Cigar Reviews Archive | Page 4 of 9

Cigar Review: Table 36 Peacemaker Bullet

March 21, 2014 By Kip Fisher

Quite some time ago, Will Blicharz of Table 36 Cigars provided me the samples smoked for this review, and now that I’m back in the swing of review-writing I thought it was high time I gave some props to a cigar line I have come to enjoy quite a bit. I have reviewed one of their cigars before, and written of them during IPCPR2013. Today, we’re looking at “The Bullet”, from Table 36 Cigars’ Peacemaker line. From their website:

“A tribute to the great westerns of Jimmy Stewart, John Wayne, and Clint Eastwood. From the exploded shaggy foot to the re-imagined Table 36 logo reminiscent of a Texas Ranger badge, The Peacemaker harkens back to the day of Railroad Towns, Saloons, and Gunslingers.
The Peacemaker joins our two existing lines, Fellowship and Integrity, and features a rich Nicaraguan wrapper and a Brazilian binder. The filler is a multi-region blend featuring diverse tobaccos from Jamastran and Azacualpa in Honduras and Jalapa in Nicaragua. While The Peacemaker steps outside our “Core Values” line, it continues in the Table 36 tradition of providing a premium boutique cigar at a great price point.
This is a rustic looking stick with an exploded shaggy foot and a toothy wrapper providing a medium strength flavor profile. The Peacemaker comes in four all new sizes: The Bullet (4 1/4 x 42), The .45 (5 1/2 x 45), Tin Star (7 x 43), and The Judge (6 x 52).”

The color of all 3 provided Peacemakers is medium to dark brown with a clear, even tone. The complexion is not oily or wet, but quite slick; they have an almost powdery feel to them. The cigars could be perceived as rustic, but the “exploded” shaggy foot probably goes a long way toward giving you that impression. Veins are pronounced but moderate. I’m really surprised by the consistency within the pack for each. Many times, a cigar with a shaggy foot might be soft toward the foot. This one is actually well packed throughout – neither hard nor soft spots – right up to the edge of the wrapper.
Prelight, the resistance is perfect, within the “goldilocks zone” for me. The unlit flavor is almost minty, and leaves a “fresh” feeling on the palate. Some hay is noticeable if a prolonged draw is taken. The cold aroma is very faint, giving a bit of hay and not a great deal more.

Just for fun, I light the very tip of the extreme shaggy foot. Of course it won’t smoke that way; your “draw” is dissipated before reaching the ember until it has burned about 1/2-2/3 of the length between tip and the beginning of the wrapper. Knowing that I couldn’t smoke it, I just kept the end smouldering until it had gotten close to where I had confidence it would burn. Amazingly, this only required one relight. I did this so I could simply smell the aroma of the interior tobaccos as they burned. This aroma smelled spicy and a bit sharp at times, but was overall pleasant.

Once the scant end-shag had burned away, I could finally get down to smoking. The first few puffs were potent for lack of a better word. I could definitely feel the nicotine working on the back of my throat in these first few minutes. The flavor was of peppery spice, yet tempered with some nuttiness, which I presume to be coming from the Jalapa in the filler blend. I’m impressed that the internal leaves can stand so well on their own, without the flavor-dense wrapper leaf. At this point, I’m anxious to get into the wrapper just to see what else is brought to the table.

As the burn arrived at the cigar proper, I had to touch it up a bit. The exposed binder leaf had a slightly slower burn rate than the filler components, and had to be “helped” a little to even it up. First off, I am immediately awed at how much this wrapper lends to the blend. Once it was alight, the blend lost every last bit of the aforementioned sharpness. The stick now presented a nutty core of flavors, with a touch of sweetness as a backdrop.

I initially had mixed feelings about such an extreme shaggy foot, but I now find myself much more in the “pro” camp. I’m 20 minutes into this cigar and just now getting to the full blend itself….but, by virtue of the foot, I’m come to know the blend a little better. I’ve had the opportunity to smell the internal components without the added impact of the wrapper. I’ve been able to look over the construction, and had the chance to just to enjoy every aspect of the cigar without sacrificing any of its intended length. That actually comes in quite handy for reviewing purposes.

The core nuttiness persisted throughout the central portion of the cigar. There were frequent wisps of other flavors – coffee, a slight cedar, some red pepper here and there – but the protagonistic nutty flavor was perpetual. As I lead into the final portion of the Bullet, I am beginning to feel the effects of a nicotine dose. It certainly isn’t overpowering; I’m not experiencing any cold sweats or dizziness. However, there’s no doubt I’ve had a cigar. Despite being a complete nicotine wimp, I’m surprised at this from such a small cigar. I suppose Peacemaker is a good name….because at the longer lengths it might knock all the fight out of you :). The pepper, in particular, was quite entertaining during the late stages. It was present most at the beginning and end, taking a hiatus in the mid portions. Nearing the end, this pepper was quite prominent, but the faint nutty sweetness kept it corraled. This persistent sweetness has pleasingly tied it all together for the cigar’s length.

