Seth's Humidor: Cigar Reviews

On Monday, October 27th, Jose Blanco announced his new cigar, the Señorial 65th Anniversary. (You can see the announcement here.) This marks the first limited edition for Las Cumbres Tabaco, and is a follow up to the flagship line Señorial. The cigar is made to celebrate Blanco's 65th birthday and is expected to be released mid-November. For those curious, the cigars have been rolled and are in the aging room. The blend is not a modified version of Señorial, but is in fact a Dominican puro. Blanco has been working on and testing the blend for some time, before the release of Señorial, and it goes to show that he is not just throwing a blend out but taking his time. I smoked a prerelease back in the Spring, absolutely loving the cigar, and wanted to share my thoughts on it to get everyone super excited for the national release that is expected next month.

Titled Perfecto Elegance, the cigar measures 5 3/4" with a 55 ring gauge. At the time, I was told it was a Dominican puro, and I was left guessing between a Dominican Corojo and Piloto Cubano wrapper. The perfecto is rolled wonderfully and it is firm from foot to head. The curves are lovely and the wrapper itself is amazing. There is a nice bit of tooth present and the veins are small and not bumpy with the wrapper. I am getting very few oils to touch and it has a nice glossy appearance with a beautiful Colorado coloring. To me it is a classic example of a Colorado colored wrapper, and appearance wise this cigar is perfect. The foot shows an aroma of rich earth, cocoa, stone fruit, spices and tobacco, and on the wrapper I am picking up bits of leather, wood and tobacco.

The first third begins by producing a perfect draw and this is the draw I look for in a cigar. It is concentrated and focuses the smoke to hit the palate and not bombard it when doing so. I am getting some flavors of tobacco, oak, leather, nuts and toast, and it is an amazing Dominican puro. It is filling and satisfying, and it is not overpowering but truly balanced. It really reaches out to a guy like me and this is one of the best Dominican puros I have had this year, possibly in the past five years as well. The spice and peppers notes are wonderful and it has this soft coffee bean flavor popping up as well. The construction is perfect as well and it is producing a nearly razor sharp burn line with a charcoal ash that is holding on firmly. The draw is cool and the smoke being produced is great. I would say the body is between medium and medium full and the strength is on the medium full side, but it is subtle and could sneak up on you if not careful.

I am in the second third of the cigar now and it is showing a little bit more spice from the filler tobacco as the ring gauge is getting larger, but it is still producing those nutty, toasty and oak flavors that were present from before. It is on the dryer side of the scale, not damp and rich like Nicaraguan tobacco, but it is to my liking and very flavorful. There are some faint herbal qualities present as well, and the finish has this black pepper and dried meat character. The construction remains perfect through the second third and the perfecto is smoking perfectly. The draw is cool and it is producing a nice bit of smoke. The ash is that solid charcoal color and it holds on to the end firmly. I would say the strength and body have reached a medium full level in this third and the transitioning has been great thus far. I love this limited offering and it is a box worthy cigar thus far.

When I get into the final third of the cigar I am picking up a lot more flavors from the wrapper and it is showing some similar qualities to that of the first third. There are some great tobacco, oak and leather notes popping up predominantly, but there are touches of spices and peppers present with that. The wood notes are dry and summer like, and it has some cocoa, toast and nutty qualities present as well. The cigar is a great Dominican puro and this is why I love Dominican puros so much. They are filling and incredibly complex, and are rarely boring or one dimensional. The construction in the final third is perfect, just as it has been throughout, and it shows a nice burn line with a lovely charcoal ash on the end. The draw is cool all the way to the tapered end and the smoke production is great. I would say that the body and strength are right at a medium full level in this third and it is a great level for the cigar to end at. The final draw is flavor focused and cool to the nub.

I will disclose that the prerelease I smoked was the originally intended version of the blend. This was blended at the time of the national release of Señorial, but since the release of the line, the blend has changed. With such praise given to Señorial, Blanco decided to make the 65th Anniversary a stronger cigar. Blanco has told me that they are very similar overall, but the newer version is just a bit stronger. Comparing the 65th Anniversary to the Señorial, you could tell at the time that this perfecto was softer in strength and body, but just as flavorful. Blanco has informed me that with the increase in strength, the cigar has not lost any qualities from the originally intended blend, but gained some additional qualities. Overall, I loved this cigar and as I told Jose when I first smoked it, I can see it in my Top Ten for 2014. It is one of the best Dominican puros I have had and one of the best cigars I have had this year. The flavors were incredible and the construction with that was superb. I strongly encourage you all to take my advise when I say, buy two boxes of this cigar. Smoke one of them now, aging them a bit to see improvement, and put the other box aside. I gave the perfecto a 95 when I smoked it in June.

Seth's Humidor Rating: 95

If there is one thing that brick and mortar cigar shops have lacked that large online retailers have possessed, it has been the ability to reward its local customers frequently with purchases. Because the stores are typically smaller than these online stores, they have not had the power to get larger deals and goods from manufacturers. Well, that problem is coming to a close and we can thank Cigar Dojo for that.

The Cigar Dojo Loyalty & Rewards Program is the 1st-ever viral cigar rewards program for brick and mortar cigar shops. With this new feature, users will be encouraged to purchase at their local cigar shop, incentivised by prizes that are completely customized by each and every shop in the program. As the customer earns points, they will create a viral “buzz” on social media for participating cigar shops. And best of all, the program runs itself. Cigar shop owners no longer need to create hand written notes to track rewards or purchase expensive point of sale equipment.

“Creating a viral loyalty & rewards program that benefits both the customer and the cigar shop was our goal and we believe we have created something very special.” stated Eric Guttormson, owner of the Cigar Dojo. He continued, “Not only does this new feature help shops retain and reward their loyal customers, but it helps bring in new customers as well. We are very excited and proud that we can help brick & mortar cigar shops strengthen their business.”

The Cigar Dojo app has a cigar shop locator already, but now with the Loyalty & Rewards addition, cigar shops can connect with their customers on a whole new level.“This is just the beginning. We have huge plans for the new Loyalty & Rewards Program. We are already working on the next phase, which will allow shop owners their own online admin dashboard that will give them access to view trends and analytics regarding their loyalty program, as well as send messages to the people who are using the program. Just imagine how powerful that data will be for the shop owner. We are also planning to allow shop owners the option to tie the rewards program in with their existing point-of-sale machine for an even more robust system. We are committed to making this the best loyalty & rewards program - period,” stated Mr. Guttormson.

Cigar Dojo is a free app that can be downloaded for iPhone or Android at their respective app stores.

The new feature is rolling out now and will cost a small annual fee for the shop owner. Cigar shops are encouraged to contact Cigar Dojo to have their shop set up for the program. More details on the program can be found at http://bestcigarapp.com/loyalty

There are a couple brands on the market right now that are very boutique and are not as well known as some of the others. They keep a low profile overall, not popping up in every store, but the shops that carry them and the smokers who know them, know how great those brands are. EloGio and Reinado are two of the companies, but another one that is just as great is Regius. Regius has been on the market for some years now, and it is a company run by Akhil Kapacee. Akhil is not an American, he is actually British, and he has been producing Nicaraguan puros for a while now that have not been your typical Nicaraguan puros. He has created blends beyond entirely Nicaraguan tobacco, but it is his puros that are well known. I reviewed his first line, Regius of London, earlier this year, and today I look at his newest cigar, the Regius of London Claro Especial Exclusivo U.S.A.

