Cigar Reviews Archive | Page 2 of 9

Cigar Review: La Aurora Preferidos Platinum Corona Especiales

January 2, 2015 By Kip Fisher

Background – La Aurora Preferidos Platinum Cameroon

I recently received a package of cigars from Miami Cigar. Inside were 6 different varieties of a Mid-Atlantic regional exclusive release for a new vitola in the Preferidos lineup. The offering will include the original Preferidos blend, draped in each of the six wrappers (Brazilian sungrown (Ruby), Cameroon (Platinum), Connecticut (Sapphire), Connecticut broadleaf (Diamond) Corojo (Gold) and Ecuadorian Sumatra (Emerald)) – but in a 5.5” x 42 Corona Especiales. They will be sold exclusively in the Mid-Atlantic region, and retail for about $7.20 per stick. The line will also be available in a 150-count crate containing 25 each of the wrapper varieties.

Pre Light

Today’s review is for the Platinum Cameroon edition . It features a Cameroon wrapper over the existing Preferido filler blend. The sample I received displays a medium brown color with some significant mottling. Like the previously reviewed Gold, the wrapper leaf feels oily and very smooth, but little sheen is visible. Veins are pronounced, and act to obscure the seams. Overall, the pack was sound throughout. The unlit draw is near perfect for my tastes, providing modest resistance and a sweet hay flavor. There are some mildly sweet earthy notes in there as well, but not a great deal more. The aroma is straightforward tobacco and barnyard-esque.

The Smoke

Once lit, the first few puffs from the Platinum Cameroon Preferido were captivating. The direct flavor and finish were faintly sweet and honey like, but the retrohale was a different story altogether. It was deliciously piquant and bold, delivering a short lived tingle through the nose. The interplay here was a pleasure. I’m surprised by how well the profile held up throughout this first third; often, either due to conditioning or adaptation of our palate to a cigar’s spice, this effect will become muted after a few minutes. The Platinum Cameroon held fast. Kudos to La Aurora.

Going into the second third, the spicy retrohale does abate slightly, but remains ever-entertaining. The core flavor evolves a bit, becoming more leathery – but with a minor salty character now. It has developed a very “clean” finish: crisp, but non-polluting to the palate. Almost – almost – minty. By the final portion of the cigar, I find myself questioning why I haven’t spent more time with the Preferidos in their omnipresent figurado editions. The strength has picked up some by the final minutes, but I’d put it firmly into mid-medium and certainly approachable to any cigar smoker. The burn line wandered some throughout the cigar, but not problematically. I never had to relight, but did touch it up at varied intervals. In the final minutes, the leathery flavors matured, becoming nutty at times (despite a decline in the earlier sweetness).

Summary

While I expected the Gold Corojo Preferido to be my “pick o’ the litter,” I have to say the Platinum Cameroon was quite enjoyable – as its impressive score indicates. The flavor was consistent in character but nuanced and entertaining. La Aurora simply does a good job in blending to this leaf. I’m picky with Cameroon, and the Preferido Platinum is a fine example of the leaf used beautifully. The blend simply works. I now have a renewed and growing appreciation for the Preferidos, and expect I’ll put some of these aside for rainy days – either in the standard figurado, or this corona especiales if available.

Cigar Review: La Tradicion Cubana Reserva Familiar Natural

December 18, 2014 By Kip Fisher

Background – La Tradicion Cubana

Long time listeners of Half Ashed and former readers of The Cigarmy will know that I have been a big fan of Luis Sanchez’s cigars (and those he makes for others) for a very long time. So, when I happened to share a couple of messages with him recently and he offered to let me try his latest creation, I – of course – jumped at the chance. He passed along a couple of both the natural and maduro versions of the La Tradicion Cubana Reserva Familiar, the natural being today’s review offering. The extensions are spun off from the standard La Tradicion Cubana line, with a couple of minor differences. The Reserva Familiar features an Ecuadoran wrapper, an as-yet undisclosed binder and Dominican fillers. Interestingly, the filler blend contains some tobacco from Luis’ recent venture into farming on his Dominican property. The samples I received were in a 7” x 50 churchill vitola.

