Oliva V Serie - Melanio Blend - Petit Corona

Tale of the Tape:
Brand: Oliva
Series: Melnio - Series V
Vitola:  Petit Corona
Size: 4 1/2"
Ring Gauge: 46
Country of Origin: Nicaragua
Wrapper: Ecuadorian grown Sumatran
Binder: Nicaragua
Filler: Nicaragua
Cigars Smoked for Review: 2

The Melanio
This is no regular Serie V.  Oliva is known for quality and consistency at a fair price.  The Serie V is one of the most solid go-to cigars on the market.  A true full bodied, full flavored smoke.  Personally, I don't care for the Serie V, but I respect the cigar.  I realize the quality and value in the Serie V, but the cigar is just a bit much for my taste and always leaves me with a dizzying nicotine buzz.

The Melanio, is a cigar that stands on its own; no Serie V connection needed to prop up its credentials.  Named after Gilberto Oliva's grandfather, the cigar is a tribute to the man that the Oliva family can trace their tobacco heritage back to.

As I mentioned, the normal Serie V cigars are not my cup of tea.  They are great cigars, and its hard to beat them at the price they are offered at; but I don't smoke many because they are just too much.  Don't get me wrong, I am a full cigar smoker, but I reach for other stogies more often than not.  But with all the fanfare surrounding the Melanio, I had no choice but to give it a try.

I picked up the Petit Corona. 4 1/2" X 46 ring; a size I enjoy..  The wrapper is smooth and a medium dark brown hue.  A few visible veins, but otherwise smooth to the touch.  The construction is flawless, from appearance to last puff.  A razor's edge burn that requires no touch ups.

The first half of the cigar is surprisingly milder than the normal Series V.  Leaning toward medium on a medium-full scale; the cigar is smooth and creamy.  Slightly sweet with a little pepper on the lips, the smoke is aromatic and I taste hints of coffee and burnt cedar.  From what I understand, Oliva chose its most aged tobaccos for the blend, and the subtle sweetness of the Ecuadorian Sumatran shines through.  The filler and binder are Nicaraguan and it is obvious that the Melanio blend is more than just a Serie V with a Sumatran wrapper.

The draw is a tad tight; but the smoke production is adequate.  Usually a tight draw will ruin a cigar for me, but the ample amount of smoke keeps me from having to strain to smoke it.  It is truly a non-issue.  In fact it resulted in a slow burn; keeping the cigar cool and releasing a lot of flavor and nuances in the blend.

The second half of the Melanio keeps that smooth and creaminess to it.  There is a peanut taste that is really enjoyable and seems to be the predominant flavor of the cigar.  The cigar takes about an hour and fifteen minutes to smoke; a considerable amount of time for such a small stick.

As the cigar moves to its last 1 1/2" it never gets harsh like a lot stogies.  The  sweetness slowly morphs into a peppery spice , but it is not a main feature of the smoke.  I know I mentioned it before, but this cigar is smooth.  This cigar is easy to smoke and stays cool throughout.  Not super-complex, but a lot of little nuances that make it an interesting smoke.  Hands down a good cigar.  I really want to try the figurado size and see how it stacks up.

Final Thoughts and Grade

• Smooth tasty cigar with a slightly restricted draw that keeps the cigar cool and slow
• Different from the normal Serie V line in many ways - still a lot nicotine in Oliva's tobacco
• Aromatic and tasty - a lot of depth to the flavors
• Leans towards medium body in a medium full profile
• Great value at $7.50 - my new favorite Oliva - will buy and smoke many more

A - 91.5 points

Padron Anniversary 1964 - Monarca Maduro

Padron Anniversary 1964 - Monarca Maduro
Beer:  Stone Brewery 'Ruination IPA'
With a fresh paycheck cashed; I decided to roll top-shelf for an overdue cigar sit-down.  With top-shelf on my mind,  I grabbed a 24 oz. Stone Ruination IPA on my walk to the cigar shop.  At $5.99 for a 24oz, it isn't cheap, but it is good.  Stone has two other IPA selections, but the Ruination is a little higher in alcohol content and hop factor, at 7.7% and 100 + IBU.
Proudly rocking my Ruination IPA, I entered my shop and strolled to the Padron Anniversary box.  You can't go wrong with a Padron Anniv., so I reached for one with some length so I could really sit back and enjoy my beer and stogie.  With that in mind, I chose the 1964 Monarca Maduro.  At 6 1/2" with a 46 ring gauge, I knew I was in for a good hour and a half of full flavored quality.

