Cohiba Blue Rothschild 5/21/17

 

Appearance

A light brown colored wrapper with 1 prominent vein. It's well wrapped with tight seams. There is a very light oil sheen. It also has a bit of tooth.

Aroma 

Cedar and tobacco on the wrapper. Brown sugar toast and a faint hint of spice at the foot. 

Prelight Draw 

Toast, cinnamon spice and a hint of cocoa powder.

1st

The initial draws bring notes of dry mild cinnamon toast. Draw is perfect. As is the burn. Cocoa powder notes join the profile. The ash is medium gray and flaky. 

2nd

The smoke production is in the low end of high range. Some black pepper notes are joining the profile. The finish is long with notes of toast, cocoa powder, black pepper, a pinch of brown sugar and mild cinnamon spice. Burn is getting a bit wavy. Cinnamon spice steps up to warm cinnamon. The ash tightens up, very little flake now. Burn has almost fully self corrected. Strength is at medium+. 

Final/3rd

The ash holds firm til removal at each 3rd. The flavor profile remains consistent through to the nub.

Overall

The Cohiba Blue Rothschild provides an enjoyable smoking experience. A well balanced tasty profile with a perfect draw and near perfect burn. This was probably the best Dominican Cohiba I've smoked but at $9+ for a 4 1/2" cigar is a bit pricey.

 

 

Powstanie Broadleaf Maduro Perfecto 5/20/17

 

Appearance 

It has a typical Broadleaf Maduro wrapper with a couple prominent veins and a little mottling. Meaning it's a bit rough and toothy as opposed to silky smooth. Not a bad thing just an observation. 

The seams are tight and not very noticeable. It has an oily sheen and is well packed with no soft spots.

Aroma 

Earthy, fruity and a hint of spice on the wrapper. Not much of anything at the foot.

Prelight Draw 

Earthy, dried red fruits, faint raisin, black pepper spice. 

1st

The initial draws bring a blast of black pepper with some earthy and fruity sweet notes underneath. The draw is perfect. The burn has a small wave. The ash is salt&pepper gray and stacked. It held firm until removal.

2nd

The strength is at medium+. Smoke production is medium. The finish is long with notes of earth, dried red fruit and chocolate but dominated by black pepper. Smoke production moves to the low end of high. Late in the 2nd/3rd the black pepper tapers back a bit allowing the red fruity notes to become more noticeable. 

Final/3rd

The black pepper spice takes over the dominant role again with the fruity and earthy notes with bits of chocolate close behind all the way to the nub. 

Overall

The Powstanie Broadleaf Maduro Perfecto provides an enjoyable smoking experience. A consistent flavor profile albeit dominated by heavy black pepper with a perfect draw and good burn. 

If heavy black pepper is in your wheelhouse this is definitely a cigar u want to give a go.

 

 

Gaaja Maduro Torpedo 5/14/17

 

Appearance 

A silky smooth milk chocolate colored wrapper with a couple very thin veins. The seams are tight and only visible due to some slight mottling. There is a nice oily sheen. Densely packed filler with no soft spots. 

Aroma

Cedar, baking chocolate, dried fruit on the wrapper. The same at the foot.

Prelight Draw 

Cedar, dried red fruit, raisin, cocoa powder and a hint of spice.

1st

The initial draws bring notes of cedar with a leathery texture, cocoa powder and a faint hint of spice. The V cut allows a perfect draw from the first pulls. The Floral notes typical in MBombay cigars has joined the profile around the 1/2" mark. The spice is developing as well. The dried fruit notes are transitioning to lush red fruits. The ash is medium gray, stacked and a bit flaky. Strength starts at mild/med. Espresso notes join the profile late in the 1st/3rd.

2nd

Strength is moving to a medium+. Burn develops a small wave on the front and back sides. Using simple physics the burn begins self correcting. The spice is a white pepper at this point. Smoke production is in the medium range. A mild cayenne pepper spice joins the profile. A very well balanced flavorful profile through the first 2/3's. Smoke production moves to the low end of high. 

Final/3rd

The finish is long with all of the aforementioned flavors playing equal roles. Strength moves to med/full. The ash while still stacked is less flaky. A creamy cashew note joins the profile. The burn has fully self corrected. The well balanced flavorful profile continues to the nub. 

Overall

The Gaaja Maduro Torpedo provides a very enjoyable smoking experience. A very flavorful, complex and well balanced profile with a perfect draw. 

A big thank you to Mel Shah @MbombayCigars for the samples for review.

GoGetchasome™!!

 

 

Galano Cigars Belicoso 5/13/17

 

Appearance 

A milk chocolate colored wrapper with a couple prominent veins and a little mottling. The seams are tight. It has a light oil sheen and a little bit of tooth. The filler is well packed with no apparent soft spots. 

Aroma

Barnyard and cedar on the wrapper. Cedar with a tiny bit of fruit at the foot. 

Prelight Draw 

Fruit, floral and a little spice.

1st

Initial draws yield notes of cedar with a hint of spice. Some dried fruit notes join the profile. The draw is snug. The burn is off by 10*. The ash is light gray and mostly tight with a little bit of flake. The spice is of the black pepper variety. 

