For a company that has been producing premium cigars for less than 10 years, Illusione has become a mini powerhouse in the industry. Dion Giolito, the owner and founder of Illusione, started out in the cigar business and decided to come out with his own brand and his cigars have made quite the splash. The Epernay line of cigars debuted in 2008 as the ECCJ 15th limited release (in honor of the 15th anniversary of the European Cigar Cult Journal). The cigar is now offered in 5 different sizes. Now on to the cigar at hand.
Illusione Epernay Le Ferme Size: 48 x 5 1/4″
Wrapper: Nicaraguan Cafe Rosado
Binder: Nicaraguan
Filler: Nicaraguan Criollo and Corojo
Origin: Honduras
Pre-Light: As I go through my pre-smoke progression I note that the construction is solid, not tight, but solid with no soft spots to cause concern along the body. There were no discernible aromas on the foot and the body, but as I took a dry draw I got clear hay and cedar flavors. The draw on this cigar was perfect.
Smoking Characteristics: This cigar continued to have a great draw throughout the entire smoke. It also remained cool and never got harsh which is always a welcome characteristic for any cigar to have. This cigar produced mouthfuls of smooth, thick smoke, which doesn’t really effect my opinion of the cigar but it it a personal preference of mine to have nice thick smoke.
Flavor: The prominent flavor in this cigar is hay. Throughout the entire smoke the hay is underlying flavor and the other flavors that present themselves are layered on top of that. As I started to smoke this there was a lot of spice. In the retrohale, I was getting that same spice but also a little cedar. That spice was strong until an inch into the cigar when it tapered off. Once the spice was done the more subtle flavors were able to be detected. The other flavors that were woven throughout this cigar were cedar, roasted nuts, oakiness, and a touch of sweetness.
Overall Impression: I would classify this cigar as mild – medium in strength with big flavor, therefore, it would be the perfect cigar for anytime of the day. The Epernay burned perfectly and never got bitter. This is in my regular rotation and whether you smoke mild cigars or full cigars you should definitely check it out.
My life is a little crazy, crazy in a good way. This week I found myself in Las Vegas for a job. By some miracle of scheduling, I had a free evening – which never happens – and I decided to explore.
I was done with work at about 5pm, and I had to be ready for my ride to the airport at 9am the following day. Sixteen hours! Doable.
I had a couple of things I wanted to accomplish: I wanted to see a show. I wanted to see the fountain at the Bellagio. I wanted a great meal. I wanted to gamble a little. And, I wanted to smoke at least one great cigar.
Unfortunately I was staying in North Las Vegas, and I have to take a $60 cab ride to The Strip. First order of business: tickets to a show. I wanted a big, Vegas-style showgirls show, but I settled for a magic show with The Amazing Jonathan at Planet Hollywood. No complaints though, it was hysterical.
The Amazing Jonathan
Next order of business: food. I had heard the buffet at Harrah’s was amazing, and (why lie about it?) I really love an all-you-can-eat environment. I got all the way to the restaurant, but the line was too long; I was going to miss the show. So, I headed back toward Planet Hollywood, and it was getting so late, I had to grab burger at Wendy’s. Fail.
After the show, I just wanted to explore. I went to just about every casino. I got to see the Bellagio fountain. I saw the stupid, mini-Eiffel Tower at Paris and the stupid, mini-Empire State Building at New York, New York. Lot’s of stupid stuff, but the sum of it all is really awesome and fun. Clearly it’s not a place meant to be visited alone. When I get a chance to come back with a group of friends, I’m sure it’s going to be a ton of fun.
I had the impression that Vegas was a cigar city. I’m not sure where that came from, the movie Swingers maybe? When I arrived and started looking around, I didn’t see anyone smoking cigars. I saw a bunch of families, from all over the world, all having a great time. I didn’t want to be rude by firing up a cigar in the middle of a crowd.
