Rocky Patel Edge Sumatra torpedo by Chad Vande Logt (May 8, 2011) The Rocky Patel Edge Sumatra torpedo consists of a rich Ecuadorian Sumatra wrapper, Nicaraguan binder, and a secret filler. It displays a moderately oily sheen with limited veins, and a slightly toothy wrapper. This is an attractive cigar with a solid construction. I used a guillotine cut to nip off the very end of the torpedo because the Edge cigars tend to be full body with a consistently excellent draw. A pre-light puff confirmed this, and begged me to use a long wooden match to take full advantage of the lighting ritual. I took one more sip of my ultra premium dark chocolate mocha espresso drink and decided to tackle this bad boy. I was pleasantly surprised with the intense flavor right off the bat. There was no getting to know u period with this cigar. There was a noticeable sweetness that developed into lingering black cherry notes which caused me to smack my chops so many times that my girlfriend began to poke fun of me. Then, in the middle portion of the cigar, she noted the a nice coco taste that I was attributing to my beverage. The end of the cigar proved too strong for the girlfriend, but caused me to sink ever so comfortable in my chair. I took my time with The Edge Sumatra and it burned flawlessly with a thin burn line and light resting smoke, leaving behind a beautiful tight white ash. This cigar has become my value cigar. There are numerous fine sticks out there, but few under ten dollars have impressed me as much as this one. Every seasoned smoker should experience this wonderful cigar. Padron 64 Anniversary Maduro by Chad Vande Logt (January 11, 2011) The Padron 64 Anniversary Maduro has been highly regarded since its initial offering in 1994 to celebrate Padron’s 30th anniversary. The 1964 Maduro is a humble looking box pressed Nicaraguan puro available in 10 sizes. The appearance is less than remarkable with a slightly dull and toothy wrapper. It is a modest looking cigar, dressed with a modest band, and presented in a modest box. Everything else about this cigar is remarkable. This med-full body cigar burned flawlessly from first puff to the band, and left behind a firm light gray ash which displayed every tooth and vein. A slight tug on the draw reminded me to slow down and appreciate how the sweetness developed as the flavor moved from coffee to cocoa, and finished with chocolate. The smoke mellowed out nicely and developed a creamy texture. I enjoyed this cigar on a late night in a peaceful setting with a good friend that I hadn’t seen in a while. I was reminded exactly why I love cigars. comment | |
Punch Punch Maduro by Peter (February 10, 2011) Each of us has a set of arbitrary parameters when it comes to choosing a cigar. Some use price as their primary criteria and shrug off the idea of ever spending more than $5 on a cigar. Others are dedicated to a shape, a taste, a manufacturer, or even a geographic area. Still others, a group into which most cigar smokers fall, are catholic in their tastes, flexible as to price range and partial to a limited number of specific cigars. They smoke often, enjoy several brands but find themselves buying and savoring their "fall back" cigar on a regular basis. The Punch Punch Maduro is one of my "fall back" cigars. Its taste and composition is consistent. It has an even burn, a firm ash and a smooth, medium robust flavor. It is a very enjoyable smoke, best enjoyed with conversation, chocolate, and coffee; on the best of days, all three. Wrapper - Connecticut broadleaf maduro | Filler - Honduran, Nicaraguan, Dominican | Country - Honduras | 
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First, full disclosure about your writer. I’ve been smoking cigars for about four years. I don’t necessarily have what you would call a discerning palette, but I do have a discerning wallet; and I know what I like. I sample a great variety of cigars, and have quickly moved from “light” cigars to more full bodied. All of my sampling is done while sat at Perfect Ash with friends. My beverage of choice with a cigar is root beer, which for me, just goes so very well with a cigar. If it's a Saturday morning cigar, then a cup of coffee will do just fine. Kristoff Maduro (by Robert, October 4, 2011) I love this cigar. Made by Exclusive Cigar, it is slightly above my normal (read, “frugal”) price point, but well worth the extra few dollars. The Kristoff has a slightly unique taste that is rich and very pleasant. It helps set my palate right again whenever it seems all cigars start tasting the same. It has a great draw and creates some lovely smoke, both of which are ever important to me. It also has a pigtail and can often be “cut” by simply twisting off the tail, which I also quite like. The Kristoff also has a shaggy foot that makes for an easy light and some interesting “first fire” effects. This Kristoff has a Brazilian Maduro wrapper that is pleasing both visually and to the touch; and has a pleasant taste that lingers, so much so that it can affect your next cigar in way that I found quite positive. Which, when you think about it (and assuming you really like this cigar), is pretty cool. Even the Maduro is considered medium strength, so while not for the novice it’s a cigar than certainly can be enjoyed by all but those weak-willed jack wagons from namby-pamby land. What others are saying: The Kristoff Maduro received consistently high marks from other reviewers and several noted that it has an “interesting” or “unique” taste. All liked the draw and some noted that the Churchill provides a nice, long smoke, which is very appreciated. Flavors were described as (drum roll, please): “woody – vegetal notes – sweet spice – salty notes – earthy – creamy – dark coffee – touches of cherry, dark chocolate, caramel, and cinnamon – nutty – peppery – pepper with toast – leather undertones – and so on and so forth. Strange but true, I know. One reviewer didn’t like it at all and thought it was dry and lacked any discernable flavor. He had smoked just one and I’m thinking it came from a rancid humidor, but that’s just my opinion. Wrapper - Brazilian Maduro | Binder – Orlor Dominican and Cuban Seed | Filler – Orlor Dominican, Cuban Seed, Nicaraguan