The Claro Especial is the second Exclusivo U.S.A. to hit the market by Regius of London, and the intention of this release is to showoff the flavors of the binder and filler tobacco. The cigar is a Nicaraguan puro and comes with a double binder. For this review I went with the Toro Extra, and the cigar measures 6 1/2" with a 56 ring gauge. The larger ring gauge will definitely help with giving off the tobacco from the filler, and this is the same size as the Behike 56 by Habanos. This massive cigar is well made and it is finished wonderfully. The bands are applied great and the fan-cap finish is quite lovely. The wrapper has a nice coloring to it, somewhere between a Natural and light Colorado, and it is showing a few veins throughout. The cigar is firm from head to foot and has a nice cap placed on top. The wrapper is giving off a soft aroma of hay, tobacco and old wood, and the foot is giving off notes of musty wood, faint spices, pepper and nice barnyard qualities.

The first third opens up tremendously and it is showing a great bouquet of flavors. I am picking up some lemon peel and coffee notes, and it is paired with this tropical fruit flavor as well. There are some creamy aspects present as well and it has a peppery finish. It really bombards my palate with flavors and I am digging this cigar, especially for the size. I smoked the lancero version earlier in the week, really liking that, but this is a greater offering. The construction is solid on the cigar and it is producing a fairly even burn line with a charcoal ash on the end. The ash is holding on firmly and it has a coloring that is charcoal in coloring and fairly solid overall. The draw is cool on the end and it is producing a nice bit of smoke. I would classify the strength as being around the medium level and the body is right there as well. The peppery notes throw you for a curve, but it is a medium cigar.

I am in the second third of the cigar now and it is showing some transitioning and growth as it progresses. I am beginning to pick up a strength level that is right around the medium full level now and I would say the body is there as well. It is showing a gradual increase overall and I like how the blend is developing. In terms of flavors, the cigar is showing some terrific cedar and cream notes in this third. It is still showing those spice notes as well, but the pepper flavors are much softer than they were before. The tropical fruit flavors are present as well, but the lemon peel qualities have toned down some, making for a smoother experience. It is very complex and definitely has depth, and I am wowed by this larger ring gauge smoke. The construction has improved greatly in this third and I am getting a more even burn line with that charcoal ash on the end. The draw is cool overall and it is producing a nice bit of smoke as well.

The final third shows more transitioning as a cigar and it produces a terrific ending. The flavors are that of spices and cream, and there is this marshmallow quality present as well. I am picking up some faint pepper notes and it is accompanied by those terrific tropical fruit qualities that have been present throughout. The construction remains perfect in the final third and it is showing an even burn line with a nice firm charcoal ash on the end. The draw is cool to the nub and it is producing a great amount of smoke. The final draw is flavorful and I am left with this finish flavor of cedars, cream, toast and sugar. I would say the final strength level is around a medium level, maybe medium-full, and the body is right at a medium-full level. It is very complex and possesses a great amount of depth which is always great on the end.

This was a terrific cigar and for being a large ring gauge, simply incredible. I went into the smoke thinking that the blend would not be as good in this format but I was dead wrong. The large ring gauge did not diminish the flavor profile at all but made for a creamier and smoother smoke. The flavors were not as concentrated but instead were complex and producing a flavor profile that hit your palate with a verity of outcomes. This was a blend that showed the versatility of Nicaraguan tobacco and it produced a flavor profile that was very different than other Regius blends. Some manufacturers get in the habit of producing similar profiles, but that was not the case with this cigar. The construction was great and with the flavors it could do very little wrong. I am not saying this is a Cohiba, but it had that quality which made it a cigar that I would not want all the time, but when in the mood for something like this I would not choose any other option. I am giving this smoke a solid 92. I loved the flavors and for being such a big cigar it was incredible.

Seth's Humidor Rating: 92

This was a week packed full of items on my calendar. I didn't have as much time to smoke and when I did have a lot of time I was smoking some stuff blind for a joint review between me, Catfish and the guys at Blind Man's Puff. I first want to say that the guys at BMP have an incredible system for reviewing cigars. Their process is thorough from beginning to end and the amount of time and effort that go into a single review is incredible. Our reviews will be posted this coming Friday, so please check it out. I am looking forward to knowing what I smoked and either way, this was a great opportunity. If you have never checked out their site, I suggest you do, it is a great site, and if you have never smoked a cigar blind I suggest you give it a try one time. Ask one of your friends or wife to surprise you with a cigar and really smoke the cigar and not the brand. It is a great opportunity and you can always take it one step further by trying to get an idea of what the wrapper is and the tobacco used in the blend.

A petit smoke that delivers enjoyable flavors that are light and smooth, this new offering from BG Meyer Company is much different than the Standard Issue line and features a predominately Dominican blend while being made in the DR by Davidoff. The petit robusto shows great construction and produces a flavor profile that goes side by side with some of the Davidoff offerings and cigars coming out of their factory. With a great price sticker, these cigars are great to have around and smoke when time is not on your side. These small cigars deliver all that you could for in a a small offering.

Review Coming Soon.

Probably the best Churchill on the market, the H. Upmann Sir Winston delivers all the greatness that a cigar can and should deliver. It is a balanced smoke from beginning to end and is packed with great flavors that any cigar connoisseur would love. These smokes are quite lovely when young, but with age they are simply fantastic. The H. Upmann brand is terrific, probably my favorite, and this particular cigar is probably my favorite within that brand. If you have the opportunity to pick up any of these smokes, do not hesitate. You need to get as may as possible and let them age while enjoying a few here and there on special occasions while the others age.

Review Here.

The new smoke from Regius of London, the Claro Especial Exclusivo USA is a nice Nicaraguan puro that delivers qualities which are not common with Nicaraguan tobacco. For this blend, the goal was to show off the filler and binder tobacco, so a double binder was used with the cigar. I believe that they used a lower priming wrapper as well to give the filler blend a better chance of being noticed. The blend was very satisfying and complex, and from beginning to end I found that it showed flavors of cream, tropical fruit, lemon peel, pepper and dry cedar.

Review Here.

I have been hooked on this cigar recently and while I love the line, practically every vitola, this particular one has been reaching out to me. There is something special with the torpedo that has it delivering tons of great flavors. It is still fairly young as a cigar, the box this came from that is, but I know in some months that it will get better and improve to show the greatness that the original released offerings are showing right now. To me, this is one of the more balanced of the offerings. I feel that this particular size shows the greatness of the wrapper and filler tobacco.

Review Coming Soon.

In today's market, packaging has become over the top if you ask me. I am a traditionalist at heart, so when I see funky boxes and bands which cover the whole cigar, I am a little irritated. I am one that says make a great cigar and forget about the packaging, but unfortunately that does not apply to today's market. I believe there are some companies that are doing a good job of keeping things simple, Illusione is a classic example and there is a company that has simple and small bands and standard simple boxes. He puts all the time into the blend, and that is what makes it special. I think Pete Johnson does that fairly well on most of his stuff as well, and has more fun with L'Atelier and the Monster Series. The problem with my approach is that in today's market, the style I like would merely be unseen in a humidor. Consumers would not even both taking a look at the cigar. Christian Eiroa accepted this challenge though and with the release of his new cigar, he does just what I love. The cigar is the CLE Signature Series PLdM, and is presented as simple as can be.

In simple boxes with no bands, the Signature Series PLdM would not be able to be identified by any consumer who saw another consumer smoking the cigar. It is almost a secret, and only the smokers knows what he is smoking. The cigar come in a protective tissue paper that disclose the cigar, but once that is removed it is unknown. The PLdM stands for Primera Liga de Miami, and that is translated as the first line from Miami. The cigars are made in Miami, Florida are made of tobacco that is undisclosed. All that is known about the tobacco is that the production overall is so small that Christian can walk the fields and pick the tobacco he wants in the cigars. He doesn't have to look at entire farms or even fields, but can pinpoint the blend further with unique and special tobacco.

