Jerry responded to our conversation by meeting me outside and gifting me a La Palina 1896.  I asked him if I should smoke it then or if I should let it rest for a while, to which he responded, “smoke it now and see how it goes.”  The cigar has a nice oily wrapper that sports some veins and rough texture.  The pre-light aroma consisted nice sweet tobacco, a little spice, and cocoa.  The pre-light draw was a little loose and offered up notes of sweet tobacco followed by a lite cocoa note.  At this point I obliged Jerry’s kind gesture and sparked this beauty with my trusty Lamborghini Forza.

When I actually got into the cigar things only got better.  The cigar produced loads of creamy smoke that coated the palate with a wonderful sweetness.  I actually made the comment to several people that the first few draws reminded me of dessert.  I picked up lots of caramel notes, so much so that it reminded me of a bread pudding I ate once in Louisiana.  As the cigar progressed I started to pick up some of the cocoa that was present pre-light and a little black coffee.  The flavors were incredible and progressed nicely from start to finish.  I did have a few burn issues with my only sample, but I tend to place the blame on the terrible Tennessee heat and humidity that plagued us on Saturday.  This little issue is why I smoke multiple cigars for a full review, but in this case I’m excited because I’ll have to smoke a few more samples of a cigar I thoroughly enjoyed to produce a true review.

I’m not sure when I’ll be able to pick a few more of these up, but as soon as I do you can count on a full review to be posted.  The La Palina 1896 was really enjoyable and I loved the flavors that it produced.  If I had to give a bad mark at all it would be the price (MSRP of $19.00).  This one happened to be a gift courtesy of a kind BOTL so I can’t complain, but they are a little pricey.  But at the end of the day we all have different budgets so I would not hesitate to recommend this cigar, but for me it would be a special occasion purchase.  Stay tuned for a full review and thanks again to Jerry for sharing this beauty.

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• Cigar – Partagas Benji Menendez Master Series
• Filler – Dominican, Nicaraguan
• Binder – Connecticut Habano
• Wrapper – Cameroon
• Price – $9.95
• Shape – Majestuoso/Corona Gorda (6 x 46)

So I know it’s been a while since we’ve posted any new content and for that I apologize.  Today I’m posting a long overdue review of the Partagas Benji Menendez Master Series Majestuoso.  When this cigar debuted I was a little hesitant to give it a try based on previous experiences I’d had with other Dominican Partagas cigars.  However, after much persuasion from a fellow BOTL I decided to give in and give them a go, and man am I glad I did.

In 2009 Benji Menendez celebrated his 57th year in the cigar industry.  In the same year he introduced the eponymous, Master Series which he crafted to pay homage to the Cifuentes family.  This is a limited edition offering of only 5,000 boxes of 20 cigars.  For those that aren’t aware, Mr. Menendez has worked with some of the largest names in the cigar business and has blended and/or been responsible for some true gems and this cigar is certainly no exception.

The cigar has a beautiful chocolate brown Cameroon wrapper that sports a few fine veins and a some tooth.  It’s a little rough to the touch which I find a lot with Cameroon wrapper tobacco.  The seams on the wrapper and cap are nearly invisible.  It’s firm to the touch and is very well packed with no soft spots.  Honestly, the four cigars I sampled for this review were near perfect on the construction checklist.

Prelight the cigar offered up a variety of aromas consisting of earth, cocoa, cedar, and a slight spice at the foot.  The prelight draw was effortless and offered up the same peppery spice along with cedar and cocoa.  To be honest the amount of spice caught me a little off guard at first as it was completely unexpected, but it was really nice along side the cocoa notes.

After lighting the cigar produced large amounts of smoke that coated the palate with a wide array of flavors.  The first third offered up a lot of peppery spice, especially on the retrohale.  Following the pepper were notes of cedar mingled with the cocoa and coffee, finishing with a nice woodsy tone.  Even with all of these flavors swirling around the cigar maintained a very nice balance.  The burn was absolutely spot on perfect with a very nice gray ash.  The ash only held for an inch or so before I noticed it leaning ever so slightly, so I quickly tapped it off to avoid a lap full of hot ash.

The peppery spice continued into the second third along with the cedar and cocoa notes.  I did pick up some coffee notes midway into the second third, which melded nicely with the cocoa and cedar.  The cigar did maintain the same nice balance and was still burning perfectly with a nice gray ash that held on for a little longer than it did at first.

