Review These - Reviews

[Desert Rat]

Right on the money Dan. I'll give you the line after you do the second cigar to compare the two.

[CgarDan]

Review # 2 in real time

THis cigar also looks like it has good construction. The warpper on this one is a maduro. By the way both this one and the first about 5 inches long although this one looks like perhaps a slightly smaller ring gage than # 1. this one is prob a 46 while #1 was a 50 i think.

Cut was easy and the prelight draw was nice noi plugs on this baby.

Lighting it up

Well this one has some spice but its very mellow spice. At the same time I get the sweetness that is usual for a maduro wrapper. this baby produces a lot of smoke which I like. The flavor at the beggining is chocoalety, woodsy and a bit of spice. THis feels to me like a NC profile.

1/3 ash is very solid and white very much lie the Nc tobacco

now into 2/3 flavor profile stays te same. I think I will rule out Gurkha, CAO, Padron, indian Tobacc, Sancho Panza, this is very simialr to 5 Vegas serie A could be Partagas or Montecristo

into the final 1/3 still the same flavor profile.

Overall I have to say that this is also a nice cigar and probably a $3-4 stick which is a nice value for this one . I think #1 is more expensive somewhere is the $9-12 range

[Desert Rat]

#1 Fonseca Serie F Robusto (5 x 52)
Binder: Mexico
Filler: Dominican Republic
Wrapper: USA/Conn. Shade

#2 Carlos Torano Signature Robusto
#2 Carlos Torano Signature Robusto (5 x 52)
Binder: USA/Conn. Broadleaf
Filler: Dominican Cubano Ligero, Nicaraguan Habano Ligero
Wrapper: Sun Grown Brazilian Maduro

I sent you two average ho-hum smokes to compare. Both were stored over a year.(I don't remember, but some of the riders are better gars). You hit #1 exactly on the head, except for price, and I agree that cigar is too light for my taste.

You called #2 right on too. I actually get a little more flavor out of the Torano, but nothing to write home about.

Either cigar can be had for about $3/stick or so.

Great job!!!

#2 Carlos Torano Signature Robusto
#2 Carlos Torano Signature Robusto

[CgarDan]

Wow interesting I think I will get some Fonseca gars for morning/afternoon smoke By the way if you haven't tried the Virtuoso from Torano you def should its much richer than the signature but also no harsh tones in that one and it def produces a more profound bang on the senses

Thanks for letting me review these and those of you who like the Ashton line this Fonseca is def a must try you will be surprised especially for the $$$ I was

[mauied1101]

Okeedokes - sticks had been sitting in my coolidor for 4-5 days now so I thought I'd take stick #1 and give it a whirl:

Stick #1

Pre-cigar activity: steak dinner at a buddy's.

Construction: Very tightly wrapped stick (still a little hard on the cap end). Saw a little triple cap, same thoughts as CgarDan on origins.

The light-up: Well, I had given my buddy a creme brulee torch and we fired it up in no time. Even burn (through about 1/2 the stick). Mild, smokey flavor, slightly choco-nutty flavor. Beautiful, thick, white smoke. Draw was fine. Nice finish.

Stick #2

Pre-cigar activity: mid-day coffee outside freezing my arse off

Construction: very similar look and feel as stick #1 (thanks for making this easy Dan). Similar very slight veins. Pinch test told me it was ripe.

Light-up: Nice even burn. Light salt-and-pepper smoke. Burned more evenly than stick #1. Milder taste than #1, no complexity - like a very light black coffee (and no, not b/c I was drinking it). One annoyance with the stick was that there was a plug in it - I tried massaging it out to no avail, then finally stuck a skewer up the foot which helped a bit. The intensity stayed the same until the last 1/4 - in which it shot up a notch. Short finish.

I'd have to say I liked #1 better, and therefore say it's the more expensive stick.

Cheers.

[CgarDan]

Common Paul lets have that second review

[CgarDan]

Paul you got the price right and I am glad you enjoyed the first smoke more than the second

1) OPUS X Perfecxion # 4

2) Jose L. Piedra Cazadores ISOM ( machjine made I think ) ( this one costs about a $2.5 or so )


Great Reviews

[FunkyCold5]

Alright, Paul. Here goes Review #1 of Cigar #1.
Smoking it at 9am in 20 degree weather. Brrrrr!