The Signature Series PLdM is a blend that is undisclosed and is crafted in the old Wynwood Factory in Miami. The factory has not been renamed, so it is nameless, but it is now producing this new project from Christian. The blend comes in four vitolas and for this review I went with the corona gorda that measures 5 1/2" with a 46 ring gauge. The corona gorda is simple in appearance and with no band there is nothing that makes my eyes really pop. The focus is on the cigar and I appreciate that.There are some minor veins that are present throughout the cigar, but overall it is slightly firm in hand and is producing a texture that is slightly gritty overall. The coloring of the cigar is that of Colorado, maybe a little dark brown colors with that, and it has an aroma that is of pepper, tobacco, herbs and floral notes on the foot. The wrapper shows some more spice, tobacco and earthy notes, and I am looking forward to smoking the cigar.

Lighting up the cigar, I begin to get some flavors which are expected with cigars blended by Christian Eiroa. I am getting this herbal and floral like quality, and it has some heavy spices with that. There are some pepper and cedar notes on the finish and while the blend is not disclosed, you can pick up the flavors of tobacco that Christian typically uses in the blend. I am getting this authentic Corojo flavor to it, and you can get that Honduran tobacco vibe. The construction is dead on throughout the first third and it is producing an even burn line with that lovely charcoal ash on the end. The ash is firm on the end of the cigar and it is producing a dark charcoal coloring. The draw is cool along with that, and I am getting a decent amount of smoke on the draw. I would classify the strength as being around the full level, probably nine out of ten, and the strength is right there as well.

When I get into the second third of the cigar I find that there is some transitioning while still showing some core flavors from the first third. I am picking up some cinnamon, sugar and whole wheat toast notes, and it has that floral, herbal and spice flavor present as well. There are some cedar notes on the finish and it has that peppery and spicy conclusion which is great. The construction is still terrific on the cigar and it is showing an even burn line on the end with that solid charcoal ash on the end. The draw is still cool and it is producing a great amount of smoke. The ash is holding on firmly to the end and it is a firm ash that will not budge. The body is smoking at a medium-full level in this third but I would say the strength is still around that full level which is great with the blend. I would love to know the blend right now because I love it.

The final third shows some additional transitioning and in this third I am getting a lot of cinnamon and black pepper notes. There are some toast and nutty qualities present, and it is accompanied by some overall ground coffee flavors. There is a floral finish to the cigar and you are left with a tobacco and cedar closing. I find that it may not be stronger in this third, but the flavors are bolder and stronger at the end. The construction is top notch to the end and it is producing a beautiful burn line with that dark charcoal ash on the end. The draw is cool to the nub and it is giving off a nice bit of smoke with that. I would classify the cigar as being medium-full in terms of strength and the body is closer to full in my opinion. It is a bold finish and it leaves me guessing the tobacco in the blend. There was a point where I wanted to say this was mostly Honduran Corojo, but at the end I was wondering if there was some Habano seed in there as well.

I am a big fan of the stuff Christian puts on the market. I should go into further detail and saying the stuff with his name on it, but overall he is putting a lot of good stuff on the market. He is master of Honduran tobacco and he is great with Corojo as well. It is terrific to see the difference in Nicaraguan Corojo, Honduran Corojo and Dominican Corojo, and if you have never smoked done that experiment, I strongly suggest you do. I think Honduran Corojo is incredible, very floral like with some unique qualities, and this blends shows just that for the most part. Now as it progresses you begin to get some more unique qualities, and that is what makes the cigar more complex and possess a great amount of depth. I really enjoyed the flavors to this cigar and the construction was top notch. Do I think it is the best thing CLE has put out? No, I still think EIROA is the best, but that is a truly special cigar. I do suggest people reach out to this cigar though and see what they think. I give it a solid 90 rating.

Seth's Humidor Rating: 90

Last year Ezra Zion had a huge year and released what I believe to be their best cigar yet. The cigar was the Tantrum, and it was a Nicaraguan puro coming out of the Casa Fernandez factory in Nicaragua. The cigar did very well with online media and I ranked it as my #13 Cigar of 2013. Following that the company released the FHK and limited releases such as the Blessed Leaf and the Collective. Each one of those blends was very different, continuing to show the diversity of the company, but this year they announced that they would be releasing a follow up cigar to the Tantrum. The cigar would be called Tantrum PA, the PA standing for Passive Aggressive, and the cigar would be a modified and larger version of the Tantrum. I was eager to try the cigar and see how it compared, and today the opportunity has come for me to share my thoughts.

The Tantrum PA is a follow up release to the Tantrum release from last year, but it is not the same blend. It is still made by Casa Fernandez at their Nicaraguan factory TABSA, and it is a Nicaraguan puro. It comes with a Corojo '99 wrapper and underneath that is a Corojo binder and a filler blend of Corojo and Criollo tobacco. Larger than the Tantrum, the cigar keeps that 44 ring gauge but measures 6.5", making it a Lonsdale offering. The cigar is severely pressed and it has a wrapper that is beautiful in presentation. There are some small veins present throughout and it is smooth and silky in texture. There is a recognizable triple cap placed on the cigar and this is a well made cigar. The coloring is that of a solid Colorado coloring, and there are some dark aspects here and there throughout. There is an aroma of burnt spices on the wrapper that are warm and comforting, and I am getting some toast, nut and tobacco notes as well. The foot is giving off some richer qualities and it is there that I am picking up some pepper, rich earth and cocoa.

The first third gives off some great spice notes and it is showing some black pepper with some definite jalapeno qualities as well. There is this herbal quality present with that and it has a nice hay, cream and cookie dough quality present as well. It is spicy, no doubt about it, but it has some soft sweet notes which really add to the cigar. The construction is top notch on the cigar and it is showing an even burn line with that brownish colored ash on the end that is fairly firm overall. The draw is cool on the cigar and it is producing a nice bit of smoke with that. I would classify the strength as being around the medium-full level, maybe a little bit less, and the body is at a similar level as well. So far this is a great smoke and a I love the size. The length and ring gauge are prefect for me and this is a size I would smoke all the time.

I am in the second third of the cigar now and I am finding that it is continuing to deliver those black pepper, jalapeno and cookie dough notes. It is predominantly spicy on the retrohale, but you are left with this soft sweetness following that which is very enjoyable. There are some herbal qualities present as well, and it is showing those creamy and barnyard flavors on the finish. Different than the Tantrum, I am still enjoying this cigar. The construction continues to perform wonderfully in this final third and it is producing a nice burn line that is even on the end. There is a nice charcoal ash on the end that has that brown coloring to it and it is holding on firmly. The draw is still very cool, producing a nice bit of smoke, and it is a cigar that is smoking great for a smaller ring gauge. The body is smoking at a medium-full level, and I believe the strength to be getting closer to the fuller side of things.

The cigar finishes on a spicier and stronger level and it is safe for me to say that I am finding this cigar to be full in strength and body. It has really built up as the cigar has progressed and I can feel it in my stomach. It is not over the top, but it is definitely full in both categories. I like how it finishes in that sense, and it is nice to see where the cigar has gone. The flavors have gotten darker as well and in this final third I am getting a lot of dark spice notes with a focus on black pepper qualities. There are some sweet earth notes present as well and they are paired with some strong oak and woody qualities. The sweetness is very subtle now and that cookie dough flavor has vanished. It is definitely not the cigar that it was when it began. The construction continues to be perfect and it is showing that even burn line with dark charcoal ash on the end. It is cool to the nub and it is producing a nice bit of smoke on the cool and flavorful finish.

