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Enjoying Scotch Whisky and a few other things

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Up in smoke – 1/21/2012

So it’s about time I caught you up to date on some cigars I’ve smoked. I think this covers the majority of them since my last post, ones that I’ve spoken about before I don’t really regurgitate but will give mention to one in this update because you need to try it. If you are looking for all of the official tasting notes of these you can find them on sites more dedicated to cigars, these notes are more or less if I enjoyed them. There are at least two cigars I took pictures of that I will not review because I’ve never seen them in shops and I have no idea how you would find them. On top of that, they just weren’t that good. And at the end, a visual surprise, so let’s get started…..

First up is the H.Upmann 1844 Reserve, it has an Ecuadorian Habano wrapper and sports a Nicraguan binder and all Dominican filler. From memory I’d say it’s slightly above medium in strength and has mild flavors. I smoked this on the way home I believe, since the picture was taken the car, and all I can say is that it is a middle of the road stogie without much flash. It didn’t leave a strong impression on me as I like nice, flavorful wrappers but can’t say I’ll be picking it up again anytime soon. Cost, around $7. Verdict – It’s ok.

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Now smoking, the Casa Magna Domus Magnus Limitada. I remember this as being another really good Casa Magna cigar, which I don’t think I’ve smoked one I didn’t like. This is a special release under this brand and it is a Nicaraguan (puro) cigar. The wrapper is sungrown in Jalapa and is a medium-full smoke from memory. I really liked this cigar, box pressed, and well constructed. You can really tell when someone spends extra time in the construction of a better than average cigar. I wouldn’t hesitate to purchase this one again! Around $10

Verdict – buy the box

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On a recent trip to NYC I stumbled upon a Room 101 event at Davidoff of Geneva. I bought the sampler of their offerings which included a pre-release of One Shot, One Kill, a promising smoke that may come out soon? Anyhow, this Room 101 LTD Conjura Edition is the second I smoked, wasn’t crazy about the previous one but this one (wrote about in the 1/6/2012 post) but this one was slightly better. Again, a medium smoke that had an interesting wrapper that I thought with the great mouthfeel would deliver some amazing flavors, not so much. It’s not that I didn’t like this cigar, I just wasn’t crazy over it. I really admire the artwork and presentation of it but that’s just not enough. Around $9.

Verdict – (shoulder shrugging)

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And now for something completely different. The Alec Bradley line is celebrating a best cigar award from Cigar Aficionado for 2012. Not this cigar, the American Classic Blend, but it is worthy in its own right. This Nicaraguan cigar covered with a Honduran grown Connecticut wrapper is a perfect medium smoke. It is a mellow fellow that does deliver on flavor and will beg to be smoked down. It’s also quite affordable, you can pick up a box for about $100. It would make a great daily smoke and deserves a place in your humidor, if only to fend off the cigar smoocher next door! I have a neighbor who loves cigars but always runs out. He’ll ask, hey, do you have something in there you don’t want. My standard response is, I don’t buy crap! But I wouldn’t feel bad giving out this one because it IS a good smoke but not costing me a whole ton.

Verdict – buy a box!

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Ok, Padon. Any questions? So this isn’t the Anniversary line that is so excellent but the regular line, but there isn’t anything regular about it. It’s a darn good smoke. Medium to full  in strength. Full disclosure – I cut this rather lengthy one into two  because I didn’t have time to smoke the whole thing and knew it. I will do that with a long cigar and enjoy half for lunch and then some on the way home. I really enjoyed this Nicaraguan puro and it just delivers on flavor and construction. A really good smoke!

Verdict – buy it

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Once in a while I pick up a stray cigar that either was released in limited quantity and failed or someone forgot to put it out on display and it finds its way out months or years after it was first released. This Mi Dominicana is a pure Dominican cigar that I picked up by Jose Seijas. I really don’t have any praise for this cigar, it wasn’t bad, wasn’t good either. It was good enough to smoke through but I can’t say go search this one out. It also had a bad habit of mushrooming out while being smoked. Not a huge deal but kind of bush league to me. I’m not sure what I paid for this, but you probably will not run across it. You can pick up a box for around $150 on a popular web-site but you might want to sample before you try.

