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Hoyo
de Monterrey Excalibur No. IV Maduro
made in: Cofradia, Honduras
size : 5 5/8 x 46
wrapper: Connecticut Broadleaf
filler : Honduras, Dominican Republic, Nicaragua
binder : Honduras
price : $4.50
Appearance = poor fair good outstanding perfect
Kvan : xx
Norman: xx
Ian : xx
Keith : xx
Dario : xx
Kevin : xx
Kvan said - Nice maduro color with a light sheen of oil. Some
blemishes, slight veins and a hole due to the
wrapper folding under itself. Slightly wrinkled
cap.
Norman said - Nice maduro wrapper, slightly veined as would be
expected of its' type. Young bouquet with ammonia
smell.
Ian said - A toothy wrapper marked by a few spots and a
large vein running the length of the cigar.
Keith said - An excellent maduro wrapper, very smooth with a
little oil.
Dario said - Ugly and with heavy veins. Looks like a lot of JR
stuff in maduro.
Kevin said - Dark brown, not quite maduro wrapper. Nice and
toothy.
Construction = poor fair good outstanding perfect
Kvan : xx
Norman: xx
Ian : xx
Keith : xx
Dario : xx
Kevin : xx
Kvan said - One, maybe two stems are readily apparent right
below the binder. Cutting reveals a few coarse
stems. Suspicion confirmed upon cutting: cap
disintegrates.
Norman said - Well rolled and firmly packed, but unevenly bound
and the capping was not so good - I'd recommend a
'bullet' cutter.
Ian said - No soft spots, well packed, and a nicely finished
triple cap.
Keith said - Nicely made cigar, solid feel along the whole
stogie!!
Dario said - Soft spots near the head. Ugly cap.
Kevin said - Firmly rolled, but with an indentation at the
soft spot, 1 1/2" above the foot. Poor cap, which
fell off when I cut with the guillotine.
Burn = very uneven uneven even very even
Kvan : xx ----- xx
Norman: xx
Ian : xx
Keith : xx
Dario : xx ------ xx
Kevin : xx
Problems = runners tunneling got soft split/unraveled
Kvan : xx
Norman:
Ian :
Keith :
Dario :
Kevin :
Ash Color = black dark grey light grey white
Kvan : xx
Norman: xx
Ian : xx
Keith : xx
Dario : xx
Kevin : xx
Ash Structure = flaky typical very solid
Kvan : xx
Norman: xx
Ian : xx
Keith : xx
Dario : xx
Kevin : xx
Draw = too easy easy perfect tight plugged
Kvan : xx
Norman: xx
Ian : xx
Keith : xx
Dario : xx
Kevin : xx
Aroma = rank! poor fair good great
Kvan : xx
Norman: xx
Ian : xx
Keith : xx
Dario : xx
Kevin : xx
Smoked to = left>=1/2 1/3 to band <band nub
Kvan : xx
Norman: xx
Ian : xx
Keith : xx
Dario : xx
Kevin : xx
Strength = bland mild medium full powerful
Kvan : xx
Norman: xx
Ian : xx
Keith : xx
Dario : xx
Kevin : xx
Taste =
Kvan said - My first impression was that I've tasted this
before. First half very consistent, second half
shows much more variation. Hints of leather,
earth, and wood. Some nuttiness. Show little to
no youth. Predominantly spice; overall nice,
complex flavors. metallic, chocolate aftertaste.
Norman said - Toasty at first with an acrid touch (young),
becoming more acrid and leaving a sour
aftertaste. Eventually settling down to an
earthy, slightly herbal taste in the last third.
The smoke was also acrid and ammonic and stung my
eyes.
Ian said - Pre-light taste of salt, first third had a
background of sweetness building in the second
third to a strong French coffee taste. Final
third smacked of more coffee with an undercurrent
of burning wood sap. Reminds me of Cuban Jose L.
Piedra.
Keith said - A slightly sweet taste throughout with lots of
smoke. Rather one dimensional! I expected more
from it before it was lit. Required Blazer
surgery twice!
Dario said - Tasted like a cheap cigar, nothing to talk about.
The last third was biting.
Kevin said - A smooth, "perfumey," tobacco(!) and dark, bitter
chocolate taste; a lingering dry aftertaste. A
cigar of powerful taste, but little subtlety.
