Fire Up That Cigar — Fire Up That Cigar

Nosotros Corona Larga – Cigar Review

Adam — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 13:30:02 +0000

Nosotros by Illusione – Cigar Review

The Nosotros is collaboration between Dion Giollito, owner of Illusione and Cruzado cigars, and Jonathan Drew of Drew Estates, maker of Acid, Liga Privada, and a host of “infused” cigars. Originally this cigar was to be made by Joya de Nicaragua but the vision was put on hold when Drew Estates acquired the license to distribute Joya de Nicaragua cigars. When the timing was right, Johnathan and Dion got together at the Drew Estates facility in Nicaragua and assembled the components to make Nosotros. This cigar was introduces at the 2009 IPCPR trade show and was to be released in October of 2009. But Dion felt there was a huge influx of new cigars being released in the market at the same time and decided to delay the release until March of 2010. Well the wait is finally over and I was able to score some these for review today courtesy of Abe over at Smoke Inn.

This Cigar Review is Sponsored by:

Cigar: Nosotros by Illusione
Wrapper: Nicaraguan Corojo (from Agnorsa)
Binder: “True” Connecticut Broadleaf, USA
Filler: Nicaraguan
Made In: Estelí, Nicaragua (Drew Estates)
Size: Corona Larga, 6×46
Price: $179.95 per box of 20, $50 per 5 pack only from Smoke Inn

Appearance & Construction: The Nosotros has a rough look to it. The chocolate colored wrapper is full of veins that are much darker than the rest of the wrapper. There is also a moderate amount of tooth on the wrapper as well. The roll is nicely done and the seam lines are even. The band is cool and simple with white lettering over a black background.

Smoking Characteristics: The draw is good on the Nosotros; just a hair tight from perfect. The burn on the cigar is fairly even and does not need any touching up. The ash of the cigar was solid and compact but fell off around the standard one inch mark.

Flavor: The Nosotros starts off with a cedary core with notes of coffee, mocha, caramel, and some black pepper. As I smoke my way through the first third the pepper really dies down and is only present through the retro-hale. The second third of the Nosotros adds some more depth and richness to the flavors. The final third the spice makes another appearance and is actually quite intense. The body of the Nosotros is full and the strength stronger than most cigars.

Final Thoughts: Overall I really enjoyed the Nosotros. This is a fantastic cigar with a nice rich flavor profile. The cigar is complex and is well rounded and I really like the cedary core on of this cigar. The strength may be an issue for some but as you loyal readers know; I don’t mind strength. The cigar is a little remenisant of the regular Illusione line but with more of a woodsy core. This is a nice addition to the Illusione portfolio and comes highly recommended by Fire Up That Cigar.

Cigar Rating: Great/ Above Average

3rd Annual Smoke a JJ for JJ Day

Adam — Thu, 22 Jul 2010 17:07:24 +0000

As many of you know, the guys over at Stogie Review are the wheel when it comes to Cigar Reviews. They have inspired the creation of multiple Cigar Review websites (such as this one) and they are the reason for the online cigar information revolution. When I first started in the hobby, stogiereview.com was a daily stop for me as they provided and still provide a ton of information about cigars.

One of the stars of Stogie Review is none other than Jerry “Cruzado.” His personality is quite simply, intoxicating and you can’t help but love the guy. He is genuine and real and the Cigar Community is a better place because of him. In fall of 2007 tragedy struck his family as his 3 ½ month old son JJ passed away from Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) while at daycare. The name JJ was inspired by the first cigar that Jerry smoked after he was born, the Don Pepin Serie JJ. Today, July 22nd would have been JJ’s 3rd birthday. So in honor of Jerry, his family, and the late “Little Robusto” JJ, we ask that you enjoy a Don Pepin Serie JJ. Whenever, where ever, it’s that simple.

Also please take a picture of yourself smoking a JJ and be sure to send it to Barry from A Cigar Smoker’s Journal. Each photo sent to Barry will earn the American SIDS Institute $20.00 (cap of $500). This is coming out of Barry’s pocket and I would like to recognize Barry for his generosity. Please visit his website for more details.

