Best Boutique Cigar Brand: Graycliff Cigars

February 20, 2013 By Administrator Leave a Comment

Graycliff Cigars bring a regal and royal quality to everything they do, including their cigar blends. If you have visited Nassau, Bahamas you might have heard of the Graycliff Hotel and Restaurant where the Garzaroli Family serves fine wines, exquisite cuisine and offers the most luxurious accommodations.

Graycliff Cigars at My Discount Cigars

The love affair with cigars began in 1997 when Enrico Garzaroli found a new hobby with his love for cigars. He wanted to ensure that when he created his line of cigars it would be the perfect cigar that offered the highest caliber of quality, just as they do in their restaurant and hotel. It all started out with just one cigar roller in their restaurant, and has now grown to 16 master rollers that have won their company prestigious awards such as The Robb Report’s Best of the Best award in 2003; France’s Club Cigare’s 2001 Cigar of the Year award; several high-ratings with Cigar Aficionado (88 and up) including their Best Boutique Cigar Company award!

Graycliff offers several blends and lines, including their Original (Red Line) that was originally blended by Fidel Castro’s personal cigar roller, Master Torcedore Avelino Lara. Though Lara is now retired, Enrico Garzaroli and Paolo Garzaroli have taken over and created all of the company’s new blends including but not limited to the Professionale line (Blue Line), the G2 (available worldwide), Bahiba (only sold in The Bahamas), Emerald (Green Line), Chateau Grand Cru (Purple Line) and Espresso, among others.

Each line is unique in and of itself. The Graycliff Original (Red Label) is a mid-strength, full-bodied cigar with a spicy finish. The fillers hail from Honduras, Nicaragua, Brazil with a Sumatran wrapper and come in sizes such as the PG (5 ¼ x 50), the PGX (6 x 50) and Taco (4 ½ x 44) among other vitolas. The Graycliff Professionale (Blue Label) is a medium to full bodied smoke with rich, earthy, hearty roasted coffee flavors at the core and a slightly sweet, delicate creamy finish. Slow burning and always even, the Professionale is blended from Honduran, Brazilian, Ecuadorian and Nicaraguan fillers, topped off with an Indonesian wrapper in sizes such as the Elegante (7 ¼ x 38), Corona Especiale (6 x 38) and several other sizes. The Chateau Grand Cru (Purple Label) exudes just enough strength to please even the most picky cigar smoker. It’s regal and seductive with its deep, unique and balanced flavors using the highest selection of very well aged tobaccos from Honduras, Costa Rica and Nicaragua. Offering 8 sizes such as the Piccolo (4 ½ x 46) and 7 others, this is by far the most luxurious of the blends. Each line comes in boxes of 24.

Next time you are in Nassau, Bahamas treat yourself to an incredible meal at the Graycliff restaurant, smoke their high-end boutique cigars, take a Cigar Rolling Lesson with their expert craftsmen to get a glimpse into the daily activities of their torcedores, and spend a night or two at their fine hotel.

RATED 89 BY CIGAR AFICIONADO AND VOTED BEST BOUTIQUE CIGAR!

Country of Origin: Bahamas

Flavors: Medium to Full

Wrappers: Indonesia, Costa Rica, Corojo/Criollo

Binders: Ecuador, Indonesia

Fillers: Brazil, Dominican Republic, Honduras, Nicaragua

For more information on Graycliff Cigars please visit their page at Graycliff.com.

~ Peace, Love, Cigars ~

Filed Under: Cigar Reviews Tagged With: Avelino Lara, Bahamas, Best Boutique Cigar, boutique cigars, Cigar Aficionado, Cigar Review, cigars, Discount Cigars, Enrico Garzaroli, Fidel Castro, Garzaroli Family, Graycliff, Graycliff Blue Label, Graycliff Chateau Grand Cru, Graycliff cigar review, Graycliff Cigars, Graycliff Corona Especiale, Graycliff Crystal, Graycliff Emerald Label, Graycliff Espresso, Graycliff G2, Graycliff Hotel, Graycliff Original, Graycliff PG, Graycliff PGX, Graycliff Piccolo, Graycliff Profesionale, Graycliff Professionale, Graycliff Purple Label, Graycliff Red Label, Graycliff restaurant, Graycliff Taco, luxury, My Discount Cigar, My Discount Cigars, MyDiscountCigar.com, Nassau Bahamas, Robb Report

Ambos Mundos, Tatuaje’s More Affordable Line

February 6, 2012 By Administrator Leave a Comment

Ambos Mundos No. 1 Habano cigars are yet another hit from Tatuaje’s Pete Johnson, made in the Esteli, Nicaragua factory headed by Don Pepin Garcia. Ambos Mundos, meaning “both worlds” is the more affordable cigar line from Tatuaje, by far! Hailing from Nicaragua it comes in the Habano wrapper (natural) or the Sumatra (full-bodied) and paired with Cuban-seed Nicaraguan long-fillers, Ambos Mundos Habano cigars offers the smoker a complex and smooth smoking experience.

Richly colored with an oily wrapper, a solid build and an even draw the Ambos Mundos No. 1 Habano offers a medium to full-bodied experience with a spicy, woody undertone. With its rich tobacco core the Ambos Mundos is truly a well-made cigar for being so modestly priced as well as tasty from start to end with notes of cedar, earth, cocoa and pepper. Not only was Tatuaje’s Ambos Mundos rated 93, The Ambos Mundos Grande No. 1 was also named Cigar Aficionado’s #11 cigar of 2010 in their Top 25 Cigars list. To quote Cigar Aficionado’s tasting panel “Our tasting panel always seems to enjoy them. They are yet another example of the top-quality smokes being produced by Johnson and cigar maestro Garcia.”

: Ambos Mundos Robusto No. 1 Habano Cigars at My Discount Cigars

RATED 93 BY CIGAR AFICIONADO AND THE #11 OF THE TOP 25 CIGARS OF 2010!

Country of Origin: Nicaragua Flavor: Medium Wrapper: Habano Ecuador Binder: Nicaragua Filler: Nicaragua

To purchase the Ambos Mundos cigars online please visit MyDiscountCigar.com.

If you want to read more about the Ambos Mundos cigars by Tatuaje go to TatuajeCigars.com.

~ Peace, Love, Cigars ~ ————————————————————————————————————

Cigar Review: Tatuaje Ambos Mundos Robusto No. 1 Habano, by Toasted Foot

Nov 10 2010

Size: 5×50, Robusto #1

Wrapper: Habano Ecuadorian

Binder: Nicaraguan

Filler: Nicaraguan

Strength: Medium

Price: Box of 25, $101.95

Grade: 8.9

The Ambos Mundos, translates Two Worlds and is a lower cost blend from Pete Johnson of Tatuaje. The Ambos Mundos Robusto No. 1 Habano cigar is blended and constructed in the Cuban tradition in Nicaragua. This blend is available with two different Ecuadorian wrappers, a Habano and a Sumatra. Don Pepin Garcia is head of this blend and as a fan of his and Pete’s smokes, I was pretty excited to fire this one up for review on one of the frosty nights here in Georgia. The Ambos Mundos Robusto No. 1 Habano cigar is available in three sizes: Toro (6×50), Robusto (5×50), and Grande. (5.5×56).

You can follow Pete on Twitter, and visit Tatuaje online. Today we are reviewing the Ambos Mundos Habano Robusto #1, so on with it.

Pre-light, 1.7: The light to medium brown wrapper is rugged and there are a few veins present. The Ambos Mundos Habano Robusto #1 is well packed for the most part, though it is a bit spongy towards the shoulder of the smoke. The label is very straightforward and fits the idea of a solid smoke and a good price; the simplicity reminds me a bit of Pepin’s Tabacos Baez. The pre-light aroma is of leather, earth, and a bit of mild spice at the foot. I did not pick up a lot of notes on the cold draw but I did get a tickle of spice on the back of the throat.

Burn, 1.7: The burn on the Ambos Mundos Habano Robusto No. 1 is solid, with a good draw for the duration of the smoke. The ash held well for the most part but was a bit flaky after the first inch and a half fell off. The cigar did not require any touch ups or re-lights.

Flavor, 2.7: The first draw on the Ambos Mundos has a really unique, earthy note with a touch of spice on the lips. Moving into the first third, the profile remains the same as the first puff but at about ¾ of an inch in, the spice does increase. The second third is a combination of earth, nutty tobacco, and spice. At the halfway point of the smoke, the spice increases a bit more. The spice is not heavy but it just lingers a bit more on the finish. The last third stays the course and the cigar is very tasty until the end.

Overall, 2.8: The Ambos Mundos Habano Robusto No. 1, at around four dollars a smoke, is a good buy for fans of Pete Johnson and Don Pepin Garcia. The profile is not complex, but it is very flavorful. I will say that I have had both wrappers and I did enjoy the Sumatra more; it seemed to have a touch more of the Pete Johnson and Don Pepin kick or complexity. At any rate, as stated earlier, it is a solid buy for fans of Pete Johnson.

(Total: 8.9) ———————————————————————————————————- Toasted Foot we thank you for your superb review of the Ambos Mundos Habano Robusto #1!

Filed Under: Cigar Reviews Tagged With: affordable cigars, affordable Tatuaje cigars, Ambod Mundos Tatuaje cigars, Ambos Mundos, Ambos Mundos #1, Ambos Mundos Cigar Review, Ambos Mundos Grande No. 1 Habano, Ambos Mundos Grande No. 2, Ambos Mundos Habanos, Ambos Mundos No. 1, Ambos Mundos No. 1 Habano Cigars, Ambos Mundos Robusto No. 1 Habano, Ambos Mundos Robusto No. 2, Ambos Mundos Toro No. 1 Habano, Ambos Mundos Toro No. 2, boutique cigars, cheap, cheap cigars, Cigar, Cigar Review, cigars, Discount Cigars, discount discount cigars, Don Pepin Garcia, Garcia, Garcia Family, Grande Cigars, Habano Ecuadorian Wrapper, Johnson, milder Tatuaje cigars, My Discount Cigar, My Discount Cigars, Nicaraguan Cigar, Pete Johnson, Robusto #1 cigar review, Robusto Cigars, Sumatra Wrapper, Tatuaje, Tatuaje Cigar Review, Tatuaje Cigars, Toasted Foot, Toro Cigars, www.mydiscountcigar.com

The Oliva Serie V Cigar Review – The Answer to a Ligero-Lover’s Wish

February 3, 2012 By Administrator Leave a Comment

Oliva Serie V Liga Especial at My Discount Cigars

The Oliva Serie V is a ligero-lovers dream cigar! With its rich colors, beautiful oily wrapper and impeccable construction it comes together in great harmony. Created by Oliva Cigar Company (no relation to Oliva Tobacco Co.) is headquartered in Miami, Florida and rolls their cigars in Nicaragua. The company has slowly acquired its place on the map in the cigar industry through their persistence, patience, drive, passion and always putting out a quality product. The Oliva name, with all its lines, has risen to the forefront in cigar production. The Oliva Serie V Liga is a complex blend of Nicaraguan long-filler tobaccos blended with specially fermented Jalapa Valley ligero and finished with a high priming Habano sun-grown wrapper. Because the Olivas are not known for their power, but more for their flavor, Oliva Cigar Co. decided to please the more seasoned cigar smokers who demanded a more muscular cigar with the Oliva Serie V line.

The Oliva Serie V is not only attractive aesthetically with its 4-seam cap, but it is full of diverse and dynamic flavors from coffee, chocolate, wood, nuts and sweet cedar that all frame a substantial leather core. A subtle yet well-balanced spice is present throughout. With the rich and long finish its complexity shines through. The Oliva Serie V Liga is blended to deliver a fuller bodied taste yet it maintains an unparalleled smoothness. Its wrapper a bit toothy with some faint veins and billowy, thick, white smoke, the Oliva Serie V will make you appreciate Nicaraguan cigars on a deeper level.

Oliva Serie V Liga Double Robusto at My Discount Cigars

Country of Origin: Nicaragua
Flavor: Full
Wrapper: Habano Sun Grown
Binder: Nicaragua
Filler: Jalapa Valley Ligero

Oliva Serie V has been named as Cigar Aficionado’s Top 25 Cigars of the Year for several of its blends in the past decade, including winning the #22 spot for Top 25 Cigars of the Year for its Oliva Serie V Double Robusto blend (rated 92) in 2011! The Oliva Serie V Liga Especial is very reasonably priced, as are the other 8 vitolas in this line (Belicoso, Churchill Extra, Double Robusto, Double Robusto Tubos, Double Toro, Lancero, Special V Figurado, Toro Maduro 2011 and Torpedo), which makes this cigar not only a top-ranker for Cigar Aficionado, but in our book as well!

RATED 94 BY CIGAR AFICIONADO AND VOTED THE #22 TOP 25 BEST CIGARS OF 2011!

The Oliva Serie V line is available online here at MyDiscountCigar.com.

To learn more about the Oliva Serie V series and the other Oliva lines please visit OlivaCigar.com.

~ Peace, Love, Cigars ~

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An In-Depth Cigar Review of the Oliva Serie V Torpedo by Lucky7 of CigarFan.Net

by lucky7

Oliva Serie V Torpedo

Skip the fluff and jump straight to the review!

Cigar Stats of the Oliva Serie V Torpedo Cigar
Brand Owner: Oliva Cigar Company – Miami, FL
Factory: Tabacalera Oliva S. A. (Tabolisa) – Esteli, Nicaragua
Model/Vitola: Oliva Serie V (Ligero Especial) Torpedo
Size: 6.0 x 56
Wrapper: Nicaragua (Habano Sun Grown)
Filler & Binder: Nicaragua (only specially fermented Jalapa Valley ligero)
Body: Medium to Full
MSRP: $6.75 USD
Cigar Insider Rating: 94 (September 2007)
Cigar Aficionado Rating: 94 (December 2007)
Cigar Aficionado Rating: 93 (2007 Top 25 List – January 2008)

Six other vitola sizes available

Double Robusto 5.0 x 54 (robusto grande)
Belicoso 5.0 x 54
Double Toro 6.0 x 60 (toro grande)
Special V Figurado 6.0 x 60
Lancero 7.0 x 38
Churchill Extra 7.0 x 52

All sizes come in dark lacquered cedar boxes of 24, packaged naked with no cellophane sleeves. The Lancero is the exception packaged in boxes of 36. Although I have not seen one, Cigar Insider states the Serie V also comes in a culebra size available exclusively at special events.

The Olivas

The Oliva Family has been growing tobacco for a little over 120 years. Melanio Oliva first grew tobacco in Pinar Del Rio, Cuba beginning in 1886. His growing operations were suspended while he fought in Cuba’s War of Independence. On his return, Melanio resumed his operations and in the early 1920’s his son Hipolito took over. Hipolito cultivated the Oliva family fields for several decades but as Cuba became over-run by communists, the tobacco landscape changed. Hipolito’s son, Gilberto Sr., was born literally across the street from Cuba’s Hoyo de Monterrey factory and following in his fathers footsteps, that is where he first worked in Cuba’s tobacco industry. When Gilberto, Sr. took over the family’s business he shifted from growing to brokering tobacco. In the early 1960’s the pressure in Cuba became unbearable and Gilberto, Sr. left in search of growing conditions that would produce that distinct Cuban taste. His travels took him to Honduras, Panama, Mexico and even the Philippines before he finally found his desired fertile ground in Nicaragua and today the Oliva Family is Nicaragua’s second largest grower of Cuban-seed tobacco.

In 1984 Gilberto, Sr. decided it was time to expand into cigar making for other brands and in 1994 began to produce the first Oliva Family cigar line. After success with their frontmarks in the USA, last year the Oliva’s began selling their cigars in Europe and today Oliva lines are enjoyed around the world. Business is booming!

The Oliva Family.
(From left to right, Jeannie, Carlos, Gilberto, Sr., Jose and Gilberto, Jr.)

Management of Oliva Cigar Company activities is still very much a family affair with Gilberto Sr. overseeing growing, curing, and fermenting operations and Gilberto, Jr. deeply entrenched in blending. Cigar rolling falls under the direction of Carlos. Jeannie and Jose manage marketing, customer relations and distribution operations from the Miami office.

The Oliva Serie V

The Oliva’s have been listening to their customers asking, “Where’s the beef? Love the quality of your cigars but we need more power!” Finally their answer is ready. With a soft-release in June 2007 and official release at the 2007 RTDA the buzz on the Serie V has been high volume. Vice President of Operations, Jose Oliva describes development of the Serie V blend as the most challenging undertaking the company has ever embarked upon. In his opinion, a cigar smoker should feel the strength of a cigar in the stomach and head, not in the throat. Striking the right balance of potency with ultimate smoothness was the goal.

With all of the tobacco for the Serie V grown on Oliva Family Farms in Nicaragua it is the strongest cigar they have released to-date. With maximum production anticipated at 750K per year due to limited availability of tobaccos, they will be quickly be at that level and following a Cigar Aficionado rating of 94, it will be a challenge to stay up with demand. I can see the price on these puppies going through the roof.

