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Cigar smokers?

haggishaggisMember
quote:
Originally posted by stickman:
quote:
Originally posted by haggis:
My 5-pack arrived this afternoon, packed with a 69% Boveda pack. I'll rest them, as you suggested, for a while before lighting up. Thanks for the recommendation (I hope!) Cool

Good news; I'm excited for you.


On Friday, I pulled one the Warped. There are a number of Nicaraguan cigars that I like, included Herrera Esteli and some of the Illusione line. This Warped Maestro del Tiempo 5205 seemed a bit rough at first, but showed some nice licorice and cocoa powder. About half way through, it turned a bit creamy, which suited me very much.

Either this is just a bit of an "in your face" cigar, or needs time to settle down. A wine analogy might be this as a Malbec, with Cubans and other Nicaraguans as a plush right bank Bordeaux.

I look forward to trying another one in a year or two and expect that it will be a pleasure.
S stickmanMember
quote:
Originally posted by Zeus:
WSJ Magazine had a article about Cuba, mentioning a tobacco plantation owned by Hector Luis Prieto... Was wondering if anyone here smoked a Prieto and if it's worth the time to seek it out.

I haven't tried them. Lemme' see if I can nudge the godfather off-line. If anyone I know would have info, he would be the guy.
S stickmanMember
quote:
Originally posted by haggis:
This Warped Maestro del Tiempo 5205 seemed a bit rough at first, but showed some nice licorice and cocoa powder... Either this is just a bit of an "in your face" cigar, or needs time to settle down...

Eek Ouch. No, this should not be at all in your face. This should be on the milder side of medium and very elegant and floral. 'Sorry this one didn't perform well for you. I mentioned in my notes on my top cigars for 2016 (many pages ago) that the downside of this cigar is its consistency, but I've never had one that could be described as rough.

Fwiw, I tried a stick from a new batch of Flor del Valle Cristales, and it seemed off - a notable chocolate character and a much firmer ash than what I had grown to expect. It may be that this harvest for Warped is more dominated by chocolate/cocoa (as indicated in your notes). As you mentioned, the best we can do is give them time and hope that they become more transparent.

My offer still stands to send you a couple from my stash.
S stickmanMember
I recently tried an old favorite, the Arturo Fuente Añejo 46. The story goes that this blend was born from a year in which Hurricane Georges destroyed the normal wrapper leaf for Opus X, so AF used some Cognac-barrel-aged CT Broadleaf, creating a cigar that received so much love, that they continue to produce it now, usually released just twice a year.

Honestly, I don't think this is the best vitola for this blend. This particular stick was especially potent, showing really intense double espresso, and lots of spiciness. I've had much better success with the 50 and 77 (the shark). Not a flawed cigar, by any means, but the 50 and 77 seem to show much more maple/molasses sweetness and lovely cedar.
haggishaggisMember
quote:
Originally posted by stickman:
quote:
Originally posted by haggis:
This Warped Maestro del Tiempo 5205 seemed a bit rough at first, but showed some nice licorice and cocoa powder... Either this is just a bit of an "in your face" cigar, or needs time to settle down...

Eek Ouch. No, this should not be at all in your face. This should be on the milder side of medium and very elegant and floral. 'Sorry this one didn't perform well for you. I mentioned in my notes on my top cigars for 2016 (many pages ago) that the downside of this cigar is its consistency, but I've never had one that could be described as rough.

Fwiw, I tried a stick from a new batch of Flor del Valle Cristales, and it seemed off - a notable chocolate character and a much firmer ash than what I had grown to expect. It may be that this harvest for Warped is more dominated by chocolate/cocoa (as indicated in your notes). As you mentioned, the best we can do is give them time and hope that they become more transparent.

My offer still stands to send you a couple from my stash.


That is very generous of you, stickman! I'll gladly accept and look forward to reciprocating in some way. I do think time will help.
Last edited by haggis
S stickmanMember
Another stick from the 2016 releases, the Fable Fourth Prime Mi is a mouthful in more ways than one. For starters is the name: Fable is the name of the company; Fourth Prime is the name for this particular blend, named after the number 7 - the fourth prime number; Mi is their name for this vitola, in this case a soft-box-press 5.75x46 gran corona (but I gotta' say it feels smaller than that in the hand). All the vitola names have something to do with the number 7: Mi is the solfege music method's name for the 3rd scale degree, of which there are 7, another vitola is called 'Doc' - one of the 7 dwarfs, another is Friday - one of 7 days of the week, etc.

