CAO Cx2 Cigar Review
First off, thanks to Famous Smoke Shop for supplying the stogies for this cigar review.
One of the good things about this cigar is that it’s pretty easy to figure out what is in it. The “Cx2″ refers to the fact that both the wrapper and the binder are from Cameroon. If for no other reason the fact that there is so much Cameroonian tobacco in this cigar should make you want to try it out. How else will you get to know what Cameroonian tobacco tastes like?
It’s a decent enough looking cigar. There are a couple of pin-sized holes on the wrapper but other than that I don’t see any problems with it. Not very oily, not veiny, nicely packed, smells spicy at the foot and the prelight draw is open.
Cigar Stats
Robusto
Length: 5″
Ring Gauge: 52
Wrapper: Cameroon
Binder: Cameroon
Filler: Columbia & Nicaragua
Price: $100.00/box of 20 | $5.70/single
Civic Flame!
This sample from the stable of CAO Cx2 Cigars starts off very earthy. Lurking in the background is a little bit of spice – just a pinch for flavor – but the secondary flavor to the earth is a mildly sweet woody flavor.
Actually, this is a very relaxing cigar. There is just enough spice in there to give the earthy and woody core an extra kick. Medium bodied for sure.
Comfortably into the second third now and there have been some changes in the flavor profile. That earthiness has faded a great deal. In it’s place the wood and spice have melded together quite nicely.
The final third of the cigar transitions back to the sweet wood flavor. The earthiness is still sticking around but isn’t a major flavor. The spice is all but gone. A new sweetness, basically a floral sweetness, comes on a little nearer the end.
It is a tasty cigar with some good flavors. The draw and the burn are both excellent. Very good cigar.
89 points
Nestor Miranda 1989 Cigar Review
I received these nice-looking cigars from Miami Cigar and Company. Thanks guys.
In the past I have been impressed with the Nestor Miranda Special Selection and the Dominicano; they are flavorful cigars. After smoking a few of these cigars I can say that the Nestor Miranda 1989 is a good cigar as well.
For this review I smoked a few of the torpedos with the Rosado wrapper from this line. Each of them was well made and oily. A couple of these cigars had a number of somewhat pronounced veins and there were only a couple of minor imperfections in the wrappers. The cigars were fairly tightly packed.
Cigar Stats
Torpedo
Length: 6 1/8″
Ring Gauge: 52
Wrapper: Nicaraguan Habano Rosado
Binder: Nicaragua
Filler: Nicaragua and Honduras
Price: $80.00/Box of 20 | Less than $5.00/Single
Fighting Flame!
The first third of the cigar is dominated by the commingling of oak and spice. In no way are these flavors overpowering. To be exact about the flavors, while the spice is apparent from inhale to retrohale to aftertaste, the oak is most pronounced as an aftertaste.
What I like the most about the spice in this cigar is that it is a warmer spice. It doesn’t get in your face or overpowers you in the least. So, when the spice starts taking on an even more prominent role in the flavor profile during the second third it is a welcomed development.
In addition to the increased dominance of the spice are some nutty flavors. This is one of the things that I like from all of the Nestor Miranda cigars: understated complexity. While the flavors will never overpower they will keep you interested; and, after all, that’s what is most important about a cigar.
The Rosado version of the 1989 is medium bodied (the Oscuro is supposed to be medium-full bodied). The draw is good but the burn might require a touch up every once in a while – nothing major though.
During the final third the spice recedes and a burnt oak takes over. Not exactly thrilled about it but, when you consider the cigar in its totality, I’m not too bummed about it either. It is a very good cigar and for the price it is very hard to beat.
89 points
Graycliff Double Espresso Cigar Review
This cigar hales from the known cigar Mecca of the Bahamas – created by a guy who owns a five star restaurant and so on. Basically, the whole Graycliff line of cigars came about because this gustatory maestro didn’t think any other cigar in the world could stand up to his blue plate specials. My first encounter with these cigars came with the Graycliff 1666 Pirate. My opinion of that cigar can be stated thusly: It’s a lot less Black Beard than it is Somalia youth with an AK.