I’ve now had the Tin Star and Bullet, and still have the .45 to go. I have thoroughly enjoyed the first two, and expect to the third. The similar ring gauges have made the profiles quite similar, but going forward I will likely stick to this Bullet. If you are more nico-tolerant than I (and you almost definitely are), I would recommend one of the longer sizes. Construction has been spot-on, and I think it’s a fantastic blend. It is definitely worth trying out, if you can find them. In fact, I would recommend actively seeking them out…they’re not yet exceedingly common, but well worth the trouble. Now, if I can only get one of my local shops to carry the line….

The Half Ashed Top Ten List for 2013

January 5, 2014 By Kip Fisher

This past week, Craig and I were back for Episode 047 of Half Ashed after a stint of illness for the both of us. One of the items we discussed was our picks for our respective favorite cigars we smoked in 2013 on the show. I thought I’d share those here on The Cigarmy as well. This list is meant entirely for fun, and we limited our selections to cigars that either 1.)we discussed at length on the show and/or 2.) we smoked as a Cigar of the Week. This is certainly not a be-all, end-all list for the year. In fact, there were a couple I couldn’t include because I didn’t make it a point to bring up in the show notes. But it’s our list, so we get to make the rules. Here are the caveats and the list in no particular order…..

***Since doing this episode, I came to realize a huge oversight on my part. I managed to leave off the Herrera Biography from my list. I smoked more of this cigar than any other for 2013….even including Fuente products. This should have made the list, and actually would likely rank #1 for me if there was an order. I guess this comes with getting older and losing my memory by the minute…..**** [Read more…]

Cigar Review: Table 36 Integrity Corona Gorda

November 19, 2013 By Kip Fisher

Table 36 Background

Back at the 2012 Chattanooga Tweetup, one of the sticks I received in my pack of cigars was a small, nondescript cigar simply marked “36” – or so I thought. I didn’t smoked that cigar until I returned home from the trip. When I did, I enjoyed it so much I made a couple of phone calls and internet queries trying to find out some more information about it. Turns out, it was from a Missouri based company called Table 36, and the cigar was called Fellowship. I did a little more digging and came to find out that there were no retailers in my area that carried the line, and the company prefers not to have their cigars sold online. Disappointed, I went back to my normal routine of smoking what’s readily available. Fast-forward to IPCPR 2013. I happened upon Table 36 at the show, and dropped by their booth to chat up the representatives and learn more about the cigars. After spending some time talking with the folks at the booth, I learned they have a very interesting back story on how the company came to be, and that they had released a new line called Integrity. I was given a corona gorda from the Integrity line to smoke, which is the subject of today’s review.

The Integrity is a Nicaraguan puro, featuring a Jalapa wrapper, double binders (Esteli & Jalapa), and filler blend of Condega and Jalapa tobacco. It is produced by Nestor Plasencia, and is available in 4 vitolas (Corona Gorda (5.5″X46), Robusto (5″X50), Toro (6″X50), and V58 (6.5″X58). MSRP on the line ranges from $7.15-8.65. For today’s review, I smoked the sample given and another example I received through trade with an acquaintance.

Pre Light

Giving the Integrity a quick once-over, it has a medium brown coloration, with some light mottling and a smooth, oily feel to the wrapper. The veins are clearly visible but moderate in size, and I find neither dense nor soft spots in the bunch. From all appearances, it is exceedingly well made. The prelight draw has a straightforward tobacco flavor and a moderate resistance – just about perfect for my tastes. Worth mention is a slight tingle on the tongue after a cold draw – which I will learn is a precursor of things to come.

The Smoke

Upon first light, the initial puffs of the Integrity are quite bold and spicy. This being a Nicaraguan puro, I expected more spice in comparison to its older brother Fellowship (which is medium in strength and largely comprised of Honduran tobacco). However, the Integrity (to my tastes) is more than one notch above the Fellowship in terms of that familiar pepper. If pressed to assign some flavor descriptors, I’d definitely go with red pepper this early in the cigar, which is most perceived on the retrohale. There is a sort of nutty backdrop to that spice as well, which really presents on the finish. All this being said, the flavor that will likely strike a chord with readers is that of tobacco. Very good, very Nicaraguan……tobacco. About an inch or so into my time with the Integrity, the pepper has ever-so-slightly abated, although I’m not sure if this is the cigar or if my palate has adapted.

Going into the midsection of the Integrity, the “nutty backdrop” mentioned earlier continues to develop and begins to show more of a woodsy bent – a bright, cedar flavor to be precise. I have to say that smoke production on this cigar has been voluminous….not that it means anything to most folks, but I thought it worthy of note. The ash has been had a consistently mottled, rumpled texture to it. While it doesn’t cling tightly enough to set any length records, I never felt in danger of ashing myself and setting my pants ablaze. By the end of this portion of the cigar, the rusty old synapses in my mind and flavor perceptors of my palate assign a more leathery character to the flavor. The spice remains at the ready with retrohale.

