Reviews by Steve R

After tasting countless cigars and working hands on in the Oliva factory, Sam Leccia concluded that a cigar normally hits its ‘sweet spot’ within 3 to 4 inches of the burn. Therefore, one must invest a good amount of time with a cigar prior to being rewarded with its true character. So, Sam worked with the Oliva Cigar Family (maker’s of Serie ‘V’ and Serie ‘O’) and developed the Nub line: a variety of blends and sizes within the 4 inch range, with ring gauges ranging from 56 to 66. These cigars were engineered - using three wrapper varieties - to capture the essence of the blend from the get-go, rewarding you with the cigar’s sweet spot throughout the entire burn. Packaged in boxes of 24, each box contains the weight and burn time of the cigar, so you know exactly what’s in store.

Nub offers three blends. Cameroon, Connecticut, and Habano. Each blend offers four sizes - three are shared among all three blends, then a fourth that is specific to each blend. Clear as mud? Good. I’ve burned them all and can say each size in each blend offers an entirely unique bouquet and body. For that reason, I decided to do a vertical tasting of each blend...this time, it’s Nub Cameroon.

Nub 358 Cameroon: A nice, stout rothschild. Opens with a cool, creamy start. Hints of roasted nuts right off the bat with a toasty, cedary aroma. I sense a spice on the aftertaste, itching to come out and play. The aftertaste is dry and surprisingly crisp. An inch in, the spice can be felt through the nose. It’s short, like wasabi, but there. This size is preferred for those seeking the rich, nutty, and sometimes sweet flavors promoted by quality Cameroon wrapper leaf. It’s present throughout, despite the cigar's tendency to grow more intense.

Rating: 90

Nub 460 Cameroon: A slow starter that didn’t really grow any legs. This hefty vitola is smooth and mellow with some subtle notes of toast and nuts. There’s no real complexity here, which I find odd. The flavors are nice, but I am experiencing no changes, despite the medium to full-bodied profile.

Rating: 87

Nub 464 Torpedo Cameroon: A shapely torpedo with some definite weight when held in the palm of the hand. The foot shows signs of ligero. The opening is quite mellow, with a leathery component mingling with the cedary influence common to this blend. The wrapper is lending a really nice sweetness. Finish is a bit longer than other sizes, with some zest to boot. There’s some power behind this size, which is obvious from the get-go. Flavors are subtle, but smooth, balanced and linger long on the palate. A good, ‘get mellow’ cigar.

Rating: 88

Nub 466 Box-Press Torpedo Cameroonp: This sucker is heavy and boasts an impressive square-press. The opening is elegant, with a cool draw and sweet, toasty component. Tons of smoke coming from this vitola. I love the dry, nutty flavor. There’s even some salty-sweetness to it. Flavors slowly build during the burn, developing a dry, but pleasant touch of pepper. Strength remains a solid medium, however. Great anytime smoke.

Rating: 91

As I said in my last review, this is certainly no gimmick. Each size in Nub burns slower and cooler than most larger-sized vitolas, and come equipped with ample complexity. The Habano remains my favorite blend, but the Cameroon is most definitely legit, and you will find a nice supply of 466 Box-Press Torpedos in my humidor.

There is a lot to know about Nub, and I really do suggest giving this line a shot...and it’s not just because of its innovative twist on handmade premium cigars. Since it may be difficult to choose a size or blend, I created a nifty chart to quickly break down the entire line:

I highly recommend giving this variety of Nub, the Cameroon, a shot.

Unless you’ve been living under the rock the past 3 weeks, you’ve probably heard of the Nub. If not, here’s your crash course:

After tasting countless cigars and working hands on in the Oliva factory, Sam Leccia concluded that a cigar normally hits its ‘sweet spot’ within 3 to 4 inches of the burn. Therefore, one must invest a good amount of time with a cigar prior to being rewarded with its true character. So, Sam worked with the Oliva Cigar Family (maker’s of Serie ‘V’ and Serie ‘O’) and developed the Nub line: a variety of blends and sizes within the 4 inch range, with ring gauges ranging from 56 to 66. These cigars were engineered - using three wrapper varieties - to capture the essence of the blend from the get-go, rewarding you with the cigar’s sweet spot throughout the entire burn. Packaged in boxes of 24, each box contains the weight and burn time of the cigar, so you know exactly what’s in store.