Pre Light

Each of the natural versions received carry a very light, evenly colored brown wrapper. They were quite smooth – albeit dry – to the touch with very faint veins. I found no anomalies within the pack from head to foot. Both provided near perfect resistance and some sweet hay flavor on the cold draw. As for aroma, it was faint but evoked memories slightly of musty hay. Not freshly hewn hay; the kind you’d find in the loft a year after cutting.

The Smoke

Even before puffing, the fragrance alone was enjoyable while lighting. With those first few puffs, there is a very slight vegetal character; however this dissipates within a couple minutes. The blend instantly separates itself from the standard LTC line in that it begins with noticeably more spice. It’s certainly not overwhelming, but considering the sedate nature of its brother, this one is significantly more pronounced. Once the burn is fully established, the spice becomes a bit more demure and is joined by a toasty sweetness that I find characteristic of Luis’ creations….and enjoy immensely. In terms of construction, there’s little for which to fault the cigar. On the first example, there are a couple of what were likely handling dings on the wrapper, and one small crack about ½” up from the foot. Once the burnline got to the crack, it did expand slightly but never spread. It quietly resolved itself with no further issue after about 10 minutes. One other time, a similar crack appeared and burned away. This did not impact the experience, but it should be noted that the wrapper leaf is very delicate and ought to be handled carefully. Other than that, construction was spot-on for both examples.

By the time I’ve finished the first third of the cigar, the spice has modestly returned. The earlier sweetness has been replaced by a darker, more berry-like note. This is new. I have smoked most of the LTC range, and don’t remember this coming through in any of the other blends. It’s quite enjoyable, and provides a long lasting, pleasant finish between puffs. This deeper sweetness persists throughout most of the midsection of the cigar, with interspersed periods of moderate spice. There is a slight drying effect on the palate, which I understand to be driven by pH in the smoke from any particular blend (then again, I’m no scientist; take that for what it’s worth: the price of admission). Progressing into the final stretch of the Reserva Familiar brings renewed spice, especially on retrohale. Throughout the duration of the smoke, the interplay of this spice with the berry like sweetness was delicious. In the closing minutes of the cigar, I also noticed a beautifully deep, buttery sweetness accompanying the spice felt on the soft palate.

Parting Shot

I was a believer in Luis Sanchez’ blending prowess before; I’m more so now. Quite frankly, both Craig and I fell head over heels for the original La Tradicion Cubana line. Had the story stopped there I would have been happy to continue smoking them ad infinitum. However, this offshoot from the line has introduced bold, interesting flavors to an already fantastic blend. In a true test of my recently instituted review architecture, I had to forcefully impose the strict guidelines with regard to the earlier noted minor construction irregularities. Had I not done so, the La Tradicion Cubana Reserva Familiar would have likely scored a couple points higher than its already impressive 91. If you haven’t tried any of the LTC, TL Johnson, Santos de Miami, or other Sanchez-made cigars, I highly recommend them…and that’s coming with zero strings attached. These cigars are about as firmly in my wheelhouse as possible.

Summary

In a true test of my recently instituted review architecture, I had to forcefully impose the strict guidelines with regard to the earlier noted minor construction irregularities. Had I not done so, the La Tradicion Cubana Reserva Familiar would have likely scored a couple points higher than its already impressive 91. If you haven’t tried any of the LTC, TL Johnson, Santos de Miami, or other Sanchez-made cigars, I highly recommend them…and that’s coming with zero strings attached. These cigars are about as firmly in my wheelhouse as possible.

