Seth's Humidor: Cigar Reviews

I usually don't talk about the foods I am eating or about to eat, but the bacon wrapped stuffed jalapenos I just prepped are done and ready to be enjoyed. I am holding back commentary on that previous sentence, and to prevent me from being a total asshole and ruining my treats, I leave you with my Week in Review.

While there is still some debate as to whether or not this was or was not a Cohiba Siglo I, the band was simply terrible, it was a young cigar that showed those young Cohiba qualities. I feel that this was merely a bad band applied and not necessarily a fake Cohiba. The first third was a little harsh, really young, but as I moved into the second third of the cigar it began to show some great cream, coffee and vanilla bean notes that were amazing. The size itself is not a personal favorite, there are sizes out there I prefer more, especially in the Linea 1492 Series, but for times when you don't have much time, it is an enjoyable smoke. This is a smoke you will have to age for a couple years though so that it really smokes well.

The Montecristo brand is a classic brand, truly amazing, and it has a great flavor profile that many enjoy. I love the Petit Edmundos, Petit No. 2s and No. 2s, and because I found those that I love, I typically don't reach out for other sizes. I was recently sent some No. 5s and after smoking I was impressed. This short smoke was packed full of flavors and it had a flavor profile that was complex but light and enjoyable at all times. I would smoke these in the morning more often than not, but this is a cigar that I could give to a novice smoker in the afternoon and evening and they would find it simply amazing. Just a great little smoke that you should reach out for.

Rafael Gonzalez, this is a brand I don't reach out to and smoke, and that is not because I find it bad, but because I just don't reach out for them. This is another cigar that was recently sent for me to smoke and review, and I am glad I had the opportunity. It showed some soft flavors that had some salty and woody qualities to it, and it really showed the lighter qualities of tobacco throughout. This is a brand that has been hacked at over the years and it has been diminished to almost nothing. I can see why some love it, and if you do that is a total bummer, but I understand the reasons by Habanos for doing what they do. With that being said, they take away my Juan Lopez brand and I will flip.

The new limited from Crowned Heads, Hecho Con Corazon was made for the Hickory Cigar Club in Hickory, NC, and was limited to 1,000 cigars. The blend is the Las Calavares blend in a box press format, and while the pressing helps the cigar, it is still in the rough and besides from not being on the fairway, it is far from the 19th hole. The flavors are not complex and above all else work against themselves from beginning to end. I enjoyed Crowned Heads releases when they were coming out of Carrillo's factory, I think Huber was getting better blends, but with the recent move to Nicaragua things have been heading south for the company. Some would say I am being a Huber Hater, but I would say that I am being honest and a true believer in their motto of #CYOP.

Review Here.

The new TAA from Tatuaje, the Tatuaje TAA 2014 shows a return to the 2011 and 2012 releases. It features a Connecticut Broadleaf wrapper and while it is not the prettiest of wrappers, it is a a flavorful one. I still have to smoke ore to see how I really feel about the release, but after smoking one I can say that it is enjoyable and while not his greatest release, and entertaining one. He has definitely had better Connecticut Broadleaf releases, but then again, he has had worse ones as well.

Review Coming Soon.

The newest release from CLE Cigars, the CLE Signature Series is coming out of Christian's factory in the Wynwood district of Miami, Florida, and this is where the old Wynwood smokes were made. The cigar is composed of very limited tobacco, tobacco Christian will not reveal, and he goes on to say that because of how limited the tobacco is they are able to hand select individual leaves rather than pilons. I am assuming the cigars are composed of Honduran Corojo, or at least some of the tobacco in the blend is, but either way this is a tasty and unique cigar. It shows some great flavors and I got some floral, tropical fruit, tobacco and leather notes. This is a terrific smoke1

Review Coming Soon.

Released in 2012, the Aganorsa Leaf Maduro was a follow up line to the originally released Aganorsa Leaf line that was already on the market. That year the company actually released several maduro offerings, expanding beyond their corojo offering lines, and it was in 2012 that we saw Casa Fernandez take the next step to really increase their brand presence. Since then, the company has increased lines by adding vitolas and also adding some new limited editions to their portfolio. This year marked their second limited edition, a new line offering in the JFR brand and a vitola addition to the Aganorsa Leaf Maduro line that would be titled Délire. You could say the new vitola offering is the middle of the road offering for the line, and I believe it will be a vitola that is very successful because of the dimensions. The line has never been my favorite, I much prefer the Corojo offering, but today we look to see if the new vitola in this line offering speaks to me.

Titled Délire, this is the new vitola release for the Aganorsa Leaf Maduro line. The cigar measures 6 1/2" with a 50 ring gauge, and it features a Mexican San Andres wrapper. The filler and binder are all Nicaraguan AGANORSA tobacco, and the cigar is made in Miami, Florida at Casa Fernandez Miami. The toro is pressed beautifully and it has a great maduro coloring. There are very few veins present with the cigar and it has a dark coloring that is familiar of a dark chocolate bar. There are very few veins present on the wrapper and it is very smooth in appearance. In forms of texture, the cigar is smooth as well, but it is not oily or silky, but rather slightly gritty to touch. There is an aroma of rich earth and manure on the wrapper, and I am getting some sweetness as well. It has an aroma of rich earth, tobacco, chocolate and nuts on the foot, and I am looking forward to smoking this cigar.

The first third opens up by showing some solid dark chocolate notes, and it is accompanied by some filling spices and rich earth qualities. I am picking up some toast nut qualities as well, and it has a solid leather and oak finish. It is rich and filling, but it is balanced by some stronger and dryer flavors that are great qualities to the blend. The flavors make it an afternoon or evening smoke for me, and the body and strength deliver the same aspects. I would say the body is between medium-full and full, and the strength is closer to medium-full overall. You are really getting those strong AGANORSA flavors with the sweet and rich Mexican San Andres flavors, and this is another solid release from Casa Fernandez. I am getting a nice burn line with the cigar, not perfect, but solid, and it shows a dark charcoal ash on the end of that. The draw is cool, great with the press, and it is giving off a nice bit of dark and thick smoke.

When I enter into the second third of the cigar I find that the flavors being delivered have become slightly stronger and it is keeping that richness with the blend. The toasted nut quality is very present in this third and it is now pairing with some dark coffee notes. It really has that black coffee flavor, and it is then showing some richness and sweetness overall. So far, the cigar is showing some nice transitioning in this third and it has great complexity. I would classify the cigar as being medium-full to full in body in this third, and the strength is at that medium-full level. It is remaining to be an afternoon or evening cigar, and it is a nice alternative to the Corojo Aganorsa Leaf version. The construction in this third is still performing well and it has an even burn line with that solid charcoal ash holding on at the end. The draw is cool, still producing tons of smoke, and it has a dark and flavorful finish.

I am in the final third of the cigar now and it is showing more transitioning and growth in complexity the further I get into the blend. It is still showing those dark coffee notes from the second third, and it has some toast and nutty qualities present as well. The sweetness is gone, and the rich earth flavor profile is present but darker and stronger. There is a little bit of spice and pepper on the finish, and it has a very natural and dark finish. The construction is still great in this final third and it has an even burn line with that charcoal ash on the end. The draw is cool and flavorful, and it gives off a lot of dark smoke in this third. The body is at at full level in this third and the strength is there as well. It has grown since I first lit this cigar up an it finishes like a strong and flavorful Mexican wrapped cigar should finish.

The Délire is a nice new offering to the Aganorsa Leaf Maduro line and it is my favorite release to date. It is a great size as a toro, and even though it is not overly large, it comes off as being a large cigar. For some reason, it reminds me of smoking a Cuban H. Upmann Magnum 50. It is not a large cigar, especially for the releases on the market currently, but it just seems huge. The Mexican wrapper produced some great flavors with the cigar and it did well with the Nicaraguan blend. I have said it in the past, Casa Fernandez is one of the few that does a good job with Mexican wrappers, and this is not any different. If you are looking for a balanced cigar that is rich and flavorful, this cigar is for you. The construction was fairly solid from beginning to end, and the amount of smoke being produced was great. If I had to choose this over the Corojo version, I would choose the Corojo version, it should be no surprise if you know me as a smoker, but overall this is my favorite Mexican San Andres wrapper in the Casa Fernandez brand. I am giving the toro a solid 91 rating and I look forward to smoking it again and even aging some.

