Ever smoked a classic maduro and thought to yourself “I wonder what this cigar experience would be like if this sucker packed a punch”? Well Eiroa finally has an answer for that. Following up last year’s CBT release Eiroa created a Maduro version which was unlike any maduro cigars I have ever had. It’s big, it’s bold, it’s powerful and fires on all cylinders front the second you light up, to the second you put it down. You can check out my full review here.

#9. Tatuaje – Tattoo

Tatuaje always seems to find their way into our top 10 lists and with good reason. Most of Pete Johnson’s creations fit my flavor profile and their experiences are always impressive. This year Pete decided to create a great cigar, and a very low cost. While many manufacturers have attempted this, Pete actually created something incredible that can hold it’s own in comparison to some of the more expensive blends out there. The Tattoo leads forward with sweetness, rich flavors, and a medium body resulting in a great experience while not breaking the bank. You can check out the full review here.

#8. Quesada – 40th Anniversary Corona Clasica

Quesada is a company that over the last few years have really rebranded themselves by making some incredibly cigars. Adding to that list is the 40th Anniversary Corona Clasica. Not to be confused with the standard 40th Anniversary, the Corona Clasica sports it’s very own blend. The cigar offers up some amazing flavors with a relatively mild strength profile. I’m not big on Connecticut shade cigars, but when they are done right they can create some killer experiences and this cigar shows just how great that wrapper can be. You can read my full review here.

#7. Padron Family Reserve 50 Years Maduro

Padron’s Family Reserve 50 Years Maduro has been a long time in the making. Each time a new Family Reserve hits the marking it’s almost immediately branded into the minds of people who create “Top cigars of XXXX” lists such as these, and the 50 years is no exception. While the Natural version didn’t really do it for me, the maduro delivered on all accounts. Amazing, bold flavor profile with medium/full strength and amazing construction. My only complaint would be the price, which isn’t really a complaint as I still gladly pay for them as the experience delivered is well worth it. You can check out my full review here.

#6. Joya de Nicaragua – Joya Red

Joya De Nicaragua doesn’t release many new blends, so upon release the Joya Red took the cigar world by storm. Joya de Nicaragua has always been known for its strong Nicaraguan roots, and absolutely solid cigars. The Joya Red falls right into this category. While it remains a medium strength cigar the Red offers some great bold flavors, with an extremely easy experience making it the perfect “anytime of the day” cigar. Joya de Nicaragua kept the costs very low on this blend while making production high resulting in tons of availability at a great price. You can check out my full review here.

#5. Fratello – Boxer

It took me a while to finally chase down Fratello cigars. They aren’t easy to come by in these parts, but once I had one there was no stopping me from grabbing all that I could carry. While making it’s introduction into the cigar world last year, the Fratello released a new box-pressed torpedo format this year. What I love the most about the cigar is it’s bold, sweet, balanced flavors without the huge strength punch. I just wish these were a bit easier to come by. You can check out my full review of the corona version here.

#4. La Palina – Goldie Laguito Especial

Yup, it’s another Goldie and its on another list. There isn’t much to say about this cigar that hasn’t been said already. With the Goldie you expect the most precise, flawless construction ever encountered followed with an incredibly smooth and balanced flavor experience that falls in the medium/full range. The only thing keeping this cigar out of the top 3 is the price tag and availability. It’s quite pricey, and very limited, but I’d gladly pay the coin time and time again. You can check out my full review here.

#3. The Crowned Heads – Jericho Hill

The Crowned Heads do it again. Honestly, this company has been smashing home runs each and every time they have been at bat. One thing that I love about these guys is they don’t waste anytime savoring the moment each time a new cigar releases. This year, as soon as a release started to get press there was another blend flying right out. Not only do The Crowned Heads make great cigars, but they do it with such passion and their great attitudes are contagious. The Jericho Hill was one of the first releases they made in conjunction with My Father Cigars. It carries some deep, sweet, enjoyable flavors with a milder body, great price tag, and easy availability. You can check out my full review here.

