Casa Fernandez Miami Reserva

The Casa Fernandez brand is one of Aganorsa's Leafs and has been producing decent smokes for many years now. For example, this cigar, The Casa Fernandez Miami Reserva, was named one of Cigar Affcianado's top cigars in 2011.  The Miami Reserva is a assembled in Miami but is made of Nicaraguan long filler tabacco that is wrapped by a Media Tiempo leaf. This line of cigars is offered in three sizes: 5.2x50 Robusto, 6X54 Toro, and a 6x60 Gordo. Pricing for the line is fairly consistent across the various vitolas at just a bit less than $10 USD per stick.

Wrapper: Nicaragua

Binder: Nicaragua

Filler: Nicaragua

Length: 6"

Ring Gauge: 54

Size: Toro

The Smoke: I smoked this one around mid day on a Saturday. I have been looking forward to these smokes since I bought a 5 pack around 3 months ago. The construction of the cigar was good. There was little movement to the cigar when it was squeezed. I removed the cap using my Palio straight cutter and when doing so a small part of the wrapper leaf tore. I had to remove the hanging chad, otherwise it would have been bothersome to me during the smoke.

The cold draw was excellent. It brings with it some light grass and earthiness to the palate. Lighting the cigar adds some pepper that later subsides and allows a light cedar note to come forward. As the smoke progresses into the middle of the cigar, notes of coffee begin while the cedar transitions to become more oak like. In the final third, light sweetness enters in the form of graham cracker; the coffee note remains during this point too. 

The construction of the cigar is good too. The burn rate is more or less even and the construction of the cigar is retained during the life of the 1:15 smoke for the Toro sized vitola. The draw remains excellent from beginning to end as well.

The Casa Fernandez Miami Reserva is a medium strength smoke and the cigar provides plenty of complex flavor while not overwhelming the senses. Looking at the value, I think this is well worth the sub $10 USD price of admission. It has a very Habano like flavor complexity and is a good value.

The Score: Buy a 5 pack

Rocky Patel Winter Collection (2020)

Once upon a time, Rocky Patel had a seasonal release cigar line that covered all four seasons of the year. That "time" was 2008. The first Winter Collection release in 2008 was a collaboration with AJ Fernandez. The Winter Collection line was released a second time in 2012 as a limited edition. This current Winter Collection was released in July 2020 and can be easily found at most retail outlets that carry Rocky Patel Cigars. 

The current line can be found in traditionally accurate sizes such as a Corona, Robusto, Toro, and Gordo. The Corona is the cheapest option and will cost around $8 USD and the Gordo being the most expensive at around $12 USD. Much like the last Rocky Patel cigar I review (The World Smoking Championship), this cigar features a San Andreas wrapper that is stuffed with tabacco from Honduras and Nicaragua. 

Wrapper: Mexico

Binder: Nicaragua

Filler: Honduras and Nicaragua

Length: 5 1/2"

Ring Gauge: 50

Size: Robusto

The Smoke: The cigar feels well made when held in my hand. There is some firmness to it when it is squeezed. The San Andreas wrapper is a dark chocolate hue and feels very oily. The wrapper has a velvety texture too. The cap came off with the help of Xikar Xi2 Cutter. Pre-light draw is good and has a solid black pepper flavor note. Once lit, the black pepper continues and has some leather and earth that compliment. Like the World Championship line, this cigar is fairly one dimensional in the flavor department. The three dominate notes of pepper, earth, and leather are about the only three I get during the life of the smoke.

The burn rate of the cigar is even, and the draw remains excellent from beginning to end. The ash is tightly packed, and the cigar creates an ample amount of smoke. The body and profile of this cigar is medium strength and the 5 1/2" Robusto created an hour-long smoke session. The Rocky Patel Winter Collection (2020) is another solid, if not mundane, Rocky Patel offering.

