Monday, March 29, 2010

Illusione Nosotros Churchill Review

Illusione Nosotros Churchill - 7 X 47. Wrapper - Nicaragua, Binder - Connecticut Habano, Filler - Nicaragua. Medium bodied.

Initial taste of dry wood and leather but that lasted only about a quarter of an inch where it changed into a sweet creamy coffee flavor. As the cigar progressed, there were flavors of sweet cream and coffee with a bit of spice picking up. At about the halfway point, predominate flavors of sweet cream, coffee and a hint of vanilla notes popping in and out with a slight underlying subtle spice. The flavors remain the same for the rest of the cigar except for the absence of vanilla and the return of leather with about two inches left in the cigar. Creamy,sweet long finsh on palate.

Razor sharp burn, good draw and excellent construction. Beautiful chocolate brown wrapper. Smooth and balanced, this is a very good cigar that I really enjoyed. What is interesting about this cigar is that the flavor profile lends itself to be a cigar enjoyed in the morning (first cigar of the day) or even after a good meal. Price point is in the $7.50 - $12.50 range depending on the vitola. Definitely recommended.

Thursday, March 25, 2010

La Aurora 107 Robusto Review


La Aurora 107 Robusto - 4.5 X 50. Wrapper - Ecuador, Binder - Dominican, Filler - Dominican & Nicaraguan. Starts Medium and finishes somewhere between Medium and Full. Initial taste of of oak and rum which quickly becomes very complex with smooth flavors of oak, rum and a subtle sweetness accompanied by a Cinnamon spice and an underlying leathery taste. As I continued through this cigar, the sweet cinnamony spice picks up along with the leather in addition to the aforementioned flavors.

The last third of this cigar has the complex flavors jockeying back and forth for dominance with the woody Oak and sweet rum flavor in the forefront followed very closey by the cinnamon spice with the underlying support of the leather taste. Long finish of oak, sweet rum and cinnamon spice. Construction, Burn and draw were perfect. Pricepoint for this vitola is $6.50 which makes this a very good value for what this cigar delivers. An excellent cigar more than worthy of commemorating La Aurora's 107 years of existence. I Highly recommend trying this cigar.

Monday, March 22, 2010

Alec Bradley Prensado Churchill Review

Alec Bradley Prensado Churchill- Wrapper.: Honduran. Corojo ‘06 Binder: Nicaraguan. Jalapa F.: Honduran., Nicaraguan. Strength: med.-full. 1st 3rd I tasted strong expresso & earth with a cinnamony spice & cedar undertone. Halfway the expresso picks up and so does the spice but not is more of a black pepper spice. Last 3rd expresso with earthy undertones ...& the spice fades but is still present. Another winner by AB. I strongly rec. trying this cigar. Beautiful oily chocolatey brown wrapper. Burn and draw were perfect as always with Alec Bradley cigars.

Friday, March 19, 2010

Nestor Miranda Dominicano Cigar Event @ Matador Cigars - Roslyn Heights, NY

I just got back from the Nestor Miranda Dominicano Cigar Event at Matador Cigars and what a great time! Nestor, Rene, Jorge (Sabor Havana Cigars), Erik and Barbara Calvino (Cigar Snob Magazine) and of course the infamous Gary Artz were all in attendance to make this a wonderful event! Cuban music was playing, wine and cheese were offered as well as some good Panamanian Rum. Boris Grossman of Matador Cigars really put together a very nice event. As I have posted my full enjoyment of the Dominicano Rosado Robusto Grande, today I decided to try the Lancero version which was great! I also got to try a new cigar that Nestor will be releasing soon "58 cal." a 4 X 58 Nicaraguan puro that I thoroughly enjoyed and hope to review very soon. All in all, a great time was had by all and it was great seeing whom I consider my Miami friends.

