Arturo Fuente Don Carlos Personal Reserve Review

5 0 4.5k

Don Carlos Personal Reserve Review

Up for review today is the Arturo Fuente Don Carlos Personal Reserve, a fairly difficult to find cigar from Fuente. The company created the cigar in 2015 to celebrate the 80th anniversary of the family patriarch.

TLDR on this one: it’s a good cigar (though not the best from Fuente). More below.

Product Specifics

  • Cigar Reviewed: Don Carlos Personal Reserve
  • Wrapper: Not available
  • Binder: Not available
  • Filler: Not available
  • Size: Robusto (5 1/4 x 50)

Appearance and Construction

The Don Carlos Personal Reserve is branded in the typical Don Carlos fashion, though with the added band noting the “Personal Reserve” status. The outer wrapper is a dark, marbled brown with some small veins but with very little texture.

When squeezed, the cigar is almost entirely stiff, though not dried out or compromised as no cracking occurs. The pre light draw is moderately restrictive, probably a 6/10. On the pre light draw, there isn’t much going on. Just some light earthiness and some wood.

The smell of the foot of the cigar has some heft to it, mainly with dry wood and some spice.

Flavor and Smoke Characteristics

The cigar opens with lots of lush, creamy, medium bodied smoke. In it, there are some classic Fuente vegetal notes, light floral notes, a bit of dry wood and some mild red pepper that tickles the top of the tongue and also is felt on the retrohale. The creaminess though is the star of the show, it’s just an awesome texture for the notes to play in.

At about an inch in, the flavors begin to morph a bit, with the vegetal notes rounded out a bit with a nice milk chocolate vibe. Overall the cigar is almost perfectly balanced between the sweet and bitter end.

As the ember hits the second third, that quintessential Fuente vegetal note is taking front seat alongside the creamy finish. At the same time, a new flavor saddles up alongside, a subtle sweet note that I can’t quite describe by analogy to any other food. It makes for an interesting combination of flavors for sure, but one I’m glad to have. Construction has remained solid, with some waviness to the burn and an ash that hangs on in one inch increments.

In the final third, the body and strength edges up above medium. The vegetal and red pepper notes are dominant, and the creamy texture has turned into more of an Oak. It’s in the last two inches that the cigar hits it’s top end in strength and body, weaving together bitter espresso, cream, vegetal, and red pepper.

Conclusion

While not the most complex cigar, the Don Carlos Personal Reserve delivers tons of flavor, and more importantly, the flavors harmonize completely. Construction was for the most part spot on with the exception of a bit of waviness.

Overall, the Don Carlos Personal Reserve is a cigar to seek out and purchase. It isn’t cheap, but it is well worth it, particularly for fans of Arturo Fuente cigars and especially the standard Don Carlos line.

Final Score: 89

Avo Syncro Nicaragua Fogata Toro Review

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Avo Syncro Nicaragua Fogata Special Toro Review

Avo Uvezian, the talented jazz pianist and cigar blender, utilized the services of Davidoff’s Davidoff’s Hendrik Kelner to create a cigar of his own. As the years went on, more blends and brands were created for the virtuoso with many becoming classic hits. I was fortunate to see the man as he was promoting his cigars and love of music, even well into his nineties. Known for his white suit and hat, Avo was a gentleman and a true lover of the leaf. Sadly we lost the man in 2017 at the aged of 91. His love and legacy continues through Davidoff in cigars that honor the man’s spirit and passion for a fine smoke.

The Avo Syncro Nicaragua Fogata which is Spanish for “Campfire” is another example of the style the man had in his life captured in a cigar. I was fortunate enough to smoke his Toro and quite pleased. Enjoy!

Avo Syncro Nicaragua Fogata Special Toro Review closeup

Blend Specifics

  • Cigar Reviewed: Avo Syncro Nicaragua Fogata Special Toro
  • Wrapper: Ecuadorian Habano
  • Binder: Mexican Negro San Andrea
  • Filler: Nicaraguan/Dominican
  • Size: Toro (6 x 54)

Here is some additional background from the Avo website:

Inspired by the cosmopolitan lifestyle of Avo Uvezian, our Master Blender has ventured to the untamed heart of Central America. Capturing sweet and spicy flavors from the rich, volcanic soil of Nicaragua and blending them with the soft, creamy notes of the finest Dominican leaves. Resulting in a smooth and balanced box-pressed cigar with unexpected depth and complexity.

As the first in our Syncro Series, AVO Nicaragua is truly a one-of-a-kind experience. One that begins on the remote island of Ometepe; a unique landscape where a rare and exceptional tobacco is grown. Known for its wild character and peppery notes, we carefully fuse this tobacco with earthy flavors from our estate in the Dominican Republic. The composition is an experience that is perfectly in sync with the moments worth sharing.

