CAO La Traviata Maduro Cigar Review
I sit here wearing my CAO La Traviata Maduro hat given to me by Keith from Tiki Bar Online. Even though you might not think that is pertinent information I recall some English teacher I once had preaching about the importance of setting the scene. So there; the scene is set.
This is a perfect looking cigar. Black-brown wrapper with two very minor veins visible. Oily feel to the wrapper, it’s also slightly fuzzy. The cigar feels well packed, hard even. Can’t wait to smoke this cigar after resting it in my humidor for many months.
Cigar Stats
Length: 5″
Ring Gauge: 50
Wrapper: Connecticut Broadleaf Maduro
Binder: Cameroon
Filler: Nicaragua & Dominican Republic
Price: $115.00/Box of 24
Canton Tower Flame!
If you are wondering whether or not I have smoked the CAO La Traviata with the Ecuadorian Habano wrapper you can take a look at this. If you don’t want to go through the bother of clicking on another link and reading another review then you should know that I liked that cigar, giving it 91 points. Leather, oak and spice were some of the flavors that I noticed and it was pleasantly full bodied.
The CAO La Traviata Maduro starts out with a dark and powerful flavor profile. Beef jerky is the center of the flavor profile surrounded by mahogany, salt and bitter chocolate. While the draw is a little tight in the early goings of this cigar it has not become much of a problem.
Smokiness along with dark flavors are pervasive coming into the second third. Beef jerky and smoky mesquite are the big flavors that I’m picking up now. It’s fine.
The somewhat tight draw becomes somewhat bothersome in the final third, but not in terms of flavor. That jerky flavor has receded into the background while the smoky mesquite has gotten stronger. Heavy cigar.
Without the tight draw, which I got over and over again with each of these cigars that I tried, this would be a 90+ point cigar in my estimation. Even with the tight draw it was an enjoyable cigar but, I have to say, the original La Traviata is my favorite. Medium bodied with a burn that does require some touch ups along the way, this is a cigar that maduro fans might want to give a try.
88 points
Patel Brothers Short Cigar Review
0/3: It looks like a fairly well made cigar. A little hard to the touch but it is still a visually appealing cigar. Not a lot of oils on the wrapper.
On a separate issue, is the point of the name – Patel Brothers – supposed to evoke longing memories of Mario Bros? Maybe whilst lighting the cigar you will be brought back to that time you ate the mushroom and squashed the spiked turtle – digitally, of course.
Wrapper: Connecticut Broadleaf | Binder: Nicaraguan | Filler: Nicaraguan | Box of 20: $80.00 | Torpedo | 6″ x 52
1/3: Starts out enjoyable even though the flavors are borderline harsh. By that I mean there is a separation between the flavors, which are earth, smokiness, and bitter cocoa; and the overall smoking experience, which is bitter.
2/3: A mild sweetness has started to come through during the second third. Strong and dark is the name of the game here but, so far, I am enjoying this cigar more than I thought I would. An extremely earthy cigar.
3/3: The sweetness is still a background flavor but it has grown in prominence and it is providing a decent counterbalance to the robust earthiness that is evident in this cigar’s flavor profile. The sweetness is a little odd: it’s closer to straight, natural sugar than to anything else I can think of.
4/3: Unless you want an extremely earthy experience this probably is not a cigar for you. It also at times harsh and, because of that, the flavors can come off as being overbearing and not good. Personally, I would smoke this cigar again but I will not be seeking this cigar out. If it’s part of a deal I wouldn’t balk at it though.
3 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
Tatuaje Anarchy Cigar Review
I won’t lie, I was excited when I received a couple of samples of this cigar from Abe “MING” Dababneh’s Smoke Inn, which is a cigar retailer in Florida with six different B&Ms and an online presence as well (link). Accompanying these samples is a letter with a brief description of this limited edition cigar:
The wrapper used is a very special proprietary crop of Ecuadorian Habano leaf that Pepin & Pete [you know who they are] personally chose for the project. The binder and filler is Nicaraguan, and blended to perfection.
Want a little more info? Watch this video with a post-apocalyptic feel to it from Pete Johnson.
Spooky, I could almost sense the marauding band of disheveled twenty-somethings throwing shopping carts through the windows of Pete’s house during that video.
Alright, enough with the sideshow, let’s talk about this cigar.
It truly is an interesting cigar to look at. The foot tapers off a little and the bulge, which at its thickest is a 52 ring gauge, is not that far off from the narrowest part of the cigar, which is a 48 ring gauge.
What is really unique, for me at least, is the cap. It looks like a miniature cinnamon roll without the frosting. Basically, I think the way that they did it was that “miniature cinnamon roll” was constructed out of a pigtail and then they twirled it on the foot.
Beyond all of that stuff the wrapper looks awesome. Dark brown in complexion and without a lot of veins to get in the way. The cigar is, however, a little hard to the touch. I have smoked one of these so far and I can tell you that the draw required a small amount of effort but, other than that, it didn’t affect the flavors.
Cigar Stats
Perfecto
Length: 6″
Ring Gauge: 48-52
Wrapper: Ecuadorian Habano
Binder: Nicaragua
Filler: Nicaragua
Price: $49.95/Box of 5 | $149.85/Box of 15
It starts out like the good kind of rugged. You know the kind. John Wayne walks in from the desert to save a town that doesn’t really want his help kind of rugged. A parchingly dry spice is the first thing I noticed followed by a wisp of sweetness and a strong background of leather.
Copious amounts of cigar smoke are dancing around my head right now and I am liking this cigar even more than the first time I tried one. With the burn line a half an inch from the foot I cannot honestly say that this is a smooth cigar. Like I said, it’s rugged but it’s rugged in a way that augments the flavors. Spice and leather need a bit of wildness to them, I think. Obviously, as all good things, spice and leather can get a little too out of control. Fortunately with this cigar there is that sweetness that is lingering in the background and it does provide something of a restraint for that wildness.
After an inch I knock off the ash and the sweetness seems to be developing some. There is a hint of caramel there but it is way in the background. One interesting development is that the spice has moderated some and there is a definite smoky flavor that is coming through. This smokiness continues from the midway point to the end of the cigar.
With about three inches left on the cigar there is a nutty flavor that comes through a little bit and the main flavor present has become more earthy than anything else. Both are a nice addition to the overall flavor profile of this cigar and adds to the complexity as well.
There is a great review of this cigar on the Stogie Guys‘ website and in this review they noted a somewhat ragged burn line. The first one I smoked, shortly after receiving it, also had that problem. But with the extra couple of weeks in the humidor the burn line is just fine. The draw is good as well and it is a full bodied cigar.
All in all it is a great cigar. The flavors never disappoint. Get some while you still can.
94 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
