Archive for December, 2010

Xikar HC Series Connecticut Grande

Wednesday, December 15th, 2010

This is the last cigar in sampler pack that Xikar sent to me. They wanted my opinion on their new Grande size HC cigars, and I accepted the offer. I appreciate them giving me the chance to review these cigars. The blend is has not changed. The only difference is the size. Will the new large 6×60 taste different then the Robusto? Read on and see. As always, I paired this review with a glass of water.

 

Wrapper: Connecticut shade – Ecuador

Binder: Sumatra

Filler: Costa Rica, Mexico, Nicaragua

Size: Grande 6 x 60

Price: $9.50

 

Pre-Smoke & Construction:

The wrapper had soft, smooth, look to it. At the same time, it had a toothy component as well. The wrapper had an earthy barnyard odor. The foot shared that same smell, but had a spicy component. The cigar was evenly and solidly packed. The pre-light draw had slight resistance, and a smooth earthy and slightly sweet flavor.

The burn was a little crazy for the first half, and required quite a few significant corrections. This isn’t a common characteristic of this cigar. It just happened during the cigar I chose to review. Call it Murphy’s law. This is a hand made product, and these things can happen to any cigar. The ash held for almost two inches.

1HCConnGrande

Flavor:

The flavor in the first third was pretty simple and straight forward. There was an dominant earthiness with woody notes hiding in the background. The smoke feel left a slight coating in the mouth, but it was dry as well. I found myself drinking a lot of water. When passing smoke through the nose, there was a nice peppery spice. While it had a slight zing, it was still fairly mild and easy.

2HCConnGrande

The second third held that core earthy flavor, but it took on a creamy, buttery component. The dryness went away and I stopped feeling parched. The pepper remained and developed a little more zing that separated it from most Connecticut wrapped cigars. Eventually I started to pick up notes of nuttiness, and it mixed well in the flavor profile. Everything really came together in this third.

3HCConnGrande

The last third continued where the second third left off. A rich melding of nutty, buttery, and earthy flavors dominated the flavor profile. Like before, the smoke was creamy and coated the mouth and lips. The pepper kept it’s zing, but it smoothed out quite a bit. It was a pleasant, easy relaxing experience. Very nice…

4HCConnGrande

Conclusion:

This was a very good medium to upper medium bodied cigar. It may have even crept into the full range. While it shared a lot of typical Connecticut flavors, there was something about it that separates it from the pack. I could easily smoke this in the morning with coffee, or in the afternoon after a meal. It is pretty versatile and could fit the bill at almost any time of the day. Thanks again to the guys at Xikar for letting me try these cigars!

A Curmudgeony Holiday Season

Monday, December 13th, 2010

If you look through the past three years worth of my December blogs, I have done an awful lot of bitching, whining, and moaning about the so-called joyous holiday season. Whether it’s the goddamned car and jewelry commercials, the putting up lights and decorations, or the fact that we are expected to spend the money that we don’t have and put ourselves deeper into debt, I am continuing to become more of a rotten f@#king Scrooge-ass with each an every passing year.

grinchListen, I understand human compassion and the need to help those less fortunate, and I’ve certainly done plenty of helping my fellow man. But every single day there is some high school kid, Brownie den mother, or Salvation Army dude ding-a-linging his bell, hawking me for dough at every storefront and it’s really starting to bug the crap outta me. We’re all feeling the air-vent choking squeeze of this economy and I know in a couple of weeks my wife will be looking for the Lexus with the giant bow in the driveway – and once again, I will disappoint to the max with a sweater that only a cigar sucking Polack could pick out.

My son told me that one of his teachers is giving extra credit if you bring in toys for needy kids. Now I’m always cool with that, but then he told me that the teacher asked for five unopened, unwrapped toys for ten extra points this morning? FIVE TOYS? Are your freaking kidding me?! That’s at least 50 bucks worth of goods and I personally think it’s a hell of a lot to ask for this time of year! I wrote the woman an email asking if she follows the Dow, the unemployment figures, and the economic data reports. Wow, five toys? That’s a ho-ho-ho of a shake down if you ask me.

