Reviews by Brock

Just when I think A.J. Fernandez has finally put together a cigar so grand that I consider it his pièce-de-résistance he puts together a new blend that proves me wrong.  How can this one guy make so many terrific cigars, really?  Never before have I become so fond of a cigar that falls near my upper price-range of my cigar budget (that price is at the $10.00 mark if you’ve read my AVO 85^th review) that I’ve purchased so many 5-packs & eventually a box of the new La Herencia Cubana CORE cigars.  And not only have I purchased so many of these cigars, but instead of taking them home to put in my aging humidor, I’m enjoying them one after another.  I honestly do not know if these cigars will benefit much from aging them because they are made using such quality, well-aged tobaccos that they are in their prime as soon as the shipment came in.  If these cigar do get better with more age I will not only eat my words, but I’ll certainly be buying even more of these!!

After trying every size, it was tough to pick one.  There are 3 classic vitolas & one that’s pretty unique – The Dagger (which, unlike the rest of the lineup, is a round cigar with a chisel-type torpedo head.)  Just to be fair, I randomly picked - and I blindly chose the Belicoso for this review.  The hearty torpedo measures a healthy 6.25” x 52 that’s gently box-pressed, being more rectangular than it is square which then rounds out as you approach the cap of the tapered head.  The cigar is beautiful - solid in my hand with considerable heft and ‘gift-wrapped’ in a toothy, oily, dark-brown Habano sun-grown Ligero wrapper that’s almost oozing with oily goodness.  And it’s packed with 3 different Nicaraguan ligeros as well as a little PA Broadleaf tobacco making this one of the most unique blends out there.

Upon toasting the foot & lighting up I’m met with chewy, dense smoke that fills my mouth causing my salivary glands to kick into overload.  It’s as savory as a dry aged, N.Y. Strip Steak from the finest steak house.  Its initial flavors stand out as rich, toasty with sweet spice.  It produces a very “chewy” plume of smoke that’s starting to form a beautiful blue-white cloud all around me with a nice oaky aroma.  I’m in sheer bliss at the one inch point, and the ash is light gray, rock-solid & hangs on until almost the 2-inch mark when I gently tap it off into my tall Stinky Ashtray.  As I’m getting down into the ‘meat of it’ now it’s gaining flavor with each puff and the spicy-sweet, leathery character I love about fine, aged Nicaraguan tobacco is coming out along with a creaminess that complements the strength & flavor -  bringing together a harmony of rich-toastiness that I’ve never experienced with any other cigar.  The flavors are so unique that I know my description isn’t doing it justice, but it’s the best that words can do.

I’m into the last third of this incredible cigar now, and I’m in a very relaxed, almost trance-like state.  A few guys hanging out at the shop are laughing at me because I’m talking so slowly & typing much more deliberately at this point.  I pay them no attention; nothing can separate me from the enjoyment that this cigar is giving me at the moment.  The flavors are quite intense now, but still not overbearing & still amazingly balanced.  The creaminess is still present, but the predominant flavors are toasty spice & leather.  I finish the cigar with less than an inch of it left & leave it in the ashtray to extinguish itself gracefully, with dignity.

I have a friend who’s about the same age as me (for sake of argument, let’s call him Dos Cubos) but has easily smoked 4 to 5 times more cigars I have in my lifetime.  His knowledge in the industry is vast and if you have questions about a cigar, he has smoked it.  With this in mind, I find that Mr. Cubos really enjoys cigars that I hate and vice versa.  A brand that Mr. Cubos particularly enjoys is Gran Habano, a company out of Honduras who has produced numerous top-sellers for us in the retail division. 

About two years ago, I was fairly unfamiliar with the vast selection that Gran Habano had to offer.   But I unwillingly took Mr. Cubos' advice and tried the brand.  What I noticed is the more I smoked Gran Habano’s, the greater my appreciation grew for the product.  My admiration of the Gran Habano line grew fonder when a young man stopped by the CI Super-Store on a hot summer day, talked to me for about half an hour, purchased a couple cigars, then proceeded to buy me lunch from the local pizzeria.  Before he left the store that day, he introduced himself and said, “I’m George Rico of Gran Habano Cigars.”

