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Flor
de Copan Rothschild
made in: Danli, Honduras
size : 5 x 50
wrapper: Honduras
filler : Nicaragua, Honduras
binder : Honduras
price : $3.75
Appearance = poor fair good outstanding perfect
Bobby: xx
Elon : xx
Lou : xx
Bobby said - Nice rich brown wrapper. A little veiny. Nice taste.
Elon said - Some rough spots with a few prominent veins - nice
colorado wrapper.
Lou said - Red brown, 1 pronounced vein, decent cap. Solidly
rolled. 1 small soft spot.
Construction = poor fair good outstanding perfect
Bobby: xx
Elon : xx
Lou : xx
Bobby said - Good solid construction. A little overpacked.
Kind of hard draw
Elon said - A few soft spots, otherwise a nicely built robusto.
Lou said - Only minor flaw in wrapper, otherwise fine
construction.
Burn = very uneven uneven even very even
Bobby: xx
Elon : xx
Lou : xx
Problems = runners tunneling got soft split/unraveled
Bobby:
Elon: [none reported by any taster]
Lou:
Ash Color = black dark grey light grey white
Bobby: xx
Elon : xx
Lou : xx
Ash Structure = flaky typical very solid
Bobby: xx
Elon : xx
Lou : xx -------- xx
Draw = too easy easy perfect tight plugged
Bobby: xx
Elon : xx
Lou : xx
Aroma = rank! poor fair good great
Bobby: xx
Elon : xx
Lou : xx
Smoked to = left>=1/2 1/3 to band <band nub
Bobby: xx
Elon : xx
Lou : xx
Strength = bland mild medium full powerful
Bobby: xx
Elon : xx --- xx
Lou : xx
Taste =
Bobby said - First bit of the cigar was flavorful in the smoke
but had a dry and slightly bitter aftertaste. Draw
lightened up after half an inch but still tight At
3/4 the flavor is still strong but the aftertaste
is better. Draw is much better now. The burn is
slightly uneven but still quite nice. At 1/2 the
burn and construction evened out. Great draw now
but still a bit dry and bitter aftertaste. Good
smoke rings. At 1/4 the burn is now very even but
there isn't much flavor left. The unpleasant
aftertaste is still present.
Elon said - Very nice medium bodied robusto. Noticed some
hints of Nicaraguan tobacco. Seemed to soften in
taste in the second half.
Lou said - Starts out cedary and medium bodied and moves to
full bodied. Full flavors and spicy. Fairly
complex. Finishes a bit on the dry side.
Overall Impression =
Bobby said - Reminds me of a typical Dominican/Nicaraguan blend.
Elon said - Prelight aroma delivered some spice to this cigar.
I'd like to try it with more age on it to see what
develops.
Lou said - Enjoyable, overall good smoke for the afternoon or
after dinner.
Would you recommend this cigar as one to try based on your
blind taste??? (Editors Note - remember these guys don't
have a clue what cigar they just smoked or what it costs.)
Bobby said - no
Elon said - yes
Lou said - yes
Flor
de Copan Rothschild
SCALE
YOWZA!!!
Great Smoke <--- Lou
Good Cigar <--- Elon
Decent/Worthy <--- Bobby
Ho-Hum
Blah...
Dog Rocket!
Editor's
2 Cents - The Flor de Copan is a new Honduran
line of cigars introduced by Consolidated Cigar Corporation in
1999. It is constructed in their Danli, Honduras factory and
is primarily a Honduran leaf blend with some Nicaraguan added
to the filler to add some complexity. This entire line is comprised
of only six different vitolas and all of them are of substantial
girth being 50+ in ring gauge size.
The Flor de Copan Rothschild is the smallest of the six
different shapes and is a classic robusto shape. These cigars
come wrapped in individual cedar sleeves and sports elegant rings
at both the head and foot. The Cuban seed wrapper is corduroy
brown with a definite red hue and the have a presentable appearance.
