Illusione F9

This beautifully made Nicaraguan puro begins with black pepper and licorice and coats the palate with velvety smooth smoke that finishes cleanly despite the almost full strength of this cigar. As I proceed through the first third I am meet with some wood and leather. Moving into the second third the cigar remains leathery and more earthy with an almost perfect burn and a retrohale that blows your mind. Retrohaling this cigar is a challenge and certainly make for a full bodied experience. The leather remains however in the final third I found the flavor to be a bit metallic. Despite that the finish remained clean and I retired it with about a half inch left.

Quickie: Don Pepin Garcia Cuban Calssic

Here's a super quick review of a classic.  Having a rich aroma, this cigar was loaded with cedar, earth, and spice.  This medium to full bodied smoke was well constructed and smooth .  I highly recommend this one for future purchase. 

Carlos Torano Master Robusto

The Master by Carlos Torano is a relatively new release from the Torano Family Cigars and today I am reviewing the 5 x 50 robusto.  The cigar is a beautiful lght brown almost the color of milk chocolate.  The cold aroma on the wrapper was of sweet tobacco while the foot was of freshly cut grass.  The initial tastes were of grilled meats, nuts and even some puttered popcorn.  at the halfway point some caramel and exotic spice develops and lingered for some time. The final third brings leather and earth with some pepper on the retrohale.  This is a complex cigar with many delicate flavors to be enjoyed, and it remained medium in both body and strength with a great amount of smoke. 

Aberlour 12YO Highland Single Malt Scotch

Set out to find a new whisky with wich to enjoy, I came across Aberlour.  This Highland Scotch whiskey is "Double Cask Matured"  which according to the distillery means, the whiskey matured in two cask types.  Traditional oak and Sherry oak casks are selected and after 12 years of rest the two casks are married together. 
This whisky is a particularly dark amber color for only being 12 years old.  The nose is sweet and fruity with a distinctive sherry aroma.  The whisky is smooth and smokey with some sweetness and spice present.  The finish is pleasant but could be more smooth.  All around this was a great find at about $43 for 750ml.

Arturo Fuente Don Carlos #3

When I first began smoking cigars back in the 90s The first cigar that I  fell in love with was the Fuente Flora Fina 858s.  And it didn't take long to become a fan of their regular line as well.  Long considered  a great mild/medium bodied smoke Todays Fuente was a bit of a pleasant departure.  I am always excited to enjoy anything the Fuente family makes.  For today's smoke I chose a selection from their Don Carlos line.  Aged for 10 years and sporting an African Cameroon wrapper over Dominican long filler, this cigar line is named for Don Carlos Fuente, Sr. The vitola I smoked is the #3 which measures 5.5" by 44 ring. This corona sized parejo presented itself with a beautifully rustic wrapper with some spotting and variation in color along its length. The prelight aroma along the stick was of hay and cedar while the foot displayed rich barnyard aromas. The cold draw brought hay and some tobacco sweetness. Once lit, the cigar opened up with light spice and a floral flavor in the background. About a half inch in there was a blast of tobacco sweetness that remained through the entire first third. The second third brought more woodiness and the body peaked at medium/full . The stick produced copious amounts of thick smoke and a great room aroma.  Not overly complex this cigar is just plain good, and remains good from foot to head.  I smoked this beauty down to the nub and plan on smoking more in the future.

Ambos Mundos #2 Sumatra Robusto

The Ambos Mundos #2 Sumatra Robusto is a 5 inch by 50 ring cigar from Pete Johnson and the folks that brought us the Tatuaje line.  Upon initial investigation of the unlit smokes I found this cigar to be very veiny with large bumps and almost the color and consistency of those old school brown paper bags you used to get at the superstore.  There was noticeable sweet scents off of the wrapper and barnyard on the foot.  The cold draw was nothing special.  The cigar opened up with a blast of bread and some sweetness that was very pleasant.  Into the first third the sweetness builds with a strong blast of vanilla with rich and creamy smoke that make for a pleasant retrohale.  Starting off light in body and strength, the first third ends with me wanting for more.  However, the sweetness and initial complexity soon faded into the second third.  I find the creaminess leaving and being replaced with some floral notes, and build into earth and leather on the retrohale.  The cigar remains very pleasant and does not become harsh. The final third finds the notes of leather and earth becoming dominate with the sweetness leaving me behind.  The body of the cigar remained light throughout and the smoke remained smooth.  The Ambos Mundos is certainly a departure from the med/full and full bodied powerhouses typical of Tatuaje, and is a good cigar for beginners and for those wanting to get an introduction to the world of cigars.  The pros definitely outweigh the cons on this stick and at a price of around $5, I would recommend this stick for those looking for a light cigar.

