CAO MX2 Toro

Size : 6 inches x 54 Ring Gauge

  Type : Toro

  Wrapper : Connecticut Broadleaf Maduro

  Binder : Brazilian

  Filler : Nicaraguan, Honduran, Dominican, Peruvian

  Single : $7.20  /  Box of 20 – $95.00

What MX2 stands for ( hence the name ) is it comes with 2 aged maduro wrappers in a blend that combines the best tobaccos from 6 different countries.

The external wrapper is a well fermented connecticut broadleaf maduro. The second wrapper is used as the binder. ( a spicy maduro )
The unique flavor has to do with the four different fillers blended with the maduro wrapper and binder.

This particular cigar comes in a dark chocolate wrapper. It has oily, satin look to it with a toothy texture and prominent veins throughout the stick.
It’s a firmly wrapped, tightly packed cigar, with no soft spots noted anywhere, that I could find.
The intial smell is rich with a barnyard hay, earth and dark chocolate. The kind of smell that made my mouth water. It smells that good!
The intial cold draw was firm, but not tight. Not a perfect draw, but as near as you can get.

First Third :

I was anticipating a nice smoke with this cigar from my intial inspection of it.
On my first two draws upon toasting up this marvelous stick I was bombarded with a strong taste of black pepper. I absolutely loved it!
It starts off as a nice medium bodied cigar with lots of rich, creamy, smooth smoke.
It has a nice, full flavored earthy taste to it. The tobacco tasted rather sweet.
In it, I could taste rich dark chocolate and cocoa with a nice black pepper zing finish that sat on my tounge. I could taste some coffee in the back ground at this point.
Once into it for a good half inch the peepr zing died down considerably, now leaving a mild zing on the finish. Not as overbearing.
The taste remained the same pretty much through the first third. A most pleasureable experience.
The burn went a bit wonky, but required no touch ups and it straightened itself out.
The ash did not fall off… yet.

Second Third :

Spoke too soon… the ash just fell off. The ash fell off without warning.
You could hear the ash thud as it hit the ground. I took one puff and didn’t even make it to the ashtray.
The chocolate and cocoa has subsided and a strong coffee taste has stolen the limelight.
Cigar is still a solid medium body and produces a very smooth and creamy smoke.
An earthy taste remians in the cigar throughout ( which I loved ) in the background as well as a mild black pepper zing at the end of the finish.
The pepper zing never really leaves this cigar. But the duration of zing is short on your palette at this point.

Once it hit the half way point, is abruptly went out.
I could feel a very hard spot just under the ash. Feels like it the cherry carbonized the tobacco. The tobacco was rock hard. I proceeded to take my guillotine cutter and nip out that hard spot.
Needed to go about 1/4 inch down the stick. Once nipped I could see that the cherry was tunneling it’s way through the middle of the cigar.
Still took some coaxing to get it lit and keep it lit. Had a few bad tasting draws, but then the cigar carried on well again like there never was an issue.
Guess I didn’t quite nip it off far enough back. Was trying to save as much of the cigar as possible.
The beautiful tatses of the cigar returned and the taste never changed for the rest of the second third.

Final Third :

Cigar has stepped up to a full body at this point.
Nice blend of coffee and earth. Am not really tasting the dark chocolate and cocoa anymore.
The black pepper finish has increased, putting that pepper zing on the back of my tounge once again.
This flavor profile remains like this til it’s end. I was able to smoke this cigar to it’s nub.
Cigar did not get mushy or hot and I was impressed of this.
This cigar lasted me quite awhile. I was able to pull out 2 hours and 15 minutes of enjoyment.

Final Thoughts :

The CAO MX2 Toro is a hearty cigar. The sweetness of the maduro wrappers can diffinitely be tasted and enjoyed.
This is a cigar that you have in the late afternoon or evening after a hearty meal. I would not suggest it as a morning smoke.
I had mine late afternoon. Expect flavors to be full. Flavors to be had are those of dark chocolate and cocoa with earth and a black pepper finish at the beginning of the smoke.
Later it transitions to a strong coffee in the second third and remains there for a good 1 1/2 inches.
The last third ramps up to a full bodied cigar with a nice blend of coffee and earth. The black pepper zing returns at this point and remains there for the remainder of the cigar.