#2. Espinosa Premium Cigars – Laranja

Espinosa cigars is no stranger to our top 10 lists at Casas Fumando, and this year is no exception. Riding incredible press that surrounded this cigar during it’s debut at this year’s IPCPR show, the Laranja was a cigar that lived up to it’s hype. Sporting extremely bold flavors over a heightened strength profile the Laranja isn’t for the faint of heart. Those looking for a true bold experience done right look no further. You can check out my full review here.

#1. Illusione – Fume D’Amour

My #1 was an easy one this year and probably one of the best cigars I have had in a very long time. Illusione’s Fume D’Amour is the perfect mixture of complexity, creaminess, balance, strength and flavor. The Fume D’Amour is a great addition to an already amazing portfolio. To top that off Dion not only made this cigar very affordable, but added it to his regular production so it’s widely available and will be for a long time. You can read the full review here.

The post Top 10 Cigars of 2014 – Tony Casas Edition appeared first on Cigar Reviews | Beer Pairings | Casas Fumando.

Monthly Recap – October

Number of Cigars Smoked: 25

Of those smoked:

• Purchased: 15 or 60%
• Gifted: 3 or 12%
• Samples Provided: 7 or 28%

Of those purchased:

• Brick & Mortar: 1 or 7%
• Online: 14 or 93%

Most Memorable Cigars Smoked

#1. Quesada 40th Anniversary Corona Clasica – Tony reviewed the Quesada 40th Anniversary back in September. You can find his full review HERE. Unlike Tony, I had no problem removing the tissue paper, and I am convinced it was more of a user error on Tony’s part than anything else But I am not here to critique the cigar necessarily. Last month, my dog that I had since I was in 8th grade was put to rest at the age of 16. I was not there to say my goodbye as he was in El Paso with my parents. However, that evening I lit up the Quesada 40th and reflected on the great memories I had with him including taking him snowboarding in the Upper Peninsula, falling through ice while ice fishing, and several others. He was one stubborn, loving dog that I will miss.

#2. Cain F Lancero – Easily one of my favorite offerings from Oliva. The Cain F Lancero is a solid cigar that I could smoke any day of the week. I have to keep them hidden at the bottom of the humi to not smoke them all at once. I picked up a box of these bad boys in the Summer of 2013, allowing myself one every few months.  With only 4 or 5 remaining, it is time to order up another box. My opinion of this cigar has not changed since I reviewed it back in June 2013, when I had this to say (find the full review HERE):

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…

Cigar Reviews

La Gloria Cubana Domino 758, a Mike’s Cigars Exclusive

Beginning with a mild profile, the cigar developed to medium in the middle third and ended on a high note with medium/full, rich flavors. Only once did I have to correct the burn in over two hours of smoking. So a 10 second annoyance out of 7200 seconds of smoking is really no issue at all.

Espinosa Cigars – La Zona Habano

For a cigar that can be found for under $4 on most days and around $2 on good days, La Zona Habano by Espinosa Cigars is a good stick that delivers without breaking the bank.

Exactus – Puro Ambar Short Coloso

The flavors delivered in the first and second thirds, but tapered off in the final third, which I will blame on the void in tobaccos near the head. I am pleased to report that the issue did not occur in the other sample. When I think of the lines I have smoked under the Exactus brand, I can honestly say that the Puro Ambar is a step above the other lines.

Romeo Y Julieta Primer Lote 770, a Mike’s Cigars Exclusive

Beginning with the Romeo Y Julieta RyJ in 2013, followed by The Banker by H. Upmann a few months ago, and now the Romeo y Julieta Primer Lote 770, my perception of Altadis U.S.A. is changing. The Primer Lote 770 delivered a good performance with medium flavors. But what  made this Mike’s Cigars exclusive unique was the distinct flavor profiles in each third. For a price under $8, this cigar falls right into the sweet-spot.