Appearance and Construction

The band has the classic “AV” noting his initials on top of each other with a white and orange backdrop. The word “Nicaragua” is featured on the band in orange and a secondary band with “Fogata” on it. There are no soft spots and the cigar feels packed just right. The wrapper is dark and smooth with minimal veins. As usual with a Davidoff product, the construct is spot on.

cigar with coffee

Flavor and Smoke Characteristics

The Avo Fogata begins a bit dry up front with some leather on the back end. Some spice develops with sweet cedar from the binder. As it builds some earth and graham cracker comes through along with sandalwood. The Fogata at this point sits in the medium range and the development seems subtle. Pencil lead and sweet cream balance out the start of the cigar.

Midway, the spice continues to build as well as earthiness on the finish. The burn is slow and with that a creamy texture envelopes the palate and lingers on for a while. Some almond is detected with a distinct pine nut flavor as it continues. A strong earthy finish hits you as the cigar builds up in strength and flavor. The Fogata is at the medium to full bodied range at this point.

The final third delivers lots of fresh earth and forest floor and the strength has pleasingly increased. The burn line and ash have been excellent which demonstrates once again the quality of Kelner’s work at Davidoff. Sweet cedar balanced by rich tobacco flavor makes you wish this was the beginning of this smoke and not the end. The sweet wood and tobacco is left to linger on the palate until its finish. A fun cigar to smoke.

Conclusion

Sadly Avo is no longer with us to personally continue his creativity and vision in cigar and his music. Thus far it is apparent that Davidoff is respectfully committed to honoring the man by what they are producing. The Avo Nicaragua Fogata Special Toro delivers a medium to full bodied experience dominated by sweet cedar, earth and some rich tobacco. I would recommend this Fogata to the smoker who appreciates nuances in their cigars and a quality premium smoke.

Glencadam 10 Year Old Review

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Glencadam 10 Year Review

Up for review today is a single malt by Glencadam, a distillery I wasn’t aware of until roughly two years ago when we hosted a cigar and scotch pairing together at Davidoff on 6th avenue. I was unimpressed by the Glencadam Origin 1825, the distillery’s current NAS offering, but found myself wanting to return again to the 10 Year outside the context of an event.

I’m glad I did. This is good whisky.

Product Specifics

  • Whisky Reviewed: Glencadam 10 Years Old
  • Distiller: Glencadam Distillery Company
  • Aged in: ex-bourbon barrels
  • Age: 10 Years
  • ABV: 46% (92 proof)

Glencadam 10 Year Review Glass

Appearance

Glencadam 10 comes presented in a traditional bottle with a fairly traditional label. I like the cream color the company chose for the label, as well as the illustration of the distillery that graces the center. The cork is, strangely, not quite centered when in the bottle. The whisky itself is the light, slightly golden color of hay.

Nose

The nose is light, but complex. Most prominent are notes of salt, vanilla, hay, grapes, and warm apple pie. It’s not a showstopping nose that you might get from a heavy-hitter like an Ardbeg, but then again, that’s clearly not what Glencadam is going for here.

Palate

Mild bodied, but with slight ethanol burn. On entry, I get lots of salt, oak, and vanilla, followed by some sweet maltiness. All these flavors over a backdrop of a nice creaminess on the texture. Not very complex, but definitely enjoyable.

Finish

I like the finish. It’s quite long (15 – 20 seconds), with lots of sea-salt and light, sweet breadiness. Where some whiskies allow the breadiness/yeastiness on the finish to dominate, Glencadam 10 doesn’t, and I’m grateful for that.

Conclusion

After drinking three quarters of a bottle (not all in one sitting mind you), I’d put myself down as a fan of Glencadam 10. It labels itself the “rather delicate” Highland single malt, and I think it lives up to that characterization. Though light, it puts a strong foot forward on flavor, with nice complexity to boot.

At around $55, Glencadam 10 sits in a competitive price bracket, with lots of great options. But if you’re looking for a milder, Springier single malt to uncork between April and June, give this whisky a try.

Final Score: 87

Corneius & Anthony Señor Esugars Robusto Review

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Cornelius and Anthony Senor Esugars Review

Cornelius & Anthony is a a brand that took the cigar scene by storm a few years back. The company has ambition, style, and a penchant for creating cigars in the “flavor bomb” category. My first experience with Cornelius & Anthony was with the Daddy Mac a couple of years ago. To this day that particular blend remains in my top 25 of all time.

Today I’m reviewing the Corenlius & Anthony Señor Esugars, a blend which debuted at IPCPR 2017. Stephen Bailey, owner of C&A cigars, called this blend a passion project, and it’s certainly reflected in the name, which is based off of Bailey’s pet Dachshund.

Blend Specifics

  • Wrapper: Mexican San Andrés
  • Binder: U.S.A.
  • Filler: Nicaragua
  • Size: Robusto (5 x 50)

Cornelius and Anthony Senor Esugars Review 2

Appearance and Construction

The Cornelius and Anthony Senor Esugars Robusto comes presented in C&A’s large, gold and white band, with a secondary band denoting the blend name in small letters. The Mexican San Andres wrapper is a dark, rustic chocolate brown with some interesting marbling to the color. When squeezed gently, the cigar has a moderate amount of give and seems to be packed consistently the length of the cigar.

