8 Comments Posted on by cigarfan Cigar Reviews

Chateau Real Lord Tennyson

ChateauReal

Once upon a time I smoked an ACID Cigar called “Extraordinary Larry,” and that was the beginning and the end of my dangerous liaison with Drew Estate cigars. It wasn’t such a bad cigar, for what it was, but I knew immediately that “infused” cigars were definitely not for me.

A few years passed and I saw an ad in one of the cigar mags for Drew Estate’s new “Natural” blend. But when I saw the Drew Estate  logo I had a strange kind of synesthetic reaction and could taste the ACID welling up in my mouth. For relief, I turned the page.

And then I received the Summer issue of Cigar Magazine in the mail the other day. I was sitting in the smallest room of my house, where I am wont to read cigar magazines and such, and discovered a nicely written article about Jonathan Drew and the other folks who run Drew Estate. I passed over it, whistling past the graveyard, and read a couple other things. But something caught my eye. A sidebar page had a really interesting story about a bonchero in the Drew Estate factory whose arms were blown off in a pyrotechnics accident. Sad to say, this is what drew me in (so to speak) to the rest of the article, and then I remembered that I was given a Chateau Real cigar a few months ago. I thought it might  be time to try it.

For the history of Drew Estate, I recommend giving the Cigar Magazine article a once over. In brief: Jonathan Drew and Marvin Samel started selling cigars from a 16 square foot cart in the World Trade Center in 1995, in the middle of the cigar boom. It wasn’t easy to acquire quality cigars during the boom, so they started selling a house brand made by a local Dominican roller, calling it La Vieja Habana. Eventually the boom went bust and the company withered. Drew moved to Nicaragua and remade the company from scratch, inventing ACID cigars along the way. By 2007, Steve Saka was on board as company president and a new 96,000 square foot factory was open for business in Esteli. Around the same time, the company was about to introduce two new blends that would get plenty of attention: the Liga Privada No. 9 and the Chateau Real.

ChateauReal2

Construction Notes

This 7 x 50 double corona is called “Lord Tennyson” for reasons I cannot divine. Maybe it’s the Tennyson quote about there not being any good cigars in Venice and his having to leave in disgust? That would not be an auspicious way to name a cigar, but I can’t think of any other likely reason.

The wrapper on this cigar is a smooth even colored claro. Apparently the first run of this line turned out blotchy because the Mexican binder was showing through the Ecuadorian Connecticut — they fixed it by choosing a slightly darker shade of wrapper.  (And on the subject of Mexican leaf… it’s interesting that this detail is often left out in the promo material. The reality is that Mexican leaf has a place in cigar blending, but its reputation is wanting. Unfortunately the result has been a wholesale discounting of the entire country’s tobacco production.) The filler is a Nicaraguan and Dominican blend.

The single cap is clean and attractive. The roll is solid, but the cigar feels light in the hand. The draw has more resistance than I like, but it isn’t problematic, and the burn is slow and almost perfectly even. The ash is firm and holds well.  Overall this cigar has excellent construction.

Tasting Notes

The pre-light flavor is grassy and hay-like, but once lit the Lord Tennyson offers plenty of traditional Connecticut Shade appeal: the first third is toasty with a touch of roasted nuts. The gently floral aroma is in balance with the flavors on the palate. The only unusual characteristic is a smattering of black pepper on the back of the tongue. ChateauReal3

The middle section is earthier and tastes a little sweeter than the first third. The smoke texture takes on a little more body and builds to about a medium, but remains creamy smooth and light in nicotine. This would be a morning or mid-day cigar for most smokers.

The last third presents some citric notes and gets a little dusty (that would be earthy and dry) but is otherwise still mild and smooth. Some very light tannins show up at the end, but not enough to ever get bitter.

Conclusion

The Chateau Real Lord Tennyson is a stately smoke that most fans of mild Connecticut Shade will enjoy. (Macanudo lovers take note.) There are no dramatic transitions and not much complexity, but those are hard to come by in mild bodied cigars anyway. The construction is damn near perfect, allowing the smoker to puff away and sip his or her latte with the Woe Street Journal worry-free.  The price is not bad either: around 6 or 7 US greenbacks per stick.

Final Score: 85

~cigarfan

5 Comments Posted on by cigarfan Cigar Reviews

Casa Magna Colorado Corona

casa-magna

Like any other publication that purports to recommend or dismiss consumer products,  Cigar Aficionado magazine is sometimes accused of bias in favor of companies that advertise in its pages. This is an argument the premier publisher of cigar news and views can win only by refusing to favorably review its advertisers’ products. If this were even possible, given the wide range of cigars they review, it would probably be financial suicide.  The wisest response is probably no response at all, and that seems to be the magazine’s stance.

My beef with the magazine is not that it’s biased — it’s that only a quarter of the coverage is devoted to cigars. I don’t golf, and I am currently one yacht and one Audi short of living the “good life…for men,” so I have to content myself with a microbrew and a decent smoke every now and again.

But the fact that the magazine is geared toward the stereotypical man of wealth and taste made their selection for 2008’s “Best Cigar of the Year” even more surprising.  It wasn’t a 25 dollar Cuban, a 20 dollar Padron Anniversary, or a Fuente rarity. It was a 5 dollar Nicaraguan cigar made by guys who usually make cigars for regular blokes.

Casa Magna Colorado is the result of a joint endeavor between Manuel Quesada, maker of Fonseca and the founder of MATASA, and Nestor Plasencia, who is possibly Central America’s largest cigar tobacco producer and produces dozens of affordable blends.

