Padron Family Reserve No.45 Maduro Toro (6X52)

It has been awhile since I have posted a review and I figured that while I was sitting at the incredible new Maduro's lounge I would get back on the horse for another no holds barred smoke critique.

This cigar has been biding it's time in my humi for a bit as I looked for just the right time to sit back and consider it. I am always struck by the ruddy, cheroot like appearance of any Padron super premium. This is no exception, it appears to be the working man's cigar, perfect for roping calves or plowing the field. However, it is priced at $25 per smoke and that is no everyday yard banger. Visuals aside, I am impressed with rest of the smoke, slightly box pressed and dark and rich. The wrapper is oily and has some tooth. I can detect no issues in the construction of the smoke and after a quick inspection decide that it will be just fine. The pre light aroma is all earth and clove. The pre light draw is showing some light pepper and some interesting coffee and fruit notes.

The cigar opens with a profile that is less that what I expect from this smoke, it is nice, but lacks complexity and depth in the early moments. There is a nice peppery opening, but the usual Padron earthiness is lacking here. At the back of the palate there are some nice notes of dark wood and some light tobacco essences, but I am not blown away at this point. The burn is razor sharp and a ponderous white ash forms quickly. The draw is exceptional, imparting just the right amount of smoke with very little effort on my part.

The first half of the cigar starts to warm the insides, like a fine scotch this cigar showed some straightforward plainness early but really kicks into high gear as it opens up. The profile has transitioned into a very pleasant array of pepper, earth and coffee and it is ramping up as the cigar continues. At the back of the palate there continues to be a nice woody foundation, but there is a note of raisin here as well. The draw and burn continue to be very impressive.

The final half of the cigar loses some steam, and I have transitioned from a cigar that I thought might be legendary, to one that is just above average. The profile thins considerably and shows just some notes of pepper with some occasional coffee blasts. At the back of the palate there are still some hints of dark wood, but the earthy notes that I have been looking for start to sneak in here, unfortunately they are too late. I also note a significant increase in the strength in the last third. The burn and draw are splendid throughout the smoke.

The finish is long and shows some lingering earth and pepper tones.

For my money the 1926 is still a much better smoke, but this one was very good.

Appearance- 88 a bit rough, but still nice to look at
Taste- 91 some late profile issues detract from the experience
Construction- 94 a very excellent presentation in this area
Strength- 92 some surprising power late
Overall- 91.75 a very nice experience

The Big Face Off

The Big Face Off

Recently a few brothers of the leaf got together for a little Face Off. We all purchased Tatuaje’s new 2010 Halloween release “ The Face “ from one of our favorite local B&M’s. You don’t often see 8 guys all smoking the same cigar at the same time so it was interesting. Last years Halloween Release “ The Boris “ was one of the best cigars of the year and came in at my # 3 with very high honors. While I did enjoy “ The Face “ it did not send me scrambling to find more as the Boris did. It’s a bit large, rough and ruddy like its namesake I suppose. It smoked just fine with no issues and was enjoyable without being memorable. It did not have the flavor and complexity to make it a winner or justify its price but it was worth enjoying with good friends. I’ll be waiting for another cigar like the “ Boris “ to come along.

Tatuaje Halloween 2010 Monster Series
Cigars Reviewed: Tatuaje "The Face" "Leatherface" from the Texas Chainsaw Massacre
Country of Origin: Nicaragua
Wrapper: San Andreas Mexican Wrapper (Seco priming)
Binder: Nicaragua
Filler: Nicaragua
Size: 6 3/8 inches
Ring Gauge: 56
Price: $13

LA GLORIA CUBANA SERIE N

LA GLORIA CUBANA SERIE N

The much anticipated new sister to the legendary Serie R has now started to ship and the new Serie N should soon be available for your smoking pleasure at a tobacconist near you. If its not,tell them to get with the stick.

I have always enjoyed the La Gloria Serie R cigars myself and I was quite pleased to hear of the new Serie N being launched. Being no stranger to dark and strong cigars for the seasoned smoker, I was not concerned with the tails of this cigars jet black wrapper and being the strongest La Gloria ever. Bring it it on I said.

