The KC/DW Review Series

[King Catfish]

INDEX OF THE REVIEWS THAT FOLLOW:
PAGE 1
Perdomo Reserva La Tradicion Cabinet Series Maduro P (KC, score 77.5/100)
Gran Habano Corojo #5 (KC, 85.25/100)
Montecristo White Especiale No. 3. (KC, 80/100)

PAGE 2
Onyx Reserve #4 (DW, 8.9/10)
Gurhka Class Regent Torpedo (DW, 9.2/10)
Gurhka Nepalese Warrior (DW, 9.2/10)
Gurkha Black Puro (DW, 7/10)
Gispert Robusto Maduro (KC, 82/100)

PAGE 3
Oliva (Serie G) Special G (KC, 95.25/100)
Gurkha Symphony Robusto #4 - Silver Edition (DW, 9.4/10)
Rocky Patel Olde World Reserve Maduro Robusto (KC, 84.5/100)

PAGE 4
Diablo Picantes Caliente (DW, 8.5/10)
La Aurora 1495 Series Robusto (KC, 95.5/100)
La Aurora Connoisseur Brazil SINGLE Maduro 5 X 52 (DW, 9/10)
Gurkha Louis XIII Churchill (KC, 93/100)

PAGE 5
Don Carlos God of Fire by Arturo Fuente (Robusto) (KC, 89.75/100)
Don Lino Africa Duma (5x50) (KC, 86.75/100)
Perdomo Slow-Aged 826 Glorioso (KC, 78/100)

PAGE 6
Plasencia Reserva Organica Robusto (DW, 9.4/10)
H. Upmann 1844 Reserve Lord Rothchilde (DW, 9.5/10)
Indian Tabac Super Fuerte Maduro (DW, 7/10)

PAGE 7
Camacho 1962 Churchill (DW, 9.3/10)
Don Lino Africa Duma (DW, 88.5/100)
Oliveros LTD Belicoso Fino (DW, 9.5/10)
Gran Habano 3 Siglos Robusto (DW, 9.6/10)

PAGE 8
Oliveros El Padrino Edicion Italiana (DW, 7/10)
Oliveros 1927 Toro (DW, 7.5/10)
Arturo Fuente Gran Reserva (Sun Grown) Torpedo (KC, 94.25/100)
Gran Habano Corojo #5 Gran Robusto (DW, 8.5/10)
Gurkha Connecticut Reserve Robusto #4 (KC, 75.25/100)

PAGE 9
Gran Habano Corojo #5 Imperiales (DW, 8.3/10)
Arturo Fuente Gran Reserva Churchill Camaroon (DW, 9.3/10)
Nicarao Robusto 2006 (DW, 8.4/10)
Perdomo Cuban Parejo Epicure Rosado (DW, 9.4/10)
La Floridita Limited Edition Robusto (DW, 8.9/100)
Oliva Serie V Liga Especial Double Robusto (Natural) (KC, 97/100)
Perdomo Cuban Parejo Epicure Rosado (KC, 90/100, informal review)

PAGE 10
Romeo Y Julieta Aniversario Robusto (DW, 9.1/10)
Carlos Torano Exodus 1959 Toro (DW, 8.4/10)
Oliveros XL For Men Double Corojo (DW, 7.8/10)
5 Vegas Gold Churchill (DW, 8/10)
La Aurora Barrel Aged Robusto (DW, 9/10)
Georges Reserve Robusto (DW, 9.2/10)

PAGE 11
Conuco Robusto (DW, 8.8/10)
Oliva Special S Diadema 9x52 (DW, 9.4/10)
Montecristo Platinum - La Habana Series 1999 Toro 6x50 (DW, 8.3/10)
Padron Aniversario Corona Maduro 6x42 (DW, 9.4/10)
Georges Reserve Lonsdale 7x46 (DW, 9.1/10)

