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JR
Ultimate Padron Natural
made in: Cofradia, Honduras
size : 6 x 54
wrapper: Honduras
filler : Honduras
binder : Honduras
price : $4.00
Appearance = poor fair good outstanding perfect
Rene: xx
Gary: xx
Joel: xx
Rene said - Wrapper is nice & smooth with no large veins. A bit
of sheen adds to the attractiveness of the cigar.
Gary said - A fairly dry wrapper mottled with green splotches.
Nice cap, no soft spots.
Joel said - Toro sized, medium brown, possibly EMS. A handsome
looking cigar with a bit of an oily sheen.
Construction = poor fair good outstanding perfect
Rene: xx
Gary: xx
Joel: xx
Rene said - Looks well made; the cap is very nice. Wrapper is
very thin. About 1" up from the foot there is a
soft spot, suggesting it may be under-filled here.
Gary said - Seems to be a nicely rolled cigar.
Joel said - An edge of the cap had lifted slightly. Well fitted
and rolled. No soft spots.
Burn = very uneven uneven even very even
Rene: xx
Gary: xx
Joel: xx
Problems = runners tunneling got soft split/unraveled
Rene: xx
Gary:
Joel: xx
Ash Color = black dark grey light grey white
Rene: xx
Gary: xx
Joel: xx
Ash Structure = flaky typical very solid
Rene: xx
Gary: xx
Joel: xx
Draw = too easy easy perfect tight plugged
Rene: xx
Gary: xx
Joel: xx
Aroma = rank! poor fair good great
Rene: xx
Gary: xx
Joel: xx
Smoked to = left>=1/2 1/3 to band <band nub
Rene:
Gary: xx
Joel: xx
Strength = bland mild medium full powerful
Rene: xx
Gary: xx ---- xx
Joel: xx
Taste =
Rene said - Starts out very smooth with some wood notes. Smoke
volume was perfect & it had a nice lingering
finish. About where the soft spot was the flavor
"drops out." There is actually a visible void with
very little tobacco from this point on up another
1" or so. After passing this void the flavor picks
up again with a bit of spice.
Gary said - Started with a nice spicy rush. Tastes like a
Central American cigar. After the first inch it
Settled into a smooth, slightly spicy Nic/Hon
taste. Got a bit better in the last two inches.
Joel said - The first few puffs were peppery/spicy with a hint
of cedar. The pepper was soon replaced by a creamy
taste. There was not much of a finish. The cigar
produces a lot of dense smoke. 2 small splits
developed in the wrapper, but they didn't affect
anything. The cedary note re-emerged in the final
1/3 of the cigar, mild pleasant aftertaste.
Overall Impression =
Rene said - The cigar started out promising, but the black hole
that ate up the flavor diminished the enjoyment of
this cigar somewhat.
Gary said - Good cigar for those who like Nic/Hon smokes. If it
had been a bit stronger, I'd give it a higher
rating. Reminded me of CAO Gold.
Joel said - A pleasant, mild cigar. Suited for people that like
mild, smooth smokes. Not for devotees of strong or
complex cigars.
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.)
Rene said - no
Gary said - yes
Joel said - yes
JR Ultimate Padron Natural
SCALE
YOWZA!!!
Great Smoke
Good Cigar <--- Gary
Decent/Worthy <--- Joel
Ho-Hum <--- Rene
Blah...
Dog Rocket!
Editor's
2 Cents - The JR Ultimate is made by Villazon
on behalf of Lew Rothman and JR Tobacco as their personal house
brand. It consists of thirteen different sizes, is available
in a wide array of wrappers, and is allowed to age one full year
before being sold. This cigar is a favorite amongst serious cigar
smoking consumers all over the world.
The JR Ultimate Padron is the cigar that I consider the
benchmark size of the entire line. It is named in honor of Villazon's
master cigar maker, Estelo Padron. This wide toro comes sleeved
in cedar and has an excellent hand and mouth feel. It is extremely
well made and offers the smoker unending mouthfuls of dense,
almost chewy, smoke. The bitter sweetness of the cedar can be
tasted on the wrapper, but the bulk of the flavor is a robust
earthy taste true to is puro origins with a excellent spicy finish.