The idea behind the new N was to provide a new powerhouse blend strictly for the guys who like them strong that would be worthy of the Serie R‘s pedigree. I would say they have accomplished this quite handily.

I had the pleasure to meet La Gloria’s Michael Giannini and Rick Rodriquez this week and they quickly offered one up to see what I thought. These are great cigar guy’s and it was really fun to talk with them about cigars.

Honestly I liked this cigar and told them so. I will be anxious to smoke more of them.

Appearance and Construction: When I read this was an Ecuadorian Sumatra wrapper I had to do a triple take. This wrapper is dark, Oscuro dark. In fact it borders on being Obsidian Black. The roll is virtually seamless though with a nice looking cap. There are minimal veins and a nice oily sheen. The band on the cigar is the classic La Gloria logo with an interwoven N. I find this cigar to be a menacing looking beast and I like that.


Smoking Characteristics: The cigar had a very fluid draw with an ample amount of smoke being produced with an outstanding aroma. The ash was strong and held for half the cigar before it fell off and was a medium gray in color. The burn was perfect even and remained lit until I put it down.

Conclusion: One of the better cigars I have smoked from General Cigars and I will reach for this again on a semi regular basis. It was good, well made, had a solid burn, and was enjoyable. The first batch of these cigars will have the letter N on the wrapper using a lighter shade of tobacco which should make for a nice visual.


This new Serie N collection debuts in 4 sizes. The JSB at (5 ½” x 54) , The Rojo at (6 ½” x 46), The Generoso at (5 ¾” x 49) and the Glorioso at (6 ½” x 58) Average retail pricing will be in the $6 to $7 range which is a great price point.

And for all you fans of the excellent La Gloria Artesanos series cigars, I’ll let you in on a secret. The third Artesano cigar the Artesanos de Obelisco 5 X 57 X 44 is coming very soon.



Cigar: La Gloria Cubana Serie N
Size: 5 ½” x 54
Wrapper: Ecuadorian Sumatra
Binder: Nicaragua
Filler: Nicaragua
Recommend : Yes if you like the R and like them strong, try it
Rating : A very solid 91
Official Site: http://www.teamlagloria.com/

Last night my best friend and I had a clelebration smoke (he is mving back to town) on his last night visiting here. Be brought us two Cuban Partigas Lusitanias. What a wonderful stick. Very complexed flavors thoughout.

The wrapper appearance is a little rough but did not reflect on what this cigar holds inside. At first light I tasted nutty and coffee notes with a slight woodsy flavor towards the middle.

The ash was a nice white and the burn even. I would concider this a medium bodied cigar and would also place this in my top 3 all time smokes.

Artesanos de Tabaqueros 750

I have become a fan as of late of these transitional cigars(that's what I call them)which are made with two different wrappers.
Last month at a cigar tasting event I had the pleasure of seeing Rik Rodriguez again and trying Gloria Cubana's new Artesanos de Tabaqueros 750. A Connecticut Shade and hearty Ecuadoran Sumatra wrapper. Rik is part of the team to come up with this wonderful cigar and I recommend every one to try it.
At the light up it has an earthy taste with nutty flavors. Very smooth cigar begins and begins to change as the Sumatra wrapper is breached. The cigar takes on notes of coffee and
chocolate.
The draw is easy and has a flakey but nice white ashe. Construction on the connecticut wrap is smooth with little weins and the Sumatra is oily with more prominent veins. I had to retouch lighting the connecticut a couple times but burned well though out the Sumatra side. This will be in my top 5 for 2010.

Torano 2008 Tribute Maduro

Carlos Torano 2008 Tribute

Maduro Toro 6 X 50

A recent gift of this cigar that I expected to either maybe smoke some day or not be impressed by has just launched itself straight to the list of my best cigars of the year. That is a short and distinguished list but It really was that good. I have not had any bad Torano's just not any that floated my boat worth mention. That has now changed.

I had never heard of or come across one of these cigars before. This is one stick I never would have tried that I am sure glad I did not miss. I will be hunting down more of them.

A number of cigar makers have blended special edition cigars in honor of their fathers and grandfathers, but the Carlos Torano Tribute has to be one of the very best.

