Review These - Reviews

[BDurrani]

Ok…Review # 2 of the sticks I got from BDurrani. Well I should start by saying, stick #2 was a let down after having #1. Stick #2 was very squishy to the touch and had a bitter smell to it. After lighting this the first few draws were nice and mild. It burned uneven through out the smoke; this aspect was forcing me to tap the ash a lot more then I wanted to. Half way through the taste turned to a bitter sour and progressively became more and more harsh. I can tell when I’m not going to like a stick when it makes me want to spit after every draw. I was a spitting fool with this one… I had a hard time keeping this one lit. If there is one good thing I can say about this stick, I would say I really enjoyed the bouquet she gave off but that’s about it.

My feelings are that #1 is the more expensive smoke. Its construction and taste were far more superior to that of #2. I’m even going to go out on a limb here and say that I think #1 is a Sancho Panza or Santa Clara Havana Reserve. # 2 tasted like a Mexican stick.

Lastley I wanted to thank BDurrani for giving me this opportunity. Also thanks for your time in getting these sticks out to me.

Any time.

As for your guesses, you are correct. Cigar #1 is more expensive, but isn't a Sancho Panza or Santa Clara (never had either of them). Good job on the reviews.

Cigar #1 - Rocky Patel Vintage 1990 - $7.00
Cigar #2 - Perdomo Sumatra - $3.00

[WOXOF]

Cigar #1

Pre-smoke
The first cigar had what looked to be a colorado or natural wrapper with a few small veins. Good construction with a consistantly firm feel to it. It had a small crack in the wrapper about 1/2 from the cap and some other small cracks at the foot. None of the cracks became a problem. Smelling the wrapper, I got hints of wet grass or hay. The prelight flavor was sweet tobacco and the draw was good.

Smoke
Paired with a couple of Michelob Amber Bock beers.
The cigar cut and lit with no problems. It started off mild - medium bodied and pretty much stayed there. Flavor wise, it was enjoyable. I picked up hints of what I think may have been hickory when I exhaled through my nose. The most dominant flavor was just tobacco and hay. The draw remained good throughout the cigar. It had a good burn and held a nice light gray ash. I put it out about 2/3 of way. The burn was beginning to be a problem and it was getting a little bitter. Overall about a 6/10, good cigar depending on the price.

Cigar #2

Pre-smoke
The second cigar had an almost a claro or very light natural shade wrapper that was very thin. The construction was good with no noticable damage. The cigar had a very firm feel to it. The smell of the wrapper was of sweet tobacco. The prelight flavor was grassy/hay with a good draw.

Smoke
Paired with a glass of iced tea.
The cigar cut and lit with no problems. I would say this was mild - medium and occasionally medium bodied when exhaled through the nose. The flavor wasn't very complex, mainly just good sweet tobacco and hay with a hint of spice. The burn was good and it held about an inch and a half on a windy day. Overall it was about 6/10, also a good cigar depending on the price.

Comparison

It's hard to say which one of these is the more expensive cigar. My gut tells me to go with #2 as the more expensive of the two. Cigar #2's flavor profile reminded me of a Casa Torano. I cant put my finger on #1, the hickory/woodsy flavor has me stumped. I enjoyed them both about the same, nothing spectacular but decent smokes.

[mithril]

sorry for the delay,

the darker one, #1, was cao mx2 @ 6.25
#2 was Flor de Oliva @ 2.00

[Bazooka Tooth]

Ok stick #1

Before smoking.

When I opened the Fedex box I was quite surprised to see these beatiful looking sticks. Stick number one was about 7- 8 inches long. Looked sun grown, and smelled great.

After.

I had trouble keeping stick #1 burning evenly, however I am pretty sure it was on my behalf, seeing as how the wind was blowing crazy. The smell of this smoke smelled great, like coffee or something. It was a very nice medium to mild cigar, with a divine and sutble taste. I had a coke along with it, and paired nicely.


Review 2 up in a few days.

Thanks MM.

[Bazooka Tooth]

Stick #2

Before
looked to be about 5- 6 inches long, and sun grown as well. Also looked like it was boxed pressed. It smelled ok too.

After
The first half I didn't have any trouble drawling on the stick or keeping it even with the burn. It had a mild taste and smelled really nice. Half way through it became a bit clogged in the middle, and the outer leaf started trying to come off. No big deal though, shortly it was "unclogged" if you will, total smoke time ranging from 30-35 minutes. Also the amount of smoke wasn't too little or two much it was perfect.

[Maduro Man]

Stick #2

Before
looked to be about 5- 6 inches long, and sun grown as well. Also looked like it was boxed pressed. It smelled ok too.

After
The first half I didn't have any trouble drawling on the stick or keeping it even with the burn. It had a mild taste and smelled really nice. Half way through it became a bit clogged in the middle, and the outer leaf started trying to come off. No big deal though, shortly it was "unclogged" if you will, total smoke time ranging from 30-35 minutes. Also the amount of smoke wasn't too little or two much it was perfect.