Into the final third the cigar was still burning perfectly, it was cool throughout, never once hot.  The peppery spice was there until the final puff along with coffee and slight cocoa notes that took a backseat to the predominant woodsy/cedar notes.  The finish was still very smooth and the flavor maintained the same great balance all the way to the nub.

Overall, I really enjoy this cigar and would recommend it to anyone without hesitation.  I’ve actually purchased close to two boxes of these cigars to date and will continue to do so until they are long gone from my local B&M.  To borrow a quote from Cigar Aficionado’s Top 25 Cigars of the Year edition, “this just might be the best Dominican Partagas I’ve ever smoked.”  Based on the balance of flavors and the box worthiness the cigar earns a whopping 9.5 out of 10.

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When I toured the humidor there was one new cigar that caught my eye; the Jaime Garcia Reserva Especial.  I’ve been looking forward to sampling these cigars since first hearing they were being released.  I had also heard several good things about them a few nights before from several trusted sources.  I was a little disappointed that the Toro Gordo was the only size available because it’s not normally my first choice of vitola.  I was really looking forward to sampling the petite robusto which has been a favorite vitola of mine as of late thanks to the My Father Le Bijou 1922 offering of the same size.

The cigar was very well constructed, but I noticed it was a little wet which made it a little difficult to light.  However, once the cigar got going it produced loads of smoke and held a nice ash with very little flaking.  I picked up a nice sweetness right away which I’m sure was due to the wonderful dark Connecticut Broadleaf wrapper.  The predominant flavors were cocoa and cinnamon along with a slight peppery spice.  The cigar almost seemed to flaten out a little toward the start of the final third, almost like it lost it’s oomph.  I still picked up a lot of the same flavors into the last third, but it never quite graduated to that “next level”.  I did purchase a few additional sticks so I could give this offering another try.  The flavors were nice and I think the cigar deserves a second chance, but I think I’ll dry box the next one for a day to prevent the same issue I experienced today.

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• Cigar – Serafin de Cuba
• Filler – Dominican/Nicaraguan?
• Binder – Dominican/Nicaraguan?
• Wrapper – Ecuadorian
• Price – $100 for Bundle of 25
• Shape – Churchill (7 x 48)

A Couple of weeks ago I contacted Arnold Serafin about possibly reviewing some of his cigars for the Nashville Cigar Club podcast and this site.  Arnold was most gracious and agreed to send us some samples for review.  The fact that the cigars came to us for review does not sway our opinion in the slightest.  We at cigarblog.net remain completely subjective, and regardless of price we can share a true opinion based on the smoking experience.

Serafin’s website has this to say about his creation. “Our Serafin de Cuba Cigars are entirely handmade in our factory in Florida in small batches by skilled Cuban Master rollers. Our cigars are all made from authentic Cuban seed tobacco imported from Nicaragua and The Dominican Republic and beautifully finished with Ecuadorian wrapper, one of the world’s best. This is a blend that can be enjoyed by all.”

Serafin de Cuba cigars are sold in Arnold’s stores in Tarpon Springs and Spring Hill, FL as well as through his website.  I think as any cigar lover would attest, it’s always nice to find something new and a house blend crafted by a Cuban Master Roller definitely fits the bill.  I was extremely excited to light the first of these beauties and see if they smoked as good as they looked and smelled.  The cigar itself is well packed with no soft spots.  The slightly oily caramel colored wrapper maintains a consistent color and does have a few small veins, but overall nothing to get in the way.

After clipping the cap I began my pre-light walkthrough.  The foot emitted aromas of sweet tobacco, hay, and earth.  The pre-light draw gave a little resistance which is always nice and offered up the same flavors with hay being predominant.  The first third of the cigar continued to offer the same notes of hay with the occasional hint of wood and roasted nut on the retrohale, while finishing with a nice creaminess.  The cigar produced loads of nice creamy white smoke and burned wonderfully, with the ash holding well over an inch with no flaking.

The flavor began to pick up a little into the second third.  I was still getting the same notes of hay, wood, and nuts with an occasional touch of black coffee.  The burn was great and the ash was still holding very well.  The cigar was still producing large amounts of smooth smoke which offered the same creamy finish as the first third.

Black coffee became the predominant flavor toward the end, followed still by notes of wood and roasted nuts.  The cigar did develop a little bitter “bite”toward the end, but if you like a nice strong cup of black coffee it was a nice bitter flavor.  I know that will make sense to those of you that enjoy a strong cup of coffee or espresso.  In spite of the bitter notes it still maintained the smooth creamy texture to the nub.  The cigar offered some nice changes from start to finish and is definitely a stick that I would recommend to anyone without hesitation.  I truly enjoyed these cigars and would safely rate the Serafin de Cuba Churchill a 9 out of 10.

