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Cigar Review: Antonio Benitez Edicion Especial Corona

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You may remember this post I hastily typed out on my phone and uploaded here back in August while at IPCPR.  It was the middle of the night, and I had just finished up my first Antonio Benitez Edicion Especial Corona (5 X 42).  I was so impressed with the quality of the smoke that I had to put up that brief mention, even in the wee hours of the morning.  Benitez Cigars is the brainchild of Rey Benitez and his father, and they own their own factory which has recently been relocated from Honduras to Managua, Nicaragua.  The Antonio Benitez Edicion Especial is their latest offering, and consists of a Honduran habano maduro wrapper and Nicaraguan habano binder, wound around a filler blend of Nicaraguan, Honduran, and Mexican tobaccos.  I was first introduced to Benitez Cigars at the SOFLATWEETUP at Charmed Leaf back in March of this year, and had occasionally revisited their lineup in the intervening months leading up to IPCPR.  For whatever reason, I had not had the opportunity to try the corona in the line until August.  The Antonio Benitez Edicion Especial corona retails for about $5.80 in the Florida market, and can be found at a growing number of retailers.  Rey himself is a local and regular visitor to Charmed Leaf, and I’ve had the pleasure of spending time with him there as well.  He’s quite knowledgeable and passionate about tobacco and cigars, and is a dedicated family man as well.  If you find yourself in the Delray Beach area, a stop by Charmed Leaf is a must.  But, back to the cigar at hand…

Taking the cigar from its cellophane, the prelight aroma on the wrapper is mild but distinctly woody in nature.  It’s not necessarily a cedar you might normally expect, but woodsy nonetheless – think cypress, or a very faint cedar aroma.  The aroma at the foot is sweeter smelling than the wrapper, has a moderate hay or barnyard character and is slightly peppery.  If you’re prone to such it will even elicit a sneeze with a deep sniff.  The draw is well within my normal preference, giving slight resistance but free and providing a flavor of sweet hay.  With the application of flame and into the first few puffs the Antonio Benitez gives a very bold spice – not at all painful on the back of the throat as some Nicaraguan blends tend to do for me, but felt high on the rear of my palate.  The spice is very strong on the retrohale, even with suitable air dilution.  The early flavors presented come across as toasted grains, and some coffee notes.  In fact, I have taken to pairing this cigar with a good cup of strong black coffee, although today I have no accompaniment.

The lit aroma of the Antonio Benitez is a very classic cigar fragrance.  It reminds me of charred wood, and can even take on a resemblance to brewing coffee.  This is a strong association for me personally, and this cigar actually generates a desire to match it up with a good cup.  In this early portion of the smoke, I took a moment to examine the construction of the stick.  It is very well made as I have come to expect based on previous examples.  It has a near-uniform dark chocolate colored wrapper, and almost imperceptible seams.  The caps are beautifully applied as well, and I find neither void nor soft/loose spots in the roll.  The ash first drops just shy of one inch.

Going into 2nd inch, the flavors have gotten more cedary in character.  There is still a quite pronounced spice through the nose with retrohale. The burn is behaving as expected in a well made cigar.  In this particular stick, I did perform one minor touchup during the 2nd inch.  However, it probably would have self-corrected; I’m somewhat compulsive about nipping things in the bud when possible.  I continue to experience flavors similar to a generic toasted grain and some coffee coupled with the cedar that has come into play.  I mentioned that during the cigar smoked for the pictures and writing up this review, I experimented with no coffee to make sure that the coffee wasn’t influencing my perception of the cigar.  The coffee flavors might not have been as bold in this case, but still quite clear.

By the final stretch, today’s cigar sweetens slightly, with a dry cocoa flavor accompanying the coffee that has persisted throughout.  The spice is not quite as prevalent by this point, either.  As expected, the Antonio Benitez Edicion Especial corona lives very much up to my earlier comments concerning construction.  The draw and burn has remained steady and even throughout, with only the one minor touchup along the way.  It carries a long, pleasant finish that lingers on the palate.  The finish retains some of the sweetness that has developed, along with some smokiness and hints of roasted almonds.

As I mentioned, I have enjoyed some of Rey’s cigars going back to my first introduction to them at the SOFLATWEETUP, but the Edicion Especial corona is far and away my favorite.  I loved this blend in this size from first light at IPCPR, and continue to do so.  With all the reviews and ratings that float around the internet these days, I think the real issue at hand is whether or not a cigar is worth buying…and buying again.  In this case it certainly is for me.  Would I spend my money on them?  Not only would I, but I have, and will continue.  There has already been a number of retailers to pick up the Antonio Benitez line, so look for them at your local shop – or better yet ask for them if you don’t see them.  If you’re into bold Nicaraguan tobacco that will wreck neither your bank account nor your palate, this one is a sure winner.  Having spent a great deal of time in South Florida for my job this Summer, I buy mine at Charmed Leaf [NOTE: This shop has sold since this original post. I’m not familiar with the current ownership nor condition of the place.].  If you can’t find these cigars locally, I can highly recommend ordering there (for full disclosure, that’s just a recommendation from a very satisfied customer – no business affiliation).

Cigar Review: La Tradicion Cubana American Born Cubans

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The obligatory summer time cold has passed from my family, so now that my head is clear I thought it’d be a great day for a review!  Today’s cigar is the “American Born Cubans,” or ABC, from Luis Sanchez at La Tradicion Cubana.  This is a new cigar from Luis, although a line was produced several years ago under the name, which was lost to a devastating fire at his original factory in late 2006.  The American Born Cubans is a tribute to U.S.-born Cuban Americans seeking to succeed in America while maintaining their heritage and preserving Cuban tradition as well.  I mentioned the ABC in a recent Cigar Spotlight I did on La Tradicion Cubana.  I also spoke with Luis briefly about the new cigar at IPCPR, but as of yet he’s remaining quiet on the specifics of the blend.  The ABC is produced at his factory in the Dominican Republic, but he’s known for using tobaccos from all around the tobacco growing world.  After the show, I happened to be in Miami and made a trip over to La Tradicion Cubana to pick up some cigars and spend a few minutes chatting with Luis.  During the visit, he graciously gave me a couple of what turned out to be a very limited supply of the ABC’s to try.  Never willing to rush things, he is still waiting on the first full-production shipment to arrive from his Dominican factory.

