Staff Reviews

When word got out about a new, maduro version of the top-selling 5 Vegas Gold, I instantly grew nervous. The Connecticut-wrapped Gold Series is the golden goose of the 5 Vegas line, a mellow but flavorful stud that outsells bigger name brands like Macanudo and Ashton. You don’t want to mess with that kind of success. However, I soon learned that 5 Vegas Gold Maduro would be sporting my beloved Pennsylvania Broadleaf wrapper, making me eager to sample the blend. A mellow-bodied cigar using this thick and chewy leaf as a blanket? This could be good....damn good.

I was in Nicaragua a couple weeks ago and had the pleasure of sampling the new 5 Vegas Gold Maduro right off the rolling tables of Nestor Plasencia’s massive Segovia factory. This factory is gorgeous. A massive operation full of top rollers crafting some of the industry’s biggest brands, an endless tobacco inventory with countless varieties, a beautiful central courtyard with a 10-foot fountain, and a labyrinth of hallways leading to various bodegas, aging rooms, storage rooms, and even a separate rolling floor and team of torcedores specifically made for the 5 Vegas brand.

But I digress, back to the cigar. Upon first glance, this cigar is dark as night with a thick, toothy wrapper glistening with natural oils. No doubt, this PA Broadleaf wrapper is legit. Each cigar is well-packed and feels heavy in the hand with not a single soft spot to be found. There’s a slight barnyard aroma when smelling the foot, and a touch of sweet tobacco on the nose.

The cigar opens with a warm, toasty bouquet and charcoal-like aroma. The smoke is thick and heavy on the palate, coating my taste buds with a silky, chewy feel. White pepper finishes the first few puffs and is more prominent through the nose. Had I not known that this cigar was mellow to medium in body, I might have assumed I was in store for a medium to full or full-bodied ride. After the initial few puffs, the rich maduro wrapper takes over, taming the aged Nicaraguan and Honduran long-fillers within. The bouquet is soon dominated by meaty notes of coffee and dark tobacco, while the smoke leaves my palate in butter-smooth fashion with each exhale. Yeah, this is nice. A supremely rich and toasty bouquet deep in dark, maduro flavors without the kick. Midway through and I’m still enjoying rich notes of coffee. The white ash is perfectly straight, no flakes, and seems to be holding on with both hands. I tapped it off to produce a lovely cone at the foot of the cigar. A subtle sweetness now enters the fray, as the filler leaves mellow further into a rich, smooth array of sophisticated flavors, letting the thick broadleaf wrapper take control. This sweetness becomes somewhat oaky in the final third and remains a major player til the end. Coffee, toast, oak, dark tobacco, and sweet notes....while never leaving the mellow to medium-bodied realm. Lots of flavor, no oomph, and my temptations caused me to spark up another right when the first was finished.

Since returning to Pennsylvania I’ve burned through at least two dozen of these cigars, and handed out equally as many at a BBQ last weekend - I think I made a few new friends.

If you are primarily enjoy mellow-bodied cigars with Connecticut wrappers - or, if you are hesitant to try anything darker than Connecticut-seed - I urge you to try this cigar. It truly shows that darker does not mean stronger, and is a perfect gateway to bigger, bolder flavor profiles without going up in strength. Additionally, if you're a fan of Macanudo Maduro, Ashton Maduro, Gurkha Doble Maduro....while those are all great cigars, I think this may become a new favorite.

In case you haven’t seen our latest catalog, get on it, son. We have some mighty fine deals in there, let alone some fantastic new blends....in addition to the return of classic gems such as this: La Perla Habana. Currently, the Black Pearl and Classic are here, in house, and the Morado, Rojo, and Cobre are on the way. Since the Black Pearl was one of my favorite cigars many moons ago, I’ve decided to revisit this dark and oily lovely to see if we can’t spark the flame once more.

Years ago, this cigar was pitch black. But that’s comparing it to the rest of the blends on the market. Today, it’s as dark as many maduros....but I’ll be damned if it ain’t pretty to look at. The Brazilian Arapiraca is black as night with minimal veins and maximum oils - you may know, this is one of my favorite wrapper varieties. The pre-light aroma has hints of barnyard with a sweet tobacco note.