The Score: Buy a Single

Rocky Patel Smoking World Championship

 

Coming soon to ESPN 8 "The Ocho" is the Cigar World Smoking Championship! No, really. This is a thing. The Cigar World Smoking Championship (CWSC) has been around for 10 years and is a worldwide competition for "slow smoking" of cigars. The slower a competitor smokes their cigar, the better. Time penalties are, then, added for such faux pas as breaking ash or burning the band. The winner of the competition is the person who smokes the longest without the cigar burning out unintentionally or the ash reaching the band. The 2019 winner smoked a 5 1/8" 42 ring gauge cigar in 3 hours, 26 minutes, and 8 seconds. Sounds like it is just this side of watching grass grow or water freezing. And what fantastic prizes are in line for The World Champion, you ask?

PRIZES OF GRAND FINAL

• Rocky Patel Farm & Factory Tour
• Rocky Patel Special World Champion Humidor
• Rocky Patel Travel Humidor
• Rocky Patel Burn Lighter
• Rocky Patel V-Cutter
• ST Dupont Golden World Champion Lighter – one in the World, 24k Gold, hand made
• 24-hour all-inclusive mega-yacht experience for the World Champion and 10 guests – 180 ft Seagull yacht, private chief, cigars, champagne, water fun, cruising.
• Cuervo y Sobrinos World Champion watch
• Writing Instrument
• Boveda Humidor and Humidification Pack
• A unique bottle of spirits
• Les Fines Lames Golden Cigar Knife – only one made with gold for the World Champion
• World Champion Ring

I mean, the 24 hours of the yacht sounds cool, I guess. But otherwise, count me out Cotton.

Let me take that back for a second. Look at how they deliver the winner the trophy! Okay, count me in.

The 2020 competition was the first year that Rocky Patel was the official cigar. Rocky provides a Nicaraguan assembled cigar that features tabacco from Honduras and Nicaragua and is wrapped by a Mexican San Andreas wrapper.  These Rocky Patel cigars should not be too difficult to source and should only set you back around $9 or $10 USD per smoke depending on which of the 3 available vitolas you select.

Wrapper: Mexico

Binder: Nicaragua

Filler: Honduras and Nicaragua

Length: 5"

Ring Gauge: 50

Size: Robusto

The Smoke: I smoked the Robusto sized cigar on my drive to work the other morning. It was paired with a plain old cup of Joe. I used my Palio straight cutter to remove the head. The San Andreas wrapper is oily with some toothiness. The wrapper is a burnt sienna brown hue. 

The dry draw is a bit tight. It features a large amount of cedar on the palate. After lighting the cigar, the smoke is a bit harsh. The draw remains tight for the first half inch of the smoke before it begins to open to a more acceptable standard. Once open, the draw remains good for the remainder of the session. Flavor for the cigar is fairly one dimensional. The notes are leather, cedar, nuts, and some light earth. The notes are good but lack complexity during the life of the cigar. 

The construction of the cigar is okay. The burn rate is slightly uneven during the first 1/3 but it straightens out after that and never becomes an issue. Overall, the cigar is decent. Pretty one dimensional and probably not quite worth the price of entry. If you are wondering, I blazed through the 5" cigar in about hour. Far from World Champion status. Damn, I am no where near getting yacht time.

The Score: Buy a 5 pack.

Ashton Symmetry

 

One of the things that drive me nuts is the lack of attention paid to some brands. Ashton is one of those... Ashton cigars are made in the Dominican at the Tabacalera A. Fuente (yes... that Fuente) with the Symmetry blended by Carlos "Carlito" Fuente Jr himself. This blend was first put together in 2014 and was named one of Cigar Aficionados Top 25 cigars in 2015 (number 8 to be exact).

The tabacco for this smoke comes from the Dominican and Nicaragua and is wrapper is an Ecuadorian Habana leaf. This was the first Ashton cigar to feature any tabacco from Nicaragua. These cigars are not hard to find, which I find endearing. Most B&Ms carry Ashton and this cigar is one of their main cigar lines. You can find the Symmetry in five vitolas: Robusto, Belicoso, Corona, Toro, and Churchill from smallest to largest. These vitolas are more or less the traditional size for each. The other nice thing about this line is the price point. Regardless of vitola, these smokes should cost around $11 to $13 USD per cigar. 