Overall Impression =
Kvan said - This is looking good. If a little smoother and
better constructed, I'd have to guess Don Carlos
#3. Still, a worthy cigar which I'd definitely
consider buying.
Norman said - A well constructed but very young cigar that
might appeal to the milder palate if properly
aged, but it's probably not for me.
Ian said - A strong acrid cigar. Lacking in complexity and
finesse.
Keith said - Typical maduro cigar, quite mild and rather
linear.
Dario said - El cheapo with nothing worth of buying it.
Kevin said - Although the taste deepened during the last
third, no development occurred. Lots of smoke,
earthy, but overall did not really grab me -
plenty of flavour, somehow missing out.
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.)
Kvan said - yes
Norman said - no
Ian said - no
Keith said - no
Dario said - no
Kevin said - yes
Hoyo
de Monterrey Excalibur No. IV Maduro
SCALE
YOWZA!!!
Great Smoke
Good Cigar <--- Kvan & Kevin
Decent/Worthy <--- Keith, Kevin
Ho-Hum <--- Ian, Dario
Blah... <--- Norman
Dog Rocket!
Editor's
2 Cents - Hoyo de Monterrey is one of the
flagship marquees of the famed Honduran Villazon factory. This
remake of the Havana original was blended as earlier as 1965
and originally made in Tampa, Florida, until all of the handmade
production was shifted to Honduras with the merger between the
two cigar greats, Frank Llaneza and Danby-Palcio. This is a favorite
brand with many seasoned cigar smokers and has over the years
become one of the best and most consistent non-Havanas in the
world. For the record, Lew Rothman swears to me he invented the
name Excalibur and still laments wistfully over giving it to
Villazon. This Honduran brand is now owned by General Cigars.
The HdM Excalibur No. IV is variable in appearance, some
look nearly perfect while others from the same box appear coarse
and somewhat crude, particularly the caps. Overall the roll,
burn, and draw are good, but nothing exceptional. The smoke is
thick and dense with an underlying sweetness. Tastes of earth
and chocolate are evident, but lack depth. In fact, the entire
cigar seems rather dull on the palate even though it is of medium
strength.
The Hoyo de Monterrey No. IV Maduro is a perfect example
of how size can affect a cigar. The larger ringed No. 1 through
No. 3 are exceptional Honduran Maduros with a richness and depth
to their blend that makes them some of the finest maduro sticks
available anywhere. However, as the ring size shrinks with this
blend so does the body and depth, as is the case with the No.
4. And although it has a great feel to the size and is a decent
smoke, I strongly suggest you entirely skip smoking the No. 4
and select one of its bigger and tastier brothers.
Partagas
Almirantes
made in: Santiago, Dominican Republic
size : 6 1/4 x 47
wrapper: Cameroon
filler : Dominican Republic, Mexico
binder : Mexico
price : $6.00
Appearance = poor fair good outstanding perfect
Kvan : xx --- xx
Norman: xx
Ian : xx
Keith : xx
Dario : xx
Kevin : xx
Kvan said - Small blemish and some veining. Cap a little
sloppy.
Norman said - A tawny mid-brown wrapper, rolling seams only
slightly apparent. Slightly box pressed. Mature,
sweet-spice bouquet. Just a touch on the bumpy
side of 'Outstanding.'
Ian said - A handsome cigar with an attractive oily sheen.
The foot is ever so slightly compressed, possibly
from its cello wrapper?
Keith said - Wrapper had a dark mottled appearance, slightly
oily with one vein. Maybe from Nicaragua?
Dario said - Decent looking wrapper. Nothing special.
Kevin said - Nice wrapper with hardly any seams.
Construction = poor fair good outstanding perfect
Kvan : xx
Norman: xx
Ian : xx
Keith : xx
Dario : xx
Kevin : xx
Kvan said - Hard headed and another tight spot near foot.
Interesting to see how this draws. Yup, is tight
pre-light, with a flowery aroma.
Norman said - Excellent capping, even fill (not too tight) and
well rolled.
Ian said - Generally well constructed, but a slight
looseness/under-filling near the head.
Keith said - Very well made, with a very solid ash.
