The KC/DW Review Series

[King Catfish]

Being as I have liked everything I have tried from 5 Vegas, I chose this cigar next out of the bundle of fine stogies sent by Sammis. Also, I am inexperienced with cigars this small and wanted to try it just for the size.

The 5 Vegas Shorty looks exactly like a 5 Vegas Miami that has been shrunken down in size; it measures 4.2" x 40. It is made up of Honduran tobaccos in a Cameroon wrapper. I am assuming this actually is the 5 Vegas Miami in a smaller size; someone correct me if I am wrong.

I held the little fella under my nose, and it had a rich aroma that was slightly cedary. The cigar was slightly rough in texture but very even and solidly built. I cut the cap without incident (Again?! I’m on a roll!), and the prelight draw was medium, perfect in fact, and tasted a bit chocolately and cedary at the same time. Toasting the foot was pleasing to the nose, and the cigar was lit.

The first puffs were a bit... complex. It is hard to describe, but I tasted wood, and a straight tobacco flavor, and a faint metallic tang. I think there was a bit of coffee in there, and kinda sorta perhaps some dark chocolate. Maybe. The volume of smoke was as one would expect from such a little stick, that is, a lot less than a robusto or corona, but still quite enough to enjoy. The metallic tang disappeared after the first puff or two and did not return until near the nub when the cigar was burning pretty hot.

The first third immediately made clear one of the differences in sizes of cigars: smoke temperature. This cigar’s smoke was as warm from the start as a robusto would be when I am rushing it and it’s time to let it cool off for a minute. The burn line was very sharp and totally even, and the ash was a very pale gray and solid, with black streaks showing through the cracks. The cigar started to take on a dusty sort of undertone in addition to all the other subtle tastes.

I found the middle third beginning with a fading away of most of the “up front” (beginning of the puff) taste profile that was so hard to describe early on in the first third. However, the finish and the aftertaste, practically absent in the first third, were beginning to get strong and hot and leathery. Smoke volume increased quite a bit, and the ash fell off at about half an inch and sat in the ashtray a small unbroken cylinder.

The final third was very similar to the middle third, with some intensification of the flavors and a bit of a build in strength. (I found this stick to be medium in body.) Smoke volume increased still more, and the smoke got very hot at the end (which was to be expected) somewhat to the detriment to the flavor.

Overall, this is a nice little cigar, and better than I expected for the size. (I don’t remember ever being terribly impressed with a small cigar, and that might be caused by a defect in my approach to them. I’m willing to submit to the tutelage of anyone who has more experience with them.) I have had a couple of 5 Vegas Miamis in the more conventional sizes, but it was a while ago and I do not remember how I felt about them. Score: 78. I found the flavor profile a little less than impressive after the first few puffs; there was a nice burst of flavor in the last third as well. I think I failed to respect the cigar’s size, and rushed it. I’ll have to go more slowly with the next one. I can certainly commend the makers of this cigar for the lovely prelight aroma, though, and flawless construction. Very nice. Many thanks to Sammis.

Someone help me out here: I know this is a boutique brand for Famous Smoke Shop… but a little birdie told me that this brand is blended for Famous by Don Pepin Garcia. Can someone confirm or deny this for me?

[King Catfish]

Decadence and Luxury.

Rolled by the best torcedores (cadre) using the best raw materials, this flawless combination is designated "Level 7". Aged Dominican fillers wrapped in beautiful chocolate-brown Ecuadorian Sumatra leaf equals a delicious and sumptuous one-of-a-kind.

A nearly veinless, drum-tight wrapper gave some clue that this might just be a really, really good cigar. The fact that it was a Montecristo gave it some merit too! I didn't play with it too long before I was toasting the foot and drooling at the mouth. I did a v-cut and achieved a perfect draw, surprising as this was a very tight roll. I immediately kicked back and began to enjoy some heavenly flavors. So complex and earthy with a smooth finish. I got some sweet and salty contrast, the best I can describe it would be honey-roast peanuts. The burn was even, centered cone, crisp light ash, pleasant after-taste. Of course I nubbed it. The only disappointing thing about this cigar is that it was the only one. But, thank you logan37, I did have the pleasure!

On a scale of 1-10 I rate this cigar 93.

Wow, sounds like a real winner!

