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La Herencia Cubana CORE Review

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La Herencia Cubana CORE Review

Today is a bit of a blast from the past. Though we typically like to review newer additions to the cigar world, today we’re reviewing the La Herencia Cubana CORE, a blend from AJ Fernandez that was originally released back in 2012 before he was the tobacco superstar that he’s recognized as today. The cigar is still available online for purchase or via Luxury Cigar Club, a cigar of the month service that I receive and find to be an excellent value.

Blend Specifics

  • Cigar Reviewed: La Herencia Cubana CORE
  • Wrapper: Habano Ecuador sun-grown ligero
  • Binder: Esteli Habano viso
  • Filler: Esteli ligero, Jamastran ligero, Pennsylvania Broadleaf, Nicaraguan Ometepe ligero
  • Size: 6 1/5″ x 52

Appearance and Construction 

I’ve got to be honest, the La Herencia Cubana CORE is not a particularly attractive cigar. The label does a bit too good of a job blending in with the wrapper leaf, making it hard for the cigar to stand out in my humidor. 

The outer wrapper is a dark espresso brown and has a very rugged feel to it. When squeezed, the cigar has a decent amount of give, though it seems to be packed consistently the entire length.  The foot of the cigar offers up notes of cocoa beams, coffee, cedar strips, and barnyard. The cold draw is similar, delivering the same notes but with some added finely ground black pepper. 

Flavor and Smoke Characteristics 

After toasting the foot with a match and taking the first few puffs, La Herencia Cubana CORE kicks off with rich, medium bodied smoke. It is very much an AJ blend. It’s got leather, dark chocolate, some dry wood, and some sweet and tangy spices that activate the tip of the tongue. Strength and body are both at medium in the beginning. The retrohale is my favorite part of the experience early o. I find the flavors on the palate good, but too straightforward. The retrohale on the other hand is packed with complexity and most importantly, balance. Just the right amount of spice, with sweet chocolate and a salted popcorn note that pops nicely (no pun intended). 

From a construction standpoint, the cigar has a great draw, and produces plenty of smoke. 

At almost two inches into the smoke, almost nothing has changed. Well, if you don’t count the burn becoming more than a little bit off. Flavors haven’t changed much, and the cigar is still primarily sweet, with a dry, woody texture simlar to what I experience in many Padron cigars. It’s very enjoyable, but isn’t doing much to keep the experience interesting. 

Finally, after roughly 40 minutes of smoking (and well in to the second third) the flavors begin to change. In the mix now is a thick black pepper that activates the middle of my tongue. The sweetness that was so dominant in the first half of the cigar shifts significantly to be much more bitter. Charred wood and espresso edge the chocolate almost entirely out of the mix. Body is still at medium, but strength has definitely increased. The retrohale is even more aggressive, now with a blast of black pepper that is quite enjoyable. 

The final third of the La Herencia Cubana CORE continues the trend, with stronger pepper, charred wood, and some intense black espresso. The aroma on the other hand carries much of the pepper, with some nice cocoa sweetness on top. While not the most complex arrangement of flavors, I it very enjoyable, and a logical conclusion to the story that the cigar is telling. 

Conclusion 

Now to conclude the review. I wasn’t impressed by the first half of this cigar, but I have to admit that by the end I was won over. Overall, the second half of the La Herencia Cubana CORE does demonstrate thoughtful complexity, and the flavors are almost always in harmony. It doesn’t score big points on construction, but otherwise is a very worthwhile cigar to pursue, particularly if you are a fan of AJ Fernandez’s other blends. This cigar was particularly fun to review because I’ve mostly smoked AJ’s newer stuff, and it’s interesting to see the stylistic parallels between his older and more recent blends. 

Final Rating: 87

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Johnnie Walker Blue Label

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A Subtle Balanced Chameleon for Apprentices and Enthusiasts Neat Before and After Dinner

photo courtesy Diageo

Whisky Reviewed: Johnnie Walker Blue Label
Distiller: Diageo
Region: Primarily Speyside
ABV: 40%
Suggested Retail Price: $150-$250 (Watch Out!!)
USC Rating: 97
Distiller Rating: 90
Whiskey Wash Rating: 92

Mark’s Review

OMG, the aroma is incredible, maybe life changing! If you wanted one whisky to create the standard of velvety, sweet smoke, this is it. I could smell JW Blue all day and smile each time. Vanilla, caramel and apple bouquets rotated through every sense; yet with a feel of permanent coexistence. Normally in spirits, each of those potent smells vies for domination. Here they’re vibrant, rich partners.