Torano Tribute is a limited edition cigar, made with a blend of very special filler tobaccos and binder from Nicaragua, and a dark Brazilian wrapper. The cigar is available in four sizes. The size that I smoked for this review was a 6 X 50 Toro.

The Torano 2008 Tribute is a medium-to-full bodied cigar with a full and rich flavor. Although the cigar is not overly strong, it is recommended for more seasoned cigar smokers, as opposed to beginners. The cigar tasted great with no bad aftertaste. It was perfectly balanced, and I just loved it. In fact I could barely wait for my next draw and I never wanted it to end.

This Toro size was perfectly constructed and had a great draw. The cigar had an even burn and did not need any touch-up lights. I simply lit it and then smoked away.

In the $8 to $10 range when purchased by the box, these are not value-priced cigars, but special limited edition cigars for special occasions. As such, they are well worth the price, and could be considered under-priced when compared to other super premium cigars on the market. The only disappointment was learning these were a limited release of only 1200 boxes. Fortunately they can still be had.
Smoke one if you possibly can.


Company: Carlos Toraño
Made In: Honduras
Made by: Carlos Toraño
Vitola: 6 X 50 Toro
Wrapper: Brazilian Mata Fina Triple Fermented
Filler: Nicaragua
Binder: Nicaragua
MSRP: $9/ $180 for a box of 20

Recommend : Big Time

La Flor Domincana Air Bender

La Flor Dominicana

Air Bender

Guerro 6.25 x 54

La Flor Dominicana cigars are the product of Litto Gomez. I was really looking forward to trying this cigar when it came out.

It just so happened that Tony Gomez put one of his own in my hand. That certainly added to the smoking experience but if the Air Bender had not been for me, I would have said so. I loved it and will gladly smoke more of them.
I have always enjoyed the entire line of great La Flor Dominicana cigars and I certainly add the Air Bender to that list. I love the name of this cigar and its a real beauty of a fine premium stick.

It features a nice triple cap and has the quality construction La Flors are known for.
This cigar just looks and feels like a great cigar should. The Ecuadorian-grown Habano wrapper has a dark, reddish-brown color with little veining and has a slight oily sheen to it.

The Air Bender is full flavored and rich but not one of Litto’s many Ligero laden power bombs. A Maduro and a new stronger Chisel only blend will be forthcoming. I can’t wait to try them both.
The Chisel in my opinion is one of the easiest to smoke and nicest overall vitolas being made today.


Tony said they were looking for something different here that would appeal to many smokers and they have succeeded big time. I personally enjoy the heavy hitting power smokes but that is usually for a smaller group of seasoned smokers. This smoke definitely has what it takes to make itself home in my humidor.
Please, do yourself a favor and pick up an LFD Air Bender.


Format : Guerrero
Size : 6.25 x 54
Wrapper : Ecuador (Habano)
Filler : Dominican Republic
Binder : Dominican Republic
Recommend: Bend some air today
Price : $8 approx

Joya de Nicaragua Cabinetta Serie

The last time I smoked a Hojo de Nicaragua was the Antonio 1976. A full bodied power house only for the seasoned smoker. I was not sure what to expect form this.
A two tone wrapper that has a creamy, mellow taste with sweet and spicy notes. The cigar is first rolled with the Ecuadorian wrapper and after it is finished it is covered at the tip of it with a rich, dark and sweet Nicaraguan wrapper.
A very nice draw all the way through and finishes nice. The ash flaked throughout but over all a very pleasant smoke.

Illusione " Nosotros "

Illusione

Nosotros Corona Larga 6 x 46

Nosotros which means "Us" is symbolic of Illusione and Drew Estates joining forces to produce this long awaited cigar.

The Illusione Nosotros Cigars are rolled by Drew Estates in Nicaragua and are the latest creation from Illusione.The Nosotros is a blend tobaccos from Nicaragua with a Corojo '99 wrapper, Nicaraguan fillers, and Connecticut Habano binder.

I was looking forward to trying this cigar and I was not disappointed. I found this to be a good smoke right from the get go. I experienced no burn, draw or construction issues and this is always a good thing.

