Oliva Serie V Lancero
This is a well constructed cigar sporting a sun grown habano wrapper and ligero filler. The lancero vitola allows you to enjoy all the flavor the wrapper has to offer. This cigar boasts an excellent blend of wood, spice and slight chocolate flavors; I also picked up a bit of pecan and other nuts, as well as hints of coffee in the final third. The draw is somewhat tight but burn is nice and even, and the 7″ length gives you a lot of enjoyment for only $5.
Mini Review Grade: A-
Mini Review
Grade A-, Habano, Lancero, Med/Full, Mini Review, Oliva
Rocky Patel Sun Grown Toro
Size – 6.5 x 52
Age – 6 months
Cost – $5 online
Wrapper – Sun Grown (Ecuador)
Construction – Nearly flawless appearance and construction that was marred by a small wrapper tear during smoking. The symmetry and firmness were very good.
Burn – Slow and even with one relight in the beginning of the second half
Ash – Ash was very light grey and compact, holding tight in 3/4″ pieces.
Draw & Smoke – Draw was firm but the payoff was a large volume of tasty smoke per puff.
Flavor – The Sun Grown by Rocky Patel started off with a crisp, cedary and sweet flavor. I detected some very light citrus notes just before a very nice blend of smooth spice and a bit of black pepper set in. As the stick progressed into the 2nd third, the clean woody and cedar tones gave way to a deeper array of leather and spice. The creaminess and sweetness remained throughout the stogie. In the final third, the flavors remained rich and leathery with sweet spice; there was plenty of flavor without the dizzying full body experience that can sometimes go alongside a bold set of tastes.
Strength – Med/Full
Rating – 9/10
Value – 8/10
Drink – Diet soda. Nothing remarkable although the sweetener did compliment the sweetness of the cigar. I did not start the drink until after the first third, making me reasonably convinced that the drink did not cause the sweet notes in the cigar’s flavor profile.
Notes – These days I regularly try not to sound like a Rocky Patel apologist or fanboy, but the man can blend. This is another excellent cigar from the man who seems like he can do no wrong. To my knowledge this is an online and mailorder-only stick which means you may not run across it in your local shop, but it’s worth seeking out; this is a great cigar at an attractive price.
Second Opinion – Matt’s Cigar Journal has a positive, although not quite as glowing, review of the Sun Grown.
Reviews
52 Ring, 9/10, Cigar Review, Med/Full, Rocky Patel, Sun Grown
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
Punch Rare Corojo Magnum (2009)
Size – 5.1 x 54 boxpress
Age - 1 month
Cost – $5
Wrapper – Sumatra (Ecuador)
Construction – A nice looking, rich brown wrapper adorns this very well constructed boxpress cigar. It has good heft and even symmetry.
Burn – An very uneven start smoothed out into a somewhat uneven but acceptable burn
Ash – Medium grey and compact, the ash held in 1″ pieces.
Draw & Smoke – Draw was just right and produced a very large volume of smoke per puff.
Flavor – After lighting, I was hit with a significant amount of peppery spice, with a dry finish that included flavors of wood and cocoa. The cigar mellowed a bit and the harshness of the first third diminished as a woody and earthy flavor set in. However, there was an acrid, campfire quality to the cigar at times. The final third saw the return of some of the initial harshness along with additional flavors of black pepper, earth and some leather.
Strength – Med/Full
Rating – 6/10
Value – 5/10
Drink – Water
Notes – This is an interesting cigar which is produced only part of the year and is typically available to buy in the springtime. The name is misleading as the wrapper is not really a corojo, but a sumatra. The $4-5 range is a very crowded one for cigars and you can find many better ones for the same price. 2009 may not have been the best year for this seasonal smoke, or they may just need a nice long nap in the humidor.
Reviews
54 Ring, 6/10, Cigar Review, Med/Full, Punch, Sumatra
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
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.
Reviews
50 Ring, 9/10, CAO, Cigar Review, Habano, Med/Full
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.
