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

Monthly Recap – January 2014

Number of Cigars Smoked: 43

Of those smoked:

• Purchased: 29 or 68%
• Gifted: 10 or 23%
• Samples Provided: 4 or 9%

Of those purchased:

• Brick & Mortar: 21 or 72%
• Online: 8 or 28%

Top Cigars Smoked by Quantity

#1. J. Fuego – Sangre De Toro (Original): 4

#2. Joya De Nicaragua – Rosalones (Consul): 3

Both the cigars above are value-priced sticks making them easy on the wallet. Even though they are inexpensive, I HIGHLY recommend both of them. Shoot, the Rosalones even made by Top Cigars of 2013, coming in at the number 10 spot.

Most Memorable Cigars Smoked

#1. Drew Estate – Liga Privada No. 9

#2. My Father Cigars – El Centurion

#3. Drew Estate – Nica Rustica: This cigar just continues to grow on me each time I smoke it. Check out Tony’s review here.

#4. Quesada – Oktoberfest 2013: This cigar has stepped up its game from the 2012 release.

The number 1 and 2 were smoked on my 27th birthday. So, my ranking may be a bit swayed since I was enjoying one heck of an evening with close friends and family when I smoked them. Even my dad came in from Michigan for the weekend. But at the end of the day, aren’t cigars all about the experience anyways?

Cigars Reviewed

Ventura Cigar Company – Estilo Cubano

Espinosa Premium Cigars – 601 La Bomba Warhead

Room 101 – San Andres 213

Partagas – Benji Homage 62

Rodrigo Cigars – Boutique Blend

Well, I hope you enjoyed my first “Monthly Recap” and I hope to expand on this in the coming months. I would appreciate any suggestions that you have to make this post more informative. I should be back at it next Friday with a full review.

ALSO, congrats to both Bill and Joe who have been notified about winning our latest contest for a sampler pack from Felix Assouline Cigars. Your samplers should be on the way soon and for those who did not win, we have more contests coming soon!

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

The Good Stuff: Smoke Inn has teamed up with some of the biggest names in the cigar industry to bring you their exclusive Microblend Series. This time, they paired up with Quesada to bring you the Oktoberfest Dunkel. The other blends in the Microblend include: Tatuaje’s Anarchy, Padron’s Anniversary 1964 SI-15, My Father Cigars’ El Hijo, A. Fuente’s Solaris, Tatuaje’s Apocalypse, and Room 101’s Big Delicious. The Oktoberfest Dunkel is the same basic Dominican binder and Dominican Cuban Seed Criollo, Olor Viso, Ligero fillers from the standard Oktoberfest (you can read my review of that cigar here) with a swap on the wrapper leaf. The Dunkel carries a Broadleaf  Maduro instead of the  Dominican Cibao Valley. As an added bonus the Dunkel has a very small portion of Ecuadorian Connecticut at the foot of the cigar to resemble the head on a freshly poured beer.

Here is the information provided in their press release:

In the spirit of Oktoberfest, the Dunkel uses the same binders and fillers of the regular Oktoberfest release, with the exception of the wrapper. A very select broadleaf maduro wrapper envelops this rich cigar with a slight underlying Ecuadorian Connecticut wrapper at the foot, thus giving the appearance of a dark rich Dunkel beer with a savory foamy head.

The unique experience of smoking one wrapper, then 2 wrappers, and then one wrapper again give this Oktoberfest a unique complex flavor while maintaining that core flavor of Oktoberfest that fans across the world have grown to love.

There will only be 750 15-Count boxes released in a single 6×54 format running $8.95 a stick.