Seth's Humidor Rating: 91

*cigars for this assessment were provided by Casa Fernandez

When it comes to storing cigars, the box humidor is the standard. Whether your buy a humidor online or at your local cigar shop, they will carry the standard box humidors. Even travel humidors are box shaped! Finding a humidor that is not your standard box shape is quite difficult and uncommon. There are some exceptions out there, but not many. Whether it is small or large, or simple or intricate, your cigars are most likely being stored in a box humidor. Oh, I also forgot coolidors. They are also box shaped. The one time where we have seen uniquely shaped humidors is when Habanos S.A. has gifted their markets with these limited ceramic jar humidors that include Habanos in them. We have seen it with Partagas and H. Upmann and I always wanted one of them. I never had the opportunity, but today that opportunity has been given to me. Company on the rise, Warped Cigars, has released a limited run of ceramic jar humidors, something they call jaridors, and production was set at 1,000.

The new Warped Jaridor is a massive ceramic jar humidor, and is made to hold up to 25 7" by 50 ring gauge vitola cigars. It is lined with Spanish Cedar and on the bottom side of the lid is a humidification device that is secured to the lid with a magnet. It has a shape that is similar to some past ceramic jar humidors that Habanos has released, and it reminds me of the jars used with the miniature Partagas Serie P No. 2s. The colors are beautiful and there are colors of navy blue, cream and apple red. The font is an old-school font, and everything about it screams late 19th and early 20th Century. There is a rubber gasket on the lid, to make the seal airtight, and the lid secures firmly to the jar.

Prepping the jaridor, I am using the reliable seasoning packs from Boveda. I will leave those packs in there for the required time before making it the home to some cigars I have that deserve this beautiful new home. When I do place cigars in the jar, I am going to use Boveda packs that have a low RH level, and the reason for that is I store all my stores at a lower RH level and I also think with a jar like this, which is really air tight, I won't need or want the humidity to be high. I typically would not age cigars in a jar, because there is no cedar typically involved, but with cedar lining the jar, I will have no problem leaving cigars in there. With that introduction, in go the packs and I will be back in a couple weeks to show what's going in!

If you have paid attention to General and Altadis for the past couple years, you will see that they have been putting more time into their big brands. Altadis has been putting time and money into Romeo y Julieta and Montecristo, and General has begun to put time into Cohiba. It makes sense, I think they need to work on those brands and start releasing some smokes that are made for the modern smoker. Cohiba released the Comador earlier this year, the best new Cohiba in a long time, and recently released the Cohiba Nicaragua. The cigar was showcased at the 2014 IPCPR, and the friends of mine that attended had nothing but positive things to say about the release. When the opportunity presented itself for me to review the cigars, I was eager to smoke them and see how it would be. Of course, I am just now getting to the review. Enough of that though, let's look at the Cohiba Nicaragua.

For the review of the line, I was sent the N54 vitola, and this is a robusto extra measuring 5.5" with a 54 ring gauge. While the cigar is title Nicaragua and is made at General's cigar factory in Nicaragua, it is not a Nicaraguan puro. It features Nicaraguan tobacco in the filler and as the binder, but it has a Honduran wrapper that is from Jamastran. The wrapper is classified as Colorado Oscuro in coloring, and it is a nice coloring. The Nicaragua is a lovely cigar. It features a wrapper that has a great Colorado Maduro coloring, and it sports a few veins throughout that are not minor veins but more medium size. The wrapper is oily to touch, but it is smooth in texture. It is firm in hand, and this is a well made robusto. The wrapper has a nice aroma, it is giving off some manure, tobacco, rich earth and damp wood qualities, and the foot is showing notes of cashews, rich earth, raisins, curry and additional spices. The cold draw is perfect and it is giving off those flavors from the foot.

The first third opens up nicely and it begins by showing some leather and licorice notes. It has a meaty quality present as well, and a smokiness in the back which has some soft black pepper notes on top of that. There is a saltiness and woody quality present as well, and it has a strong Cuban twang to it. The salty and woody qualities show me some Cuban qualities, but at the same time they are too strong. The construction is solid on the cigar and it has a burn line that is fairly even overall, and a grayish white ash that is holding on firmly at the end. The draw is slightly tight, but to my liking, and it is producing a nice bit of smoke with each draw. I would classify the body as being full in this third, and the strength is between medium-full and full. This is a really good cigar so far and as I have been told, is surprising me for the better.

When I move into the second third of the cigar it begins to open up and show some stronger flavors, body and even strength. It is becoming more and more Nicaraguan, and living up to the name. I am getting some strong pepper and spice notes on the forefront, and it has some earthy and damp wood qualities with that. There is a meaty quality present as well, and it has a dark coffee and chocolate like finish. The construction remains similar in this second third and it is producing a relatively even burn line with that whitish gray ash on the end. The ash holds on firmly, it will not budge, and it is giving off a nice bit of smoke with each draw. The draws are cool and it has a long finish on the palate. I would classify the strength of the cigar as being full in this third and the body is right there as well.

I am in the final third of the cigar now and in my opinion it is smoking almost identical to the second third. It has some strong flavors of pepper, white and black notes, and it is followed by some red pepper/cayenne notes. There are some earthy qualities to it as well, but they are not rich and sweet, but rather dryer and stronger. The wood notes are still fairly damp notes and it has a strong finish that shows some meaty characteristics. The body and strength are smoking at a full level in this third and it is a cigar that has grown to this level from the beginning. I appreciate when cigars grow like this, it shows complexity and transitioning, but it has to be careful to not be too much on the end. The construction remains consistent with the second third in the final bit as well and it is showing an even burn line with a nice grayish white ash on the end. The draw is cool, producing those strong flavors, and it has a flavorful finish that is pleasant to the nub.

I like the Cohiba Nicaragua and I believe it to be the second best non-Cuban regular production Cohiba. I don't think it is as good as the Comador, but that was a special cigar and I wasn't expecting this cigar to beat that. My only question around the cigar was the focus on Nicaragua. I understand the cigar is made in Nicaragua and uses Nicaraguan tobacco in the filler and as a binder leaf, but why not make the entire cigar Nicaraguan? I think they lost something there because now when they want to release a Cohiba Nicaragua that is truly Nicaraguan, they can't title it Nicaragua. In term of flavors though, I found this cigar to be very enjoyable and I like the growth that it possessed from beginning to end. The strength and body were perfect as well and this was a cigar I would have in the afternoon and evening. This is the modern day Cohiba, and it will speak well to the guys who smoke similar cigars to this if they can get them out of the boutique side of things. Overall, I give the cigar a 91 rating.

Seth's Humidor Rating: 91

*cigars for this assessment were provided to me by General Cigars

The Exclusivo line by Viaje is an interesting line for Viaje and is really their Tatuaje Black Label. This was the blend that Andre had made for himself and it even features a Nicaraguan Criollo wrapper. The Corona Gorda is very well known, it is not readily available, but I have found that the Super Lance and Lancero for Atlantic Cigars are just as enjoying. Production is very limited on this cigar and more often than not you are seeing it produced in a manner that is truly limited, and not so much seasonal. The line has become available in a handful of sizes over the years, but in 2012 a new size was released and it was a very unique release. To date, it is till as unique as it once was, and that is because it is the only box-pressed Exclusivo. That cigar is available at only one shop, and that shop is Tower Pipes & Cigars in Sacramento, California.

The Exclusivo Tower Cigars 45th was released in 2012 and it is an annual production release. A total of 99 boxes are released to the public annually, Andre keeps a box, and the boxes are composed of 20 cigars. The blend is a robusto extra/edmundo in vitola offering and measures 5" with a 52 ring gauge. It is all Nicaraguan and features a Criollo wrapper. The pressing does great things to the wrapper on the cigar and makes the smoking experience very flavorful. The cigar delivers so many great Nicaraguan flavors and I am getting some roasted coffee bean notes, chocolate, tobacco, filling spices and damp oaky qualities with that. This Viaje has been sitting for over a year in my humidor, actually more like a year and a half, and the aging has done so much for this blend. If you are a fan of Viaje, and you like the Exclusivo line, I would reach out to Tower Pipes & Cigars and pick some of these up. You will truly enjoy them!

Review Here.

13 months ago I smoked and reviewed the L'Atelier Extension de la Racine ER13. If you read the review, you would see how much I loved the cigar, and I enjoyed them so much that I have not smoked them often, but rather when I want something that is special. I think it is a great cigar for many reasons, and it is a cigar that when I smoke, it makes me say, this was a cigar that was made for me. The name, Extension de la Racina, is translated as Extension of the Root, and it is the annual limited release from L'Atelier Imports. Production is not set at a certain number, but is determined by the order volume that is received at the IPCPR Trade Show. I appreciate how they release the cigar and how they determine how you have to get the cigar, it says a lot and truly sets expectations for everyone to be better and more for the industry.What makes the ER13 so good to me is the flavor profile delivered and the vitola that the cigar is rolled in.

