VIDEO INTERVIEW: Dan Welsh, New Havana Cigars

Today I am posting a video I did in collaboration with Mario from Lounge 1492. In this video I (complete with hair sticking up the whole time) asked Dan Welsh (owner of New Havana Cigars) about his recent release of the NHC Seleccion Limitada made by Tatuaje Cigars. If you have read my reviews of these two sticks here, and here, you will know that I am a fan. It was fun to chat with Dan and hear just a little more about these sticks and where the concept to make them came from.

(Unfortunately we had some problems with the audio, so I apologize for the muted voices. We are working to correct that on the next video.)



New Havana Cigars - Interview - Lounge 1492 from Mario Takeyama on Vimeo.

REVIEW: Fuente Fuente Opus X Perfecxion No.5

Today's review is a cigar that everyone has heard of and most cigar smokers have tried, but nobody ever claims to smoke tons of them. Well maybe some people do, but not in the crowd I run in. The reason? Where can you find them? Opus X cigars are rare to come by and when you do happen on a shop that has some on the shelf, their is almost always a limit of one or two sticks per customer. I was lucky enough to have this cigar very generously sent to me from Cigars Direct. Opus X are known to be some of the finest cigars around and this is a new size to me, so I was pretty excited to give this one a try. Let's get it lit up and see how it performed.

Due to the size of this cigar, this review is only in two parts instead of the traditional thirds.

Specifics
Vitola: Perfecxion
Length: 4.88
Ring Gauge: 40
Wrapper: Dominican Republic Rosado
Binder: Dominican Republic
Filler: Dominican Republic
Price: $19.95
Smoking Location: My back deck
Beverage: water

Pre-Light  

My Opus X Perfecxion No.5 had a light brown wrapper that had some darker areas near where the veins in the leaf were found. The texture of the wrapper was very smooth and gave off a slight sheen in the sunlight. Squeezing the cigar from head to foot, it was evenly packed and had a nice give to it that predicted a nice draw. This cigar sat in my coolidor for two weeks and I could tell it was in perfect shape for smoking. The un-lit aroma smelled strongly of raisins mixed in with some citrus-type notes. As predicted, the cold draw was free with a slight resistance and tasted like a mulled wine with some strong clove flavors. I will admit, the first thing that came to mind with these flavors was the Chirstmas season, but that's because I always have equated those tastes to that time of year.

First Half  

This vitola has a small ring gauge and lit easily with a my triple torch. The cigar opened up nicely and produced a decent amount of smoke but nothing to heavy or thick. The initial flavors were strong and consisted of a balanced mix of clove and raisin, with some spicy black pepper on the finish. My mouth started to tingle after the first few puffs and the sweetness the cigar left on my lips made my mouth water. About an inch down, the cigar did start to canoe on me and required a touch up with my lighter, but after that I had no other burn issues. The ash was bright white and very flaky. I don't think the weak strength of the ash has anything to with the construction, but more to do with the size of the cigar and the blend of the tobacco used. The body was a solid medium.

Second Half and Final Thoughts  

Right from the start of the second half of my Opus X No.5, the cigar really mellowed. All of the complex flavor profile was there, but the actual strength of the flavors really diminished. I could still make out a nice blend of clove, raisin, and the pepper, but they were muted. I did find that the body of the cigar picked up into more of the medium-full range and the amount of smoke increased too. The second half of this Opus X No.5 burned slowly and beautify. Getting down to the nub, the stick did start to get a little hot, but nothing that was unpleasant or that would take away from the experience.


My final thoughts on the Fuente Fuente Opus X #5 are that this is a solid cigar. I know that these are highly in demand cigars and that they top a lot of peoples lists of best of the best, but for me, It was just "solid". The complex flavors are great, I just wish they would have been a bit stronger in the second half and kept my attention more. I would say this cigar is good for an end of the day smoke with a few friends sitting around and talking. I was by myself tonight, so towards the end, dare I say it, I started to get just a little bit bored. If you think I'm crazy and would like to get a few of these yourself, Cigars Direct was kind enough to send me this one so please visit there site here, and purchase some for yourself.

Would I buy it again? For me, these are out of my normal budget for cigars. I would like to keep a few on hand for special occasions with friends, but when I do buy some Opus again, I will try a different size.

