Liga Privada No. 9 Cigar Rights of America Special Edition

I was getting ready to watch the final episode of Oz the other night and I realized that I needed to make it a special occasion and, as I am wont to do, my mind quickly drifted to cigars. As I walked to my humidor I got to thinking about the cigar sampler I bought from Cigar Rights of America: Padron, Rocky, CAO and all the others. Once I got to my humidor there was this cigar that was gently resting at the top of the pile that was begging to be smoked.

But then my mind raced back to the other cigars from this cigar maker and how they are all infused with flavor. It didn’t take long to recall my horrible experience with the Acid Kuba Kuba – how it was sickeningly sweet and how I swore to myself never to smoke one of those cigars again. But this cigar is different.

The Liga Privada line isn’t infused with anything. So I picked it up, slid it out of its cellophane wrapping and took a look.

It’s a beautiful cigar – one of the cigars from the special Cigar Rights of America sampler, in fact. The jet black, oscuro wrapper, is just dripping with oils. Upon further inspection I can feel that it is nicely packed but I see a number of veins marring the cigar’s look. I smell it and, to my mild consternation, it smells sweet. Not sickeningly sweet like the Acid KK but sweet nonetheless.

Fighting my reservations I take the Liga Privada No. 9 and sit down to watch the final episode of one of the greatest television series I have ever seen.

The cigar is cut. My nose keeps on screaming “It’s sweet!” but the prelight draw says otherwise. It’s earthy and there may even be a hint of cocoa. My hopes are lifted.

I take out my lighter and put the flame to this cigar right after I hit the play button on my laptop (I do have to smoke outside after all). The draw is good and….

On the retrohale there is a noticeable sweetness that is a lot lighter than the Kuba Kuba but also reminds me of it. And then, as if God himself decided to save this cigar, the sweetness gracefully falls into a supporting role. Hopefully, my expectations for this cigar won’t be shived by a major return of this sweetness.

Earth and cocoa quickly take over on the flavor front. It’s a nice, full bodied cigar in the beginning with lots of promise. Hopefully the Oz finale works out as well as this cigar is shaping up.

Doing a little research I find that this is the same length as the Liga Privada No. 9 Parejo, six inches. Don’t know whether or not it has the same ring gauge but I am guessing that since the length is the same that it is similar to what that cigar offers. CRA claims that the cigars in their sampler are special blends but I have no idea how special they are. Whatever the case, it starts out great.

Full bodied with a great draw and an even burn; so the fundamentals are good. And, while everyone is singing like stool pigeons on Oz this special Liga Privada No. 9 is also singing along with great flavors.

Chocolate and a small amount of spice start to come through about an inch-and-a-half of the way through. Nice additions both. Furthermore, shortly before reaching the halfway point that chocolate flavor becomes one of the leading flavors, perhaps the leading one.

Oddly enough, the strength of the cigar is subsiding the longer I smoke it. Usually, it is the other way around but this one is now medium-full bodied. Still an above average, flavorful cigar.

Besides a weak ash this Liga Privada No. 9’s flavors aren’t the most evocative ever but they are well above average. The finale of Oz is better.

At the commencement of the final third of the Liga Privada No. 9 a salty meatiness starts to emerge. And it’s good. It adds to the overall complexity of the cigar and the meaty flavor is a plus on its own.

This cigar is not as complex a tapestry as Oz is but the LP has it’s moments. Upon reflection, it was a pretty good match for the series finale. Oz didn’t leave me asking for more, it was one of the better finales I have ever seen. This cigar didn’t leave me begging for much more either.

Casa Magna Colorado Cigar Review

There are two important things to know about the Casa Magna Colorado line of cigars: they are relatively cheap and they are the reigning #1 cigar according to Cigar Aficionado. I smoked a few of these recently and, for the most part, I have gone away with a positive perception of these cigars. For this review I am smoking the torpedo vitola, which isn’t the same vitola as the CA #1 cigar of the year (it was the robusto).

A couple of the cigars I have smoked have had some small holes in the wrapper but, for the most part, I have been impressed by how oily the wrappers have been. There have been some that have more veins than the others but the veins are not too pronounced. Beyond these aspects, the construction of this cigar is great. The reddish brown Nicaraguan wrapper houses a firm packing of filler and binder tobaccos.

Furthermore, I think if I was in a pinch and needed to stab an intruder I could use the Casa Magna Belicoso as some sort of icepick since the point of the torpedo is extremely pointy! Even though “use as a weapon” does not fall into my scoring rubric I will keep this little tidbit in mind if I’m torn between two scores. The only drawback from the ability to weaponize this cigar is that it could be difficult cutting it… but, no, it cuts just fine and the pre-light draw is fine as well.

Cigar Stats
Torpedo
Length: 6 1/2″
Ring Gauge: 52
Wrapper: Nicaragua
Binder: Nicaragua
Filler: Nicaragua
Price: $7.00

Glee Flame!

A core of spice is buffeted by a mild floral sweetness, woodiness and an oily nuttiness that all works well together. After the first half an inch the spicy core is superseded by those other flavors and only remains as a background flavor. There is a good deal of complexity and strength of flavor with this cigar that I really enjoy.

So far, this Casa Magna is burning and drawing really well. I have had some minor burn problems in the past with this cigar but nothing major.

It starts out as a really robust, full bodied cigar but mellows out once the spiciness takes a step back. Still full bodied but the finish is smoother and the other flavors really get to shine through.

The draw has remained even but I did have to cut a little more off the head of the cigar to open up the draw. For the remainder of the cigar it draws extremely well.

At the beginning of the final third of the cigar there is a faint cocoa flavor but it quickly fades away. The main flavors – spice, floral sweetness, wood (a heartier wood unlike oak) and nuttiness – remain throughout in some variation or another. It is an impressive cigar, that I am sure of.

