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Cigar Reviews

Kings Cigars King of Kings Habano

King of Kings 1Size Reviewed: 6 inches x 64 ring gauge (soft box pressed)

When I hear the name King of Kings, I think of the obvious biblical reference as well as the sonnet Ozymandias about the great Pharaoh Ramesses (or Ramses) II, penned by the early 19th-century English romantic poet, Shelley. "My name is Ozymandias, king of kings; Look on my works, ye Mighty, and despair!" In my view, any cigar with that name has quite a reputation to live up to.

Until fairly recently, I did not know much about Kings Cigars. However, some careful research on the Internet (along with speaking to a cigar aficionado friend) helped to enlighten me about the company. Kings Cigars is a relatively new company, which started up in 2010. It offers a line of royal-themed, handmade cigars from Esteli, Nicaragua and Santiago in the Dominican Republic. This firm seems to have quite an interesting variety of cigar lines to meet a broad spectrum of tastes.

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Hex Robusto

Hex Robusto

Size: 5 inches x 52 ring gauge (Robusto)

Most of the time, I initially learn of a new cigar online, in the journals or in the catalogs – well ahead of actually finding it at my local tobacconist. This was not the case with the Hex line of cigars. I actually found them in my local liquor store humidor not long after I had first heard of them. I was surprised to say the least. How did something like this new Hex wind up next to the Punch and Partagas? As it turns out, the makers of Hex are a group of veteran industry folk and retail insiders with chops. Distribution is not a problem for them. Neither, apparently, is their ability to make a good cigar.

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Review: The Angel's Anvil (2014) by Crowned Heads

If there is one thing my friends know about me, it's this: I have an affinity for Crowned Heads cigars.
 
AngelsAnvil-stock-picFrom the first time I smoked the Headley Grange, I was hooked. I couldn't get my hands on their smokes fast enough.
 
Crowned Heads has everything I look for in a stogie - construction and complexity as well as consistency. It's safe to say they have delivered on all three fronts - whether we're referring to the Headley Grange with its unique notes of graham-cracker, or the meatier 'Las Calaveras' that has an excellent balance of cocoa and pepper. 
 
The following review will be for one of their newer releases, the Angel's Anvil. Today is the second time I have visited this particular smoke. I think it's vital to smoke at least two of any cigar before reviewing. This is to ensure you're able to fully appreciate the flavors and nuances you may have missed the first time around. So, here we go...
 

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Gurkha Havana Legend Torpedo

Gurkha Havana Legend Torpedo

Size: 6½ inches x 53 ring gauge (Torpedo)

Many of us are familiar with the Gurkha line of cigars. Depending of which one of the thousand or so varieties we are speaking of, the cigar in question could either be ‘eh’ or ‘holy smokes’! It might be a $2 bargain bundle special or one of their 95+ rated, excellent, high-end offerings. In fact, there are so many Gurkhas (and associated lines) that one practically needs a program just to keep track of all of them.

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Cigar Weekly Review of Ramon Bueso Genesis (Robusto)

Many are interested in whether no wagering casino players smoke quality cigars. And the casino industry is big business, with many businesses relying on high-quality cigars to keep their workers happy and healthy. Cigars and poker go together like nothing else, and the famous picture of a bulldog playing poker with a cigar in his mouth brought the subject to a new level of attention.

r. bueso genesis

Several cigar dealers are making a grand fuss about Ramon Bueso and his history with the Villazon factory. They claim that Bueso was, as a close confidant and partner of both Estello Padron and Frank Llaneza, instrumental in the manufacture of some of the free world’s oldest, most influential cigars - and arguably some of the finest. In this day of new, wonderful cigar brands and line extensions being created on a weekly basis (as well as, admittedly, a slew of losers), thousands of consumers still choose to purchase Punch, Hoyo de Monterrey, El Rey del Mundo and other well established marques.

I bought the Ramon Bueso Genesis on a gamble, having little idea what to expect other than a decent amount of Connecticut broadleaf character melded with Honduran flavors. I wasn’t disappointed, and got exactly what I was expecting. That said, and despite its pedigree, this cigar does not, in my view, represent serious competition for a Punch or any of the other Villazon products.

For many players, playing at legal online casinos is fun and rewarding. One of the popular pastimes for those who like to smoke quality cigars is playing at legal online casino sites. Many players like to smoke cigars while playing and this can add an extra level of fun to gambling. Smoking cigars while at the legal Casino spielen allows some people to relax and enjoy their time playing. Cigar smokers are much more likely to succeed at gambling because they are more focused and relaxed.

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Alec Bradley Tempus Magistri

Alec Bradley Tempus Magistri

Size: 6.5 inches x 53 ring gauge (Figurado)

When you're walking the dog or doing yard work, you smoke cheap cigars – the bargain bundle kind – and swig a cold beer. 

