Camacho Select Cigar Review

It’s a fairly good looking cigar, nothing special though. Tobacco is flaking off the cap, a few pronounced veins, soft, kind of oily and a couple of discolorations. The pre-light draw is easy but without a lot of flavor.

In what is a total surprise to me (I’m just basing it off of the pre-light draw, which was boring) the Camacho Select comes packed with a goodly amount of flavor. Even better, they are flavors that I like. Spice, oak and a background of smokiness that is very pleasing.

Cigar Stats
Robusto
Length: 5″
Ring Gauge: 50
Wrapper: Honduras – Cameroon Seed
Binder: Honduras
Filler: Honduras
Price: Box 21 – $120 | 1 cigars – $7.35

Go Flame!

After about an inch I wear the ash. Not a big deal, I was just entranced by this medium bodied cigar. Once that happened I regained my senses and realized that the burn had gone astray, quite a bit astray actually, and touched it up.

Now that I reach the halfway point I am at a crossroads. I really am enjoying the flavors but, alas, there is not a great deal of complexity. While that will prevent it from becoming an amazing cigar in my book it is still better than the vast majority of cigars that I have had the pleasure of smoking.

The oak flavor, mild at first, has almost vanished from this cigar. It was an imperceptible change and I didn’t really notice it gone until I started to really concentrate on trying to pick it up again. I get whiffs of it here and there but, for the most part, it isn’t coming back. In its place is a mild sweetness that is enjoyable.

Spice is still present, which I am thankful for, but the main flavor is still that smoky cross between what I can only describe as dry earth and leather. That makes it not a particularly smooth cigar but the flavors are definitely winning me over.

Even though the burn betrayed me at one point it righted itself after I corrected it. In the past I haven’t had a problem with the burn. I’m still at the halfway point as I write this and I don’t see any indication that the burn is going to misbehave any further. As is the case with nearly every Camacho that I have smoked, the draw is impeccable.

The final couple of inches of the cigar sees a little change. In addition to the smokiness there is a doughy flavor that comes on. Not bad but nothing special either. Actually, after my initial impression of this cigar it has tailed off a bit.

This cigar just seemed to fizzle before my taste buds. It started out really good and then, especially in the second half began a mini downward spiral. That being said, I do look forward to smoking another one of these cigars.

89 points

Room 101 Cigar Review

I must admit that I am a big fan of Camacho cigars. They are full bodied and extremely tasty – basically what I am looking for in a cigar. So, when I found out that they were releasing a new line in collaboration with a Los Angeles jewelery maker, I knew I had to try a couple. (And if I liked those couple I would definitely be going back out to find some more!)

The Room 101 cigars that I smoked were the 305 (robusto) series. It looks good with a slight sheen of oils. Well packed, although on the verge of being too tightly packed. The pre-light draw is actually a little loose and there is a slight sweet taste to this draw as well. I just hope that this fusion of tobacco and style leads to a great cigar.

Cigar Stats
Robusto
Length: 5″
Ring Gauge: 50
Wrapper: Semilla 101 (Honduras)
Binder: Honduras
Filler: Honduras, Dominican Republic
Price: around $7.00

Tricked Flame!

An effortless draw reveals what could turn out to be a very good cigar; even though, right now, it’s merely above average. There are a group of deep, dark flavors that add a certain grittiness to this cigar that I like. Chocolate and some spice add some of the accent flavors to what is an extremely earthy cigar. And, by earthy, I mean dirt – good dirt though. As was the case with the other cigar I have smoked it starts out really well after a brief lull in the beginning.

As the cigar progresses that “dirt” flavor only increases. Now, as a flavor in a cigar, I like dirt but this is a new frontier of earthiness for me and I’m not liking it all that much. Sure, the flavors are pure but is that really a good thing when that flavor is dirt? Luckily, the final couple inches of this cigar has a change in the flavor profile that I like.

Spice really starts to come through and it becomes a more robust, full bodied cigar. In addition to the reinvigorated spiciness there is an oak flavor. The draw, which started out effortless, has become a little too loose and, as a result, the cigar is burning too quickly. The burn itself is even. There is also a slight hint of an herbal flavor at this time.

As the final puffs of this cigar leave my mouth I am finding myself loving this cigar. But then I start to think of the dirt, which lasted for more than half of the cigar, and I realize that this cigar isn’t a great cigar for me. It was just too much dirt – rich, kind of tasty dirt, but dirt nonetheless.