The Tantrum PA is definitely a solid release from the company and another great limited release. I have always enjoyed small ring gauges, but Ezra Zion does a very good job at blending for a particular smaller size and making it a box pressed offering. While this is different than the Tantrum, the two are different cigars, it is very enjoyable in its own ways. I really enjoyed the extra length that was added on to this smoke and I felt that it did a lot for the blend. The cigar really had the opportunity to grow and it was not a cigar where it got great right when it was coming to a close. There was a nice level of transitioning throughout the cigar and each third possessed a nice bit of depth and complexity. The Tantrum is a tough cigar to follow up, there is no doubt about that, but I believe the company did a good job with this blend was able to make a follow up Tantrum that was good in it's own way, and not be in the shadow of the original Tantrum. I am giving this release a solid 90 rating.

Seth's Humidor Rating: 90

*cigars for this assessment were provided to me by Ezra Zion Cigars

If there has been a company that has been grabbing my attention, and has put out some amazing and completely different products, it has been Caldwell Cigar Co. With three premiere lines and three budget friendly lines, nothing is similar and all are tasty. Some may not speak to me as a smoker, but I know that each blend reaches out to a specific smoker. I have smoked five of the six lines and I can say that I am a big fan of two of them and enjoy the rest. I don’t think you could ask for a better Connecticut offering than what is presented in Eastern Standard, and if you want to see a change in blends, smoke the Silk Roadand Cream Crush right after one another. I could go on and on about that line, but today I am going to be focusing on the number one blend in my opinion, Long Live the King.

With a predominant Dominican blend, this is the fullest of the blends by Caldwell. It revolves around Dominican Corojo tobacco, and I am fan of the tobacco in general. I have smoked a handful of the sizes, but my favorite size is the Petit Double Wide Short Churchill. While the name is a little bit much, the cigar is simply a toro at the end of the day. The cigar produces a great variety of flavors and shows characters that are sweet, filling and spicy. From beginning to end the cigar shows earth, herbal, caramel and spice notes, and at no point is the cigar lacking in any way possible. The construction is top notch and it is smooth from beginning to end. I would classify it as a medium-full cigar overall in body and strength, and it is a cigar that I would put in my daily rotation. If you have not reached out for this cigar, I strongly suggest you do just that. You will not be disappointed and the more people I tell about this cigar, the more they love it.

Review Here.

In 2013, Pete Johnson released the JV13. The cigar was the annual Monster Series release, and it was a bigger release than normal because it was being released during the same year that Pete Johnson and Tatuaje celebrated their tenth anniversary. The cigar did not speak to me at the time, I preferred previous releases, especially The Mummy and The Frank to it, and even preferred the Saints & Sinners version of the JV13 to the JV13. Following up on that, I believe the Jekyll is a better release than the JV13. One of the downfalls in my opinion was the size, Pete has always released the Monster Series smoke in a larger format, and I think that release was a miss because of the size. To test that release, I am smoking the Pudgy Monsters version and lighting up the Jason today.

The Jason is the Pudgy Monster version to the JV13 and it is a large robusto measuring 5 1/2" with a 52 ring gauge. The cigar has a Connecticut Broadleaf wrapper and a filler and binder blend that is all Nicaraguan. Like all of the Pudgy Monsters, the cigar is made at My Father Cigars S.A. The Jason has a rugged looking wrapper and I found that great Connecticut Broadleaf wrappers are in this format. It has a texture that is slightly gritty, and it has a sand pepper texture overall. There are some veins and tooth present with the cigar and there are definite oils present as well. The wrapper is giving off an aroma of oak, anise, tobacco and rich earth, and on the foot I am getting notes of tobacco, warm spices, rich earth and cocoa.

The first third begins by showing some dark flavors that I would expect with the blend. I am getting some roasted coffee bean notes and it has some roasted malt qualities as well. There are notes of rich earth and oak as well, and this is a filling and a cigar with a lot of depth and darkness. There are some mineral qualities as well and it has a soft spicy finish. The construction is quite solid on the cigar as well and it is producing a fairly even burn line with a nice light charcoal colored ash on the end. The ash is firm on the end and it is holding on firmly. I am getting a cool draw and a lot of smoke thus far, and I am really digging this version of the blend. I would classify the body as being medium-full and the strength is between a medium and medium-full level. So far, this is a nice smoke and a solid Connecticut Broadleaf offering.

When I get into the second third of the cigar I find that the sweet notes are becoming more prominent and there is a rise in dark chocolate notes. It is paring with those malty and rich earth qualities from the first third and it is followed by this mineral quality. The spice notes are on the finish and they are pairing with those roasted coffee and oak notes from before. So far, the flavors are really enjoyable and I prefer this version over the JV13 version. In terms of construction, the second third continues to deliver the same construction level that was present in the first third and I am getting a nice even burn line with that light gray charcoal ash on the end that is firm and holding on well. The draw remains cool and the smoke production is still plentiful in this third. The body is holding at that medium-full level in this third and the strength has crept up some to be above the medium level and closer to medium-full overall.

I am in the final third of the cigar now and in this third the cigar shows a return of the flavors that were present in the first third with some minor qualities from the second third. I am still getting that mineral quality to the cigar and it is pairing with those oak and roasted coffee notes. The sweetness has faded overall, but the richness is still present and you can get those earthy qualities with the malt notes on the finish. The finish is cool and flavorful, and it is a nice conclusion to the cigar. In terms of construction, the cigar performs wonderfully to the end and it is showing that even burn line with the nice light charcoal ash on the end of the cigar. The draw remains cool and there is a lot of smoke being produced. I would classify the strength and body as being at the medium-full level in this third and it is a nice way for this robusto to finish.

I liked the Jason and while it is not my favorite of Broadleaf released that Pete has had, I believe it to be a better release than the JV13. I think with the smaller size the flavor keeps some of that depth and shows better transitioning overall. It is a fairly complex cigar overall and it shows excellent construction. The cigar smoked cool throughout and never got hot even towards the nub. I loved the body and strength that were with the cigar and it went well with the flavors and it was fitting for the entire cigar. If this were regular production I would smoke them from time to time and definitely recommend them to certain smokers out there. For being a smoker that is tough on maduros and especially Connecticut Broadleaf, this is a very good cigar. For the most part, Pete makes a Connecticut Broadleaf that I like, but that is not the case with others. I am giving this a solid 90 rating and glad to see how this cigar was in the Pudgy Series.

Seth's Humidor Rating: 90

I am going to be honest and tell you that the Magnum 50 is not my favorite cigar in the H. Upmann brand. There are so many other options I would chose over this cigar that at the end of the day I would rarely pick it up. With that being said, it is an incredible cigar and truly goes to show how great the H. Upmann brand is. With offerings like the Magnum 46, Sir Winston, No. 2, Half Corona and many more, it is hard to say that the Magnum 50 is my most frequented offering. It may only have a 50 ring gauge and measures 6.3", but the cigar is simply massive and takes away from some of the other offerings in the brand. Yes, the No. 2 has a 52 ring gauge, but with it being a pyramid there is a little bit of a twist involved.