Cro Magnon Knuckle Dragger

Certainly more refined than the name would indicate, the Knuckle Dragger is the smallest in the line of cigars from the Cro Magnon line from Adrians Cigars, weighing in at 4' x 52 ring. These cigars are available through the Hava Cigar Shop.

This prefectly constructed, super oily, dark little beauty presents itself with small but noticeable veins that add to the mystique of this stick. The scent off the wrapper is definite barnyard with the foot having the scent of dark molasses. Upon lighting the cigar it opens up with a blast of tobacco sweetness with some spice that tingles the sides of the tounge. Starting up right out of the gate at a medium to full in body and in strength, it totally relaxes the individual smoking it. Deep dark coffee is noticeable through a retro hale that would wake the dead. As the first third comes to an end the black pepper builds and the cigar remains smooth and well balanced. As I reach the final third the sweetness is gone and the cigar becomes almost one dimensional with the pepper as the primary flavor profile with earthiness building. The cigar remained balanced throughout and even though it was full bodied and full in strength it did not become too over powering. Having smoked a few of these now I would certainly recommend that you enjoy these with a strong coffee and on a full stomach. I will certainly enjoy more of these in the future and look forward to smoking more vitolas in the line.

Quickie: Carlos Torano Exodus 1959 Perfecto

Deep and delicious flavors of milk chocolate, black cherry, and graham crackers exhibit themselves smoothly through the entire length of this Habano wrapped cigar.  The cigar burned perfectly and remained smooth down to the nub.  The Exodus Gold line are among my favorites in any vitola and I plan on keeping many of these on hand for future enjoyment.    

E.P. Carrillo Encantos

This Encantos is a 4 7/8" x 50 ring gage, natural wraped cigar from the Core Line from  EP Carrillo's ever growing stable of outstanding cigars.  This particular cigar opens up with a blast of sweet spice.  Loads of vanilla, nutmeg and honey.  The nutmeg becomes the more dominant flavor which tingles the palate.  As it progressed I was introduces to some hints of citrus that made the retrohale come alive.  Towards the halfway mark the sweetness subsided a little and some floral notes came on and the citrus which was originally sweet turned more like grapefruit with a pleasant acidic note to it.  Into the final third of the cigar it became more earthy and savory.  Never becoming harsh, the cigar retired with about a half inch left.  I will certainly smoke more of these in the future.

Louisiana Tobacco Tax Increase LA HB 63

Despite record floods along the Mississippi River, a promise by Gov Jindal (R) to veto any tax increse, and this being an election year; the Louisiana State Legislature Ways and Means Committee will begin debate this morning to increase the tax on all tobacco products in the state including premium cigars and pipe tobacco. The bill is sponsored by Rep. Harold Ritchie (D), an admitted former smoker.  Please contact your legislator or and member of the House Ways and Means Committee today to avoid further action on Louisiana HB63

Email: Hunter Green (R)  Chairman, Ways and Means Committee.

Woodford Reserve

 This seems to be a great time to review my first bourbon, and being May I'll start with the official bourbon of the Kentucky Derby. The nose displayed scents reminiscent of sugar cane, honey, and oak.  Flavor is smooth and slightly sweet with the oak coming to the front of the flavor profile with some sweet spice characteristics similar to pumpkin pie spice.  Honey comes out as the bourbon opens up and remains smooth as silk through the entire enjoyment.  This is a great smooth bourbon that can be enjoyed straight or with just a couple of cubes of ice. Pairs well with many cigars, especially those that are Cameroon  or Connecticut wrapped.

Quickie: Sosa Family Governor Maduro

I picked up this smoke while in Downtown Disney on a recent vacation.  The Sosa Family Governor Maduro is a Dominican 6" x 50 ring beauty that performed well and tasted great.  The cigar was mild in strength and displayed a grassy characteristic that I find common in Dominican cigars.  My only complaint was that it had none of the "typical" dark flavors of a maduro.  It was a pleasant morning smoke that paired well with espresso.  If the opportunity presents itself I will buy these again.

