Camacho Reviews

So, I've been critical of Camacho's in chat and in past posts, and I was called out on it. I'm a schmuck as I'd only had a few different Camacho's. These are going to be a series of reviews, done periodically, of all Camacho vitolas I am in possession of. Enjoy.

CAMACHO DIPLOMA SCORPION

Country: Honduras
Size: 6 / 54
Vitola: Basically a large perfecto
Wrapper: Authentic Corojo
Binder: Authentic Corojo
Filler: Authentic Corojo

The shape of this cigar is intriguing. Much larger than any other perfecto I'd ever smoked before, it kind of looks like an overgrown AF Short Story, though not quite as pronounced in shape. A snip of the head, and the pre-light draw was perfect - not too loose, but not too hard. The construction of the cigar was not flawless - there were a few veins, but nothing protruding or of noticeable concern. The toothy, slightly oily wrapper was firm to the touch, but not rock hard. The cigar didn't feel especially heavy nor light in hand.

The initial scent of the cigar was kind of an earthy scent. Perhaps a little leather - I'm not very good with that kind of thing - but definitely intriguing.

Toasting the foot took very little time, because of the small area of filler available at the foot. It lit easily, and within 2-3 puffs I was getting a heavy volume of smoke. I don't ever trust tastes of the first 5 or so puffs, unless it's truly something unique and consistent in the rest of the cigar. After 1/2" or so, I was able to taste the deep, complex tobacco flavors and a twinge of trademark Camacho strength/spice in the back of my throat. I'm not saying the cigar itself was spicy per se (in comparison to, say an Ashton VSG), I'm saying the strength of the smoke coming from the cigar was very strong, and had a bite.

The cigar held a white/white-grey ash that wasn't firm past maybe an inch. At no time was the cigar ever unpleasant, but the cigar didn't change a whole lot in taste throughout the course of smoking it. I suppose it took me just under 2 hours to get through the cigar. While I did not continuously puff on it, it did go out on me a couple times, once being very hard to relight again.

Noticeable characteristics: lots and lots of smoke; unique, strong, and consistent pleasant tobacco flavors; even burn

I wish it: developed more of a gradual, building flavor around the halfway mark or so; was available in my area

Everyone has a ratings system, mine is letter grades borrowed from the American school system.

I rate this an A-.
I wish the flavor profile had developed more throughout the life of the cigar. I suppose this is an unfair bias because I had the expectation that it would before I even lit it. I do appreciate how it burned evenly, never got hot nor harsh.

Many thanks to a very generous BOTL on the board.

Very nice review, my friend! these are my very favorite Camacho.. and I know exactly the path that particular cigar has made across the country!:smiley1:

You know, BTW.... we were just bustin' your chops in chat. :smiley2:


Great job!

Nice review bro!! This is one of my favorites as well.

Thanks for the great review. I can't wait to see your review of the Triple Maduro!

Rich

Based on how your review was reading I'm surprised you gave it an A-. That's pretty good. I have ordered some Camacho sampler packs so I can evaluate the brand as a whole. It's one of those brands I haven't smoked much for whatever reason. I look forward to following your reviews. Thanks

Great review. I haven't smoked a Camacho yet, but I appreciate your insight. I'll smoke one soon so I can compare my experience to your review. Thanks for the review!

Camacho Havana Monarca

Country: Honduras
Size: 5 / 50
Vitola: Robusto
Wrapper: Habano Criollo
Binder: Authentic Corojo
Filler: Authentic Corojo

On the surface, there is nothing significant about this cigar. To the touch, it has no soft spots, but isn't firm like a La Aurora 1495 or a DC Max. The construction was really nice on the toothy wrapper. A few veins, but not very pronounced. The smell initially reminded me of what I consider a "standard" cigar smell, a scent I have long associated with how cigar smells since I was young.

The cut went smoothly, no worries of any cracks. The draw was very loose. A little more loose than I would prefer. Because of this, it took a bit longer to toast the foot, and even longer to get a consistent burn. After about a half of an inch, I tasted hearty, earthy flavors. This wasn't a cigar with delicate or complex flavors. Nothing was hiding, I didn't have to take several puffs in order to detect different tastes, it was pretty much straightforward: earthy tastes, a touch of spice, very pleasant tobacco flavors. It was really nice, I must say. Once I gave up any preconceived expectations and just appreciated the cigar for what it was (instead of what I wanted it to be), I really enjoyed it.

