EO Cigars

2 Comments Posted on October 7, 2010 by cigarfan Cigar Reviews

Mi Barrio El Puro

The business side of the cigar world is a rapidly changing affair. This has been especially evident with a worldwide recession and the steady barrage of draconian government tax policies. The net effect is easily seen here: what used to be EO Cigars is now EO Brands, after an early summer split with Miami Cigar and a merger with Rocky Patel. The reason given for the new arrangement is that EO wants to lower prices — a laudable objective, but not one that bodes well for the industry at large. A few months after these developments I started seeing Mi Barrio cigars selling at reduced prices on one of the big online retail outlets. That is not usually a good sign, but in this case it seems to be a result of the business environment rather than production quality.

So I’m not sure whether I should put this review in the present or the past tense. Mi Barrio was originally designed as a limited edition cigar anyway, but at this time it is still on the market. I’ll be optimistic and hope for the best.

Mi Barrio is produced by EO Brands and manufactured by Pepin Garcia’s My Father Cigars in Esteli, Nicaragua. The first size that was introduced is the one I’m smoking today, the one called “El Puro,” a fat double corona made in July 2008 and released later that year at the IPCPR. (Or was it the RTDA?)

Only 1000 boxes in each of four sizes were slated for production. The toro was released in the fall of 2008, and the churchill and torpedo were unleashed in the summer of 2009. The bands and boxes feature art by Cuban artist Edin Gutierrez — a different design for each size. The band for El Puro, the double corona, shows Orestes Espinosa, Sr. (the father of EO Brands’ Erik Espinosa) and Pepin Garcia.

Like most of Pepin Garcia’s cigars, this one is a Nicaraguan puro.

El Puro – 7 x 52 (double corona)
El Acere – 6 x 50 (toro)
El Forro – 7 x 48 (churchill)
El Billetero – 5 1/2 x 52 (torpedo)

I’ve had a few of these double coronas put away since early 2009, and this is my last one. I have really enjoyed this cigar because it has all of the qualities that I really enjoy in a Nicaraguan puro without any of the harshness. They’re smoking so well right now that I just couldn’t hold off on them any longer.

Construction Notes

At 7 inches long and with a 52 ring gauge, the “El Puro” double corona is an imposing stick. The wrapper is leathery, but somewhat dry in appearance. A few veins are apparent but not obtrusive. The overall effect is leathery. The roll and the cap are just about perfect, as is to be expected from My Father Cigars.

The draw on this cigar is effortless, and smoke wafts gently from the head after each puff. Inside or on a still day, this cigar is almost as much a pleasure to view as it is to smoke.

The only criticisms I can make are that the burn is uneven at times and the ash is a bit flaky. But these minor flaws are completely outweighed by its finer qualities.

Overall excellent construction.

Tasting Notes

Mi Barrio’s double corona is a medium-bodied cigar — by EO/Pepin standards I almost want to call it mild. It is certainly milder than any of the 601 or Don Pepin cigars (Blue, Black, and White labels.) Instead of high octane tobacco and an explosion of black pepper what Mi Barrio offers is a more even tempered, but still flavorful experience.

The smoke in the first third is remarkably creamy, and though there is a touch of pepper in the first half-inch the primary flavors are of earth and cocoa. It is surprisingly mild and a bit dry.

In the mid-section the flavors turn sweeter with caramel accents and a hint of vanilla. The flavors remind me a little of Vegas Cubana, but more substantial and complex.

The pepper returns in the last third, but in a complementary rather than a dominant way. I’m reminded of charred oak barrels and at one point thought I tasted bourbon. (Not that bourbon would be the best companion for this cigar, unless you like it weak, which means I am not letting you near my bourbon.) But most importantly, this cigar stays smooth to the band.

Conclusion

Mi Barrio in this large format is a smooth and cocoa-laden smoke that any fan of medium-bodied cigars will enjoy. It isn’t tremendously complex, but it is certainly satisfying. And coming from My Father Cigars in Esteli, the construction is as perfect as you’ll get in a Nicaraguan puro. The only hitch might be the price — around ten bucks a throw. But with the turbulence in the market and EO Brands’ commitment to lower prices, that ten dollar mark might fall.