I love the coarse, toothy, PA Broadleaf wrapper, which imparts a fantastic chocolate flavor with a distinct, syrupy sweetness. What really stands out apart from that is just how flavorful this is without being particularly potent or full-bodied; personally, I'd call it a solid medium. This sample wasn't wildly complex, but there is a great balance, which allows notes of cream, a hint of raisin, and a sort of pepperoni-like meatiness to jockey for equal footing with the sweet chocolate. Really quite delicious and enjoyable overall. Not that it affects the flavor, but the ash is the darkest I've seen outside of CC's.

I believe that lots of producers are trying to make medium-bodied, full-flavored cigars, and I think the quality of this cigar compares favorably with the best of them. It's definitely got my respect.

Edit: again I forgot to mention, ~$9 for the gran corona.
Last edited by stickman
S stickmanMember
Just an update on a few cigars from Ezra Zion I've had over the past couple months. I don't want to dwell on them, as they're no longer available, but they're too good not to at least mention.

I just finished a Blessed Leaf Rhema, which prompted this post. What a phenomenal cigar! Very full-bodied and potent, but matched with wonderful elegance and top-tier complexity. It starts out with lots of coffee been and powdery chocolate (reminded me of drinking a French roast coffee, while eating an Oreo wafer), accompanied by a buttery smoothness, occasional notes of semi-sweet butterscotch, and some cool menthol notes. It smells like a million bucks - love it! Easily one of the best cigars I've had this year. The 'band' is actually a very fine yarn, wound around the cigar. I wasn't crazy about it, when I saw the picture, but it feels so soft and elegant in the hand. Ok, I get it now. Very nice. Lucille has some similar coffee notes, but the supporting flavors are much creamier, with wonderful leather, tobacco, and vanilla notes. Not as many transitions as Rhema (and not nearly as full-bodied), but the vertical complexity is outstanding. Despite the name, Brass Knuckles is actually very luxurious and smooth, featuring rich caramel-cream, mixed nuts, and maple sugar, but it's also got some serious spiciness to punctuate the profile. I've only had one so far, but it was outstanding. I previously said that the 'Brass Knuckles' wasn't so great, but that was actually the Brass Knuckles Maduro; this is much better, IMHO.

These are all in the $10-12 range, depending on how many you buy, but they're all really tiny production (725, 625, and 540 cigars, respectively), and they're only available from their website, if you can pounce on them within 24 hours of their release (often much less). As such, even the cigar-geek bloggers tend to ignore them, but I've rapidly become a big fan. These gentlemen use such excellent, well-aged tobacco, that even their fullest, strongest cigars have an impressive polish and refinement to them. If there is a Sine Qua Non of the cigar world, this is it.
S stickmanMember
Just a heads-up: the Cornelius & Anthony - Cornelius is being offered by serious cigars for a mere $8.50 for the corona gorda, which normally sells for ~$11.50. I've previously given a very positive review to this cigar, my only caveat being the price. Blind Man's Puff, CigarCraig, and Toasted Foot each had this cigar on their respective 'tops of 2016' lists, and in fact, it was in the top 5 on each list. (Thanks to Halfwheel for making their spreadsheet of the 'Consensus Top 25' available, making such info available at my fingertips.) Serious Cigars sells singles, so you can purchase as many or as few as you like.

As always, I have no association with any entity mentioned above; I'm just sharing information on cigars I admire.
S stickmanMember
I just got to try the latest batch of Warped Sky Flower, and I'm very pleased. It's decidedly better than the 2016 batch, and it's actually more approachable without aging than the original 2015 release, which blossomed (haha, see what I did there?) in time to become a phenomenal cigar. Time will tell whether it continues to improve with age, as the original did.

Already it balances sharp clove, cayenne pepper, and hot cinnamon with smooth caramel and salted butter in a stimulating blend that is absolutely delicious and thrilling! I love how potent and focused it is without becoming heavy. It is, however, a definite workout for the palate with palate-clinging flavors on a long finish, but it's so mouthwatering on its own, that an accompanying beverage isn't necessary. Voluminous smoke from an easy draw make this a refined, relaxing experience. If you see any, pounce on 'em!
S stickmanMember
Just had another Illusione Singularé Kadosh, the newest and smallest of the Singularé line, checking in at a mere 4.25x48, and it is easily my favorite in the line. It lacks the asperity of the others, and it is exquisitely balanced. Flavors center around buttered pretzel, but there’s ample nutmeg and cocoa powder, as well as just a hint of pepper. The profile is generally very savory, but there are moments, where a faint sweetness reminiscent of honey-glazed donut peaks through. Perfect with a morning coffee.

