CAO Cx2 Cigar Review
First off, thanks to Famous Smoke Shop for supplying the stogies for this cigar review.
One of the good things about this cigar is that it’s pretty easy to figure out what is in it. The “Cx2″ refers to the fact that both the wrapper and the binder are from Cameroon. If for no other reason the fact that there is so much Cameroonian tobacco in this cigar should make you want to try it out. How else will you get to know what Cameroonian tobacco tastes like?
It’s a decent enough looking cigar. There are a couple of pin-sized holes on the wrapper but other than that I don’t see any problems with it. Not very oily, not veiny, nicely packed, smells spicy at the foot and the prelight draw is open.
Cigar Stats
Robusto
Length: 5″
Ring Gauge: 52
Wrapper: Cameroon
Binder: Cameroon
Filler: Columbia & Nicaragua
Price: $100.00/box of 20 | $5.70/single
Civic Flame!
This sample from the stable of CAO Cx2 Cigars starts off very earthy. Lurking in the background is a little bit of spice – just a pinch for flavor – but the secondary flavor to the earth is a mildly sweet woody flavor.
Actually, this is a very relaxing cigar. There is just enough spice in there to give the earthy and woody core an extra kick. Medium bodied for sure.
Comfortably into the second third now and there have been some changes in the flavor profile. That earthiness has faded a great deal. In it’s place the wood and spice have melded together quite nicely.
The final third of the cigar transitions back to the sweet wood flavor. The earthiness is still sticking around but isn’t a major flavor. The spice is all but gone. A new sweetness, basically a floral sweetness, comes on a little nearer the end.
It is a tasty cigar with some good flavors. The draw and the burn are both excellent. Very good cigar.
89 points
Quesada Tributo Cigar Review
This is a very special cigar from the Quesada family. According to Cigar Aficionado “…the Tributo brand was made by Quesada and his team of daughters, nephews and nieces—known as the “Fifth Generation”—at Matasa (Manufactura de Tabacos S.A.) in Santiago.” Before I jump headlong into the review I would like to thank Cigars Direct for this wonderful cigar.
It’s a great looking cigar; well-made and feels solid to the touch. The wrapper is oily. The only drawbacks I can see (and feel) is that there are a couple of discolorations on the wrapper and the cigar may be a little too tightly packed.
Doing some research on this cigar I found out from A Cigar Smoker’s Journal that the wrapper is unique. According to the indispensable Barry, the cigar “utilizes a special hybrid wrapper which was created using the seeds of the Corojo, Habano 2000, Habano Vuelta Arriba and Sumatra in Ecuador.” So lets see if this is a hybrid that we can all like.
Cigar Stats
Robusto
Length: 5″
Ring Gauge: 50
Wrapper: Ecuador Heinz 57
Binder: Honduras
Filler: Dominican Republic & Nicaragua
Price: $6.50/Single
10 Light!
It is definitely an interesting mix of flavors right out of the gates. Instead of the spiciness that I was expecting the flavor profile is much more tame. Sure, there is some spice but there is also sourdough, darkly mild fruitiness and something else that I can’t quite pin down yet. It’s a seemingly minor flavor yet it slices through the other flavors like a light saber through a Jedi. The best I can come up with is something like a tangerine or some other kind of exotically fruity flavor.
The draw requires the slightest of tugs to get a good amount of smoke coming at your taste buds. Good burn and, after about the first third is through, I’m going to go out on a limb and peg this one as a medium bodied smoke.
As the burn line migrates from the first to the second third the flavors are meshing together very well. It is an interesting cigar. There are a good amount of flavors but I cannot say that any one of them stands out as being amazing. What I am willing to say is that these flavors are great when combined. Plus, it is just an interesting cigar. This may sound stupid but this cigar is actually making me think about it.
I’ve let it burn down quite a bit, nearly to the beginning of the final third, and here is what I’m getting. Basically a bunch of heavy but good flavors. The sourdough flavor is gone, it’s more like toast now. Burnt wood, that dark fruity flavor I mentioned earlier and some wheat. Still like it.
The only other mentionable change is in the strength of this cigar; it moved from being a medium bodied cigar to a medium-full bodied one. Thanks again to Cigars Direct.
89 points
Nestor Miranda 1989 Cigar Review
I received these nice-looking cigars from Miami Cigar and Company. Thanks guys.
In the past I have been impressed with the Nestor Miranda Special Selection and the Dominicano; they are flavorful cigars. After smoking a few of these cigars I can say that the Nestor Miranda 1989 is a good cigar as well.
For this review I smoked a few of the torpedos with the Rosado wrapper from this line. Each of them was well made and oily. A couple of these cigars had a number of somewhat pronounced veins and there were only a couple of minor imperfections in the wrappers. The cigars were fairly tightly packed.
