chocolate
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
Diesel Cigar Review
This near-jet black beauty of a cigar is made by A.J. Fernandez who has made cigars for Rocky Patel, Padilla and the Man O’ War lines as well. I must be honest, this is one of the better looking cigars I have seen. In addition to the jet black wrapper it is a rather smallish torpedo that absolutely glistens with oils. There are no seriously raised veins either.
It is rough to the touch, though. And the cigar is tightly packed. Based off of my previous experiences with this cigar neither of those things should hurt the flavor at all.
Cigar Stats
Torpedo
Length: 5″
Ring Gauge: 56
Wrapper: USA/Pennsylvania
Binder: Nicaragua
Filler: Nicaragua (Jalapa, Condega, Esteli)
Price: $6.00/Single | $100/Box (30 cigars)
Funny Flame!
As expected, the draw is very good. Not too tight, not too loose. Also, as expected, the Diesel has a ton of flavor that runs smack dab through the “dark” flavor profile. Lots of espresso/coffee beans, earthiness/grassy and some charcoal. There is a little bit of spice but not a whole heck of a lot to speak of. Oh, and chocolate – milk chocolate to be precise – is a fairly prominent flavor with the Diesel.
The flavors coat the mouth and just won’t leave, which is a pretty good thing here. It’s a very good cigar throughout the first half and shows no signs of slowing down.
Medium-full bodied with a good draw and burn. One of the previous Diesels I smoked had the flavors drop off around the halfway point but, with this one, the flavors are sticking through – so far.
For the most part the flavors are staying strong even as the burn line crosses the three-quarters mark. There is some complexity with this cigar and, overall, I am liking it a lot. This isn’t to say that this cigar is special but it is above average for sure.
Leather starts to come through during the second half along with some spice. Further on, within a half inch of the nub, the flavors take a bad turn but, as long as you don’t smoke it way too far down, it’s a very good cigar. The bad flavors revolve around salt, which isn’t a horrible flavor but does diminish my enjoyment to a degree.
What amazes me about this cigar is that if you buy it by the box it is less than $3.50 per cigar. That’s amazing for a cigar that tastes this good. While the flavors are not mind blowingly great they are well above average for the majority of the stogie. If you can buy a box I would strongly suggest you do so; after all, Christmas is just around the corner.
89 points
Cain Maduro Cigar Review
It is a nice looking cigar without much in the way of raised veins or discolorations. Not exactly the darkest maduro I have ever seen but it has a nice, chocolate hue to it. I am smoking the torpedo and I have noticed that most of the torpedos I got were cracking a little bit near the pointed foot of the torpedo. This is probably due to the care given to them by the cigar shop and, since the cracked wrapper is never too large, it gets cut off anyway. No harm, no foul in my book. It’s not very oily and has a number of soft spots throughout.
A lot has been made about the fact that this cigar is chock full with ligero tobacco from all the coolest locales. The little booklet that comes with a box of Cains states that it is “25% Esteli Ligero, 27% Condego Ligero, 30% Jalapa Ligero.” So, to put it bluntly, if you like a cigar that packs a punch then you would probably like Cain cigars.
Cigar Stats
Torpedo
Length: 6″
Ring Gauge: 54
Wrapper: Brazilian Maduro
Binder: Nicaragua
Filler: Nicaragua Ligero (Esteli, Condega and Jalapa)
Price: around $7.00
Crazy Light!
Even before I gently torch the foot I can taste the strength. The center of my tongue lightly touched the newly cut part of the cigar and it stung a little. Knowing that I am in store for a full bodied cigar I light it and can immediately tell that it’s got a great draw. A couple inches into this cigar reveals a steady, even burn and a really strong ash. And, yes, it is a full bodied cigar but, to tell you the absolute truth, the strength isn’t bowling me over like the Cain F has (review forthcoming).
What is really impressive about this cigar is that with all the strength there really isn’t a foul note; it’s a smooth cigar. When I started smoking these cigars I was at least expecting some harshness and maybe some bitterness as well but they are nowhere to be found in the Cain Maduros I have smoked.
