Patel Brothers Short Cigar Review
0/3: It looks like a fairly well made cigar. A little hard to the touch but it is still a visually appealing cigar. Not a lot of oils on the wrapper.
On a separate issue, is the point of the name – Patel Brothers – supposed to evoke longing memories of Mario Bros? Maybe whilst lighting the cigar you will be brought back to that time you ate the mushroom and squashed the spiked turtle – digitally, of course.
Wrapper: Connecticut Broadleaf | Binder: Nicaraguan | Filler: Nicaraguan | Box of 20: $80.00 | Torpedo | 6″ x 52
1/3: Starts out enjoyable even though the flavors are borderline harsh. By that I mean there is a separation between the flavors, which are earth, smokiness, and bitter cocoa; and the overall smoking experience, which is bitter.
2/3: A mild sweetness has started to come through during the second third. Strong and dark is the name of the game here but, so far, I am enjoying this cigar more than I thought I would. An extremely earthy cigar.
3/3: The sweetness is still a background flavor but it has grown in prominence and it is providing a decent counterbalance to the robust earthiness that is evident in this cigar’s flavor profile. The sweetness is a little odd: it’s closer to straight, natural sugar than to anything else I can think of.
4/3: Unless you want an extremely earthy experience this probably is not a cigar for you. It also at times harsh and, because of that, the flavors can come off as being overbearing and not good. Personally, I would smoke this cigar again but I will not be seeking this cigar out. If it’s part of a deal I wouldn’t balk at it though.
3 points
Cuba Libre Short Cigar Review
This is a cheap cigar; $2.50 per stick or less when you buy it by the box. As long as cheap cigars are tasty they are worth it. If they aren’t tasty, well, I think you get the picture.
Very nicely made box pressed cigar. It is probably a little too tightly packed bit it does have a good amount of oils on the wrapper. No blemishes on the wrapper that I can see which is a good omen.
Thanks go out to Cigars Direct for this cigar.
Cigar Stats
Length: 6″
Ring Gauge: 50
Wrapper: Honduras
Binder: Nicaragua
Filler: Nicaragua
Price: $50.00/Box of 20
Krish Krush Flame!
Earthiness is the first flavor to greet my palate. There is a slight coffee flavor there as well. Nothing spectacular with this cigar though. Good draw and burn, medium bodied.
Slow burning cigar with some good flavors. It’s not exactly the most memorable cigar though. The flavors aren’t boring, per se. They just are not all that lively.
A hint of charcoal starts creeping in near the beginning and takes on a more substantial role as the burn progresses. It’s a pretty good cigar.
Now that I have finished this cigar I can say that for $2.50 a cigar it might well be worth it. Don’t expect much from this cigar as it does not have much to give. Average is the best way to describe this cigar.
3 points
5 Vegas Relic Short Cigar Review
Thanks to the good folks over at Cigars Direct for this cigar. Now onto business. And this is going to be a Short Cigar Review not because the length of this post is short but because I only smoked one of these cigars.
You would be forgiven if you saw this cigar from across the room and thought that it was a good looking cigar. For one, it’s a figurado, which, while not a rarity, is a different pace. Another reason to appreciate its look from across the room is its dark and alluring wrapper. Alas, you will need to eventually cross the room and pick up the cigar if you are going to smoke it.
When you do that be prepared for a haphazard cacophony of black blotches on a muddied, dark brown canvas. Look closer and you will see a series of bumps and other misshapen portions of the cigar. It’s not totally gruesome but it is, charitably, rough looking.
On the plus side there is a goodly amount of oil on the wrapper. Well, that and it’s a cigar.
The prelight draw was, as expected, nonexistent. But I was able to get some chocolate flavors up front followed by some spice on the finish.
Cigar Stats
Length: 5.7″
Ring Gauge: 54
Wrapper: Dominican Corojo
Binder: Dominican Piloto
Filler: Three kinds of Dominican: Piloto ’96, Corojo and Criollo
Price: $5.25/Cigar | $100.00/Box of 24
Mamet Fire!
Surprisingly, the draw starts out nicely. Even though it requires a little effort to get some smoke through I am able to pick up some sweet spice notes. That’s pretty much all there is until the burn reaches the meaty part of the cigar.