Cigar:
The 1964 Monarca is a Nicaraguan Puro.  Padron ages all the tobacco for at least four years, resulting in some nicely fermented, sweet tobacco.  The filler bunch is hand-picked for quality; the binder leaf, a Nicaraguan Habano - just like the wrapper.  The wrapper leaf is gorgeous and smells of sweet tobacco and cocoa notes.
Beer:
The Ruination IPA is an extremely hoppy beer.  The beer is a golden-orangish amber with a short head on it.  The head leaves some lacing trails on the glass, even though its no wheat beer, the Ruination is slightly opaque.  The beer has a lot of floral and fruit notes without being flowery like a Hoegarden.

Rest of Review on Next Page

Tatuaje: Gran Cojuno

Tatuaje Gran Cojonu:
Let me start this review by telling you that I am a happy cigar smoker.  My favorite B&M cigar shop now carries Tatuaje.  Admittedly, I am a Tatuaje fan-boy, but I'm not afraid to say when I get a don't like something from Pete Johnson's lines.

Up until a month ago, only one B&M in the Baltimore-metro area carried Tatuaje.  This B&M will go nameless but, it wasn't my style.  The clientele, too fancy for me; being 27, there was nary a person I could relate to when I sat down for a smoke.  I would make the trip to this shop just to grab a few of Pete Johnson's offerings, but it was a necessary evil.

All of that has changed.  My favorite cigar shop, Cross Street Tobacco, now carries Tatuaje cigars.  They are official dealers, carrying a multitude of vitolas in both the red and brown series.  Also, they've a couple other of Pete's lines.  So.....I am a happy smoker.  Cross Street has an amazing selection.  The owner, Sheldon, only carries quality, and he carries what he knows people want.  He runs a quality business, where almost everyone is a repeat customer.

Anyways....with a batch of Tatuaje cigars to choose from, I got ballsy, as the name suggests and grabbed a Gran Cojonu.

Rest of Review on next page

My Father - Cedros Deluxe Cervantes

Jaime Garcia - My Father Series - Cedros Deluxe Cervantes

The Cedros Deluxe Cervantes is a special edition of the My Father Series.  Click here for a Stogie Guys review of the regular series.  I like the honey-sweet smell cedar sleeves leave on a cigar, so I was excited to see this Corona Gorda priced at $7.50.  That is cheaper then the normal series and with such a sharp look I had to give it a whirl.  I had two intentions smoking this; one to compare it against the original My Father, but also to rate it as a stand alone.  Judging the Cedros Deluxe on its own merits.

Pre-smoke

This Corona Gorda is a beauty and feels hefty in the hand.  The cedar sleeve is branded with 'Cedros Deluxe' and the My Father emblem.  There is also a foot band that finishes out the style on this three piece suit.  Just looking at this smoke had me salivating.  Even though I've smoked many regular 'My Father' cigars, the look of this one was the complete package.

With the sleave off the wrapper was flawless and slightly bumpy.  I took a big whiff of the freshly unsleeved stogie and that sweet cedar aroma lingered and mixed with a strong tobacco smell.  It also smelled earthy and little hint of hay.  The wrapper leaf had slight variation in hue throughout giving it a very natural look.

The cigar is well-made, packed with tobacco, firm throughout and felt a bit dry to the squeeze.