The ABC is available in one vitola, a 6.5″ X 57 ring torpedo with a swaged foot.  It has a very attractive, chocolate-brown wrapper that is quite supple and almost oily to the touch.  The construction on both samples I received was solid, with no voids or soft spots whatsoever.  I can say that across the board, Luis’ cigars are always well built.  As I mentioned in the Cigar Spotlight, his La Tradicion Cubana corona has become a regular morning smoke for me.  I have gone through many of those cigars, and don’t remember ever having any burn or construction issues whatsoever.  But, back to the ABC.  The wrapper has a very faint aroma, reminiscent of tanned leather.  The foot smells of hay and sweet tobacco, and is more pronounced than the wrapper.  I only clipped off about 1/4″ of the sharply tapered head, which made for an excellent draw – deliberate, but free.  The prelight draw is very sweet and akin to the unlit foot aroma.  No Tutti-Frutti…just the sweetness of properly cared-for tobacco.

Once the initial light has settled, Luis’ dedication to quality in his product really shines.  I’m not sure how much is due to proper construction, and how much to the physics behind that swaged foot…but the burn is phenomenally even-keeled for a cigar assembled with a complex shape.  The early flavors are a pleasant admixture of sweet and spice – toasted marshmallows on the palate, but a slight amount of pepper on retrohale.  I am easily overwhelmed by too much spice, but in this case it’s pleasant and interesting.  For those of you who are interested, the ash is finely grained and mottled gray and white.  Once the burn passes the shoulder of the cigar at about 3/4″, the draw frees slightly but is still well within the acceptable range.  The ash appeared to be clinging tightly when my fumbling, fat fingers dropped the cigar onto the ashtray and beheaded it.  Beyond this initial, incidental ashing it held to about 3/4″-1″ before dropping.

Going into the second inch of smoking, it is apparent that the ABC has a good bit more strength than Luis’ La Tradicion Cubana line that I am more familiar with.  I’d place it firmly into the heavier end of medium, bordering on full at this point.  The flavors are still sweet and toasty, although the earlier spice has dissipated considerably.  I’m enjoying this second cigar so much I’m resistant to even continue keeping notes for this review in favor of just relaxing with the smoke.  Since it is the last remaining ABC I have, I suppose I’d better trek onward.  Throughout the second inch and into the third, the burn remains well-behaved.  I have yet to even touch it up, which is rare for me, an obsessive ash-manager.  As the burn approaches the band, the flavors in the ABC have developed nicely and remain in the same family as earlier – toasted marshmallow, some nuttiness, and a flavor I can only describe as charred wood with a sweet overlay.  I find them very pleasurable.

I have had several discussions with Luis about his blending style and what the word “complexity” means in a blend.  He seeks to create a blend that consistently produces interesting flavors which most people will find enjoyable.  Rather than try and piece together a cigar blend that might constantly change within a given cigar, his philosophy is that the flavors should remain within the same palette throughout – similar but not identical; and within the same “family” of flavors.  The “complexity” is realized through minor changeups that occur during the smoke according to the impact the cigar has on the smoker’s palate.  Whatever changes occur should be enjoyable for the entire smoke.  I think he has definitely hit that mark with the ABC.  The perceived taste during this cigar meanders about through nuttiness, warm toast, some sweet notes, and even a bit of peppery spice in the early minutes of smoking.  I found it to be enjoyable from first light to last glow.  It’s certainly no secret that I am a big fan of his blending style, and once the ABC hits the market it will be joining the ranks of a couple of other La Tradicion Cubana-produced cigars that are currently in my routine smoking rotation.  In fact, I may now prefer this blend to the milder LTC corona that has recently become a frequent smoke to start my day.  I don’t assign numerical ratings in reviews, opting to simply describe the experiences I have with a manufacturer’s cigar.  But if I did, this ABC would rank very, very highly.  I am anxious to quickly get it into the mix, as it is a wonderful addition to his portfolio, adding more variety to the number of other blends he produces.  I highly recommend trying any of his cigars, and the ABC would be a great place to start – although you can’t go wrong with either his lines (under the La Tradicion Cubana banner), or any number of cigars he produces for other boutique companies, such as Jameson, La Caridad del Cobre, Casa Gomez, etc.  You can find more information about La Tradicion Cubana and the other cigars they produce at their website, stop by the store in Little Havana, or by email to: [email protected].  Luis is a great source of entertaining conversation and great cigars.

 

Cigar Spotlight: Lou Rodriguez Cigars

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Continuing the series we began a few weeks ago, today I’d like to shine the spotlight on a brand that has drawn a great deal of my attention for much of this year.  In March, I caught wind of a Tweetup to take place in South Florida at The Charmed Leaf [NOTE: Since this post, this shop has sold. I am not familiar with the new ownership nor the condition of the facility.].  It happened to be scheduled for a day that a few cohorts and I were traveling back from the Dominican Republic, so it only made sense for us to arrange some tickets and check it out.  Included in the bags from the event was a sampler of Lou Rodriguez Cigars.  None of us had ever had the chance to smoke the brand at the time.  But soon after the event, I lit one of the enclosed sticks and was quite impressed.  I mentioned it to one of the guys who’d been with me, and he had basically the same response…as did the other two.  In the weeks to come, I made a couple more trips to South Florida – each time with a standing order to bring back LouRod cigars.  Since then, I have smoked through dozens of them, and have also had the pleasure of hanging out with Lou on a few occasions.  Like most who will be featured in these spotlights, and many within the world of premium cigars, he’s as fun and goodhearted a guy as you’ll ever encounter.  By profession, Lou is a doctor – which is hinted at by the presence of the Caduceus on his cigar bands.  He also has a deep passion for cigars as well, which drives his commitment to provide only the very best.  I’ve now smoked through the range of his current offerings, in most vitolas and have to admit they are indeed some of the finest cigars I’ve had the opportunity to smoke in recent years.

