Syrinxx’s Cigar Shack

Indian Tabac Co. (ITC) 10th Anniversary Toro by Rocky Patel

Size – 6,.5 x 52
Age – 3 months
Cost – $7
Wrapper – Corojo (Nicaragua)
Construction – Flawless construction as I have come to expect from RP.  The wrapper was smooth and had a very nice sheen in the light.  The cigar felt a bit light for its size, but did not have any soft spots or a spongy feel.  Unfortunately the tightly wrapped bottom band created a small wrapper tear when it was removed.
Burn – The burn started very straight but eventually became somewhat uneven and had a bit of stair-stepping.   No relights were required, although it did need a couple of quick touchups.  I did purge the cigar one time, as I normally do with a toro.
Ash – Very light grey and compact.  Held in 1″ pieces.
Draw & Smoke -  Draw through a v-cut cap was perfect.  There was not a whole lot of smoke per draw, but it did increase as the cigar progressed.
Flavor – Prelight aroma was leather and earthy tobacco.  Upon lighting, however, I was pleasantly surprised by a good amount of smooth corojo sweetness mixed with subtle peppery spice and some leather notes.  Progressing into the second half, the cigar picked up in spice, including red pepper, but also remained creamy and smooth.  A very slight harshness crept into the second half, but it was still balanced by the sweet corojo tobacco flavor.  The finish throughout was slightly woody and dry.
Strength – Medium
Rating – 8/10
Value – 6/10

Drink – Water
Notes – This is another tasty stick from RP.  Rocky has proven that he can blend some fine cigars at the $5-6 price point and this is no exception.  I was comfortable overlooking the band-caused wrapper tear, which really did not impact the smoke, and found a nice cigar that has a good, balanced array of flavors and a medium body suitable for a day or nighttime smoke.

Syrinxx Reviews 52 Ring, 9/10, Cigar Review, Corojo, Medium, Rocky Patel, Toro

Casa Magna Colorado Belicoso

Size – 6.25 x 54
Age – 1 month
Cost – $6
Wrapper – Colorado (Nicaragua)
Construction – Very well constructed with a slightly uneven tip.  The cigar feels soft but not squishy.  The feel is even from point to foot.
Burn – Burn started out a bit uneven and mostly stayed that way throughout.  It did not stair-step or canoe and needed only small touchups.  This cigar burns slowly; plan for a nearly 2 hour smoke. It did tar up a bit and required purging twice.
Ash – Ash was a medium grey and held tight in solid 1.5″ pieces.
Draw & Smoke – You can pretty much clip a belicoso to achieve whatever draw you like.  With my normal torpedo/belicoso clip leaving about a 40 to 45 ring hole in the cap, I was rewarded with a nearly perfect draw -  not too loose or tight.  The amount of smoke produced per puff was a bit above average and quite satisfying.  The foot streamed a good amount of aromatic smoke when resting.
Flavor – Holding this cigar in my mouth for a prelight taste yielded lots of tingling red pepper, the flavor of which imediately settled at the back of my palate after the light.  The profile is very earthy and peppery but smooth, and a tiny hint of caramel and coffee in the finish and aroma.  I also caught a bit of black cherry in the first third that didn’t stick around for long.  The second third saw the pepper flavors muted and brought a big helping of body and more intense earthy flavor with less sweetness and hints of tea (surely enhanced by the fact that I was drinking tea at the time) and leather.  The final third brought new flavors of mocha and honey, punctuating a complex, layered and interesting journey from start to finish.
Strength – Full
Rating – 8/10
Value – 7/10

Drink – Iced tea
Notes – This is a different vitola of the Colorado line – the robusto won Cigar Aficionado’s 2008 Cigar of the Year award.  Whatever your opinion of magazine reviews, rest assured that the two experts behind Casa Magna, Manuel Quesada and Nestor Plascencia, have crafted a very good cigar.  Like the pros, I prefer the robusto size to the larger belicoso; I found it to be more complex and a better overall experience.  However, this remains a fine smoke and a great value at less than $6 at your local shop.  It may also be your only option in this line as the robusto’s high marks have left it in short supply.

Syrinxx Reviews 54 Ring, 8/10, Belicoso, Casa Magna, Cigar Review, Colorado, Full

Arturo Fuente 8-5-8 Factory Seconds Natural

This inexpensive, unbanded second of the Arturo Fuente 858 is a bit of a mystery to me, as the banded cigar normally sells for only $5.  The smoke is a tasty, rich blend of sweet tobacco and mocha with a hint of cedar and peanut.  The aroma is excellent, almost intoxicating.  If you’re willing to overlook some construction issues such as small wrapper flaws, a slightly loose cigar that creates flowery ash and has an overly easy draw, you will find a very tasty cigar at an unbeatable price.  Thanks to my co-worker Rocky (no, not that one) for the sample cigars!