Apparently when the maker of Joya de Nicaragua pulled its line from Quesada’s SAG Imports (the U.S. distribution wing of MATASA) it left an opening for a star player. Casa Magna made the tryout, impressed at the call back, and won the part.

Quesada and Plasencia’s newly crowned creation is a Nicaraguan puro utilizing tobaccos from Esteli and the Jalapa Valley regions. Six sizes are currently produced by Plasencia’s Segovia factory in Esteli:

  • Corona – 5 5/8 x 42
  • Gran Toro – 6 x 58
  • Robusto – 5 x 50
  • Torito – 4 3/4 x 60
  • Belicoso – 6.25 x 54
  • Pikito – 4 3/4 x 42

casa-magna-2

Construction Notes

The Casa Magna corona makes a significant first impression: the colorado wrapper on this stick is saturated with oil. It quite literally glistens, enhancing the rich ruddy color of the cigar.  The cap is somewhat flattened, and while not as perfect as a Cuban or Pepin made stick, it is quite presentable. The overall appearance of this cigar is superb. The roll is quite solid and regular.

After clipping the cap I discovered that the draw was a bit tight — in both samples, which were from the same box. Both cigars smoked well enough, but I had to work my buccinators a little more than usual to get a good puff. I work hard to buy good cigars so that I don’t have to work so hard to smoke them, ya know?

The slow burn went a little off kilter from time to time, but never needed correction. The ash was solid but flaked a little.

Tasting Notes

Like many top notch Nicaraguans, this one opens up with a peppery blast that attenuates gradually but doesn’t entirely vanish. The aroma from this outstanding wrapper leaf is sweet and hickory-like. The first couple inches of this cigar reminded me of the Illusione blend, but it’s not quite as sharp tasting or as clean, and it’s not as full bodied. Casa Magna by comparison seems about medium-bodied and it stays that way for the duration.

The cigar transitions through several distinct flavors in the middle section — leather, some woody spice, and a touch of caramel. I really enjoyed the range of different flavors this cigar serves up. The is one of the more complex smokes I’ve reviewed this year.

The last third enters beany territory — coffee primarily — but turns up the caramel accents a tad before it dives back to earth with a peppery flourish. The finish grows substantially and leaves an aftertaste of earth, char, and pepper.

Conclusion

Starting up with that trademark Nicaraguan pepper and marching though leather and spicy wood to a smooth earthy finale, I wasn’t bored for a minute. The sweet hickory-caramel aroma popped up from time to time, adding yet another voice to the conversation. I was really impressed by the complexity of this cigar, though somewhat disappointed with a tight draw. All things considered, I enjoyed this cigar a lot.

The obvious question is whether the Casa Magna is deserving of Cigar Aficionado‘s “Best Cigar of the Year.” I think it’s certainly deserving of a place on the top ten list, though I would be hard pressed to say it was the King of the Hill.

Factor in the price, however, and it could definitely be a contender. For around 5 to 6 USD per stick retail this is a most excellent smoke.  The distributor is discouraging online or catalog sales, so definitely give them a shot if you can snag a few at your local tobacconist. They might not be your Numero Uno, but they may just make your fab five.

Final Score: 89

casa-magna-3

~cigarfan

13 Comments Posted on by cigarfan Cigar Reviews

Isabela Miami

isabel

First of all, thanks to the folks at Isabela cigars who were kind enough to send me a sampler pack of their Isabela Miami blend in robusto and esplendido sizes.  According to the promotional material, Isabela was designated the “Best of Miami 2008” by Ocean Drive Magazine and has recieved 4-star ratings from both Smoke Magazine and Cigar! Cigar! Magazine, so I was looking forward to testing them out myself.

Isabela cigars are blended by Vicente Ortiz, who was born in Cuba and reportedly had a hand in the original Cuban Cohiba blend (hence the “homage” to that famous brand in the Isabela design.) This brand should not be confused with the Phillipine made “Flor de la Isabela;” this cigar is made in Miami by Ortiz and was named for Vicente’s daughter Isabela. With a total of only three experienced cigar makers, including Vicente himself, this is definitely a “boutique” operation.

One of the interesting details about this blend is that each size has a slightly different composition. Four sizes are currently made:

  • Robusto – Honduran wrapper and filler
  • Esplendido – (churchill) Dominican wrapper with Hon/Nic filler  blend
  • Belicoso Fino – Honduran wrapper with Hon/Nic filler blend
  • Torpedo – Connecticut wrapper with DR/Hon filler blend

I had the opportunity to smoke both the Robusto and the Esplendido sizes, and while they seemed to be roughly similar, they each smoked just a little bit differently.

isabelrobusto

Robusto

The robusto is a nicely packed cigar with a fine semi-glossy wrapper.  Examining the foot of the cigar, the bunch appears to be solid and consistent with no evidence of stems.  The cap is applied well (though the Esplendido’s triple cap was a little more attractive) and after clipping I found the draw to be spot on perfect.

Up0n taking an initial pre-light draw I was struck by the sweetness of the cap. Evidently the rollers use a sugar cane-based gum rather than a neutral tasting adhesive to finish the heads on these cigars.  It’s been a while since I smoked a cigar like this — not since I unwittingly picked one up in a small Vegas tourist joint on the strip many moons ago. It’s generally not what I prefer, but I decided to keep an open mind about that aspect while I sampled these Isabelas.

The robusto is a very mild flavored, easy smoking cigar. Its starts up a little grassy and gradually takes on a nutty profile. The aroma is quite pleasant, adding a distinctly floral quality to the smoke. I would have guessed this to be a Connecticut Shade or Ecuadorian wrapper, but I’m told it is fact Honduran.

