REVIEW: Viaje Late Harvest

The Viaje Late Harvest is the final, new limited release coming out of IPCPR show. These cigars come in two sizes and, again, are a very limited quantity release. Andre explains the Late Harvest as a "passion project" for him that took about a year and a half to come to fruition.

Quote from Andre Farkas: What we did was take the last two primings of the plant and put them into the filler. Added a little bit of viso, and it's unlike any cigar I've ever produced. It has a buttery quality to it.

If you'd like to see the interview we did with Andre at IPCPR 2011 where he talks about Late Harvest and all of his other new projects, you can find that here http://vimeo.com/27041732.

Specifics

Vitola: Robusto
Length: 5
Ring Gauge: 50
Wrapper: Nicaraguan
Binder: Nicaraguan
Filler: Nicaraguan
Price:  $??
Smoking Location: My Back Deck
Beverage: water

Pre-Light 

The first thing that jumped out at me when looking over my Viaje Late Harvest was the additional graphics added to the band. I like what Andre went with there. It's a subtle change, but it added some interest while still looking classy. The wrapper on the cigar was a medium brown color with some hues of red thrown in. The texture of the leaf was pretty vein heavy and had a decent amount of tooth. The pre-lit aroma smelled like aged tobacco with some floral notes. The cap was a little difficult to cut with the type of perfect cutter I had been using due to the pigtail cap, but once I had it off, the draw was excellent. The flavor of the cold draw was a nutty tone, with a distinct Brazil nut taste.

First Third   

My Viaje Late Harvest lit up easily and started out right away with an interesting mix of flavors. The front of the profile had a mild spice mixing with some clove. I've been a big fan of clove as long as I can remember, so I was happy with this start. The finish on the profile was also very different from what I have smoked recently; tasting like a sweet toffee with some woody notes. It sounds extremely strange, but I think that's the best way to describe what I was getting. It's a very unique flavor mash up, for sure. The cigar had perfect construction and was right in the medium strength range.

Second Third  

The second third of my Viaje Late Harvest stayed pretty true on the front flavors (spice and clove), but took a different turn on the finish.  As different as the finish flavors were in the first third, I'd say the second third was even harder to describe. The best way I can describe it at this point is a "twang" and when blown through your sinuses, it's an even stronger flavor. I was really digging it because it was an enjoyable "twang" and something I'm not sure I have ever tasted before in a cigar. Just like the first third, the construction was great and the burn never died out, even between a few longer resting moments. The strength was still medium.

Final Third and Final Thoughts 

Something I should mention right away is this is a quick-burning cigar. It didn't take me very long to burn to the final third and I was by no means huffing down the stick. Now that I got that out of the way, the final third was completely taken over both on the front and the finish of the flavor profile by the "twang" from the second third. I wracked my brain for a better way to describe it and the best I can come up with is it's a non-specific tart citrus flavor. I've said this before in other reviews, but again, please. If someone else smokes this cigar and has a better explanation for this flavor, please post a comment because I'd love to know what you think. I know everyone will get this taste because it is very strong in the final third. The cigar was easy to nub and the strength never rose above medium.

My final thoughts on the Viaje Late Harvest? This cigar tasted extremely different to me and I enjoyed it. The flavor was strong and yet it still took a lot of brain power for me to try to characterize it in words. Aside from the marketing aspect of the "late Harvest", which seems a little too gimmicky for me, this is my favorite of the three new release from Viaje.

Would I buy it again? If I can find some more, I will pick some up.

Would I buy a box?  These come in huge boxes of 35. I'm not sure what the MSRP was for this stick, but I'm going to guess it's way out of my price range in box quantities.

Dan

REVIEW: Viaje Skull and Bones Little Boy

The Viaje Skull and Bones Little Boy is the second release of the "red banded" blend in this line from Andre Farkas. The Skull and Bones line is a little confusing so here is the info as I understand it. There are two different blends in the line, one with a white and black band and one with a red and black band. Either of these could come in different shapes and sizes depending on the specific release. There is to be two releases a year in the Skull and Bones line, one white and one red. The red is the stronger of the two blends. Then there is the Zombie release, but I'll not even get into that.

If you recall, I was blown away by the first "white" skull and bones release, but after that this line hasn't impressed me. The second white release was, in my opinion, not even close to ready, and the red line I've had before were straight power without much balance. 

I still have high hopes for this line because of just how much loved the first release. Let's see how the Little Boy turns out.