It has a great burn, smooth draw, rich aroma, and the smoke is
dense and rich with just the right amount of bite. Notes of cedar
are evident in the smoke and as our tasters noted it has a somewhat
dry finish. The slightly sweet notes of the Nicaraguan tobacco
help to add to the depth of this cigar.
Personally, I regard this as one of the best cigars Consolidated
has released in recent years particularly consider their reasonable
price tag. Although one of our tasters did not recommend it,
he still acknowledged it as a decent smoke. Overall the Flor
de Copan Rothschild is a good solid Honduran robusto that will
satisfy most smokers who prefer heavier bodied sticks. This cigar
is worth a try.
Bahia
Maduro Vintage Torpedo No. 2
made in: San Jose, Costa Rica
size : 6 1/2 x 54
wrapper: US Connecticut Broadleaf
filler : US Connecticut
binder : Nicaragua
price : $7.25 ea
Appearance = poor fair good outstanding perfect
Bobby: xx
Elon : xx
Lou : xx
Bobby said - Nice dark wrapper. Well made cigar. Slightly oily.
Elon said - At first glance I thought I had lucked out and
gotten either a very dark Monte Diplo or Upmann
#2! Dark, oily and rolled beautifully; prelight
aroma and lack of any signs of box press told me
otherwise, but I still liked what I saw.
Lou said - Nice looking torpedo, one prominent vein. Dark
wrapper w/minor flaws. Nice point on head.
Construction = poor fair good outstanding perfect
Bobby: xx
Elon : xx
Lou : xx
Bobby said - [no comment]
Elon said - One or two hard spots felt. Did have some problems
with wrapper splitting in a few spots. Otherwise,
very nice "meaty" cigar.
Lou said - Made fairly well. Started to burn uneven then
straightened out.
Burn = very uneven uneven even very even
Bobby: xx
Elon : xx (evened out in last 1/3)
Lou : xx
Problems = runners tunneling got soft split/unraveled
Bobby:
Elon : xx
Lou :
Ash Color = black dark grey light grey white
Bobby: xx
Elon : xx
Lou : xx
Ash Structure = flaky typical very solid
Bobby: xx
Elon : xx
Lou : xx
Draw = too easy easy perfect tight plugged
Bobby: xx
Elon : xx
Lou : xx
Aroma = rank! poor fair good great
Bobby: xx
Elon : xx
Lou : xx
Smoked to = left>=1/2 1/3 to band <band nub
Bobby: xx
Elon : xx
Lou : xx
Strength = bland mild medium full powerful
Bobby: xx
Elon : xx ---- xx
Lou : xx
Taste =
Bobby said - At 3/4 it started burning a bit uneven. Nice
robust flavor. At 1/2 the burn evened out. The
flavor is consistent. At 1/4, the ash is a
little flaky after tapping. The flavor has
been consistent throughout the entire cigar.
Elon said - Rich, full bodied and thick tasting! This was a
nubber. Not a Cuban, but in my book, it comes
close to that Habanos satisfaction I crave. May
seem too strong to the uninitiated.
Lou said - Lit up with a bit of bitterness that continues
part way. Some good flavors come through but gets
flat and milder in the last half with some
redeeming qualities in the end.
Overall Impression =
Bobby said - This reminds me of an LGC Torp.
Elon said - With some age, these could become excellent non-
Havana alternatives. Consistent taste regardless
of the burn and splitting problems.
Lou said - Has potential to be a better cigar. Maybe age
would help.
Would you recommend this cigar as one to try based on your
blind taste??? (Editors Note - remember these guys don't
have a clue what cigar they just smoked or what it costs.)
Bobby said - yes
Elon said - yes
Lou said - no
Bahia
Maduro Vintage Torpedo No. 2
SCALE
YOWZA!!!
Great Smoke <--- Bobby and Elon
Good Cigar
Decent/Worthy <--- Lou
Ho-Hum
Blah...
Dog Rocket!