All Lou Rodriguez Cigars come out of Nicaragua (see specific descriptions below), and have a limited production of just a few thousand boxes per year.  Manufacturing capacity, of course, depends on crop quality and yield.  Lou is very protective of his good name and the retailers that carry his cigars – not typically allowing for internet sales of his sticks.  This policy is becoming more en vogue with many boutique brand owners who have seen the damage a reputation can take when giant etailers “blow out” cigars and diminish the market perception of the brand.  I, for one, welcome that philosophy.  While it may be easier on the wallet to be able to plunk down a credit card number and bargainhunt online, I much prefer the atmosphere of a good brick & mortar shop.  And, I’m plenty willing to pay a little extra for the benefit – although I understand some folks live in areas not serviced by a good tobacconist, and some may prefer brands they can’t source locally.  Lou meets the demand for his cigars in these unserviced areas by allowing sales through Charmed Leaf.  I’ll climb down off the soapbox and save that battle for another day, however.  On to the blends:

Lou Rodriguez Habano-Rosado

  • WRAPPER: Ecuadorian Habano-Rosado
  • BINDER: Nicaragua
  • FILLER: Proprietary Nicaraguan Blend

Available in 5 vitolas (corona, belicoso, churchill, gordito, and presidente), this is the first Lou Rodriguez blend I tried.  It’s a full-flavored, medium strength blend with a nice sweetness throughout.  The sweetness is not present in the form of a cloying, applied flavoring but that which you find in tobacco that has been handled carefully throughout the fermenting and aging processes.  There is some occasional nuttiness that rears its head to keep it interesting, and the passing hint of cocoa as well.  As with every last LouRod I’ve had, the construction is flawless and quality of the leaf impeccable.

Lou Rodriguez Connecticut

  • WRAPPER: Ecuadorian Connecticut
  • BINDER: Nicaragua
  • FILLER: Proprietary Nicaraguan Blend

This was the most recent LouRod to make it into my repertoire.  Not being the biggest fan of Connecticut wrapper leaf, I confess that I wasn’t breaking a leg to go out and try it.  But, Lou gave me one to try at an event, and it was outstanding.  It has become one of two cigars that I frequently enjoy early morning with a cup of coffee.  It is also available in five vitolas (panetela, corona, lancero, robusto, and churchill).  The Connecticut comes with a pert little pigtail cap which can simply be twisted off or clipped with a traditional cut.  The unlit aroma and prelight draw are sweet and haylike, with just a hint of dark sweetness – think raisins or dates.  Almost without fail, the ones I’ve smoked have begun with a bit of spice which fades gently into a creamy, cedary flavor.  While somewhat mild in strength, the flavors are pronounced and pleasant.  It finishes with a flourish of some strength, and a toasted-marshmallow like flavor that lingers on the palate.  The burn on these, the corona in particular, has been perfect without fail.

Lou Rodriguez Maduro

  • WRAPPER: San Andres
  • BINDER: Nicaragua
  • FILLER: Proprietary Nicaraguan Blend

There are two maduro offerings within the Lou Rodriguez portfolio.  The Edicion Premiere is available in 5 vitolas (Bom-Bom (4.75X42), robusto, toro, churchill, & gordito).  This is probably my favorite of Lou’s blends.  You may have noticed the listed filler blend on all Lou Rodriguez cigars is described as “proprietary.” The Edicion Premiere really showcases this blend, especially in the robusto.  That blend, accompanied by the addition of a fine San Andres wrapper, really shines here.  The EP is notably more full bodied than the earlier described blends.  This line is fiercely square-pressed, as are most of Lou’s cigars, and features a very earthy, dark coffee aroma and prelight draw.  I’d place the strength deep into the medium/almost full range, which mates well with the full flavors.  The spice in this blend presents itself often and early, intertwined with some wonderful flavors of wood, coffee, and cocoa.  This line is an absolute homerun to me.  Again, a perfect burn complements the smoking experience quite well.  The second maduro offering is the Edicion Reserve, also available in 5 vitolas (Bom-Bom (4.75X42), robusto, toro, churchill, & lancero).  While the offered vitolas are very close to the Edicion Premiere, the blending varies somewhat.  It maintains a familial similarity to the EP, but is perhaps a bit less strong and more darkly sweet.  The flavors come through more akin to the darker cocoas, woods and raisins that pop up in some of the other blends.  Behind the Edicion Premiere, this is probably my second favorite line of the range.  The flavors are closely related from start to finish, but why look for changeups when so pleasant to begin with?  The cocoa, raisin, and “earthiness” are present from charring light to nub.  Another winner in my book.

Wrapup

There are precious few cigar makers from whom I’ve smoked so many different cigars without even a hint of a poorly made or poorly blended cigar…or even one that may have been as intended, but just didn’t hit the sweetspot of my palate.  Lou Rodriguez is one of those makers.  The purpose of this series of Spotlights is to showcase some of these companies.  Admittedly, I smoke a very wide range of cigars, and I realize others may not.  That being said, I’d encourage you to seek out some of these sticks and give them a try.  I’m confident there is something in one or more of the lines above you will fall in love with.  I have had absolutely zero issues so far with construction and burn, and have enjoyed all of Lou’s offered blends – even those I would have not have sought out beforehand.  Lou’s motto is “Simply the Finest,” and I believe it.  His heritage and dedication to the work ethic and perseverance modeled by his father are apparent in the final product – plus, he’s been known to wear some killer blue suede shoes, so he can’t be all bad, right?  If you’d like to keep up with or find out more about Lou Rodriguez, you can check his website, find him on Twitter @lercigars, or at his Facebook page.