Verdict – nope

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And now for something special! I attended a La Gloria Cubana event at Cigar Town in Reston,VA and spent some time talking to the General Cigar reps. As I was leaving, I was slipped this dual wrapper stogie. Rather unusual look and the rep told me they don’t really bring these out at events. I was pleased to accept! It is part of their Artesanos de Tabaqueros line. Let’s just call them “fancy” and probably the best tasting of LGC’s that I have had. I have copied the link to their site to do justice to explaining this cigar, it is here http://www.lagloriacigars.com/index.php/cigars/artesanos-de-tabaqueros/

It has two binders, one Ecuadorian Sumatra and a Connecticut shade. I really enjoyed the flavors of this cigar and can’t wait to pick some up, which may take a web-purchase if necessary.

Verdict – Yes! Get sum.

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And now, a repeat offender. I’ve written somewhere before about the Colorado from Casa Magna and this is just a reminder. BUY IT! ’nuff said.

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I really liked the construction of this Vegas 5 cigar. It is rolled in a special fashion, I forget the style name, forgive me. But I think it is a limited edition that came in from Cigar International which I get a monthly shipment from. I like doing it because usually I get something that I may have not picked out for myself. The Vegas 5 line is quite popular and economical. I don’t usually buy them because the marketing, hate to say it, doesn’t quite do it for me. But this is a good smoke! I really enjoyed this one on the way home one day, its medium to full in strength and really does a good job.

Verdict – sure, pick one up!

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Ok, another Matt Booth creation from the Room 101 Namakubi line. I have not been impressed so far with this line, but love the marketing! This stick I pulled out and said, ok, smoke it anyway! Glad I did. This is the best of his line I have had. I think this is a medium cigar that delivers a quality smoke. It is the Connecticut series, which refers to the wrapper. It’s a Dominican/Honduran blend filler with a corojo binder. It runs around $7 I think? I think this has a good potential for a daily smoke.

Verdict – give her a spin!

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So the last cigar for your surprise at the end. This is the San Lotano Maduro box press by A.J. Fernandez. Anything with A.J.’s name on it deserves some attention. This was a great tasting cigar, before you light it! It is a San Andres Valley wrapper that is a treat to the tongue and the Dominican/Nicaraguan filler really delivers. This is a slightly over medium strength cigar that is just pleasing. Smooth and creamy, it was a really good smoke. I really liked the box pressing on it also. If you want a cigar to pair with a quality red wine, like Bordeaux, I’d grab this one.

Verdict – Oh, yes.

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SURPRISE! I took a picture of a cigar magazine, not sure which one, while in a cigar lounge, ran it through Instagram and here is the result. For your viewing pleasure. Sorry girls.

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Up In Smoke – 1/9/2012

This update brings you 6 cigars that I smoked recently. The first two are part of Nat Sherman’s Bench collection and can only be found at the flagship store in NYC. I picked up 3 to sample when I was in NYC recently and I’m glad I did. The first one I smoked was labeled “SAM” because that is the gentleman’s name who works at Nat Sherman who really liked this blend. I think I scored one of the last ones (these are limited edition cigars evidently). It was a very mild smoke, it was the first one smoked that day so I enjoyed it for what it was. The second one I smoked was more of a medium smoke and had some very balanced and mature characteristics. You could tell there was some real quality, aged, leafs in this one. While this cigar did not knock me off my feet, I could probably smoke this cigar all day long. For a good write-up on this series please go to this link http://michaelherklots.blogspot.com/2011/11/nat-sherman-bench-collection-has.html

Verdict – Nat Sherman Bench series is worth exploring. Unfortunately you will need to stop by the NYC store on 42nd to get these for now.

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Next up is the Liga Privada offering called the Undercrown. This was developed after the rollers were asked to stop smoking their favorite Liga cigars due to supply concerns. The senior rollers then altered the blend and substituted some leafs that were in larger supply. The result was a product that caught the attention of ownership and ended up being a regular product. A true product of the rollers, not the usual product development crew. I really enjoyed this cigar! It was sitting in my humidor for about a month when I smoked it. The dark San Andres maduro wrapper fools you into thinking it will be a powerful cigar. It is actually a medium smoke with very smooth delivery. I could smoke this cigar every day and you might want to try this one out for a “go-to” cigar if you liked balanced, medium cigars. I smoked the Belicoso which cost around $8.From what I understand, it is all Nicaraguan.

Verdict – Like it, will buy again.

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And now for a kick! Four to be exact, the Four Kicks from Crowned Heads is a Dominican Republic cigar with Nicaraguan and Ecuador tobaccos that delivers a smooth, balanced tasting cigar at full strength. This to me is a unique blend and it offers the cigar smoker who wants the full strength but would perhaps like something more refined or balanced in flavor. I typically like more flavors than this cigar was giving me, but that doesn’t mean this isn’t going to please you.