So if you’re looking for a good cigar or just something new, look up Arnold Serafin and his Serafin de Cuba cigars and place an order.  He offers several different vitolas in both a Connecticut and Maduro wrapper that range in price from $100 to $125 for a bundle of 25 well crafted cigars.  The cigar offered great flavor and as you can see, the price is a steal for such a good cigar.

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Last night I had the pleasure of having a cigar with Mel Gonzalez, the president of Canimao cigars. I have had a Canimao Classic Natural before, but it was a little on the mild side and better suited for a morning smoke. I have only seen them at a few locations, and they are strict about allowing distributors and online retailers carrying their brand, which I respect a lot.

When I first sat down with Mel, I smoked one of the naturals they were handing out to try. He asked me what I thought about it, and I proceeded to explain that I liked the construction and burn, but that it was a little milder than I normally smoke. Then he suggested that I try the Canimao Classic Robusto Extra Dark.

I grabbed the cigar and went through my typical pre-light ritual. It had a very nice, dark wrapper, with a nice Cuban twist on the cap. A very well constructed cigar with a very nice aroma. I would have to describe it as earthy. I hit it with the torch and took my first draw and it smoked very well. Full clouds of wonderful smoke, and then it hit me. I have never tasted this before. I mean, when you smoke some cigars, they usually remind you of another cigar that you have had in the past. This one did not, which I really liked a lot, as the flavor profile stood on its own, just as a true boutique brand should.

Smoking the cigar, I never had to touch it up once. It burned even all the way to the end, and left me wanting more. It’s been a long time since I have had a cigar like this. If I had to describe it, it would be like the first time I tried a Tatjuae Unicos when they first came out. I’m not saying it has the spice/pepper, or full body of a Tat, but it did have a great flavor that I found very pleasant.
The flavor profile was noticeable at different stages, making it a nice, complex, cigar. When I said earthy, it’s more of a barn yard aroma. Some wood and chocolate from time to time, but not all at once. I would not hesitate to purchase a box of the extra darks, and it would be something I could smoke daily. It was that good.

While I was talking with Mel as I enjoyed this cigar, a funny thing I noticed was that we both said at the same time… “Passion”. He was discussing his passion for creating a good cigar, rolled in the old Cuban style. I had mentioned how much I enjoy the cigar culture and cigars. We both agreed that we shared the same passion for cigars, which I accept as a compliment.

Another thing we both agreed on was the impact that boutique brands were having on the market. He really has no desire to be a major brand, which I found refreshing. He does love his craft, history and care that goes into blending a well balanced cigar. If you get the opportunity to smoke a Canimao, and the chance to sit and meet with Mel Gonzalez, watch him smile when you tell him you like his cigars and you’ll know what I mean. He gets excited and actually throws his head back laughing while interpreting what we were talking about to his master roller, which didn’t speak English.

I really like the Canimao, and have a great deal of respect for the owner of the company. Seeing his passion about his brand made it all more enjoyable. I highly recommend that you try one of their cigars.

Color: Dark Natural   Size: 6 1/8″ x 52

Canimao cigars are made in Miami, Florida in a very small factory. The cigar is wrapped in an Ecuadorian wrapper, with fillers from Nicaragua and the Dominican Republic, and an Ecuadorian Sumatra binder.

This cigar is mild to medium-bodied and has a great flavor. It comes in Double Corona (7 ½” x 50), Legendarios (5” x 50), Robusto (5” x 50), Robusto Extra (6 1/8” x 52) and Torpedo (6 1/8” x 52)

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Let me start by saying that I’ve been a huge fan of Ernesto Perez-Carrillo’s offerings for many years and was both sad and excited when he left General and his beloved La Gloria Cubana brand to “start over” with a new brand baring his name.  I was really excited to smoke the first offering from E.P. Carrillo (the Edicion Inagural), and have been even more excited to see how the regular production would perform.  So when I was told that a local shop had juest received their first shipment I made haste. 

The Short Run is an absolutely incredible stick, it’s very complex and full of flavor.  This medium-full beauty offers up notes of wood and a nice spice.  In my opinion one of the finest offerings I’ve seen hit shelves at the local B&M in a while.  I’ve made my first purchase of several to enjoy and I am patiently awaiting the next arrival which has a full box with my name on it!  This is definitely a must try, so if you haven’t done so, find them locally and BUY!