Released in the great Habanos vitola, the cañonazo, this is the same vitola offering as the Cohiba Siglo VI. It measures 5 7/8" and it has a 52 ring gauge. It is definitely a big cigar, a 52 ring gauge is not small, but the way it is proportioned makes it seem like it is a large robusto rather an a toro or something bigger. The cigar is a Nicaraguan puro and it is unique in the fact that it has some Sancti Spiritus tobacco in the filler blend and it comes with a beautiful Nicaraguan Sun-grown Criollo wrapper. The cigar delivers amazing flavors throughout and I pick up some caramel notes, sweet Asian spices, aged tobacco, marshmallow qualities and a nice sweet cedar quality on the finish. It is a balanced cigar, and it is a cigar that comes with a cool draw and great construction as well. I can smoke these at anytime of the day and I am never disappointed. I know some retailers still have these lying around, you just have to look, but if you see them pick some up. This is possibly one of the best sticks L'Atelier Imports has put out.

Review Here.

I believe it is safe to say that every TAA retailer loves Pete Johnson and Tatuaje. With his annual TAA exclusive release, the TAA members know that they are going to get a good stick and will be able to sell the cigar. Some they may not sell as well, but the Tatuaje TAA is a definite sale. I have smoked a handful of TAA releases over the years, and I can tell you that Pete's releases are always consistently enjoyable. Some of the other releases have not been as great, often making me wonder if the TAA members actually smoked the cigars, or had a decision in the release, but they have always gotten a good product from Tatuaje. Last year Pete changed it up on them, and instead of releasing a TAA cigar that we would expect, a box pressed cigar with a Connecticut Broadleaf wrapper, he changed it up and released a massive toro that was the Seleccion de Cazador blend. It was a nice way of honoring his tenth anniversary and the TAA, but the Tatuaje TAA guys went a little nuts. They wanted their box pressed Broadleaf offering, and this year Pete made a return of the typical Tatuaje TAA release, pleasing those individuals.

Measuring 6" with a 52 ring gauge, the TAA 2014 by Tatuaje features a Connecticut Broadleaf wrapper and Nicaraguan tobacco as the filler and binder. It marks a return to the Broadleaf releases from 2011 and 2012, and is similar to both blends with its own unique characters. The release is only available to TAA retailers, and this is a small group of some of the best retail shops across the nation. The TAA 2014 sports a Connecticut Broadleaf wrapper that fits the profile of Connecticut Broadleafs used by Pete. Is it pretty? No, but it is going to be packed with flavors. It is slightly oily to touch and it has a fine gritty texture as well. There are not may veins present on the wrapper, but the ones present are thick and noticeable. The wrapper has an intense maduro coloring and with the press it is like a chocolate bar. It has a closed foot that really covers the foot so the aroma I am getting is all wrapper and it is of rich earth, damp wood and chocolate notes.

The first third is incredibly rich and it is showing some strong Connecticut Broadleaf flavors. I am getting notes of dark berries and it is accompanied by some damp oak, toasted cedar and nutty qualities. It has some rich earth and strong coffee bean flavors present as well, and it shows some soft licorice notes on the finish. It is really tasty, and this is why Pete is King of Connecticut Broadleaf. The construction is decent as well and while the cigar is not burning perfectly, it is not presenting a problem with the burn line. It is giving off tons of thick smoke and it match the color of the ash which is dark charcoal in coloring and holding on firmly to the foot. The draw is cool and with the press this cigar is awesome. I would classify the body as being medium-full, maybe even full, and the strength is around a medium level.

The second third shows some growth as a cigar and it is producing some stronger oak and earth notes. it is very rich and filling, and strong as well. There are still some dark berry notes present, coffee beans as well, but overall it is showing those rich and strong notes of earth and oak. There are some toast and nutty notes on the finish and while the cigar is still elegant and complex, it is bolder and stronger. I would classify the cigar as being full in body while now smoking at a level between medium and medium-full in strength. The construction improved greatly in this third as well and it is showing an even burn line with a nice charcoal ash on the end. The ash is firm and the smoke production is tremendous in this third. Overall, a great bit of growth in this third and I am loving the direction that it is taking us.

The final third of the cigar shows additional growth from the second third and it has a flavor profile that is getting bolder and darker. The earth notes are much stronger in this third and the same goes for those oak flavors. There is a return of the dark berry notes as well, and it has a nice nutty and coffee bean flavor on top of that. The finish is that of toast and cocoa, and it smoked wonderfully to the nub. The construction remains top notch in this third and it has an even burn line with that. The ash is that charcoal color and it is holding on firmly to the end. There is a great bit of smoke being produced as well and it is cool all the way to the pressed nub. The body of the cigar continues to smoke at that full level and even into the final third the strength remains at a level between medium and medium-full. Overall, a very nice ending to the cigar.

I like the TAA 2014 and think that this cigar will be great with age. It is showing some enjoyable qualities for being as young as it is, and with time it will do nothing but improve. What I really loved though, was that the strength was not over the top, actually softer that I was expecting, but it had a great amount of body present. The flavors were filling and complex, and while I am not a fan of many people's Connecticut Broadleaf offerings, this release delivered the flavors that I look for in a good Connecticut Broadleaf wrapper cigar. I enjoyed the transitioning throughout and found that it grew the way a cigar should grow. I think a lot of people will be happy to see this release and will enjoy them now and in the future with aging. I believe the lovers of the TAA releases by Tatuaje missed the Broadleaf offering last year, but I understand what Pete was doing and with the return of the Broadleaf offering, all is fine. I am giving this cigar a 90 rating right now and think that in six months to a year it will be much better.

Seth's Humidor Rating: 90

This was a classic week of "I am not going to spend anytime smoking bad cigars. Life is too short to smoke bad cigars." I smoke tons of cigars, some for review and some for personal enjoyment, and while this week had me smoking cigars for review, I found that I was really focusing on cigars that I truly enjoy. There are a lot of other smokes out there that I love and didn't get to, Illusione and Casa Fernandez come to mind, a lot of Cubans as well, but this week I focused on some stuff I really enjoy. Well, forget the Cohiba Maduro 5. Anyway, let's take a look at what I smoked, and let me give a shout out to people like Jose Blanco, Pete Johnson and Kyle Gellis of Warped Cigars. Keep up the great work you three!

I need to get around to reviewing the Senorial Belicoso No.2. I reviewed the corona gorda, but this torpedo has really spoken to me and I love how it is smoking. It shows great complexity and is balanced and filling. It really shows great Dominican qualities, but it also has this Cuban twang to it which is really enjoyable. It's stronger than a Cuban, but you can see some of that flavor profile in the background. While the blend is predominately Dominican, and I love it, there is no doubt that the Nicaraguan Criollo '98 binder does good thing for the wrapper and blend. Expect complex flavors all over the place, showing bits of tobacco, cedar, cream, citrus, nuts, spices and cocoa.

Review Coming Soon.

The secret to Cohiba is the aging time. When young, they are okay, but with age they get better and better. I smoked a Robusto earlier this week and I can tell you that it was nothing but delicious. The flavors delivered were awesome and the balanced body and strength level did great things to the flavor profile. This one was aging for over five years and I know that if I had aged it for another five it would be even better. It is not my favorite of brands by Habanos, far from it actually, but when you smoke a good one, yo u can see why people love the brand so much. I got those great flavors of coffee, lemongrass, cream, tobacco and hay throughout.

Review Here.

My Saints & Sinners package came this week so I opened it up and grabbed a couple smokes. I don't know what they are, but both were really entertaining. Right now, I have to say that I prefer the Mister Anderson to the Saints & Sinners option, but I think a lot of guys would love both offerings. Don't ask me for guesses on blends and what not, I didn't care, I just wanted to smoke something, not knowing what it was, and see how I felt.

I decided to go crazy one night and see how some cigars would smoke and compare the two. I picked the new Tatuaje TAA 2014 and a Cohiba Maduro 5. It is safe to say that the Tatuaje is better, better by a long shot, and that Habanos should not get into the maduro business. Pete does a terrific job with Broadleaf tobacco, I typically always love his Connecticut Broadleaf releases, and the TAA 2014 is no exception. It is going to age wonderfully and I can see this blend being superb in a year to two years. The Maduro 5 on the other hand, I wouldn't even bother with purchasing these, they aren't wowing or worth the money. The TAA showed terrific flavors of chocolate, tobacco, wood and rich earth throughout, while the Maduro 5 was showing some dark earth, cocoa and tobacco notes from beginning to end.