Although full bodied, this stout cigar remains smooth from the
beginning to the end. This vitola is blended with the hardcore
cigar smoker in mind.
All three of our tasters rated this cigar as mild, which
honestly leaves me slightly bewildered. Someone needs to sit
down with them and force feed them a diet of Macanudos, Por Larranagas,
and Ashtons for comparison. Also, I strongly disagree with their
final assessment - I regard this cigar be deserving of the "great"
rating without question. The JR Ultimate Padron is exceptional
cigar that is a fantastic bargain. Highly recommended.
Partagas Coronas Senior
made in: Havana, Cuba
size : 5 1/4 x 44
wrapper: Cuba
filler : Cuba
binder : Cuba
price : $7.00
Appearance = poor fair good outstanding perfect
Rene: xx --- xx
Gary: xx
Joel: xx
Rene said - Wrapper has numerous green spots, a few prominent
veins & is somewhat wrinkled. Pre-burn aroma makes
me wonder if this is legal!?
Gary said - Has a dry wrapper with small green splotches. Does
have a little tooth
.
Joel said - A box pressed corona. The wrapper is light, but not
quite a CT. wrapper. Pretty cigar.
Construction = poor fair good outstanding perfect
Rene: xx
Gary: xx
Joel: xx
Rene said - Firm, but a soft spot by the foot. Cap looks very
nice.
Gary said - Has nice cap, no soft spots.
Joel said - Lost points for an edge of the wrapper being
slightly loose. Another part of the wrapper was
ridged. The cigar was slightly box pressed, but not
as square as a rectangulare or anniversario.
Burn = very uneven uneven even very even
Rene: xx
Gary: xx
Joel: xx
Problems = runners tunneling got soft split/unraveled
Rene:
Gary: xx
Joel:
Ash Color = black dark grey light grey white
Rene: xx
Gary: xx
Joel: xx
Ash Structure = flaky typical very solid
Rene: xx
Gary: xx
Joel: xx
Draw = too easy easy perfect tight plugged
Rene: xx
Gary: xx
Joel: xx
Aroma = rank! poor fair good great
Rene: xx
Gary: xx
Joel: xx
Smoked to = left>=1/2 1/3 to band <band nub
Rene: xx
Gary: xx
Joel: xx
Strength = bland mild medium full powerful
Rene: xx ----- xx
Gary: xx
Joel:
Taste =
Rene said - Starts out a bit rough around the edges, but there
is lots of nicotine flavor with some chocolate -
smoke volume is right on. After an inch or so,
taste settles down & smooths out a bit, but still
packs a punch.
Gary said - Tasted like a big cigarette. Had the ashy/burnt
taste I've experienced with straight Virginia
tobacco in a pipe tobacco. Burned the back of my
throat. Smell of the smoke made me cough. Smoked
this past the band hoping it would get better. It
didn't.
Joel said - The cigar was plugged. I struggled with it, but
gave up after about an inch. I had trouble drawing
enough smoke to taste it reliably. It seemed spicy
to start. I surrendered after my ears popped.
Overall Impression =
Rene said - Very nice, packed full of flavor. Not a cigar for
those preferring mild (or legal) smokes. Best to
smoke on a full stomach! I wonder if there is a
Quintero or Piedra, or perhaps some other "2nd
tier" Cuban? My favorite of the bunch.
Gary said - Cigarettes are cheaper. Bad cigar.
Joel said - It was plugged! I would need to smoke another one
of these to say anything meaningful. Disappointing
because it was a good looking corona.
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.)
Rene said - yes
Gary said - no
Joel said - no
Partagas Coronas Senior
SCALE
YOWZA!!!
Great Smoke
Good Cigar <--- Rene
Decent/Worthy
Ho-Hum
Blah...
Dog Rocket! <--- Gary
Editor's
2 Cents - Most people think of the Lusitania,
Series D No. 4, or the 8-9-8 rolled at the Ciudad de La Habana
factory when you mention the legendary Havana brand of Partagas.
