Di Fazio Connecticut Torpedo

I am doing another Di Fazio cigar, this time the Connecticut shade.

This cigar uses a Connecticut shade Ecuadorian wrapper, and Indonesian binder (from what I could find) and fillers from Nicaragua and Honduras. Little veins and smells like creamy and straw.

I got a creamy straw flavor out of this cigar on the first puff. The cream took over and started giving off hints of sweet butter, slight hint of nuts, and a touch of oak. The oak flavor goes away and a sweet nut flavor comes in. It is almost like a sweet peanut butter made from roasted nuts. The cream and sweet butter stay with this. The aftertaste is creamy and of light tobacco flavors. You get a hint of straw in the aftertaste as well.

The construction on this cigar was very good. The draw was a little loose, but not too loose. This cigar burned even, it only needed one correction thanks to wind, and produced a large amount of smoke.

This cigar, in Minnesota, would run aroun $8-$9, and that is for the torpedo vitola. I could not find much wrong with this cigar. If you want a mild smoke, this is a good one. Complex, smooth, and mild. I would suggest this smoke to anyone who likes them light. It goes great with a cup of coffee.

Final Grade: A+

From Connoisseur to Cremo

I have been honest with my reviews, being as straightforward as possible, and now I must be straightforward with you on something else. I now have a job within the cigar industry. There are many reasons I bring this up, and I want to go through them.

The main reason I bring this up is because I feel full disclosure is a good thing. People should know a little of the reviewer. That is something that comes with the territory. A reviewer that is distant and unknown is hard to connect with. Though doing that through the review site itself seems like a moot point thanks to social media.

Another thing is the potential conflict of interest. To avoid that, I will tell you I am Chief Marketing Officer for Cremo Cigars. I had come in contact with the owner, Walter Santiago, a couple months back. A new company brings new, and sometimes more interesting, smokes. So, I decided to give it a try.

Now, I have been offered to do sales for cigar companies, and have done some freelance work for others (usually involving writing and ads, but I tell them if they make crap, I will let them know). Half the time, if they had a good product, I would let them know and post it (if B- or above) on my site. If it was less, I would tell them. Believe me, I still got arguments on a B rating. I told them why and I would not back down. But, to work for a company, I have to be blown away. I needed a cigar that would be worthy of an A+, and I would want a box, which is rare. So, I gave Walt some advice, helping things flow, giving my take on some pictures. Nothing big. Nothing I hadn't done for others. Companies like feedback and I figure to want me to review their smoke, it is the least I could do. I tried the cigar and I wanted a box,and I wanted one right after I finished that one, which is even more rare. I offered to work for him, not vice versa. I tell you this because there is a review of the Cremo cigar on this site, and I do not want to seem bias. I reviewed that smoke first. I have not put that review on the Cremo website, nor anywhere else since it was official I was working for the company.

Now, since then, I have posted reviews and not mentioned this. Several reasons are because things were started up, and I was very busy. Another was timing. I did not feel it was time to bring this up yet. I did not even bring it up after I reviewed the Cremo cigar. I did not know how to word all of this. I had to think about it for a long time.

I still have reviews to come too. I might work for a company, but I love the cigar. I know there will be cigars better and worse than what Cremo makes. What I want is for people to enjoy a great cigar. My cigar will please many, I am sure of that, but not everyone. Maybe there is something else they look for and in a review of mine they might find it. I review because I love new things all the time and I love sharing that with you. I am not going to give low ratings because the cigar is not one I work for, or a company I do not like, but because the cigar is bad. The standard has not changed. Construction, draw, burn, taste, and price point will always dictate ratings.

I thank you again for reading the reviews I post, and I hope you keep reading them. More will follow, I promise that.

Thank you again.

- Josh

Erez Cigars Connecticut

I picked an Erez cigar out of my humidor for review. I figured I should because the day was nice and I have a feeling there will be less of those.

This cigar is make with a Connecticut shade Ecuadorian wrapper, a Criollo 98 binder, and Cubano San Vicente, Olor Dominicano and Criollo 98 fillers. The wrapper on this looked even and had some veins; nothing too out of the ordinary. The construction felt nice and firm.