Since then, I’ve been overzealous in regards to Gran Habano’s new releases, including the new Gran Habano Azteca Double Maduro Jaguar.  This tasty Honduran-made cigar is a densely packed 6”X54 vitola, similar to a standard Toro size.  The blend itself features a beautiful dark San Andres maduro (Mexico) wrapper AND binder.  This maduro wrapper looks different though…most maduros I see these days look jet black, almost as if there’s someone in the factory taking each puro and coloring them black with a Sharpie.  This San Andres wrapper has a nice tint of brown with a slightly bumpy texture.  Oddly enough, I look for this kind of color variation in my maduros.

The cigar itself is a “double maduro” which literally means it has a Maduro wrapper and binder.  Typically, double Maduros that I have smoked in the past have been relatively medium or medium-full in body with a distinct pepperiness.  The blend of fillers in the Gran Habano Azteca consists of Habano-seed Nicaraguan long fillers and a percentage of Panamanian tobacco as well.  This unique combination of tobaccos is another reason why I have enjoyed Gran Habano over the last few years; they have been consistently creative with their blending.

So I’m literally on the balcony of my apartment complex with my laptop and a glass of Flor de Cana 18 Year rum and Azteca in hand.  Pre-light, the cigar doesn’t have an overpowering barnyard smell but it’s light in the hand and very enticing.  I can’t really say that the band is an overly attractive work of art but it’s certainly distinct.  Regardless, it’s a comfortably warm night with a slight breeze and I’m ready to go.

Upon lighting the cigar, I expect big notes of pepper and leather, more traditional of a double maduro.  However, I get a very light smoke with a unique sweetness.  Heavy plumes of smoke are easily drawn from this 6”X54 vitola and the smoky, sweet rum is complimenting the cigar quite well.

After the first inch of the cigar I notice an interesting citrusy note to the blend which I RARELY pick up in cigars.  The construction on this thing is real solid, producing a generous white ash that just doesn’t want to fall.

Through the middle third of the Azteca the flavor remains fairly consistent, which is fine by me.  Normally I enjoy highly complex cigars but since the flavor is so unique I’m taking pleasure in the unswerving flavor, draw and burn.  This sounds really gaudy but I’m almost getting a chewy, graham cracker taste on the back of the palate. 

Upon the finish, a faint maple syrup aroma fills the air and my glass that once contained a copious amount of rum is empty.  I must say this was a highly enjoyable smoking experience.  The Azteca clearly separates itself from the other well-liked Gran Habano blends.

The most notable aspect of the cigar I must mention is the lack of pepper that was detected through the nose.  This was a rather smooth yet palatable cigar which will have me going back to it.

Expert thought for the day: “Cigars can’t go STALE!  The term ‘stale’ refers to a decayed, sour, musty entity.  ‘Stale’ also implies expiration.  When placed in a proper environment, cigars will last for eons!”

In this industry, I learn something new every day. Whether it’s from a cigar manufacturer, manager or co-worker, if you have something interesting to say about tobacco, I’m all ears. Believe it or not, one of my finer resources for good information is customers from the CI Super-Store. It amazes me how much these folks know about tobacco growing, fermenting, rolling and so much more.

Sadly though, a customer occasionally gets a hold of some bad info and ends up spouting it off to me, thus, resulting in a painful wince in my face as if I just changed a diaper. A loyal customer named G. swears that the Don Pepin Garcia Blue blend changes every time he comes into the store. His bewilderment is conceived by the fact that Pepin formerly applied a pale blue cigar band with normal manuscript font for the blend. However, more recently, the hue of blue has changed to a darker shade, while the gold font is printed in cursive. This makes G.’s head spin, elevating a state of confusion in his mind. Seriously, he stumbles down the CI Super-Store aisles as if he just got off the Tea Cup ride at Disney World.

I’m not comparing the cigars with two differing bands side-by-side because, honestly, it’s not that big of a deal to me. But G.’s baffling plight did spark an interest in me to rate the blend. Therefore, I am smoking the Don Pepin Garcia Blue Invicto (Robusto).

