Crux Cigars Du Connoisseur Lancero 3/26/16

Appearance 

Medium brown wrapper is slightly mottled and a little toothy. Very thin veins. Seams are tight. Wrapper has a very light oil sheen. The gold & white band is very attractive. 

Aroma 

Earthy and spice on the wrapper. A touch of sweetness at the foot.

Prelight Draw

Black licorice. Very faint citrus tang.

1st

Initial draws yield notes of cedar,leather and a hint of spice. As the spice develops with each draw it starts as a white pepper then becomes a white/blk mix at about an inch in. Draw is perfect. Burn is near perfect. Near the end of 1st and the flavors are cedar,leather and a mix of blk/white pepper. Interestingly the spice reminds more of cinnamon on the finish. The ash is salt&pepper gray and stacked. Strength is in the medium range.

2nd

As the 2nd/3rd begins crushed red pepper notes join the blk/white pepper which are still present albeit a little less noticeable than the red pepper. The finish is long and balanced with notes of cedar,leather and cinnamon all mixing well together. The ash appears to be tightening up at this point. The faint citrus tang from the prelight draw becomes very noticeable late in the 2nd/3rd. I've been ashing about every inch to prevent any drops. 

 

Final/3rd

A nice almond note joins the mix. The burn is off about 10* at this point but begins to self correct immediately. Strength finishes in the medium+ range.

Overall the Du Connoisseur provided an enjoyable smoking experience. This has to rank among the better Lancero's.

Thanks again to Joel Rogers @joelrogerscrux for the samples for review. 

Crux Cigars Limitada PB5 Toro 3/20/16

Appearance 

The wrapper is chocolate brown and slightly toothy. There are a couple of small thin veins. The seams are tight. There is a light oily sheen on the wrapper. 

Aroma 

There is a sweet tobacco aroma on the wrapper. The foot yields earthy & sweet aroma's.

Prelight Draw

Cedar,raisin and a hint of spice.

1st

Initial draws bring an unusual metallic flavor but not in a bad way. If u think of a block of Platinum ;smooth,polished & clean. The initial spice notes are a mixture of black & crushed red pepper. About 1/2 way in the 1st the burn is off about 22 1/2*. Draw is just right. The ash is light gray and mostly tight. Leather notes have joined the mix. 

2nd

The cedar, leather, platinum & spice roll smoothly into the 2nd/3rd. There is more red pepper on the draw but the black reminds u it's still there on the finish. The burn has almost fully self corrected, just a slight wave. The sweetness from the prelight is now beginning to move up in the profile. So far the strength has been medium but now moves to medium+. Midway in the 2nd the spice on the finish becomes more like a warm cinnamon. Burn has fully self corrected. 

Final/3rd

Smooth nutty notes like peanut butter join the profile. A nice espresso jumps into the mix with the crushed red pepper dominating the finish. Strength is now med/full. The last 1/3 of the final 3rd is full in strength.

Overall the Crux Limitada PB5 provides a unique smoking experience with the platinum metallic notes(not the bad metallic) enhancing the flavor profile which is complex and flavorful. 

Thanks to Joel Rogers @joelrogerscrux for the sample for review. 

U need to experience this cigar! #Chairmansays™ 

GoGetchasome™

Espinosa Cigars Laranja Reserva Corona Gorda 3/19/16

Appearance 

Light brown colored wrapper with an orange hue (hence the name). Laranja is orange in Portuguese. There is 1 prominent vein. The seams are tight and nearly invisible. It has a very light oil sheen.

Aroma

Hay & barnyard on the wrapper. Sweet hay and a hint of spice at the foot.

Prelight Draw

Dried fruit,tangy and wood with a hint of spice.

1st

The first draws yield deep woody cedar notes with a hint of black pepper spice in the back of the throat. There is a faint citrus tang present as well. The draw is effortless. The burn is off just slightly. The ash is salt&pepper gray and stacked at this point. 

2nd

A nice graham cracker note joins the profile. Burn has self corrected. The citrus is more pronounced but the profile is still balanced. The strength is a medium+. The finish is long with cedar,graham cracker and citrus notes. The smoke is very creamy on the palate reminding me of cashews. The black pepper spice has been joined by crushed red pepper notes. Midway in this 3rd the strength goes to med/full. 

Final/3rd

Flavors melding nicely into the final/3rd. Very balanced.  

Overall Laranja Reserva provides a well balanced complex flavorful smoking experience. Definitely a cigar to keep in the humidor. 

Thanks to Brad Berko @ScottsdaleCigar for the sample for review.

Percy Ray by Nate McIntyre at Cubanacan Cigars 3/13/16

Appearance

The milk chocolate with caramel colored wrapper is slightly mottled with a couple small fine veins on the surface. The seams are tight. There is a light oil sheen on the entire wrapper. The skirted foot is a nice touch that I enjoy. 

Aroma 

Wood, spice and hay are the aromas coming from the wrapper with much the same at the foot.

Prelight Draw

Dried fruit, spice, cedar & a hint of molasses. I'm also noticing a bit of salty flavor on the wrapper.