The first puff of this smoke offered a toasty flavor followed by a bitter cream. About a fourth of the way through the creamy drew back and became similar to a salty butter. At about the halfway point almonds came into the mix, which added a very nice touch. To make this better, the cream and butter aspects evened out. The after taste of this smoke was a simple toasted and creamy flavor. The aroma was toasty and had a hint of sweet throughout.

The draw on this was nice and even. The burn started off uneven, but corrected itself about a third of the way through.

In my state this cigar would run around $8, and that is for the Robusto size. The price is a little steep, but within range. Nothing to get in a tussle over. The smoke was plain, yet good. It had little complexity, but the flavors it gave off were pleasant. I did enjoy this cigar. This is one I would have while reading a book or something. Nothing to write home to mom about, but nothing to shake a stick at either. I want to thank Erez Premium Cigars for sending this sample in for review.

Final Grade: B

Di Fazio Barroco

This cigar is a Nicaraguan Puro with a Habano Claro shade wrapper. The wrapper was soft, a little toothy, and slightly oily. There were no soft spot in the feel. Not the tightest of wraps, but not loose either.

The first puff on this was spicey, and that in an understatement. That dropped off quickly and some woody flavors came into the picture, similar to campfire wood. Towards the end of the first quarter I got hints of roasted bell pepper and a slight sweetness. The cigar kept the woody flavor, but the spice was more like a mild pepper. Hints of chocolate started to come up. In the third quarter the chocolate went away and was replaced by a nutty flavor. The wood and slight pepper remains. The last quarter the pepper went down to almost nothing, leaving a woody flavor and hints of leather. The aftertaste in this cigar was mainly that of a dry wood. Hints of other flavors came into being depending on the part you were on, such as sweetness in the beginning, pepper in the middle, and just woody at the end.

This cigar was very well made. Needed no corrections. Sometimes the burn looked like it was tilting, but corrected itself each time. The draw was nice and smooth. The smoke produced was a good size. The ash held on about 2-3 inches in before I accidentally knocked it off.

The size I smoked was the Inmenso (6x60) and the MSRP says it should be $11. Now in MN with markups and all of that stuff, it might be closer to $14. That is a good price for a smoke that takes more than an hour. This is a complex smoke that is well worth your time. Thank you to Di Fazio for sending me this sample.

Final Grade: A+

Blue Mountain El Threesome

OK, this review is going to be a little different. This cigar is a triple wrap, and it is sectioned off into thirds. I will write about each section as their own smoke. Please note that this cigar is only available at Little Havana Tobacco in Anoka, if you live in Minnesota. Other states you will have to check with the company. They are not sold online either, last I checked

Now, to make this easy, all of the tobacco is from Nicaragua. Easy part of describing it. The first section is a Connecticut shade wrapper, while the second is Habano, and the third is Maduro. Each section has a different blend of ligero filler.

This cigar looked well made. It felt like it had a very nice and even wrap. The sections looked a little separated, but that could be due to different wrappers.

This cigar starts off with a nice creamy flavor with hints of butter. About one-sixth into it you start getting some cedar in there. There is a subtle spice throughout this section. The aftertaste was a spice with a mild cream.

The next section has leather notes too it and a nice toasty flavor. The spice from before is more pronounced in the Habano section. The aftertaste on this one was mainly toasty with a little pepper. This section was a little tart for two to three puffs, but that disappeared.

The last section kept the toasty notes but instead of leather the flavor was earthy. The spice became more like a light black pepper in flavor about halfway through this section. The aftertaste was earthy.

This cigar had a good draw and was well constructed. No issue producing a good smoke. It needed two corrections in the Habano section.

This Double Toro runs for around $9, which is a great price. The flavors are pretty standard, and nothing to write home about. What gives this cigar marks is how good it is for price, and the uniqueness of the smoke itself. Three wrappers with three different blends is something you do not see often, and the skill to make that is impressive. This is a great cigar to try if you are curious about different strengths, or if you cannot choose what kind to have. The tart area and corrections knock it off the top bracket, but not too far due to value.

