Kevin Sun

About Kevin Sun

http://matthias

Kevin is a hospitality business professional working exclusively in guest services. On his free time, he's an avid seeker for the finer dining experience that life has to offer. In 2014, he was introduced to the cigar community. Since then, he's trained his palate vigorously for food, beverage and cigars. Until very recently, he put his experience and taste buds to the test by reviewing cigars.

Posts by Kevin Sun:

Blind Review: Peter James Los Estoico 54 Maduro

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In the Fall of 1992, Cigar Aficionado published the first issue that showcased tobacco and all the products related to it in one way or another. Nowadays, the quarterly issues of Cigar Aficionado mainly focus on lifestyle brandings going from cigars to accessories, traveling, golfing, yachts, wine, spirits, etc. During the most recent PCA tradeshow, one luxury brand stood out above the rest: Peter James.

Peter James Co. started from a conversation a group of friends was having about the lack of a cigar organizer that is both functional and stylish. Today, not only known for its ultra-durable and stylish cigar cases, but Peter James has a wide variety of lifestyle products such as cologne, espresso beans, lighters, and even couches! One can even say Peter James’s eminence in lifestyle branding.

John Peter Laurendi, one of the co-founders of Peter James Co, is no stranger to exploring the uncharted sea. Taking an unconventional step, Laurendi delves into the realm of cigar making. Why is this unconventional, you ask? Because we always see cigar manufacturers dabbling into lifestyle branding, never the other way around.

Los Estoico means “The Stoics” in English. The number “54” references the ring gauge of the first cigar Laurendi obtained from his father. Ultimately, Laurendi wanted to create the perfect casual, everyday cigar, and Los Estoico 54 was his answer.

Blend Specifics

  • Cigar Reviewed: Peter James Los Estoico 54 Maduro
  • Wrapper: Mexican San Andres
  • Binder: Indonesia
  • Filler: Jalapa, Condega, Undisclosed
  • Size: Robusto Extra (5 3/4″ x 52)

Appearance & Construction:

Laying across the white porcelain Davidoff ashtray, the Maduro cigar looks even darker, almost escuro shade. Upon closer inspection, there is an unspoken beauty about the dark wrapper: oily but not toothy, it feels soft yet sturdy. The wrapper leaf is smooth, with no veins, and is masterfully rolled. The cigar feels weightless: the filler tobacco is loosely packed and is proportionally filled throughout the cigar.

Flavor and Smoke Characteristics

Sliding the cigar across my nose, I get the scent of tangy raisin and cocoa powder. As I got to the foot of the cigar, I experienced sweet stone fruits and pepper spice. To complete my pre-light ritual, I sliced off the cap with my XO Xikar cutter and did a cold draw. This cigar is herbaceous with a hint of mustiness and a sweet aftertaste. This is one of the more unique cold draws I’ve experienced.

I go in for the first draw as soon as the foot of the cigar shines bright red, wondering if I would get a similar unique flavor note post-light. The smoke is sweet and creamy. I then get bitter herbs, cocoa powder, raw sugar, roasted peanuts, and leather. I proceed with a retrohale and immediately get black pepper, but it leaves as quickly as it came. I am left with raw sugar and leather.

So far, the burn line is even, and the draw is pretty loose. As I mentioned before, it feels like the filler tobacco is loosely packed, so the ash is flakey, and I find myself wearing it as soon as I look away from the cigar. And lastly, I prepared myself for a fuller-bodied cigar cause of how it looked, but the strength is around a medium-body cigar.

The cigar doesn’t change much when I get to the halfway point. The combination of sweet, creamy, and cocoa powder profile reminds me of Swiss Miss hot chocolate, but the taste of the bitter herb is still very forward, and it is not a combination that I enjoy. The retrohale slowly intensifies with the black pepper spice in strength and longevity. The profile deepens as well with oakwood and cocoa nibs.

As I’m approaching the nub, the smoke gets even creamier. I taste oats, oakwood, cocoa powder, tan leather, and a hint of red pepper spice in the back of my palate. Also, I’m relieved from the bitter herbal flavor, but my mouth was already tainted by it, and I got a constant reminder of the aftertaste. Unfortunately, I became nauseous from the combination of sweet, creamy, and bitter herbs. So, I decided to cut short my experience with 2 inches left on the cigar.