LEXUS-LS-460bowMan, I just read back what I wrote so far and while I admittedly sound like one hell of a sour Grinchy-grump, I’m going to bet that most of you guys are feeling the same way. Kids across America are begging Santa for XBOX Live, Guitar Hero 27, ipads, ipods, Wii’s and a host of electronic gadgetry, while daddy and mommy are begging their employers to keep their jobs and our government for some well needed tax relief.

I really think it’s time for me to put on some bogus make-shift Santa suit and hang in front of the A&P and beg for cigars. The contents of my humidor is getting dangerously low and if everybody else can mooch and pose these grotesque guilt trips, why the hell can’t I?

stclaus“Excuse me maam, cigars for the needy?” as I don a cheesy stained rat beard while holding out a plastic Halloween pumpkin painted red and green.

“Get away from me you perverted letch! I’m calling the cops on you right now, you sick old p.o.s. dirtbag!”

And I just take it with a grain of salt because that was my wife. And after 8 straight hours of giving it my best, I’d end up with 3 pineapple flavored white owls, 16 pennies, a scorching Dunkin Donuts Latte dumped on my package, and ride in a nice warm squad car.

So is it just me, or are you guys getting more perturbed with every kiss that begins with Kay, the douche bag who went to Jared, and the money grubber at the exit of every local retailer? I want some real suggestions in today’s comments on what we all can do about putting an end to this holiday wallet-emptying madness! Isn’t it time that retailers stopped depending on one month of the year to make up for 50% of their year’s sales? Isn’t it time to tell the little ones that Kris Kringle is a ridiculous fib and that daddy’s 401k is worth about a third of what it used to be? Whatta ya say, boys?

And as an annoying as hell FYI, The night I put my lights up last week, half of the strands blew out. So I went to Walmart for replacements and they don’t make those pieces of crap any longer so I had to by all new lights, take the old one’s down, and climb the frigid ladder all over again. The department manager at Walmart says, “Yeah, those light didn’t work too good, so we discontinued ‘em.” Well… Isn’t that just special.

Hey, if ya want some Holiday cigar gift suggestions, whether for a friend or your most deserving self, check out the Zman’s gift list below. You can never go wrong with the loving gift of premium handrolled tobacco, now can you?

BOLIVAR COFRADIA CIGARS

Handmade HON
Wrapper: ECSU/CTBL    Binder: CT    Filler: HON/NIC
Full Bodied

BOLIVAR COFRADIAOriginally created at the Villazon Factory by the legendary Estelo Padron, the Bolivar Cofradia is a bold, robust smoke with heavy flavors of earth and spice. This is a rich blend of the finest hearty tobaccos in the world today, and proves to be his strongest blend to date. This full bodied cigar is intoxicating with its decadent flavors, heady aroma, and intense finish. Packed in heavy Spanish cedar cabinets, it is a cigar crafted for the most experienced of connoisseurs.

EL REY DEL MUNDO CIGARS

Handmade HON
Wrapper: ECSU/CTBL    Binder: HON    Filler: HON
Medium-Full Bodied

EL REY DEL MUNDOEl Rey del Mundo is a classic Cuban brand featuring a symphony of delectable Honduran flavors, impeccable construction, perfect burn and draw, and an enchantingly complex blend of the finest tobaccos. They are available in both Ecuador Sumatra EMS and dark Connecticut broadleaf maduro wrappers. These are arguably one of the finest cigars made in the world today – bar none. An absolute “must try” cigar for all!