Thursday, March 18, 2010

Cigar company's marketing strategy

In today's economy, cigar companies would be prudent to focus more on "Grass Roots marketing". Simply put, "Grass Roots" marketing is moving your product by word of mouth of the consumer. This is of course if the company truly believes in their product's quality and value. I am not suggesting that full page ads in cigar magazines doesn't have it's advantage, it does, but it should not be the main focus of one's advertising budget. Sponsoring cigar herfs/events, having bloggers post reviews & cigar message board contests, reviews and information are great ways to get your cigars some "buzz". Some say, that this type of marketing doesn't directly translate into increased sales, my response is, "how do you know?" Are you tracking it? How are you tracking it? There are other variables such as the product itself - is it a good product? Is it a value based on the price point etc. If you follow this type of marketing strategy, it has to be done consistently over time. I have seen word of mouth make or break some cigars and cigar companies so it is not something to be taken lightly in my opinion. Some of the most successful restaurants are as such because of the word of mouth. Conversly, it has destroyed some establishments more often than a bad review in Zagats. It is also a much more inexpensive way to market and advertise one's prodcuts (cigars). This of course is my humble opinion. I am very interested in hearing what others think, particularly the cigar companies themselves.

Wednesday, March 17, 2010

Perdomo Grand Cru Corojo Toro Review

Perdomo Grand Cru Corojo Toro - 6X50. W-Nic. Corojo (2004 Crop), B-Nic., F-Nic. I found this cigar to be med.-full bodied. Initally, this cigar started off Bready,with a blast of peppery spice which quickly settled into a light coffee with cinnamon and orange peel flavors. As you smoke this cigar, a coffee taste emerges with cinnamon and a nice long finish of orange peel and cinnamon. The cigar evolves into a more full bodied smoke with the coffee flavor increasing as well as the spice with the constant underlying flavor of cinnamon. A very enjoyable cigar that has perfect burn, draw and construction. Price point makes this cigar another great value. I definitely recommend trying.

Casa Magna Oscuro Churchill Gordo Review


Casa Magna Oscuro Churchill Gordo - 6 5/8 X 56 Wrapper - Honduras, Binder - Honduras, Filler - Nicaragua/Honduras. This cigar starts med. but then builds to a full bodied cigar. Flavors start off with an expresso taste with raisiny sweetness and an underlying cinnamony spice. As I smoked the cigar, the cigar builds in flavor and strength (which I love) to where the sweet raisin taste dominates along with a cinnamon & anise spice. As I got to the the last third of the cigar, I detected some cocoa flavor coming in and building. Coffee/expresso taste is still present as well. Flavors continue building until the end where it leaves you wishing the cigar would last even longer. Nice long finish on the palate. I found this cigar to be complex. The construction, burn and draw were perfect. With the pricepoint on this cigar, it makes it an excellent value - I recommend trying.

Tuesday, March 16, 2010

Siglo IV Limited Reserve Maduro Review

Siglo IV Limited Reserve Maduro - 5 X 54. Wrapper - Mexico (San Andres Morron), Binder - Nicaraguan, Filler - Nicaraguan & Dominican. Just to the right side of Medium. Initial taste of sweet, leathery tobacco which evolves into a sweet dark coffee taste with a hint of spice. At the halfway point, the leather returns and the sweetness picks up a bit. The last third of the cigar is predominatley sweet leather. A nice long finish of sweet leather. Very enjoyable cigar. I am a big fan of the Mexican maduro wrapper and on this cigar, it doesn't disappoint. Construction, burn and draw was perfect but as is often the case with the San Andres wrapper, it is very fragile. Very well balanced. I recommend trying this cigar.

Cain Maduro Robusto Review

Cain Maduro Robusto - 5.5 X 50 Wrapper - San Andreas, Binder - Nicaragua, Filler - 3 different regions of Ligero. Let me say that this is a very well balanced and blended cigar that is smooth that starts off medium and then becomes full. At first the cigar starts off with a somewhat sweet, dark coffee flavor. As I smoked the cigar, notes of cinammon, and underlying spice with a predominate smooth leathery taste. The cigar began to build slowly at about the halfway point as it took on more of a leathery, cinammon with a hint of oak. The last third continued with the same flavors and I picked-up a hint of nuts. Long finish. Construction, draw and burn were very good although the wrapper is delicate. Excellent pricepoint makes this cigar a great value. By the end I got a bit of a nic buzz but nothing overpowering. I recommend trying this cigar, very complex and smooth.

