REVIEW: Casa Miranda by Miami Cigars

Today's cigar review is on a stick I have had sitting in my humidor for awhile now. A few months back, I was sent a very generous package from Miami Cigars which , amongst some prototypes and some other new releases, included a pair of Casa Miranda robustos. I have no excuse as to why it took me so long to smoke this, other than there are so many new cigars coming out each week and once a stick goes into my humidor, it might not see the light of day again for weeks or months.

The official Press release from Miami Cigars about Casa Miranda: Rolled exclusively by level 9 rollers from world re-nown factories in Cuba. The cigar is being manufactured in historic Calle Ocho by Titan de Bronze blended by master blender Willy Herrera. 

What makes this cigar special is that it is 100% handcrafted in Miami and will be Miami Cigar & Company’s first ultra boutique cigar with the tagline of “A new approach to an old school tradition.”

This was a good looking cigar that I really didn't know a lot about. I do know that they were on display at the 2011 IPCPR, but these are the first two that I've had the opportunity to smoke.
Specifics
Vitola: Robusto 
Length: 5
Ring Gauge: 50
Wrapper: Ecuadorian Habano
Binder: Nicaraguan
Filler: Nicaraguan
Price: $10
Smoking Location: New Havana Cigars
Beverage: Water

Pre-Light 

The wrapper on my Casa Miranda was medium to light brown in color with some large, thick veins. There was a little tooth present, but mostly the texture on the leaf had a waxy feel to it. The pre-lit aroma was of hay and natural tobacco. The cap clipped easily and the cold draw had a sweet taste to it with some hints of plum. I would also to mention the artwork on the band of this cigar because I think it's a bit different than what we normally see and I like it. It is a bold design with lots of different elements, but I don't feel it's over done or cheesey. Nice job.

First Third   

Lighting up my Casa Miranda was an easy task and, right away, I started to get some enjoyable flavors. The front of the profile had a not-too-spicy, yet distinct black pepper. The finish was a little more interesting in that it had a strong taste of bread or oats. I am able to pick out this bready flavor in a lot of cigars, but this one was slightly different. Now that I think about it, it was more a raw grain taste than of baked bread. Interesting, to say the least. The burn was great and the draw had zero issues. I'd put the strength of the cigar in the medium range.

Second Third  

The second third of my Casa Miranda was similar to the first third, but the black pepper flavor completely disappeared unless I pushed the smoke through my sinuses. I missed a bit of the spice from the first third, so I found myself reto-haling a lot during this portion of the cigar. The finish returned with the oats/grain taste which, although heavy, left my palate feeling clean. Toward the end of the second third, a bit of sweetness began to creep into the finish. The construction was still spot on and the strength maintained in the medium range.

Final Third and Final Thoughts 

The final third smoked exactly how the second third left off all the way to the nub. The heavy grain with hints of pepper and sweetness dominated the palate from draw to exhale. Even though this stick burned quite quickly and produced a lot of smoke, it never got hot or harsh, not even toward the end of the smoking experience. Strength stayed consistently in the medium range.

 

My final thoughts on the Casa Miranda by Miami Cigars? This is a solid release from Miami cigars and I will go on record as saying that it may be the second best cigar they have ever made. (I'm still a big fan of a fresh La Sirena.) It's not crazy complex, but it's an easy cigar to smoke with some interesting flavors.

Would I buy it again? Yes, I would buy more of these. I think it's a great stick to share with friends because it has real cigar flavors, but will not kill any new smoker with nicotine.

Would I buy a box? I don't think I'd buy a whole box for myself, but I would go in on a split.

Dan

REVIEW: La Aurora Guillermo Leon Signature

Today's review is my last in the series of new releases from the distributor Miami Cigar Company. The Guillermo Leon Signature was released at this past year's IPCPR show and is the newest product to come from the oldest factory in the Dominican Republic-- La Aurora. The cigar carries the name of the the Vice President of La Aurora,Guillermo Leon (@GuillermoLeon_ on twitter.) I had been emailed a press release about this cigar directly from Guillermo, noted below:

“Obviously, this cigar is personal for me. It is part of my family’s legacy for the past 107 years. In this cigar, I wanted something with deep complexity yet also a stronger smoke than most of our offerings. I think this is something that will please today’s smokers.” -- Guillermo Leon

From the sticks I have smoked recently, I think Miami Cigar Company and La Aurora have really been on point. I am excited to try yet another new cigar from them, so...on to the review.