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• Cigar - Paul Garmirian Gourmet Series
• Filler – Dominican
• Binder – Dominican
• Wrapper - Connecticut Shade
• Price – $11.00
• Shape- Corona Grande (6.5 x 46)

Without further ado I present the first review on the newly revamped (still in process) Cigarblog.net.  Today I’m reviewing the Paul Garmirian Gourmet Series corona grande courtesy of our fine friends at P.G. Cigars.  The Gourmet Series was introduced in 1990 and quickly garnered everyones attention for it’s rich, spicy, and deliciously smooth flavors and aromas.  This cigar is considered to be medium bodied and is very balanced.  It is made in the Dominican Republic and boasts an Ecuadorian grown Connecticut Shade wrapper.

I’m pretty sure I need to preface this review with the fact that Connecticut Shade wrapped cigars are not usually what I run to in the evening after a long day at the office.  However, I must say, I was very excited to introduce this stick to flame.  I’ve smoked a few of Paul Garmirian’s offerings in my 15 years of cigar smoking and have always been impressed with the end result.  I must say this one did not disappoint.

The construction on this cigar is flawless, sure there are a few veins but nothing that takes away from the beautiful construction it boasts.  The cigar has a good weight in my hands, there are no soft spots, and the wrapper maintains a consistent color, absolutely flawless.  Pre-light the cigar smells of earth, hay, honey, aged tobacco and roasted nuts, and the pre-light draw provides more of the same flavors.  The draw on both samples I smoked was perfect, thus it took very little effort to get the cigar lit.

The first third of the cigar offered up more of the same great flavors of honey, roasted nut and hay.  The burn was straight and the ash held well with no flaking.  Roasted nuts continue to be the predominate flavor followed by honey and a really nice aged tobacco flavor.  With each draw the cigar provided large amounts of nice creamy smoke.  Near the end of the first third I start to pick up a slight spice that reminded me of nutmeg.

Midway the cigar is just as good as the first 1/4 inch.  The flavors continue to play off of one another with roasted nuts and honey being the main focus.  The creaminess remains between puffs and coats the palate with nice aged tobacco flavors.  The burn remains spot on and the ash continues to hold for around two inches before I tapped it off to avoid any unpleasant experiences.

The last bit of the cigar provided the same palate pleasing flavors as the first and I can definitely say it made me a Connecticut convert.  I’ve never managed to nub a Connecticut wrapped cigar due to the bitterness that most develop toward the end.  Not with this cigar, I smoked both I sampled for this review until I nearly burnt my fingers.  P.G.’s secret has to be their aging.  I’ve been told that some of their tobaccos age up to 7 years before they even see the torcedor’s table, and that after they’re rolled they can box age several years before they see your retailers’ shelves.  All of this combined with the Garmirians’ passion for their product makes for one great smoking experience.  I would definitely buy more to put back for special occasions and gladly advise anyone looking for a true smoking experience to pick these up without hesitation.

I don’t like to do the whole 1-100 “rating” thing on a cigar for a number of reasons,  however I do like to “score” them.  I like to score cigars on the old tried and true “on a scale of 1-10″ method and place a number on it based on my opinion of the cigar, because at the end of the day that’s what it is, an opinion.  Every smoker is different and each of us need to look at these opinions and decide for ourselves what we like and what we don’t.  Based on that basic explanation I would gladly give this beauty a 9.5 out of 10.

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Doing some background research for the review I found that these were blended by Frank Llaneza for Altadis cigars. I was surprised they were from Altadis, as the band looked like a cheap knockoff of the Cuban Cohibas, but we all know the long going lawsuits, so I won’t bore you with the details. I will say that the name makes me think it was a jab at the Cuban line.

Looking at the cigar it seems to be well constructed with no blemishes or soft spots. After removing the celophane and band, it did have a nice aroma at the foot and the wrapper. I am not sure what to expect, as I guess I am still hung up on the band and name, but lets light it up and check it out. The cigar does have a nice draw and doesn’t taste bad. I would say it’s a medium to full body cigar so far. I am getting a peppery flavor with some hints of leather and woodiness. Not too bad.

The ash is tight and holding well. Burning even, due to being well constructed. So, far the ash has grown to about 4″ and holding. I am picking up a flavor I am unfamiliar with, so I am waiting to see if the flavor profile changes. It’s like a mild licorice flavor, but not harsh. Overall, a nice flavor, but not knowing what I am picking up is bothering me, but not to the point I don’t enjoy the cigar.

