Fratello Navetta Endeavor Toro 11/18/17

 Appearance
The bands are beautiful! Clean with nice contrast.
After removing the large foot band I inspect the cigar. A beautiful dark chocolate colored Ecuadoran Oscuro wrapper with several prominent veins and a good amount of tooth.
The seams are well wrapped but visible.
The wrapper has a nice oily sheen.
The filler is well bunched with no apparent soft spots.

Aroma
Very earthy, cedar and a hint of spice on the wrapper. Cedar and sweetness at the foot.

Prelight Draw
Baking chocolate, espresso and nutmeg spice

1st
The initial draws are rich and thick with chocolate and espresso. There is also a sugary/candy type of sweetness under the chocolate and espresso. The spice starts out as a mild nutmeg spice. Strength is medium+ already. The ash is medium gray and stacked. Draw and burn are spot on. Smoke production is at the high range. The nutmeg spice gets warmer and bolder.

2nd
Strength climbs to med/full. Almond notes join the profile. Burn and draw still spot on. The finish is long with notes of earth, chocolate, espresso, almond, an underlying sugary/candy sweetness and warm nutmeg spice. The ash tightens up to about 3 nickels between stack lines. A perfect amount of pectin glue allows for perfect band removal. The blend is very creamy late in the 2nd/3rd.

Final/3rd
The Navetta is very well balanced throughout. There is a dash of crushed red pepper joining the profile. The espresso notes become double espresso. Burn & Draw are perfect right to the nub.

Overall
The Fratello Navetta Endeavor Toro provides a very enjoyable smoking experience. A very rich, complex, well balanced and flavorful profile with a great draw and burn.
Wait 4 It! Wait 4 It! BOOM™!! The Fratello Navetta Endeavor Toro gets the Chairmans BUY Signal™!!
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Another homerun by Omar @FratelloCigars

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Pappy Van Winkle Tradition Toro by Drew Estate 11/12/17

 Appearance
A milk chocolate colored wrapper with a couple prominent veins. The seams are tightly wrapped. There is a very light oil sheen. The filler bunch is well packed with no apparent soft spots.

Aroma
Cedar with a touch of sweetness on the wrapper. Cedar, graham cracker and a hint of spice at the foot.

Prelight Draw
Cedar, vanilla, leather, bourbon and a bit of cinnamon spice.

1st
The initial draws bring notes of cedar, charred oak and cinnamon spice. The draw is a bit snug(feeling it in my cheeks right away). The burn has a slight wave. The ash is medium gray and mostly tight. The profile is very sweet. After removing the ash and inspecting the working end, I notice a tiny tunnel at the center.

2nd
The draw opens up immediately and with it comes increased smoke production now at the high end of medium range. Strength is a solid medium+. The ash gets a little flaky. The finish is long and sweet which no doubt comes from aging the wrapper in bourbon barrels. Smoke production is at the low end of high. Burn line is nearly perfect. The profile becomes a little more leathery than sweet just past the midway point of the cigar.

Final/3rd
The sweetness comes back into balance with the cedar, charred oak, leather and cinnamon spice. A 1/2” into the final/3rd the cinnamon spice becomes warm. Profile continues well balanced right to the nub.

Overall
The Pappy Van Winkle Tradition Toro by Drew Estate provides a very enjoyable smoking experience. A very flavorful and well balanced profile with a good burn and draw.

An interesting story behind this blend. When Willy Herrera was interviewing for the “Master Blender” job he created 3 blends. The Herrera Esteli blend was chosen and he got the job. This blend was one of the other 2 that they set aside for future release.
The folks at Pappy Van Winkle wanted a cigar to launch to pair with their Bourbon. This is the blend they chose.
Well done Willy!
It is a bit pricey at $26.00 per cigar but it is right in line with the Pappy Van Winkle brand.

Davidoff Yamasa Robusto 11/11/17

 Appearance
An oily milk chocolate brown colored wrapper with very few veins. The seams are well wrapped and very difficult to find. Filler is well packed with no apparent soft spots.

Aroma
Chocolate, earth, cedar and a tiny bit of sugary sweetness on the wrapper. Cedar and honey at the foot.

Prelight Draw
Burnt molasses, cedar, earth, a hint of chocolate and cayenne pepper spice.

1st
Initial draws bring notes of cedar with a somewhat muted burnt molasses note in the background. The burnt molasses fades away a few puffs later and reveals a cedar and leathery profile with hints of chocolate and spice. The draw is slightly snug. The burn is perfect. The ash is salt&pepper gray and stacked. Draw opens up just past midway in the 1st/3rd. Ash was firm and straight at removal.

2nd
The body & strength are hovering around the medium range. Smoke production is at the low end of high range. The finish is long with notes of cedar, chocolate, leather and spice. The spice vacillates between cayenne and cinnamon with a pinch of black pepper.

Final/3rd
Strength inches up to medium+. Some espresso notes join the profile midway in the final/3rd. Profile remains consistent through to the nub.

Overall
The Davidoff Yamasa Robusto provides an enjoyable smoking experience. A flavorful and well balanced profile with great burn and draw.

The Wise Man Maduro Torpedo 11/5/17

 Appearance
A dark chocolatey colored wrapper with a few prominent veins. The seams are all tightly wrapped. The oily sheen is very appealing to the eye and the touch. The filler bunch is well packed with no apparent soft spots. The band is very attractive with nice color contrasts.