Cigar.com claims, in order to be an authorized Serie V dealer, tobacconists must undergo special training from Oliva representatives aimed at providing insight to the sheer power of the blend. The Oliva Serie V Torpedo cigar only contains ligero leaf (the strongest variety of tobacco), but is blended so the initial taste doesn’t overwhelm the enthusiast with in your face power. In other words, the Oliva Serie V Torpedo is very strong but can still be enjoyed by individuals who prefer medium bodied cigars. Upon lighting, many may believe the Serie V is medium in body, but as Jose Oliva himself has explained, if you exhale through the nose you will realize the true strength of the Oliva Serie V Torpedo.

Cigar Insider released a vertical tasting of the entire line in September 2007 with the average rating weighing in at a whopping 89.7 points. The Oliva Serie V Torpedo led the pack with an individual rating of 94 points. CI claims, “The Torpedo was an outstanding cigar, with aesthetics, strength, complexity and many flavors that kept the cigar interesting and balanced.”

Cigar Aficionado ranks the Oliva Serie V Torpedo as #4 on the list of the top 25 smokes of 2007. Impressive!

From the website …..

Oliva Serie V Website Photo

Serie V is a complex blend of Nicaraguan long filler tobaccos. Blended with specially fermented Jalapa Valley ligero, and finished with a high priming Habano Sun Grown Wrapper (high priming being closer to the top of the tobacco plant and therefore soaking up more sun). It is blended to deliver full body taste while maintaining an unparalleled smoothness. This flavorful blend exhibits complex tobacco with rich coffee and dark chocolate tones. A subtle and well balanced spice is present throughout.

Bottom line up front …..
Although not the powerhouse I was expecting, the Oliva Serie V Torpedo is a beauty to behold and a premium quality full flavored smoke with balance and finesse sure to become a favorite for many cigar smokers. Definitely the richest and strongest Oliva Family cigar on the market today! My only concern is if the Oliva’s can keep up with demand and thereby maintain the reasonable price-point. As of this writing they are very hard to find in-stock.

Pre-light
The Oliva Serie V Torpedo sports a silky smooth Colorado maduro wrapper with no veins to speak of and a small tooth evident over its length. The chubby torpedo is a very solid, tightly packed 56 ring with the conical cap packed too tight IMO. Handsome to look at, the stick feels very nice in the hand. Scent from the wrap is very mild tobacco except toward the foot where there was a slight touch of barnyard. A good whiff of the foot tingled the olfactory and caused a tobacco sneeze. The bunching at the foot shows a healthy amount of dark ligero as advertised (about now the drooling has begun!).

One of the three cigars smoked for this review had a lengthwise crack in the wrap about one and one half inches long located about a half inch from the foot. It caused no burn problems but was unsightly and worrisome. Not sure the stick was properly cared for prior to coming into my possession. This always concerns me when a review is in the offing. I would rather smoke the best sticks and offer a review on the merits. That is part of the reason I smoked three Serie V cigars prior to writing the review. The other part is I just love smoking cigars and probably would have smoked five if they were around.

The clip took some hand strength as I had anticipated. On the first stick I removed about a half inch (half of the torpedo cone) and the draw was very tight. Flavor in the pre-light draw was interesting with a light sweet grass and nuts on the palate. After lighting, the first few pulls on the draw were still too much work so I clipped a bit more (toward the cap end just below the shoulder of the cone) and the draw opened up to perfect. Don’t be shy when clipping this one and you will be rewarded with a fine draw. Remove most of the torpedo cone.

The Smoking Experience
The aroma from the toasting foot is exquisite. Due to the amount of ligero in this Oliva Serie V Torpedo cigar, the lighting takes a little more effort. Toast the foot really well before beginning to pull for the light. Initial pulls were very smooth and creamy. So much so I found myself thinking, where’s the bang associated with ligero. No worries. It was coming. I just had to exhibit a little patience. Like the pre-light draw, initial flavors were of sweet grass and nuts with a little pepper on the tongue. About a quarter inch in the ligero twang on the nose arrived in force. At the one inch mark the blend smoothes out to a base of creamy toasted hardwood and earthy leather with slightly sweet notes of vanilla/caramel with some spicy nuances. Over the first 2 thirds the flavor is consistent and then builds in intensity with the entrance of some cocoa and espresso flavors. The finish starts crisply short but builds over the length of the cigar to a long one with distinct flavors of dark, unsweetened chocolate and black coffee.

The ash is light gray and very smooth. Stack of quarters effect is barely visible. It held for me to about two and a half inches and took several solid taps before it fell. Interestingly, the ash is the same color for the wrap and the filler indicating well fermented tobaccos.

The burn is slow and cool with a few bumps developing in the burn line but no torch corrections necessary. The Oliva Serie V Torpedo cigar is a dream for smoke rings as the volume of smoke is incredible.

In addition to the wrapper anomaly discussed above, I had other wrapper splits and unraveling in all three cigars for this review. Amazing to me, none of the problems caused the burn to waver but they did detract a bit from the smoking experience. I’m not sure this isn’t a phenomena typical to habano wrappers in general. I’ve had several treat me this way. Just a very sensitive and fragile wrapper leaf.

Smoketime ~85 minutes.

My take …..
I find Oliva Family cigars are generally mild to medium and a little less potent than I prefer. Although the Oliva Serie V Torpedo is most definitely stronger, it was not the monster I was expecting with all the hype and the “Ligero Especial” moniker. I would call it medium to full bodied but for $5, a fine flavorful smoke. I enjoyed it very much. The $5 price tag must have carried allot of weight in CI 94 rating which was a little high IMHO. Most definitely a quality smoke for the price and I can see it becoming very popular in regular rotations if the Oliva’s production can match demand. It will be interesting to see how that plays out.

MSRP is $6.75 per stick. The Oliva Serie V Torpedo is a fine cigar and with the high CA/CI rating don’t hesitate to pull the trigger if you find them available.

I had an online vendor call me and say “We don’t know how your order for these snuck through since we are currently out-of-stock. You must have pressed the submit button just before we updated the website.” @*&#*^^^!%@$$#!!

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Thank you Lucky7 for taking your time to write such an excellent review of the Oliva Serie V Torpedo!

Filed Under: Cigar Reviews Tagged With: #22 Cigar of 2011, 92 rated, 94 rated, Cigar, Cigar Aficionado, Cigar Aficionado Top 25 Cigars of 2011, cigar blend, Cigar Insider, Cigar Review, cigar.com, cigarfan.net, cigars, cigars review, Cuba, discount discount cigars, Esteli Nicaragua, full flavored, Gilberto Jr. Oliva, Gilberto Oliva, Gilberto Sr., Habano Sun Grown, Hipolito, Jalapa Valley Ligero, Jeannie Oliva, Liga Especial, Lucky7, Melanio, Melanio Oliva, Miami, My Discount Cigar, My Discount Cigars, Nicaragua, Oliva, Oliva Cigar Company, Oliva Family, Oliva Serie V, Oliva Serie V Belicoso, Oliva Serie V Churchill Extra, Oliva Serie V Cigar Review, Oliva Serie V Cigars, Oliva Serie V Double Robusto, Oliva Serie V Double Robusto Tubos, Oliva Serie V Double Toro, Oliva Serie V Lancero, Oliva Serie V Liga, Oliva Serie V Liga Especial, Oliva Serie V Review, Oliva Serie V Special V Figurado, Oliva Serie V Toro Maduro 2011, Oliva Serie V Torpedo, olivacigar.com, Pinar Del Rio, Tabacalera Oliva S.A., wholesale, wholesale cigars, www.mydiscountcigar.com

The Dunhill Signed Ranged, A Cigar I Personally Stand Behind

February 1, 2012 By Administrator Leave a Comment

Oh, this cigar gets us very excited! Cigar Aficionado has named the 92-rated Dunhill Signed Range Toro the #19 Top Cigar of 2011 (and the #10 cigar of the year in 2007), and rightfully so! At the risk of sounding biased, the Dunhill Signed Range is by far one of our favorite cigars and it is certainly a very difficult cigar to acquire any information on and sometimes equally hard to purchase. We are fortunate enough to carry 3 of the sizes (it comes in at least 6 sizes total when you can find it): Robusto (4 1/2 x 52), Toro (6 x 50) and the Torpedo (5 1/2 x 52T).

Country of Origin: Nicaragua
Flavor: Medium
Wrapper: Nicaragua
Binder: Cameroon
Filler: Nicaragua, Dominican Republic

Dunhill Signed Range Cigars at My Discount CigarsFlavor: Medium

British American Tobacco selected Carlos Torano to take over the production of the Dominican Dunhill Signed Range line and have also launched the newest line of Dunhills, the Nicaraguan Signed Range, which filled the demand for a more fuller-bodied cigar. The Dunhill Nicaraguan Signed Range line was introduced in 2007.

We can’t stress enough how creamy, smooth and flavor-packed the Dunhill Signed Range is! Handmade in Nicaragua under the close supervision of the Torano family the Dunhill Signed Range cigars feature Nicaraguan wrappers, Cameroon binders, and aged Nicaraguan and Dominican filler leaves for a medium to full-bodied creamy smoke bursting with nutty, coffee, dark chocolate, cedar, caramel and slight peppery notes!

Besides the incredible smoothness and most delicious flavor profile of the Dunhill Signed Range, what makes it doubly enticing, especially for collectors, is that each box is individually numbered and features the signatures of the inspectors as well as some of the rollers responsible for that unique batch. The Dunhill Signed Range cigars are definitely not given enough credit or attention and we hope that you take our word for how very special, tasty, and unique these cigars truly are and splurge for a box (if not a full box, then at least try the 5-cigar sampler) of this treasure!

Dunhill Signed Range Cigars at My Discount Cigars

RATED 92 BY CIGAR AFICIONADO AND NAMED THE #19 TOP CIGAR OF 2011!

The Dunhill Signed Range is available for purchase online at MyDiscountCigar.com.

~ Peace, Love, Cigars ~

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Lisa, of Her Humidor Cigar Reviews, Shares Her Experience of the Dunhill Signed Range Short Robusto

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I don’t know if it’s just me but does any one else have a problem with on-line retailers sending you the wrong cigar? Maybe they see the name and think that just because I’m female they think they can get away with it. For example, instead of the Esteban Carreras 1961 corona, I get the Carlos Torano 1916 corona. Now granted they both have Spanish names and dates in their name but still…

Another switcharoo done to me is the Dunhill Signed Range Short Robusto Dominican for the Dunhill Signed Range Nicaraguan. This time I can’t complain because not only was this cigar more expensive (being discontinued), but it also tasted fantastic.

The Dunhill Signed Range cigar line was released first in Great Britain in 2001 then released in the U.S. in 2002. Originally the cigars were manufactured at the Cuevas and Torano factory in Navarette, Dominican Republic. The Dunhill Signed Range cigars were created to cater to the popularity of more fuller bodied cigars compared to the mild blend found in their Dunhill Aged cigars. The tobacco used in the Dominican produced Signed Range is a Connecticut seed Ecuadorean wrapper, Pennsylvania broadleaf seed binder, and a Columbian and Dominican filler. In 2007, production was moved to Nicaragua and the Torano factory based in Esteli. The manufacturer states that this was a “quest to find the best super premium cigar blend”. The Nicaraguan Signed Range contains a Cuban seed Nicaraguan wrapper, African cameroon binder, and Nicaraguan and Dominican long filler tobaccos.

If you buy a box of these Dunhill Signed Range cigars you will notice that they are numbered and feature the signatures of the people responsible for creating the cigars. The torcedor (cigar roller), escogedor (sorter), empacador (packer) and the ultimo control de calidad (quality supervisor) all hand sign each box they are responsible for.

The band on my Dunhill Signed Range cigar gives away the fact that these were produced in the Dominican Republic. In fact, the toro sized Signed Range Nicaraguan that I ordered at the same time shows the correct label. The Dominican band has a more modern simplistic look compared to the Nicaraguan which has the “Dunhill” name in cursive with “since 1907″ underneath it.

The Dunhill Signed Range cigar was well constructed. The wrapping was nice and tight and held on during the entire smoke. The wrapper color I would describe as a smooth “paper bag” brown with some small veins through out. The cigar felt firm and nicely packed. The pre-light draw was free and felt perfect with a very slight minimal resistance. The flavor on the pre-light draw was a creamy sweet tea. The wrapper itself smelled like sweet earthy tobacco and the foot like sweet black tea. The cap was nicely formed with two seams and cut easily with a Palio cutter.

You get a nice volume of smoke with each draw. Immediately you taste nice toasted wood flavors with a slight bitter tinge and warm spices in the background. The flavor starts off mild but tastes very balanced and smooth. You also get a little whisper of cream and vanilla. The burn starts off a little lopsided but nothing too drastic. The burn line is nice and sharp and the ash formed is very compact and light gray in color. Eventually, you taste a more cinnamon on the finish. The mildness makes this cigar seem like an ideal smoke for your morning coffee. The smoke leaves a nice trace of sweetness in the mouth. The resting smoke is very pleasant and exudes warm spiced tobacco.

At the one inch point, the Dunhill Signed Range cigar develops more creaminess like roasted nuts and spice. Plus the flavors become more pronounced and tastier. In the second third, the flavors remain smooth and you get the same toasty wood and spices plus a much longer finish of cedar and light leather along with nuts and vanilla. There is definitely nice complexity in this cigar. At this point the Dunhill Signed Range cigar is solidly medium but beginning to develop into the full range. Still no bitterness or harshness. The flavor is deep and rich at the two inch sweet spot with a nice caramelized vanilla sugar residual finish.

The final third displays an interesting pronounced cedar and leather body which just dominates the palate. I also notice more clove spice which is really nice and some pepper. The back of my throat can feel a little heat as if someone sprinkled pepper on my cigar behind my back. The Dunhill Signed Range cigar is in the full range in the last third. The flavors stay smooth and the finish is now marathon long. It also stays surprisingly cool even though you are down to the nub.

Even though this cigar is a bit pricey at $10.85 for a short robusto (4 and 1/2″ by 52 ring gauge) for which I actually paid $9.75, I would consider buying the Dunhill Signed Range cigar again because of it’s elegant flavors and complexity. I’m interested in tasting the Nicaraguan Dunhill Signed Range to see if it is better or just as complex. I mentioned that I also received the toro sized Signed Range which is Nicaraguan so I should be getting the opportunity to compare these cigars very soon.

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Thanks Lisa B. for your great review! It’s a pleasure getting another woman’s point of view!

Filed Under: Cigar Reviews Tagged With: #10 Cigar of 2007, #19, #19 Cigar of 2011, 92 rated, available online, Best 25 Cigars of 2011, British American Tobacco, Cameroon, Carlos Torano, Cigar, Cigar Aficionado, Cigar Aficionado Top 25 Cigars of 2011, Cigar Insider, Cigar Review, cigar reviews, cigars, cigars online, creamy, Cuevas, delicious, discount, Discount Cigars, Dominican Republic, Dunhill, Dunhill Cigars, Dunhill Nicaraguan Signed Range, Dunhill Signed Range, Dunhill Signed Range Churchill, Dunhill Signed Range Cigar Review, Dunhill Signed Range Cigars, Dunhill Signed Range Robusto, Dunhill Signed Range Short Robusto, Dunhill Signed Range Toro, Dunhill Signed Range Torpedo, Dunhill Tobacco, empacador, escogedor, favorite cigar, Her Humidor, Her Humidor Cigar Reviews, Lisa B. Her Humidor, My Discount Cigar, My Discount Cigar Review, My Discount Cigars, Navarette, Nicaragua, numbered boxes, signed, signed boxes, since 1907, smooth, tobacco, Top 25 Cigars of 2011, Torano, torcedor, ultimo control de calidad, unique cigar, wholesale, wholesale cigars, www.mydiscountcigar.com

The Warlock (No, Not Charlie Sheen)

January 31, 2012 By Administrator Leave a Comment

Most of you might assume that “Warlock” means a male version of a witch (and some of you younger folks might associate it with Charlie Sheen on one of his recent rants), but if you dig deeper, in “Old Norse” it actually means “caller of the spirits.”

Warlock Cigars at My Discount Cigars

Ranked as the #9 cigar of 2011 by Cigar Aficionado with a 92 rating for their Robusto size, the Warlock was released in 2010 by Altadis U.S.A. Inc. Specially crafted by hand in Nicaragua’s Condega region by cigar-maker Omar Ortez, the super-premium Warlock cigar packs ample boldness and flavor. While the majority of cigar factories in Nicaragua are found in Esteli, the Warlock hails from the Condega region where the tobaccos are just the right balance, not as strong as the tobaccos of Esteli, yet not as creamy as those grown in the Jalapa region. Though it is not classified as a boutique cigar it is a bit of a stretch for Altadis U.S.A. the cigar giant, with its edgy overall appearance, outlaw name, gothic black font on the silver band, and housed in a rustic-looking wooden box.

Image aside, the Warlock is a strong smoke from the first puff and is balanced with leathery, salty flavors, and earthy notes complemented by subtle spices. The leather aroma is not the old-shoe type of leather, but more of a smooth, buttery, soft leather coat. On the finish there is a woody tone reminiscent of white wine oak casks. It is a bit of a firmer cigar to the touch with a well-placed cap and just a few slight veins. You will get a consistent, even burn and an ash that will hold out to about 2″. The oily, dark Ecuadorian Cuban-seed wrappers that envelop the Warlock cigar, combined with Dominican and Nicaraguan long-fillers and a rich Nicaraguan binder make this cigar a complex and robust powerhouse. Though the Warlock is powerful, it is in the same token quite refined. This cigar would be well-paired with a full-bodied cab or a fine Scotch. The medium to full-bodied Warlock cigar was created to be strong, and boy do they deliver! A definite treat for all the senses.