The final stretch of the Integrity comes in with an upswing in prominence of that leathery flavor, yet still displaying the sweet, dry nuttiness of the Jalapa in the blend. The spice that has been interwoven throughout also picks back up remarkably in the final few minutes. I had no beverage with the Integrity either of the times I smoked it, but I imagine this would go phenomenally well with a strong cup of coffee.

Summary

While approachable for most anyone, the Integrity will be most appreciated by those who enjoy bold Nicaraguan tobacco that makes its presence known (as I do). The interplay between this spice and the nutty flavors will definitely keep even the most finicky smokers interested. I hope Table 36 has continued growth….at least enough to get a retailer in the Tampa market, as I would love to have these at hand on a regular basis. Selfishly speaking, Tampa needs this cigar (if the guys from Table 36 are reading, this is a hint). Highly recommended.

Cigar Review: Havana Sunrise Reserve "Brilliance"

November 11, 2013 By Kip Fisher

Havana Sunrise Reserve background

I recently reviewed a cigar called “Ringo” from Felix Assouline Cigars, a new company that I encountered at IPCPR. Today, I’m smoking the second of two samples they provided of another Felix Assouline offering, the Havana Sunrise Reserve (HSR), in their “Brilliance” vitola. The HSR is a reblended version of Benny Gomez’s previously available cigar bearing the same name. From the Felix Assouline website: “Havana Sunrise Reserve is our nod to the old traditions of yesterday…..[It] is a medium to full body line introduced in 5 vitolas.” The five vitolas are: Beacon (56X6.5″ Toro), Brilliance (54X6.5 Torpedo), Blaze (54X6″), Prelude (52X4.75″), and Ray (44X5.5″). The Havana Sunrise sports a Habano ’98 wrapper (of unspecified origin), Indonesian binder, and a filler blend of Nicaraguan and Honduran tobacco – this same basic theme runs through all four introductory blends offered by Felix Assouline, with adjustments to filler composition to achive differing flavor profiles. All vitolas come in boxes of 30 box pressed cigars.” MSRP for the Brilliance is $7.

Both cigars smoked for today’s review were a fairly evenly colored medium brown, with sparse spotting/mottling and an oily feel and appearance. The seams and veins are modest in appearance, and construction has been exceptional. I found no hard/soft spots within the pack, and the draw has been free but deliberate. The cold draw on both provided a mild hay flavor, and while unlit they gave a very subtle but sweet tobacco barn aroma.

The Smoke

The HSR lit exceedingly well, and very easily. I am normally a much smaller ring-gauge smoker, but I have to admit the Brilliance was quite comfortable for me – presumably due to the elongated press and tapered head of the torpedo. An early spice in the opening minutes is a surprise for me. In my mind, I suppose I was expected something more akin to the original Havana Sunrise blend – which had very little spice. Today’s HSR is more in line with what we see coming from Nicaraguan manufacturers in recent years. The flavors themselves for this early portion are a bit leathery, and the spice really only presents if you give the smoke a quick retrohale. As I progressed through the first two inches of each stick, I noticed that the tingle on retrohale began to taper, allowing the background flavors to become more pronounced and really shine through. In general, the profile at this point sweetens, but remains very much in the tanner’s corner.

Moving into the second portion of the Brilliance, the spice abated to a large degree. The cigar developed a more toasty character, and has moments of sweetness that give it a flavor I would almost classify as caramelesque. It has flashes of an interesting toasted-marshmallow nature that are very pleasant but fleeting. The influence of the Nicaraguan filler tobacco continues to be clear, although the spice remained considerably muted

In the final stretch, I was greeted with an unexpected resurgence in the early spice. While never mild in flavor, this was a bold wakeup call, in terms of both flavor and strength. I might have placed the HSR firmly in the medium range previously, but at this point I would lean toward calling it full-strength overall. It isn’t the strongest powerhouse of a blend I’ve ever smoked, but you will not lose sight of the fact that you are smoking a cigar….yet it doesn’t punch you in the throat with an overbearing strength. It’s more of a “velvet hammer” approach. The strength did begin to sneak up on me toward the very end. As for flavor, I would definitely classify the HSR as full bodied. There are some hints of coffee in the final half hour of smoking, accompanied by the earlier noted leathery, toasty character. I did experience some mild scalloping in the burn toward the end of both samples, but never anything worth more than a mention. A quick touchup with the lighter resolved all issues.

Summary

I have to say I have thoroughly enjoyed the Havana Sunrise. It’s strange; I enjoyed Benny’s previous blend…and while the current incarnation of the HSR is radically different, I have enjoyed it greatly as well. In fact, I’m hoping one of my local Tampa shops picks up the line. It’s a blend I would love to have in my regular rotation. For those of you who enjoy and appreciate Nicaraguan spice accompanied by a blending style that showcases dark, sweet flavors to provide a beautiful backdrop for it, the Havana Sunrise Reserve comes highly recommended.

