Archive for the ‘bonitasmokeshop’ Category

Viaje Demolition

Tuesday, February 14th, 2012

The Viaje Demolition is a limited cigar offered in two sizes. It is claimed to have “Explosive flavor of earth and pepper.” It boasts strength and doesn’t really seem to focus on flavors. I was gifted a couple of them in a cigar bomb (no pun untended) by Bonita Smoke Shop. Thanks for that by the way! Anyway, these cigars sat for months, and I figured I’d try them. Here are my thoughts…

 

Wrapper, Binder & Filler: Secret

Size: TNT 6.25 x 54

Price: Around $11.00

 

Pre-Smoke & Construction:

The wrapper had a shiny appearance and a few medium sized veins. No real flaws were noticed. The wrapper had a dark earthy smell. The foot was the same, which makes sense considering the wrapper is draped over the foot. The cigar was solidly packed, with minor differences in density. The draw was free, and had a mild dark earthy flavor.

The burn required a few minor corrections, and the ash held for about an inch.

1 Viaje_Demolition cigars

Construction:

The first third started off with earthiness and smooth pepper. After an inch or so, wood joined in, and the smoke feel thickened up but wasn’t quite creamy. There was a slight sweet bitterness on the aftertaste.

2 Viaje_Demolition cigars

The second third didn’t bring anything new to the table. Earthiness, wood, pepper, and a bitter sweet aftertaste. The pepper was more noticeable through the nose as you may have guessed.

3 Viaje_Demolition cigars

The last third kept the same flavors. The only change was in increase in strength. It packed a decent punch but wasn’t over the top.

4 Viaje_Demolition cigars

Conclusion:

This was an OK full bodied cigar. The flavors weren’t bad, but they were uneventful. I can’t complain about construction, burn, draw, etc. This may have been enjoyable in a smaller size. The one dimensional flavor profile got boring at times. I think this cigar would appeal to those who want strength and flavor is secondary.

Jose Seijas Signature Series

Thursday, August 18th, 2011

Thanks to Bonita Smoke Shop for gifting this to me. This cigar was off of my radar probably because of the price. The Jose Seijas is a brand of Altadis, and was one of the top ten cigars of 2006 by Cigar Aficionado. I probably would have never tried this cigar had it not been gifted. As always, I paired with water. Let’s see how the Jose Seijas Signature Series treated me.

 

Wrapper: Ecuadorian Sumatra

Binder: Dominican

Filler: Peruvian, Dominican, Nicaraguan

Size: Perfecto 6 1/2 x 48

Price: $15.00

 

Pre-Smoke & Construction:

The wrapper had small veins, no real flaws, and a nice velvety smooth appearance. When sniffing the wrapper and foot, I could only pick up a rich natural tobacco. The cigar was consistently packed, and bounced back when squeezed. Due to the perfecto head, the pre-light draw was very stiff. I could detect sweet, almost fruity flavor.

The ash held for about 1.5 inches, and the burn required one minor correction.

1 Jose_Seijas_Signature_Series Cigars

Flavor:

The first few puffs of the first third were woody. Once I got past the small perfecto opening at the foot, the draw opened up nicely, and the flavors developed. Woodiness was still the main flavor with an earthy aftertaste. There was an easy peppery spice when passing smoke through the nose. Towards the end of this third, the spice had subtle sweet notes.

2 Jose_Seijas_Signature_Series Cigars

The peppery spice calmed down in the second third. It became smooth with sweet notes. The core flavor was still wood with some coffee mixed in with it. The smoke feel thickened and became somewhat creamy. The earthy aftertaste went away, for the most part, and was replaced with a creamy sweetness. As I made it past the halfway point, the smoke became even more smoother and creamier. The sweetness increased  too, but I couldn’t pin a flavor to it.

3 Jose_Seijas_Signature_Series Cigars

The last third: At times the flavor profile was much like the first third. Other draws were creamy and sweet. The sweet spice left a cinnamon like tingle in the nose and on the lips. The woody flavor with subtle coffee notes remained the staple of the flavor profile.

