The Good Stuff:

The Havana Soul is a Cigar King exclusive release that first hit the cigar community in 2003. Back then, Don Pepin Garcia created a few variations of the blend which quickly gained traction. In 2007, Garcia discontinued the project as he and his family were tied up in creating other various projects. In 2010 Rocky Patel stepped in and continued production but only had enough available tobacco to create 200 boxes which quickly sold out. Fast Forward to the present where A.J. Fernandez is now spearheading the project using the same vintage tobaccos from the same blend. Creating at the Tabacalera Fernandez in Esteli, Nicaragua the Havana Soul uses a Ecuadorian Habano wrapper, Nicaraguan binder, and Nicaraguan filler. The cigar is sold in a single 6 x 52 format with only 200 boxes of 20 released running $9.99 a stick. The only place you can get these is at Cigar King in Scottsdale, Arizona and a huge thanks goes out to them for sending us a few to review.

Size: 6 x 52
Wrapper: Ecuadorian Habano
Binder: Nicaraguan
Filler: Nicaraguan
Body: Medium/Full
Strength: Medium/Full
Price: $9.99
Pairing: Deadbeach Abuela (Imperial Stout 8.9% ABV)

Prelight:

The Havana soul starts out with a very, very dark brown wrapper. The color is extremely consistent with the only darker areas around the cap of the cigar. The texture of the leaf is very toothy as the wrapper feels very thick and firm in my hand. There is little give anywhere in the cigar’s body as I squeeze it between my fingers. There are a few mild veins running through the cigar’s body as its finished off with a round, double cap. The cigar carries a creamy yellow and manilla band with the word “Havana Soul” in gold embossed in and a portrait of a woman in the center.

The wrapper on the Havana Soul gives off a faint cocoa and coffee aroma while the foot of the cigar carries some nice spice and earthiness. The cap cut clean and easily using my Palio double bladed cutter. The cold draw produces flavors similar to the aromas, cocoa, coffee, spice, and earthiness.

First Third:

The Havana Soul starts out with a massive cayenne pepper zing which lasted through the first few draws before settling down to showcase more of the cigar’s flavor profile. The cigar leads with some really bold dark chocolate, espresso, malt, and sweetness. As I smoke on I pick up some nice earthiness and a little bit of clove buried in the profile. The draw is perfect, each puff kicks out a great deal of thick, white smoke which lingers quite some time before dissipating. The Havana Soul gives off little to no stationary smoke as it rests in my ashtray. The burn line is a bit wavy leaving behind a semi-compacted trail of dark and light grey ash which held on for a inch before giving way.

Second Third:

Into the second third of the Havana Soul and the flavors are still rockin’ strong with loads of dark chocolate and espresso over some great spice, sweetness, soft vanilla and malt. I couldn’t have paired this cigar any better. The retrohale is smooth coating my nasal passage with a great cedar that isn’t really evident through the cigar’s standard profile. The burn line is now dead even and sharp and I close out the second third with very little in the nicotine department.

Finish:

Into the last third of the Havana Soul and the strength of the cigar has ramped up into the medium/full range. The flavors have become more full as well leading with the dark chocolate and espresso backed by the spice, cinnamon, and sweetness while the pepper has slowly started to reemerge. It took me a little over an hour and a half to take this cigar down to the nub and I experienced no harshness, no added heat, and no burn issues whatsoever as I never once had to reach for my lighter to touch up or relight the cigar.

Overview:

I’ll be the first to admit the band and packaging is a bit dated on this cigar, however the Havana Soul really turned into a treat of an experience. The flavors were incredible and very well balanced while the cigar preformed flawlessly. It’s a bit pricey, but I wouldn’t mind dropping the coin on this smoke. It’s a shame that it’s so limited though so if it sounds like something you’d be interested in smoking you better act fast. Again, Cigar King is the only place to get there. Click here for more info.

Pairing:

Following up with the El Paso-based beer pairing is Deadbeach’s Abuela stout. Deadbeach is one of two new breweries to open up in El Paso this past year and is conveniently located across the street from my work. I’ve spend quite a good amount of time there, and have tried out most, if not all of their offerings so far. Their Abuela stout is probably my favorite so far. The 8.9% ABV Imperial stout carries a rich chocolate, and cinnamon flavor as it’s brewed with the Mexican favorite Abuelita hot chocolate. The beer leads with a ton of sweetness and roasted malt, chocolate, spice, and cinnamon with a heavy mouthfeel before finishing even sweeter with dark chocolate, coffee, and just a pinch of cinnamon. The cinnamon and spice isn’t very bold, more of an afterthought wile the chocolate and espresso lead the charge. It’s easy to see why I chose this pairing as the chocolate, spice, sweetness, and coffee married up perfectly with the flavors found in the Havana Soul.

The post Havana Soul – Cigar King Exclusive appeared first on Cigar Reviews | Beer Pairings | Casas Fumando.