Specifics  
Vitola: Gran Corona
Length: 6
Ring Gauge: 47
Wrapper: Ecuadorian Habana
Binder: Double binder, Corojo and Cameroon
Filler: Dominican, Peruvian, Nicaraguan and Brazilian
Price: $8
Smoking Location: Explorer Lounge
Beverage: water
Manufacture's Website: http://www.miamicigarandcompany.com/ 
Manufacture's Website: http://www.laaurora.com.do/

Pre-Light 

The first thing that caught my eye while looking over my La Aurora Guillermo Leon was just how smooth and evenly colored on the wrapper was. The color was light brown with just a hint of redness, when the light hit it at a certain angle. The veins that were in the leaf were minimal and smooth to the touch. I smoke a lot of "ugly" broadleaf cigars, so seeing this stick was quite a change. The pre-lit aroma was of earthy tobacco with hints of hazelnut closer to the open foot. The cold draw taste proved my nose correct and tasted heavily of hazelnut. It's the holiday season and during this time, we have some baskets of mixed nuts around the house for snacking on. Maybe this helps my palate pick up these flavors more. Who knows?

First Third

After evenly lighting my La Aurora Guillermo Leon, I was easily puffing large volumes of smoke from the cigar. The smoke was thick with a creamy texture which lightly coated my taste buds with earthy, woodsy flavors. Along with those flavors, there was just a hint of warm spice on the finish that tingled just a bit. I'm more than likely going to repeat this in every section, but the construction on this cigar was top of the line. The burn was razor straight and the ash was more solid than I have seen on any other stick this year. I'm not sure if it's to do with the double binder, but I only ashed this cigar 3 times and, every time, I think it could have held on for longer. The body was in the mild range.

Second Third

The second third of my La Aurora Guillermo Leon brought on a change in the flavor profile of my cigar. The hazelnut flavors I picked up so strongly initially in the cold draw were now back and as potent as ever. On the finish, I started getting kicks of sweetened coffee which created a very nice compliment on the front. The spice and woodsy flavors I had before dissipated, but what did not dissipate was the large clouds of smoke this cigar produced on every draw. Again, the smoke was very creamy. Mix the smoke with the hazelnut and coffee flavors and it began to taste like something you would get from your local coffee shop, not a cigar shop. Like mentioned above, the construction was perfect. The body stayed in the mild range.

Final Third and Final Thoughts

The final third can be described in one word: smooth. Now that I've told you how it went in one word, let me entertain you with a few more details. The flavor profile stayed pretty much the same as the second third, with the hazelnut and coffee tastes. I felt, however, that the cigar blended out better in the final third, without much changing, rather just melted together. The body maybe picked up slightly into the medium range, but I would say it was a mild medium if that makes sense. Again, prefect burn and solid ash.

My final thoughts on the La Aurora Guillermo Signature? This is a very easy cigar to smoke. The smoothness in the texture of the smoke is easy on the taste buds and the mild body never effected my system. The flavor profile, especially in the final third where the stick shined for me, was a great blend of strong flavor that left me feeling satisfied. 
 
Would I buy it again? Just like the other sticks I've smoked from Miami Cigar Company and La Aurora, I would buy this stick again. I think this could be a great cigar to hand out to almost anyone from an experienced smoker to a newbie.

Would I buy a box?  I personally tend to lean towards more medium-full body cigars, so I'm not sure I would buy a full box of these for myself to smoke. But if you are a mild to medium body cigar smoker, I don't think you'll find to many better than this one in that profile.

Dan

REVIEW: La Sirena

Today's review is for another new cigar from Miami Cigar Company. The La Sirena was released in Chicago on November 19th, 2010, at a party hosted by our good friends at Casa de Monticristo. The entire crew from Miami Cigar Company attended the event, along with my partners from my sister site Cigar Explorer. Below is a press release from Miami Cigar Company about the cigar and the party.