Mini Review Grade: B-

Syrinxx Mini Review Arturo Fuente, Cigar, Grade B-, Mini Review, Natural, Toro

CAO Italia Largo

Size – 6.5 x 50
Age – About 1 year
Cost – $6
Wrapper – Habano (Honduras)
Construction – A nice looking, mostly symmetrical cigar with slightly pronounced veins from a good rest in the humidor.  The wrapper had a small crack and flake of wrapper missing at the foot but the cigar withstood a punch cut and held together nicely.
Burn – Mostly even with one touchup needed.  I did note that this cigar liked to be puffed a little more frequently than most; it would probably have gone out if I stuck to the usual draw every 1-2 minutes.
Ash – Ash was very light grey, nearly white.  It held for 3/4″ at a time.
Draw & Smoke – Draw was somewhat loose and a fair amount of smoke was produced with each puff.  Very little smoke came off the foot while it was resting in the tray.
Flavor -  The initial flavor profile was somewhat sweet (not from a sugared cap, thankfully) with some coffee notes and a very slight spicy tingle.  The one thing that stood out from the start of this stick was a really nice smooth spice and mocha aroma; this is a great aromatic stogie.  The second half of the Italia brought a little more toasty tobacco and woody flavors and the sweetness diminished.  Coffee and espresso flavors persisted but were not dominant, with all of these tastes and the great aroma blending into an interesting and complex smoke.
Strength – Med/Full
Rating – 9/10
Value – 7/10

Drink – Grapefruit soda
Notes – I received this cigar from a friend and did not know the vitola.  It was 6.5″ long which should make it the Largo, but the Largo is usually sold tubed, and I received this one “naked”.  Nevertheless it was properly cared for and should represent the brand well.  I’m not sure exactly what part the Italian tobacco played in this cigar, but the blend is solid and it has earned a well deserved slot in the “just over value price” section of my humidor.

Syrinxx Reviews 50 Ring, 9/10, CAO, Cigar Review, Habano, Med/Full

Partagas (Black Label) Prontos

The Pronto from Partagas is a very well constructed small cigar with a dark natural wrapper.  They are sold in tins of 6 for $10-14 and last upwards of 40 minutes despite their diminutive size.  Flavors are rich tobacco and earthiness with a sweet aroma.  The cigar packs a punch with powerful ligero tobacco leading to a full body smoke.  Burn was good and the ash was extremely light grey.   A great way to spend your lunch break.

Mini Review Grade: A-

Syrinxx Mini Review Full, Grade A-, Mini Review, Natural, Partagas, Small Cigars

Just got a shipment of stuff, after splitting and trading with another aficionado at work, I have the following to add to the humidor.  Yum!

9 Montecristo Media Noche Edmundo
5 Oliva Serie O Maduro Torpedo
3 Padilla ‘68 Robusto
2 Padilla ‘68 Toro
2 Padilla ‘68 Torpedo
3 Padilla ‘68 Churchill
1 5 Vegas Series ‘A’ Robusto
1 5 Vegas Gold Robusto
1 5 Vegas Classic Robusto

Syrinxx Blog, Humidor Blog, Cigars, Coolerdor, Coolidor, Humidor

Saint Luis Rey Rothchilde Natural

Size – 5 x 54
Age – 2 months
Cost – $3.50
Wrapper – Natural (Nicaragua)
Construction – A nice looking cigar with a few veins in the wrapper.  Good symmetry and no soft spots.
Burn – A nice even burn even in breezy conditions.
Ash – Mottled and somewhat firm with 3/4″ of grab
Draw & Smoke – Good resistance on the draw, not too much, and a satisfying amount of smoke in each puff.
Flavor – The flavor profile was rich, with earthy and woody notes.  The SLR is a good example of a cigar that has lots of flavor without a dizzying full body strength.  In the second half a bit of toast and spice replaced the woody flavors as the earthiness persisted.  The second half also brought some aroma and flavor of peanut.
Strength – Med/Full
Rating – 8/10
Value – 8/10

Drink – Water
Notes – The SLR Rothschild is a solid value cigar with lots of flavor.   While it’s not a terribly complex smoke, it’s a darn good one and should be considered for anyone looking to fill their humidor without breaking the bank.

