April 20th, 2017

Size of cigar: 5 inches long by 54 ring gauge

April 3rd, 2017

This time around, I am reviewing a sample from the 2016 IPCPR called 1834, which ‘flies’ under Por Larranaga banner. This cigar comes to me as a Toro-sized 6 inches long by 50 ring gauge vitola. Its wrapper is an Ecuadorian Connecticut, while the binder and filler come from the Dominican Republic. These cigars run about $9.00 each.

Looking over the 1834, I note the caramel colored wrapper, which is quite uneven in its tone and is also veiny. The cigar is firm with tight, almost nonexistent seams. Scents coming off the wrapper include mesquite, smoke, leather, cumin, cream and brown sugar. The foot shows some raisin, zest, cocoa, cream, butter, white pepper and hay. The cold draw presents with molasses, brown sugar and leather.

April 17th, 2017

In this installment of my column, I’m reviewing a sample from the 2016 IPCPR called Art of War. It’s produced by Viva Republic. The cigar comes to us as a Corona Gorda vitola. It measures 6 inches long by a 47 ring gauge, and costs around $9.50. The wrapper is a Connecticut Broadleaf, while the binder comes from Ecuador and the filler leaves are sourced from Columbia, Nicaragua and the Dominican Republic.

The wrapper has a dark chocolate color and small veins. It’s capped with a pigtail. The cigar is firm, and I find no major flaws in it. The aroma from the wrapper includes scents of barnyard, tobacco and woodiness. There is a closed foot on this cigar. The cold draw has some peanut, brown sugar, tobacco and salt to it.

The first-third of this cigar has a profile of tobacco, coffee, cocoa powder, dough, cumin and black pepper. The next-third transitions into cocoa, bread, cedar, dried fruit and mixed nuts. The Art of War finishes out in the final-third with notes of black pepper, bread, crushed red pepper, cocoa, coffee, cedar, leather and butter.

March 27th, 2017

Size of cigar: 5 inches x 52 ring gauge

I know what a GTO car is, but what’s a GTO cigar? Well, a little Google action provided the answer to that question. GTO Cigars is a family business that manufactures its cigars in its own factory – Tabacalera GTO Dominicana.

The firm’s cigars are small batch, boutique cigars, but not small batch in the sense that they are made as a side job in an enormous factory pumping out a hundred million cigars per year – not that there’s necessarily anything wrong with that system.

GTO represents a different, very organic approach to the production of a cigar. The business model seems to be more ‘Mom and Pop’, rather than ‘International business’. Except for a couple of blends that utilize Connecticut wrapper leaf, GTO’s cigars are all Dominican Puros. The tobacco is grown right on the family farm in Valle del Cibao, in The Dominican Republic.

April 10th, 2017

Size of cigar: 6.5 inches long by 52 ring gauge

Truthfully, I hadn’t heard much about this brand until the manufacturer asked Cigar Weekly to complete a couple of reviews. After some research, I discovered that all of the Galano cigars are rolled in Ybor City, Florida, and then transported to Tampa, Florida for ageing and subsequent distribution. According to the firm’s website, the brand focuses on challenging the status quo, offering the finest cigars in the world and embracing excellence.

March 27th, 2017

Today, I am reviewing another sample from the 2016 IPCPR called Imperia ISLERO, from MLB (Mike Bellody) Cigar Ventures. This particular cigar comes as a Pita-sized 5½-inches long by 44 ring gauge vitola. The wrapper is Ecuadorian, and the binder and filler both come from the Dominican Republic. This ISLERO sells for around $8.50 a piece.

The wrapper is a darker brown color, and does show some small veins. There are tight seams and a slight tooth in texture. The stick is firm, and the scents include cedar and leather. The foot gives off black pepper notes, accompanied by grape, cocoa and butter. The cold draw presents with a bit more. I pick up some peanut, salt, black pepper, dark chocolate, espresso and a floral hint.

April 10th, 2017

Today, I am reviewing yet another sample from the 2016 IPCPR called Amadeus, from the Recluse Cigar Company. It is composed of an Ecuadorian shade-grown Grade-A wrapper, a proprietary binder and Dominican Ligero, Viso and USA Pennsylvanian Broadleaf filler leaves. This is a Robusto, measuring in at 5 inches in length by 52 ring gauge. It’s a box-pressed cigar that runs around $7.50.

I initially observe that the caramel colored wrapper is smooth, with seams that are tight and almost nonexistent. There is a bit of sponginess upon my examination. The scents coming off the wrapper include cedar, coffee and cream. The foot brings molasses, cinnamon, leather, cedar, cream, raisin and black pepper. The cold draw adds some salt, peanut and crushed red pepper.

March 20th, 2017

Size of cigar: 6 inches long by 60 ring gauge
Origin: Nicaragua
Wrapper: Maduro

From time to time, I find a cigar in my cabinet that I really have no idea about (read: no preconceived notions). The following review is about just such a cigar.

Tonight's beer is a Real Ale Commissar from just up the road in Blanco, TX. The beer is a very good match for a darker cigar.

April 6th, 2017

Size of cigar: 6 inches by 60 ring gauge
Place of production: My Father factory, Esteli, Nicaragua

My Gran Toro sports a beautifully oily outer leaf, which emits signature Habano aromas from the wrapper and the foot. A perfect cut with my trusty Palio yields a perfect draw.

March 20th, 2017

Today, I am reviewing a sample from the 2016 edition of the IPCPR called Cellar Reserve 21 Years. It’s from Gurkha. My sample comes in a 6 inches long by 60 ring gauge size. The wrapper is a Connecticut shade-grown, while the binder is from the Dominican Republic. The filler leaves are sourced from the Dominican Republic and Nicaragua. These Gurkha bad boys ring in at a price of about $16.60 each.

This cigar sports a caramel colored wrapper. There are some veins and tight seams. The surface is smooth and the cigar firm, with no obvious imperfections. The wrapper emits a cedar note, and not much else. Meanwhile, the foot gives off a bit more in terms of aromatics, with cedar, black pepper and potpourri notes apparent. The cold draw presents with earth, coffee, cream and brown sugar.