Staff Reviews

Wow. It’s literally been over a month since I posted a staff review. Don’t get me wrong...I’ve been burning my way through boxes of cigars during this time, but the craziness that is CigarFest kept me from actually sitting down and writing a review. Hosting 2,000 cigar lunatics and 26 of the world’s finest cigar makers for the best damn Herf on the planet can be very time consuming!

It’s insanely hot in the office today. We decided to keep the windows open rather than turn on the air conditioning. Why? I have no idea…the heat is making me extremely sleepy and cranky. Fortunately, I’ve re-discovered a tasty old friend, the Ashton Aged Maduro.

Since day 1, I’ve always been fond of Ashton Aged Maduro. But, several years ago, this cigar became very difficult to find due to the tobaccos and time required to make it. This has since changed, and although the cigar is a steady seller, it’s now in stock more than on backorder, so life is good.

Many new cigar enthusiasts fall victim to the old myth, “the darker the wrapper, the stronger the cigar.” I hate this myth, because it scares plenty of people away from trying a cigar just because it’s a little darker, or dressed in an oily maduro leaf.

The Ashton Aged Maduro is a great way to diffuse this myth. For one, it has big-brand recognition. Ashton is a sales juggernaut among new enthusiasts, and has a high level of quality and consistency to demand respect. Secondly, the Aged Maduro may be dark as night, but it’s gentle on the palate and offers a pleasant, mellow flavor.

The cigar is well built and firm from head to toe. The classic combination of aged Dominican long-fillers presents a smooth, creamy flavor with toasted hints of wood, while the dark Connecticut maduro wrapper lends a rich, chocolatey element with a spicy sweetness on the finish. Some unique flavors come and go during the burn, including a touch of leather and a slight earthiness. For a smooth(er) cigar, there’s a variety of flavors at play, making the Aged Maduro something that can be enjoyed by most palates. The burn is suprisingly even, considering how oily and thick the wrapper leaf is, and the ash is white and strong. All things considered – quality, flavor, consistency, performance – this is a very good cigar that pairs perfectly with an espresso or mature single malt.

The Ashton Aged Maduro ain’t cheap, and you may not be sparking one up every day, but I am confident you’ll want to treat yourself every now and then after giving it a try.

If you're looking for an economically-priced golf course cigar, this is it. Over the years I've been asked a million times for a 7" cigar that's mild enough not to be intrusive, enough flavor to be interesting, and a cost of less than $1.25. While it might not fly with the chardonnay-and-brie crowd, for around a buck apiece I'll tell ya, this does the job every time. 

The maker, Luis Tomas Mendez, is not a household name among cigar enthusiasts. That's not for lack of experience in the industry, as he's been a grower and dealer of tobacco for years. Recently he began manufacturing cigars as well, with a factory located in Tamboril, Dominican Republic. His experience as a grower causes him to use great tobaccos in his blends, and this little number is no exception. The fillers are all Dominican while the wrapper is Connecticut-seed with a very smooth texture and slight sheen. It's got a slight nuttiness, some oaky flavors, with a balanced and consistent character. The reduced price might give you pause, but if you're looking for an affordably-priced handmade with flavor, try Brocatus. 

Hey, given the price/value it probably deserves a better rating than this.

Ya'll have probably read my review on cigars called Mistakes many moons ago.  Well, these are different, so don't get your panties in a knot thinking that I'm writing about the same cigars from years ago.  I'm often afraid that Alzheimer's has kicked in early, but luckily I haven't lost my mind yet.  These Perdomo Mistakes are different, oh so different.  You can read the full story here, but the short of it is that these are the original Perdomo 2 Milenario size in a round shape rather than a box-press.  I'm not sure how many of you tried the Perdomo 2, they're dandy cigars with a terrific spice and subtle strong flavor that can knock you down if you've you've got an empty stomach.  They're extraordinarily well-made, slow-burning, and filled with a ton of rock'em, sock'em Nicaraguan tobaccy.