The middle section of the robusto continues on the same road, with herbal and nutty flavors on the palate and a sweet aroma on the nose.  Perhaps it’s due to the mildness of the smoke, but the sweet cap started to get on my nerves. I tried to ignore it, but it proved to be a bigger distraction than I thought it would  be.  So I thought of a solution: this ring gauge, I figured, would fit perfectly in the bowl of one of my pipes. That way I could enjoy the rest of the smoke without the sugar on the cap contaminating my palate.

isabelpipe

Unfortunately that solution was not entirely successful. The cigar smoked well enough, but I was losing the aroma. And that last bowl of Penzance probably didn’t help any.

In any case, I finished this cigar –and a couple more– the old fashioned way, and enjoyed its transition in the last third to an earthier flavor with a touch of pepper on the nose. The sweetness let up a little in the last third, which was welcome.

Esplendido

The Esplendido size shares many of the robusto’s fine qualities, with a couple exceptions. The wrapper is a little drier, more papery looking than the robusto, and the roll is not quite as solid. On the other hand, the caps on these sticks are gorgeous. They have the same excellent draw and burn as the robusto size.

The Esplendido is likewise a fairly mild smoke, with a very smooth and approachable flavor. By contrast with the robusto the flavor is earthier and instead of the robusto’s sweet, floral aroma the Esplendido is musky.  Once again, however, I was distracted by the sweetness of the cap. I thought this time I would try to simply remove the offending extremity by clipping off an inch from the head of the cigar, just to see what would happen.

isabelesplendido

Alas, this was not very effective either. The gum that the rollers use must extend up the shank of  the cigar. On the other hand, my stogie surgery afforded me an opportunity to observe how well crafted these cigars are — I was still able to smoke this stick to the band without it uravelling or coming apart.

The middle section of the Esplendido is smooth with a medium-bodied smoke texture; from the initial earthy flavors it develops some cedar. This cigar has no bite whatsoever, and very little aftertaste. It is what I’d characterize as light in flavor, but it still has a little kick to it.

The last third becomes increasingly earthy and I found I had to smoke it carefully at this point to avoid a bitter aftertaste. The finish grows substantially, but never gets oppressive. There is an interesting licorice or anise quality in the last couple inches.

Conclusion

More than anything I was impressed by the construction of these sticks, and were it not for the sweetened tips I think I would have enjoyed them much more. Aside from my personal preference, I think the sugar masked or obscured some of the more delicate qualities of the tobacco. Overlooking that detail, I think the aroma and easy going nature of these cigars would make them great morning or mid-day smokes. I think this blend has potential.

Isabela Cigars are available for purchase from their website. The robustos run around 6.50 USD and the Esplendidos about a buck more.

Final Scores:

Isabela Robusto: 84

Isabela Esplendido: 82

isabel4

~cigarfan

8 Comments Posted on by cigarfan Cigar Reviews, Don Pepin Garcia

My Father No. 1 by Garcia & Garcia

myfather

Jose “Don Pepin” Garcia has two cigar factories — the original El Rey de Los Habanos in Miami, and the much larger Tabacalera Cubana in Esteli, Nicaragua. Garcia’s son Jaime operates the Nicaragua factory, and apparently while his father is away he likes to conduct experiments on his own.

According to Cigar Aficionado’s David Savona, Jaime developed the blend for the “My Father” cigar in secret, and it was only after someone in the factory leaked “classified” information that Don Pepin discovered what was going on behind his back.  He proceeded to investigate, and having reduced the resulting evidence to ash he approved of his son’s surreptitious activities. He was also honored by the name Jaime decided to give the cigar: “My Father.”

The Garcias have till now quite effectively used tobacco grown in Nicaragua by other producers, but “My Father” is the first to use leaf grown by Garcia himself, in this case for the filler and binder. (The word on the street is that their wrapper leaf is in still in development.) For the wrapper on this cigar Jaime is using an interesting Habano – Criollo hybrid grown by the Oliva Tobacco Company in Ecuador.

“My Father” cigars are available in four sizes:

  • No. 1 – 5.5 x 52  Robusto
  • No. 2 – 5.5 x 54  Belicoso
  • No. 3 – 6 x 49  Crema
  • No. 4 – 7.5 x 38  Lancero

myfather2

Construction Notes

The wrapper on this cigar is a smooth and creamy looking colorado claro leaf with a few subtle veins. The roll is perfectly regular, with no lumps or soft spots, and the cap is typical Pepin workmanship. The caps on Garcia cigars are probably the finest in the world.

After clipping I found the pre-light draw to be grassy,  hay-like with some spice. The draw is surprisingly loose, but this didn’t affect the cigar’s performance. The burn was slow and mostly even to the end. My only complaint is very minor: the ash had a tendency to crack every inch or so. It never fell off in my lap, but it took no more than a light tap for it to fall into the ashtray.

Tasting Notes

My initial reaction to this cigar was two-fold: first, the tannic flavor simply bursts from this cigar. If you’ve smoked cigars from El Rey de Los Habanos or Tabacalera Cubana, you know what I’m talking about. It’s woody, but lip-smackingly tart. The second thing was that the aroma from this robusto is delicious. I would almost swear it’s DPG’s old Corojo 99, but it’s creamier and a little more fragrant. That trademark peppery taste is in evidence as well, but it seems to be toned down in comparison to other Pepin blends.

Working into the center of the cigar brings cocoa and caramel flavors reminscent of some of Pepin’s lighter cigars: the Red Label and Vegas Cubanas. This cigar is definitely more complex than either of those, with base notes of earth and leather, a mildly spicy but sweet aroma (sort of like sandalwood) and those intermingling cocoa or coffee bean flavors. The finish is lengthy and the aftertaste becomes increasingly peppery.

