Produced in Nicaragua at the Tabacalera Oliva De Esteli S.A. factory, the Nub line is available in Connecticut, Cameroon, Maduro, Habano, and Sumatra wrapper options. There is also a limited edition double Maduro called Nub Dub. The Connecticut version frontmarks include 354 (3 3/4 by 54), 358 (3 3/4 by 58), 460 (4 by 60), and 464T (4 by 64 Torpedo).

You can give the Nub Connecticut 358 and 464T a try for yourself in the Nub 8-Cigar Sampler from our good friends over at Holt’s Cigar Company.

THE FACTS

Price: $7.14/single | $27.95/8-Cigar Sampler
Vitola: 358
Size: 3 3/4 by 58
Wrapper: Ecuadorian Connecticut
Binder: Nicaraguan
Filler: Nicaraguan
Smoke Time: 50 minutes

PRE-LIGHT

The Nub Connecticut wears a golden Connecticut Shade wrapper that has some darker markings and veins running the short length of the cigar. As I gently press down on the cigar, I find it to be evenly filled with only the smallest amount of give.

Bringing the wrapper to my nose, there is an aroma of earth and barnyard. The foot shows off sweet tobacco, earth, and black pepper spice. The double cap has clean lines and cuts with ease. The resistance is well within the acceptable range, possibly a hair on the firm side. A cinnamon spice warms up my palate and overshadows any other cold draw flavors that may be going on.

FIRST THIRD

This Nub Connecticut opens with solid medium flavors with earth and pepper central in the profile. The spice heat is medium and lingers on the palate as a natural tobacco sweetness pushes its way into the profile. There is a thick burn line that is mostly even as a salt and pepper ash forms.

MIDDLE THIRD

Burning down into the second third of the Nub Connecticut 358, both the earth and pepper shift up a notch. There is only a touch of that common Connecticut shade bitterness and it is working well with the core flavors. It is at this point in the cigar that I am surprised to be feeling a little nicotine kick.

FINAL THIRD

Into the last third, the profile is much lighter allowing the sweetness to shine through as well as the bitterness. A shallow draw and allowing additional time between puffs are needed to keep the bitterness at bay. The thick eyeliner burn from earlier is now thin and edgy as a gray ash develops that holds well. There is no concern about dropping the ash prematurely in your lap or on your keyboard. 

WRAP-UP 

The Nub Connecticut 358 by Oliva Cigar Company opens with a solid medium profile, kicks up a notch or two in the second third, and then mellows out in the final third of the smoke. The profile was characterized by core flavors of earth and pepper with a nice tobacco sweetness to round things out and a touch of Connecticut bitterness to remind you what you are smoking. The performance was impressive with its even burn and only two ash dropping during the fifty-minute smoke.

So, how would I line up the cigars in the Nub 8-Cigar Sampler?

#1 – Nub Cameroon

#2 – Nub Connecticut

#3 – Nub Habano 

#4 – Nub Maduro

If I would’ve guessed which Nub cigars I would’ve liked the most before smoking any, the list would have been in the complete opposite order. The Nub blend shined with the lighter Cameroon and Connecticut wrappers.

The post Nub Connecticut 358 by Oliva Cigar Company appeared first on Cigar Reviews | Beer Pairings | Casas Fumando.

Produced in Nicaragua at the Tabacalera Oliva De Esteli S.A. factory, the Nub lines are available in Connecticut, Cameroon, Maduro, and Habano wrapper options. The Cameroon frontmarks include 358 (3 ¾ by 58), 460 (4 by 60), 464T (4 by 64 Torpedo), 466 BPT (4 by 66 Box Press Torpedo).

You can give the Nub Cameroon 464T and 466BPT a try for yourself in the Nub 8-Cigar Sampler from our good friends over at Holt’s Cigar Company.

