Holt's Connoisseur Selection Bishop
A sentimental favorite of mine. review after the jump.
Cigar Reviews Archives
La Aroma de Cuba Robusto
Yet another cigar review... after the jump.
Old Henry Churchill
Another new cigar, smoked at alternative happy hour, and reviewed today. Read all about it, after the jump.
La Aroma de Cuba Monarch
Had a new cigar for the first time in awhile tonight. Let me tell you all about it, after the jump.
CAO Maduro Toro
I'm working from Mahogany and trying new stuff. Enjoy the goodness that is the CAO Toro Maduro review... after the jump.
Montecristo No. 4
Two cigar posts in a week? Well the weather is improving, so I'm getting out there when I can. Review is in the extended section.
Arturo Fuente Hemingway Short Story
It's been awhile, but I finally had another cigar. I missed it. Review after the jump.
Padron 1964 Anniversary Diplomatico
Mmmmmm. Alternative happy hour started back up this week.
Review in extended section.
Rocky Patel Vintage Connecticut 1999 Robusto
| Country of Origin: | Honduras |
|---|---|
| Length: | 5.5" |
| Ring: | 50 |
| Type: | |
| Flavor: | full side of medium |
| Wrapper Type: | Natural |
| Wrapper Tobacco: | Connecticut Shade |
| Binder Tobacco: | Nicaraguan |
| Filler Tobacco: | Nicaraguan Dominican |
| Date Cigar Smoked: | November 16, 2007 |
|---|---|
| Cost for One: | $6.50 |
| Construction Rating: | 9 |
| Taste Rating: | 8 |
| Value Rating: | 8 |
| Overall: | 8.3 |
| Purchased At: | Holt's Cigar Company |
| Tastes: | cocca,cream |
| Notes: | Can Rockey Patel make a bad cigar? I bought this last week, but didn't smoke it until today. It kept well, and smoked like a dream. It's the first time in a very long time I've gotten the taste of cream from a cigar. It's in the same price range as Ashton, and Griffins, but I've got to say this might be better than both. |
Romeo Y Julieta Clemenceau En Tubo
| Country of Origin: | Dominican Republic |
|---|---|
| Length: | 6" |
| Ring: | 50 |
| Type: | |
| Flavor: | mild to medium |
| Wrapper Type: | |
| Wrapper Tobacco: | Indonesian |
| Binder Tobacco: | Connecticut Shade |
| Filler Tobacco: | Dominican |
| Date Cigar Smoked: | September 20, 2006 |
|---|---|
| Cost for One: | $5.35 |
| Construction Rating: | 9 |
| Taste Rating: | 6 |
| Value Rating: | 7 |
| Overall: | 7.3 |
| Purchased At: | Holt's Cigar Company |
| Tastes: | earthy,woody |
| Notes: | I don't normally smoke Romeo Y Julietta, but only because I have a vague sense I don't like them. But that wasn't concrete, so I decided to give one a shot. First off, the cigar bloomed in the tube. I bought it today, brought it home, opened up the tube and their was bloom. That was indeed a good sign. It also cut perfectly, and burned just as well. So from a construction point of view, it was extremely good. As for taste, well, it wasn't offensive, but it's not quite my favorite. And since I paid over 5 for it, I think the value of the overall experience left something to be desired. So if you like a woody, earthy cigar, then you will be pleased with this, as it is a decent value if you value those tastes. If not... well there are better values to be found. |
Ashton Classic 898
| Country of Origin: | Dominican Republic |
|---|---|
| Length: | 6.5" |
| Ring: | 44 |
| Type: | |
| Flavor: | mild side of medium |
| Wrapper Type: | Natural |
| Wrapper Tobacco: | Connecticut Shade |
| Binder Tobacco: | Dominican |
| Filler Tobacco: | Dominican |
| Date Cigar Smoked: | August 27, 2006 |
|---|---|
| Cost for One: | $6.85 |
| Construction Rating: | 7 |
| Taste Rating: | 9 |
| Value Rating: | 7 |
| Overall: | 7.7 |
| Purchased At: | Holt's Cigar Company |
| Tastes: | cocca,coffee |
| Notes: | This is the first cigar I've ever got to bloom. Consequently I was eager to give it a try. I know Ashton's haven't been getting good reviews from me lately, but I figured I would give them another shot. This time the verdict was different in awhile. It tasted great, with that classic Ashton taste. It was propably intensified by the bloom and the fact that this is smaller gauge then I am used to. (Smaller gauge means the wrapper has a greater proportional effect on taste.) It was countered by the tightness of the draw, which was just a little tighter than I can excuse due to the thinness of the cigar. Maybe that's why I don't like smaller gauge cigars, or maybe I've been having bad thin gauge cigars, either way I don't like them. In the end, I did enjoy this cigar, but I won't be stocking my humidor with it. |
Ashton VSG Rubusto
| Country of Origin: | Cuba |
|---|---|
| Length: | 5.5" |
| Ring: | 50 |
| Type: | |
| Flavor: | full |
