Montecristo Serie C

The first thing i noticed about this stick was the banding - it reminds me of a chocolate bar. The aroma is of coffee and chocolate - not surprising. I am wondering if this has anything to do with it being called a Serie C.

There are a couple of hard spots but nothing major.

The appearance also has some interesting light spots - see pic below.

Oily hairy peach fuzz. This was a tricky match light - it is pretty cold outside in the low 40's. The moonlight is spectacular. Great chocolate smoke first puff. Spicy chocolate in sinus.

Rock solid cigar. Great draw but very open. Very hard to overheat however.  Nice big ring guage.

It is like daylight at night with the moon - you could read a newspaper. The ash is medium light grey but might be a bit lighter in better light.

Earthy not overpowering wood.

A bit of a sewer smell. A lot of people say this is the smell a cigar puts off but i rarely think this is the smell or a bad smell as for the conotations it brings.

Finish is smooth and dry but lasts a while with coccoa but not all that strong.

Band was very tight and at the beginning of the final third the cigar literally popped and exploded. The wrapper snapped and cracked along the rolled seam. This was weird. I never had this happen before but it is cold so maybe that played a factor. It still burned decent - just a bit crazy because the wrapper separated  in parts and would not burn.

Overall C - nothing special to me.

Good Non-explosive Smokes,

Dave 

   

Macanudo

I am not even exactly sure of the variety and size of this Macanudo. It's pretty small and a little over three inches. This is the cigar i was given to make up for the horrible Isabella (see Isabella review).

Not a whole lot to say. This is a great quick morning smoke with coffee. Lasted maybe 35 minutes if that and had decent mild flavors of coffee and coccoa.

Only spice i got was throught the sinus.

This smoke was nice and toasty.

I would pick up a little five pack tin if a quick smoke is what you want.

This is a very small cigar  - it burned really well.

Good Smokes,

Dave

 

Punch

This cigar cost me 6.25 and was bought at the same place as thae Isabella if you have read that review. I was not expecting much beyond gargbage. I have come to find out that Punch is a big brand and well known and liked in fact I have come to discover my father in law liked them too. I didn't care for this cigar but i have a few more from another place and i am curious to see how they turn out.

Anyways, this started harsh and spicy in the sinus. Sweet tea spice plus chocolate and cedar.

An excellent draw with minimal cutting. Plenty of smoke yet not too much or too little.

Nothing really flavorful or flavor intense on the palette. Burny or spicy acid.

Ash is light color grey.

Average plain smoke, a bit fruit and not ashy like my last smoke (Big Butt).

Sweet scent. I could smoke these if they were laying around but wouldn't seek them out.

My throat is a bit irritated and scrathchy.

Some vanilla notes come and go.

My buzz is strange and anxiety a bit high.

This smoke is burning very fast and has a nice nicotene kick.

When i bought this stick the guy told me about the process of making them. I have no idea whether this is true or not but he said that this cigar is rolled from everything that is left over after a days worth of rolling cigars by the cigar roller. This causes the tabacco to be more potent for some reason and gives it a punch. Also something about sweeping the floors and then rolling it up. Sounded like bs to me but it was interesting.

Smoke is pungent and heavy on my clothes.

A bit sweeter last third. Vanilla latte.

Good jolt like an energy drink. A more calmed high at the end.

I would smoke this if i had to cram all night for an exam or for some lunch time pep.

Stick has the zing of an uncleanded pipe.

Kind of want a lager or strong wine.

All in all not my cup of tea but i can see where they might have their place in a good cycle/rotation of cigars.

I am more about something with robust nutty or buttery flavors.

I stink and need a shower afte this one.

Smoke on,

Dave

 

 

 

Big Butt mas gordo

This cigar looked pretty cool and had a funny name so i picked it up at the store. It has a nice torpedo shape at both ends and was densely packed as you can see from the pics.

To start the flavors pre light are dark tea. After lighting the flavor is again dark tea, although i am drinking tea with this smoke.

Below is the head after cutting

Nice easy light since there is less area to get going. It is airy and goes through sinus no prob. A better smell than taste to start. It is much lighter bodied than i expected. Something about the name suggested to me it might be powerful. Seems to be developing every few millimeters while puffing away. Burn is even.

The draw keeps tightening but a good bite on the head lossens it up.

Pepper spice then very salty. Kind of different. Very Ritz cracker aftertaste. Smoke is good volume and might be offensive to non smoker.

A bit of a rustic taste and slightly ashy. Honestly this cigar just gets a solid C halfway through. Tastes bitter when tounge touches the head.

 

To me this cigar dosn't scream pick up a box but i would smoke em if they were around.

Last two inches are spicy. Somewhat like a less earthy Cuban Reject with less dry flavor but heavier tea rawness. This flavor again conjures that image of Terminator 2 biker bar like i talked about when reviewing the Cuban Reject.

Yes corn can grow in Oregon in case you were wondering.

Smokes out,

Dave

Cuban Reject

There is a reason for the name. I just don't think there is any potential right from the get-go. It's not horrible but not great. The cigar looks pretty nice - decent construction - a little rough and rugged but nicely done. I am not a fan of something with no banding or identification but when the purpose is to save the customer money then who can complain. This cigar comes naked and just looks average.

Very dry with some pepper. Back of throat is dry and itchy. Woody oak is the stand out flavor.

The burn is wavy at half an inch in and smoke output is medium.

The taste is conjuring up old church or barn wood imagery. Stale rasins, burnt coffee, but honestly nothing big or spectacular - but hey this cost me 2.50 and is good for that price.