Dario said - Looked ok until I cut the cap w/ my Zino. After
one or two puffs it started to unravel.
Kevin said - Rather too firmly rolled - hope it's not going to
be a tight draw. Maybe I'm a perfectionist when
it comes to caps, but this one is a bit mediocre.
Burn = very uneven uneven even very even
Kvan : xx
Norman: xx
Ian : xx
Keith : xx
Dario : xx
Kevin : xx
Problems = runners tunneling got soft split/unraveled
Kvan :
Norman:
Ian :
Keith :
Dario : xx
Kevin :
Ash Color = black dark grey light grey white
Kvan : xx
Norman: xx
Ian : xx
Keith : xx
Dario : xx
Kevin : xx
Ash Structure = flaky typical very solid
Kvan : xx
Norman: xx ---- xx
Ian : xx
Keith : xx
Dario : xx
Kevin : xx
Draw = too easy easy perfect tight plugged
Kvan : xx
Norman: xx
Ian : xx
Keith : xx
Dario : xx
Kevin : xx
Aroma = rank! poor fair good great
Kvan : xx ----- xx
Norman: xx
Ian : xx
Keith : xx
Dario : xx
Kevin : xx
Smoked to = left>=1/2 1/3 to band <band nub
Kvan : xx
Norman: xx
Ian : xx
Keith : xx
Dario : xx
Kevin : xx
Strength = bland mild medium full powerful
Kvan : xx
Norman: xx ---- xx
Ian : xx
Keith : xx
Dario : xx
Kevin : xx
Taste =
Kvan said - Straight forward tobacco with some spice. A
little flowery/perfumey from time to time. Best
guess is Nicaraguan.
Norman said - Toasted nuts, sweet spice, hint of coffee. Very
complex, yet mildish in flavour. Slightly short
finish. Consistent flavour, intensifying
throughout the cigar.
Ian said - Pre-light sweetness, first third woodsy with a
hint of pine resin, flavour seemed to diminish as
the cigar smoked on and a smoky, harsh aftertaste
was present in the background.
Keith said - The first half was very linear, but the second
half developed some complexities with hints of
espresso and leather.
Dario said - Good tobacco taste. Nothing special in the
beginning, but started to change after the 1st
third. Maybe too young. I don't know.
Kevin said - Medium strength with a bit of buzz. Smooth,
creamy coffee - a cappuccino perhaps, or a
Macanudo on steroids. Developed nicely towards an
espresso at the end. Maybe I was sitting too
close to an air freshener or something, but I got
an aroma of pronounced lemons and leather.
Completely at odds with the taste of the cigar,
but very pleasant nonetheless.
Overall Impression =
Kvan said - Nice little cigar that I wouldn't mind paying
$2 - 3 for.
Norman said - Excellent cigar to 'wind down' with. Complex
enough to keep the taste buds happy, yet not so
strong as to be taxing. Very enjoyable. (Came
close to a 'Yowza' rating.)
Ian said - A dull cigar with no redeeming qualities - not
for me.
Keith said - Great construction, but a rather uninteresting
smoke.
Dario said - With a little bit of aging... it could be better.
Kevin said - Very pleased with this cigar. The only minor
criticisms preventing a "yowza" rating relate to
flaky ash and poor cap - but it tastes and smokes
beautifully. I'll but a box of these when I find
out what it is!
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.)
Kvan said - yes
Norman said - yes
Ian said - no
Keith said - yes
Dario said - no
Kevin said - yes
Partagas
Almirantes
SCALE
YOWZA!!!
Great Smoke <--- Norman, Kevin
Good Cigar <--- Keith
Decent/Worthy <--- Kvan
Ho-Hum <--- Ian, Dario
Blah...
Dog Rocket!
Editor's
2 Cents - The Partagas Almirante is an often
overlooked cigar within this classic Dominican brand made by
General Cigar. It 6 1/4 x 47 size defies being classified; it
is too short to be a churchill, too thin to be a toro, and too
large to be corona. At the same time it is just as costly as
the No. 10 so many long time Partagas smokers have never even
tried this smaller vitola.
The Almirante is a well crafted cigar with a toothy Cameroon
wrapper and an exceptional bouquet. It possesses a perfect draw,
burn, and mouthfeel. This medium bodied smoke is well blended
with an excellent balance of wood and spice. A slight earthy
edge adds to this cigar's complexity. The final third of this
smoke is down right tantalizing and the finish is pleasing.