I found it to be a pleasureable cigar, even with it’s nuances in the middle.
It gave me a very mild nicotine hit by the time I was done. But nothing unpleasant.
It goes well with a black coffee or a Guiness beer. It’s a solid two hour cigar that burns nice and slow and gives off a lot of creamy, smooth smoke output.
I will make sure to have a half dozen in my humidor, as they are best as an occassional cigar for me rather than an everyday stick.

myRating : 93/100

Gurkha Park Avenue 44 Churchill

  Size: 7″ x 48 Ring Gauge

Type: Churchill

Wrapper: Connecticut Seed ( grown in Ecuador )

Binder: Nicaraguan and Dominican

Filler: Nicaraguan and Dominican

Price: Single – $3.00 / Box of 20 – $60.00

First off I’ll start this review with the cigar band. The band is pretty distinguished looking, although it doesn’t mention the Gurkha name anywhere, but instead has the founders name imprinted, K. Hansotia.
The cigar is velvet smooth to the touch and hosts a light brown connecticut wrapper. The did look very thin. like the thickness of rice paper. To me it seemed as though this cigar’s wrapper could be easily damaged.
It was pretty much free from veins for the most part, except for one prudent medium vein that ran through the length of the stick and caused the wrapper to wrinkle around it. Felt pretty well rolled. No hard spots noted anywhere, but a few soft spots.
The initial smell was that of barnyard hay with some nuttiness. Very nice. Once I nipped off the end with my trusty Firebird Guillotine cutter, the cold draw was as near perfect as it gets and the taste was nutty as well.

First Third:

The initial light took little to no effort and first few draws were that of pepper/spice. Yum-Yum. It produced alot of smoke. Once it got going, the taste was that of wood ( cedar ) and nuts with a short mild pepper finish. It felt like a mild cigar at this point. I found the ash to be very flakey with a salt and pepper look to it with salt dominating. The Park Avenue is not a complex smoke, but most cheap cigars are that way. The cedar and nut flavor seemed pretty well balanced at this point, with no particular nuances overpowering the other.

Second Third:

The ash held on for about 1/2″ at a time. The ash was so flakey that parts of it were scattered all over my patio table and it wasn’t windy out at all.. Good thing I was outside. Burn and draw is still excellent. It produced a very thick and creamy smoke. The flavor changed ever so slightly. It has become more of a medium bodied smoke the taste of wood just ba touch stronger than the nuttiness. It was most noticeable at the halfway point. The finish is the same as before, short with a mild taste of pepper.

Last Third:

At this point, the flavor changed again. The flavor became that of roasted nuts, still with it’s short duration pepper taste on the finish. Draw and burn remained unchanged. The pepper zing on the end vamped up just a touch. I snubbed it out once I began to taste what I would call an ammonia taste to it. Snubbed it on a good note.

Final Thoughts:

For it’s strength, I think this cigar is best as an afternoon/evening smoke, rather than a morning treat. Best after a meal. It lasted me 2 hours, which is standard for a churchill, so you definitely get your moneys worth. The Park Avenue 44 is a very good bargin at it’s price standpoint. The tastes are balances with wood (cedar) and nuts with a mild pepper finish, which is short in duration. I found the smoke to be thick and satisfying and it burned cleaned and sharp and required no touch ups or relights. i did find the cigar to be rather dry as it gave me cotton mouth somewhat. My coffee was on hot standby to effectively rid myself of that minor nuisance.
I found the cigar to be mild overall, with no nicotine buzz. The flakey ash was bit of a distraction, but could have been because I was outside. Still, it should have clung to the cigar.
I enjoyed this cigar and I am sure you will too. ( once given a try ) Nice stick. requires no attention as it burns on it’s own accord, giving you lots fo time to enjoy a good book or a cup of your favorite joe or drink.

myRating : 67/100

Drew Estate Acid Blondie Belicoso

Size: Length 5″ x 54 Ring Gauge

Type: Belicoso

Wrapper: Connecticut

Flavor: Aromatic

Price: Single $5.75 / Box of 24, $120

First off, this is an infused cigar, meaning it is an aromatic cigar. out of the wrapper it has strong smell of floral potpurii. It’s not a natural tasting tobacco stick that we are all accustom to ( tastes of coffee, earth, nuts, etc. ) The tobacco is infused with a taste of it’s own. I look at it as a dessert cigar. A cigar that is distinct in smell, taste, with a candy coated shell. Upon slipping off it’s protective wrapper, I was suprised at the smell if gave off. It was that of flowers and potpourii is the best I can describe it. Not a smell I am particularly fond of. For this review, I hope it smokes better than it smells. Upon my intial cold draw, I was greeted with a syrupy sweetness as though the cigar was dipped in a candy coating. The overall sweetness, was quite sweet and had a floral, fruity taste to it that clung onto my lips. I knew this was going to produce a unique taste once lit.