Cigar Review: Pinar Del Rio AFR-75 Sublime

October 16, 2013 By Kip Fisher

Background on the AFR-75

Shortly after IPCPR, I was offered the opportunity to try a few new Pinar del Rio blends and absolutely jumped at the chance. It’s no secret I’m a fan of some other cigars that come from Abe Flores’ factory in the Dominican Republic – notably, his PDR Small Batch maduro and the Biography he produces for Frank Herrera (which is a top-three cigar from 2012 to my tastes). Today, I’m smoking the AFR-75 Sublime (5″X56). The line takes its name from Abe Flores’ initials and year of birth, and is a quite limited production run of 500 boxes per vitola in 3 different sizes (the other two being the Edmundo at 6″X58 and Immenso at 7″X60). It also features a San Andres Maduro wrapper, and filler/binder mix of ’98 Nicaraguan Criollo, Connecticut Broadleaf, and Dominican tobaccos. For this review, I’ve smoked two samples, provided by PDR.

Pre-Light

The PDR AFR-75 comes with a lovely medium chocolate-brown complexion, evenly colored, and with no mottling whatsoever. It has a lightly oily appearance, some very fine tooth, and moderate veining. There is one significant vein turned to the outside of the wrapper on the second sample, but they’re generally light in appearance. I did notice on both cigars that the wrapper had retreated slightly from the bunch near the foot, a tell that indicates it has been properly held for some time before release. I did not notice any soft nor dense spots in the pack. Overall, both have been solidly built and provided near-perfect draw resistance. Before light, the wrapper aroma smells strongly of cedar; the foot as well, with perhaps some hay.

The Smoke

With the application of fire, the AFR-75 starts off with a bang; tons of spice on the soft palate; not quite so bold on retrohale, surprisingly. I rarely will use red pepper as a flavor descriptor, but in the first few minutes of the AFR, that’s exactly what I’m reminded of. The spice, as perceived across the soft palate, is capsaicin-like. It leaves a slight lingering tingle behind through the finish. Within a few minutes, this has tamed considerably, however. By the five minute mark, it had subsided and left behind a very enjoyable, much softer, tropical spice. This, as I’ve mentioned in a few previous reviews, is more akin to some Caribbean cooking spices than the earlier mentioned red pepper. It’s something I personally enjoy and actively seek out in a cigar. Just the right amount of that first “bite” remains to keep this stick pleasant and interesting.

The middle portion of the PDR AFR-75 brings a more cedary profile. The cedar that was so apparent on the wrapper aroma before lighting has been largely missing from the early portion of the cigar, but now begins to build significantly. Halfway through this portion, it has become the clear dominant flavor – and will remain so until the end of this portion of the cigar. In the final stretch, there was some early fade from the cedar into a sweeter profile, akin to dark chocolate. However, this was fleeting, with the cedar soon returning.

Summary

I have to admit the AFR-75 never became bitter, all the way to the very end. In fact, both my samples were finely crafted, deliciously blended cigars. The only possible cause for pause for some will be the pricing, which pushes the $15 mark at full retail. I have certainly paid more for less enjoyment in a cigar, but I know many in the marketplace may view that with a very skeptical eye. I still hold that the AFR-75 carries its weight and is definitely worth investigating. With its limited nature, presumably dear components, and admirable performance in my experience, I expect it will yet do well in the market. It is definitely worth the investment and investigation if you are at all a fan of PDR Cigars (as I find myself increasingly so).

Cigar Review: Aging Room Maduro Rondo

October 6, 2013 By Kip Fisher

Back in June, I posted some news from parent company Boutique Blends Cigars about a few upcoming cigars they had in the works. I later had the opportunity to sit in on their presentation at IPCPR – one of the most informational and organized at the show. Mr. Rafael Nodal, Carlos Nodal, and Joshi Blanco provided extensive information on all their upcoming blends and were very accommodating in answering questions. The samples under review today were provided subsequent to this presentation. Boutique Blends Cigars’ business umbrella covers a number of divisions – including Boutique Blends, Aging Room, SWAG, and Oliveros cigars. The new Aging Room maduro appealed to me because of its components – Dominican grown habano as the filler and binder, with an aged (5-6 years) Nicaraguan maduro wrapper. This combination sounds enticing….but, how does it hold up in practice? Let’s find out…..

The Aging Room maduro is available in five vitolas: the Major (6.5″X60); Mezzo (6″X54); Alto (7″X47); Rondo (5″X50 – today’s reviewed cigar); Presto (4.5″X48). The Rondo retails for about $7.75 in the Florida market. The Nicaraguan wrapper is medium to dark brown in color, with only the slightest mottling throughout. Overall, the coloration is fairly uniform. It lacks a “sheen” but feels oily to the touch and features moderate veining. The seams virtually disappear, as both mine were exquisitely rolled. I detected neither soft nor dense spots along their length. Once clipped, the draw is deliberate but open – just about perfect for my tastes. Before light the wrapper carries a faint barnyard aroma, with the foot providing a sweeter, more haylike experience. This sweet hay comes through more clearly on the cold draw.