If only the second one-third-plus of this cigar had been the flavor from start to finish I would have loved this cigar. The spice, with a little bit of dirt, and some oak really mixed well together. It was a dark, complex cigar nearer the end and that is what I liked about this cigar. Maybe I’ll pick up a few more if the price drops a little.

88 points

Camacho Cigar Rights of America Limited Edition Cigar

I have waited long enough. This cigar has been taunting me from my humidor for a few weeks now and, even though I have been patiently letting it rest, the time has come to clip the head and toast the foot.

This Camacho, which comes adorned with a Cigar Rights of America and Camacho Limited Ed. bands, features a dark, oily wrapper. It may not be the prettiest looking cigar nor is it densely packed (it’s actually a little loose) but the point of these cigars is to raise awareness for CRA, which this post is doing, and to reward people who sign up. This is my reward and I’ll be damned if I get bummed out over a couple of imperfections!

The pre-light draw is mostly sweet, with a little bit of spice and leather. It is also surprisingly tight before I light it but once the flame hits the foot everything is right with the world. With just a firm tug leather and meaty flavors are coming through. I know this is a limited edition but if I was a betting man I would bet that this cigar shares a lot of tobacco with it’s Triple Maduro brother.

I didn’t measure this cigar but by the looks of it I would say its in the double corona vitola. And now that I am thinking about it, I sure wish I had taken a picture of this cigar before I started smoking it – oh, well. Life goes on.

This Camacho is a full bodied cigar, well above average on the taste scale, but the burn and the draw are a little disappointing. Neither the burn nor the draw are to the point where it is taking away from my enjoyment of this cigar but they are irksome nonetheless.

Now I’m torn about which cigar this one reminds me the most of. At first I was thinking it’s close to the Triple Maduro but now I am thinking the Coyolar. Whatever the case, in addition to the meat and spice there are also flavors of anise, raisins, saltiness and a general creaminess that coats the mouth.

There is no way I am going to actually give this cigar a score (because I have only smoked one and it’s not readily available) but, if you pressed me, it’s a 93 point cigar give or take a couple of points. The flavors are more than good enough to make up for its faults.

Whilst smoking this cigar I am watching the season finale for the second season of Oz. Truthfully, it just isn’t a fitting cigar for a show like this. Oz, if you don’t know, was a series on HBO that chronicled life in a fictitious jail. It’s an extremely gritty tragedy. This cigar would have been great for The Sopranos’ series finale but it is just too refined for Oz.

Just finished the cigar and I can safely say that I am certainly glad I got a membership with CRA. If you haven’t done so already you should get a membership as well. Even if you don’t get the Camacho as one of your freebies there are many other cigars that are well worth it. Furthermore, it’s just the right thing to do as a cigar smoker. So few are fighting for our rights but CRA is doing a good job at it.

Camacho Corojo Monarca Natural Cigar Review

A cursory inspection reveals a couple of raised veins that almost run the length of the cigar and, upon further inspection, that sums up all the negative things I can say about the look of this cigar. The construction is near perfect, it’s oily, there are no soft/hard spots and it even smells good having that kind of aroma that is powerful, yet refined.

Fortunately, I have had the opportunity to smoke a number of these cigars over the last month or so and I have even done a Short Cigar Review for this Camacho Corojo Monarca. My major complaint at the time revolved around my perception that this wasn’t an overly complex cigar. Spicy? Sure. Some other flavors? Yeah. But it just didn’t catch me as being well rounded enough. And it can be a harsh cigar at times.

My subsequent experiences with this cigar have been better than when I did my initial review where I gave this cigar 3 points (roughly 85-88 points or, to put it another way, an average cigar). It may be a little bit better than that and, who knows, this cigar could be awesome, but I am guessing this cigar will fall into the 89-91 point range.

This cigar has the natural wrapper. It also comes with a maduro wrapper. For more information on all the sizes go to the Camacho Corojo Page.

Cigar Stats
Robusto
Length: 5″
Ring Gauge: 50
Wrapper: Honduras Corojo
Binder: Honduras Corojo
Filler: Honduras Corojo
Price: $6.15

SAMCRO Torch!

Just finished having steak and mushrooms, which, now that I think about it, fits perfectly with this cigar. (What cigar doesn’t go well with steak?) It is a very rich cigar that overflows with white pepper, deep caramel, meat and a chorus of other flavors that meld wonderfully together. I know I said in my previous review that this wasn’t a overly complex cigar but this one definitely is.