Mini Review, Reviews
54 Ring, 8/10, Cigar Review, Med/Full, Natural, Saint Luis Rey
Coronado by La Flor (aka La Flor Dominicana Coronado) Double Toro
Size – 7 x 54
Age – 2 Months
Cost – $8
Wrapper – Natural (Nicaragua)
Construction – A well constructed large cigar but with some wrapper issues – pronounced veins were present, although some veins are acceptible in a sun grown wrapper. A crack in the foot and two more near the band were evident, despite the cigar being kept in cellophane and not rearranged much.
Burn - Mostly even and steady. When it began to burn unevenly, the cigar corrected itself. One relight was needed around halfway.
Ash – Very light grey and somewhat loose but not completely unruly. Ash held for about 1″ at a time.
Draw & Smoke – The draw was perfect and the cigar produced a ton of smoke per puff. It also continually produced a significant stream of aromatic smoke from the foot while resting.
Flavor – This is a complex and very flavorful cigar. The prelight aroma of anise appeared as a flavor in the first third, along with caramel and some spice. Room aroma was rich and sweet with a hint of citrus, like orange or lime peel. In the second third, black pepper kicked in and the taste of leather joined the flavor party. These flavors were balanced by a sweet and creamy tobacco flavor that persisted through the cigar.
Strength – Med/Full
Rating – 9/10
Value – 6/10
Drink – Columbian coffee – an excellent pairing with the bold and rich flavors of the Coronado.
Notes – The Coronado double toro, at 7 x 54, is a whopper of a cigar and is among the sizes that I do not regularly smoke, mostly due to time constraints. Plan to spend 120 minutes on this cigar, which is going to be a very enjoyable 2 hours of your life. This is an excellent, complex cigar with plenty of reasons to like it, and if you’re like me you’ll want to revisit it to see what you missed. Construction problems are the only thing that kept this stick from being a 10/10.
Reviews
54 Ring, 9/10, Cigar Review, Coronado, La Flor Domninicana, Med/Full, Natural
5 Vegas Classic Double Corona
A well constructed cigar with a nice sumatra wrapper. It had an overly tight draw but a well behaved and firm ash. A pleasant flavor profile of sweet, earthy tobacco and a small hit of pepper on the palate. The smoke is fairly creamy but has a slightly harsh finish, and has a medium-full body. At $2-3 each, this is a nice value cigar.
Mini Review Grade: B-
Mini Review
48 Ring, 5 Vegas, Grade B-, Med/Full, Mini Review, Sumatra
Don Pepin Garcia Cuban Classic (Black Label) 1977 Corona
Size – 5.5 x 38
Age – 1 month
Cost – $6
Wrapper – Corojo (Nicaragua)
Construction – Expertly constructed with a beautiful wrapper, no flaws and great symmetry.
Burn – An even burn was interrupted in the second third by a wrapper split, possibly due to slight over-humidification although no other sticks from the same humidor have had this problem.
Ash – A firm salt and pepper ash
Draw & Smoke – Draw was very tight on this cigar, making it difficult to produce a puff full of smoke. Improved slightly in the final third.
Flavor – Prelight aroma was a very rich and earthy tobacco smell. After lighting I was treated to a bold blend of cedar, deep earthy tobacco and some black pepper. As the small cigar moved along at a fairly brisk pace, the core flavors of wood and tobacco persisted while the pepper become a bit more muted. At about halfway, a really pleasant aftertaste + aroma combination teamed up to enhance the cigar even further. The Black Label’s aroma was excellent, a rich sweet tobacco smell.
Strength – Med/Full
Rating – 7/10
Value – 4/10
Drink – Water
Notes – I plan to buy some more of these cigars and age them a bit longer; they deserve to be revisited for review, possibly in a different size. I think this really is a 9/10 stogie but the wrapper split, the very firm draw and low smoke volume all diminished the experience. Otherwise this is a cigar with a great flavor profile and an intoxicating aroma. The $6 price tag for a 38 ring stick does move it out of the value range.
Reviews
38 Ring, 7/10, Cigar Review, Corojo, Don Pepin Garcia, Med/Full