As I coast into the last section of this “My Father” cigar I’m feeling a pretty good nicotine hit — a breakfast smoke this is not — but it’s not overwhelming. The body of this cigar is a solid medium, maybe leaning towards full. It culminates with an earthy flavor, a long peppery finish and sweet caramel on the nose.

Conclusion

“My Father” is one of the more complex creations coming from the Pepin family. It probably fits in with the more medium-bodied cigars that Pepin makes, but it’s at the head of the class in terms of finesse. The tannic flavor that marks some young Cubans is the highlight of this smoke, and while Habanos enthusiasts age their stock to reduce this effect, it is in fact one of the great qualities of this blend. This is also why Don Pepin reportedly does not believe in aging his product.

This smoke runs around ten dollars per stick from Cigars Direct, which is a few dollars more than the middle-of-the-road blends from DPG that I’m used to smoking, but for the complexity and quality that you’re getting, it’s worth it.

This might be the best cigar coming out of Tabacalera Cubana right now, so I can see why Jose would be proud of his son with this blend. Clearly the acorn has not fallen far from the tree.

myfather3

Final Score: 89

~cigarfan

Other Reviews of Note

Barry gives the No. 2 Belicoso an 88 for A Cigar Smoker’s Journal

Lisa smokes the No. 3 Cremas and finds it “dry as French champagne.”

The Cohiba Club gives the No. 1 Robusto an 86

13 Comments Posted on by cigarfan Cigar Reviews

Siglo Limited Reserve

siglo

Sometimes a new cigar makes more smoke before it’s even released than it does when you finally get a chance to light one up. The Nicaraguan made Siglo Limited Reserve has done just that with its blatant and obvious play on the Cuban Cohiba image. The gold and yellow band with the checkerboard above the name and the italic logo below it is the first giveaway.

This mimicry extends to the flimsy box design. The only detail it seems to be missing is the diagonal Habanos strip across the corner. Altadis USA appears to be engaging in some advertising chicanery here, and veterans of the leaf are letting them know about it on the blogs and boards.  (Ironically those of us who are informed enough to be offended by these practices are not the consumers Altadis is targeting, so it probably doesn’t matter much to them… but that doesn’t mean we’re going to keep our pieholes shut.)

And as long as they’re borrowing frontmarks from the Cohiba “Linea 1492” range, they might as well just take “Siglo” as a brand name as well:

  • Siglo I – 4 1/4 x 44  petite corona
  • Siglo II – 5 5/8 x 45  grand corona
  • Siglo III – 6 1/2 x 44  lonsdale
  • Siglo IV – 5 x 54  robusto
  • Siglo VI – 6 x 54  toro
  • Siglo VII – 7 x 48  churchill
  • Siglo X – 6 x 54  torpedo

To my knowledge, General Cigar owns the rights to the Cohiba name and all its trappings in the United States, so I would presume that either Altadis (or its parent Imperial) has brokered a deal with General (or its parent Swedish Match) to put on this masquerade, or they are currently being sued over it. (And it wouldn’t be the first time. This stuff gets messy.)

In addition to all these design allusions Altadis borrowed one other crucial production factor: the blender. Frank Llaneza had a long history with Villazon before it was bought by General, and now Altadis is using his name quite prominently in their promotion as the master behind the Siglo Limited Reserve. I always did like Villazon cigars though, so I think I’ll just wade through all this merchandising smoke and get to the cigar itself.

The wrapper for the Siglo Limited is an Ecuadorian Habano leaf, beneath which is a Nicaraguan broadleaf binder. The filler is a Dominican/Nicaraguan combo.

siglo2

Construction Notes

It’s not a bad looking cigar, overlooking the devious band design. The wrapper is a light colorado claro, consistent in color with a slightly sandy texture and a few veins that give it a rustic appearance. The roll is solid, and the Cullman style round cap is applied well enough that it’s hard to see any seams above the shoulder of the stick.

Both the toro and the robusto drew very well. Complain all you want about Altadis, but it’s extremely rare that I’ve had a plugged or tight cigar from this company. The burn is quite slow due to the large ring gauge but it is a little uneven at times — one cigar required a single correction. The flaky salt-and-pepper ash holds for as long as I need it to, but it crumbles a bit in the ashtray.

Tasting Notes

The Siglo starts up with a woody, straightforward tobacco flavor. Almost immediately the wrapper contributes a pleasantly floral aroma, similar to but a little heavier and sweeter than Connecticut Shade. There isn’t a great deal of complexity here, but it’s certainly smooth and enjoyable.

The aroma just gets sweeter as the cigar burns down, so much that it’s almost sugary at times. The flavor gets a little spicier, but by Nicaraguan standards remains quite mild. The body and strength of this smoke seem to level out around a solid medium.

The last section brings some cocoa to the fore while the aroma takes a back seat. The slightly salty finish lengthens into an earthy aftertaste which finally gets a bit dirty near the band.

I didn’t notice much of a difference between the robusto and toro sizes, aside from smoking time: they’re both slow smoking, solid sticks, with the robusto clocking in at around 45 minutes, and the toro about an hour.

What this is, I think, is a nice boring cigar. There’s nothing wrong with it, and I think a lot of newer smokers will genuinely enjoy it. On the other hand, it doesn’t offer the veteran cigar fiend anything new to crow about. It reminds me a little of the El Rey del Mundo Real — a decent medium bodied smoke with a fine wrapper that just bores the hell out of me. Which doesn’t mean that it’s bad… just boring.

The Siglo Limited Reserve is priced reasonably at around 5 bucks a pop.