THE FACTS

Price: $27.95/8-Cigar Sampler
Vitola: 464T
Size: 4 by 64 Torpedo
Wrapper: Cameroon
Binder: Nicaraguan
Filler: Nicaraguan
Smoke Time: 1 Hour and 5 Minutes

PRE-LIGHT

The Nub Cameroon wears a milk chocolate wrapper. Only small veins are found and there are some scattered bumps on the leaf that has a light oily sheen. I find no soft spots, but there are a couple of indentions as I run my fingers down this 4-inch cigar.

The aroma from the wrapper is faint with some generic wood and earth notes. The same woodsy notes are found on the foot of the cigar with an added touch of pepper spice. A quick clip through the tapered head opens up a good draw allowing cold draw notes of rich, warm cedar and potpourri spices to move freely across my palate.

FIRST THIRD

Once lit, medium flavors of nuts, leather, and pepper are first to greet my palate. The smoke is both smooth and thick in the mouth. I find a slightly sour edge to the smoke but it is working well with everything else going on. The Nub Cameroon is burning along evenly as a salt and pepper ash forms.

MIDDLE THIRD

The profile has downshifted from medium to mild as the Nub Cameroon burns into the second third. The sour edge in the previous third is more of a lemon zest now, while the other flavors in the profile remain consistent. The finish of the cigar is very clean with only a lingering black pepper spice.

FINAL THIRD

The sour quality has faded out as the leather kicks up a few notches and a deep earth and cocoa flavor joins in. The thick texture of the smoke remains the same. The retro-hale is smooth but still brings enough spice to the table to tickle my sinuses. The burn is right on up to the very end of the cigar. 

WRAP-UP

This may have been my first go-around with the Nub Cameroon and it was a very positive one at that. The mild to medium profile makes this a perfect morning to early afternoon cigar, but there is also enough spice from the Nicaraguan tobacco to kick your palate into gear. The thick texture paired up with the smoothness of the smoke made it a satisfying experience. And unlike the Nub Habano that struggled to burn, the Cameroon version burned nearly perfect from start to finish.

The post Nub Cameroon 466BPT by Oliva Cigar Company appeared first on Cigar Reviews | Beer Pairings | Casas Fumando.

Nub cigars are manufactured in Esteli, Nicaragua and are available in four wrapper options Connecticut, Cameroon, Habano, and Maduro. The Nub Habano utilizes all Nicaraguan tobaccos and comes in four sizes: 358 (3.7 by 58), 460 (4 by 60), 464T (4 by 64 Torpedo), and 466 (4 by 66).

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

THE FACTS

Price: $27.95/8-Cigar Sampler
Vitola: 464T
Size: 4 by 64 Torpedo
Wrapper: Nicaraguan Habano
Binder: Nicaraguan
Filler: Nicaraguan
Smoke Time: 1 Hour

PRE-LIGHT

This stubby Nub Habano is draped in a medium brown wrapper with a deep red hue. The veins are mostly small and there are hardly any bumps to be found on the leaf. Light oils are felt as I examine the cigars for soft spots. Overall, the cigar is firmly and evenly rolled.

As I bring the wrapper to my nose, I am met with a pungent aroma of vinegar and earth. Dirt, cocoa, wood, and dark red fruit are noted on the foot of the cigar. A cut through the tapered head opens up a draw with just the right amount of resistance. There are notes of cedar and cinnamon on the cold draw.

FIRST THIRD

The Nub Habano 464T opens with flavors pushing full with a mixture of charred wood and cedar, a hefty pepper spice, and a tobacco sweetness. Charred wood and black coffee linger on the finish of the smoke. The wavy burn is leaving behind a brilliant white, flaky ash.

MIDDLE THIRD

As I move into the second third of the Nub Habano, there is a clear evolution in the flavors. The profile moves to a more nutty and earthy make-up with a touch of cocoa. The spice continues to build as the cigar burns along unevenly. Even with the burn all over the place, the first ash has yet to drop.

FINAL THIRD

Into the last third, the sweetness backs off while earth and charred wood are now front and center.  As I pass the smoke through my nose, the pepper is at the forefront and I am beginning to feel a hefty nicotine kick. After a quick hit with the lighter at the start of the final third, I encounter no new performance problems.