As a parent of a 15 month old baby boy, I can’t even begin to imagine losing my son. He is the reason I get up every morning and has brought so much happiness to our lives. We could not imagine life without him and for all you parents out there, I am sure you feel the same way about your children. One last favor I am asking from you today is go give your child a big hug, tell them how much you love them and how much they mean to you. Having and raising kids is a truly an amazing experience. I have only shaved the tip of the iceberg with my little guy and look forward to a life time of happiness with him.

Till next time…
“Long Fucking Ashes”

Rocky Patel 15th Anniversary – Initial Cigar Review

Adam — Wed, 14 Jul 2010 13:00:40 +0000

Rocky Patel 15th Anniversary Robusto – Cigar Review

Today we have the newest creation from Rocky Patel; the 15th Anniversary. The Rocky Patel 15th Anniversary is a Nicaraguan Puro made in Rocky’s newest factory in Nicaragua. This cigar is made to celebrate Rocky’s 15th year of blending cigars. If you are wondering how Rocky celebrated his 10th Anniversary just two years ago with his Rocky Patel Decade line, and now he has a cigar to celebrate his 15th Anniversary, we are both in the same boat questioning Rocky’s math. Anyway, this cigar is scheduled to be released at the end July and will be released in 4 sizes; Corona Gorda (6×46), Robusto (5×50), Toro (6.5×52), and a Torpedo (6.125×52). MSRP will be from $9 to $11 per cigar. I want to thank Patrick Vivalo from Rocky Patel Premium Cigars for supplying the new 15th Anniversary’s for today’s review. Without further adue here is our review of the New Rocky Patel 15th Anniversary.

Cigar: Rocky Patel 15th Anniversary
Wrapper: Ecudorian Habano
Binder: Nicaraguan
Filler: Nicaraguan
Made In: Nicaragua
Price: $9.50 (plus local taxes)

Appearance & Construction: The Rocky Patel 15th Anniversary is a gorgeous looking box pressed cigar. The wrapper is a pale looking brown color with some medium sized veins. The wrapper is smooth and velvety and the cigar seems to be constructed very well. The seam lines are even and the roll is neat and tight. The samples sent to me came unbanded, but from what I have seen they will be a nice dull siver color.

Smoking Characteristics: The draw on the Rocky Patel 15th Anniversary is excellent and produces a large amount of smoke. The burn is even and the ash is average in strength dropping off at about the one inch mark. Overall no complaints in this category

Flavor: The Rocky Patel 15th Anniversary starts off with an earthy coffee like core with notes of sweet floral and spice. There is a nice finish to this cigar that is filled with mixed nuts. The second third is much of the same but the floral notes and coffee really are the focal point of this cigar. In the final third the flavors seem to get a little mottled and they don’t really know what they want to do. This could just be the young age of the cigar but with a little time I’m sure these will balance out. The body of the Rocky Patel 15th Anniversary is medium and the strength is average.

Final Thoughts: Overall I enjoyed the Rocky Patel 15th Anniversary. The cigar is very complex which is the true mark of a great cigar. With that said though, I think this cigar needs a little more time to meld together but I think it should be ready for the July 3oth release. Also a word to the wise, be careful when retro-hailing smoke though the nose. It is very overpowering and gave me quite the sneezing fit. Overall though, a very nice cigar that should do well among most cigar enthusiasts.

(Initial) Cigar Rating: Very Good/ Above Average

La Flor Dominicana Air Bender Lancero – Cigar Review

Adam — Mon, 12 Jul 2010 14:56:39 +0000

Air Bender Lancero by La Flor Dominicana – Cigar Review

Cigar: La Flor Dominicana Air Bender
Wrapper: Ecudorian Habano
Binder: Dominican
Filler: Dominican
Made In: Dominican Republic
Size: 7 ½ x 38 Lancero
Price: About $6-$8 per single cigar

Appearance & Construction: The Air Bender is a nice looking lancero that sports a very oily chocolate colored wrapper. There are barley any veins present in wrapper of the cigar and the seam lines are barely noticeable either.

Smoking Characteristics: The Air Bender Lancero has a nice smooth draw that produces a good amount of smoke. The burn line is razor sharp however, as with most Lancero’s, the ash is weak and falls off very quick.