RATED 92 BY CIGAR AFICIONADO AND THE #9 CIGAR OF 2011!

Warlock Cigars at My Discount Cigars

Country of Origin: Nicaragua
Flavor: Medium to Full
Wrapper: Ecuadorian Cubano
Binder: Nicaragua
Filler: Nicaragua

The Warlock cigars are available for purchase online here at MyDiscountCigar.com.

~ Peace, Love, Cigars ~

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Cigar Review of the Warlock Robusto, by Seth Geise of Seth’s Humidor

January 27, 2012

Warlock Robusto

When one thinks of cigars by Altadis, the Warlock line is not your typical line. More often than not one will think of Montecristo or Romeo Y Julieta. There is nothing wrong with those lines, but the Warlock Robusto captures something a little more special. The great aspect of the Warlock Robusto line is that it has always captured those great qualities of a boutique brand while having the backing of a large cigar manufacturing company. When the cigar was initially released in 2010 it captured the eyes of smokers like myself, who is a boutique smoker, and it also caught the eyes of those who loved the lines Altadis had. Unfortunately, like most cigars after several months, I lost attention to newer products, but when the cigar recently got the Number 9 Ranking by Cigar Aficionado, I began to pay some more attention again. I am fortunate enough to be able to be in touch with Altadis, and when they offered me some samples to review, I was more than glad to try them out again and review them.

The Warlock line is made in Nicaragua by Omar Ortez, and is made in their Nicaraguan factory called Agros Tobacos. Omar Ortez has worked with Altadis for many years now, and besides having his own line Omar Ortez Originals, he has worked on other blends of theirs as well, and is the sole creator behind the Warlock line. The Warlock Robusto cigar is made with tobacco of theirs that has been selected because of its rich and bold flavors, and is made from some of the best countries as well. The wrapper is Ecuadorian Cubano seed, and underneath that is a Nicaraguan binder. With a great binder and wrapper there lies a great filler blend composed of tobacco from the Dominican Republic and Nicaragua. I should note that all the tobacco from Nicaragua in this cigar is actually tobacco from the Condega region in Nicaragua. The region is known for producing very balanced and flavorful tobacco. It is not as flavorful and refined as tobacco from Jalapa,or as strong as that of tobacco in Esteli, but is a perfect balance between the two.

The vitola I smoked was the robusto vitola, which was the smoke that recently received the very high ranking, and it measures 4 3/4″ with a 54 ring gauge. The Warlock Robusto cigar is beautiful in hand, and has that dark coloring and fonts associated with the world surrounding a “warlock.” It has a dark chocolate brown wrapper, Colorado Maduro, and it has some veins present here and there. It is a very firm cigar, and the cap is placed on perfectly. Feeling all the oils that are present in the wrapper I am getting wonderful aromas of barnyard, rich earth, leather and damp wood from the foot and wrapper of the cigar. As I cut the cigar the cold draw is great, and producing some great flavors with it. I am really looking forward to this smoke, and so I am lighting it up.

Beautiful and Oily Ecuadorian Cubano Wrapper

From the get go the Warlock Robusto cigar shows those rich earth flavors that I got from the pre-light aroma. It is a very pleasant smoke that is producing a huge amount of smoke. As I get further into the first third I begin to pick up a lot more flavors, and some really unique qualities to it. There is a nice bit of salted wood, rich earth and leather, along with this caramel mocha finish. It’s really an enjoyable smoke, and it reminds me of Cuban cigars that are very rich. Not that Cuban cigars aren’t rich, but it is reminiscent in some ways of a Bolivar, Partagas, or even a Ramon Allones. It is just a lovely cigar that has great qualities. I would say the Warlock Robusto cigar is smoking at a solid medium for me, and it is leaving a solid ash that is charcoal gray in coloring. The cigar is burning incredibly even and slow. I feel that the oils from the wrapper are cooling off the heat so it burns slowly, it is very nice.

As I get into the second third of the Warlock cigar, it is still showing those awesome flavors from the first third, and is staying at a solid medium in terms of strength. I am really digging the flavors that this cigar is giving off, and it is really a cigar that I find to be one of a kind. It captures two different flavor profiles while being one cigar. It’s like drinking a Shiraz and Chardonnay at once, and having it be great. Those flavors of salted wood, caramel and leather you typically find in one cigar, and then the rich earth, mocha, and barnyard flavors you find in another. A very enjoyable cigar. The burn line is still perfect in the second third, and I am holding on to the ash from the first third. The coloring is still that of charcoal gray, and the cigar is producing tons of rich smoke.

I am the final third of the Warlock Robusto cigar now, and this great experience is coming to a close. The cigar is still burning perfectly in this third, and leaving a beautiful ash and burn line, and the smoke is still very thick and aromatic. As I get close to the nub the cigar is still burning cool, and even when I get into the nub the cigar never got hot and was great all the way to the end. In terms of flavor the cigar stayed very same in the final third to what it was in the first two thirds, but it was so great I did not want it to change. Those unique flavors were very complex, and I am sure I have been something when trying to pick out the flavors. As I have been saying the combination of caramel, mocha, wood, salt, leather, rich earth, and barnyard have been phenomenal throughout, and I can see how this cigar kept on capturing the attention and palates of the Cigar Aficionado Tasting Panel.

These Warlock Robusto cigars were so entertaining to smoke. I felt that they really captured these qualities that you typically find in a rich Cuban cigar, and that made them so great for me. They were always flavorful from beginning to end, and they performed very well as cigars. They were not powerful or soft, solid medium in body, but the flavors were damn great. I really love that Altadis is attempting to make some boutique smokes no matter the size of the company, and try and captivate those cigar snobs out there who love boutique smokes. I think they are taking some right steps in reaching out to a lot of smokers, and this is a prime example of that. This was a great cigar in that sense, and is a great cigar in general. I give the Warlock Robusto cigar a 92, and really look forward to smoking more of these down the road. I have smoked them before, but this is the first time that I really sat down and analyzed them, and because of that I picked up those wonderful qualities it had to offer. This is one of the best brands that Altadis makes, and it is also one of their brands that is in actuality boutique. Quite simply, a wonderful cigar by Omar Ortez and Altadis, and congratulation on the great ranking you all got in Cigar Aficionado Top 25 Cigars of 2011!

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Seth, thanks for yet another amazing and detailed review!

Filed Under: Cigar Reviews Tagged With: #9 Cigar of 2011, 92 rated, Altadis, Altadis U.S.A. Inc., Altadis USA, Best Cigar, Charlie Sheen, Cigar, Cigar Aficionado, Cigar Insider, cigars, Colorado Maduro, Condega, Cuban-seed, discount, Discount Cigars, Ecuadorian Cubana, Esteli, Jalapa, leather, leathery, My Discount Cigar, My Discount Cigars, Nicaragua, Olde Norse, Omar Ortez, Robusto, robusto vitola, Seth, Seth Geise, Seth's Humidor, sethshumidor.com, strong smoke, Top Cigars of 2011, Warlock, Warlock Churchill, Warlock cigar, Warlock cigar review, Warlock Cigars, Warlock Cigars Review, Warlock Corona, Warlock Robusto, Warlock Robusto Cigar, Warlock Robusto Cigar Review, Warlock Toro, wholesale, wholesale cigars, www.mydiscountcigar.com

An Insight Into Hoyo de Monterrey’s Excalibur Blends

January 29, 2012 By Administrator Leave a Comment

Today we honor the legendary Excalibur blends by Hoyo de Monterrey. Hoyo de Monterrey has always been a consistent, well made, reasonably priced brand. We will highlight the flavor characters of each of the following blends: Excalibur Legend, Excalibur Dark Knight, the Excalibur Cameroon blend and Excalibur (as well as Excalibur Maduro).

Excalibur Legends at My Discount Cigar

Excalibur Legend:
As one of the most well-known brands to come from Honduras it is only fitting that the Hoyo de Monterrey’s Excalibur Legend would pay homage to this brand’s pedigree with such a regal title and its rich flavors that just command such attention. The Excalibur Legend is blended with proprietary tobacco cultivated exclusively for the company on the remote volcanic island of Ometepe and combines it with a potent Dominican ligero tobacco. All the tobaccos used to make this blend give it a complex combination with a spicy and rich finish. General Cigar Company took the same wrapper for the Excalibur Legend that it used on the Excalibur Dark Knight blend, which should give you an idea of the boldness of your smoking experience. The Excalibur Legend is clearly designed to appeal to a more “seasoned” smoker who demands a full-flavored stogie. With its well-earned 91 rating by Cigar Insider (of Cigar Aficionado) they describe it with the following terms “This thick cigar is rich with leather from the the first puff, developing to show tea and toast flavors. A balanced smoke with a profoundly leathery core.” We couldn’t have said it better! So jump on the Excalibur Legend bandwagon and prepare for a smooth and intense ride.

Country of Origin: Honduras
Flavor: Full
Wrapper: Honduran Claro
Binder: Connecticut Broadleaf
Filler, Nicaragua, Dominican, Honduras
Cigars in the Legend line: Excalibur Challenger (5 1/4 x 50), Excalibur Conquerer (6 1/4 x 54), Excalibur Crusader (5 3/4 x 45)

Excalibur Dark Knight at My Discount Cigar

Excalibur Dark Knight:
The Excalibur Dark Knight line, the cream of the Hoyo de Monterrey crop, is wrapped in a beautiful Cuban Havana seed wrapper, complex filler and binder, giving them a robust but exquisitely smooth taste. This line was originally part of the Excalibur 1066 line (phased out by the General Cigar Company in 2010), the Excalibur Dark Knight now has its own platform to highlight the incredible taste of its unique and rich wrapper. Even though with a name like “Dark Knight” it does not come with a bat logo, experienced cigar smokers will vouch that since its introduction in 2004 it does however pack a punch with its rich, dark and complex flavors and is housed in a stained dark wooden box that resembles a treasure chest. The Hoyo de Monterrey’s Excalibur Dark Knight blend expertly balances a rich, full flavor with full body. The consistent and beautiful burn make this cigar a dream to smoke. The Excalibur Dark Knight has just the right draw and exudes hints of wood, leather and sweetness. Stick after stick the Excalibur Dark Knight will give you a very fulfilling smoking experience that makes it worth your money and your while.

Country of Origin: Honduras
Flavor: Full
Wrapper: Connecticut Broadleaf
Binder: Connecticut Broadleaf
Filler: Dominican Republic
Cigars in the Excalibur Dark Knight line: Excalibur Dark Knight I (5 3/4 x 54), Excalibur Dark Knight II (6 1/2 x 52), Excalibur Dark Knight III (4 1/2 x 50), Excalibur Dark Knight IV Tubo (5 x 52)

Excalibur Cameroon:

After Hoyo de Monterrey phased out the 1066 line in 2010, the Excalibur Cameroon line was introduced. The Excalibur Cameroon cigar is a full-bodied Honduran cigar that is highlighted by its rich Cameroon wrapper and its flavorful Connecticut Broadleaf binder. Its unique story is that the Excalibur Cameroon cigar was named “The People’s Choice Cigar” because its blend was selected by cigar smokers who have a deep passion for cigars. The Cameroon series features a shiny Cameroon wrapper which enhances this collection with its uniquely spicy tone. The Excalibur Cameroon is a blend that combines Honduran, Nicaraguan and Dominican tobaccos. Its character is enhanced by a select Connecticut Broadleaf binder which is grown in the Connecticut River Valley. Because the tobaccos of the Excalibur Cameroon are cured over a lengthy period of time, the flavors become richer with some spicy overtones, pleasing the most discriminating smoker. With an 88 rating by Cigar Insider (of Cigar Aficionado), the Excalibur Cameroon is undoubtedly a well-made cigar with a great draw and burn, a well-placed cap, silky smooth and balanced smoke, and flavors that range from pepper, ginger, floral, toasty, buttery, creamy with some chalky and vanilla notes throughout.

Country of Origin: Honduras
Flavor: Medium
Wrapper: Cameroon
Binder: Connecticut Broadleaf
Filler: Nicaragua, Honduras, Dominican Republic
Cigars in the Excalibur Cameroon line: Excalibur Cameroon Galahad (6 3/4 x 47), the Excalibur Cameroon King Arthur (6 1/4 x 45), the Excalibur Cameroon Lancelot (7 1/4 x 54) and the Excalibur Cameroon Merlin (5 1/4 x 50)

Excalibur Cigars at My Discount Cigars

Excalibur (Excalibur Maduro):

The Excalibur cigar is the perfect example of Honduran craftsmanship that combines a golden USA Connecticut Shade wrapper with a rich binder and filler, exuding a creamy aroma and a long finish. A superb cigar with great detail to construction, Hoyo de Monterrey’s Excalibur is lighter in color than a Cuban cigar due to its fine Connecticut Shade wrapper and the excellent quality using the top 10% of the factory’s tobacco from Nicaragua and Honduras. Once these fine cigars are rolled by master cigar makers in tradition that dates back to 1865, they are then carefully packaged in lovely Spanish cedar boxes to enhance their character and bouquet. The Excalibur is aged in cedar, is mild to medium-bodied and complex. Seasoned smokers favor the Excalibur cigar’s complexity. This golden brown Excalibur cigar tantalizes the palate with toasty smoke and an array of flavors ranging from cedar, spice, earth, wood, nuts and slight sweet notes. It is mild to medium in body, but if you prefer a bolder and fuller flavor try the Excalibur Maduro blend with a Connecticut Broadleaf wrapper. The Excalibur Maduro is a dark and attractive cigar enveloped in an oily, and toothy Connecticut Broadleaf wrapper and a second layer of dark Connecticut Broadleaf for the binder. Not only did Cigar Insider (of Cigar Aficionado) rate the Excalibur Epicure Maduro as the #8 cigar of 2007 as “The 25 Best Cigars of the Year”, Cigar Cyclopedia gave the collection an “A” rating as well. Excalibur, the cigar that was inspired by the legendary sword of King Arthur, strikes a perfect balance between the smooth flavors of its blonde wrapper and the straightforward taste of its rich filler tobaccos. With over 12 sizes and shapes to select from you have no excuse not to find one Excalibur to your liking.

Country of Origin: Honduras
Flavor: Mild to Medium
Wrapper: USA Connecticut Shade (Connecticut Broadleaf – Maduro)
Binder: Connecticut Shade (Connecticut Broadleaf – Maduro)
Filler: Nicaragua, Dominican Republic, Honduras
Cigars in the Excalibur (Maduro) line: Excalibur #1 (Maduro #1) (7 1/4 x 54), Excalibur #2 (Maduro #2) (6 3/4 x 47), Excalibur #3 (Maduro #3) (6 1/8 x 48), Excalibur #4 (Maduro #4) (5 5/8 x 46), Excalibur #5 (Maduro #5) (6 1/4 x 45), Excalibur #6 (Maduro #6) (5 1/2 x 38), Excalibur #7 (Maduro #7) (5 x 43), Excalibur Cigarillos 20-Ct Tin (4 x 25), Excalibur Emperor (8 1/2 x 52), Excalibur Epicure (Epicure Maduro) (5 1/4 x 50), Excalibur Miniatures 20-Ct. Tin (3 x 22), Excalibur Prensado (6 1/8 x 48)

For the true test we suggest you try one of each of the Excalibur blends, starting with the Excalibur, followed by an Excalibur Cameroon, then sampling an Excalibur Legend and finishing off with an after-dinner smoke of an Excalibur Dark Knight blend.

The Hoyo de Monterrey Excalibur blends are all available for purchase online at MyDiscountCigar.com.

To read more about Hoyo de Monterrey’s Excalibur blends please visit their official site at CigarWorld.com.

~ Peace, Love, Cigars ~

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Seth Geise, of Seth’s Humidor, Shares His Review of the Hoyo De Monterrey’s Excalibur Epicure Maduro

Seth's Humidor Reviews Excalibur Epicure Maduro

The other day I was smoking an Illusione ~4/2g~ and a Ramon Allones Gigantes side by side when I was asked by a customer what my opinion was on the Hoyo de Monterrey Excalibur Epicure Maduro. I immediately told him that I loved that cigar, and though I hadn’t smoke one in some time it was time to light one up. The cigar for me has always delivered wonderful flavors, nice medium body, and a great affordable price. The cigar did well by Cigar Aficionado in 2007, and I think they are just as great now as they were for the staff at Cigar Aficionado then. Though General Cigars and Altadis are not boutique manufacturers, the fact that they are so large gives them the opportunity to get some great tobacco that smaller manufacturers could never get. The Hoyo de Monterrey is one of the oldest cigar lines in the industry, and is one of the few lines that are made in and outside of Cuba to this day.