Wrapper: Ecuador

Binder: The Dominican Republic

Filler: The Dominican Republic and Nicaragua

Length: 5"

Ring Gauge: 50

Size: Robusto

The Smoke: I smoked two of the robusto sized vitolas to form my opinion on this review. Both samples had a nice mild chocolate hued wrapper that felt oily to the touch. The cigars felt well-constructed in my hand and both had a slight give when squeezed. They never felt overly hard and never too spongy... pretty much exactly what you would want to see in this regard. The cold draw was good once the cap was removed via a straight cutter.

The smoke was abundant and light on the palate. The flavor of the cigar featured cream and nougat up front that is complimented by notes of leather and cedar in the background. Some coffee and earth undulate in and out. The flavor also leans slightly sweet with the body of the smoke somewhere between mild and medium strength.

The burn rate was even, or should I say even enough. It ran slightly askew on one of the cigars but in no way did it become an issue. No re-lights or corrective burns were required. The cigar also retained its construction during the life of the smoke too and the draw was consistently good.

This cigar was very enjoyable. The flavor was good and made for a great mid-day cigar. Some smokers may find the body and flavor profile to be too light to their liking but that is the trait I enjoyed the most. The flavor and body were light, but the complexity was ample, and I did not feel like I had to have my face melted off to appreciate the nuances of the smoke. This cigar is just ol' reliable.

The Score: Buy a 5 Pack

Camacho Ecuador Robusto

I have had the Camacho Ecuador a few times over the last few years but have never had a chance to review it since I started this blog in 2020.  As I was researching this smoke, I was shocked to find that it is not an Ecuadorian puro as the only item sourced from Ecuador is the dark and oily Habano leaf wrapper. Bare with me a second: this cigar is manufactured in Honduras with an Ecuadorian wrapper, Brazilian binder, and filler tabacco from The Dominican and Honduras..... and this qualifies to be called "Ecuador?" 

Whatever, I'mma just be over here mad for Ecuador.  The size and thickness of the Robusto is at least the traditional 5"x50. The Robusto vitola can be purchased with a tubo, if desired, as well. The Camacho Ecuador can also be found in Toro, Churchill, Gordo, and Figurado vitolas with each of them also being, more or less, traditional lengths and ring gauges. 

Price wise, these cigars do not fall in to my "daily smoker" category because they retail for around $8 USD per stick. You may be able to squeeze that down a bit using auction sites and waiting for sales as these are very common smokes. 

Wrapper: Ecuador

Binder: Brazil

Filler: The Dominican Republic and Honduras

Length: 5"

Ring Gauge: 50

Size: Robusto

The Smoke: I paired this smoke with an Old Fashioned. The Ecuadorian Habano wrapper leaf provides a nice milk chocolate hue. It is oily and has some toothiness to it that gives it a bit of a velvet like texture.  It has a huge teal/aqua/turquoise band that provides a nice contrast to the wrapper leaf's color. 

I used my Xikar V2 cutter to take a wedge out of the head. The cold draw was good and felt open despite the smaller cut. The cold draw had some wood and earth. Toasting and lighting the cigar came with ease. The light cigar had cedar and earth as well but also added some pepper. The cigar is slightly sweet. This cigar and its flavor profile changed very little and provided consistent flavor from beginning to end. 

One thing I felt was an issue was the construction. The burn rate of the cigar was uneven and required multiple corrective burns. Towards the end, the wrapper leaf began to unwind too. It took an hour and ten minutes to work through the robusto, which I did smoke down to a nub. 

Overall, the cigar was decent. The consistent flavor made the cigar fell less than complex and more like a one trick pony. The flavor it did have was pronounced and enjoyable. The construction could have been better. For $8 USD I would not buy this cigar again but for $5 or less I would consider it. 