[sammis]

Hi King Catfish

Nice Review :)

I bought the Shorty's to have something to smoke when it gets cold around here and I can't last the full length of a regular sized cigar.

The ones I sent you have spent about 10 months in my humidor.

I get them from Cigars International and the only thing I have been able to track down is that they are hand rolled in Danli’s San Marco factory.

They do get hot if you pull on them too much but I've always liked the flavor.

Thanks for the Review!

[DeeDubya]

Good review KC,
Sounds pretty good for a small vitola. I rarely smoke anything less than 48. For me the larger rings burn cooler, mellower and of course longer. JMO
Have a good Thanksgiving.
DW

[DeeDubya]

Ashwhuper dropped this one on me in the Pryme split. One of the benefits of trades and splits when one can enjoy many of the fine cigars available today.

Made by Pete Johnson and Don Jose "Pepin Garcia" you would expect something great. The name translates to "The Riches" in Spanish. These are Nicaraguan puros and like the other Tatuaje series are spicy, sweet, with filled with flavor. The dark Connecticut wrapper is somewhat oily and toothy. Consistantly firm role, perfectly even burn and sweet mellow finish make them a treat above many others. They are medium bodied but deliver a cloud of rich, thick smoke. The robust flavors stack slightly toward the very end but not unlike other medium bodied smokes.

Although there are many excellent blends available, I'm all for a good puro, be it Nicaraguan, Dominican or whatever. There is just something rewardingly different when smoking a puro.

On a scale of 1-10 I rate this cigar 9.1.

[King Catfish]

Having reviewed a Perdomo last week, I decided to go back to that well and try the Perdomo Fresco in the Toro vitola, kindly donated by Sammis.

The Perdomo Fresco wears a Connecticut shade grown wrapper. According to another Web site, the wrapper is a Criollo ’98. This may be the same thing, I’m not sure. The binder and fillers are from the Jalapa Valley in Nicaraga. This cigar comes garbed in a wide, modern, funky, dark-but-multicolored festive band. It sort of reminded of something one would see at a Mardi gras party.

The wrapper was dark brown with a nice oily sheen, slightly rough but not coarse, and construction was otherwise good, firm but not hard. There was a slight ridge in the cigar from about the middle to the head end, but it could not be seen, only felt. This stick felt a little light in the hand for its size, and I expected it to have a relatively short burn time even though it was a sizable Toro.

The unlit aroma was dark and rich and reminded me slightly of bitter chocolate. I helped it doff its cap, and the prelight draw was a little tight. The taste was again chocolatey. I toasted the foot, which brought no particular aroma to the room. The cigar lit readily, as if eager to be smoked. Smoke volume was huge, and the mild smoke tasted a bit dry and dusty at first, with not much else going on, except maybe a little nuttiness. The smoke hanging in the room gave it a pleasant aroma. The draw was nice, not as tight as I feared it would be.

In the first third the dustiness faded and the plain tobacco taste was very smooth. The burn line was very sharp and only slightly uneven. The ash was light gray with slightly darker streaks and held firm to the cigar. The nuttiness increased as the cigar continued its journey to the nub. The overall flavor profile included just a shadow of acidity and bitterness. The ash was still holding on as we approached the middle third until I dropped the cigar from mouth height into the ashtray, knocking the ash off and cracking the wrapper from the (nicely cone-shaped) coal to the middle of the cigar, about 1.5 inches. Yes, I know I’m a clumsy fool.

In the middle third the nuttiness of the flavor intensified very nicely and added a tiny bit of chocolate, and despite my fumble I was enjoying this cigar quite a bit. The acidity and bitterness were gone and the flavor was nutty and still a bit dusty in a positive way, and maybe was starting to become leathery; the aftertaste, heretofore unnoticeable, was starting to build and was nutty and perhaps the slightest bit metallic. The volume of the smoke remained quite admirable. The crack in the wrapper did not expand beyond its original dimensions; the Perdomo sailed past it as if allowing me to take a Mulligan, just this time. By the time I had reached the very center of the stick the crack was history; I was quite impressed!
The second ash fell off at a full two inches in length, perhaps a bit more.

The final third was much of the same, with the flavors jelling a bit more and smoothing out a bit. The body climbed well into medium near the nub. I was wrong about the expected short smoke time; this cigar lasted me an hour and 15 minutes.