2nd

The black pepper is dominating the profile. The finish is long with  predominantly heavy black pepper notes and subtle notes of cedar and dried fruit. Smoke production is in the medium range. Some crushed red pepper notes join the profile. Right at the end of the 2nd/3rd the draw opens up. 

Final/3rd

With the help of simple physics the burn has fully self corrected. The profile remains heavy black pepper to the end. 

Overall 

The Galano Cigars Belicoso provides an enjoyable smoking experience if you're a fan of heavy black pepper, which I am not. 

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

 

 

Cuban Diplomat Toro by CigarKing 5/7/17

 

Appearance 

A milk chocolate colored wrapper with a few prominent veins. The seams are mostly tight with a small section being loose. The cap is well applied. It has an oily sheen and a small amount of tooth. It has a closed foot.

Aroma 

Earthy, cedar, fruity with a faint hint of spice on the wrapper. The foot is closed.

Prelight Draw 

Earth, cedar, raisin and molasses with a faint hint of spice.

1st

The initial draws bring notes of cedar and molasses with a leathery texture. The woody notes are playing a dominant role. The ash is very light, almost white and tight so far. The spice is beginning to develop and is currently nutmeg/cinnamon combination. The draw is just a touch snug and the burn has a small wave. Fruity flavors join the profile. The burn has a large rounded v shape on one side indicating a tunnel on that side causing faster burn. It is confirmed upon removal of the ash.

2nd

The flavors continue into the 2nd/3rd. Draw is still snug. Smoke production is at the high end of medium. Nutty notes join the profile. 

Final/3rd

The profile remains consistent through the final/3rd to the nub. 

Overall

The Cuban Diplomat Toro by Cigar King provides an enjoyable smoking experience. A nice flavor profile with a snug draw and erratic burn due to the cracks in the wrapper. 

Thank you to Kole for the samples for review.

 

 

Macanudo Inspirado Orange Robusto 5/6/17

 

Appearance 

A reddish Colorado colored wrapper with only one prominent vein on the surface. The seams are tight and difficult to find. 

It has an oily sheen and a small amount of tooth. The red and gold band with black lettering is a nice departure from the typical Macanudo bands.

Aroma

Earth and cedar on the wrapper. A little cedar at the foot.

Prelight Draw 

Caramel, cedar and spice

1st

The initial draws bring notes of caramel, cedar and cinnamon spice. The draw is a bit snug and the burn started fairly straight but at a 1/2" in developed a circular burn a 1/4" above the burn line indicating a tunnel on that side. The circular burn became a wide u shape as the burn line caught up to it. Maple notes join the profile. Upon removal of the ash I notice the Ligero cone is slightly off center. 

2nd

After applying simple physics the burn quickly self corrects. Smoke production is at the low end of medium. Strength is mild/med. The finish is long with notes of caramel, cedar, maple and nutmeg spice. The burn goes off by 30* due to another large pocket tunnel. It quickly self corrects after a bit more physics. Draw loosens up. The ash is pepper with a little salt colored and stacked. Strength and body settle in at medium. 

Final/3rd

Moving into the final/3rd the profile remains consistent albeit the spice takes a dominant position. Coffee notes join the profile. Smoke production picks up to the high end of medium. Burn and draw are perfect through to the nub. 

Overall

The Macanudo Inspirado Orange Robusto provides a somewhat enjoyable smoking experience. A nicely flavored consistent profile with draw and burn issues until the final/3rd. Definitely a cigar to try because it's not your typical Macanudo. 

 

 

Diamond Crown Black Diamond Marquis 4/30/17

 

Appearance 

A dark chocolate colored wrapper with almost no veins on the surface. The seams are nearly invisible. There is a small flaw in the wrapper at the shoulder area. The cigar has an oily sheen and a little bit of tooth. 

The filler is densely packed with no soft spots. The very attractive band provides a great contrast against the beautiful dark wrapper leaf. 

Aroma 

Earthy, cedar, cocoa and a hint of spice on the wrapper. Earthy, cedar, cocoa, hints of raisin & spice at the foot.

Prelight Draw 

Very sweet, earthy, cedar, fruity, cocoa, raisin, black licorice and cinnamon spice.

1st

The initial draws bring notes of earthy, chocolatey covered raisins and cinnamon spice. Their is a fruity note that reminds me of the black currant jam my grandmother used to make. This profile is very sweet. The ash is med/dark gray and flaky. A woody cedar note is gently joining the profile. Strength is at medium+ midway in this 3rd. The draw is firm but not snug. The oils on the wrapper glisten as the morning sun shines on it. The burn has a slight wave. 

2nd

After removing the ash the  culprits of the minor burn issues become apparent as the Ligero cone is just off center and a small tunnel is revealed. The smoke production is high. The finish is long with notes of earth, cedar, dark chocolate, raisins, black licorice, black currant and cinnamon spice. The ash has tightened up with a tiny flake here and there. Using simple physics the burn has fully self corrected. The flavors are very well balanced. An espresso note joins the profile. The strength moves to med/full. The draw is now perfect(for me). 

Final/3rd

Creamy cashew notes join the profile. The burn develops another wave indicating another tunnel, which clears quickly.

Overall

The Diamond Crown Black Diamond Marquis provides an enjoyable smoking experience. A very flavorful and well balanced profile with a nice draw and uneven burn. Although it's a bit pricey for some it's definitely a cigar to try.