Final Score: 84

siglo3

~cigarfan

7 Comments Posted on by cigarfan Arturo Fuente, Cigar Reviews

Arturo Fuente Hemingway Short Story

afshortstory

Brought to you by our friends at Cigars Direct.

While Ernest Hemingway certainly had a connection to the cigar Shangri-La that is Cuba, he wasn’t known to be a huge fan of the cigar. Apart from his literary oeuvre that would earn him a Nobel Prize, he was known more for his prodigious appetite for alcohol than for smoking cigars. But for cigar fanatics the name “Hemingway” brings to mind something other than the writer — the Fuente made cigar named in his honor. The figurado shaped cigar with a tapered head and perfecto foot is known to most as the “Hemingway” style.

But this shape did not originate with the Arturo Fuente Hemingway series — according to Carlos Fuente, Jr., this shape is a classic Cuban perfecto that was popular from the 1920’s through the 50’s. Its popularity declined thereafter, and most of the Cuban masters who knew how to make this difficult figurado either retired or passed away. But then around 1980, Carlos Fuente Sr. recovered the “Hemingway” molds his father had stored in their Ybor City factory and recreated these cuban perfectos.

At first the Fuentes made these new perfectos exclusively for their own enjoyment. But in 1983 they introduced the first Hemingway to the market:  the 6 x 47 Signature. Five years later came the Classic and the Masterpiece,  which in a 1997 interview Carlos Jr. said was one of the rarest and most challenging cigars they make:

…the Hemingway Masterpiece is without question one of the rarest sizes of all Arturo Fuente cigars. Since the day it was first introduced, it has been blended and rolled by the same two brothers, who work together to make this unusual and challenging shape (perfecto, 9 1/4 by 52). The Cameroon wrapper for the Masterpiece is so difficult to obtain that we literally have to go through bales until we are able to select a few precious leaves that have both the size and the quality to be used on a Hemingway cigar. When the wrapper is not available, the brothers make Hemingway Classics. In a good year, we consider ourselves lucky if we’re able to produce as many as 10,000 Masterpieces.

The Short Story was created some time after that because it was “getting difficult to smoke in certain areas.” Yes, it was, and things have not improved since then. And even though this unusual looking figurado is one of the most difficult shapes for a roller to make, it was thereafter widely copied and imitated by other cigar manufacturers.

afshortstory2

The wrappers used for natural  Hemingway cigars are African Cameroon; the maduros are much more rare but are really exquisite. The Dominican filler and binder are together simply known as “the Hemingway blend.”

Three of the figurados in the Hemingway series — the Work of Art, Best Seller, and Short Story — have pyramidal cylinders, while the original Signature, Classic and Masterpiece are modified parejos. The Short Story is the smallest of the lot, measuring only four inches long with a ring gauge of 49 at its widest point, narrowing to 46. It’s an exotic looking cigar.

Construction Notes

The Cameroon wrapper on this cigar looks a little drab at first, but I’ve noticed that it changes quite a bit once lit — this wrapper must be really sensitive to heat. A minute or two after lighting oils come to the surface and the wrapper shines.

The color is consistent and there is the occasional glue smear.  The roll is firm and regular, and the draw is just right. Occasionally a cigar with this type of foot will offer resistance until the burn reaches the main body of the stick, but I haven’t encountered this problem with the Short Story.

The perfecto “nipple” makes this an extremely easy cigar to light. One match is usually all it takes. The burn can be a little uneven until the cinder has reached the main shank of the cigar, but from that point it evens out.  The ash is firm — with any luck you won’t need to ash this cigar but once, if at all.

afshortstory3

Tasting Notes

The Short Story is surprisingly complex for such a small cigar. It opens up with a strong sweet cedar flavor and a touch of mint, the hallmark of Cameroon wrapper. The smoke is medium to full in texture with a spicy tang.

After a few more puffs the flavor gets earthier and there is a touch of black pepper on the tongue. This is a medium bodied cigar in terms of both smoke density and power, but it has a lot of character. The aroma is a bit piney — sweet and spicy.

The finish grows a little bit toward the end, the aroma weakens somewhat, and the flavors muddy slightly. And then it’s done. That’s the only problem with this cigar — it’s over way too soon. But that’s the power of the short story, literally. I’ve always preferred “The Snows of Kilimanjaro” to The Sun Also Rises — the economy required seems to concentrate and magnify the power of Hemingway’s style. You could say the same thing of Fuente’s Short Story.

Conclusion

So this is a really wonderful little cigar. Even if you’ve smoked the larger sizes, I’d urge everyone to try the Short Story as well. I can’t think of a better 20 -30 minute smoke in its class.

Be sure to check Cigars Direct for availability and competitive pricing on Hemingways and other rare Fuente cigars.

Final Score: 91

afshortstory4

~cigarfan

5 Comments Posted on by cigarfan Cigar Reviews

Avo Maduro Robusto

avomaduro

The legend of Avo Uvezian, jazz pianist, composer of “Strangers in the Night,” and cigar celebrity, is well known. If you’re in the dark about Avo, it’s quite a story — a brief version can be found in our review of the Avo Domaine, and Zen and the Art of the Cigar has a manufacturer spotlight of Avo that includes a complete rundown of the various Avo blends.

Avo cigars are blended by master ligador Hendrik Kelner of Davidoff, which since 1995 has also owned the brand.

Avo’s Maduro line utilizes the same Dominican binder and filler as the Classic line — the only difference, of course, is the Connecticut Broadleaf wrapper. The Classic line is known for its mild sophistication, exactly what you’d expect from a firm like Davidoff, not to mention the suave character in the Mimbres hat. The Maduro wrapper changes the blend’s profile significantly, adding a little strength and a dose of sweetness.

