Warped La Hacienda Flor Fina Gran Robusto 3/25/17

 

Appearance 

The medium brown wrapper has a few prominent veins but is very silky in texture. The seams are tight and  visible due to the slightly mottled wrapper leaf. The cigar has a light oil sheen and is well packed with filler and no spongy spots.

Aroma 

Tobacco and cedar with a faint hint of spice on the wrapper. Cedar, citrus and a hint of spice at the foot. 

Prelight Draw 

Cedar, citrus, cream and mild cinnamon spice.

1st

The initial draws bring notes of cedar, citrus and cinnamon spice. The draw and burn are perfect so far. Strength is in the medium range. There is a pinch of black pepper joining the profile at 3/4" in. A few draws later the citrus notes clean the palate. Creamy notes join and soften the profile. I notice a wide u shape on one side of the burn line generally an indication of a tunnel, upon removal of the ash my suspicion is confirmed. Using simple physics the burn self corrects. 

2nd

Coffee notes join the profile with a pinch of black pepper. Strength moves to medium+. The body remains at medium. The coffee notes combine with a thick cream to balance the profile. Smoke production is at the high end of medium. The finish has a nice balance of cedar, coffee, cream and cinnamon spice with a hint of black pepper. The ash is a light gray and mostly tight. The cinnamon becomes warm after the middle of the 2nd/3rd. A blast of black pepper is quickly balanced by the warm cinnamon and citrus notes and a couple sips of water. 

Final/3rd

The band removed easily showing just the right amount of pectin glue was used. The final/3rd has a consistent balance of the aforementioned flavors. 

Overall

The Warped La Hacienda Gran Robusto provides a very enjoyable smoking experience. A well balanced and complex flavor profile with a great draw. The burn had 1 issue but was perfect the rest of the time.

Definitely a cigar you want to smoke. I'll b seeking out the rest of their line to review.

GoGetchasome™

 

 

Illusione Garagiste 3/19/17

 

Appearance 

A medium brown colored wrapper with a couple prominent veins. There is a little mottling(color variation) making the tight seams visible. It has a nice oily sheen and a bit of tooth. The cigar is well packed with filler as there are no soft spots. 

Aroma 

Earthy with barnyard, cedar and a hint of spice on the wrapper. Same at the foot with the addition of a faint cocoa. 

Prelight Draw 

Cedar, light dried fruit and cinnamon spice. 

1st

The initial draws yield notes of cedar, fruit and a leathery texture. The draw and burn are perfect. A dash of white pepper can be detected. The ash is light gray and stacked with a little flaking. The ash dropped at about 3/4". Some toast notes have joined the profile and when combined with the cinnamon spice it reminds me of cinnamon toast. 

2nd

Strength is medium as is the body. Oaky notes join the profile. The finish is long with notes of cedar, earth, dried fruit, leather, white pepper and cinnamon toast with a pinch of oak. The cinnamon which was getting warm has tapered back. The burn has developed a wave. Smoke production is at the high end of medium. Found the tunnel which was responsible for the wave in the burn line which is self correcting as I apply simple physics(rotate the cigar putting the unburned leaf on top and hold at about 30 degrees). The cinnamon is back to becoming warm.

Final/3rd

Strength moves to med/full. A dash of black pepper joins the profile. Burn has evened out. 

Overall

The Garagiste provides an enjoyable smoking experience. A complex and very flavorful profile with a perfect draw and mildly erratic burn. Definitely a cigar to give a go.

 

 

Davidoff Corona Cigar Co 20th Anniversary FSG Belicoso 3/18/17

 

Appearance 

The light brown colored Ecuadoran Connecticut Rojiza wrapper has a couple prominent veins. The seams are tight. There is a light oil sheen. 

Aroma 

Fruity sweet and barnyard on the wrapper. Light barnyard at the foot.

Prelight Draw 

Dried fruit, spice on the lips, leather and honey

1st

The initial draws yield notes of allspice, leather and dried fruit. The strength starts out in the medium range. The draw is spot on. Burn is off about 7* and is self correcting. A little cedar joins the profile. The ash is salt&pepper gray and fairly tight with a little flake. 

2nd

The honey notes from the Prelight Draw bring a nice sweetness to the profile. The burn has fully self corrected. The body has settled in at the medium mark as well. Smoke production is at medium. It has a nice long finish with notes of cedar, leather, dried fruit, honey and allspice. Bready notes join the very well balanced profile. 

Final/3rd

The spice ramps up a bit to start the final/3rd. A light coffee bean note joins the profile. 

Overall

The Davidoff Corona Cigar Co 20th Anniversary FSG Belicoso provides a very enjoyable smoking experience. A very well balanced, complex and flavorful profile with a great draw. The burn which was a bit erratic in the beginning evened out at the midway point and was spot on til the end. 

A Big Thank You to Jeff Borysiewicz @CoronaCigarCo for the samples for review.

 

 

 

 

Intensa FSG Toro by Corona Cigar Co. 3/12/17

 

Appearance 

The milk chocolate colored wrapper has a few prominent veins. It's has a bit of mottling which makes the tight seams visible. Parts of the wrapper have a nice oily sheen and other parts have a matte finish. 