When I’m looking for a sub-hour smoke, this and the RoMa Craft Intemperance BA (Brazilian Arapiraca) XXI Intrigue (4x46) have become my go-to choices.
S stickmanMember
After much anticipation, I've recently tried Steve Saka's (Dumbarton Tobacco and Trust) Muestra de Saka. It starts out very spicy without being peppery - more dry cinnamon than anything else. It quickly settles down into a very subtle nuttiness - kinda' almond/pecan-like. It then turns very citrusy and stays that way for a good while, and when I say very citrusy, I mean grill a lemon and smoke it - it tastes like that. More nut returns, but this stick remains very subtle and subdued throughout. For my taste, it's actually too subdued, but then again, that's what I thought of the Illusione Haut 10, when I first smoked it. I'm hoping that Muestra morphs into the amazing cigar that my Haut 10s have become. Until then, despite this stick's complexity - especially in terms of clear transitions, I'm a bit disappointed. Guys who love citrusy Cubans may enjoy this much more than I did. I haven't seen any reviews for this yet, but I wouldn't be surprised eventually to see some gushing over it, if for no other reason than Steve Saka made it.

While I'm on the subject of being disappointed with decent-but-not-great cigars, I'll mention recent tries of the Liga Privada UF-13, which smelled much better than it tasted, and the Illusione MJ12, which had a wonderful, spicy tingle to it, but it lacks the detail of Dion Giolito's best cigars, IMHO. In Colorado, The Muestra de Saka and the UF-13 are both ~$18 cigars, and the MJ12 is ~$12. None of them are worth their respective prices, IMHO.
haggishaggisMember
quote:
Originally posted by stickman:
Just had another Illusione Singularé Kadosh, the newest and smallest of the Singularé line, checking in at a mere 4.25x48, and it is easily my favorite in the line. It lacks the asperity of the others, and it is exquisitely balanced. Flavors center around buttered pretzel, but there’s ample nutmeg and cocoa powder, as well as just a hint of pepper. The profile is generally very savory, but there are moments, where a faint sweetness reminiscent of honey-glazed donut peaks through. Perfect with a morning coffee.

When I’m looking for a sub-hour smoke, this and the RoMa Craft Intemperance BA (Brazilian Arapiraca) XXI Intrigue (4x46) have become my go-to choices.


I am a big fan of the Illusione line (need to look out for the Kadosh)and have some stashed away. I'll likely dig into them this summer which, rumour has it is just around the corner! Yesterday was quite nice. Nice enough that, after a day of yard work, I enjoyed a Herrera Esteli short corona (purchased in 2013 for $7.95ea). A wonderful smoke. I don't have all the descriptors like stickman has, but this is rich, smooth, and burns perfectly..
S stickmanMember
quote:
Originally posted by haggis:
I am a big fan of the Illusione line (need to look out for the Kadosh)and have some stashed away...

That's easy; they'll be heading your way tomorrow. Wink
quote:
... I enjoyed a Herrera Esteli short corona (purchased in 2013 for $7.95ea). A wonderful smoke...

Much agreed. Of all the lines Willy Herrera has created since moving to Drew Estate, this original Herrera Esteli remains my favorite. I've never had one with 4 years on it; 'nice to know that they hold together. <thumbs-up>
S stickmanMember
Just tried an Avo Improvisation LE 2017, which was comped by smallbatchcigars.com. It was certainly more full-bodied than most Avos, with a rich leather, nutty, and creamy caramel character - pretty steady throughout. A bit too loose on the draw for my taste, but it was workable. Nothing to write home about, but certainly worth writing here about. Big Grin
S stickmanMember
quote:
Originally posted by bates40:
Disappointing Cohiba weekend: Robusto from 2015 which was just overall flat, and a Majestuosos 1966 which was really too young to smoke.....

