Cigar.com Cuban Label Cigar Review
Alright, here’s the deal. A couple of months ago I got curious about the quality of some of the private label cigars that are out there. Thanks to their easy and mostly color coded naming system my sights quickly acquired Cigar.com’s stable of cheap private label cigars. After smoking all of the different varieties that Cigar.com has to offer I realized that none of the cigars were really excellent and by that I mean something that I would give 90+ points to. But some of them are definitely passable cigars.
That is why I am going to change the format here a little and either give the Cigar.com house blends a PASS or FAIL. To keep things fair, all the cigars sampled are in the 5″ x 50 robusto vitola. I have already rated the Sun Grown Label and gave it a passing grade. Now onto this cigar.
Here is what Cigar.com has to say about it’s Cuban Label house blend:
For this blend we use a high quality Nicaraguan filler and binder. However, the Cuban Label gets most of its character from the special Cuban/Sumatra hybrid seed sun grown in Ecuador. With the perfect blend at hand, we depend on the expert cigar makers and rollers at Tabacalera Fernandez to put the finishing touches on the Cuban Label. This Nicaraguan factory has an esteemed reputation for making flawless cigars. The result is a peppery and earthy full-flavored cigar with a medium to full-body. The Cuban Label is complex and balanced with a long pronounced finish.
These cigars come in five different sizes: churchill (7.5″ x 50), gordo (6″ x 60), corona (6.5″ x 42), robusto (5″ x 50) and torpedo (6″ x 52). As of the publishing of this post, they cost less than $3.00 when individually purchased and can cost less than $2.50 when purchased in a box of 20 except for the gordo vitola which costs $4.00 for a stick and $60.00 for a box of 20.
Beautiful this cigar is not. Dull brown is the color and there are some veins and bumps all over the cigar. A sizable soft spot can be found from the foot to about an inch down from the foot of the cigar. With that being said I have smoked this cigar a couple of times before this review and I have liked it… pretty much… well, mostly.
Laundering Incineration!
What the Hell? I cut this cigar and as I am doing some maintenance to the cut, you know, making it look good and functional, and I see what looks like a very light brown stem sticking out. Alright, that is no big deal but then I start pulling it out and, honest to God, it doesn’t look like it is tobacco. It looks like it is a piece of paper! That is weird and I can say that has never happened to me with all of the cigars that I have smoked. Not a good omen.
The sensible part of my brain is having this inner dialogue about whether or not it is smart to smoke this cigar but, while debating with myself, the sensible part of my brain realizes that I have already lit the cigar and am smoking it. As the sensible part of my brain slinks off to whatever dank corner of my skull that it calls home I am struck by the fact that this is actually a pretty good cigar. The spice is good and is the dominant flavor. Like the description on the site says this is definitely a peppery cigar. There are also notes of cedar and some grass (I’m trying to pin that flavor down but the best I can come up with is that it has a Chinese food flavor to it). No paper flavor yet.
Entering the second third and the spice, while still enjoyable, has become a little bit overbearing and has a certain amount of harshness to it. By no means is this a deal breaker, especially for a cigar that is meant not for greatness but just for smokability. Still no paper flavor yet.
Nearing the end now and it’s still spicy. The spiciness, if you like that flavor in a cigar, is something that I think you would enjoy in this cigar; as long as your expectations are not over the top. It’s a good cigar but it is not very well rounded, especially after the first third when it becomes a monochromatic spice machine. But, since I appreciate spice, I enjoyed this cigar. Medium-full bodied with a good draw and burn. Never tasted paper, which means I probably pulled it all out.
PASS
Urbano Corojo Cigar Review
Full disclosure: I received two of these cigars for the purposes of this review from Urbano Cigars.
It’s a gnarly looking wrapper. There are some raised veins, black colorations in both the line and spotted variety and a couple of small holes on the wrapper. As I have said before, I don’t care so much about the look of a cigar as long as it tastes good.
The feel of the cigar is oily, a little spongy to the touch but evenly packed. The band reminds me of a coat of arms with the fleur-de-lis, which I thought was a big no-no nowadays (maybe not). Let’s do this.
Cigar Stats
Length: 5″
Ring Gauge: 50
Wrapper: Dominican Republic Corojo
Binder: Dominican Republic
Filler: Dominican Republic
Price: $115.00/Box of 24
Weaver Torch!
The first one I had started out well – this one is starting out really well. It has that spiciness that I like, pretty strong but well balanced, and the texture feels powdery. The spiciness is pretty close to black pepper and it sticks around on your palate, the back of your throat and in your nostrils for a long time.
Black pepper is good but there needs to be more to a cigar than that and, thankfully, there is some evolution during the second third. The spice takes on a softer presence and there is also a floral note that is not very sweet, but good nonetheless.
The final third is much like the second third, which is fine. The spice is soft and has a bit of sweetness to it and the floral presence is still there. This cigar has a good draw and burn and I would put it in the medium-full bodied range. It’s a really tasty cigar that you should consider if you like black pepper and spice in general.
91 points
Don Pepin Garcia Black Edition Cigar Review
It’s a perfect looking parejo in almost every way. Construction is nearly perfect, almost absolutely cylindrical. There are a couple of minor veins that I am not worried about. Also, these cigars are very oily. This particular one that I am doing the review on is very oily as well.
The prelight draw is easy and gives off light tones of spice and sweetness. On the other end, the foot smells like tobacco and sweet spice. It looks like a solid cigar and, hopefully, this will be a solid cigar to smoke as well.
Cigar Stats
Length: 5″
Ring Gauge: 50
Wrapper: Nicaragua – Habano Rosado
Binder: Nicaragua
Filler: Nicaragua
Price: $7.50/Single | $125.00/Box of 20
Wounded Warrior Amputee Softball Team Torch!
