Montecristo Media Noche Edmundo
Size – 5 x 55
Age – 4 months
Cost – $9
Wrapper – Maduro (Connecticut)
Construction – Very well constructed with a couple of pronounced veins on the wrapper. Symmetry was good but the cigar was a little too dense at the head.
Burn - Even and slow
Ash – Medium to dark grey, held tight and neatly in 1″ pieces.
Draw & Smoke – The draw was a little tight after a punch cut, owing to a tighter pack at the head of the cigar. Once I clipped off the top, however, it opened up a bit and was a firm but good draw, producing a medium amount of smoke per puff.
Flavor – Prelight flavors of earth and sweet chocolate led into a wonderful first third with those flavors coming out immediately after lighting, along with a rich coffee note and some lip-tingling red pepper. The second third produced a spicier but still creamy and smooth blend of espresso, chocolate and leather. The final third delivered more body but a similar bouquet of flavors, never growing harsh or bitter. The room aroma was outstanding.
Strength – Med/Full
Rating – 10/10
Value – 
7/10
Drink – Iced tea – an unremarkable pairing. If it were not a warm summer evening I would have made a nice pot of hot coffee, which would pair up excellently with this cigar. Perhaps some iced coffee is in order for my next Media Noche.
Notes – This cigar is a top notch experience and one of the best maduros I have smoked. The characteristic coffee and earthy notes of a maduro wrapper shine through and are accompanied by a fantastic blend of complimentary flavors. This is Montecristo’s only maduro cigar – not a problem because they nailed it first try. I feel very fortunate to have landed 10 of these at only $4 each; keep your eyes peeled for a special on this cigar. Highly recommended.
Second Opinion – I really didn’t find any negative reviews of this cigar, but here is a video review at Cigar Obsession.
Reviews
10/10, 55 Ring, Cigar Review, Maduro, Med/Full, Montecristo
5 Vegas Series ‘A’ Artisan (Robusto)
Size – 5 x 52
Age – 2 months
Cost – $4
Wrapper – Maduro (Costa Rica)
Construction – An excellently constructed cigar with nice heft and feel.
Burn – Slow burn that was uneven at the start and had some tunneling. Nothing terrible and no relights needed but could have been much more even. The wrapper also wound up with a small split in the last third.
Ash – Medium grey with a tight 1″ of grab. No flakes or ash mishaps.
Draw & Smoke – The draw was perfect, just a bit open which allowed a medium amount of smoke to come through the punch cut in each puff.
Flavor – The Series ‘A’ starts off with a smooth and interesting blend of wood and sweet spice flavors, punctuated by a bit of chocolate and cedar from the wrapper and the sleeve respectively. One of my difficulties in tasting cigars is picking out specific spices but I believe I got some clove or cinnamon in the aroma as well. As the cigar quickly moved into the second third, the body picked up a bit and the flavors blended together a bit better into a creamy and spicy-sweet medium to full bodied smoke with an espresso finish. The spiciness ramped up in the final third and by the time I set it down it was a solid, full bodied but not overwhelming, cigar.
Strength – Med/Full
Rating – 8/10
Value – 8/10
Drink – Water
Notes – Another very nice smoke from 5 Vegas, this one a step up in body from the Classic line. There are a lot of vitolas in this line (all beginning with the letter A, natch) and I am hoping to find a good sampler of them so I can find my favorite one. I think the wrapper really adds a lot to this cigar, which leads me to believe the smaller ring vitolas might be the best. If you have a favorite why not add a comment to this post and let us know?
Other Opinions
A less positive review of this stick can be found at The Box Press.
Reviews
5 Vegas, 52 Ring, 8/10, Cigar Review, Maduro, Med/Full
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.
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.
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.