'Sorry to hear. 'Must be going around. I had a sample from a recent batch of my beloved Warped Maestro del Tiempo - not even recognizable as the cigar I fell in love with last year. 'Very, very disappointed. Frown
S stickmanMember
After being impressed with Cornelius and Venganza from Cornelius & Anthony, I recently tried their Daddy Mac. Relatively smooth and clean, and pretty much in the middle (between the other two) in terms of both body and flavor. The best part (the middle, haha) featured a kind of spicy wheat with some background coffee and cream. It's an excellent stick IMO, but I still prefer the Cornelius for its impeccable balance. All in all, I have yet to meet a C&A that I don't like.
S stickmanMember
A local shop sponsored a Tatuaje/L'atelier event, and I got to meet KC Johnson and Dan Welsh - nice guys and a pleasure to speak with them. I tried the L'Atelier Extension de la Racine ER14, the 6 1/8 x 52 torpedo from 2014. Mine was very malty and buttery and not at all as much of a journey of transitions as I had heard. Excellent construction made for a pleasant, trouble-free smoke, but otherwise just somewhat ho-hum. I am excited to try the Tatuaje Halloween, an event exclusive and not one of the monster series they release each Halloween. I'll give it more time in the humidor before I try it, but I'm not sure I can wait until October. Big Grin
S stickmanMember
If you've followed this thread long enough, you may know that I was once a big fan of Liga Privada. The Liga #9 was one of my favorite cigars, and at one time the Dirty Rat was my favorite cigar of the year. Over time lots of things have changed at Drew Estate (maker of Liga Privada), most notably that they are now owned by Swisher. Production and prices are higher, and I don't enjoy the blends as much as I used to. I've even come to prefer Undercrown, after enjoying some surprisingly good samples. But, I had never tried the Liga Privada Velvet Rat; that was remedied recently, and I'm impressed.

It's a lonsdale (6.25 x 46), but it feels bigger and heavier in the hand. There are undoubtedly some nice subtleties to this cigar, including hints of leather, toast, pepper, blah-blah-blah, but they all take a far back seat to the dominant rich, creamy chocolate, and it is oh so smooth! Velvet is a perfect name for this stick. If you've ever had a chocolate version of Los Tres Leches cake, this is its cigar equivalent. It's almost $18 here in CO, and the profile isn't the most intriguing or challenging, but for a change-up smoke, I love it for its sheer decadence!
S stickmanMember
Lots of producers have taken their swing at making a CT-shade-wrapped stick with a bit more body, in order to bridge the gap between the milder Habano-style blends and the light-bodied CT shades. One of the early successes, the EP Carillo New Wave CT, sort of set the standard for quality IMO. The other more recent one that stands out to me was the Quesada 40th Anni Corona Clasica. Now comes the new Southern Draw Rose of Sharon, and I think it's outstanding.

They advertise it as 'sun-grown' CT, but it's grown in a naturally cloudy region of Ecuador, so it certainly has all the outward appearances of being shade-grown (often cheese-cloth is draped over the plants). It comes across to me as a medium-light body, but the flavors are a bit richer, with cashew and creamed Earl Grey tea as the core, but there are lots of subtle notes of floral, citrus, and graham cracker. The best part of the profile is actually what's missing: not even a hint of a dry, woody character or any intermittent bitterness, which often plagues some of the lighter-bodied sticks. Overall, I think this is a big winner. While I've had other sticks this year, which hit my own sweet spot better and which I find more thrilling, this blend is hard to criticize, it's so flawless, and there's so much to like about it. Bravo to Southern Draw. ~$8 for the Toro, if you can find it. It actually paired really nicely with a Limeade.
mdsphotomdsphotoMember
quote:
Originally posted by stickman:
Good to see you posting again, mdsphoto. I'd participate in your promo, but I'm not a tweeter. Good luck, and I hope you can enjoy a fine cigar again soon.


Thanks Stickman. Unfortunately had some complications from the surgery that will keep me off cigars for at least another 6-months.
haggishaggisMember
quote:
Originally posted by mdsphoto:
quote:
Originally posted by stickman:
Good to see you posting again, mdsphoto. I'd participate in your promo, but I'm not a tweeter. Good luck, and I hope you can enjoy a fine cigar again soon.


Thanks Stickman. Unfortunately had some complications from the surgery that will keep me off cigars for at least another 6-months.



So sorry to hear that, mdsphoto. I hope you are back to good health soon.
S stickmanMember
quote:
Originally posted by bates40:
Monte robusto (original release 2000) to celebrate the 3-year anniversary of my father's passing.

If a cigar could be more than perfect, get scored higher than 100 points, this would be it. Perfect construction, intense taste of ground coffee, caramel and molasses. Great cigar for a great evening.

Wow, now that's what I'm talking about! Thanks for sharing that. It's always great to hear about a peak experience.
S stickmanMember
quote:
Originally posted by mdsphoto:
quote:
Originally posted by stickman:
Good luck, and I hope you can enjoy a fine cigar again soon.

Thanks Stickman. Unfortunately had some complications from the surgery that will keep me off cigars for at least another 6-months.

Ouch. 'Sorry to hear that. Hang in there, brother, and heal well. When you're well enough again, boy do I have the lancero for you! <see below>
S stickmanMember
My admiration for Ezra Zion cigars continues with their latest few releases, which I believe are among their best.