Upon lighting, a rush of rich and toasty nuances smack my palate. Dark tobacco and charcoal backed by a subtle spice that lingers on the tip of my tongue. The smoke wafting overhead is warm and rich with a unique oily note. After a half inch, I already begin feeling this cigar in the pit of my stomach. I wouldn’t call it full-bodied, but this Black Pearl no doubt has some meet on its bones. An inch in and the spice has become much more mellow, and the bouquet is now displaying a deep, oaky note with toasty influence. After a solid 30 minutes I’m just past the midway point. This slow-burning cigar - the 6.25” x 52 Belicoso - is pumping out a ton of thick, gray smoke right now and the flavor has yet to back down. In fact, the spice that I noticed in the first inch is now creeping its way back up the sides of my palate, while oak and toast remain in the center. Through the nose the smoke is surprisingly smooth with a touch of red pepper. In the final third the bouquet develops a dense earthy tone, which is likely the result of the zesty Mexican tobaccos within. I love it, it’s mingling with the increased spice quite nicely and remains a focal point down to the final inch and a half. The finale is assertive yet balanced - a culmination of spice, oak, toast, and earth all wrapped inside a tidy package with a purdy bow on top.

It’s been a while since I’ve nubbed a cigar. Maybe there’s a nostalgia factor at play here, or maybe the cigar really is that good, but I nubbed this Belicoso until it became too hot to handle. Tasty.

Since writing this review, I’ve burned a handful of Black Pearls in the Belicoso size to ensure consistency is still spot on - back in the day these babies burned exactly the same, cigar after tasty cigar. Much to my delight, nothing has changed - outside of a slight uptick in strength with a couple sticks - which will likely change with a little humi-time - the flavor is spot-on and delicious with every puff.

On the prowl for a dark, toasty maduro with ample complexity and impressive balance? You can’t go wrong here. Just beware, because every now and then one of these Black Pearls may mellow you a bit....but if you’re anything like me, that won’t faze you one iota.

note: we received a rush shipment of pre-packed mazos of 5, but don’t worry, full boxes will be here any day now!

Thank goodness for cheapskates like us, yeah, that means you and me there kid-o.  The chieftains at Graycliff rarely feast on our hard-earned dollars.  $300 for a box of cigars...whoa sonny....that just ain't in my appetite of daily cigar pleasures.  I think they finally realized that the bargain barrel, odd-lot shoppers just won't shell out that kind of mortgage payment on cigars.  Enter the everyman's Graycliff, the new 'G2'.  OK, it's not exactly new, but I finally ponied up the guts to try what many have termed "Graycliff's lower-end cigar".  Call me a sissy, worse things have touched my lips, but I simply didn't want to tempt my delicate palate with a potential atrocity that would scar me for life. 

I picked up a 5-er of the Toros, and they look pretty darn scrumptious.  A beautiful Ecuadorian-grown Connecticut wrapper (but to the less-than-skilled master-magician hairy Gonz eyeball, sure looks like a true Connecticut to me).  Firm in the fingertips, a quick clip and light jumpstarted my newest carnival ride.  Immediately, I'm intrigued by a peppery and lingering finish which exploded on the front tongue, very surprising from what I thought would be an uber-mellow powder puff.  I then expected it to disappear within a few draws, but it didn't.  I'm two full ash-drops in (each about 3/4" - not bad, eh?) and the finish continues to linger.  The smoke is smooth, no doubt, and with a firm draw there's very little smoke to infect my precious new office space.  No doubt it's chock full of mellow Dominican tobaccos, a touch of seco thrown in perhaps, and a sliver of Nicaraguan richness to provide a little extra body.  Overall though, a touch above uber-tamed, but not much, thanks to the spice that keeps it interesting for a solid 45 minutes....a perfect anytime cigar.

The chalky white ash and perfectly even burn are pluses, while the draw is indeed firm, not vein-popping, I like smoke surrounding me and I need to draw pretty hard to get that smoke ring around my noggin.  I think these would be better served if a touch on the under-humidified side.  Completely unintrusive, this could be smoked in nearly any company.  My Graycliff budget may indeed be established, a definite inclusion in my bursting humidor of cheapskate favorites.  At $2.50 to $3.00 per stick, these qualify as a new fixture.

Light'em up,

                High praise and an even higher price… That’s one way that the Ashton VSG can be summed up. Another way is high quality and highly enjoyable. I’ve been saving the leftover change from my weekly Taco Bell runs and was able to scrape enough together to swing by our Super Store and pick one of these gems up and the torpedo was my vitola of choice on this particular day. This chunky 6.5”x55 box-pressed cigar features an Ecuadorian Sun Grown wrapper and Dominican-grown binder and long-fillers. The VSG or Virgin Sun Grown is made at Chateau de la Fuente in the Dominican Republic utilizing the high quality control standards that Ashton is known for;

                Ashton may be best known for their Classic series which features silky Connecticut wrappers and a smoother profile…a far departure from the VSG. The pre-light draw reveals some chocolaty nuances which are quite enjoyable. Upon sparking the cigar, the chocolaty nuances still remain a part of the underlying character of the cigar. About an inch in I’m greeted with a spiciness and an intense buttery texture which can be attributed to the perfect Sun Grown wrapper – this particular wrapper hales from a private estate in Ecuador that is owned by the Oliva Tobacco Family (not to be confused with the Oliva Cigar Family).

