So you walk into a cigar bar. You crave deep dark paneling and a quiet scene. The server brings over a humidor and asks if you want a Havana. You blush and say ‘I love the smell but I don’t indulge. What would you suggest?’ With a grin and not m issing a beat, he breaks out the Deveron 12 bottle and a Glencairn. A dram, in a puff of magic, appears in your glass.
Scents of red delicious apples, honey and lemon greet you, but it wasn’t that Upmann-esqe aroma you wanted. Just as you’re about to lift your hand to complain, phenolic tobacco pummels the sweetness. Hmm…Interesting for a low ABV spirit. From where did that appear? Wow! Ok, let’s try it. Arggghh. The fruit and sugar come back but…what’s going on? Whew! A Maduro fragrance returns and the initial tastes in my mouth disappear replaced by a good Cuban. But wait, now I sense a massive pepper extract. Please stop this merry-go-round! Sigh.
Sometimes, you meet a whisky where everything is not in balance and it winds up being valued. Closer to spirits designed for Power, its strong qualities rotate. The Adventurer will yearn for those flummoxed taste buds. A Rob Roy made with this, creates a cocktail pleasing for its changing flavors. A Rusty Nail all of a sudden becomes more than a mere sweet vs alcohol smack down. It transforms into a collage of style. Forget water. All you’ll find is total dilution. Open your arms, heart and palate to a multi-one-sided Scotch. If a mixed drink or a cordial doesn’t suit your fancy, pick out a medium strength stogie. Then sit outside in pleasant weather and pour yourself a measure of Deveron 12. If you light up, the UFC Speyside flavor cage match takes your smoke to a new level. If not, you’ll get the tobacco without fumes, anyway.
Mark Garbin’s Evaluation
Aromas & Flavor Appeals to
Optimal Client Type
Great For
Subtlety Aficionado
Apprentice
Cocktails
Power Flavor Admirer
Enthusiast
Neat Before Dinner
Balanced Devotee
Adventurer
With Food
Chameleon Lover
Hedonist
Dessert or Afterwards
Distiller rating: “There’s a humble elegance to this whisky. It has all the sensory pleasures of retiring to a small farm house. You stick your nose in and smell wet hay, a dab of honey in your morning oatmeal, and a pot of white flowers by the windowsill. You have to work at it but underneath the charming bouquet you’ll discover dry wood smoke, orchard fruit, and ground white pepper on the palate. All of this is cleansed at the end with a warm splash of Lapsang tea. The whole experience is light and fleeting of course, because the dram.” -Sam Davies
Whiskeyreviewer rating: “The Deveron 12 is not as sherried as its stablemate, Craigellachie, but it has its own charms. It is a great starter malt for a novice scotch drinker, but it has enough presence to make it a fine after work sipper for more seasoned whisky fans.” –Kurt Maitland
“Friendship is a smoke made with the fume of sighs”. Shakespeare’s Romeo must mean Jura 18. I can’t recall drinking such a smoke grenade but if you’re a cigar lover, it’s a magnificent bomb. Don’t concern yourself with the toffee ocean spray red wine tannin nose. Forget the acrid iodine Scottish seaside taste. Focus on the campfire starting at mid-palate continuing to the ever-lasting grilled tobacco white pepper finish.
People I know speak in hushed tones of the Cu Avana Punisher stogie and its stunning hot spice. Katman’s quote is hilarious: “I believe this cigar was really invented by Otolaryngologists who are drumming up business . . . I’m pretty sure I will need to see one to remove the scar tissue from the tip of my tongue.” He too describes this 18-year-old dynamo.
A power monster, water only diluted the force. So skip the aqua. Apprentices say “not for me.” An Enthusiast wonders “Who on earth…?” The Hedonist, always in search of stunning flavors, won’t find any here. But the Adventurer, who conquers mountains because they exist, finds comfort in this dram. Note the huge disparity in ratings. (3 out of 10? Huh?) Like I say: One person’s 95 is another’s 75. It means if you don’t crave it, move on. Otherwise prepare to fall in love. Pack either the Punisher or a stick of strength. You’ll require a companion on this trip!
