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Blind Review: H. Upmann Herman’s Batch

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The H. Upmann Herman’s Batch is an additional line in Altadis U.S.A.’s profile paying tribute to the German banker Hermann Upmann who created the H. Upmann brand in Cuba in 1844. This is not the Cuban incarnation as it uses an Ecuadorian wrapper and Nicaraguan and Dominican fillers, but this is still an homage to the man by way of a collaboration between Rafael Nodal and the Grupo de Maestros at Tabacalera de Garcia in La Romana.

Visually I like the look of the Herman’s Batch, but of course with blind smoking the proof is in the puffing!

Blend Specifics

Appearance and Construction

The H. Upmann Herman’s Batch is draped in a dark and oily Ecuadorian Habano wrapper. The cap has an elongated piece of wrapper that looks like a fuse running along the side of the cigar. The foot smells of barnyard and oolong tea. 

Flavor and Smoke Characteristics

My Xikar cutter gives a sharp straight clip and I take a dry draw that is slightly firm with raisins, hay and barnyard notes. As I use my single flame Xikar EX and take a puff, I’m hit with full bodied ligero and a blast of pepper. The intensity soon subsides and a more toasty and woody profile emerges. On the retrohale rich black coffee and and spices come through with an oaky finish.

At midway the H. Upmann Herman’s Batch introduces leather, coffee and honeyed notes that remain on the palate for a bit. The razor sharp burn line and white ash show the admirable construction of the cigar. A few puffs later, lead and a vanilla bean sweetness emerge while the profile hovers at a medium strength. Another retrohale delivers wood with cinnamon tingling the nostrils.

As the final third of the cigar comes around, the smoke develops cereal notes surrounded by an earthy quality. The medium profile continues along with chocolate, toast and graphite on the finish. The draw then seems to open up as the cigar burns down and ample amounts of smoke flourish through the air. The coffee comes back–more like cafe au lait than rich espresso–along with toast that creates a fine finish to the medium bodied cigar. An easy smoking toro.

Conclusion

The H. Upmann Herman’s Batch shows the true highlights of a Ecuadorian Habano wrapper. When done like it is here, I very much enjoy it. Although the full bodied ligero blast of tobacco was a bit much to start, the cigar segued into toast and coffee which was excellent. The leather and honeyed notes showed a tasty evolution and the toasty finish enhanced its medium profile.

This was the first H. Upmann Herman’s Batch I’ve smoked and I can say Rafael’s assistance in the blend made it more memorable for me and once again shows the craftsmanship he puts into everything he does. I would seek this size out and a box purchase would be a sound investment.

Final Rating: 90

Blind Review: Aladino Cameroon Lonsdale

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The Aladino Cameroon Lonsdale is a premium cigar made by JRE Tobacco Company. What is interesting about this cigar is it wears a Cameroon seed wrapper grown in Honduras. Cameroon wrapper tobacco generally has an African origin in the area of its namesake. In Cameroon this is a very delicate wrapper to grow and blend around. Not knowing what the cigar was prior to smoking I was instantly attracted to the wrapper and was curious as to what this would taste like.

Blend Specifics

  • Cigar Reviewed: Aladino Cameroon Lonsdale
  • Wrapper: Honduran Cameroon
  • Binder: Honduras
  • Filler: Honduras
  • Size 6” x 43 (Lonsdale)

Appearance and Construction

Visually the Aladino Cameroon Lonsdale lands on the verge of milk chocolate and a redness to the wrapper.  There are a few veins and soft spots across the cigar. Despite this there is a smoothness to the wrapper. The foot smells of hay and cashews.

Flavor and Smoke Characteristics

With a straight cut I take a dry puff that is a bit loose. After my initial light, I am welcomed with saltiness and pepper followed by an oaky finish.  The Aladino Cameroon becomes toasty, with a medium bodied range of peanuts and hay. I also catch some red pepper that transforms into earth and an underlying nuttiness. The draw firms up a bit, creating volumes of smoke and a white ash as the ember burned.

As the cigar develops, earthiness continues with vanilla sweetness surrounding the palate. The ash becomes surprisingly long, but still felt fragile rather than firm. Taking in a retrohale, the Aladino is all cedar which resonates throughout my nostrils intensely. After a few more puffs, forest floor and cashews come through providing a medium bodied style of nuts and silt. The burn line is quite good and as the cigar builds up slightly in strength, a bit of black pepper tickles my nostrils which then turns into a slight sweetness on the tongue. At this point the changes in style are not overwhelming and are giving me just enough to keep me interested.

The last third of the Aladino Cameroon Lonsdale doesn’t stray much from what I experienced in the middle of the cigar, with cashew, peanuts and hay (though the finish is a bit longer). The Aladino becomes toasty at this stage with oak and earth competing as secondary flavors. All the while the cigar is medium in body.