I found it to be of medium strength,with a good array of flavor. I don't think any one thing jumped out to take note of with this cigar but it was just plain good and very enjoyable to the very end. We can hunt for greatness in our cigars but this one delivers a nice little ride along the way.

If anything, I did find the wrapper to be a bit dull and nothing impressive about the overall appearance. If you were not looking for it, it might not jump off the shelf and catch your eye begging to be tried. Price is subjective but it is certainly on the high side and a lot more than other Illusione cigars. None the less, It definitely gets my approval of a cigar you should try.

I am a big fan of Illusione cigars and it would be hard to find a cigar in Don Giolito's line up that I don't enjoy. Some of my other favorites being the cg4, Epernay and 88. I can certainly add the Nosotros to that list.

Wrapper: Nicaraguan Corojo 99
Filler: Nicaraguan
Binder: Connecticut Habano
Sizing: 8 sizes in Boxes of 20
Price from $7.95 – $12.95

Recommend: Yes

Murcielago Toro by Espinosa y Ortega

" Bat out of Hell "

The Devil's Weed !!

Should you come upon a chance pre departure meeting with the Devil himself and he offers you a stick from his personal stash, what else could you do but accept it ? Such was recently the case for me and besides it was already lit.

Without a doubt, this is the cigar you will be offered.
The "Murcielago" out of Hell is one of his personal house blends.

Murcielago from Espinosa y Ortega the makers of 601, Cubao and Mi Barrio blends and are blended by Don Pepin Garcia. The cigar features a dark oily Mexican San Andreas wrapper, Mexican binder and Nicaraguan fillers.

The resulting cigar is a power house combination of Industrial strength tobaccos. Were I to put my finger on the dark flavors of this beast they would best be described as
Notes of
Wood - Gaboon Ebony
Spice – Whole Black Peppercorns
Coffee – Triple Expresso
Earth - La Brea Tar pits
Leather – Back in Black

Surely the or one of the strongest cigars I have ever survived. Move over La Flor ” Double Ligero”, Antano, Prensado and you other titans of power, there’s a new contender in town and it's name is Murcielago.

Don’t get me wrong, I enjoyed this cigar and its perfect if you need a little trip without leaving your chair.
Did I mention that this thing is STRONG !!!

Notes

Construction, burn and draw were all perfect with no issues.
Strength : Industrial Haz Mat
Recommended: Yes with Caution. If you have to ask yourself if you could handle it, you can’t.


Name: Murcielago Toro 6 1/8 “ x 50
Company: United Tobacco / EO Brands
Made in: Nicaragua
Wrapper: Mexican San Andreas
Binder: Mexico
Filler: Nicaragua
MSRP: $10.00 Not bad for a trip to Hell and back

Cusano " Killer Cameroon "

Vintage 1996 Churchill 7 x 50

Return of the " Killer "

No, not back in production, but the " Killer " Cammy is back from the depths of a very old and well cared for collection of fine cigars to make its triumphant, albeit short lived, return to my humidor.

The right moment just presented itself to fire up this blast from the past and I felt compelled to waste little time in presenting it here.

Ok, I know what your thinking, a " Cusano " review here and from me. Well if you are still with me, just hold everything !!. This is not your every day, ordinary Cusano fare and has nothing in common with anything you have seen or tried from them in the last 10 years or so. Only the longest term veterans of the leaf will know of what I speak here.

This cigar ain't your grandpa's barnyard pasture rocket with notes of hay, decaying vegetation and manure. It surely isn't the infamous " Cuvee " that you know you have buried in the moochador somewhere and can't give away. I know you tried and tried but face it, It"s still there. Even novice guests draw the line somewhere.

What this cigar is, is absolutely outstanding and incredible. Yes, one of the finest cigars I have smoked in a long time and not out of the realm of inclusion in any serious list of best ever smokes.

Construction, burn and draw were flawless from start to finish. It progressed with a long white ash and burned dead even all the way. It has a rich Cameroon wrapper with bold strength and a prevalant spiciness that is just sublime. Never too much and always good, the word Wow !! kept coming to mind. Smoking this cigar made me think only of lighting up another one,had that been remotely possible. It wasn't.