Cigar is Robusto in size. Pretty well constructed. Smells really good.

It's the lighter of the two cigars. Not light enough to be Connecticut, but also not dark enough to be Maduro. I thought it was Corojo at first, but pre-draw provided a very sweet taste, same pre-draw taste as I've experienced with Cameroon cigars. The sweetness reminds me of a port wine. Like eating raisins.

Once lit, there was tons of smoke. White Ash and smooth draw. No plug throughout the entire smoking process. It burned pretty fast (maybe due to the cold weather?), but burned even.

The sweetness continues with the first part of the cigar. Started getting stronger 1/3 through the cigar. I'm guessing it's med-full bodied. I was able to keep the ash at least 1-inch through, before tapping it (don't like ash all over my clothes). I tasted a hint of nuttiness, but wasn't overpowering.

It was a really good smoke. Once I find out what it is, I'll include it in my rotation. Hope this was a decent 1st review from me. Review number #2 for cigar #2 will come soon. I'm guessing this cigar is a Camacho Select Cameroon Robusto.

Andrew

[chefchris]

I did these reviews in the order that I smoked the cigars.

Cigar # 2
Looking at this cigar, it is very well contructed. Cut and lit fine. Instantly had a tight draw. So tight my jaw is actually sore. After further examining, I found the cigar to be plugged. I gently massaged it out and this opened it up a little more, but not much. This cigar is very mild. I mean MILD. So mild I contemplated not typing "mild" in all caps. It's only strong points are it's good construction (minus the plug) and it's even burn. I would could consider this a bland, not mild but comatose cigar. What little flavor I was getting was not good. Made it half way though before letting it die. My jaw could not handle it.


Cigar # 1
This cigar is rough looking, very veiny. Straight up ugly. Cut was ok, a little messy which makes me wonder if this is machine made. Now right off the bat there was something that I've never tasted in a cigar. I cannot put my finger on it. Even the smoke smelled different. It's toasty, kinda twangy. This cigar started on the mild side of medium, then moves into a more of a medium smoke halfway through. This one also had a tight draw, but didn't piss me off as bad because I enjoyed the flavor and aroma. The draw loosens up about halfway through. The burn got a little off at times. The strength really intensified towards the end, but I really enjoyed the last 2" of it. All around a good cigar. Wouldn't mind having a few of these in the trunk.



Now, if I rated these cigars on construction I would have to say that Number # 2 was the most expensive. But now if I rated it on taste, I would go with Number # 1.

But my final decision is number 2 was the more expensive, although it honestly was a tough decision.


This is an awesome idea, i'll probably wait and let everyone get a turn in and try again. Lots of fun. i'm lame.

Thanks FunkyCold!

[mauied1101]

*bump* funkycold

c'mon... I'm itching for review #2....

[FunkyCold5]

Chris, you did a good job reviewing. You were on the money for both I believe, but sorry for the plug, I haven't had issues with that cigar.

#1 - was a Romeo y Julieta #2 (ISOM), construction wasn't good, but the flavours were definitely there. Obviously the more expensive of the two. Good job on that review. I'm glad you enjoyed it. I was guessing this would be my best chance of giving you a cigar you've never tried before as a review. I hope I succeeded.

#2 - was Arte Cubano Toro - it's definitely a mild smoke. I found the construction was near perfect also, and of all the ones I've smoked, never had a plug problem. Again, sorry for that misfortune.

Paul, I've been busy this week. THE last smoke I had was the #1 review I did. I'm itching to smoke again, but I don't have the luxury of smoking inside, and work is kicking my butt......(normally beg. and end of month is the busiest for me.) I will try to suck it up and review it before the weekend.

Andrew

I did these reviews in the order that I smoked the cigars.

Cigar # 2
Looking at this cigar, it is very well contructed. Cut and lit fine. Instantly had a tight draw. So tight my jaw is actually sore. After further examining, I found the cigar to be plugged. I gently massaged it out and this opened it up a little more, but not much. This cigar is very mild. I mean MILD. So mild I contemplated not typing "mild" in all caps. It's only strong points are it's good construction (minus the plug) and it's even burn. I would could consider this a bland, not mild but comatose cigar. What little flavor I was getting was not good. Made it half way though before letting it die. My jaw could not handle it.