| Wrapper Type: | Natural |
| Wrapper Tobacco: | Ecuadorian |
| Binder Tobacco: | Dominican |
| Filler Tobacco: | Dominican |
| Date Cigar Smoked: | August 26, 2006 |
|---|---|
| Cost for One: | $8.75 |
| Construction Rating: | 5 |
| Taste Rating: | 7 |
| Value Rating: | 5 |
| Overall: | 5.7 |
| Purchased At: | Holt's Cigar Company |
| Tastes: | leather,woody |
| Notes: | I figured I would give VSG another try. Again I was disappointed. It tunnelled, despite several attempts to keep it going. Couple all of this, with a taste that wasn't the best, and it's doesn't have a high value. It's a shame, but I feel like this cigar is overhyped. |
La Flor Dominicana Limitado II
| Country of Origin: | Dominican Republic |
|---|---|
| Length: | 6.5" |
| Ring: | 54 |
| Type: | |
| Flavor: | fullest |
| Wrapper Type: | Natural |
| Wrapper Tobacco: | Ecuadorian |
| Binder Tobacco: | Dominican |
| Filler Tobacco: | Dominican |
| Date Cigar Smoked: | August 25, 2005 |
|---|---|
| Cost for One: | $7.90 |
| Construction Rating: | 9 |
| Taste Rating: | 6 |
| Value Rating: | 7 |
| Overall: | 7.3 |
| Purchased At: | Holt's Cigar Company |
| Tastes: | Tobacco,earthy,spicy |
| Notes: | I asked for a reccomendation for something full bodied. This was a Mack truck. It packed alot of flavor. It started spicy, and finished earthy, and made me say "whoa" more than a couple times. It was well built and didn't have any problems, except for a little inconsistency with the burn. It's a limited release cigar, available in limited numbers. Considering that, the quality, and the taste, a price of $7.90 isn't unreasonable. Probably won't pick it up again, but I'm glad I tried it. |
Tatuaje Cojonu 2003
| Country of Origin: | USA |
|---|---|
| Length: | 6.5" |
| Ring: | 52 |
| Type: | |
| Flavor: | full |
| Wrapper Type: | Natural |
| Wrapper Tobacco: | Nicaraguan |
| Binder Tobacco: | Nicaraguan |
| Filler Tobacco: | Nicaraguan |
| Date Cigar Smoked: | August 18, 2006 |
|---|---|
| Cost for One: | $13.00 |
| Construction Rating: | 9 |
| Taste Rating: | 7 |
| Value Rating: | 5 |
| Overall: | 7.0 |
| Purchased At: | Holt's Cigar Company |
| Tastes: | Tobacco,earthy,leather |
| Notes: | This is the first oppertunity I have gotten to have one of these. It's is a relatively new brand with a lot of marketing hype coming from a great rating in Cigar Aficianado. Considering all of that I expected to have to find them behind the counter at Holt's but they were right there on the shelves. I have to say, I usually don't like cigars with this blend of flavors. However for an earthy, leathery cigar, I'm finding it quite enjoyable. I have had some problems with it going out, but that may be due to my attention span and not the cigar. That being said, there are much better smokes that don't cost $15. If you like this type of flavor, then it is worth it. Otherwise, I say save your money. |
Tampa Cigar Corona
| Country of Origin: | USA |
|---|---|
| Length: | 5" |
| Ring: | |
| Type: | |
| Flavor: | mild side of medium |
| Wrapper Type: | Natural |
| Wrapper Tobacco: | Connecticut Shade |
| Binder Tobacco: | Nicaraguan |
| Filler Tobacco: | Dominican |
| Date Cigar Smoked: | July 22, 2006 |
|---|---|
| Cost for One: | $3.00 |
| Construction Rating: | 6 |
| Taste Rating: | 9 |
| Value Rating: | 8 |
| Overall: | 7.7 |
| Purchased At: | Tampa Cigar Inc |
| Tastes: | |
| Notes: | Mensch brought these babies back up from Tampa with him. They were fantasticly light with a perfect draw. There were some bits of tobacco that flaked out of the cigar, which is why I dung the construntion. However many non-smokers picked them up and loved them. Incredible a cigar that addicts and newbies both can enjoy. |
Rocky Patel The Edge Off Color Toro Corojo
| Country of Origin: | Honduras |
|---|---|
| Length: | 6" |
| Ring: | 52 |
| Type: | |
| Flavor: | full |
| Wrapper Type: | Natural |
| Wrapper Tobacco: | Costa Rican |
| Binder Tobacco: | Nicaraguan |
| Filler Tobacco: | Nicaraguan |
| Date Cigar Smoked: | August 15, 2006 |
|---|---|
| Cost for One: | $3.53 |
| Construction Rating: | 8 |
| Taste Rating: | 9 |
| Value Rating: | 9 |
| Overall: | 8.7 |
| Purchased At: | Holt's Cigar Company |
| Tastes: | coffee,earthy |
| Notes: | This was a gift from my fiancee as part of an early wedding present. But that didn't influence me one bit. Because this cigar was amazing. It's a second because of blemishes, but you would never know it from the smoke. I smoked it in the dark and couldn't even tell. It did tunnel a bit, but it didn't detract from the experience. For those interested in trying a Rocky Patel, but put off by the demand driven price, this is a must smoke! |
