Punch Cigar Rights of America Cigar Review
This one has been in the humidor a while; just sitting on its tray minding its own business… until now! Being part of a CRA sampler I got a long time ago it’s slightly oily, wonderfully constructed, maybe too tightly packed but it does look like a great cigar. Plus, it is a Punch, so I’m sure it will be, at the minimum, a solid cigar. This is in a toro size.
Spartacus Flame!
Definitely more than a “solid” cigar, this one is. Forthright spice, fleeting cherry and a few woody notes make up the flavors in the beginning of this cigar. I’m going to go ahead a peg it as a full bodied cigar, but just barely.
There is this smoky flavor that creeps its way into every nook and cranny of my taste buds. It is a nice extra dimension of flavor; it complements the other flavors well.
While the flavors are above average what I like the most about this cigar is that there is an edge to it. I like it when a cigar has a little edge to it.
In the beginning it was a full bodied cigar but after the first inch it dialed the strength down to the medium-full bodied range. After the halfway point I noticed a certain amount of earthiness creep its way through. This cigar has a good draw and a good burn.
As is the case with all the other cigars from the Cigar Rights of America sampler I will abstain from giving it a score. It suffices to say that this was a great cigar and well worth the price that I paid for it. If you haven’t already done so I would like to urge you to join CRA and help them stem the tide against those anti-smoking zealots that are becoming ever more brazen.
Tatuaje Avion 11 Cigar Review
The Tatuaje Avion 11 is a perfecto shaped cigar, which means it’s tapered on both ends. Chances are if you are looking for the Tatuaje Avion 11 in a search and happened upon this review you already know that, but I just wanted to make sure.
As the special edition Tatuaje Fausto for 2011, this cigar is a looker. And it tastes really good too, even better than the normal Fausto line, which still managed to place very well in my recently (and tardily) published Top 10 Cigars 2011 list.
Solidly and evenly packed. It does look like it got a little smashed (don’t look at me, Tatuaje did this on purpose since it is a box pressed cigar after all) but no bother, it’s not like it’s smashed like a pancake. The wrapper is a dark mahogany brown color webbed with insignificant veins. While it’s oily to the touch what really gets to me is the smell. It’s one of those cigar smells that is the equivalent to that Dirty Harry (paraphrased) line: “Do you feel lucky, punk?” Just the smell of it is aggressive.
Cigar Stats
Length: 6 ¾″
Ring Gauge: 48/52
Wrapper: Ecuadorian Habano Maduro
Binder: Nicaragua
Filler: Nicaragua
Price: $45.00/Box of 5 | $180.00/Box of 20
Game of Thrones Flame!
I’ve smoked a number of these so far and the only reason I have yet to do a review for one is because I just enjoy smoking them too much. This one is no different.
Sure, it’s a very strong cigar; definitely in the upper echelon of strong cigars. But that isn’t what I’m getting from it. To me, the Avion 11 is this full throttle study in spice, leather, oak, mesquite and very old tobacco flavors. It’s like a flamethrower of flavor enveloping my tongue’s taste buds. The retrohale is also very enjoyable.
During the second third the flavor profile transitions into being more of an oak and dry earth mix. Sure, spice and leather are still strong flavors but, with this cigar, they are relegated to being merely excellent backup flavors.
Besides the flavors being truly amazing this cigar’s smoking characteristics are exceptional. Every one of these I’ve smoked (this one is the seventh) has had an absolutely perfect draw and the burn line progress at a steady and even pace.
A couple of days ago I was watching Clubhouse Confidential, which is a baseball show that focuses on statistical analysis, and a question was posed. The gist of this question was, “What if there’s a player who was near the top for statistical ratings for eight or so years but since he played for twenty years his average statistics weren’t all that brilliant, should this player merit consideration for the Hall of Fame?” This question popped into my head again as I was progressing through the final third of the Avion 11.
It’s not as if the final third is bad. No, it’s much better than that, but it just is not quite as good as the first two thirds. The flavors have turned towards singed hay, earth and spice, which has come on exceptionally strong during this third.
From my point of view, the final third doesn’t mitigate my enjoyment of this cigar. I don’t think, in this situation at least, that what is a truly exceptional cigar should receive any demerits for lasting too long. What is the alternative? If they had made this cigar shorter the flavors during the first two thirds would be different and probably not for the better. It’s just that by itself the final third would not be Hall of Fame worthy. However, taken in its totality, this cigar is definitely Hall of Fame worthy. If anything, the final third should be considered as a highly deserved victory lap for an excellent cigar.
So, what am I to do? This cigar is not perfect and since I have been lauding this cigar from the beginning you would be right to surmise that I think this cigar is one of the best that I have ever had the pleasure of smoking. At the risk of being overly enthusiastic about this cigar I cannot do anything other than give this cigar an extremely high, and well deserved, rating.