However this marquee includes 14 other handmade sizes, 24 hand-finished
sizes, and yet another 24 machine made cigars. Therefore the
majority of the Cuban Partagas line is comprised of lower quality
cigars and one of the most popular of these is the tubed Partagas
Coronas Senior.
The Coronas Senor used in the tasting was the hand-finished
model meaning that it was machine bunched and the wrapper was
then applied by hand. It is a fat 44 ring corona size vitola
that varies greatly in wrapper quality and color from tube to
tube. Although one in the sampling was plugged, this is uncommon
as normally this cigar has a rather easy draw. It tends to burn
hot and provides a very strong acrid Havana flavor. What it lacks
in depth it delivers in sheer strength on the palate. The aroma
is heavy and the aftertaste is somewhat bitter. This is definitely
not a cigar for the inexperienced.
This cigar is a perfect example of why everyone needs
to try every cigar for oneself. Although described differently,
it was the exact same qualities in this cigar that made Rene
enjoy it while leaving Gary greatly disappointed. From my perspective,
the Partagas Coronas Senior is one of the lesser Havanas available
and would not be one that I would select from the Partagas line-up
to smoke.
Bances Corona Immensas
made in: Cofradia, Honduras
size : 6 3/4 x 48
wrapper: Ecuador
filler : Honduras, Nicaragua, Dominican Republic
binder : Honduras
price : $4.10
Appearance = poor fair good outstanding perfect
Rene: xx --- xx
Gary: xx
Joel: xx
Rene said - Wrapper not too veiny. Had a small crack in about
the middle of the cigar and a 2nd one right above
the band that went to the cap. No sheen at all on
wrapper.
Gary said - A really nice looking cigar. Nice smooth wrapper
with few veins. A couple of green splotches mixed
in on the slightly oily wrapper.
Joel said - Lonsdale sized. Cameroon color. Nice oily sheen.
Construction = poor fair good outstanding perfect
Rene: xx
Gary: xx
Joel: xx
Rene said - Very firm throughout its length except for the
foot.
Gary said - Nicely rolled, nice cap, no soft spots.
Joel said - A few prominent veins and a soft spot near the foot
of the cigar.
Burn = very uneven uneven even very even
Rene: xx
Gary: xx
Joel: xx
Problems = runners tunneling got soft split/unraveled
Rene: xx
Gary:
Joel:
Ash Color = black dark grey light grey white
Rene: xx
Gary: xx
Joel: xx
Ash Structure = flaky typical very solid
Rene: xx
Gary: xx
Joel: xx
Draw = too easy easy perfect tight plugged
Rene: xx
Gary: xx
Joel: xx
Aroma = rank! poor fair good great
Rene: xx
Gary: xx
Joel: xx
Smoked to = left>=1/2 1/3 to band <band nub
Rene: xx
Gary: xx
Joel: xx
Strength = bland mild medium full powerful
Rene: xx
Gary: xx ---- xx
Joel: xx ----- xx
Taste =
Rene said - This cigar was so tightly rolled, I didn't get any!
Eventually, after puffing a few minutes, I got a
bit of what seemed to be ok flavor, but not enough
to describe it. Figuring I had to say SOMETHING, I
got a thin wire (w/out insulation) & skewered the
cigar in an attempt to help it along. This didn't
help! Finally in desperation, I cut off the bottom
half and re-lit. This did give me decent draw.
Flavor: I shouldn't have bothered (it was bitter)!
Gary said - Nice tasting cigar. Started off spicy. Settled into
a mild/medium slightly tangy smooth taste. Tasted
Central American. Smoked smoothly all the way down.
Nicely constructed with a perfect burn.
Joel said - Started out tasting like cocoa and dark beer. It
was full flavored and smooth. Strength and spice
began to build at the middle of the cigar. Good
mouth feel (did I really write that?), good finish,
lots of smoke, I really enjoyed this one. The only
reason why I stopped at the band was because I was
getting too buzzed.
Overall Impression =
Rene said - I'd have to try another one before totally writing
it off, but that 2nd one has a lot to make up for!