Final Grade: A

Cremo Classic Intrepidus

I got a cigar made by Cremo, which is a new company due to launch January next year. Luckily I got to review their smoke.

This cigar was made with a Habano wrapper, the binder is Nicaraguan, and the filler is Dominican and Nicaraguan. As a fun note, the cigar is American. Made in Miami at El Titan de Bronze cigar factory.

This cigar started out with almost a sweet cream flavor. This was accompanied by an almond/walnut tone, a hint of straw, and a subtle spice. After the first fourth things began to change. The cream was not as sweet, but not bitter either. The amount of cream increased, bringing with it subtle notes of toasted nuts and a little pepper. The last third of the smoke had the almonds and walnut come back, keeping with it the creamy flavors. The aftertaste of this smoke was of a sweet cream and butter. At times I could have sworn it tasted a little like peanut butter.

This cigar was very well made. The wrapper was tight and very even. Some veins here and there, but nothing out of the ordinary. The wrapper felt like a soft velvet or a suede. No soft spots, even after it warmed up. The draw is a little firm but produces a decent smoke and there is no lack in flavor. The burn was even and needed no correction and the ash was very nice.

I had the Intrepidus sized cigar (52 x 6) which lasted me a good 45 minutes to an hour. This smoke will run between $10-$12. Very nice prices for this smoke. This mild to medium smoke provided very complex flavors, and was very pleasant to smoke. Wonderfully made and great flavors. I suggest this cigar to anyone that sees it.

Final Grade: A+

NOTES: I found out on their website, when you register, you sign up for the chance to get a free box of Robusto cigars. They are only giving away one, so I already put in my e-mail for it. Best way to get info is through their Facebook page. Also, since my camera is broken they provided me with a picture of their cigar. Exactly like mine.

JD Cigars Temptation Lancero

After a long day I decided to go up to my local smoke shop and have a cigar. I found a JD Cigars Temptation Lancero and decided to give that a go.

This cigar is made with a Habano Claro (Connecticut shade) wrapper from Ecuador. The filler and binder are Nicaraguan.

This cigar started out rather simple. The flavor was that of a heavy cream and a light butter. About a third of the way through there was a straw type flavor, and some leaf tones. It had a subtle earth flavor similar to some teas. The aftertaste produces hints of pepper, while the main flavors were that of butter and almonds.

This cigar was well made. The wrapper was even which made this cigar nice to look at. The roll was tight and even, but that caused no issue with the draw or smoke for both were very good. This smoke never got hot. The burn on this was consistent and even, requiring no corrections.

This Lancero (7 1/2 x 38) was a very good smoke. Usually I do not like this shape for you have to puff extra slow and it can become hot or tart very easily. I did not have an issue with this at all. For $7, this is a very good smoke.

Final Grade: A+

Alec Bradley MAXX Connecticut

So, I met up with my friend Mike, who also runs a review site called Old Cigar Box, and we decided to review a cigar together. We had some differences, but our final take is not too far off. Let's get to this review.

This cigar is made with a Connecticut wrapper leaf grown in Ecuador, a binder from Costa Rica, and filler from Nicaragua, Colombia, Mexico, and Honduras.

This cigar started out with a creamy flavor, hints of spice, cedar, and butter. The butter flavor made the cream slightly bitter, but not bad. The aftertaste was of cedar, spice, and cream. About halfway through the cedar flavor left the taste and it became toasty in flavor. This also goes for the aftertaste. Shortly after that it became tart, and I set it down to see if it would come back. Needless to say, it didn't. The taste, and aftertaste, became very tart for the last fourth.

The construction looked good, with a slight veiny appearance. It had a good draw to it throughout. Towards the end the draw became hot, the cigar was splitting, and it was unraveling. The burn started uneven and corrected itself, then went uneven, the corrected, and so on.