Cigar Stats
Torpedo
Length: 6 1/8″
Ring Gauge: 52
Wrapper: Nicaraguan Habano Rosado
Binder: Nicaragua
Filler: Nicaragua and Honduras
Price: $80.00/Box of 20 | Less than $5.00/Single
Fighting Flame!
The first third of the cigar is dominated by the commingling of oak and spice. In no way are these flavors overpowering. To be exact about the flavors, while the spice is apparent from inhale to retrohale to aftertaste, the oak is most pronounced as an aftertaste.
What I like the most about the spice in this cigar is that it is a warmer spice. It doesn’t get in your face or overpowers you in the least. So, when the spice starts taking on an even more prominent role in the flavor profile during the second third it is a welcomed development.
In addition to the increased dominance of the spice are some nutty flavors. This is one of the things that I like from all of the Nestor Miranda cigars: understated complexity. While the flavors will never overpower they will keep you interested; and, after all, that’s what is most important about a cigar.
The Rosado version of the 1989 is medium bodied (the Oscuro is supposed to be medium-full bodied). The draw is good but the burn might require a touch up every once in a while – nothing major though.
During the final third the spice recedes and a burnt oak takes over. Not exactly thrilled about it but, when you consider the cigar in its totality, I’m not too bummed about it either. It is a very good cigar and for the price it is very hard to beat.
89 points
Graycliff Double Espresso Cigar Review
This cigar hales from the known cigar Mecca of the Bahamas – created by a guy who owns a five star restaurant and so on. Basically, the whole Graycliff line of cigars came about because this gustatory maestro didn’t think any other cigar in the world could stand up to his blue plate specials. My first encounter with these cigars came with the Graycliff 1666 Pirate. My opinion of that cigar can be stated thusly: It’s a lot less Black Beard than it is Somalia youth with an AK.
But I held out hope for this cigar nonetheless. I was told that it was quite good and that it warranted a smoke or two. Well, after a few more smokes I can safely say that it is nothing extraordinary. While it is better than the other Graycliffs that I have smoked I cannot say that it’s worth the exorbitant amount of money that it costs.
Anywho, let’s give it another shot. Maybe months in the humidor will have imbibed it with some extra flavor that I haven’t tasted before.
Before we get too far ahead of ourselves here I should mention that this cigar doesn’t look special. It is very veiny but it is oily. Other than that, it does look like a fine cigar. The pre-light draw is open.
Cigar Stats
Robusto
Length: 4.5″
Ring Gauge: 54
Wrapper: Costa Rica
Binder: Costa Rica
Filler: Cuban Seed Corojo & Ecuadorian Ligero
Price: $18.00/cigar
Expectant Flame!
The initial round of flavors centers on chocolate and coffee, which seems, to me at least, to be fairly run of the mill. What makes this cigar more run of the mill, like all the other Double Espressos that I have tried, is that the flavors are watered down. Think hot chocolate laced with a healthy helping of river water.
Another thing about this cigar is that it is billed as being full bodied. It’s not. I have to seriously wonder whether or not the retailers I’ve seen call it “full bodied” to trick people into buying this cigar. It’s a medium bodied cigar. Maybe a little stronger than that but not much more.
On the bright side the draw is very good. Resuming the parade of ill feelings now. The burn needs the occasional touch up. And the flavors only get further watered down.
Honestly, this is a ho-hum cigar.
86 points
For another opinion check out the Stogie Guys’ Review.
PS: For those of you who think I am being overly harsh on this cigar I have my reasons. It just wasn’t that good of a cigar. The flavors were lacking and for the price that they are charging for these things I expected something a lot better than what I got. That’s all.
La Aurora 107 Cigar Review
Really? Someone made a special cigar for their 107th anniversary? Despite breaking the taboo of celebrating an anniversary that is not divisible by five, it is a good looking cigar. A bit on the smallish size but it is very oily and the wrapper feels very hearty. Well packed but there are a number of veins.
This is the fifth one of these that I am smoking. I got these cigars from Miami Cigar Company, thanks guys!
Cigar Stats
Robusto
Length: 5″
Ring Gauge: 50
Wrapper: Ecuador
Binder: Dominican Republic
Filler: Nicaragua & Dominican Republic
Price: $6.50/cigar
Coffee Torch!
Starts off very nicely. Maybe a bit harsh during the first few initial puffs but that deficiency is easily overcome by a good mixture of flavors. A little bit of warm spice, a mild floral sweetness and a meatiness.
Spice is not a major factor through the first third. The sweetness is not saccharine; it’s more of a deep, alluring sweetness. There is also a hint of leather.
Both the draw and the burn are very good. It is a medium-full bodied cigar. My big problem with this cigar is that there is not a whole lot of complexity to it. Also, I must say that there have been some woody flavors throughout this cigar.
Nearing the end now and I have to admit that this is a solid cigar. Not an amazing cigar but well worth a try or two. Smooth cigar with a good amount of flavor.
88 points
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