Quickie: A. Turrent Triple Play Robusto

I had great expectations for this 4.5" x 54 "puro maduro". It began great with loads of espresso and rich dark chocolate that you would expect in a cigar that is 100% maduro.  However, that experience only lasted through about an inch of the short stick before it turned harsh and exhibited an earthy flavor that I could only describe as dirt.  That flavor turn also accompanied burn problems and after having to relight for a third time I retired the stick with a full third of its length left.  Having now smoked three of these sticks I will conclude that they are not to my liking and will pass on them in the future.

Alec Bradley Maxx Connecticut The Fixx

It has been a little while since I have added a new cigar to this blog.  When I do a review I try to smoke at least three of the cigars I am reviewing, and life has just gotten in the way from that happening lately.  So with no further ado here  goes.

My latest smoke was the Alec Bradley Maxx Connecticut The Fixx, big name for a big cigar. The Maxx Connecticut comes in multiple sizes and is the newest release in the Alec Bradley Maxx line of cigars. The Maxx Connecticut contains the 5-nation long filler and binder found on the original Maxx line but has added a Connecticut wrapper.  The Fixx is a 5 inch by 58 ring gage version.
Upon lighting initial taste of  butter, cream, and cinnamon were present.  The initial flavors were followed with some tingling around the tongue reminiscent of eating cinnamon candy. The retro hail in the first third was a tea flavor which persisted into the second third with some nutmeg and clove. Cinnamon an cream flavors remained present with sweetness lingering in the background.  The final third brought some pleasant grassiness and earth with the sweetness remaining.  The body of the smoke was medium with balanced strength.  The smoke never became harsh and I smoked it down to the nub. The burn was good however, I found the ash to be crumbly.  
Although I did not find this to be an overly complex cigar, I found it to be enjoyable and a great accompaniment to a cup of coffee and the morning paper.  I will certainly purchase more in the future.  If you have anything further to add or any comments you can email me here 

Tatuaje Havana VI Victorias

Country of Origin: Nicaragua
Wrapper: Habano Ecuador
Binder: Nicaragua
Filler: Nicaragua
Length: 6" Ring: 38


The Tatuaje Havana VI (red band) is a well presented skinny treat with a pig-tail cap. The prelight draw was somewhat restricted, but went ahead and lit it and the draw remained restricted. I cut it a second time and that opened up the draw. The cigar immediately opened up with a tremendous amount of spice, particularly that of black and white pepper that tingled the tongue. Dry cedar notes were present throughout. The retrohale was powerful with a strong blast of black pepper that cleared the sinus. In the second half I experienced earthiness and some strong black coffee. The spice remained through the entire cigar like eating a plate of spicy Cajun food. This is certainly a cigar for the evening and one that I plan on enjoying again.

Nub Maduro 460

The Nub line by the Oliva Company is one of my favorite smokes.  The Maduro 460 is a 4"x60 ring beauty of a cigar.  The 60 ring gage is typically out of my comfort zone for a cigar but these Nubs are so good that I am willing to overcome it.  The prelight aroma was of a well stocked humidor, strong and pleasant tobacco smell with some undertones of chocolate.  Upon torching the massive foot of this cigar I was immediately welcomed with the flavors of strong cane syrup and some vanilla.  The retrohale was woody with some spice.  As the cigar progressed the flavors developed with some burnt caramel and vanilla in the background. At about the halfway point I was greeted with a burst of orange and citrus.  The retrohale actually tamed as the cigar went along and the woodiness gave way to citrus.  At the last third the cigar displayed some metallic, earthiness that never became unpleasant.  The typical Nicaraguan spice in the back of the throat never really manifested itself so I would consider this to be a medium strength cigar with many great flavors.  As is typical with the entire Nub line the ash held on tight and the burn was crisp and straight.  Overall I was very pleased with the cigar and plan on smoking many more in the future.