I am genuinely surprised this cigar didn't do better with
half the tasters, however their palates may require more oomph
than this Dominican cigar is capable of delivering to excite
them. Regardless, this is an excellent cigar that really relaxes
the smoker. It is perfectly suited for the novice looking for
a bit more while at the same time it proves to be an enjoyable
stress free cigar for the more experienced smoker. The Partagas
Almirante is highly recommended as a cigar to try.
Camacho
Monarca
made in: Danli, Honduras
size : 5 x 50
wrapper: USA/Connecticut
filler : Honduras
binder : Honduras
price : $3.00
Appearance = poor fair good outstanding perfect
Kvan : xx --- xx
Norman: xx
Ian : xx
Keith : xx
Dario : xx
Kevin : xx
Kvan said - Nice, but rustic robusto. Cap sloppy: one small
dark cap resting on top of a much larger, much
lighter one. The natural wrapper has some
veining.
Norman said - A smooth, shiny wrapper with very few veins or
blemishes. Even colouration. Very well presented.
Mellow bouquet, perhaps slightly dull, with a
hint of freshly cut grass.
Ian said - A typical looking robusto, nice cap, but
significant bulging at the foot.
Keith said - A nice smooth colorado claro wrapper, sadly
spoiled by a poorly applied cap.
Dario said - It looked like nice, good craftsmanship. Nice
wrapper w/ minor veins and spots.
Kevin said - Light creamy coffee colour. Prominent vein.
Construction = poor fair good outstanding perfect
Kvan : xx
Norman: xx
Ian : xx
Keith : xx
Dario : xx
Kevin : xx
Kvan said - Rather sparsely filled. Very easy pre-light draw
with little flares.
Norman said - Although excellently wrapped and capped, the fill
was way too loose. It felt like they only used
two thirds of the filler needed!
Ian said - Signs of under-fill at the head and foot, but
otherwise fine.
Keith said - Extremely spongy, with a very easy draw.
Dario said - No soft spots. Firm.
Kevin said - Good cap, but loosely filled at foot.
Burn = very uneven uneven even very even
Kvan : xx
Norman: xx
Ian : xx
Keith : xx
Dario : xx
Kevin : xx
Problems = runners tunneling got soft split/unraveled
Kvan :
Norman:
Ian :
Keith : xx
Dario : xx
Kevin :
Ash Color = black dark grey light grey white
Kvan : xx
Norman: xx
Ian : xx
Keith : xx
Dario : xx
Kevin : xx ------- xx
Ash Structure = flaky typical very solid
Kvan : xx
Norman: xx
Ian : xx
Keith : xx
Dario : xx
Kevin : xx
Draw = too easy easy perfect tight plugged
Kvan : xx
Norman: xx
Ian : xx
Keith : xx
Dario : xx
Kevin : xx
Aroma = rank! poor fair good great
Kvan : xx
Norman: xx
Ian : xx
Keith : xx
Dario : xx ----- xx
Kevin : xx
Smoked to = left>=1/2 1/3 to band <band nub
Kvan : xx
Norman: xx
Ian : xx
Keith : xx --- xx
Dario : xx
Kevin : xx
Strength = bland mild medium full powerful
Kvan : xx
Norman: xx
Ian : xx
Keith : xx
Dario : xx ---- xx
Kevin : xx
Taste =
Kvan said - Straight forward tobacco; an itty-bitty amount of
aftertaste. Lots of smoke though!
Norman said - Started very mild with a grassy/herbal taste and
a slight pungency of aroma indicative of youth or
unfinished fermentation. Similar taste to Don
Diego, but grassier, younger and lacking in
complexity or desirable (to my palate) flavours.
Smoked hot due to draw.
Ian said - An interesting combination of nutmeg and Fauchon
chocolate backed with a hint of bitterness in the
finish. This cigar produces volumes of heady
smoke.
Keith said - This cigar is probably short filler and burnt
extremely hot. Had hints of a typical Dominican
smoke, but an awful cigar. This must be a
second!!
Dario said - Bad. Biting and left a lot of aftertaste in my
mouth. Bad aftertaste. Blah!