The ash didn't hold on very long, as it wasn't very strong. I did have burn issues with this cigar, and couldn't get it to burn straight. It wasn't enough where I had to use the lighter to fix it, but it did happen enough to be noticeable.

I smoked this cigar down to a nub.

Noticeable characteristics: Pleasant, consistent, simple tobacco flavors.

I wish it: had been a churchill vitola. Lucky for me, I got one waiting in the humi :smiley4:

Overall rating: B
Conclusion: I can't rave about the flavors of this cigar, how complex this cigar was, it's immaculate construction or anything like that. It's nice. It's not complex. The first few puffs taste very similar to the last few. It was nice. I'd smoke one again.

I shouldn't even chime in here but I'm going to anyway. I was a huge fan of camacho for many years. I think back in 05 or 06 I smoked like 11 boxes of corojo monarcas and probably another two or 3 of the 11/18 and even more of the corojo monarca maduros. I still think those 11/18s were one of the best cigars ever rolled.

I think at some point they spread themselves a little thin. The coyolar, legendario, and triple maduro were gimmicky and mediocre at best. The havana and the slr were never a great blend to begin with. I feel like I've had a bittersweet ride with camacho. I was one of the lucky few who recieved not 1 but 2 boxes of the pre-release camacho selects from angel as a gift. Those were also great smokes. The blend released was not quite as good as the pre-release but still pretty good.

Overall I would still recommend the corojo and select to folks. But the rest aren't my cup of tea.

Thanks for the reviews though. If nothing else its nice to see someone eat a bit of crow for putting down a brand they aren't entirely familiar with.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by pmp

I shouldn't even chime in here but I'm going to anyway. I was a huge fan of camacho for many years. I think back in 05 or 06 I smoked like 11 boxes of corojo monarcas and probably another two or 3 of the 11/18 and even more of the corojo monarca maduros. I still think those 11/18s were one of the best cigars ever rolled.

I think at some point they spread themselves a little thin. The coyolar, legendario, and triple maduro were gimmicky and mediocre at best. The havana and the slr were never a great blend to begin with. I feel like I've had a bittersweet ride with camacho. I was one of the lucky few who recieved not 1 but 2 boxes of the pre-release camacho selects from angel as a gift. Those were also great smokes. The blend released was not quite as good as the pre-release but still pretty good.

Overall I would still recommend the corojo and select to folks. But the rest aren't my cup of tea.

Thanks for the reviews though. If nothing else its nice to see someone eat a bit of crow for putting down a brand they aren't entirely familiar with.

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They're not the only cigar maker that has been accused of that.

In any case, the marketing company that Camacho uses annoys me. The latest Camacho campaign is described at: http://puffingcigars.com/cigar-news/...-project/1983/ (The link is to a story about the campaign, not the campaign itself.)

Thanks again for the great review.

I am also not a big Camacho fan, but I do like the triple maduro, it's a bit pricey for what you get though.

I have spoke with several b&m stores that stopped carring Camacho due to terrible customer service. You need to stand behind your product!

Rich

The point of this thread is to provide my assertion of a line of cigars. I am not a pro. I just may be the least qualified person on the board to provide an opinion. I was hoping to contribute to the boards, by providing a first-hand account of a few sticks from a particular line. I'm not expecting James Suckling to consult this list when choosing his next Camacho purchase.

How else would I be able to form an opinion about a cigar manufacturer? Is it necessary to smoke all vitolas of a particular brand in order to make a fair judgment? Just because I've had an indifferent experience with a few lines of a particular manufacturer, is it not prudent to not eagerly pursue that line again? I don't think so. Just as Padron 26's aren't typical Padrons or White Owl's reflective of overall cigar qualities, doesn't mean the stereotype isn't still valid. There are lots of cigars out there, and I can't possibly enjoy them all. Some may not be locally available. Some may not even be legal for me to obtain. That doesn't necessarily signify ignorance as much as availability.

