Montecristo No. 2 (Cuban) Pyramide
Size – 6 1/8 x 52
Age – 18 months
Cost – 13 €
Wrapper – Cuba
Construction – A well constructed cigar with a bit of wear on the foot from storage. Evenly firm with no soft spots. The wrapper had some small veins protruding and one tiny blemish near the band.
Burn – Very slow and dead even.
Ash – Medium to dark grey with a slight bit of flowering but a nice 1″ of grab.
Draw & Smoke – Prelight draw felt firm but once lit it was exactly right for the copious amount of smoke coming off each draw.
Flavor – Prelight aroma was excellent, light floral and smooth tobacco with cedar. After lighting, sweet and clean flavors of fine tobacco emerged, along with a woody and peppery finish. As the cigar progressed, more earthy flavors emerged, along with a very slight bit of the “Cuban twang” and some additional wood and paper notes. The final third produced a nearly perfect bouquet, with added mocha and coffee flavors, and more body. An incredible room aroma acompanied the cigar throughout, particularly in the last third.
Strength – Medium
Rating – 10/10
Value – NA
Drink – Iced tea. A very good pairing for a warm summer night, although as with most cigars, I think the Montecristo #2 would be great with some freshly brewed coffee.
Notes – This was a gift from a friend and I’m not sure whether to thank him or not; he’s now teased me with one of the best cigars I’ve ever had and I have no way to get any more. This is a fabulous smoke and a good example of why the storied brands of Cuba still hold the title of the best cigars in the world.
Reviews
10/10, 52 Ring, Cigar Review, Cuba, Medium, Montecristo
Romeo y Julieta 1875 Love Story
Size – 4.5 x 46 (Perfecto)
Age – 3 months
Cost – $5
Wrapper – Natural (Indonesia)
Construction – A nice lookinig, symmetrical cigar in an interesting shape. The cigar was slightly uneven in feel, having a few firm spots. The wrapper also cracked in one spot as I was squeezing the cigar.
Burn – With other love story vitolas I have had no problems getting the stick going thanks to the nipple end. I had the opposite experience with the RyJ 1875; it was quite difficult to light but once it hit the wider part of the perfecto, burn was much improved – even and slow.
Ash – Very light grey, almost white. Compact and held snug in 3/4″ pieces.
Draw & Smoke – Draw was very tight until the burn reached the widest part of the cigar. After that it was smooth sailing with a nice easy but not loose draw, producing a moderate amount of smoke per puff.
Flavor – The prelight flavors of earthy tobacco and grass led into a very smooth, mild blend of flavors after the light – a creamy blend of earth, wood and tobacco with just a bit of sweetness. The gentle flavor profile hides a surprising medium body; I was expecting a very mild cigar which this is not. The second half of the cigar had similar flavors, but a bit more intensity and some tingling spice. It also picked up a touch more sweetness on the finish.
Strength – Medium
Rating – 7/10
Value – 6/10
Drink – Ice water
Notes – Romeo y Julieta are a very well known brand in the cigar world and are probably the daily cigar of many many aficionados. For a younger and relatively new cigar smoker like me, they are often overlooked for blends by “superstars” like Pepin and Patel. I’m glad to have received the 1875 in a sampler because it is a pretty good smoke, but it had a few construction problems and more importantly it shares a price point (and vitola) with the much better Arturo Fuente Hemingway Short Story.
Reviews
46 Ring, 7/10, Arturo Fuente, Cigar Review, Medium, Natural
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.
Reviews
52 Ring, 9/10, Cigar Review, Corojo, Medium, Rocky Patel, Toro
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
Gran Habano Black Habano #3 Pyramid
Size – 6.125 x 52
Age – 2 months
Cost – $5 local, $3-4 online
Wrapper – Habano (Nicaragua)
Construction – A fairly well made pyramid/torpedo with a nice looking wrapper and a firm feel.
Burn – The burn was a bit uneven but never got too far out of balance.
Ash – The #3’s ash was mottled – mostly light grey – compact and well behaved. The ash held in 1″ pieces.
Draw & Smoke – Draw was easy but not loose. There was not a lot of smoke produced per puff, although the foot continually released a thin stream of smoke while resting.
Flavor – The Habano #3 has a straightforward profile of mild spice, cedar, and (I don’t typically like this word to describe cigars) a salty finish. The blend results in an unchanging but very pleasurable cigar that you don’t have to concentrate to enjoy. The flavors are pronounced while the cigar keeps itself at a medium strength and body. Room aroma is sweet and woodsy.
Strength – Medium
Rating – 8/10
Value – 7/10
Drink – Redhook ESB ale
Notes – While I did not like this cigar quite as much as another of the offeirings from Gran Habano, the Corojo #5, it is a tasty number that will only set you back about $3.50. It’s a solid value and worthy of a spot in your humidor.
