Psyko Seven Nicaragua Toro 6/8/19

 Appearance
A light brown colored wrapper with a couple of thin veins. The seams are tightly wrapped. There is a light oil sheen. The filler bunch is well packed with no apparent soft spots.

Aroma
Cedar, tobacco and spice on the wrapper. Cedar and spice at the foot.

Prelight Draw
Cedar, raisin, black licorice and cinnamon spice.

1st
The initial draws bring notes of cedar, hay and cinnamon spice. The draw is snug. The ash is salt&pepper gray and stacked. The burn is spot on. There is a pinch of black pepper in the spice arena. Smoke production is at the medium range. Strength is medium as well. The ash looks a bit suspect but is hanging on. The black pepper spice is becoming more prominent. The ash held till removal.

2nd
Creamy cashew notes join the profile to start the 2nd/3rd. The black pepper spice tapers slightly allowing notes of light brown sugar to emerge. The finish is long with notes of cedar, creamy cashew, light brown sugar and a cinnamon/black pepper spice combo, all well balanced. The burn got off slightly but is self correcting with the help of simple physics. The draw is still snug.

Final/3rd
The strength moves to medium+. The black pepper spice becomes the prominent flavor in the final/3rd and remains consistent right to the nub.

Overall
The Psyko Seven Nicaragua Toro provides an enjoyable smoking experience. A well balanced and flavorful profile until the final/3rd which was dominated by black pepper with a snug draw and mildly erratic burn.

Montecristo Espada Guard Toro 6/2/19

 Appearance
A light brown colored wrapper with a couple of small thin veins. The seams are tightly wrapped and difficult to find. There is a nice oily sheen on the cigar.
The filler bunch is well packed with no apparent soft spots.
The 3 bands took a bit of work to remove.

Aroma
Cedar, sweetness and spice on the wrapper. Cedar, dried red fruit and spice at the foot.

Prelight Draw
Cedar, dried red fruit, brown sugar, mild raisin & red licorice and cinnamon spice.

1st
The initial draws bring notes of cedar, light brown sugar and cinnamon spice. The draw is a tick snug. The burn is slightly erratic. The ash is light gray and stacked. Medium roast coffee notes join the profile. Strength is medium. The ash held firm and straight until removal.

2nd
Smoke production is at the low end of medium range. The profile is well balanced. The use of Plasencia tobacco adds much flavor to a normally boring brand IMO. The cigar is also made at Plasencia in Esteli, Nicaragua. Creamy cashew notes join the profile. At the midway point of the cigar the draw opens up. A pinch(cooking term) of black pepper joins the cinnamon spice. The finish is long with notes of cedar, light brown sugar, coffee, creamy cashews and a black pepper/warm cinnamon spice combo.

Final/3rd
Smoke production is at the medium range. Strength moves to medium+. The burn has fully self corrected. The complex, well balanced and flavorful profile continues right to the nub.

Overall
The Montecristo Espada Guard Toro provides a very enjoyable smoking experience. A complex, well balanced and flavorful profile with a good draw and mildly erratic burn.
A Big Thank You to brother Will @mclaurin69 for the gift which was part of a .

Foundry Cigars Elements Plutonium #4 Robusto 6/1/19

 Appearance
An oily, toothy brown wrapper with a few prominent veins. The seams are fairly tight. The filler bunch is well packed with no apparent soft spots.

Aroma
Cedar, tobacco and spice on the wrapper. Cedar, brown sugar and spice at the foot.

Prelight Draw
Brown sugar, molasses, cedar, raisin and spice.

1st
The initial draws bring notes of cedar and spice. The draw is a tick snug to start. Burn is a bit wavy but not terrible. At 5/8” in the draw opens up and the burn is evening out. The ash is salt&pepper gray and stacked with a bit of flake. Smoke production is at the low end of high range. There is a real meaty note all of a sudden. Right before the end of the 1st/3rd medium roast coffee notes join the profile. The ash held firm and straight until removal.

2nd
The finish is long with notes of cedar, coffee, meat and paprika spice. The cigar is well blended as it is providing nice salivation. The profile is well balanced. The spice tapers a bit. Light brown sugar notes appear.

Final/3rd
The profile remains consistent moving into the final/3rd. The flavorful profile continues right to nub.

Overall
The Foundry Cigars Elements Plutonium #4 Robusto provides an enjoyable smoking experience. A well balanced and flavorful profile with a perfect draw and mildly erratic burn.
The Elements series are hard to find but well worth giving a try if you can find them.
Another fine cigar by Michael Giannini @FoundryCigars and his team.

Cohiba Connecticut Robusto Tubo 5/27/19

 

Appearance

A light brown colored wrapper with a couple of 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

Hay on the wrapper. Sweetness and spice at the foot.

Prelight Draw

Sweet hay, cedar and a very mild allspice.

1st

Initial draws bring notes of hay and cedar. The draw is effortless. The burn has a slight wave. The ash is dark gray and stacked. This ash is different than most in that I can see daylight through it as I roll the cigar in my fingers. Just after typing the last sentence the ash dropped. There is a slight sweetness in the profile with the hay and cedar and a very faint spice.

2nd

Strength is mild. I started double puffing to try and get something out of this smoke. Some cinnamon spice came through and replaced the very bland profile. Smoke production is at the medium range. Late in the 2nd/3rd a sour metallic flavor overwhelms the palate. C’mon Man!

Final/3rd

The heavy metallic flavor is now gone leaving cedar and a faint metallic note. Flavor remains consistent right to the nub.

Overall

The Cohiba Connecticut Robusto Tubo provides a poor smoking experience. A basically flavorless profile with an effortless draw and mildly erratic burn.