                Now half-way through and this full-bodied selection is coming into its own. Exhaling through the nose adds another dimension of flavor and strength that nearly causes my eyes to water! Note – almost…I’m a full-bodied, full-flavored cigar fan, and a tear might be brought to the eyes of a weaker man. But not I! Now, I should mention that the VSG isn’t available everywhere – in fact even when you can find a few, chances are they won’t be there for long. With its high ratings and limited production the VSG is one of the most sought after blends among cigar enthusiasts year after year and I know that some of you may suffer from a bout of “sticker shock” when looking to purchase a few of these. Trust me lad, it’s worth it. Go ahead and treat yourself once in a while! Personally I recommend sparking one of these up after a hearty meal comprised of some type of tasty dead animal and maybe a few vegetables – you know, to add some color to the dinner plate. And don’t forget the brown liquor to wash it all down!

I’ve decided to do something a little different with this Staff Review. Last week I was in Nicaragua visiting several factories, creating new blends, and trying some upcoming releases which we’ll soon be carrying. The latter was the most exciting, largely in part to the cigar I am writing about now: the new Diesel Unlimited. Although the final product is still a few months out, I felt obligated to dish out a primer upon returning to Camp CI – the cigar really is that good. If you’re a fan of Diesel, or full-bodied boutique blends for that matter, this is one to add to your radar. 

Extending the highly popular Diesel brand may seem like a tall task, but AJ Fernandez has both the materials and blending knowledge to do it. Upon arriving at his factory in Esteli, AJ had several blends ready for us to try....blends he was very excited about. Additionally, several varieties of long-leaf filler tobaccos were spread out on the conference table, mostly ligero. The room smelled glorious and we were eager to taste his latest creations.

After burning through all of the samples, we carefully analyzed each cigar and took inventory of the well-aged leaves of tobacco before us. A few tweaks were made here and there and the results were - for lack of a better word - amazing.

Mouthwatering spread of tobaccos

Diesel Unlimited working its magic

The finalized Diesel Unlimited blend looks and smells great. A thick Honduran ligero wrapper grown from Habano seeds is used on the outside, offering a dark appearance and generous oils. Beneath this leaf, bold tobaccos from Condega (Nicaragua), Esteli (Nicaragua), and San Andres (Mexico) are secured by a zesty Habano Ecuador binder. The cigar is thick and chunky - with ring gauges ranging from 54 to 60 - and sits heavy in the hand. The pre-light aroma is a mixture of barnyard, freshly baked bread, and black pepper....hints of vintage, yet robust tobaccos.

From the very first puff, this cigar produces a ton of smoke. Thick, heavy clouds of smoke that emit a rich aroma that can only be described as oily. Heavy spices kick start the palate and nostrils with each puff, preparing the taste buds for a searing series of bold nuances ahead. After an inch the opening spices evolve to an aftertaste, allowing a deep core of bold flavors to shine through. Raw, Cuban-esque tobacco notes, earthy undertones, rich leather, toast, oak....all complemented by the slightest touch of natural sweetness throughout the burn, then finished by a soothing spice that reminds you of the ligeros within. This cigar is powerful - it starts out strong and doesn’t let up....I instantly feel it sitting in my belly like a big and juicy porterhouse. But AJ is a master at blending, and managed to combine a complex recipe of powerful tobaccos into a balanced and eventful bouquet of intriguing nuances.

So far I’ve had three sizes within the line and each size burns like a dream. I have no idea where pricing will be for this brand, but whatever it is, I suspect it’s going to be a great bargain for full-bodied, full-flavored fans seeking high-quality and unique cigars.

As I said earlier, Diesel Unlimited is still a few months out - hopefully less. However, since I am very excited about this blend and will no doubt be buying a ton upon release, I wanted to get this information into your hands as quickly as possible. If you’ve yet to try the standard Diesel Unholy Cocktail, I recommend it with confidence. Actually, it’s a great way to prepare your palate for the bolder, bigger Diesel Unlimited.