bigwhiteash / mrtr33 Reviews
Taking our cue from the DW/KC review series, mrtr33 and I are proud to present the first in a series of slightly less formal reviews.
First up for me:
CAO Brazillia 6 X 96 "Trumpet" from the Artistry of Champions collection.
Please excuse the cell-phone pictures.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v3...ist67/cao1.jpg
This monster cigar was quite intimidating, and I spent quite some time contemplating just how I would light this beast. Very solid, heavy, and overall well built. I gathered my courage, and dove in!
Clippsd the cap with my trusty cheapo cutter, (cap is about 50rg). prelight draw is just right. I really didn't think it would be a tight draw, given the sheer size of the foot. Now comes the fun part. Making sure my Colibri torch is fully fueled, I began toasting.. and toasting.. and toasting.. eventually I got an even sprinkling of white ash forming, and put it to my mouth to finish the light. A good 4 minutes spent!
Surprisingly, there was not the volume of smoke I expected. as for flavor, if you've ever smoked a brazilia, you know where this is going. roasted dark coffee, some cocoa, but predominantly "dark" tobacco flavors.
I was really expecting to have severe burn issues with this thing, but again surprised, it burned razor- straight until the end.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v3...ist67/cao2.jpg
Once I had smoked this monster down to about 60rg, the smoke output increased to the expected levels, by that time, you probably could have swapped it out got a "GOL", and I wouldn't have noticed.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v3...ist67/cao3.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v3...ist67/cao4.jpg
As you can see, the ash held on strong for about half of the smoke, when it finally fell, it revealed the sharpest cone ember I have ever seen!
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v3...ist67/cao5.jpg
After a few more puffs, I had had enough of this one, the flavor started getting a bit harsh, even after a purge. I wanted to end on a semi-positive note, so after 1 hour and 40 minutes, I put this one down. I can say it was in interesting experience. Nothing new flavor-wise, but the shape was quite fun to smoke.
CAO Italia "Trumpet" 6 X 96
I did a little research before smoking this cigar. That is my occupation, I can't help it. According to the CAO website, the filler contains a leaf grown in the Benevento region of Italy, coincidentally, where my ancestors hail from.
I also read another passage where the veep of CAO International that stated the original ring gauge was slated to be a 137 - but was impossible to light.
Enough banter. On to smoking.
http://i303.photobucket.com/albums/n.../beginning.jpg
The construction was pretty good. Lighter than the Brazilia, with a light oily sheen on the outside, this cigar is firm to the touch, but not rock hard. The cap was really big, and the draw was a nice medium in pull. The cigar is a nice weight in hand, about what you would expect.
http://i303.photobucket.com/albums/nn129/mrtr33/2.jpg
It's about right here where the flavor starts. I, too, was expecting burn issues, yet this cigar burned very evenly for me. Not a whole lot of smoke, and I am not the best to comment on flavors I experience, but it had a very good, unique tobacco taste. A slight amount of spice, but nothing overwhelming. Very nice earthy tobacco flavors, however.
http://i303.photobucket.com/albums/nn129/mrtr33/3.jpg
The volume of smoke begins to increase about here. Something else I thought was a bit odd was the color of the ash. It almost looks like the foot was dipped in something, noting it's color. The rest of the ash was relatively white, the ash firm enough to survive my juvenile "bouncing up and down" and "swaying side to side" tests.
http://i303.photobucket.com/albums/nn129/mrtr33/4.jpg
Honestly, I didn't even know ash this long was possible. It broke off a few puffs after this. Smoke volume continuing to increase, as with the flavor. I didn't detect bitterness, the flavors seemed to intensify. I did not notice the cigar getting hotter as it approached the end.
http://i303.photobucket.com/albums/nn129/mrtr33/5.jpg
The ash broke, and I actually had to set it down, rather than tapping it off. From here, the burn on the cigar went a little off, and some of the wrapper was even coming apart. Honestly, by the time I got to this point, at almost 2 hours, I was done.
The aftertaste was nice. No harshness experienced at all, although I had quite the nicotine rush. Quite a pleasant cigar.
Much thanks to bigwhiteash for the experience.