The Score: Buy a Single

Bespoke Super Belicoso

Bespoke is a relatively new brand (2014) but is founded by a heavy weight in the Cigar industry (Jeremy Casdagli) and manufactured at Kelner Boutique Factory (KBF) which is owned by former Davidoff master blender Hendrik Kelner Jr. To say the Bespoke Brand has a deep lineage would be an understatement. 

The Bespoke Super Belicoso features a Brazilian Cubra wrapper that keeps a Dominican Criollo binder and Nicaraguan fillers bound. The cigar is assembled in the Dominican at the aforementioned KBF. It is only offered in the 5/7" x 60 Figuardo and retails for around $18 USD per stick.

Wrapper: Brazil

Binder: The Dominican Republic

Filler: Nicaragua

Length: 5 3/4"

Ring Gauge: 60

Size: Figurado

The Smoke: This cigar is well constructed. The wrapper leaf provides a nice Colorado hued brown; it also covers the foot of the cigar to provide more protection against damage. The cap is well rounded and well formed. I used my Palio straight cutter to slice the cigar's head. The cold draw was poor but that is to be expected with the wrapper still covering the foot. Toasting and lighting the smoke solved this problem. The initial notes from the smoke are caramel, cream, nuts, and cedar. Chocolate and espresso join quickly. The cigar is slightly sweet too. The smoke is light but abundant. As the smoke ages the flavor notes mold to chocolate, cinnamon, and bread. The slight sweetness remains. 

This cigar is a slow burner. The 5.7" smoke took almost two hours to work through. The burn-line was straight as an arrow and required no corrective burns. The construction and draw were impeccable during the life of the smoke. I would peg the Bespoke Super Belicoso as a mild to medium strength cigar. 

This cigar was perfect for a mid-afternoon break on the back porch. This cigar has complex flavor notes along with mild sweetness that runs from beginning to end. I think $17 USD per cigar is at the upper echelon for what I would consider purchasing but this one is worth every penny. I put this one into my collection of nub worth smokes.

The Score: Buy Box of 20

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Hoyo de Monterrey Epicure No. 2

The Hoyo de Monterrey Epicure Number 2 is one of the all-time classic Cuban cigars. They are available in cabinets of 15. 25 and 50 and run around $10 USD per stick. They are among the most sought-after regular offerings from Habanos S.A. I have a cabinet of 25 that I have been pulling from for about 6 months now and I have yet to find time to review this cigar; that ends today. The cabinet I have is a 2019 box, so they are still relatively young at the time of smoking.

Wrapper: Cuba

Binder: Cuba

Filler: Cuba

Length: 4 7/8"

Ring Gauge: 50

Size: Robusto

The Smoke: I paired this cigar with a macchiato and enjoyed both of them early morning on a rare day off from work in between the Christmas and New Year's holiday. The first thing to note about this cigar is the light tan hue provided by the wrapper leaf. The wrapper has a velvet like texture along with some wrinkles. The cigar feels well-constructed but is not made as tight as other Habanos cigars I have smoked in the past. The cigar appears to be slightly under packed as it has, what I would deem, a significant budge when squeezed. No matter, the scent of the cigar is great. The aroma has notes of hay and flowers. 

I used my Xikar V2 cutter to take a wedge out of the head. Upon slicing the cigar, some of the wrapper became loose at the base of the head and I removed it by tearing the leaf away from the wrapper. The cold draw was good and provided notes of nut, malt, and caramel. The cigar is slightly sweet too. As the cigar progresses, cocoa and cedar enter. The flavor is complex and blend together well. 

The burn rate of the cigar is good, and it retains its construction despite the issue with the wrapper from the cut. The cigar is of lighter strength than many Cuban cigars that I have smoked but I would still place this cigar as a medium strength smoke. 

Overall, this cigar is solid. Out of the 6 or so I have smoked, this one was the only one that had any issues with construction quality. My advice would be to add this to the list of must have cigars in your humidor.