4 Jose_Seijas_Signature_Series Cigars

Conclusion:

This was a nice medium to upper medium bodied cigar. The flavor profile was enjoyable and complex enough to keep me interest. Construction was good as well. For a cigar of this price, I would expect more of a WOW factor. This cigar really didn’t have that. As I often say – Price aside, this was a good cigar. But had I shelled out $15.00, I would be less enthusiastic. The bottom line is, if you have $15.00 burning a hole in your pocket, this cigar is worth a try.

Bahia Gold (Natural)

Friday, February 18th, 2011

This cigar was gifted to me by Bonita Smoke Shop. They were kind enough to include it in a cigar bomb not too long ago. The Bahia Gold has an annual production of 273,600 cigars. After these cigars are rolled, they are aged for 12 months, and then they hit the shelves. As always, I paired this review with fine Florida tap water (PUR filtered of course).

 

Wrapper: Ecuadorian Sun Grown Sumatra Seed

Binder: Dominican (Semilla Cubana)

Filler: Dominican Ligero, Seco and Viso (Semilla Cubana)

Size: Churchill 6 7/8 x 48

Price: $10.00

 

Pre-Smoke & Construction:

The brown chocolate looking wrapper had virtually no flaws, just a few veins here and there. The scent coming off of the wrapper and foot was earthy. The cigar was evenly packed, and had a very slight sponginess when squeezed. The pre-light draw was good, with slight resistance. The pre-light draw had an earthy and woody flavor.

The burn required two minor corrections, and the ash held for just over an inch.

1_Bahia Gold Natural

Flavor:

The first third had a dominant earthy flavor. After about an inch, I started picking up pepper when passing smoke through the sinus. Shortly after the pepper kicked in, there was a mixture of nuts and coffee. The smoke feel was dry but not unpleasant. It was OK, but seemed unrefined. The word “Scattered” comes to mind, if that makes sense.

2_Bahia Gold Natural

The second third had a decrease in that dry smoke feel. I didn’t crave water as much. The pepper went down a notch in terms of strength, but it did keep a little punch. Some draws had a dominant earthy flavor, others were nutty, and every now and then it was sweet. Coffee notes were in there at times as well. At about the half way point, the smoke thickened up and became a lot smoother. The flavors melded together, and it was hard to distinguish and pick the flavors apart at this point. The aftertaste was sweet and coated the mouth and tongue. Things just came together, unlike in the first third.

3_Bahia Gold Natural

The last third became creamy and sweet, almost chocolaty. The pepper became more of a sweet spice. The earthiness basically went away. The overall flavor profile became simpler, but seemed more satisfying. It was basically sweet chocolate, spice, and cream. There was something going on in the background, but I couldn’t pin it down.

4_Bahia Gold Natural

Conclusion:

This was a good medium bodied cigar. The first third left me underwhelmed, but from the second third until the end, I enjoyed it. If I were to complain, I’d say the price is a little high. But price aside, this was pretty good. Thanks to Bonita Smoke Shop for giving me the chance to try this cigar!

Bonita Custom Blend Bundle-Maduro

Monday, January 3rd, 2011

These cigars are exclusive to Bonita Smoke Shop. I ordered a bundle in an effort to find a decent morning cigar, and this the cheapest of their blends. I had good experiences with their House Blend and 18th Anniversary, so I figured it was time to try this one. As you have gathered by now, I bought these from their website. For the review, I paired with water.

 

Wrapper: Brazilian Maduro

Binder: Indonesian Bezuki

Filler: Dominican

Size: Toro 6 x 52

Price: Bundle of 20 – $38.95

 

Pre-Smoke & Construction:

The wrapper had a slightly toothy appearance, with some small to medium sized veins. The smell off of the wrapper and foot was a smooth earthiness. The cigar was evenly packed, and bounced back when squeezed. The pre-light draw was good, with just a little resistance. The pre-light draw had a slightly sweet, earthy flavor.

The ash held for around 1 inch, and the burn required a couple minor touch-up’s.

1_Bonita_Custom_Blend_Bundle_Maduro

Flavor:

The first was mostly earthy with a woody note that was not cedary. There was a nice natural tobacco flavor that had a sweet tinge to it. When passing smoke through the nose, I detected the same woody/earthy flavors with no spice.

2_Bonita_Custom_Blend_Bundle_Maduro

The second third kept the dominant woody and earthy flavors that were present in the first third. There may have been a touch of coffee lingering way in the back ground. The smoke feel became smoother and had a tinge of sweetness.