Or Mi Barrio may just ride into the sunset. Or become gentrified. Whatever happens to barrios these days… In that case, I’m glad I had the chance to smoke a few before they’re gone.

Final Score: 90

4 Comments Posted on August 3, 2009 by cigarfan Aging Reports, Cigar Reviews, Don Pepin Garcia

Aging Report: Cubao No. 5

Cubao1yr

I have been aging cigars for a few years now and have come to the tentative conclusion that aging does not immeasurably enhance the quality of most non-Cuban cigars. Despite this I still have a few boxes put away for testing and comparison purposes.

I have all but given up on aging mild to medium-bodied cigars because the effects of aging seem to be a gradual diminishing of flavor. On the other hand, medium to full bodied cigars are able to withstand and possibly benefit from this moderation, especially when the cigar is a little too aggressive in its fresh state.

The Cubao No. 5 falls into this latter category: a medium-bodied smoke with a few rough edges that might smooth out with some age. After about a year in storage, it’s time to break them out and file a progress report.

My original assessment from September of last year ran as follows:

This toro starts up with that trademark Pepin pepper, but it’s not as powerful as a lot of his heavier blends. … After an inch I’m tasting cocoa and coffee with cream types of flavors, and the aroma from the foot is quite nice. …the way the sweet wood on the nose melds with the spiced cocoa on the palate.

There isn’t a lot of transition in the second half of the cigar, but I’m noticing a dry finish and a little scratch on the throat. Nothing a cold pale ale can’t take of. The intensity doesn’t pick up too much until I hit the band where the pepper ratchets up a bit. The flavor remains sweetly woody up front with cocoa notes in the margin. The pepper stays in the background and in the aftertaste, which is otherwise pretty clean.

Cubao cigars are brought to you by Espinosa y Ortega, makers of 601 and Mi Barrio cigars. They are manufactured by the Garcia family’s Tabacalera Cubana in Esteli, Nicaragua, with Nicaraguan filler and binder leaves and topped off with a dark Ecuadorian Sumatra wrapper. Six sizes are available. At 6 1/8 x 50, the No. 5 is their toro entry.

Cubao1yr2

Construction Notes

A year in the coolerador hasn’t done much for these cigars’ complexion, but of course that wasn’t expected to improve. The Cubao No. 5 is a masculine looking cigar — the wrapper is rough and mottled dark brown to almost black in places. The roll is a little soft, but that may be due to storage. Storage conditions were 60-65% relative humidity, and judging by the loose draw they might do better with a little higher RH. Despite this the stick burned perfectly and never got hot, so no points were lost on that count.

Overall very good construction.

Tasting Notes

I’m not sure why, but it always seems like aged cigars take a minute or two to wake up. The first few puffs of the Cubao are straightforward tobacco, nothing too interesting, but certainly not unpleasant either. After a minute the flavor gets grainier, like cereal with some natural sweetness and a dash of pepper. The aroma from the smoldering wrapper carries the most interest here — it’s leathery, with a muskiness to it that is very nice.

After twenty or thirty minutes the heart of the cigar opens up and pours out its sad story. “I’ve been locked away for so long in that dark damp cooler and I’ve missed you so much, man.” It’s a familiar story, bittersweet with a dry finish. (A cold beverage is recommended at this point, and put some Hank Williams on while you’re at it.) Coffee and chocolate accents accompany the woody dry flavor, and the aroma continues its heartfelt refrain. “I’m so lonesome, I could cry…”

The last third is where the Cubao becomes most complex, and where the aging difference becomes most evident. The flavor doesn’t change dramatically, remaining sweet and woody for the most part, but the pepper intensifies and the body becomes almost wine-like. The smoke is very smooth and sippable, but still moderate in strength and medium in body. Chocolate notes are more pronounced in the fragrance, making this cigar almost like smoking mole. (As in mole poblano, not the rodent, wise guy.)

A small scratch at the back of the throat is the only real negative here, but it is not as severe as it was in its bolder, fresh state.