The Score: Buy a Box

Espinosa 601 Snakebite Gordo

I am not going to wax poetic for this review. It has been well documented the many changes of ownership groups and arrangements this brand has had over the years. The 601 brand had been wholly under the Espinosa roof for a few years now and the Snakebite was one of the later cigar lines to come out of that latest chance. The 601 Snakebite is almost a Nicaraguan puro... the non-Nicaraguan piece is the Ecuadorian Sumatra wrapper leaf. The cigars are assembled in Espinosa's La Zona factory. The line has four sizes: Robusto, Toro, Churchill, and Gordo. These cigars can be found sub $6 USD but often retail slightly higher than that.

Wrapper: Ecuador

Binder: Nicaragua

Filler: Nicaragua

Length: 6"

Ring Gauge: 60

Size: Gordo

The Smoke: I had this cigar midafternoon on Christmas Eve and was paired just with some water. I had pulled this out of the humidor after a long time, maybe a few years. The first thing I notice on the cigar is the leaf. The leaf is mainly tan but has some dark splotches that seem somewhat unusual. You can seem them in the picture above. The cigar does seem well constructed. 

I used my Xikar V2 cutter to slice a wedge out of the head. The cold draw was good with no glaring issues. After toasting and lighting the draw remained good from start to finish. The flavor during the first third of the smoke features chocolate, cream, cedar, and caramel. The body at this point is light to medium and comes with some mild sweetness. As the cigar progresses, it becomes much for black pepper focused and that comes along with overwhelming the other notes.  Pepper bomb. The pepper fades during the last third and returns to the original notes but at this point, the palate is overwhelmed. The 601 Snakebite's body grows but never gets much past what I would consider medium strength. 

My total smoke took about an hour and fifteen minutes. The burn rate is even for about the first two thirds of the cigar but it begins to run into issues after that. Nothing that one solid corrective burn cannot handle, but certainly less than ideal.

 Besides the dark marks and the pepper, nothing really sticks out on this cigar.... good or bad. It's an okay cigar.... not sure that it really deserves the critical space it took up in my humidor over the last year or two. I find myself torn between not recommending any and recommending one. I think the flavor fluctuation may help novice smokers develop their palate, otherwise scroll past.

The Score: Scroll Past/Buy a Single

Joya de Nicaragua Red Robusto

The Red is another regular production offering from Joya de Nicaragua, just like the Joya de Nicaragua Black that I reviewed a few weeks ago. This Nicaraguan puro features a Habano leaf wrapper and can be found in four vitolas with relative ease.  While the sample I smoked was a 5 1/2" x 50 Robusto, you can also find the Red as a Toro and two other Robusto adjacent sizes (5 1/2" x 54 and 4 3/4" x 48). You can also purchase these in a tin of Cigarillos if that floats your boat as well. You can purchase a Joya de Nicaragua Red for around $5 to $7 USD per stick for the traditional sized cigars and around $11 USD for a tin of 10 Cigarillos. 

Wrapper: Nicaragua

Binder: Nicaragua

Filler: Nicaragua

Length: 5 1/4"

Ring Gauge: 50

Size: Robusto

The Smoke: The Joya de Nicaragua feels like a well-made cigar in my hand. The dark brown Habano wrapper feels like velvet along with some oil. The cigar has a slight budge when squeezed but it quickly regains form. Like my last review, I used my new Colibri SV-Cutter to slice a wedge out of the cigar's head. The cold draw was very good, and the draw remained excellent all the way to the cigar's finish after lighting.

Flavor during the cold draw was earthy and full of leather.  After toasting and lighting the cigar, the leather was once again in full force. Earthiness was present but faded to the background and was replaced by notes of cocoa, nut, and hay. Some light vanilla sweetness undulated as the cigar progressed on its hour-long life span.  The body and profile of the cigar is medium strength.

The burn rate is even, or should I say even enough to not require any corrective burns. The construction of the cigar also remains intact. The cigar creates a good amount of smoke while the ash remains relatively compact and intact. I only required 4 ashings to keep the cigar's ashes from falling on to my lap.