Would I buy a box? I could not afford these in box quantities.

Dan 
  

REVIEW: Viaje Skull and Bones

I was very lucky to get my hands on a few of today's review cigar. The Viaje Skull and Bones is a limited release stick that came quickly to shops after the release of the popular Viaje Reserva. This cigar, in size, is exactly what I am into these days. It's pretty much a petit robusto. I've really been enjoying petit robustos, and petit cigars in general, so when I saw the size that this stick was to be released in, I was all over it. The problem? This was limited to a production run of 150 boxes of 25 cigars, so finding some could have been a problem. Luckily for me, Dan (NHCDAN on twitter) at New Havana Cigars got a shipment (very small mind you and they are all gone, so please don't call about them) and hooked me up with a chance to get some. I don't know if I'll ever see these cigars again, so was looking forward to smoking one.

Due to the size of this cigar, this review is only in two parts instead of the traditional thirds. On with the show.

Specifics

Vitola: "Daisy Cutter"
Length: 4
Ring Gauge: 54
Wrapper: Nicaragua Criollo
Binder: Nicaragua
Filler: Nicaragua
Price: $9 each
Smoking Location: My back deck
Beverage: water

Pre-Light

The Viaje Skull and Bones is a awesome looking stick. Yes, it does seem weird to smoke something that has the image of a skull and bones on it, but wow, what a nice departure from tradition cigar bands. The wrapper on my "Daisy Cutter vitola" (again a great name departure from the norm) is very smooth and oily. I did see quite a few veins running around the wrapper, but these had been expertly smoothed down and appeared would have no effect on the burn. The cigar feels surprisingly hefty for it's size and when squeezed is hard as a rock. The pre-lit aroma was of strong wood scents, mixed in with what I would describe as a raisin smell. After clipping the triple cap, the cold draw was tight and tasted sweet with strong woodsiness flavors. I was worried that this stick might be a little plugged due to the tight draw, but I pinched it a bit more and the draw loosened nicely.

First Half  

I lit my Viaje Skull and Bones with a triple flame torch and the cigar roared out of the gate. From the very first puff, I was hit hard with thick, smooth, and extremely rich smoke...the kind of smoke that takes over your palate and says yup, I'm the star in this show. I don't think I can put into words just how rich this cigar started out, but if you get the chance to smoke one, you'll know exactly what I mean. In conjunction with the rich smoke, the initial flavors were also very powerful. On the front of the flavor profile, I was getting a strong woodsy taste. Not at all a harsh camp fire kind of wood, but more a sweet sassafras or oak taste. On the finish, and especially through the nose, there was a dominate black pepper flavor. The finish flavor was long-lasting and remained noticeable the entire time between draws. The burn did start a little wavy, but corrected itself without having to do any touch ups. The ash (as you can see in the picture) held on all the way to the band. These cigars are expertly constructed.

Second Half and Final Thoughts

The second half of my Viaje Skull and Bones was just as smooth and rich as the first half, but brought on a small evolution of the flavors. The wood notes I was getting in the first half turned into a strong cedar wood taste and the black pepper faded off some to make room for powerful coffee and cream. The closer I got to the nub of the cigar, the more and more the coffee and cream flavors ramped up; so much so that in the last few puffs I took that was all I was tasting. And what a awesome taste it was. The burn and construction were the same in the second half as it was the first half and left nothing to be desired. The finish on the smoke was not as long as the first half, and the cigar did get a little hot, but that heat only seemed to intensify the coffee flavors more.

My final thoughts on the Viaje Skull and Bones are that this cigar is absolute winner. The powerful richness and smoothness of the smoke mixed in with the strong flavors really make this stick a enjoyable experience from start to finish. Speaking of power, this review would not be complete without a quote that is printed on the box. "BE WARNED" is burned into the bottom of each box of  Viaje Skull and Bones and there is a reason. This is a full strength cigar not to be taken lightly. I had eaten a full meal before I smoked this stick, and the nicotine still had my heart racing. I am not normally a fan of all-out full strength cigars, but this one hit it right for me in that profile. With that said, this is not a cigar for amateur smokers. BE WARNED!