GENUINE COUNTERFEIT CUBANS CIGARS

Handmade NIC
Wrapper: ECSU    Binder: ECSU    Filler: HON/NIC
Medium-Full Bodied

GENUINE COUNTERFEIT CUBANSThe Genuine Counterfeit Cuban Cigar is a blend of potent Esteli, Nicaraguan Ligero and Viso from the Perez Plantation, mixed with a base of Cuban-seed Seco. Bound with an Ecuadorian binder and rich, silky rosado Ecuadorian Sumatran wrapper, this cuadrado-pressed cigar offers the smoker a velvety-soft smoking experience with a distinct spicy bite.

JOSE SEIJAS CIGARS

Handmade DR
Wrapper: ECSU    Binder: CTBL    Filler: DR/NIC/PERU
Full Bodied

JOSE SEIJASThis isn’t just a box of cigars, it’s a trunk of cigars. José Seijas, “el jefe” of Tabacalera de Garcia (the world’s largest individual cigar factory), has commissioned a select group of merchants to sell his own favorite blend: The José Seijas Signature Blend. Fuller in body than the classic Montecristos and Romeos his factory normally turns out, this is a cigar-smoker’s cigar – luxurious, decadent flavors and robust in body. Made in La Romana, wrapped in Ecuador, enjoyed in Heaven!

Ho, ho, ho, my Bro,

Tommy Z

JR CIGARS BLOG with the ZMAN

Christmas Giveaway!

Monday, December 13th, 2010

This post will be stuck at the top of the site until the contest is over.

Bonita Smoke Shop is hosting a great Christmas giveaway here at TomsCigars. So before we get into it, I’d like to thank them for supporting the site and offering this great prize to you. Make sure you check out their online store. If you are in the Bonita Springs, FL area, do yourself a favor and visit this great cigar store. I drove over two hours to visit, and it was well worth the trip (check it out here).

bonita198

Now, on to the contest!

One lucky winner will receive a CAO ‘O’ red ashtray, and a box of CAO L’Anniversaire Cigars in the Churchill size.

The ashtray design is inspired by the letter O in the CAO logo, which is the founding name Ozgener. The ceramic body holds three cigars and has a nice deep bowl to hold plenty of ashes.

The CAO Cameroon L’Anniversaire features only the finest Grade One Cameroon wrapper and is paired with sublime Nicaraguan binder and filler. The uniqueness of this cigar is the difficult balance it achieves between the sweetness of the Cameroon wrapper and the earthy, richness of the Nicaraguan fillers. The CAO L’Anniversaire Cameroon possesses flavors of sweet spice, coffee, and caramel.

Prizes have a combined value of over $140.00!

DSC05900

DSC05902

So you are asking, how do I enter to win? Easy… Simply leave a comment here. Any comment will do. Only one entry per person.

Make sure to leave a valid email address in the email section. All contact info given to me will be treated as if it were my own. I will not give any information to anybody, period.

There are only a few simple rules. You must be:

18 years or older.

Live in the United States of America.

Enter the contest only once by leaving any comment on this post.

Enter a valid email address in the email section.

And that is it. Simply leave a comment here to enter. I will randomly draw a winner in a week or two, and before you know it, these two prizes will be in your hands!

Enter now!

Christmas Giveaway!

Monday, December 13th, 2010

The contest is now over. Thanks again to Bonita Smoke Shop for hosting such a great Christmas giveaway!

Bonita Smoke Shop is hosting a great Christmas giveaway here at TomsCigars. So before we get into it, I’d like to thank them for supporting the site and offering this great prize to you. Make sure you check out their online store. If you are in the Bonita Springs, FL area, do yourself a favor and visit this great cigar store. I drove over two hours to visit, and it was well worth the trip (check it out here).

bonita198

Now, on to the contest!

One lucky winner will receive a CAO ‘O’ red ashtray, and a box of CAO L’Anniversaire Cigars in the Churchill size.

The ashtray design is inspired by the letter O in the CAO logo, which is the founding name Ozgener. The ceramic body holds three cigars and has a nice deep bowl to hold plenty of ashes.