This cigar is a great value. To think this smoke is sub $8 while being well made and providing plenty of flavor and strength. Since one can find this smoke with relative ease, I would advise against filling your humidor with a box albeit that this cigar is box purchase worthy. 

The Score: Buy a 5 pack

Davidoff Piquant Gordo

Davidoff of Geneva is, in my mind, the king of cigar branding. They have limited edition cigars released on top of limited edition cigars released on top of "Vault" cigars released on top of regular offerings on top of more limited edition cigars. 

I mean think about it, their cigars are always dependable and enjoyable but I honestly can not think of one cigar from them that is truly memorable. They are the Toyota of cigars with the issue being you are often paying Lexus' (or is it Lexi'?) pricing for a Camry. I have not documented much Davidoff Cigar reviews here since it has been a while. I tend to shy away from them because of their pricing. Most offerings begin in the $12 to $15 range, which is okay I suppose, but become wildly expensive for more limited releases. I just have a hard time ponying up that kind of dough for what are usually pretty mundane and mild smokes. Like I said before, nothing wrong with them..... dependable and consistent...... but dare I say overrated?

Let's see if the Piquant is any different. This cigar came to me through a monthly subscription service, that I have since cancelled.... I just have too many cigars in storage. This is not technically a Davidoff "Vault" release but it was more or less a very limited release to a small number of stores. The Piquant can be found in a 5" x 50 Robusto and a 6" x 60 Gordo with my sample being the latter. The wrapper is an Ecuadorian Habano leaf that is packed full of Ecuadorian and Nicaraguan filler tabacco. The whole package is bound together by an Ecuadorian Sumatra binder. These babies are not cheap, the Robusto retails for around $30 USD and the Gordo is slightly more expensive and is approaching the $40 USD per stick rate. Yikes. These are not cigars I would have picked out of a box at a B&M. It seems like you can easily source them from various on-line retailers at the time this review is being written.

Wrapper: Ecuador

Binder: Ecuador

Filler: Ecuador and Nicaragua

Length: 6"

Ring Gauge: 60

Size: Gordo

The Smoke: This is a beautiful looking cigar. The Habano leaf is a a nice Colorado hue that is oily and has some well defined veins. The foot of the cigar seems slightly flat on one side but, other than that, seems very well constructed.  There is some slight budge to the cigar as it is squeezed. The cap was sliced with my brand new Colibri SV cutter. Perhaps, I need to do a review of the Colibri SV cutter but in the meantime I will just say that thing is an absolute unit. It’s a thiccboy.

The flavor from the smoke is solid, in typical Davidoff fashion. There are notes of cedar, pepper, earth, cream, and espresso. The flavor begins pepper forward but transitions to the other notes quickly. The most prominent note during the smoke is earth and pepper with the cream and espresso most staying in a complimentary role. The profile is generally sweet but undulates between sweetness and balance. The body of the smoke ranges from mild to medium strength with the body growing slowly from beginning to end. This is truly a world class cigar in every meaning of the phrase.

The cigar has a good draw with no related issues and a even burn rate. Once again, this cigar is dependable af. A good quality smoke that will, surely, never let you down. Here is my one contention, and it is a contention for almost every Davidoff I smoke. Is this a $40 USD cigar? No, I don't exactly think so. Its a great smoke, no doubt, but I enjoy being able to pay my credit card bills. This cigar reminds me a lot of the Patina Habano  that I smoked a few months back.  Not to take anything away from the Piquant.... its an excellent smoke.... but I find myself always reaching for the better value. How many Patina Habanos can you buy for the same price of 1 Davidoff Piquant Gordo?

The Score: Buy a Single... just so you can say you had one... 

Room 101 The Payback Maduro

This was another one that I smoked on a recent work trip. This was the second of the trip and after the fiasco that was the Diesel Unlimited d.5, I needed something that I would enjoy. This trip was harder than most. No wheels and nothing much to do with the Covid-19 pandemic around the DFW area; a good cigar smoke was exactly what the doctor ordered to end my mental funk for this particular day. 