Editor's
2 Cents - Bahia Cigars were launched in mid-1994
just on the leading edge of the cigar boom. Amongst the crowded
market of new cigars, Tony Borhani managed to establish a foothold
with both retailers and consumers that has allowed his Bahia
Cigars to survive beyond the boom. Considerable credit is due
Douglas Pueringer who manages their Costa Rican factory, Tabacalera
Tambor SA. "Don Douglas" continues to introduce new
intriguing blends into the market making it one of the more interesting
small cigar companies.
The Bahia Maduro Vintage Torpedo No. 2 is a prime example
of their cigars. It is a dark oily maduro figurado of considerable
size that is easy on the eye and has a great hand and mouth feel.
The burn is not as even as their parejos, but quite acceptable
and it produces a solid light grey ash. This cigar delivers a
rich earthy flavor with a slight sweetness that leaves a pleasing
finish against the palate. Overall this cigar is of medium body
and proves to be very consistent in flavor and super smooth from
start to finish. Some may find it too mellow a smoke, however
I enjoy its easygoing nature.
Okay, now that I have said all the good stuff it is time
for the downside: The price... $7.50 is simply too high for a
broadleaf cigar in my opinion. In fact this comment is true of
all Bahia cigars in general; their retail prices are simply too
expensive and regretfully this may prove to be this brand's thorn
as the market continues to slow and other brands' prices continue
to fall. Regardless, I consider the Bahia Maduro Vintage to be
a tasty blend, and well worth trying if you're a fan of maduro
smokes.
Cusano
Estate Reserve Perfecto
made in: Santiago, Dominican Republic
size : 6 x 54/42
wrapper: US Connecticut Shade
filler : Dominican Republic
price : $5.95
Appearance = poor fair good outstanding perfect
Bobby: xx
Elon : xx
Lou : xx
Bobby said - Nice creamy brown wrapper. Nice and oily. A few
stems definable in wrapper.
Elon said - Very light shade wrapper on this funky looking
perfecto. A few notably coarse veins.
Lou said - A bumpy looking figurado with a very light brittle
conn. shade wrapper.
Construction = poor fair good outstanding perfect
Bobby: xx
Elon : xx
Lou : xx
Bobby said - Nearly perfect except for two stems on the edge.
Ash was a little flaky, not much, just a bit.
Elon said - Very fragile wrapper, it cracked under the
slightest pressure. Some hard spots were noted
throughout.
Lou said - Has some major problems that effect the overall
enjoyment of this cigar.
Burn = very uneven uneven even very even
Bobby: xx
Elon : xx
Lou : xx
Problems = runners tunneling got soft split/unraveled
Bobby:
Elon :
Lou : xx
Ash Color = black dark grey light grey white
Bobby: xx
Elon : xx
Lou : xx
Ash Structure = flaky typical very solid
Bobby: xx
Elon : xx
Lou : xx
Draw = too easy easy perfect tight plugged
Bobby: xx
Elon : xx
Lou : xx
Aroma = rank! poor fair good great
Bobby: xx
Elon : xx
Lou : xx
Smoked to = left>=1/2 1/3 to band <band nub
Bobby: xx
Elon : xx
Lou : xx
Strength = bland mild medium full powerful
Bobby: xx
Elon : xx
Lou : xx
Taste =
Bobby said - At 3/4, nice and flavorful cigar. Not particularly
strong, but quite pleasant. At 1/2, flavor and
construction have remained consistent. At 1/4,
exactly the same as at 1/2. At nub still nice.
Flavor has not changed at all. This was a
beautifully made cigar. It is a bit on the middle
of the road side in terms of strength, but very nice.
Elon said - From the wrapper and prelight aroma, I expected a
light Dominican smoke. While I expect most
perfectos to have an initial kick due to the
closed conical foot, this one started with a bite
that never developed into anything else! No other
distinct flavors appeared beyond the burn I felt
on my tongue and then the cigar died out to bland
hot air!
Lou said - Fairly mild cigar and had more flavor than
expected. Has a bit of an ammonia aroma/taste, but
not overpowering. Maybe needs some age.
Overall Impression =
Bobby said - Nice flavorful smoke. Reminds me of a Honduran Hoyo.
Elon said - Perhaps it's the shape, maybe the blend, but this
one is way out of balance!