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

Specifics
Vitola: Petite Robusto
Length: 4.25
Ring Gauge: 52
Wrapper: Nicaraguan
Binder: Nicaraguan
Filler: Nicaraguan
Price:  $9.20
Smoking Location: New Havana Cigars
Beverage: nothing

Pre-Light  

The Viaje Skull and Bones Little Boy had a very oily wrapper that gave off a nice sheen in the sunlight. It also had a lot of texture to it with little bumps and veins running around the leaf. The shape of the vitola is something that Andre seems to be really into with both ends of the cigar receiving a triple cap. I'm not sure if he expects people to light one end still capped, or to clip both ends. I went with the clip both ends which might have been an issue (see below.) The aroma coming off of the stick was very pleasant and smelled of well-cured tobacco. The cold draw was also very nice and tasted of raisins with some bonus sweetness added in. 

First Half  

I lit the freshly clipped end of my cigar with a soft flame and right away had some problems with the wrapper unraveling. Luckily for me it didn't pop off all the way, and the bands lower on the cigar seemed to hold the wrapper close enough to the core of the cigar that it still burned. Maybe it would have been better to just burn through the cap? The flavors I got from the start were very lovely with some anise and cocoa on the front, followed by a warm black pepper on the finish. It was not a "bitey" pepper, but it definitely had some spice that was most most prevalent on the roof of my mouth. About half an inch into the cigar, I hit what I described as the wall of strength. Holy hell this cigar went from medium to full in the first 10 puffs or so, to a giant of power well into full. I immediately started to feel my blood pressure go up and my head start to spin. At this point, it was still in my range of comfort, but wow. It was up there. As you would guess with the wrapper problems I was having, the burn was not stellar and needed a few touch ups.  Right at the half way point of the cigar, the flavors changed up and I started to get a lot of earthy and leathery notes both on the front and the finish.

Second Half and Final Thoughts  

The second half of the cigar continued similar to the first half on the front, with the taste profile coming up in rich leather notes but the finish changed up once again. The cocoa from the first half came back strong on the finish and made for a nice flavor left to linger on my palate. By this point in the cigar, though, my nicotine tolerance level was maxed out. I could feel my heart beating heavily and my head was in a daze. I did manage to stick with the cigar all the way to the end, but I'm glad it was a small sized stick or I would have had to put it down early. The burn had problems because of my wrapper issue, but it never went out.

My final thoughts on the Viaje Little Boy? I smoke a lot of beefy, full strength cigars and this one was even too much for me. By the time I got to the nub, I felt like I just went twelve rounds with a heavyweight. With that said, I think the flavors in this stick were, by far, the best and most-pronounced in the red band releases of Skull and Bones to date. If you are more beastly cigar smoker than I, you'll dig this one.

Would I buy it again? Like my last Viaje review (and the one to come) these are pretty much sold out everywhere, so it would be hard to find some even if I loved it. I, personally, would prefer to spend that time trying to track down the Daisy Cutter release.

Would I buy a box? See above

Dan

REVIEW: Viaje Satori 2011 release

This week I was fortunate enough to get my hands on some of this year's release of the Viaje Satori. I say fortunate because, as everyone knows when it comes to Viaje limited release products, there is a very small amount to go around and the demand is high. (I picked up a sampler of all of the new LEs from New Havana Cigars so you will more than likely see a few Viaje reviews coming in the next couple of weeks.) I spoke with Andre at this year's IPCPR tradeshow and the story behind the Satori is it's a release that can only be ordered at the show and is his way of "doing a favor" to the shops who were in attendance.


Andre took a lot of heat last year with this cigar because of how dark the wrapper was. Last year he stated it was a "super special Oscuro" wrapper that had all of us scratching our heads. This year there are less secrets and he is being upfront about the leaf.

Quote from Andre Farkas: We switched the wrapper this year. We are using San Andreas Maduro. I love the change and I think its even better than last year's version.

So even though it comes in the same name as last year's edition, it is a different cigar. The stick looked nice, so let's see how it smoked.

Specifics
Vitola: Robusto
Length: 5
Ring Gauge: 50
Wrapper: Mexican San Andreas
Binder: Nicaraguan
Filler: Nicaraguan
Price: $10.35
Smoking Location: New Havana Cigars
Beverage: Water

Pre-Light 

As I mentioned above, the controversy last year (if you want to call it that) with this stick was the jet black wrapper it had. This years version is still very dark, but does not look nearly the same as far as texture and color consistency. The wrapper had some medium veins but felt very smooth. The pre-lit aroma was pretty mild until you got to the open foot where it smelled strongly of dried fruits, especially a (call me crazy) plum like scent. The cap clipped nicely and the cold draw also had some of the dried fruity notes to it. I like the artwork on the Satori. It's different enough to be fun, but not so much that it's cheesy. Also I think it would really catch your eye if you saw someone else in a shop smoking it. 

First Third   

The Viaje Satori lit very easily with a soft flame lighter and the draw was excellent. The flavors at the start were a mild espresso on the front with some wood like taste on the finish. The finish also had a spice that lingered long between puffs. Something definitely to note is the very interesting resting smoke this stick puts off. There was tons of smoke which filled the room and had a sweet floral smell to it. I wonder if you lit this in a room with a lot of other cigar smokers if they might look at you funny? About an inch into the cigar I was hit with a unpleasant build up of that lingering spice in the back of my throat. I had to get up and get some more water. The strength of the cigar was in the medium range.