Review Here.

One of my favorite smokes from Pete Johnson, L'Atelier Extension de la Racine 2013 was a terrific release. I love the vitola offering in which the cigar comes in and it shows so many wonderful attributes. The construction is always great and it is balanced and flavorful. I love the use of the Criollo and Sancti Spiritus tobacco, and as I said in my recent Cigar Revisited post, this is a cigar that speaks to me as an indivudal. I look forward to smoking the new offering, but right now I will continue to enjoy the 2013 option. I got great flavors of caramel, toast, nuts, cedar and Asian spices throughout.

Review Here.

Warped Cigars may have been around since 2009, but it was this year that they really began to make some presence in the industry. Their lines, El Oso and La Colmena, are making their way into shops as we speak and catching customers with a pleasant surprise. I have smoked both and with each cigar I smoked, the more it grows on me. La Colmena shows some unique flavors and it is a combination of El Titan de Bronze in Miami and El Laguito in Habana. You can tell that it shows those Nicaragua, Dominican and Ecuadorian flavors, but there is this old school Cuban vibe to it as well. Expect some creamy, fruity, soft spice and cedar notes. El Oso is more of an "American market cigar," but it still has some interesting vibes to it which make you think of Cuban blends. To me, it is a sweet dessert cigar, and it shows some cocoa, soft spice, earth and wood notes. This is an evening cigar, and La Colmena is an afternoon smoke. The great thing about the torpedo offering in El Oso is that it has a small ring gauge, a 48 ring gauge, and it is not in the 50s like most torpedos.

Reviews Coming Soon.

Hector Luis Prieto is a Cuban farmer that is on the rise. I wouldn't call him the new Alejandro Robaina, but he is definitely on the rise and producing some great tobacco. Of course, he is growing it for Habanos, but he also has some farm rolled smokes which are custom and available in other ways. The blend uses a lot of Criollo tobacco, and besides the fact that I love Cuban tobacco, I love Criollo tobacco. It is a terrific blend that shows great construction. The flavors are wonderful, one of a kind, and it is a blend that Catfish and I could smoke all the time. Review will be coming soon to Habanos Critic.

It has been 14 days since the completion of the seasoning period of the Ammodor and it is time to give you all an update and my final thoughts. I picked out 26 cigars, random cigars from my collection, and loaded them into the Ammodor. I had a 72% RH Boveda pack available, so I placed that in there as well to use as my humidification device. I closed the lid and began my testing. I decided that I would check the humidity once a day and would check it at 09:00 AM. I left the Ammodor at my office, so I did not check it on the weekends, but come Monday morning I was opening that bad boy up and taking a look at the relative humidity level. Below are my numbers from the test period.

10/02/14 - 71%
10/03/14 - 72%
10/04/14 - Saturday
10/05/14 - Sunday
10/06/14 - 72%
10/07/14 - 72%
10/08/14 - 71%
10/09/14 - 72%
10/10/14 - 72%
10/11/14 - Saturday
10/12/14 - Sunday
10/13/14 - 73%
10/14/14 - 72%
10/15/14 - 71 %
10/16/14 - 72%
10/17/14 - 72%
Daily Average = 71.9%
Highest RH Reading = 73%
Lowest RH Reading = 71%

I am pleased to say that everything worked our perfectly! Over the 14 days, the RH level readings were consistent, and the highest reading was at 73% RH with the lowest at 71% RH. The Ammodor did its job perfectly, and kept a consistent RH level in the humidor. Not only was it consistent, but it kept the RH level that was set with the Boveda pack. I know, given how great the seal is on this humidor, that the Boveda pack on the inside would last for a very long time. They average about three to four months, but this could go a whole year with no problems; possibly longer. Looking at the numbers, there is no questions that the Ammodor passed with flying colors and did exactly what it is meant to do.

While the Ammodor did exactly what any humidor is intended to do, I really like the Ammodor for what it is as well. I think the idea of turning an ammunition container into a humidor is really cool and for those who collect guns, or even have guns, this is a great humidor to have. It may not be the taste of some, but there is no doubt that a lot of people will think the idea of turning an ammunition case into a humidor is pretty sweet. I know I have used them before and while I did not keep it out on display, I don't do that with any humidor, I loved the appearance of it. Another great quality, which is something I used the Ammodor for, is that this is really a portable humidor. With the handle, this is an incredibly effective travel humidor, and it is a travel humidor that comes lined with cedar. It is very durable, and while I would not throw it around, it can take a beating. I never found myself in a position where I was truly testing my travel humidors, call me a conservative or safe person, but this would do just as well as the travel humidors I have used in the past on travels. Overall, the price is great on these things and beside the fact that they look cool and do a great job, they can hold a crap ton of cigars. Do yourself a favor and grab one of these for personal use.

Find Ammodors here.

* The Ammodor used for this product review was provided to me by Ammodor and not an Ammodor purchased for personal use. The Ammodor provided, along with the cigars I used in this product review, are being entered into the #praying4harperauction. The money raised from this auction will go to help the daughter of a fellow Saints & Sinners brother who was diagnosed with West Syndrome & Infant Epilepsy. If you feel called, please follow the #praying4harper link and help this family out with a donation. You can also enter into the auction and have the opportunity to win some great prizes! Thank you to Ammodor for reaching out to me about their amazing products.

I was struggling in coming up with an introduction to Warped Cigars and La Colmena. I could not think of anything that truly did it justice, so bear with me as my introduction is longer, but important to the company.

The idea of having your cigar assembled by one individual is an idea that is not common anymore. Yes, you can occasionally attend a cigar event where there is a roller bunching the cigar and applying the wrapper, but it is uncommon. It is even more uncommon to come across a factory where they have a roller doing the entire process. When you enter into a factory, you will have a buncher, the individual assembling the filler blend together and applying the binder, and the roller, the individual applying the wrapper. These two will be working together to create your cigar, and they are simply called a pair. But, there are some factories that apply the true Cuban method, and they have rollers doing the entire process. These rollers are ranked depending on their skills, and the highest ranking is Level 9. El Titan de Bronze is a factory that uses this method, and they are a factory located in Little Havana, in Miami, Florida.

They have worked with many manufacturers to create cigars, but one of the newer manufacturers they are working with, a manufacturer who is on the rise, is Kyle Gellis. Kyle heads up Warped Cigars, and Warped Cigars is a company based in Miami, Florida that is capturing cigar smokers attention by not doing what everyone is doing, but by truly resurrecting the old-Cuban methods. I say truly because a lot of people say they are doing things the Cuban way when in reality they are not. He has three new blends out right now, all made in Miami, and all are great tributes to Cuba and the home of cigars as we know it. One of these blends is a blend that he says pays tribute to the Cuban customs, some of us know about those, and the blend is called La Colmena. La Colmena is Spanish for the beehive and when looking at the packaging, the cigar and smoking it, bees, beehives and honey come to mind.

La Colmena is regular production, but it is very limited. They only have 100 of these being made a day, and each box shows the date it was packaged and the roller who rolled those cigars, something you typically don't see. My Amado No. 44s were rolled by Reinaldo Caro, and he is a level nine roller. Amado No. 44 is a beautiful cigar and incredibly unique. The wrapper and binder are Ecuadorian, and the wrapper is classified as Ecuadorian Deflorada. The filler is a blend of Niaraguan and Dominican tobacco, and this is tobacco that we see with the factory The Amado No. 44 comes in ten count boxes, and is 5.5" with a 44 ring gauge. It has a closed foot but it is not closed in the sense that the tobacco is pressed against the foot, it is actually closed. I think the better way of describing it would to say that it is a sealed foot. Along with that, it features a pigtail cap so the finish is very impressive and unique on the cigar. The band applied to the cigar has this futuristic vibe, and it reminds me of the late 80's and 90's interpretation of the future. The wrapper has a nice hay coloring and it gives off that dry hay like appearance. The wrapper is silky overall and it shows no veins. I can't get an aroma off of the foot, but the wrapper is giving off an aroma of sweet tobacco, fruit, spices and hay.