Size: 6 x 54
Wrapper: Broadleaf Maduro – Ecuadorian Connecticut
Binder: Dominican
Filler: Dominican Cuban Seed Criollo, Olor Viso, Ligero
Strength: Medium
Body: Medium/Full
Price: $8.95
Pairing: Paulaner Oktoberfest (German Marzen 5.8% ABV)

Prelight: Like the original Oktoberfest the Dunkel carries a very dark, very consistent  brown wrapper. While the Dunkel’s wrapper lead is very dark brown, I find that some of the original blends that I have actually carry a darker wrapper. The Dunkel’s wrapper is silky smooth with only a few smaller veins. It carries some nice tooth and a bit of oil and I am surprised with how seamless the construction is. The wrapper is capped off with a big, round, triple cap while the foot of the cigar has about a centimeter of a lighter shade wrapper leaf. This is supposed to represent the head of a beer that is created as you pour it into a glass. I love the little added touch. The cigar is very heavy, firm, and bulky while the wrapper leaf feels very tough and solid. There are absolutely no soft spots throughout the entire cigar. The Oktoberfest Dunkel is polished off with the traditional Quesada crest and a German Flag stretching the length of the band behind it, just like the traditional Oktoberfest.

The Oktoberfest Dunkel’s wrapper gives of a slightly sweet aroma covered in a ton of black pepper while the foot of the cigar boats of strong natural tobacco and earthiness. The Dunkel cut clean and easy using my double bladed Palio cutter. The cold draw kicks out a whole ton of sweet spice over some more natural flavors.

First Smoke: I had a conversation with Jeremy last night about the tiny little wrapper addition to the foot of the cigar. We were debating whether or not it would produce any type of difference in the experience or if it was there basically for aesthetics. Honestly,  I feel there actually was a difference, even though my  first hypothesis was that there would not be. When I first lit up the cigar it started out very creamy and smooth with what I would call some muted flavors. I’ve smoked my share of Oktoberfests so I know what to expect with these cigars and the first couple of puffs didn’t add up to what I was expecting. It wasn’t until I hit the darker shade of wrapper leaf that the experience began to take off.  The Dunkel went from creamy to full force kicking out some awesome sweetness, natural tobacco, cinnamon and spice, as well as some nice musky flavors with hints of black pepper. While it lead off with lots of different flavors they were well balanced and really didn’t overpower me. The draw on the cigar is slightly tight but nothing that I see bothering the experience down the road. The burnline is slightly wavy, and pretty wide leaving behind a beautiful, solid, white ash that held on for about an inch and a half before giving way.

Halfway There: The flavors in the Oktoberfest Dunkel in the second third are very similar to the flavors in the first third. Lots of sweetness, lots of musk and spice, natural tobacco, earthiness and a really nice cedar has finally began creeping its way into the profile. You can smell the cedar on the stationary smoke, and the retrohale is straight up sweet cedar, but it isn’t quite as powerful in the actual draw.  The burnline is now burning dead even and a lot sharper as I am feeling absolutely no nicotine kick at this time.

Finish: As I enter the final third of the Oktoberfest Dunkel a really nice gingerbread type flavor began to creep in. Maybe I am imagining it, but I swear I am picking it up. Along with the gingerbread the musky flavor has ramped up while the sweetness, cedar, and spice have began to drop back. The body of the cigar has jumped up considerably as well. This cigar burns extremely slow. It took  me a little over two hours to smoke it down to the numb in which I have encountered absolutely no harshness at all and felt nothing more than a slight nicotine kick.

Overview: You can’t just throw Connecticut Broadleaf on any cigar and expect results like this. I remembered smoking my first few Oktoberfests thinking “Man, this cigar would rock with broadleaf”. Smoke Inn and Quesada made my dream come true with the Dunkel. The flavors are similar to the original Oktoberfest. Lots of spice and earthy flavors with a bit of the cedar but everything seemed more creamy in the Dunkel with a hell of a lot more sweetness. I love the sweetness in cigar so naturally I find myself liking the Dunkel just a tad more than the original and that says a lot considering I’ve smoked through literally a few boxes of the original Oktoberfest. They say these blends were made specially to pair with beer but in my opinion, I feel any cigar can pair well with beer if paired properly. This cigar is semi-complex with a ton of great, bold flavors and it kept me entertained all the way though. I think it’s a great cigar for any type of smoker.

To Sum it Up: It’s a great cigar. It’s not too strong and carries lots of flavor so it’s perfect for the seasoned smoker and the novice as it won’t leave you on your ass. The price point is spot on, and the Dunkel is more than box worthy. It’s limited so make sure you head over to Smoke Inn and order yours before they are gone.

