GTO Don Emilio Edicion Limitada 12/11/16

 

Appearance 

A very unique looking cigar with its 2 types(Connecticut shade & DR natural) of wrapper. Also the location of the secondary band. 

There are a few prominent veins and the Connecticut wrapper at the head and foot are a bit mottled. Almost no seams visible, the little bit that is visible is wrapped tightly. The cigar has a light oil sheen.

Aroma 

Big barnyard aroma with a honey and hay sweetness on the wrapper. The foot is tapered and closed.

Prelight Draw 

Barnyard, a unique sweetness and a very mild spice.

1st

The initial draws didn't bring much flavor other than a little bit of cream.  The second set of draws bring a little cedar. Once I get past the tapered closed foot the flavor profile begins to open up. The medium gray ash is tight around 2/3 of the circumference but the other 1/3 is very flaky. The cedar is joined by a mild coffee note. The spice is beginning to develop, beginning as a cinnamon/white pepper mix. A very sweet tobacco note is present near the end of the 1st/3rd. 

2nd

The draw is perfect. The burn had been just a little wavy but got off by 30*. It begins to self correct immediately. The ash gets more flaky so I begin removing frequently. The transition from Connecticut shade to DR wrapper is noticeable in the profile. The creamy flavor fades a bit and leathery cedar becomes the dominant flavor. There is a nice seasoned tobacco note joining the profile. I'm ashing about every 1/2". The sweetness is still well balanced with the cedar, leather, light coffee and cinnamon/white pepper spice. Smoke production is on the low end of high. The finish is long with the coffee and spice lingering the longest. Strength is medium+. The ash tightens up in the last 3/4" of the 2nd/3rd. 

Final/3rd

The flavor profile continues into the final/3rd. The ash has very little flake in this 3rd. The flavor remains consistent through to the nub.

Overall

The GTO Don Emilio Edicion Limitada provides an enjoyable smoking experience. A well balanced flavor profile throughout. A very tasty cigar that you should try as well as all of the other GTO blends.

A big thank you to Oscar @GTOCigars for the samples for review which I received before the IPCPR. 

 

 

Free World Toro by AJF 12/10/16

 

Appearance 

A light brown wrapper with a few prominent veins. The seams are tight and nearly invisible. The cigar has a couple of softer spots but is well packed with tobacco. It has a light oil sheen. 

The bands are well done as is typical of AJ's work.

Aroma

Cedar, tobacco, earth and spice on the wrapper. Fruity cedar and a hint of spice at the foot. 

Prelight Draw 

Earthy, cedar, very fruity, spicy.

1st

The initial draws bring a mild earth flavor with some cedar and fruit. The profile has a very earthy and woody base with the fruit bringing a nice balance. The spice is beginning to develop and is like a nutmeg. The ash is light gray and mostly tight with a bit of stacking.  The burn has a bit of wave and the draw is perfect. The first chunk of ash dropped at about an inch in. Late in the 1st/3rd there is a honeylike sweetness joining the profile while the spice tapers back a bit. Strength is a solid medium. The spice comes back albeit a bit sharper. 

2nd

I removed the ash to start the 2nd/3rd and I could tell it was just in time. The profile is a bit more woody than earthy at this point with the spice tapering way back down again. The burn got off a bit but has recovered nicely on its own. The ash while mostly tight is slightly flaky. Spice is coming back again. Strength moves to medium+. I removed the ash at around an inch as it was looking suspect. Smoke production is in the medium range. The finish is long with mild earth, cedar, fruit, honey and nutmeg spice notes all fairly well balanced. The wrapper developed a crack just below the primary band about 3/4" long. Smoke production is at the upper end of medium. 

Final/3rd

Spice jumps up in strength with some paprika notes. About midway the spice tapers back. The flavor profile flattens out and remains consistent through the end of the final/3rd. 

 

Overall

The Free World Toro provides an enjoyable smoking experience. The first half of the cigar is complex and flavorful with the second half being consistent with no complexity. 

The Free World is one of the many blends that were brought to market in late 2016 for Trademark purposes to beat the FDA deadline. 