How can a single spirit be such a delicate changeling? I even postponed the tasting because of the astounding aromatics. When I succumbed to the temptation to drink, my world got confused. When flavors don’t align with scents, disorientation often occurs. Fighting such confusion, I forced myself to ask:

What happened? I had to stop and think. I figured out that my subtle chameleon morphed into a soulful soft, mouth coating balanced whisky with a long finish. You’ll pause and do the same.

I then pondered: To whom would this appeal? That’s an easier question to answer. The Adventurer has no mountain to climb here and the Hedonist’s lurid desires are unfulfilled.

Johnnie Blue is, however, a rare mix of subtlety, balance and shifting tastes. It will tempt the Apprentice eager to learn and the Enthusiast embraces each aspect while admiring the harmony.

Enjoy a dram before a meal or as a reward after dinner, but forget about a cigar. It’ll blow away the gentility.

Use in a cocktail? To quote Jeff Dunham’s Achmed, the Dead Terrorist, I kill you! 

In the end, rest assured that the more you sample, the more you’ll want until, Voila! The glass is empty! Hurry and refill!

A note on price: This is not cheap stuff in any dimension. Shop with caution. I’ve seen bottles for less than $150 and over $250. Try this at a bar first to see if it’s for you and do the research on shops to know if you’re getting value or ripped off.

Mark Garbin’s Evaluation

Aromas & Flavor Appeals to: Optimal Client Type Great For:
Subtlety Aficionado Apprentice Cocktails
Power Flavor Admirer Enthusiast Neat Before Dinner
Balanced Devotee Adventurer With Food
Chameleon Lover Hedonist Dessert or Afterwards

 

USC rating:  Distinguished nose of pipe tobacco, saddle leather, crushed pistachio, brown butter, and chocolate covered strawberries. Elegant and mellow mouthfeel with soft chewy caramel and milk chocolate bolstered by bright fruit and honeyed nuts. Luxurious and persistent.

Distiller.com rating: Where Johnnie Walker Black is more like Daniel Craig as James Bond, Blue Label is more Pierce Brosnan; less brute force with a touch more elegance. Take a sip and find dates and floral notes with a touch of spice. But make no mistake, the smoldering peat does eventually sneak up on you…perhaps like an MI6 agent might. – Stephanie Moreno

WhiskeyWash.com review: I know for myself, the question is not whether or not I would like to leave a store with a fresh bottle of Blue Label under my arm, but rather when I will feel the time is right to do so. After all, there is always a bottle sitting behind the register. The challenge becomes one of identifying an appropriate circumstance under which to finally make the investment. Once made, it is an easy one to live with. – Joshua St. John

 

Padron Family Reserve 50 Years Maduro Review

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If you’ve followed us as we’ve written over the last few years, you may have noticed a dearth of reviews of cigars from Padron. I didn’t realize until recently just how few Padron cigars we have reviewed, so I added a few into the rotation for the next couple of weeks.

The Padron Family Reserve 50 Years (not to be mistaken for the Padron 50th Anniversary Limited Edition) is part Padron’s ongoing “Family Reserve” line which includes the Family Reserve 40, 45, 46, and 85. As you’ll read below, it really is quite a celebratory cigar, and a worthy purchase even at it’s steep ~$30 price tag.

Blend Specifics

  • Cigar Reviewed: Padron Family Reserve 50 Years Maduro
  • Wrapper: Nicaragua
  • Binder: Nicaragua
  • Filler: Nicaragua
  • Size: 5 x 52 robusto

Appearance & Construction

The Padron Family Reserve 50 Years features a double-band composed of the traditional blood red, gold, and cream colors I’ve come to associate with Padron aniversario labels. The construction of the cigar itself is equally meticulous, with a flawless outer wrapper, sharply edged corners of the box press, and a light springiness when squeezed.

For some reason, more than any other brand, Padron cigars make me sneeze when I take a whiff off of the foot before a review. In the case of the Family Reserve No. 50 Maduro, I sneeze not once, not twice, but three times. Sneezes notwithstanding, the foot gives off intense, prickly spiciness, dry cedar, and sweet earth. The only potential problem with the cigar is the draw, which strikes me as far too freeflowing.

Flavor & Smoke Characteristics

Once lit, the Padron Family Reserve 50 Years Maduro Robusto comes roaring out of the gate with a blast of pepper and spice that sits atop a base of earth, dry wood, and rich dark chocolate. The retrohale is a searing mix of black, white, and red pepper. And then, just fifteen or so puffs into the cigar, the pepper and spice pull way back, bringing a complex and harmonious mixture of sweet earthiness, wood, stone fruits, and dark chocolate into focus. The aroma is something else, with cedar, buttered popcorn, and touches of spice.  Strength and body are both at medium plus in the first third, and the thick white ash holds past an inch and a half. The cigar produces copious amounts of smoke, at least partially due to the free draw, so I take extra care to not smoke too quickly and risk heating the smoke up too much.