Pairing: It’s not Oktoberfest without some Paulaner Oktoberfest. This is a staple in any beer drinkers Marzen arsenal. Brewed at the Paulaner Braueri in Germany this 5.8% Marzen is by far one of the easiest to drink, smoothest session beers on the market. After all, isn’t that was Oktoberfest is all about? This beer leads off with a ton of malt and caramel finishing off with a hint of sweetness and prune. It makes for an excellent pairing beer as the flavors are so consistent and smooth they seldom overpower any smoke while the sweetness and caramel pair in perfectly. This beer is a great transitional beer from the hoppy, dry summer beers to the full-bodied, heavy, stout beers of the Winter.

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#10 – Casa Miranda by Miami Cigar Co.

Miami Cigar was on a huge roll last year and turned out a bunch of good cigars, one of which made our #1 in 2010.  New releases slowed down a little bit in 2011 but the quality did not!  The Casa Miranda is a smooth medium bodied smoke that is wonderfully well balanced with flavors of coffee, cedar and a touch of spice with some added sweetness and tart flavors.  The creamy finish on this cigar is sure to impress all kinds of cigar enthusiasts.

#9 – Drew Estate Liga Privada Undercrown

It’s no secret that one of us here at Casas Fumando is a huge Liga Privada Fanboy. When word got out that Drew Estate was working on a new, affordable, non-exclusive version of the blend, we did whatever it took to track a few down. This cigar was actually created by workers at the Drew Estate factory when the company decided they needed to hold back consumption on more of the Liga Privada cigars in order to get more to the consumers. This sweet, complexed, and incredibly balanced blend has made huge waves amongst the cigar community this year. Affordable, easy to find, and tasty. What more could one ask for?

#8 – Camacho – Room 101 Namakubi

Camacho has been relatively quite lately, with the exception of a little sleeper cigar that took this year’s IPCPR show by storm. Matt Booth and Camacho teamed up a while back in collaboration to release the Room 101 brand. One of this year’s Room 101 releases really caught the attention of not only the attendees at the release show, but us as well. The Namakubi is a very complex, and different style cigar that keeps you entertained from start to finish. It’s got some body, some unique flavors, and some interesting artwork. Hopefully we see more like this from both Camacho and Room 101 in the near future.

#7 – Quesada Oktoberfest

A blend created for the sole purpose of German beer pairing? It almost seems like Quesada was reading our minds when it created yet another masterpiece. This trophy of a cigar was introduced for the first time this year to accompany the german Oktoberfest celebration. To be honest, we celebrate each time we light one of these bad boys up. Strong, full body, with just enough flavor to marry in perfectly with your beer, without overpowering it. Needless to say  Quesada is on a roll this year and it will be interesting to see where they stand this time next year.

#6 – Tatuaje Wolfman – Monster Series #4

Pete Johnson of Tatuaje Cigars has another winner is his amazingly popular Monster Series of cigars that come out every Halloween.  In his 4th addition to the Series, Pete opted to wrap the Wolfman with a tasty Sumatra wrapper and leave an interesting shaggy foot on the cigar.  The cigar started off with lots of cedar and some spice you would expect from a Tatuaje cigar.  Interestingly though, the Wolfman turned out to be a smooth experience as the peppery spice tapered off and were replaced by cloves, nutmeg, leather and a touch of sweetness in the last half.

#5 – E.P. Carrillo New Wave Connecticut

There are tons of Connecticut cigars out on the market and it takes a special blender to make one that stands out amongst the rest.  Well, E.P. Carrillo turned out a winner with his New Wave Connecticut this year which made waves(pun intended!) in the cigar world.  Everything you would hope for in a Connecticut cigar can be found here and at a price that is easily digestible.  Smooth creamy notes with touches of sweetness such as coffee and caramel all wrapped together with a soft cedar blanket.  This is a fantastic cigar to gift to someone new to the cigar world or even someone looking for a smooth morning treat.