Ok...So Bazooka you have a guess on what stick was the more $ one? I dont think you put in your guess yet.

[Bazooka Tooth]

Ok...So Bazooka you have a guess on what stick was the more $ one? I dont think you put in you rguess yet.

I'm gonna have to say the second one. Stick to in my opinion was the more costly cigar.

[Maduro Man]

I'm gonna have to say the second one. Stick to in my opinion was the more costly cigar.

Sorry My brother your guess is wrong! Stick #1 was the more costly stick.

Here is what you smoked...

Stick #1 Cohiba Black. This is a Dominican stick, The binder and the filler have been aged for 3 years. Price $12-$14 per stick

Stick #2 Te-Amo Meditation Maduro. The wrapper, filler and binder are all Mexican. Alot of people put down Mexican smokes but I love em. Price $2-$4 per stick.

Glad you liked em both...

[ashauler]

Review these from WOXOF:
#1
Roughly a toro size stick, RG about 50 or so. Wrapper was medium brown and lighter that stick#2. Construction was good, though looking at the foot and feeling the cigar I could tell it would have a little bit of a loose draw, and after cutting my guess was right. Not "too" loose of a draw but I like a little more resistance.

Light was easy, and the ash held on well. Flavor was good, plenty of smoke. I think I picked up a little bit of leather, maybe some spice. Held up well during the entire smoke. The burn became uneven just past the 1/2 way point and I had to touch it up.

A good smoke, nothing to rave about for me, but certainly not a bad stick.

#2
Roughly the same RG as #1, just about a 1/4" or so longer. Much darker wrapper and very oily.....almost shiny. The roll was tighter that #1, and when cut, the draw had just the right amount of resistance.

Light was easy, and the contrast of the ash against the darkness of the wrapper was very appealing. The flavor on this was very deep, dark, and full. I really enjoyed this cigar, it burned perfectly all the way to the nub. It seemed to open up about the mid point and really produce smoke and a deep sorta coffee/choclatey flavor. MMM-MMM good.

I liked #2 better.....and am going to have to guess it was the more expensive since the construction also appeared to be a tad better than #1.

Thanks again Chris for these two smokes, and their tag-alongs!!

[WOXOF]

Review these from WOXOF:
#1
Roughly a toro size stick, RG about 50 or so. Wrapper was medium brown and lighter that stick#2. Construction was good, though looking at the foot and feeling the cigar I could tell it would have a little bit of a loose draw, and after cutting my guess was right. Not "too" loose of a draw but I like a little more resistance.

Light was easy, and the ash held on well. Flavor was good, plenty of smoke. I think I picked up a little bit of leather, maybe some spice. Held up well during the entire smoke. The burn became uneven just past the 1/2 way point and I had to touch it up.

A good smoke, nothing to rave about for me, but certainly not a bad stick.

#2
Roughly the same RG as #1, just about a 1/4" or so longer. Much darker wrapper and very oily.....almost shiny. The roll was tighter that #1, and when cut, the draw had just the right amount of resistance.

Light was easy, and the contrast of the ash against the darkness of the wrapper was very appealing. The flavor on this was very deep, dark, and full. I really enjoyed this cigar, it burned perfectly all the way to the nub. It seemed to open up about the mid point and really produce smoke and a deep sorta coffee/choclatey flavor. MMM-MMM good.

I liked #2 better.....and am going to have to guess it was the more expensive since the construction also appeared to be a tad better than #1.

Thanks again Chris for these two smokes, and their tag-alongs!!

Great reviews Jamie! I had similar opinions on the two cigars. But your wrong on which was more expensive.

#1 was a Punch Gran Puro. (Paid $4.75 for at the B&M)

#2 was a Cubita SMS Dark Natural. (Paid $1.50 for on Cbid )

[bigwhiteash]

I’ve never written a cigar review, so don’t expect a minute breakdown of flavors, and aromas. But, Here Goes!

CIGAR #1 Provided by ashauler

This cigar is a Torpedo, 6 X 60 (approx), natural wrapper, possibly corojo. Cap is fairly sharp, slightly bumpy, but nicely constructed. Cigar shows a few larger veins, but nothing to detract from an overall well built cigar. Slightly soft to the touch, especially near the foot.

Prelight aroma is a strong sense of something I still can’t put my finger on, but very familiar. Underlying aroma of wood and hay/straw.

Cut with a double guillotine, clean and easy, leading to a draw that is perfect for my tastes, with the sense of hay continuing, and a bit of spice.