Tony’s Reviews

Padron- Family Reserve 50 Years Maduro

…the Padron Family Reserve 50 Years Maduro is an exceptional cigar delivering most notably in the flavor department. As any of you who are familiar with the Family Reserve releases would expect, the flavors were quite complex, yet very smooth and balanced. Not to mention they are ideal for beer pairing especially with the early winter seasonal releases.

Asylum 13 Ogre

As with most Asylum cigars I have smoke, the Ogre is a solid stick. That being said, there wasn’t anything outside of the strength which really stood out to me. I did like the flavors, and the changeups, but I would probably reach for the standard Asylum 13 over the Ogre.

Matilde Renacer Corona

This is a little cigar with a whole lot of personality. The flavor profile is pretty different, but a breath a fresh air showcasing some great floral and sweetness combined with some nice spice, and natural flavors which all developed at the right moments to keep my on my toes. Matilde’s Renacer is one of the better Dominican-rich cigars that I have smoked in a long time

Guest Reviews by Jeff Oda

L’Atelier Imports – L’Atelier Extension de la Racine ER 13

A tasty and relaxing medium-full bodied smoke with low-medium strength – hell yes!  I have really enjoyed the several L’Atelier Extension de la Racines that I have smoked, with flavors that are certainly not run of the mill providing a good amount of complexity without pounding you over the head with them.  Construction was pretty much spot-on, with just one small correction required and no re-lights.  The price is entirely in line with a cigar of this quality, and even more so with the limited availability. .

Nomad C-276 Torpedo

The Nomad C-276 is a great cigar, especially for those who are into the fuller bodied and stronger smokes. The flavors are distinct and complex, and the construction is solid. Although I did eventually have to correct the burn a few times, it was not an aggravation, and did not affect the flavors. Fred did an outstanding job in blending this stick, and the inclusion of the Ometepe leaf takes it a step beyond the S-307 that I had previously enjoyed, in terms of additional flavors and balanced complexity

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

The Good Stuff:

As noted, the Padron Family Reserve 50 Years is created to celebrate Jose Padron, and the rest of the Padron family’s 50 years of success in a very tough cigar industry. The Family Reserve release made it’s debut 6 years ago, with the 44 Years and has since been one of the more talked about cigar releases each year. You can read Daniel’s review of the 44 here, and my review of the 46 here. This year, the 50 Years, carries an all Nicaraguan blend using 10 year aged tobaccos. The Family Reserve 50 Years comes in two different blends, the Maduro wrapped version that I’ll be smoking today, and the Natrual wrapped version. Both come in boxes of 20 and will run you the steep, yet expected price tag of $25 a stick. I picked a few of these up from the good guys of at 2 Guys Smoke Shop.

Size: 5 x 54 Box Pressed
Wrapper: Nicaraguan Maduro
Binder: Nicaraguan
Filler: Nicaraguan
Body: Full
Strength: Medium/Full
Price: $25.00
Pairing: Ommegang Three Philosophers (Belgian Style Quad 9.7% ABV)

Prelight:

The Padron Family Reserve 50 years is an absolutely beautiful looking cigar. Let’s start with the wrapper. It’s incredibly toothy in texture. It feels a lot like some thick, stony sandpaper only it’s coated with some really thick oils. The wrapper on the Padron 50 is very deep, dark brown and while it’s very consistent there are a few darker spots, as well some some noticeable reddish tinted areas throughout the leaf. The wrapper is laid over itself seamlessly as it coats the wide, box-pressed body of the cigar. The Padron Family Reserve 50 Years is finished off with a wide, round, double cap. The cigar’s wrapper is very thick, and almost rock-like while the cigar itself is very heavy, yet a bit spongy to the touch. Especially around the foot area. The Padron Family Reserve 50 Years is finished of with a double band ensemble. The first is the standard Padron Family Reserve band that we all know. Maroon in color with a beige and green under-band sporting the cigar’s manufacture number. The second band is beige and red with “50 Years” embossed in gold metallic across the front. The Band designs are just as elegant as the cigar, and it’s history.