Just my 2 cents.

Mark,

I'm enjoying your Camancho reviews. What I find great about reading reviews, and then smoking the same thing, is a test of my palate. Am I getting the same flavors & burn qualities as you? Let's read and find out.

I'm finding doing a review is fun, 'cause it's an 1 - 1 1/2 hour dedication to that smoke, even if it's one I won't add to my rotation. Total tobacco meditation.

Keep 'em coming.

Will

I agree, I'm enjoying these reviews very much. I will caution you on the "testing your palate" thing though. Simply because you do not taste the same things as another person doesn't mean your palate is inferior to theirs.

I read all the reviews posted on here, and over a long period of time and many cigars smoked after reading a review I don't think I have ever tasted exactly the same things as the reviewer........ever. Now, overall profile, strength, and impressions are another matter. IMO, this is what you learn to trust from certain reviewers.

Keep em up Mark. I've been enjoying these reviews as well. :smiley20:

I agree great reviews. As for Camacho I have nothing bad to say about them, the Coyolar was the first actual puro I tried that wasn't an ISOM and I absolutely loved it, got a box coming in soon. The Triple Maduro I also find to be fantastic however it is a bit much if you plan on smoking more than one cigar that day, and the price is a tad high when you can go out and get an Oliva V for $6 but it's a different taste and I enjoy them. I have never smoked a Camacho that I did not enjoy so take that for what it's worth.

Camacho San Luis y Martinez #2

Country: Honduras
Size: 6 / 52
Vitola: Parejo
Wrapper: Unknown
Binder: Unknown
Filler: Unknown

WOXOF is responsible for first alerting me to this smoke, with a post he made last year sometime. It had my interest piqued, so I took the plunge, hoping for this awesomely intensive, full-bodied, full-flavored cigar. The pictures made the cigars look black (I'm a bit color-challenged, shall we say) and the site said that the origin of the cigar's contents is unknown! What isn't enticing about that? I smoked the last of these that I had this past weekend. If for no other reason, to provide my take on this cigar, as this is the Camacho-review thread. Forgive me if much of this mirror's WOXOF's review a while back. This review will be independent, but will reflect my impressions each time I've smoked this cigar.

The cigars come in tubes. They look better inside the tubes than outside of the tubes. The construction isn't great, but certainly isn't shoddy. Just not perfect, that's all. It is darker than any of the other Camacho's I've reviewed so far (but not as dark as other Camacho's I have in the humi, awaiting to be reviewed). It's not loose, but not firm. I can squeeze it easily. There are a few veins, but nothing that looks outrageous.

The cut went smoothly. The draw was very nice. Not too loose, but not too firm. Much like the Havana, the SLyM has a very strong earthy tobacco-smell pre-light. The cigar takes a while to light. Come to think of it, they all did. I have trouble getting a consistent burn out of it. Once lit, I get very strong tobacco flavors, heavy on the earthy flavors, with perhaps just a touch of leather. And it pretty much stays that way throughout the cigar. Towards the middle of the cigar, it did start to get a bit harsh. It was very tolerable at first, but towards the end, it was a little bit too much. Perhaps smoking a smaller vitola, I would not have minded. With this one, however, it was longer, and did get to me. The ash holds up better than the Havana, but not by much, maybe holds on for just less than an inch before flaking off. Grey and white ash. Also, I couldn't get the first half of the cigar to burn evenly (probably due to lighting issues), but the second half had no problem.

Noticeable characteristics: Dark wrapper and harshness give it that great "I'm smoking a manly cigar now" taste and feel; Very straightforward, not complex at all.

I wish it: had been stronger in body. I would consider this cigar medium in body. All those unknown origins tricked me.

Overall rating: B
It gets a B because at the time, I was in the mood for a slightly harsh, lots of smoke cigar. I wish it had been stronger, and next time, I try a SLyM, I might try a smaller size, like a #4.

I've smoked a pair of these myself, gifted by a very generous BOTL, :smiley2:

Pretty much the same experience, aside from the burn issues. It did get a bit hot and harsh near the end, but tolerable. I did get good smoke volume from mine though.