Lou said - Could not determine what it was from appearance.
Better than expected, but needs to overcome
construction problems.
Would you recommend this cigar as one to try based on your
blind taste??? (Editors Note - remember these guys don't
have a clue what cigar they just smoked or what it costs.)
Bobby said - yes
Elon said - no
Lou said - no
Cusano
Estate Reserve Perfecto
SCALE
YOWZA!!!
Great Smoke <--- Bobby
Good Cigar
Decent/Worthy
Ho-Hum <--- Lou
Blah... <--- Elon
Dog Rocket!
Editor's
2 Cents - The Cusano brand of cigars was
introduced by DomRey Cigars in 1996. The brand's namesake and
owner, Michael Cusano, works tirelessly to promote his small
line of cigars to retailers and smokers nationwide. Currently
there are four different blends in the brand, the Cusano Hermanos,
the Cusano Selection, the Cusano Vintage, and the Cusano Estate
Reserve.
The Cusano Estate Reserve is a reportedly a very limited
blend with only 500 boxes being produced each month in the Dominican
Republic. It is the product of four different tobaccos and comes
wrapped in top-notch golden brown Connecticut Shade wrapper.
Although our tasters were less than impressed, I find the appearance
and construction of this Perfecto to be quite good. The draw
is easy and its aroma is delicate, yet satisfying. It is a mild
smoke with a flavorful balance of wood and nut. If you are use
to smoking heavier cigars, you have to be careful to not smoke
it too fast as it will become acrid and grassy. However, if you
allow this cigar to develop slowly it will reward you with a
tasty mild smoke that rivals any of the Shade wrapped Dominican
cigars on the market.
I found the tasters' comments regarding this cigar to
be particularly interesting and classic. Both Elon and Lou disliked
this cigar which is an almost universal response from those smokers
who favor heavier fuller bodied cigars. However I know for a
fact that Bobby also tends to prefer stronger cigars, yet he
appreciated this vitola for being a well-blended mild cigar.
Most tasters can not separate their own individual likes and
dislikes when rating a cigar, so I extend my kudos to Bobby for
doing so. For those of you who enjoy milder cigars, I recommend
the Cusano Estate Reserve Perfecto as one to try.
Habana
Hoyo de Monterrey Epicure No. 2
made in: Havana, Cuba
size : 4 7/8 x 50
wrapper: Cuba
filler : Cuba
binder : Cuba
price : $11.25
Appearance = poor fair good outstanding perfect
Bobby: xx
Elon : xx
Lou : xx
Bobby said - Nice silky wrapper. Some odd bumps in the binder.
Draws like a dream before lighting.
Elon said - Beautifully oily silky wrapper with a very nice
triple cap. No evidence of a box press on this
robusto, which leads me to think a Cabinet
Selection Island Robusto!
Lou said - Decent looking Cuban robusto. Medium brown, dry
looking wrapper with some tooth and very small
veins.
Construction = poor fair good outstanding perfect
Bobby: xx
Elon : xx
Lou :
Bobby said - Feels well constructed before lighting. Keeps the
feel throughout.
Elon said - Very typical Cuban robusto - no hard or soft spots
noted with a very nice seemless roll.
Lou said - Nice looking cigar with nice triple cap. No
contradiction problems detected.
Burn = very uneven uneven even very even
Bobby: xx
Elon : xx
Lou : xx
Problems = runners tunneling got soft split/unraveled
Bobby: xx
Elon : xx (a few times)
Lou :
Ash Color = black dark grey light grey white
Bobby: xx
Elon : xx
Lou : xx
Ash Structure = flaky typical very solid
Bobby: xx
Elon : xx!