The second most impressive thing about this cigar is that it burns evenly. When I got these cigars I was fully prepared to do the occasional touch up but, for the most part, I haven’t had to touch up any of the Cain Maduros I have smoked.
Coffee, chocolate, a dirty earthiness and some other rich flavors lead the way with this cigar. The spice, which is a cross between cracked black pepper and a warmer spice like cinnamon, play well as a secondary (definitely not background) flavor profile. There is also an underlying sweetness evident in this cigar that works to accentuate the Cain Maduro’s overall robustness.
Interestingly, the spice, which is a strong supporting flavor profile, is what lingers the longest on my tongue, which is preferable to me.
After the halfway point the spice takes over the top flavor spot. There is also a nuttiness that starts to come through.
Overall, this cigar does not live up to the amazing amount of hype that has been heaped on it. While there is a lot of different flavors evident in this cigar none of those flavors really stand out. All of the different flavors play well with each other but it’s not amazing.
This all brings me to the conclusion that it’s a lot better to ignore the hype surrounding a cigar and to just appreciate it for what it is. It’s a semi-enjoyable cigar flavor-wise with a decent amount of kick. Don’t expect great things if you pick one of these up.
88 points
Alec Bradley Maxx Traditional Toro Short Cigar Review
Pre-Smoke
The most obvious difference between the original Maxx line and the Maxx Traditional line is that the Traditional line has smaller ring gauge cigars. Other than that, the traditional cigars are suppose to impart the same bold flavor as the oversized Maxx cigars.
I am smoking the Alec Bradley Maxx Traditional Toro (6″ x 50), which costs around $5.25, for this review. The wrapper has a good sheen of oils but it also has a number of veins. Furthermore, the wrapper color is not consistent but rather a mottled assortment of milk and dark chocolate colors with the occasional black spot.
Smoke
Coffee flavors without any of the bitterness. There is a lot of chocolate, it just coats my mouth and won’t leave – not necessarily a bad thing. As this cigar progresses I’m afraid that coffee and chocolate will be all you get from it (and the coffee is relegated to a minor role in less than half an inch).
On the bright side it is a mostly sound cigar. The draw is great but the burn is somewhat uneven and the flavors (um, flavor – so far) is strong. It is a medium bodied cigar. This is all up to the halfway point.
After that point a saltiness comes on. It’s definitely a negative flavor but it is in no way overpowering or even a large enough part of the flavor profile to significantly take away from my overall enjoyment of this cigar. In conjunction with the saltiness a meaty flavor starts coming on. The chocolate is still the major flavor though.
After-Smoke
Now that I have finished this cigar I feel let down. Chocolate is a fine flavor as long as it is, at most, a secondary flavor. Making it the leading flavor, for me at least, is a mistake. It is a decent cigar but could have been much better considering its lineage.
2.5 points
Alec Bradley Medalist Short Cigar Review
Earlier today I did a review on a Cu-Avana cigar that costs under $3.00. To say the least, I didn’t like it. The Alec Bradley Medalist is a cigar that, when bought in quantities of 10, will cost $3.00. So I figured that Sunday would be as good of a time as any to have a cheap cigar grudge match.
Pre-Smoke
It is a nearly perfect looking cigar; dark and alluring. There are a couple of raised veins, one being near the cap. Oily cigar that is packed very well. I am smoking the robusto (5″x52) vitola for this review.
Smoke
The wrapper is not the only thing that is alluring. The flavors are nice: chocolate, hot sauce (more on that next sentence), earthy and chalky (not a plus). By “hot sauce” what I mean is a grassy spice flavor that is analogous to the salsa from my favorite Mexican restaurant.
Even though I do really like these flavors I am not head over heals for them – still very enjoyable though. Medium-full bodied, good draw and a decent burn.