WRAP-UP

The Nub Habano 464T brings noticeable changes to the table in each third even with its short stature. The flavors remained mostly on the darker side of the spectrum but also delivered some sweetness in the first two thirds to help balance things out. With that said, I wish the sweetness played a more central role. The spice was full and the strength picked up in intensity as the cigar progressed. The uneven burn and flaky ash left much to be desired in the performance department, but I am certainly glad the cigar ended on a high note. If this Nicaraguan puro sounds like something up your alley, go visit Holts.com and pick yourself up the Nub 8-Cigar Sampler.

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

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

The Facts

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

Pre-light

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

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

First Third

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

Middle Third

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

Final Third

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

Wrap-up

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

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

The Good Stuff: Studio Tobac is a venture brought to you buy Oliva to provide experimental, and very unique cigars such as the Cain and the nUB lines. Back in march, the Studio Tobac board approved a request for a joint-collaboration product with Padilla Cigars. From the mouth of Studio Tobac’s John Gazzero:

“Even though we’ve existed for the last few years, Studio Tobac just became know to the public; so we’re very protective of the brand. This type of joint venture isn’t something we take lightly, and we’re not getting in the business of making private label cigars for anyone. Working with Ernie (Padilla) makes sense because he has been a friend of Studio Tobac for years. Ernie assured us that he will treat this project with integrity and respect. We’ve got some interesting ideas for the blend. I’m sure Padilla does, too. I’m excited to smoke the cigars. They should be pretty damn good.”

Produced with Oliva tobacco with direct input from Ernesto Padilla, a few others at Padilla Cigars, as well as the Studio Tobac Advisory board, the  exclusive “Padilla Studio Tobac” was born. These cigars are very limited, only 1,000 boxes of 10 will be made and will run $140 a box. These are now available, but won’t be around for very long. A special thanks to Smoking Stogie for the information. There wasn’t a whole lot online, but they always have the good stuff.

Size: 6 x 60  –  Wrapper: Ecuadorian Habano  –  Binder/Filler: Nicaraguan  –  Body: Medium/Full

Prelight: The Padilla Studio Tobac is a very meaty, beefy Figurado format cigar. This isn’t a format that I smoke very often. I usually run into burn problems do to the bulbed foot of the cigar, plus it just doesn’t seem comfortable to hold. The foot of the cigar is so much heavier then the cap that it sets forth this strange balance in my hand. Let’s just hope the lack of comfort is something that the blend makes up for. Outside of the strange size the Padilla Studio Tobac is an exceptionally well constructed cigar. I can’t imagine how difficult this is to roll. The foot start off with this tiny little tip then explodes into a huge bulb which stretches and thins out across the body of the cigar until it meets the cap with a seamless, very pointy tip. The cigar boasts of oil. Each little ray of light that hits the silky wrapper shoots off a huge gleam of reflection. The wrapper feels really touch and durable carrying an extremely consistent light to medium brown with a bit of tooth, and only a few visible veins.

The band on this cigar is a monster starting with a huge silver, maroon, and black Padilla branded crest with the standard lion’s head we have all grown to love. Following the huge ass band is a tiny little black, white, red, and gold secondary band with the words “STUDIO TOBAC” and the small leaf branding on it. The wrapper of the cigar gives off an extremely sweet cedar aroma while the foot, because of it’s size, smells identical. The Padilla Studio Tobac cut very easily, and very clean using my Palio Double bladed cutter.  The cold draw surprised me with a huge kick of very strong pepper followed by some soft cedar, and very spicy notes.

First Smoke: The Padilla Studio Tobac surprised me once again when it started off with no pepper at all despite my cold draw conclusions. Instead it welcomed me with a really nice, subtle spice, strong cedar, and a soft leather with just a touch of citrus. The draw is remarkable despite being a pain in the ass to get going at first (most Figurados are).  Each little puff kicks out a huge mouthful of thick smoke.  The cigar gives off a ton of very smooth, sweet tobacco and cedar scented stationary smoke. The burnline, as expected is a bit wavy, but honestly not bad at all. At least, not as bad as I was expecting. This format is always hard to keep a solid burnline out of the gate.  The ash left behind is an interest dark grey, to light grey, then zebra striped mixture lasting about an inch before giving way.