At first light, the latter cigar provided a slight resistance to fire, but lit evenly. The first few puffs produce an enormous amount of smoke. I really got a hearty spice in the early minutes of both samples, which was felt most on the soft palate. Although heavy in dosage, the spice is actually very pleasant. It’s not shrill, as can sometimes be the case with some more spicy blends. There is a “caramel-esque” undertone to the flavor that really complements the spice and wrangles it into submission. Normally, I smoke two or more of a given cigar in the process of doing a review – the first with no accompaniment, and the second with something I think will accentuate the cigar. In this case, I chose coffee for the second example. While I love coffee, and today’s cigar is quite enjoyable in its own right, I don’t think it paired particularly well with my coffee. In fact, I abandoned the coffee within the first 20 minutes of smoking. The coffee was not drawing anything new from the cigar, and the cigar was deadening the flavor of the coffee. That says nothing about either, it merely means the pairing was not working for me. The end of the first segment of the Aging Room Maduro shows a good bit of ebbing in the spice, and some mildly woodsy flavors beginning to make way toward the foreground.

As I make the transition into the middle portion of the cigar, the spice has not faded entirely, but is quite subdued when compared to the early minutes. It seems to have reached a plateau for the time being. The woodsy flavors that began to peek through late in the first portion are much brighter in the midsection, with a noticeable cedar bent. The construction has been flawless on both samples I’ve smoked, as the burnline is witness to. The ash hung on to nearly an inch and a half before falling.

Going into the final stretch, the flavors didn’t change drastically from the middle portion. The spice did continue to drop into the background, with perhaps a bit more sweet cedar playing the dominant role. The finish was long and leaned more into the caramel family noted early in the cigar. I enjoyed the Aging Room Maduro quite a bit, and definitely have a place for it in my humidor. The Dominican binder and filler marry beautifully with the aged Nicaraguan wrapper to lend just the right mix of spice and sweetness to keep one entertained throughout the cigar. This might be my favorite of the Aging Room offerings to this point. Well worth investigation for any palate. Highly recommended.

**As a sidenote, the band from the Aging Room maduro has a wealth of useful information on the reverse:

Cigar Review: Barry Stein’s KILO

September 16, 2013 By Kip Fisher

Barry Stein’s KILO

Any of you who are involved in the online cigar community probably know who Barry Stein is. Barry founded acigarsmoker.com, and later handed off that review site when he took a position with Miami Cigar Company. He’s a prominent personality within the industry, and is one of the folks who most everyone fortunate enough to know him would say they are better for it. As detailed in a recent blog post on the Miami Cigar website, Barry had the opportunity to create his own cigar blend this past year – which has been through a number of small, friendly market tests wherein it received quite a bit of praise. With that warm reception, a decision was made to produce an initial release of his cigar, now named the KILO. One of the small market tests was at an event I attended – the Chattanooga Tweetup. Barry was kind enough to give me a couple of the KILOs to try, and I thought I’d jot down some notes from them here.

The KILO will, for the time being, be available in a single robusto (5″X50) format, and is launching officially September 20th at Primo Cigar Shop in Santa Fe, New Mexico. It features an Ecuadoran Sumatran wrapper, cloaked around a Cameroon binder and filler blend consisting of two different Dominican ligeros, a Nicaraguan ligero, and Pennsylvanian Broadleaf. The robusto will retail for $8.00 before local taxes.

Appearance, Construction & Taste

The KILO is medium brown in coloration, and shows extensive mottling throughout much of its length. While not shiny, it is quite smooth to the touch and definitely “feels” oily. The wrapper leaf is very supple and smooth to the touch. Veining is moderate, and the bunch on both my samples was uniform in density – neither soft nor hard spots were found.

Before light, the draw resistance was just about perfect, and provided a mild hay that carries a nice sweetness that borders on graham cracker or brown sugar in flavor. The unlit aroma is a bit earthy on the wrapper, but at the foot I find a deeper, darker sweetness – akin to the cold draw noted above. I find it to almost be molasses-like, actually.

The Smoke

Except for what is listed above, I don’t know the exact details of the blend Barry selected for the KILO. There is at least some portion of Nicaraguan ligero in the filler, which makes itself known in the first few minutes of the cigar. What I find most entertaining at this time, though, is the interplay between the ligero’s spice and the PA Broadleaf’s toasty flavor. As I continually explore the various components used in cigarmaking, I find a few leaf varieties that increasingly appeal to me. One of these is PA Broadleaf, which provides a very toasty flavor palette. There is a clear backdrop of an earthy character here as well. This really comes through on the finish for me. I have to pause here and offer some remarks to any of you that happen to be pipesmokers. The finish during these earlier segments of the KILO gives me a very familiar flavor memory. While not a direct match, it puts me in mind of some McClelland Virginia blends. For those who aren’t pipesmokers, the blends of which I speak are NOT what you might imagine as pipe tobacco – I speak not of the typical drugstore variety, heavily flavored tobaccos. McClelland is world renowned for the processing and blending prowess with unflavored Virginia pipe tobacco blends, and are able to achieve a very distinct and pleasing “twang” in their tobaccos. Again, the KILO is not identical in this respect, but leaves that distinct impression in my mind.