Would I buy it again? Here is the problem. I would by this cigar again in a second, but as far as I heard, they have all been sold. If you can find a fellow BOTL willing to part with some, don't hesitate to take them up on the offer. Or you can send them my way...

Would I buy a box? This is a box worthy stick in my opinion, but see my comments above about availability.

Dan     

REVIEW: Punch Uppercut

Today's review is for a cigar that was generously sent to me by Victoria McKee Jaworski, Director of Public Relations, for General Cigar Company. The Punch Uppercut is the newest cigar in the Punch line, which features an unusual binder leaf from the island of Ometepe, just off the coast of Nicaragua. The sales sheet for this cigar claims this island produces some of the best tobacco in the world. I'm not sure if I've ever smoked a cigar with tobacco from this island, and if I have I didn't know it, so this should be interesting.

Side note: Something else Punch and General are doing right now is a campaign for summers based around cigars and BBQ. I do a lot of barbecuing during the summer months, so this is something that caught my eye. For more info visit Punch Grilling

Now, on with the review.

Specifics
Vitola: Robusto
Length: 5.2
Ring Gauge: 50
Wrapper: Ecuadorian Sumatra
Binder: Ometepe Nicaragua
Filler: Nicaragua
Price: $5.20 in full boxes of 20
Smoking Location: My back deck
Beverage: water

Pre-Light

The Punch Uppercut has two very nice looking bands. The band that really stands out, though it's the large foot band that depicts a tobacco field in Ometepe. This is a nice departure from the standard Punch cigar appearance, which is classic, but looking a little tired. The wrapper of my Punch Uppercut is a medium brown color and very oily -- so oily that between the large veins, the leaf feels slick to the touch. The pre-lit aroma is of faintly sweet smelling tobacco, with the cold draw tasting similar. My cigar is evenly packed and has a nice give when squeezed.
   
First Third

My Punch Uppercut opened up with very thick and heavy smoke. The first few puffs really coated my palate with a mixture of leather and espresso flavors. On the finish, there is a sweet note that I would describe as dark molasses. The burn line was perfect and the ash was a very bright white color. The cigar was drawing easily and, as I burned through the first third the cigar, it really mellowed out. The flavors were not as strong now and the molasses turned more into a black cherry flavor towards the end of the first third. The body was mild to a mild medium.

Second Third 

The second third of my Punch Uppercut followed exactly in the same footsteps that the first third left off. The flavors were medium in strength and consisted of leather and espresso in the front and some black cherry on the finish. The smoke was now a lot more mellowed out and didn't sit nearly as heavy as it had forty minutes earlier. The burn line was perfectly straight and the ash was very solid. Out of all the punch cigars I have smoked, this stick has one of the best, if not the best, construction I have seen within the line. The body picked up some and was more a solid medium.
   
Final Third and Final Thoughts

The final third of my Punch uppercut had nothing new to report from the first two. The flavors stayed the same (leather, espresso, black cherry) and the burn was perfect. I never had to do any touch ups to this cigar all the way to the nub. The body leveled out at a easy medium, and didn't give off any real nicotine hit.

My final thoughts on the Punch Uppercut? If I had one word to describe this cigar it would be consistent. Aside from the first few puffs, the flavors of this cigar stayed the same in taste and in strength. This is not a ground-breaking cigar, but it is a good cigar. I can see smoking one of these with some friends while hanging out and cooking some BBQ. A novice smoker would enjoy this stick because it is not overpowering in strength or body, and you can pretty much light it, puff on it, and it will burn all the way down without any maintenance.

Would I buy it again? I would buy a few more of these for social occasions with friends who are not hard-core cigar guys, but still like to have a smoke here and there.

Would I buy a box? I think I'd pass on a box and opt for a different, more complex cigar.

Dan
       

REVIEW: Padrón Serie 1926 No. 35

Recently I've been smoking a lot of smaller sized cigars. I'm not sure if it's the smoking time I like, or if it's that little cigars put off more powerful flavors, but there is something about them that has caught my fancy. With that said, I am on the hunt for more smaller sized sticks that my fellow smokers enjoy, too. I posted a request for suggestions on a few message boards and got a resounding answer that the Padrón Serie 1926 No. 35 is one of the best little guys around. Luckily, I had one of these laying around that a person had sent me in random trade/bomb.

