Joya de Nicaragua Cabinetta Serie Cigar Review
This cigar is part of a sampler that I received from Drew Estate – my reviews are my own.
My first reaction upon seeing this cigar is that it has a serious identity crisis. It has a light wrapper visible all the way from the foot to the band, which is Ecuadorian Shade (and it actually runs the whole length of the cigar), and then it inexplicably changes to a darker wrapper from the cap to the other side of the band, which is Nicaraguan Criollo.
There may be something to this whole “identity crisis” motif for this cigar. It’s from Joya de Nicaragua and its cigar cousin, the Antano, is a full bodied powerhouse. This is not. But it is a good looking cigar with no serious imperfections. Yes, it has a couple of veins and is a little dry to the touch but they have all (by “all” I mean the other four samples) performed well up to this point.
Cigar Stats
Length: 6″
Ring Gauge: 50
Wrapper: Ecuadorian Shade and Nicaraguan Criollo
Binder: Nicaraguan
Filler: Nicaraguan
Price: $140.00/Box of 24
Ron Washington Inspiration (Expletives) Flame!
It’s a cross between burnt and sweet nuts. I usually go for the full bodied cigars but this medium bodied flavor piñata is very nice.
In addition to those nutty flavors there is a dry, grassy flavor. Lots of smoke from this one and I should mention that unless you are going to retrohale this cigar you are going to miss out on a lot of the flavor.
Not exactly a smooth cigar this Joya de Nicaragua. Honestly, when I first received these cigars I didn’t want to like them. The double wrappers scream of gimmickry but with each successive cigar I am being won over.
After about the first third of the cigar creaminess comes into the flavor profile. It has also smoothed out a good amount.
At around the two thirds mark a mildly sweet floral flavor enters. The nuttiness is still the major flavor and it reminds me of a mild nut, like a cashew. It is a medium bodied cigar with a good draw and burn.
Once the burn line crosses over to the darker wrapper it takes on an earthy flavor. Unfortunately, this new flavor is too fleeting.
Fortunately, on the whole this is a great cigar. Very good flavors and the technical aspects of the cigar are spot on. Definitely give this cigar a try.
90 points
CAO Lx2 Cigar Review
Imagine, if you would, that the world of Middle Earth described by the legendary J.R.R. Tolkien was true. In this world there are little people, some call them halflings, which is rather discriminatory and insulting, but they call themselves hobbits. Hobbits, as everyone knows, are a race of humanoids about half the size of men and are rather impish (is that racist?). One of the little known facts about these hairy-footed creatures is that they loved to smoke pipes. I would like to think that if cigars were around then they would smoke the CAO Lx2 Razor, a 4 x 38 hobbit-sized cigar.
It is a well constructed cigar but with a distinctly rustic bent. Not being perfectly shaped it is still an appealing cigar and, due to its very small size, is a very short smoke. The wrapper does exude some oils but the real attraction of this cigar is the fact that you can easily smoke it during a lunch break.
Cigar Stats
Length: 4″
Ring Gauge: 38
Wrapper: Nicaragua
Binder: Honduran
Filler: Nicaraguan Pueblo Nuevo & Dominican Republic
Price: $10.95/Tin of 5 | $84.00/50 Cigars
Hobbit Name Flame!
My biggest concern when buying these cigars is that they would like size because they are so diminutive. But that has not been the case for me. This cigar is starting off pretty well with heavy and wet earth flavors and a light, cutting spice to freshen things up.
Even though the flavors are pretty powerful for this cigar there is not a ton of evolution to it. The second half brings on a bit of maple sweetness, deep and dark though it may be, there isn’t much else new to find. It is a very heavy cigar in terms of flavor and that is most likely attributable to the fact that it’s a CAO Lx2. With a small cigar like this I feel that it is probably better to go with a stronger cigar since both the flavors and the strength are somewhat hampered by the small size of these cigars.
Nearing the end of this cigar now and I can safely say that this is a full bodied cigar with a good draw and burn. While the flavors aren’t anything special they are very good and if you are looking for a cigar that smokes very quickly and packs some strength and intensity of flavor then you should check this cigar out. One note of caution about this cigar is that there is a bit of an aftertaste with this cigar, especially nearer the end. It’s flat and the closest I can come to describing it is: wet wood. Not very appetizing but not a huge drawback either.