Second Third  

Burning into the second third of my Viaje Satori I'm very pleased to say that uncomfortable spice in my throat went completely away. I'm also very pleased to write about how the flavors changed and the stick overall got very complex. The front profile of the cigar now had a much sweeter flavor and had hints of the dried fruits from the cold draw. It also had a flavor in it that is very near and dear to my heart so go down this road with me for a moment. My family is right-off-the-boat English, so we have some different foods at holiday dinners that are not standard with American fair. One of them is mincemeat pies. If you click that link you will see there are many kinds of mincemeat but ours is one that does not contain actual meat, just beef suet. This cigar in the second third reminded me of this flavor.  The finish on the profile was a standard black coffee flavor which was a nice way to end the craziness of the front. I did have a pretty wavy burn during this portion of the cigar and it did have to be corrected twice. The strength was like the first third, medium.

Final Third and Final Thoughts 

Heavy is the best way to describe the final third of my Viaje Satori. The complex and interesting flavors from the second third started to tail off and I was left with a very rich dark coffee flavor that dominated the front and finish of the flavor profile. It was a nice flavor, but I was disappointed to see what was going on in the second third leave so quickly. Another thing to note is during the final third the strength of the cigar picked up quite a bit and I would put it more in the full range now; not too full, but I could feel it in my system.

My final thoughts on the Viaje Satori 2011 release? I'm not really sure what to write of an overall thought. This particular cigar had some really high highs, and some really rough low moments. The harshness I had in the beginning could be due to me smoking this right off the truck and I was happy to have that experience go away as fast as it came. The middle of the cigar is where the stick really shined. It was complex and had me very satisfied. The finish was good but left me wanting more of what I had just had. I guess I will write it up as...It's good, but not great yet, and has potential to be even better than great if those flavors in the middle of the stick balance out into the rest of the experience.

Would I buy it again? Here's the catch. Even if I wanted to, I'm pretty sure they are sold out, or will be sold out before the week is up. If you want them, start looking now.

Would I buy a box?  See above.
Dan

REVIEW: Jaime Garcia Reserva Especial Limited Edition

A few Sundays ago, the Cigar Explorer crew headed to Casa De Montecristo in Chicago for the national release party of the new stick Jaime Garcia Reserva Especial Limited Edition, blended by its namesake, Jaime Garcia. Jamie released the first cigar to carry his name (the Jaime Garcia Reserva Especial) last year, and followed up this year with the Limited Edition version -- which goes hand in hand with what the My Father company has been doing the past 2 years...one regular release of a line and one limited.  The difference between the limited edition and the regular release is the filler used in the cigar. The now-famous Pelo de Oro tobacco is used, as well as a few other slight changes to the percetages of the other types of tobacco included to round out the cigar.

I spoke with our good friends Janny Garcia and Jose Ortega of the My Father Company at the event for a long time about many new projects, but what's funny is we didn't ever talk about this cigar, so I don't have any quotes for the readers. That's not to say that they weren't very excited for the new stick; it's more to say that they have so many projects on the horizon that we could fill hours just talking about the future.

As always, it was a great party at Casa de Montecristo. Let's see if the cigar was just as good.

Specifics

Vitola: Toro
Length: 6 1/2
Ring Gauge: 52
Wrapper: Connecticut Broadleaf
Binder: Nicaraguan
Filler: Nicaraguan
Price:  $16.00
Smoking Location: My Back Deck
Beverage: water

Pre-Light 

The Jamie Garcia is a stunning looking cigar. The wrapper leaf was a near flawless dark brown shade with only one noticeable seam line. The extra band added to this cigar to distinguish it from the normal release was nicely designed. I really like the color choices used in the graphics. There's something about the blue, brown, and gold that gave a sophisticated yet still modern feel. The triple cap clipped easily and the cold draw had a nice dried fruit taste to it. I'm happy to report that after my last two reviews where the draw started tight, this cigar was not showing any of those problems. The pre-lit aroma was of a heavy cedar and wood smell. (Something to note about the photos in this review: I smoked this cigar outside on a windy day. The normal long ash photos weren't possible to capture.)

First Third   

Even with the wind problem, lighting my Jaime Garcia Reserva Especial Limited Edition was easy. A few flicks of the flame and we were off and running. Right out of the gate, the cigar produced a strong black pepper flavor on the front of each draw that really woke up my taste buds. I was expecting this and happily got it. The finish was heavily dominated by the black pepper also, but I did pick up hints of cinnamon spice mixed in. If you've read my reviews before you might remember this is one of my favorite flavors in cigars (and in anything really.) If the flavors came quickly from this cigar, so did the power. I could tell with only a few pufs in that this was going to be one hell of a strong cigar. Full strength from the get-go. A little over an inch into the stick, I started to get some flavors of coffee mixing in. The burn was great even with the wind and the ash was solid.