Ashton Heritage Puro Sol Chruchill
| Country of Origin: | Dominican Republic |
|---|---|
| Length: | 6.75" |
| Ring: | 48 |
| Type: | |
| Flavor: | full side of medium |
| Wrapper Type: | Natural |
| Wrapper Tobacco: | Cameroonian |
| Binder Tobacco: | Dominican |
| Filler Tobacco: | Dominican |
| Date Cigar Smoked: | July 26, 2006 |
|---|---|
| Cost for One: | $9.00 |
| Construction Rating: | 8 |
| Taste Rating: | 7 |
| Value Rating: | 6 |
| Overall: | 7.0 |
| Purchased At: | Holt's Cigar Company |
| Tastes: | earthy,leather |
| Notes: | I was given one of these as a gift for my bachelor party. So my value rating might be a bit skewed. That being said, I definately enjoyed this cigar. Construction wise, it held up very well, considering that it wasn't humidified at all, just stored in cellophane in a small cigar box. It burned very even, despite some cracking. It's very light and very mild. Compared to other Ashton subbrands it's a bit under powered. (I think it is possible that it is being overwhelmed by the sherry I am drinking.) However the taste that is getting through is very good. For a free cigar the value was amazing. At the $9 I would have paid in the store for it, it might be pushing it. Definitely a good alternative to mild cigars for for a light smoke, or for novices looking for a mild smoke without the lack of taste. |
Hoyo de Monterrey Dark Sumatran Media Noche
Bear with me, I'm trying out a new thing to generate my cigar reviews.
| Country of Origin: | Honduras |
|---|---|
| Length: | 5.75" |
| Ring: | 54 |
| Type: | |
| Flavor: | full |
| Wrapper Type: | Dark Sumatran |
| Wrapper Tobacco: | Ecuadorian |
| Binder Tobacco: | Connecticut Shade |
| Filler Tobacco: | Honduran Nicaraguan Dominican |
| Date Cigar Smoked: | July 12, 2006 |
|---|---|
| Cost for One: | $4.65 |
| Construction Rating: | 8 |
| Taste Rating: | 8 |
| Value Rating: | 10 |
| Overall: | 8.7 |
| Purchased At: | Holt's Cigar Company |
| Notes: | I had another one of these for Alternative Happy Hour with Dan, Scott and Dave. I was not disappointed by it again. This brand has just taken a hold of me. If you can get your hands on one, go for it. |
Hoyo de Monterrey Dark Sumatran Noche
As part of an experiment in working and what not, I am going to work one afternoon a month remotely. This Thursday I went to Mahogany for the afternoon before alternative happy hour, and worked while I waited for Dan and Andrew to show up. In the process I wanted to try a new cigar.
For this, I went back to Hoyo de Monterrey. I haven't had one of these since my recent cigar renaissance. I used to love Rothschild's, but wanted to try something I had never had before. I saw this, and it definitely wasn't something I tried before.
Construction: No complaints here. It burned evenly, it didn't need to be relit, and burned perfectly.
Taste: It was absolutely wonderful. It started sweet and ended a bit spicy. It reminded me of what I remembered Maduro tasting like before I lost my tasted for it. I liked the taste so much that I went back for another cigar.
Stats: This cigar measures 6.5" with a ring gauge of 52. In terms of tobacco, this is a pretty unique blending. The Binder comes from Connecticut. The "Sumatran" wrapper is from Ecuador. The filler is made of Honduran, Nicaraguan, and Dominican tobacco. The cigar cost $4.95 a pop at holts.
Overall: This was the best new cigar I've had in a long time. It was so good that I hit up Dan and Andrew to pick me up another one on their way to Mahogany. A less than $5 per smoke, they are a tremendous value. Do yourself a favor, stop reading this, and pick up one of these babies.
La Aroma de Cuba Marquis Tube
The third of my alternative happy hour cigars, this was an impulse buy after a number of drinks. It was a happy impulse as it was another good choice.
Construction: I repeat myself. This cigar had fantastic construction. The draw was perfect. I let it go out to eat a sandwich and had to relight it with no ill effects.
Taste: This cigar was very good tasting. It was very spicy, with a bit of a kick to it. I liked it, even though I usually don't like this type of taste.
Stats: It's mostly Honduran, with some Nicaraguan thrown in to the filler. It was 5 3/4 inches by a 48 ring gauge. It costs $5.10 at Holt's but I paid $9 for it at Mahogany.
Overall: For $5.10 it is a great value. For $9 it is a great value... if you are drunk. Definitely go for the cheaper option.
Rocky Patel Vintage 1990 Robusto
This is the second of my alternative happy hour cigars. I figured I would give Rocky Patel another try. I was extremely happy with my choice.
