Reviews by Brandon S

You don’t make great cigars sitting behind a desk and Alan Rubin will be happy to tell you that. Alan Rubin started Alec Bradley Cigars (named after his sons, Alec and Bradley) in 1996. Since the company’s inception, they have garnered several 90+ ratings. To say that I’m excited to try this blend would be an understatement.

Alec Bradley’s American Classic intrigued me from the beginning. Being a red-blooded, gun-toting, beer drinking, flag flying, truck-driving....well, you get the picture. I consider myself a patriot. So what goes well with my patriotism? An American cigar, of course! Well, sort of American....the American Classic is made in Nicaragua utilizing a Connecticut-seed wrapper grown in Honduras. The fillers are a blend of Honduran and Nicaraguan long-leaf tobaccos. So really, there’s nothing American about it except the band. What is American about the blend is that it’s a throwback to the cigars that were rolled in Tampa in the early part of the 20^th century. You know, back in the good ol’days of homogenized wrappers and machine made brands. Huh? Whatever. At least his intentions were good, I hope.  So let’s just take the cigar for what it’s worth – about $4-$5 in box....not bad.

I picked up the Robusto for the review. At first glance, it seems like this stick is going to be a light-weight. I generally prefer a fuller cigar, and American Blend’s pale, tan wrapper doesn’t raise my pulse in the slightest. Upon lighting, I was pleasantly surprised. I mean, it’s no powerhouse, but it actually has some pretty good flavor right out of the gate. For about the first inch it comes off as a medium-bodied cigar. Up front, there’s a creamy, cedary flavor that turns to spice as it finishes. You definitely feel the spice on the back of your palate. As the cigar progresses, the spice subsides and the creamy, cedary flavor is more pronounced. 

I won’t lie, this isn’t the most complex cigar you’ll ever smoke and that’s not necessarily a bad thing. Sometimes, it’s nice to not have to think about all the changes in a blend and just smoke. The American Blend provides and all-around tasty cigar at pretty reasonable prices. I’ll give it a 90 (including a couple of bonus points for the name).

Just to prove that I actually do read the ol’ e-mails that people send, I’m going to do this review based on a request from Jack W. who hails from Marysville, MI. Jack e-mailed me saying that he enjoyed the La Flor Dominicana Air Bender and wanted to know my thoughts, specifically on the Maestro Size. So I moseyed on out to the humidor and picked up a 5’er of these 5.5”x52 sized cigars. The first thing I noticed is the oily Ecuadorian Habano wrapper that encompasses the all Dominican blend which is sure to packed full of usual ligeros that are the hallmark of blender Litto Gomez.

The cigar itself is heavy in the hand and has a pre-light aroma familiar to blends that utilize well fermented tobaccos. As I light up one of these puppies I’m reading about the history of La Flor Dominicana… Turns out founder Litto Gomez started up the company after his jewelry store was robbed of about $400,000 in merchandise! Go figure…

Right about….now, I’m about half an inch in and I am noticing a light spice on my palate as well an enjoyable flavor upon exhaling through the nose. I’m not that far into the cigar and already I can tell that it is going to be full bodied – something that the bulk of La Flor’s releases are known for.

I’m about half way through this here Bender of Air and I’ve noticed that the spice has dissipated, but there is a nice amaretto like finish that I am actually finding myself enjoying. The strength hasn’t let up at all. In fact, I am having trouble typing at this point.

One thing that I should point out about this cigar is that I’ve had to relight it a few times and the burn I found to be less than perfect. Aside from that, I am enjoying the blend which seems to pair well with my ‘Best of Johnny Cash’ collection that I have pumping through the headphones. As far as price goes, well, the MSRP may cause a few folks to take a second glance, ranging from $140 - $165 a box.

I’ll wrap up this review since I’ve gotten near the end of the cigar. I must say, the blend does seem to be heading south a bit. I’m starting to get some harsh flavors that are turning me off to the cigar. I found this same characteristic to be present in each of the Air Benders that I burned through. So, to sum it all up – I enjoyed the first half, but the second half – not so much. Was that first half worth $7+? To me…no. But as always, taste is subjective. So pick a few up and try them for yourself!