The size of the cigar was The Freak which is just a little bigger than a Double Toro. The cost was $11 and it was not worth it. This cigar, no matter how it was smoked, was terrible. It turned and never came back. Also with this one, when I thought it couldn't get worse, it managed to find a way.

Final Grade: F

Thank you

To my readers:

I have had this blog for over a year now, and I hit over 2,000 hits. I wanted to thank you for reading my reviews and using them in your decisions. Over the past year I have had many cigars, some good and some bad, but you keep reading, and keep smoking. With the busy world out there it can be hard to find time to have a really good smoke, and I hope with my reviews I help save you some time and add to your enjoyment by helping you avoid some bad cigars.

Again, I thank you for reading, and I hope to give you many more reviews in the future.

Sincerely,

Josh

Kristoff Ligero Maduro

I was at Little Havana Tobacco for a Kristoff event. They had all their cigars out, and since I like full bodied cigars, they suggested the Ligero Maduro Churchill.

The wrapper is a Brazilian Maduro while the binder is Dominican. The filler is made up of Dominican and Nicaraguan tobaccos.

This cigar started off with a nice spice and earthy mix. Within a third of the cigar a toasty flavor came out, as well as notes of coffee. Just before the halfway point, small hints of chocolate came into the mix. The spice could overpower some of these more subtle flavors, which can be frustrating. The after taste kept on the earthy and coffee notes, with the spice being in the background.

This cigar had a veiny and oily wrapper. Sliding the fingers across the wrapper, it felt a little slick, but soft. The construction felt firm throughout, so no soft spots in that sense. It had a mildly firm draw, but could still produce a good smoke. The burn was very good.

This smoke was $13.50, which is a little steep. It is a good smoke though for those that like full flavor, but some of the good, subtle, flavors are masked during the smoke. Those flavors are great additions, and I wish they would be more consistent. The flavors that do remain are good though. I like how it opens up, but I wish it would stay a little more, and for that price it should. Still a good smoke.

Final Grade: B

Cusano 18 Maduro

Now, telling what this cigar is made of is kind of different. They have it on the box and I might have made an error. I will be sure to check it out again, but I will put what I have down here for now. I forgot to check the box at Little Havana Tobacco when I picked it up.

The wrapper is a Connecticut Broadleaf, and the second wrapper (in the filler) is a Brazilian Mata Fina. The binder is a San Vicente Olor and the filler is Oro Seco, Mata Fina Brazil (second wrapper) and Ploto Dominicano.

The start of this cigar was very earthy. The first three to four puffs were almost nothing but earth. That went down quickly and other flavors came out. A leather flavor came out with black pepper, and minor hints of coffee. This stayed consistent throughout the whole cigar. I wish the earth flavor would come down a little, but the other flavors were still noticeable. The aftertaste was earth and coffee. It was a good aftertaste that remained for a little bit, but never got bitter or tart.

This cigar was a little veiny, but was well made. Firm construction and a firm draw, with a good smoke. This cigar needed no correction.

The cigar I had was a Churchill size and it cost me $11.50. For this quality of a smoke, it is a very good price. I think this one is a good buy for many people. It smokes like more on the heavy side of a medium cigar. This is good for people wanting to try a full flavor smoke. The price is great for that size too. I just wish the earth would tone down. It is a good smoke, but nothing spectacular though for a Maduro. It has some common flavors, so this isn't going to get the highest rating, but it is going to be up because of how well the cigar stayed during the burn, and how consistent the flavors were, and with that that it had some complexity.

Final Grade: A

San Lotano Habano Torpedo

I went into Little Havana looking for something new to smoke, and Steve guided me to this brand. From what I know it is only sold in stores. So, I picked up the one that was a medium blend, right in the middle, and gave it a try.

The wrapper on this is Brazilian, while the binder is Honduran. The fillers are Honduran, Dominican, and Nicaraguan.

As I lit this cigar up up I got a wonder taste of a mild pepper and a toasty note with it. As the cigar burned, it opened up to flavors of espresso and leather. The leather was the most subtle of the flavors, but even if you miss it there is no problem. The aftertaste consists of spice and leather. It seems to last too short with the leather, and too long with the spice. Neither stay around long enough to taste badly so that is not something to fret about.