Sadly, you may never get to try one as few specimens exist. At least in any future circles of cigar talk where any normal "Cusano" might get ribbed like the fat kid at a pie eating contest, you won't include this one. This brothers, is cigar greatness.

Wrapper: African Cameroon
Binder: Dominican

Filler: Dominican

Rating : 94

Strength : Strong

Price during production : A ridiculous $3.99

Recommended : You should be so lucky

La Aroma de Cuba E.E. Sun Grown

The fine cigar for review here is the all new

La Aroma de Cuba Edicion Especial

" Sun Grown "

This is the latest offering in the Edicion Especial line of La Aromas and just started hitting the shelves.

I had yet to even become aware of this new stick when it was kindly offered up by a Brother of the Leaf.

Finishing up an excellent Illusione MJ 12, I wasted no time in firing it up for a spin.

These cigars fly under the Ashton flag with the sticks coming from the revered halls of non other than Don Pepin Garcia. Not a bad pedigree here.

I do not normally go for the " Sungrown " varieties. While I most certainly do go for the

stronger, Maduro and even Powerhouse Ligero laden blends such as Joya de Nicaragua and La Flor Domincana's, other typically strong Sun Grown offerings have not faired so well.

This new cigar certainly breaks that mold and offers up full and strong flavors that were just right. It let you know it was there without being harsh or unpleasant in any way. This cigar was very consistent and had no burn or draw problems to mar the experience. It tasted great from start to finish and was very enjoyable.

While not high in complexity it was just plain good and I recommend it highly. Power wise,It won't be invited to play with the big boy's from the "Antano" family down the block, but few cigars will. This is one very solid and good smoke that makes the grade and is one of the better new smokes I have had lately. There is a place for a cigar like this one. Don't hesitate to fire one up.

Wrapper: Ecudorian Sun Grown
Binder: Nicaraguan
Filler: Nicaraguan
Made In: Nicaragua
Size: Toro 6 X 50
Price: About $6-$8 per single

Rating : A very solid 91

La Fontana -Vintage Da Vinci

Normally I am drawn to cigar with full flavor and body. Mild to medium normally do not please me often but a few weeks ago I was introduced to this "La Fontana" by Camacho cigars.

The wrapper is a Connecticut shade and the binder and filler are of Honduran tobaccos.

This medium bodied cigar is very smooth with a distinctive flavorful and creamy taste. It also has a slightly sweetened tip and leaves a sweet taste to the lips.

I preferred the Da Vinci (a church hill size) of what was available. It had a very nice, easy draw and the burn was even all the way through. It's wrapper was smooth, not veiny and finished well to the end.

Priced at under $5.00 a stick this is a steal in my opinion.

E.P. Carrillo Short Run " Delirios"

The concept behind the Short Run is simple: a one-time blend released once or twice a year made in limited numbers. Only 108,000 sticks of the 2010 version will ever be made.

The Short Run 2010 utilizes an Ecuadorian-grown, Sumatra-seed wrapper, a Nicaraguan binder, and filler tobaccos from the Dominican Republic and Nicaragua. The blend comes in three sizes: Dominantes (6.25 x 60), Populares (4.9 x 50), and Delirios (5.9 x 52). This trend seems to make more sense than having to produce 12 different sizes of each blend.

Appearance and Construction:

The Ernesto Perez Carrillo { of La Gloria Cubano fame } "Short Run" has a nice looking Sumatra wrapper that has some oils visible. The Toro ish sized vitola is well rolled and presented no difficulties in smoking it.

There is a dual band on this cigar with the primary offering the up some wonderful colors with the red and gold EP logo while the secondary band denotes the “Short Run”.

It's a well made and attractive stick that beckons you to light one up and at a $6 to $8 price point, many will do so. Sadly I won't be joining them and this is not the review I was hoping it would be.

I had long been looking forward to the release of this cigar and dashed in to my local purveyor the day they landed. I was very pleased with the cigar that was waiting to meet it's match. I have long been a fan of La Gloria Cubano cigars especially the"Artesanos de Miami", and I heard great things about the E.P. Carrillo "Innaugural "cigar. A $13 Robusto I have yet to try,that seems to have been very well received.