Six sizes are currently available in the Maduro line:

  • Robusto – 5 x 50
  • #2  – 6 x 50 (toro)
  • #3 – 7.5 x 50 (presidente)
  • #9 – 4.75 x 48 (corona extra)
  • Belicoso – 6 x 48
  • Piramides – 7 x 36/54

The binder and filler leaves are Dominican, mostly from the Cibao valley.

avomaduro2

The wrapper on this robusto is typical of genuine maduro — thick, rough, and a bit chipped in places. It looks a lot more serious than it smokes. The prelight scent is of sweet tobacco with a whiff of compost on the wrapper.  The roll is solid and the cap clips cleanly.

The first flavors to emerge from the Avo Maduro are grassy and sweet. The aroma is rich and chocolaty. The smoke is mild to medium in body and extremely smooth. There is almost no finish and the aftertaste is negligible.

By the mid-point the flavor continues to be mild and straightforward, though it gradually becomes earthier and less grassy. The sweet chocolate on the nose steals the show here while the finish and aftertaste seem to be waiting in the wings.

The last third brings out some toastier cereal-like flavors which combine on the palate with the sweet aroma to create something like oatmeal with maple syrup. It’s an interesting effect, though very mellow in intensity.

The Avo maduro smokes very much like the Classic line — it’s an easy smoking cigar with a very clean flavor profile. Construction qualities here were almost perfect: an easy draw and a perfectly even burn. My only complaint was an ash that had a tendency to crack every inch or so.

This is a cigar I would smoke for its aromatic qualities more than anything else. Paired with a Classic Avo with its Ecuadorian Connecticut wrapper this would be a perfect way to teach a new cigar smoker the difference between natural and maduro flavors. It’s also a great example of how a rough looking, manly maduro can be incredibly clean and mild.

The robusto in this line runs around 5 to 6 USD before tax. A great price for the quality you’re getting.

Final Score: 86

avomaduro3

~cigarfan

8 Comments Posted on by cigarfan Bargain Cigars, Cigar Brand History, Cigar Reviews

Blue Label Robusto

blue-label

I was a little wary at first of a cigar called “Blue Label.”  Not Gran Habano Blue Label, or STC Blue Label…just Blue Label. This generic sounding name has been used before — in fact, one large online retailer sells both this Blue Label and their own house brand Blue Label, not to mention the Legends Series Blue Label, and the Don Pepin Garcia cigar popularly known as the “Blue Label.”  Aside from the confusion this might engender, it just seems like bad advertising — it doesn’t distinguish the product, and it doesn’t entice the consumer. What would you prefer — a luscious looking double-banded Alec Bradley Tempus, or a homely Blue Label?

Some History

Curiously, the Blue Label has a history in cigar lore, which may or may not have anything to do with the naming of this particular cigar. The original Blue Label wasn’t a blend or a brand; it was the mark of labor union approval.

union-label

The Cigar Maker’s International Union was formed in 1864 in New York City. A fourteen year old cigar maker named Samuel Gompers joined the Cigar Maker’s Union that same year and within ten years became the president of Local 144. In 1881 he helped form the American Federation of Labor (AFL.)  Gompers was eventually elected president of the AFL and is recognized today as a key figure in American labor history.

The Cigar Makers’ Union was one of the first to use labels to distinguish its products — this allowed union members and supporters to buy “union made” whenever possible, and to boycott non-union products. Label committees were formed to determine the conditions under which companies would be allowed use of the label, label custodians and secretaries within the organizations were appointed to administer the union policies, and label “agitators” promoted the use of the label and agitated against non-union made products.

In the official publication of the Cigars Makers’ International Union, members were encouraged to enter poems and songs rejoicing in the glory of union-made cigars:

The Blue Label

Now, friends, if you will listen to what I’ve got to say,
I promise not to keep you long, or ask you any pay,
I want to ask a favor, you’ll agree it is no joke;
please ask for “union” made cigars whene’er you want a smoke

They’re made by good mechanics, they’re made for all mankind;
And if you roam the wide world o’er, no better will you find,
So, boys, be up and doing, be as sly as an old fox,
And see that the “Blue Label” is pasted on each box.

— Fred M. Williams of Union 427, Rahway N.J.

union-adWithin other cigar unions the label had more insidious uses: when Chinese immigrants flooded the country in the late 1860’s, many of them found employment in cigar factories. Displaced or disgruntled white workers formed the Cigar Makers’ Association of the Pacific which subsequently issued cigar box labels reading, “The cigars contained in this box are made by WHITE MEN.”

For good or ill, the label was a big deal. The Cigar Makers’ International Union developed several different labels over the years, finally settling on a standardized blue label in 1880. Details of the labels continued to change, frequently enough that these changes are often used today by collectors to date cigar boxes.

So what does that have to do with the Blue Label Robusto? Maybe nothing. But the Blue Label itself is nothing new to the cigar world.

The Cigar

The Blue Label robustos I’ve been smoking lately (while reading hundred-year old cigar trade papers) are made by Guillermo and George Rico of Gran Habano fame. They are produced in the STC factory in Danli, Honduras, and are available in the four standard sizes:

  • Churchill – 7 x 50
  • Corona –   6 x 44
  • Torpedo – 6.5 52
  • Robusto – 5 x 52

Only partial information is available about the blend:

  • Wrapper: Habano (country of origin unstated)
  • Binder: Corojo (country of origin unstated)
  • Filler: Honduran, Nicaraguan, and Dominican

bluelabel2

Construction Notes

The robustos are finely crafted cigars — the wrappers are a semi-glossy colorado claro, consistent in color and smooth in texture. The heads are soundly triple capped and are very attractive. They are rolled rock solid and feel heavy in the hand. All samples drew very well with either a punch or a guillotine cut.

