La Flor De Cano - Habana

A Cuban smoke in Mexico. 

Camacho Connecticut

Good quality.  This "mild" cigar quickly intensifies for me. 
3.0/5.0 stars

CAO America - double-shaded wrapper (torpedo)

Picked this one up at the CAO event at Andrea's.  Medium bodied cigar.  Decent flavor, but nothing special.  Wrapper seems to be a fad, but sadly causes the wrapper to unravel when cut.  Might recommend a bullet-style (or punch) cut if it wasn't a torpedo shape. 
3.25/5.0 stars

El Rey Del Mundo

3.25/5.0 stars

La Gloria Cubana (torpedo)

Decent smoke, but draw was a little more loose than I tend to prefer.  Hints of earthiness and chocolate. 
3.5/5.0 stars

Oliva Master Blends 2

Never seen printing on the wrapper before!

Oh, happy day!

Fuente Opus X Super Belicoso 6 X 54

The best of the best (period).

No time for reviews, but here's a few recently smoked.

Montecristo #2 (smoked in Saskatoon, SK, Canada)

Nub Cameroon

Andrea's in Kenosha gave me a dried out stick!

Nub Habano

Flor de Gonzalez

Romeo Y Julieta Reserva Real

Oliva Serie G Figurado (box-pressed)

Another great cigar by Oliva.  Interesting shape in that it's a box-pressed torpedo with a little nub sticking out of the foot.  Smooth, enjoyable smoke.  I have not had my computer or a notepad with me for the last three cigars, so the reviews are minimal.  Had this one before, and haven't tried a bad one yet.  Paired with Heineken.  3.5/5.0 stars

Don Pepin Garcia - My Father

This one got a 94 rating, so I expected it to be good - and it was.  Started out peppery, but soon smoothed out, with thick clouds of creamy smoke.  Very flavorful.  Paired with Cabernet Sangiovese.  3.75/5.0 stars

Oliva Serie V (double toro)

 Not usually a huge fan of the full-bodied lines, but the "V" is really, really good!
4.0/5.0 stars

Hoyo de Monterrey Excalibur Banquet

Last of 10 box that my brother gave me for my 21st birthday, back in 1999. Still in good shape.  Nutty in flavor.  The wrapper is nice and oily.  Rich smoke with almost a cinnamon spiciness.  Good smoke! 
 3.25/5.0 stars

Rocky Patel Edge Battalion Lite (6 X 60)

This bad boy is huge!  Mild, yet tasty right from the start.  Pairing with a breakfast blend coffee.  The Edge Lite series is awesome.  Mild and flavorful - very consistent.  Light colored and smooth wrapper.  It is a handsome cigar.  Paid $6.99.  Creamy and buttery.  No spiciness or bitterness.   Nice, tight ash and good draw.  Consistent taste and flavor till the last inch and a half.  Great smoke!  4.25/5.0 stars

Hoyo de Monterrey Excalibur Maduro (robusto)

 

Paired this one with water, and toasted the foot
before lighting.  Black pepper taste quickly
recognizable.  Although the wrapper was a nice coffee
color, smooth, and oily, there was a large, protruding
vein that traveled underneath the label.  I could feel
this vein when I puffed, and so had to turn the cigar
so that it was sideways. 

Approaching the second third, I had to touch up a jagged burn.
The taste was spicy, with a hint of dark coffee.  At one point, I gently ashed the cigar, and the cherry fell completely out. 

I began to wish I had chosen something besides water, as the bitterness and dryness became rather unpleasant.  A small square of 72% dark chocolate (I know, who pairs chocolate with cigars?) helped to soften the taste, and alleviate the bitterness.

I did not make it very far into the final third.  Probably won't be smoking this cigar again, however I have a lighter shaded wrapper (in the Excalibur series) that I will be giving a shot.   2.5/5.0 stars

Cohiba Maduro 5 (robusto) - purchased and smoked in Saskatoon, SK Canada

Wow, the prices in Canada for cigars are ridiculous - both Cuban and other countries. I purchased a Cuban Cohiba, and paired it with a glass of Crown Royal on the rocks.  I always toast the foot of my cigars now, and after doing so with this Cohiba, I quickly realized a surprisingly mild smoke.

As I progressed through the first inch, the smoke remained mild and creamy.  I couldn't complain about the draw, as it was very good.

The cigar did require a few touch-ups here and there
to maintain an even burn line. 

As I transitioned from the second third to the final third, I got that pleasant Cuban buzz.  Although very pleasant, I couldn't say that this cigar was worth the price paid, however ALL prices on cigars in Canada were ridiculous.

3.5/5.0 stars

Oliva Connecticut (toro)

After a few weeks in the humidor, I'm ready to review this one.  Grabbed a box for $65+shipping on cigarbid.com.  Had one right away, and wasn't impressed, but seems that it just needed some time to recover.  One inch of the way in, and it is decent so far.  Toasty, woody flavor.  The construction is good, and the ash is standard for Oliva - very good.  Light wrapper, oily sheen, a few pronounced veins.  Android just ate my "starter" photo, so this one will have to do.

Second third is showing some white pepper and some bitterness.  For me, I prefer the Serie O or V.

