La Aurora 107 Cigar Review
Really? Someone made a special cigar for their 107th anniversary? Despite breaking the taboo of celebrating an anniversary that is not divisible by five, it is a good looking cigar. A bit on the smallish size but it is very oily and the wrapper feels very hearty. Well packed but there are a number of veins.
This is the fifth one of these that I am smoking. I got these cigars from Miami Cigar Company, thanks guys!
Cigar Stats
Robusto
Length: 5″
Ring Gauge: 50
Wrapper: Ecuador
Binder: Dominican Republic
Filler: Nicaragua & Dominican Republic
Price: $6.50/cigar
Coffee Torch!
Starts off very nicely. Maybe a bit harsh during the first few initial puffs but that deficiency is easily overcome by a good mixture of flavors. A little bit of warm spice, a mild floral sweetness and a meatiness.
Spice is not a major factor through the first third. The sweetness is not saccharine; it’s more of a deep, alluring sweetness. There is also a hint of leather.
Both the draw and the burn are very good. It is a medium-full bodied cigar. My big problem with this cigar is that there is not a whole lot of complexity to it. Also, I must say that there have been some woody flavors throughout this cigar.
Nearing the end now and I have to admit that this is a solid cigar. Not an amazing cigar but well worth a try or two. Smooth cigar with a good amount of flavor.
88 points
Nestor Miranda Collection Dominicano Rosado Cigar Review
Before we get into the good part, the actual review, I need to disclose the fact that I got these cigars from Miami Cigar Co. The Nestor Miranda Collection Dominicano has not been released yet and they decided to send me some. Let me be clear: if this cigar sucks then I’ll tell you. (Fortunately, it doesn’t suck – I’ve had a few already.)
It looks perfect. The shape is so artfully done it almost looks like it was crafted with the aid of CAD software. Some oils, a couple of veins and a couple of muted black spots/streaks. It is filled perfectly.
Cigar Stats
Robusto
Length: 5 1/2″
Ring Gauge: 54
Wrapper: Dominican Rosado
Binder: Nicaragua
Filler: Nicaragua
Price: $7.60/cigar
Free Fire!
This is one of those cigars that are just alive with flavor from the beginning. Nutty, an alluring bitter earthiness, cream and some spice. Generally speaking, there is also a nice sweetness present in the flavor profile.
After an inch that nutty flavor takes on a roasted quality that I like. Additionally, an aged steak flavor starts to pop in along with some saltiness. It is a medium-full bodied cigar that produces a ton of smoke.
As the burn line approaches the midway point the main flavor changes to a sweet spice. The flavors remain strong and pleasant.
This isn’t a particularly smooth cigar taste-wise. Which was probably my biggest problem with the Cain Maduro; it was just too damn smooth. The burn, while fairly even, has required a couple of touchups from me, which was the case with most of the others that I smoked. I was probably being a little too anile when I touched it up the second time though. The draw is perfect.
The second half sees a continuance of that sweet spice flavor. Actually, it has become the predominant flavor, elbowing out most of the other flavors. The nuttiness and some bitterness remain in the background.
Nearing the nub now and the best way to summarize this cigar is that it is very complex. It starts out with a heartier flavor profile then morphs into its sweet spice with some minor changes throughout. At the end a new flavor actually comes through: maple. This cigar just doesn’t want to end.
Done now. Wonderful cigar, loved smoking each of them. When they come out you should definitely pick up a few.
91 points
Second Opinion – A Cigar Smoker’s Journal
Fonseca Cigar Review
Lately I’ve found myself going for more full bodied cigars; Diesel and Padilla’s Dominus to just name a couple. While those cigars are great – and they are in every sense of the word – it is nice to shake things up a bit every now and then. So, I went to my humidor and eyed this light brown cigar with the simple band.