The Punkin' Pie, a closed-foot, 6x52 toro, is a great cigar for anyone who thinks cigars are harsh and too 'smoky.' I didn't get to try the original release, but this re-release is outstanding, featuring a very smooth, creamy leather, vanilla, and cinnamon start. Lots of progressions to this interesting cigar, moving through a legitimate 'pumpkin spice' and vanilla phase, to a spicier phase with distinct clove, and ending with an even more flavorful, sweet, nutty character. Not a harsh note to be found anywhere, there is simply nothing about this stick not to like.
The Raven: Nevermore is a lancero, featuring a soft-brown, 10-year-old broadleaf wrapper over fillers from Nicaragua, Indonesia, and Peru. I love how dark and brooding the flavors are while maintaining a certain reserve. This definitely falls into the chocolate/licorice/pepper mold, but there are distinct notes of hazelnut, savory herbs, coffee, and creamy malt peaking out here and there. Wonderfully balanced and very polished with all the clarity one could hope for in a small ring gauge. Easily one of my favorite EZ's so far!
Green Army Men (as in the toy figurines) is a Nicaraguan puro that strikes a nice balance between coffee, cedar, and earthy notes. This doesn't hit my palate as precisely with transitions as the two above, but CC lovers especially will find a lot to like in this cigar.
Naughty Bits is a 5x44 stick with an oily Corojo 99 wrapper, which struck me as being dominated by sourdough bread and toffee, with a mildly citrusy finish - very interesting, but not the most delicious, IMHO.

These are all made in very small batches (370, 685, 730, and 945 cigars, respectively), so they're kind of a category unto themselves. Naughty Bits actually sold out in a matter of hours, and I missed them, so Kyle Hoover sent me a couple from his personal stash to try. <salute> I do intend to give them time to develop, but they're all 'pre-aged' by EZ, so all they seem to require is enough time to stabilize in my humidor, and they're ready to sing.
mdsphotomdsphotoMember
quote:
Originally posted by stickman:
My admiration for Ezra Zion cigars continues with their latest few releases, which I believe are among their best.

The Punkin' Pie, a closed-foot, 6x52 toro, is a great cigar for anyone who thinks cigars are harsh and too 'smoky.' I didn't get to try the original release, but this re-release is outstanding, featuring a very smooth, creamy leather, vanilla, and cinnamon start. Lots of progressions to this interesting cigar, moving through a legitimate 'pumpkin spice' and vanilla phase, to a spicier phase with distinct clove, and ending with an even more flavorful, sweet, nutty character. Not a harsh note to be found anywhere, there is simply nothing about this stick not to like.
The Raven: Nevermore is a lancero, featuring a soft-brown, 10-year-old broadleaf wrapper over fillers from Nicaragua, Indonesia, and Peru. I love how dark and brooding the flavors are while maintaining a certain reserve. This definitely falls into the chocolate/licorice/pepper mold, but there are distinct notes of hazelnut, savory herbs, coffee, and creamy malt peaking out here and there. Wonderfully balanced and very polished with all the clarity one could hope for in a small ring gauge. Easily one of my favorite EZ's so far!
Green Army Men (as in the toy figurines) is a Nicaraguan puro that strikes a nice balance between coffee, cedar, and earthy notes. This doesn't hit my palate as precisely with transitions as the two above, but CC lovers especially will find a lot to like in this cigar.
Naughty Bits is a 5x44 stick with an oily Corojo 99 wrapper, which struck me as being dominated by sourdough bread and toffee, with a mildly citrusy finish - very interesting, but not the most delicious, IMHO.

These are all made in very small batches (370, 685, 730, and 945 cigars, respectively), so they're kind of a category unto themselves. Naughty Bits actually sold out in a matter of hours, and I missed them, so Kyle Hoover sent me a couple from his personal stash to try. <salute> I do intend to give them time to develop, but they're all 'pre-aged' by EZ, so all they seem to require is enough time to stabilize in my humidor, and they're ready to sing.


These all sound great Stickman, will put them on the list for my hopeful November return to cigars.
S stickmanMember
Enjoyed an Ezra Zion Live Free or Die for Independence Day. It seemed fitting in a Patrick Henry sort of way. Love that cigar! So much complexity that talking about transitions or thirds of the cigar don't seem relevant. Very potent (my buddy had to put his down a little more than half way through), featuring leather and black licorice, but frequent intermittent notes of a soft tanginess, dark chocolate, amber ale, and even a banana-like sweetness. Otherwise, I've had a couple disappointments of late. Maybe I've been spoiled. <shrug>
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