The Perdomo Fresco is a decent, well constructed mild-to-almost-medium-bodied cigar that’s priced for everyday consumption. The flavor profile, while not terribly complex, did show some nice evolution, even if the flavors were a bit discordant at times. There was a lot of change back and forth between flavors, especially in the middle of the cigar; these changes were not always consonant, and jangled the senses a bit. I likened it to a band of talented musicians that have not quite jelled with each other yet. Much like other Perdomos the flavor profile is on the vegetal side and lacking in leather. Perhaps I was weak this afternoon or this stick has quite a bit of nicotine despite its mostly mild body; my head was swimming a bit at the end.

It’s an enjoyable smoke. I scored this stick: 16.05 (x5) = 80.25, gaining a half point for a very nice unlit aroma and losing a half point for a weak start. I added three-quarters of a point for the way the cigar brushed aside my dropping and cracking it for a final score of 81.

Many thanks to Sammis for this relaxing afternoon.

[sammis]

Hi KC

Nice Review

That cigar has about a year of age on it. I bought two bundles of the Frescos when I was first starting out, one of the Natural wrapper and this one you reviewed which is the Maduro version of it.

I like the Maduro wrapper better. Although the natural wrapper has become my garage cigar while I'm working on my vehicles.

They do seem to smoke better with some age on them.

As you note, it isn't a really complex cigar but it's a good choice for new smokers (the local B&M introduced me to these)

Glad you had a relaxing afternoon. I was doing OK until I started getting calls from work that I had to handle

[Silencei2]

Great review! I'm going to have to pick up some of these and spend some more time reading your reviews. I hope one day I can be as intricate as you when it comes to dissecting the value of the cigars I smoke

[DeeDubya]

Excellent review KC. This is one Perdomo I have not tried, but now I will. I have never been dissapointed with any of the Perdomo's I have tried, that's why I now have five or six boxes in my coolerdor that I picked up at a reasonable price (mostly the Lot 23 series). With a little aging as Sammis did they should always be a good cigar.

[logan37]

Nice reviews guys.

The first La Riqueza that I smoked had a really tight draw. I'll have to give it another shot one day.

[DeeDubya]

Nice reviews guys.

The first La Riqueza that I smoked had a really tight draw. I'll have to give it another shot one day.

Now that you mention it, this one did too, but not so that I had to re-cut it. I usually try a v-cut first and if it won't draw I clip the cap.

[logan37]

I smoked the No. 1 size (6.5 x 42). I think that may have been part of the draw issue. The draw was so bad that I barely got any taste from it and hardly any smoke. I tried to cut a little more off to no avail. I'll try a No. 2 (5.5 x 52) if I pick up another one.

I tend to stay away from smaller ring sizes as a personal preference now. Most of my sticks are 50-52.

[King Catfish]

A gift from brother Sammis.

Full disclosure: I am biased toward Gurkhas; I love almost all of the Gurkha varieties I have tried, and I was expecting this one to be a big hit. This was my first Titan. Read on to see if my expectations were met.

The Gurkha Titan is aptly named, appearing in a chunky 6.5x56 toro vitola. The cigar is a deep brown, with the classic gold Gurkha band and a black secondary band proclaiming the variety of the stick in silver letters. A cedar sleeve covers most of the rest of the cigar, but enough is visible in the cellophane to project a squat, belligerent impression, like a sumo wrestler poised to attack.

This big stick is composed of Nicaraguan, Honduran, and Columbian fillers, a Nicaraguan binder, and a dark, slightly veiny 1996 Costa Rican wrapper. A little research revealed that the Titan debuted at the 2005 Retail Tobacco Dealers tradeshow and only 1,000 boxes were produced. This is a special stick indeed!

I smoked this cigar with a couple of Pilsners and Joe Pass and his colleagues on the music box. Handling the stick, I found the construction to be aces, very firm and straight and even. There was a slight sheen on the wrapper. I held the cigar to my nose; the wrapper smelled strongly of that fermented tobacco aroma we all love (but on the sweet end of that particular type of aroma), plus a good bit of cedar. (The cedar taste was no surprise, given the packaging). My cutter handled the task, and the prelight draw was surprisingly chocolatey. (I was not expecting that, given the aroma.) Draw was very easy.