Conclusion

A year is not a long time in terms of serious cigar aging, but the effects are still apparent with the Cubao No. 5. In a year’s time these cigars have mellowed a little bit and are starting to show increased complexity. This is a very good cigar to start with, so it’s basically a matter of comparing subtleties. I detected a wider range of different flavors in the aged stock, including some things I didn’t pick up a year ago — notes of leather and musk, and more flavors in the transition after the mid-point. Combined with a slightly less aggressive attack on the back palate, I’m going to say the Cubao is a very good candidate for aging.

For now I will have to retract my conclusion about aging non-Cuban cigars — and revisit these in another year, if I can resist them that long.

Final Score: 90

Cubao1yr3

7 Comments Posted on September 23, 2008 by cigarfan Cigar Reviews, Don Pepin Garcia

Cubao No. 5

Cubao is the latest offering from Erik Espinosa and Eddie Ortega’s United Tobacco, blended by Pepin Garcia and manufactured at the Tabacalera Cubana factory in Esteli, Nicaragua. The No. 5 is the toro in the line, and comes equipped with a rough looking oscuro Ecuadorian Sumatra wrapper. The boxes are really interesting — the wood almost looks salvaged, like it was recovered from an old barn.

From the Habanos-style parchment included in the box:

Cu-bao – The Taino word for “where fertile land is abundant” or “a great place.”

Cuba is the most populous insular nation in the Caribbean. Its people, culture and customs draw from several sources including the aboriginal Taino and Ciboney tribes. It is believed that the name “Cuba” comes from the Taino word “cubao” which can be translated into either “where fertile land is abundant” or “a great place” (coabana.)

We have selected the finest filler and binder grown in the Jalapa and Esteli region of Nicaragua — where the soil is as rich as Cuba’s Pinar del Rio — and wrapped it in a rich flavorful Ecuadorian grown Sumatra oscuro wrapper to create CUBAO.

The tobacco growing is overseen by experts, the rolling is done by skilled torcedors, practiced in this centuries old art. We believe we have created a cigar with a truly old world flavor. We hope you will agree.

The wrapper on this cigar mirrors the distressed look of the box — it’s not black (as you might expect from an “oscuro”) but dark brown with some black mottling.The wrappers bear the scars of thorough fermentation and the result is a weather beaten appearance. But the compensation for this less than gorgeous appearance is the flavor.

The 6 x 50 Cubao No. 5 lights up easily and burns almost perfectly for the duration of the smoke. The draw is excellent and the smoke production is generous. It forms a solid light gray ash that seems to hold for about an inch and a half before cracks form. Draw whatever comparisons you like to the fine cigars of Havana, the Cubao has them outflanked in the construction department.

This toro starts up with that trademark Pepin pepper, but it’s not as powerful as a lot of his heavier blends. It’s certainly lighter than any of the 601 cigars, and as usual this flavor dissipates after an inch but never really exits the stage completely. After an inch I’m tasting cocoa and coffee with cream types of flavors, and the aroma from the foot is quite nice, though non-smokers will find it pretty pungent. Stogie connoisseurs, on the other hand, will appreciate the way the sweet wood on the nose melds with the spiced cocoa on the palate.

There isn’t a lot of transition in the second half of the cigar, but I’m noticing a dry finish and a little scratch on the throat. Nothing a cold pale ale can’t take of. The intensity doesn’t pick up too much until I hit the band where the pepper ratchets up a bit. The flavor remains sweetly woody up front with cocoa notes in the margin. The pepper stays in the background and in the aftertaste, which is otherwise pretty clean.

Overall I’d say this is a medium to full bodied cigar, though regular Pepin smokers will think it’s more on the medium side. It certainly heavier than the Rey de Los Habanos (Red Label) or Vegas Cubanas, but it seems lighter than the 601s, San Cristobal, and most of the Tatuaje family. But for me it’s still most definitely an after-dinner smoke.

These are going for around 6 or 7 bucks, which is a great deal for the complexity you’re getting. I think most DPG fans will like this cigar as a flavorful medium-bodied departure from the heavyweights, and for those new to Pepin’s many blends, this is a great place to start. It’s not the prettiest cigar in the Pepin stable, but it definitely smokes better than it looks. And finally, an added bonus: these seem to be getting better after only a couple months in storage.