Construction: Perfect. The burn was geometrically perfect. The ash was perfectly white. The draw, as you may expect, was... perfect.
Taste: The cigar was fantastic tasting. It was very full-bodied but not overpowering. It did a good job standing up to the scotch I had.
Stats: It's made of Dominican and Nicaraguan filler with a Nicaraguan binder and Honduran wrapper. It was 5 1/2 inches by a 50 ring gauge. It costs $6.50 at Holt's.
Overall: For $6.50 a pop, this cigar is a great value. Additionally, you can buy them in a box of 20 for $116.95. Definitely give these a try.
Ashton Cabinet No. 6
Three words: Alternative Happy Hour. We started this tradition back up, and I can't believe I did without for so long. Dan, Joe, Andrew and I spotted Scott on our way down and we dragged him out too. It was the longest we ever had.
I wanted to go with an old standby, one that I knew I would like. So, I figured I would give an Ashton Cabinet a try. Can't go wrong there, right? Well maybe not quite.
Construction: No complaints here. As always, it burned perfectly. The draw was a little rough, but no huge deal.
Taste: Here's where I was a little disappointed. It was good, but a little milder than I expected. I expected rich and creamy, but I got a weak and inoffensive.
Stats: Like most of your Ashton's its mostly Dominican, with a Connecticut wrapper. It was 5 1/2 inches by a 50 ring gauge. It costs $9 at Holt's.
Overall: It was good, but not great. It certainly didn't warrant $9. Who knows, I may have to remove Ashtons from my pedestal.
Arturo Fuente Don Carlos Double Robusto
I've been sitting here using the WiFi provided by King Corona Cigars in Ybor for two days now, but I've been brining in my own cigars. I felt kinda guilty so I figured I would buy one here. However they didn't have their own brand from what I could tell, so I figured I could get away with buying a ringer.
Construction: It's an Arturo Fuente maintained in a proper humidor, so it should be perfect. But I'm finding it a little tougher on the draw than I prefer. Just a bit, but enough to mention.
Taste: Perfect. It's medium bodied with a wonderful set of tastes, that are common in Dominican cigars. Again, I'm going to be short on specific flavors, but there's some chocolate, and some creaminess to it.
Stats: It's almost entirely Dominican, with just the wrapper being the wildcard, and it comes from Cameroon. It's 5 and 3/4 inches by a 52 ring. I bought it here for $10 and change, but Holt's has them for 2 dollars less. I don't think this is an outrageous difference, especially in a specifically cigar touristy area.
Overall: This cigar was extremely good, as expected, for $10, it better be. At $10, it's value is a little dicey, at $8 it's still not quite perfect. However, you won't be disappointed by it. Additionally, the joy of having it indoors, with WiFi, in 90 degree weather is just priceless.
La Herencia Robusto
I was lured into the La Herencia shop by its logo, which looks awfully familiar to another cigar company. I picked up one of my favorite sizes and figured I would just give it a whirl. I got no input from the store at all on my purchase.
By the way, I'm smoking it as I type. Also, I'm drinking coffee with caramel and cayenne in it. I'm not sure if that's cool or a little wussy. Either way, it's really good.
Construction: Really solid, the draw isn't effortless but it's close. It's burning evenly, and I haven't had to relight or anything.
Taste: The taste is also pretty good. It's a medium to full-bodied cigar, it's got some sweet notes that my aforementioned coffee is bringing out.
Stats: I can't find any info about the tobacco. If I had to guess I would say it was Honduran and or Nicaraguan. I can say that they are constructed here in Ybor. They sell them for $5 a pop in their store or online. That price goes down if you buy them by the bundle.
Overall: This cigar was very good. At $5 a pop, they are pushing it a little when it comes to value, but that could easily be worth it to someone who really has a subjective preference for the taste of these cigars. All in all, I would say, give them a try.
Tampa Cigar Extra Corona
In contrast to my experience with Havana Dreams, this place was all content, no production value. I call it "Tampa Cigar" but frankly I have no idea if that was the real name of the place. We (Mensch and I) were lured into the store by a salesman, and it was the happiest little impulse buy I've had in a while.
They also bribed us with free refills of Cuban coffee, which is sort of like espresso, but with sugar being a bigger portion of the ingredient list.
Construction: They were rolled right there in the store (although not while I was there,) and man did they do a n excellent job on it. The draw was perfect, just perfect. It burned perfectly even too. Ash? You may have guessed, perfectly white.
Taste: It tasted wonderful. I don't have details on the taste, but it was a medium bodied cigar that went perfectly with the coffee.
Stats: The filler was Dominican, the binder was Nicaraguan, and the wrapper was I think Connecticut. (The sales guy had a bit of an accent.) They sell them for $5 for one, $20 for 5, or $75 for 25.
Overall: This cigar was fantastic, and at their prices a great value. However the store was an incredible place to hang out. If you're ever down here I recommend you seek it out. Unfortunately, I can't remember the address. But it's on 7th Ave. I want to say 1725 7th, but I'm not really sure.