Mark Garbin’s Evaluation
Aromas & Flavor Appeals to:
Optimal Client Type
Great For:
Subtlety Aficionado
Apprentice
Cocktails
Power Flavor Admirer
Enthusiast
Neat Before Dinner
Balanced Devotee
Adventurer
With Food
Chameleon Lover
Hedonist
Dessert or After Meal Cigar
Other expert reviews of Jura 18
Distiller.com review: The classic Jura flavors of light smoke and intense brininess are regally framed by the bourbon cask’s indulgent tones of toasted honey comb, pie crust, and vanilla cream. On the palate the red wine casks are felt with a pleasant impact of sweet red currant and dried cherry. The malt has a nice full-ish body and a lingering finish that shows a return of the peaty and salty maritime flavors of the distillate. –John Rankin
USC review: This enigmatic scotch shows overlapping tones of packed salt, preserved cherry, and baked figs. There is distinct red fruit character in the mouth that plays a beautiful contrast to intense maritime iodine that underpins the experience of the dram.
Malt-Review: A pretty lacklustre 18 year old by any stretch of the imagination. I can name several similarly aged whiskies for around this price point. Go find a Tasliker 18 or the delightful Inchmurrin 18 year old and really experience a well made whisky that hasn’t been messed with.
Hapa Mag review: There’s only one way for me to describe this whisky: spicy!! This single malt packs a fiery punch as it dances down your gullet. With sharp hints of cinnamon and holiday aromatics, this is a whisky I’d use for mulled wine, eggnog, or a hot toddy. If you have a holiday cocktail party in your future, spice things up with Jura 18. –Melissa Slaughter
Up for review is another cigar from Caldwell Cigar Co. If you’ve read any of our other reviews of Caldwell product, you know that we’ve got a soft spot for this brand. After arriving on the cigar scene a few years ago, the company has proven time and again that it can produce full bodied cigars of the highest quality.
Casa by Caldwell is the company’s first “exclusive,” meaning a blend creating exclusively for a single retailer. In this case, the honor of Caldwell’s first exclusive goes to Casa de Montecristo, one of the largest chains of high end cigar lounges in the USA.
Blend Specifics
Wrapper: Mexican San Andrés Claro
Binder: Sumatra
Filler: Dominican Republic
Size: 6 x 50 Toro
Appearance & Construction
The Casa by Caldwell is, like other Caldwell cigars, wonderfully presented. The outer Sand Andres wrapper is thick and leathery, with a dark, inviting complexion. Off of the foot there are strong scents of dust, cedar, black pepper, and savory meats. The cold draw on the other hand is subdued, with some granola and dark chocolate. The draw is perfect, about a 7/10 in terms of amount of restrictiveness. Let’s light up.
Flavor & Smoke Characteristics
Casa by Caldwell kicks off with rich, medium bodied smoke, and excellent smoke production to boot. To start, there’s a healthy dose of dark chocolate on the palate met in equal force with oak, giving the flavor profile a character that is satisfyingly high in bitterness and in sweetness. On the tip of the tongue there are some grilling spices, while charred wood and pepper make up the lions share of the retrohale. Construction is on point, with the ash only waving a touch as I near the end of the first third.
Overall, I really love the combination of creamy chocolate, bitter wood, and savory spices. It’s an excellent way to start the cigar. It’s got a heft and heartiness to it that’s hard not to love.
Unfortunately, that experience doesn’t continue for long. About 20 minutes into the cigar, the flavors shift dramatically, with charred wood and black pepper dominant. Layered beneath are notes of espresso, stone minerality, and some of that dark chocolate. But overall I feel like I’m smoking a barbecue, which is great but also betrays a lack of balance with the overly dominant pepper influence.
As the second ash drops near the start of the second third, the pepper and oak settle down to more manageable levels, allowing a silky espresso note to come to the forefront along with a slight savory note. There’s still plenty of hot red pepper on the tip of the tongue, with more espresso on the retrohale. The cigar is now just above medium bodied, medium strength.
The Casa by Caldwell continues on in similar fashion, with no lapses in construction all the way up to the final third. The smoke begins heating up, while red pepper, more charred oak, and Mexican chocolate make up the profile. With an inch and a half left, the heat ramps up quickly, providing a good opportunity to set the cigar down.