The Magnum 50 has been a regular production offering since 2008, but before that it was a 2005 limitada. It was one of those cigars that was so popular that the Habanos decided to make it a regular production offering when the H. Upmann brand became a Global Brand. This massive toro is beautiful in hand and wile not overly gorgeous, its simplicity is pleasing. Over the years the cigar has really aged well and it is producing a flavor profile that has come together well. There are notes of coffee beans, spices, hay, barnyard and leather. Every year the cigar has gotten better and better, and this is a cigar that smokes well young, but if you give it five plus years it will smoke great. If I want something really big, and I am craving an H. Upmann, this is the cigar I choose. Other than that, give me a Magnum 46 more often than not.

Review Here.

If there is one thing I am not a fan of, it is when a manufacturer works on a blend, releases it, and then the next year releases a follow up cigar calling it by the same name with an additional Maduro in the title. The blend itself is not changed, but merely the wrapper is swapped. Yes, the wrapper swapping may work, but to me it feels as if you are taking an inappropriate shortcut rather than working a blend from scratch. I believe when you take the second approach you get a better cigar overall, and you can really put a focus on the wrapper as that is your initial intention. When I was told that my preferred approach was being taken with L'Atelier Maduro when it was released last year, I was thrilled.

The L'Atelier Maduro is a unique maduro because it features a Connecticut Broadleaf wrapper with an Ecuadorian Sancti Spiritus binder. The filler is all Nicaraguan and the cigar is made at My Father Cigars S.A. I find this Broadleaf to be one of the best Broadleafs I have had in the past couple years and is a great example of Pete's skills with Broadleaf. The cigar shows some terrific chocolate notes and it is paired with some soft spice qualities that have some herbal and tea flavors as well. When younger there was a little bit more red pepper quality present, but in just over a year and a half it has mellowed some. This cigar is great young and terrific with age. If you have not smoked one, you are crazy and missing out. Seriously, this cigar is fantastic.

Review Here

If you pay attention to cigar news, and I mean more than the Drew Estate acquisitions, you would have seen two important individuals of Torano Cigars join a new cigar company last month. With Torano Cigars being acquired by General Cigars, all of its employees were left jobless. When this happened, Roberto P. Duran Premium Cigars took that opportunity to pickup two former executives of that company, Miguel Shoedel and Jack Torano. Both those individuals were key players in Torano Cigars before they were left jobless, and Roberto P. Duran Premium Cigars knew that the time was right to bring them in. At the time, the company just announced their new cigars, Roberto P. Duran and Neya, and they were a company that was building off of the Azan brand that hit the American market in 2013. Roberto P. Duran is a new name to many in the United States market, but behind that name is an individual who has been around tobacco and cigars for many years. Roberto Duran started in Cuba, working his way around the world before coming to the United States, and today I look at his newest release that pays homage to his family and native country.

For this review I was given the Cacique Guama and it is the largest vitola in the Roberto P. Duran line measuring 6" with a 60 ring gauge. It is covered in an Ecuadorian Habana Criollo wrapper and it has a Nicaraguan binder with Nicaraguan and Latin American fillers. The wrapper is silky in texture and it is showing minor veins throughout the entire cigar. You can really see the characteristics of the leaf on the wrapper, and it is a simple but pretty wrapper. I would classify the coloring as being between Natural and a light Colorado, and it is a well applied wrapper. The cap is applied perfectly and this is a firm cigar. The foot gives off an aroma of rich earth, manure like, and it has some raisins present as well. There are some soft spices present as well, and it has a nice natural sweetness. The wrapper is giving off some soft natural notes as well and it is showing some wood and hay qualities.

The first third opens up by showing some nice hay and wood notes. I am getting some oak and leather notes, and it is a nice profile. There are some nutty qualities present as well and it has this coffee and sweet flavor profile on the finish. It is very smooth and creamy, and I am enjoying the first third. I like how it is opening up and I am looking forward to the second third of the smoke for the growth in flavors. I would classify the cigar as being medium in body overall and the strength is there as well. It is a very smooth cigar and a very enjoyable smoking experience so far. I am finding that the construction is fairly decent so far and it is showing a burn line that is pretty even and it has an ash that is slightly flaky but holding on well to the end. It was holding on firmly, but the segments were flaky in general. The draw was cool though and there was a nice bit of smoke being produced with each draw.

When I get into the second third of the cigar I find that there is a rise in pepper notes and it is a nice addition to the flavors that were already present. The wood notes, mostly oak, are still present and they are present with that leather and hay quality. There is a nice sweetness on the finish and it is a sweetness that you can get from almonds. It is completed with a nice creamy quality and a hay like finish. The construction drops off a little bit in this third and it is showing a burn line that is a little uneven and it needed to be touched up a little bit. The ash is still very flaky on the end and the ash is not as great in this third as it was in the first. The draw continued to be cool though and produce a nice bit of smoke with each draw. The body has increased to a level that is slightly above medium and I would say the strength is there as well. It is not a medium-full cigar, but not medium either.

I am in the final third of the cigar now and it is showing some new qualities but a lot of the second third qualities as well. The pepper notes are really present and they are pairing with some dry earth and oak notes. There is a good bit of creamy aspects present as well, and it has that nutty and hay like finish. It is a nice finish to the cigar and it is a good way to wrap up the cigar in my opinion. The construction continues to smoke at a level which was present in the second third and it is showing a slightly uneven burn line with that flaky ash on the end of the cigar. The draw is still cool and producing a nice bit of smoke, but the ash was not great and the burn line was not what I was hoping for in the cigar. Overall, the body is smoking at that medium to medium-full level and the strength is right at that level between medium and medium-full as well.

The Roberto P. Duran is an enjoyable cigar and a nice new offering from the company. I really dug the Azan White and I think this cigar is up in that ballpark. I would be interested to see how this cigar is in a smaller ring gauge and I think that if you offered this stick with a ring gauge in the 40s it would be even better. It delivered a nice variety of flavors and it grew as a cigar from third to third. I think this is a cigar a lot of smokers could enjoy, and the reason for that is because it had a nice complex flavor profile that was not too difficult for a novice smoker but not lacking what a connoisseur would look for in a cigar. I felt the body and strength were at a perfect level from third to third, and it grows like a cigar should grow. I think with age it will mellow out some and become even better, but I am still up in the air about how much aging the cigar needs. Overall, I am giving this smoke an 89 and it is a cigar that I would come back to again down the road with some age and in a different vitola offering as well.

Seth's Humidor Rating: 89

Drew Estate announced their latest project today and at the same time their exclusive manufacturing agreement with Pappy & Company. For those who are not familiar with Pappy & Company, they are family-owned merchandise division of Old Rip Van Winkle Distillery. That distillery is responsible for the production of legendary whiskies including Pappy Van Winkle bourbon. This is an exciting piece of news for those who are fans of Pappy Van Winkle and Drew Estate, and the first announcement from the company since they became a subsidiary of Swisher International.

The Pappy Van Winkle Family Reserve cigar will be a long-filler, premium handmade cigar, and will be made in small batched out of La Gran Fabrica Drew Estate in Esteli, Nicaragua. The cigar will feature a robust Ecuadorian Habano wrapper and will cover a blend of well-aged Nicaraguan tobacco in the filler and binder. All tobacco used in the blend was hand selected by Jonathan Drew, and the cigar is classified as being medium plus overall. Jonathan Drew has said that the cigar is crafted in a manner so that all level of smokers can enjoy it and its sophisticated qualities. Of course the cigar is a perfect pairing to any Pappy Van Winkle spirits. Carrie Van Winkle, great granddaughter of the legendary Pappy Van Winkle has commented on the stick saying she is thrilled with the finished result and believe it to be a perfect pairing with any one of their spirits.

The cigar is available for pre-order through the Pappy & Company website.

