Montecristo Epic Craft Cured Belicoso Review

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Montecristo Craft Cured Review Closeup

Up for review today is the Montecristo Epic Craft Cured, which is the latest release from Altadis (shipped to retailers in December of 2017). I had been waiting eagerly in early January for the cigars to arrive at Nat Sherman, and after I complained one too many times about the cigars not having arrived on Facebook, Rafael Nodal was kind enough to send me a few for this review.

The Montecristo Craft Cured was blended by the Plasencia family, the same minds behind the Montecristo Espada (a cigar that remains my favorite from Montecristo). The line is offered in three sizes, robusto, toro, and belicoso. Up for review today is the Montecristo Epic Craft Cured Belicoso.

Blend Specifics

Cigar Reviewed: Montecristo Epic Craft Cured
Wrapper: Nicaraguan Rosado Oscuro
Binder: Nicaragua (Ometepe)
Filler: Nicaragua (Condega, Esteli, and Jalapa)
Size: Belicoso (6 1/8 x 52)

Montecristo Craft Cured Review Closeup Box

Appearance & Construction

The Montecristo Epic Craft Cured is a beautiful cigar, sporting the Montecristo Epic labeling with an additional band on the foot naming the Vintage 2006 Nicaraguan Rosado Oscuro as the wrapper leaf. It’s a nice touch.  The wrapper itself has a few moderately sized veins, with a slightly rough texture and light layer of oil. The cigar has great weight in the hand and a touch of give when squeezed that is consistent over the length of the cigar.

Testing the draw, I find that the restrictiveness on the draw is substantial, bordering on too tight for comfort. The pre light draw reveals notes of caramel, nuts, wood, and a touch of spice which lingers on the lips.

Montecristo Craft Cured Review

Flavor & Smoke Characteristics

On lighting, the cigar kicks off with medium bodied smoke. Dominant flavors include leather, cedar, coffee, and oats. The texture is creamy, which complements the dryness of a competing dry cedar. There’s also a touch of sweetness. The cigar releases above average amounts of smoke, making the above average restrictiveness of the draw less of an issue.

An inch in, a bitter chocolate note enters the smoke, along with a white pepper which is evident both on the draw and (much stronger) on the retrohale. At this point, the bitter side of the profile (dark chocolate, leather, cedar) is dominant, with a sweet oatmeal not quite balancing out the experience. This is making me wonder if a coffee with milk or cream would help balance out the bitter side nicely.  The ash is solid, with no fraying or splitting, and rolls off in one piece.

Moving into the second third, Montecristo Craft Cured finds more balance, with the oats and sweetness gaining a bit more share of the profile. The dry cedar also moves back to the retrohale joining the white pepper, providing more space for an emerging hickory note in the aroma.

By the final third, the pepper and dry cedar are on the retrohale, and a floral note has developed alongside the hickory, cream, and oats. The body and strength are at medium to full, and the smoke has become smoother than at any point previous. Unfortunately, that only lasts till about the last inch and a half, where the smoke becomes bitter and harsh, leading me to set the cigar down.

Conclusion

I enjoyed the the Montecristo Epic Craft Cured more and more as it progressed. The burn was nearly perfect throughout, the cigar produced great amounts of smoke and the complexity of the sweet, savory, and spicy notes was excellent. My only criticism is that about a third of the smoking experience felt off balance, with the leather, cedar, bitter chocolate, and white pepper at war with the creamy, sweet, and oaty notes.

At roughly $15, this cigar is not cheap, but it is worth the purchase, especially for Montecristo fans and fans of the generally underrated rosado leaf. As for me, I think I’ll be sticking with the Espada for now.

Final Rating: 88

Arturo Fuente Don Carlos Double Robusto Review

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Arturo Fuente Don Carlos Double Robusto Review

A few days ago I stopped by Nat Sherman on 42nd street to pick up an Arturo Fuente Don Carlos Eye of the Shark, which recently won Cigar Aficionado’s #1 Cigar of 2017. I should have known I wouldn’t find any since they likely sold out quickly in the #1 Cigar of the Year media and consumer frenzy. So I decided to pick up a few sticks of one of my old standbys, the Don Carlos Double Robusto. It’s an impressive cigar from an impressive company, and I was surprised when I realized I hadn’t reviewed it yet.