Second Third  

The second third of my Jaime Garcia Reserva Especial Limited Edition had the coffee flavor pick up in intensity. The front of each draw was no longer completely dominated by pepper, but was more a mixture of a toned down pepper and black coffee. It was an interesting mix of flavors. The finish on the cigar in the second third was where I had a bit of a problem. The flavor of the finish had turned into a deep leathery note that was kind of dirty tasting. I'm not sure how to describe it, but the best I can do is say it tasted dirty and left my mouth feeling unpleasant. None of this flavor was in the first third of the cigar so something must have changed. I must mention again that this is a strong cigar. By this point of the smoking experience, I could feel my heart rate picking up and the nicotine effecting my head. Just like the first third, there were no problems with the burn or construction.

Final Third and Final Thoughts 

The final third of my Jaime Garcia Reserva Especial Limited Edition was a little better than the second third. I have no issues with the front profile of flavors with the pepper and coffee; it was the finish that still troubled me a bit. The dirty taste had subsided for the most part, but I got a taste of it in maybe one out of every seven or eight puffs. It was not enough for me to end the cigar early, but just when I thought maybe it had gone away for good, I would get that flavor again on an exhale. Annoying. I nubbed the cigar and my head was in full spin mode from the power. I didn't get the sick spins, but if I had not eaten beforehand, I bet I would have. Perfect My Father construction with no relights.

My final thoughts on the Jaime Garcia Reserva Especial Limited Edition? Was Jaime trying to hurt someone with this cigar? Phew. This is one powerful stick. If you're a guy who loves full strength, this cigar is for you. Overall, I would say it was a good cigar, but not a great cigar. The flavors in the first third were right up my alley, but the transition the cigar made in the second third and on into the final third were not what I look for in a My Father brand cigar. I love almost everything from My Father brand cigars. This one fell just a bit short for me.

Would I buy it again? I would like to smoke another one of these in the future to see if anything happens with age, but I don't see myself buying more than maybe one.

Would I buy a box?  This is a very expensive box of cigars. I will be passing at this time.

Dan

REVIEW: Torano Loyal

Another cigar that was released at this year's IPCPR and flew kind of under the radar is the Torano Loyal. Torano has been making a lot of moves in the industry recently and seems to be really making a push to be more in the center spotlight of the cigar world.

A quote from the Torano Loyal press release: "Carlos Torano Sr. has always maintained that anyone who enjoys a cigar deserves to smoke a great Torano blend at an affordable price. For decades, Carlos and his son, Charlie, have remained loyal to this philosophy of providing outstanding value to cigar lovers. Loyal provides value, quality, consistency, and most importantly, an abundance of flavor."

We were fortunate enough to interview Charlie Torano and my good friend Miguel Schoedel (regional sales rep for Torano) in Las Vegas, where they gave us even more of the low down on the Loyal, as well as other things going on with the Torano Family Cigars Company. You can view that video here.

I smoked one Loyal while at the show. I thought it was pretty mild, but had a lot of flavor. I'm looking forward to smoking this one on a fresh palate. On to the review.


Specifics
Vitola: Robusto
Length: 5
Ring Gauge: 56
Wrapper: Ecuadorian Sumatra
Binder: Nicaraguan
Filler: Nicaraguan and Dominican
Price: $4.95 - $5.50 according to the press release
Smoking Location: House of Cigar
Beverage: Diet Coke

Pre-Light 

My Torano Loyal had a light brown and very toothy wrapper. In fact, this had to be one of the most textured wrappers I've seen in awhile. Even with all the Sumatra wrapped sticks hitting the market recently, I have not seen one that looked like this. Another characteristic that really stands out about this cigar even before smoking it, is just how heavy it feels in my hand. It's only a 5 x 56 cigar, but it feels easily like a 60 ring gauge. The cigar was evenly packed and gave off a mild barnyard aroma. The cap clipped easily and the draw was nice and free with some bread and oat flavors. As for the artwork on the band, I'm torn. It's well done with a retro 50s type feel to it, but maybe that's just not my preferred style. So.. not bad, but not me.

First Third   

The first third of my Torano Loyal opened up nicely and drew large clouds of smoke. The flavors from the start were of a subtle spice on the front (especially on the top of my tongue) with a lot of citrus on the finish. Do you recall from a review awhile back how I described a cigar having some orange peel flavors? This one was very similar and consequently very enjoyable. The burn was a little less than perfect, but nothing that needed any touching up. The strength started out in the medium range, but quickly moved over to a more mild area. Mild in strength, not in flavor.