Gary said - This cigar reminded me why I like cigars. If it had
been a bit stronger it would be a cigar I'd search
out. A nice relaxing cigar. Classy.
Joel said - Great full flavored, strong (for me) cigar. Good
after a big meal. My favorite of the five.
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.)
Rene said - no, based on this one
Gary said - yes
Joel said - yes
Bances Corona Immensas
SCALE
YOWZA!!!
Great Smoke <--- Gary, Joel
Good Cigar
Decent/Worthy
Ho-Hum
Blah... <--- Rene
Dog Rocket!
Editor's
2 Cents - Bances is a brand with a long and
interesting past. Franscisco G. Bances created the brand in 1840
in Cuba, but it never gathered much of a following so it slowly
faded out of existence. In 1959 the brand was resurrected to
become a clear-Havana cigar made exclusively in Tampa. A "clear-Havana"
is an American made cigar that utilizes 100% Cuban tobacco. The
Bances began to gain in popularity and the manufacturers made
large purchases of Havana tobacco to grow their "new"
brand. Little did they know that JFK was going to soon after
sign the embargo making the import of all Cuban goods illegal.
Because of their pre-embargo buying spree, Bances was the only
Tampa brand that had enough Cuban tobacco on hand to continue
making their cigar out of 100% Havana leaf. This of course was
a huge selling point with the American cigar smoking public and
overnight the Bances became one of the most sought after and
successful cigars in the US. Of course all good things eventually
come to an end as was the case for the Bances once the Cuban
tobacco stockpiles were consumed. They began seeking tobacco
from elsewhere, the smoking consumer was less pleased with the
newer blends, and the brand slipped back into near obscurity.
In the world of the premium cigar smoker it pretty much
remains there, however this may be unjust since today's Bances
are made in Confradia, Honduras by Villazon, the makers of the
Punch and Hoyo de Monterrey brands. The Corona Immensa is a large
adequately made cigar that varies in its attractiveness from
box to box. It is a three-nation blend that is very smooth on
the palate. Tastes of coffee and caramel are apparent as this
cigar burns cool and even. Overall it is mild-medium in strength,
but it builds more power slowly. It is not a blockbuster of a
cigar, but rather an easy casual type of affair. Although it
lacks in complexity and depth, it provides the smoker with an
enjoyable hour of simple smoking.
Most people regard this cigar as "garbage,"
but honestly I think they are being unfair and have not afforded
this brand a decent sampling recently. It certainly is not a
brand that will score you any poseur points when smoking it in
a bar. However, I consider the Bances Corona Immensas to be a
good mild Honduran that is pleasing to the palate and well worth
the few dollars to try.
Montecristo Cigare des Artes Delacroix
made in: La Romana, Dominican Republic
size : 7 x 46
wrapper: Indonesia
filler : Brazil, Dominican Republic, USA/Conn
binder : Dominican Republic
price : $15.00
Appearance = poor fair good outstanding perfect
Rene: xx
Gary: xx
Joel: xx
Rene said - Wrapper looked nice & smooth except for an area
that was wrinkled near the band, where it was also
lighter in color, giving a "bleached" appearance.
Gary said - Cigar has a nice dark brown wrapper. Very small
veins. A little bit of oil.
Joel said - Another lonsdale, reddish brown wrapper. A single
prominent vein.
Construction = poor fair good outstanding perfect
Rene: xx
Gary: xx
Joel: xx
Rene said - Firm with no soft spots; a little firmer around the
middle of the cigar; cap was fine.
Gary said - Very nicely made cigar. Decent cap, no soft spot.
The wrapper looked seamless.
Joel said - The edge of the wrapper was lifting off in 2 spots.
There was a soft spot in the middle of the cigar.