 

Grata Corojo Corona by Cesar Cigars 12/4/16

 

Appearance 

A medium brown colored and mostly silky wrapper with one prominent vein. The seams are tight and it has a 3 seam cap. The cigar has a nice oily sheen.

Aroma 

Tobacco, wet cedar, dried fruit, old hay on the wrapper. Dried fruit, hay and a hint of spice at the foot.

Prelight Draw 

Dried fruit, licorice and cinnamon spice.

1st

The initial draws bring notes of cedar with a sweet undertone. Spice is present but distant. There is a pinch of a combination of black & white pepper meaning it tastes like white but has the effect on the back of the throat like black pepper. So it's interesting. The burn is near perfect and the draw is just a pinch snug. The dried fruit notes appear to be the source of the sweetness. A tasty profile so far. Some notes of hay are also present. The black pepper fades to barely noticeable. Strength is a solid medium. 

2nd

The ash is a light to medium gray with a little stacking but mostly tight. I removed the ash to start the 2nd. The finish is long with the sweetness lingering the longest. The draw has opened up nicely. A salty cashew note joins the profile. The white & black pepper fade and cinnamon spice becomes more noticeable. The flavor profile has been very well balanced so far. Strength has moved to medium+. 

Final/3rd

Smoke production has been low throughout. Spice has become more like a warm cinnamon before moving to a paprika. 

Overall

The Grata Corojo Corona provides a very enjoyable Smoking Experience. A very tasty and well balanced flavor profile with nice complexity. Definitely a cigar you should try. 

A big thank you to Brad Berko @scottsdalecigar for the samples for review which I got in 2015.

 

 

Grata Maduro Corona by Cesar Cigars 12/3/16

 

Appearance 

A dark chocolate colored wrapper with only one prominent vein on the surface. The seams are tight. The cigar is toothy and somewhat rustic looking which is common for San Andres wrapped cigars. It has a nice oily sheen.

Aroma 

Earthy, Chocolate, molasses and a hint of spice on the wrapper. Earth, chocolate at the foot.

Prelight Draw 

Earthy, cocoa, dried fruit and a hint of spice.

1st

The initial draws while a bit snug bring notes of earthy cocoa and a nice mild cinnamon spice. A fruity sweetness arrives several draws later. The ash is light gray and fairly tight. Burn is nearly perfect. Draw is still a bit snug at 1" in. There is a floral note joining the profile. A definite woody cedar note joins the profile late in the 1st/3rd. I noticed the wood first in the aroma followed by the flavor. 

2nd

Ash held til removal to start 2nd/3rd. Smoke production is at the low end of medium which is probably due to the snug draw. Midway in the 2nd there is a leathery texture joining the profile followed closely by some salted peanuts. Draw is finally beginning to loosen up just past the midway point of the cigar. The finish is long with notes of earth, cedar, sweetness, leather, salted peanuts and warm cinnamon. The smoke production moves to medium. Strength has been medium from the start. 

Final/3rd

There is a pinch of black pepper joining the profile. Draw is now perfect. Burn continues to be spot on. The flavor profile remains consistent through the final/3rd.
 

Overall the Grata Maduro Corona provides an enjoyable smoking experience. While the draw was snug till the final/3rd the flavor profile was very full and complex. With the strength being in the medium range it will appeal to most cigar smokers. I will be looking to get more. You should as well. 

 

GTO Pain Killer Corojo Toro soft box pressed 11/27/16

 

Appearance 

The wrapper has a mottled appearance with a few prominent veins but also has a very satinlike finish. The seams are tight. It also has a nice oily sheen. The cap is of the 2-seam variety. 

There is also a slight bit of tooth that I didn't notice til I got outside in the sunlight. 

Aroma 

Very aromatic with notes of tobacco, barnyard, honey sweetness and a hint of spice on the wrapper. Honey, cedar and spice at the foot. 

Prelight Draw 

Cedar, citrus, warm cinnamon and dried fruit.