Nub offers three blends. Cameroon, Connecticut, and Habano. Each blend offers four sizes - three are shared among all three blends, then a fourth that is specific to each blend. Clear as mud? Good. I’ve burned them all and can say each size in each blend offers an entirely unique bouquet and body. For that reason, I decided to do a vertical tasting of each blend...today, it’s Nub Habano.

Nub 358 Habano: The smallest vitola offered by Nub Habano. This size seems to be the least complex of the four, but offers a pleasant, straightforward flavor. Rich tobacco, some white pepper, and a smooth, smoky aftertaste. It did get a little hot with about an inch left, but burned like a pro. Medium-bodied. Lasted roughly 45 minutes.

Rating: 88

Nub 460 Habano: Chunky. Very complex, with a variety of flavor. It’s spicy up front, but quickly becomes rich and creamy, with good tobacco flavors. There’s a unique touch of almonds throughout. The finish is smoky and toasty. Great, spicy aroma. Thick clouds of smoke linger above. A solid smoke, sporting a firm white ash. Every bit of full-bodied. Lasted just over an hour.

Rating: 90

Nub 464 Torpedo Habano: A nice-looking torpedo. Opening is loaded with peanuts, with a short, refined aftertaste. Smoke becomes quite creamy after the first quarter of an inch. The Torpedo shape lends a balanced concentration of flavor that instantly coats the palate with a heavy, velvety texture, offering smooth notes of tobacco, oak, and toasted nuts. Smoke is much cooler. Perfect burn producing a white and grey, concrete-like ash. The build-up in strength is much more gradual in this size than with the rest. Overall, it is medium to full-bodied with a spice that grows more intense during the smoke. Lasted just over an hour. My favorite size.

Rating: 91

Nub 466 Habano: Holy cow this thing is huge and heavy in the hand. Had to hunt for a cutter capable of snipping the cap. Maybe a punch next time. A bit awkward with the mouth feel, but I got used to it quickly. Creamy and spicy opening, pumping out thick clouds of grey smoke. I notice a slightly metallic component in the beginning. The aftertaste gradually becomes nutty and spicy. Smoke is hearty, offering notes of earth, almonds, and leather. Full-bodied from the start with an even stronger finish, oh my. Flavors mellow midway only to become quite intense during the home stretch. Lasted just under an hour and 20 minutes.

Rating: 89

Ok, my head is officially spinning.

There is a lot to know about Nub, and I really do suggest giving this line a shot...and it’s not just because of its innovative twist on handmade premium cigars. Since it may be difficult to choose a size or blend, I created a nifty chart to quickly break down the entire line:

This is no gimmick, folks. These cigars burn slower and cooler than most churchills, with more complexity to boot. Nub is legit. Today’s makers are doing amazing things with great tobaccos, and Nub is launching our little hobby to the next level. The Habano is a home run in my book, and I will certainly be adding the 460 and 464 Torpedo to my regular rotation.

Just over 3 years ago, I wrote a review on the Arturo Fuente Double Chateau. If you haven’t read it, or would like to reference back, you can find it here. Despite being 2+ years old, this single review still (to this day) results in a constant stream of hate mail from diehard Fuente fans, in addition to in-depth debates with retail store customers. “How can you not like Fuente?” “You're insane, 'hater'!” “Your palate sucks!” “You’re an embarrassment to the cigar community!” I hear it all the time.

As a gesture of good faith, I am conducting a follow-up review of Arturo Fuente Gran Reserva (the standard Arturo Fuente) in the same size, Double Chateau. It’s a popular cigar and worth another shot. After all, my palate has evolved over the past 3 years, so things might be different. So...once and for all, let’s settle this.

The Double Chateau is a lighter, rustic looking cigar. The blonde Connecticut shade wrapper contains very little oils and a series of tiny veins running throughout the leaf. As expected, the Spanish cedar sleeve has created a sweet, cedary influence on the pre-light aroma. The barrel contains no soft spots, portraying a solid roll from head to toe.

Upon lighting, my palate is coated by a smooth creaminess that instantly begins to dissipate with each pull on the cigar. Shortly thereafter, the true nature of the blend begins to surface. Tobacco, toast and cedar. The aftertaste has a quick, metallic component, as if I bit into a piece of aluminum foil stuck on my food - sans the low-voltage electric shock. An inch and a half in and it’s clear this is a medium-bodied cigar, on the lighter side of the medium scale. The draw is nice and the flaky ash is still intact, but the cigar begins to burn a little crooked. Midway through, I notice a slightly grassy flavor is beginning to develop. Normally I would say this cigar could be young, but I am not picking up the bitterness of green tobacco. Hints of this flavor remain throughout the remainder of the burn, and often overpowers the faint notes of toast and cedar well. With an inch left, I put the cigar down and cut another.