Not my favorite Camacho, but still enjoyable.


Great review Brother!

Nice review. I've found that removing the cigar from the tube and dry-boxing it for several hours before smoking improves the light, burn, and harshness.

My vitola of choice is indeed the #4, but then again, I enjoy 44-50 rg cigars in general.

Nice reviews. I hope the Coyolar is on your list.

I like the #4, but I let mine sit for a few weeks in the humi as mine were incredibly dry even though they were tubed. And I do notice more white smoke from them after they've sat for a while, perhaps I got the last of the shipment that was sold.

I also like the appearance; it does give that "manly cigar" look that I haven't seen with other cigars.



Kris

Camacho Liberty 2007

Country: Honduras
Size: 6 / 52
Vitola: Figurado
Wrapper: Maduro/Corojo Barber Pole
Binder: Honduras
Filler: Honduras & Pre-Embargo Tobacco

It's was really humid last week, so, having decided on this particular cigar for my next Camacho review, I dry-boxed this since Tuesday in anticipation of a Saturday early-evening smoke. I've only smoked one other barber-pole-style cigar, a house blend the B&M in the town I used to live in kept in stock. it was okay. I don't think, however, there was as much disparity in the wrapper as this unique maduro/corojo blend.

Pre-light, the cigar had a consistent feel to it I've become accustomed to with the other Camacho's I've smoked. Not squishy, but not too firm. I usually moisten the cap before cutting, and the taste was really unique, very flavorful, just licking the cap. The cap cut perfectly, and the draw was perfect, even a little on the tight side, but not really that bad.

The first third of the cigar I was just trying to figure out what flavors were coming at me. There was definitely some spice, but there was a good amount of flavor as well. The flavor was unlike any of the past Camacho's I've smoked - almost like a sweet/spicy kind of taste. By the time I was halfway through the cigar, it was a very spicy stick. I was beginning to wonder how much more I could take. I did have a little trouble keeping the cigar burning evenly. I would have thought that by dry-boxing the stick for so long, we would be past that problem, but then again, I am learning to be accommodating to the humidity down here, and realize I still have some adjusting to do.

Once I hit that midway point, stopped smoking for a minute or so, the cigar changed. It mellowed out. It went from a spice bomb to almost a sweet-tasting cigar. The spice was still there in the background, but definitely not as prevalent as before. The cigar ended up getting kind of warm towards the end, and I would guess there was about 1/2" left of it by the time I tossed it. Smooth throughout, and characteristics that kept changing throughout the smoking experience. The ash held on reasonably well, maybe about an inch, then it was pretty easy to knock off. Lots of smoke throughout. Even at times when I wasn't puffing, it never went out, stayed lit very well.

Noticeable characteristics: The smoothness was really hard to ignore. I don't know if it was the aged filler, the blend of the wrapper, or a combination of both. I also liked how the flavor changed.

I wish it: lasted a bit longer. I don't think I even hit the 1 hour mark with this stick. Maybe it was too dry, maybe I was sucking it down too quickly. I don't know. It could also have burned a bit more evenly.

Overall rating: A-
The flavor of this stick easily makes this the most complex of the Camacho's I've tried. While I still couldn't say it was very full in body, it was definitely full in flavor. Very smooth throughout, never getting harsh. I would look for any of the Liberty series again.

Thanks for review being a newb these give me great info before purchasing but also under stand everyone has different tastes.but have found most of guys on this forum are right on. thanks again

Nice review once again Mark!!

Camacho Diploma 11/18

Country: Honduras
Size: 6 / 52
Vitola: Figurado
Wrapper: Authentic Corojo
Binder: Authentic Corojo
Filler: Authentic Corojo

I recently moved to a very humid part of the country from a very dry part of the country. This has indeed had an impact on my cigar smoking, as I have found that I need to pay much more attention to keeping the humidity down in my cigars than up. For this week's review, I dryboxed this cigar since Tuesday evening, and am now thinking that either A) I really need to go with the coolerdor, or B) plan my smoking 5 days ahead of time.