But I held out hope for this cigar nonetheless. I was told that it was quite good and that it warranted a smoke or two. Well, after a few more smokes I can safely say that it is nothing extraordinary. While it is better than the other Graycliffs that I have smoked I cannot say that it’s worth the exorbitant amount of money that it costs.
Anywho, let’s give it another shot. Maybe months in the humidor will have imbibed it with some extra flavor that I haven’t tasted before.
Before we get too far ahead of ourselves here I should mention that this cigar doesn’t look special. It is very veiny but it is oily. Other than that, it does look like a fine cigar. The pre-light draw is open.
Cigar Stats
Robusto
Length: 4.5″
Ring Gauge: 54
Wrapper: Costa Rica
Binder: Costa Rica
Filler: Cuban Seed Corojo & Ecuadorian Ligero
Price: $18.00/cigar
Expectant Flame!
The initial round of flavors centers on chocolate and coffee, which seems, to me at least, to be fairly run of the mill. What makes this cigar more run of the mill, like all the other Double Espressos that I have tried, is that the flavors are watered down. Think hot chocolate laced with a healthy helping of river water.
Another thing about this cigar is that it is billed as being full bodied. It’s not. I have to seriously wonder whether or not the retailers I’ve seen call it “full bodied” to trick people into buying this cigar. It’s a medium bodied cigar. Maybe a little stronger than that but not much more.
On the bright side the draw is very good. Resuming the parade of ill feelings now. The burn needs the occasional touch up. And the flavors only get further watered down.
Honestly, this is a ho-hum cigar.
86 points
For another opinion check out the Stogie Guys’ Review.
PS: For those of you who think I am being overly harsh on this cigar I have my reasons. It just wasn’t that good of a cigar. The flavors were lacking and for the price that they are charging for these things I expected something a lot better than what I got. That’s all.
Rocky Patel Puro Cubano Cigar Review
While it is not a particularly good-looking cigar I can safely say that I am not too worried. Sure, there are some rips in the wrapper, it feels dry, it’s a little misshapen by the foot and there are some pronounced veins on the wrapper. The reason why I am not worried about the quality of this cigar is mainly because it is a Rocky Patel (by the way, thanks to Cigars Direct for this cigar; much appreciated).
Recently, I decided to get a bundle of Rocky Patel’s “seconds.” These are cigars that didn’t meet his company’s stringent standards for a top flight cigar but are still good enough to be sold. It turned out that even these “rejects” were pretty good cigars.
Cigar Stats
Robusto
Length: 5 1/2″
Ring Gauge: 50
Wrapper: Nicaragua
Binder: Dominican Republic
Filler: Nicaragua & Dominican Republic
Price: $70.00/box of 20
Actuarial Torch!
A veritable bouquet of spicy flavors welcomes you in the beginning. Hickory, hay, a touch of a sweet spice, and a lot of accent flavors that are all wonderfully mixed together. Basically, if you want an idea of this cigar’s flavor profile all you have to do is go to your local spice shop and browse their offerings for an hour or so. Oh, and add in some leather flavorings as well.
The funny thing about this cigar is that it is nowhere near a full bodied cigar; it is comfortably medium bodied. Both the burn and the draw are great and the price, which is ridiculously cheap, all favorably recommend this cigar.
As far as I can tell there is nothing wrong with this cigar. Sure, it looked a little ragged (and that will hurt its final score a little bit) but the taste is simply great.
After the halfway point comes along the spice as it gently morphs into being sweeter. There were strong undercurrents of sweet spice during the first half but it is predominately sweet spice during the second half. I’ve seen on other reviews that there is also a coffee flavor that comes along with this cigar but I have yet to pick it up.
Nearing the end now and my main problem is that I’m trying not to burn my fingers. It really is a great cigar. The only drawbacks for me were the look and this cigar did require one minor touchup. The only thing left to say is: Try this cigar!
92 points
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
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