The KC/DW Review Series

[King Catfish]

This cigar received 5 out of 5 stars from the European Cigar Cult Journal (the leading authority on cigars in Europe) in 2001. A little research indicates that it is distinguished by it's large ring guage and painstaking blend of 5 different filler tobaccos from the Jalapa, Condega and Esteli regions of Nicaragua. The wrapper is a lustrous Nicaraguan sun-grown Rasado. Personally I wouldn't know if it were 5 different tobaccos or just 1, but I do know that it is probably the most flavorful and robust cigar that I have smoked to date. It is definately full-bodied and really packs a punch. I am somewhat frugal in some ways, one being that I nearly always smoke a cigar till the very end as I did this one. Around the last 2 inches I was not sure if I could handle it. Although frugal, I don't relish passing out from a nicotine overdose.

I cut this one with my new V-cutter and took a dry draw which was perfect. I really like the V-cutter and now use it on everything except of course figuardo type sticks. Toasting took some time but is always worth the extra effort. Finally, with a good ember I took a draw and new in an instant that I had a special cigar. Thick, creamy smoke and so full of intensly rich and complex flavors and yet no harshness or bitterness. I know that a large ring guage like this 62 will attribute to some of this but oh what a pleasure.

I'll skip the next 45 minutes because I don't remember them. I think I was strolling through a tobacco field somewhere in Nicaragua (I haven't been there so I didn't recognize the place). My point is, I just kicked back and really got into this cigar. It burned perfectly and the intensity of the flavors didn't stack up like many full-bodied cigars I've had.

Toward the very end it did seem a little stronger but I'm sure is was simply the quantity and not the quality that started to kick my butt. This big boy deserves a Rib Eye, fully dressed baked potato and a glass or two of Merlot before settling in for full enjoyment. I had it with a couple beers (Sapporo) which could account for part of my dizzyness but they really did work well together.

A couple of vendor (customer) ratings put this cigar at 9.4. For those who really like a stick this big I can believe that is so. But here, I am doing the rating and don't normally smoke a half pound of tobacco at one sitting. So I am basing my rating on flavor and taste alone, not on value, size or other flambouyant visual characteristics. So here goes.

On a scale of 1-10 I rate this cigar 9.4.

Because you've done a full review of this stick I will just compare notes. Here's what I jotted down:

Rock solid construction; big, attractive stick with a striking red band. Big smoke volume, huge leathery taste right from the beginning with some spice and a little dryness/dustiness. Decent draw, not super-easy but by no means a chore. Big ash. Went well with the scotch and soda. This stick is a little on the big side for me, would be excited to try this same blend in a robusto or torpedo vitola. Looked up the price, super value at ~$3.50 per stick. Definitely a lot to handle.




Score: 17.8 (x5) = 89, gaining a full point for big big taste, for a final score of 90.

Thanks so very much for this. Your cigar karma is getting huge!

[DeeDubya]

KC,
Very thorough review on the Oliva V. I think they are great and yet they do draw some bad reviews. I guess not everyone has good taste like us.
As a matter of fact, I don't think I have ever smoked an Oliva that I didn't like. The Oliva's hold on to some high standards (a pleasant surprise these days).

[DeeDubya]

This was the last RYJ in my humi. I kind of felt sorry for it since I had passed it over hundreds of times just to choose something else. Had I known it was a such a good cigar I would have tried it sooner. RYJ has such a hugh selection of sticks that it may be tough to choose one.

Anyway, this little robusto toasted really nice and filled the air in my workshop with a spicy, mellow and very pleasant aroma. It has an Ecuadorian Sumatra wrapper (very smooth) with a blend of Peruvian, Dominican and Nicaraguan long fillers.

It started out fairly mild and gradually stacked up into some flavorful, even hearty rich tobacco tastes. I couldn't detect any specific spice, woodiness or other distinct flavors, just a good well balanced tobacco. Nothing wrong with that.

