tobacco
Camacho Corojo Monarca Natural Cigar Review
A cursory inspection reveals a couple of raised veins that almost run the length of the cigar and, upon further inspection, that sums up all the negative things I can say about the look of this cigar. The construction is near perfect, it’s oily, there are no soft/hard spots and it even smells good having that kind of aroma that is powerful, yet refined.
Fortunately, I have had the opportunity to smoke a number of these cigars over the last month or so and I have even done a Short Cigar Review for this Camacho Corojo Monarca. My major complaint at the time revolved around my perception that this wasn’t an overly complex cigar. Spicy? Sure. Some other flavors? Yeah. But it just didn’t catch me as being well rounded enough. And it can be a harsh cigar at times.
My subsequent experiences with this cigar have been better than when I did my initial review where I gave this cigar 3 points (roughly 85-88 points or, to put it another way, an average cigar). It may be a little bit better than that and, who knows, this cigar could be awesome, but I am guessing this cigar will fall into the 89-91 point range.
This cigar has the natural wrapper. It also comes with a maduro wrapper. For more information on all the sizes go to the Camacho Corojo Page.
Cigar Stats
Robusto
Length: 5″
Ring Gauge: 50
Wrapper: Honduras Corojo
Binder: Honduras Corojo
Filler: Honduras Corojo
Price: $6.15
SAMCRO Torch!
Just finished having steak and mushrooms, which, now that I think about it, fits perfectly with this cigar. (What cigar doesn’t go well with steak?) It is a very rich cigar that overflows with white pepper, deep caramel, meat and a chorus of other flavors that meld wonderfully together. I know I said in my previous review that this wasn’t a overly complex cigar but this one definitely is.
The draw is absolutely perfect and the burn is relatively even. I’ll probably have to touch it up at some point. The slightly uneven burn can definitely be attributed to the fact that I am smoking under a patio cover in the rain so the humidity is probably pretty high right now.
While it started out as a medium-full bodied cigar after about an inch it has come off the fence and become full bodied. This may not be one of those cigars that will knock you out but it will let you know you are smoking a cigar.
My only major complaint about the Camacho Corojo Monarca is that the flavors do not meld together completely. For example, the sweetness from the caramel clashes with the white pepper creating a touch of harshness. It isn’t enough to significantly detract from my overall enjoyment of this cigar but it is noticeable.
That deep, caramel slowly morphs into a candied sweetness that is not altogether that bad. Oddly enough, I think it may actually meld better with the spice than the deeper caramel flavor.
Other flavors that begin to really come onto the scene after the halfway point include: earth and tobacco. Very good cigar.
90 points
Tatuaje Cojonu 2006 Cigar Review
Ah, finally! A torpedo. It’s actually been quite a while since I’ve had one and, since the torpedo vitola is my favorite, I’m excited about this cigar. Well, I’m excited because it’s a torpedo but, slightly more importantly, it’s a Tatuaje. I’ve smoked a handful of Pete Johnson’s creations (Tatuaje Havana VI Nobles and Tatuaje Reserva J21) and I’ve loved them all. Hopefully this cigar, which is made in Miami by master rollers from that island south of Florida, will be just as good.
From the Tatuaje site:
All Tobacco is 1st Generation Cuban Seed Grown in Nicaragua.
Cigars are rolled in classic Cuban tradition by Master Rollers in Little Havana Miami, FL U.S.A.
Headed by Maestro Tobaquero Jose Garcia.
Cigars are rolled with a beautiful Cuban triple-cap and are Medium to Full in flavor.
Now onto what matters; the cigar itself. The Tatuaje Cojonu 2006 is a beautifully crafted torpedo that has a substantial coating of oils on its medium brown wrapper. Well packed and the shape is just spot on. Many torpedos tend to be a little lopsided because it is a more difficult shape to roll (I’m told – I’ve never actually rolled a cigar). My only qualm about this cigar are the two medium sized veins that are located right around where I’m going to be cutting it. Hopefully it does not turn into a big deal – that would be a shame.
Cigar Stats
Torpedo
Length: 5 1/2″
Ring Gauge: 52
Wrapper: Nicaragua Corojo 99
Binder: Nicaragua
Filler: Nicaragua
Price: $13.00
Nuclear Torch!
An effortless draw reveals some really solid flavors. There is some spice, hearty wood and a syrupy caramel flavor that is the most dominant flavor. Another sweetness joins this group after about halfway through the cigar; it’s close to a floral sweetness.
During the last half of the cigar some tobacco flavors do come on. It’s a very good cigar that is thoroughly enjoyable. Medium bodied with a balky draw at first that, thankfully, evens out after the first inch, inch and a half.
This cigar perplexes me. I’m enjoying it but there is just something missing. Maybe it has to do with the flavors not being as robust as I would have liked. Not quite sure actually but I just wanted something more.