The CAO Cameroon L’Anniversaire features only the finest Grade One Cameroon wrapper and is paired with sublime Nicaraguan binder and filler. The uniqueness of this cigar is the difficult balance it achieves between the sweetness of the Cameroon wrapper and the earthy, richness of the Nicaraguan fillers. The CAO L’Anniversaire Cameroon possesses flavors of sweet spice, coffee, and caramel.

Prizes have a combined value of over $140.00!

DSC05900

DSC05902

So you are asking, how do I enter to win? Easy… Simply leave a comment here. Any comment will do. Only one entry per person.

Make sure to leave a valid email address in the email section. All contact info given to me will be treated as if it were my own. I will not give any information to anybody, period.

There are only a few simple rules. You must be:

18 years or older.

Live in the United States of America.

Enter the contest only once by leaving any comment on this post.

Enter a valid email address in the email section.

And that is it. Simply leave a comment here to enter. I will randomly draw a winner in a week or two, and before you know it, these two prizes will be in your hands!

Enter now!

CAO La Traviata Maduro

Friday, December 10th, 2010

For those of you who tuned in earlier today, you may have noticed a review vanished. Thanks to Nick and Gus Mantas for setting things straight. There was a reason it was hard to find info on an H. Upmann Edicion Limitada for 2010 when they don’t exist! So I got to work and reviewed a real cigar, not some bullshit Cuban knock-off!

Not too long ago the Bonita Smoke Shop bombed me with some cigars. I was rooting around the other day and came across today’s review. The CAO La Trivata Maduro shares the same binder and filler as the original, with the obvious difference being the Connecticut Maduro wrapper. I thought the original La Traviata was a good cigar for it’s price range, so I looked forward to trying the Maduro version. Paired with a glass of water, I offer you my thoughts…

 

Wrapper: Connecticut

Binder: Cameroon

Filler: Nicaragua, Dominican Republic

Size: Radiante 6 x 52

Price: Around $5.00

 

Pre-Smoke & Construction:

The wrapper had an oily sheen that looked great. The smell off of the wrapper and foot resembled a barn yard. For the most part, the cigar was evenly and firmly packed. The draw was a little tight, but tolerable. The pre-light draw was a pretty simple earthy/woody flavor.

The burn required no corrections, and the ash held for an inch. By the way… The draw loosened up after about two inches in.

1_CAO_La Traviata_Maduro

Flavor:

The first few puffs of the first third gave me a nice blast of black pepper. It wasn’t harsh, but there was enough to grab your attention. After about a half of an inch. it mellowed out. Cedar seemed to be the main flavor. When passing smoke through the nose, that pepper let me know it was still there. At times there was a sweetness along with earthiness. Not bad at all!

2_CAO_La Traviata_Maduro

The second third had a dominant woody flavor. At about the mid way point, the sweetness evolved into coco. The pepper kept a bit of a punch, but it became more of a sweet spice. Coffee notes lingered in and out of the back ground. The smoke volume kicked into high gear with pillowy clouds.

3_CAO_La Traviata_Maduro

The last third had a coffee, wood, and coco. None really stood out over the other. Just a nice blending of flavors. About the spice… It was still there, and although it mellowed out a little, there was enough punch to remind you of it’s presence.

4_CAO_La Traviata_Maduro

Conclusion:

I really enjoyed this medium to full bodied cigar.  The maduro wrapper added those sweet spicy notes that I expected it to. So which one do I like better, the natural or the maduro? That would simply depend on my mood. Both are equally good, it just boils down to if you enjoy maduro flavors or not.

H. Upmann 2010 Edicion Limitada

Friday, December 10th, 2010

I could only get my hands on one of these cigars for this review. And that was only because it was Rick’s last one. So thanks for the donation! I had a hard time finding out any information on this particular cigar. Gus Mantas chimed in before this review and said he liked the 2009 better. I literally had to measure the length and use a ring gauge guide, and I couldn’t tell you what the price is. But from what I could gather, this appears to be a real Cuban and not a knock-off, which makes it review worthy in my opinion. As always, I paired this cigar with water and offer you my thoughts.