Construction is nearly perfect. Manuel Quesada, the pater tobaccoist of this cigar, is truly a craftsman. My only quibble, if you can even count it as such, is that there are some minor inconsistencies with the coloring of the wrapper. The wrapper has a nice sheen of oil on it and the tobacco is snugly packed into the cigar.
The cigar that I am smoking, the Fonseca 5-50, comes in a natural or maduro wrapper. For this review I am smoking the natural wrapper version.
Cigar Stats
Robusto
Length: 5″
Ring Gauge: 50
Wrapper: USA (Connecticut Shade)
Binder: Mexico
Filler: Dominican Republic
Price: Box 25 – $95 | Fiver – $25
Midday Flame!
I accidentally forgot about this cigar a number of months ago and, as a result of that accident, this cigar has had lots of rest and it seems to have aided in the flavor of this cigar. Oak, berry sweetness and some burnt hay. Overall, I’m liking the flavors. Unfortunately, this cigar does have an aversion to staying lit; that’s a pain!
It’s a mild cigar, probably too mild for my liking. The draw is nice and the burn is even (as long as it stays lit!).
After about an inch that sweet berry flavor goes up a couple of notches on the flavor-o-meter. Honestly, this is a weird cigar for me. I guess I like these flavors, they are pleasant, it’s just not exactly my concept of what is a great cigar.
It is a good cigar though. Very, very laid back. And the flavors are surprisingly strong for such a mild cigar. This is definitely one of the better mild cigars that I have ever had.
Nearing the end of this cigar and, despite the occasional burn problem, it is a good cigar. The flavors are enjoyable but I’m still not sold on this cigar. If you like oak and sweetness in your cigar then you will most likely enjoy this one. If you normally go for something a little spicier and full bodied then you will probably only be an occasional smoker of these Fonsecas.
87 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
Gurkha Legend Cigar Review
While watching a recording of Spartacus I got a hankering for a cigar. So I went to my humidor and searched for something that fit. After thumbing through a number of sticks I happened upon the Gurkha Legend with its (rather pudgy) warrior (harrier?) on the band. I received this cigar from one of my great advertisers, Cigars Direct, and thought that this would be the opportune time to smoke this cigar.
The Gurkha Legend is a great looking cigar. No seriously pronounced veins and it is well packed. There is a certain softness to the wrapper, a suppleness even. Oil? Yeah, but not the oiliest cigar I have ever had. The pre-light draw seems a little tight but, based off of my prior experiences with this cigar, that won’t be a problem once the flame hits the foot.
Cigar Stats
Robusto
Length: 6″
Ring Gauge: 50
Wrapper: Connecticut Broadleaf Maduro
Binder: Cameroon
Filler: Dominican Republic
Price: Box 20 – $200.00 | 5 cigars – $75.00
Majestic Torch!
There is something comforting about watching a sword and sandal show and hearing modern English accents. I don’t know why that’s comforting to me but smoking this cigar is pretty nice as well and it is a good accompaniment to Spartacus. There is some spice up front and an earthiness that I can only describe as the desert after its first rain.
It is a medium-full bodied cigar and the flavors are good. The draw is good and the burn, after some early hiccups, is fairly even. Shaping up to be a good cigar.
Behind all the other flavors is a baked French bread flavor, which is nice. The spice flavors take on a slight sweetness after the halfway point. But the spice is also getting stronger. All the flavors mentioned in this paragraph basically eclipse the bread flavor after the halfway point of the cigar. (Baked French bread? That’s the flavor I got from it.)
Nearing the end now and it is still a very enjoyable cigar. There has not been a foul note to speak of. I guess the only thing that might be off putting to some people is the fact that it is a rather dry cigar. Being dry is fine with me as long as the flavors deliver and they do deliver.
When I first got these Gurkha Legends I did not think that I was going to like them because I haven’t liked the other Gurkhas I have had in the past. This one was absolutely not like those. It was a well above average cigar and worth a try if you are in the mood for something flavorful with a little kick.
90 points
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