Flavor: Unlike my review of the Air Bender from a couple months back, the lancero starts off more mellow but still with nice rich flavors of wood, chocolate and brown sugar sweetness; a nice start to this cigar. The second third, notes of coffee start to emerge along with some butterscotch. The final third is much the same but the woody flavors come back a little more prevalent this time. The body of the Air Bender Lancero is medium to full and the strength is tamed down to average.

Final Thoughts: Everything balances out so much better with the Lancero format of the La Flor Dominicana Air Bender. The flavors pop a bit more and the cigar seems to have a little more balance and complexity. I love the other sizes of the Air Bender but I have to give this cigar thumbs up over the others because of the balance and complexity the lancero offers. If you get a chance, make sure to grab a fist full of these next time you see them.

Cigar Rating: Excellent

90 Miles by Flor de Gonzalez – Cigar Review

Adam — Wed, 30 Jun 2010 15:32:11 +0000

Flor de Gonzalez 90 Miles – Cigar Review

Wrapper: Ecudorian Habano Rosado
Binder: Nicaraguan
Filler: Nicaraguan
Made In: Nicaragua
Size: 5.5×50 Robusto
Price: MSRP $5.50 per single cigar, plus local taxes

Appearance & Construction: The Flor de Gonzalez 90 Miles is a nice looking cigar. The beautiful chocolate colored wrapper has very small veins and has a nice roll. The band is nice looking too with a silhouette of the 90 Miles to Cuba buoy in Key West, FL.

Smoking Characteristics: The 90 Miles by Flor de Gonzalez has an outstanding draw that produces a ton of rich dense smoke. The burn was a little uneven but nothing a few touch ups couldn’t fix. The ash was solid but did have some flowering going on.

Flavor: The 90 Miles starts out with some nice spice and some cocoa flavors. Once the cigar settles in, I start to pick up some nice coffee notes and some wood. In the second third the cocoa flavors really shine along with the woody component. The final third is a bit of the same with a bit more intensity. The body of the Flor de Gonzalez 90 Miles is a roller coaster between medium and full and went back and forth as a smoked the cigar. The strength is average.

Final Thoughts: This is my first Flor de Gonzalez cigar and I must admit I am completely impressed withthe 90 Miles. The cigar has a great flavor profile that many cigar smokers will enjoy and the price is downright fantastic. This cigar offers a tremendous value to cigar enthusiast and I will happily recommend this cigar for those seeking that Cubanesque flavor profile that don’t want to break the bank.

Cigar Rating: Great

LegendArio by Camacho -Cigar Review

Adam — Thu, 17 Jun 2010 15:16:56 +0000

LegendArio by Camacho – Cigar Review

Cigar: LegendArio
Wrapper: Honduran
Binder: Honduran
Filler: Honduran
Made In: Honduras
Size: Figarado – 6×54
Price: About $6 per sing

Appearance & Construction: The LegendArio by Camacho has a dark oily wrapper with small veins running throughout. The cigar feels very rough on the fingers and feels solidly packed. The roll looks great and is virtually seamless.

Smoking Characteristics: The LegendArio has a nice free draw that produces a ton of smoke. The burn is fairly uneven and required some touch ups. The ash did flower quite a bit as a result from the touch ups but nothing too out of control.

Flavors: The LegendArio starts out with dark earthy flavors with a good amount of pepper. After the first half inch the pepper backs down and gives way to nice sweet earthy flavors and some charred meaty flavors. The entire cigar is the same in the flavor department and is pretty one dimensional. The body of the LegendArio is medium to full and the strength is average.

Final Thoughts: In all the LegendArio is an oaky cigar but nothing special by any means. As stated above, the cigar is one dimensional and doesn’t really take you on a flavor journey at all. However, for about $6 per cigar, it’s what is usually expected from a cigar in the price range although there are plenty of other cigars that offer more in the price range.

Cigar Rating: Below Average/ Poor

Graycliff Professionale (Blue Label) PG – Cigar Review

Adam — Mon, 14 Jun 2010 05:28:46 +0000

Graycliff Professionale (Blue Label) PG – Cigar Review

I’ve been working my ass of lately putting in anywhere from 55-65 hours per week which has been the sole reason for my lack of Cigar Reviews lately and for that I apologize. I’m burnt out, pissed off and haven’t had much time to enjoy cigars. I just want a day to relax with some cigars and recharge my batteries and today is the day. I figured since I have been working so hard that I could treat myself with an expensive cigar. Since it’s early in the day I grabbed for something that I thought would be mild and pleasant. Does the Graycliff Professionale deliver? Read on and find out.