Conclusion
Casa by Caldwell is a winner in my book. Although not always balanced, the flavor palette of charred oak, espresso, dark chocolate, pepper and spice is delicious. This is a damn good cigar, and Casa de Montecristo should be proud to have been given the honor of playing host to Caldwell’s first exclusive.
Up for review today is another cigar from Aaron Saide and La Instructora Cigars. The company made a splash in the industry a couple of years ago, standing out for a number of reasons. First, the branding on these cigars is fascinating in that it’s actually quite difficult to read the name of the company which is debossed onto a modern art inspired band. The same is true for Aaron’s second company Sans Pareil, with bands that have literally no mention of the brand name. Second, the brand received a lot of attention for Saide’s assertions that the company only uses the absolute best tobaccos, specifically tobaccos from Jose “Jochy” Blanco’s farms, which no doubt do contain some of the most expensive tobaccos around.
I’ve smoked a number of cigars from both companies owned by Saide. In my experience, they’ve been somewhat hit and miss. But when they hit, they are some of the most complex and innovative cigars I’ve smoked, ever. The Limited Edition La Instructora blend I reviewed last year, for example, received a 94, a score which only two other cigars that year received. Saide’s cigars take up some of my most valued humidor space, so I’m always excited to review a blend I haven’t had yet.
And so it is with the La Instructora Perfection Invicto. It’s a cigar I haven’t had before, so I’m itching to get started. So on to the review.
Blend Specifics
Cigar Reviewed: La Instructora Perfection Invicto
Wrapper: Ecuadorian Habano Rosado
Binder: Dominican Criollo ’98
Filler: Dominican Criollo ’98 and Dominican Piloto
Size: 5 3/4 x 56 (perfecto)
Appearance and Construction
The cigar’s outer wrapper is dark brown with a bit of a reddish hue to it. It has minimal veins, an oily sheen, and a strong texture similar to fine sand paper. After clipping with a straight cut, the draw reveals itself to be perfect, with just the right amount of restrictiveness. Smelling the foot of the cigar I pick up notes of woodsiness, granola, and coffee. The cold draw on the other hand delivers a bit of the same but with some bright, spicy citrus.
Flavor and Smoke Characteristics
When the La Instructora Perfection Invicto kicks off, there’s a lot going on. The first few puffs are chock full of aggressive but very complex flavors, balanced between sweet, bitter, and savory flavors broadly speaking. After a few minutes of fighting for center stage, savory notes of cured meats, grilling spices, and leather take center stage. The smoke has a spicy texture, and the retrohale reflects and magnifies it. Overall I’d put the cigar at medium in terms of strength and body. The retrohale is another story entirely, offering up a blast of aggressive white and red pepper.
By an inch in, it’s clear there’s a construction problem. The cigar is requiring many puffs in a row just to get a real draw of smoke, and the burn is starting to stray significantly. As the first ash drops, I can see why: there’s a fairly significant tunneling in the filler tobacco, creating air flow issues. This requires a long touch up to address. I’m hopeful it will sort itself out because I really want to experience this cigar to its fullest.
At this point, the cigar is burning towards the end of the first third. I notice a stark decrease in intensity on the retrohale, and some new flavors make an introduction: cream, milk chocolate, and sweet nuttiness. The sweetness of these flavors pair very nicely with the spicy, savory notes that still take up most of the space. Unfortunately, as enjoyable as this development is, it’s nearly derailed as the burn again begins to stray. Is the cigar over humidified? Is the rosado wrapper just too thick? Or is it just a common rolling error? I wish I knew.
As the La Instructora Perfection Invicto burns past the halfway mark, it seems as if the construction issues may finally be starting to resolve, but it sure has taken a lot of work. And it’s too bad, because from a flavor standpoint, it’s a great cigar. The spicy and savory notes have come into near perfect balance with the sweet, chocolaty flavors introduced in the second third—the kind of complexity you really have to have on a cigar to justify the ~$18 price point.
In the final third, the ring gauge is tapering down, and there’s a marked resurgence of the spice on the palate and retrohale. The chocolate and cream give way to a woody core, and the finish is remarkably clean for such a strong showing in flavors.