Diamond Crown Maximus No. 2 Churchill 7 X 50 - Toast Across America 2007
This cigar is one half of the "Toast Across America 2007", held by the Cigar Family Charitable Foundation commemorative set. The only difference I can tell between this DC Maximum #2 and the one I can purchase at my local B&M is a cedar sleeve and additional bands denoting the foundation event.
http://i303.photobucket.com/albums/n...tr33/first.jpg
A dark, oily Ecuadorian sun-grown wrapper adorns this cigar. The construction is almost flawless, a slight glitch undetectable to the eye without removing the wrapper, but ended up not affecting the experience. The cigar is very firm, and slightly heavy in weight. It's actually very intimidating. The cap wasn't very big, but not too small. Having temporarily misplaced my pocketknife, I decided to use it with my cheap cutter. The draw was medium - not too tight, but not too loose, either. I sat down for a game of chess and watching the sunset with my fiancee and a glass of Mad River Brewing Company Jamaica Brand Red Ale, and toasted the foot.
http://i303.photobucket.com/albums/n...r33/second.jpg
It's about here where the full-flavor kicks in. This cigar has been described as both a full-bodied and a med/full bodied cigar, and I would tend to classify it with the latter description. Loads of white, creamy smoke. A spiciness that is noticeable, but not overpowering. An underlying taste of cedar predominates everything. There is a slight sweetness that I can detect as well, but very subtle.
http://i303.photobucket.com/albums/n...tr33/third.jpg
It's about here where the strength and flavor mellow out a bit. Which is a good thing for me. Still tons of smoke, and the cigar is still holding together firmly. The ash is very white, and very reasonably firm still.
http://i303.photobucket.com/albums/n...rtr33/last.jpg
Right here at the very end, a little bit of the wrapper came apart. Not to worry - after an hour and a half, I was pretty much nearing my end. While the cigar was still firm, it was getting slightly warm about 10 minutes after this, and just a tad bitter. I decided to end this on a high note, and put it down. The sun was gone, the beer had been enjoyed, and I had checkmated my fiancees king.
Thanks again to bigwhiteash for such an enjoyable experience. I went into this cigar with no expectations, as I had a Diamond Crown #4 (non-Maximus), and didn't really enjoy it. Thanks for this experience to turn me around on these.
Opus X Toast Across America
This magnificent looking cigar is part of the Cigar Family Charitable Foundation, "Toast Across America" commemorative set.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v3...7/DSCF0001.jpg
The other half being the Diamond Crown Maximus #2, reviewed previously by mrtr33.
This one is a 7 X 48 Reserva D'Chateau, basically repackaged with cedar sleeve, and additional bands.
Wrapped in an absolutely Beautiful rosado wrapper, very firm to the touch, and smooth, with minimal veins.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v3...7/DSCF0009.jpg
After marveling for some time over the construction of this fine looking cigar, it was time to get started. Pouring myself a big glass of sweet tea, cueing up the soundtrack from Lord of the Rings, I grabbed my cutter, and went to work!
This is where I wish I had a good quality cutter, but the el-cheapo did a pretty nice job removing just enough of the perfect tripple cap. Prelight draw is slightly tighter than any of the three other Opus X I have encountered. Not a problem... Yet.
Taking my time, I slowly toasted the foot until I had a good bit of white ash showing. Initial draws give me the same spicy pepper taste I have experienced with the other Opus, although smoke output is somewhat less.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v3...7/DSCF0011.jpg
I am in no way going to try to describe the flavors I encountered, except to say, this is one of the first times I have detected anything in the floral sensation, just barely there, behind the very pleasant spicy, robust tobacco flavor.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v3...DSCF0013-1.jpg
Right after I took the above picture, to avoid wearing it, I rolled the ash off into the ashtray, it took a slight push to get it to release, leasding me to believe it would have stayed strong for a good length. That's when the trouble started!
About 5 minutes after the initial ash, this thing started to get REALLY hard to draw. There is NO WAY i'm ditching this smoke, so, OFF WITH THE BANDS.. Carefully, Gently, I administer some Massage Therapy. Feeling a plug right below the cap, I concentrate my efforts there.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v3...7/DSCF0015.jpg
Five minutes later, BAM.. This thing was opened up, and smoking like an Opus Freight Train! Now THATS what I like! Great peppery flavor on the back of the pallate, lots of thick bluish-white smoke! Too bad it didn't stay that way.
Not sure if, in my joy of having this cigar open up like that, Maybe I started smoking it too fast, or what, but ten minutes later, my head is absolutely SWIMMING! I guess this is where my n00b starts to show.
Not wanting to spend the next two hours in the fetal position, I decided, for my own benefit, to let this one go.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v3...7/DSCF0017.jpg
Overall, I enjoyed smoking this lovely cigar, and I may even be to blame for the plug, I can't help but wonder if a quality cutter would have eliminated my problem. I have thoroughly enjoyed the other Opus I have been fortunate enough to aquire, A Power Ranger, and a pair of #4's, and will continue to seek them out.
I want to thank Mark, (mrtr33) for helping me with these reviews, and for sharing LITERALLY, a TOAST ACROSS AMERICA.