By popular demand I’m switching up my normal mantra of reviewing a cigar and giving it my personal rating…for this round I’ve decided to review 2 CIGARS! That’s right gents…side by side comparison of two truly boutique blends – The Diesel Unholy Cocktail vs. Tatuaje Havana VI. Both of these blends have received high praise from consumers since they hit the market and well, I’m gonna see how they stack up against each other…mano y mano – or I guess it would be cigaro y cigaro.

First, I’ll select the vitolas for this matchup:

DIESEL – No brain power necessary for this one. Only comes in one size, dubbed the Unholy Cocktail – it’s a stout 5x56 belicoso that comes packed in a box of 30.

HAVANA VI – This selection took some consideration. There are 2 sizes that share similarities to the Diesel Unholy Cocktail. There’s the Gorditos - a 5.5x56 standard parejo that’s slightly longer with the same ring gauge OR, the Artistas - a 6.25x52 Torpedo that shares the same shape as the Diesel. Hmmm…I’m going to go with the Gorditos.

                Next, the wrapper and the blends:

DIESEL – Blended by Abdel Fernandez in Nicaragua, the Diesel is constructed with top-notch Nicaraguan long-fillers and finished with a gorgeous Pennsylvania Broadleaf Maduro wrapper. Once only utilized as a binder or for filler tobaccos, the PA Broadleaf is becoming increasingly popular among manufacturers for use as a wrapper. It yields a spicy yet sweet character that true maduro wrappers are known for and an extra layer of power to boot.

HAVANA VI – Tatuaje’s Havana VI is a Nicaraguan Puro meaning that the entire cigar is made from tobacco grown in Nicaragua. It utilizes a Nicaraguan Corojo 99 wrapper and is manufactured by Pepin Garcia in his shiny new Nicaraguan factory.

                Third, the flavor and body:

DIESEL – I’ll admit, I’ve burned literally dozens of these since they were released, and every time I am greeted with a medium-full bodied experience that is nothing short of uber-complex. There is a spiciness on the front of the palate and a nice peppery yet sweet finish that keeps me coming back for more. As the cigar develops it tops out with one heck of a full-bodied crescendo.

HAVANA VI – I’ve had a few of these in my time in various shapes and sizes. The Nicaraguan tobaccos really shine through on this blend giving it the trademark Cuban-esque flavor that Pepin has come to be known for.

                And Finally – Price:

DIESEL – Pricing for this cigar goes above and beyond the call of duty in my opinion. Available for around $3 per stick…the price of a cup of coffee at your swankier joints – it’s a no-brainer to at least test a few out.

HAVANA VI – This line is a little more ‘spensive than the Diesel. Suggested retail on the particular vitola for this review is $7.50. But, looking at the other cigars that Tatuaje offers I guess the Havana VI would be considered their “budget” line.

                To cap off this review, I must say that looking at these two truly Boutique blends, you can’t go wrong with either of them. But when it comes down to it, I’m tilting my hand in favor of the Diesel Unholy Cocktail. Is it price? Maybe...  After burning through a 5-pack of each for this review I find the Unholy Cocktail to be a more unique and enjoyable experience and the Havana VI to be similar to cigars that you can find at a lower price point. Now I may get chastised for that last sentence since Tatuaje has a die-hard following that would likely view my opinion as blasphemy but I’m not saying that the Havana VI is a bad blend at all. I’ve enjoyed every one that I’ve had. All I’m saying is I liked the Diesel a little more…that’s all!!!

By popular demand I’m switching up my normal mantra of reviewing a cigar and giving it my personal rating…for this round I’ve decided to review 2 CIGARS! That’s right gents…side by side comparison of two truly boutique blends – The Diesel Unholy Cocktail vs. Tatuaje Havana VI. Both of these blends have received high praise from consumers since they hit the market and well, I’m gonna see how they stack up against each other…mano y mano – or I guess it would be cigaro y cigaro.

First, I’ll select the vitolas for this matchup:

DIESEL – No brain power necessary for this one. Only comes in one size, dubbed the Unholy Cocktail – it’s a stout 5x56 belicoso that comes packed in a box of 30.

HAVANA VI – This selection took some consideration. There are 2 sizes that share similarities to the Diesel Unholy Cocktail. There’s the Gorditos - a 5.5x56 standard parejo that’s slightly longer with the same ring gauge OR, the Artistas - a 6.25x52 Torpedo that shares the same shape as the Diesel. Hmmm…I’m going to go with the Gorditos.
 