Second Third  

The second third of my Torano Loyal had the subtle spice that was interesting from the first third more more into a secondary flavor. The main taste I got on the front of the profile now was roasted nuts. I used to pick up this flavor in a lot of cigars, but since I have transitioned my personal liking into medium to fuller strength sticks I miss out on this taste a lot.  It was a nice change of pace for me. The finish of the profile still contained mostly citrus notes, mixed with natural tobacco flavors. The burn was still great and the smoke volume huge.

Final Third and Final Thoughts 

Moving on to the final third and the nub of the cigar the flavor profile stayed pretty much the same as the second third with the exception of the spice picking back up again. It was an interesting spice and I'm not 100% sure how to describe it. It wasn't a pepper for sure, but it had the heat characteristics that go with that taste. Maybe if someone else reviews this cigar, they will have a good way of putting this flavor into text. The flavor lasts long into the finish, so I know people will pick up what I am writing about. The strength of the cigar remained in the mild range all the way to the nub. I never had a single construction problem and the amount of smoke this cigar put off never let up.

My final thoughts on the Torano Loyal? I love the people involved with the company from the top down. They are great business people and great friends. The problem I have had with Torano was my inability to get into any of their products. I am happy to say the Loyal release is a step in the right direction for my liking. Even though I tend to smoke stronger cigars than this one, I still really enjoyed the flavors and the experience. With this, and the other new release shown at IPCPR 2011, I think this could be a big year for Torano Family Cigars.

Would I buy it again? Yes, I will buy this again.

Would I buy a box?  Because I tend to lean towards stronger sticks, I don't think I'd grab a whole box, but if there was a split buy going online, I might jump in it.

Dan
 

REVIEW: Chinnock Cellars Private Reserve

Today's cigar up for review is one I had zero knowledge about until that last hours I was in Las Vegas at the IPCPR tradeshow. Our team from Cigar Explorer stopped by the round bar in the Venetian hotel for one last drink before heading to the airport for our redeye flight home and we ran into Brian Chinnock (owner of Chinnock Cellars) and Berta (better known as The Guayabera Lady). Brian handed me a sample of his cigar and asked me to tell him what I thought of it.

Some reseach on the cigar taken from Chinnock Cellars webpage: Chinnock Cellars Cigars are producted by Master Blender - Willy Herrera. All of their cigars are hand crafted in the USA by “Level 9” rollers all of whom have worked for world-renowned factories such as Romeo y Julieta®, Corona®, and Partagas®. Each one of my cigars are made in the traditional Cuban style of tubing the filler (entubado) and then finished off with a beautiful triple cap. Due to the high standards placed upon their rollers, my cigars are made in small quantities to ensure quality and consistency that only a boutique manufacturer can produce.

Willy Herrera has been in cigar news recently with his move to Drew Estate, but well before that, he has been a highly respected person in the cigar industry. This stick has had a few weeks to get back into condition, so on with the review.

Specifics
Vitola: Robusto
Length: 5
Ring Gauge: 52
Wrapper: Ecuadorian Sun Grown Habano
Binder: Nicaraguan
Filler: Dominican & Nicaragua
Price: $?
Smoking Location: My back deck
Beverage: water


Pre-Light 

My Chinnock Cellars Private Reserve was a nice looking cigar. The light brown wrapper was smooth and contained a medium amount of veins. I do like the band Chinnock Cellars is using on this cigar. It is very simple and, although the font could use a little work, the leaf logo with the "C" in the middle is nicely designed. The pre-lit aroma was sweet with a strong smell of coffee with milk. I clipped the triple cap easily and the cold draw tasted of natural tobacco with hints of dried friut. Both of these were a good thing. One thing which was not, however, was how tough the draw was. I was thinking to myself.. ugh... not another review with a stick with a difficult draw.

First Third   

I torched my Chinnock Cellars Private Reserve with my Xikar soft flame and the draw was very tight. I was pulling some smoke out with each draw, but it was very minimal. After recutting the cap and smoking about half an inch down into the cigar it finally freed up. It was like night and day between one puff of pure blockage to the next, which was nice and smooth. I'm not sure what that was all about, but I was very happy to have it corrected. Speaking of smooth, the flavor profile started out that way. On the front of each draw there was a grassy, leathery taste, and on the finish a sweet tobacco flavor. At this point, now that the cigar was smoking well, it felt very, very mellow. The burn on the stick produced a nice black "eyeliner" effect at the burn line and the ash was bright white and solid. The strength was in the mild to medium range.

Second Third  

The second third of my Chinnock Cellars Private Reserve had a few flavor changes  --  one was expected and the other was not. The front of each draw still had the grassy, leathery characteristics form the first third, but the finish now has some sweet honey flavors, mixing with a bitey white pepper note. I figured form the cold draw and pre-lit aroma that this cigar would have some sweetness in it, but I was not expected the white pepper. I smoke so many cigars that are strong in black pepper, it was different for me to taste this kind of flavor. Not enough can be said about just how amazing the constuction and the ash was on this cigar. Look at thar photo...that's nuts. The strength of the stick was now firmly in the medium range.

