Reviews by Steve R

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.

Nick Perdomo is widely known for his super-high-end handmades, including Edicion de Silvio, ESV '91 and the amazing La Tradicion series. However, some of our top-selling brands happen to be his value-priced blends, like Slow-Aged Lot 826 and Tierra del Sol. It's clear, Tabacalera Perdomo can craft a top-notch smoke for enthusiasts of all shapes, sizes and incomes. He furthers this point with Perdomo Lot 23, a beautiful Nicaraguan blend with a generous, middle of the road price point.

Here’s the scoop. Perdomo Lot 23 is named after a small farm owned by Nick Perdomo. On this farm, every leaf of tobacco found in every Lot 23 cigar is grown. One may think, so what’s the big deal? In the words of Nick himself, “lemme tell ya something...” The luxury of using tobaccos from multiple farms aids consistency. If a certain crop from one farm is bad or doesn’t provide the color, quality or flavor needed to make a particular cigar, the maker can easily use leaves grown from another farm to deliver the same experience you’ve become accustomed to. Nick does not have this luxury with Lot 23, but his strict quality control measures combined with an uncanny ability to grow superior tobaccos with each crop more than make up for it.

If you haven’t figured it out by now, I thoroughly enjoy Perdomo Lot 23. I’ve burned my way through two boxes and am currently 8 cigars into my third. (The price point makes this pleasantly cumbersome habit quite convenient – more on that later.) Each cigar has performed perfectly. A perfect draw, razor sharp burn, smooth, cool flavor and amazing consistency. Every cigar has been medium-bodied from start to finish, coating my palate with rich, creamy flavors. Peanuts and light espresso are apparent, with a subtle earthiness at the end. No twists and turns here, just a solid, straightforward flavor that’s far from boring. This truly is a cigar you can puff on all day long; believe me, I’ve been doing it for weeks.

The best thing about Lot 23 is the price. The MSRP ranges from $4.25 to $5 a stick! Of course, we then sell it for even less. Because of this, Perdomo Lot 23 scores huge points in my book.

Davidoff is a name that needs no introduction. Whether you’ve managed to pony up the dough and buy one for yourself or not, there’s no doubt you’ve heard the name at least a hundred times over. Davidoff, founded by the late Zino Davidoff, is a symbol of pleasure and the good life. Well, naturally...you have to have a ‘good life’ to enjoy a Davidoff cigar with any type of regularity.

I think I have a pretty good life. I work for the greatest cigar retail company on earth and enjoy a wide variety of premium, hand-rolled cigars from around the world on a daily basis. And, it’s part of my job description to do so. But, I am always open to bettering my quality of life, so I decided to see if Zino Davidoff could help me out with his Zino Platinum.

I purchased a ‘drum’ of Zino Platinum Scepter Series in the Grand Master size. A stout, 5.5” x 52 robusto shape wrapped in a shimmering Connecticut-seed leaf from Ecuador. This wrapper is exceptionally smooth with small veins and a nice, caramel hue. Inside, the Dominican and Peruvian long-fillers give off a sweet, but subtle aroma. The flavor opens nicely, smooth and woody. These woody (I’d say cedary) undertones dominate throughout the smoke. A hint of white pepper develops on the aftertaste about an inch in, welcoming my taste buds to Peru. This aftertaste diminishes within just a few seconds after each puff, but remains a prominent element of the cigar’s flavor profile until the end. The aroma is soft and pleasant, filling the office along with thick, billowing clouds of white smoke overhead. Strength...it hardly grows beyond the upper tier of gentle, while the flavors neither grow more intense, nor change. It's like a perfect dive in the Olympics losing points for a big splash on entry. The potential was there.

I’ve burned my way through half the drum over the past 3 days, and each Grand Master has performed in the same manner. Incredible consistency, one which smooth-bodied fans will drool over and appreciate after each cigar. Me, I just wanted more...something magical to happen. Don’t get me wrong. I won’t hesitate to finish the drum and will enjoy the Scepter Series for what it is: an elegant, smooth-bodied cigar. But, I also know this cigar will not do a hearty meal or tough day at the office justice. If you’re a fan of Macanudo, consider this a well-deserved step up in the food chain. If you’re like me and want to be “wow’d”, seek elsewhere.

As per the usual, the Thanksgiving holiday called for an onslaught of primo cigars. Top-notch, full-bodied premiums that could stand up to my traditional (and supernatural) display of utter gluttony. Naturally, my favorites were chosen…Edicion de Silvio, Gurkha Centurian Double-X, Graycliff Espresso; the whole 9 yards. This year, a newcomer made the cut. 601 Serie, a cigar from the makers of REO and Vibe made in Nicaragua by Jose ‘Pepin’ Garcia, the creator of Don Pepin Garcia cigars, 5 Vegas Miami, and Tatuaje.

601 Serie is a gorgeous cigar, one I instantly fell in love with in Las Vegas, celebrating its release. This beauty is good, plain and simple. It comes in two varieties, a dark, silky Connecticut-seed wrapper from Ecuador and a darker, toothy Habano-seed wrapper grown in Nicaragua. Each is fully loaded with Habano-seed Nicaraguan long-fillers, a longtime favorite of Pepin.

I chose the Habano-seed. Not because it’s stronger, because believe me, the Connecticut blend definitely has a lot of kick. I just love the flavor of Pepin’s Habano-seed wrappers. Rich, toasty and earthy, these cigars always smoke smooth and delicious right down to the very last puff. Although the tobaccos used are primarily the same leaves found in Tatuaje, the flavor is very different. Once you pick up the gentle sweetness on the aftertaste, you’ll see what I mean. The smoke fills your mouth in velvety fashion, coating it with rich, robust flavors. The ash is bright white and firm, holding strong until the midway point, where I had to help it off into the ashtray. The cigar was full-bodied, relaxing my aching stomach after thoroughly abusing it just 2 hours prior. Perfect. I didn’t want it to end. But, they made more than one, so I’ll surely be back for seconds, thirds, and so on.

I had a lot to be thankful for this past Thanksgiving. My family and loved ones, my beautiful fiance, our brave soldiers abroad, the incredible meal that was prepared for me and of course, a divine selection of handmade cigars. 601 Serie was a wonderful toast to end the celebration.