Verdict – I wouldn’t hesitate to smoke this one and will buy again.

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So this Cohiba extra vigoroso showed up in a monthly shipment that I belong to. The write-up on it promised quite a bit in flavor and I was excited for a full strength cigar with sungrown top leafs from the tobacco plant. The top leafs of the tobacco plant tend to have more flavor due to the chemical reaction received from nutrients travelling up top. There are actually two different leafs blended that are top leafs (they are in the filler) and then they are mixed with a Connecticut binder. So, you can read up on this one if you search for it. This is NOT a cheap cigar, goes for around $12.

Verdict – Pass. Seriously. There are better cigars at cheaper prices. If you want to impress however, have at it. They look nice and the name recognition is undeniable (even though they are not real Cubans).

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1968 was a great year. Not that I remember, but I spent nine months of it developing into a bundle of joy. Though my dad probably did not smoke a cigar, he was a Camel (non-filtered) smoker for most of his life, I can’t help but think of how many dads have smoked a Macanudo cigar in America to celebrate their newborn. To me, Macanudo is the archetype golf cigar. Maybe one smoked after a merger or opening of a new Casino. This 1968 offering has a beautiful San Agustin wrapper and the leafs picked are all aged and smoke smoothly. This is as strong as a Macanudo gets. The cigar was good, but it’s really not my type.

Verdict – buy to impress or to please almost anyone.

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Up In Smoke – Cigar notes for 1/6/2012

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In a better effort to record my thoughts on cigars I have smoked, I have decided to create an “Up in Smoke” post that I will try to push out regularly with a few thoughts on each one, whether I liked, it, basically.

First up is the Room 101 by Camacho. This is a medium cigar and the most interesting thing about it is the unique Semilla wrapper grown exclusively for this project. The filer is a Honduran/Dominican blend with Honduran wrapper. This was a robusto, I think, and goes for around $8.

Verdict – It was ok. Nothing special for my tastes, I will find a medium cigar that I occasionally like the flavors on but this one just didn’t do anything special for me. The wrapper is a unique experience though. It comes across very oily, you notice this immediately. I finished off about 3/4 of this one, I think it got a little stronger towards the end.

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Next up, a Cusano 59 Rare Cameroon. Before I say anything, I think that I just don’t have the taste buds for the cameroon leaf. I have determined this after smoking Rocky Patel’s latest release, the 2003 Cameroon. I tried three of them, I did not finish any of them.

This is a Dominican cigar with an African Cameroon wrapper. It is medium in strength. The robusto runs about $6.

Verdict – I didn’t finish. I just don’t get this cigar and I’m not sure that I’m going to like a Cameroon offering.

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Saved the best for last? You bet your ass! This is the new offering from CAO. CAO has changed hands recently (become part of General Cigar) and due to that there is some talk of some people not caring for this stick before they even saw it. It’s called the OSA Sol which stands for the region Olancho, San Agustin in Honduras which is where the wrapper leaf is grown. The “Sol” stands for sun, meaning it is sun grown (no shade cloth cover). This leaf was developed for this project. The filler is Nicaraguan and Honduran and has a Connecticut Broadleaf binder (which I find interesting). I’m not sure which Lot # this was, but it is an affordable cigar, around $6.

Verdict – I loved it! I really didn’t expect much out of this cigar but it really surprised me. I haven’t had a cigar in a long time that had this much flavor, I seriously burned it to the nub. It’s not often I come across a cigar this full of unique and satisfying flavor, flavor that really comes across your palate. If I needed a box of cigars right now, I’d buy one of these!

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theScotchlife’s top 3 Scotch Whisky and Cigars picks of 2011

At the end of this year I thought it would be a good time to figure out which products I enjoyed most this year. One of the reasons I started a blog was to chronicle what I was drinking or smoking so that I could reference it later. The problem is I haven’t been able to faithfully chronicle everything. I’d say I’ve missed 25% of what I’ve enjoyed, some of it made it at least to my twitter account @theScotchlife but I would say it caught 98% and it is very hard to read through 1K+ tweets!

So, picking a top 3 of a product to me is very difficult and I would preface this with this may not be the best products by themselves but are elevated by association of an event, or their value.