Cigar: Graycliff Professionale (Blue Label) PG
Wrapper: Indonesian
Binder: Indonesian
Filler: Brazilian, Nicaraguan, Honduran
Made In Nassau Bahamas – Graycliff Cigar Factory
Size: PG, 5 ¼ x 50 Robusto
Price: $384 per box of 24, $16 per single

Appearance & Construction: The Graycliff Professionale Blue Label is quite the affair. The caramel colored wrapper has some tiny veins and a perfect roll. The cigar is dressed with a luxurious blue and gold band and overall the cigar looks fit for a king.

Smoking Characteristics: The Graycliff Professionale has a decent draw that produces an okay amount of smoke. The burn of the cigar is wavy but no touch ups were necessary. The ash is a nice gray color that holds for just about an inch.

Flavor: The Graycliff Professionale starts off with smooth mild notes of wood, nuts and a dry fruity sweetness. As the cigar progresses into the second third the sweetness picks up a bit. In the final third a nice natural tobacco flavor is added to the nutty, woody, sweet combination. The body on the Professionale is mild for the first two thirds of the cigar but creeps into the lower end of medium by the time the cigar is finished.

Final Thoughts: The Graycliff Professionale is a nice cigar and was just what the doctor ordered. The cigar wasn’t overly complex and usually I would knock an expensive cigar for that, but everything was balanced so nicely together I didn’t even realize it. Some may feel that the cigar needs more sweetness, but quite frankly it was perfect for me. The next time you want to treat yourself to a nice mild bodied cigar, I would recommend grabbing one of these babies, you will not be disappointed.

Cigar Rating: Great

La Flor Dominicana Ligero L400 – Cigar Review

Adam — Thu, 10 Jun 2010 15:14:07 +0000

La Flor Dominicana Ligero L400 – Cigar Review

Cigar: La Flor Dominicana Ligero
Wrapper: Ecuadorian Sumatra
Binder: Dominican
Filler: Dominican
Made In: Dominican Republic
Size: L400 – 5¾x50
Price: About $7 per single Cigar

Appearance & Construction: The La Flor Dominicana L400 is a nice looking cigar with a kaki colored wrapper. There are a few medium sized veins but for the most part the cigar looks really nice. The cigar has no soft spots when pinched between the fingers and seems to be constructed very well.

Smoking Characteristics: The La Flor Dominicana L400 has a tighter than normal draw, but still produces a good amount of smoke. The burn line is even and the ash is strong and compact.

Flavor: The La Flor Dominicana L400 has a very nutty core with notes of wood and flowers. For the most part the flavors remain the same throughout the cigar although the body changes a bit from a solid mild, to a solid medium by the time the cigar concludes.

Final Thoughts: The La Flor Dominicana Ligero (L400) is a nice cigar! A nice solid medium bodied cigar with a somewhat unique flavor profile. Although the LFD L400 isn’t overly complex, there is a nice balance to the cigar. Also, the gradual body change from the mild to medium was nice and the cigar in general is a nice change of pace from what we have all been smoking lately.

Cigar Rating: Great

La Gloria Cubana Artesanso de Tabaqueros – Cigar Review

Adam — Mon, 07 Jun 2010 13:30:13 +0000

La Gloria Cubana Artesanos de Tabaqueros

Cigar: La Gloria Cubana Artesanos de Tabaqueros
Wrapper: Connecticut Shade/ Ecuadorian Sumatra
Binder: Unknown
Filler: Unknown
Made In: Miami, FL USA – El Credito Cigar Factory
Size: 652, 6×50 Toro
Price: About $10 per single Cigar

Appearance & Construction: The first thing you notice about the La Gloria Cubana Artesanos de Tabaqueros is that the band is place extremely low on the cigar. At second glance you notice a huge difference in color between the bottom of cigar and above the band. This alone makes this cigar a real treat to look at. Once you remove the vintage Cuban-esque looking band, you notice a straight line where the blonde colored Connecticut shade wrapper meets the chocolate colored Ecuadorian Sumatra wrapper. I looked at this line for a good five minutes trying to figure out how the rollers roll this cigar. My guess is that they take a little strip of tobacco and roll the bottom portion of the cigar first. Then they take a bigger leaf and roll the top portion of the cigar. How they get that straight line is beyond me and quite frankly I just want to dive right in to this cigar so I can see what the changeof wrappers will taste like.