The cigar is well packed with filler as there are no soft spots. 

Aroma 

Cocoa, earth, cedar and a hint of spice on the wrapper. Cedar and earth with a hint of spice at the foot.

Prelight Draw 

Dried fruit, honey, cedar and cinnamon spice.  

1st

Initial draws bring notes of cedar, leather, a hint of cocoa powder and some cinnamon spice. There is a pinch of black pepper on the finish. The draw is a bit snug, I'm feeling it in my cheeks. The burn is spot on. The ash is a light salt&pepper gray and stacked. At 3/4" in the black pepper goes from a pinch to a dash. At 1" in the black pepper begins to dominate the flavor profile. Right before transitioning to the 2nd/3rd there are buttery, creamy notes that join the profile and help to mellow the black pepper dominance. The ash held firm til removal.

2nd

Strength was at medium to medium+. The burn has developed a bit of a wave. Smoke production is in the medium range. The burn line has fully self corrected. The creamy notes have balanced the profile allowing the dried fruit notes to come through. The black pepper starts to become more prominent but then just as quickly fades and the cinnamon takes its place. 

Final/3rd

The cinnamon becomes warm and the black pepper disappears. A dash of mild black pepper reemerges but is quickly balanced by warm cinnamon notes. A little past halfway in the final/3rd the warm cinnamon becomes more like a paprika spice. Right before the nub the spice returns to a mild cinnamon with the dried fruit and cedar notes all balancing nicely.

Overall

The Intensa FSG Toro provides a very enjoyable smoking experience. A very complex and flavorful profile. The draw was a bit snug throughout and the burn was a little wavy for a good portion of the cigar but it's definitely a cigar to put on your list to try. 

They are available at www.coronacigar.com

A big Thank you to Jeff Borysiewicz @CoronaCigarCo for the samples for review. 

GoGetchasome™!!

 

 

FSG Robusto made at Drew Estate 3/11/17

 

Appearance 

The wrapper is dark brown with a few thin veins. The seams are tight and difficult to find due to the very uniform color of the wrapper leaf. It has a light oil sheen. The cigar is well packed with no apparent soft spots.

Aroma

Wow! A chocolatey, fruity, light cedar and a hint of spice on the wrapper. The same at the foot but not as bold.

Prelight Draw 

Cedar, cocoa powder, dried fruit.

1st

Wow a high volume of smoke production right from the start. The initial draws bring notes of cedar and cinnamon spice. The draw is spot on. The burn is a bit wavy but it's early. I'm picking up a bit of nutmeg mixed in with the cinnamon which makes for a nice spice. The burn is self correcting. The ash is light gray and stacked. The strength and body are medium. The smoke billows off the foot of the cigar between draws(yeah that's good). The dried fruit appears more on the finish than on the draw but it's there. The ash held strong til removal.

2nd

Some bready notes have joined the profile. At the midway point some meaty notes join the profile. The balance so far is very good. The spice fades a bit but is still present. The ash holds firm til removal at each 3rd but seems like it would hold longer if your into that. The finish is long with notes of cedar, dried fruit, bread, cinnamon & nutmeg spice and a meaty texture. 

Final/3rd

The burn has remained a bit wavy but it's not far off.  The spice while always present has a nice ebb and flow to it. Strength has moved to medium+. The burn fully self corrects by midway in the final/3rd.

Overall

The FSG Robusto provides a very enjoyable smoking experience. A flavorful, complex and well balanced profile with a perfect draw. The burn was a bit wavy throughout. Definitely a cigar you should give a go. They are available at Corona Cigar Co. 

A big thank you to Jeff Borysiewicz @CoronaCigarCo for the samples for review.

GoGetchasome™!!

 

 

Stack Cigars Lancaster Robusto made at AJ Fernandez 3/5/17

 

Appearance 

A dark chocolate colored Pennsylvania Broadleaf wrapper with a few prominent veins. Seams are tightly wrapped. There is a minimal amount of oil sheen. The cigar looks and feels well packed with filler and no soft spots. 

Aroma 

Earthy, fruity, chocolate, cedar and a hint of spice on the wrapper. Earth, fruit and cedar with a faint hint of spice at the foot. 

Prelight Draw 

Earthy, dark chocolate, molasses, licorice, cinnamon spice.

1st

The initial draws are very earthy with a woody cedar  and chocolate undertone. The draw is a wee bit snug but it's early yet. The cinnamon spice becomes warm early on. The burn has a wide u shape to it but that may also change. The ash is a medium gray and fairly tight with a few flakes. The burn is already self correcting(physics). There is a pinch of black pepper joining the profile. I removed the ash before the end of the 1st/3rd as it was looking suspect, revealing a tunnel causing the faster burn on the one side. 

2nd

The black pepper and earth continues to intensify becoming the dominant flavor. Smoke production is in the high end of medium range. The strength and body are a solid medium. Burn is off by about 7 degrees but is correcting as the tunnel is now gone. The molasses joins the profile helping to temper the black pepper spice. The strength moves to medium+. The ash has tightened up. The black pepper intensifies again. The burn has fully self corrected. Ash holds firm til removal. 