It took a while to properly toast the cigar (which issued a subtle woodsy tang to the air), but once toasted it lit readily. I expected the volume of smoke to be huge, and I was not disappointed. The first few puffs were mild and sweet. The smoke was noticeably cooler than I am used to, which can be attributed to the large ring gauge. Once the cigar got warmed up a bit I tasted sweet iced coffee with the tiniest hint of chocolate.

In the first third, the burn line was slightly uneven but very sharp, demarcating a grayish white ash, and the slight chocolate tinge to the taste wandered away and was gone, leaving the mild, sweet, cool coffee taste. I was surprised to see a spot of burning coal had popped up a half in from the burn line; a bit of tunneling I was not expecting given the apparently excellent construction. However, it was no issue, as the main burn line caught up with this spot and devoured it soon enough, restoring the cigar to flawlessness. The ash fell off at nearly two inches and sat like a miniature concrete tower in the ashtray.

The middle third showed not so much a return of chocolate but rather the arrival of a powdery cocoa to complement the coffee taste, and the body started to build, with some spice developing. Also starting to emerge was a bit of an alkaline undertone, which seemed to be morphing slowly into, but never quite becoming, a leathery flavor. The aftertaste, weak up to this point, began to assert itself.

In the final third all the flavors intensified and started to work together more harmoniously. The body was quite mild in the beginning, becoming medium in the middle onwards. A very long-lived smoke, this cigar exceeded an hour and a half.

The Gurkha Titan is a special cigar: it’s uncommon; large and intimidating to the eye, but gentler than it appears. I did not find this cigar to be as amazingly complex as it has been described in some reviews I have read about it. While not one dimensional, I would not consider it remarkable for its complexity. However, it did evolve nicely, and the evolution made sense; the flavor at the end of the cigar was a more mature, developed version of the taste at the beginning. I recommend one approach this cigar like a special event; make sure you’ve got a full belly, a good drink or two, and a quiet evening in which to devote your full attention to the experience. This cigar has a unique flavor profile and a great evolution worth one’s full consciousness.

I scored this cigar 17.00 (x5) = 85.00, adding a full point for a well-thought-out blend that achieved a very sensible and satisfying evolution of flavor profile and another full point for a strong and harmonious finish, for a final score of 87. I would love to try this blend of tobaccos in a robusto vitola.

Many thanks to Sammis for this rare and special cigar.

[King Catfish]

A gift from my friend Deedubya.

This evening I smoked an Olor Fuerte in the bellicoso/torpedo size (never could tell the difference, really). I saw a review of this cigar by Logan37, and it seems he found it to be a complex stick with a “dark” taste. I thought I saw a review of this by Deedubya as well, but I could not find it. Perhaps I am mistaken, there.

The cigar is made up of Dominican, Nicaraguan and Brazilian fillers with a Mexican San Andreas binder and a dark Talanga Cubano wrapper. The cigar was slightly rough but with a very oily sheen asd a solid heft. The unlit aroma was rich and dark, and the smell of cherries (mentioned by Logan37 in his review) was strong and clear.

I cut the cap, and the prelight draw was delicious, like chocolate and cherries. I contemplated the serious-looking black and gold band as I toasted the foot, and drew in the first couple of puffs of smooth, voluminous smoke. It tasted like more chocolate, and the cherry flavor was there, too, and as Logan37 mentioned, sweet leather.

The opening third saw in increase in leather; the sweetness started to fade a bit, the cherry flavor was nearly gone, and the cigar started to settle into a smooth, creamy mouthfeel and a rich leathery aftertaste with a slight note of that cherry flavor at the very end. The ash held on for the ride to a length of more than an inch and was solid and light gray. Smoke volume was really pleasantly big.

The middle third was mainly a continuation of the first third, with the flavor profile holding steady. The final third showed an increase of leather and a strengthening of body. The cigar showed a smooth, gradual, undramatic evolution from a memorable start to a strong finish. The draw was perfect throughout.

The Olor Fuerte is a fine, medium-bodied stick with abundant, consistent character and a long lifespan, and well worth the asking price. I had this cigar with a low-budget Pilsner, but I would hazard a guess that a strong red wine would be a better pairing with this stick; I would stay away from whiskey, which I believe would tarnish the sweetness in the aftertaste.