Cigar Review: La Aurora Preferidos Gold Corona Especiales

December 18, 2014 By Kip Fisher

Background

I recently received a package of cigar from Miami Cigar. Inside were 6 different varieties of a Mid-Atlantic regional exclusive release for a new vitola in the La Aurora Preferidos lineup. The offering will include the original Preferidos blend, draped in each of the six wrappers (Brazilian sungrown (Ruby), Cameroon (Platinum), Connecticut (Sapphire), Connecticut broadleaf (Diamond) Corojo (Gold) and Ecuadorian Sumatra (Emerald)) – but in a 5.5” x 42 Corona Especiales. They will be sold exclusively in the Mid-Atlantic region, and retail for about $7.20 per stick. The line will also be available in a 150-count crate containing 25 each of the wrapper varieties.

Pre Light

Today’s review is for the Gold (Corojo) rendition. It features a Dominican Corojo wrapper over Dominican binder and a filler mix of Dominican, Brazilian and Cameroon tobaccos. The sample I received displays a medium brown color with some moderate mottling. The wrapper leaf feels oily and very smooth, but little sheen is visible. Veins are sparse but pronounced. The foot feels a bit less dense than the rest of the stick, but overall the pack was sound throughout. Prelight, the draw is of deliberate but open resistance, and provides little in the way of flavor. Maybe some slightly earthy notes but not a great deal more. The aroma is mild and straightforward tobacco in character.

The Smoke

Initial puffs present solid spice, and some pleasant – and crisp – charred oaken flavor that, if slightly sweeter, might have led me to call it leathery….or even buttery. I get a lot of (black) pepper from it, which probably pushed me more toward considering it of a more woodsy nature. The burn immediately resolves, and will continue to remain very sharp throughout the duration of the cigar. By the middle of the cigar, the spice has subdued but never wanes entirely. It takes on a more “tropical spice” tenor, reminiscent of bright baking spice rather than the early pepper. This transition is fairly abrupt, occurring more rapidly than one might normally expect. There was very little transitory time, and no muddling of flavors at all. These more mellow characteristics continue throughout the midsection of the smoke.

Somewhere around the end of the third inch I noticed another, less sudden progression back into a bit more pepper. This time, however, the pepper is felt more on the soft palate and is more akin to red than black pepper. It should be noted that although I’ve spent a good bit of time writing about this spice, it is NOT of the variety you might find in the Preferidos’ Nicaraguan cousins. There is also a core cedar component, which tempers the spice as well. It remains approachable and palate-friendly to most any smoker. It’s during the final portion of the cigar that I believe it really shines. The strength picks up a notch, but never becomes overtly potent. I would place it solidly in the medium range in this regard. The flavors do intensify as I near the end, with the cedar and pepper playing the dominant roles. It smokes down to a 1″ nub, the evidence of 80 minutes well spent.

Summary

When supported well by complementary components, a Corojo wrapper can be a beautiful thing; when mishandled or mismatched, a disaster. The Preferidos Gold Corona Especiales delivers the former. I thoroughly enjoyed the early spice over its woodsy core, the development into a calmer midsection, and surprising peppery denouement. If you live in the Mid-Atlantic region, I’d definitely recommend investigating these while you still can. It is possibly my favorite of the six variations. With apologies to the big ring fans, I love the size as well. As a final parting shot – give these a try with a solid cup of coffee. I don’t have easy access to more, but my hunch is the pairing would get along swimmingly.

Concentrated Atmosphere Review: My Father Lancero

November 24, 2014 By Kip Fisher

Concentrated Atmosphere: My Father Lancero (#4)