Cigar # 1
This cigar is rough looking, very veiny. Straight up ugly. Cut was ok, a little messy which makes me wonder if this is machine made. Now right off the bat there was something that I've never tasted in a cigar. I cannot put my finger on it. Even the smoke smelled different. It's toasty, kinda twangy. This cigar started on the mild side of medium, then moves into a more of a medium smoke halfway through. This one also had a tight draw, but didn't piss me off as bad because I enjoyed the flavor and aroma. The draw loosens up about halfway through. The burn got a little off at times. The strength really intensified towards the end, but I really enjoyed the last 2" of it. All around a good cigar. Wouldn't mind having a few of these in the trunk.



Now, if I rated these cigars on construction I would have to say that Number # 2 was the most expensive. But now if I rated it on taste, I would go with Number # 1.

But my final decision is number 2 was the more expensive, although it honestly was a tough decision.


This is an awesome idea, i'll probably wait and let everyone get a turn in and try again. Lots of fun. i'm lame.

Thanks FunkyCold!

[FunkyCold5]

Review #2

Dark Wrapper (Maduro, looks like it and taste like it), more oily than the first cigar, Robusto size, a little Veiny, and good construction.

Pre-draw was nice and sweet, not as sweet as cigar #1.

When I lit it up, the flavors in the beginning was direct. Really peppery and it got stronger in the end. I'm guessing Med-Full bodied cigar. Had a lot of smoke, burned perfectly, and aroma was beautiful.

Almost consistent to the Sancho Panza Double Maduros I've had, but I don't think this is a SP. Could be another Camacho, it has that camacho look to it. Both cigars look identical, except for the shade of the wrapper. Was a very good smoke, I wouldn't make it my everyday smoke, but one I would include in my rotation for those days when I need a good kick in the but. It's closer to the full-bodied side of my taste.

I can't wait to find out what these cigars are......I want to buy them.

Guessing #1 would be the more expensive one. Plenty of flavor in that one. #2, the peppery flavor overpowered most of the smoke, and it starts to burn your mouth on the last 1/3 of the cigar, didn't have this problem with the first cigar.

Andrew

[mauied1101]

Hey Funky,

Nice reviews. And you're right on stick #1 being more expensive.

Sticks are:

#1 - Diamond Crown Maximus Robusto #5
#2 - Monte Cristo Buena Fortuna.

[FunkyCold5]

Thanks Paul. Really enjoyed the Diamond Crown! That's my priority when I buy a box.

Andrew

Hey Funky,

Nice reviews. And you're right on stick #1 being more expensive.

Sticks are:

#1 - Diamond Crown Maximus Robusto #5
#2 - Monte Cristo Buena Fortuna.

[ReV]

Ok here goes: keep in mind that I'm new at this.

Side by side they both look nice enough, but something about stick #2 just feels better. I dont like the feel of stick #1 (if that makes sense) as much as the 2nd.

Stick #1:
This was a small light colored stick. Looked decently constructed; the bouquet was nice. The prelight was kind of bitter. It cut kind of odd, but that could have been my fault. As far as smoking it, it lit easy enough and had a nice draw. It burned a little lop-sided. The flavor was very mild all the way through the smoke and went out once toward the end. Overall, not a terrible smoke but not the best either.

Stick #2:
This cigar was longer than the first and a darker color. It looked pretty well constructed and had a stronger bouquet than stick #1. It lit easy, burned even the whole way through and had an easy draw. The flavor started off mild but started picking up spice a little ways into the smoke. By the end, there was a decently bold flavor to it, and while not my favorite taste, was overall good. I think this guy was the more expensive smoke, but i had assumed that from first looking at them side by side so i may have gotten my mind stuck on this assumption.

Conclusion: Stick #1 is cheaper stick. Stick #2 nice stick.

[chefchris]

Alright ReV, great reviews!

Cigar #1 Was an Indian Tubac Cameroon Legend
Cigar #2 Was a Gurkha Signature '101' Maduro

And you were right, #2 was the more expensive cigar.

I really like those Cameroon Legends. Good cheap smoke.

[ReV]

Alright, i got em' right. Thanks for the cigars chris, i cant get those localy.

[JJ Westbrook]

Ok, sorry it took me this long to post my reviews, but this was a LONG weekend at work. I will review in the order that I smoked the cigars.