PAGE 12
Fumadores Robusto 5x50 Jose "Pepin" Garcia (DW, 9/10)
Rocky Patel Cuban Blend (Natural) Torpedo (KC, 82/100)
Rocky Patel Diesel Fuerte Robusto 5x50 (DW, 8.5/10)
Cusano 18 Paired Maduro Robusto 5x50 (KC, 83/100)
Oliva Master Blends Toro 6x50 (DW, 9.5/10)

PAGE 13
Perdomo Signature Collection Figurado 6 1/2 x 54 (DW, 8.7/10)

PAGE 14
Hoyo de Monterrey Dark Sumatra Noche 6 x 52 (KC, 94/100)
El Rico Habano Corona Suprema 6x50 (DW, 8.9/10)

PAGE 15
REO Robuston 5x52 (DW, 8/10)
Don Tomas Sun Grown Robusto Natural 5 1/2x50 (DW, 8.5/10)
Savinelli Special Selection 2005 Toro 6x52 (DW, 9.2/10)

PAGE 16
Arturo Fuente Double Chateau Natural 6.7x50 (DW, 9/10)
El Mejor Emerald Shaggy-Foot Robusto 5x50 (DW, 8.5/10)

PAGE 17
Sol Cubano Cuban Cabinet #1 (DW, 9/10)
El Mejor Espresso Toro 6x52 (DW, 8/10)

PAGE 18
Perdomo Habano Corojo Robusto 5 x 52 (KC, 89.85/100)
Montecristo "Sevens" Churchill 7x60 (DW, 9.3/10)

PAGE 19
5 Vegas Shorty Petite Torpedo 4.2" x 40 (KC, 78/100)
La Riqueza #3 Tatuaje 5.5x46 (DW, 9.1/10)
Perdomo Fresco Toro 6x50 (KC, 81/100)

PAGE 20
Gurkha Titan 6.5x56 (KC, 87/100)
Olor Fuerte Bellicoso 6x54 (KC, 86/100)
La Aurora Robusto 5x50 (DW, 8.6/10)
Winston Churchill Marrakesh 6x50 (DW, 9.3/10)

PAGE 21
Savinelli Nicaraguan Reserve Robusto 5x52 (DW, 8.8/10)

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ORIGINAL MESSAGE APPEARS HERE:
Hello everyone. In this thread:
http://www.cigarsmokers.com/t9713-sm...ed-cigars.html
DeeDubya mentioned his disdain for a certain cigar, and I offered to take them. They have arrived, and all I can say is "Wow!" Among the huge pile of Gurkha Master Select Perfectos are 4 cigars "for my review".

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[King Catfish]

My first review in this series is the Perdomo Reserva La Tradicion Cabinet Series Maduro P (perfecto). I smoked it this evening with a glass of Tullamore Dew Irish Whiskey over ice. This is the drink I usually have with a cigar, so I thought I should stay true to form.

The cigar is a perfecto of modest size, with an attractive, traditional looking band, gold and black on a red field. The color is dark, the color of darker varieties of milk chocolate. The color is very even. The texture is medium, not coarse, and a bit veiny. The rolling is very regular, nearly perfect in shape. The cigar is quite firm without being too hard, and very even with no lumps.

The draw was medium, not too easy (This may be caused by an imperfect cut; I am still new at this.), but loosening up after the middle of the cigar. The burn was even, with a flat coal revealed when the ash fell off. The burn zone remained sharply defined throughout. The ash was light grey with some white. The ash was moderately stiff and retained its shape in the ashtray. The ash was more than an inch long when it fell off the cigar. The cigar burned very slowly, taking more than an hour to smoke, unhurried. The burn slowed a bit in the middle, requiring a touch-up light, which teased out its character and intensified it a bit. I would call this cigar solidly medium –bodied.

I detected very minimal sweetness at first, and no bitterness, even to the nub. I found it to be a just a little on the sharp side, especially toward the end of the puff, just before the aftertaste. The finish was persistent, complex, leathery and quite excellent, the most memorable attribute of this cigar. The cigar became slightly sweeter as it progressed.