Conclusion

Will Roger probably said it the best, “You never get a second chance to make a first impression.” Los Estoico 54 Maduro did just that. Even though sweet, creamy, and bitter are not combinations I enjoy, I can recognize the quality of the tobacco and the passion that went into it. Because Laurendi did not come from a tobacco background, this cigar is truly impressive. While flawed, it does have positive redeeming qualities, so I am interested in trying the Habano version and cannot wait to see what the future holds for Peter James Cigars.

Final Rating: 86

 

Blind Review: Blackened Cigars ‘M81’ by Drew Estate

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A musician, a master distiller, and a cigar maker met at a lounge. This sounds a lot like the beginning of a stereotypical joke. However, in this case, it would be the start of one of the more ambitious collaborations I have witnessed since I started smoking cigars. This project Blackened started with Rob Dietrich, Blackened American Whiskey Master Distiller, the middleman, who brought together his partner James Hetfield (co-founder, lead singer, and guitarist of Metallica), and his friend Jonathan Drew (co-founder of Drew Estate Cigars). The M81 derives from the band name ‘Metallica’ and 1981, the year the band was formed. The project took about 2 years of sampling and tweaking until they got to the exact profile they were looking for.

In a press release, Hetfield stated, “BLACKENED Cigars ‘M81’ by Drew Estate is a dark, bold, and unapologetic collaboration into what Rob, Jonathan, and I believe is the perfect full-bodied cigar”.

Blend Specifics

  • Cigar Reviewed: Blackened Cigars ‘M81’ by Drew Estate
  • Wrapper: Mexican San Andres
  • Binder: Connecticut Broadleaf
  • Filler: Nicaragua Maduro & Pennsylvania broadleaf
  • Size: Corona Doble (7″x 50)

Appearance & Construction

The light brown color cigar reminds me a lot of Fall foliage, which is appropriate for the month we are in, November. The surface feels oily and grainy, like sandpaper. Visually, I am very impressed with the quality of the wrapper leaf: no veins or blemishes. I can hardly tell where the seam begins and ends.

Flavor and Smoke Characteristics

There is a combination of citrus and cocoa powder scent off the wrapper. Of the foot of the cigar, I get sweet and tart stone fruits with a good amount of pepper spice flooding my olfactory. Once I cut off the cap, I went for a cold draw and got leather, oakwood, and dry apricot.

I take out my Visol duel jet lighter and start slowly toasting the foot of the cigar. A stream of silky smoke glides past my nose, and I get an alluring sweet, and creamy scent from it. The first puff of the cigar is better than what I anticipate it to be: creamy smoke with tree bark, roasted peanut shell, dark leather, and lingering white pepper spice. There is a savory and meaty characteristic to the tobacco while puffing on it, and it has a refreshing citrus on the finish. The retrohale is very satisfying, with an abundance of black pepper spice along with caramel and cedarwood on the finish.

As predicted, the construction is immaculate. The burn line is razor sharp, the airflow is a perfect 7 out of 10 restrictiveness, and this cigar produces a copious amount of smoke. The only negative is that I can’t pair this delicacy with a dram of scotch or a cup of espresso since I am reviewing this cigar.

I arrived at the second third and was instantly reminded of when I traveled to New Orleans. As if I am sipping on a cup of coffee at Cafe du Monde, I get sweet and bitter chocolate, chicory, oakwood, leather, and black pepper spice. There is still a lot of spice on the retrohale with caramel, citrus tang, and cedarwood.

Once I got to the final third, the cigar decided to give my palate a break. The cool smoke has flavors of roasted peanuts, cedarwood, cocoa powder, and a hint of spice. And through the final retrohale, I got a sendoff with toffee, cedarwood, and red pepper spice.

Conclusion

As if this cigar is imitating one of many masterpieces composed by James Hetfield, whereas the first third is the intro, the second third is the many verses and bridges, and the final third is the outro. In terms of flavor, the Blackened M81 by Drew Estate did just that. The brazen flavor of sweet and dark cocoa, the unique chicory, and the plentiful amount of spice meld well with one another. The citrus on the finish refreshes my palate and encourages me to puff on.