Summer Time Is Here - Smoke the Anejo #50 (Robusto)

1 Cigar You've Gotta Smoke (a compilation of my last month of smoking)
Spring is just about over and if you haven't enjoyed some outdoor smokin' I suggest you get a few stogies in before the heat is too much to handle.  I haven't touched my blog in a few weeks because my laptop had a bad powerjack.  A few Youtube searches and 2 Amazon orders later, I've learned how to disassemble my laptop and change out a powerjack.  As lame as it sounds, I felt a little bit like Batman avoiding a $300 repair bill. 
But enough of my amateur CPU tech skills; I've taken a bunch of pictures and tons of notes on new cigars I've smoked while my laptop has been out of service.  I planned on writing some reviews, but instead I'm going to tell you about a single cigar that amazed me.  This cigar is one of my new favorites, and even more importantly....this cigar was absolutely unbelievable.

Photo credit - tgdennis1971 from Puff.com

Check out what I have to say about the Anejo #50 - click link below

Guillermo Leon Signature - Corona

Guillermo Leon Signature - Corona
As the VP of La Aurora, Mr. Leon is out to make a statement with a line bearing his name.  The Guillermo Leon's is a good looking cigar, and I've smoked about three different sizes.  Of the ones I've smoked, I find the Corona to be the perfect mixture of wrapper to filler ratio, weighing in at 5 1/2" x 42 ring gauge, I think the quality wrapper shines brings a richness that the larger gauges don't have.  In fact the larger gauges were a little more spicy on the palette then I prefer.  The corona however, with its 42 ring gauge highlights the quality wrapper

Guillermo Leon cigars have a chocolatey-brown Ecuadorian Habano wrapper.  Ecuador has been a hotbed for wrapper leaf these days.  With ideal soil conditions and cloudy weather, they sun is filtered in such a wa to provide a unique wrapper leaf.
Another interesting aspect of this cigar is its double binder.  Leon uses a Cameroon binder to provide some sweetness and a corojo binder to give a little punch.

The filler is then a unique blend of Peruvian (rare to see that), Dominican, Nicaraguan, and my personal favorite, Brazilian tobacco.  That filler mixture alone had me pumped to give this stick a few tries.  Not to mention it is a good looking cigar.

 

The rich dark brown wrapper is smooth and flawless, and the band has a sophisticated look, topped off with Guillermo's signature.  When a man puts his signature on a stick, you know hes proud of this produt and is willing to put his name on the line because he knows hes got a quality cigar. 

Liga Privada - T52 - Robusto

Liga Privada - T52

I'll try and keep this short because this cigar is so damn good that it doesn't need a lot of explanation.  The processes that go in to making this product are note-worthy, so I will explain them.  In short, go smoke this cigar now!  I love Liga Privada cigars and have never been disappointed by one of their products.  It amazes me they've never found a place on Cigar Aficianado's Top 25 list.  Furthering my belief that the list is crap.  Maybe the editors are too busy drinking Scotch blended by magical wizards on the peak of Mt. Everest or smoking $1000 Cubans hand-rolled by Fidel Castro to have heard Liga Privada; or maybe they've got a beef with Drew Estate's President, Steve Saka  being a contributing-editor to a competing publication.  Just a thought.
I've always enjoyed the T52 and have smoked a number of them.  But honestly I never differentiated them too much from the #9.  You can see my #9 review HERE (#9).  But when I realized I still hadn't reviewed the T52 I decided to sit down with one and really give it some thought.

To give you a quick background on some things that make the T52 a unique stick, I have to include the fact that Liga Privada uses 'stalk-cut' tobacco for the wrapper leaf.  Stalk cut is a process by which the tobacco leaf is not cut off of the stalk at harvest, rather the entire plant is cut at the base and hung upside down during early stages of curing and fermentation. 

Jaime Garcia - Reserva Especial

Jaime Garcia - Reserva Especial

The son of the great Pepin Garcia made his mark on the cigar world with the introduction of the My Father series.  A great full-bodied smoke, the cigar paid homage to the cigar genius that is his father.  That series also put smokers on notice; that notice saying that Jaime Garcia is ready and able to carry on the Garcia name.  I, like a lot of smokers out there, really enjoy Garcia's blends.  Whether I'm smoking a Tatuaje or a San Cristobal, I always remember Pepin Garcia's influence on the product.  So naturally, Jaime's endeavours have my attention.
When I saw the cigar on the shelf I was shocked that it was only $7.  A nice price for what I'm expecting to be a quality cigar.  I opt for the Belicoso, weighing in at 5.5" x 52 ring.  At first the price excites me, then I wonder if the Garcias are trying to snag a piece of the economy market.  Hmmmm.....I wonder.  The cigar is rolled beautifully.  The Connecticut Broadleaf wrapper showing few veins, a little lighter than most CBs you see out there.  The binder and filler are made with Nicaraguan tobacco; no surprise.