90 points
Cuba Cuts Back on Cigar Tobacco Acreage
Despite all the rosy projections for the cigar industry I have read and heard about for the last couple of years it looks like Cuba is going to cut back production by 30%.
Cash-short Cuba is slashing the amount of land devoted to growing its famous tobacco by more than 30 percent as the global recession and worldwide spread of smoking bans bite into sales of the country’s prized cigars.
Demand for Cuba’s cigars fell 3 percent in 2008 and earlier was reported down 15 percent in 2009 because of the recession and the smoking bans adopted in a growing number of places as a public health measure.
Cuba’s National Statistics Office, in a report posted on its web page (www.one.cu), said land to be planted with tobacco for next year’s crop had dropped to 49,000 acres (19,800 hectares), down from 70,000 acres (28,200 hectares), which was in turn less than 2008.
The theory from some of the cheerleaders in the cigar industry (Ahem, Cigar Aficionado) was that higher taxes and smoking bans would not affect premium cigar sales too much because, well, we will still buy expensive cigars despite all the roadblocks erected in front of us… just because we like premium cigars so much and our wallets are always full of money.
It is probably true that the Cubans are cutting back production of their lower level cigars; so Montecristo, Bolivar and Cohiba will not be affected as much – I’m guessing. It’s also true that the recession is having a significant impact on cigar sales. Actually, now that I think about it, according to Greg Mankiw’s blog:
The consumption of high-consumption households is more exposed to fluctuations in aggregate consumption and income than that of low-consumption households in the Consumer Expenditure (CEX) Survey.
Accompanying chart:
[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="400" caption="The exposure to aggregate consumption growth of households in the top 10 percent of the consumption distribution in the CEX is about five times that of households in the bottom 80 percent. Given real aggregate per capita consumption growth about 3 percentage points less than its historical mean during the past year, these figures predict that the ratio of consumption of the top 10 percent to the bottom 80 percent has fallen by about 15 percentage points (relative to trend)."]
[/caption]
Basically, what this graph shows is that during a downturn there is less cigar money; especially amongst the wealthier cigar smokers.
I don’t think it’s too controversial to claim that the goal of governments all over the world is to create a permanent recession in the tobacco industry. Through increased taxes and more aggressive smoking bans, governments are in the process of destroying the cigar industry. It will take time but, with small, incremental steps, governments all over the world are working overtime to make cigars too expensive even for the so-called wealthy people who smoke them.
Cuba cutting back tobacco acreage may turn out to be a reaction to the global recession. Or it could be a harbinger of more serious cutbacks to come.
FIGHT BACK! Join Cigar Rights of America.
Cu-Avana Short Cigar Review
Pre-Smoke
This cigar comes with a maduro or a Dominican grown, Connecticut seed wrapper. The one that I am smoking is the latter. It looks good, doesn’t have any significant imperfections and is somewhat oily. This Cu-Avana feels a little soft to the touch. I am smoking the Toro (6″x50) vitola that retails for less than $3.00 for this review.
Smoke
Oak, some spice and a lot of burnt tobacco flavors. It is a mild cigar with a good draw and an even burn. Vanilla and some sweetness are also present.
The flavors are not very strong nor are they complex. There are more negatives with this cigar than there are positives.
After-Smoke
It is just a boring cigar; mild and flavorless. Well, not completely flavorless. Beyond the slight spice, the faint vanilla, awful burnt tobacco and sweetness there is this grotesque aftertaste that comes on near the end. At first I wasn’t able to pinpoint at first. And then memories of childhood illnesses came flashing back once I realized that the flavor that I hated was exactly like taking some liquid antibiotic.
In a couple of hours I am going to post a review of the Alec Bradley Medalist, which, if you buy ten or more, will cost you only slightly more than this cigar. Plus, it’s better.
1 point
Occidental Reserve Short Cigar Review
Pre-Smoke: This is a cheap cigar and it looks like one. Veins, stretch marks and a couple of holes mar the light wrapper. It isn’t very oily and it feels evenly packed.
Smoking the Robusto (4 7/8″ x 50) vitola.
Smoke: This must be what smoking a chicken bone tastes like. Harsh, burnt flavors dominate. There is some oakiness in the background that shows me that this cigar isn’t a complete waste. But it’s close to being one.
On the bright side it does draw and burn well. It’s a very mild cigar but that isn’t my problem with it. The flavors are nearly all negative. As I near the end of this cigar I get a strong tobacco flavor that isn’t good.
After-Smoke: Look, I know that this is a cheap cigar and that my expectations should be considerably lower – and they were. But, besides the negligible oak flavor all the other flavors were harsh and it just wasn’t much fun smoking.
1 point
Perdomo Habano Maduro Short Cigar Review
Pre-Smoke: It feels too tightly packed and the wrapper is dry. The wrapper doesn’t show any imperfections except for one raised vein.