Halfway There: This Padilla Studio Tobac is one of the most flavorful cigars I have had recently. I am really enjoying every single little puff. The main flavor is still this dominant cedar with a very, very sweet tobacco. The underlying flavors are a very soft leather and the citrus has now turned into a really nice fruit flavor. If I really wanted to stretch it I could say it has hints of apple, but for the sake of being subjective I won’t go that far. The retrohale is really nice and smooth coating with the cedar and some nice sweet spice. I am not feeling any nicotine at all at this point despite the size of this cigar. The burnline is now rocking solid and even as well which is great considering the format and the fact that I haven’t touched it up an at all.

Finish: The spice has really started to ramp up in this Padilla Studio Tobac. It’s a very nice and smooth spice, with hints of cinnamon and nutmeg. The cedar is still in there too but it’s taken a back-burner to the spice with backing flavors of the fruit and even some nice chocolate creeping in. Despite the size of the cigar and all the flavor this cigar has been smooth from start to finish, even approaching the final inch. No harshness, no relights, no touchups, just the way I like it! The body has ramped up a bit too, but I wouldn’t classify it above medium/full. This cigar took almost 2 hours to take down, and I enjoyed every minute of it.

Overview: I really wanted this cigar to be bad. Not cause I don’t like Padilla, or Oliva, but for the simple fact that I have had a very long run of cigars that I really enjoyed and I didn’t want it to seem like I enjoy every cigar that I smoke. Too bad that wasn’t the case. This cigar is dynamite. From every aspect you look at it. Even the size. That’s right, I said it. I enjoyed the size. While uncomfortable I think it really added another dimension to the cigar and quite honestly I don’t know if the cigar would fair as well as it did in another format. I would love to try it though. The robust, and immense flavors the Padilla Studio Tobac kicked out kept me on my toes from start to finish. The smoother tones, and gentle body let me really sit back and enjoy the cigar without getting my ass kicked by body. While most people may think ~$15 is steep for a cigar, I think that price is perfect for a cigar of this caliber, and I would gladly pay it again. Too bad these damn things are so limited.

Pairing: I decided to pair this bad boy with a beer you tend to see a lot of in my reviews as the weather starts to cool down. Pawvel Kwak’s Special Belgian Ale. This amber colored 8.4% ABV ale is perfect for those chilly winter nights. It’s a very smooth, strong ale with notes of plum, sugar, caramel, and malt. This makes a perfect pairing for any cigar no matter how strong, dark, light, or mild.

The post Padilla Studio Tobac Figurado appeared first on Cigar Reviews | Beer Pairings | Casas Fumando.

The Oliva family story is not that dissimilar from a lot of the family run non-Cuban cigar producers. Originally, they were tobacco farmers in Pinar Del Rio Cuba and were eventually forced to flee due to communism. After testing the soils of various countries, the Oliva family settles in Nicaragua and began producing top quality tobacco again.

The Oliva Cigar Family doesn’t seem to venture too far from what works but what they do produce is extremely consistent, tasty and usually well priced. Their lines offer a variety of flavors and strengths ranging from a full bodied Serie V down to the mild Connecticut Reserve and even a specialty line called the Master Blends. Today’s review is focusing on the milder range of their lines, the Connecticut Reserve in the Robusto vitola. This line is also offered in a few other traditional sizes such as Churchill, Toro, Torpedo and Lonsdale. This is probably a cigar that a lot of people have already tried since it’s been around for a long time and seems to be a staple in most people’s humidor. Let’s see if we can find out why in today’s review.