So, what’s on the horizon for Lou Rodriguez?  With this past year’s release of his most recent blends, the portfolio has nicely filled out.  It’s mere speculation on my part, but I would expect continued growth and penetration into more areas as word gets out.  According to a recent Tweet, there’s at least one new project in the works…  Growth has thusfar been very organic, and only faciliated insofar as leaf quality and crop yield will allow.  Personally, I wouldn’t want it to be any other way.

 

Pre-release Review: CAO Concert

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You may have noticed that I posted a press release for the upcoming Concert line of cigars from CAO last week, with mention of a forthcoming review.  I had hoped to post this review last weekend, but “transcriptional delays” put me behind schedule until now.

Our featured cigar today is a new blend from the folks at CAO.  The CAO Concert collection is slated for a mid-September release.  The blend was created by CAO’s Rick Rodriguez and “features a special combination of four different Nicaraguan and Honduran fillers [….It is] wrapped with a lustrous Ecuadoran Habano Rosado and bound with CT Broadleaf.”  It will be available in four sizes: the Amp (5 ½” x 46) Solo (5 ½” x 50); Roadie (5 ½” x 54) and Stage (5 ½” x 60), and will retail for $5.75-$7.50.  I have always had an affinity for Ecuadoran wrapper leaf, so I was anxious to give the Concert a try.  I spoke briefly at IPCPR with Ed McKenna, CAO’s senior brand manager, wherein he gave me a rundown for the line as well as a preview of the limited edition humidor, a fully functioning music player, that will soon make its debut as well.  This review is a melding of my experience smoking three samples of the Roadie (kindly furnished by Mr. McKenna), with tasting notes focused on the third.

So…what about the cigars?  All three Roadies that I’ve smoked thusfar were well constructed, although one did have a slight tightspot near the foot.  The dense area restricted the draw momentarily, but was nothing serious.  Once I had smoked through it the draw was perfect, much like the other two.  Upon clipping, the cold draw and unlit aroma was mildly reminiscent of leather; and a little sweet – something akin to dry oatmeal.  The initial puffs after lighting were a bit spicy but not overpowering.  The spice was actually quite pleasant on retrohale.  Despite the fact that CAO says this filler blend has not been “previously used in any other General Cigar offering,” it does seem vaguely familiar.  I can’t put my finger on it, but in my mind there is a memory of some similar smoke in the past – not an identical cigar by any means, but a distinct “deja vu” feeling.  The spice has subdued by about 1/2″ into the cigar, and by the 1″ mark has taken a backseat to a much sweeter profile.  The burn is even and very well-behaved.

Going into the second inch of smoking, the flavors continue to sweeten somewhat and the leather I noticed pre-light returns.  In this portion of the cigar, the strength picks up a notch.  The earlier spice returns to the forefront as well.  Again, it remains pleasant with not even a hint of harshness; just a slight tingle on retrohale, accompanying the flavors of leather and exotic spices (think allspice rather than pepper).  The smoke does produce a mild drying effect on the palate, quickly negated with a glass of icewater.  I should also mention that the aroma of the Concert, unlike the aroma at most actual concerts, was very pleasing as well.  It reminds me of charred wood or even roasted nuts – pure tobacco goodness.  In the final stretch of smoking, the strength continued to build.  I would not call the Concert an overly full-bodied cigar; but definitely on the fuller end of the medium spectrum bordering on full.  The flavors toward the end still favored a dark, leathery feel to them and the spice meandered into the background once again.  While I found the entire stick enjoyable, the latter half was definitely where it shined.  No frills, no pretense; just good tobacco put together in a great recipe.  The quality of the leaf and expertise in the blend were better than expected, which leads me into the next paragraph…

I am already eating a good bit of crow with my some of my cohorts over this cigar.  I have to confess that I’ve not always been the biggest fan of many cigars ushered from beneath the General Cigar umbrella, and at times have voiced that on a number of Central Florida patios.  Sure, there have been some I’ve enjoyed over the years.  But in recent times, I have not been overly anxious to seek them out.  This is now the third cigar in as many months that I have thoroughly enjoyed from their portfolio – each moreso than the last.  After touring the General booth at the show, it was clear that a push is underway to move with the market and produce creative new blends that appeal to a great number of cigar enthusiasts.  The Concert is a very solid offering, and casts a promising light on the future of CAO.  The construction is topnotch; the tobacco is of good quality; the blending is expert.  It goes without saying these three factors go a long way in producing a great cigar.  My guess is the innovative packaging and promos will convince many folks to give them a try.  The cigar itself will persuade them to come back for more.  It’s persuaded me, anyway.  I will most certainly allot a corner of the humidor for the Concert.

Cigar Spotlight: Rogue Ashtrays

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In what is likely to become a continuing series here at The Cigarmy, I’m happy to shine the spotlight on another enterprising artist within the cigar world.  The gentleman pictured to the left is Scott Hicks.  I met Scott quite by chance in a McDonalds during IPCPR last week.  We struck up a conversation based on our shared support of Cigar Rights of America (thanks to CRA lapel pins), and soon found we had a number of other common interests as well.  Scott is a budding artist, and produces beautiful stoneware ceramic ashtrays.  A military veteran, he has a strong support of our armed forces and a vibrant enthusiasm for the world of premium cigars.  After leaving the military, he went back to college and during the course of his education, he pioneered the process to embed silhouetted logos into ceramic which you see in the pictures below.  He is now marketing his creations as Rogue Ashtrays.

Each Rogue ashtray is handmade of clay, and through the magic of organic glazes and kiln-firing each displays a unique pattern of coloration and iridescence.  They can be customized with your own logo or artwork with a minimum wholesale order of 6 ashtrays and a nominal setup charge.  The only requirement graphically is that you furnish a black on white background or black on copper background logo, in vector graphics format or vinyl cut decal.  Please note that you must own or have written permission from the copyright holder in order to have copyrighted images embedded in your ashtray.

