By admin on Nov 9, 2007 | In Cigar Reviews | 3 Comments
This is my first cigar review on cigarblog.net and I am smoking a Tatuaje that a friend gave me last night. I had never heard of this brand, but the one I had today was great from start to finish. When I first held it to my nose I knew it was going to be a good smoke.
Tatuaje is created by Pete Johnson (owner of Tatuaje Cigars) in close consultation with José “Pepin” Garcia and is manufactured at the El Rey de los Habanos factory in Miami, Florida, and at Tabacalera Cubana S. A. (TACUBA) in Estelí, Nicaragua.
I wouldn’t call this a full body cigar, but it did have alot of flavor. Since I am not familiar with this brand, I don’t know which one it is other than the brand. As I start adding reviews to this site, I will start taking a picture of the cigar and will be sure to write more on it. I just wanted to do this review to test the blog and tell about the cigar while I was smoking it. This is really a fun way to share a cigar with you guys, and gals.
By admin on Sep 13, 2007 | In Cigar Reviews | 2 Comments
The Perdomo Habano that I sampled was the Corojo-wrapped Robusto that I picked up from a local B&M. I was drawn to the cigar not only because it was a new release but also because it was a visually beautiful cigar. While I’m not necessarily a fan of large cigar bands, the main band on the Habano is a real work of art and is perfectly complemented by the smaller band at the foot (which Perdomo says protects the cigar when the cellophane is removed.)
Close inspection of the cigar reveals what I consider the classic “Perdomo smell.” (I don’t know exactly what it is, but Perdomo cigars have, to me anyway, a distinct aroma.) The Corojo wrapper is smooth and has a light sheen of oils and the cigar is neatly capped. The cigar is perfectly straight, the foot is cut perfectly square, and it feels firm along the entire length. This is a very well constructed cigar. I clip the cap and take a pre-light draw. The draw offers just enough resistance and rewards me with an earthy taste with quite a bit of black pepper that leaves my lips and tongue tingling. Upon lighting, my impressions are of more pepper and spice along with the traditional bold, earthy Nicaraguan flavor profile. The initial strength of the cigar is in the medium-full range.About 3/4 of an inch in the pepper flavors diminish a bit and I pick up notes of wood and leather. The cigar mellows slightly yet still provides a wonderful Corojo spiciness. Tons of white, creamy smoke leaves a medium length, spicy taste on the palate.
Half-way in I start to pick up on very subtle hints of an undefined sweetness - almost like a mild maduro - and I start to feel a slight nicotine kick. The burn is still consistent and the smoke cool and creamy.
The flavor remains essentially the same throughout the rest of the cigar. Not wanting to set the Habano down, by the time I detect a slight bitterness, I’ve nubbed the cigar.
While I’ve had some not-so-favorable Perdomo experiences in the past, Tabacalera Perdomo has bounced back from their quality problems of several years ago in a big way. I was extremely impressed by the quality of this cigar and I will definitely be buying more.
By admin on Sep 13, 2007 | In Cigar Reviews | No Comments »
“Por Larrañaga Cuban Grade is the latest continuation of the legendary brand initially created in 1834. Uncompromisingly smooth and well-balanced delivering sweet flavors and a long, subtle finish, Por Larrañaga Cuban Grade is comprised of deeply-aged Dominican and Honduran fillers. Crafted by legendary master blender Sr. Jesus Antonio Piñeda Henríquez at Altadis, S.A.’s world-famous Flor de Copán factory, the long-awaited new blend is available in a silken-honey, Ecuadorian-grown Connecticut Shade wrapper. And, for the first time in the history of this esteemed brand, Por Larrañaga Cuban Grade will also be crafted with a flavorful San Andrés Valley Maduro wrapper.Twenty (20) Por Larrañaga Cuban Grade cigars are magnificently presented in striking gold-accented, silver cigar boxes and is available in six (6) sizes: ‘Corona’ (4 ½” x 42); ‘Corona Gorda’ (5 ½” x 44); ‘Robusto’ (5” x 48); ‘Toro’ (6” x 50); ‘Figurado’ (6 1/8” x 52) and ‘Double Corona’ (7” x 54). Suggested retail prices range from $5.50 to $8.00 per cigar.”
The Por Larrañaga Cuban Grade Robusto that I sampled was wrapped in a dull brown Mexican maduro wrapper that displayed some medium veining and a very slight sheen of oil. Construction was generally good with the exception of a slight sponginess at the foot.
After cutting and lighting, my initial impression of this cigar was a bland flavor with muted hints of nuts and raisins, with some tannins similar to a dry red wine. Strength was on the mild side of medium and the tight draw required a bit of work to get any smoke. Room aroma was of dark-roasted coffee and some spice.