Kristoff - Sumatra - Torpedo

Kristoff - Sumatra
I"ve been smoking a lot of the Kristoff Maduro in the Robusto size these days.  Listed as a Robusto, this thing is sized more like a Toro.  Anyways, I've enjoyed the Maduro so much that I have bothered to try the newer Sumatran wrapped version.  Friends that recommended the Kirstoff have noticed how much I enjoy the cigar have said that the Sumatra wrapped version is even better and deserves a try. 
I picked up a fairly priced, 8$, Sumatra  Torpedo.  Every Kristoff Ive smoked has burnt well and has great flavor.  Surprisingly, these cigars are made with Dominican tobacco....usually I prefer Nicaraguan tobacco, but my recent Kristoff smokes have reminded me of why I love cigars so much.
Writing reviews and always thinking about the cigars as I smoke, I sometimes find myself focusing on details and different aspects of a cigar rather then just enjoying the experience.  The Kristoff selections are so good all-around, that I stop focusing on details and just admire how much I'm enjoying the cigar.  The flavors are complex and creamy.  I'm not going to list the flavor profile because I never made the effort to label what I was tasting - but I was say that the flavor is damn good.

The Sumatran Torpedo weighs in at 6.25" x 52 ring.  Wrapped in an earthy looking Ecuadorian Sumatran leaf, the cigar has a genuine feel to it.  The unfinished "shag" foot and the band style give the cigar an old-school Cuban vibe.  I don't know how to explain the feel you get from the look of the cigar, but you'll know what I mean when you pick one up to buy.  Kristoff did a lot to give a cigar that is cubanesque, but maintains its own identity at the same time.  The cigar has Brazilian binder and is a blend of mostly Dominican and a little Nicaraguan tobacco.
Tasty, aromatic and a bit sweeter then the Maduro selection, the cigar is an amazing smoke.  I can't say it enough.  I love these cigars.  The resting smoke is sweet and smells of cinammon.  I had pipe smokers in the shop telling me how good it smelled.  The cigar is full of flavor but very smooth and medium bodied; a perfect example of  full flavor doesn't have to be overpowering.  
I can't say whether I prefer the Sumatra over the Maduro series; as they are different types of cigars..  The sumatra is medium, floral, creamy and has some spice in the last third.  Where as the Maduro is beefy and thick; sweet in its own right, but a little more body than the Sumatra.
I highly recommend Kristoff cigars, expecially the "smaller"sizes.  A lot of flavor.  Smooth, well-made and hands-down amazing.

OVERALL - A

Tatuaje-The 7th Reserva

Tatuaje-The 7th Reserva - Much to chagrin of Tatuaje fans everywhere, Pete and Pepin have released a handful of cigars, that are in continuous production.  In other words, you'll be able to get your hands on them.  One of these cigars is the Petit Reserva.  A delicious little 4"x 40 ring - read the review HERE.  The other selections are the 7th and 7th Reserva.  These cigars are part of the "Cazadores" or "Brown Label" series and while they share the same blend - the Reservas are wrapped in a Connecticut Broadleaf. 
The 7th got its namesake because it happens to be the 7th vitola in the line.  A great balance of length and gauge - the cigar sits at 5 5/8" x 46 ring.  I love slimmer ring gauges, and unless you're smoking a lancero - smaller ring gauges usually means shorter cigars - and with shorter cigars comes less smoke time.
However, the 7th is slim and has enough length to make this a nice, relaxing smoke.
As I mentioned before, the 7th Reserva is wrapped in a Connecticut Broadleaf, bound by Nicaraguan and filled with a Nicaraguan blend. 