The construction on this was good. Had a easy draw, produced a good smoke, and burned very evenly. The appearance of the cigar was very pleasing as well, with the wrapper being very even. The feel of the wrapper was like that of a fine, if not a tad rough, velvet. It had a fine toothy-ness to it.

The price on this 50 minute smoke was $12.50, plus tax. Now, that price is a little high, but not enough to deter me from having another one. This smoke is worth having.

Final Grade: A+

Blue Mountain Rum Dipped

I stopped by Little Havana Tobacco, Inc. and Steve pointed out a new cigar from Blue Mountain, so I decided to give it a try.

Note: I got it at the only shop in MN that sells these cigars. As far as I know, no other shop sells Blue Mountain. Also, they are not sold online last I checked.

Now research on this cigar is tough, but what I know is it is a Connecticut shade Nicaraguan puro. This tobacco is dipped with rum to add flavor.

The tobacco in this cigar has a mildly sweet taste to it, and when lit it becomes much more powerful within the smoke. The cigar is a creamy smoke with the sweetness of rum. Behind all of that is a hint of pepper. It mixes very well to produce a flavor of spiced rum that would be mixed with a cream. That same flavor remains as the aftertaste, though that can linger and change at times. The flavor did get a little dull and tart towards the end.

The draw on this smoke was very good, with no problems producing a good smoke. The burn was even and consistent.

This cigar (a torpedo shape) runs around $8, which is very good for a 50 minute smoke. For a rum dipped smoke on the affordable range, this is very good. Usually the quality is low, whereas this was rather high. This cigar had its problems, but still came out darn good.

Final Grade: A

Cuba Aliados Anniversary

This cigar was the last Aliados I had in my humidor, and I figured it was time to have it.

The wrapper on this cigar was a Maduro 3 year aged Corojo, the binder being an Ecuador Sumatra, and fillers which consist of Brazilian, Dominican, Nicaraguan tobaccos.

This cigar started out with a nice earthy and cedar flavor, with a light nutty flavor coming in shortly after. Just before the halfway point flavors or roasted almonds and a light pepper note come into the mix. The aftertaste is a nice mix of nutty tones and spiced almonds, with a hint of cedar throughout. The taste sticks around for a bit.

The draw on this cigar is fairly firm, but you are still able to get a decent smoke. The burn was consistent with only one correction needed, and I am guessing it is because my lighter was dying and the lighting was not perfect.

I had the Short size (4 x 48) and the retail price is around $4. Since Minnesota has its tax system and stores have their markup system, this cigar will probably be closer to $6-$7. That is a little steep of a price for this type of smoke, but reasonable. It is a short smoke, but a tasty one. At the beginning the smoke seems a little one sided, but not for long, so just keep puffing. I say if you see this one, get it and try it out.

Final Grade: A-

I want to thank Reyes Family Cigars for sending this sample to me.

Cain Daytona

I was visiting my friend Steve at Little Havana Tobacco and I decided to try the new Cain. Now, I have been a fan of all of them, so this was exciting for me.

Now this is a Nicaragua puro and the wrapper is a milder Habano. The filler comes from the Jalapa Valley in Nicaragua.

This cigar was evenly made, and had a solid packing. The wrap was soft and slightly toothy.

When starting this cigar, I was hit with a tart woody flavor, mixed with a toasted almond flavor. There were hints of leather here and there, but not consistently. There was a salty flavor with this smoke too. The tart flavor stayed throughout, and managed to linger. The flavors, such as the almonds and woodiness, were decent, but nothing spectacular. That aftertaste was the almonds and wood, with hints of spice and a tart background. The aroma did not add to any of this, for it was rather bland.

The cigar burned even and well, with a nice cool draw. It started to split about halfway through, and towards the end, it got worse. The draw also got hot. Just before it started to fall apart, the flavors got very bitter and tart.

