meaty
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.
Tatuaje Series P Short Cigar Review
Pre-Smoke
The Tatuaje Series P is significantly cheaper than the other lines from Tatuaje. The robusto costs between $3.00 to $4.00 per stick, depending on how many you buy at one time. So, is it as good as it’s much higher priced brethren?
Just based off of looks and feel I would have to say no. It looks like a dried out leaf with only a slight sheen of oils. Beyond that, it does feel a little squishy to the touch. Not a good start for this Nicaraguan puro.
Smoke
With a good draw and burn and a medium body this cigar is starting off alright. While I don’t think it measures up to the premium Tatuaje lines (which is an unfair expectation considering the price) it is actually a somewhat enjoyable smoke at the beginning. A slight amount of spice, a decent helping of maple sweetness and woody flavors.
Working against it is that it is not a smooth cigar and the flavors don’t meld all that well together. In fact, as the cigar progresses it does get harsh and then it gets better and then it gets harsh all over again. Basically, it’s an inconsistent cigar that does have a couple of kind of good moments.
In addition to the aforementioned flavors there is a nuttiness and meatiness to it.
After-Smoke
Upon reflection, the best way to describe this cigar is that it is dry. The flavors are there but they are intermittently harsh. It’s a cheap cigar and it shows.
1.5 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 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
Arturo Fuente Hemingway Short Cigar Review
Pre-Smoke
I did a full review of an Arturo Fuente Hemingway Short Story about a month ago and went into the unique shape of this cigar. The previous review I did had a score of 89 points, so, if this one scores 3 or 4 points (it’s a short review, which means that I didn’t want to spend every second thinking about the cigar and don’t want to put a definite score to it but, rather, a range of scores), that’s pretty much all there is to know about what I think about this line. I am smoking the Classic (7″ x 48) vitola with the Cameroon wrapper for this review.
This cigar looks good and it feels like it is a little too loosely packed. There are some oils on it and there aren’t any raised veins or glaring imperfections on the wrapper.
Smoke
Due to its odd shape at the foot it is a little difficult to light. But, after it gets past the shoulder, it opens up nicely. The main flavor is oak. This is a very smooth cigar. There is also a warm spice and a meaty flavor.
It is a medium bodied cigar with a good draw and an even burn.
After-Smoke
It is not as good as I had remembered. Like with the other one the flavors are a little weak but there are many flavors. Still a good cigar. I’m going to give it three points, or, roughly, 87-89 points.
3 points
Price: $10.50
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
Rocky Patel The Edge Maduro | Short Cigar Review
This is the maduro version. Looks and feels great. It’s not too oily. Starts off with floral flavors, which quickly dissipates. This is a full bodied cigar, sneaky strong. There’s some spice and meaty flavors as well. This Patel also has some kick to it, which I really like. It’s a solid cigar that I look forward to smoking whenever I get the chance.
From Patel’s Site:
The Edge remains the hottest cigar in the country based on its strength, price point and fresh-from-the-factory box packaging. Available in both Corojo and Maduro, The Edge presents an unrivaled smoking experience, filling the palate with spicy elements, accenting its bold flavor. It will leave the seasoned smoker weak in the knees without a harsh finish. Full-bodied and full flavored is an understatement!
Price Range: $5.00 – $6.00
4 points
Rocky Patel Vintage 1990 | Short Cigar Review
Not very oily but well constructed. Box pressed. It’s a medium bodied cigar that is a little salty with meaty flavors. The draw is very good but the burn isn’t. This is a fine cigar with decent flavors, not something I want to smoke all the time but the occasional one would be fine.
2 points
CAO Italia Novella Cigar Review
Recently I smoked a couple of these cigars. The first one was unsmokable. Fortunately, the second was much better. Here is my review for the CAO Italia that was smokable.
Oddly, the only Italian tobacco is in the filler. But that can mean there is more Italian tobacco, by volume, than any other tobacco. But I digress. Very oily with a dark wrapper. No imperfections on it and it just looks like it is going to be a good cigar. I’m drinking Wild Turkey with a Cherry Coke for this cigar.
Cigar Stats
Corona Extra
Length: 4 1/2″
Ring Gauge: 46
Wrapper: Honduras
Binder: Hon
Filler: Italy, Nicaragua, Peru
Price: $4.85
Don Corleone Light!
Night and day when you compare this version to the unsmokable one. This one is absolutely great. Full bodied. Spice and meaty flavors. Dark chocolate notes as well.
Not burning evenly but the draw is absolutely perfect. My biggest problem with this cigar is that it is burning too quickly!
The spice has left about halfway through, which is a shame because I liked it. The dark, even chalky, chocolate flavor is now the secondary flavor. The main flavor tastes a lot like white wine. Even though I’m not a big wine lover, to say the least, I do like the white wine flavor here.
Three quarters of the way through and the white wine and chocolate flavors are still readily apparent on my palette. Some spice notes are trying to creep back in when I retrohale this cigar. Still a very full bodied smoke.
Really enjoyed this cigar. I wasn’t expecting much from it after the first one had a horrible draw. So I was pleasantly surprised.
91 points
Padron 4000 (Natural) Cigar Review
The Padron 1964 Anniversary is my favorite cigar to date so I must admit that I do have high hopes for this cigar. No, I do not think it’s going to even come close to the 1964 Anni but I do expect great things from this one. But the presentation of this cigar has me a little worried. This cigar is very bumpy with some raised veins. There is also this small stretch mark near the foot. Very little amount of oils. Drinking Wild Turkey and a Cherry Coke.
Cigar Stats
Toro
Length: 6 1/2″
Ring Gauge: 54
Wrapper: Nicaragua
Binder: Nic
Filler: Nic
Price: $7.00
Ball of Fire!
Leather and spice and everything nice. Perfect draw. More spice than leather, I have to say. Not burning evenly though. Wow, very spicy cigar and, as you may know, I really do like spicy cigars.
There’s also a steak flavor with this cigar. Meaty and slightly salty. Juicy even. Not a sweet cigar at all. Not as good as the 1964 but it is still a very good cigar. The burn isn’t even after 1 1/2″ but it isn’t too bad either.
Halfway through the cigar now. Had to correct the burn a little bit. That spicy flavor is almost gone now and I am a little disappointed about that. The meaty taste is what is strong now. Full bodied. The saltiness is even more pronounced at this point, which I am not ecstatic about. It’s not a big negative but it is a minor annoyance that the salt is coming through stronger.
Three quarters of the way through and the saltiness has, thankfully, vanished leaving the meaty flavor to take over. It’s a great cigar and I will definitely be smoking more of these in the future.
90 points
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