Havana Dreams Datil
As I write this, I'm in Ybor City, which is part of Tampa, and a Historic District that used to be home to many domestic cigar factories. Now it's sort of touristy section of the city, but not too touristy. It feels a little like South Street in Philadelphia, but with less Goth teens.
After a few days of being down here in Florida, but unable to get my hands on one, I grabbed the first one I found. I bought it at Havana Dreams, which is a cigar shop in the new entertainment center of town.
Construction: I have to admit, I've been spoiled by Holt's. I'm just not used to poorly constructed cigars. This cigar had an extremely tight draw. It also tunneled. After that, it doesn't matter what color the ash is cause it's too much effort to smoke. I didn't even come close to smoking the whole thing.
Taste: It tasted okay, but not fantastic. It was very tobacco-y, but not much other flavor going on. Frankly, it was so hard to smoke, that I didn't get much flavor out of it.
Stats: I didn't get any information on what the cigars were made of. I imagine that they used tobacco. Where it came from I can only guess. If I had to guess, I would say Nicaragua, but It's really only a guess. I can tell you that according to the store ,they were made in Florida. This cigar was $5 a pop, but they sell it for a bit more at their online store.
Overall: The store is really nice on the inside, and it looked like it would be a great place to sit down and relax with a cigar. I just don't recommend that you buy one of these.
Onyx Reserve Lonsdale
It's been awhile, but it's time for another cigar review. This is the second cigar I received it from Ryan Brown at buymycigars.com in exchange for some advertising.
I was excited because all Onyx cigars are maduro, and I was looking to get my maduro on. I left it in my humidor for quite a bit, but all of my other cigars which also were stored for the same duration were fine.
Construction: Like the other cigar from buymycigars.com, it held up very well to shipping. Also like the other cigar, it was thin and therefore a tough draw. It burned evenly and the ash was bright white.
Taste: It tasted like the maduro cigars I remember from my younger days. But I'm beginning to think I don't really like maduro cigars anymore. I don't want to get my maduro on anymore.
Stats: This cigar measures 6 3/4 inches by a ring gauge of 44. It's wrapper is from Connecticut, the binder from Nicaragua, and the binder come from Nicaragua, the Dominican Republic, and a first for me, Peru. Buymycigars.com sells them by the box for $76.50 per 20, which comes to $3.83 a smoke. (But remember I got them for free.) Holt's is still the better value by the box ($63.75), but they sell their singles for $4.25 a pop.
Overall: The price, at either store, is not too shabby for these cigars. Granted, they aren't my favorite cigars, but when I factor in value, they're not too bad.
Dominca Cohiba Corona Minor
It's been awhile, but it's time for another cigar review. This time I'll be doing a first for me. Reviewing a cigar I got in exchange for advertizing. I received it from Ryan Brown at buymycigars.com in exchange for some advertising.
For my first review back, I figured I'd go with a cigar I'd never had before, namely the Domincan Cohiba. Now, I can't be certain I've actually had the Cuban version, and since the two aren't really connected by anything other than name, I figured I wouldn't bother comparing the two.
Construction:Despite shipping and waiting in my house for a few days, this cigar was very well preserved. The skin was properly oily, and didn't show any signs of drying. The cigar burned like a dream, and the ash was bright white. The draw was a little tough on it, but it is a small thin cigar, so it is to be expected. It also had that coo thing where you don't feel like you've taken a big puff, but there's a ton of smoke. So all in all, very well constructed.
Taste: The taste was not bad, although it wasn't my favorite. It was hard to pin down, but if I was to give it a pretentious label, I would have to say "woody." Certainly not bad, but I wouldn't turn it into an ice cream flavor or anything.
Stats: This cigar measures 4 inches by a ring gauge of 42. It's made of Dominican filler, surrounded in a Cameroon wrapper. The filler is from Indonesia. I received it for free, however buymycigar.com's price for the them is $6.72. However you can get them at Holt's for $4 a pop.
Overall: I can't recommend buying these cigars at either price. They're just not a good value. Sure they're well constructed, and you might like the taste, but there are plenty of cheaper cigars that fit that bill. Which I guess means that you're paying for the name. But since Cuban Cohiba's are a post embargo brand, there's no connection to that name to be had here. I say don't bother with them.
Davidoff Aniversario No. 2
Last Thursday, we had our last alternative happy hour with Ryan. Even if Dan and I lure someone else out with us, it will never quite be the same. I also lament the fact that given a few for months I would have converted Ryan to a full blown liberal, instead of the closeted liberal he is now.
In celebration of his new job, and impending move to Seattle, we lit up some Davidoff's. I haven't had one of these since the mid 90's so I was very curious.
Construction: I expected it to be built well, considering the caché of the brand. However, I was still impressed by the wonderful burn, perfect drawn, and perfect ash of this smoke. I was also impressed by the really great feeling of the wrapper. I hate to say it, but it was "silky."
