Cu-Avana Punisher Cigar Review
If you spend any time whatsoever searching through certain online retailers I am sure that you have seen them pushing the Cu-Avana Punisher. Chances are you have read something like this:
Be warned, Punisher is no joke. This full-bodied, potent blend of Nicaraguan ligero tobaccos is one of the strongest cigars we’ve ever experienced.
Obviously, the main selling point of this cigar is that you are going to get a major nicotine kick when you smoke this cigar. Perhaps it may even be the strongest cigar in terms of body that you have ever smoked. But is that a good thing? Should that even be something that you should consider when you are buying a cigar? Probably not but it did pique my interest and, anyways, I just wanted to see how strong this cigar actually was.
The Punisher’s wrapper has a greyish-brown hue to it and it only comes in one size: a 6″ x 52 torpedo, which is adequately constructed. As far as I have seen with the few of these that I have smoked there were no major problems with the construction of this cigar.
Cigar Stats
Length: 6″
Ring Gauge: 52
Wrapper: ?
Binder: ?
Filler: ?
Price: $100.00/Box of 13
Breaking Bad Sizzle!
[Aside: Usually, you can find information about the makeup of the tobacco used to make a cigar. In this situation, after minutes of exhaustive searching, I could not find any information on this cigar's makeup other than it was made at Nestor Plasencia's factory in Nicaragua and that this cigar contains a lot of ligero]
Even the prelight draw to this cigar is absolutely spicy. It feels almost like they dipped this cigar into a scotch bonnet pepper paste and that tingling on my lips and tongue makes me seriously wonder how they made this cigar. Could it be infused? Personally, I have only smoked one infused cigar and that was by accident early on during my cigar smoking tenure. Basically, I do not have enough experience with infused cigars to say one way or the other.
Actually, the tingling sensation is not completely off-putting. It is equal parts compelling and disgusting and just numbing enough so that I really cannot make any discernible flavors out during the first couple of dozen puffs. When my taste buds sufficiently revived themselves the flavors that I do get remind me of jalapenos and other more intense peppers.
Surprisingly, the flavors are not all that bad but they are definitely very one dimensional. If you are a person who loves the taste of peppers then this is a cigar for you. If you are a person that only wants to smoke the most full bodied cigars out there then you might want to think about another cigar. It’s full bodied but not overbearingly so.
Going into the final third now and I am struck by how pure the flavors are. It tastes almost like they were able to distill the flavor of peppers and instill it into this cigar. But this is a very specific cigar since it doesn’t have any evolution of flavors and because the flavors present are so intense. Both the draw and the burn have been excellent throughout and I would peg this as a full bodied cigar. But not overly full bodied, the flavors are just insanely close to the flavors of peppers.
“Unique” is the best way that I have come up with to describe this cigar. There is always the chance that you will be one of the people who would love this cigar because you are such a pepper fanatic. For example, if you have a framed chart of Scoville Scale in your office then you might be the type of person who will love this cigar. However, I cannot say that I am one of those people. I am glad for having tried some of these but there is no way I will ever seek them out again save, perhaps, on a lark. It was an experience though.
87 points
Monte Pascoal Cigar Review
About half a year ago I was contacted by a cigar maker of Brazilian puros. They ended up sending me three samples of their Monte Pascoal Double Coronas and this is my review of that cigar.
Honestly, when I first received these cigars I wasn’t expecting much because I can’t think of any good Brazilian puros. But they looked like they were well made. The parejo shape was pretty uniform but there are these bumps that dot the entirety of the cigar’s structure. It’s oily but it’s also a little veiny too, which could cause problems with the cigar’s burn. Here is what the makers of this cigar have to say about the tobaccos used:
The Mata Fina tobacco is characterized by complex aromas and an elegant bouquet, while the Mata Norte provides the full-bodied flavour most experienced cigar smokers enjoy.
Here is what they have to say about the blend:
All of the cigars in the Monte Pascoal line are blended with these two tobaccos, in different proportions, allowing each smoking experience to be completely unique from one vitola (size) to another.
