Crux Classic Robusto

Appearance 

Milk chocolate looking wrapper. Virtually invisible seams. Tiny veins. Satin sheen. 

Aroma

Hay on the wrapper. Raisins at the foot.

Prelight Draw

Black Licorice and hay.

1st

The Crux Classic starts out with notes of leather and wood with an underlying sweetness, maybe dried fruit. Draw is good. Burn is off a bit but I'll let it self correct as is normal. Ash is dark gray and tight. There is a bit of spice blending in with the cedar.

2nd

The spice starts out as a nice clean crushed red pepper. So far this Crux Classic is quite enjoyable. The burn line has fully self corrected. The ash holds on strong 1/3 at a time. The underlying dried fruit note is still there under the spicy cedar notes. Midway thru the cigar gets nice and creamy. Near the end of the 2nd/3rd the spice changes noticeably to more of a black pepper. While the dried fruit lingers on the finish with a little spice. The strength has hovered at a medium+.

Final/3rd

More of the now creamy leather and spicy cedar notes with the underlying dried fruit notes continue into the final/3rd. Just knocked off the ash which held on from the start of the 2nd til midway of the 3rd for fear of wearing it. Strong leaf! A very enjoyable medium+ strength full flavor cigar! A big thank you to @joelrogerscrux co-owner of Crux Cigars for the sample pack to review! Definitely something most cigar smokers will enjoy! GoGetchasome™!!

Cubanacan Maduro Robusto 1/2/15

Appearance 

Nice chocolate color with fairly tight seams. Very light sheen. 

Aroma 

Earthy with very faint molasses on the wrapper. Molasses and earth at the foot.

Prelight Draw

Cocoa, light molasses and a hint of floral.

1st

The first few puffs bring together the cocoa, molasses and floral notes into a very pleasant albeit interesting flavor. This is not your grandfathers or great grandfathers cigar for sure! Lots of flavor! Leaves a long sweet finish on the palate. Draw is great. Burn is almost perfect. About 3/4" in there is a hint of spice. The ash is light gray and a little flaky. The spice is like Pimenton(spanish paprika) very nice. 

2nd

Lots of smoke pouring off the stick between puffs. Just into the 2nd/3rd I'm tasting notes of roasted nuts. Every now and then the spice feels like there is a dash of curry powder. Late in 2nd the spice fades then comes back.

Final/3rd

The Pimenton spice is back to start the Final/3rd. Burn has been near perfect since the beginning. The draw as well. This Cubanacan Maduro is a very flavorful, well balanced cigar.

Thanks again to Spence Drake for the samples to review.

Kafie 1901 Don Fernando Maduro Toro 11/3/14

Appearance 

Chocolate brown with a slight sheen. Has a small imperfection in the wrapper right near the band on the foot side. The seems are almost invisible. Very few veins.

Aroma 

Barnyard with a slight floral note. A light coffee note as well

Prelight Draw

Citrus is the prominent flavor with some coffee coming thru also.

1st

First puffs taste of chocolate and coffee. There is this underlying citrus flavor(tangy). The ash is light gray and tight. The burn line is about perfect at 3/4" into the cigar. The draw is a tiny bit snug. The ash fell at the end of the 1st/3rd.

2nd

The 2nd starts with more chocolate with the tangy undertones. There is a spice note developing. The coffee note is still there albeit faint. The spice is becoming prominent by midway thru the 2nd and reminds of Crushed Red Pepper. Also noticing some cashew notes. Draw is now perfect as well as the burn. Just got to that imperfection in the wrapper and it split a little exposing the vein but no harm done. Spice mellows by the end of 2nd.

Final

The strength of the cigar has moved from med to the low end of full. The chocolate has mellowed allowing the coffee & cashews to be the prominent flavors at this point with the spice being a nice mellow note. Flavors meld nicely. The Kafie 1901 Don Fernando Maduro Toro gets The Chairmans BUY Signal™!! Many thanks to Gaby for the samples to review.

Santa Tereasta Belicoso 11/2/14

Appearance 

Dark chocolate wrapper with tight seams and small veins. Very attractive band work. 1 prominent vein.

Aroma

Barnyardy with some earth and sweetness and fresh cut hay

Prelight Draw

Barnyard and chocolate with nice draw

1st

Cocoa and a faint spice note on the first puffs. Lots of smoke. Great draw and perfect burn at 1/2" in. I'm thinking about allspice. The cocoa is the prominent flavor at this point. Ash is a light gray a little flaky. Holding on so far at 1". Getting Cocoa & nuts now with the allspice in the background. Knocked off the ash at 1 1/2" so it didn't fall while typing. Nuts go from almond to cashew(creamy).

2nd

The spice is coming back stronger at the start of the 2nd/3rd. Flavors about the same. Draw and burn still perfect. The spice is changing to CRP(Crushed Red Pepper) with some cedar notes as well. The burn line got off slightly (12degrees) but self corrected. Spice is mellowing near end of 2nd.

Final

Spice picks back up as CRP. Strength of the cigar goes to med+. Dark chocolate notes arrive as well as cashews a little more prominent as well. The CRP becomes more prominent at the end of the cigar. Overall a solid med+ strength stick with nice flavor. Thanks to the guys at Santa Tereasta Cigars for the sample to review.

Cubanacan Habano. 12/11/14

Appearance 

A nice milk chocolate colored slightly mottled wrapper w/ tight seams and a couple of thin prominent veins. Also has a very light sheen.

Aroma 

Hay on the wrapper. The foot smells of hay,cedar and sweetness.

Prelight Draw

Cedar, hay and sweetness 

1st

The first puffs have notes of cedar and hay with a nice Spanish Paprika spice. Draw is perfect and the burn is off slightly but no correction needed. Ash is semi tight and salt & pepper gray. Plenty of smoke volume with each puff.

2nd

The spice picks up late in the 1st/3rd becoming more like a crushed red pepper which I really like. The burn has self corrected at this point. A little ways into the 2nd/3rd the spice mellows a bit and I pick up a light floral note. The strength has gone from medium to medium+. Cedar has become the prominent flavor at just past 1/2 way on the cigar. Picking up some espresso notes balanced by the original sweetness and a hint of crushed red pepper spice.

Final 3rd

A very well balanced enjoyable smoking experience. A complex cigar for sure. All of the flavors meld together nicely. The finish is long and spicy. The burn stayed razor sharp since it self corrected.

Special thanks to Spence Drake for sending the Cubanacan samples to review.

Cubanacan Connecticut Robusto 12/8/14

Appearance 

A nice looking Connecticut wrapper with a couple prominent veins. The seams are nice and tight.

Aroma

Barnyardy, hay both wrapper and at the foot

Prelight Draw

Sweetness and a damp earthiness.

1st

The 1st few puffs had a tangy citrus note as well as the hay I noticed in the initial Aroma. The draw is just a touch snug to start but I'm sure that will change. The burn is almost perfect at 1/2" in. I'm picking up a hint of spice. The ash is salt & pepper gray and tight. 

2nd

The is a cross between white pepper & crushed red pepper which makes it interesting. There are also woody notes and earthy notes all balanced together. The draw was perfect by the start of the 2nd/3rd. Late in the 2nd a real creaminess takes over.

Final

The cigar started mild but inched it's way to medium. The burn has been razor sharp since it self corrected at the beginning. The Ecuadoran Habano binder and Nicaraguan filler add a nice kick to the Connecticut wrapper. It's had a nice finish throughout.

I'm not usually a big fan of Connecticut shade wrapped cigars but this blend was a pleasure to smoke. Kudos to the Cubanacan blenders!