Ideally, this cigar should be smoked on a drive, if you do smoke in your car, on a walk or during a short window of time like a lunch break or while waiting for a table at a restaurant. While it is good enough to enjoy while sitting down and concentrating on the cigar the best time for it is while doing something else.
90 points
PS: I was actually pretty shocked when I first tried these cigars. I never thought that such a small cigar could be enjoyable but this thing definitely was. Part of me thought that they were too small to pack any flavor and another part of me thought they reminded me a little too much of cigarettes, which isn’t a great comparison – especially after smoking these cigars. By all means, give these little sticks a chance and, for that matter, give some of the other dinky (I’m sure there’s a correct term for this vitola but dinky still fits) cigars a chance.
Perdomo Lot 23 Cigar Review
I received this cigar from Cigars Direct. My opinions are my own.
Even though I am sure that there are a lot of people who love Perdomos I cannot say that I particularly like them. It’s not that they are horrible cigars; they aren’t. They are usually constructed and burn well. For me, they tend to not have flavors that I love. But maybe this one is different.
It looks like a really nice cigar. No raised veins, just a couple minor discolored spots, oily and packed perfectly. Let me just say that the torpedo vitola is one of my favorites and I’m happy to be smoking another one for this review.
Cigar Stats
Vitola: Torpedo
Length: 5 ¾″
Ring Gauge: 54
Wrapper: Nicaragua
Binder: Nicaragua
Filler: Nicaragua
Price: $100.00/Box of 13
The Wall Sizzle!
The prelight draw is wide open and gives off hints of wet wood. After being lit there are flavors ranging from sweet wood to burnt wood. Those flavors quickly transition into a meandering deep sweetness. It’s not a bad flavor; it’s actually kind of nice.
And then, like a rabid mongoose after a snake, the sweetness blossoms into this earthy bitterness with a hint of chocolate. Bitterness is a great addition when it is offsetting sweetness.
Both the draw and the burn are great. This is a medium bodied cigar but the flavors are in full force.
Sweetness all but departs after the first half. The earthy, bitter and chocolate flavors take over. It is a good grouping of flavors. I really like this cigar.
I just looked over my previous short cigar review of this cigar and everything is adding up. It is a good cigar and is a credit to the Perdomo line of cigars. But is it a great cigar? Yes, but just barely.
90 points
It looks like a really nice cigar. No raised veins, just a couple minor discolored spots, oily and packed perfectly. Let me just say that the torpedo vitola is one of my favorites and I’m happy to be smoking another one for this review.
Lizard Torch!
The prelight draw is wide open and gives off hints of wet wood. After being lit there are flavors ranging from sweet wood to burnt wood. Those flavors quickly transition into a meandering deep sweetness. It’s not a bad flavor; it’s actually kind of nice.
And then, like a rabid mongoose after a snake, the sweetness blossoms into this earthy bitterness with a hint of chocolate. Bitterness is a great addition when it is offsetting sweetness.
Both the draw and the burn are great. This is a medium bodied cigar but the flavors are in full force.
Sweetness all but departs after the first half. The earthy, bitter and chocolate flavors take over. It is a good grouping of flavors. I really liked this cigar.
I just looked over my previous short cigar review of this cigar and everything is adding up. It is a good cigar and is a credit to the Perdomo line of cigars. But is it a great cigar? Yes, but just barely.
90 points
Padron 1964 Anniversary SI-15 Natural Cigar Review
A couple of years ago I fell over myself praising a Padron 1964 Anniversary with the natural wrapper. I absolutely loved everything about it ranging from its flavors (spice, earth, cocoa and a bunch of others) to just the way it smoked. I gave it 95 points at the time.
A couple of months ago I fell over myself praising the Tatuaje Anarchy, which was the love child of Pete Johnson of Tatuaje and Abe “Ming” Dababneh from Smoke Inn (I received that cigar as a sample and have since bought some more). It was all about the spice and the strength, which I thoroughly enjoyed. That cigar received 94 points from me.
Now here comes the newest edition of their fifteenth anniversary celebration from Smoke Inn: the Padron 1964 Anniversary SI-15, which is also a sample. Here’s their sales pitch:
In commemoration of our 15th Anniversary this year, we commissioned the Padron Family to make a special size exclusively for our stores. Jorge Padron’s face lit up when we told him our idea of a 6×60 Anniversary Cigar. What’s better than a Padron Anniversary Cigar, A BIGGER Padron Anniversary Cigar! This monster stick bellows smoke like a chimney. The sheer amount of tobacco used in this cigar creates a bold experience differing from the other vitolas in this line. All tobacco used in this limited production series is aged for four years, creating a smooth and complex flavor. There was less than 500 boxes produced of this limited edition, so don’t waste a second and get a part of cigar history today!
