Honesty At Last: The Weekly Cigar Review Roundup
The weekly cigar review round-up is an at-a-glance review of all of the cigars I smoked this week. Some weeks I smoke two cigars, some weeks I might smoke ten (though that’s pushing it, of course). I jot down a few notes and give a quick rating on whether the cigar is a buy or sell on our normal A-F rating system. And as the title mentions, these are honest. If I don’t enjoy a cigar or it’s not worth buying, I’ll say it (regardless of whose toes I’m stepping on).
Without further ado, here are your weekly smokes, in order from highest to lowest rating:
- Wrapper: Connecticut
- Binder: Cuban-Seed Nicaraguan
- Filler: Cuban-Seed Nicaraguan
- Avg. Price: $7
Wow. What a great cigar. There is a conception among some that Nicaraguan maduros are the only ultra-tasty smokes out there. The Perdomo Champagne 10th Anniversary will change anyones mind on that. This cigar truly is a work of art, and I’m sad to say it took me four years to get around to trying it.
This cigar kicks off with medium body smoke that engages the senses with a full bouquet of flavors and aromas. Coffee, hazelnutes, cream, mild spice, sweet grassiness, and the list goes on. Silky smooth and full flavored. An unbelievable smoke. This cigar is now part of my regular rotation.
Rating: A (buy)
- Wrapper: Ecuador (Habano)
- Filler: Dominican Republic
- Binder: Dominican Republic
- Avg. Price: $7.50
This was my evening smoke last night. And what a smoke it is. I asked my tobacconist for something unique, that would deliver strength, aroma, and spice with a profile different than my normal earth/cocoa/coffee cigar. And this cigar delivered. Immediately noticeable on the Air Bender is its slightly savory taste that coats the entire pallete. There is a lush milk chocolate note that is balanced by some very interesting spice and cedar notes.
Rating: A (buy)
- Wrapper : Ecuadorian Connecticut
- Filler : Dominican Republic
- Binder : Dominican Republic
- Avg. Price: $15
Davidoff is a brand I don’t see smoked very often, at cigar lounges or in online communities like Instagram. Not sure why this is, but it could have something to do with the hefty price tag. It might also be because Davidoff is an established brand that doesn’t seem very hip to many a cigar smoker.
Still, the Davidoff Special R makes a good case for Davidoff as a brand. This is one of their entry-level cigars, but it smokes like heaven. Unlike the Champagne above, this cigar delivers a lot of white pepper and savory notes, mixed with grass/coffee. Not typically my favorite profile, but there is an elegance to this cigar that shouldn’t be ignored. Construction was great, draw was perfect, and I was sad to put it down.
Rating: A- (buy)
- Wrapper: Maduro
- Binder: Nicaragua
- Filler: Nicaragua
- Avg. Price: $5
What can I say about the Lot 23 Maduro? If you’ve smoked it, you know that, for the money, it is nearly impossible to beat this cigar. You get everything you would expect from a great maduro, and more. A good bit of strength, delicious sweetness, deep chocolate notes, and a nice cool draw.
Don’t need to say any more. It’s a fantastic smoke. Buy a box. Or three.
Rating: A (buy buy buy)
- Wrapper: Ecuadorian Habano Maduro
- Binder: Nicaragua
- Filler: Honduras, Nicaragua & “AJ’s Secret Filler”
- Avg. Price: $7.50
This smoke was disappointing. I am a HUGE fan of the San Lotano Oval which features a Habano wrapper. It is a cigar that almost perfectly balances flavor, strength, complexity, etc. The Maduro delivers some nice earthy flavors of earth, leather, and some typical maduro sweetness, but wasn’t enough to hold my attention for more than 20 minutes. The construction was consistently problematic, requiring multiple re-lights, and thus the experience suffered. Not a cigar I’ll be returning to anytime soon – I’ll stick with the Oval.
Rating: B- (not recommended)
- Wrapper: Connecticut Broadleaf Maduro
- Binder: Nicaraguan
- Filler: Nicaraguan Ligero, Dominican Olor
- Avg. Price: ~$6
This was a good evening smoke. I polled fans on Instagram on what they thought of this cigar, and the results were overwhelmingly positive. I can’t say that I fully agree. Though this cigar is enjoyable, I’m just not a fan of the very-savory profile. There are some nice notes of leather and white pepper, but burn and draw issues made the cigar underwhelming.
Rating: B- (not recommended)
And that concludes it for this week’s cigar roundup. Do you agree/disagree with my assessments? Drop your comments below. Until next week, long ashes.