Ash is light- medium grey and hanging well at 2 1/2 inches pretty cool. The burn has corrected itself. Walnut aftertaste comes in after ash drops.

This is a nice cigar to chew and hold onto with your mouth/teeth. It is not bitter at all.

As i smoke i get the image of a biker stogie - in particular there is that scene from Terminator 2 where a biker dude in a bar tries to put cigar out on his (terminator's) chest and it dosn't even phase him. This is the cigar i imagine he is smoking.

Sweet nuances come but fade to bitter. Flavor is just fairly bland and wood is too much for my taste. Getting a lot of nicotene on the other hand and there is a nicorette sort of flavor. For me i would pair this with Guiness or Killians.

No acid or burn on the lips. Smoke is heavy on my clothes. Not much of an after taste. Feel like i smoked a few cigs at the bar from the smell and taste. That's about it.

Good Smokes,
Dave

Isabella

A cigar should not make you angry. Well, I am and this is pure garbage. The band was all funky and crooked and glued on so much so that it tore into beyond the binder. Very disappointed. This wrapper injury has my cigar tearing and coming apart at the seams while smoking. Part of the problem is the vendor. You really need to be suspicious when you buy a cigar in a place selling mostly other products. I picked this up at a local wine place in Coos Bay and the guy had some cigars in a glass box humidor on the counter. He swore buy this thing and was probably trying to get rid of them. I actually took this thing back for a refund in a baggy the next day. A different clerk argued that it was not the same cigar (the outer wrapping had completely come away and she was looking at a totally different binder - who could blame her - i couln't believe it either) Anyway she gives me a tiny Macanudo to make up for it, but it really didn't since this cost me six bux. Oh well.

Anyway my lighter ran out - had to use a match. Horrible draw and the burn line was insane only burning down one side of the stick no matter how much i corrected. The guy told me it was a good Vanilla kind of stick however the only taste in my mouth is of anger and frustration. Ridiculous.
No more Isabella, you had your one chance. 

Bad Smokes,
Dave 

Partagas 1845

Cigar looks very nicely made pre light. A little splotchy wrapper and a bit toothy i guess. Very oily smells rich and deep. Wrapper also seems very durable and thick.

  














Absolutely loving the richness of this smoke. It has a lot of texture. I know i will have many more within the first minute. Ash is a beuatiful light contrast to the dark wrapper. Mellow and smooth creamy aroma, a bit buttery which is nice.
Sinus is creamy as well with vanilla. The wrapper was strong woodsy scent upon lighting.  
Flavors before had me a little concerned it was a bitter wood but good. I thought it would be bitter and woody but is creamy and buttery.

Some dark chocolate. A huge dimension to this cigar is brought out in the sinus. I think its a good idea to exhale through the nose at least once every smoke to get a full flavor profile and this cigar really opens up with doing this.

Draw seemed tight but loosened up once it got going. This is turning out to be a nice Thanksgiving holiday smoke.
Cigar just feels right in my hand - can't wait to try the black Partagas.

Ash is really firm and solid to the touch pressing on it. Some spice notes are popping in at the halfway point.  

Intesity and flavor has ramped up by half what it was and is a nice progression.
Great volume of smoke and draw is getting more loose.
The taste has many different elements blending together and it is hard to identify any particular flavors.
Mainly it is a slight bitter sweet butter. Some expresso notes. Also pleasantly sweet at points.
Relaxed but uplifting buzz. No ill feelings.
Solid medium body for me and a huge lasting finish.
Moving into a fuller medium spectrum towards the end.
Almost caramel then it goes.
Almost almond then it fades.
The end was pepper and overall this was enjoyable and burned fantastic.

Well thats it.

Smoke on,
Dave

Rocky Patel Vintage 1990

First impressions of a cigar, to me, are everything. Based on looks alone this is quite a nice cigar. Looks classy and elegant. Smells well balanced and the oily wrapper is perfect plus it is box pressed and looks great.

Toast time. Right away i love it. It's great when you get that first taste and you realize nothing short of a disaster is going to make a cigar go downhill. Easy breezy draw. Having this with French pressed coffee and it is really great with it. This is my morning smoke since its the lightest thing i have on hand at the moment. Generous cloud of smoke.
This stick smells great has a nice sweet attractive odor - i can't see someone disliking it. Long finish on the palette with good after taste. flavor is chocolate but really just complex and nothing stands out. Maybe a litlle wood maybe some sour. The Rocky Patel sour you could say.
Smooth butter and aged perfection in the sinuses. Just very rich with nothing in particular taking the forefront so i would have to say it is extremely balanced but a little lighter and laid back than i expected. This is a no worries, effortless draw, relaxing smoke.
Flavor remains mild but lastes long.
Burn line is wavy at first but then corrects.














I am really enjoying this and as i inspect the cigar while smoking i am getting some nice photos. Looking closely when held to the light the oily wrapper is like oil slick in a puddle - shimmering and opalescent. Very neat. Also i notice some small hairs to the cigar although it is smooth-silky and not very toothy. Check out the close-up pic below to see hairs.

Close up of picture above

Really a beauty of a cigar in my opinion - i wish the raibow effect of the oily wrapper had shown up a bit more it was pretty cool.

The flavor expanded a bit after my ash fell for the first time at about inch and half.

Just bit of latte and more earthen woody.

I am definately going to get more to throw in the humidor only i would get a shorter version.

Nice balance - not too old and rustic musty nor is it fermented or vulgar vinegar.

No probs, good flavors, go try some.

Good Smokin,

Dave