                Next, the wrapper and the blends:

DIESEL – Blended by Abdel Fernandez in Nicaragua, the Diesel is constructed with top-notch Nicaraguan long-fillers and finished with a gorgeous Pennsylvania Broadleaf Maduro wrapper. Once only utilized as a binder or for filler tobaccos, the PA Broadleaf is becoming increasingly popular among manufacturers for use as a wrapper. It yields a spicy yet sweet character that true maduro wrappers are known for and an extra layer of power to boot.

HAVANA VI – Tatuaje’s Havana VI is a Nicaraguan Puro meaning that the entire cigar is made from tobacco grown in Nicaragua. It utilizes a Nicaraguan Corojo 99 wrapper and is manufactured by Pepin Garcia in his shiny new Nicaraguan factory.

                Third, the flavor and body:

DIESEL – I’ll admit, I’ve burned literally dozens of these since they were released, and every time I am greeted with a medium-full bodied experience that is nothing short of uber-complex. There is a spiciness on the front of the palate and a nice peppery yet sweet finish that keeps me coming back for more. As the cigar develops it tops out with one heck of a full-bodied crescendo.

HAVANA VI – I’ve had a few of these in my time in various shapes and sizes. The Nicaraguan tobaccos really shine through on this blend giving it the trademark Cuban-esque flavor that Pepin has come to be known for.

                And Finally – Price:

DIESEL – Pricing for this cigar goes above and beyond the call of duty in my opinion. Available for around $3 per stick…the price of a cup of coffee at your swankier joints – it’s a no-brainer to at least test a few out.

HAVANA VI – This line is a little more ‘spensive than the Diesel. Suggested retail on the particular vitola for this review is $7.50. But, looking at the other cigars that Tatuaje offers I guess the Havana VI would be considered their “budget” line.

                To cap off this review, I must say that looking at these two truly Boutique blends, you can’t go wrong with either of them. But when it comes down to it, I’m tilting my hand in favor of the Diesel Unholy Cocktail. Is it price? Maybe...  After burning through a 5-pack of each for this review I find the Unholy Cocktail to be a more unique and enjoyable experience and the Havana VI to be similar to cigars that you can find at a lower price point. Now I may get chastised for that last sentence since Tatuaje has a die-hard following that would likely view my opinion as blasphemy but I’m not saying that the Havana VI is a bad blend at all. I’ve enjoyed every one that I’ve had. All I’m saying is I liked the Diesel a little more…that’s all!!!

                Well well, here we go again! This time I have a selection that’s not only pleasing to the palate, but also to the wallet! I, along with a few of my fellow colleagues were recently on a trip to Nicaragua. While there, we visited many factories where we worked on new blends and sampled blends already in production for quality control purposes. While visiting one particular factory, a blend stood out head and shoulders above the rest. One that a member of our group touted as “the best cigar of the trip!” That cigar would be the La Perla Habana Morado. Some may recognize this 93-rated cigar from a few years back when it hit the market with over-the-top packaging comprised of a heavy cedar chest that, when opened revealed individual slots that housed each cigar. Expensive packaging often means an expensive price tag, and that was in a pre-SCHIP world! Now with a 52.75% federal tax on all cigars it has become very difficult to bring our cigar lunatics a deal worth writin’ home about!

                With this new legislation in place, just about everything is taxable including the packaging! Some manufacturers have had to come up with ways to tighten the old belt in order to keep their cigars reasonably priced. One such way is to scale back the ‘grandioseness’ (yes, that’s a word I just made up) of the boxes. One such example of this is the recent facelift that the La Perla Habana line has received. The fine folks at La Perla scaled back their packaging to a simple yet elegant box and in doing so have been able to save you mucho dinero (that’s lots of duckets to you gringos). 

                But rest assured my friends, everything about the cigar itself remains the same: same African Cameroon wrapper, same binder, and same fillers – it’s even produced in the SAME Nicaraguan-based factory that’s always made this fine smoke.

                I’ll tell you what – after enjoying literally dozens of these beauties, this cigar is spot on. A full-flavored, medium bodied cigar that exudes a pleasing aroma. The blend itself is extremely complex with a strong underlying tobacco flavor that will keep you coming back for more.