That was early in the evening. After the show, I kept exploring, and the dynamic had completely changed. It was now groups of friends, bachelor parties, and rich and gorgeous people. Out came the cigars. (Of course there was still the gross element there: trashy people and sad slot machine addicts, but it’s easier to just look past them.)
I felt more than comfortable lighting up a cigar at this point. I sat down in the sports betting area at Caesar’s Palace, in the big comfy chairs, and I pulled out a cigar I had brought with me, a Gurkha Park Avenue Series 44 Torpedo (6.25×52). I was seated near three young guys smoking cigars. I tried to make conversation, but their English was pretty terrible. I think they were from Spain. They tried though; it was actually kind of funny.
I don’t often get to smoke indoors, unless I’m at a cigar bar. It was refreshing to be able to walk around, gamble a little and smoke. I am not a huge gambler, but I love Roulette. I played for a while, always better RED 33, and smoking this fantastic cigar. Oh, I should mention that at midnight, it became my 33rd birthday, that’s why I was betting 33. I mentioned that to the couple next to me, and I had a birthday toast with them. People were very friendly.
As a side note, I had never had a Gurkha before, and it was a fantastic smoke. Great taste. Very pure tasting. Simple but not bland. I will definitely give Gurkhas some thought next time I’m at the cigar store.
At that point in the night, it was just after midnight, and I still had a lot of exploring to do. So I headed south, and I was determined to see as much as I could before I passed out from exhaustion. Of course, the free drinks were taking their toll too. (Yeah, I was drinking alone. I believe in this rare scenario it is not a cry for help – it’s just what you do. Don’t judge me.)
Around 2am, I decided I wanted another cigar and searched for a cigar store in some casino. It seemed like most casinos has one if you looked hard enough. I found a little store in The Excelsior, and bought a Macanudo Café Crystal in a glass tube for $16. Maybe I was being cheap, but the cigars were so overpriced, that I wanted to save a little money with a Macanudo. Also, you always know what to expect with a Macanudo: simple, woody, reliable.
Long story short, I got in a cab at 3:30am and flew out in the morning after 3 hours of sleep and a hot shower.
What a great trip! I get the impression that you have to go to Vegas a few times to figure out how to do it right: Where to stay, where to gamble, where to eat, where to buy cigars. But for a couple of hours, I think I did a good job. And, I gambled for hours, and left only down $15. Success.
The Perdomo Grand CRU line is a blend of Cuban-seed Nicaraguan tobaccos, wrapped in either a Corojo or Maduro wrapper. This stick just happened to tag along in a sampler that I bought from my local cigar shop. It looked like a pretty interesting cigar, and I saw mixed reviews so I decided to take a look for myself.
Pre-light:
Lots of spice on the pre-light draw. Construction seems alright, though I’ve heard that many others have had burn issues. We’ll see. The draw is excellent and the maduro wrapper is attractive, with very few, if any, noticeable flaws. What I don’t find very attractive about this cigar, though, is the label. It certainly isn’t as bad as others (Dynamite labels are the worst!), but it doesn’t really help convince me that I’m about to smoke a great cigar.
First Third:
Click to enlarge
The first few draws of this stick are pretty harsh. At first, the flavor is a spicy that isn’t very enjoyable. The aroma, however, is a great mix of coffee and dark chocolate – a very enjoyable mocha. After a minute or two, the harshness left, leaving a very smooth smoke where chocolate takes center stage. Excellent. I only wish the burn could have progressed as well as the taste here – I had to touch it up more than once in the first third.
Second Third:
The cigar definitely mellowed out a bit in the second third. A hint of woodiness edged its way in as well, which was a nice change of pace, but I’m not sure that the woodiness was really appropriate with what came before.
Final Third:
The cigar has picked up a bit of spice, and also some harshness. Unfortunately, the harshness never really went away in the last third. The smoke got hotter and hotter, and I could definitely feel the tobacco giving me a buzz as well. Needless to say, by the time the cigar was done, I was very disappointed.
Where the magic happens...