From the very beginning of this cigar the flavors are strong and well balanced, which is not something you can say of a lot of cigars. This good start is peppered with what feels like a healthy dusting of spice ranging from sweet spice on the tongue and black pepper through my nostrils. Cedar is a secondary flavor in the early goings as is a slight amount of citrus on the aftertaste.
Personally, I’m not one of those people who would get bored if my favorite team was winning the same way all the time. Let’s take the Lakers as our example. They have won a lot during the last 13 years or so by doing the same things. You have the triangle, they many of the same players, etc. In many ways, this cigar is the same way: consistent and excellent.
The flavors during the final two thirds of this cigar are pretty much the same as the first third but those flavors are excellent. I love the interplay between the sweet spice and cedar on my tongue and the lingering pepper in my nostrils. It’s not a complicated cigar but it’s an excellent cigar.
Now, if you want complicated in sports you would have to look at the Rays. Oh sure, it’s exciting watching every night and seeing them win with pitching one night then with a contribution from some platoon guy another team basically gave away. The next night they will win with defense. It’s exciting and will keep people interested (even in that hotbed of baseball fandom known as Tampa Bay) but, if I had my druthers, I will take the perennial contender with the tried and true formula. Yes, you would not be wrong in saying that I am a boring person.
Consistently great cigars are definitely fine by me. Actually, they’re better than that. This is one of those cigars where you can pick it up and know that you are going to get a perfect draw, a great burn, a medium-full bodied cigar with a great group of flavors every time.
91 points
Casa Magna Colorado Cigar Review
Yes, I have reviewed the Casa Magna Colorado before but this is a different size and it has been quite a while since I reviewed one of these cigars. There’s that and the fact that Cigars Direct sent me this cigar and I am somewhat obligated to review it. Thanks guys!
The Casa Magna Torito is short and stubby measuring in at 4 ¾” x 60 ring gauge. While that is a little bit thicker than I prefer I have liked some cigars from this line in the past. Perhaps this one will surprise me.
Good construction with a fairly uniform medium-dark brown color to the wrapper. There is a small hole that is close to the foot of this cigar but that is the only imperfection worth noting.
Cigar Stats
Length: 4 ¾″
Ring Gauge: 60
Wrapper: Nicaragua
Binder: Nicaragua
Filler: Nicaragua
Price: $27.00/5 Pack | $162.00/30 Pack
JJ for JJ Flame!
It’s starts out pretty good but I am trepidatious about how the flavor profile is forming up; almost like it is watered down. But the flavors I am getting are good. Mole sauce, dark wood and some nuts. Spice is prominent throughout the nasal passages.
Meat comes on during the second third along with a smoky presence as well. Tobacco flavors are also here. Flavors from the previous third are still there but not as much as before.
The last third is a diminished continuation of the last third. I fear that this cigar is just too thick and it has diluted the flavors. It is also a little harsh in the final bits.
Overall, this is a pretty good cigar but not as good as its thinner brethren. It has a good draw and burn and is in the medium-full bodied range. By all means, smoke some Casa Magna Colorados but pick something thinner.
89 points
My Father El Hijo Cigar Review
When I first received my samples of this cigar from Smoke Inn I was impressed because it was a My Father production and they make good cigars. But I was a little confused by the “El Hijo” name attached to it. From my three years of high school Spanish I thought that translated into “Hi Joe.”. Feeling good about learning something in high school I went to Smoke Inn’s site to make sure that I was right. Unfortunately, I was wrong. Here is what they have to say about this cigar:
The third installment of our Microblend SeriesTM, the My Father “El Hijo” (meaning The Son), is a 5.5 x52 box pressed cigar with an unfinished foot, where the binder and filler protrude beyond the wrapper of the cigar. The unfinished foot gives the smoker a flavor experience before the very limited 2009 harvest of select Ecuadorian Habano wrapper kicks in. The experience is unique and very interesting.
This select wrapper had been set aside by the Garcia Family, due to the small quantities produced, and we were very pleased and honored that we were allowed to have it for this project. You will find this medium to full bodied smoke has an extraordinary savory quality.
Now onto the review.
This cigar has a slight box press to it. It is oily with a medium brown wrapper and some small to medium sized veins. It’s got the coveted triple cap as well. But, as a sign of the times, it looks like the cigar maker has cut some costs by ending the wrapper about a quarter of an inch down from the foot. That’s a joke.
Cigar Stats
Length: 5 ½″
Ring Gauge: 52
Wrapper: Ecuadorian Habano
Binder: Nicaragua
Filler: Nicaragua
Price: $48.75/5 Pack | $146.25/Box of 15
One Man Army Flame!
Right from the beginning you are greeted with bold spice. Spice that lingers for minutes on the back of your throat in the form of black pepper. Through the nose is a combination of warm spice and red pepper. Red pepper is on the tongue as well. As you can tell, there is a lot of spice here in the beginning but there is also a little bit of cashew.
During the second third the flavor profile does go through a bit of a metamorphosis by transitioning partly away from spice to sweetness and wood. Over the course of this third the spice really dissipates; almost into nothingness, which is something I’m not liking.
Around the transition from the second to the final third there is yet another change in the flavors. Wood, nuts and a nice smokiness make up the flavor profile now. Think of it this way: this cigar came in like a lion and went out like a lamb. A tasty lamb though.
I would have much preferred if the flavor profile would have stayed similar to what it was during the first third but that was not meant to be. In both of the samples that I tried there was a change in the flavor profile away from the spice after the first third. While the first third was amazing the last two-thirds were less than spectacular.
It is a medium-full bodied cigar with a good draw and burn. Is it worth trying? Yes. Pick some up here and only here (unless you live in Florida and can go to one of the Smoke Inn shops, that is).
91 points
