Casa Magna Domus Magnus II Cigar Review
A little less than a year ago I reviewed the Domus Magnus I and I liked it but I didn’t think it was anything earth shattering. That’s fine; few cigars (few things for that matter) are. But what about the second coming of the Domus Magnus?
According to SAG Imports, the company that distributes Casa Magna (and other) cigars, the same two sizes that were available in the original are available in the sequel. There’s the Optimus, which I am smoking, that is 5 ¾” x 52 and there’s also the Primus at 6 ½” x 55. These are Roman names and since I talked about this with my review of the original Domus Magnus, I won’t repeat myself here.
It’s a good looking, slightly box pressed Nicaraguan puro. According to Halfwheel, the main difference between this version and the previous Domus Magnus is that the wrapper is a different vintage this time around. Oh, and there’s that pigtail, which I twisted off and (surprisingly to me) it leaves a perfect hole in the cap and it actually is supplying me a pretty good draw. I will try it with this small little hole and if the draw starts to get tight I can always cut the head properly. I’ll tell you how it goes.
Cigar Stats
Vitola: toro
Length: 5 ¾”
Ring Gauge: 52
Wrapper: Sun Grown Jalapa 2007 (Nicaragua)
Binder: Nicaragua
Filler: Nicaragua
Price: $80.00/Box of 10 | $9.40/Single
Marble Hornets Torch!
Even though I was able to get a decent draw from the hole I got by twisting off the pig tail I quickly decided to cut the head to produce more air flow. I suppose it was worth the try to make it work but… oh well.
The flavors are amazing from the very first puff. Strong flavors circling around the sweet spice spectrum. Backing up these is wheat and some floral notes as well. Very dry flavor profile, which works wonderfully for these flavors.
Granular flavor bits are all about and they all taste good. It’s a very interesting cigar and even though the flavor profile is a bit on the dry side, which I don’t normally favor, it works for these flavors. Sweet spice, oak with a tinge of char and there’s a faint chocolate flavor hovering about.
There really isn’t that much of a difference between the final and the second third (and not that much of a difference between the final two thirds and the first third) but that is okay because the flavors are enjoyable.
Medium-full bodied with a good draw and burn; this cigar has much to recommend it. The flavor profile is very creamy and the flavors are pretty smooth; even in the final third. While there is some complexity in the overall flavor profile what I am liking about this cigar the most is the clarity of the flavors and how they mix well with each other. It’s an excellent cigar.
94 points
Rocky Patel 15th Anniversary Short Cigar Review
I received this cigar from Cigars Direct – purveyors of premium cigars. As always, all reviews are my own.
Wrapper: Ecuadorian Habano | Binder: Nicaraguan | Filler: Nicaraguan | Box of 20: $189.00; Single: $10.50 | Toro | 6 ½″ x 52
0/3: This cigar has received a number of accolades from a variety of different media outlets. Supposedly, it’s one of the better offerings from Rocky Patel. Let’s see.
The Rocky Patel 15th Anniversary is box pressed with the flat top and bottom being about 1.5 times as wide as the flat sides. The edges are a bit rounded, the wrapper has a bit of oil on it, the wrapper is a fairly dark brown and there is this network of superficial veins crisscrossing the wrapper.
1/3: It starts out very understated with flavors in the wood, mild cotton candy sweetness and some nutty flavors as well. Loose draw.
2/3: Sweetness is gone. Nuts and dry wood are the main flavors. The draw is better. Medium bodied.
3/3: Floral sweetness comes on during the final third. Wood and nuts are still present. Pleasant.
4/3: Medium bodied with a decent draw and a good burn; this cigar is good. None of the flavors were very strong but they were all good.
3 out of 5 points – If you are looking for a pleasant cigar with flavors that won’t overpower you then this is the cigar for you
La Palina El Diario Cigar Review
I received this cigar and another just like it from La Palina Cigars. All Reviews are my own.
Previously, I have reviewed the diminutive La Palina El Diario Kill Bill and I was duly impressed by that little cigar. This one, the Toro, is a little bit longer and has a larger ring gauge. In general, I have a slight preference for smaller cigars but this toro, measuring in at 6′ x 50, is at the edge of my butter zone for length but well within my acceptance level for ring gauge.
The wrapper is a medium to a dark-medium color and has more than a few veins marring the surface. When touched, it is immediately evident that this wrapper has more than the average amount of oils on it and is relatively tightly packed. Not a beautiful cigar but the shape and construction look good.
Cigar Stats
Vitola: toro
Length: 6”
Ring Gauge: 50
Wrapper: Honduran Corojo ’99 Rosado
Binder: Honduran Criollo ’98 (x2)
Filler: Nicaraguan Corojo ’99 and Criollo ’98
Price: $200.00/Box of 20 | $10.00/Single
BSG: Blood and Chrome Conflagration!