Taste: The taste was likable. The cigar was pretty mild, perhaps a little too mild for my tastes, but not unpleasant. It has a slight taste of coffee. If I have one in the future, I would probably pair it with something more subtle than the Black Label I had with it.
Stats: This cigar measures 7 inches by a ring gauge of 48. It's made of Dominican binder and filler, surrounded in a Connecticut wrapper. I couldn't find Holt's price for them, but the cheapest I can find them on the web is $17 a cigar.
Overall: These are good celebration cigars. They are high quality, and great tasting. However at $17 a pop make sure you don't have to pay for the celebration.
La Gloria Cubana Wavell
I was inspired by the wonderful value of the LGC Churchill I had in December, (or the value that they would have been had I bought them in Philly.) I decided to go in with someone on a box of these for a friend for Christmas. Luckily I bought them on a Friday, which is Holt's specials day, where they give extra cigars with every bulk purchase. So this was a freebee, and nothing tastes better than a free cigar.
Therefore I smoked it on a bad day, and hopefully that will temper the exuberance that comes with free tobacco.
Construction: It was a little dry, and looking back at the other LGC review, that was a problem with that one too. I might be mishandling them, I should check the humidity level in my humidor. It was so dry that it cracked when I started smoking it. It still burned evenly, and the ash was perfectly white.
Taste: Still great tasting, despite the dryness. Like other LGC's it was pretty medium strength. Shortly after smoking it, I drank a Diet Birch Beer, and all of a sudden it tasted like coffee... very strange.
Stats: This cigar measures 5 inches by a ring gauge of 50. It's made in the US with filler from Nicaragua and the Domincan Republic, binder from Nicaragua and wrapper from Ecuador. Holt's sells them for around $2.75 a smoke.
Overall: I think my friend Dave, (who got the box,) summed it up when he say "Oh yeah, LGC's are reasonably priced again." They're fantastic cigars, usually well constructed, and perfectly priced. Pick some up today.
Ashton VSG Tres Mystique
Alex picked me up one of these when he came to town for the holidays. We had them together at our New Years Eve party. My impression may be a bit colored by the alcohol, however I distinctly remembered asking him to light up with me before we got to drunk.
Construction: It burned perfectly even. The draw was perfect. The ash was bright white. It never needed to be relit.
Taste: I have to admit that I was taken aback by this cigar. It was much stronger tasting than the usual Ashton. It must be part of the trend towards stronger tasting cigars. I didn't detect, (or can't remember) subtle tastes, but I did generally enjoy it.
Stats: This cigar measures 4.38 inches by a ring gauge of 44. They're made in the Domincan Republic of Domincan binder and filler, with a wrapper from Ecuador. Holt's sells them for $7.50 for a single cigar. I think that they don't sell them in bulk because they're made in small production runs.
Overall: It was an absolutely awesome smoke, but at $7.50 a pop, let your friends buy them for you.
La Gloria Cubana Churchill
I spent my birthday in Florida at Walt Disney World. To celebrate I bought myself a cigar. I figure in Florida for my birthday I would go with a brand I like, instead of something new. So I went with an LGC.
For various reasons I didn't get around to having it until today. Consequently, it had suffered through a flight, and a week of being sealed in a plastic bag in my freezing house.
Construction: It was a little dry, and consequently it started hard to draw and needed to be relit after little time being unsmoked. Granted, it was mistreated so that might not be it's fault. It still burned fairly evenly, and turned into white ash.
Taste: Absolutely incredible. Power-wise, it was pretty middle of the road. It started with chocolate mixed with tobacco, and stayed that way the entire time. I smoked it down to my fingers.
Stats: This cigar measures 7 inches by a ring gauge of 50. It's made in the US with filler from Nicaragua and the Domincan Republic, binder from Nicaragua and wrapper from Ecuador. Holt's sells them for around $3.35 a smoke.
Overall: For $3.35 a pop I'm considering adding a box of these to my humidor.
Note:While Holt's sells them at a good price, the Sosa store at Downtown Disney charged me $8.50 for this smoke. Next time, I'll bring my own.
Montecristo Churchill
Dan, Ryan and I once again made our way to Mahogany on Walnut to get our stogie on. Becky pointed out that it was the Great American Smokeout. We did the only responsible thing, we invited her. She declined.
I was in a mood to just have something I could enjoy. So I went with a brand I liked when I was younger.
Construction: As always, the established brands have quality under control, which is another way to say what I've been saying a lot, this cigar was well constructed. The burn was even, the ash white, and the draw good.
Taste: There was not a lot to be offended by here. It was mostly a tobacco taste, with some sort of undertones that I couldn't identify. It was really mild, to the point of weakness.
Stats: The cigar measures 7 inches by 48 ring guage. The cigar is completely Dominican except for the good old US of A Connecticut wrapper. Holt's sells it for $10 in the store. (The website quotes a lower price.)
Overall: I was really disappointed with this. It was constructed well, but bland. Add in the $10 I payed for it, and it really isn't a good value.