Conclusion
This is a frustrating conclusion to write. The rosado wrapper creates a uniquely flavorful experience, with lots of red pepper and spice on the tip of the tongue, while cream and chocolate occupy the palate. But the issues with construction put a real damper on the experience as a whole, making it impossible for this cigar to achieve the score it would otherwise deserve.
Up for review today is the Tabernacle robusto from Foundation Cigar Company. It’s a cigar that quickly earned praise from consumers and bloggers alike, and for good reason as you’ll read below.
Blend Specifics
Cigar Reviewed: The Tabernacle Robusto
Wrapper: Connecticut Broadleaf
Binder: Mexican San Andrés
Filler: Honduras & Nicaragua
Appearance & Construction
The Tabernacle Robusto is undoubtedly a beautiful cigar. The gold and black band is adorned with beautiful artwork. The Foundation website describes the ornate band, saying “The artwork features an image of none other than Hailie Selassie, 225th King of Abyssinia, whose lineage traces directly to King Solomon and the Queen of Sheba. The reference to “Tabernacle” is as a container for the Ark of the Covenant.”
The outer Connecticut Broadleaf wrapper is a deep, dark brown, with one major vein running nearly the entire length of the cigar. The cigar has a nice weight in the hand, and is packed consistently its entire length.
Off of the foot are aromas of barnyard, coffee, leather and a bit of tingly spice.
Flavor & Smoke Characteristics
The Tabernacle Robusto kicks off with loads of rich smoke that has a definitively dark, but remarkably light, flavor profile. Flavor notes include roasted nuts, concentrated bitter espresso, milk, and some dark fruit notes in the aroma. The retrohale is smooth and clean, adding some finely ground black pepper. The texture of the smoke alternates between silky smooth and just a touch textured. Construction is spot on. The draw is a perfect 7/10 in terms of restrictiveness, and the cigar produces ample amounts of cool smoke.
By about an inch in to the Tabernacle Robusto, that black pepper on the retrohale is starting to creep onto the palate along with some nice toasty baking spices.
In the second third, the smoke is still just below medium in terms of body and strength. The core of the flavor profile is woody, with some nice complementary flavors of salted milk chocolate, cream, and some toasted bread. Spice is minimal. I’m very impressed with the construction. The smoke production is excellent, the temperature of the smoke is cool, and the burn is consistently straight.
The final third of the Tabernacle progresses exactly as I hoped it would. The body and strength build consistently, landing up past medium. At the same time, a spice develops on the tip of the tongue along with a predominantly sweet profile of milk chocolate, charred oak, and toasted bread. The heat of the smoke finally starts to increase in about the final inch and a half, adding a bit of harshness with it.
Conclusion
There’s a reason the Tabernacle is widely recognized as an excellent cigar. Excellent construction, cool smoke, and great smoke production lay the foundation (no pun intended) for a great combination of creamy chocolate, espresso, charred wood, and spice. It’s an easy cigar to recommend and it earns an excellent score.
Moore & Bode Cigars have been around since 1990 based in Miami. Independently owned, the company has been producing cigars from around the world and is currently sourcing tobacco from locations such as Asia, India and South America. While not disclosing specific regions or farms, Moore & Bode seeks to find unique flavors and quality tobacco.
I’ve only smoked the Classic line which I enjoyed for its mild complexity. With that experience I was looking forward to a fuller flavored blend in their “Surge” cigar.
Blend Specifics
Cigar Reviewed: Moore & Bode Surge
Wrapper: Indonesian Sun Grown Colorado
Binder: Asia
Filler: Caribbean, South American, India
Size: 5”x 46
Appearance & Construction
The Moore & Bode Surge sports a milk chocolate wrapper with minimal veins. Its semi firm to the touch save for a soft spot at the foot. The band is a standout orange with cream lines a top and bottom with the Moore and Bode logo on it. There’s a secondary band at the foot in the same coloring with the word “Surge” on it. The cigar is well crafted and the roll spot on.
Flavor & Smoke Characteristics
After using a straight Xikar cut, I toast the Surge and with the first few puffs comes a blast of spice that tingles all over my palate and enlivens the senses. The Surge certainly lives up to its name, greeting you with a “surge” of power upfront. On the retrohale, there’s lots of cedar along with pepper. As the cigar progresses, sweetness and coconut begin developing on the palate. Then, the Surge turns a bit creamy, with copious amounts of smoke. Thus far the flavors of the Moore & Bode Surge are quite enjoyable.