Some information on the 1926 taken from the Padron website:

Padrón 1926 Serie™ line premiered in 2002 to commemorate José O. Padrón’s 75th birthday. The 1926 Series consists of seven sizes available in sun-grown natural and maduro wrapper. All tobacco used in this line is aged for five full years. The refined tobacco is then blended to create an exceptionally smooth, complex, balanced and full-bodied flavor.

I've smoked a few Padrons, but not very many because of the high price tags and never a 1926. I was excited to smoke this stick, so let's see how it goes.

Specifics
Vitola: Petit Corona

Length: 4
Ring Gauge: 48
Wrapper: Nicaragua Maduro
Binder: Nicaragua
Filler: Nicaragua
Price: $10.70 each at my local shop
Smoking Location: My back deck
Beverage: water

Pre-Light  

The first thing I noticed on my Padrón Serie 1926 was the amount of tooth on the wrapper. When I looked closely, it looked like it had the texture of a cat's tongue. Another characteristic of the dark brown wrapper that was striking was just how minimal the veins were. The leaf used for this wrapper must be very carefully selected to give this almost prefect appearance. When squeezed, this stick was hard as a rock. I had read that the Padrón Serie 1926 were almost all like this, so I was not worried about the draw. The pre-lit aroma was faint, which was a high contrast from the flavors I got from on the cold draw. This has to be one of the most interesting cold draws I have ever tasted. I was picking a very powerful nutmeg flavor mixed in with almost equally as powerful citrus and clove notes. Instantly, my taste buds were alive and excited for the smoke.

First Third

The first third of my Padrón Serie 1926 started off when a mix of different flavors. I was tasting lots of roasted nuts, mixed in with some black cherry and milk chocolate, with the milk chocolate being the most pronounced of the bunch. On the finish, I picked up just a slight hint of pepper that seemed to leave the palate as quickly as it came. The smoke itself was very dense and left a heavy texture in my mouth. This cigar was very interesting and not like a lot of sticks I've had recently. The burn and construction were perfect and the body was medium in strength.

Second Third

My Padrón Serie 1926 was smoking very nicely entering the second third. The flavor from the first third of milk chocolate was still there, but now I was picking up a lot of coffee notes. I would describe it as a black cup of joe using fresh ground beans flavor. The black cherry and roasted nut tastes from the first third had weakened but some of that pepper I was getting on the finish had picked up. The stick was not as exciting as the first third but was still very enjoyable. Something interesting to note was that the resting smoke from this cigar smelled exactly of warm peanuts. The body was still medium and the burn was razor sharp.

Final Third and Final Thoughts

After the first two thirds of my Padrón Serie 1926 I was shocked at what happened in the final third. The burn and construction was still perfect but the flavors took a sharp turn for the worse. All of the interesting and enjoyable flavors I had experienced so far were now completely dominated by a over the top strong pepper flavor. This was not the nice pepper that you get in so many Nicaraguan cigars but more of a bitter black pepper that was hot and harsh on my palate. I still smoked this cigar to the nub hoping to burn past maybe a bad spot in the filler, but it never went back to being the enjoyable experience I was having in the first two thirds. The body stayed a consistent medium from the first puff to the last.

My final thoughts on my Padrón Serie 1926 are mixed. This was a nice cigar that started very complex, slacked off in the middle and then turned sour. I have to assume from all the awards this cigar has one that I got a bad stick. That said, at the price I'm not sure when I will have another chance to smoke it and I'm not sure after this experience I would risk buying one when there are so many other cigars I know I like for less or around the same price.

Would I buy it again? If I came into some extra money in my cigar budget and the mood hit me right I might buy one more of these to see if I did in fact get a bad stick.

Would I buy a box? These are way out of my price range for box purchases. 

EVENT: CAIN/NUB Tour

Friday night the Cain/Nub tour rolled into one of our local Tinderbox locations in Columbus.  The event was packed shoulder to shoulder but I did manage to corner Sam Leccia (creator of the Nub and Cain cigars) for a few minutes and ask what he has coming out in the near future. Sam very generously hooked me up with a Nub Cain F to that is set to be released this winter, and few sticks that he rolled on site for the event. Sam is a very nice guy and if you ever have the chance to attend one of these events, I highly suggest you do.
A few pictures from the event below. 

