The KC/DW Review Series

**logan37** · 02-06-2009, 09:59 PM

Nice review DW! I may have to look into these a when my RP Juniors are gone.

**craig** · 02-07-2009, 12:47 AM

Thanks for the review! I have a box tucked away from about a year ago, from when Famous was blowing out the Reserva Organica 2001's - I'll have to see what they're like now.

**DeeDubya** · 05-27-2009, 01:42 PM

Well, as you might expect, these are not the Cuban Rafael Gonzalez Corona Extras that sell for around $539/bx. However they are considered to be premium cigars and have the appearance as such. A very nice silky-smooth Connecticut shade wrapper and a near perfect cap look good. The long fillers are a blend of medium-bodied Honduran, Dominican and Nicaraguan tobaccos. On toasting I immediately caught hints of leather and cedar. About a third way it began to give up some spicyness with hints of nuts and more leather. Actually, the leather was dominant from here on out. It kept a well-behaved salt/pepper ash and never ran. The ash held firm and I only tipped it twice noticing a well-defined cone. It had a distinct finish and even close to the nub I never got any bitterness or tars.

I will try another tonight and another tomorrow night. I have decided to make it a practice to smoke at least three cigars before giving them a thumb or the finger. This review is per Ashkicker's request but I will re-visit this post in a couple days to note any changes.

On a scale of 1-10 I rate this cigar 8.75.

**ashauler** · 05-28-2009, 09:53 AM

Thank you my friend!!

**DeeDubya** · 06-17-2009, 10:33 AM

I'm not a big fan of claro's but this is a pretty good cigar. I think that I didn't like some of the others I had tried because of the mild strength and grassy flavors. These are definately medium strength and have a much better finish.
This is the first out of the box so instead of rating it now I'll come back after a couple more and give them some marks. Right now their tasting pretty good.

They are a blend of Dominican tobaccos rolled in a Connecticut jade wrapper. A very smooth, silky wrapper I might add. It burned even with a white, firm ash. I did detect a little grassiness but it could be a mental thing I have about claro's. Nice for a change. I'll keep them on my list of things to do.

**DeeDubya** · 07-14-2009, 08:26 AM

I've been through many boxes of Henry Clay cigars. Mostly Brevas and Brevas Conservas which are a smaller (46 & 48 I think) ring guage. This is my first box of the pudgy little Rothchilde. And, the reason for this review , I had been overlooking the best of the vitolas in the family. What I love most about the Henry Clay is the thick, creamy smoke and rich chocolate/coffee/pepper flavors. No they're not flavored, just really great tasting earthiness brought around by the robust Dominican Ligero tobaccos.

Wrapped in a dark Connecticut broadleaf these are heavy cigars, both in strength and in actual weight. I haven't actually weighed a box but it is evident in the hand. Yesterday I opened both this box of Clays and a box of Cabaigaun Robusto's, nearly identical size cigars in the same size box. Well, I would guess that the Clays weighed nearly twice as much. Significant because the Cabaiguan's are a hefty little stick in their own right.

Henry Clay was founded in Old Havana in the 19th century and were once one of Cuba's leading brands. They moved the factory (picture on the box) to the Dominican Republic after the embargo and continued to roll cigars in the traditional way. Named after a US Senator from Kentucky, Henry Clay continues on to make him a legend.

Edit to say that Henry Clays come bundled within the box. Kind of like "box pressed" they are "bundle pressed" and many are squashed slightly out of shape. Some are flat, some are triangular, some are square, some are oval. Don't try to round them out by rolling or pressing. Just be happy and smoke them like they are.