Overall, this was a quiet week for me. I found myself tied up in so much family and work stuff that I did not get around to a lot of cigars. I will say that I did smoke a lot of Cubans this week and the ones that I smoked were great. I came back to a Partagas 8-9-8, recent production that is, and found it to be incredible. I had some bad luck with older production offerings that I had, but the new stuff was terrific. To be honest, most recent production Cubans are terrific and the construction is spot on. Production really improved in 2007 but I think it has improved even more since 2011. While the cigars are younger, they are smoking great for being young and will show much improvement in years down the road.

For a non-Cuban, I smoked the Ezra Zion Tantrum PA this week. I really enjoyed the cigar and found it to be a nice follow up to the Tantrum of last year. While the cigar is different, it is still enjoyable and shows great Nicaraguan qualities. The company is using solid tobacco with Casa Fernandez, know doubt about it, but I keep finding their product to be higher priced overall. The best thing they could do as a company is get their prices lower overall and keep up with the standard that they have going on. I don't if that is possible while teaming up with Casa Fernandez though, so it is a tough situation overall. The cigar showed some nice cookie dough qualities and it has some great spice, tobacco and pepper qualities.

Review Here.

I cam back to an H. Upmann Magnum 50 from 2008 this week as well and the cigar smoked great. The first third was presenting some potential construction issues, but as it moved along the construction improved greatly and it was dead on. The flavors were classic H. Upmann flavors that have been aged and this is a smoke I could go to with no problems. What is funny about the whole thing is that I am not a big Magnum 50 guy, I think the brand has better vitolas elsewhere, but when the Magnum 50 is such a great cigar, it says something about the brand overall. I picked up some great barnyard, spice, leather, coffee bean, cedar and tobacco notes with the cigar.

Review Here.

This regional release for the Ramon Allones was gifted to the Netherlands in 2013 and what a great release. A true petit robusto, this baby was packed full of body, strength and flavors. From beginning to end the cigar showed the power that you can get with a Ramon Allones, and at the same time showed true elegance and depth. Cubans can make a strong cigar, there is no doubt about it, but unlike Nicaraguan powerhouse, the Cuban powerhouses still are elegant and have depth and complexity. This is really a great smoke and this is one that I would love to see as regular production. Overall, the cigar showed some great nutty, toast, stone fruit, coffee and cocoa qualities, Simply a great cigar.

Review Coming Soon.

A terrific size, and one I have had troubles with in the past, the Partagas 8-9-8 is a terrific smoke when constructed well and truly delivers all of the great qualities that are present in the Partagas brand. I love the length and ring gauge that the cigar possesses, and it is probably by my favorite size in the brand even though I do not smoke it that often. One great quality about the cigar is that if you are unsure of your desire for the size, or how often you would smoke the cigar, you can get this in ten count and 25 count boxes. They age well and after five plus years are terrific. They show those wonderful stone fruit, coffee, oak, leather, spice and tobacco notes throughout.

Review Coming Soon.

One of my favorite Broadleaf offerings on the market, the L'Atelier Imports Maduro is a great offering of the Broadleaf wrapper and I believe one of the best new Connecticut Broadleaf offerings in two years. I believe the Sancti Spiritus tobacco in the blend really helps the wrapper, and it makes for an overall impressive cigar. The robusto shows great flavors of soft spices, rich earth, chocolate and herbal/tea notes on the finish. All three sizes in this line are great, each with their own characteristics, so don't hesitate in grabbing them all to try out.

Review Here.

If there was a company that really made a name for themselves late last year and early this year it was Kuuts LLC/Compañia Hondureña de Tabacos. This once European only market company decided to expand to the American market in 2012, and established operations in Miami, Florida. They first introduced three lines in 2013, Tabacalera Zapata, Miró and Placeres Reserva, and at this year's trade show they introduced their fourth line to our market. The cigar would be simply called Kuuts, and would be a cigar that bore the same name as the distribution side for the company. The group did very well in reaching out to online media and catching the attention of smokers like myself, and when they announced that there would be a fourth line that would be features at this year's trade show, we were all excited. They have been a company that has produced some solid releases thus far, and I have been a fan of the Placeres Reserva and Miró. When I heard that the next blend would be Nicaraguan focused I was very eager to smoke it, so here were are.

Released at this year's IPCPR, the Kuuts Nicaraguan Blend is a predominately Nicaraguan blend, and the first blend from the company to use all Nicaraguan tobacco in the filler blend. The cigar is completed with a Nicaraguan binder and Ecuadorian Habano wrapper, and is made in Honduras at the companies factory. The toro is your standard toro and measures 6" with a 52 ring gauge. The toro sports a simple wrapper in terms of appearance, and it has a coloring that is a dark Natural in my opinion. It is silky in texture and shows very few veins throughout. The veins are very minor and this is a smooth and well made cigar. The aroma on the foot is that of tobacco, raisins and earth, and the wrapper is giving off a soft earth like aroma. There is a nice cold draw to the cigar that is easy and showing a lot of the flavors from the aroma.

The first third opens up by showing some nice toast notes and it is paired with some nice earthy qualities as well. There is a little bit of spice present, and it has a soft cinnamon flavor present with that. I am getting faint cocoa qualities with this third as well and it is a nice introduction that is fairly simple but very enjoyable. I am liking how the cigar is beginning, it is a nice beginning, and it is producing a body level that is around a medium level and the strength is there as well. It is a smooth cigar and very enjoyable. The construction is solid thus far and while the burn line is not razor sharp sharp, it is even in how it is burning and there is a charcoal ash on the end that is holding on firmly to the end. The draw is cool as well and there is a nice bit of smoke being produced with each draw.

I am in the second third of the cigar now and the flavors have shown some nice transitioning. It is a very smooth cigar and there is a nice creamy and nutty quality to the smoke. The spice notes are much softer now and the cinnamon flavors are present, but very subtle. I am getting some faint hints of sweet earth and cocoa qualities and it is a nice finish. It is a very smooth cigar and has mellowed since the first third. The construction has improved in this third and it is now showing a nice charcoal ash that is firm on the end. The burn line has improved on the end and it is near razor sharp. The draw is cool on the end and there is a great bit of smoke being produced on each draw. I would say that the body and strength have come down some in this third but it is still at a solid medium level and a very smooth offering overall.

When I get into the final third of the cigar I find that it delivers a lot of the flavors that were present in the second third but I am getting some stronger cedar flavors so it is giving off more wood notes. It is still showing those creamy qualities with the cigar, as well as the nutty notes, but it is joined by a nice earth and toast quality that makes for a lovely finish. There is a bit of cinnamon making itself present on the end as well, and this is a nice ending to the cigar overall. The construction continues to smoke at the level that was present in the second third and it is showing an even burn line with that nice charcoal ash on the end. The ash is holding on firmly and there is the perfect amount of smoke being produced with each draw. The final third has a medium body and strength level, and it is a nice conclusion with the cool and flavorful finish.

The blend is not exactly what I was expecting overall, but it is an enjoyable one overall. It is significantly softer in body and strength than what I expected when it was first announced, but that does not mean it is a bad cigar. The construction definitely got better when I got into the second and final third and overall it produced a solid flavor profile that was very enjoyable. Overall, the company produces some very solid blends and while not one blend is particularly mind blowing, they are all very enjoyable. I liked the flavors that this cigar delivered and it is a cigar I could share with a lot of people and I know they would enjoy it. To be critical, I wanted a little bit more with the blend, and that is why it received the ranking of 88 points. I don't think this is the best blend they have put out, but I think it will definitely give them some positive publicity and get their name out there.