Before I spark this thing up, I’m excited. Not only do people rave about Pepin’s blends, the Blue is a cigar that receives an overabundance of high accolades, including a #8 rating as a top cigar in the world according to a well-known cigar publication. With this said, I expect greatness.

However, as I grab this Nicaraguan puro off the shelf, I need to be honest with you; this cigar doesn’t look overly appealing to me. It’s ok I guess. The Nicaraguan Corojo wrapper looks average at best and that original pale blue band with gold manuscript is somewhat lackluster. The ‘Invicto’ size is a standard 5”x50 robusto, a size that I prefer while at work. One thing I know is never judge a book by its cover, especially when it comes to a Pepin blend.

As I toss the vaguely yellow cellophane away (a sign of good age), I fire up the Blue with wooden stick matches. A pleasant, rich aroma fills the air but I’m greeted by a significantly tight draw. Listen, I can’t suck no golf ball out of a garden hose…if I could, it would be extremely questionable…and I’m not fixin’ to start practicing. I’ve had relatively good experience with Pepin’s products but a 12-year old must have been operating the Drawmaster during the construction of this cigar because I am getting minimal smoke. 

I quickly toss the cigar away and grab a new one. As I spark Blue #2 up, the draw is much better and I catch a nice leathery note at the start. Okay…now this is what I’m talking about! Through the first half-inch of the cigar a subtle spice changes into a bready flavor which I enjoy. Seriously, I’m getting notes of sourdough pretzel, but that could be due to the fact I ate 3 small bags of Anderson Buttered Balls…wow, that sounds awkward. Oddity aside, my happiness did not endure, for my Pepin Blue Invicto had extinguished without my doing. To blame it on myself could potentially be an erroneous accusation but I’ll take this one on the chin for the sake of argument. But while we’re at it, I did not catch many noteworthy changes of flavor throughout the rest of the cigar. Solid blend and flavor? Sure. Something that tickles my fancy? Not particularly.

I know…I didn’t give you much there. Sadly, I didn’t pick up on many notable characteristics that were singed into my memory. Moreover, I will not go on for two paragraphs barraging the cigar with disapproval. This cigar is medium-to-full bodied, though my friend G. really likes the Pepin Blue because it’s "mellow and smooth.” Epic fail, G.

Listen, I know this is a highly rated blend. Furthermore, I’m aware Pepin has been making incredible cigars for some time. Honestly, I’m just not on board right now with the Don ‘Pepin’ Garcia Blue Invicto. I ask of you to take my review with a grain of salt and, whatever you do, please do not lose confidence in my palate. However, at $7.50 a piece, it’s easy for me to chalk this one up as a FAIL.

Expert advice for the day: “If a lady gives you their phone number and it’s only 5 digits long, it’s fake!

It sounds almost boastful to say, but I have had the pleasure of smoking each & every cigar brand & line that we carry in our retail stores.  If you take a look at our “Big List of Brands” section of our website you’ll notice that we have a list of 576 BRANDS that we sell online – plus we have quite a lengthy list of “in-store-only” cigars…not to mention the brands that we no longer carry.  The list of closeouts alone that we’ve handled over the 10+ years that I’ve been in the business has got to be in the 1,000’s, not to mention all of the sample blends that I get to “test” for research & development...most of which never even become production cigars.  Then there are the feeble attempts that I’ve made at blending cigars, using my vast knowledge of all the different types of tobaccos at my disposal during trips to Central America (not a-one has ever made it into production by the way – it’s a lot harder than most of you would think to put together the right 5 or 6 tobacco leaves in order to get a well-balanced cigar that’s actually smokeable, let alone tastes anywhere near good.)  So after a few quick calculations (using fingers and toes for this one) I can honestly tell you that I’ve tried about 4,321 different, unique blends of cigars in my career.  That equates to just over 8 different cigars per week….for over 10 years!  Man, my job is demanding sometimes, but someone’s got to do it!