The wrapper of this stick is smooth and doesn’t have a toothy texture to it, with average veins. It is rolled tightly, so it is firm throughout. I could not locate a soft spot anywhere in this cigar. Nicely made. It has a double capped end, and once I nipped it off, the cold draw was loose.

First Third:

Upon toasting it, I was greeted with a huge amount of sweetness. I could not taste any tobacco. Just an overwhelming amount of sweetness at this point. The sweetness was that of fruitcake? As I got more into it, the sweetness subsided somewhat, giving me a floral potpourii taste. Suprisingly, it was not offensive. It actually complimented the cigar. The finish is long on the palette and a mild spice was noted. A little zing on the tounge, but not that of white or black pepper. The mixture of all 3 flavors was quite pleasant. I found this stick to be a fast burner. Looked to be a 45 minute – 1 hour smoking experience. The ash was razor sharp and was holding on for the entire first third.

Second Third:

The aromatic, sweet taste has finally begun to die down. I would say 50% less in strength than the first third. In it’s place, the tobacco now emits a medium bodied, earthiness in taste along with the floral, potpourii offerings and it’s mild spice finish. Personally, I love a cigar with either an earthy taste to it or a pepper or spice. I am lucky enough to get both in this Acid Blondie. The smoke output is good and the draw remains loose. I wish it was more firm. I reached the half way point 30 minutes in. The ash was still holding on! I sum the second third as a sweet, earthy, medium bodied stick.

Last Third:

The ash finally fell off just before the starting of the last third. Still has that floral potpourii taste to it, but the earthy richness it is presenting, has kicked itself up a notch. The further I get into it, the more I am loving it. The band on this stick is my only main gripe. Upon trying to remove the band, it tore the paper thin, connecticut wrapper. I was trying to be extra careful in removing it, but not matter how careful I was, it tore. This was due to the glue being careless applied to the cigar more than the wrapper. I was not impressed by this. I recommend you leave the wrapper on until you “have” to take it off. I enjoyed this cigar so much that I smoked it right down to the nub.

Final Thoughts:

Overall, I enjoyed this cigar. Enjoyed it alot more than I initially thought I would. I am not big on aromatic cigars in general, as I enjoy what a regular cigar leaf has to offer ( for the most part ) For an infused cigar, it really is quite good. It’s a smoke best enjoyed when you are in the mood for something different from the norm and something sweet in taste. I would recommend this cigar to anyone who is into this sort of smoke. I liked it very much and wouldn’t hesistate to have a few in my humidor. makes me wonder if there are other infused cigars out there as good as this one, or better…. time will tell.

myRating: 88/100

Toranos_The Brick Churchill

Size:  Length 7″× 56 Ring Gauge

Type: Churchill

Wrapper:  Sumatra

Binder:  Honduran

Filler:  Honduran

Price: Single $3.00 / Box of 25, $70.00

This is a unique cigar due to it’s shape. It’s a box pressed cigar, meaning that it’s shaped like a trapezoid along it’s length. This cigar works great for those who may not have access to an ashtray and may set their cigar on a ledge, rather than hold it all the time. It has a beautiful chocolate Sumatra wrapper which was smooth with small veins throughout. It has a rich barnyard hay aroma to it. A smell I quite enjoy. I could see no flaws in it’s handmade construction and had a nice triple cap on the end. It took well to my cigar cutter and gave me a nice squared off sharp cut. The initial cold draw of this cigar was smooth and easy with no restrictions whatsoever. the taste was rich and earthy. When gently squeezed, it sprang back nicely and had no hard or soft spots to it.

First Third :

Pepper could be tasted on my lips. had a bit of an oily content to it. Ash held on for 3/4″. Nice easy draw. Simple earthy taste makes up this cigar with a pepper taste on the finish would would linger on the palette. The creamy, earthy notes this cigar gave in it’s first third was most enjoyable.

Second Third :

Problems began cropping up at the start of the second third and went downhill from there. The cigar kept going out and was difficult to keep lit. Two or three pulls would be required on a frequent basis to get the smoke back to where it was. Ash would not hang on anymore than a 1/2″ at a time. Cigar developed a bad run in it and canoed. It was so bad, I was forced to snub it out and then re-light it. The canoe effect was 3/4″ in length. I smoke outdoors and it was windy that day, so the weather could of had an adverse effect on the stogie. Once re-lit, the cigar brought on a nasty leather taste to it. The strong leather taste lightened up after 1/4 – 1/2″ and I was able to taste the earthiness once again with hints of coffee and spice in it’s undertones.