This cigar is very similar in shape to the Camacho Liberty I smoked last weekend. To explain a bit more in detail, the middle of the cigar is wider than either the head or the foot of the cigar. Not quite like a perfecto, but interesting, none the less. It's construction is very nice, a few veins, but nothing protruding. Not too firm, but not inconsistent when squeezed. Pleasant, but nothing exotic when smelling the wrapper or the foot. I'm not 100% sure, but it looks to be triple-capped. I may be wrong about that, though.

Upon cutting the cap, the pre-light draw is very smooth; it almost draws too easily. I normally like them to be a bit tighter on the draw, but I can overlook it, for now. Almost immediately, there is lots of billowing, creamy white smoke. It seems almost comical how much smoke is coming from this cigar. Hindsight has me wondering if it wasn't the dryness of the cigar, noting that I had been dryboxing it for 5 days. The taste is really good as well. It's not got the complexity of the Liberty, nor the harshness of the Havana. it seems to have found a nice little balance between the two. Tastes of earthiness, rich tobacco, and just a touch of spice appear throughout the smoke. I wouldn't say that the flavor changes much, but rather stays consistent. Throughout the cigar, there is still tons and tons of smoke. While the flavors are consistent, the strength of the cigar would probably fall in the medium-full category.

The ash stays on for at least an inch, and is not easily knocked off. It's mostly white, with spots of gray. Never had a burn problem with this cigar, while it waved around a bit throughout, it was never something that I had to worry about. The cigar lasts maybe to the 3/4" mark, at just around the 70 minute mark. Part of me kind of wishes this cigar would last longer. I noticed this with the Liberty (same size) as well - but maybe that can be attributed to drying this cigar out as well.

Noticeable characteristics: Smoke volume. Consistent flavor. An burn that I didn't have to pay much attention to. Good flavor.

I wish it: Had been in my humidor earlier. Lasted longer. Cigars by different manufacturers of this same size seem to last at least 25% longer. Would have been phenomenal if the flavors developed throughout the cigar.

Overall rating: B++
Great smoke, definitely looking to pick up more of them, lots of great smoke, but, at least today, it either had to develop more of a flavor profile as the cigar went on, or it had to last longer to get bumped up to that 'A' rating for me.

Very nice review Mark!! :smiley32: Thanks. :smiley20:

Camacho Triple Maduro

Country: Honduras
Size: 4.5 / 50
Vitola: Robusto
Wrapper: Honduras (Maduro)
Binder: Honduras (Maduro)
Filler: Honduras (Maduro)

So, this week's Camacho was the Triple Maduro. Several other members have done reviews on this cigar as well, but for completeness, I thought it important to include this cigar in this review series as well. I normally don't smoke cigars so small, but recently I've really been trying to reach out and smoke gauges and sizes I normally wouldn't (in an effort to broaden my cigar smoking experiences). At 4.5", and me with only a few hours while the wife was out running errands, I thought it was fitting.

There were zero construction problems with this cigar. A smooth, somewhat oily sheen to the wrapper, there were no protruding veins to speak of. When squeezed, this cigar was probably the firmest of all Camacho's I have reviewed to date. In addition, all components of the cigar (wrapper, binder, filler) are composed of maduro tobacco.

Clipping the cap revealed a few white-ish spots where I'd snipped the head. It wasn't mold, I'm thinking it was more like veins that had been wrapped in the filler. Anyway, the pre-light draw was somewhat loose, but not too much to be annoying. I proceeded to toast the foot and get this party started.

The cigar immediately provided flavor. Not surprising, as there isn't much size to this cigar. I don't know what else I would expect. Throughout smoking the cigar, I couldn't help but notice how much smoke was coming from this cigar. I normally would dry-box a cigar I'm going to smoke, seeing that the humidity is so high, but this time, I didn't, and it still burned very well. Lots of creamy white smoke, and a very even burn throughout.

As for taste, well, I'm afraid that the taste profile didn't change too much throughout, common of the Camacho line. But the flavors that I did taste were that of some coffee and bittersweet chocolate; but again, you probably wouldn't expect anything different from a completely maduro cigar. I must admit that I did have a piece of chocolate while smoking, something I picked up from DogWatch the other day. I don't know what affect that had on my taste buds, however. The ash was very firm, staying on easily over 1" in length. Twice I had to leave the cigar unexpectedly, and was still able to keep it going without re-lighting it.