Scott credits Pete Johnson of Tatuaje as a great encouragement, and displayed some of his creations alongside the Tatuaje booth at IPCPR this year.  MSRP on stock ashtrays is $60, and Tatuaje branded ashtrays retail for $80 – with $10 of the price going to Cigar Rights of America.  Wholesale orders of 6 or more are welcomed, and you can find more information at Scott’s Webpage, or directly by email to: [email protected].  I am the proud owner of the white ashtray pictured above with skull graphic…and plan one day soon to have some produced with The Cigarmy logo as well (look for a few of those to make it into future giveaways once they’re made).

Cigar Spotlight: La Tradicion Cubana

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La Tradicion Cubana

aDsc_0164.jpgThis week, I’m starting a new series of brief surveys intended to profile some of the folks I meet in the cigar industry that you may or may not be know about, but I think make some very good cigars.  To kick the series off, I’m beginning with Luis Sanchez, proprietor of La Tradicion Cubana.  Luis produces several lines of cigars – including his own La Tradicion Cubana, Sabor Cubano (maduro), Las Memorias Cubanas, the new American Born Cubans, as well as a growing number of boutique lines for others with which you are probably familiar.  Luis fancies himself a “mad scientist” of cigars, and creates some of the most unique and imaginative cigars you’ll ever come across (see pictures of the Toleton and Great Pyramid below)…however, the cigars are not mere gimmicks.  Every one is smokeable and intended to be enjoyed.  Of course, he also produces some outstanding cigars in most traditional vitolas as well.  He set up shop in Miami in 1995, and has since opened a factory in the Dominican Republic where most of his cigars are made today.  I first met Luis on a work trip to Miami several months ago, and have had the pleasure of spending a number of hours in his shop on Calle Ocho since.  If you ever find yourself in South Florida it’s definitely worth the stop to visit Luis and pick up some cigars.  If you have the time, you can get a few great stories and entertaining conversation to go with the sticks.

aDsc_0169.jpgLuis’ standby line for me personally is his La Tradicion Cubana.  The LTC is a very flavorful medium-bodied smoke.  I especially enjoy the corona in this line.  The blend is very creamy, giving what I call a “tropical spice” flavor – leaning toward some of the sweeter spices found in some Caribbean cooking rather than what you might associate with a “spicy” smoke (I totally stole that terminology from Dale Roush on Dogwatch Cigar Radio – he puts that into words far better than I).  A sweetness prevails throughout the blend, of which I have grown quite fond.  I would place it nearer to allspice than a pepper spiciness.  Additionally, after smoking many (MANY) of his coronas in this line, I can’t remember ever having any burn issues whatsoever.  The construction is always faultless, and worryfree.  The blend consists of an Ecuadoran wrapper around a Honduran binder and a blend of Dominican and Nicaraguan tobaccos in the filler.

aDsc_0168.jpgHis Sabor Cubano is a line of maduros, produced entirely by traditional fermenting and aging methods.  Luis is very enthusiastic and committed to tradition – which shows through in his cigars.  I appreciate his dedication to “doing things right.”  The Sabor Cubano is earthy and dark, very full flavored, and medium-full in strength.  He uses a Brazilian oscuro wrapper on this line (which has been aged for five years), accompanied by an Ecuadoran binder and Dominican/Nicaraguan filler blend.  It’s a lovely smoke, which lives up to its “Cuban flavor” namesake.  I think all maduro aficionados would enjoy it considerably.

Luis’ new line is called “American Born Cubans.”  It’s available in one vitola – a 6.5″ X 57 ring torpedo.  I spoke with Luis at IPCPR about the new line, and in typical “mad scientist” fashion he’s not yet ready to publish any details about the composition of the blend.  I’m anxious to give these a try, and plan on picking up a few when I’m down in Miami over the next few weeks.  Based on my previous experience with his cigars, I feel fairly confident I will thoroughly enjoy them…

Some of Luis’ other offerings are his own JML (named for his grandfather – Jose M. Losa), Jameson’s Red-label, Black-label, Santos de Miami, and Southbound Series, as well as some Casa Gomez and La Caridad del Cobre.  You can’t go wrong with any of these lines.  Aside from the LTC corona, my personal favorites are the Jameson Red, Casa Gomez, and La Caridad del Cobre maduros.  I’d encourage you to try the range.  With so many offerings, I am supremely confident there’s a cigar for you.  It’s a rare thing to encounter someone as enthusiastic and entertaining as Luis that also produces such great cigars.

American Born Cubans

 

The Toleton – 96 ring!

 

Great Pyramid & Toletons

Pre-release Review: Ezra Zion Inception

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Many of you may know the names Kyle, Chris, and The Don – the men [2014 EDIT: formerly] behind Cigar Federation.  For those who are not familiar, the Cigar Federation is a social networking site made entirely for and by cigar folks.  Definitely worth giving it a peek if you haven’t before.  With it’s focus on cigars and the fellowship amongst those enjoy them, it’s a refreshing diversion from the chaos found on more general social media.  It’s a great way to network with other enthusiasts, as well as see some of the most entertaining video cigar reviews you’ll ever come across.  The three minds behind that site decided quite some time ago to launch their own brand of cigars, Ezra Zion Cigar Company.  In their own words:  “Our story in a nutshell… 3 guys from California who are cigar maniacs decided to make the best cigars they could. We wanted to take our time blending and not release anything that didn’t classify as the best cigar we ever had […] So we blended for 13 months in Nicaragua with some master blenders. Right now we re working with a couple different manufacturers. Same guys who make Illusione, Viaje, Casa Magna, etc. I’m sure you can figure out who they are. We will release 2 cigars at IPCPR. Our first thought was to make one cigar called INCEPTION. It’s a Nicaraguan puro that will knock your socks off! [….] Then, we made a blend working with another factory that was so good that we thought we’d release em both! It’s in our Honor Series line. It’s called REAGAN. Obviously to pay homage to the 40th POTUS Ronald Reagan.”