In the area of Scotch it is quite easy because I spent a weekend in Vegas sampling an array of 40 year plus aged scotch offerings from The Macallan, Bowmore, Dalmore, Glenfarclas, etc…. and the most memorable dram I had was the Bowmore from 1969. Having a dram that is equal in age to ones self is memorable and immensely reflective. It’s hard to figuratively characterize life in a drink, but with that Bowmore from my birth-year, I think it comes awfully close. There is something very special with super-premium aged scotch, it isn’t like your every day scotch, and your life should be as good as it!

So, the #1 is the 1969 Bowmore. I believe it went on sale this year in the U.S., six bottles total if memory serves me correct for around 14K a bottle?

#2 scotch whisky of my year goes to Ardbeg. Yes, I also had this tasty sample from 1974 at the very same Nth show in Vegas and to have an Ardbeg these days from that era is very special. I do enjoy the regular Ardbeg line as well and have Corryvreckan and Uigeadail in-house currently. The ’74 is quite different though, and superior to the current range.

#3 In order to give credit to something that isn’t in the $10K range I would like to give credit to The Balvenie 17 year range of scotch. I have spent some time in acquiring the line, it is difficult since most of it is out of production. My biggest prize came by a friend snagging a bottle of the original Islay Cask in an auction in the UK. This has been replaced by the Peated cask which is good but not as good as the original Islay cask. I would also comment on the rest of the Balvenie line that is available currently, I simply think it is a crowd pleaser from the Doublewood to the Portwood. You just can’t go wrong unless you demand higher alcohol content. I think the flavors should more than make up for it though.

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In the cigar category I think it is even harder! There are so many good cigars out there and the availability of super-aged premiums like scotch are not as readily available to me. On top of it, I’m finding price really does not always mean quality in the cigar world. In fact, the only expensive cigar I’m going to site is the Diamond Crown cigar.

#1 cigar of the year, yes, the Diamond Crown. This is a super-premium cigar and was made to be a cut above the norm. This is typically a $20 cigar so it is not very often I smoke one and there is usually a good reason why I do! You should treat yourself to one of these.

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#2 cigar of the year is…… Alec Bradley’s Tempus (original). I really was taken by the smoothness of this cigar, its complexity and roundness, and price! Yes, this is a sub $10 smoke typically and it is so worth your time and money! It does smoke like a dream and AB seems to be on a roll. I had to mention this cigar because for the value its hard to beat, a good second or “like” this cigar would be a Brick House cigar.

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#3, is, well, this is hard, I have smoked probably no less than 300 different cigars this past year, and after a while, they all seem to cross over each other at some point. I am going to go back to a cigar I smoked a long time ago and wrote glowingly about it, the La Flor Dominicana “double ligero” line. I smoked a large gauge one and I have a thinner, Churchill especial version that I hope to smoke by the new year. This is a BIG smoke and you should enjoy this with a nice steak dinner or big pasta dinner. Just smelling this one is driving me crazy, the spice that comes off of it is really amazing.

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I can’t help but add a little “honorable mention” to Don Pepin Garcia’s blue label as well as Padilla’s Habano. These two I really thought of a lot while comparing cigars this year.

As with any “top” list, there are always some that you wish could mention but I think most people realize that in scotch and cigars there are so many excellent offerings available these days. I think that you will enjoy these, if you haven’t already, and with the exception of the rare scotch offerings you should be able to find them.

I am looking forward to another year and there are so many exciting products coming down the pike, I personally have several new cigars resting in the humidor that I have never tried and I am particularly excited about trying the new Nat Sherman lines. I picked up several cigars at the NYC Big Smoke last month and will be firing them up soon. As far as scotch, I am looking forward to the Balvenie release of TUN 1401 batch 3 in the U.S. and Ardbeg’s Alligator to finally crawl over the pond. I’ve also heard some brand Ambassadors speak of new offerings coming out soon and I am planing on getting out to my local Virginia distilleries this year and explore their products. With any luck I will make it to a good whisky fest this year also.

I hope this year has been a good one for you!

Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, and Happy Holidays!

John

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Cigar Aficianado’s NYC Big Smoke 2011

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New York, city of angles? A short and satisfying trip from DC to NYC via I-95 revealed a few things.A major wreck on the turnpike can turn a four-hour trip into a seven one. Two star hotels can be efficient and practical, and offer just what you need, maybe just not when you want it. Cigar events are sinfully fun, as is Hogs and Heifers in West Village. People watching in NYC is just damn hard to beat, as is the low-priced coffee and bagel from the street vendors. And most of all, there are a lot of fun people in NYC, aside from the cab drivers.