Last Third:

The cigars at this point was no longer enjoyable for me. The smoke bcame hot and the wrapper began to unravel. The leather taste returned with a vengence and put a very bad taste in my mouth. I decided at that point to extinguish the smoke.

Final Thoughts :

This cigar is of an earthy nature in taste overall, combined with leather and coffee with a hint of pepper for the first third. A more dominate taste of earthy / coffee taste comes through the second third with spice undertones and leather in the background.. The last third is earthy with leather with ocassional chocolate notes.

As with all my reviews, they are based upon my personal experience with the cigar at hand. I have since then, begun to order in 2 cigars for each review now. Windy weather conditions I feel, played a scenario in this review and I could of very well had a poorly constructed cigar. Upon inspection prior to smoking it, I could not see any visual defects with it. The first third was quite enjoyable until the point where it began canoing and then the cigar went from bad to worse. Once that strong leather taste came into the cigar, I did not enjoy it anymore. As a personal preference, I do not enjoy cigars that exhibit that leather taste in the background. As it stands for this review, there will be no rating of this cigar at this time.

 

Kiki Green Label Churchill

Origin : Nicaragua
Size : Length 7″ x 52 Ring Gauge
Wrapper : Shade Green Brazilian Mata Fina
Binder : Nicaraguan
Filler : Nicaraguan
Price : Single $2.25 / Box of 25 $56.00

This Limited Reserve Green Label Churchill had a barn yard earthy aroma to it when held under my nose. It was that of grass and hay with a hint of pepper. There were minimal veins under the wrapper and the wrapper itself had a smooth texture to it, but it felt lumpy. The cigar consisted of hard and soft spots to it along it’s length when gently squeezed. The hard spots, seemed excessively hard, while the soft spots felt excessively soft. First impression was that this cigar was not rolled well. This cigar had a double cap on the end and looked to be a box pressed cigar, although the square shape was not dominate in shape like other brands. The outer wrapper had signs of cracking throughout the length of the cigar and was prominant at the head. This wrapper looked to be rolling paper thin. Too thin in fact. Once I nipped off the end, the cigar began to unravel where the intial cracks at the head were. I had a feeling this would happen. I ended up tearing off a bit of the wrapper as it could not be fixed.

Initial Light / First Third :

Good start. Lots of smoke billowed forth. The cigar had a nice woody taste to it along with an earthy grass and hay flavor. Minimal resistance in the draw and the cigar burnt nice and sharp. It burned nicely on it’s own accord and required very little attention. The finish had a bit of spice to it. I tasted black pepper and it had a medium length finish on my palette. The taste would linger there for a few minutes. The remainder of the first third was a woody / earthy taste.

Second Third :

It was a pleasant experience until I reached the second third. The smoldering ash came to a halt once it reached a hard spot in the cigar. try as I may, I could not keep this cigar lit and it went out on me. I rolled the cigar around my finger tips to massage that hard spot out of the cigar. I find when a cigar goes out due this condition, upon relighting it, it will produce a rather rude taste of leather until it is able to burn through this hard section. Once I was able to puff my way through this obstacle, the woody / earthy taste returned. Since the cigar was shorter in length, the woodsy / earthy taste was a bit more intensified. This is normal. The hint of pepper taste was still in the finish. The pepper taste was very mild. It’s a shame this woody / earthy taste was short lived. The cigar went out on me again. This time in a very soft spot of the cigar. I managed to get it going again, and get through that section. A hint of sweetness was detected as a mild caramel feel and flavor.  The smoke at this point was nice and creamy.

Last Third :

Once I reached this point, I was losing interest in this cigar. I do not enjoy a cigar where you must tend to it so attentively and tediously just to keep it burning properly and stay lit. The leather taste that comes from it from relighting a cigar is most unpleasant. That taste will stay on your palette for a good amount of time, I might add. I just wasn’t enjoying this smoke, so I decided to end it at this point.