During the second half of the Surge, I pick up some sour cherry and candy notes. Construction here isn’t flawless: the cigar develops a white, flaky ash and ends up needing a relight. A few puffs later, the sour cherry notes give way to a cinnamon and sugar note that creates a sweet sensation on the tongue. The retrohale, on the other hand, brings up some earthiness with a sweet and savory finish on the palate.
The last third requires another relight and the burn becomes uneven. The cherry flavors continue with added vegetal notes. And, what was once earthiness becomes a distinct grassy note, with a bit of harshness despite a slow burn. Graphite dominates the mouthfeel in the last inch or so, and I’m met with another swath of bitterness. At this point the profile turned and I let the cigar put itself out to conclude the smoke.
Conclusion
The Moore and Bode Surge delivers power, with spice to start, helping it live up to its moniker. The transition from spice to sweet and cinnamon was pleasant and the savory notes when they appeared were wonderful. The Surge lost it a bit on the last third with some vegetal and grassiness that were off-putting.
Overall the quality of tobaccos were there and being able to taste what nontraditional countries are producing is quite an education. I recommend picking up a few to smoke and age and see how this blend progresses. The ability to smoke a cigar and understand the flavors of tobaccos grown all over the world is an experience an aficionado should take advantage of.
Moore & Bode are showing what thinking outside the usual realm of tobacco countries can produce.
To me, Caldwell Cigar Co‘s brand is most easily defined by the great artwork on the bands, the eclectic naming conventions (as evidenced in this review), and with producing cigars that are rich, complex, and full bodied. Today’s review focuses on the All Out King’s “Give Me Your Lunch Money.” The cigar is produced at the Drew Estate factory in Esteli, Nicaragua, and features tobaccos from an array of countries, including Indonesia.
All Out King’s is the company’s first collaboration project, and, given Caldwell’s unorthodox brand, Drew Estate seems like a fitting partner in crime.
Blend Specifics
Cigar Reviewed: All Out King’s “Give Me Your Lunch Money”
Wrapper: Connecticut Stalk Cut and Sun Cured Habano Wrapper
The All Out King’s Give Me Your Lunch Money sports one of the most visually unique wrappers I’ve seen… ever. The variation of colors is stunning, with the leaf alternating between a light reddish brown and dark brown all around the cigar. The texture is interesting as well. There’s a light oily layer, but a visual toothiness that makes the wrapper feel leathery to the touch.
After using a straight cut to cut the cigar, the draw seems to be a touch tight, about an 8/10 in terms of amount of restrictiveness. The cold draw has some granola and oats, but the aroma off of the foot is much stronger, with dry cedar, cocoa beans, and some white pepper rounding it all out.
Flavor & Smoke Characteristics
Give Me Your Lunch Money (or GMYLM for practicality’s sake) kicks off with hearty medium bodied smoke. Smoke production is good, but not quite voluminous. From a flavor standpoint, the cigar lands more toward the bitter end of the flavor spectrum, though there is a bit of sweet cocoa and a salty buttered popcorn that pops in the aroma. The base notes are bitter cedar, finely-ground black pepper and pencil lead. One thing that really catches my eye though as I smoke through the first inch is that it is mainly the back/sides of my palate that are activated by the cigar, instead of the center and tip of the tongue which is more common. As the cigar burns on, a straight white ash develops with a great burn.
Just past the first inch mark, the bitter elements of the flavor profile really ramp up, leading me to take a quick break to grab a glass of water. Body at this point is at about medium, but I find the flavor strength to be way up at full. The smoke is chock full of oak and black pepper on the palate (perhaps a bit overdone) with with contrasting aromas of popcorn, floral, and dark stone fruits in the aroma. The retrohale is similarly aggressive, with heavy pepper and charred oak making up most of the flavor.
The second third of GMYLM is mostly the same, with the body staying at medium and flavor staying near full. The smoke has a chalky texture, with predominantly bitter notes of oak, pepper, minerality, and some slight sweetness. There is a white pepper note that’s introduced, mainly activating on the tip of the tongue. Overall though, it’s more of the same, and at this point I’m finding the bitterness of the profile to be taxing on my palate.