3_Bonita_Custom_Blend_Bundle_Maduro

The last third was basically identical as the second third. The only change was a slight pepper. Wood was the dominant flavor, followed by earthiness, and that tinge of sweet coffee.

4_Bonita_Custom_Blend_Bundle_Maduro

Conclusion:

This was a decent medium bodied cigar, and I think it met the price point. I smoke these often in the morning with coffee. When pairing this cigar with water, the simple flavor profile may bore me. But coffee does the trick. After smoking the Perdomo Slow Aged with coffee for awhile, I kind of got burnt out on it. I think this will fit the bill just fine.

Bonita Smoke Shop Giveaway WINNER!

Sunday, December 26th, 2010

As you all know, Bonita Smoke Shop hosted a great Christmas giveaway on the site this year. I can’t say enough good things about this shop. So just do yourself a favor and pay them a visit on the web, or in person if you are in the Bonita Springs, FL area.

bonita198

Out of the 93 of you who entered the contest, I drew a random winner. My method was simple. I put tickets into a bowl, mixed them up, and blindly grabbed a ticket.

So without further ado, the winner is Andrew DeVore! I already emailed you for your contact information, and will await your reply.

Thanks again to Bonita Smoke Shop for making this happen, and to everyone who visits the site!

The site grew beyond my expectations in 2010. The purpose of this place has been, and still remains a place for me to have a reference of the cigars that I smoke. I am certainly no expert or aficionado. If anything, I am an average casual smoker. The only difference is, I have this website. So keep coming back and let’s have a good time in 2011.

Stay tuned, as I am arranging another great giveaway in Jan. of 2011!

Viaje Oro (First Impression)

Thursday, August 26th, 2010

My pals over at the Bonita Smoke Shop gave this to me when I paid them a visit not too long ago. This cigar sat among several other smokes I need to review. Viaje is a boutique cigar company, with very limited distribution and manufacturing. That’s about all I know about the brand. I paired this cigar with water, and here is my first impression of the Viaje Oro.

 

Wrapper: Nicaraguan Corojo 99 Cafe

Binder: Nicaragua

Filler: Nicaragua

Size: Delicado 6 x 50

Price: Around $8.00

 

Pre-Smoke & Construction:

The wrapper looked nice, with medium sized veins and no real flaws. I’d say it had an odor of earth or a dark rich soil. The tobacco was packed solid and fairly even. This brings me to the pre-light draw. It was a little snug, but well within my tolerances. It had a nice dark natural tobacco taste with earthy undertones. Overall construction and appearance was very nice.

The ash held for about an inch, and the burn required a few minor corrections.

1ViajeOro

Flavor:

The first third started with very smooth earthy notes with a nice easy peppery spice. Coffee was up next, and it had an interesting floral tinge to it. The smoke feel was crisp with an espresso finish.

2ViajeOro

The second third kept that nice peppery zing when passing smoke through the nose. The earthy flavors took a back seat and were hard to detect at times. At about the half way point I started to pick up sweet mocha notes. At that point, the pepper became more of a sweet spice. All the while a coffee/espresso flavor was always present. As this third came to a close, the mocha increased in strength, and the smoke feel became a little creamy and very sweet.

3ViajeOro

Last third: Picking up from where we left off… The sweet spice remained and left a tingle on the lips and tongue. At times espresso was the main flavor, but on other draws it was pure mocha. All earthy flavors were gone at this point. The smoke was thick and coated the inside of the mouth.

4ViajeOro

Conclusion:

This was a very good medium to full bodied cigar. It had a nice simple start and built into a rich flavor profile. I’m glad Jackie over at the Bonita Smoke Shop gave this to me to enjoy. If you have a chance, pick a few up. I will try more if I get the chance.

Welcome Site Supporters!

Wednesday, June 9th, 2010

TomsCigars.com was started years ago as a means for me to document cigars that I smoke and spread some knowledge. Another goal was to show how different cigars are from other forms of tobacco. That mission has not changed. What did change, to my surprise, was the amount of visitors that come here. That led to advertisers taking notice and jumping on board to help support the site.

So thanks to all you readers for stopping by. And thanks to my site sponsors for making this place what it is. Please make sure to visit my sponsors on the right side of the site, and tell them I sent you!

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