Staff Reviews

                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.

New 2010 Release: La Aroma de Cuba Mi Amor

As some of you may know, I was a HUGE fan of the old La Aroma de Cuba blend from Honduras. Chewy, rich, tasty....I loved this cigar and have missed it considerably ever since it left the market. Now, this brand is made in Nicaragua by Jose ‘Don Pepin’ Garcia, and it’s drastically different. Some claim it’s better, some claim there’s nothing quite like the original.

I now have in my hand the latest blend from La Aroma - Mi Amor - which I plan to take for a test drive. This new blend is very different in appearance than the other La Aromas on the market. The wrapper is a dark and toothy Cuban-seed leaf grown in Mexico - it offers a dark chocolate-brown hue with minimal oils. Smelling the unlit foot, I pick up a trace of baked bread - much like the aroma you’ll smell when walking through a tobacco curing barn. The slightest bit of spice tickles my nostrils, leading me to believe there’s a little ligero within this all-Nicaraguan long-filler blend, ready to smack my palate with a dash of pepper. I chose a punch cut - because somebody took my damn cutter off my desk - and am ready to go.

The first few puffs are very smooth, with a deep, roasted tobacco flavor and toasty influence. From the get-go, I notice thick and heavy clouds of gray smoke exiting the foot of this cigar. Dark, aromatic smoke with a warm, toasty scent. The faintest bit of spice lingers on the back of my palate after each puff, a spice which is more promiment through the nose. I’m just a half an inch in and I feel this cigar will surpass the medium-bodied range and reach full-bodied before the smoke is done.

An inch in, the deep, roasted flavors remain when the smoke is first introduced to your palate with each puff, however a rich, espresso-like nuance is left behind with each exhale, quickly followed by the subtle spice. The Mexican wrapper is true to its origin, a dense, earthy leaf offering an enjoyable, rustic tobacco flavor that hits the front of your palate everytime you draw on the cigar.

Midway through, the cigar becomes considerably smoother. The roasted influence seemed to have faded by now, allowing a rich, unsweetened touch of dark chocolate to surface. This nuance hit me mostly in the middle of the palate and on the sides, and does not overshadow the espresso flavors or slightly spicy finish. It’s actually a welcome change to the first half of the smoke.

By now, I feel the weight of this cigar in my belly and behind my eyes. I won’t go as far as saying this is a full-bodied handmade, but there’s no doubt some strength behind the blend. A full meal is not required prior to enjoying Mi Amor, but I wouldn’t recommend this as a morning smoke for first-timers.

The final third is quite rich, with a soft charcoal-like aroma that fills the room. Rich tobacco, dark chocolate, and espresso followed by that subtle spice I’ve been mentioning the entire time. All the while, this cigar has produced a flaky but firm, salt and pepper ash with a razor-sharp burn and easy draw. No one flavor dominates any significant portion of the smoke, and all are presented in a balanced and smooth fashion.

While La Aroma de Cuba Mi Amor is still very different than the original, Honduran-made La Aroma that I loved so much, I did enjoy burning this cigar and will no doubt burn more in the future. It’ll never replace the original, but it’s great to see the new Nicaraguan-made La Aroma making strides in a tasty direction.

Over the last couple of years, Rocky Patel’s been a busy man. Decade, Patel Bros, 1961, Renaissance, and now, the upcoming 15^th Anniversary…in addition to the innumerable private labels that are popping up all over the globe. But that’s not necessarily a bad thing, it just takes a little bit of luster off of the old. And if you’ve forgotten, his older stuff is exceptional.  Take Rocky Patel Sun Grown, a prime example of his early work that just made its way back onto my radar…and I’m glad it did.

Well over 5 years ago, Rocky Patel Sungrown hit the ground running with a set of highly favorable reviews and a tremendous buzz. But as the years passed, demand was usurped by the never ending stream of Rocky’s next release. And a little over a year ago, an issue with wrapper shortage left Sun Grown out of stock for numerous months, and led to Sun Grown’s even further backburnering. Don’t get me wrong, Sun Grown has its fans…and there’s plenty of them. But this is a cigar that deserves more. At least in my eyes.  

Rocky Patel Sun Grown is draped in a dark, ultra-oily, 5-year-old Ecuadorian Sun Grown Sumatra wrapper. This namesake piece is a truly gorgeous leaf and the crux of this handmades flavor. Inside, robust Nicaraguan and Dominican long-fillers are contained within a rich Nicaraguan binder. On paper, Sun Grown sounds pretty…and the real thing ain’t bad either. It’s firm, heavy in the hand and well put together as a whole.

At first light, Sun Grown will grab your attention. A generous dose of hearty spices are paired with a cedary note for a bold introduction. Initially it’s powerful, but the heat dies down quickly. As it burns, it mellows out nicely a flood of complex flavors come forth. Notes of rich tobacco, bread, sweetness and leather are backed by a peppery finish.  It’s smooth and the aroma is warm and rich. Towards the end, the flavor builds and the cigar never gets hot or harsh. The flavor is bold, balanced and complex, a hearty, traditional tobacco taste that’s interesting from start to finish.

Overall, Rocky Patel Sun Grown is the complete package. Ample good qualities and very few bad. If you’re looking for a quality, medium to full-bodied handmade that’s pure, flavorful and refined, Sun Grown fits the bill. And I’d suggest trying the torpedo size first, it’s far and away my favorite.

Blue Label - the original Blue Label - is simply delicious. Frankly it does not get the attention it deserves. Medium to full-bodied, rich in flavor, handcrafted by Gran Habano in Danli, Honduras. The cigar equivalent of nymphomaniac centerfold model with a trust fund. You get the idea. Smokes like a gem, priced like an economy cigar....in all, a winning set of attributes. 

But now there's something better - at least in the value department. It's a spin-off of Blue Label called B2. B2 is impressive on many levels. Packed in big, meaty Cuban-style wheels of 30 cigars, it dispenses with the ornate packaging. In fact, it's stripped bare – no boxes, no artwork. Just a simple, elegant blue cloth band as its signet and arriving at your door in a big, honkin' cube of tasty cigars. Its simplicity is beautiful. It also means a killer price and a blend that's all substance.

Blue Label’s B2 brings a dark, Nicaraguan Habano wrapper leaf. It's gorgeous. Thick, chocolatey-brown, and loaded with oils. Inside a robust blend of aged Nicaraguan and Panamanian long-fillers resides. Each stick is firm and well constructed with a rich, bold pre-light aroma. Immediately after lighting, a powerful dose of spice presents itself, then settles quickly into a smoother, more medium-bodied smoke. As it burns a complex array of flavors are revealed: notes of earth, cedar, pepper and espresso. The smoke is thick and creamy. The finish smooth and somewhat sweet. Throughout the burn, it builds ever so slightly in strength, resulting in a medium to full-bodied finale. Traditional through and through, refined, flavorful and balanced. B2 is a tasty and satisfying blend. It won't blow your mind, but you shouldn't expect it to. What you can expect is a very solid, exceptionally well-made $1.50 everyday handmade with abundant flavor.

Consider the fat sizes to choose from, consider the price, and consider the delicious, medium to full-bodied flavor. Then consider B2 your new everyday favorite....the alternative is to consider fitting yourself with dunce cap.