The Hoyo line began in Cuba in 1865, and was begun by Don José Gener y Batet. He originally came to Cuba from Spain in 1831, and before starting the line worked on the tobacco plantations in Pinar del Rio before starting his own factory in Habana, Cuba. The line quickly became one of the most popular lines in Cuba, and in a short time had the largest factory. Hoyo de Monterrey is translated as “hole of Monterrey”, and refers to the area in which the tobacco for this cigar came from. It was considered one of the best areas. Eventually the company was sold to Fernando Palicio who continued to make the Hoyo line along with the other lines they took on, Belinda and Punch. When the revolution came about in Cuba he sold the line to the Villazon Family, who was making cigars in Tampa, Florida at the time. There they continued to make the line from Honduran tobacco before being bought by another General. The company was run by Frank Llaneza at the time, and continued to be run by him till General Cigars bought them. Eventually the lines production was moved down to Honduras, and now it is made from tobacco from more than just Honduras.

My favorite cigar in the non-Cuban Hoyo line is the Excalibur Epicure Maduro. The Epicure measures 5 ¼” and has a 50 ring gauge. The cigar is composed of tobacco from four prominent growing nations, and from some of the best regions in those nations as well I imagine. The cigar begins with a Maduro Connecticut Broadleaf wrapper and binder, and has filler tobacco from the Dominican Republic, Honduras and Nicaragua. The factory in which the cigar is made is the Honduras American Tabaco S. A. in Cofradia, Honduras just outside of Danli. This is the same factory in which all Punch and Sancho Panza cigars are made. The Excalibur Epicure Maduro is truly a classic, and great to look at. The wrapper is a very dark brown, definitely maduro in coloring, and has a great cap to it. There are few veins if any present in the cigar, and it has a wonderful aroma of coffee, cocoa, wood and earth. It is slightly oily and toothy to touch as well.

As I light up the Excalibur Epicure Maduro cigar I am immediately greeted by flavors of coffee and cedar. The flavors are easy to pick out, and they stay with you on the long finish. As I get further into the first third I begin to pick up more notes of herbs, spices and rich chocolate. The cigar has a beautiful burn to it, it is perfect, and the ash is a very light gray. The ash is very strong and holding on to the cigar firmly, and it is producing a nice amount of smoke. The flavors are very pleasant and the cigar is a solid medium in body.

When I get into the second third the first thing that I notice is that the ash on this cigar is not letting go anytime soon, and I imagine that I will be able to hold on to it till the final third easily. I am still picking up those wonderful flavors of coffee, cedar and chocolate, but the herbal notes have faded some. The spice notes increase some in this third, but the cigar is still a solid medium. The flavors have not changed dramatically so far, but it is just delivering the wonderful flavors consistently, and that is what is most important, it is a solid smoke.

I am in the final third of the Excalibur Epicure Maduro now, and that beautiful ash is still there. The burn line on this cigar is still absolutely perfect, and it is producing a nice amount smoke after each draw. The flavors are fairly similar to that of the second third, and it is very enjoyable. The cigar is rich in cocoa, spice and coffee notes, and it makes the cigar perfect for me anytime of the day. The Excalibur Epicure Maduro is a cigar that is great to give to any smoker, and is a great everyday cigar. The cigar still has a spicy wood finish, and when I put the cigar down it was still smoking cool and wonderful.

Some might not have great things to say about this cigar because it is made by General, and because it is a cigar that is easily accessible and not boutique, but that is just silly. This is a cigar that always delivers, and never bores. It is not overly complex in the flavor department, but the flavors it does have are wonderful throughout and never dull. With flavors being consistent throughout the cigar has to be bunched just perfectly, and this cigar was. You could never go wrong with this cigar, and even though I do not smoke them often or have them in my humidor it does not mean it is bad. This is a cigar that every retailer should carry, and it will move. All the shops I recommend carry these smokes, and there is a reason for that. This is a consistent cigar aimed for every smoker. If I were to buy one cigar from General Cigars this Excalibur Epicure Maduro would be it, and following this it would be the Punch Uppercut. A 90 rated cigar that will always deliver. The Excalibur Epicure Maduro is a great cigar to share with your friends who are big time smokers, and a cigar that is great for newcomers as well.

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Thanks for a super review Seth!

Filed Under: Cigar Reviews Tagged With: 1865, Cigar, Cigar Aficionado, Cigar Cyclopedia, Cigar Insider, Cigar Review, cigars, cigars review, Connecticut Broadleaf, Cuba, Dark Knight Cigars, discount, Discount Cigars, Don Jose Gener y Batet, Epicure, Excalibur, Excalibur #1, Excalibur #1 Maduro, Excalibur #2, Excalibur #2 Maduro, Excalibur #3, Excalibur #3 Maduro, Excalibur #4, Excalibur #4 Maduro, Excalibur #5, Excalibur #5 Maduro, Excalibur #6, Excalibur #6 Maduro, Excalibur #7, Excalibur #7 Maduro, Excalibur 1066, Excalibur Cameroon, Excalibur Cameroon Galahad, Excalibur Cameroon King Arthur, Excalibur Cameroon Lancelot, Excalibur Cameroon Merlin, Excalibur Challenger, Excalibur Cigar Review, Excalibur Cigarillos, Excalibur Conqueror, Excalibur Crusader, Excalibur Dark Knight, Excalibur Dark Knight I, Excalibur Dark Knight II, Excalibur Dark Knight III, Excalibur Dark Knight IV Tubo, Excalibur Emperor, Excalibur Epicure, Excalibur Epicure Cigars, Excalibur Epicure Maduro, Excalibur Maduro, Excalibur Miniatures, Excalibur Prensado, Excalibure Epicure Maduro, General Cigar Company, Habana Cuba, Honduras, Hoyo, Hoyo de Monterrey, Hoyo de Monterrey Cigars, King Arthur, Merlin Cigars, My Discount Cigar, My Discount Cigars, Seth Geise, Seth's Humidor, Seths Humidor Cigar Review, Villazon Family, wholesale, wholesale cigars, www.mydiscountcigar.com

The Illusione Cigar, A Stogie Even George Burns Would Have Enjoyed!

January 23, 2012 By Administrator Leave a Comment

Illusione f9 Cigars at My Discount Cigars

The Illusione is a progressive new blend by Dion Giolito. Giolito’s concept behind the Illusione cigars was to rebuild a taste profile from old-world Nicaragua, pre-Sandanistas 1979, that would have mass appeal to the cigar smokers of today. He managed to create a blend that won over cigar smokers from all over. The Illusione uses a top-grade, oily Colorado wrapper and first-generation Corojo and Criollo long-filler tobaccos to present a well-made, medium-to-full-bodied flavorful cigar.

The Illusione comes in several shapes and sizes (such as the Illusione 88, Illusione 888, Illusione F9, and Illusione MJ12) and each one is unique in and of itself with its own special aromas and flavors. The Illusione cigar falls into the “Boutique Cigar” category as it is handmade, in very limited supply and high demand. Each one of the Illusione cigars is triple-capped and beaming with woody, earthy, complex, oaky, cocoa flavors with a long-finish, slight tea undertone and enough spice to make sure you won’t soon forget what you just smoked!

The concept behind the Illusione cigars was to create a cigar that would appeal to modern-day smokers as well as reflect a particular taste-profile of an era of the Nicaraguan cigar industry in the early years. Dion listened to his fellow smokers from reading his message boards and blogs and took their comments and constructive criticism to tweak and perfect the Illusione cigars to his liking. The Illusiones are hard to come by, so grab a box while they are in stock!

RATED 93 FOR THE ILLUSIONE cg:4 AND 91 FOR THE THE ILLUSIONE mj12 BY CIGAR AFICIONADO!

Illusione 88 Cigars at My Discount Cigars

The Illusione cigars are available online here at MyDiscountCigar.com.

To learn more about the Illusione cigar blends please visit their site at IllusioneCigars.com.

~ Peace, Love, Cigars ~

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An In-Depth Review of the Illusione MJ12 Cigar by Brian Hewitt of Stogie Review

Dion Giolito has been a busy man. I don’t have an official count of all his new cigar offerings, but I know it’s around half a dozen if you count each of the Epernay vitolas. The cigar up for review today, the Illusione MJ12 cigar, is one of those new offerings. In fact, I believe it’s the latest to hit the shop shelves.

The official word, confirmed by Dion on Twitter is that the Illusione mj12 is actually a replacement of the existing m7 “Magdala” figurado-shaped vitola. The rumor going around is that he had issues with the m7, but I don’t have details on what those issues were. As the Illusione mj12 that replaces it is essentially a toro, I suspect it may have had more to do with the hassles of creating the salomon shape of it’s predecessor.

One of the things I always find fascinating about Illusione cigars is the cryptic naming system. It’s definitely a change of pace from the tradition of giving cigars Spanish names. Of course, this means I had no choice but do to a little detective work for this review. As of the time of this writing, the Illusione mj12 had not been added to the Illusione Cigars website, and I wasn’t able to find the official word on the meaning of the cigar’s name anywhere online. So what follows is an educated guess.

The name appears to be a reference to the “Majestic 12″ (aka MJ 12). The Majestic 12 is supposedly the code name for a group of scientists, politicians and military personnel that Harry Truman put together in 1947 to investigate UFO activity after the infamous Roswell incident. (For more information and associated conspiratorial stuff, check out the wikipedia page on it.) Lending credibility to this theory is the silver wrapping the cigars come in. It brings to mind the super-special space metal/weather balloon material that Roswell witnesses claimed to have found at the crash site. Or it could be the cigar equivalent of a tinfoil hat. Dion’s a clever guy, I can’t imagine it’s a coincidence, if I’m right.

But enough about all that. It’s time to peel back the shiny wrapper and determine whether or not this cigar is outta this world.

Cigar Stats:
Size: 6 x 54
Wrapper: Nicaragua
Binder: Nicaragua
Filler: Nicaragua
Smoking Time: 2 1/4 hours
Beverage: Water
Price: MSRP $8.70

The Pre-Smoke
For some reason, the Illusione MJ12 cigar appears to grow in size once it’s out of the silver foil. I understand the reason behind it, but I kinda like to be able to see my cigars when I buy them. On the other hand, I didn’t find cracks in the wrapper or foot damage on of any of the mj12′s I lit up for this review. I can’t say the same for the rest of my Illusione cigars. (Naked sticks in my humidor have a tendency to get a little dinged up. It’s been said I have all the grace of a cow tipped on a muddy field in the wee hours of the morning.)

As said, I didn’t find any obvious flaws in the slightly reddish, rustic wrapper on the Illusione mj12. The cigars were a little on the veiny side but were mostly smooth and tended be about as hard as rock.

The wrapper had a pungent aroma that reminded me very much of a particular cheese I really enjoy. And I noted a little bit of cocoa and coffee in the cold taste.

The Burn
In my exchanges with cigar people on twitter, I heard anecdotes about Illusione mj12′s that wouldn’t stay lit in later stages. I’m happy to say I had no such issues. However, one cigar burned considerably slower than the others and was pretty crooked toward the end.

There was never an issue with the draw in any of the cigars, and the ash was light colored and reasonably solid. Though I was surprised a couple of times by how quickly it dropped. (A couple of times at around half an inch. But it was solid.) This might not be the cigar to pick for a long ash contest.

The cigar I elected to photograph for the Tower of Burn had the nicest burn of the bunch, and achieved several unplanned ash stands.

The Flavor
The Illusione mj12 got things going with a rich combination of chocolate, leather, and interestingly, a flavor reminiscent of Earl Grey tea. In fact, I noticed that when leather was present I often tasted some of this tea flavor. The cigar didn’t burn too much longer before the it became nutty and chocolaty with some honey sweetness. This third ended tasting like honey and nuts. (Must… resisting urge… to mention Cheerios…)

Leather, which had been mostly absent since the beginning of the first third was back briefly to kick off the second third. Cocoa and darker chocolate played a bigger part of the flavor composition of this third, with nuts, coffee and a touch of pepper making guest appearances.

The final third was more dark and sweet chocolates with a little bit more of that tea/leather combination. I also noticed a surprising bit of cherry sweetness in one cigar near the end.

The Price
I paid a good deal more than MSRP for these sticks, and would probably hesitate to buy more at that price. However MSRP seems reasonable for the Illusione mj12. It’s a tad more than the Illusione ~88~ (which I buy frequently) and it’s a tad bigger.

The Verdict
Overall, the Illusione mj12 cigar was an enjoyable smoke, but I don’t think it’s my favorite Illusione. The combination of the fatter ring gauge and that occasional tea-leather flavor fusion didn’t really do it for me. I’ve never been much of a tea drinker, and never acquired a taste for Earl Grey. But again, even with these issues, I’m still giving this cigar the thumbs up. There are just too many enjoyable rich flavors to in this stick to not like it.

If the smaller, thinner sizes of the other Illusione cigars have dissuaded you from trying them out, now you don’t have an excuse. And if you already are a Illusione fan, well, you probably don’t need me to recommend it. You’re gonna try one anyway.

Liked It: Yes
Buy It Again: Maybe, but I like other Illusiones more.
Recommend It: Yes

Tower of Burn
Here for your viewing pleasure is my trademark Tower of Burn for the Illusione MJ12 cigar.

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A great big thanks to you Brian, for this detailed review of the Illusione mj12 cigar!

Filed Under: Cigar Reviews Tagged With: Brian Hewitt, Cigar, Cigar Aficionado, Cigar Aficionado Ratings, Cigar Insider, Cigar Insider ratings, Cigar Review, cigar reviews, cigars, corojo, Corojo and Crioolo long filler tobaccos, Criollo, Cruzado, Cuchillos Cubanos, Dion Giolito, discount, Discount Cigars, Epernay, figurado-shaped vitola, first-generation Corojo, George Burns, Illusione, Illusione 1, Illusione 2, Illusione 23, Illusione 4/2g, Illusione 68, Illusione 88, Illusione 888, Illusione cg:4, Illusione Cigars, Illusione Cigars Review, Illusione f9, Illusione hl, Illusione M7, Illusione mj12, Illusione mj12 Cigar Review, Illusione mk, m7, Magdala, Majestic 12, My Discount Cigar, My Discount Cigars, My Discount Cigars Review, Nicaragua, pre-Sandanista, rated 91, rated 93, Stogie Review, tower of burn, wholesale, wholesale cigars, Wikipedia, www.mydiscountcigar.com

Montecristo Goes Platinum! Cigar Review of the Montecristo Platinum Series

January 22, 2012 By Administrator Leave a Comment

With its new Platinum Series, Montecristo, long considered the international brand by which all other premiums are measured, sets new standards for luxury cigars. Crafted with selected San Andres Cubano wrapper (grown in the legendary San Andres Valley), along with a rich, Dominican binder and a special vintage blend of Nicaraguan, Peruvian and Dominican long filler tobaccos, the exquisite Montecristo Platinum cigars offer the connoisseur a rich, sensual smoking experience without equal. The Montecristo Platinum Churchill Tube cigars were named #22 on Cigar Aficionado’s Best 25 Cigars of 2010 List!

Montecristo Platinum Cigars at My Discount Cigars

The Montecristo Platinum cigars allows cigar lovers to indulge in a richer and bolder smoke that some of the traditional Montecristo blends don’t offer. The solid blend of binder and filler give the Montecristo Platinum its earthy core and the wrapper gives it a pleasant and mellow special woody spice. The Mexican wrappers of the Montecristo Platinum cigars are smooth with an oily sheen and feel to them. Expect a medium-to-full-bodied intensity with the cocoa, woody and earthy flavors increasing as you smoke it, ending in a peppery note. The Montecristo Platinum give off a fair amount of smoke, burn evenly and have a smooth draw. The flavors never overpower your palate, which makes this cigar an incredible smoke that will perform famously each time you light one up.

Montecristo Platinum Rothchilde Tube at My Discount Cigars

The Montecristo Platinum cigars are individually housed in a protective silver tube and displayed in their new silver-blue boxes (the Michel Delacroix painted boxes depicting the famous Havana harbor are no longer available). We offer the following sizes in the Montecristo Platinum series: Churchill Tube (7 x 50), Habana No. 2 (6 1/2 x 52T), No. 3 (5 1/2 x 44), Robusto (5 x 50), Rothchilde Tube (5 x 50), and Toro (6 x 50). The Montecristo Platinum cigars are truly a reward for all of the senses… don’t let this beauty slip by unnoticed, try some with your friends this weekend.

RATED 92 BY CIGAR AFICIONADO AND #22 ON THEIR BEST 25 CIGARS OF 2010 LIST!

Country of Origin: Dominican Republic

Flavor: Medium
Wrapper: Mexican San Andres Cubano
Binder: Dominican Republic
Filler: Nicaragua, Peru, Dominican Republic

The Montecristo Platinum cigars are available online at MyDiscountCigar.com.

To read more about the Montecristo Platinum series cigars please visit AltadisUSA.com.

~ Peace, Love, Cigars ~

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A Review of the Montecristo Platinum No. 3 by My Cigar Reviews

August 29, 2011

Binder: Mexican
Wrapper: Sumatra
Filler: Dominican, Nicaraguan and Peruvian
Size: No. 3 (Corona) 5.5 X 44
Price: $5.70

The Dominican based Montecristo Brand has been real hit and miss for me. I hated the Edmundos (had burn problems, tunnels and they smelled like cheese), the White labels are always way too tight for me to enjoy and the Brown label is typically a bit tight as well although tasty when it’s on. Tack on the price and time and again I choose against these cigars at the B&M knowing that I am in for a unpredictable experience at best, should I select one. They just never seem to kick out the volume I desire although they do burn very slow. Personally, I want thick voluminous clouds of smoke and could care less how fast it burns as long as it burns well and delivers the goods.