Seth's Humidor Rating: 88

*cigars for this assessment were provided to me by Kuuts, LLC.

Featured at the 2014 IPCPR, the EIROA CBT Maduro is the second cigar to be released under the EIROA name and is a cigar that should be familiar to Camacho fans. The CBT Maduro is CLE's offering of a triple maduro, and Christian has returned to make a a triple maduro with his new company. The CBT stands for Capa, Binda and Tripa, and the meaning behind that is that all three components are created with tobacco that is maduro in coloring. Christian was the first one to do this in 2007 and it was a very big deal at the time. It actually still is a big deal and the reason for that is because making a blend of tobacco that is all maduro in coloring is very difficult. The tobacco is typically thicker and more difficult to work with in the blend, so the tobacco has to be much more damp when rolling. This means that the cigar has to rest longer after aging, so that it loses some of that moisture. I could go on and on with the technical aspects, but enough of that, let's take a look at the EIROA CBT Maduro.

The EIROA CBT Maduro is a triple maduro and is the third triple maduro to be released to the market since 2007. Gosh, I remember when the first one came out. I am getting old! Like the name implies, all tobacco that is in the cigar is maduro in coloring, and the actual blend of tobacco is undisclosed. I would love to take a guess, but I am probably going to fail miserably on that. For this review I went with the Prensado, and it is a petit robusto measuring 4" with a 48 ring gauge. The petit robusto is a firm cigar in hand and you can tell it is packed with tobacco. It features a dark maduro wrapper and it is smooth in texture while not showing oily or silky qualities. There are some medium sized veins present in the wrapper, though they are not all over but more sporadic. There is an aroma with the cigar that is of damp earth, barnyard, cocoa and tobacco, and the foot is giving off similar notes with some curry notes present there.

The first half begins by showing dark flavors that really overcome the palate while not being overly strong. I am getting some dark currant notes and they are accompanied by some rich earth and licorice notes. There are bits of oak present as well and it has this spice flavoring that is not peppery, but very noticeable. It is a unique flavor profile and one that you get with Honduran tobacco that is maduro. The construction is top notch with the cigar and it is producing a burn line that is razor sharp with a white ash on the end that is firm on the end. It holds on firmly and it could probably hold on to the band if I tried. The draw is cool and producing a nice bit of smoke, and this is an interesting twist to the EIROA blend. I would classify the strength as being medium overall and the body is more medium-full in my opinion.

When I enter into the second half of the cigar I find that it grows a little bit and is producing a stronger flavor profile. It is still fairly similar in flavors, but they are much more pronounced now. I am picking up some strong oak, rich earth and licorice notes, and there is a bit of currants and berry notes on the finish. The spice is still soft though in this half and there is no pepper present whatsoever. The construction continues to smoke perfectly in the second half of the cigar and it has a clean burn line with that lovely whitish gray ash on the end. The draw is smooth and cool, and it is giving off a nice bit of smoke with that. I smoke the cigar down to the nub, and even at the end it is cool and flavorful. I would classify the strength as being around the medium level in this half and the body being around that medium-full level. I thought it would be stronger overall, but it hasn't and I enjoy it more because of that.

The EIROA CBT Maduro is a nice offering from CLE Cigars and while I think it is a good addition, it is not my cup of tea. I think the original EIROA is significantly better, and I would chose that cigar over this ten times out of nine. (Yes, I just quoted Outkast.) I am not the biggest fan of maduros to begin with, so when you make a triple maduro, it is more than likely not going to speak to me as a smoker. I think the process of making a cigar like this is very difficult, and I give props to Christian for doing it. The flavors were enjoyable, but I felt it lacked some complexity and depth that a great cigar needs. I do believe this is better than the new Camacho Triple Maduro though, but the best triple maduro I ever had was the A. Turrent Triple Play. Don't ask me why, but I thought that was the best. Overall, a nice release and I would be interested in smoking the blend in different sizes. I give this a solid 88 rating.

Seth's Humidor Rating: 88

Mombach Cigars S.A. announced yesterday the acquisition of the historic Casa Favilli in Granada, Nicaragua. The home was originally built in 1925 by Mario Favilli Bendichi, a prominent Italian architect in Nicaragua at the time, but is now the new factory and experience center or Mombacho. The home is located in Granada, Nicaragua, so the company has merely moved locations in the city and not out of it. Mombacho co-founder Cameron Heaps said that "the history and grandeur of the home and the spirit of architect and sculptor, Mario Favilli, continues to inspire the Mombacho Family to handcraft Totalmente a Mano in Granada." Markus Raty, the other co-founder of Mombacho commented saying that "the first Mombacho was in Granada. With the re-opening of Casa Favilli, our love affair with Granada and Nicaragua continues.

Claudio Sgroi, Mombacho's Master Blender, stated that "nobody wants to make cigars in Granada because it is too hot and humid. Today though, we are able to make cigars in a perfect environment, in the oldest town on the American continent and in the tradition of "totalmente a mano." Every process is exactly climate-controlled, allowing us to deliver the best cigars we've ever made, a beautiful marriage of tradition and technology."

The company will celebrate the official grand opening of Casa Favilli on Saturday, January 15th, 2015 as part of its annual retailer week and anniversary celebration in Granada. The company was founded in 2006 in Toronto and since 2006 has been based out of Granada, Nicaragua and under the leadership of Claudio Sgroi.

If there was a boutique brand that has caught my eye this year it has been Warped Cigars. They may not be grabbing everyone's attention, not yet that is, but they are a company on the rise and doing some very cool things. They are all about small batch production and with that small batch production comes high quality products. You pair that with the creative marketing and packaging behind those cigars, and you have the complete package. I have smoked two of their four lines currently and right now I can tell you that they are showing that great Miami flavor. El Titan definitely has a flavor profile, most factories do, and when it comes to Warped production, there is no exception. I am a big fan of that flavor profile that came with La Colmena Amado No. 44., and today I look at another but different offering in La Colmena, Unico Especial.

Like the core La Colmena offerings, Unico Especial comes with an Ecuadorian DeFlorada wrapper. The binder is Ecuadorian as well and underneath that is a filler blend of Nicaraguan and Dominican tobacco. The blend was modified for this vitola offering, so it is not the same blend as the other two. The belicoso measures 5" with a 48 ring gauge and it has a nice foot tail. The cigars are rolled by one roller, and that roller is Jose Santiesteban. The belicoso has a beautiful finish and that is the case with all of Warped Cigars. The closet foot with the little tail is great, and I love the tapered head on the cigar. Some tapered finishes are too much, this is perfect. The wrapper is gorgeous, it has a beautiful Golden Hay, light Colorado coloring to it, and it shows very few veins overall. It is smooth and dry, and shows no tooth or oils There is a sweetness on the wrapper and it is showing some soft spices, tobacco and hay as well. I am getting some spicy fruit qualities on the cut head, and the foot is completely sealed.

The first third begins by showing some great flavors and I am loving this size. It has some bread qualities to it and there is a nice creamy aspect as well. I am getting some soft pepper notes along with that, and it has this sweet cedar and floral quality on the finish which is amazing. There is a touch of honey present, and it is super smooth with a nice level of complexity. The construction is dead on and I am getting a razor sharp burn line on the end. The ash has this lovely charcoal coloring as well and it is holding on firmly at the end. The draw is very cool as well and this is a classic example of a cigar that is constructed perfectly. In terms of strength, I would say it is smoking around a medium level, and the body is right there as well. At no point is it too much, but instead it is simply balanced and flavor focused.