Cigar: Oliva Connecticut Reserve
Drink: RocketFuelCoffee.com Panama Carmen Estate
Vitola: Robusto (5 x 50)
Wrapper: Ecuadorian Connecticut
Binder: Nicaraguan
Filler: Nicaraguan
Price: $4.50 – $5.50
Burn Time:

Construction:
• A velvety smooth and honey brown colored wrapper surrounds this cigar
• There are some visible veins on the cigar but they are all small and thin
• The cigar is finished with a clean double cap
• The foot appears well packed and cleanly cut
• The length of the cigar is fairly firm but has a slight spring to in, very consistent throughout
• Draw is a little tighter than I would have liked but it’s not terrible, I won’t re-cut or use a toothpick in case it opens up later
• The draw opened up a bit as the cigar progressed but it seemed to be smoking well so I never bothered to try fixing it

Burn:
• Toasting was very fast and surprisingly even
• Burn line has been fairly straight through the first inch
• As I get past the first third the burn is starting to go really one-sided, I may need ot correct it if it doesn’t catch on soon
• The burn line never completely corrected itself but it did not get worse so it’s still burning without any touchups at the half-way mark
• As I get into the last third, the burn line is just about straight now.
• Cigar started burning a little hot near the nub

Smoke & Ash:
• There’s not much smoke coming through on the draw and it appears fairly thin, not the thick cloud you would usually get on most other cigars
• The resting smoke is fairly consistent but not too thick or overpowering
• The ash appears clean and tight with a light grey tone to it
• The ash just doesn’t want to fall off, sign of great construction here
• Ash finally fell off just past two inches

Tasting Notes:
• The aroma on the wrapper is mostly of hay and some earthy notes
• Pre-light draw brought a lot of earthy notes and some woodsy hints
• Initial draws kept the earthy and woodsy flavors and added to that a slight tartness
• The Oliva Connecticut is starting off fairly mild and has a smooth creamy finish on each draw
• As I get past the first third I’m starting to pick up a toasted bready kind of flavor
• The retrohale on this cigar has no bite to it but finishes off with a smooth and creamy woodsiness
• As I pass the halfway mark I’m getting some nice roasted coffee flavors that are mixing well with the cedar and earthy smoothness
• The body picks up a bit in the last third, maybe just touching into the medium range
• Very minor bitterness near the end allowing me to nub the cigar until my fingers were burning

Final Thoughts:
The Oliva Connecticut Reseve made for a perfect morning smoke today and every time I have it. It has a smooth and creamy mild profile that is enjoyable for pretty much every level of smoker from novice to experienced. The burn and ash was also fantastic making the whole experience enjoyable from start to finish. The price on these is also very accessible. Although the MSRP is around the $5 mark you can usually find these on special for a much better value. This is a classic Connecticut that tastes exactly like you would want it to and remains enjoyable every time. If you haven’t tried one yet, keep your eyes open for some and give them a try!

Pairings:
Today’s pairing was a freshly brewed pot of Panama Carmen Estate Coffee which I received as a gift from Lisa over at RocketFuelCoffee.com. You can also track her down via twitter on @rcketfuelcoffee or @hisandherf. The location this gourmet coffee bean is grown is fairly interesting, it is shade grown at an altitude of 5,600ft. Give the full description a read over here. The coffee initially poured a bit light and I was a bit worried I had gotten the measurements or coarseness of the grind wrong. After taking a quick sip I knew it was just right. The flavor of this coffee fills your mouth quickly and offers up a unique morning cup. Rather than a strong bitterness I was met with a flavorful, yet light, mix of bright and roasted flavors. There is a natural sweetness to this coffee that could almost be characterized as fruity but with a smooth and deep finish. Made for a perfect morning pairing with this cigar! Other suggested pairings with this cigar would need to remain light, such as water or soda, maybe a light beer. But I think coffee makes the perfect match here.

The post Oliva Connecticut Reserve appeared first on Cigar Reviews | Beer Pairings | Casas Fumando.