The last few puffs offer more of the salinity the cigar started with, with an additional earthy wood tone. A pleasant smoking lonsdale.

Conclusion

This was my first time smoking an Aladino and I was treated to a tasty  medium bodied experience. The nutty profile was evident from cashew to peanut and even almond towards the end. When I found out what the cigar was I was even more surprised  to learn it was a Cameroon seed wrapper planted in Hondurans. This goes to show that seeds grown in different soils yield different profiles. I’m usually used to a bit more sweetness and a delicate wrapper from the Cameroon grown in Africa. This generally adds to the nuances of the blend for me and with the Aladino it was a balance rather than an enhancement (which wasn’t necessarily a bad thing).

I would recommend picking up an Aladino Cameroon Lonsdale for its flavors and also to sample how this wrapper tastes grown in a Honduran origin.

Final Rating: 90

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Blind Review: Rocky Patel Cigar Smoking World Championship Robusto

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Cigar maker Rocky Patel has a truly vast array of cigar lines which would be too numerous to list here. One of his more creative incarnations is the Rocky Patel Cigar Smoking World Championship. As part of the annual Cigar Smoking World championship events (held around the world and with a Grand Finale in Croatia) the competitors smoke a cigar as “slowly” as possible without the ash falling or the cigar going out. Although this smoke is not the official size of the competition, the blend is the same and if you wish to challenge yourself you can see how slowly you can smoke this blend.

Having smoked this blind I puffed away at what I deemed an appropriate pace for this robusto and even though it wasn’t a marathon cigar session it was an enjoyable one as you’ll see below.

Blend Specifics

  • Cigar Reviewed: Rocky Patel Cigar Smoking World Championship
  • Wrapper: Mexican San Andres
  • Binder: Costa Rican & Panamanian
  • Filler: Honduran, Nicaraguan
  • Size: 5”x 50 (robusto)

Appearance and Construction

The Rocky Patel Cigar Smoking World Championship robusto’s dark maduro wrapper is firm to the touch. There are several veins and the roll seems a bit off in hand. The foot smells of barnyard, hay and earth.

Flavor and Smoke Characteristics

Using my Xikar V I clip a razor sharp straight cut and take a cold draw. It’s firm, and I pick up raisins and plum. With a quick torch light the Rocky Patel Cigar Smoking World Championship robusto bursts forward with smoke full of tobacco and spice on the tongue. What follows are notes of graham cracker and sourdough. In addition, I pick up some cocoa and rasinated flavor that hits my sinuses on the retrohale.

As the cigar progresses, the burn line is razor sharp with a grayish ash. The profile retains a medium to full body with earth and chocolate notes on the palate.  A sweeter side to the Rocky Patel Cigar Smoking World Championship emerges along with some floral flavors that last only a short time. With another retrohale I pick up raisin, spice and grain. The ash seems to hold on rather well at this point and there is ample smoke from the cigar.

The transition to the last third of the Rocky Patel Cigar Smoking World Championship robusto is that of roasted nuts and a dark chocolate finish. A bit of hay and cinnamon carries the smoke to a more medium style with a lighter spice than earlier. The burn continues to be excellent and while the hay is initially pronounced, some barnyard and damp flavors emerge that feel a bit disjointed from the current profile.

With the final puffs, flavors of peanuts, citrus and spice round out the smoke to a pleasing long finish.

Conclusion

I can’t say I’ve taken part in a marathon smoking contest (nor do I know if I want to), but whether you smoke this as a challenge or as a casual smoke the blend is very enjoyable. The full flavors of spice that the cigar starts with transitioned to earthy and chocolate notes throughout. The construction and burn line was excellent and the evolution to citrus and nuts on the last third rounded out the profile. 

I’ve had lots of Rocky Patel’s cigars over my 20+ years of smoking and have loved some and others less so. The Cigar Smoking World Championship robusto is a worthy addition to the Rocky Patel lineup. If you are looking for a medium to full smoke and if you decide to try and smoke for hours on end the Cigar Smoking World championship might keep you interested.

Final Rating: 89

Blind Review: Micallef Herencia Habano Toro

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The Micallef brand of cigars have released a new toro size to their Herencia Habano line. The wrapper and filler tobaccos are marketed to provide a flavorful medium bodied experience. I hadn’t smoked the Habano blend until this blind review, and I quite enjoyed the several Micallef cigars I have previously reviewed (like the 91-rated Experencia La Crema, reviewed here). I personally enjoy a Habano wrapper for the sweet balance it can provide to a blend. With this cigar I was certainly not disappointed.

Blend Specifics

  • Cigar Reviewed:  Micallef Herencia Habano Toro
  • Wrapper: Nicaraguan Habano
  • Binder: Ecuadorian Sumatra
  • Filler: Honduran, Nicaraguan
  • Size: 6” x 52 (Toro)

Appearance and Construction

The Micallef Herencia Habano Toro has a toothy mocha wrapper that is firm to the touch. The roll is solid on this large cigar and the foot has distinct floral and cedar notes. There are no soft spots noted and the amount of tobacco in the filler seems sufficient.