For a Cain, this was disappointing. They tried to make a more mild smoke and messed it up. The other Cain cigars are far better. this cigar was a double toro (yet the label says double torpedo, yet it is not a torpedo shape) and it runs around $12.25. That is not worth it for an hour of choking this down at times. This cigar started out just fine, with the tartness aside, but it got boring fast, and then the flavors turned. So, this is not worth it, and my grade shows it. Decent start, terrible end, bad construction, and too high a price.

Final Grade: F

JD Cigars Habano Claro

This is the second post I am making for this company.

This from what I know is a Nicaraguan Puro. This cigar had not soft spots and the wrap was like soft leather.

This cigar gave a nice creamy flavor with some cedar thrown in. It was a mildly bitter flavor though. With this was almost what seemed to be an almond and oak mix. The almond flavor came out in the aroma a lot more than the smoke itself. The aftertaste was that of a mild cream. The flavor is very even throughout the whole smoke.

The draw was really good. Seemed to have trouble at times keeping a smoke, but that passed after about the first half an inch to an inch in. The flavor was not effected by this, just so you know. I had to correct this cigar a few times as well. Nothing huge, and only happened about three to four times in the span of an hour. The ash got about halfway through, and was very white and fine. I ashed it out of fear of having it drop on the floor, so it could have gone longer.

This cigar would run about $7 and for a double toro, that is not bad. The only hassle is keeping it lit in the beginning and the minor corrections. This was a pretty good cigar. The flaws make it have a hit, mainly because to correct a cigar of this size you almost have to have a torch lighter. If you have those tools, it is not an issue.

Final Grade: A-

Puros Indios

This was sent by the company for a review. Now, I did a cigar of their before (the Miami), so I was looking forward to this.

The cigar is made from an Ecuador Sumatra wrapper and binder, and filler from the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Brazil, and Nicaragua.

This cigar was evenly constructed, and there was little in the way of veins. The wrapper was tight and even. It felt like a fine, little bit rough, velvet.

The first draw tasted the same as the tobacco on my lips, woody. There was a strong wood flavor and a hit of bitter earth. Over the whole thing was a peppery flavor. Now, this cigar had bitter flavors, but not in a bad way. It mainly held a strong woody flavor though. The aroma was mildly toasty.

This cigar had a very, very good draw. The burn was very even and had no issues. The only correction I had to do was when I had one outside, and that is not the fault of the cigar.

I had the Piramide #2 and Gordo sizes, which can range from $6-$8, depending on the area. Now, for the price, this is not too bad. It is kind of a one note act, which is disappointing, and people say the aroma is best left outside. I found this cigar to be a good one of reasonable price that is good in a setting of golf or poker. This is not one to sit and soak in, for it is not overly complex, but you can still get the main good flavor while doing other things. So, I think since it is a one note, grade goes down, but quality and price bring it up.

Final Grade: B+

Note: The manufacturer states that retail price should be $5 for a Gordo size. Now, I am including tax and mark up. Without any markup, it would be around that. If they did no markup, their profit would be nil in the state of Minnesota.

I would also like the thank Reyes Family Cigars for sending me a sample.

JD Cigars Maduro Perfecto

This is a new company, and they sent me a few smokes to try. I am a Maduro fan, so this is the first review I have to write.

This shape I have seen been called a perfecto or diademas.

This cigar is a Nicaraguan Puro.

The construction on this one felt a little soft, but I think it was a little more moist than it should have been. When I received this cigar there was a cold snap and the wrapper had a crack. The binder was fine though, so I took that into consideration.

The flavors on this were nice and mellow, but not subtle. You knew they were there. It started off with a rich earthy and chocolate flavor, mixing into what seems like a dark roast coffee. Over it all was a nice pepper note to it. The aftertaste was a nice earthy tone with some pepper in it.

This cigar had a firm draw for a perfecto, but not a problem. Still got a great smoke. There was a large vein in this one, but that did not cause a problem with the burn. The crack in the wrapper did not even cause an issue, which is saying something. The ash on this was a perfect white and it got about a third of the way down before falling off.