The first third begin by showing some distinct sweetness in the blend and it definitely has some honey qualities to it. They are dark honey flavors and they are not overly floral like, but more of a concentrated sweeter style. There are some fruity qualities present as well, it has this stone fruit vibe, and it is showing some hay, tobacco, grass and leather qualities. It has a sweet tobacco finish and there is this sweet meaty flavor present as well. The construction is top notch thus far and it is producing an even burn line with a nice charcoal ash on the end. The ash is holding on fairly well, but it is a delicate ash and when it falls off it breaks apart completely. The draw is cool with a nice bit of smoke being produced, and I am very happy with this cigar. I would classify the body as being slightly over medium overall, and it has a strength that is right around there as well. The strength is well hidden in the blend.

The second third shows a growth in creamy qualities and it is pairing with the fruity notes which are sour now. The honey flavors are much softer as well and it has a nice black pepper flavor present with some cedar qualities on top of that. It is not as sweet as it first was, spicier now, and it produces a finish that is showing some strong tobacco and hay notes. I would classify this third as having a body between medium and medium-full, and the strength is right at at medium level. It has grown as a cigar in all accounts, and I am enjoying the transitions in each third. I prefer the first third overall, but I appreciate what the cigar is doing. The construction remains solid in this third and it is showing an even burn line with that charcoal ash on the end. As before, the ash is fairly firm, but there is a flaky quality present which makes the ash fall off fairly easily. The draw is cool and producing a thick bit of smoke that is great for rings.

The final third produces a great conclusion to the cigar and it is producing some nice tobacco, cream and cedar qualities. It still has some fruit flavors present, which are very nice, and it has a finish that is giving off a faint bit of honey notes and a nice bit of black pepper and cedar notes on top of that. It is very smooth and it is a cigar that is great for afternoon or evening. It is showing some qualities on the conclusion that scream El Titan de Bronze, but it has a unique flavor present as well. The construction is top notch in the final third as well and it is showing an even burn line with that charcoal ash on the end which is slightly flaky but at the same time holding on fairly well. The draw is cool to the nub and continues to deliver the Colmena flavors. I would say that the final third has a strength level that is around medium overall and the body is between medium and medium-full.

La Colmena is a blend that I really enjoyed the first time I smoked it, but the more I have more smoked it, the more I have loved it. I have had six of these now and they are simply flavorful and truly enjoyable. I would not say it is over the top in terms of strength and body, it smokes at a perfect level for me, but the flavors are great. It really shows some unique qualities that Kyle has brought to the equation, but at the same time it is giving off those great characteristics that are present with smokes from El Titan de Bronze. Looking at the cigars that I have smoked from El Titan de Bronze, this is the best release since La Palina Goldie Laguito No. 2. The size itself is terrific, and a 5.5 by 44 ring gauge cigar is my type o size. I love the completely closed foot on the foot, and it is really cool when lighting the cigar up. You are toasting the foot and not getting anything, but once the closed foot is open, you are greeted by a great draw that is packed with flavors. I am giving this cigar a 92 rating right now and think that they will age wonderfully.

Seth's Humidor Rating: 92

While medio tiempo tobacco has been used in years past, it wasn't until 2010 that it really began to be known about by most cigar consumers. It was that year that Habanos re-released the Behike and within the blend was medio tiempo tobacco. Medio tiempo tobacco is found at the highest part of the tobacco plant and is very scrace. The leaves are typically much smaller than the other leaves on the plant and you will typically only find two of these leaves. After the Behike, Casa Fernandez announced that they would be using medio tiempo tobacco in a specific limited vitola in their new line, Casa Fernandez Miami. That specific vitola was the Casa Fernandez Miami Reserva Toro, and it eventually became its own line. Since then the tobacco has been used in other blends, Casa Fernandez always disclosing when they use it, and one of the manufacturers that is using it is Viaje. Andre announced earlier this year that he would be using medio tiempo in the blend of his new tweaked Exclusivo blend, the Exclusivo Leaded.

The Leaded is a modified blend of the well known Exclusivo line and gets the name Leaded because of the medio tiempo tobacco used in the blend. The cigar is a nice robusto/edmundo size, and the 5" by 52 ring gauge robusto is becoming the 21st Century robusto. With great construction and a beautiful wrapper, the cigar shows awesome flavors of spices, coffee beans, chocolate and wood throughout, and it is a complex and filling blend. I would not say it is over the top in terms of strength, I think Casa Fernandez has made a stronger blend with medio tiempo tobacco, but you can definitely taste the medio tiempo in the blend. I love this cigar, I prefer it to the regular Exclusivo smokes, and would love to see it in some other vitolas. maybe the Super Lance? These are a seasonal release, and they were released in the spring, so when next spring comes around you need to grab some.

Review Here.

I may be completely wrong here, but I feel that a majority of cigar smokers out there, and I don't mean the cigar nerds like myself, but a majority of the everyday smokers know the JFR brand. More than likely, they know that brand better than Casa Fernandez, and I am sure if you asked them about Casa Fernandez and the connection with JFR, there would be some confusion. One of the reasons why I believe the JFR brand is better known is that the cigars comes in 50 count cabinets, which gives it a great amount of shelf space, it had a packaging that was bold, simple and to the point, and it had a friendly price tag. You throw all those attributes together, plus enjoyable flavors and nice construction, and you can see why the brand is well know. I don't know the actual numbers for the brand, but I would be surprised if it didn't do well. To build off that brand, and reach to a new market, Casa Fernandez just released the new JFR, the JFR XT, at the IPCPR show this past year.

The JFR XT is intended to be a stronger version of the line, and comes in two offerings, one with a Corojo wrapper and the other a Mexican San Andres maduro. The line has a box-pressed finish and is blended with AGANORSA tobacco. The cigars are made in Nicaragua, and are made at their Nicaraguan factory, TABSA. For this review I was sent the Corojo offering and it features a Nicaraguan Corojo wrapper over Nicaraguan filler and binder tobacco. I was sent the 654 XT, and it is a box-pressed toro measuring 6" with a 54 ring gauge. The 654 XT has a great press to it and it is a press that comes out more rectangle like, rather than square like. I am not a fan of the presses that are more square like, they are not to my liking, but this one is perfect. It features a nice slightly closed foot and a great pigtail cap, and the presentation is terrific. It has a very sweet aroma at the foot and on the wrapper, and it is showing sweet tobacco notes along with some leather and hide like characteristics. There is really no spice present, and it is showing a lot of certain flavors, flavors that are very dominant. The wrapper has a nice light Colorado coloring to it, but with the bronze like bands it throws off and can make it seem more natural overall.

The cigar begins by showing some tremendous flavors. They might not be a flavor that is for everyone, but I believe it is showing the greatness in Nicaraguan tobacco. You can definitely get that Corojo flavor profile, but it is a Corojo flavor profile that is somewhat different. I am getting a nice sweetness to the cigar, something one would not expect, and it is pairing with some leather and strong tobacco notes. It has some spices present as well, dried spices that are very rub like, and it has a unique mineral and floral quality. It is very tasty and this is easily the best JFR blend I have had. The construction is solid on the cigar and it is showing a burn line that is fairly even, not perfect, but not showing any problems or presenting any complaints. The ash is solid on the end and it is holding on well at the foot, producing a nice gray coloring. I would classify the strength as being medium overall and the body being around medium as well. It might be less for some, and more for others, but I would say a solid medium all around.

When I get into the second third of the cigar I find that the flavor profile remains fairly similar to that of the first third. I am getting some distinct sweet tobacco notes and it has that dry spice and leather flavor profile present as well. There is a rise of earthy qualities, but just a hint, and it is balancing out the overly sweet and dryer flavor profile present from before. The finishing flavors show some mineral qualities, and it has this salted wood flavor profile as well. The construction remains fairly similar to what it was like in the first third and it has a slightly uneven burn line with that gray ash holding firmly on the end. The ash is slightly flaky, but that does not present a problem for holding on. The cigar is producing a lot of smoke, thick clouds actually, and it is providing a cool draw with a lot of smoke rings. I would classify the strength as being medium-full in this third and the body is more along the medium side of things.

The final third of the cigar shows some more transitioning and it has become fuller and showing some different flavors than what was present in the first two thirds. I am getting a nice earthy flavor to the cigar, much stronger than what was present in the second third, and it is accompanied by some dry wood notes. There is a nice bit of spice present as well, and it has a peppery finish that is showing bits of black pepper. It has a nice clean finish and has a finish of a great Nicaraguan puro. The construction continues to perform at a level which was similar in the first two thirds and it has a gray ash that is holding on well and it is slightly flaky. The burn line is still a little off, but nothing to worry about, and the final draw is cool and showing some strong flavors. The body and strength are on the medium-full side of the spectrum as the cigar comes to a close, but as I said earlier, some might think more and some might think less.