Welcome everyone, to the first “Concentrated Atmosphere Review” on Half Ashed – for the My Father Lancero (Number 4). This is the inaugural edition of an ongoing segment we will be publishing concurrently with each episode. We know there are a lot of folks out there who simply have no interest/time to hang out with us for a 1.5-2 hour show, but might like to just get the straight skinny on our Cigar of the Week. So, I’ve taken the pertinent portions from Episode 092’s review of the My Father lancero and condensed the show down to only the portions containing our thoughts about the cigar. This segment may be hit-or-miss depending on available time to carve out the review, but we’ll try to be somewhat consistent. This week, we actually managed to talk specifically about the cigar for about twenty minutes so the abbreviated version of the show is still pushing that timeframe. I imagine most weeks it will run 10-15 minutes as we get a feel for purposefully doing this throughout the episode. Episode 092 was entirely off the cuff; we didn’t even consider doing this until about 3 minutes before broadcast….which means you are definitely getting the quick and dirty format. No frills, no fancy editing; no fluff. Just our ramblings about tonight’s cigar. Of course, you’re all invited to join us each week for the full show…but if you find yourself a bit over committed, you’ll be able to get the condensed version inasmuch as is feasible. Enjoy!

Cigar Review: Chigringo Reloaded

November 15, 2014 By Craig

Some people are lucky enough to have the opportunity to blend a cigar once in their lives. I’ve had the absolute good fortune to do it twice. I am blessed. How many people have two chances to prove their ineptitude to the world?

The Reloaded is a gorgeous looking traditional CG rolled and blended at Drew Estate’s Esteli factory in January of 2010. I wasn’t on a Cigar Safari trip, per say, but did reap the benefits (and generosity) of staying as a guest of Jon Drew, courtesy of a Cigar Tourism trip.

I’m always perplexed by this cigar. It’s wrapped in a stunning Ecuadorian grown Connie. Why? It ISN’T a lonsdale or corona. Why? And it has no ligero. Why? I know I intended the blend to be more of a learning experience than a fun experience, but cramming three anomalies into one stick still to this day seems like a mistake. Nonetheless, I do sense clear influence from each of my choices.

The blend is unique. The aforementioned Connecticut sits upon a San Andres negro binder. The filler consists of five partial leaves: 2 parts Esteli corojo seco, 2 parts Esteli criollo-98 viso and 1 part Dominican piloto cubano seco.

Part one of my odd decisions was to forego the use of ligero in the blend. I didn’t want anything with much nicotine. If you’re a fan of the show, you know I really don’t tolerate the vile drug well. I had read years ago that no Cuban lancero is blended with ligero. They still “feel” strong but don’t pack the punch of being nic heavy. I was never really sure if that was true so I thought this a fine opportunity to test the theory: could a cigar still seem strong without an upper priming?

Part two of the experiment wrapped my blend in a wrapper I typically do not reach for, the Connecticut shade. The theory here was that I didn’t really want to impart “flavor” to the blend. I wanted it to stand alone. Listen up. I know what you’re going to say. You’re going to tell me that Connecticut tends to add a prolific sour crispness to a cigar. You’re right. The fact is, it’s so odd that it stands apart. It never really was meant to blend together.

The final anomaly is the vitola. Why, oh, why would I choose a ring larger than a 42? I preach on the elegance of coronas and lonsdales and their purity of blend. If I wanted to focus on that purity why change? The reason is simple. I didn’t want to increase the percentage of wrapper to filler. A Corona Gorda was a good compromise of size to purity.

This all plays together in a rather crazy way. The filler does truly stand apart from the wrapper but after nearly five years, both aspects of the cigar have grown into their shoes. The cigar still does feel strong, just as it always has. The wrapper is still tart. The thing is, this has become a marriage of opposite attraction. The “Frankenstein’s Monster” of cigar experiments has grown into a civilized member of society within my humidor. It is no longer just an experiment but also an interesting cigar.

Flavors danced around from dusty cocoa, to brown sugar to meaty char. All of those flavors paring well with a tart, almost lemon like crispness. The construction was flawless, including both burn and draw. Absolutely zero deductions.

Pros

A Learning Experience
Fun to Smoke

Cons

Educational but boring
Connecticut. Yuck!