Middle Section – As I progress into the midsection of the KILO, the burn has been very good; I’ve touched up a scalloping burn but I’m a little more compulsive than most cigar smokers. Many would not have bothered, and it likely would have corrected itself. After a start in the medium range, the strength has picked up noticeably, although I’d still put it on the lighter end of full. Other folks smoking the KILO at the Chattanooga Tweetup seemed to classify it as a bit more potent than I…perhaps my tolerance is building :).

final stretch – Continuing onward, and into the final stretch of the KILO, I notice the flavors have drifted a little further from the initial sweetness. I’m detecting a bit of a lightly sweet cedar flavor, and some leather. The early brown sugar and graham cracker sweetness has entirely faded into the background at this point, and a little bit of broad citrus has crept in to replace it. This citrus is generic in nature, meaning that I would not place it squarely onto a specific citrus fruit; just a flavor that brings the family to mind. The toasty character has really developed, although it is less emboldened than in the early minutes. It is now more defined and bready in nature. The burn and construction has proven to be spot-on in both examples I’ve smoked.

Summary

Overall, I think the KILO is a solid offering from Miami Cigar. When I first saw the list of components in this cigar, I was concerned with how it might smoke….would the flavors be muddled? Confused? I wasn’t sure if the Cameroon binder would play nicely with the PA Broadleaf. My fears were allayed once I had the opportunity to actually fire one up and smoke it. As it turns out, the components cooperate beautifully. The first KILO I smoked was across a very polluted palate, after a number of cigars at the Tweetup….and I still found plenty of flavor to enjoy (impressive in its own right). The second was on a clean palate as the first cigar of the day after a couple days of not really smoking….and still really dug it. Barry has done an outstanding job of building something that I believe would be a welcome addition to the Miami Cigar lineup. I find myself jealous of the accomplishment; he is living out his dream. I truly hope to see the KILO on my local shelves in the near future….not only would I buy in the future, but I’m ready today. Barry? You out there? Hook up the Tampa market, brother….

Cigar Review: JC Newman Brick House Maduro robusto

September 6, 2013 By Kip Fisher

JC Newman Brick House Maduro robusto

Rummaging through the samples I brought back from IPCPR 2013, I came across the JC Newman Brick House Maduro, in robusto (5″X54). Previously only available in 6″X60, this new offering piqued my interest. I tried the Mighty Mighty Maduro last year, but can’t say that I had revisited the line because I’m not typically a fan of the larger ring cigars. While the flavors in that stick were enjoyable enough, I’m just not especially comfortable smoking the size. I do, however, enjoy the standard Brick House line – especially in the robusto format. I am also a maduro fan, and nearing fanboy status with Aripiraca wrapper leaf. I was eager to put fire to today’s featured cigar after noting in the press release that it carries a Brazilian Aripiraca wrapper and a Nicaraguan binder/filler blend. Much of my experience with JC Newman is with their Fuente-made Diamond Crown lines, and Perla del Mar from their San Rafael factory in Nicaragua, with the addition of the standard Brick House robusto – which, along with the Brick House maduro, is also produced at their Nicaraguan factory.

Prelight

The Brazilian wrapper on the Brick House Maduro is a very deep, dark brown color with but a slight oily sheen. The samples I received were moderately veined, with only one prominent vein visible for much of the length of the cigar. The pack is very even, although I did note it was a bit spongy near the foot. Once clipped, the cold draw is deliberate but well within normal range, and provides a slightly sweet oat or undefined grain flavor profile. Before first light, it has a sharp leather and pepper aroma at the foot, and a similar but more faint aroma along the wrapper. The cursory sniff at the foot actually drew a sneeze from me with its spice.

The Smoke

With the initial firing, the Brick House maduro starts out with a solid zing, mostly felt across the soft palate. Strangely, this peppery zing does not translate 100% through retrohale. The pepper is still there, but a bit more subdued. Behind this early spice lie flavors that are in line with – although different from – the noted oat/grain flavor on the cold draw. There is some sweetness, but it is NOT the light, baking spice or citrus you might imagine. It’s dark and chewy – almost leathery.