After-Smoke
It’s an impressive cigar once you consider the price. If you take away the price component then it is an average cigar. Technically great but the flavors just are not robust enough. It handily beats the Cu-Avana
3 points
Alec Bradley Maxx Short Cigar Review
Pre-Smoke
Oily and without any noticeable imperfections. It is tightly packed. I am smoking the Alec Bradley Maxx Fix (5×58) for this review. This cigar costs $5.00. The wrapper is Nicaraguan Habano, the binder is from Costa Rica and the filler is a combination of tobacco from Nicaragua, Mexico, Honduras and Columbia.
Smoke
Chocolate and earthy flavors are what you are going to get from this cigar. Unfortunately, those flavors are not that strong but they are relatively pure, which is a good thing. Medium bodied cigar with a slightly tight draw and a (surprisingly) even burn. There is a mild sweetness that makes an appearance after the one inch mark.
After-Smoke
It is a nice, easygoing, albeit boring, cigar. The flavors are fine but there is absolutely no excitement with this cigar. It’s just… there. Soulless smoke rolling around like a wounded dog.
2 points
Alec Bradley Tempus Cigar Review
From the Alec Bradley website:
ALEC BRADLEY TEMPUS… Latin meaning Time. Time is one of the most important factors when creating a great cigar; Time for the tobaccos to mature in the fields; for perfect fermentation, aging time, and time for the rich tobacco flavors to meld into one. In our industry and in our lives, time is the one component that is always in demand. Alec Bradley Tempus is created to enjoy most of what we have least… TIME
Alec Bradley Tempus is made at the Raices Cubanas factory in Honduras. Only 20% of the cigar rollers at the factory are chosen to make the Tempus brand. We use select tobacco from a farm in the Trojes region of Honduras, just north of the border of Nicaragua, and some of the finest tobacco from Jalapa, Nicaragua. All the cigars are rolled in the traditional Cuban style, tubing each filler tobacco and using a triple cap finished wrapper. The five popular Cuban sizes are packed in boxes of 20 cigars and now a new unique shape in Magistri.
There are parts of the wrapper that look gnarly, especially around the veins. A slight rip reveals a somewhat lighter binder beneath the wrapper. Not a very oily cigar and it does feel like it is too tightly packed. I am smoking the Terra Nova vitola for this review.
Cigar Stats
Robusto
Length: 5″
Ring Gauge: 50
Wrapper: Trojes, Honduras Criollo 98
Binder: Trojes, Honduras Criollo 98 – Indonesia Embetunada
Filler: Trojes, Honduras and Nicaragua
Price: $7.25
City Light!
For those who are curious, Trojes is a municipality in the Honduran department of El Paraíso.
Spice is the major force with this cigar. But it is different from all the other spice flavors I have tasted. It is a cross between pepper, cumin and some other spices. Basically, it is the type of spice you would put on a nice steak.
The draw needs a slight tug at times but it is fine. The burn is a little off and the ash, well, I wore it once. So the strength of the ash could have been better.
Truthfully, I was expecting more robust flavors from this cigar. It’s still very flavorful but there is still room for improvement in this vitola. In addition to the kaleidoscope of spicy flavors there are meaty and sweet flavors as well. There is also a chocolate aftertaste. It’s a full bodied cigar.
This Alec Bradley Tempus is still a very enjoyable cigar. I like the fact that it is full bodied with the major flavors being spice. It is better than most cigars even though I think it could have been better.
91 points
El Beso Maduro Short Cigar Review
Pre-Smoke
The dark wrapper is gruesome looking. Bumps and raised veins pollute the landscape of an otherwise oily and well constructed cigar. This is the second cigar that I bought at El Beso in Whittier, CA the other day. Measuring in at 6″ x 54 the El Beso Maduro Torpedo has tobaccos from Nicaragua, Dominican Republic and Brazil. As was the case with the previous cigar, the El Beso Reserve No. 11, this cigar made locally.
Smoke
Great draw and an even burn. I can feel the heat on my tongue from the spice but it definitely is not overpowering. Earthy, cocoa and a bit of sweetness round out the flavors. It’s a medium bodied cigar, maybe slightly more than that.