Accessory Review: ScrewPop 2.0

November 14, 2014 By Kip Fisher

Regular readers will know that I don’t often do accessory reviews, having only done so on relatively few occasions. That being said, the folks at ScrewPop sent me a sample of their new tool to try out and I thought the experience I’ve had warranted mention. If you’re not familiar, the ScrewPop Cigar Punch is a multi-functional tool serves both as cigar punch and bottle opener. It will clip to your keychain or anything else you can fit the end clip on. I actually used and carried the original version attached to my keychain or travel humidor for a while, but…frankly…the blade was a bit overmatched by my typical usage. It produced a narrower cut than I normally opt for when electing to use a cigar punch, and the honed angle on the blade was too steep. A steep slope on a cutting blade will, of course, eventually lead to a poor cut and mangled head.

Back in May, I posted a notice on The Cigarmy when the company announced that ScrewPop 2.0 was in the works. But when a package arrived from the company a couple weeks ago, I didnt’ really know what to expect. I’m happy to report that I have been using the device almost exclusively since I got it and have to admit it’s remarkably better built than the original.

Here are the differences I’ve noted, and a couple production notes:

Complete redesign of the mechanism. Originally, the blade was on the body of the ScrewPop, and a cap was threaded to cover it. This left an internal chamber that held the cut plugs from cigars until you picked them out. Now, in what I believe a much better design, the cutter screws off the body – and the body goes entirely through the cutting apparatus so that plugs are discarded every time you put it back together. This is a sweeping improvement.
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The blade material is thinner and sharpened to a better edge. It appears to even be ported on the inside, allowing for a smoother cut when twisted. On top of the design change, this is another welcome change. What good would a gadget be if it couldn’t make a clean cut?
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The bore seems to be bigger on the 2.0. I’m not sure this is actually the case; this could stem from the improved angle of sharpening on the blade. In any event, the new version produces a much cleaner, freer opening than I remember.
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The production quality remains solid. Version 2.0 is still constructed entirely of aluminum and stainless steel, but simply “feels” better made. The threaded connection and properly sized O-ring cushion create a better fit when reassembling the punch.
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As always, the materials make it rust resistant and durable. I don’t see any real weakness in handling and use. I’d be comfortable attaching it to travel humidor, keyring, zipper pulls, or wherever else I might need a cutter or opener.
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As I mentioned, I’ve been using the new one. A lot. Overall, I couldn’t be more pleased. The only change that could be construed as a negative is that the price has gone up from about $8 to almost $15 – however, I believe it’s still a worthwhile investment. I’ve paid more for cigar punches on at least two different occasions where I was disappointed in short order. At the $14.95 mark, I would be comfortable replacing mine should I need to in the future. Of course I’m the guy that would rather just pay more and get a useful product rather than save a buck and grumble about it for its entire life….

** 52 ring cigar pictured for scale **

Cigar Review: Kuuts Nicaraguan Blend Toro

November 13, 2014 By Kip Fisher

Kuuts Nicaraguan background

I recently received a few samples from Kuuts Cigars, including their new Kuuts Nicaraguan Blend. Never one to delay an opportunity to have a cigar or three, I decided to review them today. The line is available in five vitolas (Momentos (4”x48; $4.90), Pequeño (4.5”x58; $5.50), Robusto (5”x52; $5.80), Toro (6”x52; $6.10) and Gordo (7”x60; $6.90)), and ranges from $4.90-$6.90 in the Florida market. All five are available in 20 count boxes. The wrapper selected for this blend is Ecuadoran, with Nicaraguan binder/fillers. I smoked three of the toros in preparation for today’s review. The cigars are produced at the company’s Compañia Hondureña de Tabacos factory in Danli, Honduras.

Pre Light

The Nicaraguan Blend has a light- to medium golden-brown wrapper with a smooth, clean complexion and moderate veining. A slight oily sheen can be felt along its length. The pack is even throughout. The pre-light aroma is faint, with some hay and perhaps a mote of cinnamon at the foot. The cold draw is mostly of hay, also faint in fervor and more savory than I would have expected based on the aroma alone.