Burn = very uneven uneven even very even
Rene: xx
Gary: xx
Joel: xx
Problems = runners tunneling got soft split/unraveled
Rene: xx (very slight)
Gary: xx
Joel:
Ash Color = black dark grey light grey white
Rene: xx -------- xx
Gary: xx
Joel: xx
Ash Structure = flaky typical very solid
Rene: xx
Gary: xx
Joel: xx
Draw = too easy easy perfect tight plugged
Rene: xx ----- xx (only 1st inch)
Gary: xx
Joel: xx ----- xx
Aroma = rank! poor fair good great
Rene: xx
Gary: xx
Joel: xx
Smoked to = left>=1/2 1/3 to band <band nub
Rene: xx
Gary: xx
Joel: xx
Strength = bland mild medium full powerful
Rene: xx
Gary: xx
Joel: xx
Taste =
Rene said - Nice, smooth. Started out with some pepper & cedar,
but I wished it had more smoke volume (given its
ring size). About 1/2 way down the flavors
intensified & smoke volume increased - I thought
this made the cigar more interesting. Left a nice
finish & remained smooth to the band.
Gary said - Has a slightly sweet leather taste. Smoked smoothly
all the way through. Taste changed little during
the smoke.
Joel said - This cigar started out smooth, with a nutty flavor.
It soon became mild, then bland. After the first
third, it was essentially tasteless.
Overall Impression =
Rene said - Wish it had more smoke volume and complexity, but
not a bad cigar. Honduran in the blend?
Gary said - A nice cigar that would be good for someone who
likes them mild. Cigar swelled and split the
wrapper a couple of times but caused no burn
problems.
Joel said - A forgettable cigar.
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.)
Rene said - yes
Gary said - yes
Joel said - no
Montecristo Cigare des Artes Delacroix
SCALE
YOWZA!!!
Great Smoke
Good Cigar <--- Gary
Decent/Worthy <--- Rene
Ho-Hum
Blah... <--- Joel
Dog Rocket!
Editor's
2 Cents - The Montecristo Cigare des Artes
blend was introduced in 1998 by Consolidated Cigar as a richer
and fuller bodied option to their existing Montecristo line.
The entire range consists of only four large cigars each with
limited availability. They incorporated the Parisian impressionist
style of artwork by Michael Delacroix as part of their distinct
packaging. Although quite beautiful, I fail to understand what
it has to do with cigars.
The Churchill size tasted for this review is called the
Delacroix and it comes in some of the nicest packaging I have
ever seen on a cigar. First there is a artful tube whichs holds
this cedar sleeved vitola that has both a top and footer ring,
and then after you remove the sleeve there is a third traditional
band still remaining on the cigar. It is a well-made cigar with
a dark colorado Indonesian wrapper. This thin churchill is mild-medium
in strength with a sweet woodsy flavor. The aroma is pleasing
and subtle, and a slight grassy tang can be noted in its finish.
However, the smoke is too thin allowing this cigar to be easily
overpowered by food or drink.
All in all it is a decent smoke, but there is certainly
nothing about this cigar to justify either its 91 rating by CA
or the $15.00 price tag. I wish Consolidated had spent as much
time developing the blend as they did the packaging. I agree
with Joel, the Montecristo Cigare des Artes Delacroix is a very
forgettable cigar.
La Tradicion Cabinet Series Perdomo Reserve No. 3
made in: Esteli, Nicaragua
size : 5 1/2 x 55
wrapper: Ecuador
filler : Nicaragua
binder : Nicaragua
price : $6.50
Appearance = poor fair good outstanding perfect
Rene: xx --- xx
Gary: xx
Joel: xx
Rene said - Very interesting shape - it's a square sided
perfecto that tapers to a relatively small head.
The wrapper is a bit wrinkled near the closed foot.
Gary said - A great shape. Looks like a caveman's club. Hope it
tastes as interesting as it looks.
Joel said - The result of a drunken night of revelry between a
Hemingway and a pyramid. The wrapper is dark. This
is unlike any cigar that I have seen in my
admittedly limited experience. The wrapper is
mottled, but in a pleasing way. Shit, has Saka
slipped me a Lars Teten to torture me?
Construction = poor fair good outstanding perfect
Rene: xx
Gary: xx
Joel: xx
Rene said - Cigar gives a little when gently squeezed, but not
soft. At about the middle of the cigar its shape
goes from being square-sided to a circular cross
section, ending up in a beautifully constructed
cap.