MIAMI, FL – It’s believed that life on earth originated in the ocean, and now Miami Cigar & Co., makers of the highly-acclaimed Nestor Miranda Collection and Tatiana flavored cigar line, has brought life to a new full-bodied cigar selection inspired by a mythical sea creature. Blended and manufactured by Don Jose “Pepin” Garcia in Nicaragua, La Sirena cigars, Spanish for “mermaid,” will make their Earth debut in Chicago, IL on Friday, November 19 at Casa de Montecristo. The launch will be attended by newly appointed Brand Ambassador, Ms. Arielle Ditkowich. Ms. Ditkowich will also be traveling nationwide to help introduce and promote the La Sirena line.

“We are very happy to finally have that full-bodied cigar in our portfolio,” said Rene Casteneda, Miami Cigar Vice President of Sales. “We have never produced a full-bodied cigar of out the My Father Cigars factory until now, I am very excited to finally enter this market.”

To achieve La Sirena’s full-bodied flavor, Don Pepin has used Nicaraguan Criollo ’98 & Nicaraguan Corojo ’96 as filler, plus a dual Nicaraguan Habano & Nicaraguan Corojo binder, rolled in a lush Connecticut Broadleaf Maduro wrapper.

Since Cigar Explorer was at the event, they were able to pick up a box of these sticks and bring them back to Columbus for reviewing.  Enough typing, let's get to smoking.

Specifics  
Vitola: Corona
Length: 5 1/2
Ring Gauge: 42
Wrapper: Connecticut Broadleaf
Binder: Nicaraguan
Filler: Nicaraguan
Price: $8
Smoking Location: Explorer Lounge
Beverage: water
Manufacture's Website: http://www.miamicigarandcompany.com/

Pre-Light

I have to point out right away what everyone says when they first see this cigar. Yes the band is really that big. On a corona sized stick, it is slightly overkill, but the glue holding the band together has not been heavily applied on any of the sticks I've smoked, so removing it is no issue. The wrapper on my La Sirena was dark brown and very rustic looking. There was a significant amount of tooth and some pretty large veins...all the things that most of us know and love about broadleaf.The pre-lit aroma was mostly barnyard smells, mixed in with just a hint of coffee. The triple cap clipped easily and the cold draw consisted of sweet tobbacco mixed with some leather notes.

First Third

Pepper bomb! After lighting my La Sirena the first 5 or 6 draws were an absolute classic Don Pepin blend pepper bomb. The flavors were extremely stong and tingled the top my tongue. The draw was free and the stick gave off a medium amount of smoke...pretty much the amount of smoke you would expect from a cigar of this size. About an inch into the stick, the finish flavors started to come forward and stand out from the pepper. I started tasting a lot of sweet raw honey on every exhale, which really worked well to balance out some of the spice. Slightly further into the first third, the front of the flavor profile started to change too and I could taste some hints of coffee.

Second Third

The second third of my La Sirena is was what I referred to my smoking partner as "where this cigar developed to greatness". This has to be where Pepin, or whoever else was on the taste testing crew for this cigar, realized they were on to something good.  Similar to the first third, I was tasting a lot of peppery spice on the front (which I love), and sweetend honey on the finish, but now the black coffee flavors had also developed into a strong characterist of the cigar. Every draw on the cigar produced a complex flavor mixed on my palate that made me want to rush to the next puff. The smoke volume picked up a little which might have helped the flavors be just that much more intense. I want to point out here that, althought the flavors were extremely strong, the finish on the cigar was clean and did not leave my mouth feeling dirty or burnt. This is a hard thing to do with broadleaf and reminded me a lot of the finish on the NHC Reserva from New Havana Cigars. The body was in the medium range for me.

Final Third and Final Thoughts

The final third and things just kept on going perfectly. The flavor mix was almost the same as the second third, with pepper, coffee, and honey, but now every once in awhile I got a slight bitter chocolate taste. This flavor did not come through on every draw, but when it did it, added just another dimention to the flavor profile that was already well established. The cigar burned excellently from start to finish, never requiring any touch-ups. I smoked this stick to the nub and it never got hot or harsh. I know the press release for this cigar says it's a full body smoke. For me, it was more in the medium range; fuller than other sticks from Miami Cigar Company, but I never felt that nic kick that I get from real full body cigars.

My final thoughts on the La Sirena? If you took the time to read this review then you will not be surprised when I say that this new favorite is one of the best cigars I have smoked all year. It's Decemeber...save the best for last, maybe? While I am not yet ready to crown it king of 2010, it will certainly be in the royal court. The flavors were extremely strong, yet evenly balanced, keeping me wanting more the whole time. Yes,  I am a sucker for broadleaf and for the Pepin peppery spice, but this stick not only had that, it also had some serious depth in the flavors that may have been missing from some of his other blends this year. 
 