Ordinarily, I purchase everything I review here at The Cigarmy from various cigar shops around the state of Florida.  However, I was offered and jumped at the chance to sample the Ezra Zion pre-launch.  I learned that it features a Corojo ’98 wrapper, a double binder using Criollo ’99 and Corojo ’98, and a filler blend highlighting medio tiempo.  The most exciting part of that equation for me is the medio tiempo in the filler blend.  I have recently begun to notice a pattern of seeing that leaf show up in blends that I favor.  As of yet, I have not seen any information on MSRP or geographical availability.

So, let’s get underway.  The Inception sports a very silky wrapper, uniformly chocolate-brown in color.  The sample I received is about 6.125″ long, and is pressed into an elongated cross-section that makes the ring difficult to determine, depending on how you prefer to measure.  The longest diameter appears to be a 52-54 if I had to pin a number on it.  The bands are attractive and wellmade, evoking some Biblical imagery in both the name of the company and the angels with outstretched wings covering the logo (à la cherubim over the Ark of the Covenant).  The prelight aroma is that of sweet tobacco with a mild hint of cedar.  There is a slight sweetness on the draw; not in the sense of some cloying flavoring, but a naturally mild sweetness akin to dry hay.  The draw is deliberate but free, just about perfect for my preferences.  At first brush with fire, the aroma of the smoke is strikingly woodsy, reminding me of an oak fire in the smoker.  The first few puffs produce a potent, spicy kick on the back of the palate and through the nose as well.  Within the first 1/2″, the spice on the back of my throat subsides quite a bit, although there is still a strong tingle upon retrohale.  It self-ashes at about an inch, by which time it has developed a more general woodsy flavor.  It produces a long but pleasant leathery finish as well.

I’m not sure how these cigars will be classified or marketed by Ezra Zion, but this one falls strongly into the heavier end of medium for me.  Going into the second inch, there’s no doubt you are smoking a cigar, but it is not brash or overpowering in any way.  The blend is quite well balanced between flavor and strength.  Throughout this portion of the smoke, the core flavors remain in the same family as earlier, but solidify and build within the leather and wood ranges.  I get a hint of cocoa at times as well.  The aforementioned spice has moved into the background at this point, although I’m not sure if the cigar subdued or my palate adjusted.  In any event, the slight nasal burn has dissippated almost entirely.  In the final segment of the cigar, the Inception really comes into its own.  I am surprised at how true the flavors remain this deep into the cigar.  The flavors have intensified, without becoming harsh or bitter.  The strength may have picked up a bit as well, but I don’t get any of the unpleasant irritation on the back of my throat as I sometimes do with some Nicaraguan puros.  A bit of the tingle returns on retrohale, but it is still a very enjoyable smoke.

For a first effort, the Ezra Zion Inception is a phenomenal cigar.  Cheers to Chris, Kyle, and The Don for making it happen.  The blood, sweat, tears, and love behind this cigar are apparent in the result.  The blend selection, leaf quality, and construction are very good, and produce a great smoke.  I’ve seen a lot of cigars hit the market in the past 20 years or so, some destined for greatness but many destined for the clearance bins.  I believe the Inception has the “chops” to be a great success, and I hope that success is realized – both for the people behind it, and selfishly for my own enjoyment.  I anxiously look forward to seeing them on the shelf, which I understand will begin to happen in a couple of weeks after IPCPR in Orlando.  I’m also looking forward to getting my hands on the Reagan as well.  If you enjoy bold, flavorful Nicaraguan cigars I’d encourage you to be on the lookout for these as I think most of you would definitely find them worthwhile.  If you want to find out more about Ezra Zion Cigars, check out their website or Youtube channel.

Cigar Review: Tatuaje Mexican Experiment robusto

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Tatuaje Mexican ExperimentGood day, everyone.  I’m back with a review this week, after a brief hiatus.  I thought we’d look at a recent limited run of cigars released by Tatuaje about two weeks ago: The Tatuaje Mexican Experiment (Limited Edition).  This cigar was released in two vitolas, (robusto and toro, both square pressed), to two markets (Florida/Southeast and Northeast, respectively).  I have spoken with a few different retailers who received shipment of the cigars, and quite honestly have been given conflicting production numbers – anywhere from 200-400 bundles of 15 for each vitola.  Frankly, I suppose the actual number released is irrelevant since they all seem to have flown off the shelves in short order.  I managed to purchase a few from Tampa Humidor before they sold out, and have subsequently been given one of the Northeast toros by a fine gentleman in Boston.  Today’s review is based on the robusto (5″ X 52), which was sold in the Florida market for roughly $8 per cigar, in bundles of 15.

Tatuaje Mexican ExperimentThe Tatuaje Mexican Experiment is named for its use of San Andres wrapper leaf.  The filler and binder are both Nicaraguan, and it was made by My Father Cigars like its other Tatuaje brethren.  The wrapper is a beautiful deep chocolate brown, and uniform in color across the length of the cigar.  The veins in the leaf are almost entirely obscured by the press, which leaves the cigar exceptionally smooth.  It is dry to the touch, with little noticeable oil…yet very, very smooth.  The prelight aroma meshes well with the appearance, giving distinctive notes of oats and unsweetened chocolate at the foot.  I also pick up a general, nonspecific nuttiness in there as well, but hidden away in the background.  Once clipped, the draw is free and unrestricted, and similar in flavor to the aroma at the foot.

The cigar took flame well, lighting easily across the entire foot.  The first few puffs provide some of the expected “Pepin” spice, but not nearly to the degree I sometimes find in his blends.  It’s there, and can be felt on the back of the throat, but never approaches the limits of comfort.  As would be expected, it is more prominent on the retrohale, although even then it produces no discomfort.  The cocoa and chocolate flavors present nicely in this first inch of smoking, slightly sweeter than on the cold draw.  They’re also accompanied by some charred oak.  I took the time at this point to look the cigar over a little more critically than before lighting and really pay attention to the construction.  It’s put together nicely, and the freedom of draw is surprising in a pressed stick.  The pressing also makes the seams almost disappear, which really highlights that uniformity of color I mentioned earlier.  Aesthetically, it really is a beautiful cigar.