This was the last travel trip for the year, in a year of reduced travel. Typically, I find my self getting on (and off) around 120 to 130 airplanes a year. This year was very different (obviously) but I still managed to accumulate 32,000 miles. 

The Room 101 Payback Maduro can be commonly found and is available in three vitolas: a Robusto, Toro, and Gordo listed from largest to smallest. Each stick cost around $6 to $7 USD per smoke which is pretty reasonable when you think about it. 

The tabacco is sourced from a multitude of places in the world. The Maduro wrapper leaf is grown in Honduras, which is coincidentally where these cigars are assembled. The binder comes from Connecticut and is filled with tabacco from The Dominican, Honduras, and Nicaragua.

Wrapper: Honduras

Binder: United States (Connecticut)

Filler: The Dominican Republic, Honduras and Nicaragua

Length: 5 1/4"

Ring Gauge: 50

Size: Robusto

The Smoke: This one was enjoyed outside the my Airport Hotel early in the evening. The weather was down right balmy for the Dallas/Fort Worth area in December. Vibes were much better than they were during my last smoke.

I used my trusty punch cutter; its about the only thing I can get through TSA while not being sequestered into an interrogation room. A bic lighter was used to toast and light for similar reasons.

The cold draw of the Room 101 The Payback Maduro was excellent. There was solid notes of cedar and leather while cold. After lighting, the cedar note remained but the more prominent notes were cocoa, pepper, and earth. The smoke began sweet but over time transitioned a more balanced overall flavor profile. The body of the cigar was medium. 

The construction of the cigar was good and it maintained its assembly. The burn rate had no issue remaining mostly straight and it did not require any corrective burns. The draw was very good from beginning to end as well. 

This is a great cigar and an extremely good value for the prices you can grab one of these. I look forward to my next smoke of one. This one restored my faith in a lot of things.

The Score: Pick up a 10 Pack

Diesel Unlimited d.5

As mentioned in one of my more recent post, I had two last minute work trips this past month to Atlanta and Dallas/Fort Worth. Atlanta was, unfortunately, too cold enjoy smoking but DFW, on the other hand, was plenty warm. I had brought 5 cigars with me and I would smoke all of them during the course of the week. Some of which I had already reviewed like the Olivia Serie "V" Maduro but a few I did not.... including this cigar and the Room 101 The Payback.

This cigar has been in my humidor for some time. I probably grabbed this from a certain cigar auction site which shall remain nameless. My shame has no limits. Any way, the Diesel Unlimited are thrown together by AJ Fernandez and can be found in six different vitolas ranging in cost from $5.50 USD to $8.50 per stick through retail outlets. This one was probably closer to $2 or $3 USD as they are common fodder on the auction sites. The d.5 sits in the middle of the various sizes and price ranges available.

This cigar, in typical AJ Fernandez fashion, is made with an overwhelming majority of Nicaraguan sourced tabacco but the wrapper leaf is a Habano leaf from Ecuador and additional filler tabacco comes from Mexico.

Wrapper: Ecuador

Binder: Nicaragua

Filler: Mexico and Nicaragua

Length: 5 1/2"

Ring Gauge: 54

Size: Robusto

The Smoke: I probably won't spend a lot of time on this one. The Habano wrapper was oily and some toothiest. The color was a deep reddish brown. The cigar was well constructed and had an okay draw. The body was full and had an even burn rate.

I did not find this cigar's flavors to be enjoyable. It is very pepper forward and that seemed to overwhelm the senses and eliminate any ability to detect more subtle notes. The smoke was harsh and caused my sinus to begin to drain. Like, da fuq? It honestly made me wonder if I picked up Covid during my airplane rides over the last few days. I must not of been the only person that was off-put as the fire department and an ambulance was called to the hotel....

