cigars (and Day #6 Winners!) appeared first on Cigar Reviews | Beer Pairings | Casas Fumando.

Nestor Miranda is the founder of the Miami Cigars and Company and has recently started producing his own blends that come attached to his name. These include the Nestor Miranda Collection 1989, the newer Nestor Miranda Special Selection and the recent Casa Miranda. The Art Deco cigar also carries the Nestor Miranda blend and is currently sold in 3 vitolas, all of which are over 50 ring gauge.

The Art Deco is a joint effort effort between Nestor Miranda & José Pepin Garcia. I think we all know that Don Garcia is no stranger to success in the cigar industry and if he has a hand in the blending, you can usually be guaranteed it will be a quality cigar. The blend consists of 60% Nicaraguan Corojo 99 and 40% Dominican San Vicente, plus Dominican Criollo ’98 & Nicaraguan Habano 2000 binders rolled and triple-capped in dark, shimmering Nicaraguan Corojo ’06.

I actually picked up this cigar as part of a box set which included 4 Nestor Miranda Special Selection Ruky’s (2 Oscuro and 2 Rosado) along with an Art Deco. I’ve also enjoyed a few singles of the Robusto Grande vitola bought separately. I want to mention how awesome I think this band is. It’s so retro and different and the colors really pop. The cigars are also packaged in retro tins with the same neat design. But as they say, don’t judge a book by its cover! So I think that’s enough chatter, let’s get onto the review

Cigar: Nestor Miranda Art Deco
Drink: Unibroue Don De Dieu
Vitola: Robusto Grande (5.5 x 54)
Wrapper: Nicaraguan Corojo ’06
Binder: Dominican Criollo ’98 & Nicaraguan Habano ’00
Filler: Nicaraguan Corojo ’99 & Dominican San Vincente
Price: $8.50
Burn Time: 1.5 hours

Construction:
• This looks to be a wonderfully constructed cigar, very even in diameter with a dark golden brown wrapper
• The whole cigar is very firm when squeezed and has almost no bumps on the wrapper
• The head of the cigar is finished off with an extremely clean triple cap, it’s easy to see some extra care went into making this cigar
• The foot looks to be mostly well packed with a one gap that looks a bit under-filled
• The cut was fairly easy despite the firmness of the cigar
• The draw seems to be a bit more open than I’d typically like but it’s not terrible
• Seems that the draw tightened up a bit near the halfway mark making for a perfect draw each time

Burn:
• The cigar toasting was very easy with a short time frame to get the foot evenly glowing
• The initial burn was a bit wavy but it quickly corrected itself and started burning razor sharp after that
• Through the first half I have no complaints about the burn here, it’s still razor sharp and requires zero attention from me

Smoke & Ash:
• The smoke from each draw is fairly full but it’s actually not that thick in density
• The resting smoke here is almost non existent at times, it’s a very friendly cigar to have while non-smokers may be nearby
• The ash is starting off with a nice light gray color and looks to be tight and clean
• I’m getting some awesome striping on the ash and its staying clean and strong
• It lasted nearly 2 inches before making an awesome nosedive into the ashtray. A perfect 10 anyone???
• The next ash only lasted about an inch but it stayed clean and crisp and fell off easily into the ashtray

Tasting Notes:
• The wrapper on this cigar gives a strong earthy and barnyard aroma with a touch of cedar
• The aroma on the foot carries through with the earthy and cedar notes but adds in a slightly sweet spice, maybe of raw cinnamon
• The pre-light daw brings an interesting mix of sweet notes on top of the cedar, possibly some dried cherries
• Initial flavors are stong in the cedar department with that slightly dried cherry taste in there, very interesting!
• The cedar has stuck around through the first inch but the initial sweetness has tapered off a bit
• For the most part, the cigar has started off in the low end of the medium range with a small bite on the retrohale
• As I continue along, I’m getting a bit of leather and the initial earthy aromas are making an appearance in the flavor department now
• As I pass the halfway mark, the mix of cedar, leather and earth has me seeking a little something more. It’s not bad or harsh but I feel like there’s something missing since the sweetness disappeared…
• As the cigar continued I started getting a bit of the sweetness returning here and there along with some slight nuttiness
• The body is building ever so slowly in the last third, heading into the high medium range
• Some toasted nutty/almond flavors are making this last third a lot more interesting along with the dried cherry sweetness that keeps rearing it’s head here and there
• The nice final mixture of flavors stuck through to the nub with almost no harshness, a very nice finish