Final Third and Final Thoughts 

The final third of my Chinnock Cellars Private Reserve was dominated by the sweet honey flavors from the second third. The grassy leather tastes had pretty much dissipated and the white pepper was just now ever so slight on the finish. I'm not huge on really sweet cigars and this third was getting a little bit much for me, but still not enough for me to put it down early. Something to note was just how slow the final third of this cigar smoked. After getting past the rough start, this stick seemed to burn at a average or even above-average pace. The final third was much slower. I'm not sure if that had to do with the ramped up sweetness, but I found it interesting. The strength was a solid medium all the way to the nub.

My final thoughts on the Chinnock Cellars Private Reserve? As you can see from the pictures, this was one well-constructed cigar. The beginning was a challenge with the tight draw, but once it opened up, the burn and the ash were some of the most impressive I have seen. As far as the flavors go they were very mellow and easy on the palate. This cigar does not contain the flavor profile that I tend to lean more towards as my personal favorite, but I don't think that makes this a bad cigar. More people need to give it a try.

Would I buy it again? Like I said above, it's not the flavor profile that I crave, but I would pick up a few more to keep for when I want something completely different.  It's always good to have a diverse stock in the humi.

Would I buy a box?  A box would be too many of these for me. I'd have them for years in that quantity. Which could be a good thing?

Dan

REVIEW: Illusione CG4 Maduro

The much anticipated release of the Maduro line from Illusione is starting to hit the shelves this week. I know the quantity that is actually in the country is small at the moment, but I was told more are on the way. The story behind these cigars is that they are the original Illusione line with a Mexican San Andreas wrapper.

Quote from New Havana Cigars Website: The scoop on Illusione Maduro:  The -hl- made an appearance last year as a short run, to rave reviews.  That original -hl maduro- used a Corojo wrapper.  When contemplating a release of multiple sizes, Dion revisited the wrapper and found the San Andreas Maduro more to his liking for the Illusione blend.  So the Illusione Maduro vitolas are the original blend, with a San Andreas Maduro wrapper.  Available in -hl-, -cg4-, -88-, -888- and -mj12-.

We also had the the chance to interview Dion at this past years IPCPR trade show where he went in depth on the blend of the new Maduro Cigars.  You can watch that video here.  

Personally, I was a big fan of the first release of the HL Maduro (reviewed here) so it will be very interesting to see what this new wrapper does to the blend. Although this review is not the HL size, I think it will give me a pretty good idea of what this line is all about.  Now, on to the review. 


Specifics
Vitola: Cg4
Length: 5 5/8
Ring Gauge: 48
Wrapper: Mexican San Andreas Maduro
Binder: Nicaraguan
Filler: Nicaraguan
Price: $?
Smoking Location: New Havana Cigars
Beverage: Coffee

Pre-Light 

Pulling the CG4 Maduro from its fresh box, I was happy to see that there was a band change for this line.  Some original line Illusione have really dark wrappers, so the change in the band design makes it easier to pick apart which are the Maduro and which are not, even from a distance. (If you've never had a hard time picking the difference between a natural and a maduro wrapper on the same vitola, go take a side by side box comparison with the Padron 45th family reserve. You'll see what I mean.) 

The wrapper on the CG4 is a dark coal brown color with lots of little veins all over it. The aroma coming off of the wrapper was mild and smelled like sweet hay. Pinching the cigar from head to foot, it was hard as a rock and packed solid. The prelit draw was free with just a little resistance and had a interesting sweet berry flavor, almost like a hard candy type of taste. Interesting, for sure.

First Third   

I torched my CG4 Maduro and was welcomed into the smoke with a nice warm cinnamon spice that was most prevalent on the taste buds on the sides of my tongue. I love this flavor in cigars. The smoke had a creamy texture to it and the flavor on the finish was long and leathery. The draw was great at this point, even with the cigar being so packed full of tobacco. The flavors were nice, but slightly muted. The strength of the cigar was in the medium range. 

Second Third  

The second third of my CG4 maduro brought on the flavor change that I was waiting for. I've smoked a few different cigars with the San Andreas Maduro wrapper and all of them have had a really dark chocolate flavor to them. The second third of this cigar is where that showed up. Some of the warm spice continued to mix in with the chocolate, but it was definitely not the dominate flavor it was in the first third. The finish was still leathery and I'd say the power of the flavors ramped up a bit right before the half way point on the stick.  Unfortunately, right when the flavor ride seemed like it was about to get started, the draw on the cigar tightened up. I don't know if I hit a bad part of the roll or if I got some build up in the cigar, but getting a good draw of smoke became difficult. The strength of the cigar was still in the medium range.