By the middle portion of the Brick House maduro, it has really developed into the woodsy character I often get with Aripiraca wrapper leaf. As we’ve discussed on Half Ashed a number of times, I appreciate this much more than my co-host Craig. He’s not much of a fan….while I have identified it as a pattern in my enjoyment of a number of cigars and actively seek it out. I’ll take a moment here to mention that the burn and construction on this cigar has been dead-on in all respects. This is something that I too often overlook or take for granted, but feel strongly that it’s the very foundation of a good cigar. Tobacco selection, care, and blender’s skill are certainly key….but if a cigar is poorly assembled it’s all for naught. It’s an exceedingly rare occurrence to find a construction flaw in a JC Newman product – in both their Fuente-made products and San Rafael rolled lines. The Brick House Maduros I’ve had are no exception. Both have been expertly crafted.

Coming into the final stretch, much of the earlier spice has receded and been replaced almost entirely with a mildly sweet woodsy family of flavors. Drawing from my years in wood furniture factories, it reminds me of Ash (fitting, right?) that has been machined a little too slowly – becoming heated by the tooling, but not quite burned. Ash has some inherently oaken characteristics, but is mild in aroma – hence my use of it for the illustration. I don’t want to overstate the woodsy tone of the cigar. Overall, it’s quite pleasant. The strength peaked during the middle portion of the cigar for me, although it was neither overtly strong nor mild at any point in the cigar. You will not forget you’re smoking a cigar, but I believe the Brick House Maduro is approachable for any level of nicotine tolerance. I’d place it firmly in the medium range throughout the smoke.

Summary

The robusto is a welcome addition to the Brick House maduro lineup. As I mentioned earlier, I’ll admit I had not really found myself interested in the maduro line previously because it was only offered in the 6″X60 Mighty Mighty vitola. Being more of a corona-lonsdale-robusto kind of guy, I had largely overlooked it. With the addition of a robusto, it has added a new option for those of us who prefer somewhat smaller cigars – an option of which I’ll happily take advantage. I found the blend entirely pleasurable, and the Brick House is well within the confines of affordable pricing at a $5.15 MSRP. That makes for a homerun on the value scale for me. The non-maduro Brick House is one of my all time favorite cigars to fire up when nothing else jumps out as a particular craving. I know I can expect solid, classic cigar flavors and aromas with consistently good construction, and a fantastic pricepoint. This is a cigar I’ll buy by the box and stash in a readily accessible section of the humidor, for those times when nothing else will do. If you’re a maduro fan, an Aripiraca fan, or a Nicaragua fan (or any combination of the three), I think you’ll really dig the Brick House maduro….

Cigar Review: Nestor Miranda SS Exclusivo Regional

September 4, 2013 By Kip Fisher

Nestor Miranda Special Selection Exclusivo Regional

I recently had the opportunity to try a couple of new cigars from Miami Cigar, one being today’s tobacco du jour – the Nestor Miranda Special Selection Exclusivo Regional (Midwest). Assistant Director of Marketing Barry Stein, who provided the samples, tells me these cigars are a limited production line for the US Midwest, will be available in two vitolas (Robusto Extra 5.5″X54, and Toro Grande 6″X60), and will retail for $8 and $9 respectively. The wrapper on this stick is San Andres, a departure from the NMSS core line offerings in (Ecuadoran) Connecticut, (Nicaraguan Habano) Rosado, and (Nicagraguan Habano) Oscuro wrappers. The Exclusivo Regional also has Nicaraguan filler and binder, and both vitolas will be box-pressed.

Prelight

Knowing my proclivity for loving San Andres leaf, it took all the self-control I could muster to give the cigar a cursory exam before lighting. It comes with a beautiful milk-chocolate brown wrapper, uniform in color and covered with sparse but evenly distributed tooth. It has little sheen and is very dry to the touch, with moderate veining. The veins and seams are largely obscured by the press, with the seams being all but imperceptible. I find neither soft nor hard spots across the length of the cigar; it is solidly built and the bunch feels evenly distributed. I did note that the weight feels slightly lighter than I would have expected before picking it up.

The aroma before lighting is very faint along the wrapper, more pronounced at the foot, and of molasses and some mild hay. The cap clipped perfectly – I have, at different times, had some issues with cracking San Andres wrapper leaf while clipping…but both examples of today’s featured cigar I’ve smoked thus far have performed admirably. The draw resistance is firm but free; just about perfect for my tastes, and provides an unusual sweetness before light.

The Smoke

Once lit, the initial puffs are somewhat toasty, and lean toward a caramel character. I don’t find quite as much sweetness as I might have expected in these early minutes. The flavors, however, are quite malleable and greatly influenced by the dilution of air:smoke when drawn. It seems much more sweet when you take a puff with more “fresh” air in the mix; the smoke, when drawn with little air, takes on more of a dry toast flavor, and if pushed will develop a slightly earthen taste, or chalky even. It quickly begins to progress into what I’ve come to appreciate and expect in San Andres-wrapped, Nicaraguan-filled cigars – some dry cocoa. Approaching the midsection, both cigars smoked for this review really began to settle into that cocoa-ish sweetness I commonly find in accompaniment to San Andres wrapper. The flavor development at this point is quite impressive, actually. It is far bolder and more pronounced than in the first few minutes. The cocoa is accented by a flavor that reminds me of well-worn leather; not with the sharpness of a hide fresh from the tanner’s bench, but more akin to the mellowed sweetness of a long-used, much-loved baseball glove.