La Aroma de Cuba Double Corona
It's been awhile since I last had a cigar. I was out in LA for a week, then sick for a week. Finally, though, Dan, Ryan and I were able to slip to have alternative happy hour. I was excited about trying this brand, as I've never tried it before ever.
Construction: This cigar burned evenly with great oily feel. The draw was a little loose, maybe close to a little too loose, but still acceptable. It never needed to be relit. In short, it's the good construction that has become predictable these days.
Taste: The cigar tasted mostly of tobacco. It was full bodied. It wasn't an offensive taste, but it didn't stand out to me either.
Stats: This cigar measures 7.5 inches by a ring gauge of 52. They're constructed of mostly Honduran tobacco, with a little Nicaraguan filler thrown in. Holt's sells these for $5.10 a pop.
Overall: For the most part it was an well constructed but bland tasting cigar. However at $5.10 for a Double Corona, I can get my flavor from glass of Scotch. I definitely recommend this to be tried.
La Gloria Cubana Serie R No. 4
Today was a beautiful day in Philadelphia. So I lured Janice out for a stroll in Center City. I wanted to stock up for my trip to California. I figured cigars will probably be more expensive out there than here. But I couldn't resist picking up an LGC for today.
Construction: Fantasic; it started burning evenly right from the start. The draw was perfect. The wrapper oily and smooth. It never had to be relit. I didn't have to concentrate on smoking faster or slower.
Taste: It started out very tobacco-y with a full bodied taste. At about the one third mark a little explosion of chocolate and coffee came through. I wish that it had started a little earlier, but it was very good.
Stats: This cigar measures 4 and 3/4 inches by a ring gauge of 52. It's constructed of a diverse collection of tobaccos, wraper from Ecuador, binder from Nicaragua, and filler from the Dominican Republic and Nicaragua. Holt's sells these for $5 a pop.
Overall: $5 is a bit much for such a short cigar. However, it does have perfect construction and a great taste, so the $5 isn't that much of a stretch. I would say that if you like full bodied cigars, it's definately worth a try.
Ashton Double Magnum
Once again I go to my trusty Ashtons. This time for a cedar wrapped one. However this was not the typical one.
Construction: This cigar had great draw, even burn, and a great oily wrapper. However the wrapper is where the weirdness began. The wrapper was covered with a thin layer of a sticky substance. At first I thought it was glue, but it was evenly distributed. After a while I could only assume that it was cedar sap. I've never seen this happen before. Anyone out there have this happen?
Taste: This tasted like an Ashton - a mild to medium taste, which some sweet hints in it. However something was off about it. I think it was, what I think was sap. I have another one, so when I have it I will update if the next one tastes differently.
Stats: This cigar measures 60 inches by 50 ring gauge. Like all Ashtons (classic) they are Domincan binder and filler, with a Connecticut wrapper. Holt's sells them for $8.85 a piece.
Overall: If this had tasted as I expected it to, it might be worth it's steep price. However, whether it was the sap, or maybe the large ring gauge it just didn't taste great. So I can't mark it as a good value. Maybe I'll be proved wrong when I have the other one.
Arturo Fuente Hemingway Signature
I've been a little hard on Arturo Fuente of late. I was not happy with the Anjeo and I downright negged the Opus X. I figured I would give one of there more established labels a chance. One of the Hemingways caught my eye because I love the torpedos.
I decided to smoke it during a walk today. It wasn't raining that hard. Until I got down to Logan Circle, then the sky opened up. I ran back home and the cigar got a little wet, despite that I finished the it in the covered stairwell behind my place.
Construction: The burn started out tough, which is to be expected with a torpedo. It's just physics or fluid dynamics or something. However every good torpedo has that moment where the lit end opens up and this one was no exception. The draw then became perfect. The burn was pretty much the same way, uneven at first, then perfect. This was all in spite of the fact that it had gotten some water on it.
Taste: I loved this cigar. It tasted fantastic. It started out tasting like just mild tobacco; however as the cigar kept going, I got an explosion of flavor. I don't know what happened, but all of a sudden it just hit me. It was really sweet, maybe a little vanilla in there. Whatever it tasted like, it was fantastic.
Stats: The Signature is 6 inches with a 47 ring gauge. They're made up of Dominican binder and filler and finished off with a Cameroon wrapper. Holt's sells them for $6.10 a piece.
Overall: Great construction and incredible taste. So if cost isn't an issue, I would pick these up. If someone gives you them as a gift, put them in your will. However at $6.10 a pop, they are a little pricey. I would still say it's worth it.
Edge Torpedo Maduro
Alternate happy hour came early this week, and Dan, Ryan and myself hopped down to Holt's and Mahogany on Walnut. These cigars caught my eye because they both looked beautiful but were relatively cheap for the size. These cigars are by Rocky Patel, a label I had never heard of before these past few months, but which seems to be an up and comer.