In the final third of the All Out King’s GMYLM, the flavors finally come into a bit more balance, with oak and pepper joined by dark chocolate, savory spices, and sweet floral. The retrohale features red pepper and generic wood. Construction remains just about perfect, with a straight burn circling the cigar and the ash holding easily for more than an inch. Not a bad way to end, but too little too late.
Conclusion
While All Out King’s “Give Me Your Lunch Money” has some good qualities to speak for it, finesse is not one of them. If you’re looking for an elegant smoke, this is not it. But if you’re a full bodied cigar smoker, it’s worth a shot. For me, though, as much as I’ve loved just about everything I’ve smoked from Caldwell, this cigar would have to land on the bottom end of that list. The bitter, oaky elements of the smoke were just too aggressive, rarely letting up to allow other flavors a chance to shine.
There are few boutique brands on the market today that carry the kind of reputation for craftsmanship and skill as Dunbarton Tobacco & Trust. In just a few short years, Steve Saka has turned this once-unknown brand into something of a household name among boutique cigar smokers. And, as you’ll find out in this review, for good reason.
Sobremesa comes wrapped in a beautiful rosado wrapper finished with a golden band resembling a crown. The outer wrapper is smooth to the touch with a slight layer of oil and just one major vein running from the cap to about the second third.
When squeezed, the cigar has a fair amount of give, but it seems packed consistently throughout. The draw is perfect, a 7/10 in terms of restrictiveness, and the cold draw reveals notes of white pepper, spices, earth, and sweet granola.
Flavor & Smoke Characteristics
Once lit, the Sobremesa Corona Grande produces plumes of thick, mild-bodied, white smoke. The first word that comes to my mind after a few puffs is finesse. The smoke is light, incredibly smooth, but quite flavorful. And a unique flavor profile it is. Lots of almonds, light baking spices, paper, a touch of saltiness, and a slight bitterness on the palate. The retrohale mimics the palate, with an almost imperceptible strength and flavors of almonds, cinnamon, and oats. As the white ash develops past the first half inch, the burn is razor sharp.
The flavors on the Sobremesa Corona Grande begin developing more at about an inch or more in. Strength and body are now solidly at mild, and the profile is moving away from soft bitterness on the palate and more toward sweetness, something akin to snickerdoodle cookies. Some wood sneaks its way in as well, along with some faint vegetal notes that are barely perceptible. Lastly, there’s also a bit of spice that comes in and out on the palate but is felt more consistently on the retrohale, giving a bit more dimension to the smoking experience. It’s an excellent continuation of the story, but I’m ready for a bit more strength and body to this smoke.
While the Sobremesa does indeed continue its slow climb in strength for most of the second third, it only barely makes it above medium by the beginning of the final third. That said, it retains its almost unbelievable amount of smoothness with each puff, which in and of itself is quite a feat.
As the cigar burns into the final third, the strength finally kicks in, moving up to just below medium. The palate gets a bit rougher, but adds more flavors, including charred wood, bitter dark chocolate, and a well-defined black pepper on the tip of the tongue that’s also quite evident on the retrohale. As the strength increases, there are times that a bit of harshness enters the smoke, but by and large it’s a well-integrated conclusion to the cigar.
Conclusion
To me, Sobremesa Corona Grande is the kind of cigar that’s creates such an elegant sensation on the palate that, once experienced, it’s really quite impossible to buy the whole “Cubans are best” party line that I see touted so often on platforms like Instagram. The cigar puts together a well-crafted, compelling flavor story. The only thing holding this cigar back from a higher score is its overall mildness which I wish would have ramped up a bit earlier. Of course, that’s a subjective note, but it’s my honest opinion. I’d be curious to see how other sizes perform with respect to this observation.
Up for review today is the Don Carlos Edicion de Aniversario 2015 from Aturo Fuente cigars. The Edicion de Aniversario series dates back to 2006, when the first blend in the series was introduced to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the original Don Carlos line. In 2018, I reviewed the Don Carlos Edicion Aniversario 2013 and found it to be good, albeit flawed at a price point of $30. So when I received the 2015 blend from Luxury Cigar Club, I was excited to see if the blend had improved.