Noticeable characteristics: Smoke volume, as it's absolutely insane. It's also very flavorful, and burned evenly throughout.

I wish it: was a bit spicier. Was a bigger vitola. But most of all, I wish it were not so expensive.

Overall rating: B
The Camacho Triple Maduro is a tasty smoke. It gives off a lot of smoke, and burns very easily. But there are plenty of other equally nice "black" cigars that can be had for a third of the price of this one, that offer more complex flavors that develop during the course of the cigar.

Nice review, Mark. Again, I'm enjoying these Comancho reviews.

I think its great that other people have reviewed this before, and now you are.

Its like watching the news (which I quit doing.) You watch 3-4 news stations, and the tidbits that match from all the newscasts, are the facts.

Will

Quote:

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But there are plenty of other equally nice "black" cigars that can be had for a third of the price of this one, that offer more complex flavors that develop during the course of the cigar.

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Any chance of listing a few those? I rather enjoyed the triple maduro, but not the price.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Galvanicfish

Any chance of listing a few those? I rather enjoyed the triple maduro, but not the price.

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Certainly.

I'm almost positive the "black" cigars I refer to have a more formal name, or at least distinction. It should also be noted that I can't distinguish colors so well; the following cigars made my list of "black" cigars because that's what they look like to me. My favs list, in order:

Excalibur Dark Knight - my favorite, well above the rest
La Gloria Cubana Serie R - still pretty good
Partagas Black - good, but pricier
CAO Brazilia - ok. Not as good, but in same price range as the Dark Knight. My fav of the entire CAO line
Cohiba Black - more complex flavor, but just as pricey as the Camacho Triple Maduro
CAO Sopranos, but only the Boss - not as complex flavor, still as expensive as Camacho Triple Maduro, but nice none the less

While I'm at it, "kind-of-black" cigars I rather enjoy:

Ashton VSG - spicy
El Rico Habano - pleasant. Cheap. Nothing to write home about, but definitely a must try.

I'm not a big fan of San Luis Rey Serie G.

Hope that helps.

Thank you very much. I can only spend a small amount on cigars per month, so I want them to be good ones, and the sticks that taste best to me are the "Black and sorta black".

Quote:

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Originally Posted by mrtr33

Certainly.

I'm almost positive the "black" cigars I refer to have a more formal name, or at least distinction. It should also be noted that I can't distinguish colors so well; the following cigars made my list of "black" cigars because that's what they look like to me. My favs list, in order:

Excalibur Dark Knight - my favorite, well above the rest
La Gloria Cubana Serie R - still pretty good
Partagas Black - good, but pricier
CAO Brazilia - ok. Not as good, but in same price range as the Dark Knight. My fav of the entire CAO line
Cohiba Black - more complex flavor, but just as pricey as the Camacho Triple Maduro
CAO Sopranos, but only the Boss - not as complex flavor, still as expensive as Camacho Triple Maduro, but nice none the less

While I'm at it, "kind-of-black" cigars I rather enjoy:

Ashton VSG - spicy
El Rico Habano - pleasant. Cheap. Nothing to write home about, but definitely a must try.

I'm not a big fan of San Luis Rey Serie G.

Hope that helps.

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mrtr33,

Thanks again for the great reviews!

I have been waiting for this review and thanks for the other suggestions.
You listed two of my other favorite cigars the Cohiba Black and the CAO Soprano.
The Dark Knight and the La Gloria Cubana Serie R will up in my list of must try smokes.

Rich

I should point out that the LGC Serie R I am referring to here are the Maduros. Have no experience with the naturals.

Definitely give the Dark Knights a shot. They are mighty tasty, and a great price. I did have a little bit of a draw problem with the torpedo shaped ones, but not so much with other vitolas.

Mark

Thanks for the comprehensive review of the Camacho lineup.

The first cigar I ever smoked was a Camacho Havana2000 back in 2003 which was the stick that was responsible for getting me into the hobby. After reading your reviews I picked up some Corojo Maduro Monarcas a few weeks back and finally got around to smoking one. It was the perfect way to end a very long day.