They say this cigar will be around $7. That is a darn good price for this smoke (perfecto or diademas shape, 6x52). Other than the firm draw, there was nothing wrong. Also, that price is not set in stone since it is not out, which makes grading difficult. But, the range it is in remains the same.

Final Grade: A

Marco V Platnium Label

They have three cigars in this size (60 x 5" V. Gigante), so I am doing the third one.

The wrapper is a rare Arapiraca, Brazilian Maduro,the binder is De Olor, which is Dominican and the filler is a blend of four tobaccos: Piloto Cubano from the Cibao Valley, Dominican Republic and Esteli, Nicaraguan Ligero. Information can be found at http://www.marcovcigars.com. That is where I pulled this info from.

This cigar is well made. No soft spots whatsoever. Even wrap, and a nice feel. On the lips it felt a little thin though. Also, there was a vein along one side. That is not always a problem, but I had to see what it would do.

This cigar starts off with a rich spice. Holding the smoke in your mouth you get a nice roasted flavor, hints of nuts, wood, and very mild hints of earth. The aftertaste is nice and simple. The spice stay with you, but you get a nice nutty flavor with it. A nice mix.

The draw was great. Nice, cool, and produced a wonderful smoke. The burn became a little uneven, but I took a lighter to it and had no more issues. Oddly enough it wasn't where there were any veins. The ash got far, very far. To the label, which shows this is a very well made cigar. It burned very slowly, which brought my smoke time to just over an hour.

The only issue lies in the flavors. The spice can overshadow some of the other flavors at times, but it is by no means overwhelming, and quiet pleasant in and of itself. That overshadowing will lower the grade a bit, but not much. For $8, this is a good smoke.

Final Grade: A-

Note: This picture is of me enjoying this smoke at Little Havana in Anoka, MN. All the cigars had an ash this size or greater. This is not the largest ash, but it is up because I am the one smoking.

Cuba Aliados Miami Edition

I saw this company on Facebook, but never saw their cigars much. So, I decided to try them out.

This cigar is made with a Habano wrapper, Dominican Republic binder, and Nicaraguan filler. The wrapper was like a fine velvet and there were no soft spots. This cigar was made in Miami, Florida as well.

This cigar had a nice cedar flavor to it, accompanied with a nice spicy walnut flavor. A nice nutty flavor came into play as well. These flavors were very consistent and balanced. All of them had a nice peppery undertone to them, and hints of leather, and cocoa. At times you could get hints of a light coffee flavor. The aftertaste is nutty as well. It stays very even, and it just has a nice mild tone to it.

The burn was decent. Had to correct it a few times, but I was outside and the wind picked up, so I will let that one slide. The thing that bothered me was the ash. It looked terrible and all split up. The draw was a little firm, but you could still get a nice smoke.

This cigar (I had the robusto) runs about $7. It is $8 for a toro and $9 for a Churchill. For a nice 30 minute smoke, that is not bad. This cigar did not pop out as anything special, but it is unique in the flavoring and how even it stays. I would say give this one a try. Goes great with a nice cup of tea (heavier teas may overpower it, so keep it more medium strength), or a nice medium blend cup of coffee.

Final Grade: A-

Thank you to Reyes Family Cigars for sending me a sample.

Blue Mountain Connecticut

When I had this cigar, I thought about Little Havana Tobacco. They have this nice poker table, and this made me think of a poker type cigar.

Note: I got it at the only shop in MN that sells these cigars. As far as I know, no other shop sells Blue Mountain. Also, they are not sold online last I checked.

This is a Connecticut shade, Nicaraguan puro.

It felt a little soft and the wrap was even. There were a few veins here and there, but nothing that made you think it would burn badly.

Lighting this cigar, the flavor came off very generic. A few puffs in and I got a bitter cream flavor. A little further and some cedar and light tobacco flavors came in. Also, the aroma was a light sweet tobacco, which would balance out the bitter if it was just as strong. It didn't. This cigar had a small bite too. I could feel the edges of my tongue tingle from this smoke.