 

Wrapper/Binder/Filler: Cuba

Size: 6 1/4 X 50

Price: ???

 

Pre-Smoke & Construction:

The wrapper had a toothy appearance with no real flaws. The odor coming off of the wrapper and foot was a mild wood. When squeezing the cigar, there was a slight give, but it wasn’t spongy. The pre-light draw was perfect, and had earthy/woody notes.

The burn required several corrections in the first half. One of those corrections was major. The ash held for about an inch.

1H_Upmann_2010_Edicion_Limitada

Flavor:

The first third started off with an interesting smoke feel and flavor that was almost buttery. There was also a woody and earthy component. Smoke volume was plentiful. Simple but not bad at all.

2H_Upmann_2010_Edicion_Limitada

The second third picked up in body a little, but remained in the medium to upper medium bodied range. There was a nice spice when passing smoke though the nose. It was peppery and had a nice punch, but didn’t burn. The woodiness remained and became less earthy. A coffee-ish flavor kicked in, and everything just blended well together. There was also an unidentified flavor that I notice is unique to Cuban tobacco. I can’t really find anything to compare it with, but it is nice.

3H_Upmann_2010_Edicion_Limitada

The last third may have crept into the full bodied range. The pepper seemed to become more smoother, and boarded on being sweet. The woody and coffee flavors melded together along with that natural tobacco flavor I mentioned in the second third. The smoke feel became thick and creamy. A coating was left in the mouth and lips after exhaling. This was easily my favorite third of the cigar.

4H_Upmann_2010_Edicion_Limitada

Conclusion:

This was a very good medium to full bodied cigar. I don’t get a lot of chances to smoke Cuban cigars. Like their “Legal” counterparts, I get mixed results. Some are great, some are not. I still enjoy the Partagas Serie P and think it is better than this one. But I’m not saying this was was not good. If you get the chance to try this cigar, I think it is worth it. Very nice…

Macanudo Cru Royale

Tuesday, December 7th, 2010

I found the Macanudo Cru Royale at a random local shop the other day. While I’m not big on smoking Macanudo’s, I can’t deny the 1968 is a good cigar, and their vintage lines have good flavor and construction (and a high price to match). So when I saw the Cru Royale for what I consider a reasonable price, I couldn’t resist picking a few up for review. I paired up with water, but I could see this going well with coffee, tea, or maybe even your favorite spirits.

 

Wrapper: Ecuadorian Habano

Binder: Dominican

Filler: Dominican and Nicaraguan

Size: Robusto 5 x 50

Price: $5.30

 

Pre-Smoke & Construction:

The dark wrapper had a nice oily sheen to it, and no visible flaws. The smell off of the wrapper and foot was a dark earthiness and slight spice. The cigar was rock solid and evenly packed, but the draw was perfect. The pre-light draw had a simple earthy and woody taste.

The ash held for just about an inch, and the burn required no corrections.

1_Macacudo_Cru_Royal

Flavor:

The first third opened up with a nice dark earthiness. Through the nose, there was a mild pepper that had a small punch. It didn’t take long for the flavor profile to open up a bit. Coffee and woody flavors started to dominate, pushing the earthiness into the background. As I got to the end of this third, a sweetness enveloped everything. Not too shabby!

2_Macacudo_Cru_Royal

The second third kept on with that nice sweetness. It was a smooth, somewhat thick mocha-ish flavor. At times, I could clearly detect earthiness, but more often it remained in the background. Like before, coffee and woody notes were there in full force, but everything blended together for a really nice flavor profile. The pepper through the nose was still there and increased in strength a little.

3_Macacudo_Cru_Royal

The final third kept those same core flavors. Mocha, woodiness, coffee, and a peppery spice. Like in the second third, they were blended together almost perfectly.