Reviews
52 Ring, 6/10, Indian Tabac, Maduro, Rocky Patel, Toro
Rocky Patel Vintage 1990 Toro
Size – 6.5 x 52 boxpress
Age – 2 months
Cost – $7
Wrapper – Maduro (Honduras)
Construction – Very well constructed with great symmetry. The smooth chocolate brown wrapper had a couple of very small blemishes. (8/10)
Burn – Mostly even with no touchups or relights. (8/10)
Ash – Light grey and compact. Held tight in 1 – 1.5″ pieces.
Draw & Smoke – The smoke felt a bit firm and dense but there were no problems with the draw after clipping the cap. Smoke volume was low.
Flavor – The prelight aroma of this cigar was sweet aged tobacco. After getting it lit I was rewarded with a smooth and mellow flavors of sweet tobacco, wood and cherry. The room aroma was excellent, a sweet and clean maduro tobacco smell. As the cigar moved along, the flavors stayed consistent but not quite one-dimensional. In the second and final thirds, a bit of spice crept into the mix, along with some aroma of chocolate. I also caught a few hints of citrus but I discounted those as I believe they were provided by my drink (earl grey)
Strength – Mild/Med
Rating – 8/10
Value – 6/10
Drink – Hot earl grey tea
Notes – I keep waiting for Rocky to deliver a cigar that I don’t like. Looks like I’ll still be searching for that stick, because the 1990 was a good tasting and wonderful smelling cigar that is a perfect for an afternoon (or morning). If the flavors of this blend were just a bit more pronounced it would earn a 9/10.
Reviews
52 Ring, 8/10, Cigar Review, Maduro, Mild/Med, Rocky Patel
Victor Sinclair Vintage Select Toro
Size – 6 x 50 boxpress
Age - Around 2 months
Cost – $2 – 2.50 online
Wrapper – Maduro (Brazil)
Construction – A nice wrapper marred by a couple of small spots. Sharp boxpressed shape with fair symmetry except for an uneven cap. The bands are unattractive with an awkward font and spacing in the text, and were put on poorly. (5/10)
Burn – Other than an early lopsided burn caused by a vein the wrapper, burn was even and slow. (7/10)
Ash – The ash was medium grey and held for about 3/4″ at a time with an unruly flowering that left bits of ash on my lap and the floor.
Draw & Smoke – The draw was looser than I expected from such a sharp boxpress. It was just right and resulted in a medium volume of smoke.
Flavor – The Vintage Select is a cigar with a smooth and mild flavor. While no distinct flavors “popped” from this smoke, it has a nice earthiness and was complimented by the common maduro smells of sweet tobacco, chocolate and a bit of raisin. On a few puffs I did note a very slightly sour flavor up front but the finish was smooth (if a bit short) throughout the cigar.
Strength – Medium
Rating – 7/10
Value – 8/10
Drink - English black tea
Notes - I believe this is currently an exclusive to Cigars International, or maybe a line that just the largest online stores carry. It’s not even mentioned on the Victor Sinclair website. This is a solid value cigar with ok construction, great aroma and a mellow flavor profile. Take off the tacky gold bands and ribbon and enjoy this $2 maduro.
Reviews
50 Ring, 7/10, Cigar Review, Maduro, Toro, Victor Sinclair
Rocky Patel Olde World Reserve Maduro Toro
Size – 6.5 x 52 boxpress
Age - 2 months
Cost – $10 online
Wrapper – Maduro (Costa Rica)
Construction – This is a very well constructed cigar with a flawless, nearly vein-free wrapper that is a beautiful dark brown. The review cigar had a couple of small crinkles from the box press. (9/10)
Burn – The cigar started out with a little runner but quickly caught up and burned slowly and evenly the rest of the way. (8/10)
Ash – The ash was compact and light grey, about 1.5″ of grab
Draw & Smoke – An easy but not loose draw produces a medium amount of smoke.
Flavor – The Rocky Patel Olde World Reserve Maduro Toro (whew) has a whole lot going on. From the light it produces a mellow and smooth blend of flavors which seem to mingle to the point that you can’t really discern them. This is deceptive though, because as the cigar progresses you realize a really wonderful array of flavors has been blended into this cigar – earth, toast and leather each emerged in the first half, while the room aroma was a delicious sweet chocolate, fig and tobacco smell. The second half continued the rich blend of flavors with a bit of coffee, black pepper and more body.