So where am I going with this, you ask?  Well let me tell you.  It ain’t all fun & games trying all these different cigars day-in & day-out.  Sure, I’m constantly trying new stuff, but a lot of times the cigars I’m trying are pure dog-rockets or they are “prototypes” so strong or unbalanced that I sometimes almost lose my lunch after “testing” them.  Once in a while I’ll get a real treat when I try something new, but more times than not I’ve been let down by so many new cigars.  And then, of course I have my favorites which vary from 5 Vegas, Perdomo, Oliva (Studio Tobac) & A.J. Fernandez – it seems some of these guys just can’t make a bad cigar.  Their background in tobacco cultivation, curing, buying/selling & acquiring the best of the best of the tobaccos that are available today are one thing, but their ability to put those tobaccos together in a way that delivers a perfectly balanced cigar from start to finish demonstrates their love of the leaf & pure brilliance that they possess.

Out of all the blenders in this industry, A.J. Fernandez stands out for me.  He apprenticed in Cuba for many years under the legendary Cuban Master-Blender, Alejandro Robaina (Godfather of Cuban Tobacco.)  A lot of my favorites come from his blends, such as Man O’ War, Man O’ War Ruination, Diesel, La Herencia Cubana, Sol Cubano Cuban Cabinet, Ave Maria, and many more.  Out of all of A.J.’s phenomenal blends I’ve enjoyed over the last few years nothing stands out to me quite as much as his latest release, The Man O’ War Puro Authentico.  This cigar was THE BLEND, in THE SIZE that A.J. himself smoked on an everyday basis.  On one of our buyers’ many trips to Nicaragua someone finally convinced A.J. to let him sample one of his own, personal cigars (right out of A.J.’s pocket) & as soon as he fired it up he knew that CI needed this cigar to be available to our customers.  So after some serious wheeling & dealing A.J. started production of this blend for the Man O’ War line & it was aptly named “Puro Authentico.”

Now for the Review:

So I finally got my hands on my very own 10-count boxes for the Downtown Bethlehem retail shop & I feel like a kid on Christmas finding his first bike under the tree.  They’re really nifty slide-out 10-count boxes, and I immediately opened one up, pulled a cigar out from the loose tobacco that gently holds them in place & with much gusto fired it right up.  I was instantly in love!  As the shaggy foot of Esteli Nicaraguan wrapper leaf blasted me with intense Habano ligero goodness I knew I was in for a real treat.  FULL, intense, rich spicy-sweet flavor for the first few puffs & then I got into the “meat” of the cigar where the whole blend of all kinds of Nicaraguan Ligeros started burning harmoniously & the complexity was amazing for such a powerful cigar.  I was tasting every single thing I love about Nicaraguan tobacco in this one little corona sized cigar.  Sweet-spiciness, hints of leather with rich, almost creamy smoke plumes all around me.  I finished the first one in about 45 minutes, and I was truly amazed at how long this seemingly small cigar lasted me.  I quickly fired up another and I swear it was better than the one I just finished.  Within that same day I had so many customers ask me what cigar I was enjoying so much & after telling them what I had I sold through almost 3 entire boxes of singles that very day.  Joey B. from Wanaque, NJ (a longtime friend & customer of CI) happened to be in the shop that day & after trying one out with me, ended up going home with 3 boxes that very same day.  Prior to his introduction to the Puro Authentico, Joey B’s all-time favorite cigar was Drew Estate’s Dirty Rat.  Now, at half the price of the Dirty Rats he’s found a new favorite & they are widely available now (and like I said, AT HALF THE PRICE.)

If you’re a fan of full-bodied, full-flavored cigars with a lot of complexity then this cigar is a MUST TRY for you.  I’m amazed that these cigars are under 6 buck each.  Gotta be one of the best-buys of the year!  I’ve already filled up all the empty room in my humidor at home with these sweet little 10-count boxes so get yours now before more people find out about them.

If you’ve read my past reviews, which I expect you have since I have a cult following, you most likely remember my statement about being a “glorified cigar-smoking therapist.” Throughout several years of dealing with customers, male and female alike, I’m at the conclusion that men love to be punished.  Now before you go writing my boss emails of disagreement, please hear me out.