4_Macacudo_Cru_Royal

Conclusion:

To my surprise, this was a really good medium to lower full bodied cigar. This may be the first Macanudo that I would consider buying a box of. For the price, you get a nice somewhat complex cigar. I say put your hang up’s about this brand aside and pick up a few of these sticks. You probably won’t regret it. I didn’t.

“Hanging” with Clark Griswold Week Two…

Monday, December 6th, 2010

Last week, the wife made me put up the tree a week earlier than usual. And of course, we all know that the tree is a little too “tall and thin.” Yeah, whatever. But the first Sunday in December is always a tradition, where Daddy Z puts up the Christmas lights on the house – no matter how dangerously cold it is and no matter how much frost biting arctic wind is howling and swirling on the roof.

402-hanging-christmas-lightsFor the past ten years it’s been the same, I put on a pot of hot java, break out a couple of hardy smokes, a warm pair gloves, bundle up in layers, get out the big ass metal ladder, and risk life and limb all for the sake of holiday spirit. (Since there are no lawn mowers involved, I figure I should be just fine.)

Now some early Decembers have been mild enough for a sweatshirt and no gloves and that is a joy – but yesterday wouldn’t be the case – low 30’s temperatures and a wind that went right through to the bone was the deal as a heavy wool hat replaced my baseball cap very quickly.

My usual regimen is putting the New York Giants game on the car radio and leaving the doors open. Listening to football while doing the Clark Griswold dance is always a great way to pass the time, but this year I really wanted to watch the game on TV, KNOWING that the Jints would lambaste the Warshingtin Dead Skins (and they sure as hell did.) My daughter was at the game with her boyfriend (her first NFL experience and the first time in the New Meadowlands Stadium) and I wanted to text her every five minutes for live updates. So, I hit the ground running at around 11am, hoping to be done by the one o’clock kick off.

100_3033-1Okay, coffee’s done, now it’s was time to crack open the humidor to pick a couple of smokes that would cut through old man winter’s nasty breath. And two delicious sticks I did pick: The appetizer smoke is a Don Tomas Clasico Robusto, an underrated medium bodied Honduran stick that is very tasty and won’t hurt you in the wallet either. Then for the main course I go with a Hoyo de Monterrey Dark Sumatra Maduro Coronacion, a dark and beefy beast for certain, one that will keep my spirits up while dangling from the porch overhang.

As I spark up that first puppy up, I grab my thermos and toss that rickety steel ladder onto the front of the house, then make the wobbly climb up where the air is thin and is a bit more brisk. With stogie clenched in my teeth I begin the break plastic clip after clip trying to mount the damned string of multi-colored bulbs onto the gutters, while swearing so loud that several neighbors popped their heads outside to see what was going on.

“It’s just the fat-ass Polack doing his lights again!” I hear from across the street. These people know me all-too well.

clarkgriswaldchistmasvacationAn hour has passed, the front is done and now it’s time for above the garage. Cigar number two is clipped and stoked and the flavor of that full bodied Sumatran Hoyo is just oh so delicioso. Of course I can’t feel my feet, but as long as I’ve got my trusty stogies, I know I’ll get through just fine.

NY-GiantsAnd so the second hour passes quickly and I want to get inside for opening kick-off (which doesn’t happen) because like the idiot I often am, I forgot to plug the lights in ahead of time to see what bulbs were out, and of course when I plug her in, only half of them are on and my sewer-laden vocabulary becomes more colorful than the bulbs themselves. Yeah, I’ve gotta get back on the ladder a bunch more times and twist about 20 loose bulbs that work again, but see that there’s still a lot that need to be replaced. And there are no replacements, yet the wife wants me to run out to the Home Depot 20 minutes away RIGHT NOW because it looks “half-assed.”

“TOO DAMNED BAD, WOMAN!” I yell at the top of my cigar filled lungs! “It’s waiting til after the football game and when I can feel my extremities again!” (And yes, including ‘THAT’ one, too.) Surprisingly she’s cool about it and I watch the Giants shred some pigskin as I text with my baby girl for the next three hours.