Tatuaje Mexican ExperimentAs I approach the end of the first inch, the flavors remain fairly constant and the strength is medium in my judgement.  I was prepared for a potent cigar; while this one is bold enough to know you’re smoking a cigar, it isn’t going to send you to your knees.  I would place it far into the full end of the medium spectrum by the 1″ mark.  The spice picks up a bit at this point, and the flavors stay in the cocoa-leather-unspecified grain territory which is very appealing to me.  The ash was solid and clung tightly to the rest of the stick until just past an inch, although it did produce very small flakes of ash throughout.  In the latter part of the second inch, the spice has faded well into the background.  I love the sweetness produced in this portion of the cigar.  That sweetness hits a crescendo and fades as well to wrap up the second inch.  Going into the third, an occasional but fleeting wisp of citrus and leather wind across the palate, but the cigar took on a “brighter” hue in my mental flavor imagery.  It’s quite dry on the palate, and a slightly bitter edge creeps in.  It never became acrid, and in fact remained quite pleasant to the very end.  But, the flavor palette changed to be more bright and tart than at any earlier point – almost astringent even.

Tatuaje Mexican ExperimentIt’s no secret that I am a big fan of Tatuaje cigars, and The Mexican Experiment is no exception.  Did it instantly become my favorite of their cigars of all time?  No.  However, I’m working off an assumption that it wasn’t released with the belief it would.  My guess (and this is pure speculation) is that it actually is an experiment…a feeler into the market to test the reception and get an idea for how it might do on a larger scale, possibly with some tweaks.  Personally, I hope it makes it into regular production.  It fills a niche in Tatuaje’s offerings with a slightly milder cigar that presents a flavor profile I find very enjoyable, and is in my mind a departure from what I’ll call “typical” for them.  Regrettably, I only managed to score five of them before my local shop was cleaned out.  I hope there’s another wave released soon.  I don’t typically assign numerical scores in cigar reviews, but if I did this would rate highly.  I think the experiment is a success, and I would love to have them in my humidor in greater supply and on a regular basis.

Coming up this week:

Before I wrap this up, I want to mention the next giveaway, which should be posted later this week.  First, if you’re not a member of Cigar Rights of America, you should be!  What could you possibly be waiting for?  Aside from the fact that it’s a great deal, they’re working to preserve our freedom to enjoy a cigar at a time when the industry is under assault on many fronts.  And, you get a couple of great cigars with your membership as well as 6 months’ free subscription to Cigar Aficionado’s Cigar Insider, the CRA newsletter, travel discounts, chances to buy special samplers, etc. It’s more than worthwhile. You can join up at the CRA website, and use my ambassador number as a referral (0169) or send an email to [email protected] and I can get you signed up.  I’m a big proponent of CRA, and this month our giveaway is going to be centered around membership.  They have been kind enough to provide one of the CRA samplers for the contest, and I will also be including some cigars from my personal stash and a brand new Cigarmy coffee mug – be the first on your block to have one!  As I said, this will go live this week, and we’ll start taking entries.  Until then, I hope you’re all having a great day.

Cigar Review: illusione f9

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According to the illusione cigars website, “The concept behind Illusione Cigars was to re-create a specific taste profile from years past.  Before the Sandinistas took over Nicaragua in 1979, Nicaragua was growing some of the best tobaccos in the world.  The cigars made from these prized fields in the Jalapa Valley and Esteli region were strong, bold and clean.  After years of neglect, these old Somoza fields have been re-cultivated by the legendary master grower Arsenio Ramos of Cuba.  Along with Fernando, Chandito and famed Cuban agronomist Jacinto, Arsenio has assembled the veritable “dream team” of tobacco production.  They have re-grown these humble acres to yield their fullest potential once again.  All Illusione cigars are made from first generation Corojo ’99, Criollo ’98 seeds, wrapped with a grade one Café Colorado wrapper, and finished with a traditional triple cap in the premier Raices Cubanas factory.  Illusione cigars deliver a taste and a quality of smoke rarely found in today’s market.”  So, there you have it – the vision behind the brand.  Does illusione live up to those lofty goals?  Let’s find out…

I have smoked several of this specific vitola from illusione in preparation for this review, and a number of their other offerings in the past year or so.  Some were good, some great.  None have been a disappointment, as I find myself migrating more toward Nicaraguan tobacco in recent history.  Today’s review, of course, is for the illusione f9, also known as the “finesse” (6.25″ X 44).  This cigar, as well as its recent brethren, were purchased at a local shop that I frequent, and can be found in the Tampa market for about $8.00 each.  Just giving it a cursory once-over, I don’t see any noticeable visible flaws, blemishes, or imperfections in the wrapper.  There is one slight soft spot about an inch in from the foot, but not prominent enough to give me any worry.  It has a very uniform, chocolate color to it and a light, smooth sheen on the surface.  Some recent examples have had a slightly reddish tint to them, but this one does not.  After clipping, the prelight draw is well within the optimal range of being firm enough to know you’re smoking a cigar, but free enough to allow plenty of smoke to pass.  The flavor of the cold draw is mild and pleasant, giving just a hint of leather perhaps.

With first light and into the first inch of smoking, the draw and burn are exceptional.  The finish is very pleasant and clean, only lingering for a few moments between puffs on the palate.  It comes across to me earthy at this early point, with a healthy dose of woodiness, which I find quite pleasant.  There is a slight bit of black pepper here as well, which I find in many Nicaraguan tobaccos – especially early on in a cigar.  The cigar is burning at a good clip, but does not heat up at all.  The soft spot proved to be inconsequential, and as a sidenote none of the others I’ve smoked in the past 30 days has had any similar spots.  I would rate the strength in this first inch to be on the heavier end of “medium.”  Late in this portion of the stick, I also notice a prominent floral quality to the smoke.