Final Rating: 92

Blind Review: Drew Estate Nica Rustica Adobe

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In 2013, Drew Estate introduced a new line of cigars called Nica Rustica. The purpose was to pay homage to the beautiful Esteli, Nicaragua, where colorful barrios shine brightly within the mountains and the home of La Gran Fabrica Drew Estate.

This year, Drew Estate created a second expression under the Nica Rustica portfolio called Nica Rustica Adobe. It came with a recent Freestyle Live Event Pack under the guise of a mystery cigar.

In an interview, Jonathan Drew, founder of Drew Estate, describes Nica Rustica Adobe as “…a proud and no-nonsense cigar that represents our strong bond between La Gran Fabrica Drew Estate and its beautiful Nicaraguan home, where the mountains meet the sun.”

Blend Specifics

  • Cigar Reviewed: Drew Estate: Nica Rustica Adobe
  • Wrapper: Ecuadorian Habano
  • Binder: Brazil
  • Filler: Nicaragua
  • Size: Toro (6″x52)

Appearance & Construction

The light brown wrapper on this cigar looks smooth but is quite dry to the touch. There are a few tiny cracks throughout the cigar, with several visible veins running the surface amok. Even so, this cigar still feels mighty sturdy.

Flavor and Smoke Characteristics

The cafe au lait colored wrapper gives off a faint sweetness on its surface. When I traveled down to the foot of the cigar, it got more tart with a dash of pepper spice, which tickled my nose. I slice off the cap using my trusty Xikar XO cutter and go straight in for a cold draw. The flavor is fruity: sweet and tart apricot, to be exact.

As soon as I light the cigar, I go in for a puff and get a combination of sweet and savory taste with profiles of charred wood, dry hay, raw sugar, and black pepper spice. I retrohale the next puff and got a satisfying amount of red pepper spice. The spice lingered for a while before it decided to settle down. I was then able to identify roasted peanuts and cedarwood. The finish of this cigar is unique; I got left with mesquite flavors from the retrohale and sweet and spicy sawdust on my palate. So far, this cigar has a solid build. The burn line is slightly wavy but even. The restrictiveness is on the tighter side for me, about an 8 out of 10. Even so, it gives off a plethora of smoke.

Sadly, I only enjoyed about an inch and a half before a tunnel formed, and it was big enough for me to hear my echo if I screamed into it. I run my fingers halfway down before I feel a solid spot where the tunnel ends and reluctantly cut almost 2 inches off.

I fast-travel to the second third and relight the cigar. The smoke becomes creamy as I taste raw almonds, dry hay, and sweet toffee. The spice on the palate is gone completely. I then retrohale and got greeted by the same red pepper spice from the first third. Similar to the reappearance of the red pepper spice on the retrohale, the tunneling resurfaced half an inch in, but it was not as big as the first one, and I decided to power through.

Unfortunately, the final third did not get any better, as the filler tobacco is almost non-existence at this point. I get sweet and creamy raw almonds and cedarwood before the smoke gets too hot. I did one last retrohale, and it was delightful! I got sweet and tart stone fruits, creamy toffee, dry hay, and a satisfying amount of pepper spice. I wished that the last retrohale lasted a little bit longer.

Conclusion

The Nica Rustica Adobe had potential. I thoroughly enjoyed it before the tunneling and on the final puffs. I like the constant sweet and creamy profile; it was welcoming, but the construction issue was too much to bear. Overall, I don’t think this is a good representation of the Nica Rustica Adobe; I will seek out another one and hope it will redeem this one.

Final Rating: 76

Blind Review: Sinistro NV

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James Agopian and Coleman Fine are the founders of Sinistro Cigars. They are based in Glendale, California, and have over three decades of experience in the tobacco industry.

At the end of 2021, Sinistro released its ultra-premium line, the Sinistro NV. This project started with a Dominican Corojo Maduro leaf as its wrapper that has been aged 10 years. The leaf used is from a small farm in Tamboril, Dominican Republic, which they purchased several years back with Tabacalera El Artista.

In an interview with Halfwheel, Coleman revealed that “the company lost approximately 35% to 40% of the yield during the fermentation process in order to achieve the desired Maduro wrapper leaf.” As a result, their debut release was a limited production of 150 boxes of each size, and it was only offered to their top 10 retailers. In the same interview, Coleman also explains the meaning behind NV and why it is so near and dear to both him and his partner Agopian.   “On the cigar band are two gold coins; an Armenian ‘N’ and a Syrian (Arabic) ‘V’ symbolizing James’ and my heritage.” For more information, please visit Halfwheel for the full article, or check out Sinistro Cigars on their website.