Final Thoughts:
As with all of the Miami Cigar offerings I seem to come into them with high hopes. They’ve had such a great track record recently that I only expect the best. The Nestor Miranda Art Deco is a well balanced cigar with a variety of flavors. The first and last 3rds of the cigar were interesting and kept me on my toes but the middle portion seemed to lack something. The burn was excellent the whole way through and overall construction was top notch. The price is also very reasonable so it’s something I would probably buy again, perhaps in the Coffee Break vitola (4.5 x 50). I think that size may be the sweet spot and keep the interesting flavors going from start to finish. If you like a good medium smoke with an interesting profile these are worth checking out.

Added note: I asked Tony his thoughts here and he’s only smoked the Coffee Break vitola and loved it. I’ve only had the Robusto Grande, so I think my guess that a smaller vitola would make this cigar great is probably a good guess!

Pairings:
So this beer comes with a funny sort of story.  I’ve done a few other reviews with Unibroue brews and always loved them, not to mention they are also Canadian which is a plus in my eyes!  Unfortunately, most of their brews are actually not even available for me to purchase cause of the ridiculous taxes and restrictions in my province. The brewery is only about a 5 hour drive away, but it’s in another province… So, I actually picked this bottle up in Florida. Yes, that’s right. I drove 1600 miles away from the brewery to actually buy it! I guess that speaks to the silliness of our taxes here! lol
Enough of my complaining, let’s move onto the actual beer. I had no idea what to expect from this as I’ve never had it before and the bottle doesn’t really explain what type of beer it is. The name of this beer, “Don De Dieu” literally translates to “Gift from God” so I figured it can’t be that bad!
After doing a bit of research, I found out this is a triple fermented wheat beer that is also unfiltered, giving it a cloudy appearance in the glass. The flavors in this brew are excellent, mixing a little bit of fruit, maybe some vanilla and very smooth malty finish. This is not your average wheat beer though, it packs in 9% ABV and the triple fermentation without filtration makes it feel a lot fuller bodied than you might expect. I found it to be an excellent pairing with the Nestor Miranda Art Deco as it offered up lots of interesting flavors. I think a fine tawny port would also be an excellent pairing here or perhaps keep it simple with a dark soda.

The post Nestor Miranda Art Deco Robusto Grande appeared first on Cigar Reviews | Beer Pairings | Casas Fumando.

The scenery may look a bit different as I am actually doing this review from my favorite local shop, Tobacco Rd., which has always been a huge supporter of the site as well as a close friend. (Yes I brought my ashtray from home, so what?!)

The Good Stuff: Here is the press release La Aurora released. It basically covers everything to a tee:

La Aurora Unveils Broadway Series for New York State only

The Affordable Cigar Debuts Monday December 20 at Cigar Inn.

MIAMI FL – Miami Cigar & Company, the exclusive U.S. distributor for La Aurora, announces help is on the way for New York. Tobacconists are suffering under harsh tobacco tax of 75% of wholesale cost which prices many cigars out of the average smoker’s reach. La Aurora vice president Guillermo León says it is time for action to help smokers. As a result, León and Miami Cigar and Company President Nestor Miranda are releasing a special Broadway Series by La Aurora with a suggested retail price of $12.25 including the onerous NY state tobacco tax.

León says, “New York has always been special to me and my family. What has happened with the cigar taxes in New York is tragic. Since we cannot lower the taxes, we worked hard to lower the cost of this cigar without compromising quality. ” Adds Miranda, “we are beginning to try to help tobacconists with the Broadway series by La Aurora just in time for Christmas.”

On Monday, December 20th, Cigar Inn on Second Avenue in New York City will host Guillermo León , Nestor Miranda and Miami Cigar VP Rene Castaneda with a private dinner to launch the Broadway series. The initial cigar is a Sumo Toro, measuring 5 ¾ X 54. Its blend uses a double wrapper of Ecuadorian Sumatran and Nicaraguan over Dominican Corojo binder and fillers from the Dominican Republic, Nicaragua and Peru. The Broadway Series will only be available at tobacconists in New York state.