Kevin said - Vegetal at first, then chocolate and leather.
Taste develops throughout smoke - reminds me of a
(Cuban) Bolivar. Much smoke.
Overall Impression =
Kvan said - Seems a quite ordinary Dominican. I'd recommend
it for a couple of bucks, but wouldn't pay more
than $2.
Norman said - A young, bland cigar that would(if properly
filled) probably mature into an old, bland cigar.
Ian said - A bit milder than my usual smoke of choice, but
worth trying just for the chocolate. Would be
good with an espresso.
Keith said - Probably the worst "premium" cigar I've ever
tried, awful. Badly made, poor or no taste, a
true dog rocket!
Dario said - Nothing I would give to anybody, OK to one or
another poser...
Kevin said - Nearly a "Yowza." Best of the bunch - this cigar
is to my taste. Now that's what I call a good
smoke!
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.)
Kvan said - yes
Norman said - no
Ian said - yes
Keith said - no
Dario said - no
Kevin said - yes
Camacho
Monarca
SCALE
YOWZA!!!
Great Smoke <--- Kevin
Good Cigar <--- Ian
Decent/Worthy <--- Kvan
Ho-Hum <--- Dario
Blah... <--- Norman, Dario
Dog Rocket! <--- Keith
Editor's
2 Cents - The Camacho line is made by Tabacos
Rancho Jamastran and imported and distributed by Caribe Cigars
of Florida. Originally the brand was made in Nicaragua but has
for a long time been rolled in Honduras primarily of tobaccos
from the Jamastran Valley region. Recently, this line was reblended
to add more strength to its smoke and a new yellow/gold packaging
was adopted with this change.
The Camacho Monarca is a dusky box pressed robusto with a light
grassy bouquet. The wrapper is lacking in grain but has a slight
oily sheen. Nearly half of the ones I smoked were underfilled
and burned very hot. The initial flavor is quite biting and harsh
but it settles in after an inch or so. I was somewhat surprised
nobody noted what I thought was a key taste in all the ones I
smoked: balsa. Although this cigar delivered a lot of zip strength
wise it never develops any real body. Overall, I found it a rather
flat smoke lacking depth and leaving the smoker with an acrid
aftertaste.
As you can see out taster's were all of differing opinions
regarding this cigar. I would score it like Norman and Dario
as I found it an unpleasing cigar to smoke - it was all strength
and no body. However, Kevin is probably going to be very excited
to learn that he can get these for only $3.00 each. Given its
reasonable cost my advice is to give the Monarca a fair shot,
maybe it will float your boat.
La
Vigia Coronas
made in: Havana, Cuba
size : 5 1/2 x 42
wrapper: Cuba
filler : Cuba
binder : Cuba
price : $15.00
Appearance = poor fair good outstanding perfect
Kvan : xx
Norman: xx
Ian : xx
Keith : xx
Dario : xx
Kevin : xx
Kvan said - Beautiful reddish wrapped corona sized cigar. A
few water spots and a triple cap hint at origin.
Light bloom indicates some aging.
Norman said - Despite a slightly coarse wrapper, this is how a
cigar should look. Evenly wrapped in a light
brown leaf, well capped and a defined Cuban
bouquet.
Ian said - A pretty box pressed corona in an almost rosado
wrapper & a triple cap. Cuban? Maybe!
Keith said - By the appearance, triple cap, and the general
look, I'd say it was Cuban. A slight box press
flat on one side, with slight bloom. A nice
colorado wrapper.
Dario said - Nice looking wrapper with minor veins.
Kevin said - Good looker, lovely coffee and cream colour, but
large veins.
Construction = poor fair good outstanding perfect
Kvan : xx
Norman: xx
Ian : xx
Keith : xx
Dario : xx
Kevin : xx
Kvan said - Slightly tight pre-light draw, otherwise
beautiful construction.
Norman said - Evenly filled throughout, well rolled and capped.
A great example of Cuban-style rolling.
Ian said - Very nicely rolled, no soft spots, beautifully
capped.
Keith said - Typical Cuban box pressed cigar!
Dario said - Firm, no soft spots. The cap was not the best
one, but OK.
Kevin said - Well filled, but let down by a poor cap. A little
soft towards the foot.