Blend Specifics

  • Cigar Reviewed: Sinistro NV
  • Wrapper: Dominican Corojo Maduro (10 years aged)
  • Binder: Indonesian Sumatran
  • Filler: Dominican (Seco & Ligero), Nicaraguan Ligero, and Pennsylvania Ligero.
  • Size: Remus (5″x52)

Appearance & Construction

The cigar is in a shade of dark roasted espresso beans. There is a sheen off the wrapper; soft yet sturdy to the touch, and unlike other Maduro wrappers, I don’t feel any oil excreted from the surface, yet it is not dry. There are few visible veins, but this cigar is rolled so well that the seam is hidden in between the few visible veins. The cigar felt quite dense. As I squeeze the cigar between my fingers, it feels solid without any springiness.

Flavor and Smoke Characteristics

I get a hint of fruity sweetness and tartness on the wrapper. It is even more notable on the foot of the cigar, along with some white pepper spice. I followed up with a cold draw after shaving off the cap and got pampered with creamy oats, leather, and rock candy. I am thoroughly enjoying everything about this cigar up to this point. I really hope the actual smoking experience can live up to my expectation.

Even while lighting this cigar, a sweetness is transported within the velvety smoke. Once the cherry becomes bright red/orange, I take my first puff and get flavors of creamy oats, tan leather, sunflower seeds, and a profile that made me think of damp mossy wood (not in a negative way; just a combination of grassy bitterness, old books, and wood.) I followed with a retrohale and got warm baking spices, sunflower seeds, and sawdust. The smoke left a creamy film on the top of my tongue. The finish is bitter-sweet. The draw is a 7 out of 10 due to restrictiveness and the ash is holding on past the first inch with ease with a burn line as straight as it can be.

Without notice, I arrive at the second third. I indulge in a rich, dark caramel flavor with highlights of sunflower seeds, tan leather, and cedarwood. The retrohale deepens the profile, and I continue to get warm baking spices, accompanied by caramel and roasted peanut shells. The finish of this cigar is still creamy with roasted peanuts and a hint of sweetness.

The ash held on more than halfway before it decided to let go.

I realize I have to be aware of my actions and prevent myself from constantly puffing on this cigar. The flavors are very addicting, and they continue to intensify with caramel, espresso beans, roasted peanuts, and cedarwood. A hint of spice is slowly creeping onto my palate, and the finish is still sweet. The retrohale consists of baking spice, sweet hay, and oakwood.

Unfortunately, an unsavory taste emerged, ammonia! As soon as I identified the distasteful note, I purged the cigar, hoping it would push out all the impurity that is trapped and unwanted flavors out of the cigar. IT WORKED!!! The taste of ammonia was expelled through the purge. However, my palate was already tainted by this unpleasantness. Even with a negative experience as bad as ammonia, I still managed to smoke this cigar down to the nub. The sweet and creamy roasted peanuts and a hint of spice is a great combo that kept me going back for more until the very end.

Conclusion

The Sinistro UV was flawless from pre-light until the final third. At a point, I did find myself looking for another profile to cut the everlasting sweet and creamy consistency on my palate, but it kept me going back for more. The construction was impeccable throughout the whole experience. The ammonia taste was probably the only negative I encountered, but it went as quickly as it came. The Sinistro UV would’ve been a near-perfect smoke if it wasn’t for that last part. I encourage everyone to seek out this limited treat and tell me what you think.

Final Rating: 90

 

Blind Review: Piv Robusto

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For someone who grew up in Queens, New York, Entourage was the IT show when it was first televised on HBO. It is a fictional story developed by Mark Wahlberg, loosely based on his and his friends’ life experience in the cutthroat world of Hollywood. I watched the newest episode religiously every Wednesday. Other than the group of protagonists, one particular character I looked forward to seeing on screen is Ari Gold, played by Jeremy Piven.