The Good Stuff:

Fox Cigar Bar is probably one of, if not my favorite place to relax, and burn a few time. Both me and Jeremy stop by a few times every time we find ourselves in the Phoenix area. They are also the people responsible for the annual Foxtoberfest celebration, one of the largest cigar events in the southwest. Fox Cigar Bar already has quite a few shop exclusives and we’ve reviewed just about every one of them: Ortega “The Fox”, Illusione Sin Cinta Fox, and the La Flor Dominicana Foxtoberfest but this week we take a look at the Jaime Garcia Reserva Especial “The Fox”.

The Jaime Garcia Reserva Especial Fox is an entirely different blend than the standard Reserva Especial in which Jaime and Fox Cigar Bar’s General Manager Cliff Coen blended together. The blend is a Nicaraguan Puro which features a Corojo Oscuro wrapper. The Fox only comes in a single 6 x 50 format which comes packaged in boxes of 20 running $7.99 a stick. These are only available at Fox Cigar Bar in Gilbert, Arizona and their brand new location in Scottsdale, Arizona.

Size: 6 x 50
Wrapper: Nicaraguan Corojo Oscuro
Binder: Nicaraguan
Filler: Nicaraguan
Body: Medium/Full
Strength: Medium
Price: $7.99
Pairing: Odell Fernet Aged Porter (Baltic Porter 9.4% ABV)

Prelight:

The Jaime Garcia Fox starts off with an extremely consistent milk chocolate brown wrapper which carries a good amount of oils over a very rough, toothy texture. The wrapper is scattered with very small, thin veins and a good amount of natural webbing in the leaf. The wrapper feels very dense, hard, and thick as the cigar itself feels decently packed with a little softness around the foot. The Fox is capped off with a round double cap, the standard Jaime Garcia Reserva Especial band, as well as an added double band using the same colors with Fox Cigar Bar’s logo in the front and “MMXIV” on the side.

The wrapper gives off a very nutty/musky aroma while the foot of the cigar releases some soft spice and sweetness. The cap cut clean and easy using my double bladed Palio cutter. The cold draw releases some strong musk, spice, pepper and dark chocolate flavors with an easy draw.

First Third:

The Jaime Garcia Reserva Especial Fox starts out with a big black pepper blast which quickly faded after the first few puffs leaving behind some very bold dark chocolate, musk, sweetness, creamed coffee, and spice. The draw is perfect as each little puff kicks out a massive cloud of thick, white smoke. The burn line is razor thin, and dead even leaving behind of trail of compacted medium/light gray ash which caught me by surprised as it first ashed not even a half in and into my lap nonetheless. Sorry about not getting the chance for the first ash picture.

Second Third:

Into the second third of the Jaime Garcia Reserva Especial the Fox and I’m impressed with how smooth and creamy this cigar is while still keeping my invested in the experience with great, bold flavors. The flavor profile is still leading with dark chocolate and musk over sweetness, creamed coffee and subtle spice notes with some nice oak starting to creep it’s way in. The retrohale is very smooth and enjoyable as it coats my nasal passage with lots of deep oak and spice. The burn line is still flawless and the ash is still falling more often than expected (which isn’t a bad thing, you just gotta keep it in mind) as I close out the second third with no signs of nicotine at all.

Finish:

While there hasn’t been a lot of change ups in the Jaime Garcia Reserva Especial Fox, the flavors are downright enjoyable so you won’t get any complaints here. The flavor profile still leads with lots of musk and dark chocolate over some ramped up oak and spice with subtle creamed coffee and sweetness. It took me about an hour and a half to smoke this cigar down to the nub and I experience absolutely no harshness (actually this one of the smoother cigars I have smoked for some time) and no nicotine whatsoever.

Overview:

I really enjoyed every aspect of the Jaime Garcia Reserva Especial Fox. First of all, the cigar leads with some semi-complex, bold flavors which all compliment each other creating a creamy and smooth experience. Add that to a medium strength cigar that won’t knock you on your ass and it’s easy to see why this cigar is a winner. Not to mention the modest price point. The only downfall about this cigar is it’s an exclusive. That being said, it’s just another reason for me to make the trip up to Phoenix, hang out with the gang at Fox Cigar Bar, and take a few back.

Pairing:

Brewed at the Odell brewery in Fort Collins, Colorado the Fernet Aged Porter is a 9.4% Baltic porter consisting of 50% porter, and 50% porter aged in fernet barrels provided by the Leopold Bros. The Fernet Aged Porter leads with roasted malt, coffee, spice, and chocolate with a medium mouthfeel before finishing clean with lots of spice, malt, vanilla and a bit of mint on the aftertaste. The coffee, spice, and chocolate made for a perfect marriage with the Fox while the vanilla and malt added a bit of extra character to the experience. An obvious alternative pairing would be some sweet, creamed coffee, a Belgian dubbel, or a nice glass of tawny port.

The post Jaime Garcia Reserva Especial The Fox appeared first on Cigar Reviews | Beer Pairings | Casas Fumando.