Construction: They started off rocky. It was hard to light them, all three of us had that problem. It didn't burn that evenly for me but it was even worse for Dan and Ryan. The draw was fine for me, maybe a little tight, but Ryan felt it was more than a little tight. Despite the problems with it, held up pretty well, and I would rate the construction as okay to good. There were problems, but they were all just a little annoying, not major.
Taste: Now this is what I remember maduro as tasting like - sweet, smooth and mellow. It had almost no aftertaste. All in all this is exactly what I want in a thick maduro cigar.
Stats: It's 6 inches by a 52 ring gauge. I couldn't find much on what the county of origin is, but most of Rocky Patel's cigars are from Nicaragua, and I assume these are too. Holt's sells them for $5.50.
Overall: It's a little weak on construction, but tasted pretty good. The tie breaker is the price. At $5.50 per cigar, it's worth a try.
Punch Double Corona
This is another free cigar I picked up when I bought a box of Punch London Club's at Holt's. It's been in my humidor for a long time. But for the most part it seemed fine when I inspected it.
Construction: The cigar burned very evenly, and the ash was extremely dense which tends to indicate good construction. However, the draw was terrible, it seemed like I was sucking through a coffee stirrer. For a cigar of it's ring guage that's inexcusable. It did loosen up after about a third of the cigar.Shortly after being lit up cracking started around the burning end and the cut end, this indicates improper handling. This is very possibly due to the time it spent in my humidor before I refurbished it. However, the rest of the tobacco in the filler and on the rest of the wrapper seemed fine.
Taste: It was tasty. It has pretty much the same flavor as the London Club, but with a thicker ring guage, the flavors were a little more pronounced, and oddly enough more mild. I even detected a little bit of coffee flavor.
Stats: It's 6 3/4 inches by 48 ring gauge. It's quite the hodgepodge of nationalities, with a Connecticut seed grown in Ecuador for a wrapper, binder from Honduras, and filler from Nicaragua, Honduras and the Domincan Republic. Holt's sells them for $4.50 a pop.
Overall: I wouldn't pay for these cigars. However, I'm willing to concede that it might have been improperly handled by me. Hopefully, I'll pick up some free ones the next time I run out, and I can reevaluate.
Arturo Fuente Opus X Fuente Fuente
Once again Dan, Ryan, and I journeyed to Center City, Philadelphia for a stop at Holt's and Mahogany on Walnut. It's becoming a regular event for us. We find ourselves wanting to go back again and again. I think there is only reasonable explanation: someone is slipping opium into our cigars.
A weird thing happened tonight. Not Andy Dick in a car commercial weird, but never happened before weird. Dan and Ryan ordered the Dalmore Cigar Malt and the bartender brought over a small cup of dark chocolate shavings. He said that the tastes tend to blend well, and they must of because Dan had some sort of flavorgasm. Which explains why he suddenly got really tired.
Anyway, no more stalling on to this disappointment of a cigar.
Construction: For such a highly touted cigar I have to say that this cigar was not well constructed at all. the draw was too loose. It didn't light well. To get it to light I had pull on it pretty hard which of course made it burn hotter. It went out a bunch of times. It thought it was just me, but Dan had similar problems.
Taste: It started a little spicy, but that toned down as the cigar cooled. It was very mild, but it did have a complex flavor. I would have to say that the taste was good when all was said and done.
Stats: It's 5 5/8 inches by 46 ring gauge. It's entirely made of Dominican tobacco, even the wrapper. Holt's sells them in store for $9.00 a piece, but they are a behind the counter cigar and you are limited to 2 per customer.
Overall: This was supposed to be Jesus tobacco. C'mon multiple sites referred to it as the Holy Grail of cigars (Luxist, Just for Him). For $9 it should be perfectly constructed, which it clearly wasn't. The taste was good, but not exceptional. This was not a good use of cigar money. Sorry, Arturo Fuente, I love all of your other cigars, (and I've heard that you manufacture my beloved Ashtons) but these feel short of the mark.
Punch Gran Puro Sierra
I was lamenting the other day in comments here that I needed to get my hands on more free cigars. Then I remembered that I already had. Holt's had a special that when you bought any box of Punch, you would get two of these for free. Even if you only buy a lowly box of Punch London Clubs. I don't know where it fits in but Janice reports that these cigars made me especially "stinky" so consider your self warned. (I had to trim my goatee to get it all out.)
Construction: It was constructed a lot better than I remember, but it could be my previous tries of them had been before I redid my humidor. (I replaced the humidifier.) It burned evenly with a good draw. It got really hot during the last half, and I had to really pace myself to get it to cool down.
Taste: It's was a pretty mild cigar for a Punch. Frankly that was pretty much the downside. It was shockingly mild. It won't offend anyone, but it's not that exciting.
Stats: It's 6.5 inches by 48 ring gauge. It's comprised of nothing but Honduran tobacco. It was free for me, but Holt's has them for $2.88 a piece. It took me an hour to smoke 2/3's of it.
Overall: For free, this cigar is a fantastic value. (I've said before that some free cigars aren't worth it.) However at $3 a pop, I'm not so convinced. It was too bland for me. I guess Ryan would like it.