As I am getting past the half way point, it is starting to grow mildly bitter, but still tolerable. I am going to rest in in the ash tray, as I have had enough. I think maybe this cigar could get better with some more age on it, as it is a new line, so it may turn out to be a really good cigar.

Overall impression is that I am not sure I would purchase them if I seen them sold locally. I do have another and may try it again with some more age. My opinion of it may change then. It’s not that it’s a horrible cigar, but I believe Altadis is a large enough company to come up with a name on it’s own. You can find these cigars at your local tobacconist and online at MikesCigars.com, and they are available in 10 sizes.

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Today’s cigar is the Cohiba Maduro5, Genios Cuban cigar. I was lucky to get my hands on one of these, especially with the embargo on Cuban cigars and excited to finally get to try a maduro from Cohiba. Actually, I haven’t had a Cuban Cohiba since I went to Cancun and got to try the Esplendido.

On to my review of this cigar. The wrapper is dark, oily and leathery and the aroma is very chocolaty. It’s a little firm, but when I lit it, it had a wonderful draw and it tastes better than I had expected. I love maduros and this one went straight to the top of my favorite’s list!

Very full flavored, but not harsh. Smooth tasty draw all the way to the end. It never got hot and the smoke was rich and creamy. I am not sure what I am tasting, as far as your normal chocolates and etc., but I am loving every minute of it. It almost reminds me of chocolate covered cherries.

Overall, a beautiful cigar and a great smoke. This is defiantly one that I will look forward to smoking again and again, when I can get my hands on them. If you get a chance to smoke one, do not pass it up.

Additional info:

Size is 5.5 x 52 with an aged maduro wrapper. Listed as medium to full body in flavor with an earthy taste. Hand made in Cuba with maduro wrapper that has been aged for 5 years.  On a 1-10 scale, I give it a 10.

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Today I sat down with a cigar that I’ve wanted to try for some time now – the Camacho Triple Maduro. Tom Lazuka of Camacho had mentioned this cigar to me during the Western Pennsylvania Cigar Crawl back in May, but as the cigar wasn’t scheduled to be released for a few weeks, he didn’t have any samples for me to try. So, I put it on my list of cigars to try and, quite honestly, forgot about them until I attended a Camacho event a couple of weeks ago. I picked up a couple and tossed them into the humidor until I could sit down uninterrupted and fully experience this smoke.

A cool, crisp fall day seemed to be the perfect time to try the Triple Maduro. I settled in on the front porch with a book, a bottle of water, and the above-mentioned Torpedo. My initial inspection revealed a toothy, chocolate brown wrapper with two small (and well-done) patches. The cigar was double-banded (a trend that seems to be increasing) with typically beautiful Camacho bands. Unfortunately, the band at the foot of the cigar had an abundance of glue on it and removing it caused a small piece of the wrapper to tear off. The wrapper had an earthy, slightly sweet aroma and a sniff of the foot of the cigar revealed further earthiness with a hint of nuts. The feel of the cigar was solid with a slight heft for its size.

I clipped the head of the cigar with my trusty Palio and took a deep pre-light draw. I picked up musty flavor that reminded me of rich soil with hints of spice and leather. I also noticed a peppery tingle on the edges of my tongue. The draw was deliberate but not difficult with just a bit of resistance.

When I torched the Triple Maduro, I was rewarded with a dark, earthy tobacco flavor that quickly developed an overtone of bitter coffee. While this was not a beginner cigar, I was slightly surprised that a cigar made exclusively from thick, Maduro tobacco leaves wasn’t a more of a powerhouse. I would put this cigar squarely in the medium category as far as strength. Finish is short on the palate with a definite flavor of bold coffee.

As I continued to smoke, the initial bitterness mellowed somewhat and I began to pick up on hints of smoky nuts. The burn on the cigar was surprisingly even (surprising because Maduro leaves tend to not be the smoothest burning) and there was a noticeable ring of oil bubbling up just above the burn line. Even thought I was outside, I was able to pick up on a strong, musty aroma from the cigar. Ash was mottled gray and rather dense and held on quite a while before falling off. The cigar began to get bitter with about two inches left and not long after that point I set it down and let it peacefully go out.

The Camacho Triple Maduro is a great cigar that every Maduro lover should try at least once. I was a little skeptical about the all-Maduro “gimmick” but Camacho has put out a really good product. My only complaint (and for me, it’s a big one) is the cost. The Triple Maduro runs about double what other Camachos run and while it is a fine cigar, I don’t think its twice as good as the Coyolar or Corojo lines. As such, I personally view the Camacho Triple Maduro as an occasional or perhaps “special” cigar.

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