Unfortunately,it may be a long time before I would want to receive another one of these " Short Run's ". Sometimes these much anticipated smokes pan out splendidly, and sometimes they crash and burn like this one.

The flavor profile of the cigar I smoked,{ I can only hope it was just that one } had me worried right from the start. It soon got a little better,but a long way from good. Sadly it then took a huge turn for the worse and became CMF, {cigar most foul}. I should have put it down, but I suffered to the end, {the very bitter end} that could not come soon enough. These things happen and we just reach for the next one.

Rocky Patel Nording

No, it’s not Nordic and you won’t find a Viking jumping out of the box. The name is derived from its creator, famed pipe maker Eric Nording. Crafted in Rocky’s Honduran factory, it’s wrapped in Costa Rican maduro with Mexican binder and Nicaraguan filler for punch. I should point out that the Nording I smoked was a re-blend. The brand has been floating about for some time with a plain white wrapper. The version I smoked is considered the ‘shiny’ wrapper.

The literature claims ‘full’ body, however it falls short of that expectation, which is a good thing. If it did contain that much strength, the cigar would have been horribly unbalanced. As it is, it seems as though they were able to maintain some measure of body, and just a enough hints of something different that you just can’t put your finger on; in the true Rocky Patel tradition.

Construction appears solid, just the right amount of flexibility in the body when given a modicum of pressure. The old Nording possessed a curly-top head; the new espouses a finished cap. The vein in the wrapper is about what one might expect from any of the myriad of Rocky Patel brands. There appears nothing overtly spectacular or significant in the presentation of this cigar to differentiate it from its brethren.
One pleasant surprise; clearly this particular cigar, from this particular box of toros was well cared for. When clipped the edge remained pristine and intact, not even the slightest crack or imperfection. While some of that may be attributed to construction, I place the majority of it in the hands of those who have been responsible for preserving the integrity of said smoke in storage and transit.

The burn was even-ish(a bit rough on the end), with a singular exception when I caught an air pocket and a substantial run began traversing up one side, eventually righting itself sans intervention. The ash was salt and pepper, leaning more towards the sodium side of the house and fairly stable. Aside from that brief interlude of weakened ash due to the blow-hole, the tensile strength remained quite resilient. There was an above average amount of smoke on this one, which I found pleasantly surprising.

I wish I had such similar high praise for the taste. It’s not that it’s a bad cigar, nor does it lack that tell-tale Rocky odd hint of *something*, which makes it enjoyable enough. It’s just nothing to write home about; not on my list of ‘have to have in my humidor’. It may be a bit green though I didn’t get any grassy nature… something was just ‘young’ about this cigar. Perhaps they would improve with a bit of age.

If you are looking for a decent, inexpensive smoke, the sort I have often heard be called a ‘golf course cigar’ I would imagine this would be it. The price point after tax seems to hover around seven bucks, which equates to a fine, every day smoke. For me, it will be a ‘once in a while’, ‘I need a change’ type of choice.

I’ll give it a solid 89 on technical merit.

Casa Magna Oscuro

The Casa Magna starts out rich and bold in taste. Full strength with a dark (almost black)wrapper and produces lots of full thick smoke.
It starts out strong but not bitter. Hints of cocoa and burns well. Constrtuction nice and not too many veins. Ashe is a little flakey but a good smoke to the end.

Joya de Nicaragua “ Antano 1970 “

Allow me to wax poetic here about my favorite " go to " smoke.

This cigar is a full flavored and strong powerhouse jewel of a cigar. This Nicaraguan Puro has a Habano Criollo Colorado wrapper and plenty of Ligero for the kick. It posseses a smoothness and consistency not equaled in other cigars of this strength.

It does not come with training wheels for the novice smoker so I will rate it as best suited for the seasoned smokers who run in my circles.

The Antano 1970 comes in a great size range from an amazing little knockout Lancero to the beautiful beast that is the 6X60 Gran Perfecto.