So let’s get to it.

Blend Specifics

  • Wrapper: Cameroon
  • Binder: Dominican Republic
  • Filler: Dominican Republic
  • Size: 5 3/4 x 52

Arturo Fuente Don Carlos Double Robusto Review Closeup

Appearance and Construction

Pre light draw is moderately loose, with lots of earth, spice, and natural tobacco notes. The dark outer wrapper is just a little bit toothy, with a slight oily sheen. I really dig the branding on this cigar. The combo of gold, black, white and red, combined with the raised lettering, really evokes feelings of exclusivity and luxury. This is all the better as this cigar costs roughly $10/piece.

Flavor & Smoke Characteristics

The Arturo Fuente Don Carlos Double Robusto opens with mild to medium bodied smoke featuring salty, vegetable like flavors up front and creamy coffee notes in the aroma. Certainly a uniquely Fuente flavor profile in my experience. The cigar produces a lot of smoke, and by an inch in, the salt and pepper ash is holding strong.

As the cigar enters the second third, a sweetness builds that is really nice, balancing out the salty vegetal notes. I’m really impressed at how the flavors are so clear and distinct, even as it morphs and changes.

At halfway, the spiciness, which up to this point has been an undertone, becomes more dominant.  Construction is pretty much perfect, and the temperature of the smoke has remained cool.

In the final third, the sweetness draws back and the spice and vegetal notes come back into prominence. This I’m not too excited by because I was really loving the sweet, creamy profile in the second third.

Conclusion

I really enjoy the Arturo Fuente Don Carlos Double Robusto. It offers a profile that is very unique in today’s pepper/cocoa dominated cigar market, and I imagine it would have been just as unique twenty years ago as well. For anyone new or well into their cigar smoking hobby, the Fuente Don Carlos Double Robusto is a strong buy.

Final Grade: 90

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How Much Does a Good Cigar Cost?

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How much does a good cigar cost 2

If you’re visiting this page, chances are it’s because you’re either a new cigar smoker, or you’re looking to buy a cigar for a friend or a special occasion. You may be standing in a cigar shop with your smartphone out or doing some research before purchasing online.

It’s likely you’re looking at a range of options, from $5 to $40 and just want to know “how much does a good cigar cost?”

There’s no one right answer, but there are some important tips. For each tip, I’ll also offer a number of cigar recommendations based on my personal experience (including price and cigar strength). For purchasing online, I’ve linked out to Famous Smoke Shop, which I consider the best cigar retailer on the market today.

Tip #1: Start in the $10 range if you can

As much as a cigar salesman might hate to hear me say this, you don’t need to spend more than $10 to get a great cigar.  There is a glut of wonderful cigars in the $10 range.  In the last two decades, there has been a ton of innovation in the cigar market, and that has led to a market full of great product. Brands like Rocky Patel, Camacho, Arturo Fuente, San Cristobal and more have great regular production cigars on the market in the $8 – $12 range. There have also been great value releases like the Casa Magna Colorado (retails for around $8), which won Cigar Aficionado’s #1 Cigar of the Year in 2008.

Some great $10 price range cigars include:

  • Arturo Fuente Don Carlos Double Robusto ($10, medium): one of the best cigars from Arturo Fuente, the Don Carlos features extremely smooth and silky flavors of coffee, vegetal notes, white pepper, and spice.
  • Oliva Connecticut Reserve ($8.50, mild): One of the best mild to medium bodied smokes you’ll find under $10 . Creamy, smooth, and slightly sweet with notes of cedar, nuts, and hints of pepper.
  • The Tabernacle ($10, medium-full): The Tabernacle is just a beautiful smoke. It serves up some of the deepest, richest flavors and is in my top 25 of all time. Expect notes of chocolate, white pepper, toasted bread, and cedar.
  • A.J. Fernandez New World Puro Especial ($9, full): a breakout cigar which won many cigar of the year awards in 2017. Clocking in at $9 a cigar, expect creamy, smooth smoke, with balanced flavors of earth, cedar, cocoa, and cinnamon.