The burn was a little lopsided at times, but always self-correcting. The yellowish-gray ash was a little crumbly, but held on long enough not to create a mess in my lap.

Tasting Notes

The Blue Label starts off with an intensely earthy flavor, very similar to the Gran Habano No. 5 Corojo. A mouthful of dirt is admittedly an acquired taste, but I’m afraid I have acquired it. This flavor does slowly dissipate, turning to oaky wood and vanilla in the middle section, and finally gets a little nutty toward the end. On the other hand, if earthy is not your thing you probably won’t get past the first inch.

The spicy cedary aroma is a really nice touch — ginger and cinnamon or nutmeg, that sort of thing. It’s light enough that it doesn’t overwhelm the medium-strength flavors on the palate, but it’s assertive enough to make a noticeable and pleasant contribution.

The finale is mildly peppery and more powerful than expected.  It’s certainly not a heavy hitting smoke, but they may sneak up on you if you’re smoking quickly and not paying attention.

Retail price for a box of Blue Label robustos is around 60 USD (even less at auction) making this a great blue collar cigar… assuming you can make it past that peaty first inch.

Final Score: 88

bluelabel3

References

Once a Cigar Maker: Men, Women and Work Culture in American Cigar Factories, 1900-1919 by Patricia A. Cooper, 1987

Encyclopedia of U.S. Labor and Working-Class History, edited by Eric Arnesen, 2006

Cigar Makers’ Official Journal, Feb 15, 1903, Chicago.

~cigarfan

6 Comments Posted on by cigarfan Cigar Reviews, Don Pepin Garcia

Tabacos Baez Monarcas

Baez is a small town in the Villa Clara province of Cuba where in 1950 our hero José “Don Pepín” Garcia was born, presumably with chaveta in hand.  (The first infant ever to cut his own umbilical cord!) Tabacos Baez, a newish blend from Tabacalera Cubana, is named for that town.

Of course, Tatuaje’s Cabaiguan was also named for Pepin’s hometown. So was Cigar King’s Sancti Spiritus.

baezI’m sure if we were to scry deeply enough into the crystal ball of Pepinolatry that some clarity could be found — maybe in the fact that the provinces of Villa Clara and Sancti Spiritus are contiguous and were at one time two separate parts of one province called Las Villas, and Cabaiguan is a city within Sancti Spiritus. Or perhaps we’d see that Pepin is a quasi-religious figure in these lands and thus his birthplace is claimed by competing bands of disciples  — or we could just forget the magic carpet ride and smoke a cigar.

The Tabacos Baez brand name was at one time owned by Pete Johnson’s Havana Cellars, at which time they were the best of the student-rolled cigars coming out of Pepin’s factory.  In a Cigarcyclopedia.com article from July 2007, Pete said:

Tabacos Baez is one of those things we use for factory seconds or student-rolled cigars. We use that brand name for cigars that Pepin has trained people on. If [a batch of student-made] cigars seems good to me, we pack it up as Tabacos Baez. It’s gained a little cult following, since people found out that they are student-rolled cigars and are half the price. It’s made from similar leaves [as Tatuaje]; if a roller knows how to blend them properly, they’re pretty good.

The Tabacos Baez name appears to have passed back to El Rey de Los Habanos, and from the looks of things they are no longer student products. At around 7 or 8 USD retail they aren’t “half the price” either.

There appear to be three sizes available at the moment:

  • Monarcas (toro) – 6.5 x 52
  • Favoritas (belicoso) – 5.5 x 52
  • Robusto – 5 x 50

Some sites state that the wrapper used here is Connecticut Shade, others Ecuadorian Connecticut. I’m inclined to think that it is Ecuadorian Connecticut from the way that the cigar performs — it has that creamy, slightly salty flavor that I usually get from ECCT, and with its wide, almost parallel, veins it looks like Ecuadorian leaf.  It’s also a little darker than typical shade tobacco.

The balance of the tobaccos in this cigar are Nicaraguan, as you’d expect from Don Pepín.

baez2

Construction Notes

This is a stout and well packed cigar that scored perfectly in terms of appearance and roll. The wrapper is a smooth and oily golden brown and the triple cap is a work of art. A gorgeous stick.

The draw is good, but a couple cracks in the wrapper resulted in thin smoke volume at times. The cracks were small and near the foot, so I burned through them in short order. The burn was a little erratic at first, threatening to tunnel (which it did not) and it required a couple of corrections. After the first third these problems unnaccountably disappeared and the stick behaved perfectly.

Tasting Notes

The first half-inch of the Baez Monarca is hallmark Pepin — an aggressive peppery bite, accompanied by a slightly greenish tasting tannin. The wrapper contributes a smooth buttery element — at this point it’s reminiscent of the 601 Connect, also blended by Pepín. But soon the bite subsides and the flavor slides into mild cocoa. The aroma becomes more pronounced, somewhat floral and slightly caramel-like, almost like a mild corojo.

The middle section is quite mild in flavor while remaining a little tannic. The smoke texture is medium in body, mild in strength, and short on action. There are lightly spiced woody flavors here, but unless smooth and uninteresting is your thing you might want to get a book.

The last section returns with the black pepper that kicked things off, though not as intense and less tannic, and a dry finish that begs for a liquid refreshment.

This blend definitely goes through some changes, but they aren’t dramatic ones. The first inch of this cigar reminded me of EO’s 601 Connect — a relatively robust Pepin creation with a Connecticut wrapper — but the rest of this Tabacos Baez reminded me of a knockoff Cabaiguan. The flavors were smooth and familiar, but not as refined –or as interesting — as the Cabaiguan. (It even had some of the construction issues I’ve experienced with Cabaiguan.)