 

1st

The initial draws yield notes of cedar with a honey sweetness and some warm cinnamon spice. The smoke leaves a creamy texture on the palate. The draw is perfect. The burn was off a bit but has almost fully self corrected. There is just a pinch of black pepper joining the profile. The finish is long with notes of cedar, honey, tangy citrus, warm cinnamon and a pinch of black pepper. The ash is mostly dark gray slightly stacked and slightly flaky. A very tasty blend so far.

I removed the ash twice in the 1st/3rd as it was looking very suspicious. Strength was medium.

2nd

Smoke production is in the high range. The flavor profile remains consistent in the 2nd/3rd with the exception of the spice becoming more bold. The warm cinnamon becomes warmer and the black pepper more of a dash than a pinch. The overall profile is still very flavorful.  Strength is at medium+.

Final/3rd

The strength moves to med/full 1/2" into the final/3rd. The cigar is living up to its Pain Killer name. Espresso notes join the profile. 

Overall the Pain Killer Corojo provides a very enjoyable smoking experience. A very well balanced, mildly complex and very flavorful profile. 

A big thank you to Oscar @GTOCigars for the samples for review.

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Dominion Black Lotus Maduro Toro 11/26/16

 

Appearance

A beautiful dark Maduro wrapper with a few prominent veins. The seams are nearly invisible. It has a slight bit of tooth and a nice oily sheen.

Aroma 

Earthy, woody,sweet with a faint hint of spice on the wrapper. Earthy and sweetness at the foot.

Prelight Draw 

Earthy, cedar, molasses and a warm cinnamon spice.

1st

Initial draws remind me of very damp earthy loam(black topsoil). There is a hint of spice developing. The draw is bit snug but I'm certain it will open up. The burn is a bit erratic at this point but we'll see how it self corrects. The spice is a warm cinnamon. The ash is salt&pepper gray and fairly tight. There is a pinch of black pepper mixed in with the warm cinnamon spice. The burn has fully self corrected. 

2nd

Molasses notes join the profile blending nicely with the earth and spice. Draw has opened up nicely. The black pepper becomes more noticeable but still in balance with the earth, molasses and cinnamon. Strength is at medium. Smoke production is in the medium range. By midway in the 2nd/3rd the black pepper gets a bit more noticeable than the cinnamon. Cedar notes join the profile and help to balance the black pepper. Ash holds til removal at each 3rd.

Final/3rd

The finish is long with notes of earth, cedar, molasses, cinnamon and black pepper. The black pepper becomes more dominant. Late in the final/3rd the cedar again balances the black pepper. Strength finishes at medium+. 

Overall the Dominon Black Lotus Maduro provides an enjoyable smoking experience. A well balanced and flavorful profile.

A big thank you to Ron Arellano @SmokinFly_Ron for the sample for review. Definitely a cigar you want to try.

Acme Route 66 Robusto 11/20/16

 

Appearance 

The dark brown colored wrapper has a couple of prominent veins.  The seams are tight. The cap is of the 2 seam variety. The cigar has a lot of tooth(not a bad thing). The filler bunch is well packed as there are no soft spots. It has a very faint oil sheen. 

Aroma 

Barnyard, sweet tobacco, cedar and a faint hint of spice on the wrapper. Sweet tobacco and a hint of spice at the foot. 

Prelight Draw 

Cedar, hay, a little sweetness and a hint of spice.

1st

The initial draws reveal notes of cedar and cinnamon/black pepper spice. There are some hay notes mixed in. The ash is medium gray and mostly tight, with some slight stacking on one side. Burn is off by 30*. Draw is good. The ash is developing some flake. Strength and body hovering around medium.

2nd

The burn is beginning to self correct. A very buttery/creamy note has joined the profile. Smoke production is in the medium range. Burn has fully self corrected late in the 2nd. Finish is long with notes of cedar, butter, coffee bean, cinnamon and a pinch of black pepper. 

Final/3rd

Flavor profile remains consistent through the final/3rd. Strength moves up to medium+. 

Overall the Acme Route 66 Robusto provides an enjoyable smoking experience. A tasty, well balanced flavor profile with medium body and strength.