REVIEW: NHC Seleccion Limitada Reserva

Up for review today is the other cigar in the spotlight since its release earlier this week (see posts below.) The NHC Seleccion Limitada is a project that Dan Welsh (@nhcdan on twitter), owner of New Havana Cigars, and Pete Johnson (@tatuajecigars on twitter), owner of Tatuaje Cigars, worked together on to create a house stick for New Havana Cigars. I won't go into any of the details on the collaboration on this stick, as you can read all of them here on my NHC Seleccion Limitada Natural review.

Specifics

Vitola: Cervante Larga
Length: 6.75
Ring Gauge: 42
Wrapper: Nicaragua Broadleaf
Binder: Nicaragua
Filler: Nicaragua
Price: $7.20 in full boxes
Smoking Location: My back deck
Beverage: water

Pre-Light 

The NHC Seleccion Limitada Reserva is an interesting looking cigar. The wrapper has a mix of two different tones of brown and, when very closely inspected, looks to have almost a peach fuzz on it. When pinching my cigar from head to foot, the roll seemed to be very tight and had almost no give. There are, unlike in the Natural version of the NHC, just two major veins running across the stick. The pre-lit aroma was pretty faint and smelled of earthy tobacco. Once the head was clipped, any fear of this stick being too tight was forgotten as the cold draw was almost perfect. The only flavor I got from the cold draw was some slight woody notes and a nice sweetness on my lips. The only other major difference in appearance from the Natural version of this stick is the classic Tatuaje "Reserva" band that is located below the standard NHC band.

First Third

I lit my NHC Seleccion Limitada Reserva with a soft flame lighter which seemed to be troublesome because it was very windy. Once evenly lit, the cigar produced an average amount of smoke that was very clean on the finish. It didn't leave any sort of film or heavy smoky feeling on my palate. The initial flavors were of a muted black pepper with some strong cedar notes, mixed with sweet tobacco. The burn on the stick was razor sharp and the body settled in at medium. The ash was tight, but with all of the wind held on for just over an inch.


Second Third

Right from the start of the second third, the flavors started to change. The cedar notes I had experienced in the first third had completely dissipated and I was now tasting a strong bitter, dark chocolate with some cinnamon. The cinnamon gave the cigar a bit of spice that was different from the black pepper and played nicely on my taste buds. I as was picking up another flavor that was confusing me and I couldn't distinguish until I took a drink of cold water. After drinking the water it was really familiar and obvious to me -- the puzzling taste was of graham cracker.I didn't get any of this flavor in the NHC Natural and, correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't that something normally associated with broadleaf wrappers? To me though, it was an unmistakable flavor. Just like the first third, the burn was perfect and the body a relaxing medium.

Final Third and Final Thoughts

The final third of my NHC Seleccion Limitada Reserva continued on and finished up just as the second third did. The smoke was very clean and fresh feeling on my palate. The flavors were of strong bitter dark chocolate mixed in with hints of cinnamon spice and sweet graham cracker. If you think that flavor profile sounds more like a dessert than a cigar, I would agree with you. I would also say this stick would do nicely as an after dinner treat. You can't say enough about the construction of this stick. It burned flawlessly, even in windy conditions. The body was consistently medium from start to finish.

My final impression of the NHC Seleccion Limitada Reserva? If the NHC Seleccion Limitada Natural is a home run than the Reserva is more like a triple. This cigar has a lot of rich, strong, enjoyable flavors that make it stand up to any of the Tatuaje cigars. Once you get into the second third, it stays pretty much on the same course until the nub. I was hoping for a bit more change in the flavor profile like I experienced with the NHC Natural, but it just is not there yet. I will say that out of the two cigars I think that this one has a stronger potential to get better with age. I know of a very popular Tatuaje cigar that, in 6 months to a year from now, this cigar has a chance of being compared against, but I will keep that opinion to myself and let my fellow smokers form there own thoughts.

Would I buy it again? Just like the Natural, I would buy lots of this cigar. I'd put some away to age and then I feel like it will be a true gem.

Would I buy a box?  See above comments