Final Thoughts :

The Kiki Green Label could very well be a decent cigar. The first third dictated that this was going to be a pleasant experience, but as it burned along, it just gave me grief and a poor taste in my mouth. I could very well just of had a bad cigar. I experienced this as well when I reviewed The Alec Bradley Freak cigar. But it always tends to make me weary to try another. Would not want to experience this twice. Also, when I review a cigar, I review the cigar at hand and write my thoughts and observations of that cigar. This Kiki Green Label did not do it for me. Don’t think I will try another for quite a spell. If I do get around to trying one again one day and it’s turns out to burn well and taste relatively decent, I will revise this review. Until such time, my rating stands. Given the taste of first third, I will take it into account for my rating.

myRating: 34/100

Alex Bradley MAXX ” The Freak “

Size : 6 3/8 x 60 Ring Gauge ( 7/8 inch in  diameter )
Wrapper : Nicaraguan
Binder : Costa Rica
Filler : Nicaragua, Mexico, Honduros, Columbia
Price : Single $ 5.25 / Box of 20  $90.00

The Maxx line by Alec Bradley was created for a bolder, bigger taste. The combination of the top fillers complement each other for a complex, full and bold cigar. The Maxx is created from the fertile soils of Honduras and Nicaragua. The creator of the Maxx line is no other than Nestor Plasencia.

The Freak looks to be a superbly constructed cigar. I could note no visual flaws in this cigar at all. When first under my nose, the aroma it gave off was that of chocolate. Dark chocolate perhaps with a rich earthy tone to it.  i will admit, it smalled delicious! It consisted of a smooth, rich chocolately, oily Nicaraguan wrapper. The head looks to be double capped ( perhaps even triple capped ). This cigar was like a pencil in it’s hardness. When gently squeezed and released, there was very minimal return of springiness that most other cigars have. Could this be a bad thing? On a good note, there were no soft spots anywhere in this cigar. This stogie is a beast in it’s sheer size. It is almost an inch in diameter. I am more accustom to 48 to 52 gauge at best. This looks to be a 2 hour smoke easily.

The intial draw prior to toasting and lighting it was an earthy taste combined with chocolate.

Initial Light / First Third :

I took extra time to pre-toast this bad boy, due to it’s large ring gauge. No resistance to the draw of the cigar whatsoever. Ample smoke billowed forth from my pulls. I will note that double / triple pulls were required on a frequent basis to get it smoldering again. Not a good sign as this isn’t natural. It tasted of chocolate, coffee and a hint of nuts with an earthy undertone that lingered for some time on my palette. Stogie seemed medium in strength at this point with a full body. Full strength will come forth on this ride before I am done. Once into the first 1/2 inch of the cigar, problems developed. Seemed as though the cigar was rolled too tight at this point and much effort was needed with flame and lung power to get paste this point. Once I managed to get this cigar to behave proper, an uneven burn developed which required some touch up.

Second Third :

Burn is uneven at the start of the second third. Cigar keeps wanting to go out. have to constantly draw upon it to keep it lit. Ash will not hang onto this cigar for anymore than 1/4 inch tops. At this point, the cigar was becoming a burden for me. Too much attention needed to get it to behave accordingly and too much involved in the thought process to enjoy any flavors this cigar might have been putting out. 1/2 inch into the second third and this cigar went out on me yet again. The cigar burned so poorly, that I needed to completely nip off the rotten section of this cigar and start fresh with a clean cut.

Last Third :

Once I relit the cigar, it smoked normally for a very brief moment in time, then required two / three constant pulls to keep the cigar going. At this point, the cigar was at full strength, so the taste was not all that desirable. The wrapper tried unraveling where the burn was and would continue to do that as the burn continued further down the cigar. At this point, I had enough of this cigar and threw it away.

Final Thoughts :

I had high hopes for this cigar, with it being an Alec Bradley MAXX series. The Fix I had in this series previous, was the bomb! Complex in ever changing flavors, giving me no problems with it whatsoever. This cigar was the totally opposite. Grief from the get go and remained that wat throughout it’s entirety. maybe these cigars are the bomb too, but the one I had was a complete Dud! Not much can be said in my final thoughts that I haven’t already said throughout this review. This stogie turned me right off to want to even try another. For $5.25 a stick, this is unexceptable. I cannot recommend this stick as it put a bad taste in my mouth. ( literally )

myRating: 13/100

SWAG Infamous Toro

Origin : Dominican Republic Type : Toro
Size : Length 6″ x 54 Ring Gauge
Wrapper : Dominican Ligero
Binder : Dominican Ligero
Filler : Dominican Ligero
Price : Single $6.40 / Box of 20, $116.00

Swag Cigars are Puro Dominicano introduced by Habana Cuba Oliveros Cigars. It’s featured with Ligero Habano Dominicano Tobacco in wrapper, binder and fillers.