#4 – San Lotano Oval

A.J. Fernandez is another name that has been tearing up the cigar streets as of late with his newly created, B&M exclusive San Lotano line. Amongst that line is a stand alone cigar that blew us away. The Oval is unique not only in blend, but in shape as well. This cigar packed some of the most complex, interesting, smooth, and enjoyable flavors into its strange, yet comfortable Oval formatted cigar. At a welcomed price point, we would be surprised if this cigar didn’t sneak into other’s top 10 list as well.

#3 – Tatuaje La Casita Criolla

Connecticut Broadleaf, now that’s a term I wish we heard more often. As soon as Pete Johnson announced that he and Jaime Garcia of My Father Cigars would be creating a 100% Connecticut Broadleaf cigar, we jumped all over it. From the wrapper, to the filler, this complex yet smooth cigar aims to please. With a sweet, chocolate and cedar profile, this cigar really is the epitome of a perfect cigar. One other huge point that helped nudge this cigar so far up our list is the price point. One would think a Tatuaje, coming from My Father’s Factory, composed completely of expensive broadleaf would carry a hefty price tag. But the $7 range on these sticks just make them too hard to pass up.

#2 – Quesada Seleccion Espana

Quesada threw out a few curve balls this year in the ways of tasty cigars, that is for sure.  The Seleccion Espana is definitely one of those.  It’s a rare treat and we are both glad we were able to try it.  The Seleccion Espana was actually created for the Spanish cigar market with a definite throwback to class Cuban cigars.  The cigar entertains your palate with a mix of cedar, tart sweetness and the classic saltiness you find on some Cuban cigars.  The flavors are rounded out by a touch of spice and nuttiness with a smooth medium finish.  If you manage to track a few of these down, buy them and enjoy their super slow burning goodness down to the nub!

#1 – Jaime Garcia Reserva Especial Limited Edition 2011

Well what can we say, the number 1 cigar is definitely a tasty one and we both enjoyed each and every inch of them.  The My Father factory turns out some awesome cigars and the Limited Edition of the Jamie Garcia is no exception.  We both really enjoy the original Jamie Garcias so we got very excited when we heard about this cigar coming out.  Tony jumped at the chance for a box purchase and did not regret it one bit.  The price is a little bit high but it is a limited edition after all and neither of can say no to a wonderfully toothy Connecticut Broadleaf wrapper! haha.  So what can you expect form this cigar?  Well, you will get subtle nuances of spice, a thick chocolate coating on your palate and tons of espresso notes.  Add to that some pleasant cedar, a touch of berry sweetness and some nuts and you will be in cigar heaven!  Get your hands on these before they disappear, you will not be disappointed!

Honorable Mentions:

There were a TON of good cigars that came out this year and it’s extremely hard to make a top 10 list without have a few that were right on the edge of #9 or #10.  So to compensate, here’s a couple honorable mentions that just BARELY missed our list.

The Maldonado Dynasty – The Mogul
I’m sure you’ve seen this name around the site before, and just recently Paul Maldonado donated a box to Daniel’s Movember Campaign.  But aside from being an all-around nice guy Paul also has a tasty cigar on his hands.  From the attractive oily wrapper to the smooth cedar aroma, “The Mogul” is a cigar that does not disappoint.  In the flavor department, you can expect to find coffee, cedar, a touch of spice and some interesting dried fruit.  Make sure to grab a few of these and give them a try.

Illusione ~MK~ Ultra

I know, I know, there is no review for this cigar. There is a reason behind that, and probably the only reason why this cigar didn’t make our top ten. I had a hell of a time tracking down this cigar. Even when I did, I was only able to chase down one, which I thoroughly enjoyed. The MK Ultra is based on Dion’s first release of the ~MK~. It’s basically the same blend, on crack. Much stronger and more robust. I already liked the ~MK~ as is, but the added strength and body blew me away. If you are a fan of the ~MK~ or Dion’s stuff in general, then this cigar is for you. Let’s just hope future supplies will meet demand.

The post Tony and Daniel’s Best Cigars of 2011 appeared first on Cigar Reviews | Beer Pairings | Casas Fumando.