Flavor & Smoke Characteristics

A straight cut removes the cap and testing the draw reveals it has just the right amount of pull, with the floral notes from the foot along with mushroom and wood on the cold draw. I toast the cigar gently with my Lamborghini lighter and as the cigar lights up the first puffs give off flavors of graham cracker and cedar.  Spanish cedar and floral notes also come through on the retrohale. At this point, the Micallef Herencia Habano is mild to medium body with a flaky grayish/white ash.

As the smoke evolves, the flavors start to assert themselves. Cashews, maple and savory notes envelope my palate in a pleasant medium profile. In addition, there is a caramel sweetness that works in harmony with a long creamy finish. An array of flavors such as coffee, cream and cedar hit all sides of my mouth, with the cigar producing ample smoke. The burn line on the Micallef remains straight and the draw continues to be excellent. Another retrohale is all cedar and cream as I release the smoke.

The last third of the Micallef Herencia Habano Toro does not deviate from its medium profile or its refined flavors. Peanuts and cedar with a hint of spice are a nice surprise that kicks up the style a bit. Then, the woody notes return with chocolate that leads to sweet and savory and another long finish.  As the cigar reaches the nub, spice and nuts interplay which lasts even as the cigar goes out. A fine example of a flavorful medium bodied smoke.

Conclusion

The Micallef Herencia Habano Toro demonstrated just what you want in a cigar that is mid-range in strength. The flavors were plentiful with transitions from floral to graham cracker, nuts and chocolate that never overwhelmed, and lingered on the palate. Each puff of the cigar left me wanting more. Its not always easy to find this style with flavors that complement a blend so well. I would suggest you pick up the Micallef Herencia Habano Toro even if you enjoy fuller bodied smokes as I would think anyone could appreciate what they were going for here.

Final Rating: 91

Blind Review: AVO Classic Maduro (2020)

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Notable first for his legendary skill as a jazz pianist and composer, Avo Uvezian was also known for AVO Cigars, his personal cigar brand. It was 1987 when he crossed paths with Davidoff’s Hendrik Kelner and started the conversation that would culminate in the creation of AVO Cigars. One of the first blends, AVO Classic, utilized an Ecuadorian Connecticut wrapper. In 2000, Avo produced a Maduro version of the same blend using Connecticut broadleaf, but the blend was discontinued in 2015.

Fast forward to 2020: AVO and Davidoff rereleased the classic Maduro. 

Blend Specifics

  • Cigar Reviewed: AVO Classic Maduro (2020 Release)
  • Wrapper: American – Connecticut Broadleaf
  • Binder: Dominican Republic
  • Filler: Dominican Republic
  • Size: Toro (6″ x 50)

Appearance & Construction

Off the bat, the Connecticut Broadleaf wrapper feels super smooth. Two minor veins run down the side, which doesn’t take away from the smoking experience. The cigar is packed proportionally and feels sturdy from head to foot. 

Flavor and Smoke Characteristics

There is a captivating vanilla scent coming off the wrapper. As my nose travel down to the foot, there is a pleasant fragrance of sweet and sour plum and white pepper. To my surprise, the cold draw is very similar to the scent from the foot; sour plum and cranberries with a hint of white pepper on the tip of my tongue. At this point, I want to chew on the cigar.

As I toast the foot, the smell of a fruitful incense emerges from the smoke and instantly transports me back to the time where I was visiting a Buddhist temple in China.

Unfortunately, the smoking experience isn’t as delightful. 

While drawing on the first puff, the aftertaste of the smoke is distinctly sour, like someone is squirting a bottle of lime juice into my mouth. After fighting through some of the acidity, I’m able to identify dark cocoa and leather. On retrohale, white pepper spice and leather dominate my nostrils, accompanied by more citrus.

Just when I am about to give up on this cigar, the sourness transforms into a fruity sweetness. I can’t help but compare the cigar to Sour Patch Kids. The construction is impeccable and the ash holds sturdy while the ember approaches the second third. The flavors shift to sweet dark cocoa and black pepper spice. The tart and fruity notes are almost non-existent at this point. 

The one experience I take away from the AVO Classic Maduro is to never get too comfortable. During the final third, the sourness from the first third reemerges, though not as intense as before. Thankfully, these flavors are embraced by the taste of sweet cocoa, dark leather, and a hint of spice. I take my last puff and bid farewell to what I will later discover is the AVO Classic Maduro.

Conclusion

Receiving the Avo Classic Maduro 2020 release on a blind review throws out any preconceived expectations, which is important. Overall, this was a good smoke. However, the intense sourness from the first third threw off my palate, which negatively affected the rest of my smoking experience. 

Final Rating: 84

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