Lou : xx
Draw = too easy easy perfect tight plugged
Bobby: xx
Elon : xx
Lou : xx
Aroma = rank! poor fair good great
Bobby: xx
Elon : xx
Lou : xx
Smoked to = left>=1/2 1/3 to band <band nub
Bobby: xx
Elon : xx
Lou : xx
Strength = bland mild medium full powerful
Bobby: xx
Elon : xx
Lou : xx ---- xx
Taste =
Bobby said - Before Lighting: Has characteristics of some of
the stronger cigars I smoke. Initial Lighting:
Damn. I hope it stays this flavorful. A wacky
canoe has started and the aroma is slightly acrid
but there has got to be a huge amount of ligero in
this. At 3/4, no longer canoeing but still has a
bit of a runner going. Still very very strong
flavor and blowing great smoke rings. At 1/2,
after ashing, a coal stuck out of the middle that
you could toast a marshmallow over. It has kind of
a raw strength that might lend itself to aging. At
1/4, totally evened out. Mellowed just a bit but
still has great strength.
Elon said - Started out a bit strong then mellowed out to a
nice medium Havana taste profile, with medium
body. Unfortunately the wrapper developed multiple
cracks and peels throughout the smoke, but I was
able to fix them with a little spit - (hey it's my
cigar, so who cares if I use saliva!)
Lou said - Medium to full bodied, straight forward spicy
flavors. Moderately complex with a long finish.
Definite Cuban buzz! Aging should make even better.
Overall Impression =
Bobby said - Do not smoke this on an empty stomach.
Elon said - A very nice mild to medium Havana robusto,
definitely an early day smoke. Could this be a
Juan Lopez 2 or Epi 2?
Lou said - Great Cuban smoke - possibly an ERDM Choix Supreme???
Would you recommend this cigar as one to try based on your
blind taste??? (Editors Note - remember these guys don't
have a clue what cigar they just smoked or what it costs.)
Bobby said - yes
Elon said - yes
Lou said - yes
Habana
Hoyo de Monterrey Epicure No. 2
SCALE
YOWZA!!!
Great Smoke <--- Bobby, Elon, & Lou
Good Cigar
Decent/Worthy
Ho-Hum
Blah...
Dog Rocket!
Editor's
2 Cents - The Hoyo de Monterrey marquee was
established in Havana in 1865 by Jose Gener. The brand is named
for Sr. Gener's vega in San Juan y Martinez of the Vuelta Abajo
region of Cuba. "Hoyo" translates roughly to mean "valley"
or "low" spot referring to the fertile land on which
his tobacco plantation rests. The vega remains in operation today
and continues to produce tobaccos for use in Cuban cigars.
The Havana Hoyo de Monterrey Epicure No. 2 is an unassuming
Cuban robusto that lives under the shadow of its famous big brother,
the Hoyo de Monterrey Double Corona. Well if you don't know,
I am about to let you in on a secret. While the glossy 4-color
magazines tout how amazing a smoke the Double Corona is, hardcore
Habana smokers know the real deal is in the unassuming unbanded
Epi #2. At a third the price and being much easier to find, this
vitola delivers one of the best smoking experiences ever. A complex
blend of tempered flavors that are smooth and creamy on the palate.
Although still medium bodied, this cigar possesses far more zip
than the DC overall - in fact, I find the first half of the DC
to be boring while the second half is great. Smoking an Epicure
No. 2 is like getting to the good part from start.
All three of our tasters enjoyed this cigar's spicy richness.
One of the most appealing qualities of this robusto is it manages
to strike just the right balance between strength and body. I
find that both novice smokers and seasoned veterans enjoy this
smoke immensely. These vitolas are a staple of any well-stocked
humidor containing Havana cigars. The Havana HdM Epicure No.
2 is a "must try" cigar for all lovers of the leaf.
Felipe
Gregorio Suntouso
made in: Danli, Honduras
size : 7 x 48
wrapper: Honduras
filler : Honduras
binder : Honduras
price : $8.95
Appearance = poor fair good outstanding perfect
Bobby: xx
Elon : xx
Lou : xx
Bobby said - Oily and silky wrapper. Nice firm cigar
Elon said - Not the prettiest in the lot, this churchill had a
notable curve in its length. The hideous cap
reminded me of a bad toupee applied by someone
without opposable thumbs! Toupee? Perhaps this is
the elusive Burt Reynolds cigar!