Punch Elite Maduro

Elite Maduro 5 1/4 X 44 - 25 cigars per box

Punch Elite Maduro from General Cigar

Schizophrenic is the best way to describe this smoke.  Beginning with creamy vanilla, caramel, and nutmeg it quickly turned metallic and earthy at the half mark, then the sweetness came back briefly. I was ok with the flavor changes at first.  However, it quickly became more and more harsh and I tossed it with about 2 inches left.  I was glad that I had only dropped about 3 bucks for this cigar.  I found it to be light to medium in strength and the retrohale uneventful.  Even at $3 I'll probably pass on these in the future.



Padron Delicias Maduro

This rustic 4 7/8" x 46 ring is a no brainer.  For God's sake its a Padron, not much to say other than a constant go to.  This isn't the most refined cigar you will find.  This cigar gives the appearance of what I would consider a blue-collar cigar, rough exterior that won't win any beauty awards.  Once lit it gets straight to the point, without holding back.  Not an overly complex cigar so there weren't many subtle flavor changes.  A full flavored, and balanced spicy Nicaraguan puro with strong tobacco flavors that please the palate after a long day of work. The retrohale on this smoke helps to remind you that you are alive, as it powers it's way through the nasal cavity.  The cigar stayed full bodied and full flavored all the way to the nub.  Being an unusually warm evening in February, even  for South Louisiana I Enjoyed this smoke with a red stripe lager.  The strong lager paired well with the cigar. 
 

Partagas Short

This classic minuto from that island south of Miami is a classic, and one that I can't seem to get enough of (Thanks JFK). I have yet to have one that didn't behave well, and today's was no exception, rolled perfectly with a great draw went down smooth in about 45 minutes and was a great accompaniment on the commute to work. Medium body and mild to medium in strength it left me wanting for more. Not very complex, it had a great nutty after taste that stayed with me. If you can, I suggest getting your hands on one.

Perdomo Lot 23 Maduro Robusto

The Prelight aroma of the Lot 23 was that of both barnyard and a hint of espresso.  The appearance of the cigar was somewhat rustic with some sheen on the wrapper. Upon initial light the draw seemed tight but quickly opened up.  Flavors of espresso and unsweet cocoa were present.  I detected spice only in the retro hale through the first half of the smoke.  Although the coffee element remained, the taste turned more earthy in the second half with the strength picking up.  The spice became more present in the back of the mouth.  As I got past the halfway point the flavor turned more woody and surprisingly there was some sweetness in the background and even the hint of lemon peel.  The earthiness turned somewhat bitter as it went on but it never became unpleasant.  It behaved well and stayed lit with no burn issues.  I find this to be an enjoyable cigar for anytime of the day, and even though I wouldn't call it a must have, at its very affordable price point I certainly plan on keeping a few on hand.

La Clotiere Coteaux D' Ancenis Gamay 2009

Found this on sale at Whole Foods and grabbed it for $8.99 As I don't know much about this wine and it is the first 100% Gamay I drank I am going to keep it real simple.  When I poured it I first noticed that it was very light in color for a red wine and had almost no weight to it, and based on sight It was exactly what I expected; extremely light bodied and it behaved almost like a white wine.  It was loaded with fruit flavors most dominate was strawberry and cranberry.  It is a good alternative to Pinot Noir to pair poultry or fish. When I find out more info I will update post.

Oliva Connecticut Reserve Rubosto

My first note so here goes nothing:

I start with the Oliva Connecticut Reserve Rubosto 5x50 from Oliva Cigars hand made in Nicaragua.  These are some of my favorite cigars.

The appearance was light and the cigar was well constructed with some greenish blemish as to be expectesd with connecticut wrapped cigars.  Upon light you get the intitial hit of Nicaragua that quickly retires to a cool buttery flavor transparent even through the coffee making it enjoyable in the early morning. After about a half inch I begin to taste cinnamon which combined with the butter makes for a delightful taste.  Although it begins on the light to medium strength it has a very clean finish that continues to build.  At the halfway point it is into a full medium strength and the buttery flavor gives way to earthiness and a clean tobacco flavor.  Some spices build on the back of the tounge and it continues to finish clean.  I love this cigar if I am smoking it in the morning because of the way it evolves; starting off like cinnamon toast and fininshing by gently making sure that you are awake, slowly ramping up in strength.  It is a great example of what a cigar should be because after it is gone the flavors easily wash away allowing you to go on with your day.