The emergency equipment was probably was a coincidence but this cigar never made it to the back half. I had to walk away from this one.

The Score:  Scroll Past

Balmoral Añejo XO Oscuro

I bought a 5-pack of the Bamoral Anejo XO Petite Robusto cigars about a month or two ago. Not sure what, exactly, caught my eye when I made the purchase. Maybe it was the fact that this cigar sources its parts from a wide range of countries just like a Boeing Dreamliner. Perhaps, it was a brand I have been having my eye on for some time since I have read many good things. Or.... maybe it was both. 

Like I said, this cigar features a San Andreas wrapper from Mexico that contains tabacco that was grown in Brazil, the Dominican, and Nicaragua. All the parts are combined in the Agio Caribbean Tabacco Company factory in the Dominican Republic. It can be purchased on 5 different vitolas, each of which cost around $10 USD per stick. The Petite Robusto is not only the smallest variant but it is also the cheapest.

Wrapper: Mexico

Binder: The Dominican Republic

Filler: Brazil, The Dominican Republic, Nicaragua

Length: 4 1/4"

Ring Gauge: 48

Size: Petite Robusto

The Smoke: The cigar has a unique head that looks like a little man bun in the center. The San Andres wrapper provides an inviting milk chocolate hue that some nice oil along with some veins. The leaf has a nice earthy aroma. I removed the cap with my Palio straight cutter with little effort. 

The cold draw is good and has roasted coffee and dark chocolate. When lit, these flavors morph into espresso and cocoa beans. Undertones of black pepper undulate. Cedar and leather notes are also present. These notes more or less remain from beginning to end. The body, however, changes from medium bodied to full bodied as the smoke progresses. The draw and construction of the cigar are excellent too. No issues there. The burn rate is slightly uneven but I never had to make any corrective burn.

This cigar is pretty darn good. It has a good flavor profile and body while providing a decent smoking experience. $10 per stick feels a bit high but, frankly, it is a tough argument to not pony up the bucks for a few of these.

The Score: Buy a 5 pack

Cohiba Siglo II

 

I bought a box of the Cohiba Siglo II on a business trip to Montreal in 2018. I remember looking through the humidor in the Duty Free Shop at Dorval Airport and thinking to my self, "what in the world.... all they have are Romeo and Juliet and Montecristo.." Don't get me wrong, those can be great smokes too but I wanted something different. With more digging, obviously, I came across a two boxes of 5. If memory serves me, the cost was around $15 USD per stick which is comparable to what I have seen these priced at from on-line retailers. As happenstance would have it, this particular cigar was also the last one from that purchase.

Wrapper: Cuba

Binder: Cuba

Filler: Cuba

Length: 5 1/8"

Ring Gauge: 42

Size: Petite Corona

The Smoke: I enjoyed this early on a Saturday morning along with an americano.  The wrapper provides a nice Colorado tan hue with some veins and slight toothiness. The cap was removed by my trusty Palio straight cutter, no problem. The cold draw was firm but brought along notes of leather, earth, along with an abundance of cedar. Once lit, the cigar retained the massive cedar notes along with some coffee. The body of the cigar was mild to medium early in the smoke. The draw remained tight in the early stages of the smoke.

As the smoke progressed, the cigar became more complex. The profile of the smoke became fuller and reached what I would consider medium bodied. The flavors were also enriched with vanilla and cocoa which complimented the coffee and cedar notes that remained. The cigar's draw opened as well. This cigar feels very balanced between the flavor and it's body. It does a great job of neither underwhelming or overwhelming any of the senses.

The cigar burned relatively slow and, despite its smaller size, smoked for about an hour and a half. The burn rate was even and nearly straight as an arrow during the entire smoke. The construction of the cigar remained intact too. 

This is a great cigar. I am disappointed that this was the last one in my possession. But, better days are ahead. I can always choose to refill my humidor via mail but I think I am going to wait to when I can return to Montreal on my next business trip. Half of the fun is the hunt.

The Score: Buy a Box