Reviews by Steve R

Last night I decided to crack open the old El Presidente humidor at home. It’s been a long time since I’ve touched this thing, other than the routine re-charge of the humidifiers. After taking a peak inside and under the lift-out tray I was quite impressed with the collection of lovelies I’ve been sitting on.

At the bottom were a few Hemingway Signatures. I don’t remember buying them, but I have no problem smoking them. Not a day goes by when I don’t hear good things about these heavily sought cigars, so I was looking forward to re-visiting the blend. Especially after pulling them out of the humidor. The Signatures are pretty. A perfecto-shaped vitola sporting a smooth Cameroon wrapper. I filled my 3-capacity Xikar case and hit the streets of downtown Bethlehem.

Despite being pretty, the wrapper is extremely delicate, as two small cracks formed from clipping the cap. The cigar lit easily, thanks to the tiny foot at the bottom of its slightly tapered 6” x 47 barrel. The draw was a tad tight, but loosened after burning for a minute or two. In the beginning, the flavor was a bit flat. The cigar bit at the back of my palate, leaving behind a tannic aftertaste. Fortunately, this faded as a sweet, cedary note gradually came into the picture. Nice, something to enjoy other than aesthetics. The Signature didn’t offer too many twists or turns throughout the journey. Rather, I seemed to be taking a long straightaway on cruise control. The woody flavors dominated, and a little bit of pepper pushes through the nose. I expected a nutty character, since I tend to find this in Cameroon-wrapper cigars. Not here. The strength plateaus at a solid medium-bodied, with no increase towards the end.

I guess this is why so many new cigar enthusiasts enjoy this cigar…it’s consistent in both performance and flavor, from start to finish. When you light one up, you know exactly what you’re in for. In that respect, it’s very similar to the traditional Fuente line. Well made and straightforward. I’ve said it before: I like complexity…a cigar that either changes or offers a few more layers of flavor. The Hemingway may look good and smoke well, but it’s not for me.

For the past 5 days we’ve seen nothing but rain here in Bath, PA. Flash flood warnings bombard the airwaves, while local residents can be seen paddling down the streets on the evening news. Craziness. Yesterday, there was a break in the rain and a few rays of foggy sunshine before the day came to an end. This was my chance to go outside and enjoy a cigar, and I’ll be damned if I wasn’t going to make it last. I reached into my desktop here at the office and pulled out the biggest cigar I could find (5 Vegas Gold No. 1) and went on home.

The No. 1 is a new size within the Gold series that measures 7.5” x 54. The fine folks at 5 Vegas were kind enough to send us a sample box of 20, which was quickly ravaged by our merchandising team. And so, here is my review, just days before our shipment hits the dock.

Characteristic of the more traditional sizes, the No. 1 opens with a creamy, nutty burst of flavor. Almost like cashews. There’s some pepper on the aftertaste, but not much. Just enough to keep me interested in between puffs. Throughout the burn, the cigar is notably smooth and balanced, offering a refined bouquet of flavor that’s far from overwhelming, yet hardly one-dimensional. Once the peppery note subsides, a natural sweetness kicks in, complementing the cashew-like flavors quite well. The smoke is cool and slow, providing a long-lasting, enjoyable break from reality. I find myself studying the cigar and clouds of smoke around me, forgetting about the creamy flavors that coat my palate. To me, this indicates that I am enjoying the cigar (if you find yourself thinking about a cigar too much, chances are you’re probably not enjoying it). Even the charcoal ash impresses me, requiring a few taps every 2 inches. Roughly 90 minutes later - about 30 minutes after my second Weyerbacher Quad was finished - I place the nub in the ashtray one last time, completing a perfect smoke on a not-so-perfect night.

While I was away on vacation, the guys here at the office decided to clean out my humidor. Considering most of my favorites have become their favorites, most of my favorites have become missing. So, I had to dig deep to find some enjoyable smokes to burn while working this past week. Underneath a handful of samples I’ll never want to smoke again, I discovered 4 Oliva ‘O’ Classic cigars in the Oasis size, the survivors from a 5-pack purchased long ago.

As usual, the cigars look and feel great. Oliva uses some beautiful, oily wrappers and always fills each cigar with copious amounts of Nicaraguan tobacco, leading to a solid roll free of soft spots. Just before lighting I enjoy the aroma coming off the foot: sweet cedar. Despite a tight draw, an initial hint of spice smacks the palate and lingers on the tongue. Almost immediately, the spice fades and the flavors mellow considerably. Due to the draw, it’s hard to determine the flavors, but there’s a definite woody note and something that I can only describe as earthy. About ¾ of the way through, the flavors became harsh, probably because of my furious puffing over the past 40 minutes. Round 2 immediately followed the first and, to my dismay, I realized the lack of ‘robustness’ was not a result of the tight draw. The draw was just fine. The cigar, well, just isn’t robust like its inspiration, the original Oliva ‘O’.

From what I remember, the original had a bold, meaty backbone riddled with complex, leathery flavors and full-bodied character. The Classic…not so much. Rather, a smooth, toasty, woody smoke that sits squarely within the medium-bodied realm. It’s a good performer, but apples to the original’s oranges, and I was in the mood for oranges.

I never quite understood why the Punch Rare Corojo is called, Punch Rare Corojo. After all, the wrapper is not Corojo. Rather, this box-pressed handmade sports a dark, oily Sumatra leaf from Ecuador. A head-scratcher indeed. Whatever the case may be, the Rare Corojo can be considered rare, since production is limited to just once per year, hitting retail shelves mid-to-late Spring.

A few years ago, we couldn’t keep this brand in stock. We would literally sell out within days, even before our catalog arrived in the customer’s mailbox. Boy, did we receive our share of hatemail! Fortunately, along with the addition of a new 6” x 60 El Doble size, production seems to have been juiced up a bit, making the Rare Corojo more readily available.

Punch is produced in the Villazon factory, a facility known for consistency and quality. The Rare Corojo is a step up from the traditional blend, featuring a rich, reddish Sumatra wrapper and robust tobaccos from Nicaragua, Honduras and the Dominican. Fresh out of the box, each cigar performs wonderfully. Slow, cool burns that run straight as an arrow and a draw that’s just right. The flavor, on the other hand, needs some time to mature.

Because of this, I forced myself to learn a little trick. Buy a box, sit on it for a year until the next release, then smoke it. In the meantime, buy a new box from the current production and repeat the process. It’s a chore, but worth it when you compare the flavor after a year-long nap. Given the right amount of time, these tobaccos marry to form a smooth, medium-bodied smoke that’s rich in hearty flavors, including subtle hints of wood and leather. The sharp, peppery notes mold into a subtle spice on the aftertaste, allowing me to appreciate the chewy flavors with each puff. Overall, it becomes better balanced, with a more gradual transition between flavors.

It’s inconvenient, and for that it suffers in the rating department. But, it won’t stop me from picking up a box each year.