I lit this monster with my trusty Bic, which did a fine job, considering the large ring. (due in part to the perfect draw). Immediately got a mild sense of pepper, lots of creamy white smoke. The first 2” were fairly mild to medium, but after that the spice REALLY kicked in, and I found myself puffing a little to frequently. This is right up my alley! Burn is perfect so far, with the ash holding on in concentric rings, very light gray, with a slight yellow cast. Ash finally fell when it reached 2 ½” (right on my shirt). The last 2” picked up a bit more spice, and I finally put it out with about 1 ¼” remaining… I was starting to feel the heat on my fingers and lips. Overall, this was a VERY enjoyable smoking experience, and is going to be difficult to top.

[ashauler]

I’ve never written a cigar review, so don’t expect a minute breakdown of flavors, and aromas. But, Here Goes!

CIGAR #1 Provided by ashauler

This cigar is a Torpedo, 6 X 60 (approx), natural wrapper, possibly corojo. Cap is fairly sharp, slightly bumpy, but nicely constructed. Cigar shows a few larger veins, but nothing to detract from an overall well built cigar. Slightly soft to the touch, especially near the foot.

Prelight aroma is a strong sense of something I still can’t put my finger on, but very familiar. Underlying aroma of wood and hay/straw.

Cut with a double guillotine, clean and easy, leading to a draw that is perfect for my tastes, with the sense of hay continuing, and a bit of spice.

I lit this monster with my trusty Bic, which did a fine job, considering the large ring. (due in part to the perfect draw). Immediately got a mild sense of pepper, lots of creamy white smoke. The first 2” were fairly mild to medium, but after that the spice REALLY kicked in, and I found myself puffing a little to frequently. This is right up my alley! Burn is perfect so far, with the ash holding on in concentric rings, very light gray, with a slight yellow cast. Ash finally fell when it reached 2 ½” (right on my shirt). The last 2” picked up a bit more spice, and I finally put it out with about 1 ¼” remaining… I was starting to feel the heat on my fingers and lips. Overall, this was a VERY enjoyable smoking experience, and is going to be difficult to top.

Nice Review..........looking forward to #2. Glad you enjoyed this smoke, lets hope the next one is enjoyable as well.

[bigwhiteash]

Cigar #2

This cigar is also a Torpedo shape, about 6 1/8” X 56. Natural wrapper, cap is more rounded than #1. There is a ¾” cut or dent lengthwise near the tip. Nice smooth construction with minimal veins. Firm to the touch, no soft spots.

Prelight aroma of tobacco, and leather. Cut with same cutter as #1, clean and easy. Draw is slightly firmer than #1, but still within my liking.

Lit fairly easily with my bic. This cigar turned spicy right away, and I was a bit concerned that it become overpowering. Ash is a medium gray, fairly tight… held on well.
Second half, the spice actually mellowed a bit and the leather taste came up to match it. Very nice! The last 2” became difficult to smoke as the wrapper issue noted above started to completely unravel. Cigar started to get a bit bitter, so I had to abandon the last 1 ½”.

I did enjoy this cigar, and without the wrapper issue, probably would have nubbed this one as well.

Though I hope this is not the case, I’m going to say cigar #1 is the more expensive.

Dennis

[ashauler]

Another nice review Dennis! I apologize for the damage to #2, I can't believe that I didn't catch it when I inspected the cigar. Give me a few days and I'll send you a replacement so that you can enjoy this smoke to its fullest.

Cigar #1 was a LaVieja Habana by Drew Estates.........$2 at the local
Cigar #2 was a MonteCristo Serie C.........$7 at the local

Good job on both reviews, and thanks for getting them smoked and reviewed so quickly.

Cigar #2

This cigar is also a Torpedo shape, about 6 1/8” X 56. Natural wrapper, cap is more rounded than #1. There is a ¾” cut or dent lengthwise near the tip. Nice smooth construction with minimal veins. Firm to the touch, no soft spots.

Prelight aroma of tobacco, and leather. Cut with same cutter as #1, clean and easy. Draw is slightly firmer than #1, but still within my liking.

Lit fairly easily with my bic. This cigar turned spicy right away, and I was a bit concerned that it become overpowering. Ash is a medium gray, fairly tight… held on well.
Second half, the spice actually mellowed a bit and the leather taste came up to match it. Very nice! The last 2” became difficult to smoke as the wrapper issue noted above started to completely unravel. Cigar started to get a bit bitter, so I had to abandon the last 1 ½”.

I did enjoy this cigar, and without the wrapper issue, probably would have nubbed this one as well.

Though I hope this is not the case, I’m going to say cigar #1 is the more expensive.

Dennis

[WOXOF]

I smoked these two cigars at the same time. I even took some pictures to further prove I have no life. It was a beautiful day today, about 70 -75 degrees out. Kind of weird for the middle of December. I sat down with some reading material and the Dogwatch Social Club playing on my Ipod. Due to the time of day I paired these cigars with some Dr. Pepper.