In the second third of the Padron Family Reserve 50 Years Maduro, the strength of the smoke ebbs and flows, sometimes highlighting sweeter elements of the profile, other times emphasizing black pepper and wood. At about halfway though, there is a definite movement away from the heavy earth undertones and toward a richer, smoother espresso note that is undoubtedly the main note. Overall, the cigar retains a remarkable clarity of flavor, with zero harshness entering into the smoke—quite a feat given the sheer strength and complexity of the flavors. The construction as well never falters, with a straight burn and ash that seems almost as sturdy as the rest of the cigar.

The final third of the Padron Family Reserve 50 Years Maduro is more of the same, and I’m not complaining. Smooth espresso, dark chocolate, cream, and subtle charred oak combine to produce a flavor profile that’s downright divine. Even in the final inch and a half, the smoke remains remarkably cool, with no deterioration in the flavors. An excellent ending.

Conclusion

The Padron Family Reserve 50 Years Maduro Robusto is easily my favorite from Padron cigars. The combination of flavors like espresso, dark chocolate, earth, wood, and cream, woven together effortlessly make this a truly special cigar.

That said, a quick word of advice here: don’t smoke this cigar too quickly. Particularly if your cigar has a relatively free draw like the one in this review. I found it most enjoyable with slow, careful draws to savor all of the flavors.

Final Rating: 94

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Cragganmore 12

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Subtlety Reigns Supreme for Apprentices and Enthusiasts Neat Before Dinner or with a Light Meal

photo courtesy of Diageo

Whisky Reviewed: Cragganmore 12
Distiller: Diageo
Region: Speyside
ABV:40%
Suggested Retail Price: $60+
Wine Enthusiast Rating: 90-95
USC Rating: 94
Distiller Rating: 86

Mark’s Review

Saturday night at a local restaurant and there it was, the core of Johnnie Walker’s product line, Cragganmore 12 year. No big deal. Right? Wrong!

The first aromas were, yeah, yeah, been there, done that, JW Black. But after two minutes of air, I lost my cynicism.

Refined scents rose from my Glencairn compelling me to pay full attention to a curious and varied sweetness. Caramel, almonds, wild honey and toffee together with floral chestnut vapors floated on gentle clouds. When I freed my nose, from the glass and tempted the fates of taste, the same pleasant subtle qualities ensued but with extra bonuses. A keen maltiness and creamy pound cake spread through my mouth and continued in the back palate without let up ending in a wisp of smoke. My continuous wide smiles were both unforeseen and unrestrained. They seemed to go on forever like the Energizer Bunny. When I added water I expected a typical 40% ABV flavor and finish dilution. Not here. A few drops subdued the main sugar factor, but emphasized the char.

Jason Debly’s comment is perfect: “This is gorgeous… an impressive tapestry of flavors to consider”.

This tender spirit is not for power or peat lovers and don’t think of using Cragganmore in a mixed drink. But the Apprentice learning about Speyside will find education in a bottle and the Enthusiast discovers a long-term addition to their collection.

Enjoy this neat before a meal; with a lobster dinner or any light food.

What I don’t get is Distiller’s write-up below. How can you give a 86 rating to a “hidden gem”? Take the number with a grain of salt. I leave you with a quote from Ari, the whisky guy, (a great 60 second video review): “This goes on my top shelf.”

Mark Garbin’s Evaluation

Aromas & Flavor Appeals to: Optimal Client Type Great For:
Subtlety Aficionado Apprentice Cocktails
Power Flavor Admirer Enthusiast Neat Before Dinner
Balanced Devotee Adventurer With Food (Light)
Chameleon Lover Hedonist Dessert or Afterwards

 

Wine Enthusiast rating: The succulent aroma develops with aeration in the sweet forms of barley, cream, light caramel, and a trace of tropical fruit. Palate entry is round, borderline plump, breakfast-cereal sweet, and honeyed; at midpalate, there’s a slightly oily peat smoke. Sweetly concludes with the focus on the malt.

USC rating: Stunningly golden dram with aromas of sweet stone fruits, citrus, honey, cereal, and a wisp of sage. Soft and smooth with flavors of malted chocolate, smoke, and dried apricot that build onto a mellow, semi-sweet, and smoky finish. Fantastic.