Prelight: The La Aurora Broadway is a larger, bulky cigar. A lot bigger that what I am used to, and probably larger than La Aurora is used to making. The Broadway is very firm and has a good weight to it too, heavy enough to beat the crap out of somebody with. The wrapper is oily and a darker, to medium brown with tons of orange spots throughout. The beefy body leads up to a big ass, rounded double cap. The construction on this cigar is remarkable. I can’t find any signs of flaws what so ever. There are a few smaller veins running through the cigar, and absolutely no soft spots. The band is, in my opinion, similar to the Guillermo Leon Signature series only with a New York style skyline in the background encrested with metallic silver, red, and black ink.

The wrapper’s aroma is very potent, kicking out a heavy earthy, woodsy scent. The foot tells a different story. A story full of spice and cinnamon. If the scent says anything about the cigar, this will be a very interesting cigar. The Broadway clipped very easily using my double bladed cutter. The cold draw let loose a very, very sweet cedar/tobacco mixture with just a dash of spice on the tail end of it.

An interesting note. After the first clip, there was still quite a ways to the secondary wrapper. You can see what I am talking about in this picture:

First Smoke: Right off the bat, the Broadway is a flavor machine producing a ton of natural and cedar-like flavors with hints of nutmeg and citrus. I wasn’t sure if the dual wrapper would produce, or reduce the flavor, but I am pretty sure I already know the answer to that. The draw isn’t as big as I thought it would be. It feels almost as if the cigar is trying to go out, but the smoldering ash at the foot of the cigar is telling me otherwise. A possibly fatal flaw to the dual wrapper set up is the thick, uncontrollable burnline. It was all sorts of crazy all the way through the first third. Tons of rotating waves, and rough patches. The ash left behind was a tightly bound medium grey ash, which held on for almost two inches before giving way.

Halfway There: Am I the only one pulling mint off this cigar? Really, I swear I’m getting whiffs of spearmint with every draw. The cedar and earth tones are still in full effect and plentiful. The citrus is actually even stronger in the second third and there is this slight creamy taste being introduced. On a happy note, the draw has opened right up and is now pumping out the massive cloud of thick smoke I expected from the beginning of the Broadway. The cigar is still burning all crazy, but I haven’t had to touch it up or relight it so it’s not a burden at all at this point. The retrohale as just as smooth as the rest of the experience priming my nasal passage with a very creamy cedar and spice.

Finish: One word to describe this cigar… Smooth. The flavors finished off very smooth and creamy. Almost like a heavily creamered coffee with bursts of cedar and citrus and spice aftertaste. No harshness at all.  Tons of flavor. I didn’t feel much, if any nicotine from this cigar. The burnline is still crazy. The only thing that got me was the draw. I had to really hit this thing thing hard and often (that’s what she said) in order to keep it lit. Even at that it went out twice in the final third. Nothing too menacing, but both samples I smoked had similar issues. The first sample went out in the first third.

Overview: La Aurora has been on fire lately, kicking out hit after hit. The Broadway, although limited to the New York area, follows the exact same trend. If this has anything to say about 2011 then La Aurora is poised for yet another powerful year. The all around smooth experience paired with the massively potent and complex flavors makes for an excellent everyday smoke. The only con was the burn. I blame that one the dual wrapper. But I also place the blame on the wrapper set up for the flavors. It’s a double-edged sword. If you don’t mind retouching your cigars or the occasional relight, then this cigar is for you. $12 is a bit pricey for this cigar. In all honesty I’m not sure that I’d choose this cigar over something like La Aurora’s 107 which carries just above half the price tag.

The post La Aurora Broadway Series (New York Exclusive) appeared first on Cigar Reviews | Beer Pairings | Casas Fumando.

Miami Cigar & Company is a distributor of some fantastic cigars and has given us such names as Leon Jimenes, La Aurora, Nestor Miranda and Don Lino. Make sure to visit their website and read more about their products and the company at: www.MiamiCigarandCompany.com. Not long ago they ventured into creating their own house blend cigar which turned into the Calibre 58 creations.

These new cigars were graciously sent to us from our friends over at Miami Cigar & Company. The Calibre 58 is offered in two sizes and two different wrappers. The sizes they created were non-standard but offer something different to the cigar enthusiast in us. The two shapes are what resembles a Short Churchill and a Short Torpedo, both measuring in with a 58 ring gauge. The wrappers offered for the Calibre 58 are a Nicaraguan Rosado and Oscuro.