Cigar #1 (around 5" X 42)

Pre-smoke

This cigar had a Nice smooth colorado shade wrapper with some dark marbling in it. It was well constructed with a double or triple cap. The feel was consistent and firm. It was very appealing to the eye.

Smoke

As soon as it was lit I began picking up hints of burnt sugar/caramel notes. It started off medium bodied and stayed that way. Maybe it got a little more full bodied towards the end but it was hard to tell smoking two cigars at the same time. The initial flavors of caramel faded and were replaced by a leather dominance with good tobacco flavors and some sort of sweetness maybe vanilla, maybe the Dr. Pepper I was drinking. The draw was good on this cigar and the burn was even and left a dark gray ash that was a little flaky. Towards the last two inches it began to get a little spicy with the dominant flavor still leather and good tobacco. It got hot before it got bitter. I put it out with about an inch left.



Cigar #2 (around 5 1/2" X 40-42)

Pre-smoke

This cigar had a very toothy dark maduro wrapper. The constuction was noticeably inferior to cigar #1. The feel of the cigar varied from firm to a little spongy around were the band would be.

Smoke

The cigar lit with no problem and the initial flavors were sweet tobacco and some spice. Cigar #2 seemed a little spicier than cigar #1. The dominant flavors remained rich tobacco and spice without much change. I did occasionally notice some hints of leather/cedar but it was hard to tell if those flavors were unique to cigar #2 or were carried over from cigar #1. It was medium bodied to me. The burn on this cigar was good and left a white ash behind. I did have to relight and purge the cigar at the 3 1/2 mark. Other than that it burned and drew very well. It began to get a little bitter around the 2" mark. I sat this one down at about 1 1/2 inches.

Conclusion

Both of the cigars were enjoyable. Cigar #1 reminded me of an ISOM, Illusione, or a Tatuaje.
Cigar #2 reminded me of a lower end Padron maduro. Based on construction and flavor, I would say that cigar #1 was the more expensive cigar.











Both cigars laid to rest in my $6 "garage sale" ashtray.

[bigwhiteash]

Outstanding reviews

Cigar #1: Montecristo Afrique, $6.95 locally

Cigar #2: Padron Londres Maduro, $2.75 locally

Nicely done, even to the point of guessing the brand on #2

[ashauler]

Nice Reviews!!
BTW, That's a damn fine looking ashtray that simply exudes class!!

[WOXOF]

That Montecristo Afrique was pretty good. I might have to get me a few of those.

Thanks Dennis for the cigars.

[slcraiders]

Notng fancy like WOXOF's review with the time-lapsed photos and all, but I finished #2 tonight and here they are-

Review Stick #1

Toro in size range and box pressed. It had a dark brown, beautiful wrapper with a slight red hue. The construction on this cigar was very good.

The filler tobacco was tightly bunched so the draw was somewhat tight throughout but did open up a bit as I hit the second half. Medium gray ash- not the firmest ash for a box pressed cigar. The burn was extremely even throughout the smoke.

Flavor wise- I would put this at Medium. I had it right after eating a double cheeseburger so it could have been stronger if I smoked it earlier on an empty stomach? Body was Med-Full. The flavor profile stayed fairly consistent throughout with the first few puffs coming off as leathery coupled with and tapering into smoother woody flavors for most of the cigar. I detected a slight pepper taste on the finish.

Good, pleasant cigar all in all.

Review Stick #2

This cigar would be in the Corona to Robusto size category. Slightly fatter than most Coronas, but longer and a little thinner than a typical Robusto. The wrapper is dark natural. It is nowhere near as pretty of a cigar as #1. It appears to have a triple cap- either that or a double with the bottom cap running long? This is a toothy sucker reminding me of a Henry Clay in appearance.

The prelight aroma was just straight up good and earthy. Lighting this up, I was hit with instant full flavored spice. I am loving it! The flavor is much like the spicy yet earthy flavor found in Cubans like the RASS. The ash is med-dark gray. Slight uneven burn correcting itself well at the 1/3 mark. The profile changes to more medium strength from this point to the last 3rd where the stout and spice dominated once again. The draw in this was perfect all the way through.

I nubbed this sucka and would smoke another and another in a heartbeat!

I am going to guess that #2 was the more expensive because I think Chris is trying to fool me with the construction factor. That, and I liked it more!

Although I am stumped, I will stab wildly and guess something like this for actual make-

Cigar #1- Carlos Torano Exodus or Sancho Panza Extra Fuerte?
Cigar #2- Illusione? Cabaiguan? Perdomo ESV? or something Cuban? (farm rolled?)

Do tell………….

[WOXOF]

Great reviews and exactly my opinion of both cigars.

Cigar #1: Angel 100, MSRP is around $2 but I paid less on Cbid.

Cigar #2: Montecristo EL 2003, MSRP around $10 if I recall. Got a couple more resting still.