Lou said - Good looking medium brown churchill.
Construction = poor fair good outstanding perfect
Bobby: xx
Elon : xx --- xx
Lou : xx
Bobby said - [no comment]
Elon said - Felt tight from head to toe. The bend in the
middle was... intriguing.
Lou said - Made very well with just one firm spot near the
head. Did not affect the draw.
Burn = very uneven uneven even very even
Bobby: xx
Elon : xx
Lou : xx
Problems = runners tunneling got soft split/unraveled
Bobby:
Elon: [none reported by any taster]
Lou:
Ash Color = black dark grey light grey white
Bobby: xx
Elon : xx
Lou : xx
Ash Structure = flaky typical very solid
Bobby: xx
Elon : xx
Lou : xx
Draw = too easy easy perfect tight plugged
Bobby: xx
Elon : xx
Lou : xx
Aroma = rank! poor fair good great
Bobby: xx
Elon : xx
Lou : xx
Smoked to = left>=1/2 1/3 to band <band nub
Bobby: xx
Elon : xx
Lou : xx
Strength = bland mild medium full powerful
Bobby: xx
Elon :
Lou : xx ---- xx
Taste =
Bobby said - Initial Light: Kind of an odd aftertaste with
those first few puffs. At 3/4, flavor is still
fairly mild. It's a nice cigar, just mild. Good
construction even though the burn is a tad uneven.
At 1/2, this is a beautiful cigar from a purely
aesthetic view, it's just a bit mild for my
tastes. At 1/4, got real spongy. Bitter taste.
Cigar became very hot. Not pleasant at all.
Elon said - The prelight taste reminded me of the vermiculite
my mother used to pot her plants with, mixed with
lawn clippings. Upon lighting, this cigar was
absolutely foul! Tasted worse than it smelled. I
had to let it go out after 10 minutes and
physically remove it from my Casa del Drekano in
fear that I would never get the smell out. I even
gargled and changed my clothes before returning to
salvage night with a good cigar.
Lou said - Started out with a decent burst of flavor then
mellowed out quite a bit. Slight hints of cedar,
but finishes very flat.
Overall Impression =
Bobby said - Pretty mellow cigar until the last 1/4 and then it
became quite awful.
Elon said - Be afraid - be very afraid!
Lou said - To me just another mediocre smoke. Ok for
afternoon. Nothing special.
Would you recommend this cigar as one to try based on your
blind taste??? (Editors Note - remember these guys don't
have a clue what cigar they just smoked or what it costs.)
Bobby said - no
Elon said - no
Lou said - no
Felipe
Gregorio Suntouso
SCALE
YOWZA!!!
Great Smoke
Good Cigar
Decent/Worthy
Ho-Hum <--- Bobby & Lou
Blah...
Dog Rocket! <--- Elon
Editor's
2 Cents - The Felipe Gregorio brand of cigars
are puros from which all the tobaccos are selected from one plantation
in the famed Honduran Jamastram valley. The brand is named for
their owner and has been in production since 1992. Although a
small line, its six different vitolas encompass the classic sizes
from corona to double corona.
The Suntouso is a churchill-sized parejo with a ruddy
brown wrapper. As I sorted through a variety of samples I found
some that were oily while others were dry and lifeless in appearance.
The same variation held true for the construction with some being
well constructed and others being less so. I smoked at least
a dozen cigars, which I secured from three different retailers,
for this review's sake. I can say unequivocally that these churchills
are mediocre at best, and many times, simply dreadful. Some of
them were mellow medium bodied smokes with little flavor or depth
that finished flat while others were putrid and sour against
the palate. One thing that was consistent though was their undesirable
aroma.
I really regret having to give this cigar such a poor
review because four years ago this was one of those cigars I
was highly recommending as "one to try." I don't know
what happen, but whatever did is certainly bad for the blend
and this cigar in particular. Add into the equation the price
of nearly $9 a stick and the Felipe Gregorio Suntouso is not
only a cigar I no longer recommend, but now it is one I suggest
you avoid.
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