Distiller rating: This whisky is quite the hidden gem in Diageo’s Malt Whisky Collection. The whisky is filled with heather, honey, nuts, and pears. Delicate smoke comes in on the palate along with dried cherry and more honeyed nuts. It is a shame that this whisky doesn’t get heralded more than it does, but then again, maybe it’s okay to keep this one a secret. –Stephanie Moreno

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Two Brothers and the Road to Viva La Vida Cigars

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Center: Billy and Gus Fakih. Photos courtesy of John DeMato Productions (www.johndemato.com)

“Family” is a cherished value in the world of cigars. Families preserve the hard work that the founder put into building the business, and give next generation an opportunity to leave their mark.  Thus, as a family member of a cigar family, you need to pick something to learn be it operations, sales, blending, or farming.  The process is arduous, process laden and handling all of the elements is tough! Given the importance of family to the industry, it makes sense that brothers Billy and Gus Fakih entered the cigar industry together with the launch of Artesano Del Tobacco.

The two started their journey into cigars back in 1990 down in Greenwich Village with a store called Zig Zag.  I used to walk through Washington Square Park in 1990 and I can assure you Zig Zag was a good name choice for a tobacconist located at the convoluted intersection that was W4th and 6th Ave.

Locals found in the brothers an inviting and knowledgeable entryway into cigars, which at the time had taken off like a rocket nationwide. The Fakih’s immediately bred loyalty from customers, providing exceptional product selection and a high-level retail experience.

A few decades later, the two brothers, moved uptown and opened Cigar Inn on 71st street with their brother Bass. Under the management of Billy, Bass, and Gus, the lounge took off. It was so successful, in fact, that the brothers soon opened another location on 54th st.  Both these locations gave smokers in these heavy residential areas access to an upscale but inviting environment that appealed to high rolling businessmen, blue collar workers, and retirees all the same. The moment a customer walked through the doors, staff was ready to help them find that genuine love of cigars and not feel the wall of snobbery that other Manhattan stores might exude.

I remember thinking that they could have added another 5000 feet to the lounge after the popularity soared even further.  A few years later, the brothers sold the lounges to Casa de Montecristo for an undisclosed amount, and it seemed like the brothers were out of the industry for good.

And really, you might expect anyone to lose that passion for the industry even after a lot of success. But the Fakihs continued to love both the business and the cigar smokers themselves. Thus, more than two decades after opening their first shop, Billy and Gus are at the helm of Artesano Del Tobacco and in turn the inaugural blend Viva la Vida which is a combined effort by the brothers and the esteemed AJ Fernandez.

Always attentive. Billy and Gus Fakih speaking with an enthusiast at the March 14 launch at The Carnegie Club in New York City. Photo cred: John DeMato Productions

The Viva La Vida blend launched in New York City at The Carnegie Club on March 14th.  Matthias Clock, Founder of Fine Tobacco NYC, had hinted to me how great this cigar and the night was going to be (reviewed by him for this site here).  Who could have known how right he was!  I have never seen a first-offering cigar received with as much love as the Viva La Vida.

Viva La Vida is rolled in five sizes, from the standard robusto up to a limited edition diadema size. It’s a full-flavored, medium-bodied Nicaraguan puro made with a combination of a Habano Oscuro 2000 wrapper, Criojo 99 binder, and Criojo 98 filler. All are chosen from Tabacalera Fernandez by the Fakih’s and Fernandez.

The Viva La Vida in robusto size

The tobacco has a fantastic taste, exuding incredible flavors and quickly making loyal fans.  Remember when you first started smoking and you found that perfect place to finally light up and half way through you said, “this is the life.”  You never stopped loving that cigar…right?   This is that cigar.  I don’t want to ever catch myself saying anything like this but I will.  This is a cigar I would choose if I was forced to choose only one cigar to smoke for the rest of my life.  Complex yet even, flavorful but not horribly spiced up.  There are only a couple of others out there and you can feel free to message me on Facebook for that list.

Back to Billy and Gus. I think their path to blending makes sense.  After years in the business, they have all the relationships and they know what they love.  Working with A.J. was a brilliant move, too. He would never let a blend of his go down a rabbit hole, and his generosity as a craftsman shows in how damn good the cigar is.

There is one final aspect about the Brothers Fakih that I admire: they are real New Yorkers.  They live in my home boro of Queens (also home to the worst airport in NYC!), and their personalities are warm and genuine just like all New Yorkers.  Also, they are in this to win it.  Class and patience wins the race in the cigar world and they exude both.

My advice? Get your hands on several of these (one is not enough, you’ll see).  I wouldn’t be surprised if, given the hype, this cigar becomes much more scarce soon.

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