Once the burn reaches the meaty part of the cigar I’m better able to pinpoint that sweet flavor – it’s fruity, like a peach. As the burn progresses spice takes on greater importance and that chocolate flavor I sensed on the prelight draw also comes on, but barely.
That peachiness has (mercifully) faded into the background. Now the spice is really making its presence known. Chocolate only grows stronger.
This is a medium bodied, maybe medium-full bodied, cigar. The flavors are actually pretty good. Even that peachy sweetness wasn’t too bad. Couple all that with this being a fairly cheap cigar and it is definitely worth a try.
3 points – Average
Padilla Series ’68 Short Cigar Review
First off, I hope that you all had a wonderful Christmas. One in which you got twice as many cigars as you had hoped for and Santa even threw in a dependable lighter and a sharp cigar cutter. Oh, and maybe some liquor too if you were really good this year.
Full disclosure: I received this cigar from Cigars Direct. All reviews are my own.
Wrapper: Nicaragua | Binder: Nicaragua | Filler: Nicaragua
Vitola: Robusto (robusto – 5″x50) | Price: App. $6.oo/cigar
0/3: This is one Padilla I do not have a lot of experience with. I love the Dominus, the 1932 and the Miami. It looks like a well made cigar and it has a waxy feel to it. Lots of veins and it has a triple cap. Well and evenly packed.
1/3: One of the things that I like about those three cigars I talked about above is that they are like the cigar versions of a recently broken wild horse. They’re awesome that way. This one, on the other hand, is a different type of cigar altogether. It doesn’t have that same reckless allure that the other cigars have; it’s more refined than that.
The flavors during the first third center around a grassy core that is tinged with spice on the inhale and the finish of the retrohale.
2/3: The second third is basically a continuation of the preceding third. There is a little bit of mint and the occasional wood note as well. The draw is good, maybe a shade too tight, and the burn is perfect. Medium bodied cigar.
3/3: Entering the final third and I am just not excited about this cigar anymore. I like the half-mad Padillas; maybe they aren’t as refined but this one just doesn’t have the same soul as those others. The big difference with this third is that the grassy flavor has disappeared and has left a mixture of wood and earth.
4/3: I have read some other reviews that rate this cigar very well. Personally, it isn’t in my flavor wheelhouse. Perfectly fine cigar but it does not do enough to excite me.
3 points – Try this sampler and compare the ’68 to the 1932 and the Miami. Tell me which is better.
Fonseca Habana Selection Short Cigar Review
First, thanks to Cigars Direct for this Fonseca Habana Selection cigar. Now onto the down and dirty review.
Wrapper: Nicaragua | Binder: Nicaragua | Filler: Dominican Republic
Vitola: Cosacos (robusto) | Price: $30/5 pack
0/3: Oh, neat! The cigar is wrapped in wax paper. With the wax paper now disposed of there is a cigar to look at. It’s not a particularly good looking cigar. A couple of significantly raised veins and bumpy. Sort of reminds me of a witch’s arthritic finger. It is very oily though, the wrapper that is, and it is uniformly packed with a little bit of give whenever I press down on an area.
One last thing; this cigar is made by Manuel Quesada, who also makes the Quesada Tributo, which I liked.
1/3: I’m getting this tangy flavor that is not at all appetizing. Behind it there are a couple of good flavors: oak and some sweetness. Weird.
2/3: Sometimes things happen that can’t be explained and this is one of those times. After I ashed the cigar about 3/4″ down from the foot that tangy flavor mostly disappears.
It now has a fierce group of flavors all fighting for predominance. Hay, oak and some nuttiness but not in that kicked back, “let’s enjoy the sunset together” sort of way. It’s more like “let’s put a bunch of hay, oak and nuts in the back of the truck, loosely tie it down, and head down the highway at 100 mph!” Basically, it’s feisty.
3/3: The final third sees a bit of a departure from the previous third. There’s earthiness and some cocoa.
That tangy flavor never completely leaves though. It’s just weird but, all in all, doesn’t ruin the cigar for me.
3 points | Try it sometime