Room 101 - LTD Conjura

Room 101 - LTD Conjura - Made and distributed by Camacho, Room 101 is extending its offerings with the addition of the Conjura series.  The cigar comes in four vitolas, all slightly box-pressed and produced in limited numbers.  Room 101 manufactured only 12,500 of each vitola, and with the quality branding and aggressive advertising - they won't be on the shelves too long.
The wrapper is rosado and I believe it to be Ecuadorian.  I'm unsure of the binder origin, but I know the filler is a specific blend of Dominican and Nicaraguan tobaccos.  Room 101 wanted to create something a little stronger than the original series - so here we have the LTD Conjura.

Click below to continue to the review

Liga Privada - Dirty Rat

Liga Privada - Dirty Rat - HOOOOO-F'IN  RAY!!!! That is what I said and how I felt when I saw a Dirty Rat on the shelf at my favorite Cigar Shop.  I'm a huge Liga Privada fan and have been waiting to get my hands on one of these for months.  The No. 9, The T-52, The Flying Pig have all been winners in my book.  So, while I enter this smoke and review a tad biased, I also enter it with high expectations.  I guess that balances things out.

The Tale of the tape:
Size - 5" X 44 Ring Gauge
Wrapper - Stalk Cut - Sungrown Connecticut Broadleaf
Binder - Brazilian Mata Fina grown by J. Fuego
Filler - A mixture of 5 different Nicaraguan and Honduran leaves

On to the Review - click below

Padron - 1964 Series - Principe

Padron- 1964 Series - Principe Vitola - I don't think this brand or cigar needs much introduction.  The 64's were released in 1994 to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the Padron brand.  The 1964's are without a doubt one of Padron's top of the line series.  Hand-crafted by only the elite rollers, these cigars are a picture of quality.

The Principle is a small smoke (I favor a good small smoke) weighing in at 4.5" with a 46 ring guage.  This is the perfect size for an hour sit down.  The 64' collection is offered in a natural or maduro wrapper.  I've picked up the maduro for this smoke.

Ashton - Estate Sun Grown (ESG)

Ashton- Estate Sun Grown (ESG) - I'm not a big fan of Ashton's regular cigars - but I absolutely love their special efforts.  The VSG series, The San Cristobals are favorites of mine.  So its been a long time coming that I get a hold of an ESG to smoke.  I've been intrigued by the series, and being a VSG lover, the ESG is a smoke I've been dying to get my hands on.  I've heard good things and thanks to my friends at CigarsDirect I'm finally getting that opportunity.
This particular cigar is named the "22-Year-Salute".  It is a Torpedo vitola and weighs in at 6" by a 52 ring; it could almost pass for a Belicoso. The label itself is awesome; covered in ornate design and a little gold foil to give it a top of the line appearance. 
Blended by Carlos Fuente Jr. on Ashton's behalf, this series is a limited edition line, featuring a new vitola each year until they reach the 25th Anniversary of Ashton's business.  The original ESG is a Churchill vitola, and came out on the 20th Anniversary of Ashton's business - that cigar is named the "20-Year-Salute".   See the pattern?.....

La Riqueza - Cabinet Series - Belicoso

La Riqueza - Cabinet Series -  I'm not going out on a limb when I say, Pete Johnson is a cigar-god at this point in time.  Everything the man touches turns into tobacco gold.  The La Riqueza line, which translates to "The Riches" is no different.  The normal line is a box-pressed treat, wrapped in a connecticut broadleaf, the cigar is a medium stick with a lot of flavor.  These come in a standard paper-based cigar box. 
And then there is the Cabinet Series.....
The same blend as the normal line, these cigars come in cedar boxes which add that honey-scented richness.  Also, these cigars are not box-pressed.  I smoke a lot of the standard La Riquezas, leaning towards to smaller sizes for a quick delicious smoke - check out my earlier review on the -No. 5 Box-Press HERE.