Burn = very uneven uneven even very even
Kvan : xx
Norman: xx
Ian : xx
Keith : xx
Dario : xx
Kevin : xx ------ xx
Problems = runners tunneling got soft split/unraveled
Kvan :
Norman:
Ian :
Keith : [none reported by any taster]
Dario :
Kevin :
Ash Color = black dark grey light grey white
Kvan : xx --------- xx
Norman: xx
Ian : xx
Keith : xx
Dario : xx
Kevin : xx --------- xx
Ash Structure = flaky typical very solid
Kvan : xx
Norman: xx
Ian : xx
Keith : xx
Dario : xx
Kevin : xx
Draw = too easy easy perfect tight plugged
Kvan : xx
Norman: xx
Ian : xx
Keith : xx
Dario : xx
Kevin : xx
Aroma = rank! poor fair good great
Kvan : xx
Norman: xx
Ian : xx
Keith : xx
Dario : xx ----- xx
Kevin : xx
Smoked to = left>=1/2 1/3 to band <band nub
Kvan : xx
Norman: xx
Ian : xx
Keith : xx
Dario : xx
Kevin : xx
Strength = bland mild medium full powerful
Kvan : xx ---- xx
Norman: xx ---- xx
Ian : xx
Keith : xx ---- xx
Dario : xx ---- xx
Kevin : xx
Taste =
Kvan said - Great! This cigar is wonderfully well married,
making it hard to pinpoint exact flavors.
Norman said - Rich, earthy, leathery toasted nut flavours from
the very start and plenty of 'mouthfeel' to the
smoke. medium to long finish. If this isn't a
Havana, it's the nearest thing to it.
Ian said - A powerful cigar from start to finish. No
subtlety what so ever - totally "in your face."
Unmistakably Havana to my palate.
Keith said - Before lighting, there was an earthy taste. Once
lit the cigar initially delivered a spicy core of
tastes and towards the end delivered a very spicy
and peppery taste, quite strong.
Dario said - Decent medium to full smoke. A lot of smoke with
every draw, but still an average cigar.
Kevin said - Started off strongly then eased off to a medium
strength with a leathery, woody aroma and a very
dry finish. Cedary taste which stayed one
dimensional.
Overall Impression =
Kvan said - I'd buy these by the box, but I suspect such a
box would be beyond my means...
Norman said - A great, relaxing smoke for lovers of complex,
fuller-bodied cigars. Enjoyed it thoroughly.
Ian said - It reminds me of so many young Montecristo No.
3s. It must be a Havana. A strong cigar not for
the faint of heart.
Keith said - This cigar really delivered the goods, and in my
opinion may be a Partagas.
Dario said - OK.
Kevin said - Havana. I had high hopes for this cigar. It
started off well, but soon settled into a dry,
vegetal type of smoke which just did not
develop any complexity. I'd guess it was a
Dominican Republic stogie, which would be a good
smoke for, say, mid-afternoon, but it was simply
not too my taste.
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.)
Kvan said - yes
Norman said - yes
Ian said - yes
Keith said - yes
Dario said - yes
Kevin said - no
La
Vigia Coronas
SCALE
YOWZA!!! <--- Kvan
Great Smoke <--- Kvan, Norman, Keith
Good Cigar <--- Ian
Decent/Worthy <--- Dario
Ho-Hum <--- Kevin
Blah...
Dog Rocket!
Editor's
2 Cents - The La Vigia Coronas is a new Havana
brand and cigar set for its official launch late this year according
to Habanos S.A. Because of trademark law in Canada it is necessary
for a product to actually be available in Canada some six months
prior to their issuing trademark and copyright protection for
the brand. As a result of this quirky legal circumstance it happens
that Havana House receives a very limited quantity of pre-production
samples of all new Havanas to sell long before anyone else. Sometimes
these pre-production samples taste just like the final blend
while other times they are nothing at all like the final production
cigar. Regardless, these limited releases of a new Cuban cigar
are highly prized by serious aficionados and often share only
with a Canadian tobacconist's very best customers.
This is a honey colored Havana corona of good construction
and a definite Cuban bouquet. The blend is of medium body, but
it is punched up a bit in strength by its narrow ring. Our tasters
disagree considerably on their tasting notes other than the origin.