The burn was very even with a light grey ash that tipped at around 2 inches. The draw was just about perfect and the fairly thin wrapper held taught and smooth without unraveling or splitting. I smoked it down to a finger burning nub only because it was still tasting good.

I'm sure I have skipped over a lot of good RYJ's because of a mindset that any cigar sold in a grocery store is not for me. I know that RYJ covers the entire spectrum of quality and pricing and that they do have some high standards on their top shelf lines. Thumbs up to Romeo Y Julieta for a good cigar. I will now have to get some replacements.

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

[mrtr33]

Lately I have been enjoying the RyJ's. Might I suggest the Habana Reserves? Full in strength in body, with a creamy, white smoke, the construction on their wrappers are impeccable. I've been told they are the only RyJ's with a blend of Ecuadorian and Nicaraguan tobaccos, unlike the rest of the line. It's a good size cigar, and just the right price for me.

[DeeDubya]

This line of Carlos Torano commemorates the exodus of many families from their native Cuba to start up their trade elsewhere. They took with them many of the secrets of growing, harvesting, and curing tobacco.

This particular cigar is a medium-bodied, full flavored smoke which is box pressed. The wrapper is dark Habano. The blend of long fillers contain Dominican, Mexican, Honduran, Costa Rican and Nicaraguan tobaccos.

While the wrapper is kind of rough and dry appearing, it did burn well with a speckled medium grey ash. What I really enjoyed about this cigar were the rich cocoa and roasted coffee aromas and nutty flavors through the entire cigar. The finish had a slightly bitter-sweetness that reminded me of bakers chocolate.
While not a masterpiece it would certainly make for a great everyday stick at a reasonable price of around $3.75.

On a scale of 1-10 I rate this cigar 8.4.

[DeeDubya]

The XL Double Corojo (brother of the XL Double Maduro) is a nicely rolled, well balanced cigar that deserves some attention. KC generously provided this one for me to try.

Wrapped in a fairly dark Corojo leaf is a bountiful amount of even more Corojo tobacco blended with supremely aged Nicaraguan ligero. It begins somewhat uneventful but builds into a rather complex and flavorful smoke. Midway, I could begin to appreciate the strength of the Corojo and the woody, nutty flavors of the Nicaraguan ligero. A hint of roast coffee and dark chocolate make it a desirable mid-morning or after lunch choice.

This Oliveros is certainly a welcome newcomer to their ever expanding line of cigars. I plan to try the Double Maduro (also XL For Men) as a comparison for consistancy and quality.

I would certainly recommend this cigar for those who like Corojo's. While not a contender for Gran Habano #5, it is still a good choice at a reasonable price.

On a scale of 1-10 I rate this cigar 7.8.

[DeeDubya]

Very nice. Thank You KC.

I tend to choose med-full bodied sticks but this was a very flavorful mild cigar. The "5" signifies the tobacco is aged 5 years. The wrapper is a very smooth and satiny Connecticut shade grown leaf and perfectly rolled into an expertly crafted cigar.

Toasting produced a sumptuous, thick waft of nutty, creamy smoke. It reminded me of roasted peanuts in the shell. After a few draws I could definately detect the nuttiness with a hint of white pepper. I like zesty cigars but not so that they become bitter or too harsh on the tongue. The draw seemed a little tight at first, but lightened up around half-way. As with all cigars of this vitola I used a v-cutter.

After the first inch or so it really mellowed out into a well-balanced, somewhat complex smoke with a steady burn and near perfect ash. The flavors did stack a little around the last third, but certainly no more than normal. Also, it transformed into a medium strength around mid way but was consistantly smooth throughout.

It is presented in a very wide gold band with red outline that tastefully compliments the natural color. That, together with a very smooth roll, I would rate appearance right up there with Davidoff and other top shelf brands.

For me this cigar is a very good value. I would recommend it for those who like the milder cigars. I believe they also offer a toro or belicoso that is a 54 ring guage and should be even milder.

On a scale of 1-10 I rate this cigar 8.