Nestor Miranda - Special Selection - Coffee Break

Nestor Miranda - Special Selection Coffee Break-  For a few years, Mr. Miranda has made Don Lino cigars, and his company, Miami Cigars, distributes La Aurora.  So the man has connections and knows a thing or two about the business.  In 2009 he stepped from behind the curtain and put a cigar on showcase for the world to enjoy.  The Special Selection, Coffee Break vitola was named to Cigar Aficianado's Top 25 of 2009. 
The Special Selection is said to be the personal cigar of Mr. Miranda.  Supposedly he would hand these to friends as gifts years before they were offered to the public.  Even though Miranda had the Don Lino brand on which he could have easily launched a new cigar; he must've felt he had a product worthy of putting his signature on.
The "Coffee Break" size is a Petit Robusto  - 4.5" by 50 gauge - an awesome name for a cigar in my opinion.  Too many cigar names are lame or just plain boring, but the Coffee Break is the type of name that could have you smoking it on name alone.  I admit I first smoked it because I like the way it sounded.  I didn't have much time and was looking for a quick tasty smoke.

Tatuaje - Miami Cazadores

Tatuaje - Cazadores - Unless you've been under a rock, Tatuaje needs no introduction.  The owner, Pete Johnson set out withthe goal of creating cigars that could rival Cuban cigars in taste and performance.  If you've had the opportunity to smoke this brand, you're more than likely to agree that he's accomplished his goal.  The cigars are great, and I personally have had no complaints.  Sure I had one that didn't burnt horribly, and the Verocu tubes had some wrapper issues, but 90% of them smoke perfectly, with the other smoking well enough to enjoy.
This cigar is part of the "Brown Label" series which are rolled right here in the good ole USA.  Using Nicaraguan tobacco, Pete has these sticks rolled in Pepin's Little Havana factory.  The Cazadores is 6' 3/8" with a 43 ring gauge. 

Padron - 1964 Anniversary - Imperial Maduro

Padron 1964 – Imperial Maduro

Padron introduced the 1964 Anniversary Line back in 1994 to commemorate the company’s 30th year in business. These cigars have been in demand since their birth, and have become synonymous with the term quality in the cigar community. Be sure not to confuse the 64’ edition with the 1926’s or the Family Reserve cigars. All of these cigars are considered classics, but they are different blends. They are similar in appearance, and in their high cost; but I assure you that they are different blends. Each blend is worth a try….if you’re in that “I deserve a gift from myself” mood.

The 1964 Anniversary Series is a Nicaraguan Puro through and through. Each size is available in either a natural or maduro wrapper. There are also shit-ton of vitolas, so you’ll find your preferred size; as long as its box-pressed. Padron claims the tobacco in this line is aged for at least 4 years. So Padron these cigars have a lot of time and effort in them.

These cigars grace Cigar Aficionado’s Top 20 list all the time and usually have a special case all to their own at the cigar shop. Whether shop owners need to keep a close eye on them because of cost, or Padron has done an excellent job with merchandising……these cigars have a certain allure and dignity to them. I’ve smoked a smaller 1926 series before….but wanted to spring the money for a larger size. Today is the day.

Fuente - Opus X - No. 5

Arturo Fuente - Opus X - The flagship of the Fuente line, the Opus X is hailed as a classic smoke by the cigar community.  With some vitolas receiving as high as a '94' rating by Cigar Aficianado, this is one of those cigars that every smoker has to try at some point.  Thought of as a powerhouse smoke, these cigars are not always an easy find in a lot of markets. 
Wrapped, bound and filled with the finest Dominican tobaccos from the Fuente's fabled Chateau de la Fuente, these cigars are a potrait of the tradition and experience of the Fuente brand.

Ashton VSG - Belicoso

Ashton VSG - This Cigar is hailed as the best in the Ashton line. Blended from Dominican tobacco aged 4-5 years, and wrapped with an Ecuadorian sun-grown leaf this stick is a beauty. The line carries enough sizes to fill a travel humidor - all of them around $10 to $15. This Cigar is a top pick of a lot smokers out there and has scored above a 90 in tons of publications.

I've reviewed the Torpedo VSG - Torpedo Review - and was impressed with the overall construction and burn.  The flavors were a bit strong and the smoke left me a little dizzy.  Since then I've smoked some of the Belicoso size and thought the flavors and balance made for a much better smoke.