Conclusion:
This cigar was pretty good, but the uneven burn really started getting on my nerves about halfway through. From what I can tell, this is a pretty persistent problem with this line of cigars, so if a good burn is something you place high importance on, then this stick might not be worth ~$7. Still, I have to say that I really enjoyed the chocolaty tones of this cigar, and the exceptionally cool smoke of the first 2/3rds. I don’t plan on buying this cigar again (as an almost-broke college student, I have to prioritize), but if you are in a particularly curious mood, you might give it a try.
What a cigar! When I chose this stick for my first smoke of “Stogie & Poker Night: Take 6”, I had no idea that I was about to discover one of my new favorites. The CAO Italia is one of few lines of cigars that features Italian tobaccos, which are rare because of Italy’s unique climate.
This cigar had excellent construction, a beautiful maduro wrapper, and an attractive label (which apparently was put on backwards on this cigar). This is a beautiful cigar. There were a few watermarks on the cigar, but from what I can tell this is not characteristic of the line. On the prelight draw I could sense a bit of cocoa, and I was pleased when the dark chocolate flavor came out in the smoke. The draw was perfect.
The first third of the cigar had a combination of cocoa, spice, and a hint of fruitiness. The burn during the first third was perfect, though in the second third the cigar canoed a bit. During the second and third thirds of the cigar, a woodiness emerged and the spice took more prominence in the taste. The burn evened out, the draw remained ideal, and I smoked the cigar until my fingers got a bit burnt.
Conclusion:
I highly recommend this cigar and will definitely be buying more. This cigar is gorgeous, well constructed, and has a robust taste that is simply unforgettable. A few minor inconveniences along the way, but nothing that detracted from the enjoyment of the cigar too much. A new favorite.
G’day fellow Brothers and Sisters of the Leaf. I am extremely excited to be a part of FineTobaccoNYC. I have known Matthias for almost 3 years now and have enjoyed watching him fall in love with premium tobacco just as I did as well as helping him on his journey when I could. So when he came to me with the idea for FTNYC I knew that I had to be a part of it.
I am currently working in the premium tobacco industry as the Client Services Associate for Davidoff of Geneva’s Madison Avenue store. I finally have a job that is in line with my passion and I love every minute of it.
When I am not at work I try to immerse myself into the cigar culture in ways that are non-work related. The main way that I have done this is I started The Belicoso Brothers Cigarcast, a weekly cigar podcast that I co-host with my best friend, Peter Work. You can check us out at www.BelicosoBrothers.com and on iTunes under Belicoso Brothers CigarCast.
I love to help people explore and grow in their own journeys with premium tobacco and will never walk away from a cigar related conversation, so if anybody has any questions relating to anything premium tobacco I would love to answer them. You can send your inquiries to info.ftnyc@gmail.com.
I will leave you all with one of my favorite quotes relating to premium tobacco: “A cigar ought not to be smoked solely with the mouth, but with the hand, the eyes, and with the spirit.” – Zino Davidoff
If I was honest, I would admit that the first time I saw the label of this cigar, I was tempted to think of it as a simple novelty cigar: some company wanted in to the cigar industry, so they produced some overpriced, subpar cigars. Boy was I wrong.
The Dominican Don Diego Playboy Lonsdale has a Connecticut shade grown wrapper. The cigar is a very mild cigar, in strength and in body – so not normally a kind of cigar that I smoke. I have to say though, this smoking experience was excellent. The cigar was great, and the evening was a mild 80 degrees as the sun set over the Oregon foothills. About 45 minutes in to the smoke I also had a few neighbors drop by to relax, drink some beer, and talk about tobacco and gun regulations. It was great. Here are the notes I took on this cigar.
Pre light:
For this stick I used a straight cut. The pre light draw was firm, but not restrictive. The construction was excellent – consistent firmness, no visible flaws, and the texture of the wrapper was delightfully smooth and slightly oily. The smell of the cigar seemed faint, but it really came out when I lit it up.