I don’t know if this is some kind of joke but I’m not amused. For a $20+ cigar that was a joke.

To the folks at Cohiba... Seriously?? Y’all can do better than that.

 

 

Bandolero Seleccion Especial 54 Picaros Toro Extra 5/26/19

 Appearance
A beautiful dark brown colored wrapper with a couple of prominent veins. The seams are tightly wrapped. There is a beautiful oily sheen on the wrapper. The filler bunch is well packed with no apparent soft spots.
There is interesting holographic artwork on the band at the back of the cigar. A nice touch. The cigar has nice weight and feel.

Aroma
Barnyard, cedar, aged tobacco and spice on the wrapper. Lush red fruit and cedar at the foot.

Prelight Draw
Lush red fruit, cedar, chocolate, raisin, red licorice and cinnamon spice.

1st
The initial draws bring notes of cedar, medium roast coffee and cinnamon spice. The draw is a bit snug. The burn is a bit wavy. The ash is salt&pepper gray, tight and a bit flaky. At 3/4” in red fruit notes come alive. Then a couple of draws later a sour apple note appears. Smoke production is at the low end of medium range. Strength is at medium+. The ash held firm until removal.

2nd
Just into the 2nd/3rd there is a seared meat note. The draw has opened up nicely. The burn, with the help of simple physics, is self correcting. The seared meat notes change to just meaty notes without the seared. Smoke production is at the high end of medium range. The finish is long with notes of cedar, medium roast coffee, meat, toast, red fruit and mild cinnamon spice all well balanced. The well blended cigar causes good salivation. The burn gets erratic again due to a tunnel right near the binder. The ligero cone is off center keeping the burn from self correcting.

Final/3rd
The complex, well balanced and flavorful profile rolls into the final/3rd. The burn finally fully self corrects by the midway point of the final/3rd. The flavorful profile continues right to the nub.

Overall
The Bandolero Seleccion Especial 54 Picaros Toro Extra provides an enjoyable smoking experience. A complex, well balanced and flavorful profile with a good draw and erratic burn.

Byron Reserva 5 Años 19th Grand Poemas Toro Extra 5/25/19

Appearance
A medium brown colored wrapper with a few prominent thin veins. It has a bit of tooth and a beautiful oily sheen. The seams are very well wrapped and only visible due to some mottling. The filler bunch is well packed with no apparent soft spots.

Aroma
Barnyard, cedar, faint dried fruit and just a hint of spice on the wrapper. Dried red fruit, raisin and a hint of spice at the foot.

Prelight Draw
Lush red fruit, raisin, cedar, sugar and cinnamon spice.

1st
The initial draws bring notes of cedar and a pinch of cinnamon spice. The draw starts out a tick snug. Some espresso notes join in right away. The ash is a very light gray and fairly tight with a little bit of flake. The burn is a bit uneven at an inch in. Sugary sweet notes become evident. The burn has been self correcting with the help of some simple physics. The ash holds firm until removal.

2nd
Upon inspection of the working end, I find the ligero cone is off center and there are 2 tiny tunnels. One just under the binder and the other just off center opposite the cone. The smoke production is at the medium range. Strength is medium+. At the midway point of the cigar the draw opens up nicely. Raisin notes join the profile as well as some toast notes. The finish is long with notes of cedar, espresso, lush red fruit, raisin and cinnamon toast spice. The burn has fully self corrected. A pinch of black pepper spice joins the profile and then fades.

Final/3rd
The complex, well balanced and flavorful profile continues into the final/3rd. The draw is now effortless and the burn is spot on. Smoke production is at the high range. The spice becomes more like a warm cinnamon spice. The complex, well balanced and flavorful profile continues right to the nub.

Overall
The Byron Reserva 5 Años 19th Grand Poemas Toro Extra provides a very enjoyable smoking experience. A complex, well balanced and flavorful profile with a snug draw and erratic burn through the first 2/3’s and an effortless draw and perfect burn in the final/3rd.
At $33 this may not be a cigar that a lot of people can afford to smoke on a regular basis but it’s definitely worth having in the humi for a very special occasion.

Padron #89 TAA Maduro 5/19/19

 Appearance
A very toothy dark chocolate colored wrapper with a couple of prominent veins. The seams are tightly wrapped and difficult to find. It has a very oily sheen on the wrapper. The filler bunch is well packed with no apparent soft spots.

Aroma
Rich earth, dark chocolate and spice on the wrapper. Dried red fruit, earth, cedar and spice at the foot.

Prelight Draw
Rich earth, brownie batter, cedar, dried red fruit and warm cinnamon spice.

1st
The initial draws bring notes of earth, cedar and a faint spice. Draw is effortless. The ash is medium gray and has wide stack lines. Dark chocolate notes appear in the finish along with warm cinnamon. The dried red fruit notes jump in to the party. Very noticeable. Strength is at medium+. Smoke production is at the low end of high range. Burn is spot on. The ash held firm and straight until removal.

2nd
There is a small tunnel just off center but it is not affecting the burn line. The finish is long with notes of rich earth, cedar, dark chocolate, dried red fruit, espresso and warm cinnamon spice. A real mouthful of flavor. The burn line now has a wide U shape on the side. The blend is causing a lot of salivation(that’s a sign of a well blended cigar). Burn is self correcting. Smoke production is at the high range now. The blend is very well balanced. There is just a pinch of black pepper spice joining the profile.

Final/3rd
The flavorful profile continues into the final/3rd. The smooth, well balanced and flavorful profile continues right to the nub.

Overall
The Padron #89 TAA Maduro provides a very enjoyable smoking experience. A complex, well balanced and flavorful profile with an effortless draw and mildly erratic burn.
This cigar is typical of what we love about Padron cigars. If u can find and afford u must try this cigar.