The Smoke

Once fire has been applied, I get a moderate dose of spice with a core of cedar during the initial puffs. There’s the slightest hint of sweetness…but only on occasion. The spice will hold steady throughout this first third, neither increasing nor waning. There is some resistance to burn on one side of the cigar during this time as well, requiring a couple of touchups. For full disclosure, I will also mention that one of the three cigars was excessively tight; I will go forward believing this to be merely an anomaly until I’ve smoked a few more to be clear. The other two were well within normal tolerances, including today’s example which was near perfect.

Going into the second third, I’m surprised with the peppery spice. Not by its intensity (still moderate), but its persistence. Unlike many cigars that subdue as one progresses through it, the Kuuts Nicaraguan Blend has held an even keel. This modulated spice, accompanied by the sweet cedar, produces an almost anisette or Tonkin flavor not unlike some of the more tame Lakeland District Virginias. Personally, I find this very pleasant. The burn on today’s example has come around and is behaving very well at this point.

The final stretch of the Kuuts Nicaraguan Blend is ushered in with an uptick in the spice and drop in sweetness. The cedar takes on a more prominent role during this time, and the character of the smoke becomes more savory – even drawing out an occasional salivary response. The cedar has less of an edge than one might ordinarily expect, which lends to some more general woodsiness. It has a clear oaken bent to it at times. The final third is the time at which the Kuuts Nicaraguan Blend develops it most “Nicaraguan” character, morphing into a profile more in line with what many would consider the modern Nicaraguan flavor palette. Near the very end, a flavor resembling toasted marshmallow came through, albeit fleeting. Some wandering of the burnline occurs, but never problematically.

Summary

Overall, this has been a very enjoyable cigar. It skirted the “90” benchmark, and had the minor burn/pack issues not presented, it would have likely broken that barrier. The strength is modest and flavors bold but refined. It’s well balanced, and provided an interesting, enjoyable smoke throughout. I would not hesitate to keep some around. In fact, since receiving these I learned that my local shop has brought in the line – and have picked up a few extras to enjoy.

Pros

Exceptional price point
Bold but refined flavors; moderate strength

Cons

Possible inconsistencies, based only on 3 samples
Flavor could have been more pronounced

Cigar Review: Joya de Nicaragua Joya Red Toro

November 10, 2014 By Kip Fisher

Joya Red background

Back in June, Joya de Nicaragua announced a new blend to be available at IPCPR 2014. The line was dubbed Joya Red, and was marketed as a bit of a departure for the company in that it would forego the typical high-ligero content often present in their cigars. The Joya Red would be more sedate in potency, yet strive to achieve boldness in flavor. It carries a Nicaraguan Habana wrapper over Nicaraguan binder and Nicaraguan filler from Jalapa, Condega, and Esteli. Four vitolas are available, the Short Churchill (4.75” x 48), Robusto (5.25” x 50), Cañonazo (5.5” x 54), and Toro (6” x 52). Today, I’m taking a look at the Toro, which retails for about $5.50 per stick in boxes of 20 or $7 for singles in the Tampa market. Three examples have been smoked for this review, furnished by Joya de Nicaragua/Drew Estate.

Pre-Light

The wrapper leaf on the Joya Red is light to medium brown, with consistently even coloration. The complexion presents light to moderate veining and very light oils. I failed to find any anomalies in density, and despite an overall dense feel the draw was near perfect on all three. Pre-light, the aroma on both wrapper and foot was faint and hay like – not unlike some Rattrays’ Virginia blends, for all you pipe smokers out there.

The samples I’ve smoked have been generally put together well, as evidenced by the self-correcting burn (to be discussed later) and “goldilocks” draw. There were a few minor defects in the wrapper application and specifically with a split cap on the final example smoked. It appeared the cap had torn while being applied, as it was spread widely across the head (not simply a crack from storage conditions or handling). The cold draw was somewhat nondescript, with fresh hay being the predominant flavor. I would say the same of the pre-light aroma.

