Sunday, February 27, 2011

CAO Gold Corona Gorda (6.5 x 50)

Don't normally like CAO too much.  The Gold is quite good so far, even for a mild-bodied smoke.

Cigar: CAO Gold
Origin: Nicaragua
Size: 6.5 x 50 (Corona Gorda)
Wrapper: Ecuador Grown Connecticut Shade
Binder: Nicaragua
Filler: Nicaragua
Strength: Mild

Didn't have my computer or even a pen & notebook, but in retrospect the cigar was consistent from foot to nose.  Burn line was good, construction was good, great draw, strength remained mild-medium throughout.   Mostly a mild nuttiness.  Not much complexity, but a satisfying smoke nonetheless.  If you're looking for power and twists and turns, you will not find it here. 

Saturday, February 26, 2011

Illusione ~MJ12~

Beautiful construction, good pre-light draw.  Strong start leads quickly onto smooth, thick smoke.  Slight irritation in the back of the throat, but only lasted for a few minutes.  Retrohale gives notes of leather and a little bit of wood.  Perfect draw, medium to full body.

As I start the 2nd third, the woody flavor takes the lead, and the burn line has improved, although it certainly has not been poor. Chocolate is now evident, and the cone shaped ash I had initially experienced has corrected.

Bottom line:  Great cigar - definitely recommend!

Sunday, February 20, 2011

My Father No.1 (52 x 5.2)

Very good smoke, worthy of it's high rating. Tight draw, pre-light. These are designed with a punchy blend in the foot, which catches your attention before settling down into a nice, creamy smoke. These will cost you at least ten bucks a pop, but you won't be disappointed. While hanging out at Cigars & More, I found myself engaged in some conversation, so I wasn't able to jot down any notes. I'm sure I'll smoke another one of these, and will give a detailed review at that time. Trust me, these are nice cigars.

Graycliff Double Espresso (Robusto)

This cigar didn't live up to its hype.  This is the 3rd Graycliff that I've tried. The blue label started off funky, but overall was good. The white/gold label (reviewed below) was also good. Neither were worth the hefty price tag in my opinion. The Double Espresso however, was a stick that I was looking forward to. Sure, some reviews I've seen were good, and others weren't very favorable. Either way, I seasoned this one in my humi for 3 months. Right off the bat it required some touch-ups, and later on it required a few re-lights. I didn't notice much complexity with this blend, but I was searching for the deep, rich coffee or mocha flavor, which I found but was not overly impressed with. To me, it was more of a burnt coffee bean taste. The 2nd third had the best burn and flavor, but I simply couldn't tell someone to go out and buy this one, even if it were priced down to $6 or $7. This cigar is rare, and I find no reason to seek it out. Also worth mentioning is an oddity that I noticed - just above the burn line, the wrapper seemed to melt or shrivel up. Graycliff is one of the most expensive brands out there. I wonder if they expect their prices to drive demand, rather than the actual quality and taste of their smokes.

Saturday, February 19, 2011

70/70

Perfecto!

UPDATE (3/1/11):
For years, I was under the impression that 70/70 was the ideal.  As I continue to research the best possible environment for cigar storage, I'm seeing that 70/70 poses some potential risks (mostly if the humidor exceeds it and goes unnoticed).  65-68 for both temp and humidity seem to be popular amongst the enthusiasts on botl.  I'm making the move to adjust accordingly, and at some point I will report out on the experience.  I'm also hoping to invest in some 65% beads, as I'm currently using Xikar crystals w/ a humistat that I occasionally fill with distilled water as needed.

Saturday, February 12, 2011

La Aurora 107

Watching KU v. ISU at The Cigar Lounge in Schaumburg.  This 107 is very smooth to start.  Jagged burn quickly fixed itself.  Hints of cedar.  Mild to medium in the first third.  Nice tight ash. Smoked this one down to about an inch and a half. The flavor remained fairly consistent throughout. Didn't really have any flavor complexity or twists & turns (which doesn't have to be a bad thing).

Thursday, February 10, 2011

Nick's Sticks Little Havana (churchill)

Thanks to Bret, for gifting this one to me.  I was driving all day today, so this was a good size smoke for a road trip.  Wrapper was veiny and very toothy.  Moderate pepper in the first inch, gradually turned to a woody, earthy flavor that lasted for most of the cigar.  In the beginning of the 2nd third, I came across some bitterness.  The quality in construction is not quite the same as its brothers (Perdomo), but this is a decent budget stick for doing yardwork or jockeying the bbq grill.  ...and on a side note, as soon as I pulled off the "convenience store" style label, I instantly felt the cigar's quality go up.

Thursday, February 3, 2011

Oliva O my!

The review is the same as before.  Good cigar.  For some reason, I find it nostalgic, if that makes sense.  Pairing with a SE Australian shiraz from good 'ol '07.

Main reason for this post is that I'm having this one in the basement....and so far my experiment to keep the rest of the house "stinky" free is working!  As George Takai would say, "Oh my!"

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