Blend Specifics
Cigar Reviewed: Don Carlos Edicion de Aniversario 2015
Wrapper: Dominican Sun Grown Habano
Binder: Dominican Republic
Filler: Dominican Republic
Size: 5.7″ x 52 Double Robusto
Appearance & Construction
As is typical with Arturo Fuente cigars, the Don Carlos Edicion de Aniversario 2015 is impeccably branded and has a celebratory quality to it. The outer wrapper has a visible oily sheen and a smooth feel to the fingers. Taking a whiff off of the foot, I pick up rich notes of earth, hay, and garden vegetable notes. There’s also a slight cinnamon sweetness that I hope shows up in the smoke. The cold draw is malty, with some granola and spicy white pepper.
The draw is perfect.
Flavor & Smoke Characteristics
When the Don Carlos Edicion de Aniversario 2015 ignites, it produces large plumes of white, medium bodied smoke. Generally, the flavor profile falls in the savory, bitter, and spicy flavor categories. On the draw, the smoke is quite smooth, with a creamy entry. On the palate the flavors that emerge are vegetation, strong cedar, Wasabi spice on the tip of the tongue, and touches of creamy coffee that coats the palate. It’s the kind of flavor profile I’ve only ever found with Arturo Fuente cigars (open to suggestions for similar cigars). The retrohale is similar, with a healthy but not overwhelming amount of Wasabi spice and dry cedar. A great start.
About ten minutes in, the rough edges on the flavors have smoothed out and the cigar is remarkably complex, harmonious, and balanced. The spice is perfectly measured next to the sweet cream, cedar, and vegetal notes, making it a joy to smoke.
The ash holds up until the beginning of the second third, and the burn remains mostly straight when the ash finally drops. And, like clockwork, the strength of the smoke increases dramatically. Cedar takes the dominant role on the palate while the Wasabi note eases down to a secondary position, along with rich coffee bean, floral, and a creamy finish. The retrohale is smooth, but still full of white and red pepper. It’s great transition for the overall experience.
The Don Carlos Edicion de Aniversario 2015 smokes this way until just about the final third, where it ramps up in strength and body even more, landing at medium to full body and full strength. On the palate are predominantly bitter notes of vegetal, cedar, Wasabi and coffee beans. Unfortunately, the cream that balanced those flavors out in the first two thirds disappears, but the smoke is still very smooth. The retrohale on the other hand has large helpings of hot spices that clear the sinuses. It’s not quite as compelling of an experience as the first two thirds, which is a bit of a let down given how spot on the rest of the experience was.
Conclusion
Even with a slightly weaker final third, the Don Carlos Edicion de Aniversario 2015 is an excellent cigar and I can wholeheartedly recommend it. The flavor profile has great complexity, featuring just about everything I love about Fuente cigars: well proportioned spice, cedar, floral, and wonderful creaminess that balances it all out. The final third couldn’t quite live up to the two thirds leading up to it, but it is still an all around excellent cigar that I think justifies the high price tag.
The top dog gets all of the scraps. For that reason, there is never going to be a shortage of homages to all the gentlemen and women who make up the upper echelon of the cigar industry. They own the Tabacaleras, they are the blenders, their name is on the band, their evenings are vibrant and adventurous full of booze and cigars. They travel the globe, they get the fame, and we share in the bounty of their incredible work.
This group gets 99% of the typical articles and series that are produced in the industry. And why not? How would one even begin to write about the underbelly, the realness, of the industry? You’d have to embed yourself in a tabacalera or deep within a brand’s employee roster to find that proper individual who could represent the truly interesting aspects of the cigar industry.
I believe passionately that profiling the people behind-the-scenes in the industry would be more interesting than most celebrity spots and would broaden the everyday cigar lovers knowledge of the seed to shelf process.
That’s why I have been connecting with friends in the cigar industry on Facebook and Linkedin for many years. I go about it like this: first, I connect with certain avatars that illuminate the industry as a whole, and then connect with their connections throughout the value chain (sales, operations, etc). In those years, I’ve connected with a cadre of the most amazing people in the cigar industry, from top to bottom. From owners and sales professionals to marketers, blenders, and factory workers.