I have been sampling many different Vitolas to see if that makes a difference with the Brown and White labels and so far it had not. On my Birthday this year my loving Wife took me on a little trip to the local B&M for a few cigars. I selected 3 MC’s (1 of each blend – White,
Brown and Platinum) all in the #3 aka Corona size. I figured if they can’t get the Corona right then they can’t get anything right and I am done with them for good. After smoking the White and Brown label….I am pretty much done with them.

Will the Montecristo Platinum No. 3 possibly be able to redeem the Montecristo name? Altadis better hope so if they ever want to see a dime out of me again as I typically tend to stick more with the boutique blenders anyway.

As I unwrap and look over the Montecristo Platinum #3 cigar it looks and feels pretty good. Thank goodness it isn’t rock hard as it’s predecessors were and I imagine it should perform pretty well. There is a sweet and savory cocoa on the wrapper with just a hint of barnyard and wood. It sure smells delectable. Speaking of the wrapper, its visual quality is pretty decent. The cap is well placed and it definitely feels much better packed that most of the MC’s I have smoked to date. The prelight draw is open with some dried fruit and sweetness.

The Montecristo Platinum No 3 cigar starts off very smooth with a good medium body and a solid core of flavor. There are detectable hints of sweetness mixed with a touch of dried fruit and leather. A nip of pepper through the nose and a little more on the finish is making me good and satisfied already. There is a sweet creaminess to the smoke as it coats the palate up front and then a slight but present spicy tingle on the finish. Rinse and repeat as necessary….. It doesn’t take long at all before the body starts increasing.

Entering the second 3rd this is certainly heading in the direction of full bodied and if it keeps increasing as it has been it should make it there by the half. The flavor of the Montecristo Platinum No. 3 contiues to wow me with a unique and satisfying profile. Perhaps I finally found the Monte that is right for me. Construction hasn’t even been on my mind since so far this cigar has been a sipping mans dream. 1 puff is all it takes to glean a good volume of smoke. The burn has been perfect and I couldn’t be happier.

There is some good strength to the smoke as I approach the 1/2 of the Montecristo Platinum No. 3 cigar. It isn’t wildly complex or anything but what is there is being delivered in spades and the uniqueness is keeping it more than interesting to me. It is similar to the Brown Label but I have yet to get a brown label that smoked anywhere near as good as this. I love the sweetness in the flavor and aroma. I really dig the background nuances of wood, cocoa, and leather. A tiny touch of jasmine flits in and out on the retrohale. Above all else the solid body without a ton of acidity, the excellent finish and the ultimate smoothness of this cigar is really what keeps jumping out at me and smacking me down with enjoyment.

The final 3rd of the Montecristo Platinum #3 is a crescendo of flavor, body and strength. Everything is climaxing nicely and I am starting to get a nice nicotine fix. Smooth waves of creamy cocoa coat my palate and then more smoothness on the retrohale featuring wood, jasmine and pepper. Performance has remained perfect and this is one that will go down to the nub.

This Montecristo Platinum No 3 cigar really turned it around for me. I had pretty much had it with MC up until this point and couldn’t even begin to fathom how a) they are still around and b) how they are so widely revered. Now I can see at least how this cigar is keeping them relevant although with the lowest sticker price of the bunch (white, brown, platinum) I find it silly that this is clearly the best of the group IMO. You would think the Platinum would be as top shelf as can be with a name like that. Plus Vintage? Come on. This wrapper is over 12 years old and it only cost me $5.70 B&M price? For once I feel like I got a deal at a B&M. I strongly encourage people to try the Montecristo Platinum No. 3 cigar. It is very good. Anyone should be able to enjoy it, most B&M’s should have it and you won’t go broke sampling this one. 93

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Thank you for such an honest and candid review, My Cigar Reviews!!!

The Montecristo Afrique: A Cigar Review of an African Rarity

January 21, 2012 By Administrator Leave a Comment

Montecristo Afrique Sublimation at My Discount Cigars

The Montecristo Afrique, is a truly rare gem. Rarely is a truly unique, new blend created in the cigar industry, as most new brands are just remodifications of existing blends. One of the reasons being that there is a limited variety of black cigar tobacco available for cigar producers to create new blends. Master blenders, like great chefs, when given the same ingredients as the others to work with, can create amazing tobacco blends. But unless given a new ingredient to work with they are limited in creating truly unique cigars. The Montecristo Afrique is exactly the rare and unique cigar that only a master blender can create. It is the joint efforts between George Gershel, Altadis USA’s Tobacco Expert, and Lew Rothman. The Montecristo Afrique is blended with African-grown black tobaccos, specifically a wonderful new leaf from Tanzania. After much experimentation, a nearly all-African blend was created, which includes a touch of spicy Peruvian ligero bound by an Ecuadorian Sumatran binder, and wrapped in a African-grown Cameroon leaf.

Just like its unique Tanzanian leaf, the flavor of the Montecristo Afrique is equally unique. Stronger, more dense and richer in body in the smaller ring sizes, and considerably milder in the larger ring sizes, the Montecristo Afrique is certainly a complex smoking experience. While its ligero core is more peppery, the velvety smoke of the Tanzanian leaves kicks in. The flavors progressed from a woody, spicy earth to a creamy, chocolatey, coffee. With the delicate spice of the Cameroon wrapper, the Montecristo Afrique cigar’s flavor is intoxicating on the palate, to say the least, and is possibly the creamiest cigar our staff has ever smoked.

The Montecristo Afrique is an absolute must-try for all cigar aficionados. With several sizes available, here are just a few we sampled: Lemosho (5 x 40), Machame (5 x 44), Sublimation (5 1/2 x 43 in glass tubes), and Uhuru (5 x 47). The Montecristo Afrique cigars are nabbed up very quickly, if you can get a box of them consider yourself lucky!

Montecristo Afrique Cigars at My Discount Cigars

Country of Origin: Dominican Republic
Flavor: Medium to Full
Wrapper: African Cameroon
Binder: Ecuadorian Sumatra
Filler: Peruvian Ligero, Africa, Nicaragua

The Montecristo Afrique blends are available online here at MyDiscountCigar.com.

You can learn more about the Montecristo Afrique cigars at AltadisUSA.com.

~ Peace, Love, Cigars ~

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Cigar Review of the Montecristo Afrique Uhuru Cigar by Walt, of Stogie Review

Origin: Dominican Republic

Montecristo Afrique Uhuru Cigars

Length: 5.00
Ring: 47
Strength: Medium-Full
Wrapper Color: Medium Brown (E)
Wrapper Type: Cameroon
Binder: ECU
Filler: AFRICA/NIC/PERU
Shape: Parejo

Yesterday I was in the mood for a cigar. I had been running in and out of the house all day and I just wanted to kick back and relax. I opened up the Humidor and it was a toss up. It was either going to be the Montecristo Afrique or a Romeo y Jullieta – Aniversario. On a whim I picked up the Montecristo Afrique Uhuru and vastly enjoyed this cigar.

I purchased a five pack of the Montecristo Afrique Uhuru smokes from JR back in Feb. This was my last one, and I think that the two months of aging put this cigar over the top. It was much different than I remember the last ones being. Here is how it went.

I pulled the Montecristo Afrique Uhuru cigar out of the cellophane sheath if came in and took some time to look over it. It was slightly veiny but attractive. The Montecristo Afrique Uhuru cigar was firm yet pliable between the fingers. This cigar smelled very rich inviting. My plug cutter cut a beautiful plug with no cracking or splitting in the cap.

Upon lighting the Montecristo Afrique Uhuru there was a vibe from this cigar that made you feel as though it was going to be a good cigar. The initial draw was very light and flavorful. The resting smoke emitting from the foot was nice and light.

The first couple of puffs were kind of tricky. The aroma of the Montecristo Afrique Uhuru cigar was almost woodsy while the taste was sweet and totally different from what I was expecting from the smell. The smoke exiting from my mouth left a sweet taste on my lips that was nice. I’ve never had this before.

As I moved on down the Montecristo Afrique Uhuru cigar the flavors became more and more subtle. After about an inch and a half, the flavors were sort of soft on the pallet. They sort of rolled on then rolled clean off the pallet as you blew out the smoke.

At around the half way point of the Montecristo Afrique Uhuru cigar there were slight hints of pepper that complimented the smooth initial tastes of the cigar. From the start the burn rate was nice and slow with a perfect burn. The ash was firm and what I would describe as a bright grey ash.

The flavors started to evolve some more as I continued to smoke. At this point I was getting sweet smells in my sinuses as I blew the smoke out of my nose. The pepper flavor on my pallet was starting to pick up a bit and I was now getting what tasted like black coffee.

All of the initial flavors started to subside and there was now a distinct pepper flavor on my pallet that was quiet good. The build up to this was very enjoyable. The burn rate was still good as well as the ash. By now there was only about an inch of the cigar left. I continued to smoke the Montecristo Afrique Uhuru until I could no longer hold it.

The worst part of this cigar was when it was time to let it go out. The Montecristo Afrique Uhuru was so enjoyable that I just couldn’t get myself to put it down and walk away. I smoked this cigar for just over an hour and a half. I don?t know if it was just the atmosphere or the fact that I was looking forward to a good cigar all day, but this stick was an absolute joy to smoke and I would highly recommend the Montecristo Afrique Uhuru as a late afternoon early evening smoke.

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Thanks for sharing your smoking experience of the Montecristo Afrique Uhuru, Walt!

A Review of Cusano Cigars, Big Bang for Your Buck

January 19, 2012 By Administrator Leave a Comment

The Cusano 18 cigar earned an esteemed 91 rating in the January 2004 issue of Cigar Aficionado‘s Cigar Insider and was made a “Smokeshop Selection” by the Robb report in September 2004. Below we give you some insight on the construction and flavor profiles of the Cusano 18 Double Connecticut cigars, the Cusano 18 Paired Maduro cigars and the Cusano M1 blends.

Cusano 18 Double Connecticut Cigars at My Discount Cigars

CUSANO 18 DOUBLE CONNECTICUT CIGARS:
The Cusano 18 Double Connecticut cigars are rich, creamy and packed with flavor. The Cusano 18 Double Connecticut’s filler is comprised of Dominican Oro (gold) which has been aging since it was harvested more than eighteen years ago in 1985. Highlighting the extraordinary flavors of this rare filler is a both a rich Cuban Piloto and a mouth-watering Olor from the San Vicente region of the Dominican Republic. A Connecticut Shade leaf is then used as the binder which complements the Cusano 18 Double Connecticut’s complex filler blend. To finish the composition is a second medium-tone, very flavorful Connecticut Shade wrapper which further amplifies the Cusano 18 Double Connecticut cigar’s already rich, creamy flavor. The incredible volume of flavor produced by this unique combination of filler tobacco, combined with the Double Connecticut Shade wrapper, offers a mouth-watering richness and a creamy finish in a mild to medium bodied cigar. The blondish wrapper of the Cusano 18 Double Connecticut gives off a greenish hue and the flavors that hit your palate are creamy sweet and grassy notes.

CUSANO 18 PAIRED MADURO CIGARS:

Cusano 18 Paired Maduro Cigars at My Discount Cigars

The Cusano 18 Paired Maduro Toro is a stout stogie with a lovely, shiny, brown wrapper. It produces a heavy and rich smoke and is fuller in taste and body. The Cusano 18 Paired Maduro Toro is blended with a Brazilian Mata Fina Maduro wrapper, a Dominican Piloto leaf for the filler, and a 1999 San Vicente Olor binder topped off with a Connecticut Broadleaf wrapper for a more intense, deep and full-flavored smoke. Expect to taste hints of smoky leather, herbal, woody and spicy undertones leading to a chewy, long finish. The flavors of the Cusano 18 Paired Maduro Toro cigar are well-balanced and rich. Dark and rich, pleasant to the touch, with a tart cedary finish, the Cusano 18 Paired Maduro Toro is a solid cigar through and through.

Aged to perfection, we hope you enjoy the well-rounded, 91-rated, Cusano 18 Double Connecticut and the Cusano 18 Paired Maduro cigars as much as we do.

RATED 91 BY CIGAR AFICIONADO!
Country of Origin: Dominican Republic
Flavor: Double Connecticut – Mild to Medium, Paired Maduro – Medium
Wrapper: Double Connecticut – 2 USA Connecticut Shade, Paired Maduro – USA Connecticut Broadleaf Maduro and Brazil
Binder: Dominican Republic
Filler: Brazil, Dominican Republic

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Cusano M1 Cigars at My Discount Cigars

CUSANO M1 CIGARS:

The Cusano M1 was created for the Macanudo lover on a budget. The Cusano M1 cigars are sweet and creamy with an excellent construction and satisfying flavor. For the smokers who prefer a more mellow, slightly sweeter, smooth and less expensive cigar the Cusano M1 is the perfect choice. Expect a long, gray ash and an easy draw. The Cusano M1 is an affordable cigar packed in a bundle of 20 and is one of the best values of all the Cusano blends. The Cusano M1 comes in 5 sizes: Cafe Robusto (5 x 36), Churchill (7 1/2 x 50), Corona (6 1/2 x 42), Robusto (5 x 50) and Torpedo (6 x 52T).

With its loose draw, semi flaky ash and fast but consistent burn the Cusano M1 does have a consistent flavor profile. The Cusano M1 exudes creamy toffee as well as coffee tones. Even though it has a one-dimensional flavor profile, it is still an enjoyable smoke.

It is blended with a mild Dominican mixed filler and a Connecticut shade wrapper. The Cusano M1 was rated a 9.0 by Smoke Magazine and ranks as one of the higher rated bundled cigars on the market. It is definitely worth your while to invest in a full bundle. The Cusano M1 is an excellent cigar to keep in your humidor to share with friends.

RATED 9.0 BY SMOKE MAGAZINE!
Country of Origin: Dominican Republic
Flavor: Mild
Wrapper: Connecticut Shade
Binder: Dominican Republic
Filler: Dominican Republic

The Cusano 18 Double Connecticut cigars, the Cusano 18 Paired Maduro cigars and the Cusano M1 cigars are all available online at MyDiscountCigar.com.

To read more about all of the Cusano blends please visit their site at CusanoCigars.com.

~ Peace, Love, Cigars ~

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The Cusano 18 Double Connecticut Robusto Cigar, as Reviewed by Jesse of CigarJack

Today I smoked a one year-old Cusano 18 Double Connecticut Robusto cigar. See how it stacked up against one I smoked about a year ago:

Here’s the story. About a year ago I smoked a Cusano 18 Double Connecticut Natural. For those of you who don’t know, this cigar is made with 18 year-old filler tobacco that was left over from some experimental wrapper leaf grown in the Dominican Republic way back when. I thought it was a pretty good, smooth smoke the first time I had it. Its main downfall was the harsh, almost “chemical” aftertaste that it left on my palate. I figured that some time in my coolerdoor might do it some good, so I left the box of 20-minus-one to sleep in my coolerdoor and forgot about it.

A year later (more or less) and here I am looking for a smoke to review. I skimmed over a couple Fuente boxes and came across this old box of Cusano’s. And I remembered my little experiment. I decided I’d pick up one of these sticks and give it a second look.

Here’s the review:

Cusano 18 Double Connecticut Robusto

Vital Stats

Size: 5×50, Robusto
Wrapper: Connecticut Shade, Natural
Binder: Dominican
Filler: Dominican
Country of Origin: Dominican Republic
Price: ~$3.75 in a box of 20
Smoke Time: ~1 hour and 15 minutes

Pre-Smoke

The Cusano 18 Double Connecticut Robusto cigar comes in boxes of 20 and each stick comes wrapped in cellophane. Upon removal of the plastic, it becomes evident that this is a very nice looking cigar. It has a smooth wrapper with a nice feel to it. It almost reminds me of swede. It isn’t toothy and has very few, if any veins running its length. It is pretty firm, but not overly packed with tobacco. It has a very large cap that should be quite hard to damage during the cut. The stick isn’t lumpy or uneven, and appears to be free of defect.

When I bring the foot of the cigar to my nose I get sweet cappuccino scents and almost a creamy vanilla bean character. It definitely entices the senses. The head clips easily and cleanly with my Cuban Crafter’s cutter (soon to be replaced by a Palio). The pre-light draw brings forth the same sweet cappuccino and vanilla notes as before. I’m looking forward to toasting this stogie.

Lighting Up

It only takes three wooden matches to get the foot of this cigar going. The Cusano 18 Double Connecticut Robusto is producing copious amounts of thick white smoke. The draw feels pretty moderate in my mouth, but the impression is that it is looser than it really is. I attribute this to the large amount of easy smoke this cigar produces.

The initial flavors of vanilla and light cappuccino come through even stronger during this first third of the Cusano 18 Double Connecticut Robusto cigar. The word “creamy” comes to mind when describing the feel on my palate. I get a slight “tingly”, peppery sensation on my lips and it seems to complement the rich creaminess of the cigar. The burn is pretty even, if not a little fast at the moment. There are also hints of distinct tobacco coming through.

