Reviews by Steve R

I decided to fire it up over the weekend. I couldn’t help myself. The year long nap caused the natural oils to soak through the wrapper covering it with toothy crystals. The pre-light aroma told me that the tobaccos picked up some influence from my humidor’s cedar. Sold. Although I didn’t know what to expect, my expectations rose each time I took a whiff before sparking up. Considering Cu*Avana is a gentler cigar. The first few minutes were surprising - off the bat, it produced a flavorful burst that quickly filled my entire palate. My confusion was soon put to rest as the aged blend of Dominican long-fillers came through with a smooth, deliberate flavor backed by mellow hints of cedar. Although these flavors were enjoyable, the wrapper easily takes the cake. It’s thick, juicy and adds a rich sweetness to the mix that proved to be extremely pleasant. An hour’s worth of enjoyment is the best way to explain this cigar.

The Cu*Avana Maduro surprised me for two reasons:

1. It’s smooth, and I liked it.
2. Whenever I see a dark, oily wrapper I always keep a lighter on hand to touchup any uneven burns. But not only did this thing burn evenly, it burned sloooow and super cool.

I guess I shouldn’t have expected anything less from Manuel Quesada. After all, the man did make the original Dominican Romeo y Julieta and is the mastermind behind Fonseca. He took a thick Connecticut Broadleaf maduro, densely packed it with as much Dominican tobacco as humanly possible, aged it just right and came out with a pleasant smooth - bodied cigar that rivals Macanudo and Ashton, at $2-$3 a stick no less.

Fortunately for me, my every day brand has just what I need and it's called the Anomaly. I always thought Anomaly was a funny name, since I see the word in a negative light. But, ironically enough, it fits perfectly. Within the 5 Vegas Series 'A' line you will find five sizes. Four are standard, 50+ ring parejos. And then, there's the Anomaly: a small, 4.5” x 44 petite corona – when putting this cigar next to the rest one might think it'll have the least amount of flavor. But the amazing part is, after reviewing each size over and over, I constantly find this size to be the spiciest, and fullest (in both flavor and strength) of the bunch. Instantly upon lighting one up, a fiery assault of pepper hits the palate leaving your taste buds tingling after each puff. Although enjoyable, this assault tones down a bit, giving way to a rich toastiness, reminding me of the seared edges of a well-done steak. Weird, I know, but it's good nonetheless. Especially considering I like my steak as red as possibly. About midway through, an unexpected nicotine buzz relaxes me and fills my belly, leading into a robust (but oh-so smooth) finish filled with an explosion of rich, toasty notes and spice. A delicious and satisfying 20-minute investment of your time.

Bottom line, good things come in little packages and this Anomaly has become the ultimate bang for the buck this winter.

When paying this much for a cigar, I expect a lot. Especially when the band on the cigar says Montecristo, the brand regarded to be the best in the world. I’ll admit, they’re made well, are insanely consistent, and look good in and out of the box…but, I just don’t see the attraction with this new White Label. The ‘brown band’ Dominican is good, if you’re a fan of mellow, dependable smokes. I prefer medium to full, and the new White Label is considered just that, so I bit the bullet and bought a fiver of the No. 2 Torpedos. I’ve smoked each sample and I’ve got to say, it disappoints me. It’s smooth, somewhat flavorful, and slightly stronger than the traditional Monte, but it just didn’t WOW me like I was hoping. The Nicaraguan and Dominican fillers promote a cedary flavor that smokes smooth, yet remains one-dimensional throughout the burn. Also, the Ecuadorian-grown Connecticut wrapper doesn’t promote the robust flavor and strength that I expected. In all, it’s a well-made, good-looking premium that doesn’t do it for me.

I’d recommend this cigar to those looking for a well-made, quality cigar with a lot of money to burn. Or, if you’re looking to impress your friends that smoke cigars based on the band, this is a great choice. No doubt the name and the price tag that comes along with it will raise a few eyebrows. As for me, I taste the cigar, not the band, so I’ll be sticking with my current favorites for now.

My first sample was at the RTDA in New Orleans. After stopping by the Cusano booth for breakfast (in the form of a c10 Crown Corona), I felt I was ready to tackle the new Bolivar 2005. And so, we met with Marky-Mark, our favorite rep from General Cigar to have a sit down while burning through a sample or two. By looks alone, this new cigar could make a newbie run and hide. Dark, thick-ring, straight-barrel parejos adorn with the legendary Bolivar name. You instantly think you’re about to take a puff off the action end of a loaded shotgun. But fear not, this dog’s bite is not nearly as loud as its bark. While the flavor is nice, woody and sweet on the aftertaste, the smoke itself is a lot tamer than expected. A medium-bodied cigar from start to finish. No explosive introductions. No gradual buildup in intensity. No grand finale. I left my first sample in the ashtray feeling cheated and unfulfilled.

Fortunately, now that I know what to expect out of this cigar, I’ve come to enjoy it more. The construction is nice, delivering a solid performance with every burn, and the Nicaraguan and Dominican blend of long-fillers present a well-balanced, pleasant flavor that just about anybody can appreciate. It’s medium in strength and a super-slow-burner, making for a long-lasting experience. Unfortunately, it’s not the Bolivar I had hoped for. Maybe I just expect too much.

Ok, let’s get one thing straight right off the bat. This cigar is gorgeous. It has a pale, silky Connecticut shade wrapper that’s been flawlessly applied. The initial spark produces a pleasant aroma. A little woody, and very mellow. Right off the bat, the smoke fills my mouth with a thick, velvety texture that seems to coat my palate. The flavors are creamy and gentle. I notice a cedary-ness that’s complemented nicely with some spice. Not too much though, not as much as your ordinary Kaizad handmade. Considering his Centurian is one of my favorite cigars, I am not used to this. It uses a powerful, all-Dominican blend of filler leaves, which makes me expect a rich, rich flavor. It’s rich, yes, but not Perdomo or Indian Tabac rich. Truth be told, it smokes like an Avo or Davidoff, and I actually forgot what I was smoking halfway through. It’s pretty mellow, with a distinct creaminess that offers hints of wood and nuts. I think I found a new smooth recommendation for my ‘not so price sensitive’ customers. Just one recommendation though. Store them at about 65% percent. The thick filler leaves absorb a lot of moisture that can lead to a funny burn. Other than that, this pretty girl gets the homecoming crown!