First third:
A beautiful sight - Click to enlarge
The first few pulls were mild in body and strength. I couldn’t quite describe the taste, but it was delicious. It was very unique, with a hint of spice and saltiness that made my mouth water. The smoke was cool, and the word savory about sums it up. Maybe the best indication of how much I was enjoying the cigar was that I wanted to stop taking any notes. I just wanted to sit, listen to Pink Martini, and blowing a few lazy smoke rings out into the sunset sky. That’s pretty much the definition of relaxation and enjoyment in my book.
Second third:
The second third began with an addition to the experience that beats any development in taste: the neighbor dropping by to sit down and enjoy some quality beer and good conversation. A few minutes later, another neighbor drops by that I hadn’t met yet. He was a really nice guy, and I grabbed a chair while he grabbed a beer so he could join in on the conversation.
Any cigar is better with friends
As far as the cigar goes, the taste grew stronger in the second third. It also took on sweetness and a hint of woodiness that I thought really added to the experience. The smoke stayed cool, and the burn remained almost perfect.
Final third:
I finally discover the elusive aroma. The smoke is a combination of saltiness, spiciness, and a hint of fruitiness that amounts to a very unique combination. If someone described an aroma like that to me, I might not find it that attractive, but it really was excellent.
The last fifth of the cigar got pretty hot, and I considered setting the cigar down for good, but I just couldn’t stop – I was enjoying it too much.
Conclusion:
The end of a great smoke - Click to enlarge
I enjoyed this cigar immensely. Part of it, to be sure, was the environment – a beautiful night with friends, good music, and lively conversation. Even without that, however, the cigar had a unique and memorable taste, with great construction, a good draw, and a perfect burn. The smoke was cool, and the savory taste was easily identified. There were also some subtleties like the hint of woodiness and fruitiness that made the cigar a journey.
When people ask me, “what are you afraid of?” My response is usually, “Hm… uh… well I dunno… spiders maybe?” The fact is, there just haven’t been many things in my life that truly terrify me, although if I were honest I’d say that the idea of moving back to Oregon after I graduate this year scares me (if you have any leads on jobs open in New York City, please let me know!).
A few nights ago, however, I met what I now consider the most terrifying force for evil on all of God’s green earth: tobacco beetles.
The cigar above is a Romeo Y Julieta LE 2001 Robusto. A good friend of mine gave it to me after she returned from a class in Costa Rica. I noticed it was a little bit dried out, so I decided to try to re-humidify it. I left it in my cigar box for about a month, not knowing I was in for a bit of a surprise. Fast forward a few night, and now I’m reading articles online about an insect that I would never have in my worst dreams imagined existed: Lasioderma Serricorne, otherwise known as tobacco beetles. I saw a picture of a cigar with a few small, pin-sized holes – and realized with a sinking feeling of dread that the same Cuban sitting in my humidor had two of those holes. I read this at about 12:30am, and here was my mental reaction:
Oh. My. God. Those… things… killed…
OH MY GOD! They are in the humidor with the REST OF MY CIGARS!
Still, I wasn’t sure if they were the same, so I ran to my room, pulled the cigar out of the box, and tested it the way I had seen online: holding the end of the cigar over the sink, I tapped the foot with my finger. To my sleep-deprived astonishment, a flurry of little pieces of black beetle-excrement dropped into the sink. I sat there for the next half an hour trying to make sure I got all of the stuff out.
The beetles bored holes through the outer wrapper leaf of the cigars
From there, I wrapped the cigar in a plastic bag and threw it in the freezer, along with all of my other cigars (separately packaged). I wanted to kill any of those lingering bastards just in case they had crawled into any of my other sticks, which thankfully I’ve learned they didn’t. Two days later, I moved the cigars from the freezer to the refrigerator, and a day later moved them back to my humidor after I had cleaned it from edge to edge to make sure none of the tiny critters had stayed in the box.
