August 24th, 2017

My Tierra Volcán Clasico sported a beautiful Habano wrapper with two prominent veins, as well as a nice firm bunch. The wrapper and shaggy foot were fragrant, with hints of coffee and some savory spices, while the cold draw was perfect.

The initial flavors came mostly from the wrapper and shaggy foot, and were very smooth.

June 1st, 2017

From the Ventura website:

Every Legend Has A Beginning.

Archetype is an exploration of nuance that rewards the discriminating palate with a new line of highly-complex, yet perfectly balanced cigars. Each vitola is artfully crafted with a unique blend of rich, flavorful tobaccos and bound in a pristine wrapper – working in harmony to create an intense, memorable smoke that has no equal.

Archetype is inspired by the work of psychologist Dr. Carl Jung and mythographer Joseph Campbell who defined ‘archetypes’ as the constantly repeating characters who occur in the dreams of all people and the myths of all cultures. Campbell discovered through his study of world myths that the ‘Hero’s Journey’ is a common storytelling arc that has been retold in infinite variations since time began.

We invite you to share our journey and leave compromise behind.

August 14th, 2017

This is a special review for me, and I hope it will be for you too. Why is this review so noteworthy for me? As someone residing in a small country, the Netherlands, I’ll admit that I only have a limited number of 1502 cigars at home (including a sampler pack).

This review profiles a pair of cigars from the 1502 Black Gold line – the Corona and the Toro. Suffice it to say that I was anxious to see how these two vitolas compared in terms of strength and flavor.

May 22nd, 2017

A bit of history from the 7-20-4 website:

“Quality still impels its growth.” R.G. Sullivan understood this when he created the famed 7-20-4 cigar and built it into one of the largest cigar manufacturers in the world. From its beginning in 1874, until the Cuban Embargo in 1963, Roger G. Sullivan manufactured the 7-20-4 in Manchester, NH with the principle of making a cigar of the finest quality.

Kurt A. Kendall always had a fascination for old cigar memorabilia, and collected anything he could get his hands on. After years in the industry, he had the idea to bring back the 7-20-4 line.

July 6th, 2017

Size of cigar: 6 inches long by 52 ring gauge

(The blend of tobaccos used in the Muestra de Saka Exclusivo varies from batch to batch.)

The smooth, oily capa of my Exclusivo emits a mocha-like fragrance, with mostly cappuccino-latte notes coming from the foot. This vitola feels somewhat heavy, and has an excellent bunch and a perfect cold draw. I’ve heard lots about this cigar from smokers as well as from Steve Saka, so let's see what ol' Joe Bob thinks.

May 4th, 2017

Factory code: Unknown
Issue date: March 2003
Format: Lonsdale (Dalias)
Size of vitola: 6.75 inches long by 43 ring gauge

On a gorgeous and breezy Florida day, with the temperature hovering around 75ºF, I found myself spending time with my soul mate and beautiful wife. She was the one to suggest smoking a cigar outside. So without further delay, I decided to prepare a little snack, crack open some wine and queue up some music.

June 26th, 2017

The Cigar Factory Social Club Robusto is a 54 ring gauge by 4¾ inches long cigar, rolled with Brazilian and Nicaraguan filler. My sample sported a chocolate brown, Brazilian Maduro wrapper. (A version with a Connecticut Natural/Ecuadorian outer leaf is also offered.) The wrapper had a nice glimmer to it, with a few harmless veins present and a perfectly placed cap.

May 1st, 2017

I’ve never been a fan of La Aurora Cigars, with the exception of the 1492 series, which is no longer being made. Even though the 1492 series was taken out of production years ago, cigars in the line are still available, and I can usually get a box of them for around $50 on sale. My favorite sizes in the 1492 series are the Churchill and the Corona. The other La Aurora cigars that I’ve sampled, while usually very well constructed, have never quite satisfied me.

June 5th, 2017

There was a smooth dark wrapper and a nice pigtail cap on this Lancero-size cigar. Sweetish Maduro aromas emanated from both the wrapper and foot. An easy clip led to a rather firm draw. The unfinished foot lit easily. I paired the Sindustry with a Lagunitas Cappuccino Stout.

April 27th, 2017

A few months ago, I received a number of cigars from Jason Clabaugh (BigO) for the purpose of reviewing them. Unfortunately, life events made it difficult for me to set aside adequate time to smoke the cigars with a critical eye and write reviews. Therefore, these cigars remained in my humidor waiting for an opportune moment. Well, that moment finally arrived.