Final/3rd

The draw has loosened. Burn forms another u shape. Profile remains heavy black pepper.

Overall 

The Stack Lancaster Robusto provides a heavy black pepper and earthy smoking experience. The flavor profile started good but became dominated by the heavy black pepper notes and little complexity or balance. If you like a heavy black pepper and earthy cigar give it a try. 

Thank you to Josh @StackCigars for the samples for review.

 

 

GTO Gold Connecticut Churchill 3/4/17

 

Appearance 

The wrapper is a light brown color and slightly mottled with several prominent veins. The seams are tight. It has very little sheen. 

Aroma 

Cedar, hay, sweetness and a hint of spice on the wrapper. Cedar and tobacco at the foot. 

Prelight Draw 

Cedar, leather and sweetness 

1st

The initial draws bring notes of leathery cedar with an underlying sweetness, and a mild cinnamon spice. The draw & burn are perfect. The ash is salt&pepper gray, stacked and a bit flaky. The ash dropped at 1". The spice becomes more of a paprika. The flavors meld nicely to a creamy texture. 

2nd

The flavor profile remains consistent. Very smooth & creamy. The spice backs off to a warm cinnamon. Draw and burn are still perfect. Smoke production is in the medium range. The strength started in the mild range but has moved to medium. The finish is long with notes of cedar, leather, warm cinnamon spice and a pinch of paprika. 

Final/3rd

The flavor profile remains consistent through the final/3rd.

Overall

The GTO Gold Connecticut Churchill provides an enjoyable smoking experience. A creamy and smooth flavor profile with a perfect draw and burn. 

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

 

 

Foyle Maduro Toro soft box pressed 2/26/17

 

Appearance 

A very dark chocolate looking Connecticut Broadleaf Maduro wrapper, silky smooth with almost no veins. The seams are tightly wrapped and nearly invisible. There is a slight oil sheen and a little bit of tooth. It is well packed with filler and no soft spots. 

Aroma 

Earthy, fruity, cedar, dark chocolate, espresso and a hint of spice on the wrapper. Chocolate, earth, fruit and a hint of spice at the foot. 

Prelight Draw 

Dark chocolate, earth, dried fruit, espresso, cedar and cinnamon spice.

1st

The initial draws bring notes of earthy cedar with some dark chocolate espresso. It is a smoky son of a gun. The draw & burn are spot on. The ash is salt&pepper gray and fairly tight with a little bit of stacking. There is a dash of black pepper entering the profile late in the 1st/3rd.

2nd

The burn gets a small wave. Smoke production is at high. The strength & body are a solid medium. A half dozen draws later the burn is back to spot on. The profile is nicely balanced. The finish is long with notes of earth, cedar, dark chocolate, espresso, dried fruit and cinnamon spice with a pinch of black pepper. 

Final/3rd

The black pepper fades a bit to start the final/3rd(not a bad thing). The flavor profile remains consistent through the final/3rd.

Overall 

The Foyle Maduro Toro provides a very enjoyable smoking experience. A very flavorful and well balanced flavor profile. 

A big thank you to my brother Tony Toland @CigarGent_CV66 for the sample for review. 

They are available at CI. 

GoGetchasome™!! 

 

 

Lost & Found/B/C/S Peppercream White Chocolate Crunch Corona 2/25/17

 

Appearance 

The wrapper is a medium brown color with a couple prominent veins. The seams are fairly tight and noticeable due to the slight mottling. It has a light oil sheen. The cigar has a few soft spots. 

Aroma

Milk chocolatey, cedar and a hint of spice on the wrapper. Chocolate and cedar at the foot.

Prelight Draw 

Cedar, white chocolate, mild spice and peppercream soda. 

1st

The initial draws bring lots of cedar with an underlying white chocolatey note. Some mild white pepper spice is emerging as well. Peppercream soda notes come out on the long finish. The ash is light gray and tight. The burn is slightly wavy. The draw which I thought was going to be loose is actually a bit snug. The strength is already pushing the boundaries of medium+. Late in this 3rd the spice fades and then begins to work back in to the profile. The peppercream becomes more dominant. 

2nd

The ash got a bit flaky before I removed to start the 2nd/3rd. The white chocolate notes become more prominent with the white pepper spice alongside. I kept wondering why the word crunch was in the name of the cigar. I just found out as some peanut notes just joined the profile. The draw has opened up nicely. The cedar notes which had faded have rejoined the profile. The smoke production is at medium. The finish is long with notes of cedar, peppercream soda, white chocolate, peanuts and white pepper spice. As the draw improves the smoke production moves to the low end of high. 

Final/3rd

The burn has remained wavy from the start with simple physics keeping it from getting out of control. The flavor profile has become very balanced. The spice has become more of a crushed red pepper. 

Overall 

The Lost & Found Peppercream White Chocolate Crunch Corona provides a very enjoyable smoking experience. A very flavorful and mildly complex profile. This was released in 2010 in a very limited production similar to the other Lost & Found project cigars. If you find them grab them! 

A big thank you to my brother Bo Lerer for the sample for review.