The majority of men that visit the CI Super-Store love to golf.  While very few have a low handicap, the majority of us Churchill-smoking golfers hack up the lush fairways of the Lehigh Valley and 4-putt our way to triple-bogeys or worse.  Though we normally enter the clubhouse frustrated, disappointed and dejected about our score, we continue to enjoy the game and find ourselves golfing multiple times throughout the week. 

Moreover, the majority of men I know love to gamble.  I could write a book on “bad beat” stories from the poker room, how many times the croupier hit “00” on the roulette wheel and the time that old Italian guy held the dice for an hour and a half while you were betting the “Don’t Pass” line.  I get it…you’re unlucky.  Yet I hear the same crap, just on different days, and the same guys are taking their Friday paycheck to the local gaming establishment.

Finally, my last example of men loving punishment:  Many of the men I know are married. And...yeah, I’m going to leave it at that.

My point: Men loved to be punished!  With this in mind, what better way to satisfy our self-chastising appetites than with a Cu-Avana Intenso Punisher.

Presentation wise, this cigar looks great in the cello.  It’s a well-crafted 6” X 52 torpedo with an appealing, oily brown wrapper.  The traditional Intenso band is proudly placed on the foot of the cigar with a black band toward the head of the cigar which reads, “Punisher,” a qualifying prerequisite to what you’re about to experience.

Before even lighting this baby, I pick up an interesting flavor on the tongue and lips - an invigorating spiciness from the wrapper. The blend itself contains a flavorful, spicy blend of well-aged Nicaraguan ligeros from Nestor Plasencia’s flourishing tobacco fields and aging rooms.

Let’s get to the point: This puro is starting off spicy.  However, along with the spiciness is a rich, tobacco core with a nice, chewy smoke that clings to the spicy pockets on the tongue.  I detect white pepper through the nose with an ever-so-slight sweetness from the tobacco.  Through the first few puffs, I’m fairly intrigued by the “Punisher” as it’s holding a grey ash, producing lots of smoke and has an easy draw.  My palate feels like I’m simply smoking a strong cigar after a zesty Mexican meal.

After about the first half-inch of this Nicaraguan beauty the slight burning sensation on my lips and tongue is subsiding and I’m really starting to pick up the flavor of the tobacco.  Moreover, the pepperiness through the nose has settled and I’m catching some sweet leathery notes on the palate.  Despite the excessive amounts of ligero in the blend, this is turning into a tasty yet balanced cigar.  If you’re looking to pair this cigar with a beverage, be a true man and punish yourself with some tequila. The temperature of coffee is too hot and doesn’t pair nicely with the “Punisher”.

I’m about at the halfway point and the strength that subsided earlier is picking up again.  My biggest customer, a 6’ 8” fellow who I appropriately nicknamed Tiny, tells me the “Punisher” put him down for the count.  I must have eaten my Wheaties this morning because I am enjoying this cigar immensely.  Quickly, the “Punisher” toned down for a few puffs after 3/4ths of the cigar then suddenly picked up again for the finish.  The final puffs of this cigar turned out flavorful and pleasing.

I can’t figure out if this punished my palate or my psyche.  The cigar delivers what you expect in a sense, but completely surprises you in other areas.  Last time I spoke with Nestor we were traveling in his car to his Ocotal factory in Nicaragua (sorry, just giving myself some street cred) and he asked me how I liked the “Punisher” with an impish, almost guilty grin.  I gave him the same story I’m giving you, “Men love to be punished.  It certainly does just that.”

My synopsis is as follows: This is a completely unique, spicy and original cigar.  I’m not recommending it for the faint of heart…if you like 5 Vegas Gold, Rocky Connecticut, and Graycliff G2, stay far away!  Don’t even look at this thing for it could potentially burn your retinas.  However, if you’re a Joya de Nicaragua or Cain guy, give the “Punisher” a shot. 

Expert advice for the day: “If you’re granted 3 wishes, your first wish should be more wishes.”