NUb Maduro

This cigar was sent to me along with a pre-release Cain Habano by cigar maker Sam Leccia a while back. Ever since, I have been wanting to try it, but I knew I wanted to do a review on it and just hadn’t had the upcoming time to sit down and hammer one out. So here it is, finally. I am also completely aware that there are already 230942839402 reviews of this cigar already out there, hopefully my take will be a little different than the norm.
The Good Stuff: The NUb cigar was invented by the cigar genius Sam Leccia in his garage in 2006. The idea behind each NUb cigar is simply capture the true essence of a cigar. Every experienced cigar smoker knows that the cigar matures as it is smoke, making the final few puffs of each cigar a whopping powerhouse of strength and flavor. What NUb cigars bring is the same mature flavors, up front. No waiting hours to hit that sweet spot. NUb cigars a the “sweet spot” the whole way through.

Size: 4 x 64  –  Wrapper: Brazilian Maduro  –  Binder/Filler: Nicaraguan

NUb Maduro

Prelight: First of all this cigar has some massive weight to it. Not to mention the famous NUb shape. At a 64 ring gauge this is a pretty fat cigar. I had never even noticed until it was time to light it up. The wrapper is a smooth, creamy maduro. The one i smoked was literally about 4 shades lighter than the ones I’ve found at my local B&M shop. There is only one visible vein, but it is very small and out of the way. The obvious torpedo shape extrudes through the head of the cigar while the foot is crisp and clean. The cigar itself is very hard and has no soft spots. The NUb maduro is extremely tight wrapped, which makes for awesome NUbStands! The first scents were very earthy/leather with soft notes of almost dirt, and tobacco.

NUb Maduro

First Smoke: This cigar took a really long time to light under my single flame torch. A lot of that probably has to do with its think ring gauge. The first draws were extremely weak, which REALLY disappointed me. The cigar wasn’t plugged at all either, I was receiving lots of airflow on each puff. Then, as if the NUb read my mind I was smacked in the face with not only the largest, but the thickest smoke I have ever pulled off a cigar. I smoke outside with the wife a lot of times, and even she got all excited and followed the smoke cloud as it drifted across my entire back yard. The taste of the NUb maduro is magnificent. There are very soft spices, mixed with earthy, leather tastes with small hints of cocoa, caramel, and straight up tobacco. This is a VERY smooth smoke. The burn is absolutely gorgeous and there are no signs of wrapping flaws.

On most reviews i follow up with a sentence like “i got about an inch of ash before it gave way”. The NUb is different. Different in a way that there were no ash droppings. I literally smoked the whole cigar from start to finish before it ashed the first time.

Nub Maduro

Halfway There: Honestly I don’t think I’ve ever had a cigar that kept such a balanced taste, smoke, and texture through its smoke like the NUb maduro has. The peppery spice is so well balanced with the tobacco, cocoa, and earth tastes. This is such an enjoyable cigar. The burn is still rocking perfect, and the draw is still massive.

NUb Madruo NUb Stand

Finish: That’s right. Tony’s first NUb stand. You see it all the time in pictures, and magazines, but you don’t realize what a feat it is until you actually do it for yourself. The whole smoke down I had been trying to be as careful as possible as to not knock off the ash until I could get this shot. And then when it came down to it the ash was just crooked enough to set the cigar off balance and it tipped over as I tried to snap the shot. Much to my surprise the ash held on. On the second shot i serious just smashed the ash into my ashtray. Sure enough, it held on just fine. Try doing that with any other cigar.

The finish of the cigar literally tasted just like the beginning. The NUb maduro is a VERY well balanced and well thought out cigar from the draw to the shape. All in all the NUb Maduro took about an hour and a half to smoke. A lot longer than expected. Bigger isn’t always better.

Nub Maduro

Overview: The NUb Maduro is a spectacle. It’s a great tasting cigar, extremely well balanced, and very affordable. I would not only try this cigar again, but I would honestly recommend it to any cigar smoker. The complex smoke and flavors are enough to stun any experienced smoker while the soft spice, smooth draw, and cocoa flavors are vivid enough to entice even the novice cigar smoker. This is definitely a box-buy considered cigar.