98 points
PS: I feel I need to elaborate a little on why I did not weigh the final third as much as I did the first two thirds. If I had stopped smoking this cigar after the first two thirds, to be honest, it was a little bit into the final third when I noticed the differences in the flavors most fully, this cigar would have earned 99 points. It’s not a perfect cigar in my mind, the strength is a bit too much, even during the first two thirds, and can have the effect of lessening the impact of the flavors if you aren’t completely concentrating on the cigar.
During the throes of the final third the strength overpowers the flavors a little bit more. In my opinion, if the final third were to be segregated and given its own rating, that would make this a 94-95 point cigar. Still excellent but just not as excellent as the whole cigar is.
The reason why I am treating this cigar differently than other cigars is because the first two thirds were so extraordinarily good and it is those first two thirds (probably more like three quarters or four fifths) that has lead me to downplay the ending. It may sound trivial but I think there is a world of difference between a 98 point cigar and a 97 point cigar, which is what I’d given this cigar if I simply averaged the scores out.
Well, that’s enough babbling on for me. If you want a more sober review of this cigar head on over to Tiki Bar’s excellent review.
PPS: The picture on the band is a flying cigar.
La Aurora 107 Short Cigar Review
This sample comes from Miami Cigar & Co. All reviews are my own.
Wrapper: Ecuador | Binder: Dominican Republic | Filler: Dominican Republic & Nicaragua | Box of 21: $114.00 | Single: $6.34 | Robusto | 5 ½″ x 43
0/3: This is the La Aurora 107 corona, a cigar that I have smoked a number of times but only feel like doing a short review for right now. I have reviewed the La Aurora 107 before and I liked it. They are good cigars and I can honestly tell you that I have not heard anyone say anything truly negative about these cigars.
This cigar feels a little soft to the touch. A little veiny but not too pronounced. The wrapper is a little oily to the touch and it is pretty obvious that these cigars are well made.
1/3: One of the things that I like about smaller cigars is that it seems, to me at least, that the flavors are more concentrated and that is what I am getting with this cigar. While I liked the other vitolas that I tried the corona seems to be the best fit for me. Spice, buttered toast and some woody notes make up the bulk of the flavors for me.
2/3: This cigar seems to be a little stronger than the other vitolas as well. While not full bodied I would peg it in the medium-full bodied range. The flavors are still very strong during this third and it is a very enjoyable cigar.
3/3: While the final third stays pretty much the same as the previous two thirds I am not disappointed because the flavors were very enjoyable. Add to the mix the fact that this cigar has a good draw and burn there is nothing negative that can be said about it.
4/3: Very solid cigar, definitely my favorite size of the La Aurora 107s. And they smoke quickly too. So, if you find yourself with a lot of 30 minute to hour long gaps of time fill it up with one of these cigars.
4.5 points
Undercrown Cigar Review
What the heck is an “Undercrown” anyways? As far as I can tell, before Drew Estate got it’s hands on the name the only other time in the history of mankind this term was used was for the creation of a clothing company that is “The brand for champions.” Alright, that is kind of disappointing. I was hoping that the term Undercrown had some sort of medieval history about it; maybe the Undercrown could have been an English king in exile. Even though there is no link for this name to anything historical I think it still makes sense.
According to the Drew Estate legend this cigar is the product of the creativity of their torcedores who were told they could no longer smoke as many Liga Privada cigars as they wanted. So, they did what any other enterprising employee would do and used the same tobacco to make a different cigar: the Undercrown. My only problem with this story is that just because the torcedores put the tobacco in a different cigar doesn’t mean they are smoking any less of that tobacco. I wonder what new cigars the torcedores will come up with once the bosses over at Drew Estate cut the torcedores’ personal supply of Undercrowns.
They’re solid cigars. The first one I smoked was at a cigar lounge in Fullerton and even though the air was more smoke than oxygen the cigar was pretty amazing. And it makes sense that it would taste so good when you look at it: perfect shape, the wrapper is smooth to the touch, it’s oily, evenly packed and no raised veins. Another reason why it isn’t a shocker I liked this cigar is because those industrious torcedores over at Drew Estate were Wile E. Coyote enough to put some of that delicious T52 Connecticut River Valley Stalk Cut tobacco into it. And I loved the T52.
Cigar Stats
Length: 5″
Ring Gauge: 54
Wrapper: Otapan Negro Último Corte
Binder: T52 Connecticut River Valley Stalk Cut & Cured Habano
Filler: Brazilian Mata Fina and Nicaraguan Cuban Seed
Price:$167.00/Box of 25 | $35.50/Pack of 5
Coronal Mass Ejection Torch!
Isn’t all tobacco that is used to make a cigar cured? Don’t know why that was put in there but, hey, I just report in Cigar Stats.
When a cigar produces a tactile experience akin to smoking a pixy stick I love it. It’s almost like the flavor molecules have granulated and you can pick out each individual flavor granule. This is one of those cigars and some of the flavor granules I am picking up include: somewhat sweet spice, meat, yeasty sweetness as well and some cherry.