Smoke: Weak flavors. Tobacco, dirt and a mild sweetness, which is grassy, that occasionally pops in. I think it tracks really nicely with a heavily watered down coffee.
Mild-medium bodied with a loose draw and an even burn. The wrapper begins to crack and unravel as I near the end of it.
After-Smoke: Frankly, I had no idea what to expect from this cigar but I expected more than what I got from it. Completely mundane.
2 points
Partagas Naturales Natural Cigar Review
This cigar brand started back in Cuba way back when, actually, way before Castro. This isn’t one of those Cubans though. But it is made by the same family, the Cifuentes, that was making these cigars in Cuba before Castro’s merry men took that Caribbean island, just south of Florida, over.
Partagas cigars are offered in a ton of different vitolas (it is offered in three different vitolas with the maduro wrapper); if you can’t find your favorite size with this line then you probably won’t find the right cigar anywhere. They are offered with a natural (Cameroon) wrapper and a maduro wrapper. They are priced anywhere from $4.00 to $10.00. I’m smoking the Naturales vitola with the Cameroon wrapper for this review.
Upon first glance it does look a little rustic. There are bumps all over the place and it is not perfectly cylindrical in shape. With a small crack near the foot, a couple of raised veins and a really hard feel to it one would be forgiven for dismissing this cigar. But, working in its favor, is the fact that it is an oily cigar. And, truth be told, you can not ever really tell how well a cigar will be until you light it up.
Cigar Stats
Robusto
Length: 5 1/2″
Ring Gauge: 50
Wrapper: Cameroon
Binder: Mexico
Filler: Dominican Republic
Price: around $6.00
Flame Flickering!
Unfortunately, the draw is tight – I guess being too tightly packed does matter. It is not too tightly packed as to make this Partagas unsmokable but it’s bordering on that. On the bright side, the burn is pretty even.
Tobacco is the main flavor for this mild-medium bodied smoke. There is also some burnt wood flavors coming through. Near the end of the cigar there are some sweet and salty notes.
82 points
Camacho Corojo Natural Short Cigar Review
Pre-Smoke: Very oil and smooth wrapper with only a couple of imperfections. There’s a small hole at about the halfway mark and the foot isn’t exactly the picture of perfection either – although that will soon be incinerated. Nicely packed cigar and, besides the aforementioned imperfections, it is wonderfully constructed. This is the monarca vitola (5″ x 50, robusto)
Smoke: It’s a medium-full bodied cigar with pretty good flavors. Earth and some spice are the main flavors. Not an overly complex cigar but good nonetheless because I like the flavors that are here. But, even so, this is an average cigar.
After a while a strong tobacco flavor starts coming through. I also have to upgrade the strength to full bodied; it just keeps on getting stronger. But I can’t say that the added strength is adding to my enjoyment of this cigar.
This cigar has a somewhat tight draw but the burn is pretty good.
After-Smoke: When I lit this cigar I really wanted to like it because I liked the Camacho Coyolar so much. But things just did not work out this time. Good cigar but nothing special.
3 points
Price Range: $5.00 – $ 7.25
A Rebound for Jamaican Cigars?
I have seen very little Jamaican tobacco used in cigars. Heck, I’ve seen more Italian tobacco used (CAO). But that might be about to change:
Joseph Adduci intends to turn back the hands of time by producing cigars with Jamaican tobacco. Of Italian- American decent, he came to Jamaica some fifteen years ago. During that time he has run a 10,000 acre farm, a cable television company, an ice factory and a boutique hotel all in the parish of Westmoreland. He learned how to grow tobacco in Connecticut, in the United States.
He began his tobacco venture in Jamaica two and a half years ago and says that his company is still very much in the research and development stage. At present his company, Adduci Tobacco Limited grows tobacco on 100 acres of land in both Clarendon and Westmoreland, which is attended to by 20 farmers. The company, through its brands Adduci Cigars and King Lion Jamaican Cigars currently exports 900,000 cigars a year.
Adduci now wants to expand his operations and is currently looking for partners.
5 Vegas Miami Churchill – Cigar Review
Cigar Stats
Length: 7″
Ring Gauge: 48
Wrapper: Nicaragua (corojo)
Binder: Nicaragua
Filler: Nicaragua, Dom. Rep.
Approximate Price: $9.00
Alright, this is a fairly expensive cigar so it better be good!
Looks like a very well made cigar and it has a good amount of oils. There really isn’t anything not to like about the way this thing looks. Perfect.
Flame!
Full disclosure: Usually I drink Wild Turkey and a Cherry Coke when I smoke a cigar. Tonight, I am drinking a Ricardo’s Red Rocket Ale from Bear Republic. I went to BevMo looking to see how large their selection of whiskey is nowadays, which is paltry, and bought a six pack of Bear Republic beer. The flavors of this beer are fairly strong (supposedly it got 95 points from some group though).
Now onto the cigar!
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