I am a big fan of the 654XT and look forward to smoking more of them. It is easily the best JFR blend I have had, and I am curious how it will be in other vitola offerings. I will probably prefer this over the maduro option, but that is not always the case and look forward to smoking that option as well. I do not believe this to be incredibly strong, given that was the intention by Casa Fernandez, but they did produce a solid cigar that was very flavorful and delivering a great medium strength and body level. The pricing is terrific on these cigar as well, and because of that I believe they will do very well for the company. One thing that I keep going back to on this cigar is the flavor profile and how enjoyable it is. There is a lot of sweetness coming off of the cigar, something I really enjoyed, and it made me wonder where the tobacco in the blend was coming from. A part of me wants to say mostly Jalapa, but I can't confirm that. I am giving the cigar a solid 91 rating and look forward to smoking it down the road.

Seth's Humidor Rating: 91

*cigars for this assessment were provided to me by Casa Fernandez Cigars

This is not a new piece of material to any of you reading this. The story has been out for a couple of days, but I thought it important to write this well for my readers and not just throw it out there for the masses. I am not that type of site to begin with, I am more a complimentary site, so that is why I decided to take my time on this piece and write it in a manner that is news worthy but also personal. I have had the opportunity to spend time with Drew Estate employees, not just at events or in the States but at Drew Estate, and because of that I wanted to do them and the company justice. I have been in communication with some company members since the acquisition, and it is reassuring to see that they are doing well and their spirits are high. They are actually very excited about this acquisition, and they should be. Drew Estate is a great company, and even if you don't love all of their cigars, you have a great amount of respect to the individuals in the company. We have all seen Jonathan Drew at events spending time with each person building that personal connection, and that is not something you see from other parties. They are a company of visionaries and they work everyday to deliver those visions to us as consumers.

On October 20th, 2014, Swisher International, Inc. and Drew Estate Tobacco Company announced that they entered into a purchase agreement in which Swisher International, Inc. would acquire all of Drew Estate. What was very important about this announcement was that Drew Estate would continue to operate under its current management team as a subsidiary to Swisher International, Inc. They were not becoming a division of Swisher, but rather a subsidiary company. The announcement was closed with the statement that the transaction is not yet complete, but it is expected to be finalized in the 4th quarter of 2014. While no further details were laid out in the announcement, executives of Drew Estate were quoted in the announcement regarding the acquisition.

Jonathan Drew was quoted in saying that he was excited for the future, looking forward to new and planned projects, but at the same time thankful to all the supporters over the years. As he said, they were a company that "began under the Manhattan Bridge," and if you ask me, the company is now on the upper level with a great view of the world around them. They have climbed the levels over the years, and are now presented with the opportunity to truly present "The Rebirth of Cigars."In my opinion, this is their rebirth.

Marvin Samel added onto that quote by saying that "this is a dream come true!" Both Swisher and Drew Estate are family companies, and while very different, have a lot of similarities. He states that Swisher recognizes the family Drew Estate has and does not want to do anything to damage that. Samel continues on to say that "they are just getting started," and this plays right off of what Jonathan said in the fact that this a rebirth for them. I believe we are going to see a lot from the company, and I believe we are going to see a lot of projects happen that couldn't in the past.

President of Drew Estate, Mike Cellucci, fed off of what Marvin Samel and Jonathan Drew said, but added that this new acquisition will help Drew Estate in acting upon more projects that the company has wanted to do for some time now. He added that he was pleased to see the model Swisher has, and that is to have quality people and quality products. I could not agree more with what Cellucci said, regarding Drew Estate that is, and know that Drew Estate not only makes great cigars, but they have great people involved in the production and distribution of those cigars. When you spend time with individuals in this company, at all levels and different sections, you see so much passion. This is a company that really feeds off of one another, and in doing so, they produce products that are truly from the company and not just a single executive.

Peter Ghiloni, President of Swisher International, Inc. added his own comments to the acquisition stating that he was excited about the acquisition and was pleased to have Drew Estate be part of the Swisher Family. Ghiloni commented on Drew Estate, saying that he was impressed with every aspect of the company, spanning from their products to distribution.

I believe this acquisition will be very positive for the companies involved. With Drew Estate being a subsidiary of Swisher International, Inc., we will continue to see Drew Estate be Drew Estate, but they will know have the ability to do everything they are doing now and so much more. The resources that were originally not available to Drew Estate before are now there, and Drew Estate can now begin taking on projects that in years past they would have merely been throwing around in conversations and tucked back away in drawers. Swisher is not currently asking or requiring them to change any of their current business systems, so this is terrific for the consumers who love Drew Estate. This will definitely open doors for the company, and I know Jonathan, Marvin and other individuals involved in this acquisition were thinking about The Rebirth of Cigars and #DE4L when they made this decision. I look forward to newer and more great blends from Willy Herrera, a revitalized spirit and sense of youth from Jonathan Drew and bigger, and just as incredible artwork from Jessi Flores.

Since 2008, Pete Johnson has been releasing probably one of the most sought after limited edition cigars for the American market. Each and every year, the Monster Series release does incredibly well and consumer across the nation call retailers to reserve a box of that year's release. Whether it is a dress box or a plain box, consumers are eager to pick one up and have for enjoyment and or collecting. No release has reached the level of some Habaos limitadas in terms hype and price, but nonetheless, the annual releases are incredibly successful and well received. The cigars have been titled after "monsters," or creators of monsters, from novels and films over the years, and this year Pete Johnson has done something even more exciting in my opinion. This year's release goes hand in hand with next year's release, and that is new to the series. He has created a release that is dependent upon its successor, but even that cigar is dependent upon its predecessor. The two cigars are the Jekyll and Hyde, and they get their names from the well known novella, Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde by Mr. Robert Louis Stevenson.

The novella follows an individual by the name of John Utterson who uncovers a peculiar mystery regarding a well respected individual by the name of Dr. Henry Jeykyll, and his alter-ego, Mr. Edward Hyde. Utterson does not know that the two men are actually one man, and that Hyde is a creation of scientific work that Dr. Henry Jekyll tested on himself. In the beginning, Jekyll can somewhat control Hyde, but like most things, nature overcomes his control and Hyde becomes the dominant individual. Eventually Dr. Henry Jekyll is no more, and the story ends with Utterson discovering that the two individuals are the same man, but Jekyll is no more. The fate of Jeykyll/Hyde is left unknown, but you are left knowing that the monster, Hyde, is all that remains of man that once was Jekyll. To feed off of that story line, Pete Johnson created the two boxes, Jekyll and Hyde, and made them in the style that when you connected the two, you would see the faces come together and the left side would be Dr. Jekyll and right side of the face be Mr. Hyde.

The Jekyll is the seventh release in the Monster Series and is the first Monster release to feature an Ecuadorian Sancti Spiritus wrapper and also the classic Cuban 109 vitola. The 109 vitola is a vitola in which the cap is not flat or tapered, it is a combination of the two, and was originally introduced to the market by Habanos. Sancti Spiritus tobacco really made its presence with L'Atelier, and it has remained in the L'Atelier house since its release, not venturing into new Tatauje lines till now. The Jekyll comes in a 7" by 49 ring gauge offering, and is a Churchill 109. As Mentioned just a few sentences ago, it features an Ecuadorian Sancti Spiritus wrapper with Nicaraguan binders and fillers. The cigar is made at My Father Cigars in Esteli, Nicaragua, and production is set at 666 dress boxes with 4,500 plain boxes. The wrapper is gorgeous on the cigar and it has a nice bit of oils present with a beautiful glossy appearance. There are some minor veins throughout the cigar and the 109 finish is impressive. It is slightly oily and gritty to touch, and it has a nice Colorado coloring to it. there is an aroma of musty wood, graham crackers, tobacco, toast and raisins at the foot, with an aroma on the wrapper that is of spices, nuts, tea and cedar.

The first third has a nice beginning to it and there is some nice filling flavors with some sweetness and spicy notes present. I am getting this amaretto and cream like flavor and it has some cedar and oak notes present as well. There are some red pepper notes, and it has this unique paprika quality overall. It is very smooth and incredibly enjoyable. I am actually really pleased with how this cigar is, and it is not like any other Sancti Spiritus wrapper offering that Pete has released. The construction is dead on and it has a beautiful draw that is cool and producing a nice bit of smoke. The burn line is nice and even on the end and it has a charcoal colored ash that is firm on the cigar. I would classify the strength as being between medium and medium-full, and the body is at a medium-full level which is perfect for me.