Just like someone who isn’t from New York, think of how a New Yorker acts daily; the character Ari Gold is the personification of how I thought people from Hollywood behave. The extreme aggressiveness, the witty comebacks, and the irregular behaviors deviate from the social norm. Every minute of his screen time was magical for me because of how unpredictable his character was.  But Entourage isn’t his only accomplishment in showbiz. You might also recognize him in Smokin’ Aces, Rush Hour 2, Seinfeld, and Old School, to name a few. Overall, he is very successful at what he does.

What isn’t very well known is that Piven is a long-time smoker. He likes to enjoy a cigar daily. So much so that he delved into the cigar-making business and started his brand. With the help of Dion Giolito from Illusione and tobacco from AGANORSA leaf, Piven embarked on his journey in the cigar-making world.

Blend Specifics

  • Cigar Reviewed: Piv Robusto
  • Wrapper: Nicaraguan
  • Binder: Nicaraguan Corojo 2012
  • Filler: Nicaraguan
  • Size: Robusto (5″x52)

Appearance & Construction

Visually, this cigar fits the epitome of what a cigar looks like: the shade of brown reminds me of a medium roasted espresso bean in a Robusto format. The leaf is thinner than it seems since I can feel the bunched filler tobacco through the wrapper and binder. The surface gives off a sheen underneath the light, highlighting the oiliness of the wrapper. I then feel the whole cigar between my fingers and discover a small empty pocket half an inch from the foot, hoping it will not create any long-term burn issues later.

Flavor and Smoke Characteristics

I salivate almost instantaneously by the scent from the wrapper: tart fruit and leather. Tracing my nose down to the foot, I get more tartness, reminding me of either apricot or persimmons. I then shave off the cap with my double guillotine cutter, take a cold draw and taste dry raisins. The taste of the wrapper leaf is very bitter and the flavors remain on my lips for quite some time.

Like the wrapper, the initial puff is bitter and spicy. After my palate adjusted, I could taste burnt sunflower seeds, tan leather, and freshly baked bread, all enveloped in black pepper spice. I retrohale the next puff and got some pleasant warm pepper spice, baked bread, and dry hay. The flavor combination is right up my alley, minus the bitterness. Even after mentally preparing myself, it is still disappointing to see the cigar canoeing due to the empty pocket I felt by the foot. For the next minute or so, I slowly purged and puffed on it while rotating until the burn line fixed itself without any touch-up. Surprisingly, the ash held on throughout the whole act.

After the first inch, the bitterness completely disappeared, and the smoke became creamy and buttery. The rest of the flavors remain the same as before: sunflower seeds, tan leather, dry hay, with red pepper spice; and that also translates to the aftertaste. Aside from the burning issue, the airflow is very tight, and I can barely produce any smoke from it.

I thought the worst was behind me, but the cigar became spongy when I arrived at the second third. That is when I realized there’s a small black hole right next to the center of the cherry; the cigar is tunneling! I examine the cigar by slightly squeezing along its length, trying to locate where the tunnel ends, but I feel the softness running down to the cap. Even with the burning issue and inadequate amount of smoke, I could not get enough of the flavors. I got sweet and creamy roasted almonds, dry hay, cedarwood, and a slight aftertaste of pepper spice. I followed by a retrohale and got the opposite of what I experienced on my palate with an ample amount of warm pepper spice, with flavors of roasted sunflower seeds and dry hay echoing in the background.

I was struggling to keep the cherry lit due to the tunneling. I had to relight the cigar twice before arriving at the final third. Once there, the flavor developed into a combination of creamy raw almonds and roasted peanut shells. The retrohale is still as delightful as before, with red pepper spice, creamy almonds, and dry hay. Sadly, I did not get to smoke the cigar down to the nub. With more than 2 inches left, I started to get tongue bites as if I was smoking a pipe. The smoke became too hot because of the tunneling.

Conclusion

Throughout all these years of reviewing cigars, this will be the first time I will say the flavors are “fun.” I can also boldly say that as of right now, the Piv Robusto is probably my favorite celebrity cigar in part based on the flavors. The overall sweet, creamy, roasted nuts, dry hay, and hint of spice on the palate are balanced. The “fun” aspect of the retrohale let me experience the flavor profile in reverse, where it highlights the pepper spice instead. Unfortunately, I struggled throughout the whole experience with the burning issue, which ultimately became the nail in the coffin. I will seek out this cigar again for it to redeem itself. Because if there were no construction issues, the rating would be quite different.

Final Rating: 84

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