Staff Reviews

When I think of a maduro cigar, I imagine dark, rich flavors. I’m talking rich flavors....flavors that coat the palate with notes of chocolate, roasted coffee, and rich well-fermented tobacco. Flavors that linger on the palate and leave behind that velvety feel on the taste buds. Flavors that stick with you - in a good way - and urge you to draw in big, thick clouds of smoke with each puff. I have found many that do this, and I just found one more. The new La Estrella Cubana.

Keith just wrote about this cigar. I realize this. Why? Because when we like a cigar, we always talk about about it during or after we write a review. Sometimes both. Lots of “bro, this cigar is legit” messages from me and “try this stat or you’re fired” notes lofted in my direction. Regardless, he tried it, I tried it, and we both wanted to talk about it.

La Estrella Cubana has returned to its roots of Nicaragua, where it all began for this old brand, and I couldn’t be happier. The heart of this new blend is composed of aged, Cuban-seed long-leaf tobaccos grown in the Dominican and Nicaragua. On the outside, a Costa Rican maduro wrapper oozes with oils. Thick, pitch black, and silky to the touch....this leaf screams delicious, and is perfect for the mellow tobaccos within.

Snip, spark up, and away we go. From the get-go, La Estrella Cubana pumps out huge volumes of smoke. I’m talking lots of smoke....thick, heavy smoke that fills the air above. I love it. The flavor is deep and toasty with a rich core of savory maduro flavors. I was in the supermarket last night (always Wegmans – if you have one near you, go early and often because the place is amazing) and saw a jar of ‘Savory Beef Gravy.’ That word couldn’t be more fitting for this cigar. It’s rich and savory to the core. This is my sixth LEC of the week and it’s spot on compared to the rest. There won’t be any twists. No turns. No surprises. Just a rich, savory smoke that brings a variety of maduro flavors throughout a mellow to medium-bodied bouquet. I always pick up dark chocolate, and I love it. There’s also a deep, roasted espresso influence that lingers after each puff. And then the sweetness....oh, the sweetness. The coal-black maduro wrapper lends a delightful sweetness to the mix that’s just perfect. The way a quality, naturally fermented maduro should. And it remains this way down to the nub. The cigar never gets harsh and never gets hot. It’s jam-packed with tobacco and solid from head to toe, but the draw is perfect producing a razor-sharp burn that’s slow and cool from start to finish. The strength doesn’t build, nor do the flavors, but that’s ok with me because each and every cigar pumps out enough rich and savory flavors to satisfy my palate no matter when I spark one up. Did I mention I like this cigar?

There you have it. I think I said just about every good quality one could possibly say about a top-notch cigar. Except for price, I forgot that one. The price is the best part. Seriously, look it up, but don’t close your browser without adding to your cart. Trust me on that one.

La Estrella Cubana's new Oscuro blend is an interesting handmade hailing from Nicaragua. What's extra interesting is that it's a quality handmade maduro costing you 2 bucks a stick (and under). That's a true rarity in these post-SCHIP days. In fact it could easily sell for $4 or $5.

La Estrella Cubana - “the star of Cuba” - is eerily reminiscent of Gurkha Doble Maduro, from aesthetics to flavor profile. It's put together - firm, heavy in the hand and seamlessly constructed, draped in a coal-black, slightly mottled Costa Rican maduro wrapper. This triple-fermented leaf is loaded with richness and flavor usually found on much pricier sticks. Inside there's a mellow blend of Dominican and Nicaraguan long-fillers. After a quick glance of this ebony beauty you’d be tempted to think 'full-bodied'. But La Estrella is far from it. Rich and flavorful but mellow to medium-bodied....and extry smooth. Yes, extry.

From first spark up on the draw is on point - each puff releases thick clouds of aromatic smoke. The flavor remains fairly static throughout - not overly complex but quite tasty. Smooth and creamy with notes of coffee, cocoa, pepper and a toasty, semi-sweet finish. It’s gentle enough for burning in the morning with a cup o’ joe and rich enough for after dinner. The draw is good, the burn is straight, and the flavor is right....solid on all fronts. It's also prime for aging. If you lay a few down for a 6 month nap, you're in for a real treat.