Pinar Del Rio Classico Exclusivo Review

Pinar Del Rio Classico Exclusivo Lancero - 7 X 38. W-Connecticut (Ecuadorian), Binder-Habano (Dominican), Filler-Nicaraguan. I found this cigar to be medium bodied. I really enjoy Lancero size vitolas because you really get a predominate taste of the wrapper and with the Ecuadorian Connecticut, you get a nice peppery taste with a creamy, woodsy undertone. As the cigar progressed, I picked up a very nice light creamy coffee taste as well. I even got some notes of cinammon which I really like. About 2/3 into this cigar, the pepper subsided a bit and a tea-like quality came into the cigar. With about 2 inches left, the pepper came back with full force to remind you that it is still there with with the creamy coffee & woody flavor. Construction, draw & burn was perfect and that was with smoking outside here in NY with a windy 45 degrees. I recommend trying this line.

Don Pepin Cuban Classic Black Edition Robusto Review


Don Pepin Cuban Classic Black Edition Robusto 5X50 W-Nicaragua, B-Nicaragua, F-Nicaragua. Slightly to the right of Medium for me. A very well balanced cigar that starts off with a nice peppery blast which quickly settles down to a spicey undertone. As I smoked this cigar, I got a very nice combination of toasty, nutty/nutmeg with a creamy leathery flavor and underlying spice which lasted throughout the entire cigar. Nice long finish. Construction, burn and draw were perfect - even as I smoked this cigar in this cold New York weather. Very enjoyable smoke. Good pricepoint. I recommend trying this cigar if you haven't already.

Drew Estates "Dirty Rat" Corona Review


Drew Estates "Dirty Rat" Corona - 5X46 Wrapper - Stalk cut Sungrown Connecticut Valley Habano, Binder - Brazillian Mata Fina, Filler - 5 difference tobaccos from Honduras & Nicaragua. This cigar starts off medium bodied but then gradually strenghens to a full bodied smoke. At first lighting, you are hit with a nice blast of pepper. Then you are greeted with a nice expresso taste accompanied by the spice. As I continued smoking, The cigar changed into more of a chocolatey/leathery taste with the tingling spice on the tongue. The Rat had a very nice long finish of leather and spice. Construction, burn and draw were perfect and by the end of the cigar, you can really feel the power of this little firecracker. Think of it as similiar to a spicey Liga Privada. I hope that Drew Estates decides to make this a regular production cigar as I really enjoyed this cigar. A must try cigar (if you can get your hands on one).

Berger & Argenti Clasico Belicoso Review

Berger & Argenti Clasico Belicoso - 5.75 X 50. Wrapper - Ecuadorian "Desflorado" Connecticut, Binder - Nicaraguan Corojo, Filler - Nicaraguan. I found this cigar to be a solid Medium bodied cigar with a myriad of complex flavors. Initially you are greeted with a toasty, cedary flavor which quickly turns into a coffee flavor with a raisin-like sweetness with underlying spice and cinnamon. I can see why Al Argenti refers to this cigar as a "Blond maduro" because if I didn't know any better, I would swear that I was smoking a maduro! As I continued to smoke this cigar, a sweet, creamy coffee and cinammon flavor with a tingling spice on the tongue continued and I even had a hint of nuts right before the end - a finger burner! A very complex cigar that had perfect construction, burn and draw. The wrapper is delicate. Pricepoint on this cigar is about $6.00 which makes this a good value. I definitely recommend trying this cigar.

Nestor Miranda Selection Dominicano Rosado Review

Nestor Miranda Selection Dominicano Rosado Robusto Grande - 5.5 X 54. Wrapper - Dominican Rosado, Binder - Nicargua, Filler Nicaragua. This is a very well balanced and very complex cigar that starts off medium but is full-bodied by the end. Initial taste is a woody, oak with a slight spiceness flavor that quickly becomes a sweet caramel and creamy coffee flavor with the spice increasing. I expected the sweetness from a Rosado wrapper, but the strong spice pleasantly surprised me. Very complex cigar that kept the sweet caramel, creamy coffee & woody flavor throughout with a nice kick of spice all at the same time. Because the cigar is so well balanced, the flavors worked really well together. Very nice long finish of sweet caramel and spice. Towards the end of the cigar, the only change was that the predominate flavors were that of dark coffee, spice and some sweet woody notes. Definitely full bodied towards the end of this cigar. Construction, burn and draw were perfect. I have to say that this is a fantastic cigar that I highly recommend trying.