The SWAG Infamous is a medium bodied cigar, good for a morning smoke with your favorite cup of coffee. To me, it has an earthy barnyard aroma to it with a woody, spicey undertone behind it. It has to be one of my favorite aromas in a cigar, prior to toasting it. This stogie is well constructed with a medium chocolate wrapper. The wrapper itself is somewhat veiny and had a firm feel to it with just a little bit of spring to it when gently squeezed and released. It felt this way throughout the cigar. Looked as though it had a double cap on the end.

Initial Light / First Third :

Nipping off the end cap was a nice, clean cut. The draw it produced was smooth and easy. The intial tastes were nutty and woody, with a spice undertone. This cigar had a very thick wrapper to it when compared to other cigars I have smoked. This thick wrapper did not let the cigar smolder on it’s own though. I found it needed constant attention. The burn was uneven and required touch ups. Ash would hold for almost an inch, before it would let go. The airy aroma this cigar emitted when smoldering, wasn’t as pleasant as I have experienced with other brands. Bit of a turn off in that regard.

Second Third :

A leather taste dominated the second third. The cigar at this point seemed to be too tightly rolled. The cigar when felt, had a real hard spot in it, just below the smoldering ash. I find when I come to a section like this in a cigar in general, I find it very diffcult to keep it lit, the taste changes dramatically to a real leathery flavor ( which is rather unpleasant ) and needs constant draws of the cigar to keep it from going out on me. Once I managed to work my way through that hard spot in the tobacco, the leather taste remained throughout the second third. The nutty wood taste was all but gone at this point. The spice undertone remained though. I found I had to coax the cigar steady to remain lit. The stogie went out on me at the half way point no matter what I did.

Last Third :

A leather and wood taste were produced for the remaining last third. The leather taste was dominant flavor out of the two. The spice undertone remained. The cigar overall was medium bodied and strength. The cigar reamined this way for the rest of the smoke.

Final Thoughts :

I enjoyed this cigar the most during the first third of the smoke. Once i got past the nutty, woodsy taste, the cigar took on a dominate leathery taste. That leathery taste when it dominates the cigar like this one, makes the smoke unpleasant for me. I am not a fan of that leathery taste whatsoever. The taste remained that way for the remainder of the second third of the cigar. This cigar produces a pretty good nicotine hit and I will admit I was feeling the effects of it. Got a little light headed and had a pretty good nicotine buzz once this cigar was finished. The hard section in the middle of this ciogar ruined any pleasant experience for me. The leathery taste it produced turned me off from this stogie. I could of very well just had a poorly constructed cigar ( maybe a fluke? ) There are alot of other cigars to be tried and have tried, that are better than this one. I do not recommend this cigar unless you may savor the leather flavor it produces. personally, I will not buy another one of these and it holds no place in my humidor.

myRating : 37/100

Perdomo Lot 23 Churchill

Size:  Length 7″× 50 Ring Gauge
Type: Churchill Natural
Wrapper:  Connecticut USA
Binder:  Nicaraguan
Filler:  Nicaraguan
Price: Single $4.80 / Box of 20, $86.00

A blend of cuban seed Corojo and Crillo fillers. These are put together with a six year old Crillo binder and wrapped with a five year old connecticut wrapper. Grown exclusively in Esteli Nicaragua, these cigars are fermented for one year and then bale aged for a minimum of three years. The connecticut wrapper adds creaminess to the robust nicaraguan fillers.

The Lot 23 has an earthy barnyard aroma to it upon sniffing it under my nose. I could smell a hint of chocolate to it as well. It has a chocolate connecticut USA wrapper which was very veiny. The construction of the cigar wasn’t the best as the head of the cigar had a split in the wrapper looking to be 3/4 inch in length stemming down from the cap. It only had a single cap on the end from what I could see. I carefully nipped off the end of the cap taking care to take off a minimum amount, due to the split in the wrapper. Upon my cold draw, prior to toasting the cigar, I could taste that of barnyard hay.

Initial Light / First Third:

Upon the first few pulls of this cigar, an earthy, woodsy taste can be had with a mild nutty undertone. The finish has a mild spice taste. Draw was nice and easy, which was good considering I nipped off the minumal amount from the cap. This stogie had a tendency to want to go out all the time and needed to be coaxed back to life with additional pulls of the cigar to get it moving along again. Ash remained for 3/4 of an inch before it fell off. It remained this way through the entire smoke. The first third is mild in strength and billowing smoke could be easily obtained.