When I get into the second third of the cigar I find that the sweetness is growing and it has this nice natural sugar quality with some sweet cedar flavors present as well. There is a touch of pepper present as well and not only is it sweeter, it is stronger. There are some great wood, tobacco and floral flavors present as well, and it is flavorful and complex. The construction is simply fantastic and it has an even burn line with a great charcoal ash that is holding on firmly to the end. The draw is smooth and cool, and there is a nice amount of smoke production with each draw. The strength is at at medium-full level and the body is right there as well. It is incredibly smooth and enjoyable, and this is my type of cigar. The blend is different than the other La Colmenas, and I like this blend more as it is my cup of tea.

The final third of the cigar is showing some terrific natural flavors and it closes in a manner that I love. The flavors are not over the top, but are very balanced and blending well with the body and strength that is present. There is a nice bit of toast, wood and floral qualities present on the forefront, and it is then accompanied by some honey, sugar and sweet cedar flavors. There is a stronger finish of tobacco, leather and oak, and it is incredibly tasty. The strength and body are at a medium level in my opinion and they work perfectly with the flavor profile and its characteristics. The construction is still amazing and it has an even burn line with that solid charcoal ash holding on well to the end. It smokes cool to the tapered head and is producing a ton of smoke with a nice cool and flavorful finish.

I am a big fan of the Unico Especial and I prefer it to the other offerings in La Colmena. I believe the blend improves with the additional strength and sweetness, and it really produces a complete cigar. The flavors are my type of flavors and they show that great Miami flavor which is modern but classic at the same time. The cigar itself is very unique as well and it makes for a great smoking experience. The construction is simply terrific from beginning to end and this is a cigar that never produces any problems in terms of smoking experiences. For the price and limited nature, this is a great cigar to pick up. The packaging is top notch as well and you can throw in a boveda pack with the canister and not need to put the canister in a humidor. My understanding is that production is limited annually, and with that being the case this is a cigar I would love to see from vintage to vintage, and improve with age. I am giving the cigar a solid 93 rating.

Seth's Humidor Rating: 93

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When it comes to Churchills, the two most famous Churchills are the Romeo y Julieta Churchill and the H. Upmann Sir Winston. They are phenomenal cigars and terrific examples of how great the Churchill offering can be. The only issue for many with those two is that they are Cubans. So, with that being said, what are some great Churchills that are available on the American market? To be honest, there are not that many. I think a majority of the manufacturers for the American market can't make great Churchills and can't make great Double Coronas, but there are some here and there that are capable of making decent Churchills. One of those Churchills is the Tatuaje Reserva SW, and what is interesting about that is that the SW stands for Sir Winston.

Measuring 7" with a 47 ring gauge, the Reserva SW is a true Churchill and at one time was a Nicaraguan puro. It now features an Ecuadorian Habano wrapper and is still as amazing Churchill. The Churchill is simply a beautiful Churchill, and it is beautiful from the packaging to the actual smoking experience. The cigar delivers some amazing flavors that are of spices, barnyard notes, cedar, leather, nuts an toast, and they remain complex and changing from beginning to end. The construction is never an issue and it is a great two plus hour smoke. I believe they are great when young, but with age they are even better. To me, it shows a Cuban quality in its aging potential, and that it same for the Seleccion de Cazador line that this smoke is based off of. If you have never smoked this cigar, you are missing out and I recommend you get some as soon as possible.

Review Here.

For nearly ten years, Ashton is a company that has focused on two brands, San Cristobal and La Aroma de Cuba, and one country, Nicaragua. They have been putting a lot of focus on those two brands and the production of them out of My Father Cigars S.A. They have had a lot of success with them, having them do well with end of the year ratings, but this year they announced their return to the Dominican Republic. The cigar has been in the works for years, being delayed due to tobacco issues and other items, but it is now here. The cigar is called Symmetry, and as I said earlier, it is the first new release to come out of the Dominican Republic in nearly ten years. The company returned to their close friends, the Fuente Family for this cigar, and I know I am not the only person to be excited about this partnership. With cigars like the Ashton ESG, Ashton VSG and Ashton Aged Maduro, they have made some incredible cigars in the DR and I am looking forward to seeing how the Symmetry smokes.

The Symmetry is a multi-national blend and features tobacco from the Dominican Republic, Ecuador and Nicaragua. The filler is a blend of Dominican and Nicaraguan tobacco, binder not specified, and the wrapper is Ecuadorian Habano. For this review I went with the Prestige vitola, and it measures 6.75" with a 49 ring gauge, making it a Short Churchill or Short Double Corona. The Short Churchill has lovely construction and the cap is applied well. There is a lovely coloring present to the cigar and it has a nice Colorado color overall. It has a very soft pressed and it is silky and oily in texture. There is a nice aroma present and it has a nice spice, stone fruit and leather quality present on the foot. The wrapper is showing some softer aromas as well and it has some wood, leather and spice qualities.

The cigar begins well but I will tell you that this is a young cigar. It is not there yet, but with some age it will mature into a very nice cigar. There is a nice sour fruit quality present to the cigar and it has a nice sharp spice that is showing some pepper qualities with that. I am getting some leather and toast notes as well and this is a young but enjoyable cigar. The construction is absolutely terrific as well and it is showing an even burn line with a nice charcoal ash on the end. The draw is cool and it is producing a nice bit of smoke with each puff. The draw is cool and showing all of those strong flavors. I would classify the body as being full overall and the strength is right around that medium-full level. It is a fuller cigar and with the flavors is a cigar you conclude your day with, I like it.

The second third shows a little bit of transitioning from the first third but overall it is fairly similar. I am getting this butter and popcorn kernel flavors, and it is pairing with those sour fruit notes. There are the touches of leather, spices and pepper present as well, and it has a nice mineral finish. It is still a young cigar, that is clear, but it is enjoyable and I know in six months to a year it will be even better. You will need to age these, smoke some now, but they need to age. The construction is top notch in this third as well and it has that even burn line with that soft charcoal coloring ash on the end. The ash is holding on firmly though and it is producing a nice bit of smoke on the draw. The draw is cool and it has a body and strength level at that medium full level.

The final third shows a lot of similarities to that of the first third and it is giving off those sour fruit, leather, herbal, spice and pepper qualities. It is an enjoyable flavor profile, though a little sharp, and I believe will time it mellow out some and become much better. The flavor profile is not there yet, but I see the potential and look forward to smoking it in some months. The construction continues to be terrific and it is showing that even burn line with that nice light charcoal colored ash that is holding on firmly to the end. The draw is cool, producing a nice bit of smoke, and it is showing those solid flavors with a little bit of sharpness. It continues to smoke at a medium full level for strength and body, and it has a finish that is long and dominating on the palate.

The Ashton Symmetry is not the best blend to come out of the Fuene's factory for the company, I think it is young still and will improve greatly, but the ESG is hard to beat overall. It is a nice addition to the Ashton brand however, and it is nice to see the company putting some focus back on the Ashton brand, and not focusing so much on San Cristobal or La Aroma de Cuba. I personally think that the My Father Cigar S.A. is in a slump right now, and Jaime is not giving out the best blends, so this was a nice change up for the company. I will say that there was a lot of hype and pressure on the Symmetry brand, so that always make things difficult, but overall I think this cigar will grow into the cigar that is a great cigar. I think when the flavors mature they will deliver a profile that is very entertaining and enjoyable, and one to my liking. Right now though, it needs to sit for at least six months and come together as a blend. I am giving this cigar an 88 right now, but it will get into the 90s with time.

Seth's Humidor Rating: 88

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