I found the flavor to lack intensity at first, but it was pleasurable. The cigar has a harmonious presentation, and agreeable character, and the aforementioned lingering aftertaste. The cigar was redolent of woodiness with a modest nod to pepper, especially in the middle; the aroma was faint… did I detect a shy, ephemeral sniff of hot metal? The aftertaste bears revisiting; the further along the cigar and I progressed, the more lovely the aftertaste, first on the tongue only, then later on both tongue and lips.

The cigar evolved quite a bit through its lifespan from mild and shy to pleasant and revealing, and finished strong, sweet and leathery; spicy at the finish. The only drawbacks were a bit of acidic sharpness at the end of the puff before the aftertaste and a somewhat weak start. I was impressed with the construction and overall presentation. I suspect a more refined palate is required to fully appreciate this stick.

My initial scoring of this cigar is 15.20 out of 20, or a 76 rating. I add a bonus 1.5 point for the way the cigar evolved and became more complex, to total at 77.5.

I thank DeeDubya for allowing me this experience.

[DeeDubya]

I would call that a "Smokin" review. I prefer the Perdomo perfecto over the Gurhka perfecto any day. And you can be sure that you're lighting the correct end!

Oh, by the way, I never feed my Perdomos to the goats.

[King Catfish]

I would call that a "Smokin" review. I prefer the Perdomo perfecto over the Gurhka perfecto any day. And you can be sure that you're lighting the correct end!

Oh, by the way, I never feed my Perdomos to the goats.

I would not, either. That was a really nice cigar.

I smoked one of those Gurkha perfectos this morning, full of newbie arrogance that I would not have a problem with it... wrong. I had the very unraveling problem you described. I was certain I had the correct end, ha ha. I will "officially" review one of those after the others.

EDITED TO ADD: I have had a couple of these master select perfectos before and did not have this problem.. or at least as far as I recall. I have had a couple of royal brigade perfectos as well, absolutely no problem with those.

[King Catfish]

Sorry, gents. Responsibilities call, and I must beg off until tomorrow night, at which time I will post a a review of a Gran Habano Corojo #5.

[King Catfish]

Gran Habano Corojo #5

This evening I poured myself a glass of my usual, and put on piano sonatas in place of Wednesday evening’s smooth jazz.

The Gran Habano Corojo #5 appeared to be a Rothschild vitola, stubby and thick. The band was elaborate, but did not overpower the visual presentation of the cigar. Unlit, the cigar smelled of dark coffee with a teasing whiff of unsweetened chocolate (which never materialized once the cigar was lit). The medium-coarse wrapper was very even and dark and the sheen of oil was noticeable among the small veins. The cigar was firm in the hand and well constructed, and yielded a bit when squeezed.

The aroma receded into faintness once the cigar was burning. The cigar was immediately sweet and funky on the lips and tongue, and right away commenced to produce an enormous volume of smoke from an easygoing draw. The smoke was tame on the tongue and shy of the throat.

This set the tone that held sway through the first third of the cigar: bold and brazen; there was a notable lack of pepperiness, and this persisted through the middle of the cigar. What might have been a slight saltiness was gone well before the first third was traversed. The burn zone was less than sharply defined, and a bit uneven. Flavor intensity and body were generous.

The Gran Habano started to become contemplative and mellow in the middle; a definite transition was occurring! The burn has evened itself out at this point without assistance, and the burn zone was a black razor line bisecting the diameter of the cigar. The cigar left in its wake a very long, cohesive ash, well over 2 inches when it dropped off into the ashtray. The taste was light on sweetness and saltiness, and not at all acidic. The intensity of the flavor and body were decreasing steadily as the cigar make its trek toward senescence.

In the last third, the Gran Habano was increasingly civilized, becoming a bit earthy, but less shy of the throat; more leather, a little more coffee, hints of pepper starting to show at the nub. The flavors were becoming less bold, but started to cooperate a bit more than at first. Then, a parting gift: a teasing intimation of blackberries!

Raw score 17.05 (x 5) = 85.25

Thanks again to DeeDubya.

EDITED TO ADD: Any criticism or feedback on this review, the previous one, or any that follow would be greatly appreciated.