OK, now, why are these so special?  Well, to be brutally honest....they're cheap, and they're even smoother.  "What!  Gonz, are you telling me that I get the same damn thing for $50 cheaper."  Um, yeah!  In fact, the burn and draw on these is so tremendous, that I've smoked a dozen just for "research" to make sure they're for real.  I might get the cheapskate award of the century, but I dare not steer you wrong.  I've smoked 6 of each - Nicaraguan maduro and Cameroon natural.  My preference is the maduro, the wrapper gives it a subtle sweetness that softens the bite off the strength.  This weekend we opened our new 5,000 sq ft retail Super Store, and in the 2 hours I was over there, I had 2 customers come up to me and ask for the Perdomo 2 Mistakes, and I recommended the same to another 2 customers - all of which said "Hey, you're Gonz, why haven't you written these up yet?"  There you have, my impetus for another Gonz's pick.

The Cameroon wrapped Mistake is spicy and dry with a smooth burn that wreaks of supremely aged tobacco.  The bite of the Cameroon wrapper is evident - a flavor that seems to be a love'em or hate'em relationship with some folks.  I like an occasional Cameroon, but often, the flavor tends to overpower the underpinnings of the cigar (yes, it's almost flavor-heavy).  A dry character and back of tongue quality lingers on the finish.  The Nicaraguan maduro, albeit with the same strong character under the wrapper, has a softer approach to the full-bodied cigar.  The spicy-sweet flavor hits the middle part of your tongue and lingers much less with a moister (less-dry that is) quality that doesn't dry out your mouth.  It's terrific, and the price tag is terrific too.  High quality and low risk.

That young chap Nick Perdomo knows how to make a damn fine cigar, lemme tell ya.  Some of his latest brands, like Edicion de Silvio and Perdomo ESV are knock your socks off good.  But, if you're looking for something that's a little more reasonably priced with a terrific flavor, and super-premium quality, you simply cannot go wrong with this doozy for just over $2 a stick.

Light'em up,

- Gonz

Discovering a precious new handmade can go one of two ways:

Yet another cigar is added to your ever-growing list of favorites.

The cigar itself increases your appreciation for something as simple and ordinary as a tobacco leaf, and how lucky we are to have cigar makers born with the uncanny talent of creating something extraordinary.

Looking back, I can probably count on one hand the number of cigars that resulted in the latter. Gurkha Centurian Double-X, 5 Vegas Series ‘A’, Edicion de Silvio and now CAO Black ‘VR’. Yes, this is a bold statement and many of you will probably call BS. Fine by me, I rarely lose a drinking game.

For nearly 2 years, Tim Ozgener has been teasing us with his idea of the CAO Black ‘VR’, an extension of CAO’s original masterpiece wrapped in their beloved Brazilian maduro leaf. Pictures of the product were sent as teasers, whetting our palates before an unexpected box made its way to Bethlehem just last week. After the backyard brawl on the loading docks, I managed to slip away with 6 sticks and hastily ran back to my desk to light up.

CAO sent a box of 20 Full Fathom Five, the only box-pressed vitola in the line measuring 5.5” x 55. Heavy in the hand with one of the oiliest maduro wrappers I’ve ever seen, cutting this beauty practically hurt. The wrapper is Brazilian Maduro Arapiraca. I’m not quite sure what that means but, based on the pre-light flavor and aroma, I don’t think I’ll care much once we get going. Inside, a mixture of Nicaraguan and Mexican tobaccos resides and the foot of the cigar shows dark hints of ligero...nice.

Instantly upon lighting, definitive coffee notes rush the palate with a rich, creamy blast. The exhale is milky smooth, even through the nose. Allow the cigar to burn a half an inch and the coffee flavor mellows, giving way to a delicious, leathery core. (If you’ve ever wanted to know what ‘leather’ tastes like in a cigar, this here ‘VR’ is a great example.) Despite the thickness and oily texture, the wrapper burns extremely even, producing a strong, white ash with little to no flaking. A rich sweetness smacks the front of the palate and lingers just long enough to keep you satisfied while this slow-burning beauty rests in your ashtray. All this, and we haven’t even reached the midway point. Remember that ligero? If not, you will when there’s just 3 inches left, at which point the smoke becomes notably stronger and a peppery layer of flavor enters the fold. The spice hardly dominates, but you’ll notice it and hopefully agree, it pairs perfectly with the rich, coffee flavors and leathery backbone. The finale is bold and satisfying, bringing all of these wonderful nuances together in a well-balanced manner. What a ride.

After smoking all 6 samples in 2 days, I can truly say this is an amazing cigar. Everything about it is high-class, right down to the packaging and presentation. Well done, CAO.