The remainder of the cigar remained pretty much the same as the first third, providing a so-so smoking experience. My prior exposure to this line (a Connecticut Shade Corona Gorda) was similar. This is a decent, simple cigar that doesn’t have much complexity. Could be a passable everyday cigar if the price point was lower.
By admin on Sep 13, 2007 | In Cigar Reviews | No Comments »
Since 1996, the CAO Gold line has been a standard for milder, yet flavorful cigars. Recently, CAO introduced a maduro-wrapped version of this classic cigar. The Gold Maduro is wrapped in a slightly toothy, deep brown Brazilian wrapper that glistens with oils. As is common with CAO products, this cigar is impeccably constructed.The first few puffs provide me with copious amounts of nutty, slightly earthy smoke with hints of coffee. Despite its bold appearance, the cigar is true to its Gold heritage and falls on the mild side of medium and the clouds of smoke fill the room with a mild, slightly sweet aroma.
Although tasty, the CAO Gold Maduro isn’t very complex. The flavor profile that you experience at the beginning lasts throughout the entire cigar. The smoke remains cool, despite the flaky ash that has a tendency to fall off rather easily.
The CAO Gold Maduro is an enjoyable cigar that will please fans of the CAO Gold line that are looking for just a bit more spice in their cigar. While maduro lovers who enjoy a bolder smoke probably won’t enjoy this cigar on a regular basis, it does provide a nice occasional change from the plethora of in-your-face cigars on the market. While CAO often takes hits for the hype surrounding their higher-end cigars, lines such as the Gold Maduro show what CAO can really do.
By admin on Sep 13, 2007 | In Cigar Reviews | No Comments »
Mention the words “Casa Fuente” to a cigar lover and they immediately start to drool. The Las Vegas cigar store and bar is Mecca for many aficionados due to the promise of rare sticks bearing the Fuente name. For those lucky enough to visit the Casa (in the Forum Shops at Caesars Palace) the prized treasure is something you can only obtain here: their house cigar, the Casa Fuente.Ok, you can get your hands on a Casa Fuente without actually visiting Las Vegas – if you’re lucky enough to have someone “mule” one back for you. Or, as in my case, if a generous Brother of the Leaf gifts you with one. I’ve had this one resting in my humidor for a special occasion and that occasion happened to be…Thursday night. I was in the mood for a better-than-my-daily-cigar cigar and I finally gave in to the call of the Casa.After taking a moment to soak in the visual (a gorgeous, silky Cameroon wrapper) and the olfactory (rich leather and cedar with hints of nutmeg,) I clip the head and light the most rare cigar that I’ve tried up to this point. I am rewarded with TONS of creamy smoke and flavors of leather and sweet spice, particularly cinnamon. I am a bit surprised at how much milder this cigar is than I expected, but it is just a brief illusion created by the smoothness of the Casa Fuente. This is a medium-full body cigar with a great deal of complexity, seemingly presenting new flavors to my palate with each puff. Occasionally I detect slight hints of vanilla, wood, and citrus, but the cinnamon/nutmeg overtone is the one flavor that I am continually drawn back to. With the long finish, the Casa Fuente sets a slow, relaxed pace for itself that fully showcases its potential. While I believe that this cigar would stand up well alongside a cup of rich coffee or nice rum, I’m glad that I paired it with water so I could get the full impact of the blend.
This was a wonderful cigar! In fact, if I’m ever again asked the question “If you could only smoke one cigar for the rest of your life, what would it be?” I’ll actually have an answer. The Casa Fuente was all that it was hyped to be and then some. However, perfection (ok, being this close to perfection) comes with a price. The Robusto is a twenty-plus dollar cigar and even trying to justify the cost with the argument that a portion goes to the Fuente’s Cigar Family charitable fund doesn’t put it within the reach of most smokers for a regular-rotation cigar. Still, if you are going to Las Vegas, you might want to invest a portion of the cash you were going to drop at the blackjack table in a Casa or two. The payback will be worth it.
By admin on Sep 7, 2007 | In Main | 8 Comments
Welcome to CigarBlog.net, my name is Tom and I am a cigar aficionado. I have started this blog to share cigar news and reviews on cigars that I am currently smoking.
I smoke several brands of premium cigars everyday, so I thought this would be a great way to share a cigar with other cigar aficionados around the world. Be sure to check back daily as I review at least one different cigar a day.
I have contacts at alot of the cigar shops in Nashville TN and when I travel I always check out the local cigar shops. Most of the time I will be reviewing cigars, but every once in a while I will give a review on the shops I visit, so if you know of a good one I should check out, be sure to comment on it here for me.