Second Third

As the Cusano 18 Double Connecticut Robuto cigar progresses I begin to get some definite cedar notes at first. It begins to shift to a fresh oak or even maple aroma. It almost brings forth some thoughts of maple syrup. This is all probably due to the underlying sweetness of the cigar. It’s not an “in-your-face” processed white sugar sweetness, more of a natural cane sugar sweet. I also start to get some hazelnut notes. The cigar honestly reminds me of a creamy, frothy, smooth, hazelnut cappuccino. One thing to note, this is burning quickly, but really not all that hot. I’ll just have to slow down a bit.

Final Third

For its last third the Cusano 18 Double Connecticut cigar definitely looses is cedar and wood dimension and begins a sort of toasty spice flavor. By the end, the cigar just becomes downright bitter, and returns to that chemical aftertaste that I unfortunately had with my first experience with this cigar a year ago. All of the sweet creaminess that the cigar possessed early on has all but vanished and I end up putting this cigar down slightly past the band.

Bottom Line

For the most part, the Cusano 18 Double Connecticut was a good smoke. It was not entirely complex and the “hazelnut cappuccino” flavor that I used to describe its base remained for the majority of the cigar. This stick did benefit from some age. It was much smoother this time around. This was certainly a mild smoke, something that I would recommend as a good morning stick (maybe with a cappuccino?) or a good cigar for someone just getting into the habit – *cough* – hobby. One cannot overlook the price tag also. At under $6 a stick, the Cusano 18 Double Connecticut Robusto cigar is certainly something that everyone should try at least once.

Overall: 6 out of 10, BUY

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Thank you for sharing this great review with all the smokers out there Jesse!

Filed Under: Cigar Reviews Tagged With: 18 year old tobacco, 1985, 1985 harvest, aged 18 years, Brazilian Mata Fina, Brazilian Mata Fina wrapper, Cigar, Cigar Aficionado, Cigar Aficionado rated 91, Cigar Aficionado rating, Cigar Insider, Cigar M1 Cafe Robusto, Cigar Review, cigar reviews, cigarjack.net, cigars, cigars review, Connecticut Broadleaf, connecticut shade, Cuban Piloto, Cusano, Cusano 18, Cusano 18 cigar review, Cusano 18 Cigars, Cusano 18 Double Connecticut, Cusano 18 Double Connecticut Churchill, Cusano 18 Double Connecticut Cigar Review, Cusano 18 Double Connecticut Gordo, Cusano 18 Double Connecticut Robusto, Cusano 18 Double Connecticut Toro, Cusano 18 Paired Maduro, Cusano 18 Paired Maduro Churchill, Cusano 18 Paired Maduro cigar review, Cusano 18 Paired Maduro cigars, Cusano 18 Paired Maduro Gordo, Cusano 18 Paired Maduro Robusto, Cusano 18 Paired Maduro Toro, Cusano Cigars, Cusano Cigars Review, Cusano It's a Boy cigar, Cusano It's a Girl cigar, Cusano M1, Cusano M1 Churchill Connecticut, Cusano M1 cigar review, Cusano M1 Cigars, Cusano M1 Corona, Cusano M1 Robusto, Cusano M1 Torpedo, discount, Discount Cigars, Dolminican Oro, Dominican Republic, Double Connecticut Shade Wrapper, filler, It's a Boy, It's a Girl, January 2004, Jesse of CigarJack.net, Mata Fina, Mata Fina wrapper, My Discount Cigar, My Discount Cigars, MyDiscountCigar.com, rated 91, Robb Report, San Vicente, September 2004, Smoke Magazine, Smokeshop Selection, stogie, stout stogie, wholesale, wholesale cigars, wrapper

Tabak Especial Cigars, Blowing Smokers’ Minds Since 2008!

January 15, 2012 By Administrator Leave a Comment

Tabak Especial Robusto Negra at My Discount Cigars

Jonathan Drew and the Drew Estate team do it again! Another successful infused blend by Drew Estate that appeals to cigar lovers AND coffee drinkers all over the world. The Tabak Especial cigar is the culmination of Drew Estate taking the art of blending coffee and cigars to new heights. The process involves slowly infusing rich tobaccos with the finest Fair Trade harvested coffees from the fertile mountains of Nicaragua into the Tabak Especial line. Drew Estate has created a smoking experience that is pure tobacco velvet upon the palate with the perfect nuance of luscious espresso coffee. The combination results in pleasing yet not overpowering flavors of coffee beans and milk chocolate mixed with savory sweetness and the most enticing aroma.

The Tabak Especial line was designed by Drew Estate as a bridge between the smokers who are used to infused cigars, such as their ACID line, and the more traditional cigars that are not infused, like their Chateau Real line. The Tabak Especial cigar comes in 2 lines, the Dulce (Natural) line and the Negra (Maduro) line. Your choice of either extra-dark Connecticut Broadleaf or natural Connecticut Shade wrappers envelop a Sumatra binder and Nicaraguan Criollo filler leaves. Before aging, the cigars are slowly infused with Nicaraguan estate-grown coffee.

The Tabak Especial comes in several sizes both in the Dulce blend as well as the Negra blend. Here are just some of the sizes available: Belicoso (5 x 54), Cafecita (4 x 32, 10-count Tin), Corona (4 3/4 x 46), Robusto (5 x 54), Toro (6 x 52), Negra Sampler (5 various Negra cigars), and the Dulce Sampler (5 various Dulce cigars).

Tabak Especial Robusto Dulce Cigars At My Discount Cigars

Country of Origin: Nicaragua
Flavor: Dulce – Mild to Medium, Negra – Medium to Full
Wrapper: Dulce – Connecticut Shade-Grown, Negra – Extra Dark Connecticut Broadleaf
Binder: Nicaragua Sumatra
Filler: Nicaragua

The cigar smokers who miss the discontinued Drew Estate Kahlua brand, the Tabak Especial cigar is the blend that replaced them. The two blends are nearly identical in flavor. Tantalize your taste buds with a velvety sweet, perfectly balanced Tabak Especial cigar, it’s the bomb, we promise. If you have a sweet tooth the Tabak Especial cigar is the cigar for you (you won’t even crave dessert after smoking this treat)… it will appeal to even the most die-hard traditionalist!

The Tabak Especial blends are available here at MyDiscountCigar.com.

To read more about the Tabak Especial cigars, please visit DrewEstate.com.

~ Peace, Love, Cigars ~

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Drew Estate’s Tabak Especial Toro Negra Cigar Review by Tony Casas

Posted July 13, 2009

This week’s review will be that of Drew Estate - Tabak Especial line. I have made a decent sized purchase from cigar.com as of late, and couldn’t decide which one I wanted to hit first. I was VERY tempted to try the Cafe con Leche, as I have yet to try this one. But seeing how I was pre-paired with dark beers, I didn’t want to get lost in its smooth flavor.

So I decided on the Tabak Especial Toro Negra:

Drew Estate - Tabak Especial - (Image courtesey of cigar.com)

Drew Estate – Tabak Especial – (Image courtesy of cigar.com)

Just like last time cigar.com was really good about shipping these ASAP. If I’m not mistaken they ship from Pennsylvania, and since I live on the western most tip of Texas, I didn’t expect these anytime soon (especially since I’m a cheapskate and shipped value). Again, I was pleasantly surprised to receive my shipment only 3 days later. Each set of 3 cigars came wrapped in cellophane, then placed in air-tight ziplock cigar bags along with humi-care gel packets. Then each bag was shipped in separate boxed filled with air-filled protectant pouches. Pretty impressive.

The Good Stuff:

Strength: Medium - Size: 6 x 52 - Country: Nicaragua - Wrapper: Nicaraguan Maduro - Binder & Filler: Nicaraguan Sumatra / Nicaraguan Criollo

The Tabak Especial Toro Negra cigar is yet another amazingly constructed cigar by Drew Estate. It’s very rare that you get less than perfect from them. One of the first noticeable difference between this cigar and many others is the fact that it supports what is called “shaggy foot”. What a shaggy footed cigar is a cigar that’s inner filler tobacco leaves extend far further than the wrapper itself. Although it looks a bit funny it holds a purpose. By constructing a cigar this way you enable the smoker to enjoy the tastes of both the binder/filler tobacco separate than that of the wrapper. Along with this it is believed that it gives off a much more even burn as well.

Prelight: Again, the Tabak Especial Toro by Drew Estate cigar sports a flawless construction. The wrapper is a deep, extremely dark maduro which makes even the smallest flaw stand out. The Tabak Especial’s aroma consisted of very strong coffee with hints of cedar and cocoa. Unlike most other Drew Estates this cigar carries with it a dual band. One on the neck, and one at the foot of cigar. I am assuming this has something to do with the shaggy foot technique. The Tabak Especial Toro has a very well construction rounded cap, and a very oily wrapper. There were no soft spots. Again I am trusting my Cuban Crafters Perfecto double blade cutter, and a standard single flame Colibri torch.

First Smoke: First of all the Drew Estate Tabak Especial Negra Toro cigar was incredibly easy to light. This again, has to do with the shaggy foot. The toasting of the cigar was effortless, and resulted in a complete, perfect burn. The first scents were that of milk chocolate, lined with coffee, and of course tobacco. Unlike the Drew Estate – Rocky Patel Java, this cigar was much more mellow, and a lot sweeter. The cigar produced a very large draw right off the back , with large hefty smoke accompanying it. To my surprise the ask only held on for a little over 3/4 of an inch before releasing into my ash tray. The cigar was moist, so this was a shocker.

Halfway There: One great thing about the Tabak Especial Negra Toro cigar is even halfway through and further the draw doesn’t change, and neither for the strengths and flavor. Tabak Especial is a lighter strength cigar making the smoke very easy and relaxing. The ash is still spilling off quickly, but this is not bothersome in anyway. The cigar remains intact and there is absolutely no unwrapping of any kind.

Finish: As stated in previous posts, I’m not a nub smoker. I usually give in with an inch or so still left. I don’t know if it was the amazing conversation or the fact that this Drew Estate Tabak Especial Negra Toro cigar is so remarkable, but I took it all the way down to nothing. Literally, I burned the tips of my fingers trying to get every last drop outta this thing. This cigar is remarkable. It finishes just as easy as it begins holding its flavor all the way through. Absolutely no signs of unwrapping.

Overview: What can I say?! Drew Estate delivers again. The Tabak Especial Toro Negra is a remarkable cigar, from the burn, and construction to the draw and the flavors. I can honestly say even the most die-hard non-infused cigar smoker would be stupid not the at least give these a run.

On a side note: Recently I reviewed a Rocky Patel – Drew Estate – Java Maduro Box pressed cigar. To sum the differences up is pretty simple. Tabak Especial is a lot creamier, sweeter, and lighter than the Java line. Java boasts HUGE draws, and in your face strengths. Both come from opposites ends of the “coffee infused” spectrum.

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Thanks for the great review and insight, Tony!

Filed Under: Cigar Reviews Tagged With: 10-count tin, Acid, Belicoso Dulce, Belicoso Negra, binder, Cafecita, Cafecita Dulce, Cafecita Dulce 10-count Tin, Cafecita Negra, Cafecita Negra Tins, Cafecita Tin, Chateau Real, Cigar, cigar lovers, Cigar Review, cigar reviews, cigars, coffee, Coffee Flavored Cigars, coffee infused, coffee infused cigars, Colibri, Connecticut Broadleaf wrapper, Connecticut Shade wrapper, Corona Dulce, Corona Negra, discount, Discount Cigar, Discount Cigars, Drew Estate, Drew Estate Acid Cigars, Drew Estate cigar review, Drew Estate Cigars, Drew Estate Tabak Especial, Drew Estate Tabak Especial Cigars, Dulce, Dulce blends, Dulce cigars, Dulce line, Dulce Natural, Dulce Sampler, espresso coffee, filler, JAVA, Java cigar, Jonathan Drew, Marvin Samvel, My Discount Cigar, My Discount Cigars, MyDiscountCigar.com, Natural line, Negra, Negra blend, Negra Cigar Sampler, Negra Cigars, Negra line, Negra Maduro, Negra Sampler, Nicaragua, Nicaraguan coffee, Nicaraguan Criollo, Nicaraguan estate-grown coffee, Nicaraguan filler, roasted coffee flavored, Robusto Dulce, Robusto Dulce Cigars, Robusto Negra, Robusto Negra cigars, Rocky Patel Java, Scott Chester, shaggy foot, Sumatra, Sumatra binder, Tabak Especial, Tabak Especial Belicoso, Tabak Especial by Drew Estate, Tabak Especial Cafecita, Tabak Especial Cigars, Tabak Especial Corona, Tabak Especial Corona Dulce cigars, Tabak Especial Dulce Cigar Sampler, Tabak Especial Negra Sampler, Tabak Especial Robusto, Tabak Especial Robusto Dulce, Tabak Especial Robusto Negra, Tabak Especial Toro, Tabak Especial Toro Dulce, Tabak Especial Toro Negra, tobacco, Tony Casas, Tony Casas cigar review, toro, Toro Dulce, Toro Dulce Cigars, Toro Negra, Toro Negra Cigars, wholesale, wholesale cigar, wholesale cigars

Cigar Review of the Undeniably Luxurious Perdomo Grand Cru Blends

January 13, 2012 By Administrator Leave a Comment

Perdomo Grand Cru Cigars at My Discount Cigars

We recently had the pleasure of sampling the latest creation of Nick Perdomo Jr., the Perdomo Grand Cru blends. The Perdomo Grand Cru cigar is a very well-balanced Nicaraguan puro blended with all Cuban seed Semilla Habano tobacco that make up the fillers, binder as well as the wrapper. The “Grand Cru” which is basically the best yield of the best field, are blended with tobaccos which were hand-selected from Perdomo’s farm in 2004. The Perdomo Grand Cru cigars are offered in 3 different blends: the bold and full-flavored earthy Corojo, a dark, oily sweeter Maduro and a milder, creamy and pleasant Connecticut shade wrapper. (The bands are the only way to tell them apart. The Connecticut has a white background, the Maduro a black bacground and the Corojo a rusty colored background.) The Perdomo Grand Cru cigars are packaged in elegant, traditional boxes with 20 sticks each and are available in 4 sizes from a Churchill, to a Robusto, a Toro and as well as a Torpedo.

Connecticut Blend: The Perdomo Grand Cru Connecticut has a very smooth, light brown wrapper with no large veins, a gorgeous large cap and is firm to the touch without any soft spots. The flavor profile of the Perdomo Grand Cru Connecticut cigar progresses from a lovely mild and nutty forefront with just enough smoke, not too much, to a short-lived hint of bourbon that lingers for a few seconds, and finishes off with more spicy and peppery elements in the final third. The creamy consistency remains in the background from beginning to the end of the Perdomo Grand Cru Connecticut cigar.

Maduro Blend: The Perdomo Grand Cru Maduro cigars are well balanced and blended with the “Grand Cru”, or the best of the best hand-selected yield from Perdomo’s farms from their 2004 vintage tobaccos. The Perdomo Grand Cru Maduro cigar will offer a consistent burn, great draw and a solid ash. The flavor profile of the Perdomo Grand Cru Maduro cigar resonates dark and sweet chocolates, earthiness, pepper and a slight caramel undertone. Its flavors are consistent from start to end with a dry, mild peppery finish While the Perdomo Grand Cru Maduro starts off more medium bodied with a sweetness and an acidic tang, it finishes as a full-bodied cigar with leather undertones and burns cool.

With 4 sizes and 3 blends to choose from you simply can’t go wrong with the Perdomo Grand Cru cigars. Spring for a Perdomo Grand Cru cigar, kick up your feet and enjoy a luxurious smoking experience this weekend!

Perdomo Grand Cru Cigars at My Discount Cigars

Country of Origin: Nicaragua
Flavor: Medium to Full
Wrapper: Connecticut
Binder: Nicaragua
Filler: Nicaragua

The Perdomo Grand Cru cigars can be found online here at MyDiscountCigar.com.

To read more about the Perdomo Grand Cru cigars please visit PerdomoCigars.com.

~ Peace, Love, Cigars ~

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Perdomo Grand Cru Maduro Robusto Cigar Review by Todd Wilson of Indulge Cigars

Size: 5×50
Country: Nicaraguan Puro
Wrapper: Semilla Habano
Binder: Semilla Habano
Filler: Semilla Habano
Strength: Mild-Medium
Cost: $5.29 per

The Cigar: The Perdomo Grand Cru Robusto Maduro is available also in Corojo, the Perdomo Grand Cru Maduro Robusto is packaged in traditional 20 count boxes with an ugly brown band. Perdomo promotes this line by stating that the wrapper, filler and binder are all, “Cuban-seed (Semilla Habano). The best of the best yeild from our farms in 2004″. Let’s find out.

The prelight aroma of the Perdomo Grand Cru Robusto Maduro is both rich and sweet. The pre-light draw is very easy and the cigar simply looks beautiful with its dark, oily, toothy wrapper. Good looks are a trademark of Perdomo cigars, but the proof is in the puffing.

1st 3rd: So far, the Perdomo Grand Cru Robusto Maduro has the easiest draw of any perdomo I’ve ever smoked. There’s a base of coffee and caramel with a touch of cedar and a remarkably long, malty finish. The white ash is speckled, which is no surprise when considering the tooth on the wrapper.