I have never encountered any burn or draw problems and the consistency of the flavor profile is about the highest I have ever seen. You know your next Antano is going to be right. And just when I thought a cigar could not get much better, an all new Antano, the " Dark Corojo " joins the party for the one, two punch!! of cigar greatness.

I have smoked countless boxes in every size and each one has been enjoyed to the fullest. I could live with it being the only cigar I ever smoked and how many cigars can you say that about...

Partagas " Lusitanias " Cuban

It was a grand evening of good friends and cigars where we unveiled the best of the best for this year.

My Top Cigar of the year comes with 2 new departures for me. It is both a cigar that hails from that little island 90 miles south of Key West and has long been my absolute “ Holy Grail ” of unobtanium.

I never expected to get my hands on this cigar but as I have now come to expect among my fellow brothers of the leaf, seek and ye shall find. If they have a cigar, you have a cigar, and so it was.

And with great pleasure, my best cigar of the year award goes to....

Partagas “ Lusitanias “ Prominente {Double Corona} 2004

The Partagas Lusi is quite simply an outstanding cigar, the King of the Hill of Cuban Prominentes.

The hallmark of this vitola is surely the blending, with distinct and strong flavors which perfectly complement each other. I don’t really have the right words for a nearly 2 hour cigar smoking experience like this one, except it wasn’t long enough.

As a cigar many smokers now including myself, catalogue as the best cigar they have ever smoked. The Partagas Lusitanias certainly deserves its reputation as one of the truly great Cuban cigars.

Nick's Sticks by Perdomo

Maduro Churchill 7 x 50 Little Havana Blend

There are two new Perdomo releases, Nick's Sticks and the Cuban Bullet. I have always liked this brand and wasted little time in firing it up.

Nick's Sticks is actually a revived blast from the past, from the early pre Perdomo garage days’ of Nick Perdomo’s cigar making time.

This cigar serves up in a Connecticut, Sun Grown, or Maduro wrapper with standard Rubusto, Toro,Torpedo and Churchill sizes.

You will surely notice the surprisingly low shelf price.

Any of these sizes and blends are out the door of your retailer for under $4.00 and

you just don't see that every day.

I will start right off by saying that this a good smoke. It is also quite strong and packs a bit of a punch.

Construction was top notch. The burn, draw and ash of this cigar put in an impressive performance. It didn't canoe, go out or present any issues.

This is a solid smoke that certainly exceeded any expectations one would have from a cigar at this price. Even if you don't find it as good as I did, it is no El Cheapo, bundled cigar headed for your moochidor. I think it shows economic concern and is a sound move by Perdomo. Light one up.

Cusano Habano LXI s Sungrown

I am sitting here at the cigar room @ Tobacco Depot and I try this Cusano Sungrown. It's been a good year since I've smoked any Cusano product. Now I remember why.
Initial light was kinda harsh.
The draw was easy, burn was even but that was about all I could say that was nice.
Wrapper came undone (as I remember from my last Cusano) and there was no real flavor. A very blane taste. Notes of cardboard and moldey window curtains.
I do not think I shall every smoke a Cusano again.

La Gloria serie R

It's been a while since I have smoked one of these. The wrapper was nice, dark and oily. Upon lighting I detected sweet and spicy flavors. There was a hint of coffee notes throughout. Full bodied and a nice draw. Half wat through the burn was becoming uneven as I rfemember the last time I had one. Still a pleasent smoke.

Punch " Punch" Corona Gorda

It was my recent and rare pleasure to obtain and smoke a true classic cigar that hails from that little island 89 miles south of Key West.

This cigar had long been on my Grail list and I had never come across one before.

I had recently mentioned this to a fellow brother of the leaf who responded by saying, Oh, I have some and I'll bring you one. You just gotta love that. Indeed he did and I graciously accepted.

For those not familiar with the Punch Punch this vitola is a 5 5/8" x 46 Corona Gorda and mine was a properly aged stick from 2006.

It was a beautiful night under the stars and the occasion called for something special and considerably above what was being served up at the time.