Now, you may be asking yourself, “why did you put the destroyed cigar back in the humidor?” That’s a great question. Perhaps it’s because it was such a pretty cigar. Perhaps I thought maybe it was still smoke-able. And that last one is partially true – I didn’t know if it would still be smoke-able, but I decided to take one for the team just for your benefit.
Can you smoke a cigar that had tobacco beetles? Let’s find out…
Yesterday, I pulled the cigar out of the (at this point) separate box and cut it with all I had on hand – a single-edge blade. Needless to say, it didn’t cut very well, but it was good enough. I lit it and my smoking experience lasted maybe 5 or 10 minutes. It was obvious right off of the bat that smoking a destroyed cigar (even with just two pin-holes) was not something a cigar smoker should do.
The taste of what should have been a wonderful cigar made me want to cry. It was as if there was an epic battle going on between the burning of the tobacco that was still intact and the already-digested tobacco that still lined the inside of the cigar.
I realize that’s pretty visual, but bear with me a moment while I describe the taste of burning insect excrement:
There are few appropriate words I could use to describe the taste. The first that comes to mind is stale. The smoke seemed lifeless, completely dead – without the flavor and vibrance that I enjoy in every other smoke. The first time I lit the cigar, it just didn’t seem to want to light. The tobacco was red hot, but there was definitely problems with the structure of the inside of the cigar. Many of the inside layers of filler tobacco were completely chewed up by the beetles.
I decided to cut the cigar a few inches down and see if I could achieve a better draw. Unfortunately, it worked. There was heavy acidity. And perhaps the most disgusting part of the whole ordeal was that the smoke didn’t ever seem to leave my mouth. I found the taste and texture of the burning, rotted material sticking around in my mouth, even after I had put the cigar out and rinsed my mouth with water twice! I also started to feel a bit sick after about ten minutes. Gross.
Final verdict: Can you smoke a cigar-beetle infested cigar? Technically, yes. My advice, though, is if you get tempted to smoke a beetle-ravaged cigar that has the tell-tale signs of infestation, DO NOT DO IT. I know it is heartbreaking, especially when it is a cigar (or cigars) you cherish, but you have to toss them and then immediately ensure the safety of your other cigars. If you are still tempted after all of the above, though, then just imagine this: cutting the cigar, putting it into your mouth to light it, and feeling little, tiny legs crawling into your mouth. An extreme warning? Not at all.
Alright, so let’s get to some solutions, shall we?
How to get rid of tobacco beetles…
There are a few methods, but the most common is by using the freezer. I’ll be 100% honest with you: if you have a few cigars that seem to be affected, do not try to revive them: throw them away. The freezer method outlined below exists to save all of the other cigars in your humidor. To reiterate: throw away any cigars that already have pinholes in them or have what looks like dust falling from the foot when turned right side up.
Here’s the method to protect your cigars from tobacco beetles:
Place all of the cigars that you want to treat in a ziplock bag. Then double bag using another ziplock bag. Having a tight seal is critical to avoiding issues with freezer burn.
Place the bags in the freezer for at least 24 – 36 hours. This kills any remaining tobacco beetles and ruptures the eggs of any larvae.
After 24 – 36 hours, remove the bags and put them into the refrigerator. Let sit for three days. It is critical that you don’t put the cigars into the humidor straight away. The sudden increase in temperature will cause the outer wrapper leaf to expand too quickly and rupture, meaning all of your cigars will unravel.
Once the three days are up, move your cigars back to your humidor.
Of course, you also need to take care of your humidor during this time. So, while the cigars are in the freezer/refrigerator, you should:
Use a vacuum hose on the inside of the humidor including corners.
Use a clean, slightly damp towel to wipe down the inside of the humidor.
Let dry.
Repeat steps 1 – 3 depending on how paranoid you are.
Complete
In all seriousness, you shouldn’t need to clean your humidor multiple times, but damnit when your talking about losing hundreds or even thousands of dollars worth of cigars, it pays to be a bit cautious.