2nd 3rd: I’ve read a couple reviews on this cigar that ciriticized the burn, but so far, it’s burning and drawing perfectly. The first ash makes it past the inch mark, which exceeded my expections because of the easy draw. Cedar is really coming through now and a spicy kick is keeping me interested in this full bodied cigar. The sweet smoke is also ruining the discipline that normally keeps me from puffing too fast, I need to slow down.

Final 3rd: Do not smoke the Grand Cru outdoors. The aroma is zesty and tantilizing on the nose and really adds to the experience. The final stretch is producing a flavor and scent of charred marshmallow on a stick over a campfire. I know that line sounds like bullshit, but it really does. The sweet, cedary spices last all the way to the end and grow slightly in their intensity.

The vedict: I really like this cigar. The Perdomo Grand Cru Maduro Robusto is a sweeter, spicier version of the Perdomo Habano Maduro. An effortless burn and draw convinces me that Perdomo is finally starting to realize that a pretty cigar is no good unless smoke comes out of it. I guess I’m still bitter from all the blood vessels I burst during the begining of the decade trying to produce smoke from a Perdomo Squared. Let’s hope that chapter is finally starting to close.

Pairing: This Perdomo Grand Cru Maduro Robusto went very nicely with a glass of Glenmorangie 10yr Single Malt Scotch.

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Thanks for an awesome review Todd!

An Indepth Cigar Review of Matt Booth’s Room 101 Cigars

January 5, 2012 By Administrator 10 Comments

With visions of fine accessories, including a humidor series unlike anything else on the cigar market, and lighters as well as cutters, Matt Booth teamed up with Christian Eiroa, of Camacho Cigars, and Room 101 Cigars were born! The Room 101 cigars are handcrafted and specially blended by Camacho Cigars in Honduras for California designer and musician Matt Booth. Matt teamed up with Camacho to launch Room101 cigars which are highly flavorful and enjoyable. Matt names each cigar in this line after area codes. He utilizes the very exclusive Semilla 101 wrapper from Habano-seed grown solely for this project by the Eiroa family’s farm in Danli, Honduras. The Room 101 cigars are also blended with aged long-fillers from the Dominican Republic and Honduras, and a Honduran binder giving them a smooth, medium-bodied flavor.

The following sizes are currently available: Room101 213 (Corona), Room101 305 (Robusto), Room101 323 (Toro), Room101 404 (Torpedo), Room101 702 (11/18 Perfecto), and Room101 808 (Bertha Gordo). They are available in Connecticut shade as well as Maduro. The packaging the Room101 cigars come in are the traditional slide-top cedar boxes with a matte black lacquer and silver foil branding which was a collaboration between Matt Booth, Franco Vescovi and Dylan Austin.

Room101 at My Discount Cigars

Get ready for a burst of full-on flavors of earth, espresso, cocoa, spice, wood, cedar, pepper and cream in your mouth with the Room101 cigars! Every Room101 cigar is adorned with a silver and black band reminiscent of a cross between American tattoo culture and Japanese designs. With their excellent construction you won’t have a need to relight the Room 101 stick after the initial light. They have an even burn, strong ash, and thick, billowy smoke.

With Matt Booth’s unconventional, original, creative and diverse array of accessories, jewelry, leathers, wallet chains and other art, it’s a delight that he has added the Room101 cigars to his fine line. He is a true visionary, original, gifted and creative and you can experience it first-hand with his Room101 cigars. Matt took a small idea, that was born in a small Hollywood apartment, and made it explode into a worldwide movement! For a tasty, easygoing and highly rated smoke, try one of the Room 101 cigars today and become a convert.

RATED 86 – 89 BY CIGAR INSIDER AND CIGAR AFICIONADO FOR SEVERAL OF THEIR BLENDS!

Country of Origin: Honduras
Flavor: Medium Body
Wrapper: Honduran Semilla 101
Binder: Honduras
Filler: Dominican Republic and Honduras

Room101 Cigars are available online here at MyDiscountCigar.com.

To read more information about the Room101 Cigars please visit their website at Room101cigars.com.

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Cigar Coop’s Review of the Room101 #305 (Robusto) Connecticut Cigar

From talking to retailers and media, it seems as though a big theme for the 2011 cigar year has been the Connecticut/ Ecuadorian shade wrapper. There have been some very good Connecticut/ Ecuadorian shade wrapper cigars introduced this year including the E.P. Carrillo New Wave Connecticut, J&D Temptation Claro, and the Alec Bradley American Classic. With these solid releases, I didn’t know what to expect from the new releases at the IPCPR show. When I visited the Room 101 section of the Davidoff booth, Room 101 founder Matt Booth handed me a sample of his new Connecticut cigar. The end result was after smoking this cigar, the bar had been raised for 2011 for Connecticut/ Ecuadorian shade cigars.

As I said when I previewed this cigar last week, I consider Matt Booth a friend. At the same time, Booth is the kind of guy who I know you could give honest feedback when it comes to his brand. Therefore my thoughts here are not influenced one bit from that friendship.

Last year, I thought AJ Fernandez knocked it out of the park with his San Lotano Connecticut. From my initial impressions of this sample, the Room 101 Connecticut is even better. Since this was an unbanded sample and I still need to fill some holes in from a technical standpoint on this cigar, I’ve opted to go with a Pre-Review. I’m confident this impression is accurate on what this cigar brings to the table.

Blend Profile

I have some repetition from when I previewed this cigar, but I want to include it for completeness. For this Connecticut Shade wrapper, Booth was able to tap into being a part of the Davidoff family and leveraged a Davidoff tobacco for this wrapper.

Wrapper: Connecticut Shade (Ecuador)
Binder: Honduras Corojo
Filler: Honduras, Dominican Republic

Vitolas Available

213 (Corona): 5 1/2 x 44

305 (Robusto): 5 x 50
404 (Torpedo): 6 x 54
808 (Double Toro): 6 x 60
615 (Churchill): 7 x 48

702 (11/18 Perfecto): 6 x 48/54

Preparation for the Cigar Experience

The sample I received was an unbanded Room101 305c Connecticut cigar. Since I only had a straight cutter with me, I defaulted to a straight cut. The initial flavors from the prelight draw were pretty much what I expected – a nice butter cream. What surprised me was how robust the dry draw notes were. It was then on to fire up this sample and see what would come next.

Flavor Profile

The butter notes I got on the initial draws were present right at the start. There was also a hint of citrus sweetness at the beginning. The butter notes soon got more robust. I couldn’t put my finger on what made these butter notes special and I mentioned it to Booth. Booth responded by asking me if it had a taste like buttered popcorn – and I concurred with this. Overall, the Room101 305C cigar produced one of the most unique butter tastes I ever got on a Connecticut shade wrapper.

As the smoking experience progressed through the first half, the citrus notes got more pronounced and meshed very well with the butter flavors. Around the halfway point, some notes of spice emerged. The spice was a nice cross between pepper and cedar spice. The spice was the dominant flavor note in the second half, and much of the butter notes were pretty much diminished at this point. The finish had a nice spice kick to it with no harshness. The resulting nub was a little soft, but it was cool.

Burn and Draw

At IPCPR, sometimes it is typical to smoke a sample and have problems with the burn and draw due to storage and humidity. Being IPCPR was in Las Vegas, there was an obvious shortage of humidity in the atmosphere. However with my Room 101 305 (Robusto) sample, it shined when it came to burn and draw. The burn was for the most part sharp with few touch-ups needed. The Room 101 Connecticut never burned hot and it burned at a good rate. The draw was excellent as well making for a very enjoyable smoke.

Burn of the Room 101 Connecticut

Strength and Body

The Room101 305c was a very interesting profile for a Connecticut Shade cigar. From a nicotine standpoint, the Room 101 Connecticut falls into the mild to medium range. From a body standpoint, this is where things got interesting. The depth of the flavors are actually on the high end of the medium range – and in some cases, I detected the body to actually be medium to full. The Room 101 305-Connecticut robusto is one of those cigars that makes it easy to distinguish the difference between strength and body.

Final Thoughts

The Room 101 #305 Connecticut cigar was a surprise to some that it was even being released. It was even a bigger surprise as I do feel it was one of the highlights of IPCPR. The flavors are pronounced and literally “dance at you” as you smoke this cigar. This cigar was nothing short of a home run and I think will appeal to both new and seasoned cigar enthusiasts. This one is well worth checking out.

Summary

Burn: Excellent
Draw: Excellent
Complexity: Medium
Strength: Mild to Medium
Body: Medium (Medium to Full at times)

Source: This sample was received at the 2011 IPCPR Trade Show. The sample was initiated by Matt Booth of Room 101 Cigars in order to provide feedback. I am appreciative for the sample, but in no way does this influence this review.

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Thanks to William Cooper for this helpful review!

Filed Under: Cigar Reviews Tagged With: 213C, 305c, 323C, 404c, 615c, 702c, 808c, accessories, area codes, art, artist, Booth, boutique cigars, California, Camacho, Camacho cigars, Christian Eiroa, Cigar, cigars, connecticut, connecticut shade, Danli Honduras, designer Matt Booth, discount, Discount Cigars, Dominican Republic, Dylan Austin, Eiroa family, Franco Vescovi, Hollywood, Honduran binder, Honduras, Japanese, Japanese designs, jewelry, leather, Los Angeles, maduro, Matt Booth, medium-bodied, My Discount Cigar, My Discount Cigars, MyDiscountCigar.com, Namakubi, Namakubi Sucio, Namakubi Tiburon, Room 101, Room 101 305c, Room 101 323, Room 101 Cigars, Room101, Room101 #323, Room101 213, Room101 305, Room101 404, Room101 615, Room101 702, Room101 808, Room101 accessories, Room101 Cigars, Room101 Namakubi, Room101 Namakubi Monstro, Semilla 101, Semilla 101 wrapper, tattoo, tattoo culture, Tattoos, wholesale, wholesale cigars

Pete Johnson Does it Again – A Review of Tatuaje’s Miami Blend

December 22, 2011 By Administrator 1 Comment

Tatuaje Cabinet Cigars at My Discount Cigar

Tatuaje, which is Spanish for “tattoo”, are a collection of different lines of medium to full-bodied cigars in the true old world, Cuban-style, created in 2003 by Pete Johnson, musician, tattoo buff, and one laid-back and very approachable guy. The Tatuaje Seleccion de Cazador line (also known as the Brown Label line, or Miami line as well as the Cabinet line) was created by Pete with the help of Jose Don “Pepin” Garcia and are manufactured at the El Rey de los Habanos factory in Miami, Florida, and at Tabacalera Cubana S.A. in Esteli, Nicaragua. While Pete believes that Cuban cigars are the wheel in the cigar world, he points out that he isn’t trying to reinvent the wheel, he’s only trying to create the best copy of the Cuban profile possible. In each Tatuaje blend and stick you smoke you will note that Pete gives each cigar a personal touch and the time it deserves. Pete values aroma and flavor above all other factors. With the Tatuaje Brown/Miami line Pete describes the blending and rolling process as “It is as if I’m the conductor and Pepin’s the orchestra.”

Rated in the high 90s by Cigar Aficionado, the Tatuaje Seleccion de Cazador cigar is a highly-coveted cigar blended entirely of first generation Cuban-seed tobaccos grown in Nicaragua and cured to perfection, wrapped in a flavorful Ecuadorian Habano wrappers with a lovely Cuban-style triple-cap hand rolled by Master Rollers in Little Havana Miami, Florida. The Tatuaje Seleccion de Cazador cigar will tantalize your taste buds with its robust, medium to full-bodied, leathery character and an abundance of other flavors such as wood, earth and pepper on the finish.

Tatuaje Cabinet, or “Brown Label,” cigars are made in very limited quantities to be able to maintain its top-notch high level of consistency and quality making it one of the most rare cigars on the market. The Tatuaje Seleccion de Cazador is Spanish for “The Hunter’s Selection” and this line was actually named after one of Pete’s dogs, Hunter (the first letter of each vitola’s name spells H-U-N-T-E-R). We have great respect for Pete and his fine lines of cigars and believe us, after sampling the rich, spicy, earthy and complex Tatuaje Miami cigar you will be a convert as well.

Country of Origin: Miami, USA
Flavor: Medium to Full
Wrapper: Nicaragua Corojo 99
Binder: Nicaragua
Filler: Nicaragua

Tatuaje Miami (Cabinet, or Seleccion de Cazador) Cigars are available online here at MyDiscountCigar.com.

Read more about Tatuaje Seleccion de Cazador cigars at TatuajeCigars.com.

A REVIEW OF THE TATUAJE SELECCION DE CAZADOR NOELLAS BY ADAM, FROM FIRE UP THAT CIGAR

December 6, 2010 By Adam

Wrapper: Nicaraguan
Binder: Nicaraguan
Filler: Nicaraguan
Made In: Miami, FL USA – El Rey de los Habanos
Size: Noella, 5 1/8 x 42 Corona

Appearance & Construction: The Tatuaje Seleccion de Cazador Noellas cigar is a spectacular sight. This nice looking corona has a darker brown colored wrapper with nice oils and some smaller veins. The construction is absolutely flawless with this cigar. Clean and even seam, extremely clean looking triple cap, and absolutely no soft or hard spots.

Smoking Characteristics: No surprises here; the Tatuaje Cabinet/Seleccion de Cazador Noellas cigar has a perfect draw that produces a good amount of smoke. The burn is a little off but quickly corrected itself as I smoked. The ash was average but was a little chunky in some areas.

Flavor: The Tatuaje Noellas cigar has nice complex flavors of cedar, coffee, chocolate, leather and a touch of pepper. The foundation of flavors is basic, but they come together so well. Everything is so complex and balanced to absolute perfection. In the second third, the chocolaty notes really took center stage and pushed the coffee to the side just a bit; it was still present but more in the background. At the beginning of the final third I picked up some nice tea-like flavors that took me down to the nub of this cigar. Body on the Tatuaje Noellas is medium to full and the strength is nothing to worry about.

Final Thoughts: The Tatuaje Miami Noellas cigar is not just a home run; it’s a walk off grand slam to win the World Series in game 7. Everything from the construction, to the draw, to the size, to the ash, the flavor – you name it, this cigar is fantastic. For the longest time, the Regios was my favorite size in the Tatuaje Seleccion de Cazador collection. That was until I picked up a few of these to review for the site. This size was never available locally for me and I just skipped this size all together. But the Noellas is the staple of the Tatuaje collection and is defiantly on my list to get a box of. If you are a fan of full flavored cigars, do yourself a favor and seek yourself out some of these. You will not regret it and you may even become a better man for it.

Cigar Rating: Excellent

Adam, thanks for the great review!

Filed Under: Cigar Reviews Tagged With: Brown Label Line, Brown Line, Cabaiguan, Cabaiguan Guapos, Cabinet, Cigar Aficionado, cigars, cigars online, Cojonu, discount, Discount Cigar, Discount Cigars, Don Garcia, Don Jose Pepin Garcia, Don Pepin Garcia, El Rey de los Habanos, Esteli, Hunter, Jose Don Pepin Garcia, Jose Garcia, Miami Noellas, My Discount Cigar, My Discount Cigars, MyDiscountCigar.com, Nicaragua, Pepin Garcia, Pete Johnson, Petite Tatuaje, Regios, Seleccion de Cazador, Spanish, Tabacalera Cubana S.A., Tattoos, Tatuaje, Tatuaje Ambos Mundos, Tatuaje Brown Line, Tatuaje Cabinet, Tatuaje Cigars, Tatuaje El Triunfador, Tatuaje Fausto, Tatuaje Havana VI, Tatuaje La Casita Criolla, Tatuaje La Riqueza, Tatuaje La Verite Vintage, Tatuaje Limited Release, Tatuaje Maimi, Tatuaje Noella, Tatuaje Noellas Cigars, Tatuaje Reserva, Tatuaje Seleccion de Cazador, Tatuaje Series P, tatuajecigars.com, Unicos, wholesale, wholesale cigars

My Father Cigars: A Tribute to Don Jose Pepin Garcia

December 16, 2011 By Administrator 2 Comments

My Father cigars will take you by surprise from your first puff till you nub it! The My Father cigar is blended by Jaime Garcia, who is the son of Don Jose Pepin Garcia, in their factory in Esteli, Nicaragua. It was Jaime’s way of paying tribute to his legendary father. At first Jaime kept it a secret, but eventually Jose discovered it and fell in love with his son’s blend. In his blend of the My Father cigar, Jaime uses Nicaraguan long-fillers (grown from Cuban seed in Esteli) and an Ecuadorian Habano Rosado/Criollo hybrid wrapper. There is a second blend where they use a Habano Oscuro wrapper and that line is called the My Father Le Bijou 1922 (available in 3 sizes).

The My Father cigars are available in 8 sizes. The My Father cigars are packaged in an elaborate wooden box, with beautiful bands, a light chocolate brown satiny wrapper (with just a few veins) and their popular triple-caps. The blend combines the ultimate of Nicaragua with a twist of old-world Havana. My Father cigar is a very well constructed cigar and is well-balanced to boot. The distinct creamy wood notes of the My Father cigars are rounded out by hints of leather and pepper with a long finish. The smoke is robust, velvety and complex. The My Father cigar is a firm cigar with a tight ash and you can actually see the layers of tobacco its constructed with as you smoke through this beauty. My Father cigars will leave your palate satiated with their medium-to-full-bodied rich, floral, woody undertones, earthiness and satisfying creamy sweetness. There is a distinct spice to the finish but it tapers off progressively to a creamy and nutty smoothness toward the 2nd half of the cigar.