Working in the El Beso Maduro’s corner is the fact that the flavors are pristine; it’s really easy to pick out the flavors. Oddly, when I started smoking this cigar I was thinking that there was no way I was going to like it. But it is just getting better and better.
Chocolate takes on a more prominent role after the first ashing at the one inch mark. It’s an extremely rich chocolate. And then, as soon as that extremely rich chocolate flavor comes on the scene, it nearly disappears.
After-Smoke
It is difficult to formulate a conclusive verdict for this cigar. The flavors are good and they are very clean. But there is just something lacking from it. The flavors are not as vibrant as I had hoped. Perhaps my expectations for this cigar were too lofty after smoking the El Beso Reserve No. 11 to truly enjoy this good, in its own right, cigar. Still, something was missing.
3 points
Price: $6.50
Partagas Black Label Short Cigar Review
Pre-Smoke: It’s a big, dark and oily cigar that looks a little rustic. Oh, and by “oily” I mean really, really oily. Almost to the point of being too oily. This Partagas Black feels a little too soft to the touch. I am smoking the Magnifico (6″ x 54) vitola.
Smoke: Unfortunately, the draw is intermittently too tight. During those pockets when this cigar has a decent draw I do get some good flavors coming through. Chocolate, burnt pistachio and a robust earthiness. There is a salty sweetness that is left on my lips and that lingers in my mouth. It is also extremely bitter. A medium bodied cigar with a horrific burn.
After-Smoke: The funny thing about the Partagas Black Label is that all of this has happened to me before. In January I smoked one of the Partagas Black Label Magnificos and I gave it 82 points. The really befuddling thing about this line is that I gave the Partagas Black Label Piramide (6″ x 60 torpedo) 93 points.
1 point
Price Range: $5.50 – $7.50
Partagas Black Label webpage
Perdomo Reserve 10th Anniversary Maduro Cigar Review
According to Perdomo’s website: “A Decade in the making, the PERDOMO RESERVE 10 YEAR ANNIVERSARY cigars are here to celebrate the next generation of Tabacalera Perdomo’s award winning and highly acclaimed original La Tradicion Perdomo Reserve line.” Awesome but for the small fact that I haven’t smoked the original one so I can’t compare the two. What I do know is that the maduro version of this cigar is a Nicaraguan puro that comes in five different vitolas: perfecto, robusto, toro, double corona and a torpedo.
This Perdomo Reserve 10th Anniversary Maduro has a multitude of veins, bumps and an inconsistent color pattern. There are some oils on it and it feels like it is well packed. Maybe a little tightly packed by the cap and a little loose nearer the foot but, overall, well packed. The wrapper feels rough to the touch.
Cigar Stats
Robusto
Length: 5″
Ring Gauge: 54
Wrapper: Nicaragua
Binder: Nicaragua
Filler: Nicaragua Nicaragua
Price: around $5.50
Cabin Light!
This quite possibly represents the easiest draw in a cigar I have ever encountered and I like it. Tons of creamy smoke coats my mouth.
Chocolate is the main flavor followed by coffee grounds and dirt. The burn is even and I would peg this as a medium bodied cigar, maybe a little bit stronger than that.
Even though it is not an overly complex cigar the flavors are well above average. A cigar with these flavors relax me, very mellow. This is one of the better examples of this type of cigar: chocolate, coffee, etc.
But, in the end, there is just something that is missing from this cigar that would have put it up into another echelon of cigars for me. It’s missing spice, which would have cut the sweetness of the chocolate and brought in another level of complexity. While still being a great cigar it could have been better.
92 points
Examples of cigars I liked with more spice:
CAO L’Anniversaire Maduro Belicoso Cigar Review – 93 points
Partagas Black Label Piramide Cigar Review – 93 points
Cuvee Rouge Robusto Cigar Review – 92 points
I feel that the Perdomo Reserve 10th Anniversary Maduro could have been better than all of these cigars if it had some spice mixed in with it. Of course, by changing the mixture of tobaccos that would change the overall flavor profile for this cigar and that might mean reducing what is the best and most dynamic chocolate flavor I have ever tasted.
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