The draw is absolutely perfect and the burn is relatively even. I’ll probably have to touch it up at some point. The slightly uneven burn can definitely be attributed to the fact that I am smoking under a patio cover in the rain so the humidity is probably pretty high right now.

While it started out as a medium-full bodied cigar after about an inch it has come off the fence and become full bodied. This may not be one of those cigars that will knock you out but it will let you know you are smoking a cigar.

My only major complaint about the Camacho Corojo Monarca is that the flavors do not meld together completely. For example, the sweetness from the caramel clashes with the white pepper creating a touch of harshness. It isn’t enough to significantly detract from my overall enjoyment of this cigar but it is noticeable.

That deep, caramel slowly morphs into a candied sweetness that is not altogether that bad. Oddly enough, I think it may actually meld better with the spice than the deeper caramel flavor.

Other flavors that begin to really come onto the scene after the halfway point include: earth and tobacco. Very good cigar.

90 points

Camacho Triple Maduro 50/4.5 Cigar Review

I do not usually make a big deal about the band on the cigar (in this case the over-sized normal band and the one on the foot) but I think that the band perfectly encapsulates what this cigar is all about. The bands are sleek, stark and over-the-top. Mostly silver and black, with a thin line of red and some other colors, the bands give you the sense that this stubby cigar means business. Having smoked some before, I know that it means serious business.

Besides the flavor what is really impressive about this cigar is how Camacho was able to make a cigar with all maduro leaves smoke well. Maduro leaves are thicker than normal and can have burn problems.

This cigar looks awesome. Very oily without any noticeable imperfections. The dark wrapper beckons for me to cut and light it, so that is what I am going to do now.

Cigar Stats
Robusto
Length: 4 1/2″
Ring Gauge: 50
Wrapper: Honduras Maduro
Binder: Honduras Maduro
Filler: Honduras Maduro
Price: $11.30

Kurtz Flame!

It starts out wild and spicy but (mostly) calms down within a quarter of an inch. By spice I do not mean the warm, cinnamon kind of spice. I mean black pepper or maybe even some cayenne pepper. Tasty stuff. There’s also cocoa, coffee, earth and a whole host of other flavors that come and go.

A couple of weeks ago I saw a review of this cigar at Tom’s Cigar Reviews and they were smoking it in the morning. Why do I mention this? Well, mainly because it is a full bodied cigar and I can definitely see where the uninitiated would have a hard time with its strength. But, to be honest, if you have smoked full bodied cigars for a while you shouldn’t have too much of a problem with this cigar. Don’t be afraid, it’s an awesome cigar and well worth any dizziness that might ensue. If you are a little wary then smoke it after a meal.

The smoke is very creamy. There is also a rich nutty flavor as well. Overall, the Camacho Triple Maduro is a very complex cigar with lots of great flavors. The draw is superb and the burn is basically even (required a couple of touch ups this time).

Almost finished now. It stays consistently strong: both in strength and in flavor. The price of this cigar will probably make many do a double take but I think it is worth the extra money, especially if you want to treat yourself. And, after smoking a few of these cigars, I’m impressed with their consistency. Truly great cigars are hard to come by – this is one of them.

95 points

Camacho Triple Maduro Short Cigar Review

Pre-Smoke

Like everything that Camacho makes, it looks good. No discernable imperfections and it is evenly packed. I am smoking the 50/4.5 vitola for this review. What makes this cigar different from most other cigars is that it uses maduro tobacco for the wrapper, binder and the filler.

Smoke

It starts out really spicy and then things settle down. Spice, wood, some sweetness, earthiness and cocoa all blend wonderfully together. It’s a full bodied cigar that has a great draw and an even burn.

After-Smoke

I had smoked a couple of these before and I have a couple more in my humidor, so I’ll be doing a complete review of this cigar in the next couple of months. Based off of what I have already experienced from this cigar I can safely say that it is awesome. The Camacho Triple Maduro has tons of flavor, a lot of strength, and its fundamentals are spot on. If you can, pick up some of these.

5 points

Price: $11.50

Camacho Select Short Cigar Review

Pre-Smoke: This is part of the upper echelon of the Camacho lines; ultra premium is its designation. According to the Camacho Select page this cigar comes in five different vitolas with the binder/filler tobaccos hailing from Honduras and the wrapper picked in Cameroon.