The Smoke

At first puff, the Joya Red provides a bit of spice, but not at especially high levels. In fact, without retrohale you may not even feel it at all. The flavor is leathery and supplemented very nicely by a bit of tangerine sweetness. This largely sums up my experiences during the entire first third of each cigar, with one minor addition of a comment about the burn. This cigar, in all examples, provided a burn that consistently fooled me. Just when I would think it to be wandering out of my comfort zone, it would self-correct into a perfect line. Late in each experience, the Joya Red did require a touchup or two; however, only once did the burn become unruly and venture outside normal expected maintenance. I am still impressed with the blending skill involved to produce such a (mostly) self-healing burn line.

Throughout the midsection, I found that the earlier mentioned citrus flavor develops considerably, although it is tempered by no small amount of sweet spice – I likened it to allspice. The sharper spice felt on the retrohale subsided quite a bit by this point, and has been replaced by the underlying leathery quality.

The final stretch of the Joya Red delivers a noticeable uptick in strength, and a fading of the earlier sweetness. The flavor morphs into a more tannic profile, and can become very slightly bitter if you don’t mind your cadence. The effect is easily nullified with slowing down the rate at which you are smoking the cigar. The citrus has evaporated by now, and been replaced with a sharper leather predominance, with a somewhat woodsy character. It’s still pleasant, and a welcome deviation from the sweetness. The burn is more problematic than earlier, but still manageable.

Summary

Pros

Sweetspot pricing
Exceptional Balance of Strength & Flavor

Cons

Perhaps a bit mild for average JdN smoker
Some burn issues

Cigar Review: EP Carrillo La Historia Dona Elena

November 4, 2014 By Kip Fisher

EP Carrillo La Historia Background

The La Historia, from EP Carrillo, was recently released to the marketplace. Knowing that I am generally a fan of San Andres leaf, and drawn to the beautiful packaging, I picked up a couple to try on my last trip to the local shop. I’ll admit to being led to buy a new cigar with cool packaging. Without substance, however, no amount of dolling up can sell me another. “Chrome won’t get you home,” as they say back in TN. The line was produced in three vitolas – Dona Elena (6.125×50), E-III (6.875×54), and El Senador (5.375×52). Today, I’m taking a look at the Dona Elena. It carries a Mexican San Andres wrapper over Sumatran binder and Dominican/Nicaraguan fillers. The Dona Elena retails for about $8.25 per stick in the Tampa market. I’ve had two of them so far, with review notes from the second.

Pre-Light

In appearance, the wrapper leaf is quite dark, and essentially even in coloration. Some reddish mottling is present, but nuanced. Oil on the wrapper is moderate, giving it a supple but bumpy texture. While the veins are significant, the seams are well disguised by its coloration. The pack was very even on the first, but I feel some lighter pack density at the head of example number two. A true triple cap has been applied, although a bit wrinkled around the edges of the cap proper. As a side note, you may need to take extra care when removing the bright blue foot band as both mine were very tightly taped and needed the care to avoid damage.

Before lighting, the draw is exceptional in terms of density but light in flavor. It’s somewhat nondescript, but if pressed I’d call it a slightly sweet hay flavor. The aroma is faint as well, with hay on the wrapper and some slight pepper at the foot.

The Smoke

With the first few puffs from La Historia, I’m greeted with considerably more spice than that which I’m accustomed with typical EP Carrillo faire. The early flavors are intense, like a high-cacao dark chocolate, with some accompanying dryness on the palate. Maybe I paid less attention to the first of these I had, but the second is producing voluminous amounts of smoke. Progressing through the first third, the spice subsides a bit but can become shrill with too frequent retrohale.

Throughout the midsection of the La Historia, the flavor waxed and waned considerably. While the initially brighter, cacao-like flavor persisted, some sweetness crept in during this portion of the smoke. This sweetness meandered into some leather at times, and even a hint of nuttiness, but never developed into dominance. During this section, the burn continued to wander, and when ashed I noticed a void where presumably a faster burning leaf had been. This was more observational than practical, as no further tunneling presented.