Final Third and Final Thoughts 

Unfortunately, the final third continued on with the draw problems that begain with the end of the second third. From the smoke I could get out of the stick, it had that great maduro dark chocolate flavor, but it was hard to get enough smoke to enjoy it. I tried relighting and recutting the cigar, but didn't have any luck helping the problem. A disapointing end to what was really getting promising.

My final thoughts on the Illusione CG4 Maduro? The flavors were spot on, but it was really hard to enjoy much of the second half of the cigar. With the draw tightened up, pulling smoke through the stick was just too difficult. All that said, this review is of one cigar so it could well be that I got the tough one in the bunch. These are hand made products and it is going to happen from time to time, even to the best of them, which I consider Illusione products to be.

Would I buy it again? As soon as more of these are availble I will be grabbing them. From the flavors I got I was really enjoying the cigar.

Would I buy a box? It's too early to tell for me if I'm grabbing a box. I want to try my other favorite size (the 88) and pick which one is really my box worthy purchase in this blend.
Dan

  

REVIEW: Tatuaje Fausto

It is time for probably the most most talked about, cigar-geek anticipated releases of the year...the Fausto from Tatuaje. All the information has been leaked out about these sticks for awhile now, so I won't bore you with all the rumors, truths and legends that have been written about this release over the last year.  The description from New Havana Cigars pretty much says it all:

Quote New Havana Cigars: Based on the T110 (Thermonuclear) blend, Fausto is a much anticipated new lineup from Pete Johnson.  Fausto features an Ecuador Habano Maduro wrapper and a very strong blend of Nicaraguan filler that includes mostly ligero from Jalapa and Esteli.  As strong as the blend is, this full bodied smoke is filled with flavor and will be a daily staple for many who love a bigger smoke.  

I asked Pete about this stick at the show and he said, "It is what it is. It's for those guys who loved the T110 power and wanted more of it." 


Here's my post-dinner review.

Specifics

Vitola: Robusto Extra
Length: 5 1/2
Ring Gauge: 52
Wrapper: Ecuador Habano Maduro
Binder: Nicaraguan
Filler: Nicaraguan
Price:  $8.25 in 5 packs
Smoking Location: New Havana Cigars
Beverage: nothing

Pre-Light 

My Fausto was a beautiful looking cigar. After smoking so many cigars with broadleaf wrappers recently (which can be ugly a lot of the time) it was nice to see a silky smooth Habano Maduro. There were some small veins on the wrapper, but not anything that took away from the cigar's appearance. The black and red band had a nice contrast and was a modern version of a classic Cuban style. The pre-lit aroma was peppery, especially at the foot, where it made me sneeze. The cold draw is nice and free and tasted earthy with a slight vegetable garden flavor. You know when you smell a growing tomato plant? It doesn't smell like tomatoes. It has that vegetable garden smell.  That was this flavor.

First Third   

At first, I didn't get right from the cigar what I thought would come from the Fausto. I remember the T110 being right up in your face from the get-go. This stick started pretty mellow with a lot of graham cracker flavor on the front. The finish was more what I expected with some black pepper flavor, but not as strong as I thought it would be. The stick gave off a medium amount of smoke and the strength was obviously there, but not head strong, more body or gut strong. The ash was solid and the construction top notch, as always with My Father factory-produced cigars.

Second Third  

The second third of my Fausto had some transitions in the flavors but they were difficult for me to pick out.  There was a lot of flavor for sure, but I was wracking my brain for what the tastes were. I settled on a light milk chocolate mixing with some leathery notes, and still the pepper on the finish.  That sounds crazy, and is almost embarrassing to write, but it was the best I could do at this point.  What I think was evident in my not being able to decipher the exact flavor profiles was just how balanced the flavors were. Nothing stood out too much and nothing was so weak that it didn't come through on my palate. The strength of the cigar was showing through at this point also, but I must restate: it was more of a body/gut strength than a head spinner.

Final Third and Final Thoughts 

The final third of Fausto was pretty similar to the second half, except I would now describe the milk chocolate flavor from before as more of a dry cocoa taste. Again in the final third, the flavor profile was strong, but hard to pick out the individual flavors. The only real obvious flavor was the black pepper on the finish that never really took off, but was always there for a nice treat at the end of each draw. Full strength in the final third, so watch out if you have not had a nice meal before smoking this cigar.

My final thoughts on the tatuaje Fausto? Like I wrote above: The Fausto is not what I was expecting it to be. I was expecting that pepper bomb that I fondly remember from the T110. The flavors of the cigar were strong and the strength was there for sure, but I found it hard to pick out what the predominant flavor was. Overall, I enjoyed the cigar and I would buy it again, but it didn't floor me like some of Pete's other new releases. Strangely, I smoked the Avion recently (the same blend) and found it to be much more to my liking.  Guess it's true what they say: size matters, and maybe for me, this blend will be more to my liking in other sizes.