This cigar has a couple of raised veins but, other than that, it looks perfectly fine. Not overly oily and the wrapper feels fuzzy, like velvet. Packed nicely. I’m smoking the robusto vitola.

Smoke: The flavors start out meaty and leathery. There is also a smokiness about this cigar that works out really well with the meatiness. After an inch or so a charcoal flavor begins to dominate.

It is a medium bodied cigar with a good draw. The burn is not even though.

After-Smoke: It was not that impressive of a cigar. The flavors are alright but any chance of me liking it a lot was dashed by the uneven burn and the charcoal flavors that came on too strong.

3 points

Price Range: $6.00 to $8.50

Camacho Havana Monarca Cigar Review

Camacho is one of those brands that I came into after smoking cigars for a while. For some reason or another they just weren’t carried in my local shops (not much is). I gave high marks to the Camacho Coyolar but just average ratings for the Camacho SLR Maduro and the Camacho Corojo Natural. Hopefully, the Camacho Havana will be as good as the Coyolar but even if it’s just as good as the other ones that will be fine with me.

It’s veiny, there are a bunch of bumps all over the place and there are a couple of holes in the wrapper. Not a good start. This cigar feels a little soft as well. The wrapper is rough to the touch but it is oily.

After looking at the Camacho website I found out that the tobaccos used in this cigar are grown in the Jamastran Valley, Honduras. The wrapper is criollo while the binder and filler tobaccos are corojo. It’s offered in 9 different regular vitolas and three special vitolas that are aged an extra three years. They are made in Danli, Honduras (satellite map).

Cigar Stats
Robusto
Length: 5″
Ring Gauge: 50
Wrapper: Honduras
Binder: Honduras
Filler: Honduras
Price: around $5.35

Turbo Fire!

The first thing that is noticeable is the slightly loose draw. After that you will notice that this robusto produces more smoke than an old school bus that has been out of commission since the Clinton administration. And then comes the flavor.

It starts with a burnt graham cracker flavor. There is also a significant burnt flavor as well. Then comes a progressively strong candied cherry flavor. As you can imagine this is not the best mix of flavors that I have ever smoked but, on the whole, it isn’t bad.

One of the things that I am noticing about Camacho cigars is that their strength gradually builds. The Camacho Havana starts out medium bodied and then builds to being medium-full bodied. Not a big jump but a jump nonetheless. The burn is even.

88 points

Camacho SLR Maduro Short Cigar Review

Pre-Smoke: Looks and feels oily. Maybe a little too soft to the touch but the wrapper looks great – no significant imperfections. Smoking the robusto vitola, the Rothschild.

Smoke: One of the best examples of a maduro cigar I can think of right now. Earthy with cocoa. Some spice is lurking in the background. Perfect draw and an incredibly even burn.

After about the halfway point the cigar does become a little bitter, which is a shame. The Camacho SLR Maduro is a medium-full bodied cigar. Slow burning.

After-Smoke: If it were not for that bitterness that comes on after the halfway point I would easily give it 4 points. But even with the bitterness, which isn’t extreme, I am still thinking about giving it that high mark. However, upon reflection, while the flavors are very good there is not enough complexity of flavors here to overcome the negative affects of the bitterness for me.

3 points

Camacho Corojo Natural Short Cigar Review

Pre-Smoke: Very oil and smooth wrapper with only a couple of imperfections. There’s a small hole at about the halfway mark and the foot isn’t exactly the picture of perfection either – although that will soon be incinerated. Nicely packed cigar and, besides the aforementioned imperfections, it is wonderfully constructed. This is the monarca vitola (5″ x 50, robusto)

Smoke: It’s a medium-full bodied cigar with pretty good flavors. Earth and some spice are the main flavors. Not an overly complex cigar but good nonetheless because I like the flavors that are here. But, even so, this is an average cigar.

After a while a strong tobacco flavor starts coming through. I also have to upgrade the strength to full bodied; it just keeps on getting stronger. But I can’t say that the added strength is adding to my enjoyment of this cigar.

This cigar has a somewhat tight draw but the burn is pretty good.

After-Smoke: When I lit this cigar I really wanted to like it because I liked the Camacho Coyolar so much. But things just did not work out this time. Good cigar but nothing special.

3 points

Price Range: $5.00 – $ 7.25

Camacho Corojo Website Page