But when you want to unwind after a grueling week of work or celebrate a special occasion, you treat yourself to something better. That is, you choose a really special cigar, and pair it with your very favorite adult beverage. The Tempus Magistri is clearly one of the cigars you might choose.

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REVIEW: Nestor Miranda special selection “Coffee Break Rosado”

I’ve been a big fan of Nestor Miranda ever since I purchased a few of his nestor-label-cropped'special' maduros from Cigars International some seven years ago. I first tried the Connecticut version, which was awesome in its own right. Most of the ones I bought were smoked in fairly short order or gifted away. I think a few may still lie deep within one of the coolers I collectively refer to as my humidor.

More recently (a year or so ago), I grabbed a few of these down at Cigar World in Marietta, Georgia, and recalled enjoying them very much. Then, as I was rummaging through the humidor at Maxwell’s Cigar bar a few weeks back, I saw a fresh box of the robusto sitting on the shelf, and grabbed a few cigars from it. 

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Aging Room Small Batch M356 Mezzo

Aging Room M356 Mezzo

Size: 6 inches x 54 ring gauge (Toro)

I don’t live on the leading edge of cigar culture. Oftentimes, the latest and hottest cigars don't make it to my area for a long, long time, if at all. Some of you likely have the same problem. You hear all the hype about a new release, but can't get your hands on it. Such was the case for me with this offering. 

The Small Batch M356 was the darling of the year-end ratings back in 2012, but it took me well into 2014 to find any. And Aging Room has had two more successful product launches since then – the Quattro F55 and the Haveo.

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Pre-Release review: Rocky Patel's Super Ligero!

Editors Note: CW member, resident webhost and twitter-master BigJohn was gifted this cigar by Nish Patel at a cigar event August 20, 2014 in Woodstock, Georgia. The call was posted in our forums - forums.cigarweekly.com - for a volunteer to smoke and review the stick, since the words Super and Ligero in the same sentence scared the life out of BigJohn (medium to mild strength preference). CW member Jeff (GRTRX on the forums) Lackman rose to the challenge. One USPS flat-rate box and 48 hours later, the cigar was in his hands. Sorry for the lack of photos - it appears BigJohn forgot to take one, and Jeff just jumped right into the smoking of it. What transpired appears below.

Pre-light

The label, which was a simple one (obviously not a production label), stated "super ligero". The cigar was attractive as the cellophane was removed. It measured low to mid 40s in ring gauge and maybe 5 inches in length -- parejo. The wrapper leaf was dark, but not maduro -- perhaps a colorado. It appeared well veined, with quite fine veins actually. The cigar's aroma was simply wonderful, with deep, dark scents -- rather organic I would say, as in a deep, dark summer forest. The cigar felt firm, with no soft spots at all. It was unblemished and quite lovely.

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CAO Amazon Basin

amazon basin

Size reviewed: Toro – 6" x 52 ring gauge

Some years ago, I read a book entitled The River of Doubt, by Candice Millard (2006). Millard described Theodore Roosevelt and his son Kermit going on a dangerous yet adventure-filled expedition to the Amazon River in 1913-14. In doing so, Theodore and Kermit survived terrible extremes and discovered a new river, which to this day is named for the famous former U.S. President.

My experience with the CAO Brazilia line has also, at times, been 'dangerous' – but always an adventure. This particular cigar (the Amazon Basin Toro) is no exception, and it reminds me of that line because of the Brazilian tobacco used.

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E.P. Carillo 4 In 1 Review


Last week I was able to attend an E.P. Carrillo event and picked a sampling of vitolas covering about half of their current line. The EPC rep was very nice and informative, eager to answer any questions thrown his way.

In this post I will try to give a brief, but hopefully helpful review of my experience with the 4 EPC offerings I have smoked so far.

1) EPC Inch Natural: The size I chose here was 5 7/8x52, known as 'Club 52', I smoked this the night of the event. This cigar had a nice feel  to it, a nice medium brown Ecuador Sumatran wrapper, very smooth with no veins. The binder is Nicaraguan and the filler is a blend of Nicaraguan & Dominican tobaccos. The cap clipped cleanly, and the foot lit evenly. The initial draw was just the way I like it, firm, but not tooooooo firm. My first few draws brought forth a sort of earthy smoke, not much spice, not much cocoa, but rather a straightforward tobacco taste IMO. As I took my time enjoying this cigar it burned straight as an arrow, never needing any touch-ups. Jerry, the EPC rep had described this as a medium bodied cigar and I would agree. Not much change along the way, but a very consistent flavorful smoke.
 

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