I saw some complaints online about construction problems with this variety, but I did not encounter any problem; construction of this stick was absolute aces. Also touted was the cigar’s complexity, and I agree with that for the most part. Some retail outlets advertise this as a full-bodied cigar, but I think medium would be a better categorization. I scored this stick a solid 84, plus one point for the fabulous unlit aroma and prelight draw and another half point for the aftertaste of leather and cherries. I added yet another half point for a stylish start, for a final score of 86.

[DeeDubya]

Good review KC,
Olor should be proud.

I've smoked 10 or so and find them to be a little inconsistant in quality. You might have smoked one of the better. I can't say that they are all that good. But, on average, they are a pretty decent stick.

[logan37]

Thanks KC. Nice review. No apple taste on the first puff for you? I'm still confused by that.

[King Catfish]

Thanks KC. Nice review. No apple taste on the first puff for you? I'm still confused by that.

I have to admit I did not detect any taste of apple. But everyone's taste buds are different.

[DeeDubya]

I have to admit I did not detect any taste of apple. But everyone's taste buds are different.

I tasted apple cider. Oh, wait, that's because I was drinking apple cider. hic

[DeeDubya]

KC and I previously reviewed the La Aurora 1495 and Barrel Aged, both receiving high marks. These robusto's which are on the lower end of the La Aurora line have become one of my favorite daily smokes. At only around $2.65/stick they are a good value and very fine cigar. These are mild yet rich-tasting. Dominican fillers wrapped in a smooth African Cameroon leaf make for a delicious blend of thick, flavorful smoke.

They draw easy and burn with a near perfect ash. The strength doesn't stack or get bitter toward the end, so I usually nub them thinking, wow that was good, too bad I'm finished. Actually, I have never been dissapointed with any of La Aurora's lines, but these are so reasonable yet maintain a high standard of craftsmanship and quality that I feel they are worthy of special mentiion.

Also, I'd like to mention a couple other small details that got my attentiion. The bands seem to be applied differently somehow. They are easy to peel open and are never stuck to the wrapper. I have damaged a few cigars by peeling the band to find it was stuck to the wrapper. Also, I have never had a wrapper to split or a severely crooked burn. Quality and consistancy are high with La Aurora.

On a scale of 1-10 I rate this cigar 8.6.

[DeeDubya]

New Year's Day

My sweet sister bestowed upon me a very much appreciated Christmas gift. Created by Davidoff these Winston Churchill Marrakesh are one of four vitolas produced to honor the legendary Sr. Winston Churchill. Each is dedicated to a particular time or place in his life and love for cigars. Marrakesh was a place that he loved to relax and paint and of course smoke cigars.

The Marrakesh is a handsome cigar, not too smooth and pretty like some Davidoffs but somewhat veiny and toothy. The roll however is very uniform with a perfect cap. They consist of a "secret blend" of 5 diverse Dominican Cuban-seed fillers, bound with a Dominican Yamasa' Cuban-seed binder, and finally wrapped with an Ecuadorian special sun-grown leaf. The roll is medium firm and makes for a very easy pre-light draw. Also, I savored the clean, earthy scents of the wrapper. I like to breathe on the wrapper as one would fog his glasses to clean them and then sniff the length of the cigar. It seems to enhance the aromas.

Having consumed a very hearty Standing Rib Roast, candied yams, black-eyed peas and all the trimmings I was primed and anxious to give one a try. I v-cut, toasted and immediately achieved a perfect coal. I knew with the first puff that this was going to be special. Earthy, rich, thick and creamy best describes it with my limited vocabulary. That special essence of the aging process is most evident. The flavor is full yet mild, spicy and delicious. Although I am not one for exhaling through the nose, this would be a candidate for getting that extra pleasure.

I enjoyed this wonderful cigar for about an hour but could have easily stretched it an extra 30 minutes. All the while the beautiful crisp, light gray ash held firm, tipping it only twice. The flavors grew slightly bolder toward the end but totally without any bitterness. The scrooge that I am, I nubbed it until my fingers were smoking, still enjoying the rewards of a nobleman.

Having only smoked one of the series (Blenheim, Chequers, No. 10, & Marrakesh) I can only commend Davidoff for it alone as a tribute to the great Statesman. However, I will soon sample the remaining vitolas. At $415/box, they are quite pricey and I hope to find a sampler pack with all four. Cheers.

On a scale of 1-10 I rate this cigar 9.3.