Dang, that was fast!

[BobKincaid]

Remember those RyJ Cazadores that Smithy put up a couple of weeks back? The first box went quickly in LITH, so I took my chances on another.

Am I glad I did! Look at these beauties:

I'm having one ROTT as I type. Nice start. I'll report further, later.

[Puros Y Vino]

Those look great! I've been thinking about getting a box. Can't wait to hear your writeup on how they smoke.

[PuffDaddie]

Great looking puros

[riazp]

Yeah shipping has been fast from the land of oz recently, great to see! please to let us know how them cazzy's smoke

[maverickdrinker]

cazzies are a good stick. One of the few that I like in the RyJ lineup. Strong mofos. Make sure you eat before you fire one up.

[Orion21]

Beautiful looking cigars. Congrats and enjoy!

[cigaraholic]

A man after my own heart, burning one the minute they arrive!

[cigcars]

WOWEEWOWOW!! I'm in love!

[Scdalak]

Bought a great box from CZAR back in April, Enjoy the pain!!

[BobKincaid]

Oy! What a day.

Just as I posted that pic and had punched my smoke, I got a call from the high school. The boy had sprained his ankle. So I tucked a cazzie in my vest pocket and went to get him to take him to the ER. My wife was already at the hospital because our daughter was having her gallbladder out today.

So my planned ROTT cazzie came a little later. Lucky for me, I consider CCs to be organic valium.

After getting the boy's ankle immobilized and air-casted, I went to the vehicle and torched the ROTT cazzie. Thus, the atmosphere wasn't quite low-light-and-single-malt, but it sure took the edge of an edgy day right off.

Is there anything quite as elegant as a ribbob-wrapped cigar bundle? The two ribbons on the bundle had been snugged a tad tight, so I chose the most arthritic looking stick for the test. Even though a bit gnarled toward the foot, it still showed real promise.

The photo I shot of the bundle is a little misleading. The cigars aren't that dark. More like a rich, oily colorado claro wrapper. The aroma along the exterior gave no hint of what was to come. At the foot, and in the pre-light draw, there was a definite overtone of strong tobacco, almost reminiscent of the rich strength of chewing tobacco from days gone by (that's a good thing in my book).

The pre-light draw itself was neither wind-tunnel nor skull-crushingly tight. It was, Goldilocks-like, "Just right." Overall construction appeared good, save for having been negatively impacted by an over-zealous ribbon-tier.

I sat in my vehicle in the parking lot outside the hospital, my son knocked out behind me and my daughter in surgery, and toasted the foot. It was more of a please-let-everything-be-alright moment more than it-doesn't-get-any-better-than-this.

The cazzie lighted easily and the oils in the wrapper became apparent in the way the combustion took the foot. A rich perfume came off as I swizzled it in the air.

The first puff, and largely the first third, were taken up with a surprising fruit pectin quality, rather reminiscent of grape or apple skin. I was momentarily surprised, since practically every review I'd read mentioned how strong these sticks are. Rob's remarks on the Czar site reference the cazzie being "a bull." "Well, maybe Ferdinand, the bull who doesn't want to fight and instead prefers to sniff the flowers."

In short order, however, I began to understand. The floral, fruit qualities ran away (from a bull?), to be replaced by what for me is the most clean, dry smoking experience I've ever had (including NCs). This was not, after all, a fruity or floral cigar. It was strength, but the strength of Gary Cooper in "High Noon," as opposed to Ahhhhnold in "Conan the Librarian."

The end of the first third and all of the second third were taken up with this clean strength. I was reminded of the dryness one gets on the back of one's palette from a really cold, really austere white wine, where all the grapiness is gone, leaving only the elemental effects on the tastebuds. Leather? Oh, yes, in abundance? Cedar was obvious, as well, much as the cask would be present in that cold, crisp white.

Understanding that empirically gathered data is the best sort, I nubbed this little beauty. Remember: this is a ROTT stick. It delivered flavor down to the very (NON-bitter) end.

I should note that I cut some slack on any ROTT smoke. I generally don't expect them to burn well, and this Cazzie was no exception. It displayed a predilection for going out. I don't know the box code for sure (smokes beat the box to the post office), so it may be quite young, which would explain things. On the other hand, it also re-ignited reasonably well. Overall, the burn was consistently smooth, with only a couple of uneven spots (one being the "arthritic" area of the cigar.

Smoking time was about an hour and a half, and leisurely. These babies are getting the freezer treatment, and then going into the humi. Given its performance under what are doubtless sub-optimum conditions, I have a feeling the RyJ Cazzie and I are going to become fast friends.

Kudos to Smithy for noting the quality of these seemingly PE boxes, as well as to Lisa and Diana for the amazing turnaround. Barring the snug ribbon effect, it's hard for me to see how they aren't HQ/PSP. Of course, I've noted the same with another PE box I got from the Czar.

And here at the ranch? All's well, if not quiet. The teenagers are feeling well enough to snipe at one another, so the prospects for a speedy healing on both parts looks to be a sure thing.

[asmith]

R&J Caz very rarely fail to impress. Great read.

[dicko]

Excellent review. These are on my hit-list. I agree, nothing better than a ribboned bundle of cigars

[stinkhead]

I have been looking to get these for awhile, but I think this gave me the push I needed

[Manny Sotelo]

I bet Smithy sent u my box!!! Nice read Bob and enjoy those.....

[riazp]

Bob, If I recall, and smithy or Lisa correct me if i'm wrong, whey RyJ Cazzies are on lfth, they sell them at PE price but they could very well be HQ/PSP. Great review, exellent to read, seems like cazzies will now be added to the ever growing shopping list

[BobKincaid]

Bob, If I recall, and smithy or Lisa correct me if i'm wrong, whey RyJ Cazzies are on lfth, they sell them at PE price but they could very well be HQ/PSP. Great review, exellent to read, seems like cazzies will now be added to the ever growing shopping list

That appears to be the case, riazp. As such, they seem a huuuuuuuge bargain. I'm sure I'll be reaching for them again in the future.

Now all I have to do is sit patiently till the freezer treatment is done. Agony.

I had plenty of time to reflect on that one ROTT cazzie yesterday and it occurred to me to observe that this Cazadore is to strong what the Fonseca No. 1 is to mild. Having now had both, it appears both are straightforward in profile (though wildly different), with not a great deal of change through time as the cigar burns.

I like the Fonnie 1, so for those who don't, don't take my analogy as a knock on the Cazzie.

[Plato]

Great review Bob! By the way, I know your playing the college football pickem with us...but what is your team name?

[BobKincaid]

Great review Bob! By the way, I know your playing the college football pickem with us...but what is your team name?

Thanks, Plato.

I screwed up and didn't get registered in time. Kept getting diverted and now I feel like an idiot.

I had planned to be the "Hillbilly Elitists"