The second third of the Jekyll shows some more noticeable nutty qualities, and they are paired with the oak and creamy flavors from the first third. I am still getting some pepper notes in this third, but they are not the paprika quality and more black pepper notes. There is a sweetness and cedar like flavor as well and it has a finish of tea and hay. It is very filling, I said that earlier, but very balanced and complex. The construction continues to be terrific in this third and it has that nice even burn line with a charcoal ash on the end. The draw is cool and very smooth, and I am getting a nice bit of smoke produced on each draw. The body remains at that medium-full level in this third and it has a strength level that is there as well. It is a flavor focused cigar and I am liking every bit of it.

The final third shows more growth as a cigar and it feeds off the second third with its own traits. I am getting a nice bit of oak notes in this third, and it has some pepper and earth qualities with that. The cream notes are softer in this third and less sweet but more meaty and peppery. The sweetness is much softer in this third as well and it really shows a transformation from being Jekyll to Hyde. I hope that next year's release feeds off this conclusion, I don't think it will, but that would be pretty sweet. The construction is still terrific with the cigar and I am getting an even burn line with a nice charcoal ash on the end. The draw is cool and flavorful, and there is a nice bit of smoke being produced as well. I would classify the strength as still being medium-full in this third, and the body is right there as well. It's a great finish to the cigar and this is a great Monster Series release.

I am a big fan of the Jekyll. I believe it to be a great release and it is in my top three for favorite Monster Series releases. It is hard to compare with The Frank, and when The Mummy was young it was great; I am also a big fan of the Black Label blend which The Mummy is based off of. I think that the Jekyll will get even better with age and for being a young Sancti Spiritus wrapper, it has got a lot of great qualities. What I really loved about the blend was that even though it features the Sancti Spiritus wrapper, it did not smoke like an of the L'Atelier Sancti Spiritus smokes that are out there. This is very unique and its own cigar. I loved the flavor profile overall, it is right up my alley and the body, strength were also up my alley. The construction was dead on and this is a beautiful cigar in terms of construction. I can tell you that after smoking this, I am very excited for Hyde. I am interested to see how he follows it up and after smoking this, I am ready for it now! The Jekyll gets a 93 in my books, very enjoyable!

Seth's Humidor: 93

Earlier this week I reviewed the brand new Le Hoyo de San Juan in the Habanos brand,Hoyo de Monterrey, and I can tell you right now that I am loving this cigar. I feel that it is the best Hoyo I have had in a long time and with age this cigar will do nothing but get better. It is quite large, maybe not for an American, but for a smoker of Cuban cigars it is a beast. It measures just short of 6" and has a 54 ring gauge. The cigar features tobacco from the San Juan region of Vuelta Abajo in Pinar del Rio, and is a regular production offering that comes in ten and 25 count boxes. The pricing is somewhat high, with tax and the large size, but this is definitely a release that is worth smoking. It is a cigar that grabbed my attention in a short period of time, and I know that I will be looking forward to coming back to this cigar in December.

While I have not had much discussion on Cubans recently, I have been putting that information into Habanos Critic, this is a new cigar and deserves to be brought to the attention of my Seth's Humidor readers. I will be talking about this on What Embargo? tonight, and if you get the opportunity to purchase these, cease that moment. Habanos continues to do a great job in making a large ring gauge offering, and while it is not something they do a lot of, or probably want to do, they take the time in blending the cigars to make the large ring gauge offering truly enjoyable. Le Hoyo de San Juan shows notes of cream, soft spices, sugar, sweet wood, tobacco and many more notes throughout, and is simply a gorgeous mild offering.

Review Here.

Last night Cigar Coop filled in for Catfish on What Embargo? and instead of doing the show we had planned out, which will be postponed to the second show in November, Cigar Coop and I decided to talk about the term Cubanesque. We discussed our thoughts on the term and cigars in the United States that are "Cubanesque."From packaging to the actual cigar, Coop and I shared out thoughts on a term that is somewhat controversial in certain circles.

Check out the video below.

This week was a week that was packed full of Tatuaje smokes and the reason for that is because of the new Jekyll that is out and the fact that I got my Saints & Sinners kit as well. Overall, all the Tatuaje smokes I had were incredibly enjoyable and they are cigars I would buy over and over again. I always find that his cigars do well for me, and even if they are not mind blowing, they are entertaining. I smoked the new Hoyo this week as well and all I can say about that is wow! The cigar is a great addition to the brand and is a cigar I would come back to over and over again. I highly recommend everyone pick some up, and with the cigar being available in ten and 25 count boxes, it is not painful to get. Besides those, I smoked the new and limited La Colmena, and this is a unique cigar. The packaging is terrific and along with that is a cigar that is beautiful in appearance and great in flavors. Warped Cigars is a company that I am paying a lot of attention to and I recommend that you all seek out their cigars and give them a try.

The new Hoyo from Habanos, Le Hoyo de Monterrey is a terrific new release and the first new release for regular production in six years. The cigar is quite large, nearly 6" with a 54 ring gauge, and is composed of tobacco from the San Juan region of Vuelta Abajo in Pinar del Rio. It follows the path of many Hoyos and is a milder offering that is flavor focused and not a cigar that has much body and strength. It is still young, but I can tell you with confidence that this cigar will improve with age and become even better than what it is now. I personally loved the cigar and found that is showed nice creamy, cedar, nutty, toasty and sweet spice notes. This is a cigar that is box worthy, and a smoke I would recommend to all.

Review Here.

Part of the Saints & Sinners kit this year, the Verocu is an amped up version of the Havana VI blend, and it is a blend I really enjoy. I am not the biggest fan of the Havana VI, it never really spoke to me as an individual, but with the extra strength and bolder flavors, the Verocu is a cigar I would smoke quite frequently. I smoked the robusto offering, truly loving it, and found that it delivered some great flavors of earth, strong spices, tobacco and leather. Review will happen shortly, but for all the Saints & Sinners members that have not smoked this, I think you will be easily pleased.

Review Coming Soon.

This year's Monster release, Jekyll, is a great release and a after The Mummy and The Frank, it is my third favorite. The cigar sports an Ecuadorian Sancti Spiritus wrapper and is completed in the 109 vitola. The cigar is smoking great for being as young as it is and will age wonderfully in months and years. It is a very different release from past Sancti Spiritus wrapper offerings, and it is great to see the diversity in the wrapper. Overall, it shows some nice oak, spice, creamy and tea flavors, and this is a cigar I would smoke frequently if available and I had a lot of time. I will say that after this smoke, I look forward to Hyde.

Review Here.

Also out of this year's Saints & Sinners kit, the PJ 40th is a Connecticut Broadleaf offering of the small batch and limited cigar Pete put out in honor of Dark Lord's Day. What is Dark Lord's Day though? Well, that is the day that Three Floyd's Brewing releases its annual and limited Russian Imperial Stout. I have not smoked the actual DLD 2014 from Pete Johnson, but this version was tasty and enjoyable. It was not overly complex, but showed nice coffee, earth, soft spice and oak notes throughout.

Review Coming Soon.

In preparing myself for the new Monster Series release, I decided to light up The Mummy earlier in the week. It started off great, showing those awesome flavors that I enjoyed and I thought it had aged well in the two years since it was released. I believe it began to lose some of those great flavors in the final third though, and it began to show some signs that aging was no more. Overall though, I love the blend and the packaging was a favorite as well. Based off the Black Label line, it is pretty clear why I love the cigar. It shows smooth flavors of sweet spices, tobacco, coffee, fruit, leather and nuts throughout.

Review Here.

The very limited release of La Colmena, the Unico Especial is a unique belicoso that is thinner than most and it has a closed foot with a little tail on the end of it. The blend is slightly tweaked from La Colmena, and it is stronger while showing some sweeter flavors as well. I love everything about the cigar, from flavors to presentation, and this is a cigar that I can not get enough of right now. Another aspect that I love about the cigar is the construction, take a look at that!

Review Coming Soon.

Cigar Coop could not have put it better than when he said "If I could invest in stock, in any boutique cigar company, I would choose Warped Cigars." This boutique company that is all things Miami is on the rise and there is a reason for that. They are producing some tremendous cigar and offering them in a style which is very Miami style. Miami always gives off this vibe that is Cubanesque and at the same time modern, and Warped Cigars is definitely that. I recently reviewed the two main lines in La Colmena, one of three current lines, but today I look at his other cigar coming out of El Titan de Bronze and see how it smokes. This is a little different than La Colmena, it is a little bit more "regular production," but don't let that fool you, it is still very limited. Anways, let's look at the new El Oso and focus on the Papa vitola.