Even though the prelight draw was a bit tight, once this cigar was lit the draw was good. The flavors you should expect during the first third include: dark, molasses sweetness trapping spice in a misty cloud. That spice is especially evident in the retrohale as it does not leave and just increases with each puff you take. There’s also some dry, dusty earth swirling around.
During the first third there was a bit of sweet, fruity sweetness but there’s a lot more during the second third. Retrohaled spice has dissipated but isn’t gone. What I’m especially liking about the taste of this cigar is the consistency of the smoke, which is very fine and granular.
Earth and an edge of sweetness. The spice is pretty much gone during this final third. It’s still a good cigar but the flavors have lost a bit of their intensity, which has to do with the fact that this cigar has been resting in my humidor for many months now. The rest has made the flavors marry better.
Medium bodied with a good draw and burn, this cigar is solidly good throughout. In my estimation this cigar is not as good as the Kill Bill was but, still, the toro is a very enjoyable cigar.
90 points
Tatuaje Cojonu 2012 Habano Cigar Review
Rustic cigar with a strong box press going on. It is very oily and is not without some minor imperfections including: stretch marks, a couple small holes in the wrapper, bumps along the sides and, well, that’s it. Throw all of that negative stuff out though because, in the end, that stuff doesn’t really matter (to me at least).
What does matter? This is one of three cigars in this release of the Cojonu line. For more of an explanation on that you can head on over to Cigar Coop’s breakdown to learn how to spot the difference between Habano, Capa Especial and Reserva versions of this cigar. Don’t worry, it really isn’t that complicated.
Cigar Stats
Vitola: toro
Length: 6 ½”
Ring Gauge: 52
Wrapper: Ecuadorian Habano
Binder: Nicaraguan
Filler: Nicaraguan
Price: $13.00/Single
Weltschmerz Torch!
It starts out subdued but enjoyable. There’s a bit of hot spice (close to pepper) and soft spice (cinnamon) along with some bread (wheat). Everything works well together but it isn’t an amazing mixture of flavors. Also, the cigar has been threatening to go out if I don’t take a puff every 30 seconds or so. The draw is fine but it’s just threatening to give up on life.
Fortunately, during the second third, the cigar stays lit without necessitating my constant attention. It wasn’t a big pain to begin with but not having to worry about it is better.
The second third’s flavors are a bit better for me than the first third’s. Oak with sweet spice adding a strong secondary influence. There’s also this slightly bitter and washed out chocolate lurking in the background like that creepy neighbor who is peaking over the fence leering at the hot chick sunbathing but she doesn’t mind so it works (I mean the chocolate flavor works, you should never be a peeping Tom, that’s just wrong).
Slightly bitter and washed out chocolate gets an upgrade to slightly bitter milk chocolate during the final third. The sweet spice is still around.
Medium-full bodied with a good draw and burn, this cigar features a decent amount of evolution with a flavor profile that I think most will find agreeable. Besides this cigar not wanting to stay lit during the first third there really aren’t any glaring deficiencies with this cigar. There aren’t a lot of really high points either. Instead, this is a solid cigar performing admirably from beginning to end.
90 points
My Father Limited Edition 2011 Short Cigar Review
Wrapper: Hybrid Ecuadorian Habano Criollo | Binder: Nicaraguan | Filler: Nicaraguan | Box of 12: $185.00; Single: $18.50 | Toro | 6 ½″ x 52
0/3: While attending an event in Chattanooga in August I got to talking with someone there who told me I had to try this cigar and that I wouldn’t be disappointed even though it costs quite a bit of money. Okay, let’s see.
It is a beautiful cigar. A consistent medium brown color to the wrapper and the feel of said wrapper is oily, soft leather. Like what Pig Pen (of Charlie Brown fame) does to the air whenever he enters the scene this cigar’s aroma was easily discernible even from a couple of feet away and, unlike the case with Mr. Pen, this aroma was a very nice mixture of sweetness and spice.
1/3: I’m greeted with a very strong and distinct pepper that is totally unaffected by any of the other flavors. I think it’s wonderful but those who don’t like pepper probably won’t agree and won’t like the first inch or so of this cigar.
It does change a little after that first inch. The pepper is now more like red pepper flakes. There’s also some leather and sweetness.
2/3: Bright spice enters the fray here. The leather has disappeared. Some fruity flavors have come into the mix. Medium-full bodied cigar.
3/3: A lot of flavor is going on during this final third; spice and fruity sweetness mostly during the first part of this third. After that it morphs into a floral sweetness with some leather creeping back in.
4/3: I am glad that I bought this cigar because the flavors were strong throughout and there was a great deal of evolution in the flavor profile. It was medium-full bodied with a good draw and burn. If you want a special cigar that delivers on everything that matters then you should give this cigar a try.
4.5 out of 5 points – great but not legendary