Pretty much the same during the second third but with some chocolate added into the mix. And that is fine. The flavors are still very good and the Undercrown is one of those easy going smokes that provides a lot of flavor.
As you near the end of this cigar the spice retreats into the background and leaves an earthy tableau in its place. Chocolate, meat and some sweetness for character. Each puff reveals some nuances to the flavor profile that puts a nice spin on the flavors I mentioned. Sometimes the flavors are more chocolaty and then at other times they are more meaty. I hate to say that the granulated effect has worn off now and in its place is creamy smoke, which is better than fine.
Ironically, this was the cigar that my friend found too strong when he first started smoking it. Personally, I think this is right in the middle of the medium bodied range. Keith, over at Tiki Bar Online, pegs this as a full-medium bodied smoke, which I think gives more credence to the thesis that strength is subjective. The draw was good and the burn was good as well, requiring a couple of minor touch ups at the end. Drew Estate’s Undercrown is a complex cigar with good smoking characteristics and enough variability in the flavor profile to keep even the most jaded cigar smoker interested for a couple of hours.
92 points
Tatuaje Fausto Cigar Review
When I first heard about this cigar I was psyched because I never got to try the Tatuaje T110, which the Tatuaje Fausto is based off of. Or maybe it’s not the exact same blend, I’m not sure. But that doesn’t matter. What does matter is that if you like strength in your cigars then this cigar is something that you have to try.
But what about that name? Evidently, it means “fortunate” or “good luck” and is used as a name for males. Alright, that’s somewhat interesting and makes sense as a name for a cigar. But then I thought back to my childhood education and a dog named Wishbone. Faust was the character, played by a wonderfully gifted Jack Russel Terrier with more acting chops than most actors today, who even though he was brilliant and had lots of good things in life was still not content with his lot in life and made a deal with the Devil. In exchange for his soul the Devil was suppose to give him whatever he wanted in life.
The version that the Wishbone producers deemed suitable for us children to see has the girl whom Faust corrupted in his 24 year long hedonistic streak winning Faust’s soul over to the side of the Angels and saving the man, who destroyed her life, from eternal damnation. Touching, for sure. But as is the case with many stories that get revised (can’t you imagine the story of the Three Little Pigs being butchered so horribly that the ending is changed so that the pigs and the Big Bad Wolf go into the construction business together?) it gets revised in such a way that there’s a happy ending. The original Faust stories have that bastard Fausto serving out eternity as the Devil’s servant.
I think it was the original story that this cigar is suppose to represent. Without giving too much of my review away this cigar is very full bodied and makes you wonder if you had asked for too much of a good thing with it. Shouldn’t it be enough to smoke a cigar that just tastes amazing? Why do we have to always yearn for something more? Because, as was the case with the sinful yearnings of Faust, it’s better to walk on the dark side than to be dissatisfied with our current lots, even if they are enviable.
Honestly, I’m not sure that any of that prelude to a review matters but it makes the cigar more interesting… to me at least. By itself, this cigar looks very well made with its dark brown wrapper that has a dull, oily sheen that makes you think this cigar might actually play nice. The wrapper is rather veiny but none of the veins are very pronounced. Evenly packed the cigar gives a little to the touch. Beyond all the other characteristics of this cigar the first thing you will notice is that it smells aggressive. Fiery tobacco smells make a preemptive assault in your nose before you even get the chance to cut the cigar. It’s an experience, that’s for sure.
Cigar Stats
Length: 5 ½″
Ring Gauge: 52
Wrapper: Habano Ecuador
Binder: Nicaraguan
Filler: Nicaraguan
Price:$185.00/Box of 25 | $39.00/Pack of 5
Mephistopheles takes you to the Flames!
When I first smoked some of these cigars I liked them but I wasn’t overly impressed with them. They were impressive, for sure but as some time passed they got better. The one that I am smoking now has been resting in my humidor for five or six months now. It’s well worth the wait.
The flavors are just so strong and evocative. This is like the Booker’s of the cigar world: wildly strong but with flavor. There’s spice and wheat and oak. But it’s hard to get past the fire hose intensity of this cigar. Part of me absolutely loves this cigar right now. Another part of me realizes that this cigar is meant for a very specific niche of the cigar smoking market.
During the second half this cherry flavor starts to come through on occasion. Burnt cashew is another flavor I am able to pick up. Mainly, the flavors still revolve around those flavors I mentioned during the first third except for the spice, it has slacked off.
What I like the most about this cigar is that the flavors are dry and alive. In the final third bread comes through. It’s a nice way to end the cigar actually. While it is still a legitimately full bodied cigar the flavors have been complex and there has been a good deal of evolution in the flavor profile as well. Even if the flavors had remained constant from the first third to its conclusion this would have been a great cigar. With all the changes in the flavors and the fact that it had a decent burn, requiring only a couple of minor touch ups, and an excellent draw this cigar is a keeper.
93 points