Aroma
Dark chocolate, earth, leather and a faint hint of spice on the wrapper. Honey and dry tobacco at the foot.

Prelight Draw
Cocoa, earth, honey and spice.

1st
The initial draws bring notes of earth and a pinch of red pepper spice. The draw is a tick on the snug side of perfect. The burn has a slight wave. Strength and body start off in the medium range. Smoke production is at the low end of medium. Espresso notes begin working their way into the profile joining the earth, leathery texture and crushed red pepper spice. The ash is light gray and mostly tight with a little flake. Late in the 1st/3rd creamy cashew notes join the profile.

2nd
Strength moves to medium+. The spice tapers back a bit but is still present. The finish is long with notes of earth, honey, cocoa, espresso, cashews, a leathery texture and crushed red pepper spice. Draw has improved to effortless. Smoke production is at the high range.

Final/3rd
Burn continues to be spot on. Strength moves to med/full. Balance has been perfect from the start. The flavor profile remains consistent and balanced right to the nub.

Overall
The Wise Man Maduro Torpedo by Foundation Cigars provides a very enjoyable smoking experience. A very flavorful and well balanced profile with great burn and draw. Another great cigar by Nick Melillo @NickRAgua owner of Foundation Cigars.
GoGetchasome™!!

Sindicato Affinity Maduro Robusto 11/4/17

 Appearance
A chocolate brown colored wrapper with a couple prominent veins. A bit of mottling makes the tightly wrapped seams visible. There is also a good amount of tooth as well as a nice oily sheen. The filler is well packed with no apparent soft spots.

Aroma
Earth, cocoa, cedar on the wrapper. Cocoa, cedar, hazelnut and spice at the foot.

Prelight Draw
Chocolatey, fruity, earthy, cedar and red pepper spice.

1st
Initial draws albeit snug bring notes of earthy fruit with a bit of red pepper spice. The ash is salt&pepper gray and tight. Chocolate notes join the profile. Burn has been perfect from the start.

2nd
The draw opens up and smoke production moves to the low end of high. Strength started at medium and now is medium+. The profile has been very well balanced. Smoke production is at high. The finish is long with notes of chocolate, earth, fruit, cedar and red pepper spice. There is a pinch of black pepper spice joining the profile.

Final/3rd
The strength moves to med/full. The flavor, balance, burn & draw remain perfect right to the nub!

Overall
The Sindicato Affinity Maduro Robusto provides a very enjoyable smoking experience. A very flavorful and well balanced profile with nice complexity. The burn was perfect and the draw was perfect after the 1st/3rd. I’ll be smoking more of these with hopes that the snug draw in the 1st/3rd was a rare occurrence.
Great job Jim @SindicatoCigars

Todos Las Dias Half Churchill 10/29/17

 Appearance
A chocolate looking wrapper with invisible tightly wrapped seams and a couple prominent veins. It’s has a nice oily sheen and a bit of tooth as well. The filler is well packed with no apparent soft spots.

Aroma
Dark chocolate, earth, leather and a hint of spice on the wrapper. Cocoa, earth, leather and just a faint hint of spice at the foot.

Prelight Draw
Chocolate, molasses, cinnamon spice

1st
The initial draws bring notes of thick earth, followed by a warm cinnamon spice. Strength moves quickly to med/full. The sweet molasses joins the profile. Draw is good. Burn is off a bit but is already self correcting with the help of simple physics. The ash is medium gray and fairly tight.

2nd
The finish is long with notes of chocolate, earth, molasses, leather and cinnamon spice. The burn has fully self corrected. Smoke production is at the low end of high. Burn develops a wide V shape on one side, removing the ash I find a couple of pinhole tunnels. Burn fully self corrects by the end of the 2nd/3rd.

Final/3rd
Flavor profile remains consistent as do the burn and draw through to the nub.

Overall
The Todos Las Dias Half Churchill provides an enjoyable smoking experience. A flavorful and well balanced profile with a good draw and mildly erratic burn.

Booth-Caldwell Hit & Run Corona Gorda 10/28/17

 Appearance
The medium brown colored wrapper is veiny and has a bit of tooth. The seams are tightly wrapped and difficult to find. It has a nice oily sheen. The filler bunch is well packed with no apparent soft spots.

Aroma
Damp cedar, earth, honey and mild spice on the wrapper. Cedar, honey and spice at the foot.

Prelight Draw
Cedar, dried fruit and spice

1st
The initial draws bring notes of cedar and a mild red pepper spice. Draw is very snug. There is a definite sweetness like honey coating the palate. The ash is light gray and flaky. Some white pepper joins the red pepper in the profile. The finish is long with notes of cedar, hay, honey, toasted almonds and a white/red pepper spice combo. The draw opens up at about 1” in. The burn has a slight wave. Removed the ash just in time as it was looking a bit suspect.

2nd
Smoke production is at the low end of medium. Ash is still a bit flaky. Strength which started mild has moved to medium. Midway in the 2nd some mild citrus joins the profile. Draw is now effortless and burn is spot on.

Final/3rd
There is a dark roast coffee note joining the profile. A very well balanced profile. Flavors remain consistent right to the nub.

Overall
The Booth-Caldwell Hit & Run provides an enjoyable smoking experience. A well balanced and flavorful profile with a great draw once it opened up and good burn.