Would I buy it again? Yup, the price is right and it's a great full power cigar that doesn't go to far over the top into the sickly range. I'll try the other sizes in the line before I grab this one again though.

Would I buy a box? Right now I'd pass on a box, although I think they will really get nice with age. I'm not sure why I think that; just a personal feeling.

Dan

REVIEW: E.P. CARRILLO Core Line Maduro

A few weeks ago I came home to a nice little package waiting for me at my front door. E.P.C. has been kind enough to include me on some early samples of their last few releases and this was the surprise waiting for me. Included in the package were a few things, but most exciting to me was the new E.P.C. Core Line Maduro. The Core Line Maduro is obviously based off the Core Line from E.P.C,. but with some slight differences.

I spoke to Ernesto on the phone and this is what he had to say about the E.P.C. Core Line Maduro:
"We went with a Connecticut broadleaf wrapper for the core line. I have been blending with broadleaf since 1972 so I am very comfortable with the tobacco.  I tried the blend with many other maduros, and I probably will use some of those maduros on different projects, but for this one that distinguishable broadleaf flavor was the right fit. The only other change in this cigar from the Core Line is we changed the binder leaf. We found that a Sumatra binder just worked better."

Thank you Ernesto for taking the time to talk to me both on the phone and at the IPCPR show. These are some great looking cigars so on to the review.

Specifics
Vitola: Encantos
Length: 4 7/8
Ring Gauge: 50
Wrapper: Connecticut Broadleaf
Binder: Ecuador Sumatra
Filler: Dominican Republic and Nicaraguan
Price: $?
Smoking Location: House of Cigar
Beverage: none

Pre-Light 

"Classic Maduro look" was the first thing that came to mind when examining my EPC Core line Maduro. The wrapper was a very dark brown, with shades of lighter brown mixed in here and there. It was definitely dark in color, but not the unnaturally dark color we have seen on some other "maduro" cigars recently. The leaf did have some medium sized veins and when held up to a light showed a lot of oils. The pre-lit aroma was very earthy and leathery. The cold draw had an interesting hazelnut taste. It threw me for a bit of a loop because I didn't get any of that from the aroma of the stick. From squeezing the cigar you can tell it was expertly constructed and evenly packed.

First Third   

My EPC Core Line Maduro lit up letting clouds of smoke into the air. No, really. This thing put off more smoke than a raging bonfire. I barely had to draw on this stick to get a full, flavorful mouthful of smoke. Talking of flavor, this cigar started off with a lot of dark roasted coffee notes on the front mixing nicely with a mild pepper spice on the finish. Not a strong peppery bite, just a subtle flavor that awakened the taste buds. Another interesting note was the sweetness the wrapper left on my lips. I know this cigar is not tipped with sugar or anything like that, but it had a nice sweetness that reminded me of that. The strength was in the medium range and the burn performed beautifully.

Second Third  

The second third of my EPC Core Line Maduro brought on some pretty significant flavor changes. The roasted coffee flavors from the first third had dissipated and were replaced by a dark bitter chocolate taste. What was perfect about this flavor was, because it did have a bit of a bitterness to it, it was expertly balanced out by the finish that had now changed from that pepper note to a sweet, sugary flavor. I told you things had changed right? The stick still produced a lot of smoke and easily filled the part of the room I was sitting in at the shop. The strength was consistently medium like the first third.

Final Third and Final Thoughts 

Rounding out the final third or my EPC Core Line Maduro, things were going just fine. The flavors were pretty much the same as the second third with dark chocolate on the front and sugary sweetness on the finish. I did taste something that was particularly unusual, so I thought I'd mention it even if it sounds a little crazy: on a small section of the final third, I tasted port wine. I don't drink port wine, but that was definitely the flavor I tasted. Who knows, right? One other note of difference in the final third was just how slow the cigar burned. The first two thirds burned at a rate of a normal cigar, but the final third of the EPC Core Line Maduro really slowed down. Again, the strength never moved above the medium range and I never had any issues with the construction.

My final thoughts on the E.P. Carrillo Core Line Maduro? This is what a true maduro cigar should taste like. I loved the coffee flavors at the start and the transition into the chocolate and sweetness in the second and final thirds of the stick were a true balance of flavors. E.P. Carrillo and team keep putting out great products and this is another one to add to the list. I can't wait for the 2011 special edition and what ever else they might be working on for the future.

Would I buy it again? I will be keeping a stock of these around. I actually have smoked the other sizes of this stick and I really enjoy the smallest size it comes in. That's the one I will be buying the most of.

Would I buy a box? I don't know what the price is going to be for a box, but if it's in the same range as the other Core Line products, I could see myself getting one.

Dan