It is worth noting that for the entire length of both samples I smoked for this review, I never even had the thought of reaching for my lighter cross my mind. The occasional scallop would develop in the burnline, but would quickly self-correct without intervention from me. Overall, the burn has been impeccable. The flavors in the final portion of the smoke continue to intensify – drawing back from the sweetness into the aforementioned toasty range…and onward into a sharper, slightly woodsy profile. If you’ve ever burned any of the fruitwoods – apple, cherry, or even citrus – you may know exactly what I mean. The smoke carries its sweetness, but is tempered by an ever-present, albeit moderate astringency. As one who has a habit of piling various cuts of meat into the smoker and watching for hours on end with bated breath, this interplay is very appealing to me.

The Wrap

It is well documented that I am generally a big fan of San Andres wrapped cigars. I love the mellow cocoa and leathery flavors that the leaf can contribute to a cigar. Once in a while, a blend comes along with this wrapper that just “works.” This, for me, is the case with the Nestor Miranda Special Selection Exclusivo Regional. Producing none of the cloying sensory overload that may be found in an infused or flavored cigar, it merely creates an association that draws a palate-memory from your mind….firing synapses that remind you of something good. Something pleasant. Something you’ve enjoyed before. I could go on and on with accolades and recommendations for this cigar based on my pure enjoyment – but I have a couple emails to send to some guys in Illinois who might have a line on a box of these for me….

Cigar Review: Felix Assouline Ringo Colt

August 27, 2013 By Kip Fisher

Felix Assouline Ringo “Colt”

As I mentioned in one of the summaries of IPCPR 2013, Felix Assouline was a company I was unfamiliar with before the show. I ran into my friend Benny Gomez, who has partnered with them to field his Havana Sunrise blend, and he pointed the booth out and introduced me to Michel Malek. The company is launching with four brands, the “EGO,” “Something Special,” “Havana Sunrise,” and “Ringo.” In the first of four reviews, we’re taking a look at the Ringo today. I’m smoking the “Colt,” a 6.5″X38 boxpressed lonsdale. The company literature describes the Ringo as “a call to our Western heritage. Ringo Cigars blend the past with the rich flavors that can only achieve with blending and processing tobaccos from many regions of the world. This results in a medium to full flavor cigar.” In speaking with Michel, I learned Felix Assouline strives toward vertical integration, growing some of their own tobacco (Jamastran, Honduras), producing cigars in their own factory (Esteli, Nicaragua), building boxes…and even an internal function for graphics design. ~~I did not manage to get the blend info for this cigar yet, but will update this page once I acquire that bit of information~~ [EDIT: I have received further information from Michel Malek: The wrapper is Habano 98, binder is Indonesian, and the filler blend is Nicaraguan/Honduran. MSRP is $6.00, which I believe is a great price for this cigar].

Just taking a quick look over the Ringo, it has a medium-dark brown, uniformly colored wrapper with moderate veins. The wrapper has a very silky complexion, and is quite oily and smooth to the touch. I find neither void nor soft spot in the roll; the bunch is very evenly distributed. The prelight aroma is mild on the wrapper, but more pronounced and earthy in character at the foot. The cold draw provides more earthiness and a bit of hay as well, and is in the sweet spot of resistance.

The initial 10 minutes of smoking reveal a great deal of “zing” through the nose upon retrohale, and a subtle toasty nature in flavor. There is a healthy and pleasing dose of spice felt on the soft palate. Not that it means a lot to most, but I notice the ash is a brilliant white at this point. As I progress into the second third of the stick, the flavors really begin to soften into a sweet spiciness – much like some indeterminate baking spice. The aroma of the smoke from the Ringo is noteworth. It is very meaty and full in texture; somewhat reminiscent o f allspice in aroma. It provides a very classic cigar room note, with only the tiniest bit of “bite.” Moving into the final third of smoking, the flavors have continued to build, yet smoothed out in feel – almost a sweet citrus. The burn rate has been moderate and comfortable, with not so much as a single touchup being required for either of the samples I smoked. The sweet spice mentioned above has begun to fade at this point. A more toasty profile has developed, with some leather and a slight nuttiness coming to the forefront.

The final stretch of the Ringo continues to build, in both flavor and strength. It never reaches at point that it overwhelms me with a nicotine rush, but its effect is definitely noticeable. I would have placed it near-center medium for the first half of the cigar, but well into the full strength spectrum by the end of the cigar. Nearing the end of my final sample, I’m left hoping my local shop puts these on the shelf. The size is perfect for my preference, the press is comfortable, and the flavors very pleasant. What’s not to like? Depending on final MSRP, I can definitely see adding the Ringo to my purchasing patterns…