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Cain Straight Ligero Habano

Being that I am new to cigar reviews, I spend a lot of time reading other sites and blogs. One name stood out as of late and its all over the internet. The Cain Straight Ligero is all over twitter, blogs, review sites, and even the buzz in local stores. Needless to say I jumped at the first chance to get my hands on one of these bad boys that I could, getting a pre-release kit courtesy of Sam Leccia himself. He was kind enough to send a few of these out before release to cigar reviewers all over the Internet.

The Cain line of cigars (at this point I believe is is just a habano, and a maduro) are the newest release from the nimble hands of Sam Leccia, maker of the famous NUb cigar line. The Cain will be announced to the world at this year’s International Premium Cigar & Pipe Retailers Event that took place this past week in New Orleans and is by far one of the most anticipated cigars to make face in this years event.

Cain Straight Ligero

The Good Stuff: The Cain Straight Ligero cigar is, as obvious of its name, a ligero based cigar. Ligero tobacco is the absolute top leaves from the tobacco plant. These leaves are not only said to be the strongest of the entire plant due to the excessive amount of sun they absorb, but the most flavorful as well. Taking it one step further has always been a trend when it comes to Sam, and the Cain in no doubt withholds that tradition with its triple fermentation process. Easily said, the ligero tobacco leaves are fermented three different times, producing massive amounts of heat withdrawing the strongest, and most flavorful tobacco possible while at the same time producing the longest burning tobacco. Although the Cain states “straight Ligero” the tobacco in this cigar are blended with Seco tobacco to produce a true burn.

Cain Straight Ligero

Size: 5×50  –  Wrapper: Ligero Habano  –  Filler/Binder: Ligero  –  Origin: Esteli, Nicaragua

Prelight: The Cain I happened to receive was a Belicoso (torpedo) habano. Which is actually my favorite shape. The construction of this cigar is magnificent. Absolutely no flaws, or soft spots. When I recieved my package UPS did a good job banging the hell out of the box, so I wasn’t sure what condition the contents would be in. The Cain Habano boasts a very dark, very smooth, chocolaty brown wrapper. This actually threw me off, and for a while I thought I actually had received the maduro. From what I hear I’m not the only one who made that mistake. There were very little veins. The banding itself is remarkably simple. A black and gold band, stating the words Cain Straight Ligero is soft script; the perfect touch, the Cain speaks for itself.

First Smoke: As a trend in most traditional cigars I have had recently the Cain Habano took quite some time to get lit under the gun of my single flame colibri butane torch. The first tastes were that of a woodsy cedar arrangement, followed shortly by sharp pepper spice. The Cain’s spice was incredibly strong and flavorful, and at times actually tickled the back of my throat while the strength of the tobacco made my eyes water. The draw was decent sized, and very thick. It wasn’t wrapped too tight, just tight enough not to let the immense taste over-power the smoker. The Cain, even in its beginning stages, has to be by far the strong cigar I have ever smoked. The scent of the Cain was well-paired with its cedaresque smells, mixed with that of leather and spice. The ash built up for well over an inch before giving way.

Cain Straight Ligero

Halfway There: I am so taken by the strength of the Cain, and the length of the burn. I can’t believe I have been going at this cigar for over an hour an I am barely reaching the halfway point. I’m not babysitting this guy either, I am hitting the hell out of it and the remarkably smooth smoke, with the great flavor is allowing me to do so. The taste is still hanging in there, and has yet to change, or decrease. The strength of the Cain has increased a bit by this point, while the burn is INCREDIBLY perfectly even.

Finish: When all was said and done the Cain Habano took me little over two and a half hours to smoke down to the nub. Again, I was going at this cigar like a champ. I am so blown away at the consistency in burn, flavor, and strength. Even towards the very end of this cigar, it was still a very smooth, enjoyable smoke. I took this down and one sitting, needless to say I was a bit light-headed and disoriented when I stood up for the first time.

Cain Straight Ligero

Overview: The Cain is one hell of a cigar, and anyone who has had one should be privileged. Because of the strength, and flavor, I wouldn’t recommend this cigar to any novice smoker, or those with weak stomachs. But anyone who has ever enjoyed a few good, stronger cigars this one’s for you. I would buy this again, and plan to do so in the very near future.

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