The burn on this was good. I had to even it out once. The draw was really good. No trouble getting a good smoke.

This cigar runs about $9. Not bad for a double toro. The only downside was with the flavor. To get anything other than the bitter cream and the bite, you really had to pay attention. Not much popped out at you. That is why this is a good poker game type smoke. The burn and draw is good, so you do not have to worry, and the flavor simple, so you do not miss anything. For the average cigar smoker, it is just that: average.

Final Grade: C+

Blue Mountain Double Wrap

Note: I got it at the only shop in MN that sells these, Little Havana Tobacco. As far as I know, no other shop sells Blue Mountain. Also, they are not sold online last I checked.

This cigar is a Nicaraguan puro. The wraps are Connecticut and Habano Shade.

This cigar felt firm and well made. The wrap seemed a little separated but I would have to see how it smoked and burned to determine if this was an issue.

When lighting this cigar I got a terrible taste. Very tart and papery. The cigar was not dry, so I was thinking I had a dud, or that it was just a poor cigar. About 1/5 of the way through, that changed. Flavors started coming in. I got a creamy flavor mixed with one that could be described as something like oak. Underlying all of this was a hint of spice and cedar. The aftertaste was of a bitter cream. It lingered a little bit, but the taste remained consistant. Throughout this cigar, no flavors really came out though. It wasn't bad, but nothing to make you amazed. It was a more subtle flavor.

The draw and burn were good. It started to split and burn uneven at the end, but it was around the time of it being finished anyway, so that did not cause a problem. The separation in the wrap caused no issue either.

This cigar, for a double toro, was only $9, which is pretty good. This cigar does not have the some mix as other double wraps, as it is not as bold with its flavors. As I said, it is more subtle. The mix of flavors is good though, I just wish they came out more. All in all, not a bad smoke.

Final Grade: B

Blue Mountain Maduro

These cigars were ones I never saw, and in keeping up, I gave one a go. I picked the Maduro because I like Maduros.

This cigar had an even wrap on it. No soft spots. The wrapper felt soft, yet a little paper like. This is a Nicaraguan Puro. All of it is from the Esteli valley.

The flavors on this cigar were pretty simple. It had an earthy flavor followed by the smallest bit of nuttiness. Towards the end was a hint of what could be described as a peppery coffee like flavor. With the aroma it had a nice toasted flavor underlying all of it, except during the first moments of the draw. The aftertaste Was a little bitter, still toasty though.

The draw was good and it produced a very nice ash. It started even, then random holes were popping up, and it was burning through places before the end could get to them. This should not have happened considering I was puffing about once every forty five seconds to a minute. About halfway through the smoke got warm, then hot. At this point all the flavor became bitterness. The cigar turned into Mr. Hyde.

The price on it was only $8. Several people have not had the problems I had with them, so I will dismiss them for the most part. It could have been a number of things. I got the bad one in the batch, which happens, or it could have been a little dry, which in Minnesota during the winter could explain it. The price helps keep this cigar out of my "F" or "D" range. If had burned proper, and not turned, I would give this cigar a solid "B+" for it had good flavoring for such a price. This one, gets less.

Final Grade: C-

La Gloria Cubana Serie R

I had this one awhile ago, but didn't write a review. This smoke... well, you will know what I mean.

This cigar was made with an Ecuadoran wrapper, Nicaraguan binder, and Dominican and Nicaraguan filler.

The taste on this is amazingly strong, even for a natural wrapper. You get the spicey cedar flavor, with hints of espresso and leather. At times it almost seems like an oak flavor. The finish is a nice cedar, with a little kick.

The draw and burn on this are perfect. Nothing else to add. Easy drawm, great smoke, even burn.

The price can range from $14-$17 depending on the size. So, the price is steep on this one. But, it is a great smoke. I had one that was on the more expensive end (number 6 size) and it lasted a good 45 minutes to an hour.

This is all in all a great smoke. The price gives it a small hit, but it is one worth picking up.

Final Grade: A