Tonight I enjoyed an Arturo Fuente Gran Reserva Churchill that was given to me by a good friend of mine. I’ve been blessed with many friends, including a few who bless me with cigars from time to time – that is always a treat. I’ve probably had five of these Dominicans before, and I have found them to be very consistent in terms of taste, build, and overall quality. The only problem I’ve consistently noticed with this cigar is difficulty achieving an ideal amount of smoke on the draw.
The construction of thiscigar, however, was a bit disappointing. It was not packed consistently, and I noticed spots of discoloration (you can see them if you enlarge the image above). There was slight peeling on the natural wrapper as well. As mentioned, though, this is not characteristic of this line of cigars, at least in my experience. The other four in my humidor show none of the same problems, so I’d say the construction here is an exception to the rule.
About halfway through - Click to enlarge
The smell of the wrapper was faintly sweet with a hint of nut and cedar that really exploded after I lit the cigar. The first third was mild in strength and body, with subtle nuttiness to the taste and a sweet aroma, which I really enjoyed. There was also a bit of leather in there – a nice touch. The burn wasn’t very even, which bothered me, but I found that it had evened itself out by the second third.
The last two thirds were very similar – not a lot of change as far as taste goes, which to some might be a disappointment. The cigar did take on more body as it burned closer to the label. After I took the label off, however, the smoke became bitter and the cigar overheated. That really annoyed me, because I typically enjoy the last few minutes of a cigar the most.
Conclusion:
The end of a good smoke
I’ve never smoked a Fuente that I didn’t enjoy, and this cigar was no exception. I’ve seen this particular cigar described as a medium bodied cigar, but I feel like that is a stretch – seemed mild to me. There were a few problems for sure, but for a cheaper smoke (~$5-6) I have a hard time not recommending it to anyone looking for a mild or mild-medium cigar.
The Tatuaje P4 Churchill that I enjoyed this evening was a strange cigar. Lots of highs, and about as many lows. From what I’ve read from other reviewers, P4 line cigars are normally medium bodied cigars. Tonights stick just couldn’t seem to decide whether it was a mild, medium, or full-bodied cigar. Throughout the smoke, I took notes on the flavor, aroma, and construction of the cigar.
—————————————
First third of the cigar - Click to enlarge
– Before lighting, I took note of the construction of the cigar. Seems to be very well put together, the texture of the wrapper is smooth and solid. The smell of the Nicaraguan wrapper is light and sweet. Feels like it is going to be a pretty mild smoke.
– Lighting the cigar is a bit harsh, though I’ve found that to be somewhat typical among lighter cigars. The taste is noticeably sweet, with a hint of spice to it. The aroma of the smoke is pleasantly sweet – strong, but not overpowering. Also a hint of woodiness.
– About a quarter of the way through, the burn is solid – construction seems very good. The burn is creating a great ash that is mainly white with lines of grey. The wrapper smells great on the pull and complements the taste well.
Half-way - Click to enlarge
– About half-way through, the cigar is taking on more spice to the taste and aroma. Just past halfway, the sweetness has continued to be replaced by spiciness – a bit too much for my taste, and I don’t like the hint of acidity that is emerging. The burn, however, has remained almost flawless.
– The last third is taking on a harshness that I do not like. This could be a sign of the filler being underpacked. The cigar doesn’t seem to want to cool down, and has started burning more quickly. The acidity and over-spiciness is making me want to retire this cigar, and if it doesn’t correct, I will. On a positive note, my black lab Toby just came outside and seemed to be enjoying the aroma – ultra spicy and harsh though it is.
The last third as the sun goes down - Click to enlarge
– Just when I’m about to put this cigar down for good, the sweetness characteristic of the first half returns like an old friend. The harshness isn’t fully gone, but it is starting to draw down. I decide to finish the cigar, and the last quarter surprises me by redeeming the last ten minutes or so of smoking. The harshness has drawn almost completely to a close, the wonderful woody sweetness is back, and it has cooled down dramatically.