That is basically true for every cigar: different vitolas deliver different flavors whether that is in intensity, nuance or proportionality. Alright, enough with this egregiously long preamble, lets get down to business.
Cigar Stats
Length: 7 5/8″
Ring Gauge: 49
Wrapper: Brazil Mata Fina
Binder: Brazil Mata Fina
Filler: Brazil Mata Fina & Mata Norte
Price: $34.00/5 Pack | $166.00/Box of 25
Hitchens and the Bible Fire!
Before anything else this must be said: it’s unique. The two major flavor profiles that I am picking up are sweetness and herbal and they are paired with this molasses after taste that isn’t altogether bad. Additionally, the flavors are not all that strong in the beginning (can flavors get lost over 7″ of cigar?).
During the second third, which takes a while to reach since this cigar is fairly long, sees an increase in the intensity of the flavors. Another change is that the flavors are now sweet and floral. While this isn’t exactly my idea of what constitutes great flavors for some it might be more appealing.
As the final third commences there is an oakiness that starts to come through but the main flavor is still that sweet floral flavor. This cigar has a slightly tight draw and the burn is good. I would peg it in the medium bodied range.
I have heard that some other people really like this cigar, which is something I can understand. It’s unique because it is a Brazilian puro and should be tried so that you can expand your cigar smoking horizons. Personally, I thought it was a decent cigar.
87 points
La Gloria Cubana Serie N Cigar Review
I promised this review yesterday so I thought it was a pretty good idea if I followed through and delivered it. Full disclosure: I received the samples I used for this review from General Cigar.
Here’s a little backstory to this cigar:
A sister brand to the critically-acclaimed La Gloria Cubana Serie R collection, La Gloria Cubana Serie N debuts in a lofty position. La Gloria Cubana Serie N is the brainchild of Yuri Guillen who developed this new collection in concert with Michael Giannini and Rick Rodriguez, collectively known as Team La Gloria Cubana.
The wrapper is dark brown and it has the letter N on it, with the letter N being cut from a Connecticut grown leaf and glued on the wrapper (it is the Serie N after all, clever). To the touch it feels oily and kind of reminds me of the texture of fine grit sandpaper after it has been used for a while. Overall, the cigar feels densely packed and has a light hay smell to it.
Cigar Stats
Robusto
Length: 5 ½″
Ring Gauge: 54
Wrapper: Ecuadorian Sumatra Capa Oscura
Binder: Nicaragua
Filler: Nicaragua
Price: around $6.35/Single | $120.00/Box of 24
Serie N Day Flame!
One thing to know about this cigar above all others: it’s heavy. No, not heavy in the sense that I can use it to do curls while I’m smoking it; the flavor profile is pretty heavy. It’s a full bodied cigar, that’s for sure, but it’s the flavors that are overbearing with one of those flavors firmly grasping the golden ring.
For example, take the earthiness of this cigar. It’s not necessarily a bad flavor but it is pretty much dominating everything during this first third. There is a little bit of cherry that sneaks its way through along with some hay. I think it would be a better cigar if the cherry and the hay can increase in prominence a little during the next two thirds. It would also be better if some chocolate or leather entered the fray.
There is some appreciable changes during the second third. While the cherry flavor has receded and has almost disappeared the hay has come into its own. It is now on equal footing with the earthiness, which has moderated some.
Entering the last third and the cigar’s flavor profile has mostly returned to that dark and brooding earthiness. It has a dusty/chalky consistency to it that isn’t great. Working in the La Gloria Cubana Serie N’s favor is that it has a great burn and draw.
After all is said and done I’m a little conflicted about this cigar. Part of me wants to pan it but that wouldn’t be fair. The dark flavor profile of this cigar is a little alluring at times and I liked smoking it. But I do not think it will be a cigar I will go back to often.
87 points
PS: Check out the Serie N Day call later today.
PSS: If you’ve got the latest Cigar Aficionado rip out your coupon for a free Serie N and bring it to one of the approved local brick and mortars (today only). More info here.