My major reservation about this cigar is that it has a gigantic ring gauge. 60/64ths of an inch is pretty thick for a cigar but, on the other hand, the Padron 1964s that I have had in the past have always delivered pretty good to great flavors. It’s obviously well made, it doesn’t have any imperfections on the wrapper and it does have a slight box press, which, I think, gives it a little extra elegance.
Cigar Stats
Length: 6″
Ring Gauge: 60
Wrapper: Nicaragua
Binder: Nicaragua
Filler: Nicaragua
Price: $92.50/Box of 5 | $277.50/Box of 15
Pinch Flame!
It has a decent start to it. The flavors I’m picking up are dark chocolate, coco powder and some other flavors that all revolve around the unifying “earthy” flavor profile. While the flavors are all enjoyable during this third they are not extraordinary and I am hoping that they pick up in intensity.
The second third does show some improvement in the intensity of the flavors. The coco powder flavor is still present and so are the earthy flavors as well. Chocolate is the leading flavor so far. It’s a very soulful kind of chocolate flavor, the kind that you get in a good chocolate bar. It’s subtle and not bitter at all. This is also the third when this cigar starts moseying on over to being full bodied as well.
As the end of the second third came to a close and the beginning of the final third began the flavors do pick up quite a bit. The main flavors have shifted towards being earthy with a little bit of pepper in the background. It is a medium-full bodied cigar that has had a good draw and burn.
Overall, it was a pretty good cigar. If you are looking for a long lasting cigar with subtle but good flavors ranging from chocolate to earth then you should think about getting some of these cigars. And if you are into getting exclusive cigars then this would definitely be up your ally. For more info on how to buy these cigars head on over to Smoke Inn.
90 points
Declaration by Jameson Cigar Review
Hey, sorry for the lack of posting over the last couple of weeks. Unfortunately, I haven’t been able to smoke many cigars over that time because I contracted Walking Pneumonia. Not fun, I don’t recommend it.Fortunately, the recently engaged Danny, you can find him on Twitter @dannysguitar, was good enough to do this guest review on the Declaration “The Reason” by Jameson Cigars. Thanks Danny!
Before we jump into the review here is what Jameson has to say about this cigar:
A cigar created with purpose and passion, Declaration embodies our independent spirit and inspires a statement about personal liberty, “Smoke to be Free.”
A showcase of Dominican tobaccos, Declaration features an aged Habano ’98 wrapper paired with a Criollo ’98 binder and select filler tobaccos from the prime growing regions of the Dominican Republic. The unabashed enthusiast can expect deep, bold flavors and a memorable, medium-full bodied smoking experience.
It’s a very nice looking Dominican Puro. Pigtail on the cap and it is honestly a very thick cigar.
Cigar Stats
Toro
Lenght: 6″
Ring Guage: 58
Wrapper: Dominican Republic Habano ’98
Binder: Dominican Republic Criollo ’98
Filler: Dominican Republic
Price: $31.50/5 Pack | $127.00/Box of 21
Walking Pneumonia Fire!
Medium bodied cigar with a good draw and burn. Flavors in the first third are wood, a little spice and a nice sweetness. Kinda hard to really pinpoint the flavors but I think I taste oak, kinda like an oaky wine or whiskey. This is a big smoke and it would be good for the golf course. The first third leaves me wanting a little more flavor, but the flavors that I do identify I enjoy. The texture of the smoke is ok. A little thin on the exhale, I wish it coated my palette a little better.
The second third has flavors that are pretty similar but I get a distinct nutty flavor balanced with some syrupy sweetness. Actually very enjoyable. The ash has held on into the second third. Also the body of the smoke is thicker and richer. Thankfully, getting much better.
Final third amps up the sweetness and a slight herbal flavor comes on. Really enjoyable and complex. The balance of flavors is well blended.
I enjoyed how the flavors changed. I enjoyed the sweetness and how it got more and more intense throughout the smoke. If I had to change anything about the cigar, I think I would have preferred some more spice in the beginning of this cigar. Overall, this was an enjoyable smoke from Jameson. Thanks to Brad Mayo and Stogie Review for the contest that I got these smokes from. I definitely recommend these cigars to new and seasoned smokers alike.
90 points