Syrinxx Mini Review, Reviews 54 Ring, 8/10, Cigar Review, Med/Full, Natural, Saint Luis Rey

Kristoff Maduro Robusto

Size – 5.5 x 54
Age – 2 months
Cost – $7
Wrapper – Maduro (Brazil)
Construction – A pretty chocolate brown maduro leaf adorns this cigar, beginning with a pigtail and ending in a shag foot; the result is a unique and attractive cigar.  The wrapper is oily and has just a few noticeable viens.  Symmetry is excellent.
Burn – The shag foot burned quickly but helped create a fast start for this cigar.  Burn was a little uneven but required no tending or relights.
Ash – Ash was light grey and held in 3/4″ pieces on a somewhat breezy afternoon.
Draw & Smoke – The draw was perfect and each puff resulted in a moderate amount of smoke.
Flavor – Prelight aroma and flavors were coffee and chocolate, very typical of a maduro wrapper.  After lighting , these flavors of chocolate and coffee came through clearly, along with a good dose of black pepper.  Despite the cigar being advertised as medium-bodied, I experienced quite a bit of nicotene tingle on my tongue, palate and even lips.  As the smoke moved along a nice nuttiness emerged, along with a little less black pepper and a more smooth spicy note.
Strength – Medium
Rating – 8/10
Value – 6/10

Drink – Sugarcane-sweetened Pepsi
Notes – This was the first afternoon cigar on the back patio for me this year.  It was a gorgeous, cloudless afternoon in the low 70s and I found the whole experience to be quite enjoyable, but hopefully it didn’t tilt my review too much – perfect day or not this is a nice cigar.  When I’m outside I find myself really missing the intense room aroma of most cigars, so when I do get a nice little whiff it enhances the moment nicely.  The Kristoff maduro is a solid cigar and while most online retailers do not carry this line, it’s worth a purchase the next time you spot them in your local shop.

Syrinxx Reviews 54 Ring, 8/10, Cigar Review, Kristoff, Maduro, Medium

La Gloria Cubana Serie R #4 (Rothschild) Maduro

Size – 4.875 x 52
Age – About 1 month
Cost – $5.50
Wrapper – Maduro (Ecuador)
Construction – A beautiful, dense cigar dressed with a very dark brown maduro wrapper.  Nearly perfect construction.
Burn – An uneven start quickly settled in to a slow and fairly straight burn.
Ash – Ash was medium grey and held tight in 3/4″ pieces.
Draw & Smoke – The draw was firm and the amount of smoke was about average.
Flavor – The prelight aromas of wood and coffee turned into the same flavors immediately after lighting this smallish cigar.  Spicy black pepper arrived shortly after the light and stayed throughout.  The maduro wrapper provided a nice bit of sweetness in the aroma; unfortunately that characteristic maduro sweeness was not found in the cigar’s variety of flavors.  The second half remained rich and spicy but smooth and balanced, with a very interesting malty note when retrohaled.
Strength – Full
Rating – 8/10
Value – 7/10

Drink – Dr. Pepper.  I really wish I had a single malt to enjoy this with after I caught that malty flavor and aroma.  Next time I won’t be out of scotch!
Notes – This is a brand that most of the cigar smokes I know love, but I’d never visited.  I’m really glad I grabbed this cigar on a whim at my local shop – it’s a powerful but balanced smoke that deserves a spot in the humidor.

Syrinxx Reviews 52 Ring, 8/10, Cigar Review, Full, La Gloria Cubana, Maduro

Indian Tabac Super Fuerte Maduro Toro

Size – 6 x 52 boxpress
Age – 3 months
Cost – $2-3
Wrapper – Maduro (Nicaragua)
Construction – An expertly constructed boxpress, cloaked with a gorgeous, oily and smooth maduro wrapper.  The band is a bit large and overstated.
Burn – The burn was a bit stubborn in the beginning, requiring one relight early in the first half.  The burn line was very uneven at times with a couple of touchups needed.
Ash – Ash was a bit flaky and held in 1/2 – 3/4″ pieces.
Draw & Smoke – Draw was tight but not impossible.  Amount of smoke per puff was average.
Flavor – The flavors of this cigar are mostly earthy and rich tobacco.  Conspicuously absent was the smooth sweetness typical of a maduro wrapper, although this was occasionally present in the aroma of the smoke.  In the second half, some flavors of caramel and cocoa became apparent, but the stogie also became a bit harsh.  The cigar is full bodied but does not have the usual black pepper or tingle of a fuller smoke.
Strength – Full
Rating – 6/10
Value – 5/10

Drink – Water
Notes – The Indian Tabac Super Fuerte Maduro is a decent low priced cigar that was a bit disappointing when compared to other Rocky Patel blends.  It was also difficult to keep the cigar lit and burning evenly, which cost it bit in rating.  Super Fuerte means extra strong, but I’d put this in the Medium/Full or lower end of Full bodied.

Syrinxx Reviews 52 Ring, 6/10, Indian Tabac, Maduro, Rocky Patel, Toro