Moving on to the second inch of smoking, the floral quality I mention above transforms into a sweet, cedar flavor.  Not the astringency that is sometimes associated with cedar…more sweet, similar to a flavor profile I liken to the spices sometimes used in Caribbean cooking (i.e. allspice).  The burn slows during this time, which may be accounted for in the change in density within the cigar.  Nevertheless, the evenness of the burn is outstanding, and I have not so much as thought about touching it up.  It has been entirely self-governing so far.  For lack of a better term, all of these f9’s I have had recently have been very complex – the flavors seem to swing pendulously from earthy and nutty to sweet cedar to leather, and are all pleasing to the palate.  The cigar ashed at just beyond the 1″ mark, but had a good bit of help from a stray camera strap…

From the third inch and onward, the burn did wander just a slight amount.  I touched it up once or twice, but it was never a bother.  It has been very well behaved.  The smoke production has been plentiful throughout, even after letting it sit in the ashtray for a minute or more.  I am more than impressed with the f9’s ability to remain lit for extended amounts of time between puffs.  Toward the end of the cigar, the smoke developed a dryness that was not present earlier.  The flavors remain varied, but definitely dwelt on the darker end of the spectrum – earthy, leathery, and with a slight sweetness.  The finish remains very clean…flavorful, but never cloying of leaving a “polluted” feeling.

So, does illusione f9 live up to their stated goal of producing a modern cigar modeled after Nicaraguan sticks of yesteryear?  I can’t answer that, as I was only 6 years old when those fields went vacant.  However, I find them very agreeable to my palate.  The f9 fits in my preferred range in size, but I have to admit to enjoying all of the others I’ve tried as well.  The quality and consistency are topnotch, the balance in blending is more than impressive, and the flavors are bold enough for an old codger looking for quintessential Nicaraguan fare…but approachable enough to be a worthwhile foray for anyone.  I would not hesitate to pull the trigger on keeping plenty of them around.  In fact, I have begun to put some away for the future, assuming I don’t smoke them all up in the short term…I’m actually smoking one right now as I type these notes….

Cigar Review: EP Carrillo NWC Short Run 2012

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Well, it’s a rainy Saturday afternoon here in my little corner of Central Florida.  That tells me it’s time for a cigar.  The sunshine gives me the exact same feeling, so take that with a grain of salt.  This week, I wanted to take a look at Ernesto Perez-Carrillo’s latest offering in his limited-production Short Run series.  Today, I selected the Exquisito from this year’s release.  This vitola was known as the Bombone in 2011 – the size is the same, but of course the blend is different.  The 2012 Short Run blend is a concoction of components of two other blends from EP Carrillo.  The filler and binder are taken from the Core Maduro (Nicaraguan/Dominican Filler, CT Broadleaf binder), and the Ecuadoran Connecticut wrapper is the same as can be found in the New Wave Connecticut.  I picked up several of these at my local shop a couple of weeks ago, and this is the third I have smoked so far.  The construction of each has been as near perfect as I have ever experienced.  The production for the NWC Short Run is reportedly about 1,000 boxes for each of the three offered vitolas.  In the Tampa market, they run about $5.95-$8.20 for singles (depending on size), and $5.70-$7.70 apiece if purchased in box quantities.

The first thing that occurs to me while looking these over is a flawless wrapper.  They have a light sheen to them, and use-b.jpgnone of mine have had any blemish whatsoever.  They’re not especially veiny; the veins are visible yet very slight.  In fact, they are barely noticeable to the touch.  The leaf is very supple and smooth.  From all appearances, the construction is dead on.  No soft spots, voids, inconsistencies in density…as I mentioned above just about perfect if there is such a thing.  The only thing resembling “tooth” to this wrapper is the texture found on the band.  The cigar itself is very smooth.  The prelight draw is quite free, and provides a hint of hay – not a “barnyard” flavor, more akin to fresh hay.  The aroma is somewhat darker to me, reminding me of a horse stall with some cedar coming through as well.

At first light, I get a good bit of peppery spice.  This spice is more perceived through flavor rather than feeling, and produces little burn with retrohale.  As I progress through the first inch of smoking, the pepper soon gives way to a bit lighter, more nutty flavor.  Although the spice wanes at this point, the cedar remains.  By the end of this first inch, and going into the second, the spice is considerably more subdued.  The flavors have rounded out very nicely.  It is still nutty to a great degree, and I would almost liken it to leather here.  Almost.  The smoke is more mouth-coating than earlier on, and provides a lingering finish between puffs.  As a sidenote, the retrohale gave me a couple of good sneezes.  Some pipe blends that contain a good dose of perique have the same effect to me, although I can’t identify any flavor similarities with this cigar.  I just mention that because it clearly had that effect on me in the midst of this stick.

By the end of the second inch some of the peppery spice I noted earlier has returned, although it comes across remarkably sweeter at this point (for you pepper aficionados, think Cubanelle rather than jalapeño).  Going into the final stretch, the NWC Short Run 2012 really comes into its own.  All the “corners” or bright flavors have smoothed out and become much more mouth-filling.  I get a nice, creamy leather flavor in the forefront as I lead into the last bits of smoking.  The sweetness is still here, and has mostly replaced the earlier spice.  None of my examples have had even a hint of harshness at any point.

Overall, I enjoy this year’s Short Run.  I’d place the Exquisito firmly in the medium range of strength, and slightly fuller in flavor.  It is strikingly well balanced in that respect, and the blender’s skill is beautifully represented here.  I will likely give the other sizes a try as well.  I think it’s very good, but might stop short of calling it “great.”  I will certainly keep a few around to sample as time goes by, but probably won’t break a leg trying to scrounge up a box of them.  This speaks more to my personal preference than about the cigar.  It is definitely a well made, well blended cigar, but just isn’t in the sweetspot for my palate.  I would absolutely recommend giving it a try; it’s just my personal flavor preferences that would keep me from stockpiling them in great quantities.  For my tastes, there are a few other offerings from EPC that I would tend to accumulate before the current Short Run.  So, give them a try.  I don’t think you’ll regret it – and you might find a favorite.