Gary said - Looks like a tough shape to roll. Cigar is box
pressed on the end which caused the wrapper to
wrinkle.
Joel said - This is the VW Beetle of cigars. It is a perfecto
with a serious foot to head taper. The head is
rolled slightly off center, like the neck of a
gourd. The foot of the cigar looks box pressed and
is wrinkled. This stogie is an ugly duckling, but
has piqued my interest.
Burn = very uneven uneven even very even
Rene: xx
Gary: xx
Joel: xx
Problems = runners tunneling got soft split/unraveled
Rene:
Gary: [none reported by any taster]
Joel:
Ash Color = black dark grey light grey white
Rene: xx
Gary: xx
Joel: xx
Ash Structure = flaky typical very solid
Rene: xx ----- xx
Gary: xx
Joel: xx
Draw = too easy easy perfect tight plugged
Rene: xx
Gary: xx
Joel: xx
Aroma = rank! poor fair good great
Rene: xx
Gary: xx
Joel: xx
Smoked to = left>=1/2 1/3 to band <band nub
Rene: xx
Gary: xx
Joel:
Strength = bland mild medium full powerful
Rene: xx
Gary: xx
Joel: xx
Taste =
Rene said - Straightforward, earthy flavor with a hint of
chocolate at the start. Smoke feels almost chewy in
the mouth. After 1" or so, the chocolate flavor
intensifies some, but the cigar does not develop
much further in complexity as it is smoked.
Gary said - Great cigar!!! Real tough-guy smoke. Has a dark,
nutty taste, almost like Kentucky fired tobacco.
Absolutely smooth all the way through. One of the
best smelling cigars I have smoked.
Joel said - This is the first cigar that I have ever smoked
with a floral/perfumy element. Mild start, with a
taste of hazelnuts. Smooth, despite the shape,
there wasn't much concentration of flavor as I
smoked. There was a tarry taste that developed.
Overall Impression =
Rene said - A nice smoke that was not complex, but remained
pleasing without getting harsh or bitter. Smoke
volume was good.
Gary said - Love this cigar! Will put up with a tight draw for
the great flavor. A real guys-sitting-around-
watching-football cigar. Is this a Carlos III
Cubanito?
Joel said - I wanted to love this cigar, I expected it to be
strong. It turned out to be mild and uninspiring,
aside from its aroma.
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.)
Rene said - yes
Gary said - yes
Joel said - no
La Tradicion Cabinet Series Perdomo Reserve No. 3
SCALE
YOWZA!!!
Great Smoke <--- Gary
Good Cigar
Decent/Worthy <--- Rene
Ho-Hum <--- Joel
Blah...
Dog Rocket!
Editor's
2 Cents - Introduced during the 1998 RTDA,
the La Tradicion Cabinet Series Perdomo Reserve line is comprised
of only five distinct vitolas. All of the sizes come swaddled
in a dark wrapper and are sharply pressed. As a brand and a blend,
this cigar has received numerous accolades over the last year.
The Perdoma Reserve No. 3 is a beautifully crafted squared
pressed perfecto with an elongated foot and a dramatically tapered
head. It truly is a unique cigar to hold, light, and smoke. It
is extremely well made and delivers an even burn and a smooth
draw. The sharp taper tends to concentrate the sweet flavor of
the Nicaraguan tobacco on the center of the palate. Tastes of
chocolate laced slightly with tannins are left in the smoker's
mouth. It also has a tawny leather-like aspect that is difficult
to describe, but apparent to palate. The aroma is nothing short
of delightful. It is an intricate cigar that has more nuances
than I think the average smoker will credit it.
Do I have any complaints? The name is absurdly too long
and I wish the blend were a tad stronger, but otherwise no. The
wide split amongst our tasters genuinely surprised me as I definitely
regard this cigar as being worthy of a solid high rating. Considering
its depth, uniqueness, and difficult to make shape it is priced
very reasonablly. I recommend the La Tradicion Cabinet Series
Perdomo Reserve No. 3 as a cigar to try.
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