Cigar #2

This stick is about 5 inches long and about a 48 ring gauge I would guess. The wrapper is very light in color. The "squeeze" on this stick is a little softer than I have seen before. I automatically assume that the draw on this is going to be very loose. I was correct. I used my favorite puch on both of these smokes just to be fair. The pre-light draw was, indeed, loose but kind of flavorful. It lit and burned fine. The taste started off pretty rough, but got better shortly after. Now I have to say that I was not over impressed with this smoke. It was too loose and did go out about 30% through it. I would like to say I got to finish it and give it a fair review. However, as usual, life (or more specifically, work) got in the way. My job requires me to be on-call at times. This weekend was one of those times. I got an onslaught of calls suddenly while I am trying to enjoy my smoke. It got so bad that I got frustrated and called it quits after about 50-55%. I really hope this is not the better of the two cigars that just got ruined.

Cigar #1

This stick is 6 inches long and about the same ring gauge as the first one. The wrapper is darker and tighter than the first. The "squeeze" was much tougher than the first, it was down right stiff. Not hard, but stiff. Pre-light draw was tough but very tasty. Lighting was easy but drawing was tough right from the very beginning. Also, the burn was even down the length of but I swear it burned primarily at the center of the cigar. It did not burn evenly across the foot. This was somewhat annoying, but the taste was good enough that I wanted to continue. The draw did improve a bit shortly into the smoke, but then just got worse. Smoking this thing was a real chore. It went out a couple of times within the 90 minutes I smoked on it. Finally, I surrendered around 3/4 through the cigar. I have never had one this tough before, so I guess this is what is called a plug.

Well, as tough a time I had with these reviews, I am still going to take a stab at picking the more expensive of the two. But for the plug, my choice would easily be Cigar #1. I am aware that this can happen at random with even some (usually) really good cigars. So, my choice is still going to be Cigar #1.

Either way, thanks for the chance to participate in this again. And thank you for the stow-aways that you sent. That was rather kind of you.

[ReV]

Nice::

#1, the longer stick was a Carlos Torano Noventa ~$11
#2, the shorth light stick, was a Gispert ~$3

[WOXOF]

Reviews for smokes sent by JJ Westbrook

Cigar #1

This was a very well constructed cigar with a natural shade wrapper. It looked to be a robusto size (maybe a toro) but I didn't break out the ruler. I sparked this one up for a walk with my son. The cigar lit up nicely with no touch-ups required. It started out with a perfect burn. The draw was a little tighter than I like but not so much that it bothered me. The initial flavor was what I was expecting. It was a mild nutty flavor, nothing special. The perfect burn continued through the first inch. The ash was very light gray and firm. About an inch into the cigar I began to pick up some spice (maybe white pepper) and the draw lossened up a bit. At about an inch and a half the cigar was at it's best. I lightly tapped the cigar to remove the ash, which revealed a perfect cone shaped cherry. From this point on, I didn't notice any further changes in the cigar. It remained just on the mild side of medium with a hint of pepper. Absolute perfect burn. It was a pretty enjoyable smoke for the walk through the neighborhood.

Cigar #2

Well I finally got to cigar #2 tonight. The smoking activity for the night was watching Casino Royale. This cigar was a robusto, about 4.74 X 50 ish. It looked like a natural wrapper. The construction was average with no large veins. It was a little soft on the squeeze test. Prelight draw was surprisingly tight. It lit up without a hitch. I only had to do a slight touch up at the beginning. The flavor started out rich with a good tobacco flavor. Not much spice to this one but a good medium flavored cigar. Within the first inch the burn evened out and stayed consistant. At about the inch mark the ash fell off unexpectedly, but I recovered. It's not the first time I've had hot ash in my lap. The draw remained just a little on the tight side. The smoke remained one dimensional for the remainder of the cigar. It was what I would call a medium bodied cigar at best. Nice flavor to it but nothing that piqued my interest. It finally quit on me with about two inches left, leaving me wanting more. I grabbed a PSP2 to finish out the movie.

Both of these cigars were good. Based on the construction and quality of cigar #1, I would have to say it was the more expensive of the two. Cigar #2 actually had more of the flavor profile that I prefer, it was just missing a little spice.