Would I buy it again? Being that this is one of the best cigars I have smoked all year, I see myself buying more of these time and time again. I currently do not have anymore, and I'm not sure if anyone local is selling them yet, but I will be on the hunt and I think you should be too.

Would I buy a box?  I would buy a box of these without hesitation.

Dan 

REVIEW: Nestor Miranda Art Deco

Today's review is a newly released (I'm not sure where you can get them) cigar from Nestor Miranda, founder of Miami Cigars, and Don Pepin, creator of Don Pepin Cigars, amongst many others. As most of us know, Pepin is regarded as one of the masters of Nicaraguan blends. The story behind this cigar goes like this: With this cigar, Nestor wanted to give Pepin a challenge to use Domincan tobacco and still come up with something great.
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"We wanted to get Pepin out of his comfort zone, which is using Nicaraguan tobacco," said Nestor Miranda. "He accepted the challenge and came out with an amazing blend using 40% Dominican tobacco."

I am a huge Pepin fan, so after reading about this stick (and finally getting my hands on one), I am very excited to light this up and see what comes of it.

Vitola: Robusto Grande
Length: 5.5
Ring Gauge: 54
Wrapper: Nicaraguan Corojo '06
Binder: Dominican Corojo '98 & Nicaraguan Habano '00 (duel binders)
Filler: Dominican & Nicaraguan
Price: $7.50
Smoking Location: Explorer Lounge
Beverage: water
Manufacture's Website: http://www.miamicigarandcompany.com/

Pre-Light  

My Art Deco from Nestor Miranda had a inviting, smooth, chocolate-brown wrapper. The cigar was fully and evenly packed with just a slight bit of a give when pinched. The pre-lit aroma was very peppery with just a hint of a scent of sweetness -- an aroma I have come to really love, as it is present in most of Pepin's blends. The large cap on the stick clipped easily and the draw was excellent, tasting of hay with some natural tobacco flavors.

First Third

I lit my Art Deco with the normal triple torch I use for bigger ring gauge sticks and the cigar starting drawing effortlessly. I've really been having a great run of cigars recently when it comes to the draws. Not only with the sticks I write about, but also with the ones I've smoked for more casual purposes. All have been winners in the last few weeks. The starting flavors on my cigar are mild, but still easy to pick out. The classic Pepin pepper is there, but more muted than normal. On the finish I picked up some hints of coffee, but they were very slight. Like I wrote above, the flavors are mild, but not boring in anyway. The burn is a little crooked, but
nothing to be worried about at this point. The body was in the medium range. 

Second Third 

The second third of my Art Deco brought on a lot of changes from the first third. The distinct peppery flavors had subsided and now a strong, sweetened coffee and cream taste was what this cigar was about. The finish was very clean and, with the creamy notes, left my palate feeling refreshed. It was a drastic change and happened pretty much between one draw and the next. Speaking of the draw, the cigar was once again drawing perfectly, producing huge clouds of smoke. The ash on this stick held on for just over an inch before falling off. The body was still right in the medium range.

Final Third and Final Thoughts  

The difference in the final third of my Art Deco was not what the flavors were, but just how powerful they came through. The sweet coffee and cream flavors were in my face and lingered on the finish for well over a full minute. It might sound overwhelming, but the flavors were so smooth that it never felt like too much. The construction was perfect and the draw never got hot -- even all the way to the nub. Toward the end, the body stepped up to what I would call the medium-full range.


My final thoughts on the Nestor Miranda Art Deco? Even though I was looking forward to a spicy Pepin blended cigar, and got quite the opposite, I was not disappointing at all in the Art Deco. This is a wonderfully strong-flavored cigar that really takes off in the second third. As I burned through, the flavors just got stronger and stronger, so if you are smoking one and think it's weak, give it time

Would I buy it again? This is the second review in a row I have written where I think I would pay more than what the MSRP is listed. I noticed on my cheat sheet that this stick comes in a 4.5 x 50 vitola, too. I'm a big fan of that size, so next time I think I'd like to try that one out.

Would I buy a box?  This is a box-worthy cigar.

Dan