Angles, yes, not a misprint but an obvious play on LA’s Angels (which is not to be confused with Victoria Secrets show which of course is in NYC). In my self-portrait I was channeling Man in a Bowler hat, notice, Apple icon in my face, sans hat. Anyhow, walk through the city…. notice all of the right angles, then walk through the city, angles, everywhere, massive rectangular structures so rigid and cast shadows of the same. Streets composed of a grid system, again, angles. Window panes, angles. Ok, so maybe you’ve noticed.

So the reason for this trip was the Cigar Aficionados Big Smoke at Pier 92. For 3 hours over 2,000 cigar lovers impatiently strolled through the rope lines to pick up a free cigar from over 20 cigar manufacturers from central America with most headquartered in the U.S. No Cubans of course, and I honestly don’t care that there are none present because the current state of cigars coming from central and south America are amazing. Aside from the cigar companies you had accessories and other things that interest this crowd like Guinness, Conundrum wine and Ardbeg! Ardbeg was my favorite of course, I did imbibe the Guinness and wine because, who passes on free booze? Not me.

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Like last year, the big lines to wait in were the Alec Bradley line, the A. Fuente line (yes, Carlito was there) and the mother of all lines, Rocky Patel. Along with the celebrity status of the aforementioned gentlemen, America’s Mayor Rudy Guiliani showed up and patiently shook hands and took pictures with throngs of fans. No, he isn’t in office, but he will always be the Mayor of NY to me. Noticeably absent, well, its hard to notice because there are just so many people there! But there is a noticeable absence of women. My friend Michelle came with me because as she puts it, “where else in NY do you see this many men!” Michelle is among the subset of beautiful women in NYC who have too few options in dating, and are victims of their success in business. So ladies of NYC, if you don’t mind cigar smoke and have $240 for the event ticket, you might want to start making plans now! Having Michelle with me gives me unexpected recognition, hey, that dude has a chick with him! After spending some time with Michelle’s friends in the West Village, I’m hoping for at least two more women in my company in 2012, which will make me look like a rockstar!

After the event Michelle and I went to the West Village area for drinks and conversation. I can’t remember all of the bars we hopped to but seriously enjoyed my time at Hogs and Heifers. Remember Coyote Ugly,the actual bar is in the Meat Packing district and is called Hogs and Heifers. It was a Wednesday night, when we opened the door it was just as you would expect it, crowded with slightly inebriated people and bra wearing bartenders screaming at the crowd with megaphones. In a word, perfect! Michelle had hesitation bringing me there, at which I said, you obviously don’t know me! I love dive bars, it’s just an environment that graphic design and quirky chalk boards can’t top. I also love Pabst Blue Ribbon! Yes, I do like it and have drank it before it was fashionable to do so.

Overall, the trip was fast but intensely fun, the cigar event is maddening because the sheer numbers of people and it is a little disconcerting if you are seeking to be educated about a brand or product. I do wish that some of the smaller boutique cigar makers could break into the event but giving away that many cigars is probably a non-starter for boutiques. All in all, the event was worth the trip to NYC and having good friends who live there exponentially enrich the experience. I’m going to write more on that soon, I took the opportunity of being in the city to spend some time at Nat Sherman’s store and Davidoff’s of Geneva’s new store and had a blast at both of them.

See you next year in NYC for the 2013 event!

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Don Pepin Garcia event at Cigar Town in Reston, VA

On Columbus day while the masses of people lucky enough to “celebrate” a holiday that marketing has yet to figure out how to make money on, I made my way to a cigar event that was a blast. The Cigar Town shop in Reston’s Town Center was the event site and what a great store and evening it was. I was a bit early I guess so I purchased a Don Pepin “blue label” and settled into the private smoking lounge and watched ESPN. Soon the event kicked off and people flooded in! There was deals to be had with box discounts and free shirts, plus a freshly rolled cigar by Rene, Pepin’s personal master roller who is a treat to watch work.

The crowd was quite lively and you could tell there were Pepin enthusiasts amongst the crowd. The boxes of Pepin cigars were quickly disappearing to men with big grins on their faces who hadn’t yet realized they’d dropped a few hundred dollars. But when you like Premium Cigars, that is just the cost! Pepin graciously signed each person’s box purchase, posed for pictures and shared some knowledge with those who were interested in the whole cigar industry and more specifically what it takes to make a premium cigar. Although my spanish is poor at best, he is just a very genuine gentleman and does not have any hint of celebrity or arrogance to him. This is a guy you would want to hang out with!