El Oso is made in Little Havana at El Titan de Bronze, and production is set at 150 cigars a day. The line comes with an Ecuadorian Habano Oscuro wrapper and underneath that is an Ecuadorian binder and a filler is a blend of Dominican and Nicaraguan tobacco. For this review I went with the Papa vitola, and it measures 6" with a 48 ring gauge. Papa is a unique torpedo, and it is a unique torpedo because it has a ring gauge in the 40's. I would almost wish to say that it is a torpedo minor, or a petit torpedo, but I don't believe there is a correct term so I am going with torpedo minor. It has a lovely milk chocolate wrapper, and it sports some veins throughout. The tapered head is beautiful and it is a tapered head that has a perfect finish. Sometimes they are too much, and sometimes too little, but this is perfect. The coloring falls between Colorado and Colorado Maduro and it has a gritty texture that is smooth at the same time. There is an aroma of spices, tobacco and manure on the wrapper, and the foot is giving off aromas of spices, tobacco, earth, hay and dark tobacco.

The first third opens up by showing some really nice chocolate notes. It has a definite milk chocolate flavor to it, but it is not over the top but balanced and more as steady background flavor. I am getting some unique spice notes with that, and it has a slight peppery quality, but like the chocolate notes is not over the top. There is a mineral, floral and herbal quality present as well and it is very tasty and addicting to my palate. The construction is absolutely perfect and it has a razor sharp burn line with a beautiful light gray ash on the end. The draw is cool and I am getting a nice bit of smoke produced on each draw. I love the dimensions for the vitola and I would smoke more torpedos in this format. I would classify the strength of the cigar as being medium full and the body is around the medium to medium full level. Overall, this is a great beginning to a cigar.

I am in the second third of the cigar now and I am finding that the cigar is showing some major transitioning. It is not as chocolaty as it was in the first third, but is showing more of those herbal, floral and mineral notes. I am getting this lemon-rind flavor as well, and it has a creaminess to it that is accompanied by some sweet spices. It is definitely sweet, but is complemented by some tartness from the lemon qualities. The construction is terrific in this third, same as the first, and it has a cool draw with a nice bit of smoke being produced. The ash has that light gray coloring as well and it holds on well to the end. As I said before, I love the dimensions of this vitola and it is a vitola I would love to see more of. The body remains at a medium to medium-full level and I am finding that the strength is more along the same lines in this third.

The final third show a lot of those characteristics that were present in the second third and this cigar is rich, complex and unique. I am getting this herbal chocolate quality which is very enjoyable, and it is this minty chocolate quality that is not an Andes Mint, that is too artificial, but a very natural offering. I am getting those mineral qualities as well, and it has a lemony and creamy finish. As I said earlier, it is very complex and extremely tasty. The construction is perfect with the cigar and I am getting a razor sharp burn line on the end with this lovely light gray ash on the end. The draw is cool and flavorful, and the smoke production is minimal but nice. I would classify the smoke as being between medium and medium-full in body and strength, and this is a cigar I would have in the afternoon and evening all the time. The final draw is smooth and enjoyable, and I am digging this cigar.

I loved Papa and I am a big fan of El Oso. To me, it is a cigar that is not very Miami, definitely not Cubanesque, and is more of a modern focused smoke that is coming out of Nicaragua. It is rich and complex throughout, and there is a great bit of transitioning present as well. I love the vitola offering and the construction on this smoke was terrific as well. I think a lot of smokers will connect with this cigar, and of the two I smoked, this will be the most well accepted. I loved the herbal and chocolate qualities present with the cigar and the citrus and creamy finish was great as well. You could not ask for a better constructed cigar, and that is one thing I will say about Warped Cigars. Production is very limited with their sticks so you are getting high quality in terms of construction and production. I would have to say that I prefer La Colmena over El Oso, but that is flavor preference over anything else. I am giving this cigar a solid 92 and look forward to smoking through my box, saving some, and getting some more.

Seth's Humidor Rating: 92

Earlier this morning, Las Cumbres Tabaco announced their newest offering. The cigar is titled Señorial 65th Anniversary, and the release honors Jose Blanco's 65th birthday. The cigar is a Dominican puro and is finished with a Piloto Cubano wrapper from La Canela that is six year-old. The binder is Dominican Corojo, also from La Canela, and the filler, each with 5 years of age, is composed of Dominican Piloto Cubano Ligero from La Canela, Dominican Viso from Jacagua farm and Dominican Corojo Seco from Gurabo farm. All the tobacco comes from the farms of Jochy Blanco, Jose's cousin. It comes in one vitola offering, a figuardo titled Perfecto Elegance, and measures 5 3/4" with a 55 ring gauge.

The cigar will only be available through brick and mortar locations, and will come in boxes of ten. Prices are set at $14.00 a cigar, with boxes set at $140.00. Blanco informed me that production was capped at 2,000 boxes, and like all Señorials, production took place at Tabacalera Palma and after rolling the cigars rests for 90 days. The company is aiming to have the cigars out by mid-November, but that is not set in stone. I smoked a version of this release in the Spring and found it to be an incredible Dominican puro. Blanco has informed me that the newer version has a bit more strength, and I am eager for the final production offering.

*photos courtesy Las Cumbres Tabaco

When it comes to preferred sizes for a cigar, the Lonsdale is probably my first choice. I love lanceros, I think they are great, but more often than not blends today are doing better in the 40's. Now, if you can make a great cigar with a ring gauge in the 30's, have at it, but when blended in the 40's, it is a little easier and more of a succes. With that being said, when you have a cigar that has a ring gauge in the 40's, I find that it is showing the complete blend. Some will say that a 50 ring gauge is providing equal shares between wrapper and filler, but I disagree. I believe that when you get to the mid and high 40's, that is when you are seeing all angles of the blend. A true Corona Gorda and Rotschild are perfect for that equality level and that is why I love the sizes. Now, when you go lower from there, that is when you really begin to taste the wrapper and it becomes more dominant. Eventually there is a cutoff point where it is mostly wrapper and not filler, but before you get to that point you hit the Lonsdale format. The Lonsdale is a vitola offering that shows a lot of wrapper flavors, but it is just big enough to show those filler characteristics as well. That is why I find the Intemperance BA XXI A.W.S. to be a great success.

A Lonsdale offering, the A.W.S. is a store exclusive to Cigar Hustler. The cigar comes with a 44 ring gauge and measures 6.5" in length. It features that Brazilian Arapiraca wrapper over Dominican and Nicaraguan fillers, and has an Indonesian binder for support. The blend for this cigar has been modified from the original Intemperance BA XXI line, and by modified I mean that it was blended for the size and not just re-proportioned. The first time I smoked these was when Skip sent me some, and after that I needed to get more. I believe it to be the best cigar Skip has ever done, and while it is not in his best line, it is the best individual cigar. The cigar shows leather, cocoa, nut, tobacco, spice and pepper notes throughout, and it has some cedar and toasty qualities as well. I first reviewed this in the beginning of the year, and I can tell you in ten months that this cigar has gotten even better. If you have not smoked this particular size, I strongly recommend you get some.

Review Here.

Week in Review (Volume 2, Issue 32)

Cigar Review: Casa Fernandez Aganorsa Leaf Maduro Délire

Product Review: Warped Jaridor

Cigar Review: Cohiba Nicaragua N54

Cigar Revisited: Viaje Exclusivo Tower Cigars 45th

Cigar Revisited: L'Atelier Extension de la Racine ER13

Cigar Review: Tatuaje TAA 2014

Week in Review (Volume 2, Issue 32)

Product Review: Ammodors (Ammunition Box Cigar Humidors)

Cigar Review: La Colmena Amado No. 44

Cigar Revisited: Viaje Exclusivo Leaded

Cigar Review: JFR XT Corojo 654 XT

Cigar News: Swisher International, Inc. Acquires Drew Estate

Cigar Review: Tatuaje Jekyll

Cigar Revisited: Hoyo de Monterrey Le Hoyo de San Juan

What Embargo?: Episode Diecisiete: Cubanesque, What Does It Mean?

Week in Review (Volume 2, Issue 33)

Cigar Review: El Oso Papa by Warped Cigars

Cigar News: Las Cumbres Tabaco Announces The Señorial 65th Anniversary

Cigar Revisited: Intemperance BA XXI A.W.S. (RoMa Craft Tobac)