The wrapper on the Padron Family Reserve 50 Years gives off a whole ton of sweetness in it’s spicy aroma while the foot of the cigar showcases more spice and tobacco scents. The cap took a bit of extra effort to clip, but cut very cleanly once it sliced through the wrapper. The cold draw feels a bit loose as it produces a whole mess of sweetness, lots of chocolate, spice, and natural tobacco flavors.

First Third:

The Padron Family Reserve 50 Years starts of with a massive pepper boom. I wasn’t expecting it to be as powerful as it was. After the pepper began to fade a bit the cigar revealed it’s flavor profile leading off with lots of black cherry backed by lots of sweetness, chocolate, spice, and cedar. It’s a very sweet cigar with a nice pepper/spice bite and I really enjoy the way Padron’s cigars always seem to find a perfect balance. The draw is perfect despite being a bit loose in the cold draw. Each puff kicked out an insane amount of thick smoke. The stationary smoke is incredible as well as this cigar just keeps pouring it out as it sits in my ashtray. The burn line is a bit wavy, but not too concerning leaving behind a trail of nicely compacted medium/dark gray ash. The has held on for an inch before falling into my ashtray.

Second Third:

Into the second third of the Padron Family Reserve 50 Years Maduro and there is no letting up on the body here. While the strength is still in the medium range, the flavors are still pouring out of this thing. The black cherry, sweetness and spice are still leading the way and the chocolate and cedar are still there. The pepper has completely dropped out and there are some soft floral and honey notes started to sneak in. The retrohale is incredible in this cigar coating my nasal passage with lots and lots of sweetness and cedar. The burn line has been completely even, and razor thin since about an inch into the cigar and remains burning perfectly. I close out the second third feeling only a tiny bit in the nicotine department.

Final Third:

The body and strength have start to ramp up into the final third of the Padron Family Reserve 50 Years Maduro. The main flavors are still that sweetness, black cherry, and chocolate but some awesome espresso flavors have joined in the the cedar has really increased in intensity. The pepper came back a bit, but only enough to tease my palate. It took me about an hour and a half to take this cigar down and I loved every second of it. There was no harshness, and in Padron tradition the cigar finished so incredibly smooth and creamy. The burn line was flawless after the first inch and I never once had to reach for my lighter. The final third finished just barely into the medium/full range leaving me with only a very slight nicotine kick.

Overview:

Less be honest here, the only drawback in this cigar is the price. Well, I guess I’d like for it to burn a bit slower. Actually, I wish it would just burn forever and ever and never go out. That being said, the Padron Family Reserve 50 Years Maduro is an exceptional cigar delivering most notably in the flavor department. As any of you who are familiar with the Family Reserve releases would expect, the flavors were quite complex, yet very smooth and balanced. Not to mention they are ideal for beer pairing especially with the early winter seasonal releases. This probably isn’t a cigar that I’d suggest novice cigar smokers to jump right into but if you are a seasoned cigar smoker, not afraid to drop a bit of cash on an amazing cigar, this would be in your sights. Would I buy it again? Oh I absolutely will. I know what to expect from the Family Reserve Padron lines and it delivers exactly that. While the price is very steep, I will definitely keep a few of these on hand for special occasions.

Pairing:

The first time I smoked the Padron Family Reserve 50 Years Maduro I knew the exact beer I wanted to pair it with. This beer goes hand in hand with the cigar and makes for a perfect match. Ommegang’s Three Philosophers is a Belgian Style Quad brewed with 98% Ale and 2% Ale with Cherries added. Coming in at 9.7% ABV this Cooperstown New York beer isn’t to be taken lightly. The Three Philosophers is very complex. Leading with some nice bitterness, cherry, grape, spice, and malt with a medium mouthfeel and a zesty citrus and sweetness on the finish. It’s not hard to see why it paired in perfectly with the Padron Family Reserve 50 Years Maduro. Especially in terms of the sweetness, spice and cherry. This beer is found year round, and actually one of the more easier to find beers in my inventory. You can find these between $9 – $11 and it’s something I always want to have on hand.

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