Final note: “Mixed feelings.”
—————————————
Conclusion:
At $4 a stick, the Tatuaje P4 Churchill was almost what I expected. The construction was a huge plus, and the way it burned was encouraging. The strength of the spiciness and emerging harshness in the last half, however, made it a frustrating smoke. The cigar teetered between mild-medium body and full-body, and that lack of consistency brought the level of enjoyment way down. The fact that it toned down near the end was nice, but not enough for me to give this cigar high marks.
Of course, I should disclaim that I have only had this particular stick once, so I cannot definitively caution readers away from this cigar – but I don’t plan on spending the money on it again.
For the month of July, I’ve packed up and moved to Rhode Island for a job. True, I miss New York, but a month in a house 500 feet from the beach is not so bad. I’ve been working my ass off, but I’ve managed to sneak off a few evenings to smoke a cigar on the beach. Watching the waves, listening to the surf, and smoking a good cigar – how can I complain?
As I’ve mentioned, I’m still looking for new, great cigars. I keep a little book with all of my cigar labels and notes on what I liked and didn’t like. Perhaps when I’m back in my apartment, I can scan a few pages to show you all.
But while I’m here, I’m smoking my way through The 12 Angry Men Sampler I bought on CigarsInternational.com. The price was right, and I hadn’t smoked most of the brands in the sampler so I gave it a shot.
I’ve worked my way through three so far. Here is a short review (note: I had to grab some of these pictures from the net due to a lack of a flash on my camera phone):
Sol Cubano Cuban Cabinet Robusto (5″ x 50)
I can best describe this cigar as “simple.” It’s easy, mild, and clean on the palate. It reminds me of the Macanudos I smoked when I was just getting used to cigars. While, I don’t think I’d try this brand again, I’d definitely suggest it newbies. Admittedly my tasted tend toward the middle of the intensity spectrum, so this is too light and uncomplicated for me. I gave this stick a “C”
Man O’ War Robusto (5.5″ x 50)
Now this had some flavor! I’d say it’s a medium to full bodied smoke, but it didn’t even have a hint of that bitter taste you get with darker cigars. Tons of flavor. My biggest complaint is the stupid looking cigarband. Hey, what can I say: I like the whole aesthetic of smoking, and the band is part of that. I’m excited to try the other Man O’ War cigars in this sampler. “B+”
La Herencia Cubana Oscuro Fuerte Robusto (5.5″ x 54)
I knew what I was getting with this stick. It has a second band that announces that it’s “Oscuro” and “Fuerte” – dark and strong. I just finished this one. I was in the mood for dark and strong, so I gave it a shot. Now, though I don’t usually go for the dark/maduro cigars I like one every now and then because they provide a complex set of tastes. I think of the Casa Magna (Matthias’ favorite) which is a damn complicated cigar. Lots of stuff going on. This was lacking in the that complexity. It was thick and heavy, without any interesting flavors, so I rated this cigar a “C”.
Now I’ve been told not to judge a brand just on one cigar, that sometimes there are inconsistencies within any given box of cigars. Sure I get that. But you have to start somewhere.
Has anyone else enjoyed the Man O’ War? Am I missing something about the La Herencia or the Sol Cubano? Anyone else keep notes the way I do?
I can best describe this cigar as “simple.” It’s easy, mild, and clean on the palate. It reminds me of the Macanudos I smoked when I was just getting used to cigars. While, I don’t think I’d try this brand again, I’d definitely suggest it newbies. Admittedly my tasted tend toward the middle of the intensity spectrum, so this is too light and uncomplicated for me. I gave this stick a “C”
Now this had some flavor! I’d say it’s a medium to full bodied smoke, but it didn’t even have a hint of that bitter taste you get with darker cigars. Tons of flavor. My biggest complaint is the stupid looking cigarband. Hey, what can I say: I like the whole aesthetic of smoking, and the band is part of that. I’m excited to try the other Man O’ War cigars in this sampler. “B+”