If you love his father’s blends, just wait till you take a puff of Jaime’s My Father cigars! The My Father cigars, as well as the My Father Le Bijou blend, are classy and pleasing from start to end and are definitely a must-have addition to anyone’s smoking repertoire. The My Father No. 3 Cremas were voted 2009′s “Best Cigar of the Year” by Cigar Aficionado with a rating of 94!

My Father cigars are available online here at MyDiscountCigar.com.

Read more about My Father cigars at www.myfathercigars.com.

Cigar Review of the My Father Cigar Limited Edition 2010 by Smoking Hot Cigar Chick

Country of Origin: Nicaragua

Flavor: Medium to Full

Wrapper: Ecuadorian Habano Rosado

Binder: Nicaragua Filler:Nicaragua

Size: 6 1/2 x 52

Quantity: 12

I had the pleasure of tasting a very special cigar with limited availability- the My Father Limited Edition 2010. I want to thank Jose Ortega for giving me this cigar for review. I knew I wanted to enjoy it on a day that would be important to me, and that I definitely did. We often discuss “special occasions” but this was an important day of reflection for me and I wanted a cigar that would represent it well.

The My Father Limited Edition is particularly special in that the bunching is done by Jaime Garcia and the rolling and wrapper is placed by Don Pepin Garcia. The production of the My Father Limited Edition 2010 cigar is limited to 2000 cigars (individually wrapped in their own coffin and numbered) and marks a great and important relationship between father and son. This is instantly seen in the construction of the cigar and enjoyed throughout the duration of the smoke.

There are five different types of seeds used to make the blend for the My Father Limited Edition 2010 cigar, and it should be noted that two leaves within this cigar are known as Pelo de Oro- hair of gold. This is a leaf that was banned in Cuba because of its tendency to produce blue mold, making this a difficult leaf to grow. Pepin took special time and care to growing this leaf and though he has used it in the past, it can be seen here in this cigar for what is my understanding, the last time.

The construction really stands out in the My Father Limited Edition 2010 cigar as you smoke, and the burn is a slow and even one. For me this was a solid medium bodied cigar with maybe a bit more strength in the finish- but still in my mind in the medium bodied style. The balance is wonderful and something to be appreciated. The flavors were all there as if to tell a story- nothing overpowered or masked the others. I tasted many woodsy notes throughout the cigar, primarily cedar, and a subtle sweetness. There were some earth and peppery notes, pepper especially in the beginning which would make an appearance only as necessary throughout the rest of the smoke. It didn’t stay or distract the palate from enjoying the other flavor characteristics going on.

The My Father Limited Edition 2010 is a cigar I look forward to enjoying again (I have had to fortune of finding a box at a local shop and saving some for another special day). I like to make occasions out of every day.. some stand out more than others but there is always something to take the time to pause and appreciate what is important to you. For those who asked, the restaurant location that closed was the Pappas Grill just off of Highway 59 near the Beltway. It was a happy/angry night… happy to enjoy the moment but angry to see it go. The staff all still have employment in the company but all at different locations. It was a night I certainly won’t forget, nor will I forget the many happy experiences I have had there with my friends.

Thank you Teresa!!

Filed Under: Cigar Reviews Tagged With: Cigar Aficionado, cigars, discount, Don Jose Pepin Garcia, Jaime Garcia, Le Bijou, Le Bijou 1922, Limited Edition 2010, My Discount Cigar, My Father, My Father Cigars, My Father No. 3 Cremas, MyDiscountCigar.com, Pepin Garcia, SmokingHotCigarChick

J. Fuego Sangre de Cristo Video Cigar Review

May 27, 2011 By Administrator 1 Comment

Check out our latest review of the newest J. Fuego cigar, the J. Fuego Sangre de Cristo Corona Gorda. A excellent addition to his already stellar lineup of the J. Fuego 777 Maduro, J. Fuego 777 Corojo and the J. Fuego 777 Zero, this new comer is sticking around for sure!

Filed Under: Cigar Reviews Tagged With: 777, 777 Corojo, 777 Maduro, 777 Zero, Fuego, J Fuego, J. Fuego Sangre de Toro, My Discount Cigar, MyDiscountCigar, Sangre de Toro

Cain Daytona Cigars Race to the Finish

May 12, 2011 By Administrator 1 Comment

Cain Daytona My Discount Cigar

Cain Daytona My Discount Cigar

Cain Daytona Cigars available at My Discount Cigar

Cain Daytona cigars have recently been released as a new brand for the Studio Tobac project. Cain Daytona have a very smooth complexity that varies from all other Cain cigar blends. The Oliva cigar family has earned an impressive reputation in the world of premium cigars over the last 5 years. As one of the cigar world’s most notable cigar manufacturers, their impressively high rated cigars are generally only found at the most premium of cigar retailers world wide. In 2007, Oliva Cigars received an incredible ’94′ rating from Cigar Aficionado for their Oliva Serie ‘V’ line of cigars. They have also put out a series of highly acclaimed blends with Cain, Cain ‘F,’ and Nub. Cain Daytona cigars come from Nicaragua. The filler is an impressive blend of long filler full-bodied ligero leaves from the Jalapa Valley in Nicaragua, but the cigar is wrapped with a milder Habano wrapper for a mellow, medium-bodied smoking experience. If you’ve tried the other Cain blends within their lineup and have found that it’s a bit too strong or overwhelming – then the Cain Daytona Cigars are the blend you should try.

Cain Daytona Cigar Review by A Cigar Smoker’s Journal:

Cigar: Cain Daytona 646
Size: 6 x 46 (Corona)
Wrapper: Nicaragua Habano
Binder: Nicaragua Habano
Filler: Nicaragua (100% Jalapa Valley)
Strength: Medium
Cigars Smoked For Review: 3

Cain Daytona Corona 646 My Discount Cigar

Appearance and Construction: I really dig the shade of orange used on the band, which is on the foot of the Cain Daytona. I’ve said it before, so I’ll say it again. I think some of the Studio Tobac colors and designs would look sweet as a NASCAR sponsor and I am not a fan of the sport. Once the first few laps pass, and there are no major wrecks I lose interest. I’m not looking for anyone to get hurt, but there are only so many left hand turns you can watch. As for the cigar itself there are a few veins present on the Cain Daytona some of which run vertical which I don’t see to often. The cigar is rolled well, though the foot seems to be a little bit loose.

Flavor & Notes: The foot of the Cain Daytona cigar is a little bit musky to the nose but there is also a slight berry like existence present as well. The draw from this cigar serves up notes of earth with a classic barnyard edge to it and an underlying sweetness. Once lit there is some spice present and a red pepper through the nose, but it doesn’t wreck you. As I smoke the first third of the Cain Daytona, notes of espresso are dominant and are compliment with some nuts and some caramel sweetness. As we approach the second third the nuts begin to take center stage with some spices and a continued sweetness. The final third has some floral notes especially through the nose. Also present in the Cain Daytona are some caramel and nuts with a slightly earthy finish.

Smoking Characteristics: The Cain Daytona Corona 646 had a perfect draw that produced a nice volume of thick smoke that had a toasty aroma to the nose. The cigar produced a mostly light color ash with some salt & pepper effects to it that held on very well for a corona. The burn was crisp, but the carbon line stood out some, perhaps suggesting the cigars were a little young and could use some more aging.

Conclusion: The Cain Daytona is the perfect answer for those who felt the Cain was too strong and was all about strength, not flavor. This medium bodied smoke has a nice subtle complexity and is extremely smooth. I forsee a box purchase for myself in the near future and it left me anticipating future releases from Studio Tobac.

Rating: 91

Thanks for the Cain Daytona cigar review Barry!

Follow Barry and A Cigar Smoker’s Journal on Twitter

Filed Under: Cigar Reviews Tagged With: A Cigar Smoker's Journal, acigarsmoker.com, Cain, Cain Cigars, Cain Daytona, Cain Daytona Cigar Review, Cain Daytona Cigars, Cain F, Cain Habano, Cain Maduro, Cigar Aficionado, Cigar Review, Daytona Cigars, Jalapa Valley, My Discount Cigar, MyDiscountCigar.com, Nicaragua, Oliva, Oliva Cigars, Studio Tobac

E.P. Carillo is #8 Cigar of the Year by Cigar Aficionado

May 3, 2011 By Administrator 8 Comments

EP Carillo My Discount Cigar

EP Carillo Cigars at My Discount Cigar

E.P. Carrillo cigars is the inaugural launch of Ernesto Perez-Carrillo’s new venture, EPC Cigar Co. After over thirty years in the cigar business and selling his first venture (the world famous brand La Gloria Cubana) to Swedish Match, Ernesto Perez-Carrillo started E.P. Carillo Cigar Co. with his son, Ernie, and daughter, Lissette, to form a unique boutique cigar brand that is distinguished by its distinctive flavors and aromas, and superb construction.

The E.P. Carrillo Edición Inaugural 2009 blend of cigars consists of rare tobaccos aged 2-5 years including an Ecuadorian wrapper that was grown in extremely limited quantities. E.P. Carillo Cigar Co. has ownership of all of the inventory of this wrapper, and maintains exclusive rights to all future production of this sought after tobacco. Due to the extreme scarcity of this wrapper, E.P. Carrillo Edición Inaugural 2009 will be produced in limited quantities.

Cigar Aficionado names the EP Carillo Cigar #8 Cigar of the Year!

Ernesto Perez-Carrillo has been making cigars for a very, very long time. He learned his world renowned cigar craft from his father, working in Little Havana, Miami at their tiny factory called El Credito Cigars, the birthplace of the non-Cuban La Gloria Cubana. That cigar quickly became one of the first genuine hits of the cigar boom, and exploded into something much more popular. Later Ernesto Perez-Carrillo sold his cigar venture to Swedish Match AB, and in March 2009 he left the company to create a new cigar business with his son and daughter: EPC Cigar Co. He has come out with four cigars since 2009: the E.P. Carrillo Short Run, his so-called “core” line, and two limited editions, one each year. The E.P. Carrillo Elencos Limited Edition is his newest, andsome say his best, a mellow and leathery cigar that blends flavors of sweetness and coffee. The only real problem with this cigar is its rarity—the E.P. Carrillo is only producing 1,000 boxes, each containing 10 cigars. Perez-Carrillo is back and has already made a bold statement that he is a legend both of the past and of today.

E.P. Carillo Cigar Review by our friends at ToastedFoot

The E.P. Carrillo “Core” line was released this year at IPCPR in New Orleans and features a blend of Nicaraguan and Dominican tobaccos wrapped up in an Ecaudorian wrapper. This line of the E.P. Carrillo is meant to be the regular production cigar for E.P. Carrillo Cigar Company and is priced between six and nine dollars per stick, depending on which of the various sizes you choose: Churchill Especial, Club 52, Encantos, Golosos, Predilectos Torpedos, and Regalias Real are the sizes available in this line of cigars. We have reviewed two other E.P. Carrillo cigars on Toasted Foot. The Short Run, which can be viewed here, and the E.P. Carrillo Edicion Inaugural 2009, viewed here.

Now, on to the toast…

Pre-light, 1.8:
Picking up the E.P. Carrillo Encantos, the first thing I notice is how well constructed this cigar is. The brown wrapper is in great shape with just a hint of tooth in between the fingers. The cigar is well packed with no soft spots and on top of the head is a cap that is constructed extremely well. The pre-light aroma is of light tobacco but as I move towards the foot, the notes turn to a more mature tobacco with a hint of light spice.

Burn, 1.9:
Cut, toasted, and lit, the E.P. Carrillo Encantos has a fantastic draw that produces plenty of smoke. The ash layers nicely and holds well past an inch, which is where I usually let them go in the tray as opposed to my shirt. The cigars required no touch up or re-lights and the smoke temperature was excellent throughout. This is one of the most well constructed cigars I have smoked in a long time.

Flavor, 2.8:
The first puff on the EP Carillo Encantos produces a base of solid tobacco that is somewhat creamy, with just a hint of light spice. Into the second third the notes firm up a bit and the tobacco seems to take on a woody profile, with the spice staying in the background. Into the second third, the spice is more present and there are a variety of notes competing for attention. I cannot identify them all, but it was a nice blend of cedar, dried fruits, and lively tobacco. The last third finds a bit more spice introduced into the mix, but the cigar is still well balanced and I hate to see this one end.

Overall, 2.8:
This is yet another solid offering from E.P. Carrillo cigars and family. The cigar leans more toward medium body to me, but is full of flavor. The finish is solid throughout and the cigar is consistent from start to finish. I recommend this smoke and you will probably be seeing it in a 2010 Top 10 list here and there.

(Total: 9.3)

Thank you ToastedFoot!

Filed Under: Cigar Reviews Tagged With: E.P. Carillo, El Credito Cigars, Elencos, Elencos Limited Edition, EP Carillo, EP Carillo Elencos, Ernesto Perez Carrillo, IPCPR, La Gloria Cubana, My Discount Cigar, MyDiscountCigar.com, Swedish Match, Toasted Foot

Acid Cigars Take the Cigar World by Storm!

April 26, 2011 By Administrator 4 Comments

Acid Cigars at My Discount Cigar

ACID cigars are now the 4th best selling cigar in the world!!

Acid cigars are all hand made using the world’s best tobaccos utilizing over 140 botanicals, herbs and essential oils to produce their unique flavor, aroma and essence. The only way to truly grasp ACID cigars is to actually smoke them. Rolled by Drew Estate in Connecticut, Sumatra, Maduro and African wrappers (depending on the cigar you choose), like all Drew Estate cigars, the construction and flavor are both perfect. Unlike any cigar you’ve ever had before or will ever smoke again.

Some of the most popular Acid Cigars are the Acid Kuba Kuba, Acid Blondie, Acid Cold Infusion Tea, Acid Earthiness and the Acid Liquid

Read more about Acid Cigars, and other Drew Estate Cigars like Natural, Ambrosia, Tabak Especial at My Discount Cigar

Filed Under: Cigar Reviews Tagged With: Acid, Acid Blondie, Acid Cigars, Acid Kuba Kuba, Ambrosia, Blondie, Cold Infusion Tea, Drew Estate, Earthiness, Kuba Kuba, Liquid, My Discount Cigar, Natural Cigars, Tabak Especial

Pinar Pre-Embargo Serie B Rothschild

April 10, 2011 By Administrator Leave a Comment

Quick Smoke: Pinar Pre-Embargo Serie B Rothschild

Each Saturday & Sunday we’ll post a Quick Smoke: not quite a full review, just our brief verdict on a single cigar of “buy,” “hold,” or “sell.”

A few years ago, these Serie B cigars were easily found online for around $4. That’s not much to pay considering the blend supposedly contains pre-embargo Cuban tobacco that was “found” in excellent condition in a warehouse. That story isn’t east to believe, but if the cigar is good who really cares, right? The attractive smoke is surrounded by a notably dark wrapper and it has excellent combustion qualities, including a solid white ash. The flavors are relatively simplistic with charred oak and earth dominating the medium-bodied profile. A few bursts of bitter notes also surface. It’s not going to blow you away, but between the good story and the reasonable price, I can’t really complain.

Verdict = Hold.

Filed Under: Cigar Reviews Tagged With: My Discount Cigar, MyDiscountCigar.com, Pinar, Pinar Pre Embargo, Pre Embargo, Pre Embargo Cuban

An In-Depth Cigar Review of the Oliva Serie V Torpedo by Lucky7 of CigarFan.Net

The Olivas

The Oliva Family. (From left to right, Jeannie, Carlos, Gilberto, Sr., Jose and Gilberto, Jr.)

The Oliva Serie V

From the website …..

Lisa, of Her Humidor Cigar Reviews, Shares Her Experience of the Dunhill Signed Range Short Robusto

Cigar Review of the Warlock Robusto, by Seth Geise of Seth’s Humidor

January 27, 2012

Seth Geise, of Seth’s Humidor, Shares His Review of the Hoyo De Monterrey’s Excalibur Epicure Maduro

An In-Depth Review of the Illusione MJ12 Cigar by Brian Hewitt of Stogie Review

A Review of the Montecristo Platinum No. 3 by My Cigar Reviews

Cigar Review of the Montecristo Afrique Uhuru Cigar by Walt, of Stogie Review

The Cusano 18 Double Connecticut Robusto Cigar, as Reviewed by Jesse of CigarJack

Drew Estate’s Tabak Especial Toro Negra Cigar Review by Tony Casas

Perdomo Grand Cru Maduro Robusto Cigar Review by Todd Wilson of Indulge Cigars

Cigar Coop’s Review of the Room101 #305 (Robusto) Connecticut Cigar

A REVIEW OF THE TATUAJE SELECCION DE CAZADOR NOELLAS BY ADAM, FROM FIRE UP THAT CIGAR

Cigar Rating: Excellent

Cigar Review of the My Father Cigar Limited Edition 2010 by Smoking Hot Cigar Chick

Cain Daytona Cigars available at My Discount Cigar

Cain Daytona Cigar Review by A Cigar Smoker’s Journal:

EP Carillo Cigars at My Discount Cigar

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The Oliva Family.
(From left to right, Jeannie, Carlos, Gilberto, Sr., Jose and Gilberto, Jr.)