Reviews
52 Ring, 8/10, Cigar Review, Gran Habano, Medium, Pyramid
Rocky Patel Autumn Collection 2008 Toro
This is a perfectly constructed cigar with a light brown wrapper. Draw was just right, while the burn was a little uneven with some tunneling. The ash was one of the lightest grey I’ve seen, nearly white. The flavors are mild and include paper, wood and a bit of a sweet note. The mouth feel is a bit dry until the second half when some creaminess arrives. The body is medium. This was a nice but not remarkable cigar, and at $7-8 each, you can find a better smoke.
Mini Review Grade: C+
Mini Review
52 Ring, Grade C, Medium, Mini Review, Rocky Patel, Sumatra
Padron #2000 Natural
Size – 5 x 50
Age – 1 Month
Cost – $3.50
Wrapper – Natural (Nicaragua)
Construction – Very well constructed with a slightly rustic appearance and good symmetry.
Burn – Slow and completely even; a very well behaved cigar.
Ash – Mottled and slightly loose, held for 3/4″ at a time.
Draw & Smoke – Draw felt slightly loose but after lighting it paired up perfectly with the sizable volume of smoke produced on each puff.
Flavor – Rich earthy and spicy flavors emerge from the light. The peppery spice only persisted through the first third, as the cigar mellowed in taste somewhat. The earthy flavor remained through the whole cigar and a sweet tobacco finish emerged after the first third. Aroma was a nice tobacco smell with a spice and sweetness.
Strength – Medium
Rating – 8/10
Value – 8/10
Drink – I smoked this with a tall mug of hot “Constant Comment”, which is spiced orange pekoe tea. A nice pairing.
Notes -The Padron #2000 is one of many Padrons, this one being the more value-oriented offering. This Nicaraguan puro is a great value and could easily be my goto cigar if I ever ran out of new stuff to try 
Definitely a recommended smoke for the money.
Reviews
50 Ring, 8/10, Cigar Review, Medium, Natural, Padron
Hoyo de Monterrey Excalibur Epicure
Size – 5.25 x 50
Age – 2 Months
Cost – $4.50
Wrapper – Connecticut
Construction – An exceptionally well constructed cigar with great symmetry and cap, and just a few more veins than I would expect from a Connecticut shade wrapper. (9/10)
Burn – Slow and almost dead even (9/10)
Ash – Very light grey mottled with some charcoal colored ash. Firm and compact.
Draw & Smoke – The draw was a little bit snug on this cigar but each puff resulted in a nice volume of smoke.
Flavor - This cigar is a bit of a surprise, because lurking under the pretty Connecticut wrapper is actually a nice hearty blend of tobacco from 3 countries – Honduras, DR and Nicaragua. The Excalibur started with a silky smooth woody flavor and a clean finish, which progressed into the second third with a heavier sweet and woody flavor but almost no spice or pepper. About halfway through, I began to pick up just the slightest nutty flavor of cashew. The aroma was very nice, somewhat sweet and light.
Strength – Medium
Rating – 9/10
Value – 8/10
Drink – This was a daytime cigar so I enjoyed it with a Pepsi.
Notes – It was a little difficult to get the full story on this cigar as it’s not even mentioned on General Cigar’s website – the label does indicate it is a limited edition. I found it to be a really good blend of light and crisp flavors from the Connecticut wrapper and binder, mixed with the more assertive and full bodied filler. This is a real treat of a cigar that can be found at a good price. There is a maduro version of the Excalibur which I think would be a bit less interesting but still tasty. I’ll be picking a few of the maduros up when I see them.
Reviews
50 Ring, 9/10, Cigar Review, Connecticut, Hoyo de Monterrey, Medium
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
Don Tomas (Classico) Maduro Robusto
Size – 5.5 x 50
Age - 4 months
Cost – $3.39 local, less than $2 online
Wrapper – Connecticut Maduro. Oily and fairly smooth with some veins.
Construction – Mostly well-constructed and firm, a slightly flared foot and a small unravel after punching the cap. (6/10)
Burn – Mostly even and slow with no relights or touchups. (8/10)
Ash – Medium grey and compact, with a nice 2″ of grab.
Draw & Smoke - Firm draw. Not a lot of smoke but enough for an indoor cigar.
Flavor – This cigar starts with a nice bit of spice and rich chocolate. The spiciness quickly fades into a somewhat mild chocolate flavor with a bit of cedar and, in the second half, a spicy finish. The room aroma is the usual smell of sweet maduro tobacco – very nice.
Strength – Medium
Rating – 8/10
Value – 9/10
Drink – Pepsi. It was all I had in the fridge This drink pairing was not remarkable.
Notes – Don Tomas is my favorite value brand. The Maduro is a part of the Clasico series, and could command a price that is twice what you will pay for it. A great everyday handmade that you will be happy to hand to a friend or enjoy yourself. I have smoked about two dozen of these and while the consistency might not be up there with Rocky or Pepin, it’s a no brainer for the cost and something you should not hesitate to try. I believe the 4-5 months that this spent in my desktop humidor improved the cigar.
Reviews
50 Ring, 8/10, Cigar Review, Connecticut, Don Tomas, Maduro, Medium, Robusto