So I too couldn’t resist the discount, free Pepin shirt and freshly rolled cigar by Rene and walked out with a box of my Pepin favorites  that I refer to as “Blue Label” because that is the color of the band. I’m sophisticated like that. I met some really interesting people there, compared cigar likes with a few and genuinely enjoyed myself. Of course, no great event is complete without a beautiful young lady, so this event was no exception! I joked with her that only a place like this would an old man distract a crowd of men away from her! So if you haven’t tried Don Pepin Garcia cigars you are missing out. The My Father line is highly revered and the man simply knows how to blend tobacco leafs! He has only been out of Cuba’s factories for about eleven years and is making waves all over the industry. Do yourself a favor and pick one up today.

Cheers!

At the Don Pepin Garcia event in Reston, VA
Not that I'm happy or anything.
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New Section Added to theScotchlife.com! Events!

I have added a new section or page to theScotchlife blog. Notice the tab up top labeled Cigar and Whisky events. I will be adding the events that I intend on going to as well as ones I learn about that I think you would enjoy. The events will be primarily events held in the USA for now. Also, most of the local events will be located in Washington DC/Virginia area as that is where I live.

If you have any events please let me know. There is such a large community of Cigar and Whisky lovers and it would be a shame to not know of great events happening in your own backyard!

Please notice the 2012 Nth event. This is upcoming in March in Las Vegas, NV and is the single greatest scotch tasting event in the States available, not to mention it’s in our favorite city! The same organizers of this are having several city events and you will be able to taste scotch that is ONLY available through these events!

Also, make sure you are subscribed to my twitter feed which will also alert you to things going on. @theScotchlife

Cheers!

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Ruination – Man O’ War Double Headed Cigar

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Angelenos Robusto and Kristoff Kristania cigar smoke notes

A week on the road led to me discovering two new and noteworthy medium bodied cigars. The first one I received in a monthly sampler/shipment, Angelenos by God of Fire, and the other the new Kristoff Kristania.

Now I’m much more of a medium to mild cigar guy and I do enjoy many full bodies ones when done correctly. This cigar has star-power! It absolutely hit my palate like Angelina Jolie would walking into the room. This cigar is produced by God of Fire at the Arturo Fuente factory in the Dominican Republic and they have got to have some secrets up their sleeves. I for one don’t expect much from a medium cigar other than some pleasant burning properties and possibly some nice spice or cedar flavor. From first light this cigar was the equivalent of opening a can of Cocoa. The spice and sweetness simply overwhelmed me and I really was in a special place in the first puffs of this cigar. I tend to smoke a cigar twice before I speak about it but I had to put this in writing and will definitely hold the second one I have for a special occasion when no one has the ability to bother me.

This one is a robusto measuring 5.25″ and a ring measurement of 50. The notes that came along with it describes it as a high-end, super-premium cigar and I believe them. The filler is Dominican and the wrapper is an Ecuadorian Connecticut leaf. The construction of this cigar is beautiful and I only ashed this cigar twice! This is simply an elegant and satisfying smoke, I highly recommend this one!

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Now, onto the next one…..

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I have been a fan of Kristoff cigars and when I heard they were releasing some new ones I just had to try them, regardless of the strength.

My reward was stopping by Havana Connections and procuring a handful of cigars, two of which are the new Kristoff offerings. The Kristoff kristania found itself my chew-toy through a blinding rain storm in Virginia and after an hour or so when the rain stopped and my tank ran near empty I decided the light rainfall and receding clouds would not stop me from firing this one up. I believe you can tell a lot, yet not everything about the taste of a cigar by gnawing on it for awhile. The cigar itself is delicious looking and reminds me of a well worn baseball glove. It also strikes me as tasting like fine leather. Its a rather large ring gauge at 60 and 5.5″ in length.

After firing it up it made itself clear, I am a smooth smoking no-nonsense cigar. It is a supremely balanced cigar and does not deliver any flavor like the Angelenos but this is an affordable cigar that simply delivers. You could smoke this cigar almost anytime of day and it will more than please the mild to medium smoker. I really enjoyed this cigar and will probably, or just will find it again. I have the other new Corojo limited and will probably comment on it in the future. I really am a fan of Kristoff and you should try them out.

Until next time! Smoke ’em if you got em!

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