Smoking Characteristics: The Artesans de Tabaqueros has a perfect draw to it that produces a healthy amount of smoke. The burn is a little wavy but only required a couple touch ups. The ash is solid and compact and holds on for quite some time.

Flavor: The La Gloria Cubana Artesanos de Tabaqueros starts out with some serious spice complimented by a creamy buttery core and coffee. No more than a quarter inch down the cigar settles in and the spice dissipates almost to nothing. I am left with a nice smooth buttery creaminess, roasted nuts and a bit of graham cracker. These flavors continue until you hit the Sumatra leaf where the cigar completely changes direction. The body instantly goes from mild to medium-full. The flavors change as well and offer notes of rich coffee bean along with some cocoa and a leathery finish. The cigar also becomes much sweeter which is probably the biggest change of them all. In the final third, everything stayed relatively the same but became much earthier.

Final Thoughts: The change in wrapper was really neat and is unlike anything I have experience before. The Viaje 50/50 is the only cigar that comes to mind, but as I stated in my review of the 50/50, I couldn’t notice a huge difference. The La Gloria Cuabana Artesansos de Tabaqueros on the other hand was like drinking spite and someone switching your glass to coke without you knowing until you take a drink. For wine connoisseurs it’s like drinking a Pino Grigio and someone switching your glass and giving you Merlot; it’s still wine but its completely different. Although the change in wrapper was great and made the cigar complex as a whole, the flavor while smoking the two different portions of the cigar was not overly complex. They were however, rich and balanced and despite the lack of complexities while smoking the two different portions, I am going to rate this cigar great. I think this is a must try cigar for any cigar enthusiast out there but I really think this is a spectacular cigar for a newbie to try so they can see how much things change when the wrapper is changed on a blend.

Cigar Rating: Great

CAO LX2 Robusto – Cigar Review

Adam — Fri, 04 Jun 2010 16:05:10 +0000

CAO LX2 – Cigar Review

The CAO LX2 was originally released at the 2008 IPCPR and is dubbed as CAO’s fullest bodied cigar. At launch, the LX2’s were hot as hell but since then, you don’t really hear much about them much. I have had these cigars since about then but lost track of them until I recently ran across them while digging through my humidor. Some reviews out there state that these cigars may need some age; well here you go, let’s see what has happened in a year and a half with the CAO LX2.

Cigar: CAO LX2
Wrapper: Nicaraguan Sungrown
Binder: Honduran
Filler: Nicaraguan, Dominican
Made In: Honduras
Size: Robusto
Price: $6-$8 per single Cigar

Appearance & Construction: The CAO LX2 is a delicious looking cigar. The dark brown wrapper is dripping with oils despite being aged for over a year and a half. The wrapper has very small veins on it except for one medium sided vein that protrudes from the cigar. The bands are very modern looking with a black background and silver tribal art. I could deal without the secondary band on this cigar as it starts taking away from the beautiful wrapper of this cigar but in all, it doesn’t matter what the band, or the cigar for that matter, look like.

Smoking Characteristics: In the past CAO’s draw and myself have not has a good history, but the CAO LX2 draws like a champ. The nice draw has just a bit of resistance that provides you with a healthy amount of smoke. The burn was pretty wavy but evened out after the first third. The ash is chunky, but does not flake off or have any flowering.

Flavor: The CAO LX2 starts out with a nice dark fruity sweetness complimented by some earthiness. Once the cigar gets going, I start to pick up some mocha in the background along with a touch of spice. The second third is much of the same but the final third of this cigar has amazing flavors of mocha and mixed berries.

Final Thoughts: CAO has a winner on its hands with the LX2. I thought it was a good cigar when it first came out and I think it is better now that it had some rest. The cigar has great flavor and complexity and I can see many cigar enthusiast liking this cigar. If you haven’t done so already, do yourself a favor and pick some of these up.

Cigar Rating: Great/Above Average