Coming into the home stretch, I found a sweet crescendo in both examples. In fact, I would (at this early point in the cigar’s history) consider the final portion of the stick to be my favorite. The leathery mid profile, coupled with this growing sweetness, is very pleasant albeit short-lived. The cacao still washes across the palate with the majority of puffs, but has softened quite a bit from the earlier minutes. Also noteworthy during this time is the burn. Despite earlier inconsistencies, the burn improved greatly as I neared the end of both cigars. I am impressed that the cacao stuck around without straying into bitterness during the final moments of the smoke. I smoked it down to a small nub, which is unusual for one often sensitive to the ashy profile that can sometimes develop with San Andres leaf.

Summary

Pros

Pricing
Pleasant Flavors

Cons

Moderate burn issues
Heavy cacao flavor (for some)

Pipe Tobacco Review: 2005 Dunhill Light Flake

October 28, 2014 By Kip Fisher

Blend History

On the heels of our first ever Pipe Night on Half Ashed (Episode 088), I figured I’d post up a review of the tin opened for the show. What we’re looking at is a roughly 9 year old tin of Dunhill’s Light Flake. Today, this blend is today marketed under the moniker “Dunhill Flake.” Some European markets have prohibited use of the word “Light” on tobacco packaging. At the time this tin was produced, Murray’s of Northern Ireland was the manufacturer. The blending subsequently went to Orlik, now owned by Scandinavian Tobacco Group. I have not been in a buying mode for a few years, but may go out of my way to track down a current tin just for kicks. Comparing a sample of this age to current production – even the same blend – would be fruitless.

This Tin

Dunhill Light Flake (DLF) does not bear its name in reference to its potency, but color. In terms of strength, it is well within the medium spectrum, although at times on the heavier end from center. Color is golden and bright, but will darken with age as this particular tin has. At first pop, the aroma is entertaining; filled with some honey and graham cracker notes. A darker, more floral aroma sallies forth for a few moments after rejoining the airy environ. The flakes are beautifully stacked on edge in the tin, but prove difficult to extricate intact. They are loosely bound, but will hold enough to fold and stuff if that’s your desired packing method. I typically prefer to rub out flakes in all but the windiest of conditions, so there’s no issue for me. Moisture is quite acceptable, and my efforts have proven effective at keeping the seal unbroken before time to smoke.

Tasting Notes

I find DLF to consistently offer plenty of bright, sweet flavors at any time of day or night. While it isn’t in the business of knocking your socks off with sharp or flashy flavors, it is unfailingly entertaining. Hay, oats and honey abound, without becoming cloying or even overt. Tongue bite could become an issue if you’re prone to over-puffing, but to be frank DLF is not on my list of common offenders in this respect. It is typically well behaved. The floral aroma and supple feel are almost as enjoyable as the actual smoke itself. Almost. The blend can be enjoyed right out of the tin (although I tend to let it dry for just a few minutes), will stand up to a number of relights before acridity creeps in, and can be held over for an encore should the need arise. In fact, day-after DGT (Delayed Gratification Technique) can be very pleasing in its own right. Truthfully, one of the things I love most about DLF is its flexibility and ability to shine in most any set of conditions; shape and size of bowl, wind, stillness, day or night. Dunhill Light Flake will work in just about anything able to keep an ember together, hanging from the face of any level smoker who has the aptitude to mind his cadence.

Final Thoughts

While not a barnburner, Dunhill Light Flake shines as a “workhorse” blend. I’m not going to blow smoke and tell you it will change your life for the better, but I don’t think any of us are any worse for wear with another serviceable pipe tobacco blend to enjoy. I wouldn’t give it a perfect 5-star rating on its merits as a blend among blends, but it performs admirably and is worthwhile for all but the most inveterate latakia-philes.’

Summary

A glowing example of sweet, medium strength Virginia blend. Toasty with a delicate, lovely floral aroma and moderate potential for tongue bite. An any-time smoke for me personally. (2005 vintage)