Tip #2: Be careful about going under $5 for a cigar

The $5 price point does still have some gems, but for the most part you’ll be settling for less if you are only willing to spend $5 on a cigar. It would be great to say that every price point has the best cigars in the world available to it. But that just isn’t true.

If you’re purchasing for yourself, you can safely ignore this advice. Smoke what you want! But, if you’re purchasing for a special occasion like someone’s wedding or bachelor party (and haven’t already spent a fortune on it), shoot for at least the $7 – $12 range.

That said, there are great cigars in the $5 price range. Here are some of the best $5 cigars:

  • Perdomo Lot 23 Maduro ($5.75, medium): a rich, dark smoke with lots of cocoa, earth, and espresso notes. Very smooth and a favorite for many smokers.
  • Arturo Fuente Hemmingway Short Story ($5.95, medium): a true classic from the Fuente family, and a favorite short smoke for many cigar smokers. It just also happens to be incredibly affordable!
  • Tatuaje Tattoo Caballero ($5, medium full): from Pete Johnson and Don Pepin, the Tatuaje Tatto Caballero features thick, rich and balanced flavors
  • Camacho Connecticut ($7, mild): the Camacho Connecticut is one of my personal favorites. Extremely smooth but with nice body – nutty, with cedar and a bit of cream. Always a great draw and good construction, and always in my humidor.

Tip #3: Some of the most common celebratory cigars do cost $20 or even $30

If you aren’t fazed by paying $10 or even $15 a cigar and are looking for some of the more legendary smokes on the market, I’ve listed a few below. They range in price from around $20 to $30. These are spectacular, the kind of cigars you buy when you are having a child, when your childhood friend is getting married and you are best man, or when you’ve just closed a massive business deal. These are not only celebratory cigars, they are legendary in their own right. 

  • Arturo Fuente Opus X ($30, medium-full): Creamy, balanced notes of coffee, white and black pepper, and cedar. 
  • Davidoff Millennium Blend ($25, full): As the cigar develops, the strength increases consistently. The combination of coffee, cocoa, and spices with floral notes makes this a must-smoke cigar.
  • Padron Anniversario 1926 Maduro ($17, full): A true classic, and found at most cigar shops. Deep and rich smoke, with chocolate and fresh roasted espresso notes. Careful though, there’s also a dry cedar aspect of this cigar that makes it enjoyed best with a drink on hand.
  • Padron Family Reserve No. 45 Maduro ($27, full): similar to the 1926, but with a more concentrated flavor (also a bit less dry). Best enjoyed after a heavy dinner of steak, and not early in the afternoon.

So there you have it, a run down on how to think about cigar purchases in light of price.

As I mentioned before, there are great cigars in each category. There are, however, important and substantial differences between the best cigars in the $10 category and those in the $20 – $30 category. Whether or not those differences justify the cost is up to you. If you are just getting into cigars, I recommend starting in the $5 price range and working your way up from there so that you can appreciate the nuances of the cigars in the $20 – $30 space.

One last note. Where you are purchasing makes a big difference on the price you’ll pay for these cigars. If you’re looking to purchase a cigar in Europe or Canada, for example, you might have to bump up your expected price range by about $5 or even $10 to get the same quality as a $10 cigar here in the states.

If you live in the United States, it also matters which retailer you buy from. You’ll get better prices online than you will in a brick and mortar store. As mentioned earlier, I recommended Famous Smoke Shop for their ease of use, affordability, and overall quality of the experience over the years I’ve been purchasing through them.

Do you have a cigar in the $5, $10, or $20 – $30 range that you’d recommend? Tell us in the comments section below!

Joya de Nicaragua Cuatro Cinco Review

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Joja de Nicaragua Cuatro Cinco Review

Up for review today is the Joya de Nicaragua Cuatro Cinco, a cigar that celebrates the 45th anniversary of the founding of the company. As you can see, the cigar is a beauty to behold–part of the reason I picked it up. But beyond any aesthetic appeal has to be quality and craftsmanship.