Strength – Med/Full
Rating – 9/10
Value – 5/10
Drink - Earl grey tea, hot with cream and sugar. A nice pairing with this amazingly creamy and rich cigar. A good alcohol pairing would be a malty, dark beer such as a doppelbock or a porter.
Notes – A really nice cigar and a real treat to a (mostly) value smoker like me. The blend is really impressive and is yet another testament to the skills of RP.
Reviews
52 Ring, 9/10, Cigar Review, Maduro, Med/Full, Rocky Patel, Toro
Gurkha Doble (Double) Maduro Toro
Size – 6 x 52
Age - 1 month
Cost – $4-6 online
Wrapper – Maduro (Dominican Republic?)
Construction – This is a well constructed cigar with a very attractive dark chocolate colored wrapper that had no evident flaws. The symmetry was good and the feel was springy and firm. (9/10)
Burn – Burn was a little unruly but mostly even. No touchups were needed but I did have to relight once and overall it was not a straight, even burn. (6/10)
Ash – Ash was very light grey, nearly white. It held solid for 2″
Draw & Smoke – Draw was just right and a fair amount of smoke was produced with each puff.
Flavor – There is a type of beer called a rauchbier, in which the malted barley is smoked, usually by virtue of being dried over an actual fire, before it is used in making the beer. Their flavor is very distinctive and not always in a good way. The Gurkha Doble Maduro had a base flavor profile of coffee bean, some cocoa and dark bittersweet chocolate, but it also had another, distincive smoky characteristic. The closest thing I could compare it to was a rauchbier – it has almost a campfire-like quality to it. The cigar is mellow and smooth but I found the “smoky” quality to be equal parts interesting and off-putting. Room aroma was nice, with a cedar note and some of that sweet maduro smell.
Strength – Medium
Rating – 6/10
Value - 4/10
Drink - Australian Merlot. A good pairing but nothing extraordinary.
Notes - I am still on the fence about this cigar. I’m not sure if the unique flavor I experienced was typical of this line or if my review stick had one strange leaf tucked in it somewhere. I am looking forward to revisiting this cigar once my other stick has aged.
Reviews
52 Ring, 6/10, Cigar Review, Gurkha, Maduro, Medium, Toro
Cu*Avana Maduro Robusto
Size – 5 x 50
Age - 1 month
Cost – $2 online
Wrapper – Connecticut maduro
Construction – This cigar is well constructed with a nice looking, toothy maduro wrapper and just a couple of visible veins. Symmetry is good and there we no issues with the cap when punching it. (8/10)
Burn – The burn on some of the other cigars I have had from this box was not that great. I believe the box may have been very dry when I received it. After 4-5 weeks in the coolidor, this cigar burned evenly and had no issues. (8/10)
Ash – Light grey, almost white. Firm and grabby with no flowering. Held2.5″
Draw & Smoke – The draw was tight and bordered on being a bit too much effort. I might clip this cigar instead of punching it next time. I would have liked to have seen more smoke in each puff.
Flavor - A mellow blend of flavors including some coffee, very small amount of black pepper and a smooth creamy palate feel. The room aroma is that nice sweet tobacco smell you expect from a maduro.
Strength – Mild/Med
Rating – 7/10
Value – 9/10
Drink - Hot earl grey with cream and sugar. Good pairing but nothing to write home about.
Notes - The Cu*Avana maduro is a mild, tasty maduro that could compliment your morning coffee or accompany a nice afternoon break. It is a well constructed smoke that you can pick up for as little as $1 apiece at cigar auction sites. This is a great everyday maduro that you can feel free to enjoy without having a 3 course meal first. A solid addition to any humidor.
Reviews
50 Ring, 7/10, Cigar Review, Cu*Avana, Maduro, Mild/Med, Robusto