Final third got a little more bitter and almost stale.

3.0/5.0 stars

Flor de Oliva Gold (toro)

So far I like this one, especially considering the price.  Veiny but nice, light, oily wrapper.  It's handmade, but could pass for machine-made as it is very uniform and smooth (with the exception of the very apparent veins).  Noticed a tiny green spot on the wrapper.  After toasting and easily lighting, there is an even burn, pleasant taste.  I am definitely partial to Nicaraguan tobacco.  Creamy smoke with a buttery toast aftertaste.  Mild to medium strength thusfar (1" into it).  Good draw, generous amount of smoke. Second third is a slight improvement.  Not exceptionally complex, but definitely satisfying. Final third isn't great - not bad, but not great in terms of flavor.  Still, I would recommend this one as a multi-tasking cigar.  Can't beat it for the price!  3.25/5.0 stars

Fuente Fuente Opus X (Torpedo 52 X 5 1/4)

Thrilled to have another chance to try one of these sought after cigars.  In the past, I think I've had two of the Petite Lanceros.
This one has a larger ring gauge, and already I like it better.  Paired with Fat Tire from New Belgium Brewing.  Started by toasting the foot.  Initial draw was slightly loose, but corrected itself nicely.  Spicy at first, and mellowed a little after a few draws.  Nice, creamy, thick smoke.  I was expecting some strength from this full-bodied puro, so I ate some hummus beforehand.  First 1/4" was rich and creamy, and surprisingly mild.  I had a little jagged burn line, which could have just been from a poor light.  I touched it up, and the burn corrected itself.  Noticed a very pleasant, but not overpowering buzz just 1/2" in.

1/3 remained smooth, flavorful, and consistent.  Definitely enjoyed more than the smaller versions.  Did require a few relights as I approached 2/3.

From the second third into the last, the cigar remained fairly consistent with a bit of strengthening on the final stretch.  This cigar is certainly worth tracking down and spending the extra money on.  Not your everyday smoke, but without a doubt, a great way to reward oneself.

4.5/5.0 stars.

Coming soon!

Fuente Fuente Opus X (Torpedo 52 X 5 1/4)

Flor de Oliva Gold

Hoyo De Monterrey Excalibur (robusto)

Rocky Patel Edge Lite (60+ ring gauge)

Ashton Cabinet Belicoso 5 1/4 x 52

Off to a good start!  Didn't realize that Churchills n Down was closing within minutes of lighting up, so had to take a few mental notes rather than do a full review.  Ash was a nice, light gray.  Burn started just slightly uneven in parts, but balanced out within the first inch. 

By the 2/3, I had a nice buzz going.  I'd describe much of the flavor (which noticeably strengthened from the 2/3 on) as spicy with white pepper and a hint of nutmeg.  Construction was good, and didn't experience any unraveling after the straight clip.
3.25/5.0 stars

Rocky Patel Edge Lite

Mild and satisfying as usual. Paired with a fresh cup of joe (and my father-in-law, Mike).

Yep, smoked this one down far enough to where my fingertips were starting to burn, and still it was nice and smooth. Creamy smoke, good build, even burn. Nothing to complain about. Perfect with an after dinner coffee, and probably just as good with the morning paper.

4.25/5.0 stars

Alec Bradley Tempus

The wrapper is a nice mocha color; very oily. Off to a peppery start here. Burn is even.

After the first 1/2 inch or so, it is starting to lose the spiciness and mellow out a little. When putting the stick down on the ashtray, the first 1/2" of ash just dropped. Speaking of the ash, it is slightly inconsistent in color, but I'm not complaining. We'll see if this is as good as the tobacconist said it would be (Ultimate Cigar in Villa Park, IL). She did sell it to me as a medium-bodied cigar, and I can tell already (and confirm with various reviews) that it is a full-bodied smoke. Not sure why I would be misled, but whatever.

Start of the second third is showing hints of cedar, leather, and dark chocolate. It's just a tad harsh on the throat and roof of mouth. After the second photo, I set the cigar down gently, and again the ash dropped. So far I've not needed to do any touch-ups, however I did have to relight mid-way through the second third. This cigar packs a buzz.








Had to relight as I approached the final third, but ended up being interrupted anyways, so I left just under two inches (which is probably best since I was starting to taste the burn chemicals).
2.75/5.0 stars

HC Criollo Belicoso by Xikar (Toro)

Very impressed right off the bat. Paired with Fat Tire, watching Blackhawks and Sharks @ Uncle Mike's in Pleasant Prairie. Really smooth, earthy, feels good in my hand. 4.0/5.0 stars

Rocky Patel 1961 (Toro)

Nice smoke! 1/3 medium. Smooth, oily wrapper. 2/3 tasty medium with notes of toasted almonds and pepper. 3/3 fuller and less pleasant taste.
3.5/5.0 stars

Oliva Serie V figurado

Sometimes avoid the full -bodied, but so far this one is not one to be missed. The cigar of the year isn't disappointing so far 1/3.

2/3 was nice...tad spicy with dry finish,

final 3/3 was strong, but not overbearing. 4.0/5.0 stars