Is it one of the best cigars ever? Probably not. It is complex, full flavored and the essentials (burn and draw) are average to above average. When you factor in the price (although I had to pay around $8.50 at my local tobacconist – damn cigar taxes!) it does make this cigar even more attractive. Let me put it this way, I loved this cigar and will definitely be smoking more of them in the future. Additionally, there is now a Casa Magna Oscuro that was recently released and I’ll get my hands on those as quickly as possible.

92 points

Carlos Toraño Signature Collection Short Cigar Review

Pre-Smoke

The Carlos Toraño Signature Collection features a sun grown Brazilian maduro wrapper, a Connecticut broadleaf binder and the rest of the tobacco is Cuban-seed ligero from Nicaragua and the Dominican Republic. Very good looking cigar with tons of oil. This cigar is truly a fine piece of craftsmanship. I am smoking the toro vitola (6″ x 50) for this review and it retails for a little more than $7.00 a stick.

Smoke

Earth and cocoa are the first flavors I get. Most of the flavor is evident in my mouth and not when I exhale out my nose, which is different than my normal experiences with most cigars.

There is an almost tart flavor on the tip of my tongue. The burn is basically even, the draw is good and this is turning into a tasty medium bodied cigar. The flavors are moderately above average.

Sweetness is apparent in the immediate aftertaste associated with the cocoa and then fades. On a side note, the cocoa becomes watered down.

After-Smoke

If I had to teach the “law of diminishing returns” I would have my pupils smoke this cigar. It starts out as a solid example of earth and cocoa. But then it progressively got weaker. Still, at its low point, it is a decent cigar. For the most part… I liked it.

3 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

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

Alec Bradley Overture Cigar Review

The Alec Bradley Overture Robusto is a good looking cigar. It has a waxy feel to it and the construction is great. Besides a couple of discolorations and a minor rip on the foot it should be fine.

Here’s what the only retailer, Famous Smoke Shop, has to say about this cigar: “Overture employs a well-balanced blend of Honduran Trojes and Nicaraguan Jalapa longfillers married to a luscious Honduran Trojes Viso wrapper. You’ll enjoy a creamy, full-bodied symphony of complex flavors offering traces of oak, cedar, sweet spices, and espresso on the finish.”

We’ll see.

Cigar Stats
Robusto
Length: 5″
Ring Gauge: 50
Wrapper: Honduras
Binder: Honduras
Filler: Honduras and Nicaragua
Price: $6.75

Afternoon Flame!

I have smoked a couple of these in the past couple of months and I have been completely underwhelmed but the first couple of puffs of this AB Overture have been great. For about the first inch the flavors are warm and spicy. Then the spice falls back somewhat and a bitter earthy/cocoa flavor comes to the fore.

Around the two inch mark the flavors start to change. The earthiness remains along with a diminished cocoa as well. A candied flavor starts to creep into the mix; it’s a nice sweetness that compliments the other flavors. It is a medium-full bodied cigar with a great draw and an even burn.

Over the last couple of inches the spice reappears without much sweetness. My only problem with this cigar is that the flavors are somewhat muddled. They mix together fairly well but the flavors themselves aren’t pristine.

Actually, this was a very good cigar. Lots of flavor and nuance. I would not say that this cigar is amazing but this one specifically was worth it.

When I have smoked these in the past I didn’t like them: 83-86 points – in my opinion. If you do buy some of these cigars I would suggest that you let them rest in your humidor for at least a month, probably more.

89 points

Barry over at A Cigar Smoker’s Journal gave this cigar 90 points

Carlos Torano Virtuoso Short Cigar Review

Pre-Smoke: Good looking cigar without too many imperfections. It is tightly packed. I have smoked a couple of these in recent weeks in the car and while doing work and they have been solid cigars, just nothing special. I am smoking the Encore vitola (4 3/4″ x 52) for this review.

Smoke: Good draw, the burn is a little uneven and this is a medium bodied cigar. Not a lot of flavor to speak of. Some spice and cocoa but they are all just loitering in the background. Really, the main thing I am getting from this cigar is just smoke.

After-Smoke: If you are looking for a cigar that doesn’t have much flavor but is fundamentally sound (it draws and burns well enough) then this is the cigar for you. If you are looking for a cigar that has a complex mix of strong flavors then you should look elsewhere.

2 points

Price Range for all Virtuoso cigars: $4.00 – $6.50

Carlos Torano Virtuoso Page

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 Coyolar Short Cigar Review

Pre-Smoke: It’s a Camacho. Need I say more?

It’s oily and the wrapper looks perfect. Dark wrapper with no raised veins or imperfections. The only minor problem is that it feels a little soft near the foot of the cigar.

What, you may be thinking, does Coyolar mean? In short, it’s the name of the farm where all the tobacco for this line of cigars is grown. The Coyolar farm is located in Honduras. I am smoking the Rothschild (robusto) vitola.

Smoke: The first thing that I notice is that it has loads of flavor and absolutely coats my mouth with awesome array of flavors. Ranging from warm cocoa to meat to a screeching spice that is as brilliant as it is brief, only coming at the apex of the retrohale. Tons of smoke as well.

At first I was not impressed by its strength but, boy, it is full bodied. It’s a strength that builds up slowly as you smoke this Camacho. The draw is perhaps a little tight but does not interfere with the cigar in the slightest. The burn is perfect.

There is an occasional sweet note. Coffee is the predominant flavor in the aftertaste.

After-Smoke: This is an impressive cigar. It has tons of flavor, some kick to it and it smokes very well. Definitely a keeper.

5 points

Camacho Coyolar Page