I was afforded the luxury of smoking a half dozen of these and
I found it to be a cigar that began with a strong sweet cedar-like
flavor. It settled after the first few puffs into a complex blend
of cedar and spice with a raw edge that really showed its youth.
This vitola burned well and generated very thick billows of smoke
in the mouth and the room. The finish was quite long but a slight
herbal note ruined the aftertaste for me. It was good, but not
great in my opinion. These cigars required at least another year
before it they are truly ready to smoke.
I selected this unique Havana for this taste test because
I knew that it was extremely unlikely that any of the tasters
had ever seen a La Vigia much less smoked one. I was genuinely
curious if they would be able to identify its origin and five
out of seven clearly did so by their tasting notes. Maybe six
of seven, but I think Kevin couldn't quite decide. Lucky guesses?
I don't think so, to me this tasting serves as further proof
that Havanas have a distinct flavor, texture, and aroma that
is entirely their own. Because these we pre-production samples
it is impossible to know what the actual La Vigia Coronas will
taste like until it begins shipping later this year. However,
since there are so few new Havana brands introduced into the
world market, I always suggest you try them when you have the
chance.
Fuente
Fuente Opus X Double Corona
made in: Santiago, Dominican Republic
size : 7 5/8 x 49
wrapper: Dominican Republic
filler : Dominican Republic
binder : Dominican Republic
price : $18.00
Appearance = poor fair good outstanding perfect
Kvan : xx ------ xx
Norman: xx
Ian : xx
Keith : xx
Dario : xx
Kevin : xx
Kvan said - Nice looking churchill w/ some veins. Slight
tears are probably from shipping and band
removal. Nice cap.
Norman said - Smoothish dark wrapper, only slightly veined with
a smooth touch. Well matured bouquet with a hint
of earthy spice.
Ian said - A marvelous looking cigar with a dark shiny
wrapper. The foot is slightly squared.
Keith said - A beautiful, almost maduro, wrapper with a great
sheen, almost oily. This cigar is also triple
capped, probably from a cabinet.
Dario said - Good looking cigar from head to foot. Like a
cigar should look.
Kevin said - "A thing of beauty is a joy forever." Capped by
an expert, one prominent vein. Looks like a
Partagas Lusitania, without the oily wrapper.
Construction = poor fair good outstanding perfect
Kvan : xx ------ xx
Norman: xx
Ian : xx
Keith : xx
Dario : xx
Kevin : xx
Kvan said - Pre-light draw good, if a little easy. Consistent
roll; easy cut.
Norman said - Whoever rolled this must have had huge hands! A
touch soft, but otherwise well-filled and rolled
with an excellent Cuban-style cap.
Ian said - Very well made, no soft spots or bulges. I'm
looking forward to smoking this one.
Keith said - A well made cigar with a good consistent feel
along its length. Very solid ash. Burn problems
though, lots of Blazer treatment required.
Dario said - Good craftsmanship. Very nice cap.
Kevin said - Very solid roll, felt well in the hand.
Burn = very uneven uneven even very even
Kvan : xx
Norman: xx
Ian :
Keith : xx
Dario : xx
Kevin : xx
Problems = runners tunneling got soft split/unraveled
Kvan :
Norman:
Ian :
Keith :
Dario : xx
Kevin :
Ash Color = black dark grey light grey white
Kvan : xx
Norman: xx
Ian : xx
Keith : xx --------- xx
Dario : xx --------- xx
Kevin : xx
Ash Structure = flaky typical very solid
Kvan : xx
Norman: xx
Ian : xx ---- xx
Keith : xx
Dario : xx
Kevin : xx
Draw = too easy easy perfect tight plugged
Kvan : xx
Norman: xx
Ian : xx
Keith : xx
Dario : xx
Kevin : xx
Aroma = rank! poor fair good great
Kvan : xx
Norman: xx
Ian : xx
Keith : xx
Dario : xx
Kevin : xx
Smoked to = left>=1/2 1/3 to band <band nub
Kvan : xx
Norman: xx
Ian : xx
Keith : xx
Dario : xx
Kevin : xx
Strength = bland mild medium full powerful
Kvan : xx
Norman: xx
Ian : xx
Keith : xx
Dario : xx ---- xx
Kevin : xx ---- xx
Taste =
Kvan said - Smooth, yet peppery. Nice ubiquitous tobacco
flavor with hints of spices.