Second Third:

Ash held on anywhere from 1/2″ to 3/4″. No touch up was required for the first third. It burned relatively even. Taste remained earthy with a more nutty tasting undertone. A bit more spice could be noted on the finish. Smoke continued to billow forth throughout. Other than that, not much more can be said.

Last Third:

The cigar went out on me finally at the start of the last third. That could have partially been my fault as I was not attending to the cigar as consciously as I was up to that point. I was a bit pre-absorbed snapping off photos with my 50D camera. The cigar should not have went out though. Once lit and going again, the cigar became leathery in taste with a mixture of earth and nuts. Spice remained on the finish until the end of the cigar. Smoke remained full throughout.

Final Thoughts:

I rate this cigar more as an evening smoke rather than a morning smoke. It can easily be a regular go-to cigar, as it’s one of those stogies you can puff on and enjoy it and no need to give much thought behind it. ( Providing you can keep it lit. ) This cigar required more attention to it than usual. I found that to be a bit distracting and took away from the enjoyment of the cigar. This cigar will go with any beverage you want to have with it, since it is a mild-medium in body. The cigar starts out mild and become medium bodied once the half way mark is achieved. I would not buy a box of these, but would smoke them from time to time. Other than the nuances of keeping this cigar lit, it was an enjoyable smoke. I would recommend this cigar to anyone who may be interested in what it has to offer.

myRating : 77/100

Alec Bradley MAXX The Fix Robusto

 

 Size:  Length 5″× 58 Ring Gauge
Type: Robusto
Wrapper:  Nicaraguan Habano
Binder:  Costa Rica
Filler:  Columbian, Honduran, Mexican, Nicaraguan
Price: Single $5.00 / Box of 20, $100.00

Alec Bradley was founded in 1997 by Alan Rubin, who named the company after his two sons.  Previously, Alan was an importer who had made enough money to start a business of passion. Cigars.  His first two cigar lines, Bogies Stogies and Gourmet Dessert Cigars, weren’t too successful.  However, once he met with Davidoff’s Hendrik Kelner, things started to turn around.  He created the Occidental line and things started taking off.  From there he would produce the Trilogy, Havana Sungrown, Pryme Gold, and Maxx.  In this review, I’ll be going over a cigar from the Maxx line. The Fix Robusto.

To me, The Fix smelled of dark chocolate with a whiskey aroma in the background.This cigar is dark, oily in complextion and rather veiny in it’s looks under the maduro wrapper. The cigar felt like a firm stick with a minute amount of give to it, when gently squeezed. A few hard spots were noted. Construction of the stogie is very well made. I couldn’t find any imperfections in it anywhere. It looked to be double capped ( perhaps even triple capped ). I must admit, it smelled delicious and I could hardly waited to get it toasted.

Initial Light / First Third:

Once the ended was nipped off, ( A nice clean cut btw… ) I proceeded with a cold draw. Upon inhaling, I could taste that of dark chocolate. This cigar took a bit longer to toast it, due to it’s large diameter ( 58 ring gauge ). Once lit, it’s draw was easy and smooth with lots of smoke. I thouroughly enjoyed the aroma this cigar gave off as it just sat there smoldering in-between puffs. Upon smoking it, I was greeted with smooth, rich espresso taste combined with some woody flavours. Quite pleasant. The wrapper left an oily residue on my lips. I could taste it when I licked my lips. Burn was not consistant however, and a run develpoed within the first inch of the cigar which required a bit of correction.

Second Third:

Upon the 2nd / 3rd, the smoke became creamy and full bodied. Lots of smoke billowed forth with each satisfying puff. Ash was still holding on.The smooth, rich espresso flavour experienced at the beginning of the cigar has developed into a creamy, smooth mellow coffee richness with just a hint of bitter chocolate. The smoke remained smooth and delightful on my palette. At the end of the 2nd / 3rd, the ash finally let go from the start of the cigar. An audible thud could be heard as it hit the hard paved ground beneath me.

Last Third:

Bitter chocolate taste is more dominate in the smoke now, rather than the previous coffee richness. It was still rich in flavour, just in a different taste. Lots of rich, creamy, thick, chewy smoke remained.This stogie throughout the course of it’s smoke, did not develop a harsh taste whatsoever, until I was into the last 2 to 1-1/2 inches of the cigar. I find that’s typical with any cigar I smoke.