Another year of decorating success. Nice goin’ Clark.

DON TOMAS CLASICO CIGARS

Handmade HON
Wrapper: HON/CTBL    Binder: HON/CT    Filler: HON/NIC
Medium-Full Bodied

dtclasico-bigThe Don Tomás Clásico is a return to the original, pre-1990 “Cigar Boom” Don Tomás. During the boom years, many Honduran and Nicaraguan tobaccos became scarce and blends changed to tobacco resources from other countries, like Indonesia, Columbia, and Mexico. Now back to its classic Honduran roots, this cigar offers a rich, smooth, and flavorful old-world smoking experience.

HOYO DE MONTERREY DARK SUMATRA CIGARS

Handmade HON
Wrapper: ECSU    Binder: CTBL    Filler: HON/NIC/DR
Full Bodied

HOYO DE MONTERREY DARK SUMATRAA full-bodied line extension to the majestic Hoyo de Monterrey brand, the Dark Sumatra is wrapped in the darkest sun-grown Ecuadorian Sumatran leaf. This blend uses select tobaccos from five nations to provide a rich, robust smoke packed with earthy flavors. This is a cigar for those who crave a heavier, Cuban-style smoke.

Tommy Z,

JR CIGARS BLOG With the ZMAN

The Birth Of A Cigar Shop–Part 5

Sunday, December 5th, 2010

The point of all these updates is to show the quick evolution from an empty lot to a great cigar shop. Basically whenever I can showcase a great shop, I’ll do it. Check out my road trip to Bonita video here. On to Ed’s shop…

In this installment in the series, Ed’s shop is basically complete. The windows have graphics on them, the lounge is complete, and most of the shelves are stocked. All that remains is decorations for the walls and lounge. More importantly, Ed will be bringing in quite a few new brands that he simply didn’t have the space for in the old place.

So take a couple of minutes and check out the progress.

The previous installments can be found below.

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

Part 4

Alec Bradley Maxx Connecticut

Thursday, December 2nd, 2010

I always enjoy a natural or Connecticut wrapped cigar in the morning. When one of my favorite brands – Alec Bradley – Introduced their Maxx line in a Connecticut wrapper, I went out and bought a few. The only change in the blend from the original Maxx line is the wrapper. This sounded like a promising morning cigar. For the sake of the review, I paired it with water. Otherwise, I think I would pair this one with coffee.

 

Wrapper: Connecticut

Binder: Costa Rica

Filler: Nicaragua, Mexico, Honduras, Columbia

Size: The Fix – 58 x 5

Price: Around $6.09

 

Pre-Smoke & Construction:

The wrapper had a smooth appearance, with minimal veins or seams. The smell of the wrapper was almost non existent, while the foot had a slight tobacco odor. The cigar had a few soft spots when squeezed, but it was nothing of concern. The pre-light draw was free, with a sweet natural tobacco taste.

The burn required a few minor corrections in the second third, and the ash held for about two inches.

1AlecBradleyMaxxConnecticut

Flavor:

The first third had very common and basic flavors you’d expect to find in a Connecticut wrapped cigar. There was a hint of earthiness way in the background. In front of that was an almost buttery feel and taste. Up next were toasty notes. Smoke volume was plentiful and thick.

2AlecBradleyMaxxConnecticut

As I got into the second third, the smoke took on a creamy feel. At the same time, it kept a toasty feel and taste. The buttery notes remained just like in the last third, and coated the lips and tongue. When passing smoke through the nose, it was easier to detect the earthy flavors along with a very mild peppery spice. Everything was mild and nice…

3AlecBradleyMaxxConnecticut

The last third didn’t offer any new flavors. The body crept into the medium range, but otherwise nothing changed from the second third.

4AlecBradleyMaxxConnecticut

Conclusion:

This was a good mild to medium bodied cigar. While it didn’t offer anything unique or special, it was still a solid Connecticut wrapped cigar that I could fit into my morning routine. I give it a thumbs up.

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