The second cigar looked and smoked about the same. There was no metallic aftertaste, but the grassyness was definitely there. Like the aroma of fresh lawn clippings working its way through my sinuses and down the back of the palate. Not very appealing.

I don’t get it. Arturo Fuente is just not for me.

Just over 3 years ago, I wrote a review on the Arturo Fuente Double Chateau. If you haven’t read it, or would like to reference back, you can find it here. Despite being 2+ years old, this single review still (to this day) results in a constant stream of hate mail from diehard Fuente fans, in addition to in-depth debates with retail store customers. “How can you not like Fuente?” “You're insane, 'hater'!” “Your palate sucks!” “You’re an embarrassment to the cigar community!” I hear it all the time.

As a gesture of good faith, I am conducting a follow-up review of Arturo Fuente Gran Reserva (the standard Arturo Fuente) in the same size, Double Chateau. It’s a popular cigar and worth another shot. After all, my palate has evolved over the past 3 years, so things might be different. So...once and for all, let’s settle this.

The Double Chateau is a lighter, rustic looking cigar. The blonde Connecticut shade wrapper contains very little oils and a series of tiny veins running throughout the leaf. As expected, the Spanish cedar sleeve has created a sweet, cedary influence on the pre-light aroma. The barrel contains no soft spots, portraying a solid roll from head to toe.

Upon lighting, my palate is coated by a smooth creaminess that instantly begins to dissipate with each pull on the cigar. Shortly thereafter, the true nature of the blend begins to surface. Tobacco, toast and cedar. The aftertaste has a quick, metallic component, as if I bit into a piece of aluminum foil stuck on my food - sans the low-voltage electric shock. An inch and a half in and it’s clear this is a medium-bodied cigar, on the lighter side of the medium scale. The draw is nice and the flaky ash is still intact, but the cigar begins to burn a little crooked. Midway through, I notice a slightly grassy flavor is beginning to develop. Normally I would say this cigar could be young, but I am not picking up the bitterness of green tobacco. Hints of this flavor remain throughout the remainder of the burn, and often overpowers the faint notes of toast and cedar well. With an inch left, I put the cigar down and cut another.

The second cigar looked and smoked about the same. There was no metallic aftertaste, but the grassyness was definitely there. Like the aroma of fresh lawn clippings working its way through my sinuses and down the back of the palate. Not very appealing.

I don’t get it. Arturo Fuente is just not for me.

The first few months leading up to each RTDA include a massive influx of hype, whispers, ratings, reviews, and of course excitement. Each year, several cigars remain the focal point throughout the show. Whether they’re from CAO, Felipe Gregorio, Perdomo, or Rocky Patel...these are the cigars we’re all waiting to try. And so we hit the show floors with burned-out palates, ready to purchase all the cigars you, as an enthusiast, open our catalog hoping to find.

During this time, it’s easy for a cigar to fall short of our clouded, manipulated expectations. Today’s cigar makers are doing amazing things with tobacco, and we expect a lot out of them. This does not mean the cigar is ‘bad’ or undeserving of praise, but we often need to re-evaluate a cigar with an open mind in order to truly appreciate what it has to offer. On the other hand, some cigars are winners out of the gates. Such is the case with San Cristobal.

San Cristobal is a collaboration between Ashton and Jose ‘Don Pepin’ Garcia. It hails from Pepin’s Nicaraguan factory, and is comprised entirely of Nicaraguan tobaccos, including a dark Nicaraguan Corojo wrapper. Each cigar is fitted with a triple-cap in true Cuban fashion, and sports traditional sizes with a few extras betwixt.

The cigar is crafted well. Heavy in the hand, no soft spots, top-notch wrappers, and perfectly applied caps. Throughout the burn, I pick up a mixed bag of complex flavors. It opens with a robust, spiceness and morphs into a rich smoke with various notes of cedar, nuts, cocoa, and coffee. There’s even a little saltiness to the cigar that somehow fits. The flavors are smooth and balanced, hitting different parts of my palate as I roll the smoke around the inside of my mouth, and each puff finishes with a long aftertaste that hits the back of my palate in a bold, yet crisp manner. The flavors are pronounced, yet far from overwhelming, and manage to keep my mind off the full-bodied nature of the tobaccos at play. The aroma is that of sweet wood. The ash burns white and firm.

Try it.