Chubbys Ultimate Cigar Review
Now I present to you the Chubbys Ultimate. Made by Cuban Stock Cigar Company (formerly Crown David International Cigar Company), this cigar, along with a few others, were given to me by Cuban Stock. (HERE is the page for the cigar that I am reviewing).
Here is a little taste of what they have to say about this cigar:
After years of trying to find the best tobacco for the Ultimate, we finally decided to grow our own tobacco. Using cuban seeds in a very unique area in the Dominican Republic, we managed to get a full flavored tobacco. We ferment the tobacco for two years in wine barrels, resulting in a very smooth, but strong tobacco.
Obviously, the first thing that you notice about these cigars is that they are very thick. A 60 ring gauge will do that to a cigar. The construction looks great, no raised veins and it is oily. It is packed full to the brim with tobacco but the pre-light draw is effortless.
Cigar Stats
Toro
Length: 6″
Ring Gauge: 60
Wrapper: Dominican Republic
Binder: Dominican Republic
Filler: Dominican Republic
Price: $125/Box of 20
Speaker Flame!
There is a bit of strength to this cigar; basically full bodied. Flavors are good. Sweet wood, mild cherry, warm spice and some other goodness make up the flavors early on.
Draw is good throughout; the burn requires a couple of touchups. The flavor takes an interesting turn toward charcoal. Cherry is still the dominant flavor nearing the halfway mark but its supremacy is being challenged by this charcoal flavor.
What I really love about this cigar is the fact that once you light it you have about two hours of cigar smoking joy. I won’t claim that this is a “can’t miss” kind of cigar but it is worth the time, in my opinion.
That charcoal flavor progressively takes over on the flavor front. It is not an altogether bad flavor but it does leave much to be desired. To put it succinctly, I find the charcoal a bit too abrasive for my tastes.
There are times during the final third of this cigar when the charcoal, for all intents and purposes, disappears. In fact, the charcoal becomes scarcer nearer the end. Awesome!
This cigar reminds me of the Punch Rare Corojo quite a bit. On the whole, I liked this one about the same as the Punch.
87 points
Fonseca Cigar Review
Lately I’ve found myself going for more full bodied cigars; Diesel and Padilla’s Dominus to just name a couple. While those cigars are great – and they are in every sense of the word – it is nice to shake things up a bit every now and then. So, I went to my humidor and eyed this light brown cigar with the simple band.
Construction is nearly perfect. Manuel Quesada, the pater tobaccoist of this cigar, is truly a craftsman. My only quibble, if you can even count it as such, is that there are some minor inconsistencies with the coloring of the wrapper. The wrapper has a nice sheen of oil on it and the tobacco is snugly packed into the cigar.
The cigar that I am smoking, the Fonseca 5-50, comes in a natural or maduro wrapper. For this review I am smoking the natural wrapper version.
Cigar Stats
Robusto
Length: 5″
Ring Gauge: 50
Wrapper: USA (Connecticut Shade)
Binder: Mexico
Filler: Dominican Republic
Price: Box 25 – $95 | Fiver – $25
Midday Flame!
I accidentally forgot about this cigar a number of months ago and, as a result of that accident, this cigar has had lots of rest and it seems to have aided in the flavor of this cigar. Oak, berry sweetness and some burnt hay. Overall, I’m liking the flavors. Unfortunately, this cigar does have an aversion to staying lit; that’s a pain!
It’s a mild cigar, probably too mild for my liking. The draw is nice and the burn is even (as long as it stays lit!).
After about an inch that sweet berry flavor goes up a couple of notches on the flavor-o-meter. Honestly, this is a weird cigar for me. I guess I like these flavors, they are pleasant, it’s just not exactly my concept of what is a great cigar.
It is a good cigar though. Very, very laid back. And the flavors are surprisingly strong for such a mild cigar. This is definitely one of the better mild cigars that I have ever had.
Nearing the end of this cigar and, despite the occasional burn problem, it is a good cigar. The flavors are enjoyable but I’m still not sold on this cigar. If you like oak and sweetness in your cigar then you will most likely enjoy this one. If you normally go for something a little spicier and full bodied then you will probably only be an occasional smoker of these Fonsecas.
87 points