Romeo & Julieta Habana Reserve Churchill Natural by Robert (February 14, 2011)Frequently advertised as the “most full-bodied Romeo y Julieta cigars ever” the Habana Reserve leans more toward medium than full, which probably says more about the other RyJ’s than anything else. The Habana Reserve was released in 2007, so they’ve been out there awhile. I didn’t quite know what to expect as I don’t usually smoke the Romeo y Julietas finding them too light, but I liked this cigar a lot. It was smooth and rich, perhaps a bit woody to sweet (I saw some describe it as slightly “floral” and for once thought, mmmm, perhaps that’s it!) It burned well producing just the right amount of smoke. It has a solid construction and while some recommend a punch cut, I used a straight cut and was very happy with that choice. This is another very good smoke for under $10 and I’ll definitely be adding this to my “rotation.” Other reviews consistently suggested the cigar is good, but not great, and some described problems with an inconsistent burn (it burned great for me). Some also called it “one dimensional” but I would call it consistent, not changing much throughout, and if you like the cigar you’ll probably be okay with that. Filler: Nicaragua and Honduras | Wrapper: Corojo (Nicaragua) | Ring Gauge: 54 Length 7” CA0's "the cigar that must not be named" by Robert (February 11, 2011)note - Since originally posting this review, we have been advised by the CAO rep that we must not name this cigar as they have a commendable policy of not engaging in "internet sales," and a zero tolerance for naming their very fine cigars on retail sites, even if it is only a cigar review or recommendation. So you'll just have to guess at which cigar this is or come on in and enjoy one! So the "mystery" review is still here, even if the cigar is not! Let me begin with my conclusion (that's just how we do things, sometimes) which is an emphatic, "WOW!" What a great cigar! I've smoked several of these now and each was better than the last, beginning to end fantastic. Nicely priced at under $10, this compares VERY favorably to other cigars in this price range and I enjoyed it much more than several on the far side or $10 - high praise, indeed! The wrapper is rich in appearance, dark and oily with a solid roll and tight cap. I used a punch cut on one and a straight cut on the others and think I prefer the straight cut for this one. The draw was excellent, which is important to me, and the smoke plentiful but not overwhelming. It was smooth tasting with a nice spice-to-peppery taste that I find very pleasant. It's also full bodied, but not so much so that you find yourself dizzy and reaching for a cold, damp towel (oh I've been there before!) Over time I may temper my endorsement as oft' happens when something new becomes something familiar, but for now, I give the La Traviata Maduro very high marks and would recommend it to anyone. Other Reviews: Most liked it, but not quite so much as I did. Some mentioned the taste of bittersweet chocolate, dark roasted coffee, as well as the oft-mentioned woody and earthy. Oak and leather were also referenced (I'm going to smoke a bit of leather one day, just so I recognize the taste). All agreed it was a fine cigar for the price, but some felt it lacked the complexity of a truly great cigar and prefered the original natural; which lead me to try the natural and I'll be sticking with the maduro, thank you very much. Wrapper: Connecticut Broadleaf | Binder: Cameroon | Filler: Nicaraguan & Dominican | Country: Nicaragua
Oliva Series “G” Maduro by Robert (February 6, 2011) Another very good cigar on the friendly side of $10, the Oliva Series “G” Maduro is a great smoke at a great price. I confess to being a bit biased toward Oliva cigars as I enjoy all of them, natural and maduro, Series G, O, and V. My taste is toward medium-full, and this cigar gives me that at a fair price. The Series “G” Maduro is a particularly rich, dark, oily cigar that is appealing to the eye, has a rich aroma, and a firm, well-built feeling in the hand. It also produces a good amount of smoke, which I like, and draws very well, which I love. The smoke is an enjoyable Nicaraguan spice and is pleasantly consistent throughout. The burn is even beginning to end, which is bonus-points for sure. Other reviews: I couldn’t find a bad review of these cigars, with praise ranging from “highly recommended” to “world class cigar.” Most claim to taste a chocolate (dark chocolate, even), coffee, and spice; I could taste the spice for sure. As for the rest, well, maybe. I know this - I like it and would recommend it to anyone. Benchmade by Robert (January 24, 2011) The Benchmade fits me perfectly, being medium to full and very reasonably priced at just over $5/stick here in Minnesota (the State tax accounting for the price disparity from other areas). They are handcrafted, created by Ashton and blended by Jose "Pepin" Garcia. They have a dark Nicaraguan wrap and filler, and a pig-tale end. It is a mix of long and short fill, holds together nicely and burns evenly. I like it because it draws well, produces some great smoke, and has a fine taste even though it may be a bit inconsistent from one stick to the next. It has no cap so I prefer the punch-cut (or you can twist the tail off and still get a nice draw). Using a straight cut makes for a very easy draw and assures you of a "quickie," if you like that sort of thing. Pepper is the most prominent flavor, especially early in the smoke. Then it settles down a bit to being a very fine, earthy smoke. It can sometimes get a little bitter if you smoke it down to the very end, but at the price it’s not too painful leave it be and move on.ML:NAMESPACE PREFIX = O /> Other reviews: Most others gave the Benchmade high marks, with one or two less favorable. A couple of people were truly in love with this cigar and thought it was the best thing since man discovered there can be more to sex than the missionary position. I wouldn’t go that far, but I do like it a lot and reach for it often. The Benchmade measures 5x50 in its Robusto size; 5.5x54 Gordo, 6x50 Toro, 6.5x46 Cazadores, and the 7x50 Churchill. | 
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