Final Thoughts:

This was one pretty satisfying cigar for me. Went very well with my evening coffee. This cigar is full bodied and strength in my opinion and is enjoyed best after a hearty meal. I consider it to be more of an evening smoke than a morning smoke. I also, don’t consider this an everyday cigar due to it’s boldness. It does constitute a good amount of nicotine as I did experience a mild nicotine buzz once into the last third. It’s coffee / chocolate combo was most pleasing. I would not hesitate in buying a box of these.  The Robusto I enjoyed lasted me 1 hour, 10 minutes. I liked it enough that I have ordered in the Maxx Freak and The Culture. I highly recommend this stogie to anyone who may enjoy what it has to offer.

Rating: 90 / 100

Oro Cubano Aniversario Churchill

Size:  Length 7″× 50 Ring Gauge
Type: Churchill
Wrapper:  Indonesia
Binder:  Domincian Republic
Filler:  Dominician Republic
Price: Single $1.00 / Box of 50, $60.00

Oro Cubano Cigars are handmade in the Dominician Republic and are classified as Medium Bodied.
The overall construction and appearance is a very solid feeling, tightly packed cigar. There was no give in the cigar when lightly squeezed. It is very chocolately in colour and the veins in the wrapper were minimal. The wrapper looked poorly done. The wrapper itself was lifted in areas along the length of the cigar. It looked to have a single cap on the end of it, which was lifting away from the shoulder as well. Overall, it was a shoddy looking cigar at best.

The intial smell of the cigar when held under my nose was earthy. It had that familiar barnyard hay smell to it and not much else. It was a pleasant smell though. Once the end was nipped, the draw was hard, as if sucking on a thick milkshake. It tasted the same as it smelled. Earthy, and not much else.

Intial Light / First Third :

The initial lighting of the cigar produced a hard draw, as if the cigar was rolled too tight. My first taste of it after expelling the smoke was leathery and earthy. It had a diffinite grassy taste to it. I didn’t mind it at all.
Alot of the bargin cigars are known to start off this way.

Into the first third, I found this cigar did not have much taste to it other than the grass and leather. The grass taste was distinct and it did not allow much volume of smoke to be generated since it was so tightly packed. I could have put a pinhole in the cigar to allow for a better draw, but not for this review. For a private smoke perhaps… Ash lasted for 1-1/4 inches and burned a bit off, but ok.

Second Third :

On the second third, a more prominent leather taste dominated the cigar. The grassy taste was quickly diminishing. I could at times, taste a hint of nuttiness to the tobacco, but only enough to tease the palette. Not enough to tell you it was there. The smoke billowed out with a bit more fullness than before, but very little. The smoke content remained weak. The cigar did not loosen up and remained a tight draw. The leather taste lingered on the palette for a long time, but had no pepper taste behind it whatsoever. I was disappointed with that. I’m not big on the leather taste, but please give me a bit of that black pepper taste to make the leather taste worthwhile. The burn was not crisp, however it did not canoe on me and burned on it’s own accord with no relights required. Ash lasted for 1 inch.

Last Third :

As the cigar burned along, the leather taste became more and more prominent. The grass taste was gone and the smoke was beginning to grow harsh. Draw remained tight. I managed to taste that hint of nuttiness from time to time, but not enough to please me. Ash lasted 1-1/2 inches before dropping off and the smoke was beginning to grow hot. I like to smoke my cigars to 1-1/2 to 2 inches in length before snubbing them out, but I could not bear this one past the 2-1/2 inch mark. It was just too harsh and too hot to smoke any further. The cigar did last me for 55 minutes, which wasn’t too shabby.

Thoughts :

This cigar was pretty uneventfull throughout, from start to finish. The first inch of the smoke was the best. It did give me a ray of hope that this would be a good cigar, but it was short lived. The grass taste is common on bargin bin cigars and I don’t mind that taste at all. Not a fan of the leather taste though. Budget cigars seem to be pretty one dimensional in that regard, but a little something extra is normally thrown into the mix. A bit of nuttiness or black pepper, or coffee or cinnamon… something… all this had was a slight hint of nuttiness. There are alot if not better $1.00 cigars to be had. More enjoyable. This is one cigar, I can’t recommend. Even if you are on a tight budget, don’t waste your dollar on this one. Look elsewere. I’ve had about a half dozen or so $1.00 cigars in the past month and this has to be the worst one out of the litter. Too bad it was the only one I had time to review. Maybe the next bargin cigar will bear better results.

myRating: 11/100