This cigar certainly fit the bill and just happened to be in my jacket. It did not disappoint. It was well made and had no construction burn or draw issues of any kind. It is no powerhouse of strength but that was not expected. When they are good, they are very good and this one was. It was smooth, flavorful and good to the very end. Too many Maker"s Marks and other cigars before and after prevent a more detailed review but did not in any way detract from the great smoke and smoking experience that was this true classic, the Cuban Punch Punch.

Ron del Barrilito 3 star rum

Tonight as the sun sets and the weekend draws to a close I light up a Padron 3000 maduro and pour me a glass of Ron del Barrilito rum. As I pour in the glass I see it has a deep golden brown apearence and as the the aroma hits my nose I sense bold, complex flavors.
At first taste I expect to be hit with a strong boldness to my tonue. It's very smooth with a touch of sweetness, hints of molasses and woody notes. Wondeful, just wonderful. The finish is nice, warm and leaves the flavors lingering. By far the best rum I have ever tasted, and I have sample many over the years. Those if you who love scotch/whiskey will like it. Those who enjoy rum you will love it.
Well done Ron...well done.
Thank you.

Padron 45th Anniversary, Maduro

Let me state, that my favorite cigar of all time prior to the release of the 40th Anniversary edition from Padron, was the 1964 Anniversary Imperial Maduro (the sole possible exception is the Cuban Cohiba Siglo VI, though production is so varied, the consistency leaves something to be desired and thus I cannot include it in the pantheon of top-notch smokes save as an addendum). That having been said, upon completion of the lauded 40th my loyalties while constrained within the confines of the heralded Padron facilities altered. I say this because I have never felt the 1926 line matched the complexities or flavor found in the 1964 Imperial, and admit to having some doubts upon learning the heritage of the 40th Anniversary.
Those doubts having been laid to rest, my hopes were high when the new 45th Anniversary was announced.

I was not disappointed.

The 45th is a complex microcosm of flavor. Not being one to wax rhapsodic, it suffices to say it transports the smoker to a happier place and erodes the banalities of daily life.

I noted no fewer than 5 different changes in flavor, with an even burn and a strong ash; clearly a well made cigar from some of their best rollers and presented with the ubiquitous ‘square-ish’ box-press requisite of the top-of-the-line Padrons.

It’s aged enough to reduce the strength, down to a medium to medium-full body, and presents the smoker with a well-balanced smoke… offering more flavor than one might expect from such a toro sized cigar.

I give it a solid 98, reserving the last 2 points for future releases (by any manufacturer) which attempt to dethrone this dynasty.

Joya de Nicaragua "Antano" Dark Corojo

With the original JDN " Antano " being one of my favorite premium smokes and its soundly grabbing the #2 Spot on my years Top 10 list, I was thrilled to hear of the new release called the "Antano" Dark Corojo. I was even happier when I got my hands on a few of the " Peligroso " Petite Corona size and lit one up.

At least for now, this cigar is in limited supply and not on many dealers shelves but hopefully that will change.

Like its brethren Antano and all JDN cigars for that matter,this is a cigar of strength and power for the experienced smoker. I expected the new Dark Corojo to be a power smoke and I was not disappointed. Strong as it is, the power is smooth, balanced and not over bearing. It is full of flavor and very complex. It has a dark oily Corojo wrapper and smokes like a dream. There were no burn or draw issues to mar the experience.

At first I was worried it might be too strong, but it settled down and gradual profile changes had it getting better and better as it progressed. I smoked it to the last mm of burning my fingers and I never wanted it to end.

I am not really one for describing notes of this and that flavor wise but I can tell you this is one super cigar not to miss if you come across one.

The are very reasonably priced in the $6 to $9 range with most of them smaller and the largest size being the Poderoso 6 X 54 Belicoso. Nub Lovers and those who know JDN's Gran Consul size will appreciate the 4.7 X 60 Pesadilla version.

Joya's new magazine ad for the Dark Corojo describes it as a cigar we promise you will

remember. They are right about that and it's a very good cigar to be sure.

Strength - Strong

Construction - No issues

Flavor - Full and Complex

Rating - A solid 94

Recommned : It's a must smoke

This cigar is an early shoe in for this years best of the best.

Smoke one if you can.