Overall, this is an above average smoke that just about anyone will enjoy. But for the same price (around $7 a stick) or only slightly more, you could be smoking a Cabaiguan Coronas Extra (about $8 each). If that’s the style of cigar you enjoy, as indeed I do, I recommend you compare and invest accordingly.

Final Score: 87

baez3

Other Points of View

The Baccy Bodhisattva meditates on the Monarcas

Lisa selects a Monarcas from Her Humidor

George meets the Quick Smoke deadline with a Monarcas for Stogie Guys

~cigarfan

9 Comments Posted on by cigarfan Cigar Reviews

Montecristo Reserva Negra Robusto

montecristonegraAltadis USA is engaging in extension frenzy once again with its Montecristo Reserva Negra, increasing the number of Montecristo blends currently available  to seven.  Introduced last summer, this is the first “official” Montecristo to arrive dressed in a maduro wrapper, and it’s a dandy.

I was really surprised by the appearance of this cigar, since I expect nothing less than sheer class from Montecristo — the wrapper on this stick is a lackluster dark brown color, a matte brown (if there is such a thing.) It is strangely lacking in oil, which I find a little off-putting in a maduro. If it weren’t for the elegant looking band I would not take it for a premium smoke at all.

This unprepossessing wrapper is a product of Mexico. I see you eyeing the exit sign, but stay with me for a minute, because the San Andres valley produces some stellar maduro.

veracruz

Situated in the mountains of the coastal state of Veracruz, the San Andres valley is in an area called “Los Tuxtlas.” The region is dominated by dormant volcanoes and the giant lake Catemaco. Agricultural activity has being going on here for over 5000 years, and today the Cuban expatriates who grow tobacco in San Andres are adding to that history.

The soil in San Andres Tuxtla has been compared to that of Cuba’s Vuelta Abajo — a mixture of rich clay and volcanic sand. I suppose every cigar producing country has their “just like Cuba” claim — for Mexico, this valley is their Pinar del Rio.

The major tobacco producer here is Alberto Turrent, a fifth generation tobacco man whose great-grandfather used to throw seeds randomly on the mountainside and return a month later to find healthy plants big enough for replanting in the field. Today the process is of course more controlled, but the soil and the climate are the same.

tuxtlas1Several types of tobacco are grown here, including the leaf for Mexican puros like Te Amo and A. Turrent cigars, but what I’m primarily interested in are the crops destined to become maduro — what is usually called San Andres Negro or San Andres Marrón. (I’ve seen it spelled Morrón and even Moron, but since Marrón means “chestnut brown,” Morón is a hill, and Morrón isn’t in mi dictionario —  I’m going with Marrón.)

San Andres Marrón is fairly rare. It’s used in a few other Altadis made cigars: Gispert Maduro and Saint Luis Rey Maduro as well as the new H. Upmann Reserve Maduro but very few others. San Andres Negro is what you usually get with a Mexican maduro wrapper — a shiny nearly oscuro colored maduro leaf. If I had to guess I’d say this is why the Marrón is used so infrequently — the appearance. But as far as taste goes, Brown is the new Black.

The Montecristo Reserva Negra is available in five sizes, all of which are slightly larger in diameter than is traditional:

  • Churchill – 7 x 56
  • Belicoso – 6 1/8 x 52
  • Toro – 6 x 54
  • Robusto – 5 x 54
  • Corona – 5 x 44

In addition to the San Andres Marrón wrapper this line utilizes a Nicaraguan binder and fillers from Honduras and Nicaragua. All cigars are square pressed.

Construction Notes

I’ve gloated about the wrapper already, but believe me, my appreciation is not based on appearance — the wrapper looks like it’s been soaked and dried in the sun, and there’s a glue smear or two for emphasis. Without the snazzy black and gold Montecristo band this would be one seriously ugly duckling.

The robusto is a heavy cigar that feels very solid in the hand. It’s nicely packed, and the draw has just the right amount of resistance. It burns very slowly and consistently, making this a good 60 minute smoke. The ash is a little bit flaky at times, but it holds and falls firmly when tipped into the ashtray. The burn was mostly even, better than average for a square pressed cigar. Overall the construction values here were excellent.

Tasting Notes

It starts out deceptively mild, with an herbal or grassy base, to which the wrapper contributes a rich baker’s chocolate and mild spice. The smoke is very smooth and creamy in texture.

In the second stage the grassy flavor turns woody with a slightly sharp tang that I find in many Nicaraguan cigars. The chocolate overtones mellow a little into cocoa, but the aroma is still sweet and very enjoyable.

The final section takes on an oaky flavor and gets gradually spicier. The woody flavors at last become more leathery, and the finish is concentrated. Lots of black pepper. And lest I forget, a pretty serious nicotine kick. I wasn’t expecting it, but this is one of the heavier hitters in the Altadis lineup.

montenegra

Conclusion

All appearances to the contrary, this is a delicious maduro, the best I’ve smoked in many months. It’s smooth and gentle to start but then it picks up speed, eventually becoming full-bodied, spicy, and fairly powerful. The transition isn’t dramatic, but it provides just the right amount of complexity. Combined with excellent construction values,  this is a very high quality stick.

At around 8 to 10 USD per stick or $160 for a box of 20, it’s not an inexpensive smoke, but I daresay it’s worth it. I don’t go crazy for too many Altadis cigars, but this is one I’ll be thinking about when I hit the B&M next time around.

Final Score: 90

~cigarfan