The aroma off the foot is moderate, with notes of barnyard, caramel, cedar, and some spice. After cutting the cigar with a straight cut, I test the draw which is about a 5/10 in terms of the amount of restrictiveness. Possibly a touch loose. The cold draw flavors feature notes of earth, old hay, some chocolate and spice.

Flavor and Smoke Characteristics

The Cornelius and Anthony Senor Esugars opens in a way that makes me smile. Why? Because it’s such a damn unique medium-full profile, which is what I’ve come to expect from this brand. The first note I detect is rich, semisweet chocolate. Saddling up next to it is a charred, smoked note, and something that reminds me a bit of a salted chocolate cake. Just as unique is the retrohale, which is quite strong and most closely resembles charcoal.

Smoke production is decent but nowhere near what I was expecting given the looseness in the draw. It’s also becoming clear as the cigar burns past an inch that keeping the cigar lit could be a challenge, but that seems to be more the result of my local B&M over humidifying and less the cigar itself. Other indicators of quality construction like the length of the ash and the straightness of the burn are good.

As the cigar burns into the second third, the strength settles at medium. The flavor profile shifts a bit, showcasing flavors and aromas of leather, creamy chocolate, and pepper with  a baseline bitter note that complements the rest of the flavors well. As nice as these flavors are, though, they aren’t always in balance. The bitter note often takes a bit too much of the spotlight, pitting itself against the other flavors in an incongruous way.

The final third of the Senor Esugars illustrates this all too well. The balance drops off in the last 10 – 15 minutes of the cigar, with the profile heavily leaning on dry wood, strong spice, and charred notes. It isn’t an altogether unenjoyable mix of flavors, but it doesn’t have the harmony that the first two thirds of the cigar showcases.

Conclusion

Even with the issues of balance and some small construction problems the Cornelius and Anthony Señor Esugars is a great cigar that I wholeheartedly recommend you seek out. This is primarily because it serves up a flavor profile that I’ve encountered perhaps once in the past in some of the work done by House of Emilio Cigars.

Final Score: 88

Padron No. 90 Maduro Review

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Padron No 90 Maduro Review Main

I don’t smoke Padron as often as I should. At least, that’s the conclusion I come to after sitting down with the Padron Serie 1926 No 90 Maduro. Released in 2016, the cigar commemorates the 90th birthday of Jose O. Padron, and, like the regular 1926 and 1964 lines, the Padron No 90 comes in two versions, maduro and natural.

At a little over $20 a piece, this isn’t a cheap cigar. Then again, Padron isn’t known for making cheap cigars, right?

On with the review.

Blend Specifics

  • Cigar Reviewed: Padron 1926 Serie No. 90 Maduro
  • Wrapper: Nicaragua
  • Binder: Nicaragua
  • Filler: Nicaragua
  • Size: 5 1/2 x 52

Padron No 90 Maduro Review

Appearance & Construction

The Padron No. 90 maduro is presented in a dark red, cream, and gold double band. Like other Padron cigars featuring Maduro wrappers, the wrapper here is very rough , textured, and toothy. The cigar has a slight give when squeezed and seems packed evenly, but is by no means perfectly straight.

Off of the foot are bright, dry notes of cocoa powder, cinnamon, dusty wood, and a savory cured meat note. The draw is fairly relaxed, and a cold draw reveals notes of spice, leather, and earth.

Flavor and Smoke Characteristics

The Padron No 90 Maduro opens with plumes of rich, flavorful, full bodied smoke that’s characterized by black pepper, charred wood, salted dark chocolate, and a dark cherry note. The aroma is extremely strong, with intense wood, burnt meat, and pepper tones. Like many other Padron maduro blends, I find my salivary glands getting activated the moment I start puffing. The smoke is just so flavorful that it’s impossible for my mouth not to water.

At about an inch in, I’m regretting forgetting my glass of water inside the house, but I’m enjoying the cigar too much to get up and rectify the situation. The burn is perfect and the ash is holding very strong. I’m also grateful to find that the strength of the pepper has dropped a bit, replaced with a very sweet creaminess that offsets the dried wood nicely. The retrohale on the other hand is completely overpowering so I use it sparingly.

As the cigar burns into the second third, the strength and body settle down to medium. The sweetness in the first third is counterbalanced by a bitter espresso note, while the retrohale (thankfully) tones down a bit, allowing me to enjoy the retrohale along with the notes on the palate and in the aroma. Construction stays steady, with just a bit of waviness on the burn.

The final third remains anchored with core notes of dark chocolate, wood, cherry, and black espresso, though a nice salted butter note edges its way in for a few minutes.  I really enjoy the retrohale as well. It rates medium in terms of strength, but loses the dry wood and spice edge that to me was way out of balance, even for an after dinner smoke.

Conclusion

The Padron No 90 Maduro is a hell of a cigar. It gets a bit out of balance in the first half, particularly on the retrohale, but its positive qualities outweigh that issue. It has strong, discernible flavors and a good amount of complexity, making it a worthwhile cigar to purchase, particularly for full bodied cigar smokers.

Final Score: 90

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