Blend Specifics

  • Wrapper: Nicaragua (Jalapa)
  • Binder: Nicaragua (Jalapa)
  • Filler: Nicaragua (Estelí and Jalapa)

Joja de Nicaragua Cuatro Cinco Review 2

Appearance & Construction

It’s impossible to deny that the Cuatro Cinco is a beautiful cigar. The color of the wrapper plays nicely with the dominant black, white, and gold from the band.  The Jalapa wrapper is a deep, rich dark brown with small veins. The texture is sandy, springy when squeezed, and seems to be packed evenly.

The pre-light draw has a healthy amount of resistance and I pick up hints of earth, chocolate, and a slight spiciness.

Flavor & Smoke Characteristics

Joya de Nicaragua Cuatro Cinco opens with some fun notes of toasted bread, pepper, and an ultra smooth cocoa note that reminds me (at least in terms of consistency) to hot cocoa. Overall, the smoke at this point is medium bodied. The character of the smoke is interesting in that, though it is a very rich smoke, it also activates the tip of my tongue heavily with the spice.

One thing I notice is the box pressed format of this cigar makes for a really comfortable smoking experience.

An inch in, the burn is sharp and the cigar is producing a lot of smoke. The flavor has also shifted subtly, with the addition of peanuts and an oat-like aroma that I find very enjoyable.

In the second third, the spice increases a bit. There’s also an anise note that works well with the rest of the profile. The burn remains sharp, with a solid, white-gray ash.

Moving in to the halfway mark, I pick up leather, as well as a saltiness that’s saddled up alongside the pepper. Quite nice.

The final third doesn’t change much, but the cigar continues burning smoothing and the burn never wavers.

Conclusion

Cuatro Cinco is another great offering from Joya de Nicaragua. The blend showcases a lot of flavors found in other cigars like the Dark Corojo, but offers additional complexity to enhance the experience.  But the number of flavors isn’t the only factor: they also have to harmonize with each other. The combination of flavors comes together like a gourmet meal: silky smooth, but rich and chewy. Chocolate, spices, peanuts, and anise. A great combo.

Final Grade: 89

Arturo Fuente Don Carlos Lancero Review

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I was sorting through my humidor and came across one of my favorite vitolas made by one of the best cigar makers around. The Don Carlos Lancero which is the line that Carlito son of the late Don Carlos created to honor his father is a site to behold. What makes this cigar intriguing is it’s scarcity compared to the other sizes in the Don Carlos line. The Don Carlos lancero has been sold sporadically in samplers and select stores and seems to be parceled out in limited qualities.  I find this size cigar to offer concentrated flavors in its smoke.  I’ve been fortunate enough to receive some bundles from good friends over the years and was looking forward to revisiting this cigar. Enjoy.

Blend Specifics

  • Wrapper: Cameroon
  • Binder: Dominican Republic
  • Filler: Dominican Republic
  • Size: 7.2″ × 41″ Lancero

Appearance and Construction

Covered in a cedar sleeve this is a well crafted cigar with few veins and a gorgeous pigtail cap. The slightly dark Cameroon wrapper showcases the Fuentes importance in the the appearance of their cigars. Long and slender this cigar tells you that you need to take time and care when smoking it.

 

Flavor and Smoke Characteristics

The first few  puffs give you that sweet profile indicative of a Cameroon wrapper.  A little white pepper and graham cracker on the palate  builds into a nice start.  Lanceros offer the smoker a tasting display of the wrapper that is being used and this one is something else.

 

Midway leather and sour cherry notes come into play integrating with raw sugar sweetness. In addition a bit of spice picks up however never too overwhelming. The lancero is a medium bodied smoke at this point with nuanced flavors.

 

The final third gives sweet and salty characteristics along with  cherries and a long finish. As the cigar nears closer to the end I get a honeyed tea like quality that rounds the cigar out nicely.

 

Conclusion

Lanceros are said to be a “ Connoisseurs Smoke” as the use of quality long filler Tobacco  burned properly can yield wonderful flavors in this vitola. The Fuentes are known for their quality, creativeness and adherence to detail. The Don Carlos Lancero is a cigar that if you can find it will offer the seasoned smoker a sophisticated medium bodied smoking experience.

 

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