Norman said - Smooth and creamy feeling with an earthy taste
like a well-matured Nicaraguan cigar. A nutty,
spicy and earthy aroma and the flavour also had a
slight coffee-bean finish. This cigar was milder
than I'd hoped for and became very tarry and hard
to draw in the last third.
Ian said - A nutty foretaste, followed by a dry woodsy
aftertaste flecked with hints of cardamom.
Eventually the wood and spice dominated the
taste, after the first third.
Keith said - The taste before lighting indicated a strong,
peppery cigar. First of all, this was quite mild
and mellow, but generated into a full bodied
cigar with peppery and cedary taste.
Dario said - The best one in the batch IMO. Nice draw, a lot
of smoke. Creamy and with a hint of... whatever:
I am not so great a tasting cocoa, nuts, and
stuff. It tasted really good to me.
Kevin said - After an initial buzz, the taste was of leather
and something else familiar that I can't
remember. Needed a little more oomph.
Overall Impression =
Kvan said - The size of this cigar keeps it from being all it
can be. Would love to try a corona size.
Norman said - Rich, complex, smooth, and creamy, yet perhaps
lacking a little in "kick." I personally prefer
Nicaraguan tobacco less mature for this reason.
Certainly worth trying, though, if you have the
time (1.5 to 2 hours).
Ian said - I didn't enjoy this cigar, its taste was totally
one dimensional - dry wood and spice - not for me.
Keith said - This was a good cigar, probably well aged, full
flavour, just a shame about the slight uneven
burn.
Dario said - I would like to have more of those. A lot of
those!
Kevin said - After 2 puffs, Yowza! - but then it climbed into
its rocking chair and settled into a comfortable,
middle-aged, respectable smoke. Very pleasant,
but unexciting. I had high expectations for this
cigar, but felt disappointed afterwards. A good,
but not great, smoke.
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.)
Kvan said - yes
Norman said - yes
Ian said - no
Keith said - yes
Dario said - yes
Kevin said - yes
Fuente Fuente Opus X Double
Corona
SCALE
YOWZA!!!
Great Smoke <--- Keith
Good Cigar <--- Kvan, Norman, Dario, & Kevin
Decent/Worthy
Ho-Hum <--- Ian
Blah...
Dog Rocket!
Editor's
2 Cents - The Fuente Fuente Opus X was introduced
in 1996 and is the flagship cigar of Tabacalera a Fuente y Cia.
This cigar is the product of Carlos Fuente Jr.'s labor and effort
to create a Dominican cigar worthy of being of regarded as one
the best cigars ever made. It is the Fuente's success in growing
arguably the first worthy shade wrapper in the DR that not only
makes this cigar truly unique but also the first Dominican puro.
These are far more difficult to obtain by the box than most Habana
benchmarks.
The Opus X Double Corona is classic size with its 7 5/8"
length and 49 ring. The wrapper is a beautiful colorado rosado
hue that is silky beneath the touch. It is has a finely finished
triple cap that is normally associated with Cuban cigars and
a very distinct pre-light bouquet. This cigar is medium in strength
and full of body with an intricate blend of flavors including
wood, earth, and pepper. There is also underlying hints of spiced
ginger in this complex blend. It is a very solid cigar lasting
for well over nineties minutes. Its flavor is rather deceiving
as you will note that not a single taster even speculated it
was of Dominican origin although it is a puro. One comment that
rang very true to my ear was Kvan's, "...the size of this
cigar keeps it from being all it can be. Would love to try a
corona size." The Fuente Fuente Opus X blend is actually
better suited to my tastebuds in the smaller rings. The added
strength of these thinner vitolas really add an extra dimension
to this blend in my opinion.
Although I know it would very populous of me to degrade
the Opus X Double Corona, I can not. We can debate whether the
flavor and strength suits your individual tastes, for example
I actually prefer the Don Carlos blend in the larger sizes. But
even so, it is impossible to deny that the Opus X Double Corona
is anything but an exceptional cigar. I regard it as a must try
smoke for every serious cigar connoisseur.
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