Dollar for dollar, this is a killer. A well-made, mellow maduro for less than 2 bones? Winner winner, chicken dinner. 

New off the rolling tables in Esteli, Nicaragua comes Oscuro Fuerte, a gorgeous line extension from La Herencia Cubana. This rich, extra-strong LHC brings big flavor and knee-knocking strength. Take a seat son, this will only hurt a little. Indeed, Oscuro Fuerte is a powerhouse blend packing heat and bringing the thunder. Its potent, sumptuous PA Broadleaf maduro wrapper pairs with bold, searing ligero filler tobaccos from the growing regions of Esteli, Condega and Jalapa. All told, this LHC is visually striking to say the least, offering a deep, dark chocolate colored wrapper bursting with tooth and glistening with an oily sheen. In fact, before even sparking it up you can imagine the flavor within, just waiting to be uncorked and run roughshod over your palate. Rounding out its discernibly good looks is the cigar’s heft – well-packed, firm, heavy in the hand. Clearly this carefully constructed black beauty was designed for the seasoned cigar smoker.

From first light on, the draw is perfect and the smoke thick and dense. Not overly complex, it brings rich notes of espresso, licorice, spices plus a long and toasty finish. As it develops, a slight sweetness and increasingly pronounced spice becomes clearly noticeable. The first inch or so is medium in body, but as it burns the power increases markedly. Frankly, as it nears conclusion I can really feel the strength most noticeably in the gut. Not unbearably so, but enough to let me know who the alpha male is. A distinctly tasty profile from start to finish coupled with impressive strength and flawless construction make LHC Oscuro Fuerte a winner, winner, chicken dinner on all fronts. Considering you can pick up a box in the $3- $3.50 per stick range, it’s also a phenomenal value. C’mon. You’d be hard-pressed to find a cigar of this caliber for such a price at any store (other than CI of course, chum).

As a general rule, cigars with this type of deep black oscuro wrapper aren’t normally to my liking. I find that while they normally offer well-placed richness and strength, they linger on my tongue in unnatural form….making me want to scrape my mouth clean to rid myself of the troublesome beast. But that ain’t the case at all with Oscuro Fuerte. It’s strong and rich but feels properly fermented and utterly natural on the palate. It’s a bit heavy toward the end yet remains uber-flavorful and nicely balanced.

Fans of full-bodied maduros, feast! La Herencia Cubana Oscuro Fuerte delivers the goods.

I’ve burned through most of the regular Graycliff lines (Professionale, Original, Crystal, Espresso, et al) and after each one, I kicked my self for dropping upwards of $20 on just one cigar (I know - I should have learned my lesson after the first one, but I’m an optimist). Don’t get me wrong, their stuff is not bad, and if I paid $5-8 I would be thrilled…but $20+, c’mon! So while I’m not normally a huge supporter of Graycliff, the new and improved Graycliff G2 definitely piqued my interest. Dude…a $3 Graycliff, that’s what I’m talking about! Yes, you read that right; we’re rolling them out here at CI for just $59.99 per box of 20. So at a price I can actually stomach, I figured I would give Graycliff’s newest offering a whirl.

Graycliff G2 features a Connecticut-seed wrapper grown in the fertile soils of Ecuador. The wrapper is slightly spotty, but it has an attractive, golden tan color with a smooth appearance and a nice sheen of oil. And unlike some of the other Graycliffs I’ve dealt with, G2 is firm and well filled. Inside, lies an aged two-country filler blend from Nicaragua and the Dominican Republic. Pre-light, this thing looks decent and has an enjoyably mellow smell, enticing enough for me.

After sparking, I’m pleasantly surprised. This cigar is smooth. It’s fairly smooth,  the smoke just rolls off the tongue. The flavor is crisp, with notes of cream, cedar and a nice sweetness completed by an extraordinarily clean finish. And there’s some richness in the aroma, which adds to the experience. As it burned it didn’t change much, straightforward and satisfying all the way down. Throughout, it burned straight, but a bit quicker than I prefer.

Overall, Graycliff G2 was enjoyable. I can’t see it winning any awards, but I could see myself burning one fairly often. A well-made, smoother offering at a solid price. And if you’re into this sort of thing…your friends will probably think you spent top dollar on them.