1st

Upon lighting the skirted foot I immediately sense the leathery texture along with the cedar and the mild black pepper spice with its signature "dirty" back of the throat flavor. The center and sides of the tongue are noticing the spice as well but in the form of a crushed red pepper. The draw is a touch snug but I'm sure that will change for the better. The burn has a slight wave. The ash is a light gray and a little tight,stacked & flaky all at the same time. We'll see which one prevails. At about the 3/4" point I'm noticing a creamy espresso note. The smoke volume is pretty substantial. At 1" the burn has evened out and the ash is tightening up. The finish is long with sweet & spicy cedary notes working well together. 

2nd

Just into this 3rd the draw has opened up nicely. The strength which was medium+ in the 1st/3rd has backed off to a solid medium. The profile is more creamy and smooth at this point. Espresso, cedar and cinnamon spice round out the flavors at this point. Just past the 1/2 way point the cinnamon becomes warm and the strength goes back to medium+. I'm liking the complexity so far. 

Final/3rd

The creamy espresso,cedar & spice with a leathery texture continue into the final/3rd. Crushed red pepper reappears. Flavors continue to the nub.

Overall the Percy Ray provides a very pleasurable smoking experience with nice complexity thru the first 2/3's. Well balanced and creamy smooth throughout. 

A big thank you to my brother Nathan @nhale1300 for the samples for review. 

A cigar u should have in your humidor. 

E P Carillo Ernesto's Humidor No.1 Edición Maduro 3/12/16

Appearance 

Medium brown colored wrapper is a little mottled and toothy with very few and thin veins. The seams are tight, a well rolled cigar at 1st glance. Very little oil on the wrapper. Nice 3 seam cap.

Aroma

Wrapper is very aromatic with notes of earth , coffee bean,barnyard and a hint of spice. Earthy hay plus a sweetness at the foot.

Prelight draw

Black licorice, earthy and a slight molasses note.

1st

Earthy Woody notes arrive immediately. Draw is a bit snug but I'm sure it will loosen up. The ash is light gray and fairly tight. Burn is almost razor sharp. There is a sweetness mixed in with the earth & wood bringing a nice balance. Near the end of this 3rd there is a nice espresso note joining the profile. 

2nd

The flavors are balancing nicely for a nice smooth flavor. There is a hint of spice but very faint. Strength has hovered around med thus far. Midway thru 2nd the sweetness and spice take a step up in the profile. Burn has been razor sharp since start of this 3rd. The spice has changed a bit. Started out as a mild black pepper now is a mix of black and crushed red pepper. The finish is long and well balanced with all of the aforementioned flavors playing a part. 

Final/3rd

The profile remains consistent. Strength has moved to med/full. The flavors have been joined by a cashew note which brings it all together for a creamy smooth profile. 

Overall this was a very pleasurable smoking experience. Reminded me a lot of the La Gloria Serie R Maduro! Very well done Ernesto! 

GoGetchasome™!!

Vivalo Cigars Serie Exclusivo Robusto 3/6/16

Appearance 

Medium brown wrapper with a couple prominent veins. The seams are tight and nearly invisible. There is a light oily sheen on the wrapper.

Aroma 

Earthy, a faint sweetness and a hint of spice on the wrapper. Earthy Fruity sweetness at the foot.

Prelight Draw 

Fruity and earthy

1st

First draws bring earthy dried fruit notes to the palate with a bit of black pepper spice. The burn has a slight wave and the draw is just about perfect. Near the end of 1st/3rd a noticeably woody note joins the profile.

2nd

The earthy notes carry over into the 2nd but the fruity notes have tapered off a bit while the black pepper is also present. The finish is long with the black pepper and wood being dominant. I must add that the black pepper is not overpowering. Burn is still a bit erratic. Flavors have balanced nicely. By the end of 2nd the burn has fully self corrected.

Final/3rd

Ash has been salt&pepper gray and tight. Strength has been in the medium range and is now med+. Flavors remain consistent to the nub.

Overall an enjoyable smoking experience. Thanks to Brad Berko owner of Scottsdale Cigar Club @scottsdalecigar for the sample for review. 

Unfortunately Patrick Vivalo has left Vivalo Cigars for LaPalina so I'm not sure what that means for Vivalo Cigars who will continue on without him.

Kafie Cigars Connecticut Robusto 2/5/16

Appearance 

The wrapper is a light brown,almost butterscotch  color with very few veins. The seams are tight. There is a slight oil sheen.

Aroma

Hay,sweetness & spice

Prelight Draw

Dried fruit and spice

1st

Right away the spice is noticeable as nutmeg. There is also a creamy soft wood note mixing with the spice which is warm spice at about 1/2" in. The burn has been a bit wavy and the draw is spot on. The finish has a nice sweetness to it. The ash is salt&pepper gray and slightly flaky.

2nd

The ash dropped at the start of 2nd. Spice has tapered off a bit. A hint of cashew appears. Spice comes back strong late in this 3rd and leans toward paprika. Ash holds thru end of each 3rd. 

Final/3rd

Spice tapers back allowing a more balanced flavor profile. Stays balanced thru to the nub. Strength held at medium throughout.

Overall a very relaxing smoking experience. A nice well balanced medium body and strength cigar. 

Nice blend by Gaby Kafie @KafieCigars  They have a blend for every palate.

GoGetchasome™!!