These are the people I am interested in.
More than travelling the world and having a cigar every day in a new location, what interests me is what goes on in the Tabacalera. What’s the difference between good to great? And how do the pieces fit together? It’s not so easy to figure out. There is no step by step about what goes on, and when you do finally see something on a Tabacalera, it is from the “rich” perspective of being a distinguished guest sipping on rum in the shade.
Beyond that, my connections are mostly great personalities. Sadly, these friendships overall are not deep but I would say that more than most I have really made an effort to become someone who enjoys the nuances and interests of my Facebook friends and I comment more than most about the normal aspects of people’s lives. I like it when A.J. shows him petting his horses and riding. I like the birthday parties for mom and the pictures of the early mornings in airports with the hair all in a miff. And I like the work. Seeing the all the different leaves laid out and sorted through. Taking in the piles of freshly rolled cigars on tables in climate controlled rooms. That’s the stuff that interests me. I spend the majority of my time handling extremely technical work in the transportation industry and spending time with my family. I have found that the salt of the industry does the same!
The subject of our first profile is Raymond Pages Raffo. I connected with him though Abdel Yusef Fernandez, Rafael Nodal, and Nick Melillo who each have a relationship with him.
Ray is employed in a trusted role as the Head of his Operation by A.J. Fernandez. This is quite a responsibility for a young man like Ray, but he takes it very seriously and is tireless in his role. Rafael and Nick find him as the point person on their creative pursuit of the finest Nicaraguan tobaccos from the fields of A.J. Fernandez and the warehouse. Judging by how they talk about him, it’s clear that they respect his knowledge and that they like him as a person. This is his job for all who come to the factory. God, and what a job it is.
Ray is 25 and lives in Esteli. Like many in this industry, he was born in Cuba where his parents grew tobacco when he was a young boy. You ask how at 25 he slipped into this sweet role? Well, he happens to be A.J.’s brother in law! As the Operations Leader for AJ’s factory, Tabacalera Fernandez, he’s the fellow that AJ trusts with selection of the tobacco and the sourcing of all part and ingredients. He is one of the top two people overall!
Ray did not start out at the top. He started working in the factory at 18, quickly showed is dedication and skill, and became integral in supervision of the manufacturing process. In describing what he does, he tells me that Abdel does all the blends and he does everything else including searching for the tobaccos for A.J. to try prior to choosing the blend. He puts together what he calls the “tabscos” as he call them for A.J. to try before choosing the blends. These are basic rolls that look like Backwoods Smokes from the pharmacy. They are comprised completely of the same leaf and it allows blenders to get the taste of a specific part more fully.
Ray is also a bad ass. If you look at the goings on of his day to day in his life, he smokes a giant strong cigar mostly something he is proud to have worked on. He looks scary because he owns the smoke, nothing dainty from Ray! Also, because he works hard during the day, he smokes this giant cigar without much handling, so it’s in his mouth and then he is done. He is also a family man and likes the goings on at his home in Esteli with his kids. He often BBQs with his friends and he is always a fixture around the goings on of A.J.’s social and family life.
I asked Ray what his favorite smokes are and unsurprisingly they are the ones he has worked on with pride from the Tabacalero. The first being the Ramon Allones by AJ Fernandez. This is a classic Cuban name and the Nicaraguan version is maybe better. According to lore, the brand was A.J.’s father’s favorite back in Cuba, so his send up was something he really worked hard on with Ray. He also mentions in our communication how much he loves the H Upmann by A.J. This certainly is a tough cigar to put out as Upmann has 170 years of greatness and you can’t just screw with that. Also the Montecristo Nicaragua which has been tearing up the reviews as it was a collaboration with Rafael Nodal. To say that A.J. and Rafael work well together is an understatement, and right behind them in their efforts is Ray.
I hope to visit Ray in Esteli and see him in action. During which I would take part in one of his chicken BBQs! At 25, Ray has the respect of all blenders and the trust of one of the best, Abdel Yusef. He should be proud of his place in the process and I know that by the time he is 35 he will be doing ever more amazing things!
Note: this post is re-shared with permission by Kaplowitz Media. View the original post here.