Up for review today is the Short Churchill version of the Calibre 58 wrapped in the Nicaraguan Rosado wrapper. There’s a couple things to note about this cigar. Firstly, this is a Nicaraguan Puro, which means all the tobacco leaves used come from the country of Nicaragua. Secondly, this is a pre-release version which means that future releases could see some differences such as the addition of bands or slight changes in the blend.

Cigar: Miami Cigar & Company Calibre 58
Drink: Quinta de Infantado Tawny Port (2004)
Vitola: Short Churchill (4 x 58)
Wrapper: Nicaraguan Rosado
Binder: Nicaraguan
Filler: Nicaraguan
Price: Around $5-6
Burn Time: 1 Hour

Construction:
• Very even diameter throughout the length of the cigar
• A couple prominent veins but none seem big enough to cause any burn problems
• Fairly firm from end to end with just a tiny bit of spring
• Very cleanly applied triple cap
• The foot appears to be very well packed
• The large ring gauge just fit barely into by double blade cutter but it did cut nice and clean, you might need scissors or a punch cutter if your guillotine style doesn’t fit large ring gauges
• A small crack formed near the head but it never caused any problems

Burn:
• Toasting took a fairly long amount of time but it did toast up nice and evenly with no dark spots
• Burning very slowly, needs a few extra draws to stay lit but nothing overwhelming
• Burn has been fairly even through the first inch although it did require one minor touch up
• Almost went out near the halfway point, needing a little more attention now
• Some more touch-ups as the cigar burns, I seem to have this problem a lot with large ring gauge cigar, possibly because I smoke them very slowly when reviewing

Smoke & Ash:
• Lots of smoke right off the first draw
• Moderate amount of resting smoke giving off a nice woodsy aroma
• Ash appears extremely strong in the first inch of the cigar with no flaking
• First ash fell off at about 1.5 inches, it probably could have held on longer if it wasn’t for some touch-ups

Tasting Notes:
• Wrapper aroma is mostly cedar with some hints of earthiness
• The foot brings more cedar and a sweet nutmeg type spice
• Pre-light draw has more cedar and some pepper mixed in with the nutmeg spice
• Initial draws bring flavors or toasted wood and some peppery spice
• Retrohale starting off with lots of cedar and a smooth spicy finish, just a small bit of kick
• About 1 inch in some of the nutmeg spice is making a more prominent appearance and the pepper has settled down, just getting minor hints of it here and there
• Some added earthiness is joining the flavor mix, they all seem to be well balanced so far
• Passing the halfway mark there is some creaminess being added to the mix and despite the touchups there has been little to no harshness
• Body started off a bit mild and has slowly made it’s way up to medium
• The creaminess also added itself to the finish of the retrohale, nice and smooth and the bite has gotten a little more aggressive
• Body definitely picking up as I approach the last inch, also feeling a bit of nicotine kick, surprising for this short vitola cigar
• Used a toothpick near the end to maximize nubbing since there was very little harshness

Final Thoughts:
I enjoyed this cigar and I think most people would. It had some peppery spice at the start and end but not a very in-your-face type of pepper that usually turns me away. It was fairly balanced throughout and had a fair bit of dimensionality considering it’s shorter length. It does kick into full gear near the end so novice smokers may need to be careful here. A good drink is key here, something with some sugar in it will help reduce to nicotine kick you get. The burn required some touchups but it was never major, just make sure to keep some constant draws and it should burn no problem. For the price it’s worth picking up a few of these and trying them out. I’m curious to see if they change the blend at all on the official release but I’ll try another one when they come out regardless.

Pairings:
I finished off my last bottle of Quinta de Infantado Tawny Port with this cigar. You can read more about this port from this review of the Tatuaje Verocu Red Tubo. This paired very well with this cigar. I find that the sugar in port helps reduce any nicotine kick in stronger cigars. The oaky flavors also matched nicely with the cedar/woodsy notes and the spicy notes in this cigar. A good porter/stout, sweet tea or a dark soda would also pair nicely here.

The post Miami Cigar & Company – Calibre 58 appeared first on Cigar Reviews | Beer Pairings | Casas Fumando.